COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

BLAZING WISDOM INSTITUTE
Albany, NY · EIN 770647400 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE X50 · Religion-Related · Micro (<$100K) · blazingwisdom.org
revenue
$76K
expenses
$64K
net assets
$680K
employees
0
volunteers
10
program ratio
16%
mission · from form 990

To teach, preserve, and publish about Tibetan meditation and Chinese esoteric practices.

profile · synthesized from sources

Blazing Wisdom Institute is a nonprofit based in New York dedicated to preserving and teaching Tibetan Buddhist meditation and Chinese esoteric practices. It offers online and in-person meditation programs, publishes translations of Buddhist texts, and hosts prayer festivals focused on world peace. The organization is led by Tulku Sherab Dorje, a recognized reincarnate lama and principal teacher since 2004.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $2K
    Translating, printing and publishing of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditation books and texts, reprinting of catalog titles to replenish stock, purchasing ISBN numbers and other related expenses as a publisher and operating online webshop.
  2. #2 $0
    Online Chenrezig meditation practice thrice weekly, weekly online ngondro meditation practice, weekly online Dorje Drollo meditation practice, twice monthly online Tsog meditation practice, twice monthly Powa meditation practice, thrice weekly (on average) social media educational posts and updates on upcoming events, and periodic online dharma talks and teachings.
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Dharma Teaching and Retreat Programs
Offering structured teachings, retreats, and transmissions on Tibetan Buddhist practices including Longchen Nyingtig and Dzogchen Pema Nyingtig lineages
Online Meditation Practice Programs
Regular online meditation sessions including Chenrezig, Ngondro, Dorje Drollo, Tsog, and Powa practices, held multiple times per week
Prayer Festival for World Peace (Rimay Monlam)
Annual intensive prayer festival where participants recite Tibetan Buddhist prayers for world peace, offered both in-person and via online live broadcast
Translation and Publishing Program
Translating, printing, and publishing Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and meditation texts, including reprinting catalog titles and managing a proprietary webshop
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Religious Media Production and Distribution 3 activities
    • Distributing educational content through newsletters and social media
      Disseminates Buddhist teachings and educational content through regular newsletters, social media, and online platforms to support its educational mission.
    • Providing access to Buddhist teachings and archived materials
      Makes specialized archived materials, including video, audio, and written Buddhist teachings, available to qualified subscribers and the broader community through regular distribution and digital access.
    • Translating and publishing Buddhist and healing texts
      Translates, reprints, and publishes historical and contemporary texts, instruction manuals, and philosophical works related to Tibetan Buddhist traditions and healing practices, including through an online webshop.
  • Buddhist Religious Ceremonies & Teachings 3 activities
    • Hosting meditation and dharma practice sessions
      Organizes regular in-person and online meditation practices, including weekly and biweekly sessions such as Chenrezig, ngondro, Tsog, Powa, and student-led group practices for qualified individuals.
    • Hosting visiting Buddhist teachers and lineage holders
      Invites and hosts senior Tibetan Buddhist teachers and lamas for teachings, transmissions, and retreats, including multiple visits by His Holiness Orgyen Kusum Lingpa and other Himalayan and Western teachers.
    • Organizing the Rimay Monlam Prayer Festival for World Peace
      Hosts the annual Cultural Heritage Program: Rimay Monlam, a Prayer Festival for World Peace, with in-person attendance and global participation via live broadcast.
  • Spiritual Development & Meditation Programs 2 activities
    • Conducting dharma and retreat programs
      Offers structured dharma programs, including multi-day retreats, advanced teachings, and transmission events such as Powa, Vajrasattva, and Longchenpa meditation courses, both in-person and online.
    • Operating a dharma center in New York
      Operates as a dharma center in New York, providing facilities for short-term retreats and ongoing spiritual programming, continuing from a predecessor organization founded in 1998.
  • Tai Chi and Mind-Body Wellness Instruction 1 activity
    • Offering training in Tibetan and Chinese healing practices
      Provides live courses, seminars, and instruction in Tibetan and Chinese healing practices to promote physical and mental well-being, delivered through in-person and online formats.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$76K
