About Sifu Gyatso

Sifu Yeshe Gyatso received his Buddhist name from The Venerable Geshe Damcho Yonten, the first Lama from whom he received teachings.

From a very early age Sifu Gyatso had a keen interest in the arts of the East, which began at the age of five when he had dreams of sitting in front of an old man high in the mountains, which he felt to be Tibet. Later, in 1976, these dreams took on a great significance when he was to meet this Master in the form of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, the Head of The Nyingmapa School of Buddhism.

At the age of eleven, he took up the practice of Judo in Cardiff South Wales, continuing for eight years. During this time he was introduced to the Zen practice of sitting and the art of resuscitation (Katsu).

In his late teens he took up the study and practice of the Zen-Shin-Ryu style of Karate, in London. After two years of practising this style, he returned to Cardiff and took up the study of Shotokan Karate with the Budokan Wales & West and Japan Karate Association. He continued studying this style for twenty-four years, eventually attaining the rank of Sandan (3rd Dan Black Belt).

During this time he also trained in many other martial arts including, Ju-jitsu, Aikido, Mantis Wu Shu and Tai-Chi.

Throughout this period, Master Yeshe Gyatso also expanded his spiritual knowledge and was privileged to receive teaching from more than forty Masters or teachers, including:

• H.H. 16th Karmapa (Supreme Head of the Karma Kargu tradition)
• H.H Sakya Trizin (Head of the Sakyapa Tradition)
• Sogyal Rinpoche (Author of the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying)
• Geshe Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche (A Bonpo Abbott and Dzogchen Master)
• H.H The Dalai Lama
• Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (The Great Dzogchen Teacher, his Root Master and Author of "The Crystal and the Way of Light").