Matthew Zalichin’s journey into Buddhism began in 1971, while he was still an undergraduate. Over the decades, he trained with many of the most respected Tibetan lamas of both past and present generations, developing a strong connection to the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages through his root gurus, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, whom he first met in 1977.
His path has been shaped largely in North America, where he practiced as a householder while balancing full-time work, family life, mortgage responsibilities, and extensive dharma service. From around 1981 to 2000, he dedicated himself to ngondros, yidam practices, and the administration of dharma centers, while also teaching meditation, Buddhism, and related subjects after receiving authorization as a meditation instructor in 1981.
In 2000, he moved to Nepal to deepen his solitary retreat practice. In July 2009, he accepted Phakchok Rinpoche’s appointment as meditation instructor and teacher in residence at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde New York.