Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s work bridges the timeless insights of Buddhist philosophy with the modern scientific understanding of our mind. Known for his warmth, humour and clarity, he has become one of the most respected voices in global mindfulness and neuroscience communities.

Born in 1975 in a Himalayan village on the Nepal-Tibet border, Mingyur Rinpoche was drawn to contemplation from an early age. As a child, he suffered from severe panic attacks. These experiences later became the foundation of his deep personal understanding of the mind. Through the guidance of his father, the revered meditation master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, he learned to transform his anxiety through meditation, discovering first-hand how awareness and compassion can radically shift our relationship to suffering.

Mingyur Rinpoche’s lifelong curiosity about the workings of the mind led him to collaborate with leading neuroscientists, including Richard Davidson and Antoine Lutz at the University of Wisconsin, on pioneering studies into the effects of meditation on the brain. These collaborations, featured in National Geographic, TIME, and The Mind, Explained on Netflix, helped illuminate the measurable benefits of contemplative practice from emotional regulation to neuroplasticity. They also shaped a new dialogue between Buddhism and cognitive science.

Mingyur Rinpoche’s teachings are grounded in both scientific insight and the profound meditative traditions of Tibet. He integrates the precision of modern psychology and physics with ancient contemplative methods, making meditation deeply relevant to contemporary life. “Buddhanature,” he teaches, “is courage — the courage to be just as we are, right here, right now.”

He is the author of several acclaimed books, including The Joy of Living, Joyful Wisdom, and In Love with the World, which recounts his transformative journey as a wandering yogi through India. His books have been translated into more than twenty languages and continue to inspire readers across cultures. As the head of the Tergar Meditation Community, with centres in over thirty countries, Mingyur Rinpoche leads retreats and programmes that bring ancient wisdom to modern audiences. He offers a compelling vision of human potential in an age of anxiety and rapid change.