Vajra Vidya is a monastery
& retreat center in Crestone, CO.
Hosting group & private retreats in the Kagyu tradition for beginners and experienced practitioners.
OUR RINPOCHE AND FOUNDER
The Very Venerable
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
The Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche was one of the foremost masters of the Karma Kagyu lineage and played a vital role in preserving and transmitting its teachings for future generations. A renowned scholar, meditation master, and teacher, Rinpoche established monasteries, retreat centers, and Dharma centers throughout the world, including Vajra Vidya, creating places where the Buddha’s teachings could continue to be studied and practiced.
Venerable Khenpo Lobzang Tenzin
Spiritual Director & Teacher
Venerable Khenpo Lobzang Tenzin is a senior Karma Kagyu teacher trained under Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, with decades of experience in Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and monastic education. Known for his warmth, clarity, and humor, he has served as Spiritual Director and resident teacher at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center since 2013.
Venerable Khenpo Jigme Jigme
President & Teacher
Venerable Khenpo Jigme is a senior Karma Kagyu teacher trained under Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, with extensive experience in Buddhist philosophy, ritual, meditation, and traditional three-year retreat. He brings decades of monastic training and deep practice experience to his teachings and guidance at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center.
OUR TEACHERS
Vajra Vidya is a Kagyu lineage monastery
…and retreat center in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. We welcome beginners and experienced practitioners for structured retreats, private stays, and daily practice. Our teachers, Khenpo Lobzang, Khenpo Jigme, and Ani Lodro Palmo offer ongoing instruction and support.
OUR SHRINE ROOM
Our main shrine holds an 8-foot statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and is surrounded by statues of Tara, Medicine Buddha, and the Thousand Buddhas. The room carries a steady atmosphere for meditation, daily prayers, and ceremonies.
All are welcome to attend morning meditation practice
Tuesday - Sundays from 9:00AM - 10:00AM
THE LAND & CRESTONE
Vajra Vidya Retreat Center is rooted in a vision that began with His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, who visited Crestone in 1980 and recognized the area as an especially auspicious place for Dharma practice. With the support of Hanne Strong, whose family helped make land available for spiritual communities in Crestone, the aspiration was formed for a lasting Karma Kagyu presence here.
Situated at approximately 8,200 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Crestone is a place of vast skies, profound quiet, and dramatic natural beauty. For decades, the area has drawn contemplative and spiritual traditions from around the world, and the land itself offers the seclusion, spaciousness, and simplicity that have long supported meditation and retreat. Its high-desert landscape, mountain setting, and relative remoteness create a natural environment for turning inward and deepening practice.
After the 16th Karmapa’s passing, Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, one of his close disciples and great lineage holders, carried this vision forward by establishing Vajra Vidya as a place for intensive practice, retreat, study, and monastic life. Today, Vajra Vidya continues that aspiration: to preserve and transmit the living teachings of the Karma Kagyu lineage while offering a sacred and supportive environment for practice and realization.