Lineage

The founders of Meditation Practice Institute owe everything we know to our perfect teachers, without whom this organization would not exist. Without the blessings of lineage, we would have nothing to offer. And so it is with great appreciation that we honor those who have taught us everything from how to sit properly in meditation to advanced philosophy.

Lama Christie McNally has studied meditation with some of the world's most renowned masters and has trained in several of the most elite meditation institutions in the world. She is a Tibetan and Sanskrit translator and textual expert with the Asian Classics Input Project; she is a co-founder of Diamond Mountain University and Retreat Center, which offers some of the most advanced courses in meditation available. Lama Christie is a master of meditation who completed a three-year silent retreat in the Arizona desert. She teaches meditation courses and workshops world-wide with her partner, Geshe Michael Roach.

Geshe Michael Roach is the first American to complete the 20-year course in a traditional Tibetan monastery and earn the title of "Geshe,” similar to a Doctorate of Buddhist studies. He founded the Asian Classics Institute—one of the world’s most comprehensive and popular schools of Buddhist philosophy—and the Asian Classics Input Project, which is the world's largest database of ancient Asian manuscripts. With Lama McNally, Geshe Michael completed a “great retreat” of three years in silent meditation, and co-founded Diamond Mountain University and Retreat Center. Geshe Michael is a master of meditation who has used his skills to create a multi-million dollar business and to help refugees in India and Tibet gain sustainable livelihoods.

Master Upasaka Culadasa has practiced meditation for 35 years; he teaches weekly meditation and philosophy classes in Tucson, and leads private retreats for small groups at his retreat center in the Dragoon Mountains. He holds a PhD in Physiology & retired 13 years ago to lead a contemplative life. He took ordination as a dedicated lay-practitioner 33 years ago and trained in both the Theravadin and Tibetan Karma Kagyu Buddhist traditions. Master Culadasa is a man of profound wisdom and a popular teacher of meditation training.