Michael Levin studied computer science and artificial intelligence at MIT and Stanford University, and was a student of Marvin Minsky and John McCarthy. Throughout his life he has earned his living as a professor of computer science or as a software engineer, most recently in the electric power industry. He has recently retired from software engineering.

While an activist for civil rights and against the Vietnam War, he began to study and practice Buddhist meditation. He has studied with and been profoundly influenced by several Zen Buddhist teachers: Phillip Kapleau, Kobun Chino and Seung Sahn.

In 1970 he had the good fortune to meet Sam Lewis, a Sufi master who advised him to seek Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche as his teacher. Michael was finally able to meet Trungpa Rinpoche in 1971. Michael instantly became his student and in 1973 moved to Boulder Colorado, to became an active member of Trungpa Rinpoche’s sangha. He attended many seminars and teachings programs of Trungpa Rinpoche, did two month long retreats, and attended the three month 1975 Vajradhatu Seminary in Snowmass, Colorado. He attended the Kalapa Assembly given by Trungpa Rinpoche at Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta and received various empowerments and instructions from his root guru.

Michael has studied the entire Ngeton School of Higher Learning twice, and been further trained in the Kargyü and Nyingma Tibetan tradition by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche over many years at Karmê Chöling after the parinirvana of his root guru. He has been certified as a Shambhala Training director.

He has taught dharma, designed dharma courses, and led meditation groups and weekend seminars in Boulder, Karmê Chöling, Boston Shambhala Center, and at the Nashua Buddhist Meditation Group. For the past decade, Michael and Emily Weidman have done much of their teaching as a team.