20250311123946-Ash-Elford-Submission: Difference between revisions
From Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships
20250311123946-Ash-Elford-Submission
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{{SavedApplication | {{SavedApplication | ||
|status= | |status=Checked | ||
|Submissiondate=2025-05-28 | |Submissiondate=2025-05-28 | ||
|Submissionyear=2025 | |Submissionyear=2025 | ||
|page=20250311123946-Ash-Elford-Submission | |||
|firstname=Ash | |firstname=Ash | ||
|lastname=Elford | |lastname=Elford | ||
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|telephone=5083328489 | |telephone=5083328489 | ||
|retreattype=Three-year retreat | |retreattype=Three-year retreat | ||
|center= | |center=Karme Ling (Delhi, NY) | ||
|centerstreet=315 Retreat Road | |centerstreet=315 Retreat Road | ||
|centercity=Delhi | |centercity=Delhi | ||
| Line 23: | Line 24: | ||
|centercountry=United States of America | |centercountry=United States of America | ||
|startdate=2026-09-01 | |startdate=2026-09-01 | ||
|enddate=2029- | |enddate=2029-12-01 | ||
|retreatmaster=Lama Tsultrim Gyaltsen | |retreatmaster=Lama Tsultrim Gyaltsen | ||
|retreatadministrator=Lama Karma Lodro | |retreatadministrator=Lama Karma Lodro | ||
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|cvedu=B.S. Psychology - Bridgewater State University (May of 2024) | |cvedu=B.S. Psychology - Bridgewater State University (May of 2024) | ||
|cvwork=Nantucket Food Pantry - Public outreach, delivery driver, and service worker both English and Spanish - 2019-2022 | |cvwork=Nantucket Food Pantry - Public outreach, delivery driver, and service worker both English and Spanish - 2019-2022 | ||
Bartlett's Farm - Garden center representative - 2020-2022 | |||
YMCA (Taunton, MA branch) - Youth group leader, program organizer - 2021 | |||
|studiedtibetan=Yes | |studiedtibetan=Yes | ||
|spokentibcomprehension=Basic communication skills | |spokentibcomprehension=Basic communication skills | ||
| Line 42: | Line 45: | ||
|otherlanguage3=Chinese | |otherlanguage3=Chinese | ||
|otherlanguage3Prof=Basic communication skills | |otherlanguage3Prof=Basic communication skills | ||
|introbuddhism=I began studying and practicing Buddhism in September of 2019 under the guidance of Lama Yeshe Palmo, a graduate of Kagyu (now Palpung) Thubten Choling monastery in Wappingers Falls, NY. | |introbuddhism=I began studying and practicing Buddhism in September of 2019 under the guidance of Lama Yeshe Palmo, a graduate of several three-year retreats of Kagyu (now Palpung) Thubten Choling monastery in Wappingers Falls, NY. | ||
|refugehistory=I took refuge with Lama Yeshe Palmo in 2020, and again in 2021 with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche | |refugehistory=I took refuge with Lama Yeshe Palmo in 2020, and again in 2021 with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche | ||
|formalvows=Yes | |formalvows=Yes | ||
|formalvowsdetails=Full lay precepts - Tulku Damcho Rinpoche - September 2023 | |formalvowsdetails=Full lay precepts - Tulku Damcho Rinpoche - September 2023 | ||
Novice Getsul vows - Tai Situ Rinpoche - January 2024 | Novice Getsul vows - Tai Situ Rinpoche - January 2024 | ||
Bodhisattva vow - Khenpo Lodro Donyo Rinpoche - May 2025 | |||
|ngondrocomplete=Yes | |ngondrocomplete=Yes | ||
|ngondro1=Refuge and Prostrations | |ngondro1=Refuge and Prostrations | ||
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|ngondro4begin=2022-03-16 | |ngondro4begin=2022-03-16 | ||
|ngondro4end=2022-07-29 | |ngondro4end=2022-07-29 | ||
|ngondronotes=Currently nearly finished a 2nd full set of 4 Ngondros | |ngondronotes=Currently nearly finished a 2nd full set of 4 Ngondros 111,111 | ||
|previousretreatscomplete=No | |previousretreatscomplete=No | ||
|ynadvstudiesprogs=No | |ynadvstudiesprogs=No | ||
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Residence Caretaker and Kitchen Service - Vipassana Meditation Center (Various locations - 2018 - 2019) | Residence Caretaker and Kitchen Service - Vipassana Meditation Center (Various locations - 2018 - 2019) | ||
Event Preparation - Nantucket Unitarian Universalist Church (Nantucket, MA - 2020) | Event Preparation - Nantucket Unitarian Universalist Church (Nantucket, MA - 2020) | ||
YMCA Youth Leader (Taunton, MA - 2021) | YMCA Youth Leader (Taunton, MA - 2021 [employed]) | ||
Service worker at Nantucket Food Pantry (I volunteered for 2 years before being hired) (Nantucket, MA - 2019-2020) | Service worker at Nantucket Food Pantry (I volunteered for 2 years before being hired) (Nantucket, MA - 2019-2020) | ||
|retreatduration= | |retreatduration=39 | ||
|StartFunding=2026-09-01 | |StartFunding=2026-09-01 | ||
|EndFunding=2029- | |EndFunding=2029-12-01 | ||
|costestimateCurrency=USD | |costestimateCurrency=USD | ||
|costestimate=36,000 | |costestimate=36,000 | ||
|requestedamountCurrency=USD | |requestedamountCurrency=USD | ||
|requestedamount= | |requestedamount=36,000 | ||
