Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA
Phil Tonne has been mentored as a student of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche by Marcy Vaughn for almost a quarter of his life. His love of nature has led to a lifelong investigation of the world around him and to a deep curiosity about our inner world. Phil has focused on the practices of The 3 Doors and received subsequent training to become a Presenter and Teacher within the organization. His life’s focus has been studying and advocating for the protection of rare plants, animals, and landscapes. He spent 35 years doing fieldwork, primarily in New Mexico, mostly alone in remote places. Throughout childhood and to this day, Phil’s practice has been placing attention on the world around him—noticing, receiving, and honoring the seemingly endless wonders and challenges that play out daily all around us and within us. Guiding a crew of botanists in meditation before gathering information deepened the team’s experience of being in the world and the flow of days along the Rio Grande. A recent move has brought Phil to Santa Cruz, California, where he’s enjoying the redwoods, rivers, and the ocean with fresh senses, sensations, and wonder.
“In my experience, being a presenter is similar to being free and at home high in the mountains. While out in the wild there’s no prediction of what will emerge and I’m always surprised and expanded with the world around me. As I turn inward, I find beauty in places I wouldn’t previously have expected, arising within the difficult parts of being human. Meditating with others has led to a sense of being free and at home in life. Discovering and exploring inner freedom with people from different backgrounds through presenting these practices leads me to greater appreciation, compassion and gratitude for the many journeys we all share; surrounding all of this is a sense of unanticipated belonging.”
