Lama Döndrup has been focused on the practice and study of Buddhism since 1993. She initially trained in the Theravadin tradition and began practicing Vajrayana Buddhism in 1998. She completed the traditional three-year retreat in 2005 under the guidance of Lama Palden and with the blessing of her root lama, Bokar Rinpoche. Lama Döndrup has a Bachelors of Music degree and Masters in Fine Art in piano performance and is on the piano faculty at the San Domenico Music Conservatory.