The International Gakyil (IG)
International Dzogchen Community (IDC)
The International Dzogchen Community counts among its members all those who are interested in the practice of Dzogchen as passed on to us by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. The Community is thus seen as a place for sharing and exchange for people who share the same path towards knowledge. The various community centres are considered places for the practice of awareness where it is possible to collaborate with others from the perspective of a common spiritual enrichment.
The official seat of IDC is in Italy, Arcidosso (EU).
Booklet about Namkhai Norbu and the International Dzogchen Community
International Gakyils of IDC
International Gakyil of IDC has administrative and informational functions of the IDC.
Blue Gakyil: blue@dzogchen.net
Red Gakyil: red@dzogchen.net
Yellow Gakyil: yellow@dzogchen.net
Membership Coordinator – intl.membership.coordinator@dzogchen.net
Secretary – idc.ig.secretariat@gmail.com
IDC portal – dzogchen.net
Membership section – https://dzogchen.net/login/
Official adress:
Associazione International Dzogchen Community
Località Merigar 1
58031 Arcidosso GR
C.F. 92077880539
International Gakyil Board Members
Miranda Shannon
IDC President
4 years
A student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu from the time she attended Rinpoche’s first retreat in Subiaco, Italy in 1976, Miranda has since remained actively engaged in the Dzogchen Community. She passed her SMS Base exam in 2017, and served on the Tsegyalgar East Blue Gakyil from 2017-2020. She has served on the International Gakyil since 2021 first as Blue and then as President since October 2022.
Miranda earned her Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Music from Bennington College in Vermont. She is an educational consultant, and her professional experience includes event and program planning and management, communications, fundraising, and social media programs for educational and performing arts organizations.
Fabrizio Calistri
IDC Yellow International Gakyil and Vice-president
1 year
Interested in Dharma since adolescence, Fabrizio became a student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 2014 after various experiences in other Buddhist schools, particularly Nyingma. This is Fabrizio’s first experience with Karma Yoga within the community, and he is eager to make a positive contribution.
From a professional standpoint, Fabrizio has forty years of experience in corporate accounting and related stakeholders (tax authorities, banks, etc.). Currently, he is an account manager at a medium-sized company in Italy and the C.E.O. of a small company in Madrid (Spain).
Gabriella Schneider
IDC Blue International Gakyil
4 years
Rinpoche’s student since 1998, Gabriella served on the Blue and Red Gakyil in Merigar East from 2007 to 2010, and on the Blue Gakyil in Dargyäling, Cologne from 2012 to 2015. She has served on the International Blue Gakyil since 2021.
In 2016, Rinpoche authorized Gabriella to be an SMS Base Instructor. She passed her SMS Base Exam in 2007 and the SMS Level I Exam in 2010.
She is a member of the International Publishing Committee for Romania.
She graduated as a Doctor of Internal Medicine and Angiology.
Oni Mckinstry
IDC Yellow International Gakyil
1 year
A student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu since December 1999, she passed the SMS Base exam in 2001. A continuous member of IDC since she was authorised as a Level 3 Yantra Yoga Instructor by Rinpoche in 2016.
Oni was Secretary for Tsegyalgar East in 2007, and recently an Administrative Officer for Namgyalgar for almost 5 years as well as fill-in Gekö for Rinpoche’s retreat in 2015.
Her professional work experience includes 2 years as an Executive Secretary in the commissioner’s office of an Alaska state department and 2 1/2 years as an Administrative Specialist for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
Oni has also been a Hatha Yoga instructor since 1993.
Richard Clarke
IDC Red International Gakyil
1 year
Richard became a student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 2003. He passed his SMS Base Exam in 2009. Living in New Zealand, he has served on the Gakyil in Yangdakling for a number of years. He holds a Master of Osteopathy and is currently running a software business he developed for New Zealand health professionals.
Piotr Marcik
IDC Red International Gakyil
1 year
Piotr has been a student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu since 2011, and a member of the Merigar East Gakyil from 2012 to 2015, and again from 2018 to 2021.
Piotr is happily married to Monika, and they joyfully live with her son Szymon in Warsaw, Poland. He enjoys working with clients as a business development consultant, and occasionally also works as a film translator.
Fabio Ambrosetti
IDC Red International Gakyil
New
Sébastien Remy
IDC Blue International Gakyil Assistant
A student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu since 2012 and of Namkhai Yeshi since 2013, he passed his SMS Base Exam in 2015 at Dzamling Gar and became a Khaita Instructor in 2016. He served on the Dzamling Gar Gakyil from 2019 to 2022 and is currently working for Dzamling Gar. He is also part of the webcast team, mainly during Namkhai Yeshi’s retreats.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics.
Paola Zamperini
IDC Blue International Gakyil Assistant
Paola Zamperini has been a student of Namkhai Norbu since 1999 and has served on the Tsegyalgar East gakyil (2003-2005) and on the board of SS USA (2005-2013). She is currently serving on the SSP board as IDC/SSP coordinator.
Iliya Chimev
IDC Blue International Gakyil Assistant
Italian lawyer
Student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu since 2002
Merigar West, Italy
IG Support Staff
Luigi Agresti
IDC Red International Gakyil Assistant
Italian lawyer
Works for WWF Italy as a project manager
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s student since 1988
Nikol Stanisova
Secretary of the International Gakyil
Nikol has been a student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche since 2006. She passed her SMS Base Exam in 2009.
Nikol was on the Yellow Gakyil in Prague, Czech Republic from 2010 to 2012, She then was the Geko in Merigar West, Italy from 2013 to 2016, and secretary of Meriling in Dzamling Gar, Tenerife Spain from 2017 to 2019.
Nikol graduated from the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic in 1996.
Marija Desal Bajic-Jovanovic
International Membership Coordinator
Marija was born in the former Yugoslavia and emigrated to France when she was young. She was surrounded by Dzogchen Community practitioners since childhood and took a serious interest in the teachings around the age of 18. Marija studied mathematics at a French university and became a high school math teacher for several years, and concurrently organized Vajra Dance study groups for interested practitioners in central and western France. Marija became the Membership Coordinator for Palriling (Paris) in 2020, served as Gekö of Merigar West for one year starting in September 2021, and has been on the Palriling Yellow Gakyil since 2022. Marija has been the International Membership Coordinator since October 2022 and became a First Level Yantra Yoga Instructor in April 2024.