Tergar Meditation Community

What Tergar Meditation Community does

Tergar Meditation Community is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The organization delivers meditation instruction and Buddhist teachings to individual practitioners worldwide, spanning two parallel tracks: a secular program (Joy of Living) for people of all faiths and cultures, and a Buddhist/Vajrayana program (Vajrayana Online) covering Mahamudra and Dzogchen traditions through the structured five-level Path of Liberation curriculum. Distribution is achieved through a multi-platform digital architecture (Vajrayana Online, Joy of Living Online, Meditation Teacher Program, Tergar Events, Tergar Blog, and iOS/Android mobile apps) layered on top of a global physical network of 108 practice groups and community centers across 30 countries, with material localization into 20 languages and live event translation into 6.

The technology stack is a conventional SaaS learning platform with self-paced video courses, live Zoom-based sessions, guided meditations, the MyPath progress-tracking feature, and one-on-one guide interviews; supporting infrastructure includes Auth0 for identity, NeonCRM for user management, Eventbrite for event registration, Mailchimp and Constant Contact for email, and Hotjar and Crazy Egg for behavioral analytics. The product portfolio also includes lifetime-access course purchases, a free meditation app, and the free "Beyond Mindfulness" webinar lead magnet.

The revenue model combines recurring subscription revenue (Vajrayana Online at $29/$50/$75 monthly or $288/$500/$750 annually; Joy of Living Online; Meditation Teacher Program tuition), one-time event registration fees, e-commerce sales of practice materials, and donations that cover approximately one-third of the total operating budget. A 10-day free trial, cancel-anytime terms, and explicit financial-assistance rate reductions characterize a deliberately accessible pricing posture consistent with the nonprofit mission of making ancient meditation wisdom available to the modern world.

Name

Tergar Meditation Community

Legal name

Tergar International

Website

https://tergar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tergar Meditation Community is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche that delivers Buddhist and secular meditation instruction to global individual practitioners via online platforms, mobile apps, and a network of 108 practice groups across 30 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Meditation and Mindfulness Education

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB), Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD), Mindfulness & Mental Wellbeing Experiences (Stress Management, Sleep Retreats, Coaching) (THAJAHAH)

Keywords

• Meditation instruction
• Buddhist teachings
• Online meditation platform
• Meditation retreats
• Meditation teacher training

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vajrayana Online Subscriptions: Monthly and annual subscription tiers providing access to the full library of 25+ self-paced courses, weekly live sessions, guided meditations, personal interviews with Tergar guides, and the mobile app. The platform offers Reduced ($29/mo), Standard ($50/mo), and Sponsor ($75/mo) monthly plans, with corresponding annual plans at $288/yr, $500/yr, and $750/yr.
2. Joy of Living Online Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to the Joy of Living meditation program with live cohorts, community circle sessions, and weekly practice guidance.
3. Meditation Teacher Program: Year-long extensive online training program tuition for individuals passionate about becoming teachers grounded in awareness, compassion, and wisdom under Mingyur Rinpoche's guidance.
4. Event Registration Fees: Paid registrations for workshops, retreats, and special programs with Mingyur Rinpoche and Tergar Lamas, both online and in-person. Vajrayana Online subscribers receive a 20% discount.
5. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Tergar relies on donations for approximately one-third of its total operating budget. The organization runs ongoing donation campaigns and volunteer programs to support its mission of making meditation accessible to the modern world.
6. Online Store - Practice Materials: Sale of physical and digital practice materials including prayer books, liturgy texts, and meditation supplies through the Tergar practice materials store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tergar Meditation Community is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that develops and delivers Buddhist and secular meditation programs through online platforms (Vajrayana Online, Joy of Living Online), a year-long Meditation Teacher Program, in-person retreats, and a global network of 108 practice groups across 30 countries. The organization offers tiered monthly/annual subscriptions, free introductory courses, paid events and workshops, physical/digital practice materials, and donations to support its mission of making ancient meditation wisdom accessible to the modern world.

Product overview

Tergar Meditation Community is a nonprofit organization led by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche that provides meditation instruction and Buddhist teachings through multiple online platforms, in-person communities, events, and digital resources. The organization operates a platform-plus-programs architecture centered on three main offerings: (1) Joy of Living Online — a secular meditation program for people of all faiths featuring simple practices to calm the mind and apply meditation in everyday life, available through live cohorts and subscription; (2) Vajrayana Online — a Buddhist learning platform offering self-paced courses (Exploring Buddhism, Deepening Wisdom, Nature of Mind, Path of Liberation with Nectar of the Path and Ngondro tracks in multiple levels), weekly live sessions, guided meditations, one-on-one guide interviews, and a dedicated mobile app; and (3) the Meditation Teacher Program — a year-long training for aspiring teachers. Supporting these core programs are the Tergar Events platform (hosting ~30,000 registrations annually with translation into 6 languages), Meditation Tracker (web-based practice tracking), My Path (personalized student progress feature), Monthly Teachings (short video teachings), the Tergar Blog, published books by Rinpoche, Community Circle sessions, and a global network of 108 local practice groups across 30 countries. Vajrayana Online membership offers tiered pricing (Reduced $29/month, Standard $50/month, Sponsor $75/month, or annual equivalents) plus Lifetime Access course purchases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Joy of Living: A path of meditation with simple practices to calm the mind, open the heart, and awaken wisdom. Secular meditation program for people of all faiths and cultures.
• Vajrayana Online
• Meditation Teacher Program
• Tergar Events

