The Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, NY
Who We Are
The Hay River KTC Buddhist Meditation Center is an affiliate center of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, NY.
Under the guidance of Lama Tsultrim Yeshe, a fully ordained monk, our purpose is to promote wellbeing, compassion, and wisdom through teachings on meditation and the practices of Tibetan Buddhism.
In particular, our focus is on the teachings of the Karma Kagyu, one of the four Tibetan Buddhist lineages. This tradition emphasizes meditation practice and putting the teachings into action in our daily life.
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About Lama Tsultrim Yeshe
Lama Tsultrim Yeshe (John Samuelson) has been a student of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche since 1989. He completed the first three-year retreat at Karme Ling under the direction of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche earning the title of “Retreat Lama.” He took novice monk vows in 1994 from Tai Situ Rinpoche and fully ordained monastic vows in 2008 from Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche.
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Lama Yeshe is the resident Lama at the Hay River KTC in rural Ridgeland, WI. He travels throughout the country to other Buddhist centers to teach and lead retreats, as well as holistic learning centers like the Omega Institute.
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He's led a number of programs at the Christine Center outside of Willard, WI, on topics such as Emotional Healing; Grief, Loss, and Resiliency; The Healing Power of Forgiveness; Change, Chaos, and Contentment.
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He worked for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for eight years as a prison Chaplain. He gained valuable experience working with inmates in a medium security prison. Many inmates have had difficult and abusive childhoods, anger management problems, and high levels of anxiety and stress.
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He continues to do volunteer work in the prison teaching meditation, Buddhism and giving guidance.
Lama Yeshe has a BS degree in Sociology from the University of Oklahoma and did graduate work in Sociology at the University of Minnesota. He taught Sociology for four years at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
He has also worked doing construction, building new houses and remodeling, and before that, furniture reupholstery. He likes woodworking and building and working with his hands. The Hay River KTC is in a stone building he constructed, with some help from friends, in 1977 as a shop. The building was later remodeled, with the help of volunteers from the center, and converted into its present form.
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Lama Yeshe has lived at his present location, a farmstead built in the 1890s, near Ridgeland, Wisconsin since 1971.
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Lama Tsultrim Yeshe is available for meditation instruction and personal consultation. This can be set up with him personally by contacting him at 715-949-1407 or emailing 108yeshe@gmail.com. Please note, that phone number is a landline and cannot accept text messages.