Lama Palzang

Faculty

Lama Palzang, Dean

Lama Palzang is a Nyingma lama who was born in the Gyarong region of Tibet, where from a very young age, he was trained in the dharma under Jigme Tenpa Dargye Rinpoche. He was formally educated at Minyak Lhagang Monastery in Kham and trained in the Longchen Nyingtik tradition under his root teachers, Khenchen Chodrak Rinpoche and Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche. He completed a traditional three year retreat under Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche in Beyul Yolmo, Nepal. Since 2002, Lama Palzang has assisted Tarthang Rinpoche with large-scale dharma projects in Asia. Lama Palzang teaches classes on Buddhist Studies and Nyingma Meditation and guides traditional dharma retreats at the Institute.

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Hugh Joswick

Faculty

Hugh Joswick, Instructor

Hugh Joswick, Ph.D., has been studying and practicing at Nyingma Institute under Tarthang Tulku’s senior students since the mid-1990’s. He has also co-edited several books under the close direction of Tarthang Tulku, including Caring and the Lotus Trilogy books. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale University, and a B.A. and M.A. from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He has taught philosophy at the university level and is currently the Managing Editor of Mangalam Press, the publishing arm of Mangalam Research Center for Buddhist Languages, which focuses primarily on scholarly works in the fields of Buddhist and Religious Studies. Hugh brings a gentle approach and skillful style of inquiry to his teaching.

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Olivia Hurd

Faculty

Olivia Hurd, Instructor

Olivia Hurd, B.F.A, is a textile artist and retired children’s publisher. She was a co-founder of the Peaceable Kingdom Press, a children’s publisher featuring art from children’s books, which she ran for many years. She is a long-time meditation practitioner and has been a student at the Nyingma Institute since 1997. Olivia says, “In my years studying at Nyingma Institute, my life has taken a wonderful turn. I’ve increased awareness of whatever activity is at hand and the importance of how I do it. Most importantly, I feel that my sensitivity for others has grown.” Her teaching style is heartfelt.

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Suellen Ehnebuske

Faculty

Suellen Ehnebuske, Instructor

Suellen Ehnebuske is a long-time student and meditation instructor with the Nyingma Institute. She appreciates the opportunity of sharing this great wisdom tradition and practice with aspiring meditation practitioners.

Before retiring in 2015, Suellen worked as creative director and visual designer in the children’s specialty market. She completed UC Berkeley’s ESL certification program in 2017 and teaches in the SF East Bay area. Currently, she is working with recently arrived refugee youth at Oakland
International High School.

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Pauline Yu

Faculty

Pauline Yu, Instructor

Pauline Yu encountered meditation in 2006 during her final year at UC Berkeley, where she studied Art History and Philosophy. In 2007, she joined the Nyingma Mandala community as a full-time work-study volunteer.

Since then, Pauline has been studying, practicing, and working under Tarthang Tulku’s senior students. In 2010, she completed Nyingma Institute’s 1,200-hour Path and Practices of Liberation program.

Pauline completed the Kum Nye (Tibetan Yoga) Teacher Training Program at Nyingma Institute in 2021. She is currently enrolled in two additional teacher training programs: the Knowledge of Freedom Teacher Training via Nyingma Institute Berkeley and Amsterdam, and a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program certified by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley and the Awareness Training Institute.

See her current workshops and courses.

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