One of the more innovative Buddhist teachers today, Ken McLeod is known for his clear explanations, poetic translations, and pragmatic approach to practice. He is one of the first generation of Western teachers in the Tibetan tradition and one of the few to be authorized to transmit the full scope of these teachings to students. His approach resonates strongly with those whose path lies outside established institutions.
In 1970 Ken met his principal teacher Kalu Rinpoche at his monastery near Darjeeling. There Ken began a life-long study and practice in Tibetan Buddhism. In 1985 he was appointed the resident teacher of Kalu Rinpoche’s center In Los Angeles. After his teacher’s passing in 1989, Ken decided to move away from the hierarchical structures of Asian Buddhism and explore new approaches.
In 1990, he founded his own organization, Unfettered Mind. His approach of one-on-one consultations roiled the Buddhist world in the early ‘90s, but was quickly recognized as a viable way to teach and guide students in the West.
Now retired from formal teaching, he lives in Northern California where he hikes and writes. His writings and translations include The Great Path of Awakening (1987), Wake Up to Your Life (2001), An Arrow to the Heart (2007), Reflections on Silver River (2014), A Trackless Path (2017), and The Magic of Vajrayana (2022), as well as a corpus of articles and translations in Tricycle and other Buddhist magazines.
An archive of Ken’s work including podcasts from retreats and classes can be found at unfetteredmind.org.
For more information, please go to:
https://unfetteredmind.org/about-ken-mcleod/
Or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McLeod