René Rivera

René Rivera is a meditation teacher, restorative justice facilitator, and leader, working and learning in all the spaces in-between race, gender, and other perceived binaries, as a queer, latinx, trans man. René teaches heart-centered, trauma-informed meditation, at the East Bay Meditation Center and other meditation centers. He has co-led the first residential meditation retreats for transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive people. René is a restorative justice facilitator for the Ahimsa Collective, working to heal sexual and gender based violence.

Upcoming Programs by René Rivera

Heart Connection: A LGBTQIA+ Community Metta Retreat in Nature

Also With Victoria Cary

August 20 - 27, 2025

Join us for a seven-night silent retreat in LGBTQIA+ community on the beautiful land of Vallecitos. This year we will immerse ourselves in the heart practice of lovingkindness, or Metta, supported by the natural world, the Dhamma, and queer community. We will build a continuity of practice together cultivating this friendliness towards ourselves, others, and […]

Application for Being Blessed by the Land of Vallecitos (Fall): Gently Held Self-Retreat

October 10 - 15, 2025

We invite you to be our guest at Vallecitos this fall for self-retreat time on the land gently held by our treasured visiting teacher, René Rivera. Please join us to connect with your practice alongside the depth and magic of the land. We are offering you the simple experience of being on the land, safely using our facilities, receiving three nutritious meals a day […]