Palpung Thubten Choling Monastery and its affiliate centers are branches of the Palpung Institution under the spiritual direction of Guru Vajradhara the 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa. (See facebook.com/palpung)
Palpung Thubten Choling Monastery and Retreat Center was founded in 1978 by Lama Norlha Rinpoche as Kagyu Thubten Choling. Now affiliated with Palpung Congregation under the direction of Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa Rinpoche, the monastery provides opportunities for students at all levels. In addition to a daily schedule of practice, study and work, weekend seminars and special courses are led by resident and visiting lamas. The monastery is also home to a traditional three-year retreat program currently in its ninth cycle. Over more than 30 years, we have been fortunate to host two visits from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to receive blessings from both the 16th and 17th Karmapas, as well as numerous teachings and empowerments from the spiritual heads and other notable Lamas of all four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. Since its founding, a major focus of Palpung Thubten Chöling Monastery has been the three-year retreat program which was initiated in 1982 and offers training to serious students in the core teachings and practices of the Kagyu Lineage. Three-year retreat graduates offer classes in Tibetan language, meditation, and traditional rituals, both at the monastery and at our affiliated centers located in many cities throughout the U.S. They also serve as mentors in the Dharma Path Program, a program created by Lama Norlha Rinpoche to provide serious practitioners in the lay community with comprehensive instruction in the progressive stages of meditation and contemplation.
