Dear Friend,
In our fourth decade as a living teaching, the Ridhwan School continues to grow and evolve. The work of the teaching is now turning outward to the world even as the core of the Logos deepens within the heart of the teaching. We, the Friends of Ridhwan board, invite you to join us in supporting this evolution. Watch this video of Hameed and Karen discussing the Diamond Approach and the school in the world, today:
Why Your Support is Needed
Most nonprofits depend on charitable contributions; the Ridhwan School relies on them to support and enhance the presence of the Diamond Approach teaching in the world. Student dues and fees cover the majority, but not all, of the operational expenses of the school, including operational and maintenance expenses of the California and Colorado centers; general administrative costs such as central accounting and financial reporting, budgeting and planning, legal services, and other office expenses; and some administration for groups. However, our commitment to maintaining the affordability of the teaching for as many people as possible means we depend on donor generosity to support these operations as well as new programs and initiatives. Watch this video about supporting the Diamond Approach and the school:
Activities That Donors Have Supported in 2017
These include:
- Launch of diamondapproach.org. This website incorporates both a new public face focused on making the work more accessible (see below, “DAO”), and a new Ridhwan School portal. The new website supports current ways of accessing information (via phone and tablet), and offers a foundation for innovation in both presenting the teaching and enhancing our community’s connectedness.
- Exploration of new ways of offering the work through Diamond Approach Online (DAO). These online programs, produced internally as well as with partners, drew nearly 4,000 participants across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and North and South America; of these, half were new to the Diamond Approach. Watch this video about Diamond Approach Online:
- Development of ways of making our work more visible to current students and more findable for interested new people. Projects in the first category include enhancement of our monthly e-newsletters highlighting teachings, teachers, new groups, and special programs; projects in the second category include development of richer, more accessible content, including videos and stories of “Diamond Approach in the World.”
- Book editing and promotion. A.H. Almaas’s The Alchemy of Freedom went through this process and Karen Johnson's book on the history of the Diamond Approach, The Jeweled Path, has been brought to the publication stage. Watch this video to learn more about editing and promoting the books:
- Continuation of support for students who, for whatever reason, require financial assistance to continue to participate in the teaching and/or attend retreats.
Looking Ahead to 2018 and Beyond
The Ridhwan Synod has asked Friends of Ridhwan to seek support for the following projects and areas:
- Unrestricted donations to support emerging opportunities, promising ideas and general operations that support our worldwide organization.
- Continuing support for the Ridhwan Endowment for the Future (current amount = $375,000).
- Editing and promotional costs for Hameed’s three new books on Love, the Instincts, and the Phenomenology of Experience; and promotional costs for Karen’s new book on the history of the Diamond Approach.
- Continued development of our capacity to offer the Diamond Approach teaching online.
- Archival storage of recordings and documents to ensure that past, present and future articulations of the Diamond Approach teaching are safely preserved.
- Development of the grounds and landscaping at the Berkeley Center once the Parsonage construction is complete.
- Creation of a school-wide scholarship fund to ensure that this work remains accessible to as many students as possible.
View the summary sheet, Special Projects & New Initiatives.
Your Generous Consideration
Please consider making a generous contribution today—in whatever capacity feels right for you.
To make a gift now, please visit the Friends of Ridhwan website donation page, or our introductory page, or complete and mail back the Gift Indication Form. At the request of many students, we have made it easier to make ongoing monthly or quarterly donations when you enter your contribution online.
We are grateful to be a part of the Diamond Approach community with you, and to join with you in supporting the School’s capacity to contribute to our individual and collective realization.
With appreciation,
The Friends of Ridhwan Board
Sam Barakat, Angelika Boehme, Guus Brackel, Laurie Chestnut, Seth Schapiro, Scott Vachon, Richard Wallstein
Friends of Ridhwan (formerly Friends of Diamond Heart) is the student-run 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, charitable organization designated by the Ridhwan School’s Obsidian Synod to fundraise—for short-term and future-oriented needs—on behalf of the school. In Europe, we continue to work toward ANBI/charitable/tax-deductible status, but we do not have it at this time. In response to interest from several U.S. students, we have developed information and materials regarding planned giving (via a bequest, trust, securities or real estate). Please click here to learn more. If you have any questions—please contact us at [email protected].