Acharya Emily Bower started practicing in the Shambhala community in 1987, in Berkeley, CA. She began studying with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche when he came to teach in Berkeley in 1991. She served as his editor for various projects, including his first book, Turning the Mind into an Ally. She has studied kyudo with Kanjuro Shibata Sensei and is a lifelong member of the Dorje Kasung. In 1991, she joined the staff of Karme Chöling, where she lived for three years, working on publicity and marketing. She has been a professional editor since 1987 and has most recently worked full-time as an acquiring editor for Shambhala Publications in Boston. Now, in addition to traveling and teaching in the Shambhala mandala, she continues to work as a book editor and publishing consultant. She has recently moved to Los Angeles.

Areas of particular interest: end-of-life care and resources; relating with grief and loss; raising awareness around aging; care and conduct; meditation instructor and teacher training; West Coast regional resource acharya in the area of Practice Forms.

Committees: member, the Working Group on Aging in Shambhala; chair, subcommittee group gathering wisdom for end-of-life care in Shambhala; acharya, Care and Conduct Committee.