Lama Chimé began Buddhist studies with his central Teacher, the late Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche, in 1967 in Canada, spending the next five years in service. 

In 1974 he was the Founding Teacher of the Wangapeka Study and Retreat Centre in New Zealand and in 1984 founded the Origins Centre in Western Australia where he is currently based. Origins Centre offers its facilities for respite, retreat, healing and activist workshops to its local region. 

Coorain was built in 1992 next door to the Origins Centre, for the late Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche as his seat in Australia; it is now a centre for the practice of Vajrayana, under Lama Chimé’s supervision. Karma Kagyu is the main lineage – the outlook, however, is non-sectarian and universalist. A Khadampa Stupa has been built at Coorain. 

In 2004 Lama Chimé inaugurated Rumtek Vihara, a retreat facility in Sikkim, India, to commemorate the recognition of Namgyal Rinpoche by HH XVI Karmapa. Our group of dharma friends supports Rumtek Nunnery and twice a year a group of us travels there. There is room at the Vihara for people to do up to six-month retreats. 

Lama Chimé has a life-long involvement in community work, particularly in mental health, and with the visual arts. He is a father with three grown sons.