Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is the head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage, a spiritual and family lineage that descends through his family, the Mukpo clan. This tradition emphasizes the basic goodness of all beings and teaches the art of courageous warriorship based on wisdom and compassion.

He is the incarnation of Mipham the Great, who is revered in Tibet as an emanation of Manjushri, the buddha of wisdom. He also holds the Kagyü and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism.

He is the dharma heir of his father, Vidyadhara the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who was instrumental in bringing Buddhism and Shambhala to the West.

He is the head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and is spiritual director of Shambhala, a global network of meditation and retreat centers. He is the lineage holder of Naropa University.

The Shambhala tradition believes in the inherent wisdom, compassion, and courage of all beings. It holds that these noble qualities are ultimately more stable than aggression and greed. It shows how to use worldly life as a means to ripen this spiritual potential. It practices turning the mind toward others as a discipline that creates lungta, windhorse, the ability to attain success that occurs from acting virtuously. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche leads a worldwide community that is rooted in these principles.