Tim Olmsted: ⁠Spontaneous Teachers, Spontaneous Student (#185)

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast features Tim Olmsted. Tim is the founder and president of the Pema Chödrön Foundation and former director of Gampo Abbey. He began his Buddhist studies in 1977 under the late Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in Boulder, Colorado. In 1981, after being moved by a visit from Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Tim and his family moved to Kathmandu to study with Tulku Urgyen and his sons. For 12 years, Tim lived in Nepal, working as a psychotherapist serving the international community. In 2000, he moved to Nova Scotia where he served for three years as the director of Gampo Abbey, the largest residential Buddhist monastery in North America. He spends much of his time traveling internationally, teaching meditation in his role as a senior instructor for Tergar International, a worldwide meditation community under the guidance of Tibetan meditation teacher, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.

In this episode host, Daniel Aitken, and Tim discuss:

• His journey into the Dharma, including his life in Nepal and his time spent with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and his son;
• Perfect devotion vs the guru complex; 
• The significance of community;
• and much more!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Blazing Splendor: The Memoirs of the Dzogchen Yogi Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
• Tergar.org
• Vajrayana Online
• The Joy of Living an online meditation course and training with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Remember to subscribe to the Wisdom Podcast for more great conversations on Buddhism, meditation, and mindfulness. And please give us a 5-star rating in Apple Podcasts if you enjoy our show—it’s a great support to us and helps other people find the podcast. Thank you!