William Soergel grew up in Arizona and Maryland before they moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to pursue their doctorate in ancient history. Before leaving Maryland they received the name Tseten Dorje when they first took refuge in their childhood spiritual director, Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo, a tulku of the Palyul lineage founded by the 17th century Namchö tertön, Mingyur Dorje. When they moved to Michigan, they received the name Karma Yeshe Jungne when they became a student of Lama Nancy Burks, an American lama who completed three-year retreat under Khenpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche. Today Yeshe is also a student of Khenpo Tshering Chophel PhD of Karuna Buddhist Center, who is a student of the 12th Goshir Gyalstab.
historian of ancient religion
William is a historian of Roman religion and a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Their dissertation examines the concept of refuge in Roman history as a self-help strategy and cause of outrage. Despite the Romans’ infamous aggression, they argue that sacred space had a wider potential to offer sanctuary in the ancient world than scholarship has traditionally accounted for, and that Roman communities—like today—were “safe spaces” of belonging in a chaotic world. William applies the skills they learned as a historian to their dharma teaching and spiritual caregiving.
“History” comes from the Greek verb ἱστορεῖν historein—a verb meaning to inquire, to give an account of one’s investigation, and to judge what is right and just. In this sense, a historian’s discipline is an intellectual pursuit akin to other wisdom traditions that rely on other forms of investigation. William draws on these meanings to contemplate many topics, but especially religion, culture, and dharma.
bodhicitta-driven dharma teacher
As a Kagyupa-raised-Nyingmapa, William embraces a rimé (ris med) attitude in their dharma talks and draws on their secular education as a historian of ancient religion. They teach on important Buddhist texts and their larger cultural and philosophical contexts to help students recall complex information from the Buddha’s doctrine, an important part of the spiritual path known as smṛti. This Sanskrit term is often translated as “mindfulness,” but can also mean “memory” or “reminiscence” that defines historical inquiry. Recollecting the 2,500 year-long tradition that comes from the Buddha is as important a part of the spiritual path as contemplating complex philosophy like that of Nagarjuna, Asanga, or Vasubandhu.
To date, William’s dharma teaching has focused on the hagiographies (namthar) of Guru Rinpoche, Milarepa, and Gampopa and on the Vinaya, the historical canon where Buddhists meet the Buddha’s history and learn his teachings. They use texts and teachings from the Buddha’s doctrine to teach on karuṇā (compassion).
lay tantrika of emptiness and compassion
In Vajrayana Buddhism, ritual is as important a part of our spiritual path and represents the union of skillful means (upaya) and wisdom (prajña), emptiness and compassion. As an upasaka, WTDS frequently serves as a lay tantrika in their community’s ceremonies, leads major life event rituals appropriate for a Buddhist, and liaises between the laity and the ordained to ensure everyone’s needs are met. Since much of their ritual practice revolves around the Buddha Amitabha, William is available to lead rituals and to pray on behalf of others to members of the ‘padma’ family, such as Amitabha, Avalokiteśvara, Tara, and Padmasambhava. As Sandus’s leader, they also lead rituals directed at our micronation’s matron, Athena, whom we see as our bodhisattva protectress.
lifelong micronationalist focusing on secular dharma
William founded their micronation, Sandus, in 2009 as a cultural and political creative project, hoping to transform their view and perspective on the world. Now, more than 15 years later, they continue to lead Sandus as the micronation’s upasaka or monarch, leading and serving what has developed into an international community. Sandus today welcomes more than 20 citizens who are all motivated by communal service to address and combat our suffering and the suffering of those in our local communities and around the world. As Sandus’s founder, the Honourable Upasaka has made the bodhisattva vow into a civic commitment for like-minded, politically active people like Sandum citizens.
WTDS Upāsaka 