Namgyal Institute of Tibetology

Short Description

Stephen Aldridge (Ka-rma gSung-rab rgya-mtsho) lives in northern California. Since 1986 Stephen has traveled on pilgrimage or for retreat in Tibet, Amdo and Kham. He has visited monasteries and private homes looking for Tibetan texts. In recent years he has been focusing on pilgrimage (lam-yig) literature and high-altitude retreat texts (ri-chos) as a subset of research on high-altitude running meditation (rlung-sgom) and ru-shan practices.

Main Teachers

• Chime Rinpoche ('Chi med Ra-rda Rin-po-che), Ka-nying lineage, *Hiroshi Sonami (bSod-nams rGya-mtsho Rin-po-che), Sa-nying lineage, *Karmapa 16 (Rang-byung Rig-pa'i rDo rje), Ka-nying, *Lama Pema Dorje (bLa-ma Pad-ma rDo-rje), Ka-nying

Active Projects

Complete liberation from the three realms - rDzogs-pa chen-po yang zab bla sgrub dkon mchog spyi 'dus kyi khrid yig gu ru'i dgongs rgyan nyin byed snying po las rdzogs rim khrid yig khams gsum yongs grol by Las 'phro gling pa

Unpublished Works Completed

• Three Experiences (snang gsum mdzes rgyan by dKon mchog lhun grub) with Hiroshi Sonami

• Pilgrims' Guide to Minyag Sacred Sites - Gangs dkar gyi gnas yig dang gnas 'dus skabs kyi phan yon mdor bsdus dad pa'i sa bon by Gangs-dkar Rinpoche (expected to be published Sept., 2007)

• The Incarnation from White Glacier Mountain - ‘Bo Gangs dkar sprul sku’i rnam thar dad pa'i pad dkar bzhugs by Mi-nyag mgon-po (expected to be published Sept., 2007)

• A Prophecy of Things to Come - Ma 'ongs lung bstan gsal byed sgron me by 'Jam-dbyangs mkhyen-brtse dbang-po

Research/Pilgrimage Uncompleted

• Mi-nyag according to Tibetan history and an analysis of some Mi-nyag naming conventions - Mi-nyag mgon-po, Bod kyi lo rgyus rigs pa’i nang Mi nyag gi gnas tshul dang Mi nyag skor gyi ming tshig ‘gar dpyad pa, Krung go’i bod ljongs, Vol 5, 1998, p.21-23