Common Ground Meditation Center

What Common Ground Meditation Center does

Common Ground is a community meditation center dedicated to the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness meditation is the practice of waking up to the present moment and learning to be open and at ease with the unfolding conditions of life. With practice, mindfulness reveals deep wisdom, compassion, and intimacy with all things.

Name

Common Ground Meditation Center

Legal name

Common Ground Meditation Center

Website

http://commongroundmeditation.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Common Ground is a community meditation center dedicated to the practice of mindfulness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness Meditation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF), Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Mindfulness meditation programs
• Community meditation center
• Insight meditation retreats
• Buddhist studies courses
• Meditation retreats residential

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations (Dana): All programs are offered freely in the spirit of generosity. The organization is completely dependent on donations from the community to support teachers and operations. Donors can designate gifts to the general fund, specific teachers (who receive two-thirds of the donation), or the retreat center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Common Ground Meditation Center is a nonprofit community meditation center that provides mindfulness meditation instruction, Dharma teachings, guided practice, and residential retreats as part of the Insight Meditation tradition. All programs are offered freely in the spirit of generosity (dana), with operations funded entirely by voluntary community donations. Programs are delivered at the City Center in Minneapolis, the Retreat Center in western Wisconsin, and online via Zoom.

Product overview

Common Ground Meditation Center is a community meditation center offering mindfulness meditation programs through multiple delivery channels. The core offerings include in-person meditation at the City Center in Minneapolis and residential retreats at the Retreat Center in Wisconsin, supplemented by online participation via Zoom. The program portfolio includes Open Meditation (daily drop-in sits), Weekly Practice Groups (guided sessions with Dharma talks), Buddhist Studies courses for deeper study, Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation for newcomers, Peer-Led Community Groups for specialized support, and various retreat formats (half-day, daylong, and residential). All programs are offered freely in the spirit of Buddhist generosity (dana).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open Meditation Daily drop-in meditation sessions available seven days a week, including teacher-led morning Zoom sits six days a week and silent sits in person with flexible entry/exit times. Free to attend; offered to the general meditation community.
• Weekly Practice Groups Regular gatherings held multiple times weekly featuring guided meditation, Dharma talk, and discussion. Offered in-person and via Zoom on various days and times. Free to attend; designed for ongoing community practice.
• Buddhist Studies Multi-week courses for committed practitioners diving into specific Buddhist topics such as The Four Noble Truths, Karma, Dependent Origination, and cultivating wholesome relationships. Free to attend; offered for deeper study of Buddhist teachings.
• Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation Introductory courses and workshops teaching vipassana/insight meditation techniques, guidance on common challenges, and integration of mindfulness into daily life. Free to attend; targeted at newcomers to meditation.
• Peer-Led Community Groups Various peer-facilitated groups including Be Queer Now, BIPOC Community Group, Buddhist/Jewish Affinity Group, Mindfulness and Depression, Mindful Parenting, Young Adults, Refirement for Retirees, and Sitting and Check-In. Free to attend; designed for specialized community support.
• Half-Day and Daylong Retreats Non-residential retreats held at the Minneapolis center and on Zoom, including guided meditations, alternating sitting and walking meditation, and group discussion. Free to attend; offered for short-duration immersive practice.
• Residential Retreats Teacher-led multi-day retreats at the Wisconsin retreat center offering meditation instructions, Dharma talks, and Q&A sessions suitable for new and experienced meditators. Free to attend; offered for immersive residential retreat practice.
• Practice Periods Community-style silent practice opportunities at the retreat center with an open schedule, led by experienced practice leaders rather than formal teachers. Free to attend; offered for sustained silent practice.

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Insight Meditation SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommon Ground follows in the spirit of Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, as part of the greater Insight Meditation movement in the West. This represents lineage/spiritual alignment rather than formal partnership.
• Spirit Rock Meditation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommon Ground follows in the spirit of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, as part of the greater Insight Meditation movement in the West. This represents lineage/spiritual alignment rather than formal partnership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Spirit Rock is explicitly cited as a lineage/spiritual model for Common Ground. Both operate Insight Meditation centers with residential retreats, daily sits, teacher-led programs, and dana-supported models in the U.S.
• Insight Meditation Society: IMS is named as a lineage partner for Common Ground. It runs a similar model of residential retreats, teacher training, and community meditation programs in the Insight Meditation tradition.
• Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society: Insight/Triratna-adjacent Buddhist meditation community running drop-in sits, courses, and residential retreats funded by donations, comparable to Common Ground's model.
• True North Insight: Canadian Insight Meditation organization offering residential retreats, weekly practice groups, and teacher-led courses funded by dana — closely mirrors Common Ground's program mix and community structure.
• Barre Center for Buddhist Studies: Adjacent to IMS in Barre, MA, offering multi-week study programs, retreats, and teacher trainings in the Insight Meditation tradition — comparable programming depth and lineage ties.
• Shambhala Meditation Center: U.S. Shambhala-affiliated meditation centers run drop-in meditation, courses, and residential retreats. Different tradition but analogous urban-center-plus-retreat model with community groups.

Regional players

• Minnesota Zen Meditation Center: A Twin Cities-based meditation center with shared leadership ties to Common Ground (a board member also serves on its board). Comparable model: zazen, dharma talks, community groups, residential retreats.
• Clouds in Water Zen Center: Another Twin Cities meditation center; a Common Ground BIPOC practice leader also facilitates at Clouds in Water. Comparable zazen/sangha offerings, residential retreats, and community programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/commongroundmeditationcenter
• Xx.com/cgmed
• Facebookfacebook.com/189693467729317
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/common-ground-meditation-ctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Common Ground Meditation Center