20250730220419-Edward-Alexander-Submission: Difference between revisions
From Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships
20250730220419-Edward-Alexander-Submission
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{{SavedApplication | {{SavedApplication | ||
|status= | |status=Saved | ||
|Submissiondate=2025-07-30 | |Submissiondate=2025-07-30 | ||
|Submissionyear=2025 | |Submissionyear=2025 | ||
| Line 48: | Line 48: | ||
|otherlanguage2=Ancient Greek | |otherlanguage2=Ancient Greek | ||
|otherlanguage2Prof=Basic communication skills | |otherlanguage2Prof=Basic communication skills | ||
|introbuddhism=I learned basic shamatha and vipassana sitting practice in the "Meditation Practicum" class at Naropa University in 2003. I have been studying and practicing in Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche's sangha since 2012. | |introbuddhism=I learned basic shamatha and vipassana sitting practice in the "Meditation Practicum" class at Naropa University in 2003. I have been studying and practicing in Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche's sangha since 2012. | ||
|refugehistory=I first took refuge with Reginald Ray in 2012. I took it again with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in 2014. | |refugehistory=I first took refuge with Reginald Ray in 2012. I took it again with Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche in 2014. | ||
|formalvows=Yes | |formalvows=Yes | ||
|formalvowsdetails=Refuge and Bodhisattva Vow, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, 2014. | |formalvowsdetails=Refuge and Bodhisattva Vow, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, 2014. | ||
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|ngondronotes=I have completed the prostrations for the Ngondro of the Drolma Zabtik terma cycle revealed by Chokgyur Lingpa as part of the Tara's Triple Excellence online program. This terma cycle also includes 100 performances of the outer sadhana and 1 million mantra recitations along with performances of the inner sadhana as preliminaries to the Ngondro practices. | |ngondronotes=I have completed the prostrations for the Ngondro of the Drolma Zabtik terma cycle revealed by Chokgyur Lingpa as part of the Tara's Triple Excellence online program. This terma cycle also includes 100 performances of the outer sadhana and 1 million mantra recitations along with performances of the inner sadhana as preliminaries to the Ngondro practices. | ||
I have accumulated a portion of the prostrations for the Lamey Tukdrub Barchey Kunsel terma cycle. | I have accumulated a portion of the prostrations for the Lamey Tukdrub Barchey Kunsel terma cycle. | ||
|ngondroPartialComplete=Yes | |ngondroPartialComplete=Yes | ||
|ngondroPartialBegin=2015-01-15 | |ngondroPartialBegin=2015-01-15 | ||
|ngondroPartialDetails=See above. | |ngondroPartialDetails=See above. | ||
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes | |previousretreatscomplete=Yes | ||
|previousretreatsdetails=I did a one month dathun retreat with Reggie Ray's Dharma Ocean sangha in 2012 and a 35-day Trinley Nyingpo retreat in 2019. I have done two three-week and several two- or one-week solitary retreats in addition to this. | |previousretreatsdetails=I did a one month dathun retreat with Reggie Ray's Dharma Ocean sangha in 2012 and a 35-day Trinley Nyingpo retreat in 2019. I have done two three-week and several two- or one-week solitary retreats in addition to this. | ||
|ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes | |ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes | ||
|advstudiesprogsdetails=I studied at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Kathmandu, Nepal during 2014-15. I took two courses taught in Tibetan by Khenpos with English translation, one on Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara and another on Asanga's Madhyantavibaga. | |advstudiesprogsdetails=I studied at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Kathmandu, Nepal during 2014-15. I took two courses taught in Tibetan by Khenpos with English translation, one on Shantideva's Bodhicaryavatara and another on Asanga's Madhyantavibaga. | ||
|ynofferedservices=Yes | |ynofferedservices=Yes | ||
|offeredservicesdetails=I volunteered at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, working primarily in the gift shop but also doing some construction on the land, in the summer of 2014. In 2015, I served tea to Rinpoche during teachings. I have been a regular donor to both Gomde California and Rinpoche's Shedrub mandala since 2014. | |offeredservicesdetails=I volunteered at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, working primarily in the gift shop but also doing some construction on the land, in the summer of 2014. In 2015, I served tea to Rinpoche during teachings. I have been a regular donor to both Gomde California and Rinpoche's Shedrub mandala since 2014. | ||
|othercommunitywork=I volunteer in Hyde Park, Chicago, visiting Bradford Lyttle, a 96-year-old blind former peace activist, at his home once a week. | |othercommunitywork=I volunteer in Hyde Park, Chicago, visiting Bradford Lyttle, a 96-year-old blind former peace activist, at his home once a week. | ||
|retreatduration=43 | |retreatduration=43 | ||
|StartFunding=2026-06-01 | |StartFunding=2026-06-01 | ||
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|requestedamountCurrency=EUR | |requestedamountCurrency=EUR | ||
|requestedamount=740 (month) | |requestedamount=740 (month) | ||
|othermoney=Personal savings, family support. Will seek additional "crowdfunding" support from sangha in the coming months. | |othermoney=Personal savings, family support. Will seek additional "crowdfunding" support from sangha in the coming months. | ||
