The Wisdom Podcast His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche and Michele Loew: The Yoga of Niguma (#227)
This episode of the Wisdom Podcast, recorded live as a Wisdom Dharma Chat, features special guests His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche and Michele Loew. Together with host Daniel Aitken, they celebrate the release of The Yoga of Niguma, available now at wisdom.org. This new publication interweaves Buddhist and yogic practices, making them accessible to both Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. Rinpoche shares personal stories about learning the practice and now teaching it, while Michele explores how yoga and meditation can serve as complementary paths, helping students integrate body and mind through embodied awareness. The discussion also covers practical advice for new practitioners, encouraging practitioners not to be intimidated by the practice but to approach the teachings with sincerity and humility and discover the impact on both physical and mental well-being.
Rinpoche, Michele, and Daniel also discuss:
- the challenges and plateaus which can occur in Yoga;
- advanced practices and illusory body;
- healing and health benefits of Niguma Yoga; and
- much more!
Additional content mentioned in this episode:
- Rinpoche and Michele’s new book, The Yoga of Niguma
- Rinopche’s most recent online course, Niguma’s Dream Yoga
- Rinpoche’s first Wisdom Academy online course, The Illusory Body and Mind
- Learn more about Rinpoche and his work at https://shangpakagyu.org/
- Learn more about Michele Loew at https://www.micheleloew.com/
The views and opinions expressed on this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Wisdom Publications or any entities they represent.
Meet Our Guests:
His Eminence the 2nd Kalu Rinpoche
His Eminence the 2nd Kalu Rinpoche was born on September 17, 1990 in Darjeeling, India. His father, Lama Gyaltsen, was a nephew of the previous Kalu Rinpoche and had also been his secretary since his youth. The 2nd Kalu Rinpoche was recognized on March 25, 1992 by Tai Situ Rinpoche. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has officially confirmed the recognition.
On February 28, 1993, he was inducted into Samdrub Darjay Chöling (Sonada). His father passed away in 1999 and he asked to live in the monastery of Bokar Rinpoche in order to grow and study under his direction. In 2004, he began the traditional three-year retreat, which he completed in 2008. In 2009, he received from Tai Situ Rinpoche all the transmissions of the Shangpa Lineage. On this occasion, he undertook to confer 108 times the cycle of initiations of the lineage from which he is now the holder.
In 2010, Kalu Rinpoche traveled to the West and took charge of the meditation centers created by the first Kalu Rinpoche around the world. In 2014, he returned to Burgundy, in the center of meditation Palden Shangpa La Boulaye, to teach and to resume the tradition of Monlam Shangpa initiated by his predecessor. He has done the same in the United States in 2019.
Michele Loew
Michele Loew is an international yoga teacher and practitioner of Hatha and Tibetan yogas. She has taught, practiced, & studied avidly since 1998, and ran her longtime beloved yoga studio, The Yoga Space in Portland, Oregon, from 2006-2025. You can now practice with her online or at in-person retreats, yoga immersions, and teacher trainings.
She is known as a teacher’s teacher and is respected for her 200 & 300 hr Yoga Alliance Certification schools and her ability to integrate modern therapeutics and cutting-edge science with lineage-based traditional yoga practices.
She is the co-author of The Yoga of Niguma with H.E. Kalu Rinpoche and shares Niguma’s yoga practices and the dharma around the world.
Her love and commitment to the unexcelled yoga tantras of Varayana and the sister science of Hatha Yoga as paths we can take towards perfect enlightenment, seeing both as powerful interconnected traditions, infuses her work with great joy & commitment towards sharing yoga and spirituality to create a more compassionate and awakened world.
She honors the lineage of teachers she comes from and bows to her longtime Hatha & Classical Yoga teacher Richard Freeman for elucidating the middle path of love with the utmost clarity and compassion and His Holiness the Dalai Lama for sharing the “religion” of kindness. She is on the board of Tibet House US and is committed to supporting and preserving Tibetan Culture and their dharma practices for the benefit of all.
Her Clearlight Yoga school continues to educate teachers around the world on the enlightened sleep yoga practices such as Yoga Nidra and Dream Yoga and the 6 yogas of Niguma and Naropa.
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