Michael Kern became a student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1978, receiving the Vajrayogini abhisheka in 1985, and is currently a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. He graduated in 1980 from Naropa University with an M.A. in Buddhist and Western Psychology and earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado in 1986. He taught Child Development in the Naropa University program and worked for many years with children, adolescents and families in different clinical settings.

Authorized as a meditation instructor in 1982, he has staffed and taught in a variety of programs both at land centers and local Shambhala centers. Since retiring in 2018, he has pursued Buddhist study every summer at Nitartha Institute and has attended pilgrimages to Bhutan and India. He has been a co-teacher with Path of Awakening for the past few years and currently lives in Connecticut.