Nikolai Leonov

Nikolai Leonov first encountered the Dharma in 2003, when he became a student of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche — a master of Dzogchen and one of the great Tibetan teachers of the twentieth century. That meeting set the course of his life.

In the years that followed, Nikolai pursued two paths simultaneously. As a practitioner and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, he built and consecrated stupas, organized teachings, and kept the flame of the tradition alive in South America. As an integral therapist and passionate anthropologist, he immersed himself in the shamanic traditions of the continent — finding not contradiction, but resonance, between these ancient systems of knowledge.

He teaches applied Tibetan astrology and the art of making namkha — protective weavings whose intricate structure maps the energetic constitution of the person for whom they are made. He practices Tibetan medicine, bringing an ancient system of healing into contact with the living landscape and people of Bolivia.

He coordinated the construction of the Peace Stupa in La Paz (2008–2010) and organized the building and consecration of the Lotus Stupa in Samaipata (2024–2025).