This is My Story

About 18 years ago I believe I experienced a spiritual awakening. I was about 30 years old when I awoke one morning with the feeling inside me that their was much more to life than just the ordinary appearances we daily perceive and observe. It was like a veil that opened for me just in a split second that I could have a glimpse through it. I was always in search of spiritual truth since I was a child. I grew up in a Christian family and thought if I search deeper into religion I will find answers. I even studied theology for 5 years to get answers and try to understand the concept of a loving god. What mostly puzzled me was human suffering and why even so called good people suffer and bad people have good lives. I knew there had to be deeper underlying reason why people on this planet are suffering so much and religion teaches compassion, love and grace which was not really evident to me. At this stage my life was also in turmoil, caught in a bad marriage with a beautiful little baby daughter. Read more

About H.E. Choden Rinpoche

Choden Rinpoche was one of seven children born to a noble family in Dahi, the Khampa region of Eastern Tibet. Rinpoche’s connections to past spiritual masters were evident from early childhood in his exemplary conduct and superior intelligence as well as in the miraculous signs often witnessed in his presence. Reting Rinpoche, the Regent of Tibet, officially recognized the small boy as the living reincarnation of the previous Choden Rinpoche, who had been one of the finalists in the search for the 13th Dalai Lama’s reincarnation. At the age of seven, Rinpoche took novice ordination from His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche. His Holiness reportedly said, “I found your name in Ganden Monastery’s Golden Stupa.” His Holiness named the child Losang Gyalten Jikdrel Wangchuk. Since his novice ordination, Rinpoche has been observing his monastic vows just as one protects one’s own eyes. Read more

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