He is director of Open Mind® Training Institute in Santa Monica, CA, and a pioneer in the fields of integrated medicine, somatic psychology, and transformational leadership coaching. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. He is also an adjunct graduate faculty member at Pepperdine University, Pacifica Graduate Institute, and University of California, Los Angeles Extension. Lama Surya Das is a lineage holder in the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Author of many books, poet, translator and meditation teacher, he is the founder of Dzogchen Center and a leading spokesperson for Buddhism in America. The Dalai Lama calls him 'The American Lama.'