About Us

 Kagyu Shedrup Chöling is the first center Lama Norlha Rinpoche started in South Florida. It was named The Kagyu Dharma Center of Study and Practice by him on his second teaching visit in 1997. The many traditional Tibetan Buddhist activities that take place at KSC include teachings in meditation, including shinay (shamatha) and lhatong (vipasshyana). Those who have received initiation or empowerments are given the oral transmission (lung) for the practice texts and instruction on how to practice various sadhanas. The resident teacher, Lama Karma Chötso, teaches traditional Tibetan texts such as the Seven Points of Mind Training, the 37 Deeds of a Bodhisattva, The Union of Mahamudra & Dzogchen, and others. Tibetan language classes are offered with students initially learning to read and chant Tibetan texts and going on to spoken Tibetan.

KSC is the only Buddhist Dharma Center in Florida where Tibetan butterlamps are offered. Every Sunday morning, in a ceremony called Gya Chö or the Offering of One Hundred, participants light one hundred butter lamps, offer one hundred bowls filled with saffron water, one hundred flowers and incense. Offering butter lamps is a very effective way of earning merit and requesting prayers. Prayer requests are read before chanting the Green Tara, Fire Puja (Riwo Sangchö) and Medicine Buddha sadhanas, along with other prayers.

KSC hosts the visits of Lama Norlha Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche annually. Lama Chöpal has also come to KSC to teach Tibetan art. On his last visit, the students made their first sand mandala (the mandala of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezi) in the Miami Design District.

As the first Dharma Center of the Kagyu lineage to be founded in South Florida, KSC has prospered. From a core group of only a few students, the center has expanded to include centers in Hollywood, El Portal, and South Miami. A Lama Residence has been purchased that includes a small house used for meditation retreats. Lama Karma Chötso continues to work towards the goal of building a stupa in South Florida, a structure symbolizing the Buddha's enlightened mind and one that will help avert terrible storms and disasters. The projected start of building the first stupa is early 2007.