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    Rigul Trust Disaster Fund Update – Aid being safely delivered

    July 13, 2015
    13 Jul 2015
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    Dear Friends,

    Salga with the truck load of provisions
    Salga with the carpet factory owner


    So many people have generously donated to Rigul Trust disaster fund to help with the aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal. We set out to help 200 nuns, stranded, homeless and without shelter in a remote part of the Nepalese Himalayas near the Tibet border, the only access for provisions and help was by helicopter. A helicopter could only take about 4 people at a time and would have cost about £1,000 a trip.

    Following the second earthquake the area became too dangerous for the nuns to stay in from the risk of landslides. 150 nuns made a hazardous journey by foot to Kathmandu, travelling for days. The needs of the nuns are the same, they need shelter, food, money and medicines.

    At Rigul Trust we are working closely with Salga and his friends in the Lingstang society.
    A carpet factory owner has let the nuns stay in his factory and Salga and Tashi visited the nuns, hired a truck and filled it with provisions, rice, solar panels etc all donated by Rigul Trust.

    Salga and Tashi spent time with the nuns assessing their needs, distributing the goods and giving money for medical help. Many of the nuns are sick and in need of a doctor and now in hospital.

    Thank you again so much, every picture tells a story! .

    These people will still need aid after the rainy season to help rebuild their health and lives.

    We have great gratitude to Salga, Tashi and the Lingstang Society for monitoring your donations, assessing needs, buying provisions and giving funds for medical help to these people, on behalf and donated by Rigul Trust.

    With every best wish,
    Margaret
    on behalf of Ringu Tulku and the trustees of Rigul Trust.

    0 Comments/in 2015 /by RigulTrust

    Earthquake – Emergency appeal

    May 13, 2015
    13 May 2015
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    Earthquake: Nepal and bordering countries

    The news of the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal and bordering countries will have reached so many of us. The reportage of the thousands of fatalities, injured and the graphic images on TV and the social media will have touched the hearts of so many around the world. Words fail to express the utter sadness and grief felt by the survivors.

    Emergency Appeal

    Ringu Tulku Rinpoche and Rigul Trust have been asked to help a village in a very remote region of Nepal, near the Tibetan border and which is only accessible by helicopter. There are 200 nuns and staff in urgent need of shelter, food and medicines. The monastery and nunnery there has been completely destroyed by the earthquake.

    Some nuns were buried under the rubble, some were injured and one died. The cost of hiring a helicopter is very expensive and only takes 4 people. We want to help them to rebuild their community in this emergency situation.

    The monsoon rains will be arriving within the next few weeks and urgent need is to get provisions, tents, sheds, food and medicines to them, and any help you can give will be of such great benefit.

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    GIFT AID

    If you a are a UK taxpayer and you would like your donation to be treated via Gift Aid please add your name, check the box below and submit.  This will allow us to reclaim 25 pence of every pound donated.

    0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by RigulTrust

    Earthquake: Nepal and bordering countries

    May 8, 2015
    08 May 2015
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    The news of the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal and bordering countries will have reached so many of us. The reportage of the thousands of fatalities, injured and the graphic images on TV and the social media will have touched the hearts of so many around the world. Words fail to express the utter sadness and grief felt by the survivors.

    People have been asking Ringu Tulku and Rigul Trust if they can make donations to help with the relief work in Nepal. At present we don’t have any direct and reliable links on the ground in Nepal but we are looking into ways that we can help. Support and aid will be needed not only immediately but also in the medium to long term.

    Ringu Tulku says:

    rtr-1“I am trying to find a reliable organisation with whom we can work together in Nepal. The monasteries are focusing their work in remote places and they are doing really well. 

    The Kagyu monasteries have asked for permission to give aids in remote areas of Nepal and they were given with thanks. They are now in both East and West giving food, bedding, tents and other most urgent supplies and supports. 

    HH Karmapa gave 200,000 dollars again. He also sent more tents from Bodhgaya.”


    We also asked Ringu Tulku what prayers we could do for the people of Nepal and surrounding countries affected, Rinpoche says:

    ”Chenrezig practice for the dead and Tara and Guru Rinpoche practice for living and warding off more problems”.

