The Office of the Kalapa Court is pleased to announce that yesterday the Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, at Dechen Choling formally appointed Ms Sabine Rolf and Mr Samten Kobelt to the positions of acharya. Please welcome Ms Rolf, who received the acharya name Secret Mother of Dharma, and Mr Kobelt, who received the acharya name Spontaneous Four Joys. They will join forty two acharya and acharya emeriti throughout the mandala in proclaiming the Shambhala teachings who may be found here.Brief biographies of our newest acharyas follow.
Sabine Rolf studied German literature and philosophy and has a professional background in the Management of Non-Governmental Organizations. She is trained in Recycling Management, Human Resources Management and Contemplative Psychology. A student of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche since 1991, she teaches the Shambhala Curriculum, Maitri Space Awareness and Contemplative Psychology. She is the Director of Practice and Education of Shambhala Europe. Sabine is married, and lives and works in Cologne and other places in Europe.
Samten A. Kobelt grew up near Zurich, Switzerland where he again resides since 2013. In 1984 he met the Shambhala teachings at Naropa University and started practicing. He met Trungpa Rinpoche in Germany in 1985 and became his student. He was Resident Director of Shambhala Training in Bern and coordinated the first two Warrior Assemblies in Europe. Samten spent 10 years at the major Shambhala land centers in North America where he became a student of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. He served for six years as Director of Marpa House and three years as a shastri at the Boulder Shambhala Center. Samten has been interested in the mind-body connection and its application in society since he started meditating. He is practicing and teaching Contemplative Dance Practice, developed by Barbara Dilley; Lujong (Tibetan Yoga) transmitted by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche; Bugaku (Japanese Court Dance) from Togi Sensei through Arawana Hayashi; and Qigong in the lineage of Eva Wong.