FOUNDERS & TEACHERS

A man with long dark hair and a goatee leaning against a tree in a forest, wearing a dark blue zip-up jacket with his hands in his pockets. 
Dr. Nida Chenagtsang

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang is the co-founder and principle teacher of Pure Land Farms, and academic director of the Sowa Rigpa Institute: School of Traditional Tibetan Medicine.

  • Born in Amdo, in North Eastern Tibet Dr. Nida began his early studies Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) at the local Tibetan Medicine hospital. Later he was awarded scholarship to enter the Lhasa Tibetan Medical University, where he completed his medical education in 1996 with practical training at the Tibetan Medicine hospitals in Lhasa and Lhoka.

    Alongside his medical education, Dr. Nida trained in Vajrayana with teachers from every school of Tibetan Buddhism, especially in the Longchen Nyingthig of the Nyingma school from his root teacher Ani Ngawang Gyaltsen and in the Dudjom Tersar lineage from Chönyid Rinpoche and Sremo Dechen Yudron. He received complete teachings in the Yuthok Nyingthig lineage, the unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Medicine, from his teachers Khenpo Tsultrim Gyaltsen and Khenchen Troru Tsenam, and was requested to continue the lineage by Jamyang Rinpoche of the Rebkong ngakpa/ma (non-monastic yogi and yogini) tradition.

    A well-known poet in his youth, Dr. Nida later published many articles and books on Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) and the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition both in the Tibetan and English languages which have been translated into several languages. He has extensively researched ancient Tibetan healing methods, and has gained high acclaim in the East and West for his revival of little known traditional Tibetan external healing therapies.

    In addition to his work as a physician, he trains students in Sowa Rigpa and the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition in over forty countries around the world.

A woman with wavy brown hair and light eyes is smiling and wearing a sleeveless, light blue, V-neck top. She is standing indoors with blurred windows or glass doors in the background. 
Christiana Polites

Christiana is the co-founder and director of Pure Land Farms and the Sowa Rigpa Institute and its publishing house, Sky Press.

  • Christiana Polites received her Bachelor of Arts in the Comparative Study of Religion at Harvard University and has been immersed in Eastern contemplative traditions for over twenty five years. She has studied both Tibetan and Chinese Daoist healing arts and received a Masters in Acupuncture from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She has traveled extensively around the world, seeking out authentic living lineages in both the healing and spiritual sciences.

    Under the guidance of Dr. Nida, she teaches foundational courses on Tibetan Medicine, yoga and rejuvenation, and guides retreats and practices in the Yuthok Nyingthig meditation tradition at Pure Land Farms, online, and internationally.

    Christiana is also the co-founder of Yangchenma, an arts & culture organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and celebrating the richness and diversity of human cultures through their artistic and musical wisdom traditions, kept alive through the connection and shared experience of people throughout the world.

TEACHERS & SPECIAL GUESTS

(alphabetical)
  • A person wearing traditional Asian attire, including a decorative headpiece and face mask, holding an umbrella in a nighttime setting with colorful lights.

    Tsering D Bawa

  • An older man with a straw hat and a gray beard, wearing a light blue checkered shirt and vest, is carving a stone on a wooden workbench outdoors with trees in the background.

    Bhakha Tulku Rinpoche

  • A man with gray hair and beard, wearing white clothing and a black vest, is sitting barefoot on a wooden floor, playing an acoustic guitar and smiling. Behind him, there are colorful decorations, religious tapestries, and a table with flowers and ornaments, suggesting a cultural or spiritual setting.

    Tenzin Choegyal

  • An elderly woman smiling next to an elderly man wearing a large, ornate red and gold hat with purple and gold accents.

    Lama Pema Chophel

  • Close-up of a middle-aged man with short hair and a beard, wearing a black T-shirt with yellow Kung Fu association logo and turquoise necklace, standing outdoors in front of green leafy foliage.

    Edward Coughlin

  • A person with curly hair and a beard is working on a musical keyboard or synthesizer, with an artistic mural of a tiger and jungle scene in the background.

    Simone Giuliani

  • A woman smiling outdoors, wearing a white dress with floral patterns and colorful jewelry, standing in front of a blurred green background with trees.

    Drukmo Gyal

  • A woman with dark wavy hair, wearing a white long-sleeve top and a green scarf, sitting outdoors surrounded by trees. She is resting her chin on her hand, looking thoughtfully into the distance.

    Tiffani Gyatso

  • A smiling man dressed in traditional Asian attire, sitting at a table with colorful decorations, religious artifacts, and a peacock feather fan.

    Lama Gyurmed

  • A man with long black hair in a braid, wearing traditional Asian attire, sitting on wooden steps in front of an ornate wooden panel with decorative carvings and patterns.

    Bair Manzarkhan

  • Close-up of an Asian woman with gray and black hair smiling outdoors, wearing a black jacket with floral embroidery over a white shirt, trees in the background.

    Julia Mariko Shannon

  • A man with long dark hair and a beard, wearing a white shirt and jewelry, sitting cross-legged in a room filled with colorful religious and cultural artifacts, including statues, framed images, and decorative fabrics.

    Micah Sheiner

  • A woman with long red hair wearing a white long sleeve shirt and dark jeans sitting on a wooden bench outdoors with green trees in the background.

    Kaley Shumake

  • A woman with long dark hair and closed eyes, wearing earrings and a light-colored top, is sitting with a relaxed expression in front of a wooden lattice background.

    Liz Sung

  • An elderly man with white hair and glasses, smiling and wearing a dark patterned shirt, outdoors with a blurred background of a bookshelf.

    Robert Thurman

  • A smiling man in traditional Asian attire with arms crossed outdoors, blurred green background with trees.

    Lobsang Tsering Phartsang

  • A man with long hair, tattoos on his arm, and wearing a black shirt, is writing on a whiteboard using a yellow pencil.

    Tamding Tsetan

  • A performer dressed as a Hindu deity, wearing a crown and jewelry, dancing with arms extended in a temple or cultural setting.

    Prajwal Vajracharya

  • A woman with dark hair, glasses, and a black t-shirt smiling, sitting outdoors with green plants and sunlight behind her.

    Caroline Van Damme

  • Man with a beard and glasses, wearing a patterned shirt and a scarf, standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.

    Lama Justin Von Bujdoss

  • Smiling older man dressed in red, holding a sake bottle and a ceramic bowl, with decorative Japanese artwork and banners in the background.

    Lama Wangdu Rinpoche

  • A middle-aged man with gray hair, beard, and glasses smiling outdoors, wearing a white shirt with a cream and red traditional cloth draped over his shoulder, standing near a tree with lush green foliage.

    Bryan Watrous

  • A woman dressed in a red traditional outfit, sitting with her hands clasped, and surrounded by colorful religious and cultural artifacts, including candles and flowers.

    Amchi Tenzin Yangdon

  • A smiling woman with short dark hair, wearing a green blouse and a dark vest, standing indoors next to a wooden wall, with a conference badge hanging around her neck.

    Jacqueline Yu