    Chenrezig mantra links:

    Mantra with prayers by HH Dalai Lama link:

    HH Karmapka link:


    Prayer for rebirth in a Pureland – Dewachen –link:

    Prayer for rebirth in a Pureland – Dewachen – English version to Tibetan tune:

    HH Karmapa teaching on Purelands translated by Ringu Tulku links 1 to 4:

    Ringu Tulku’s commentary on the Practice of Chenrezig is available as a book including the prayers. Available on www.rigultrust.org


    Tara mantra link:

    21 Praises to Tara chanted by HH Karmapa:

    Tara prayers – Free from Eight Fears

    I pray to you who protects me from eight fears.
    I pray to you who brings us blazing auspiciousness.
    I pray to you who closes the door of negative rebirths.
    I pray to you who leads us to the realms of happiness.
    Your love is ever present for all of us.
    Please continue to give us your loving protection.

    Rough translation by Ringu Tulku


    Guru Rinpoche mantra link:

    HH Karmapa chanting seven line prayer in Berlin:

    HH Karmapa’s talk on the Seven Line Supplication to Guru Rinpoche:

    Message from HH Karmapa concerning the earthquake


    We will do our best to help the people affected by the earthquake in whatever ways that we can.

    Ringu tulku has family living in Kathmandu and they are all ok and have been living out of doors for many days.


    Tom Zachmeier, a film maker, is doing noble, pioneering, grass roots work with his Conscious Action Network. Tom is helping raise the profile of Rigul Trust too and if you are in Berlin on May 10th this year please don’t miss this event below – Noble Heart Night – for Tibet and Nepal – some of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go to Rigul Trust and Ringu Tulku will be giving the talk on the ‘Wisdom of Love – Changing the World from the Inside Out’, at this event. Please check Tom’s work out with C.A.N.

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    With love and prayers,

    Margaret

     

     

     

    0 Comments/in 2015 /by RigulTrust

    Rigul Trust Newsletter 10 Autumn 2014

    October 1, 2014
    01 Oct 2014
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    Dear Friends

    We hope that you are doing well.
    We are pleased that we are able to share with you these photos of the fruits of our recent support in Rigul village.

    Below you can see the children, proud to be receiving their school certificates, at a special ceremony this August. In the background is one of the solar panels that Rigul Trust has funded in Rigul village.

    Our patron, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, has forwarded these photographs and says that the school is doing very well.

    The people of Rigul send their heartfelt thanks and immense gratitude to everyone who is supporting the school and clinic and the basic sanitation projects.

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    JULY- SUMMERCAMP

    There was a gathering in Portugal of people from all over the world for Ringu Tulku’s annual summer camp for the study of Buddhist teachings and meditation.

    The summer camp was a great opportunity for raising awareness and funds for Ringu Tulku’s homeland of Rigul inTibet.
    A total of 1,400 euros was generously donated to Rigul Trust. About 40,000 euros is needed every year to maintain the school, the health clinic and basic sanitation.

    If you wish, here is a link to a summary of Summer Camp

    JUNE – HH KARMAPA FIRST EVER VISIT TO EUROPE

    This year we had the good fortune to have a short audience with HH Karmapa and briefly explained what Rigul Trust was supporting in Rigul.

    There were three main topics which we wished to highlight with His Holiness. These involved issues which concerned:
    more nunneries in Tibet,
    the impact of a lack of disposal strategies for dealing with the increasing amounts of plastic rubbish,
    and also our interest in promoting modern educational support for children and young people across the Himalayan region. We asked HH how we could help in the areas of Nepal, Ladakh etc.
    Knowing education to be an area of keen interest to HH we enquired how we could aid his vision in whatever way that we could.
    His Holiness engaged with this and said that he would discuss it with Ringu Tulku.

    RAISING AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR RIGUL TRUST IN NURBURING AND BERLIN AT HH KARMAPA VISIT
    The Trust had a display at these events to raise awareness and funds for Rigul village
    We had deity cards of Medicine Buddha and Vajrasattva for donations.
    Tom Zachmeier kindly donated some beautiful images  of HH Karmapa that he had taken as a still from his film, ‘The Karmapa – the Story so far’  for fund raising. Here is Tom’s film:


    The Rigul Trust stall was kept very busy with answering lots of questions, interest, passing on information and networking
    We were able to sell copies Chenrezig books and DVDs of Ringu Tulku’s Buddhist teachings.
    We also received very generous donations for small deity cards produced from the beautiful paintings
    by R D Salga, renowned thanka painter from Kathmandu, and the brother of Ringu Tulku.

    Ringu Tulku Rinpoche talking about Rigul Trust.

    Video made by Tom Zachmeier of C.A.N – Conscious Action Network

    Bodhicharya North America is kindly printing the Rigul Trust publication, ‘Chenrezig, the Practice of Compassion’, with commentary by Ringu Tulku. All the proceeds received by Rigul Trust will go to Ringu Tulku’s monastery, health clinic and school in Rigul, Tibet.

