The Padmasambhava Peace Institute (PPI) was set up as an educational non-profit 501(c)(3) in California in 2003, and the land where it is based was acquired in 2004. Our mission is to provide a beautiful dedicated retreat space for all those seeking to learn and practice ways of peace, land stewardship, and sustainable use of resources.
The 485-acre center is in the rolling redwood hills of Cazadero, near the stunning coastline of west Sonoma County, in an area of extraordinary natural beauty and blessed with incredibly pure, fresh air and water. We are a community of full-time residential volunteers and we welcome guests of all backgrounds and interests to come and enjoy this special space.
The idea for the center was the inspiration of Tibetan Buddhist teachers Tromge Jigme Rinpoche and his father His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, who wished to create a cultural and educational institute that would be accessible to all sectors of the community, rather than be an exclusively Buddhist organization.
We host rental groups that seek affordable retreat facilities in a stunning rural setting, and many of our guests return year after year. Groups such as veterans, environmentalists, yoga practitioners, 12-steppers, at-risk youth, and college leadership cohorts come from all over California and beyond. We also provide free meeting space for local community groups, and offer people the opportunity to stay on the land helping with restoration and pursuing their own spiritual or creative interests. Although most of the core permanent staff are practising Buddhists, we welcome guests from all kinds of backgrounds, and there is no requirement to participate in Buddhist activities at the center. Our library has resources for religious, spiritual, art, healing and environmental practices from around the world.
We are a strictly no-smoking, drug-free center. We have in place a Code of Conduct and Anti-Discrimination policies, and welcome all, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender or sexual orientation.
Tromge Jigme Rinpoche is the director of the Padmasambhava Peace Institute, and also serves as resident lama (teacher) of the Chagdud Gonpa Ati Ling Buddhist center based at PPI. He was born in India in 1965, and studied there and in Nepal under teachers such as His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. After completing the traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of his father His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, he moved to Chagdud Gonpa Foundation’s Bay Area center Ati Ling in 1992 as its resident lama.
Rinpoche lives with his family at the Padmasambhava Peace Institute in Cazadero, CA and besides leading religious activities at the center, he enjoys cooking, gardening, and working on forest restoration.
Rinpoche’s wife Kerstin Hall co-manages the property with Dave Picciotto, and other key staff include Woody Crain, Cameron Fritsch, Janice Kane and Mark Poole.
The Padmasambhava Peace Institute is registered with the IRS and the State of California as a tax-exempt charity, with EIN 05-0569638.
Historical background of the property
The whole of this coastal area, from the Russian River in the south up to Gualala in the north, and 30 miles inland, is the traditional territory of the Kashaya Pomo Indians. The tribe’s administrative website is at www.stewartspoint.org, and for an outline of Kashaya Pomo history and culture, see ‘Kashaya Natives’ on the Fort Ross State Park site. As with lands across the United States, this area was safely and effectively managed for millennia by Indigenous tribes using proven management practices including broadcast burning and cultural burning.
The name ‘Black Mountain’ comes from the hills of these names around the property, although its origin is uncertain. The original forests underwent much logging and milling up until the 1950s, and native flora has often struggled to stay dominant with the introduction of some very aggressive invasive species. We are working to restore the forest around our buildings to a healthier, less overgrown condition.
The buildings that comprise the Padmasambhava Peace Institute were built in 1964 by the California Department of Forestry as part of their network of conservation camps. The minimum security ‘Black Mountain Camp’ was opened in October 1964 to house an 80-man crew that was assigned to work with local fire services on land clearing, telephone line maintenance and road-work.
The camp continued in various state-run forms until its closure in June 1992. For the subsequent 12 years or so, the camp was owned by individuals and then in early 2004 Padmasambhava Peace Institute acquired the property, complete with many fixtures remaining from conservation camp days.