Daniel Naistadt has been a teacher in Shambhala tradition for nearly 40 years. He began his study of Buddhism and far eastern religion as an undergraduate at Columbia College, and later as a graduate fellow at Columbia University. During his time in New York City, he met two of the most important people in his life, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and his future wife, Agness Au with whom he raised two sons. Daniel has had a lifelong interest in the Drala principle and has received personal instructions and guidance on these teachings from Trungpa Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

In New York, Daniel served on the Board of the N.Y. Shambhala Center and in 2001, co-founded Sky Lake Lodge in Rosendale, N.Y. After a long career as owner and CEO of several apparel and dietary supplement companies, Daniel has recently retired from full-time work. He continues to serve as a senior Shambhala teacher, Warrior Assembly Director and avid explorer of the natural world. Daniel presently lives in Boulder, CO, where he serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Boulder Shambhala
Center.