    If you would like to donate to Ringu Tulku’s health, education and poverty relief projects, through Rigul Trust, this would be very gratefully received. PayPal accepts all currencies.
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    There are the full details for international banking also on www.rigultrust.org click on Donate and you will find Rigul Trust bank details half way down on the right if you would prefer to use this function than PayPal.
    You will be pleased to know that we are maintaining our pledge that 100% of what you give will go directly to the projects, not a single pound is taken in admin, publicity or publishing.

    On behalf of Ringu Tulku and the trustees of Rigul Trust
    Thank you for all your support and we wish you all the very best.
    Be happy, be joyful, go well,
    Margaret and Jude.
    Trustees of Rigul Trust

    in 2014 /by RigulTrust

    Rigul Trust Newsletter 9 Spring 2014

    March 24, 2014
    24 Mar 2014
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    Dear Friends

    We would like to share some of the events, activities and  highlights of Rigul Trust and Rigul, Kham, Tibet, the birthplace of Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, that we encountered in the past year.

    It is with great gratitude, appreciation and heartfelt thanks that we wish to thank all of you on behalf of Ringu Tulku and the people of Rigul, Tibet, for your help, support and generous donations throughout the year. We are able to continue funding the health clinic and the school in Rigul. Funding Rigul school and health clinic is our priority, year in year out and with your great help we are able to successfully fund the school and the health clinic.

    RIGUL SCHOOL

    We wish to thank everyone for their kind-hearted, ongoing support and generous donations for the children and the school in Rigul, Kham, Tibet. Since the school was built in 2006, many children have benefited from an education, some going on to higher studies and becoming useful members of the community. This progress is even more remarkable knowing that most people in the area for miles around are illiterate. The parents and the community are now witnessing the value and importance of education.

    Message from Ringu Tulku in February 2014:

    “There’s good news in Rigul – the whole winter, for several months they had classes for older students coming back on vacation from different schools in China and different parts of Tibet.

    They made classes in Tibetan for grammar and poetry. They really studied well and they improved their Tibetan grammar and writing skills and so on. They also had tests and received certificates and things like that.”

    Visit to Rigul by Francois Henrard – October 2013

    rigul1Francois  arrived safe and sound in Rigul, Tibet on October 14th.

    Francois’ Report of his Visit to Rigul, Kham in October 2013

    Last October I was lucky enough to return to Rigul. It was my 7th visit there but the first in three years.

    Since it is easier to communicate with the local people thanks to modern technologies, it is not necessary for me to go there every year anymore.

    Among the many things that changed, the 1st one I noticed was the condition of the roads once you reach the Himalayas. It is now possible to travel from Chengdu (capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan) to Rigul in 2 long days instead of 3. On my way, the weather was nice, the sun was shining and from the bus and car windows I could fully enjoy the colours of autumn in the valleys. A lama from Rigul came to meet me at Dzogchen monastery and we drove together for the remaining 2 hours to Rigul.

    On my arrival, I was warmly welcomed by the school students and staff who covered me with katas (traditional Tibetan scarves). During the next ten days, I spent time visiting the different projects that the Rigul Trust is supporting there.

    THE SCHOOL

    The major change at the school is very recent. As the Chinese authorities have decided, about 60 school children have been sent away to a boarding school . The young girls and boys leave every Monday morning for the boarding school in Wangdu, 25 km away from Rigul. They only return on Saturdays at noon. This decision was so recent that people were still adapting to it.  Actually, since I was there, some children have been allowed to attend our school again.  The young pupils are as cute as always and still as motivated and loud, as you can see on one of the videos we posted on the link below. They still receive two free meals per day that they take with their teachers in the newly built dining hall. It is really nice to see them all, children and staff, live together as if they are part of the same family.

    (In November, later news came in after Francois had left Rigul that at the request of the Rigul parents to the government authorities, 30 of these children will no longer have to go to the government school but continue their education at Rigul school.)

    The new headmaster, Dura, is doing a very good job running the school with the help of the teachers and cooks. Khempo Karma Senge generously offered a pick-up truck for the school that they use to go to town regularly to get food and other school supplies.

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    Scenes from Rigul elementary school

    THE SHEDRA

    More than 60 young monks who attend the shedra do not only come from Rigul monastery ; many of them come from other monasteries in the area which do not have a shedra. Monks sleep 2 per bedroom and there is a shared kitchen (a wood stove and a few stencils) for 2 rooms. They cook their own food, in spite of their busy schedule.

    Twice a day, they have debate classes where they practice dialectic and deepen their understanding of the Buddha’s teachings. They question each other punctuating their arguments with demonstrative hand gestures.

