George Wiegand

George Wiegand is our well-known and loved volunteer at Ratna Ling. He  has been a student of our Founder Tarthang Tulku and a full-time volunteer in Nyingma organizations for 40 years, as a chef, baker, kitchen manager, temple builder, book binder, and pressman.
He earned his Masters of Education in Counseling in 1974. After teaching high school while in the Peace Corps, he served as a Counselor at a Catholic high school before moving to California in search of a meditation teacher. He intensively trained in Tibetan Yoga (Kum Nye) from 1982-1986 at the Nyingma Institute in Berkeley, and then moved to the Odiyan country center.
George describes his daily practice as meditation in action, working on projects in the Nyingma community, cooking, baking, building temples, printing, binding books, and teaching Tibetan meditation. His active meditation has been a solitary practice, internally studying the working of his own mind as he performs dharma activities. Some of his greatest lessons have come from caring for a dying parent and teaching communication to teenagers at a mindfulness-based youth treatment center.
His hobbies include bread baking, basketball, and choir singing.

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Upcoming Programs by George Wiegand

Space and Ease: A Personal Retreat

Also With Karmyn Ojeda

December 19 - 21, 2025
Do you need some time and space in the quiet with a change of scenery?  Ratna Ling is hosting a series of personal retreat in our great outdoors. A space and ease retreat is described as a transformative experience where you can find solace, rejuvenation, and inner peace.

Attention and Focus - Level 1 Meditation Retreat

February 13 - 16, 2026
For those interested in deepening their Meditation practice, Ratna Ling has designed three levels of retreats for folks at different stages of the path. This Level 1 Retreat is designed for those who are curious about meditation and the benefits it might actually bring to their lives.

The Power of Concentration - Level 2 Meditation Retreat

April 2 - 5, 2026
This Level 2 Retreat is designed for those who have an easy time focusing on the breath. Youʻre willing to give up thoughts, emotions and distractions at least for the period of your meditation because you see the benefits of doing so. We invite you for a 4-day Retreat with George Wiegand to sustain your concentration.

Sustained Awareness - Level 3 Meditation Retreat

September 17 - 20, 2026
For those interested in deepening their Meditation practice, Ratna Ling has designed three levels of retreats for folks at different stages of the path. This Level 3 Retreat is designed for those who are confident about their practice. We invite you for a 4-day Retreat with George Wiegand to cultivate stability and steadiness in the mind.