Annual
Report
In 2024, the Tertön Sogyal Foundations supported two types of grants
Types of Grants 2024
Number of grants
116
Total amount awarded
€143,492
Study and Practice
107 grants awarded | €81,342 | 57%
Light of Dharma
9 grants awarded | €62,150 | 43%
Study and Practice Grants
These are grants for students who want to do a Nyenpa or a long-term retreat in Dzogchen Beara (Drupdra). Grants provide financial support for the registration, food and accommodation.
In 2024 a total of five grants were awarded for the Long-Term retreat, representing 47% of the total budget.
These grants are for students that want to follow Shedra studies under the Rigpa Shedra program or outside such as the Milinda teachers training and translation.
Seventeen grants were awarded for students to attend Rigpa’s Shedra program like Rinchen Terdzo empowerments in Bhutan, Classic Tibetan in Rangjung Yeshe, and Initiations with Dzongsar Khyentse in Chagdud Gompa – Brasil
These grants represent 14% of the total budget.
These grants are primarily offered to students that want to attend one of the international retreats held at one of Rigpa’s main retreat centres: Lerab Ling Dzogchen Beara, Dharma Mati and Blueys Beach. Retreat duration may be from a single week to a few months.
In 2024, fifty one grants were awarded for these retreats, representing 31% of the total budget:
Yang Ni Pudri, Personal Retreats, Dzogchen Retreat, Ngondro Retreat, Dzogchen Background,
Yumka Decher Gyalmo, Drupchens.
The Chetsün Nyingtik or “The Heart Essence of Chetsün, the Perfect Secret Bindu” is a one month practice retreat to follow the teachings that were composed by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and outlines the complete Dzogchen path from the preliminaries up to the main practices of Trekchö and Tögal.
In 2024, nine applications were awarded for retreats in Blueys Beach and Lerab Ling, representing 9% of the total budget.
A retreat in Lerab Ling for an international group of young people interested in meditation, compassion and Buddhist philosophy.
Twenty four applications were awarded in 2024 for this retreat, representing 6% of the total budget.
These grants are for practitioners who made a commitment to be trained by the main holders of Rigpa’s practice lineage in the Vajrayana Practice roles of Chöpön and Umdze with the aim that they will give trainings themselves in the future. These initial grants were awarded for training in Lerab Ling and Dzogchen Beara.
One grant was awarded for Training the Practice Holders in Ati Ling, representing 1% of the total budget.
Shedra 2024
From the top left: Alessandra Pizzardello, Jigmé, Aoife Coleman-Clarke, Alexandre, Ane Samten, Tsultrim and Lucas Heijdeman
Damien Brohon
Personal Retreat in La Sauveté
Cet ermitage, situé dans les Hautes Pyrénées, au milieu des champs et des forêts, est tout entier dédié à la préservation et à la pratique de la tradition du Dzogchèn. J’y ai passé une retraite d’un mois dans un chalet isolé avec pour seule compagnie les lézards, les milans et les chauve-souris, avec pour seule distraction les variations lumineuses du ciel et pour seule tâche la méditation. Les conditions étaient idéalement remplies pour que je mette en œuvre les instructions reçues de mes maitres durant toutes ces années d’enseignement. Quel bonheur ! Durant ce temps de retraite, la conscience de l’impermanence ne m’a jamais quitté tout comme la perspective de l’immuable nature qui transcende vie et mort.
—
This hermitage, located in the Hautes Pyrénées, in the middle of fields and forests, is entirely dedicated to the preservation and practice of the Dzogchèn tradition. I spent a month’s retreat there in an isolated chalet with only lizards, kites and bats for company, the only distraction being the light variations in the sky and the only task being meditation. The conditions were ideally met for me to implement the instructions received from my teachers during all these years of teaching. What joy! During this time of retreat, the awareness of impermanence never left me, just like the perspective of the immutable nature which transcends life and death.
Patricia Klein
Dzogchen Retreat
Orgyen Dorje Boinvilliers
Rinchen Terdzo cycle of empowerments in Bhutan
Tina Rae
Yuma Dechen Gyalmo Retreat
Aruna Sutra
Shyonnu Retreat in Lerab Ling
Light of Dharma Grants
These grants are offered to bring Dharma to new audiences in order to help alleviate suffering on all levels.
These grants are offered to adopt student-centred approaches for programmes at all levels and to foster sangha unity through coordinated national and international programmes.
These grants are offered to enable Senior Teachers to teach and to be available for students, create opportunities for Senior Holders to serve the sangha, and pass on their knowledge.
Canice O’Brien & Isabella Schlenz
Treasury of Wisdom – Archive Software Upgrade
Rita Ives
Rigpé Yeshé International Coordinator
The vision of Rigpé Yeshé is to help children and teenagers, through the Buddha’s teachings, to grow into wise, compassionate and happy young people who take charge of their minds, have confidence in their goodness and live a meaningful life contributing to the well-being of others and the world.
Their aim is to develop and deliver dharma programmes for children and teenagers which:
Thanks to the Light of Dharma grant, the goal of continuing the vision and work of Rigpé Yeshé has been accomplished in 2024!
The Grantmaking Committee
The Grantmaking Committee approves the grants and the boards of the Tertön Sogyal Foundations ratify such approval in order to fund the grants in part or in full.
ONE Rigpa Board
Tertön Sogyal
Foundations Team
Investment Committee
Rigpa's ICG
Tertön Sogyal Stifung
(Germany)
Rigpa Australia
ONE Rigpa Board
Tertön Sogyal Foundations Team
Tertön Sogyal Foundation (US) Board member
Fundación Tertön Sogyal
(Spain)
Tertön Sogyal
Foundations Team
Vision Board
Fonds Tertön Sogyal
(France)
Tertön Sogyal Foundation
(US)
The Investment Committee
The majority of the Restricted Funds and all of the Endowment Fund moneys held by the three Tertön Sogyal Foundations are invested through the advisory of the Investment Committee comprised of Rigpa students with experience in financial markets and that hold a close relationship with Rigpa and the Tertön Sogyal Foundations. All members of the Investment Committee are contributing their time and expertise on a voluntary basis.
Investment Committee
Investment Committee
Tertön Sogyal Stifung (Germany)
Tertön Sogyal Foundation (US)
A big
Thank You
to all donors who so generously supported the Tertön Sogyal Foundations. This is a major endeavour that we aim to continue long into the future to benefit a growing number of Buddhist students. Your support to make this happen is vital.
Please continue to support us.