Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is Kagyu Samye Dzong Dublin’s Abbot and Director. Born in Kham, Tibet in 1943, he is the brother of KSD Dublin’s founder Akong Rinpoche. After escaping from Tibet in 1959, Lama Yeshe Rinpoche continued his education at the Young Lamas’ Home School in Dalhousie, India before becoming Private Secretary to the 16th Karmapa at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim in 1967.

in 1969 Lama Yeshe Rinpoche joined Akong Rinpoche and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in Scotland where they had founded Kagyu Samye Ling. in 1974, he and Lama Tenzing Chonyi, were asked to establish and run H.H Karmapa’s main seat in America, Karma Triyana Dharmachakre Centre in Woodstock, New York.

in 1980 he took full ordination from His Holiness the 16th Karmapa. Following his ordination Lama Yeshe entered a long-term solitary retreat under the guidance of the Abbot of Karma Triyana, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. In 1985, Lama Yeshe Rinpoche returned to Scotland to continue his retreat at Samye Ling Purelands Retreat Centre and in 1988 became Retreat Master with responsibility for the western practitioners who were in the cloistered four-year retreat.

Lama Yeshe Rinpoche returned to the world to take responsibility for the running of Samye Ling and also to direct The Holy Island Project in late 1991. Holy Island, off Arran in the Mull of Kintyre, was acquired in April 1992.

The Kagyu Samye Ling website has more information on Lama Yeshe Rinpoche and his work.