About the TAT Foundation

A non-profit organization founded by Richard Rose to
provide a forum for friendship and the philosophical-spiritual search.

The TAT Foundation came about as a result of the life of Richard Rose. It was his dream to form an organization grounded in what he found so little of in his years of searching: sincerity and true perspective. TAT—Truth and Transmission—was founded on the conviction that our investigation of life’s mysteries is expedited by working with others who are exploring, perhaps down a different road, so that we may share our discoveries, exchange ideas, and “compare notes” in order to come to a better understanding of our self and others (see Ladder Work below). View a listing of local meetings sponsored by individual members in various locations.

While TAT has no dogma or creed, it does have a core viewpoint. These core values were eloquently described by one of the founding and still-active members as follows:

• The search for Truth and Self-definition through philosophical self-inquiry and…
• Honest and open discussion of the ways and means for accomplishing this among friends and fellow seekers.

Richard Rose described his vision for TAT in soaring language in The Grand Work of the TAT Society. See the October 2001 and November 2001 TAT Forums.

TAT’s Mission

The TAT Foundation was created as a focal point for a circle of friends who could each give and receive help in the philosophical-spiritual quest. Our interest in improving TAT as an organization is to provide these services and assistance:

• Provide a matrix for TAT members and seekers to gather, whereby their committed efforts and desire for Truth leads to the emergence of teachers with the capacity for transmission.
• Sponsor four public events a year to provide sincere seekers with a hospitable environment for discussing philosophical ideas and sparking thought-provoking insights and personal realizations.
• Provide a venue for teachers who were successfully propelled to self-realization through Richard Rose’s work and who continue to uphold TAT’s principles of honest and open discussion, friendship, and commitment to seekers of Truth. TAT also provides a venue for guest speakers whose own philosophical-spiritual efforts have led to self-realization.
• Offer book titles and recordings through the TAT Press, promote the books and recordings of Richard Rose, and support related websites so that hard-to-find information is easily available to the public.
• Maintain the TAT website, which houses valuable information for philosophical-spiritual seekers and a collection of fresh essays, poetry, opinions, and insights in the monthly Forum.
• Assist in finding hermitages, cabins, and other conference and retreat facilities for philosophical-spiritual reflection in isolation ranging in length from long weekends to multi-week stretches.
• Offer workshops and retreats where members work more intensely on self-observation so they gain additional insights into their selves.
• Support independent member-established groups in various locations to provide a non-dogmatic environment where people can work together to discover a true understanding of their selves.

Ladder Work

While he disliked organizational structures, he also recognized the potential value that such a structure had as a vehicle for magnifying the matrix of the ladder. He coined the term Contractor’s Law to describe the “extra-proportional returns” realized when a group of people combine efforts in a common cause.

On these twin ideas, the TAT Foundation was created in 1973 to serve as a vehicle for ladder work that would survive any one person or group of students. Richard Rose believed strongly in “giving back” and “passing it on,” and the existence today of the TAT Foundation is a living testimony to the vector he established, to the collective vector of his students, past and current, and to the power of the ladder itself.

TAT welcomes your questions! Contact us to learn more about the TAT Foundation or Richard Rose and his teachings. We’ll also let you know if there are any TAT members in your area in case you’d like to contact them.