Upcoming Events
October Meditation and Mindfulness Retreat
Join our October Meditation and Mindfulness Retreat on Sunday, October 26 from 9:00 am PT to 12:00 pm PT. Register to join: https://tinyurl.com/retreat-1026
Thanksgiving Meditation and Mindfulness Sangha
This Thanksgiving, join Venerable Bhante Sathi and the rest of the DVA team for a special virtual meditation and mindfulness gathering for animal advocates and all who wish to connect with a compassionate, plant-based community this Thanksgiving.
Join us on November 27 at 9:00 a.m. PT for this special holiday sangha. Register to join: https://tinyurl.com/sangha-1127
We recognize that this holiday can be difficult for many, especially those who are seeking a plant-based space and understanding and community outside of typical celebrations. This space offers an opportunity to cultivate gratitude, mindfulness, and loving kindness for all beings.
Speaker Series with Dave Simon
Join Forrest Tierce for a conversation with Dave Simon as part of our Speaker Series on October 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. PT. Don’t miss this insightful discussion—Register now to join the conversation!
Dave Simon is a vegan activist, lawyer, writer and mindfulness practitioner. His book Meatonomics (Conari Press 2013) examined the broken market for animal foods in the U.S. and recommended a heavy tax on goods containing animal products as a way to shift societal costs to producers and raise retail prices to levels that better reflect underlying costs.
As a lawyer, Dave’s efforts on behalf of animals have included dozens of lawsuits against animal food producers, entertainment venues that abuse animals, and religious practitioners who kill animals in ritual sacrifice.
Dave’s spiritual journey has included the practice of both Zen and Vipassana approaches to mindfulness. Dave co-hosts “Vegan Meditation,” a biweekly online group for vegans seeking to deepen their spiritual practice. He chairs the advisory board of the Compassion Consortium, a non-denominational group that brings monthly spiritual engagement to vegans and animal advocates. He is a board member of the Animal Protection & Rescue League and organizer of several Meetup groups for vegans.
Join the event: https://tinyurl.com/speaker-series-dave-simon
September Meditation and Mindfulness Sangha
Join our September Meditation and Mindfulness Sangha for animal advocates with special guest Venerable Tashi Nyima on Sunday, September 28 at 9:00 am PT. All are welcome, and we hope to see you there!
The Venerable Tashi Nyima is a senior monastic in the Jonang (Maha Madhyamaka) Lineage. He is the resident Lama for the Universal Compassion Buddhist Congregation, leading weekly Sangha sessions and multiple online retreats in both English and Spanish. He is the author of an extensive commentary on Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen's Supplication, the Dharma Handbook, an extensive discussion on death and rebirth, Facing West, and a compilation of instructions on our relationship with animals, The Buddha's Bowl.
Register to Join: https://tinyurl.com/sangha-928
August Meditation and Mindfulness Sangha
Mark your calendars for our next Meditation and Mindfulness Sangha on Sunday, August 31 at 9:00 a.m. PT with special guest Pria Acharya. We’ll share meditation, reflection, and discussion rooted in compassion for all beings. All are welcome, feel free to bring a friend and come as you are. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/sangha-831
Pria Acharya is a documentary filmmaker, author, and certified mindfulness teacher whose work weaves together compassion, spirituality, and social justice. An ethical vegan and lifelong advocate for animals, she brings the principle of ahimsa—non-harm—into her teaching, writing, and daily life.
Born in India and raised in the U.S., Pria draws from her multicultural roots, her background in psychology and Asian studies, and her lived experience as a single mother navigating systems of coercion and resilience. She has led mindfulness services, created healing programs for trauma recovery, and uses storytelling as a way to awaken compassion and inspire change.
Her new book, Go Vegan, Mindfully: Barriers, Breakthroughs, and Vitality, explores how mindfulness can help us bridge the gap between values and action, dismantle cultural and personal barriers to compassionate living, and cultivate vitality on the vegan path.
Pria’s mission is to create spaces—through words, film, and community—where mindful living and ethical action meet, so together we can build a kinder world for all beings.
We hope to see you on Sunday!
Speaker Series with Rayane Laddi
Meet Rayane, Our New Development Consultant!
We’re excited to introduce Rayane, who brings heart and experience to DVA’s fundraising and outreach efforts.
Rayane is a passionate vegan and Buddhist, previously fundraising with Oxfam Québec and Amnesty International. He’s also the creator of The Vegan Report podcast and MapYourHealth, a platform that monitors environmental health hazards. He has produced podcast episodes exploring veganism in the context of Buddhism
Register to Join the event on August 23rd at 9am PT
https://tinyurl.com/speaker-series-rayane
Compassion In Action: In-Person Chicago Meetup
Join fellow vegan Buddhists and veg-curious folk in a day for exploration of Buddhist values & compassion to all beings and free vegan food!
All are welcome! Register to RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/chicago-meetup
VCOP Presentation
Join Vegan Change makers plus Nutritionists, Scientists, Politicians, Farmers, Artists, Musicians, Chefs, and more!
Together we are working to:
Create and promote a new story of human belonging in Nature and usher in an informed, compassionate humankind.
Create a lasting transition from a world of normalized violence to a world that is just, kind, compassionate, and respectful towards all of Nature.
US Project Director Forrest Tierce will be presenting on Sunday July 27th at 10am pacific/1pm eastern.
July Monthly Meditation and Mindfulness Retreat
Join our special 3-hour online retreat on Sunday, July 27 at 9am PT with Venerable Bhante Sathi and special guest Pedro Kaiten Piquero. We hope to see you there!
You can register to join us here: https://tinyurl.com/retreat-727
Previous Events
August Sangha with Pria Acharya
We were so grateful to have Pria Acharya, documentary filmmaker, author, and certified mindfulness teacher, lead our August Meditation and Mindfulness Sangha. An ethical vegan and lifelong advocate for animals, Pria also discussed her book, Go Vegan, Mindfully: Barriers, Breakthroughs, and Vitality. Rewatch the August Sangha and make sure to sign up for our next one!
Speaker Series with Rayane Laddi
Check out our conversation with DVA’s own Development Consultant Rayane Laddi about veganism, Buddhism, and his role at Dharma Voices for Animals. Check out the conversation on Youtube.
Speaker Series with Forrest Tierce
Check out our conversation with DVA’s own U.S. Project Director Forrest Tierce where he discusses his journey to Buddhism and veganism, and his role at DVA.
Speaker Series with Dave Simon
Watch the replay of Forrest Tierce’s conversation with Dave Simon, part of our Speaker Series. Dave Simon is a vegan activist, lawyer, writer, and mindfulness practitioner. His book Meatonomics (Conari Press 2013) examined the broken market for animal foods in the U.S. and recommended a heavy tax on goods containing animal products as a way to shift societal costs to producers and raise retail prices to levels that better reflect underlying costs.
As a lawyer, Dave’s efforts on behalf of animals have included dozens of lawsuits against animal food producers, entertainment venues that abuse animals, and religious practitioners who kill animals in ritual sacrifice.
Dave’s spiritual journey has included the practice of both Zen and Vipassana approaches to mindfulness. He co-hosted “Vegan Meditation,” a biweekly online group for vegans seeking to deepen their spiritual practice. He chaired the advisory board of the Compassion Consortium, a non-denominational group that brought monthly spiritual engagement to vegans and animal advocates. He was also a board member of the Animal Protection & Rescue League and an organizer of several Meetup groups for vegans.