I met Lama Norlha Rinpoche in New York City in October 1980. He had come to New York at the request of his root Lama, Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche, in 1976, to direct Kalu Rinpoche’s Dharma center there, Kagyu Dzamling Kunchab. I had some theoretical interest in Tibetan Buddhism but was a Zen practitioner—I wasn’t attracted to all the bells and whistles of the Tibetan practice. My friend Carolyn invited me one evening to come and meet the Lama she had recently started studying with; I ended up taking refuge with him that very week (October 29, 1980).

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