Drolma, P.

From Buddha-Nature


Lama Palden Drolma

Lama Palden was one of the first Western women to be authorized as a lama in 1986, by her primary teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, following her completion of the traditional Tibetan three year, three month retreat. She has been a student and practitioner of Buddhism and of Comparative Mysticism for over 40 years. She is the founding teacher of Sukhasiddhi Foundation http://www.sukhasiddhi.org in the SF Bay Area, a Tibetan Buddhist center in the Shangpa and Kagyu lineages. Lama Palden has a deep interest in helping to make the teachings and practices of Vajrayana Buddhism accessible and practical for Westerners in order to help students actualize our innate wisdom, love and joy. As a teacher, she is committed to each student's unique unfolding and blossoming.

In 1993 Lama Palden completed a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley. After licensing as a psychotherapist, she engaged in facilitating clients psycho-spiritual integration and development, through bringing together understandings and methods from Buddhism and Psychology, as well as from the Diamond Heart work, that she engaged with and trained in for many years. (Source Accessed August 13, 2020)

Library Items

Video
Lama Palden Drolma: A Guided Tonglen Meditation Practice
Drolma, Lama Palden. "A Guided Tonglen Meditation Practice." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 15:05. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4VmQ6eQcI.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "A Guided Tonglen Meditation Practice." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 15:05. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4VmQ6eQcI.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: Is Buddha-Nature a Teaching That Is Universal?
Drolma, Lama Palden. "Is Buddha-Nature a Teaching That Is Universal?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 4:14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMxLlbsnyZQ.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "Is Buddha-Nature a Teaching That Is Universal?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 4:14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMxLlbsnyZQ.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On Bringing Tonglen Practice to New Audiences
Drolma, Lama Palden. On "Bringing Tonglen Practice to New Audiences." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 6:05. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c6UNBP3yAg.
Drolma, Lama Palden. On "Bringing Tonglen Practice to New Audiences." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 6:05. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c6UNBP3yAg.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On Doing Tonglen Practice for Oneself
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Doing Tonglen Practice for Oneself." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 5:37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vx6RYW55MQ.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Doing Tonglen Practice for Oneself." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 5:37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vx6RYW55MQ.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On Her First Encounter with Buddha-Nature Teachings
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Her First Encounter with Buddha-Nature Teachings." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 6:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6ZRuxvQRdQ.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Her First Encounter with Buddha-Nature Teachings." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 6:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6ZRuxvQRdQ.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On Incorporating Vajrayana Practices into a Therapeutic Setting
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Incorporating Vajrayana Practices into a Therapeutic Setting." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 5:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVZtWqLMOE8.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Incorporating Vajrayana Practices into a Therapeutic Setting." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 5:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVZtWqLMOE8.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On Narcissism
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Narcissism." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 2:49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4-lgGEw5pk.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Narcissism." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 2:49. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4-lgGEw5pk.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On Pharmaceuticals
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Pharmaceuticals." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 3:42. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RIcd-z0QlI.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On Pharmaceuticals." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 3:42. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RIcd-z0QlI.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On The Meaning of Vajrayana and Deity Practice
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On The Meaning of Vajrayana and Deity Practice." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 2:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnThhCzPHII.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On The Meaning of Vajrayana and Deity Practice." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 2:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnThhCzPHII.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On the Relationship between Tonglen and Buddha-Nature
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On the Relationship between Tonglen and Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 7:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oFJwIe3YTw.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On the Relationship between Tonglen and Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 7:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oFJwIe3YTw.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On the Shangpa Kagyu Tradition
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On the Shangpa Kagyu Tradition." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 8:43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmOphVCSuhE.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On the Shangpa Kagyu Tradition." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 8:43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmOphVCSuhE.
Video
Lama Palden Drolma: On the Sukhasiddhi Foundation
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On the Sukhasiddhi Foundation." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 2:20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlFtv8xBeI8.
Drolma, Lama Palden. "On the Sukhasiddhi Foundation." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, November 27, 2021. Video, 2:20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlFtv8xBeI8.
Article
Meditations on Buddhanature: Recognizing Buddhanature through Tonglen (Drolma 2023)
Connecting with our buddhanature, our enlightened nature, often feels very far away, like it's not even possible. But it is much closer than we think. For example, when we are suddenly moved to compassion for someone, right then our buddhanature is shining through us. If we tune into ourselves at that moment, we can feel our innate goodness, our unconditioned pure being. Or when someone

looks at us with complete love, we can allow it in and feel the same.

Tonglen, which means taking and sending, is a meditation practice that cultivates unconditional compassion and love. In Tonglen, as we open to our own or others' suffering and allow it to be transformed into compassion, we awaken to the compassion and love that is at the core of who we are. We first bring loving awareness to ourselves, and then we exchange self for others. Taking and sending for ourselves can unearth feelings of self-hatred, low self-worth, deficiency, and unworthiness, among others. As we gradually work through these feelings and open to increased kindness and compassion for ourselves, it helps heal our core wounds and loosens our self-fixation, facilitating a deeper opening into compassion and love. (Read more here)
Drolma, Lama Palden. "Meditations on Buddhanature: Recognizing Buddhanature through Tonglen." Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Guide, Fall 2023, 61–64.
Book
The Buddha's Dream of Liberation: Freedom, Emptiness, and Awakened Nature
In clear language, James William Coleman guides us through the ancient sutras that preserve the Buddha’s message, illuminating their meaning for today’s world and tying the Buddha’s wisdom together for us. The book concludes with chapters from two great teachers, Reb Anderson from the Zen tradition and Lama Palden from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, on how to use meditation to bring the Buddha’s wisdom into our daily lives. (Source: Wisdom Publications)
Coleman, James William. The Buddha's Dream of Liberation: Freedom, Emptiness, and Awakened Nature. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2017.

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