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Conversations With Contemplatives
Tsadra Foundation has been offering grants and scholarships to those entering into long-term retreat since its inception in 2000. Since 2010, the Foundation has offered specialized three-year retreat scholarships and more than 137 people have completed retreats at 18 retreat centers in Europe and North America since that time.
Much of Tibetan Buddhist retreat and the retreat experience is hidden from the general public, but as a way of providing access and insight into this esoteric world, we have created a series of “Conversations With Contemplatives” where Lama Drupgyu Anthony Chapman explores the lives and retreat experiences with a number of our contemplative scholarship graduates.
Learn more in the video below, in which Lama Drupgyu discusses the history of Three-Year retreat or watch the full conversation recordings below.
The History of Three-Year Retreat and Tsadra Foundation Scholarships with Lama Drupgyu Anthony Chapman
Lama Drupgyu (Anthony Chapman) participated in the first Three-year retreat to take place in the west in Bourgogne, France from 1976 to 1980. Upon completion of this retreat, he was appointed lama in Paris, France. He subsequently became the first western Buddhist to be named Druppon, or Retreat Master, leading Three-year retreats on Saltspring Island, B.C. Canada from 1982.
In this video, Marcus Perman interviews Lama Drupgyu as we explore the history of the three-year retreat and how it came to West.
Conversations
Lama Liza Baer – June 27, 2023
Retreat April 2015 to July 2018
Lama Liza engaged in environmental studies and subtle body work before entering the Portland Oregon center’s retreat at Serchö Osel Ling retreat center in eastern Washington State. Following retreat she resided, then became a resident teacher in Ashland Oregon for three years, and now is administrator at Kagyu Changchub Choling, Portland Oregon.
Lama Karma Yeshe Chödrön and Karma Zopa Jigme (Ivonne and Chris Rose) – June 20, 2023
Retreat February 2013 to May 2016
Lamas Yeshe and Zopa, a married couple, were translators for many years at Pullahari Monastery in Nepal; they completed their retreat at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center, Crestone, Colorado. Living in Santa Fe, they are fully engaged in teaching online through their online presence Prajna Fire and podcast Prajna Sparks.
Lama Karma (Justin Wall) – June 26, 2023
Retreats: 2002-2007 and 2008-2011
Lama Karma completed degrees at Columbia University before engaging in two Three-year retreats at Kagyu Thubten Choling, New York. Lama Karma is now married with a child; he divides his time between Tennessee and upstate New York.
Lama Döndrup Drolma (Jennifer Grant) – June 10, 2022
Retreat April 2002 – July 2005
Lama Dondrup is a professional pianist – both performing and teaching. Since completing her retreat she has been teaching as a lama at Sukhasiddhi Foundation, San Rafael, California, and is now the Resident Teacher of Sukhasiddi Foundation. Since Covid, Lama Dondrup has developed a vibrant online presence with regular meditations, teachings, and courses.
Watch
Conversations with Contemplatives
with Lama Drupgyu
Scholarship Recipients
2024
Three Year Retreat:
Francesco Paolo Bono (Milarepa Retreat)
Lars Rismyhr (POL)
Ron Zambetti (POL)
Thomas Enns (GA)
Taras Melnychuk (GA)
Yvan L’Arrivée (GA)
Sree Sukumar (GA)
Jonathan Webb (GA)
Shelley Jackson (KMR)
2023
Three Year Retreat:
Sarina Straussner (PTC)
Aurore Hannon (GDFR)
Theresa Stevenson (GI)
Teja (Travis) Campbell (GI)
Ron Zambetti (GI)
2022
Three Year Retreat:
Troy Suben (PTC)
Kevin Miller (PTC)
Chelsea Treiber (PTC)
Nicolas Masoli (PTC)
Lehel Lorincz (PTC)
Guillaume Ducrue (KL)
Nicolas Novel (KL)
Stefanie Nowak (GDFR)
Mariana Lozano (GDFR)
Heidi Koppl (GDFR)
Petros Babis (GDFR)
Lorena Carazo (GDFR)
Christian Casanova (GDFR)
Maria Victoria Rodriguez (GDFR)
Martha Asselin (LJSL)
Retreat Center Legend
CMG Caneto Meditation Garden, Spain
CH Chanteloube, Dordogne, France
CG Chagdu Gompa, Junction City, CA, USA
DLH Dawa Ling Hermitage, Spain
DSK Dagshang Kagyu (Palden Shangpa), Panillo, Spain
GA Gampo Abbey, Pleasant Bay, NS, Canada
