Shamar Rinpoche, Mipham Chökyi Lodrö, was the 14th Shamarpa. Born in 1952 in Derge, Tibet, Shamar Rinpoche was recognized by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa in 1957, and by the 14th Dalai Lama. Shamar Rinpoche was an accomplished Buddhist master and teacher, respected and cherished by many students of Buddhism the world over. In 1996, he began organizing Bodhi Path Buddhist Centers, a network of centers covering many continents, in which a non-sectarian approach to meditation is practiced. Over the years, Shamar Rinpoche founded several non-profit organizations worldwide engaged in charitable activities, including projects to provide schooling for children born into poverty, and an organization committed to promoting animal rights. Shamar Rinpoche encouraged study and meditation, authoring several books during his lifetime, including a detailed biographical compilation of the Tenth Karmapa, A Golden Swan in Turbulent Waters (2012), and a concise meditation guide, Boundless Awakening: The Heart of Buddhist Meditation (2013), both published by Bird of Paradise Press. He authored a key text for students, The Path to Awakening (Delphinium Books, 2014), a presentation of Chekawa Yeshe Dorje's Seven Points of Mind Training, which serves as both a timely guide to living a fulfilling life as a Buddhist, and a practical manual of meditation techniques.