Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, known to its sangha as KTD, is the North American seat of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery sits on a forested ridge in Mead Mountain just outside Woodstock, New York, with views across the Catskill range. KTD was founded in 1976 at the request of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, who visited the United States that year and identified the Woodstock site for the lineage's North American seat. The property includes the main shrine room, a residential monastery for ordained sangha, a guesthouse for lay practitioners, dining and kitchen buildings, and a stupa. The grounds extend through Catskill forest with walking paths and outdoor practice areas. Two senior Tibetan lamas, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche and Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, served as the founding teachers; both were among the first generation of Tibetan teachers in the West and carried decades of monastic training from Tibet and India before arriving in Woodstock. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche died in 2019; Bardor Tulku Rinpoche died in 2021. The current generation of resident teachers continues the lineage's training programs. Programming runs the full Tibetan Buddhist curriculum: ngondro (preliminary practices), Mahamudra meditation, deity practice (yidam), pujas, and traditional Tibetan study. Multi-week and multi-month retreats happen on the calendar regularly. Visiting teachers from the broader Karma Kagyu lineage, including senior khenpos and tulkus, teach at KTD several times a year. The 17th Karmapa, whose recognition was central to a complex period in the lineage's modern history, has visited KTD on his US visits. KTD is closely connected to the network of Karma Thegsum Choling (KTC) centers across North America. KTC centers are urban Karma Kagyu groups in cities including New York, Chicago, Albuquerque, San Antonio, and others. They train in the same lineage with KTD as the residential and teaching anchor. The combination gives the broader Karma Kagyu sangha in North America a layered structure: weekly urban practice at a KTC, multi-day retreats at KTD.
The daily monastic schedule includes morning and evening pujas, study periods, and meditation sittings. For lay practitioners on retreat, the schedule shifts to the program: extended sitting, ngondro practice for those doing preliminaries, deity practice for those at that stage, and group teachings from the visiting or resident lama. Tibetan-language chanting is part of pujas, with English transliterations and translations provided. Posture is open: cushions, benches, chairs. Reading and writing are part of practice for some retreats, especially study-oriented programs. Phones are stored during retreats.
The teaching line is Karma Kagyu Tibetan Buddhism, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, headed by the Karmapa. The lineage runs through the founding presence of the 16th Karmapa, who established KTD as the North American seat in 1976, and continues through the 17th Karmapa. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche and Bardor Tulku Rinpoche served as founding resident teachers for decades. Current senior teachers continue the training programs and the lineage transmissions.
Yogis training in the Karma Kagyu lineage who want sustained retreats with senior lamas at the lineage's North American seat.
Practitioners working through the preliminary practices or Mahamudra meditation who want focused retreat time with traditional teaching.
Members of Karma Thegsum Choling centers across North America who train weekly in their cities and travel to KTD for residential retreats.
Arrival is at the main monastery. Yogis check in at the office and are oriented to the form. Lay retreatants stay in the guesthouse. Meals are vegetarian, taken communally. Pujas are open to retreat participants and observe Tibetan form. Phones are stored during retreats. The setting is forested Catskill ridge; cold-weather clothing is needed in winter. Departure is at the close of the program.
The campus includes the main shrine room, residential monastery, guesthouse for lay practitioners, dining hall, kitchen, and a stupa. Lodging is shared rooms in the guesthouse. Bathrooms are shared. Meals are vegetarian buffet. Walking grounds extend through Catskill forest with paths and outdoor practice areas. The setting is mountain-forested with significant winter weather.
Program fees are published by length, typically $200 to $2,500 covering lodging and meals on the property. Teacher dana is separate and traditional in Tibetan Buddhism, invited at the close of teachings. The center publishes a clear scholarship process. Long-term retreatants and those doing extended ngondro have specific arrangements through the retreat office. The monastery is donor-supported.
The North American seat of the Karmapa, on a Catskill ridge.
No. KTD is the North American seat of the lineage, but the 17th Karmapa lives in India and visits North America periodically. KTD's residential teaching is carried by the resident lamas and visiting senior teachers from the broader Karma Kagyu network.
Karma Thegsum Choling (KTC) is a network of urban Karma Kagyu Buddhist centers across North America that train in the same lineage with KTD as the residential anchor. KTCs hold weekly practice in their cities and members travel to KTD for multi-day retreats and major teachings.
Pujas and traditional liturgy are in Tibetan, with English transliterations and translations provided in practice books. Dharma teachings are typically given in English by Western-trained khenpos and lamas, or in Tibetan with English translation by visiting senior teachers.
For introductory teachings and shorter retreats, no. Many programs welcome curious newcomers. For ngondro and deity practice retreats, formal refuge and prior teaching transmissions are typically expected. The retreat office helps match practitioners to the right program.
Compare upcoming retreat dates, prices, and availability for Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) and similar centers.
OMP earns a small commission if you book through Tripaneer's network. Editorial ranking isn't affected.