Our Collective
David Perrin
Pronouns: he/him/his
I am a meditation teacher and mentor. Meditation, the contemplative path, and service have been at the crux of my life since my youth. Born in Rochester NY, raised in Connecticut, I attended public and private schools, and a Reform Judaism synagogue. I currently identify as white, heterosexual, able-bodied, with financial and educational privileges, using he/him/his pronouns.
For over two decades I have practiced and studied in the Shambhala tradition. In addition to teaching in Shambhala, I have served as MNDFL Head Teacher and Director of MNDFL Teacher Training collaborating with Senior Advisor Reverend angel Kyodo williams, as well as cofounder of MNDFL ED schools-based program. I am a member of the Presence Collective - dedicated to personal transformation, social justice, and collective liberation. With Megan Mook, I co-teach Radical.Roots and various deep practitioner trainings. I also teach with the Weekly Dharma Gathering. Other faculty positions have included the Institute for Compassionate Leadership, and the 200hr Teaching Mindfulness Teacher Training with Dr. Shanté Paradigm Smalls and Ethan Nichtern. I have taught throughout New York City at schools, corporations, and nonprofits. I am also an active mentor and spiritual friend to individual students on the contemplative and meditative path.
Everything I do in life relates to meditation and dharma. My householder life includes being a husband, and a father of three children. I have worked or participated in many diverse fields: from athletics to social justice activism, theatre, community gardening, social service, residential healthcare, philanthropy, woodworking and craft arts, environmental stewardship, education, psychotherapy and more. I am formally trained and licensed in NYS as creative arts therapist. I am also a trustee at the Perrin Foundation dedicated to supporting youth-directed social change in Connecticut and beyond. I am committed to anti-racism and anti-oppression in all spheres of life, particularly in meditation and spiritual communities.
I am available to mentor students who have experience with meditation and seek to deepen their practice and understanding.