Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships - User contributions [en]

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-16T19:28:22Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Submitted
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|page=20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|othercommunitywork=.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.

Sincerely,
Zack Burgess
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|AcceptLetterPhone=.
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|CostLetterPhone=372 553 1133
|FileHaveEligibilityDocsUpld=2026-05-16_Zachary_Burgess_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-16T19:28:21Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Complete
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|page=20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|othercommunitywork=.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.

Sincerely,
Zack Burgess
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|AcceptLetterPhone=.
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|CostLetterPhone=372 553 1133
|FileHaveEligibilityDocsUpld=2026-05-16_Zachary_Burgess_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-16T19:25:59Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Complete
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|othercommunitywork=.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.

Sincerely,
Zack Burgess
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|AcceptLetterPhone=.
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|CostLetterPhone=372 553 1133
|FileHaveEligibilityDocsUpld=2026-05-16_Zachary_Burgess_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-16T19:23:57Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|othercommunitywork=.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.

Sincerely,
Zack Burgess
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveEligibilityDocs=2026.02.20 - Letter of Acceptance - Zack.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveEligibilityDocs=2026-02-20-letter-of-acceptance-zack
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveEligibilityDocs=2026-05-16_Zachary_Burgess_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-16T19:06:11Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.

Sincerely,
Zack Burgess
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T18:08:15Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T18:02:09Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com anytime after June 1st for any further questions/clarifications or to schedule an interview in the fall.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:53:01Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:52:44Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000$ cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:46:41Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=Zack Financial letter tsadra.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=zack-financial-letter-tsadra
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:43:33Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad). I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses). This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000 cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeopardize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:41:41Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad.) I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses.) This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000$ cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeprodize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=Zack Financial letter tsadra.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=zack-financial-letter-tsadra
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=2026-05-15_Zachary_Burgess_-_Financial_Situation.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:28:59Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad.) I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses.) This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000$ cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeprodize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
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|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
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|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
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|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
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|recom2NameLast=Burgess
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20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-15T17:22:08Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|requestedamount=18 722
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 13 478 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad.) I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses.) This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000$ cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeprodize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-13T13:14:31Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 15, 000 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) has already been covered from offerings. My parents have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad.) I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses.) This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000$ cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeprodize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-13T13:03:32Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|othermoney=A handful of dharma friends have kindly offered to help support me throughout the retreat and their contributions add up to about 15000 euros. The cost of shrine items (approx 1500 euros) was already covered from offerings. My parents generously have generously paid for my flight to Gomde (around 1200 cad.) I am bringing 2100 euros in cash to help with all the extra costs (hygiene items, offerings, medicine, all unexpected/emergency expenses.) This amount came partially from offerings and partially from my savings. I have a little over 6000$ cad in my bank account. The cost of visa renewals will be approx 300 euro/yr and health insurance is approx 500 euro/ yr, which will come from my end. As I need to provide bank statements for the visa renewal process (although my parents are also my guarantors), there is some concern of not letting my account go too low as that could jeprodize my application.
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T19:50:04Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
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|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
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|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
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}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T19:44:32Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveCV=Zack resume 2026.pdf
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|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveCV=2026-05-12_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T17:47:34Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and along with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T17:40:40Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around six years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around five and a half years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the three-year retreat. (During my ngondro accumulations, I completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.)
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025).
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the four sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion, and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T17:35:34Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, Toronto Ontario
High School Graduate 2010

|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019 - April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018 - December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 and a half years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T17:32:40Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 and a half years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma, with limited understanding, can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat initially sounded daunting, attending the Palyul summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and with that has come a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion, and I greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges one might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and, most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. Pre-retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T14:04:41Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 and a half years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked has grown. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever challenges you might face. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of 3-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider it the greatest possible privilege to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T13:56:19Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 and a half years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked has grown. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Along with the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group. The whole experience made me feel much more confident going forward that it is really worthwhile (and actually doable), regardless of whatever difficulties may come up. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the history and nitty gritty of 3-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since and consider myself the luckiest guy in world to be included within this sacred mandala.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of the Tsadra Foundation in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-12T13:40:09Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 and a half years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-10
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Essence of the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2026-06-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=EUR
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=EUR
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I can't imagine where I'd be without them. At the same time, I've felt increasingly frustrated by the routine grind of life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers. Tulku Dawa and I discussed it a few times over the past couple of years and he was always supportive of my aspirations.

