After some years of studying and exploring various spiritual paths, Shamelle attended a 2009 lecture by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington, D.C., where she found herself seated in close proximity to him. Deeply moved by His Holiness's presence and teachings, she formally embraced Buddhism shortly thereafter at an event in Miami, Florida, where Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche of the Kagyu Lineage conferred the refuge vows. Since then, she has received teachings and transmissions from venerable lamas across all four major schools of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. In particular, she has studied within the Katog Lineage (Nyingma) through her primary teachers, Kyabgon Katog Getse Rinpoche and Venerable Khentrul Lodrö T'hayé Rinpoche, and other venerated Katog masters: His Eminence Katog Moktsa Rinpoche, Kyabje Katog Lhoga Rinpoche and Katog Kadak Choying Dorje Lingtrul Rinpoche. 

 

In 2015, Shamelle entered a strict traditional three-year three-month retreat at Katog Chöling Gön (USA) under the direction of Khentrul Lodrö T'hayé Rinpoche, whom she has studied closely with since 2010. After completing that retreat in 2018, she was asked by her teachers to undertake the role of editor for a series of previously untranslated Buddhist philosophical and historical texts. These multi-year endeavors involve close collaboration with scholar lamas and translators dedicated to rendering these treasured teachings from Tibetan into English. Some of the larger texts she has worked on include the Dzogchen volume of His Holiness Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche's sungbum (collected works) and both volumes of his long-version, yet to be published, namthar (liberation story/biography). 

She has also translated some smaller texts from English into Spanish.

​

     Shamelle was the Druponma (practice assistant), for the third three-year three-month retreat at Katog Chöling Gön that ran from 2020-2024, and is the Coordinator for Katog Tingzin Ling in Miami, the Florida branch of Khentrul Rinpoche's centers. She also serves as the Social Media Coordinator for Katog Choling and Khentrul Rinpoche, and manages a personal Instagram account with several followers under the handle @PemaLotus, where she shares authentic dharma-based content.

 

On occasion, she leads workshops, retreats, dharma mentorship-exchanges, and does more retreats of varying lengths on her own.