Acharya Christie Cashman first studied the dharma with Suzuki Roshi at age 18, while attending at Cal Berkeley. Then, in 1971 she entered the Shambhala Buddhist path, dedicating herself to intensive study and meditation retreats, while teaching a range of courses from meditation intensives at Naropa University to Vajrayana sadhana classes. She was employed within the Shambhala administration for 17 years while working closely with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche on curriculum design and implementation. From 1999 to 2003 she served as International Executive Director of Shambhala Training. Today she is chaperone to the Sakyong’s central text on Vajrayana practice of visualization, which enriches and eases the journey of students walking the sacred path of pure appearance. As a Werma Acharya, Christie assists the Sakyong in teaching Scorpion Seal Assemblies. Christie and her husband live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.