A student of many Tantric traditions for over thirty years, he trained as a lama under the guidance of the Tibetan master His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, completing an intensive, solitary three-year retreat. John also trained with many Western Tantra teachers including Margot Anand. He received a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in Religion from Wesleyan University, where he studied Buddhism with Robert Thurman, and earned his master’s degree from Columbia University. For four years he served on the staff of Karma Triyana Dharmacakra monastery in Woodstock, New York, the North American headquarters of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa. His newly published book is the result of his twenty year search to find the original teachings of Tantric Buddhism.