In my limited experience over the past few years, I've sometimes felt a clearer sense of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering, and a deep conviction that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked has grown. After a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least a little faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-07T15:53:34Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 and a half years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to these things out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-05T19:52:49Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to these things out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-05T15:33:01Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all your negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Dharma teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-05T15:32:41Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all your negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Spiritual teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-05T15:29:51Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-01
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the deluded habitual tendencies that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all your negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusions during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sense of sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I may be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught to the best of my abilities.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)

Note: I am leaving for France on May 21st. pre retreat starts June 1st. Please contact retreat coordinator Mikk Tamme at mikk@gomde.fr or mikk.tamme@gmail.com for any further questions or clarifications after June 1st.
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Spiritual teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-04T16:33:47Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|FileHaveRetreatBudgCostUpld=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Spiritual teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-05-04T16:32:57Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Lama Tenzin
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo
|AcceptLetterEmail=Lamatenzinsangpo@gmail.com
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme
|CostLetterEmail=mikk@gomde.fr
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Spiritual teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveAcceptLetter=2026.02.20 - Letter of Acceptance - Zack.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveAcceptLetter=2026-02-20-letter-of-acceptance-zack
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveAcceptLetter=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveRetreatBudgCost=Letter on Retreat Costs.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveRetreatBudgCost=letter-on-retreat-costs
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveRetreatBudgCost=2026-05-4_Zachary_Burgess_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-04-05T13:53:54Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Spiritual teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
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}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-04-05T13:53:24Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Photo.jpg
|recom1NameFirst=Tulku Dawa
|recom1NameLast=Gyalpo Rinpoche
|recom1Email=palyulpemamani@gmail.com
|recom1Relate=Spiritual teacher
|recom2NameFirst=Heather
|recom2NameLast=Burgess
|recom2Email=fibbyb@hotmail.com
|recom2Relate=Mother
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-04-05T13:49:24Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
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20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-04-05T13:44:35Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|FileHaveCVUpld=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveDharmaCV=zack dharma resume.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveDharmaCV=zack-dharma-resume
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveDharmaCV=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-04-05T13:18:39Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveCV=zack tsadra resume.pdf
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveCV=zack-tsadra-resume
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveCV=2026-04-5_Zachary_Burgess_-_CV_Resume.pdf
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-04-02T19:20:52Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal da-to-day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided; they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time, I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own samsaric delusion during a week-long Green Tara retreat in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was conducting a retreat in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the state of samsaric delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

Over the New Year's holiday, I spent a week at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the three-year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post-retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry, I know this is a little long!)
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-03-27T22:08:46Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance

Palmerston Painters
February 2019- April 2020 House painter

Horseshoe Hill Construction
November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro(2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day to day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided, they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own delusion during a week-long retreat for green tara practice in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was doing one in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state of delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

I spent a week over the new years holiday at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the 3 year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry I know this is a little long!)
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-03-27T19:45:56Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019- April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018- December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand (not that I've really done much now). At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self-paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day to day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided, they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own delusion during a week-long retreat for green tara practice in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was doing one in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state of delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

I spent a week over the new years holiday at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the 3 year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry I know this is a little long!)
}}

20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission

2026-03-27T19:44:34Z

Zachary.Burgess: User:Zachary.Burgess

{{SavedApplication
|status=Saved
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7
|Submissionyear=2026
|firstname=Zachary
|lastname=Burgess
|birthdate=1992-02-18
|birthcountry=Canada
|nationality=Canada
|street=110 Walmer Rd
|city=Toronto
|stateprov=Ontario
|postalcode=M5R 2X7
|country=Canada
|email=zackburgess77@yahoo.ca
|telephone=6478556323
|retreattype=Three-year retreat
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13
|centercity=La bastide
|centerpostalcode=66110
|centercountry=France
|startdate=2026-06-01
|enddate=2029-12-31
|retreatmaster=Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupbon Lama Tenzin Sangpo
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme
|retreatadministratoremail=mikk@gomde.fr
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme
|retreatliaisonemail=mikk@gomde.fr
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010

