In loving memory of Richard Michael Rudis
Richard Michael Rudis, known to many as Karma Sonam Dorje passed on April 2, 2024 at the age of 74.
In our 26 years together Richard, my partner, my mentor, my best friend, taught me that even in sorrow, we should celebrate life and its boundless beauty.
Richard was a beacon of compassion and generosity, in the world of sacred sound, filled with the harmonious vibrations of his earth gong.
He was as much a maestro of friendship and love as he was of his earth gong. His unique and insightful Gong Baths were his magnum opus, skills gleaned from copious apprenticeships across the world and years of dedication.
Richard, an imaginative artist, consummate sailor, often said that “life is like sailing. The sea changes every minute, and we must learn to ride the waves and cherish the calm.” And so, he did.
In uncertain times, Richard stood as a lighthouse, his spirit, his optimism keeping the elements at bay.
Foremost, Richard was a man of the world, but his heart belonged to the sea and the woods.
He was happiest sailing the ocean, hiking in nature or immersed in books written by wise men and women who’d journeyed internally and externally, just as he had.
His compassion extended to all sentient beings, two legged or four.
He laid trails across Tibet and Nepal, leading spiritual pilgrimages and extending his generosity to charities like the Manjushri School. As a mentor, he cast a wide net, touching lives, mending hearts, and expanding minds.
Richard was a warrior of peace. The Vietnam war he’d served in had touched him deeply, shaping him into a man committed to cultivation of consciousness and acting as a guide for those lost in the whirlwind of existence.
Richard’s life was not long enough, but it was full of love for his children Jennifer, Andrew, my children Isaiah, Gaelan and Stefan, his grandchildren Mason, Zoe, Hunter, Miller, and Callen, friends and his students worldwide.
Richard will be remembered as a humble Buddhist who emanated nothing but kindness, a teacher who guided us towards a deeper understanding, and a loving partner nourishing our world with the seeds he left behind, using his teachings to find solace, to experience beauty, and to appreciate the tranquil harmony that is life.
