Welcome to the Longchen Foundation

Welcome to the Longchen Foundation, an international community of Buddhist students and teachers practising the teachings of the Mahayana Maha Ati (Dzogchen) tradition of Buddhism. The community, or mandala, is under the spiritual direction of Sally Sheldrake, the Mandala Mother.

Sally Sheldrake was entrusted by Rigdzin Shikpo, the first lineage holder of the Mahayana Maha Ati, to guide the Mandala and further the teachings of the Longchen Foundation.

Rigdzin Shikpo was charged by his root teacher, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche with revealing the essence of these teachings, which encompass the Hinayana, Mahayana and Secret Mantra Vajrayana vehicles and to establish an awakened society of teachers and practitioners in Western culture.

In 1975, HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche established the Longchen Foundation and appointed Rigdzin Shikpo as its director. HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was the head of the Nyingma lineage in Tibet and Chogyam Trungpa was one of the early pioneers in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West. Today, the Longchen Foundation has become its own distinct lineage of Buddhism with Rigdzin Shikpo as its lineage holder.

Maha Ati

According to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, Maha Ati is the pinnacle of all the Buddhist teachings. In the fourteenth century the teachings were revived and clarified by the great Tibetan master Longchen Rabjam from whom our Foundation takes its name. A system of transmission from master to student has kept these teachings alive for generations and continues to this day in the Longchen Foundation.

Over many years, Rigdzin Shikpo created a path of training to guide Western students to a genuine understanding of Mahayana Maha Ati. This training includes the Path of Freedom and The Lion’s Roar and continues with the Endless Compassionate Vision and Longchen Heart Essence. For more information see our teachings page or see our current events on our events calendar.