Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche has been my teacher for 10+ years. That's him to the left, the guy in the red robes with the big smile. I first met Rinpoche when I was asked to volunteer in the house where he was staying during a visit to Austin. Though I'd been practicing meditation for some years by that point, I'd never met a highly developed spiritual teacher. I didn't understand what the "teacher thing" was all about, or why people who studied with teachers talked about them in such glowing terms. Weren't they just a bunch of bald guys running around in red robes talking about curious things like emptiness? What did that have to do with peace of mind or living a good life?

Here was my chance to meet a real live Rinpoche. I took it. Why not? I was curious, and had a longing to connect more deeply with my meditation practice. I'd come to suspect that I was deeply stuck in a rut. I knew how to sit still, but that was about it; I didn't think I understood all that much about my mind. Since Rinpoche appeared to be one of the big bosses of this tradition, it seemed to be a fair bet that he might know something that could help me get more out of my meditation practice.

What struck me the most about Rinpoche was not how impressively gifted and educated he is, surprisingly. What stood out, for me, was how simple, authentic, and ordinary he was--all of the time. When a teacher of his stature visits a Buddhist community, things go crazy--people run around, everything happens at the same time, and there is a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, and stress. Every person's neuroses about authority and power come to the surface and blossom like mushrooms after heavy rainfall. It can be pretty overwhelming, and pretty funny too.

Rinpoche smiled through the whole thing. Just like in the picture. He was unfazed by those around him freaking out about what was going to be for dinner or who was going to drive the monks around.

Observing this, I wondered, "How does he do that? How can he be so calm?" I noticed that he appeared to be completely immune to the rock-star status he has within the Buddhist community. He seemed in no way to be swayed by the expectations, hopes, adulation, or disappointment of others. THAT really impressed me. I live in America, where sometimes it seems everyone is trying to become a celebrity. Here was an eminent teacher who didn't appear to be seduced or put off by any of the elaborate bids for his attention.

Subsequent experience with Rinpoche has shown his behavior to be consistent through many different circumstances. I honestly think he could sit down with a king to dinner or a homeless person on the street and treat both of them with the same unflagging respect, kindness, humor, and compassion. That's saying a lot. I don't think most of us can do that, as much as we'd like to be able to.

Rinpoche has taught me, through example, the real value of "equanimity," of appreciating things exactly as they are rather than trying to force the world to conform to what we wish it was. Through his example, I've become wiser, kinder, happier, and more mature. I've solved a lot of my personal problems and helped others solve theirs. After I went through a particularly tragic and difficult time of my life, Rinpoche's teaching and the practices he gave me helped me tremendously.

There are currently two groups that grew out of the original pool--a more traditional style Tibetan buddhist group that meditates and studies texts, and a Tuesday morning movement based meditation group.

If basic meditation practice is something you are interested in, just call me (470-4268) and we'll talk about it. I'm happy to help in any way I can, or send you to someone who can. I'm not a lama or guru; just an ordinary practitioner sharing a little about what I know. In general, what I teach is naturally based in Tibetan Buddhism, but it also draws from the realms of psychology and neuroscience, since we're fortunate enough to have that information available to us in this day and age.

I might also add that I am wary of authoritarianism in any practice or religion. I don't believe that enlightenment or true Presence is only available to a few special people. I think we all have the seed of it within us and that awakening is eminently "do-able" if we want it and are willing to work at it. I read and respect teachers who are practicing and teaching in a non-dogmatic way; some of my favorites are Ed Riddle (Dogzen), Reggie Ray, Adyashanti, and Eckhart Tolle.