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    The shedra

    THE CLINIC

    Ani Choden and doctor Chuga are still running the clinic. I was told that everything is going well there even if they could always do with more equipment.

    Actually, the clinic was very quiet during my stay since Dr Chuga was very busy working at the stupa that is being built in memory of Ringu Tulku’s uncle who passed away in 2012.

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    Dr Chuga
    Dr Chuga (on the right) with his medical assistant, Karma Tsish
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    THE STUPA

    Rigul stupa project – to commemorate the life of Ringu Tulku’s uncle, Thondup Dorjee, who passed away in September 2012.

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    *****

    Dura kindly put the school car at my disposal and I was able to visit a few places and monasteries in the vicinity. I had a very interesting visit at Shechen monastery. A major learning centre until the 1950s, Shechen monastery is slowly being rebuilt in all its splendour since the last 20 years. I was taken on a tour by the khempo responsible for the construction of the new temple. They also have a shedra, a school and a retreat centre, far bigger than in Rigul. I think people from Rigul and the Rigul Trust could learn from and share experiences with the people who run the projects there. One point I raised with the khempo is very dear to me. It concerns the amazing amount of waste and litter that one sees in Kham nowadays. Soft drinks in plastic bottles have become very popular but disposing, collecting (not even mentioning recycling) is totally non-existent. Even in the most remote valleys, you will see plastics, bottles, cans lying in everywhere, on the open field and especially along roads and in the rivers. I think there is an urgent need to educate local people about home waste.

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    Francois has also forwarded this message from Khenpo Senge of Rigul, Kham about the Rigul children:

    I want to express my appreciation to all the sponsors and Rigul Tulku Rinpoche for the selfless support, love and care to the Rigul children and in school during all these years! Up to now, we have over 50 children entered the public schools and/or monastery for higher grades studies after studying in the Rigul school. Some of them are even in high school or colleges. The atmosphere is very good in our hometown, children are learning languages in Chinese, Tibetan, and English; Studying Tibetan culture and Buddhism.

    People in the villages now all understand the importance of the children getting educated, as children are the hope of the future. It’s really a wonderful change we can see today, which is exactly in line with the initial intension of establishing the school. We will continue this important work, letting more children receive an education at a young age, help them cultivate good ideology. Please continuously give us your great support!

    Best Wishes, Khenpo Senge” – of Rigul, Kham

    THE FIRST EVER TOILETS IN RIGUL

    These toilets are for the school and there is a boys and a girls section. There is a very good water closet system in operation for these toilets.

    The cost of building these toilets is higher than in the big cities in China because of the high cost of transporting the resources, equipment, material and technicians from afar over the mountains to remote Rigul. And this can only be done in the summer months because of the very harsh winters.

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    CORBY COUNCIL ADOPTS RIGUL VILLAGE – SEPTEMBER

    Corby in Northamptonshire has become the first council in the UK to ‘adopt’ a Tibetan village. On 19 September, Corby Council voted to ‘adopt’ Rigul village in eastern Tibet. Council members now plan to raise funds for health and education projects in Rigul, as well as highlighting the human and civil rights issues affecting the people of Tibet. The adoption of Rigul, a remote village high in the mountains of Kham (and now part part of China’s Sichuan province) was the idea of Councillor Bob Riley. Councillor Riley came across the idea in France having already been aware of the issue through the annual raising of the Tibetan flag on 10 March in nearby Northampton.

    CORBY From left, deputy leader of Corby Council Jean Addison, Margaret Richardson of the Rigul Trust, Paul Golding, of the London-based Tibet Society, and Cllr Bob Riley

    The adoption process is similar to twinning but requires no funding nor formal approval from the Chinese authorities. As such the council can choose to do what it wishes in terms of promoting the adoption. Members of Corby Council hope to put on cultural and fundraising events in the future, to raise funds for projects which will benefit the people of Rigul as well as promoting the issue of Tibet in general.

    Councillor Mary Butcher said, “These are a peaceful people who are losing their way of life. This is a way of showing that we care.” Tibet Society supports the adoption process and congratulates Corby Council on taking this positive step to helping the people of Tibet.  No public funding will be used but it is hoped residents and groups in the Corby area will support fundraising for Rigul’s school and health clinic, established by the charity, the Rigul Trust.

    UK REFUGEE WEEK – JUNE
    THE TIBETAN EXPERIENCE – PUBLIC TALK BY RINGU TULKU

    Ringu Tulku kindly gave a public talk about his escape with his family  from Tibet, and a response to invasion and living in exile that was rooted in Buddhist values.

