Rokpa Trust

Rokpa Highlands is a branch of Rokpa Trust, a charity initially established by Dr Akong Tulku Rinpoche to help the indigenous peoples of Tibet. The initial aim of the Trust was to promote healthcare and education, to provide vocational training, and to provide material and spiritual nourishment for those who needed and requested it, as well as to preserve  Tibetan traditions.  These three areas of activity - humanitarian, spiritual, and the healing arts - continue to be the main focus of the Trust's work.

The word Rokpa itself means 'to help' or 'to serve'. The notion guiding the Trust is expressed by our motto - the extended meaning of Rokpa - 'Helping where help is needed'.

The Trust has now grown and is established in many countries throughout the world, from its original base at Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery in Eskdalemuir, Scotland.

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Rokpa Highlands

Rokpa Highlands currently meets at The Chapel in the Royal Northern Infirmary on Ness Walk on a Wednesday evening.  We were founded in 2000 by the Ven Gelong Karma Jiga, a fully ordained monk of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, at the request of interested students in the North of Scotland.  Karma Jiga is a senior monk from Samye Ling monastery and a student of Dr Akong Tulku Rinpoche and the present Abbot of Samye Ling the Ven Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche. A meditation and study group was established and weekly sessions were held.

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Our main aim is to promote healthy living and provide suitable and beneficial ways to manage issues related to stress and tension, and to introduce the teachers of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism to those interested in the North of Scotland. 

We are now actively fundraising to create the first residential Healthy Living & Life Management Centre to serve the needs of communities throughout the North of Scotland.  It will be the base for outreach work throughout the region and we are committed to seeking ways which involve all groups within the community. We are also working towards expanding our programme to include a range of holistic therapies.

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The Meaning of the Logo

The jewels represent the humanitarian activities of Rokpa, relieving poverty in its many forms: hunger, thirst, lack of adequate shelter or healthcare, poor environment, no access to education, spiritual and emotional poverty, loneliness etc.

The Tibetan book, supported on a lotus, represents the fostering of wisdom in all its forms but in particular the frank knowledge of oneself and life's potential which comes through Buddhist meditation and study. Rokpa believes in nurturing wisdom in any form which has compassion as its very heart and purpose. There are two lotus buds in the image. One is about to unfold and the other is unfolding. These represent the stages of wisdom's development.

The fruit is the famous myrobalan or arura plum, king of medicines. It represents Rokpa's work in promoting the healing arts; in particular those related to the Tara Rokpa psychotherapy and psychotherapy training and to the Tara Rokpa College of Tibetan Medicine.

All three activities arise from the waters of pure compassion. The flames represent increase.