Our Teachers

Genuine human innovation is a rarity.  The best most of us can hope to offer is to draw together the many experiences, influences and teachings we have received, and creatively communicate them to others in a way that is meaningful and useful to them.

In the well mannered society of Jane Austen's works, a man's breeding was taken as a reasonable first indication of whether they or not they are a suitable fellow with whom to associate socially.  Ultimately it was a consideration when contemplating wedlock.

We certainly regard ourselves as being in deep debt to the many key influences upon our own lives.  We list some of the most notable ones here, and hope that some quality of their kindness, knowledge and inspiration communicates itself through us when we write and teach.

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Shé-zér was born and brought up in Aldridge, in the Midlands.  Her Mother is an active member of the congregation at her local church, St. Thomas', and together with Shé-zér's Father she was a company director for their family business for many years.  Shé-zér's Father has been a keen runner for many years, and won the senior section of the Madeira road race when joining as a casual entrant on holiday some years ago.  He is also an active member of the Mercian Vineyards Association.

Namgyal was born and brought up in Beckenham, Kent.  His Mother is a retired teacher and writer, author of Searching for Martin Barrett and winner of the Biscuit Prize for Fiction.  His Father is a retired steelworker having joined the steel company of wales in the 1960s, and is an active local historian.  He is currently writing a Biography of Carey Blyton - son of the children's author Enid Blyton - both of him lived and wrote in Beckenham.

Shé-zér & Namgyal both obtained honors degrees in Religious Studies at University of Wales, College of Cardiff, during the 1990s.  Their Primary University Lecturers were Dr William Johnson, who introduced them to Eastern religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism & Zoroastrianism and Dr Frank Trombley who taught Celtic religion, and the study of Islam.  It was in Dr Johnson's class that their interest in Buddhism grew, Dr Johnson himself being a student of the great Buddhist academic Richard Gombrich.

Shé-zér & Namgyal's tsa wa'i lamas (root teachers) are Ngak'chang Chögyam Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen Tsédrup Rolpa'i Yeshé and they received all their primary instruction on the Aro gTér Tradition and Nyingma Vajrayana in general from Ngak'chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen.  They were ordained by their teachers in January 2000, and married by them on 6th May 2001.


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