Karuna Cayton is a longtime student of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. From 1975 to 1988 he lived at Kopan Monastery studying Buddhist psychology and philosophy under their guidance. There, he established a western studies program for the monks. Karuna’s years of close study with Lama Yeshe offer us immense insight into Lama’s teachings and style.

Karuna founded The Karuna Group, a project engaged in interpreting Buddhist psychological theory and interventions for modern people. He is a licensed (retired) Psychotherapist having trained at the Children’s Health Council in Palo Alto, California. He acquired a Masters in Clinical Psychology in 1992.  He is the author of The Misleading Mind: How We Create Our Own Problems and How Buddhist Psychology Can Help Us Solve Them (2012). He is currently working on his second book, which is scheduled for release in 2025, and is actively serving on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition.