Fred Eppsteiner, a Dharma teacher in the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh, has been a student of Buddhism and a practitioner of meditation for over fifty years and has devoted himself to teaching the Dharma (teachings of the Buddha) since 1996. Although Fred has practiced primarily in the Zen and Tibetan Buddhist lineages, he bases his teachings on the full breadth of Buddhist philosophical, psychological and meditative traditions.

Fred began his Zen practice in the late 1960s at the Rochester Zen Center in upstate New York with Roshi Philip Kapleau, the first Japanese-trained Westerner to establish a Zen center in the United States and the author of “The Three Pillars of Zen.” In the mid-1970s, Fred developed a close relationship with Thich Nhat Hanh, who has become one of the most widely known, beloved and respected meditation teachers and authors in the West today. Fred became a member of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing in 1983 and received Dharma Transmission and permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994.

Fred also has a long-standing relationship with the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. While on pilgrimage in India in 1975, he met Dzongnar Rinpoche, a profound and accomplished Dharma practitioner in the Tibetan Palyul Nyingma lineage. Over an eighteen month period, Fred received oral teachings and meditation instructions in the Dzogchen (Great Perfection) tradition. As well, Fred has received teachings from other modern masters of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Geshe Lungtok Tenzin Gelek practices and teaches Bon Religious Tradition. Geshe la has spent most of his life at Menri Monastery, since 7 years of age, learning the Bon tradition. HH 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche taught Geshe la how to chant according to the Menri tradition. Geshe la was appointed to the high position of Chant Master or Tsok Chen Um Zed, to lead all the Menri monks proper tone and pronunciation. He held the position for 3 years. HH 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche also taught him Cham – the secret dance, and held the position of Dance Master for 6 years. HE Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche taught Geshe la the Bon Scriptures of Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen. Geshe la would memorize all root text of these scriptures. He also learned poetry, astrology, astronomy, Tibetan medicine, and methods for constructing mandalas and stupas. Geshe la taught Bon Mool Shastra (Bon root texts of Zhang-zhung) to students at Central University of Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, India for 14 years.

Lama Lena (Yeshe Kaytup) is a teacher of Direct Mind Perception meditation (Dzogchen & Mahamudra) and a lineage holder of several Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Her informal style is precise and direct and she is revered by students around the world for her exceptional ability to share profound teachings in a clear, poetic, and humorous way.

Beginning in 1972, Lama Lena spent three years studying with Lama Thubten Yeshe at his monastery in Nepal. She then spent seven years in retreat and practice in a small cave above Tso Pema under the tutelage of her root teacher, Ven. Wangdor Rinpoche. From then on, she continued to travel extensively with him as his main translator and assistant.

At the request of H.E. Zigar Choktrul Rinpoche and Ven. Wangdor Rinpoche – as well as many Western and Tibetan dharma students – Lama Lena has been traveling, teaching, and translating from the lineages she holds.

Having studied Chinese medicine, Lama Lena also maintained a medical practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently splits her time between San Francisco and Tso Pema, where she teaches and provides medical assistance to the Tibetan refugee community, the local Indian villagers, and mountain tribespeople.

Geshe Chaphur was born in  Amdo Ngaba in Eastern Tibet. As a young boy he was recognized as the reincarnation of a great master Chaphur Phuntsok Wangyal Rinpoche by His Eminence Bon-Gya Rinpoche and other high lamas.  He received his Geshe degree in 2008 from Menri Monastery, the principal monastery for the Bön tradition, and the home of HH Menri Trizin, the head of the Bön sect and Menri Lopon Rinpoche. While a student he served as president of the Bon School of Dialectics. Geshe Chaphur has broad research interests, but he currently focuses on the poems and songs of realization of the masters of the Oral Tradition of Zhang Zhung.