Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the FPMT’s Spiritual Director, was recognised as the reincarnation of the Sherpa Nyingma yogi Kunsang Yeshe, the Lawudo Lama. Rinpoche was born in 1946 in Thami, not far from the Lawudo cave, in the Mount Everest region of Nepal, where his predecessor meditated for the last twenty years of his life. Together with Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche began teaching courses on Buddhism to Westerners in 1965. He was spiritual director of the 150+ centres, projects and services in 38 countries around the world. Rinpoche passed away in April 2023.

Lama Thubten Yeshe was born in Tibet in 1935. At the age of six, he entered Sera Monastic University in Tibet where he studied until 1959, in which year, as Lama Yeshe himself said, ‘the Chinese kindly told us that it was time to leave Tibet and meet the outside world.’ Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe’s student, met their first Western students in 1965 and by 1971 had settled at Kopan, a small hamlet near Kathmandu in Nepal. Lama Yeshe died in 1984. The biography, Big Love, explores the life and teachings of Lama Thubten Yeshe.

Tenzin Ösel Hita was born in 1985 as Ösel Hita Torres, and as a toddler, recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of FPMT founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe. As a reincarnated tulku, he was renamed Tenzin Ösel Rinpoche, and spent his childhood years as a monk studying. Upon leaving monastic life at the age of eighteen he studied film in Spain, where he is currently based. His humanitarian, environmental and artistic aspirations have led to the founding of the Global Tree Initiative, and One Big Love. He currently tours internationally offering the Habit Alignment Key Retreats.