About Venerable Yönten

Bhikshuni Lozang Yönten (Ven. Yönten) is currently Chaplain and Lecturer of Buddhist Studies at Maitripa College in Portland, Oregon. She has been a practicing Buddhist since 1994 and an ordained Buddhist nun since 2003. 

Venerable Yönten explored Buddhism in Montana growing up and then moved to Australia to study extensively under Gyurmé Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering (at Chenrezig Institute, AU) from 2002-2009 before moving to India to study at Thosamling Institute 2010-2011. During this period of time she also attended intensive Vinaya Trainings in Taiwan and, with the blessing of her Tibetan Teachers, became a fully ordained Bhikshuni/Gelongma in the Dharmaguptaka lineage.

In 2012, she became an accredited In-Depth Registered Teacher with FPMT and was requested to become the Resident Teacher at Kunsang Yeshe Retreat Centre in New South Wales, Australia where she remained for three years and frequently visited up until the pandemic. 

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From 2015 onwards, Ven. Yönten was mainly based in New Zealand at Mahamudra Centre. During that period, she divided her time between leading retreats in New Zealand and teaching Philosophy at Human Spirit: Buddhist Psychoanalytic Training Program in Israel, as well as offering classes and retreats in various parts of Europe, until she moved back to the USA in 2021. 

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Prior to joining Maitripa College full-time, Yönten-la offered retreats and courses at Vajrapani Institute and Land of Medicine Buddha – both in California.

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She also has experience in hospice work and palliative care, as well as a deep commitment to social justice and a love of animals.