Sculpting the Lotus Guru

Between 2012 and 2015, I lived and worked at Ratna Ling, a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center in Sonoma County, California. During that time I was part of the team that sculpted a 21-foot clay statue of Guru Padmasambhava at the nearby Odiyan center, later cast in bronze — one of the most singular experiences of my life. The sculpting project was carried out under the guidance of Tarthang Tulku, a renowned Tibetan master and prolific author. I directed and shot this short documentary as a witness to that very rare and precious experience.