Monday

Three New Acharyas

The Office of the Sakyong is delighted to announce that the Sakyong has appointed three new acharyas. On September 3, 2017 during the final ceremonies of Scorpion Seal Assembly 8 at Dechen Choling, the Sakyong personally blessed Acharya Beate Kirchhoff-Schlage, Acharya Daniele Bollini, and Acharya Arnd Riester.

Beate Kirchhoff-Schlage of Hamburg, Germany, began practicing in Shambhala after her first child was born. A former theater worker and university teacher, she is now the mother of 3 sons. Beate served as Shambhala Center Director in Hamburg for 5 years. In 2010 she was appointed shastri for Hamburg and Berlin.

Daniele Bollini, of Ticino, Switzerland was born in 1965, and began his studies with the Druk Sakyong in 1981. He has been teaching in the Swiss Italian and Italian areas since the early 1990s and directed the Ticino Shambhala Center from 1990 until 2005. In 2011 he was appointed shastri for the Milano, Lucca and Ticino Shambhala Centers. Daniele is married and has a 15-year-old daughter. Since 1990 he has taught history, geography and Italian in a secondary school in Bellinzona, where for the past 10 years he is has also been involved in the training of new teachers.

Arnd Riester, of Cologne, Germany, has been practicing in Shambhala since 1991, and teaching since 1998. In 2010 he was appointed as a shastri. He lives with his wife and two children in Cologne, where he is a professional goldsmith. Arnd owns shops in Cologne and Bad Honnef where he presents his jewellery work with his business partners.

Please join us in welcoming these acharyas to their posts. May the all beings enjoy Profound Brilliant Glory!