I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Lama Sangak Yeshe Tsomo, one of the only women empowered as a lama in the Namchak lineage.  She was open about her teaching style and her hope to “demystify” Buddhism for the West.  Her work setting up the Namchak Retreat Ranch in Montana is part of that process.  My article for Buddhistdoor Global is up here.

Lama Tsomo speaks with an off-the-cuff ease, and yet it’s clear that she’s impeccably prepared. She often laughs, breaking into a beautiful smile, and switches quickly from casual, loose banter to precise descriptions of difficult concepts.

Her ease at code-switching has been helpful for her in becoming a teacher. “For me, having already trodden this ground, I can help build the receptors so that when I translate something or give teachings, it lands,” she says. “I love the process of teaching and seeing the lightbulb light up in a student.”

Find the full interview at Buddhistdoor Global.

Photograph: Bison out on the range, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via wikimedia commons.