20260612165344-Madison Marie-Foley-Submission: Difference between revisions
From Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships
20260612165344-Madison Marie-Foley-Submission
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|Submissiondate=2026-06-12 | |Submissiondate=2026-06-12 | ||
|Submissionyear=2026 | |Submissionyear=2026 | ||
|page=20260612165344-Madison Marie-Foley-Submission | |||
|firstname=Madison Marie | |firstname=Madison Marie | ||
|lastname=Foley | |lastname=Foley | ||
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|letterofmotivation=When I was an angsty thirteen year old, my parents sent me to spend the summer with my God-fearing Grandmother in North Carolina, who promptly signed me up for Bible Study Camp at her local church. While I was begrudgingly walking the few sweaty blocks from her house to the church that very first day, I noticed a book sitting lonely on a bus stop bench. Without thinking, I grabbed it and stuffed it in my bag. | |letterofmotivation=When I was an angsty thirteen year old, my parents sent me to spend the summer with my God-fearing Grandmother in North Carolina, who promptly signed me up for Bible Study Camp at her local church. While I was begrudgingly walking the few sweaty blocks from her house to the church that very first day, I noticed a book sitting lonely on a bus stop bench. Without thinking, I grabbed it and stuffed it in my bag. | ||
During the lunch break, I wandered off alone and sat underneath a big tree and began to read. It was a book about the Buddha's life story, from birth to death. I became instantly enthralled by his life and | During the lunch break, I wandered off alone and sat underneath a big tree and began to read. It was a book about the Buddha's life story, from birth to death. I became instantly enthralled by his life and remember relating deeply to how the young Prince felt when he looked outside his privileged castle walls. I had experienced a similar feeling, not finding any of the adults around me to be very happy. I vowed then and there to follow in the Buddha's footsteps and pursue enlightenment. | ||
Much to my Grandmother's dismay, it was not Jesus, but Siddhartha Gautama who I came insistently asking her about | Much to my Grandmother's dismay, it was not Jesus, but Siddhartha Gautama who I came insistently asking her about. When she had nothing to offer me as far as wisdom goes, I turned to the internet to look up anything I could find about the Buddha. Even as a child, the wish to awaken was inside of my heart, blooming. | ||
When I first met my precious teacher Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, he said to me, "Oh it's you, I know you!" Even though it was the very first time we had met, I felt the exact same way. I burst into tears, and we embraced like old friends. It felt like coming home. I could finally relax. I have been following his instructions and serving | When I first met my precious teacher Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, he said to me, "Oh it's you, I know you!" Even though it was the very first time we had met, I felt the exact same way. I burst into tears, and we embraced like old friends. It felt like coming home. I could finally relax. I have been following his instructions and serving his immense activity ever since, and it is my sincere wish to offer my practice to my Teacher and to all beings. Pursuing this retreat is the only way I will possibly feel content in this life and it is my wish to not waste a single moment more of it and to practice with a genuine heart full of love and care. | ||
I am not academic at all, I have no degrees or decoration, I'm not | I am not academic at all, I have no degrees or decoration, I'm not very smart, I do not know any Tibetan and I haven't formally practiced in retreat very much, but I think my application should be considered because of the sincere devotion I have to the dharma, my genuine faith in my Teacher and the correct motivation that drives me to truly want to spend my life practicing and serving. I cannot imagine doing anything else. I want to take part in this retreat so that I can become more kind, calm and clear (like Rinpoche says) and so that I may cut the root that causes harm, and be actually beneficial to the world and everyone I come into contact with. | ||
Thank you so much for considering my application, I am incredibly grateful that this grant exists for people like me who need financial support in order to be able to practice. It would truly be an honor to receive it. | Thank you so much for considering my application, I am incredibly grateful that this grant exists for people like me who need financial support in order to be able to practice. It would truly be an honor to receive it. | ||
Revision as of 15:59, 16 June 2026
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