    The event was privately sponsored so that 100% of all donations could go to Rigul, Kham Tibet to the monastery, school and health clinic. Ringu Tulku is still the abbot of Rigul monastery and has to operate from a position of exile and lives in Gangtok, Sikkim, India.

    Refugee Week was a UK-wide programme of events that celebrated the contribution of refugees to the UK and promoted better understanding of why people seek sanctuary.  Since being invaded in 1949, more than 1/6th of Tibet’s population of 6 million have died as a direct result of the Chinese occupation, and over 150,000 have fled into exile as refugees.  Despite watching the systematic destruction of their national independence, culture and religion, Tibetans have not looked for retaliation but have sought peaceful solutions based upon tolerance and mutual respect. In 1989 HH Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this non-violent response. As he says….“ Violence can only breed more violence and suffering.  Our struggle must remain non-violent and free of hatred. We are trying to end the suffering of our people, not to inflict suffering upon others”.

    Thank you very much to all the people who have kindly donated, contributed, offered their services and helped Rigul Trust in 2013.

    Here are some of the ways that people have helped:

    1   Donations by monthly standing orders through the bank, cheques by post and online donations by PayPal.

    Offering donations from centres/groups hosting teachings/talks by Ringu Tulku at Totnes, Southampton, Bosham, Holy Isle, Summer camp, Stafford Dharma Group.

    2  Art exhibition – The Directors of Crane Kalman Gallery had an  Exhibition ‘BEHIND THE PICTURE’. Paintings and Narrative by Simone Sandelson from Friday 15th March – Saturday 6th April 2013

    Simone Sandelson so very generously donated the proceeds from the sale of her giclée prints to Rigul Trust and The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. And Simone also donated the proceeds from the sale of her painting, ‘Tibetan Boys’, to Rigul Trust for helping to fund the school and clinic in Rigul.

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    3   Bodhicharya North America

    When Ringu Tulku toured the USA in April, Spafford Ackerley  kindly agreed to print some Rigul Trust flyers in the USA and  distribute them Denver, Boulder, Brooklyn, New York, Tulsa and all the centres that Ringu Tulku was teaching at. We wish to thank all those who helped to raise awareness for Ringu Tulku’s humanitarian work in Rigul, Tibet where Rinpoche still has his monastery of which he is the abbot in exile.

    We wish to thank Paul O’Connor for designing the flyers.

    4   Transcribing, editing

    We would like to thank Nick Burton, Jet Mort, Mariette van Lieshout and Kate Cunningham for transcribing some audio recordings of Ringu Tulku’s teachings and Pat Murphy for offering to edit a Tara text from a teaching by Ringu Tulku.

    5   Nat West bank, Edinburgh – kindly sent a generous donation collected as a result of their monthly dress down day. Rigul Trust was nominated by Dawa Harris, a member of this bank.

    6    ARTfombra

    ARTfombra is a series of artist designed carpets made with well known Basque artists.

    5% of sales from the ARTfombra series go to Tibetan charities inside or outside of Tibet. 2.5% has always gone to Rigul.

    The shop is called Nómada and is located in the Calle 31 de Agosto, 24 between the historic churches of San Vicente and Santa Maria in one of the streets with the best pintxos (tapas) in San Sebastián (north of Spain).

    For further information click here  |  Alistair Baird y Nerea Aguirre

    7   Home made jewellery and cards

    Andrew McConnach, Sue Forsyth from Sussex and Christine Mclean from Glasgow kindly made greetings cards and offered them for sale with all the proceeds going to Rigul Trust.

    Christine also donated some of her home made jewellery to Rigul Trust for raising funds for Tibet.

    We welcome your service, help, donations and advice.

    Wishing you all the very best. Be happy, be joyful, go well,

    Margaret

     
     
     
    in 2014 /by RigulTrust

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    Newsletters

    • Rigul Trust Disaster Fund Update – Aid being safely delivered July 13, 2015
    • Earthquake – Emergency appeal May 13, 2015
    • Earthquake: Nepal and bordering countries May 8, 2015
    • Rigul Trust Newsletter 10 Autumn 2014 October 1, 2014
    • Rigul Trust Newsletter 9 Spring 2014 March 24, 2014

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    Rigul Trust

    13, St. Francis Avenue, Southampton, SO18 5QL
    Tel: +44(0)2380462926
    info@rigultrust.org www.rigultrust.org
    UK Charity Registration number 1124076
    Tibetan health care, education, poverty relief, Tibet and India

    100% of all donations received will go to fund health care, education and poverty relief projects.
    All necessary expenses are met privately by volunteers.

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