Jillaurie Crane became a Buddhist student after meeting her primary teacher, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in 1979. This led to her training to become a Buddhist chaplain. She also holds an advanced degree in psychology. 

 

After moving to Venice, she established the Venice Holistic Community Center, which she owned for 15 years. The Center was known for its guest teachers, yoga classes, and its integrated approach to spirituality.

 

Today Jillaurie also follows the practices of the Tibetan Tegar meditation community. Her discussion classes that feature Pema Chodron’s books are popular with BLBMC students.