Contributions & grants$48K63%
Program service revenue$16K21%
Investment income$12K16%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$64K
Program expenses16%
Admin / overhead84%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$979
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$680K
Cash$65K
Investments$305K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$680K
Liquid reserves69.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +6.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 6
  • Howard Stahl — Assistant Treasurer
  • Ivy Geok Loo — Treasurer
  • James Elkin — Board Member
  • Justin Dituri — Director
  • Ryan Connolly — Vice-President
  • Sherab Posel-Tulku Sherdor — Executive Director, President
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • Bardor Tulku Rinpoche Partner — Attended the inauguration day pujas in Saugerties in 2014 alongside Lama Tratop.
  • Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing Partner — Host site for in-person participation in the Prayer Festival for World Peace (Rimay Monlam).
  • Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing Partner — Jointly hosted Rimay Monlams and dharma activities
  • Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook pages and groups to share information.
  • Garrison Institute Partner — Co-hosted Rimay Monlams and dharma teachings with Blazing Wisdom Institute
  • His Holiness Kusum Lingpa Government — One of the teachers studied by Treasurer Ivy Loo.
  • His Holiness Orgyen Kusum Lingpa Government — Founder of the predecessor dharma center in New York.
  • His Holiness Orgyen Kusum Lingpa Partner — Principal teacher of Tulku Sherdor and widely acknowledged as a genuine ecumenical master in Tibet.
  • Lama Wangdor Partner — One of the teachers studied by Treasurer Ivy Loo.
  • Namgyal Monastery Institute Partner — Provided teachings at this monastery's institute in Ithaca
  • Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche Partner — One of the teachers studied by Treasurer Ivy Loo.
  • Orgyen Kusum Lingpa Government — Founding teacher whose instruction on bodhicitta and material contribution informs the organization's philosophy and practices.
  • Rangjung Yeshe Institute Partner — Delivered Jampal Tsen Jod course at this academic institution in Boudha
  • Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Partner — One of the teachers studied by Treasurer Ivy Loo.
  • Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center Partner — Offered commentary on Zang Chod Monlam at this Pittsburgh-based center
  • Tulku Sherdor Partner — Organizer of the Amogapasha group practice.
  • Tulku Sherdor Partner — Posted and likely leads or oversees the Amogapasha Sadhana group practice.
  • Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche Partner — Principal teacher of Tulku Sherdor and recognized as a genuine ecumenical master with encyclopedic knowledge of Tibetan Buddhist teachings.
  • collegial institutions Partner — Collaborates with collegial institutions through social media and other initiatives.
  • collegial institutions Partner — Collaborates with collegial institutions to fulfill its educational mission.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Dāna Economy as a Model for Sustainable, Non-Commercial Spiritual Practice
    methodology: dana_economy
    By offering teachings freely and relying on voluntary donations, the institute sustains a reciprocal cycle of generosity that reinforces spiritual values and community support, because removing financial barriers fosters moral commitment and prevents the commodification of dharma.
  • Fourfold Path of Integrated Buddhist Learning
    methodology: fourfold_path_learning
    By guiding students through a structured sequence of listening, studying, reflecting, and meditative integration, the institute enables deep personal transformation, because this progressive model aligns with traditional cognitive and contemplative development in Buddhist education.
  • Lineage-Based Transmission of Authentic Buddhist Teachings
    methodology: lineage_based_transmission
    By relying on lineage holders with lifelong training to transmit dharma, the institute ensures authenticity, depth, and experiential grounding in all teachings, because direct transmission from realized teachers preserves the integrity and transformative power of the practice.
  • Masterful Translation and Adaptive Teaching for Cultural Preservation
    methodology: cultural_preservation_through_adaptation
    By combining scholarly translation with skillful adaptation, the institute makes Tibetan and Chinese healing and meditation practices accessible to modern audiences without losing fidelity, because accurate yet contextually relevant transmission ensures cultural continuity and practical applicability.