447. Lama Tsomo

Lama Tsomo is an American lama, author, and co-founder of the Namchak Foundation. She followed a path of spiritual inquiry and study that ultimately led to her ordination as one of the few American lamas in Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Tsomo learned Tibetan to study with her teacher Tulku Sangak Rinpoche, and now shares the teachings of the Namchak lineage in the US and abroad. Lama Tsomo holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and is the author of the award winning Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling? An Introduction and Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Practice. She is passionate about reaching young people and supporting those working for positive social change.

Website: namchak.org

Books:

Ancient Wisdom for Our Times Tibetan Buddhist Practice
Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling?: A Westerner's Introduction and Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Practice
The Lotus & the Rose: A Conversation Between Tibetan Buddhism & Mystical Christianity

Discussion of this interview in the BatGap Community Facebook Group.

Transcript and summary of this interview

Interview recorded March 25, 2018
YouTube Video Chapters:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Buddha at the Gas Pump
00:03:53 - Becoming a Lama and the Responsibilities
00:08:24 - A Journey in Spiritual Exploration
00:13:06 - The Insubstantiality of Matter
00:17:29 - Conversations on Reincarnation and Mindstream
00:22:00 - The Three Bodies in Tibetan Buddhist Practice
00:26:37 - Parallels in Different Traditions and the Holographic Quality of the Universe
00:31:18 - Joining with the Whole Ocean
00:36:23 - The difference between anger and acting violently
00:40:14 - The Five Afflictive Emotions and Enlightenment
00:44:47 - Total Awareness Beyond the Nervous System
00:49:38 - The Subtle Body and Enlightenment in Buddhism
00:54:01 - The Antidote to the Three Poisons
00:59:03 - Different Branches of Buddhism
01:02:55 - Finding What Works and the Power of Sangha
01:07:29 - The Power of Connection and Community
01:11:21 - Starting Learning Circles and Traveling for Teachings
01:15:11 - The Importance of Live Instruction in Meditation
01:19:30 - Visualization and Familiarity
01:23:44 - The Mud Pit and Cleaning the Windshield
01:27:12 - The Importance of Guru Yoga
01:31:35 - The Purpose of Birth and Evolution
01:35:40 - Major Shifts in Spiritual Development
01:40:29 - Mother Nature's Wrath
01:43:58 - Exploring Self-Realization and the Use of Drugs
01:47:38 - Gamma Waves and Enlightenment
01:52:11 - Enlightenment and the Afterlife
01:56:12 - The complexity of the universe's intelligence
02:00:25 - The Two Truths in Buddhism
02:04:50 - Accessible Meditations and Additional Resources
02:08:43 - Conclusion and Farewell