H. E. Kalu Rinpoche
His Eminence the Second Kalu Rinpoche is a world-renowned spiritual teacher and emissary of Vajrayana Buddhism. He is lineage holder of the Shangpa tradition, which originated from two female yoginis a thousand years ago. His face-to-face, published, and online teachings have brought to life these previously secretive practices, offering public access to those poised for profound transformation.
He was born in 1990, in Darjeeling, India. His father, Lama Gyaltsen, was a nephew of the previous Kalu Rinpoche and had also been his secretary since his youth. The Second Kalu Rinpoche was recognized on March 25, 1992, by Tai Situ Rinpoche.
In 1993, Kalu Rinpoche was inducted into Samdrub Darjay Chöling (Sonada). In 1999, he moved to the monastery of Bokar Rinpoche and in 2004, he began a traditional three-year retreat. In 2009, he received from Tai Situ Rinpoche all the transmissions of the Shangpa Lineage. On this occasion, he was conferred the cycle of initiations of the lineage 108 times.
In 2010, Kalu Rinpoche traveled to the West for the first time and took charge of the meditation centers the First Kalu Rinpoche had created around the world. In 2014, he returned to Palden Shangpa La Boulaye in France, and in 2019, he returned to the United States to resume the tradition of the Shangpa Monlam initiated by his predecessor.
Having experienced his own challenges along the way, Rinpoche is extraordinarily relatable, kind, and without judgment.
Books, Courses & Podcasts
The Yoga of Niguma
Coming soon! This book will be available in August 2025. Enter your name and email below to be notified when this book is available for purchase.
Immerse yourself in the extraordinarily transcendent practice of the yoga of Niguma.
The yoga of Niguma comes to us from a secret tradition passed down over hundreds of years by Buddhist yogis in Tibet. The practice originated with the eleventh-century female yogini Niguma, who mastered and transmitted a tradition of remarkable practices that culminate in physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness. In this book, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche, a Tibetan master who holds this lineage for today’s generation, is now opening up the practice to make its extraordinary benefits accessible to the modern yogi.
The yoga of Niguma consists of twenty-five sets of yogic exercises. Some are physically challenging while others are quite subtle in nature; all are grounded in meditation on the breath. Kalu Rinpoche illuminates the practice by sharing his own personal journey with the yoga of Niguma and how the lineage came to be. He also teaches us how we can prepare the mind for this practice with meditation and how to balance our emotions. Then, Rinpoche takes us step-by-step through the twenty-five illustrated sequences of Niguma yoga. Coauthor Ira D. Zunin, MD, follows with special insight into the health benefits of the practice and reports on initial findings of what was discovered when an EEG recorded Kalu Rinpoche’s brain activity during the practice. Furthermore, international yoga teacher Michele Loew shares supportive Hatha yoga techniques that will bolster your Niguma yoga practice.
The yoga of Niguma is a revered method that integrates body, mind, and breath. Dive in to discover for yourself a gradual, profound groundswell of subtle awakening.
You may also be interested in one of Rinpoche’s courses, Niguma’s Dream Yoga and The Illusory Body and Mind.