Early Interest

Jose de Urgyen was born in a village in the Sierra Monera mountains of southern Spain and grew up in the Pyrenees after his family relocated. At 18, he set out on his own, living life fully — and, by his own account, to excess — until the toll on his physical and emotional well-being became clear. At 20, mandatory military service became an unexpected turning point: he gave up drinking and smoking and began rebuilding his life with discipline. Over the following decade as a vegetarian, he felt drawn toward deeper spiritual inquiry, beginning his journey in earnest on Menorca in Spain's Balearic Islands.

Initial Experiences

In Menorca, Jose connected with artists and spiritual practitioners from both Western and Asian traditions, deepening his knowledge of Kabbalah, astrology, and Tibetan Buddhism — laying the foundation for the journey that would follow.

Formal Training

At 27, Jose moved to England to learn the language and study three Tibetan Buddhist traditions — Gelug, Kagyu, and Nyingma — dedicating three years to Buddhist philosophy and meditation practice.

Cultural Immersion

In 1990, Jose traveled to the Himalayas to immerse himself in Indo-Tibetan culture, learning Tibetan and studying esoteric Buddhist teachings under several great masters, including his root guru Tulku Urgyen and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Initial Experiences

Inspired by his journey and Padmasambhava's teachings, Jose now dedicates himself to sharing what he's learned through workshops in "meditation in action" — integrating the five universal elements with sword practice to help students cultivate mindfulness and awaken the spiritual warrior within.

Ongoing Exploration

For last 35 years, Jose has traveled extensively across the Himalayan region — northern Pakistan, India, Ladakh, Tibet, Nepal, and Sikkim — identifying holy sites and uncovering the origins of esoteric teachings that continue to shape his research today.

Personal Transformation

During a five-year retreat based in Bir, Jose journeyed to Tso Pema, where he received his Dharma name, Urgyen, in a vision at the lake. This marked a profound personal transformation and a deep connection to Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. His subsequent exploration led him to discover Dhanakosa Lake — where, according to tradition, Padmasambhava emerged in a lotus of light — along with the surrounding mandala of statues and stupas, including the region's only Vajrayana stupa and a fifth-century Buddha statue pointing to Vajrayana's early origins. Throughout this period, he maintained his Aikido practice, pairing physical discipline with spiritual development.