Journey of Integration: Blending Buddhism with Modern Life and Leadership

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In the year of 1970, I had my initial encounter with Kalu Rinpoche, a senior teacher in Tibetan Buddhism and lineage holder of the Shangpa tradition, at his monastery near Darjeeling. He was part of the Karma Kagyu tradition known for its rich spiritual heritage.

In the following years until 1972, I completed preliminary practices alongside learning Tibetan language under Kalu Rinpoche's guidance. This period included translation work for his teachings on Tibetan Buddhism specifically inted for Western students published as Writing of Kalu Rinpoche.

From 1972 to 1976, not only did my journey as a translator and student grow further; I also helped establish Rinpoche’s first center in North America in Vancouver. This was alongside studies with Dezhung Rinpoche who taught in Seattle.

The period from 1974 to 1975 saw another significant tour by Kalu Rinpoche, for which I translated for him, contributing my part in bringing Buddhism to North America.

In pursuit of funding the three-year retreat experience, I also secured an M.Sc. degree in mathematics at the University of British Columbia and run a foster home.

The journey led me across oceans in 1976 when together with Ingrid McLeod and other like-minded souls, we joined Kalu Rinpoche on his journey to France where we built infrastructure for a three-year retreat. The first Western group underwent this profound experience starting December of that year.

In recognition of my role as a student and practitioner, I was entrusted by Rinpoche to teach at his Los Angeles center Kagyu Do-nga Chuling in 1985. Thereafter, I developed innovative teachingsuch as consultant-client framework which later served the foundation for Unfettered Mind.

Since its inception in 1996 until its publication in 2001 by HarperSanFrancisco under Wake Up to Your Life: Discovering the Buddhist Path of Attention, this model was derived from a series of small group sessions I facilitated over several years.

The journey continued with my exploration and development of three conferences on Buddhism and psychotherapy alongside colleague Yvonne Rand.

I sought not only to deepen my connection with spiritual traditions but also to integrate them meaningfully into the modern context, thereby bling perspectives from Zen, Theravada, martial arts, Taoism among others.

As I continued my work as a teacher, it was evident that questioning played a central role in differentiating and distilling essential teachings of Buddhism beyond cultural biases. This approach has helped identify core elements from medieval or local cultural influences which could be obstacles for Western practitioners.

In 1998, I collaborated with Ajahn Amaro and Yvonne Rand to develop Passing on the Dharma, a week-long teacher trning intensive program that further broadened my impact in teaching. Our joint efforts led to the publication of An Arrow to the Heart - a commentary on the Heart Sutra in 2007.

Around this time, I embarked on executive coaching and consulting, applying Buddhism’s principles into corporate settings. Clients ranging from Volvo Design, ReadyPac Systems Inc., HBO, Warner Bros., Time-Warner, NetSeer, and QSC Audio benefited from these insights.

In parallel, informal mentoring evolved into a comprehensive three-year Teacher Development Program for 18 teachers initiated in 2006.

I am a committed advocate of integrating Buddhist teachings with contemporary lifestyles while respecting their cultural origins. This journey has led to significant contributions both within spiritual circles and corporate environments through innovative teaching methods and impactful leadership development programs.
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