Testimonials

“My retreat experience with Dave has been one of the profound and constructive things I’ve done in my life. For someone who has been practicing mindfulness for less than a year before sitting his first retreat with Dave, I found it to be very easy to understand yet very challenging with plenty of room for growth. Since I have sat four different retreats at various lengths and can’t wait to sit more.”

— Vlad V. | Santa Cruz, CA

“I have been studying Buddhism for nearly 50 years. I highly recommend any chance to study with Dave. The seven-day retreat I did with Dave this summer was stellar. He brings his authentic, loving and humble unwavering focus to teaching. He is particularly adept at weaving in all the emotional intelligence. I found deeper access to self-kindness that has continued to inform my daily practice.”

— Lauren R. | Santa Fe, NM

“Shannon has been a mentor to me for over 6 years and in that time she has given me support in many different areas of my life. I came to the Secular Dharma Foundation looking for community and guidance after finding myself in early recovery from substance use disorder. Through Shannon’s wealth of knowledge in the Dhamma, meditation, recovery, and mental wellbeing she has offered me countless practical exercises and reflections over the years that have helped me transform my life. Shannon is a skillful listener, with real life experience that serves deeply personal guidance delivered with compassion, kindness, and integrity. Finding a teacher who has the skill set, zeal, and genuine care for the greater good is a rare find, and both Shannon and Dave Smith of Secular Dharma Foundation are examples of this kind of teacher.”

— Jackie D. | Nashville, TN

“I have attended several retreats with Dave as the guiding teacher. I find Dave’s teaching style to be highly accessible, he is clear and direct, and he makes it easy to see how the Buddha’s teachings are relevant to our modern lives. He is also approachable as a teacher and makes himself available to students in a way I find unique among the dharma teachers I have worked with. As a student, I have always felt seen and held by Dave’s presence in the room.”

— Jameson B. | Albuquerque, NM

“Working with Shannon over the past two years has been a deeply grounding and transformative experience. As a busy working mom, I often felt pulled in a hundred directions, but her guidance helped me bring the dharma into the midst of everyday life—not separate from it. She offered practical, compassionate support for building a meditation practice even when my schedule felt overwhelming and unpredictable. Her teachings always met me where I was, making the path feel accessible and real. Shannon also helped me navigate challenges in my relationships with greater clarity, patience, and care. Through her mentorship, I’ve learned how to show up more fully—not only for others, but especially for my children. I’ve become a more present, attentive mother because of the inner steadiness she helped me cultivate. I carry immense gratitude for her wisdom and support, which continue to shape how I move through the world every day.”

— Jamie G. | Albuquerque, NM

“I have been practicing the dharma with Dave for over 10 years and he has been primary teacher for most of that time. Over the years, I have sat about a dozen retreats with Dave ranging from 3 to 10 days. Although I have become familiar with Dave’s teaching style, I keep coming back because he is constantly evolving as a teacher and my retreat experience with Dave is always special and profound. I particularly appreciate Dave’s approach to metta vipassana where we are given the opportunity to practice both insight and heart practices as well as the way he shares his personal experiences as a fellow practitioner of the dharma rather than as a teacher who is somehow on a different level than their students. Most of all, I appreciate how much Dave truly loves the dharma and how much he cares about his students and those he works with and practices with. I’ll keep coming back.”

— Stu M. | Los Angeles, CA

“I have attended several events with Dave, both workshop style day longs and traditional extended residential silent retreats. Dave’s approach to the dharma is well informed and refreshingly modern. I always find myself cared for and the time spent with Dave valuable.”

— Derek J. | Tulsa, OK

“I have been working with Shannon for years. I look forward to our meetings every month and they are a great complement to the weekly Sunday sessions with Dave. She is deeply rooted in the dharma with traditional knowledge as well as her own practice and experience. She has a unique ability to help me reframe whatever life experience I’m navigating through a dharma lens, making the dharma alive and relevant to my life. Shannon is dependable, calm, supportive, and brings a thoughtful sense of humor to our work together. She also challenges me in ways that feel constructive and compassionate. I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to work with her.”

— Ciara B. | San Diego, CA

“I’ve attended retreat with Dave multiple times and can’t recommend the experience enough. Dave has a down to earth, approachable, and authentic practice that supports an atmosphere of depth and ease throughout the multiple days of practice. His grounded and pragmatic teaching style is infused with humor which has been helpful to me in staying engaged and really understanding the dharma perspectives that amplify and support the practice of meditation. My experiences on retreat with Dave have been lasting and important moments in my life that leave me feeling a sense of belonging and connectedness that I get to carry with me beyond the cushion.”

— Julio I. | Montclair, NJ

“Dave brings such a rich sense of humanity to his teaching. Firmly rooted in experience, his examples and stories draw his listeners deeper into the Dharma, allowing the principles and lessons to find their place within.”

— Chris C. | Birmingham, AL

"Working with Shannon has been a truly important part of my practice. About two years ago, I went on my first week-long silent retreat, and her support before it was so helpful. I think that allowed me to approach the retreat with an open mind and ease my worries. Because of that, I felt confident enough to go on another retreat the next year. I really believe that working with Shannon has helped my practice grow and brought positive changes into my life. I also wanted to learn more about Buddhism from a more educational perspective, and she’s been an amazing teacher, connecting the teachings with instructional practice. She has such a kind, compassionate, and generous heart. I’m so grateful for her support over the past couple of years."

— April M. | Maine

“Smart, knowledgeable, relatable, caring and funny. These are but a few of the accolades I grant Dave Smith as a Dharma teacher and retreat leader. I have attended three retreats with Dave and plan to attend more. He takes his leadership role seriously and presents in a respectful and professional manner- peppered with humor and a few choice words. I’m a 68-year-old woman with no tattoos and I feel absolutely seen and respected by Dave. I highly recommend Dave Smith as a dharma teacher and retreat facilitator.”

— Christine D. | Portland, OR

“I’ve had the privilege of attending two meditation retreats with Dave, and both experiences have been transformative. His teachings are not only profound but also deeply accessible. Dave has a unique ability to create a welcoming and nurturing environment with his humor and caring energy where everyone feels seen and supported. His teachings on retreat have significantly impacted my understanding and passion for my practice, and I left each retreat with a renewed sense of purpose and peace. I highly recommend his retreats to anyone seeking a deeper connection to mindfulness and Dharma teachings.”

— Jame S. | Portland, ME