Ngakpa ’ö-Nyi Dorje

Ngakpa ’ö-Nyi Dorje became interested in Vajrayana in 1970 – but in those early days, an authentic teacher was hard to find in Britain. It was Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s books that provided most of his help and inspiration.

It was not until 1988 that he met Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen and felt a close connection with them both immediately. He was ordained in 1993 along with his wife Ngakma Pema Zangmo.

He has always had a practical approach to life and when the supply of chöd drums dried up, he bought a lathe and taught himself to turn wood. He is still making drums and the finials that ornament the supportive poles of the thangkas painted by Ngakma Pema Zangmo.

He finds great enjoyment in playing guitar and singing – a pursuit he has in common with Ngak’chang Rinpoche. He has recently started to learn to ride horses—with much encouragement from Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen—in order to be able to ride on pilgrimage in the Hidden Land of Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche, in Montana. He worked as a vision engineer and is now semi-retired, living in Penarth—near Cardiff—South Wales.