FLOYD PEMA - Senior Teacher

After living my first thirty years as a secular Jew I started taking courses in Religious Studies at Temple University.  Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi had been invited to join the Temple faculty, and I took classes with him, and had personal instruction from him in Jewish mysticism at his home. I continued to be associated with him for fifteen years as his secretary after I retired, until 1993.  In 1995 I saw Losang Samten creating a Kalachakra mandala at the Phila. Art Museum, and learned that there was a Buddhist Center in Philadelphia, which I started attending regularly. Losang continues to be the primary spiritual influence in my life.

In 2000 I started attending  Dzogchen retreats with Palden Sherab and Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoches of the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center.  In 2016 I attended the first of several courses with Scott McBride of the Clear Light Meditation Institute. I have attended classes and talks by Sogyal Rinpoche, Gelek Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Garchen Rinpoche and Anam Thubten.