Sowa Rigpa Institute Founder

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang

Dr. Nida Chenagtsang is the founder, academic director, and principle teacher of the Sowa Rigpa Institute of Tibetan Medicine.

Born in Amdo, in North Eastern Tibet Dr. Nida began his early studies Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) at the local Tibetan Medicine hospital. Later he was awarded scholarship to enter the Lhasa Tibetan Medical University, where he completed his medical education in 1996 with practical training at the Tibetan Medicine hospitals in Lhasa and Lhoka.

Alongside his medical education, Dr. Nida trained in Vajrayana with teachers from every school of Tibetan Buddhism, especially in the Longchen Nyingthig of the Nyingma school from his root teacher Ani Ngawang Gyaltsen and in the Dudjom Tersar lineage from Chönyid Rinpoche and Sremo Dechen Yudron. He received complete teachings in the Yuthok Nyingthig lineage, the unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Medicine, from his teachers Khenpo Tsultrim Gyaltsen and Khenchen Troru Tsenam, and was requested to continue the lineage by Jamyang Rinpoche of the Rebkong ngakpa/ma (non-monastic yogi and yogini) tradition.

A well-known poet in his youth, Dr. Nida later published many articles and books on Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) and the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition both in Tibetan and English which have been translated into several languages. He has extensively researched ancient Tibetan healing methods, and has gained high acclaim in the East and West for his revival of little known traditional Tibetan external healing therapies.

Dr. Nida is also the Medical Director of Sorig Khang International: Foundation for Traditional Tibetan Medicine; Co-founder of Pure Land Farms, Center for Tibetan Medicine, Meditation, and Rejuvenation in Los Angeles; and Co-Founder of the International Ngakmang Institute, established to preserve and maintain the Rebkong ngakpa non-monastic yogi/ini culture within modern Tibetan society.

In addition to his work as a physician, he trains students in Sowa Rigpa and the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition in over forty countries around the world.

Sowa Rigpa Institute Faculty & Staff

Listed in alphebetical order by last name.

Edward Coughlin AP, DOM
Sowa Rigpa Herbal Studies

Amchi Yeshi Dorjee
SR Practitioner Mentor

Amchi Kuenzang Dorji
SR Wellness Kathmandu

Sarah Falkner
SRI Dean of Students

Adeleide Foster
Tibetan Language

Fernanda Gonzalez-Vilchis
Instituto Sowa Rigpa

Ben Joffe, PhD
Sky Press

Wendy Littner Thomson
SRI East Coast

Bair Manzarkhan, LMT
External Therapies

Julia Mariko Shannon
SR Counselor Mentor

Christiana Polites
SRI Executive Director

Liz Sung
Sowa Rigpa Yoga

Amchi Sangye Tenzin
SR Practitioner Mentor

Amchi Dolma Tsering
SR Practitioner Mentor

Amchi Nyima Tsering
Sowa Rigpa Himalaya

Caroline Van Damme
Sowa Rigpa Counselor

Lama Justin Von Bujdoss
Yuthok Nyingthig

Amchi Thinlay Wangmo
SR Practitioner Mentor

Bryan Watrous DACM, LAc
SR Practitioner Mentor

Tsu Ching Yu
SR Practitioner Mentor

Sowa Rigpa Institute Guest Teachers

Listed in alphabetical order by last name

Amchi Lhakpa Dolma

Emilio Gallotta

Drukmo Gyal

Anastazie Holecko

Erik Jampa Andersson

Joseph Loizzo, MD, PhD

Amchi Machig Sogdzon

Amchi Tenzin Thaye

Donla Tsering

Jacqueline Yu