July 19, 2016, at Tara Mandala on the Full Moon of the Monkey Year, in the Monkey Month, the most auspicious month in the year of Guru Rinpoche, which occurs only once every 60 years, Charlotte Rotterdam was enthroned by Lama Tsultrim Allione assisted by Dorje Lopön Chandra Easton, as the Magyu Lopön, leader of Magyu: The Mother Lineage. This is one of the two main practice paths offered through Tara Mandala. Magyu is a path of the teachings of Machig Labdrön, the 11th century Tibetan woman teacher, and the practices and methods developed by Lama Tsultrim in conjunction with Machig’s teachings. Lama Tsultrim was recognized as an emanation of Machig Labdrön in 2007 at Zangri Khamar, Machig’s seat in Tibet, and given the Machig empowerment by HH 17th Karmapa in 2012.
Lopön Charlotte holds a Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard University in Comparative Religion and began studying with Lama Tsultrim in the late 1990’s. She brought compassionate leadership to the organization as co-director of Tara Mandala with her husband Pieter Oosthuizen from 2004-2008. After they returned to Boulder she joined the Tara Mandala Board of Trustees as president. She is currently a board member, and Instructor and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education at Naropa University. She is the mother of two boys, has published essays on the intersection of parenting and spiritual practice, and is writing a book, Skymind, inspired by the teachings of Machig Labdrön. She has been teaching under Lama Tsultrim’s guidance since 2006. In November 2023, Lama Tsultrim conferred her with the title of Dorje Lopön, Vajra Teacher.
Her interests lie in bringing the teachings of Magyu to bear to the greater world community to address the challenges of these times, as well as scholarly research and deepening her own practice. It was a beautiful and moving celebration and there wasn’t a dry eye during the ceremony, which occurred under the watchful eyes of the exquisite statues of the 21 Taras in the Tara Mandala temple.
Please enjoy the video below of the enthronement of Magyu Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam.
May all beings benefit!
Tara Mandala