Carmen María Alvarez

Born in Mexico city in 1982, I have a Bachelor’s degree in International Trade and Customs. In 2008, I decided to put a hold on my career, and traveled around the world seeking to discover a new meaning in my life.

My first encounter with Tibetan Buddhism was in 2011, when I was in New Zealand working as a volunteer in a Buddhist Dharma Center – but it was not until I went to India in 2012, and received my first teaching from HH Dalai Lama, that I felt that I had found what I have been looking for.

Ever since then, I have been very fortunate to receive Dharma instructions from a number of other wonderful teachers, such as Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khadro la, HH Sakya Trizin, Garchen Rinpoche, Tenzin Palmo, and my main teacher B. Alan Wallace – from whom I have received direct guidance in my retreats.

During all these years, I have dedicated as much time as I can to long-term retreat. Now, I have reached a point in my life where I have the opportunity to enter an open-ended, long-term retreat, in order to pursue my Dharma aspirations whole-heartedly.

I have realized this path is the one I want to follow. I am committed and devoted to it.