In March 2009, the Tibetan Buddhist monk and teacher Khensur Rinpoche Kachen Geshe Lobzang Tsetan visited Colorado Springs and taught in a variety of settings. The turnout for and response to his talks, on the Colorado College campus and elsewhere, was so positive that Khensur Rinpoche suggested to Natalie Morris and David Gardiner, who organized his visit, that they consider establishing a new, nonsectarian Buddhist center in Colorado Springs. A few months later, they founded BodhiMind Center.
Vision
“Bodhimind” is a traditional Buddhist term for an attitude that strives to help awaken all beings to their fullest potential for insight, freedom, and love. BodhiMind Center seeks to share the riches of the Buddhist tradition with all interested and to foster a community of people dedicated to integrating Buddhist teachings and practices into their daily lives. We understand Buddhist practices to work toward the cultivation of universal qualities of kindness, compassion, and wisdom. While nourished mostly by the teachings of the Tibetan tradition, BodhiMind Center is nonsectarian in spirit and welcomes people who share in the vision of deepening our capacities for more skillful and compassionate living.
Our Founding Inspiration
Khensur Rinpoche Kachen Geshe Lobzang Tsetan was born in Ladakh, India, and educated in monasteries in Tibet and in India. He holds the Geshe (PhD) degree in Buddhist philosophy. Until recently he was the abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in India, and is the founder of Siddhartha School, a school for K-10 students in Ladakh established in 1995. He regularly spends half the year in the United States teaching Buddhism and raising funds for his two institutions, and has taught many times at BodhiMind Center as well as offered Refuge ceremonies for our community. While he has no formal affiliation with BodhiMind Center, his life and teaching form some of our driving inspirations.
BodhiMind Center Cofounders
David Gardiner is cofounder of BodhiMind Center and teaches Buddhism and other subjects in the Colorado College Religion Department. He came to Colorado College in 1998, after receiving his PhD from Stanford University in Religious Studies. He first studied Buddhism with Robert Thurman at Amherst College, and furthered his studies in India and Nepal.
Natalie Morris is cofounder of BodhiMind Center. She was an engineer for a large contracting company but shifted careers to devote herself to mind-body practices. She is a professional massage therapist, yoga teacher and practitioner, and longtime meditator. Natalie has participated in retreats with Tibetan masters from different lineages, including a retreat at Nepal’s Kopan Monastery.
Board of Directors
In 2013, BodhiMind Center incorporated and acquired 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. The board of directors as of 2024 are David Gardiner, director and president; Rick Meinig, vice president; Elaine Brush, secretary; and David Armstrong, Lana Coffman, Sherry Mason, and Dave Resch, members.
bodhimindcenter.org 