|othermoney=I have some personal savings which I am willing to spend if necessary, but as a monk I make very little money. My mother is willing to support me partially, but not fully. She will contribute a | |othermoney=I have some personal savings which I am willing to spend if necessary, but as a monk I make very little money. My mother is willing to support me partially, but not fully. She will contribute up to four thousand dollars if a full sponsorship for my retreat is not available. | ||
|letterofmotivation=Dear Tsadra Foundation, | |||
Retreat, to me, feels like a lifelong calling. Throughout my life, there have been many signs and pointers that seem to lead me to heed the call of going into retreat so that I can work on my mind and hopefully develop an even greater sense of love and compassion. I feel very grateful for all the various wonderful opportunities I have had in my life thus far, between travel, exceptional friendships, family, and teachers - but for me, retreat has been at the forefront of my interests. Ever since I was a little kid, having learned that a time will come where we will all have to die, the five year old me internalized that very deeply, and from that day onward I have felt a deep sense of urgency to do some meaningful spiritual practice in the short time I have here. Having encountered the dharma from my teacher Lama Yeshe Palmo when I was just nineteen, and having been taught Buddhist principles and philosophy that I felt spoke directly to that little five year old me, these insights seem to have helped my dharma mature, and planted seeds for further inquiry into the mind and my life’s purpose. | |||
Much of my life over the past six years have been spent slowly preparing for retreat. Even recently, throughout my entire college life, my experience was flavored with a sense of anticipation for retreat and living in the monastery. It felt as though a strong sense of dharma embraced each day. Now, after nearly three years at KTD Monastery, I can attest and affirm that the longing for the dharma which I had felt all these years, was everything I could have wished for and more. I reflect with gratitude and appreciation, which I owe my vajra brothers and sisters, khenpos, and lamas, for helping me along the way, for teaching me everything from torma making to ritual procedure, learning Tibetan, and learning what it means to live in community and how to be a good spiritual friend. In all of my ups and downs, I’ve learned humility, imperfection, patience, and more - all lessons essential to meet the realities of retreat life. | |||
To me, retreat is many things. Primarily, it is time to really work on my mind, and perhaps a chance to catch a glimpse into its true nature. Further, it is a tribute and way of showing deep gratitude and appreciation to those in my life who have helped me along the way. It is a way of building a relationship with myself and others, and an act of loving service. It is also a gesture of deep reverence for Tibet and a way to uphold the treasury of knowledge that has been so graciously passed down and spread worldwide. I see Tibetan Buddhism in the west in our ever changing world to be of crucial importance. Perhaps if I go into retreat and learn a little and meditate with a sincere heart, it would be of some benefit for others, and a way to carry on the blessings of the lineage gurus. | |||
In doing retreat, my hope is that I can practice sincerely and with great devotion, and cultivate my focus and non-distraction. In the end, I hope to learn how to be available for the world’s needs and the needs of others in a skillful way, to cultivate good morals and values, and learn what it means to be a bodhisattva. | |||
Thank you very much for taking me into consideration for sponsorship, and for supporting countless practitioners and the Buddhist cause as a whole throughout the years. | |||
|FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2025-03-18_Ash_Elford_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf | |FileHaveAcceptLetterUpld=2025-03-18_Ash_Elford_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf | ||
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Karma | |AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Karma | ||
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|FileHaveEligibilityDocsUpld=2025-03-18_Ash_Elford_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf | |FileHaveEligibilityDocsUpld=2025-03-18_Ash_Elford_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf | ||
|FileHaveCVUpld=2025-03-18_Ash_Elford_-_CV_Resume.pdf | |FileHaveCVUpld=2025-03-18_Ash_Elford_-_CV_Resume.pdf | ||
|FileHaveDharmaCVUpld=2025-06-4_Ash_Elford_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf | |||
|FileHavePhotoUpld=2025-05-9_Ash_Elford_-_Photo.jpg | |FileHavePhotoUpld=2025-05-9_Ash_Elford_-_Photo.jpg | ||
|FileHaveDescriptFinSitUpld=2025-06-4_Ash_Elford_-_Financial_Situation.pdf | |||
|recom1NameFirst=Yeshe (Peggy) | |recom1NameFirst=Yeshe (Peggy) | ||
|recom1NameLast=Palmo (Turco) | |recom1NameLast=Palmo (Turco) | ||
|recom1Relate=Current meditation instructor | |recom1Relate=Current meditation instructor | ||
|recom2NameFirst=Julie | |||
|recom2NameLast=Kingston | |||
|recom2Relate=Mother | |||
}} | }} | ||
Latest revision as of 11:46, 14 July 2025
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