GI Garchen Institute, Chino Valley, AZ, USA
GP Gomdé Pyrénées, France
KL Karma Ling, Savoy, France
KMR Katog Mountain Retreat, Parthenon, AR, USA
KTC Kagyu Tubten Choling, Wappingers Falls, NY, USA
KTD Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Delhi, NY, USA
LJSL Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, Crestone, CO, USA
POL Pema Osel Ling, Aptos, CA, USA
SL Samye Ling, Arran Isle and Holy Island, Scotland, UK
SOL Serchö Osel Ling, Goldendale WA, USA
VV Vajra Vidhya, Crestone, CO, USA
2022
Three Year Retreat:
Maria-Joao Frade (CH)
2021
Three Year Retreat:
Dominika Hryniewicz (CH)
Shelley Jackson (KMR)
Pema Nymeyer (POL)
Jennifer Zhao (POL)
Gheorghe Paul Predescu (PTC)
Solitary Retreat:
Tabea Rittgasser (CH)
2020
Three Year Retreat:
Maria Viviana Siles (POL)
Stephane Bertha (POL)
Solitary Retreat:
Nick Schmidt
Danielle Blouin
Eduardo Bermejo (CMG)
2019
Solitary Retreat:
Margaret Mora
Esther Gimano (CMG)
2018
Three Year Retreat:
Michael Mattis (LJSL)
Angel Saint-Michel (KTC)
Solitary Retreat:
Drusilla Lopez (KMR)
Michael Broderick
Tycho Thal (CH)
2017
Three Year Retreat:
Hala Azzam (KTD)
Karen Yuen (CH)
Susan Brunner (SL)
Catherine Anderson (SL)
Alana Siegel (POL)
Madeline Johnson (KTC)
Mariana Restropo (KTC)
Daniela Dias de Carvalho (CH)
Nayeli Anguerin (CH)
Geneviève Gendeun Michaud (CH)
2016
Three Year Retreat:
Victoria Victoré – Ani Chimey Lhatso (KTD)
Fabian Minor (KTD)
Juan Felipe Zapata (KTC)
Arek Banasik (KTC)
Edward Rossel (KTC)
Emersom Noboru Satomi (KTC)
Alessandra Otero (KTD)
Chris Fankhauser (KTD)
Liza Baer (KCC)
Lyle Rose (POL)
Analise Pappastergiou (POL)
Jaffa Elias (POL)
Chris Carelli (POL)
Sveta Carelli (POL)
Isabelle Brun (KL)
2015
Three Year Retreat:
Julia Tamang King (SOL)
Galen Doucette (SOL)
Jane Harden (SOL)
Drusilla Lopez (KMR)
Ken Yeshe Davidson (KMR)
Solitary Retreat:
Marc Olmsted (CA, USA)
Tabea Nyingnor Rittgasser (Dordogne, France)
2014
Three Year Retreat:
Laurel Gonzales (DSK)
Nyima Gyeltsen (DSK)
Gloria Norgan – Ani Samten (DSK)
Kevin Miller (GI)
Catharine Nelson (GI)
Saskia Bleijendaal – Ani Drime Shiwa (GA)
Solitary Retreat:
Sarkis Vermilyea – Ngawang Senge (NM, USA)
David Ledeboer (OR, USA)
Tycho Thal (Dordogne, France)
2013
Three Year Retreat:
Margaret Mora (DSK)
Christopher Rose (VV)
Ivonne Rose (VV)
Casper Jakobsen (VV)
Cecilia Amador (GA)
Julie Jacob Zangmo (KTD)
Karma Chopal Zanpo (KTD)
Jacob Braverman (POL)
Joe Stagno (POL)
Magnus Childers (POL)
Solitary Retreat:
Susan Holland (POL)
2012
Three Year Retreat:
Simon Pace (POL)
David Tobey (POL)
Angela Suescun-Lampe (KTD)
Phillip Lampe (KTD)
Sarina Straussner (TC)
Joshua Schauls (CG)
Danielle Blouin (GA)
Solitary Retreat:
Ines Rittgasser (Spain)
Jennifer Gordon (California, USA)
2011
Three Year Retreat:
Alicia Onieva (DSK)
Hector Vaquero (DSK)
Teresa Vax (DSK)
Vicente Clemente (DSK)
Susan Holland (POL)
Namdak Max Cardale (SL)
Heike Dumjahn (KL)
Pende Stuard Reid (SL)
Robert Lee (SL)
Samten Shane Pilossof (SL)
Tingdzin Alexander Mclachlan (SL)
Yangtso Dianne McRobert (SL)
Zangpo Paul Foster (SL)
Aria Das (KTC)
Yeshe Kevin Chowings (KTC)
Solitary Retreat:
Eric Triebelhorn – Oregon, USA
Vernon Mizner – Crestone, Colorado, USA
2010
Three Year Retreat:
Elizabeth Prather (GI)
Moon Teitel (GI)
Roderick Owens (KTC)
Anne Holland (POL)
Marcie Hughes (POL)
Sarah Beasley (POL)
Stacey Stein (POL)
Solitary Retreat:
Linda Ireland – Oregon, USA
Luc Maillard – Dordogne, France
Retreat Center Legend
CMG Caneto Meditation Garden, Spain
CH Chanteloube, Dordogne, France
CG Chagdu Gompa, Junction City, CA, USA
DLH Dawa Ling Hermitage, Spain
DSK Dagshang Kagyu (Palden Shangpa), Panillo, Spain
GA Gampo Abbey, Pleasant Bay, NS, Canada
GI Garchen Institute, Chino Valley, AZ, USA
GP Gomdé Pyrénées, France
KL Karma Ling, Savoy, France
KMR Katog Mountain Retreat, Parthenon, AR, USA
KTC Kagyu Tubten Choling, Wappingers Falls, NY, USA
KTD Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Delhi, NY, USA
LJSL Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, Crestone, CO, USA
POL Pema Osel Ling, Aptos, CA, USA
SL Samye Ling, Arran Isle and Holy Island, Scotland, UK
SOL Serchö Osel Ling, Goldendale WA, USA
VV Vajra Vidhya, Crestone, CO, USA