Our Founders
Dr. Nida Chenagtsang
Dr. Nida Chenagtsang is the co-founder and principle teacher of Pure Land Farms, and founder and medical director of the Sowa Rigpa Institute: School of Traditional Tibetan Medicine.
Born in Amdo, in North Eastern Tibet Dr. Nida began his early studies Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) at the local Tibetan Medicine hospital. Later he was awarded scholarship to enter the Lhasa Tibetan Medical University, where he completed his medical education in 1996 with practical training at the Tibetan Medicine hospitals in Lhasa and Lhoka.
Alongside his medical education, Dr. Nida trained in Vajrayana with teachers from every school of Tibetan Buddhism, especially in the Longchen Nyingthig of the Nyingma school from his root teacher Ani Ngawang Gyaltsen and in the Dudjom Tersar lineage from Chönyid Rinpoche and Sremo Dechen Yudron. He received complete teachings in the Yuthok Nyingthig lineage, the unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Medicine, from his teachers Khenpo Tsultrim Gyaltsen and Khenchen Troru Tsenam, and was requested to continue the lineage by Jamyang Rinpoche of the Rebkong ngakpa/ma (non-monastic yogi and yogini) tradition.
A well-known poet in his youth, Dr. Nida later published many articles and books on Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) and the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition both in the Tibetan and English languages which have been translated into several languages. He has extensively researched ancient Tibetan healing methods, and has gained high acclaim in the East and West for his revival of little known traditional Tibetan external healing therapies.
Dr. Nida is also the Co-Founder and Medical Director of Sorig Khang International, Co-Founder of the International Ngakmang Institute, established to preserve and maintain the Rebkong ngakpa non-monastic yogi/ini culture within modern Tibetan society.
In addition to his work as a physician, he trains students in Sowa Rigpa and the Yuthok Nyingthig tradition in over forty countries around the world.
“Dr Nida (Sun Moon) is a physician endowed with expansive intellect and discriminating reason, and whose heart is completely filled with a positive and pure intention to help others.” - Professor Gojo Wandu
Christiana Polites
Christiana Polites received her Bachelor of Arts in the Comparative Study of Religion at Harvard University and has been immersed in Eastern spiritual traditions for over twenty years. She has studied both Tibetan and Chinese Daoist healing arts and received a Masters in Acupuncture from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She has traveled extensively around the world, seeking out authentic living lineages in both the healing and spiritual sciences.
Christiana is the co-founder and director of Pure Land Farms and the Sowa Rigpa Institute. She teaches foundational courses on Tibetan Medicine, yoga and rejuvenation and guides retreats and practices in the Yuthok Nyingthig meditation tradition at Pure Land Farms, online and internationally. In collaboration with Dr. Nida, Christiana founded Sky Press, publishing house of books on Tibetan Medicine and Meditation.
Christiana is the co-founder of Yangchenma Arts & Music, a community organization celebrating the richness and diversity of human cultures through their artistic and musical wisdom traditions, kept alive through the connection and shared experience of humans throughout the world.
Teachers & Practitioners
Our teachers and practitioners from all over the world teach courses and workshops, guide retreats and practices, and offer a wide variety of services from Sowa Rigpa health consultations to one on one tutoring and counseling to support you on your path.
To learn more and meet our teachers and practitioners, please visit our consultations page.
Special Guest Teachers
We are very honored to host special guest teachers to share their diverse wisdom and knowledge from a variety of spiritual and healing traditions. We regularly host public talks, panel discussions, workshops and dharma teachings with a variety of teachers from around the world.
Yangchenma Arts & Music
We offer courses, cultural events and concerts with world class artists, musicians, and lineage holders of rare traditional artforms.