Products and services

• Joy of Living Online

Quantifiable outcome

• Research shows benefits of meditation including substantial reductions in symptoms of anxiety, better memory and concentration, and improved sleep quality (British Journal of Clinical Psychology)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration45 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Richard Davidson (Center for Healthy Minds, UW-Madison)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2026Richard J. Davidson, William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Founder of the Center for Healthy Minds, collaborates with Tergar on educational content. He co-authored 'Born to Flourish' with Cortland Dahl (Tergar Executive Director) and has collaborated with Mingyur Rinpoche on neuroscience research since the Dalai Lama connected them. Davidson's work on emotion and the brain underpins Tergar's science-informed approach to meditation.
• Healthy Minds InnovationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthy Minds Innovations (HMI), a nonprofit founded by Richard Davidson dedicated to translating cutting-edge science into everyday tools for flourishing, is led by Cortland Dahl as Chief Contemplative Officer. Cortland also serves as Executive Director of Tergar International, creating a direct organizational bridge between HMI's scientific research and Tergar's teaching programs. HMI created the Healthy Minds Program app.
• Tergar AsiaminorOthersAffiliated regional organization overseeing Tergar communities across Asia. Separate organizational entity from Tergar International.
• Tergar Sangha (Mandala)minorOthersAffiliated organizational entity for the Tergar practitioner community (Sangha). Separate from Tergar International's Western operations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Headspace: Headspace is a well-funded global subscription meditation and mental wellness app with broad consumer appeal, enterprise B2B channels, and large paid marketing budgets. Comparable to Tergar on the secular subscription meditation side, but operates at vastly greater scale with a non-Buddhist, broadly therapeutic positioning.
• Calm: Calm is one of the largest subscription meditation and sleep apps globally, offering guided meditations, courses, and celebrity content. Comparable to Tergar on the secular end of its spectrum, but a mainstream incumbent with substantially greater capital, content production, and consumer distribution.

Direct peers

• Waking Up (by Sam Harris): Waking Up is a subscription meditation app offering secular and contemplative practice with strong teacher-driven content and a community component. Comparable to Tergar's Vajrayana Online as a paid subscription platform built around a single high-profile teacher and progressive curriculum.
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Spirit Rock is a well-known Insight Meditation (Vipassana) center offering residential retreats, online courses, and a teacher training program. Comparable to Tergar as a non-profit meditation community with retreat-led programming and a structured teacher pipeline.
• Shambhala International: Shambhala is a global Buddhist-inspired meditation and contemplative community rooted in Tibetan traditions, with meditation centers, online programs, and teacher training. Comparable to Tergar in lineage-based structure, practice centers in many countries, and a mix of online + in-person programming.
• Insight Timer: Insight Timer is the world's largest free meditation community and app with live sessions, teacher-led groups, and a global community model. It is the closest direct competitor to Tergar's practice-group-plus-platform architecture and targets similar practitioner segments globally.
• Plum Village: Founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, Plum Village is a global Buddhist mindfulness sangha offering retreats, online programs, and practice centers across many countries. Comparable to Tergar as a lineage-rooted Buddhist community with secular-facing programs, global sanghas, and online learning.
• 10% Happier: 10% Happier is a subscription meditation app combining secular, teacher-led content with a community platform targeting skeptics and beginners. Comparable to Tergar's Joy of Living Online as a more accessible, science-informed program for non-Buddhist practitioners.
• Healthy Minds Program (Healthy Minds Innovations): Healthy Minds Program is a free meditation app and research-backed program founded by Richard Davidson in partnership with Cortland Dahl (Tergar Executive Director). It is a directly adjacent offering with overlapping science-meets-meditation positioning and shares personnel and mission with Tergar.

Emerging players

• Dharma Ocean (Reginald Ray): Dharma Ocean is a nonprofit Tibetan Buddhist organization rooted in the Shambhala/Chö tradition, offering online programs, retreats, and teacher training. Comparable to Tergar as a smaller lineage-based Buddhist community with online programming, ngöndro practices, and Western teacher training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tergaronline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MingyurRinpoche
• Facebookfacebook.com/tergaronline
• Instagraminstagram.com/tergaronline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tergar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tergar Meditation Community