Toronto Ontario
|cvwork=BBB Architects
Office maintenance
September 2022 - current

Palmerston Painters
House painter
February 2019- April 2020

Horseshoe Hill Construction
Construction Labour
November 2018- December 2019
|studiedtibetan=No
|spokentibcomprehension=None
|writtentibcomprehension=None
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required
|tibetanretreatparts=The teachings will be in Tibetan but there will be a translator. The texts and teaching materials are translated into English. Group practice (twice a month) will be chanted in Tibetan. Individual practice can be chanted in either Tibetan or English.
|otherlanguage1=French
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills
|otherlanguage2=English
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago, I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few years ago, I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (tsa lung and khorde rushen) with the indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|formalvows=Yes
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
|ngondrocomplete=Yes
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15
|ngondro3=Mandala
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand (not that I've really done much now). At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month-long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for ngondro (2023), tsa lung (2024) and khorde rushen (2025.)
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
|ynofferedservices=Yes
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.
|retreatduration=3 years
|StartFunding=2027-01-01
|EndFunding=2029-12-31
|costestimateCurrency=USD
|costestimate=32 250
|requestedamountCurrency=USD
|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can genuinely be of benefit to others as well. I believe that the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction.

While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, doing these summer retreats and practicing at home have gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. With all the free time and positive circumstances gathered, it's just easier to turn your mind to the dharma than in normal day to day life, full as it is with distraction. I am deeply grateful to my teachers for the opportunity that these Palyul retreats have provided, they have truly been life changing and I cannot imagine where I'd be now without them. At the same time I've been increasingly frustrated by the routine of regular life, with a leftover sense of yearning for the more immersive spiritual training that a three-year retreat offers.

In my limited experience, I've sometimes felt as if I was becoming a little more aware of the negative habits of mind that are the driving force behind one's projections and suffering and that this pattern will simply go on endlessly if left unchecked. Sometimes dharma practice seems to bring all these negativities out of hiding, and after a sense of once again being confronted with my own delusion during a week-long retreat for green tara practice in rural Ontario this past September, I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. Wanting to continue in the Nyingma tradition and having heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was doing one in France, I got in touch with the coordinator there. Listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and greatly longed to learn from this master. Also, some time back I had been amazed by his father Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's memoir, Blazing Splendor, which talks a lot about the Chokling Tersar lineage and this increased my interest to do this specific retreat. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state of delusion in which I find myself. This retreat in particular would be an amazing opportunity to go deeper into the tradition I feel most connected to, having at this point developed at least some small faith and connection to Guru Rinpoche through the blessings of my Palyul masters.

I spent a week over the new years holiday at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first three-year retreat. Aside from the spiritual impact of meeting Rinpoche and receiving his blessing to take part, it was really helpful to speak with some participants from the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident going forward that it is a really worthwhile opportunity, in spite of whatever difficulties one might encounter. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave a talk on the 3 year retreat and said (roughly) that if by the end we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since.

Especially as a beginner, the difficulties of trying to balance dharma practice with everyday life's endless demands, complications and confusion are many, and given the drastic state of the world right now, it seems really important to do what you can to try to work with your own ridiculous thoughts and develop at least some basic sanity and compassion. For post retreat life, my aspiration is that whatever change I've gone through during these few years will help me to more effectively bring compassionate energy and benefit to the world, if only in whichever very small ways I may be capable of, and that I will be somewhat better prepared for death, whenever it may come. I hope to return to playing and writing music (which has been my passion in life), to find some work and most of all, to try my best to honor the dharma by practicing what I've been taught.

In conclusion, I may not be the most experienced or well studied of aspiring practitioners, but still, I think I'd make good use of this precious opportunity and I'd be deeply grateful for the support of Tsadra in helping me to do so.Thank you for your time. (Sorry I know this is a little long!)
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