|letterofmotivation=I have pursued a career in academia that has led me to work as a college writing instructor at the University of Chicago for last 4 years. That job is currently being restructured, and I have decided to leave the academic career path rather than continuing to pursue work in the field of college writing instruction. My decision is primarily motivated by the fact that I have increasingly found the Dharma to be the only truly meaningful life pursuit, based on comparing the fruits of Dharma practice against those of worldly life over the last 20 years, as well as with my deepening appreciation of the Buddhist view. The opportunity to undertake this kind of intensive retreat under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and Drupon Lama Tenzin Sangpo will only occur this once in my life, and it would be a tremendous mistake not to seize it. I will be 45 in October and have decided that I want to focus on practicing the Dharma over and above the pursuit of professional status in the second part of my life. This will place me in a more economically precarious position following the retreat, but I feel that it’s worth it. Support from the Tsadra Foundation would enable me to retain more personal savings for once I leave the retreat and need to find work again, in whatever labor market exists at that time, at around 50 years of age. I feel that both my worldly and Dharmic curriculum vitae demonstrate the seriousness and reliability with which I undertake and fulfill personal commitments. In my view, this makes me a worthwhile candidate for the Tsadra Foundation's financial support of my retreat. | |||
My motivation to intensively practice the Dharma in a three-year retreat is fairly traditional: to make as much progress toward enlightenment as is possible for me within this lifetime, with the ultimate goal of establishing each and every sentient being in that state. Deciding to do a three-year retreat for a western lay practitioner requires serious “big picture” thinking about one’s life. Up until this point, I have had the fortune to encounter the Vajrayana Dharma, to meet and receive oral instructions from a qualified guru, and to spend several years attempting to apply them in practice. Suspending worldly activities and focusing single-mindedly on applying my guru’s instructions is the inevitable next step in this process. While I am wary of attempts to justify Dharma practice in terms of worldly social aims, I also see my growth as a Dharma practitioner as inseparable from developing my capacity to serve, protect, and benefit others. In terms of post-retreat employment, I would aspire to do some kind of social work aiding others in disadvantageous circumstances, such as those living in poverty, or the elderly and dying. But I also view this retreat as the beginning of a phase of my life in which Dharma practice is the primary aim. Support from the Tsadra Foundation would help me realize this goal. | |||
|AcceptLetterAuthorFirst=Drupon Lama Tenzin | |||
|AcceptLetterAuthorLast=Sangpo | |||
|AcceptLetterPhone=+3725531133 | |||
|CostLetterAuthorFirst=Mikk | |||
|CostLetterAuthorLast=Tamme | |||
|CostLetterPhone=+3725531133 | |||
|recom1NameFirst=Yeshi | |||
|recom1Relate=Lama/Meditation Instructor | |||
|recom2NameFirst=David | |||
|recom2NameLast=Fireman | |||
|recom2Relate=Therapist | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveAcceptLetter=2025.07.20 - Letter of Acceptance - Edward.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveAcceptLetter=2025-07-20-letter-of-acceptance-edward | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveAcceptLetter=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_Acceptance_Letter.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveRetreatBudgCost=Letter on Retreat Costs Gomde Pyrenees 20.07.2025.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveRetreatBudgCost=letter-on-retreat-costs-gomde-pyrenees-20-07-2025 | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveRetreatBudgCost=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_Retreat_Costs.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveEligibilityDocs=An outline of qualifications for entering your retreat Gomde Pyrenees 20.07.2025.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveEligibilityDocs=an-outline-of-qualifications-for-entering-your-retreat-gomde-pyrenees-20-07-2025 | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveEligibilityDocs=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_Eligibility_Requirements.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveCV=Edward Alexander Current CV -.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveCV=edward-alexander-current-cv | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveCV=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_CV_Resume.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveDharmaCV=Edward Alexander Dharma CV - Categorized version.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveDharmaCV=edward-alexander-dharma-cv-categorized-version | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveDharmaCV=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_Dharma_Resume.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHavePhoto=IMG_0146.jpg | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHavePhoto=img-0146 | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHavePhoto=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_Photo.jpg | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadName-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=Edward Alexander - Financial statement for retreat.pdf | |||
|FFUploadedFile-UploadBase-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=edward-alexander-financial-statement-for-retreat | |||
|FFUploadedFile-NewName-FileHaveDescriptFinSit=2025-07-31_Edward_Alexander_-_Financial_Situation.pdf | |||
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 14:02, 31 July 2025
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