Pema Chdrn. In 1936, she was born in New York City. She graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. She taught in both New Mexico and California. Pema has a large family.

During her mid-thirties, Ani Pema traveled to the French Alps and met Lama Chime Rinpoche, who she studied for several years. She was studying with Lama Chime in London when she became a nun. The Sixteenth Dalai Lama came to Scotland at that time and gave the ordination to Ani Pema.

In 1972 Pema met her root guru. She studied with him from 1974 until his death in 1987 after Lama Chime encouraged her to work with him. She received the ordination in Hong Kong in 1981 at the request of the Sixteenth Dalai Lama.

After serving as the director of Karma Dzong in Boulder, Colorado, Pema moved to rural Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to become the director of Gampo Abbey. The instructions were given to establish a monastery for western monks and nuns.

There will be an increased amount of time in solitary retreat under the guidance of Venerable Kongtrul Rinpoche, as well as an increased amount of time teaching in the United States and Canada. She is a student of the oldest son of Chgyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

She is interested in helping establish Tibetan Buddhist monasticism in the West as well as continuing her work with western Buddhists of all traditions. The Pema Chdrn Foundation was established to assist in this purpose.

Several books have been written by her. No Escape has the wisdom of no escape. , Start where you are. , Things fall apart. , There are places that scare you. , There is no time to lose. , Peace is practiced in times of war. , How to meditate. And Living well. . Shambhala Publications and Sounds True have all of them.