Osel Hita Torres - Biography

Biography

Hita's parents, María Torres and Francisco Hita, had been students of Lama Yeshe, and the suggestion was raised soon after his birth that Hita might be Yeshe's tulku (reincarnation). Fourteen months later, after certain traditional tests, the Dalai Lama formally recognized him as such. As a child "Lama Ösel" was heavily promoted by the FPMT, and made the subject of a book by Vicki Mackenzie, Reincarnation: The Boy Lama (Wisdom Publications, 1996).

As a youth Hita studied traditional Tibetan subjects at Sera Monastery in southern India, and simultaneously received private tutoring in Western subjects. He later attended St. Michaels University School, a private high school in Victoria, British Columbia. The question of his Tibetan education, and involvement with the FPMT, was one of the issues surrounding his parents' divorce.

At some point Hita gave up his monastic robes and has distanced himself from the FPMT in favor of a more avant-garde lifestyle, for example performing at the 2007 Burning Man festival. In 2008 he graduated from the University of Madrid with a three-year BA degree in cinematography. In December 2012 he released his film Being Your True Nature.

Osel Hita Torres is the fifth of six siblings: Yeshe, Harmonia, Lobstang, and Dolma (all older); and (younger brother) Kunkyen.

In 2011, Osel joined the board of the FPMT the board of the FPMT and in November 2012 wrote a "letter to the FPMT family."

The FPMT has created a news and information page for him.