Speaker: Christopher Kreider. Christopher explores what it means to be a student of the Longchen Nyingtik Lineage. He begins by exploring the meaning of lineage and the line of transmission from teacher to student. Christopher reflects on the ways he has assumed personal responsibility for the Lineage through his relationship to Phuntsok Choling, seeing the Center as if it was his own. He contrasts this definition of "ownership" to the dominant capitalist model in which self worth is equated with material wealth, which results in people becoming very hard on themselves. He recalled hearing Rinpoche say that being hard on oneself is not in accordance with the Buddha's teachings. Christopher adds that self deprecation is adventitious; it can be unlearned through kindness and gentleness towards the self and others, allowing one to turn towards our own inner wisdom guru. Only an unbroken lineage can provide a gateway towards enlightenment. This is not conceptual but must be deeply experiential.