Mindfulness Association

What Mindfulness Association does

Mindfulness Association CIC is a UK Community Interest Company founded in May 2010 by Rob Nairn alongside co-founders Choden, Heather Regan-Addis, and Norton, headquartered at 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh. It operates as a social enterprise delivering structured mindfulness training built on a proprietary 'second-generation mindfulness' methodology that the organisation positions as more firmly grounded in traditional Buddhist roots than first-generation MBSR/MBCT programmes. Core offerings span a 4-Level Pathway (Mindfulness, Compassion, Insight, Wisdom), the 8-week Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) and Compassion Based Living Course (CBLC), residential retreats, themed specialist courses (e.g., Mindfulness in Nature, Compassion in Action, Mindful Qigong), an MBLC-YA course for 11–18 year olds, and two postgraduate MSc programmes delivered in partnership with the University of Aberdeen and the University of the West of Scotland. Teacher training meets BAMBA good practice guidelines and feeds a UK listing of MBLC teachers.

The business generates revenue from four primary streams: one-time course fees (weekend intensives, multi-module courses, retreats) typically paid in full or via monthly plans; an annual membership programme with a £10/6-month introductory offer that auto-renews to £48/year; teacher training packages for aspiring MBLC and CBLC instructors; and donations to The Everyone Project, a charitable initiative launched in February 2016 that delivers MBLC courses to underserved groups (care leavers, carers, the elderly, disabled, and chronically ill). Free daily guided meditations on Zoom (10:30am and 7pm Monday-Friday, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020) function as the primary top-of-funnel acquisition channel, converting attendees into paid courses and membership. Distribution is hybrid: live Zoom for global online delivery and a network of UK partner venues for in-person training.

Operationally, the organisation runs on third-party software — Zoom for live sessions, Keap for CRM, Customer Hub for membership management, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks, and DropBox — with no proprietary technology platform identified. Three published books by co-founder Heather Regan-Addis underpin the curriculum IP. The organisation has 11–50 employees, operates as a CIC (prohibiting profit distribution), and is funded entirely through operating income and grants from supporters such as People's Postcode Trust and Hart Knowe Trust. No external equity investment or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Mindfulness Association

Legal name

Mindfulness Association CIC

Website

https://mindfulnessassociation.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mindfulness Association CIC is a UK-based social enterprise founded in 2010 that delivers structured mindfulness training — from beginner courses through a 4-Level Pathway and teacher training to MSc degrees — to individual practitioners, aspiring teachers, and university partners across the UK and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness Education and Training

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mindfulness-Based Coaching & Training (MBSR/MBCT-style) (HSADAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD), Trauma-Informed Mindfulness & Somatic Mind-Body Practices (HSADAJAI), Mindfulness, Stress Management & Resilience Training (EDAMAIAD)

Keywords

• Mindfulness training courses
• Meditation education programs
• Compassion based learning
• Mindfulness teacher training
• Wellness retreat services

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course Fees: One-time fees for mindfulness courses including weekend intensives, multi-module courses, and retreats. Payment plans available for most courses. Fees must be paid in full prior to course start date or via monthly payment plan.
2. Annual Membership: Introductory membership at £10 for 6 months, automatically upgrading to full annual membership at £48 per year. Membership provides access to exclusive content, online weekends, and member resources.
3. Donations: Voluntary donations to The Everyone Project, a charitable initiative to provide mindfulness courses to underserved groups who cannot afford them.
4. Teacher Training Packages: Comprehensive teacher training programs for those wanting to teach Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) and Compassion Based Living Course (CBLC), including retreats and supervision courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Mindfulness Association delivers structured, compassion-based mindfulness training through a 4-Level Pathway (Mindfulness, Compassion, Insight, Wisdom), anchored by the 8-week Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) and Compassion Based Living Course (CBLC). Offerings include online and in-person retreats, themed specialist courses, email-based self-paced courses, BAMBA-verified teacher training packages, and two MSc postgraduate programmes delivered in partnership with UK universities. An annual membership programme and the charitable Everyone Project extend access to ongoing community content and underserved groups.

Product overview

The Mindfulness Association is a UK-based organization offering compassion-based mindfulness training through a structured 4-level pathway (Mindfulness, Compassion, Insight, and Wisdom), with courses ranging from beginner to advanced practitioner and teacher training levels. The core offerings include the Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) and Compassion Based Living Course (CBLC), both delivered as 8-week programmes, alongside residential retreats, themed specialist courses, and online email-based self-paced courses. The organization provides extensive free resources including daily guided meditations via Zoom, recorded meditations on YouTube/SoundCloud, mindfulness calendars, and infographics. For professional development, it offers teacher training programmes meeting BAMBA guidelines and two MSc degrees in partnership with UK universities (Aberdeen and West of Scotland). The membership programme provides ongoing community support, and The Everyone Project is a charitable initiative expanding access to underserved populations. Three published books support the MBLC, CBLC, and Insight curricula.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Everyone Project: A charitable initiative providing eight-week Mindfulness Based Living Courses (MBLC) to groups who would benefit from mindfulness training but otherwise would not be able to access it.

Products and services

• Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants report feeling less stressed, more resilient, more relaxed, with increased self-awareness, confidence, and wellbeing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BAMBA (British Association of Mindfulness Based Approaches)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mindfulness Association is a member of BAMBA and their teacher training meets BAMBA good practice guidelines. The MBLC is recognized as an 8-week course in BAMBA UK Good Practice Guidelines, and those trained to teach it are eligible to join the UK Listing of Mindfulness Teachers.
• University of AberdeencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver MSc Studies in Mindfulness degree program. The Mindfulness Association tutors deliver training on this postgraduate program which is available entirely online.
• University of the West of ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for MSc in Mindfulness and Compassion with Teacher Qualification. A unique course teaching how to teach Mindfulness and Compassion, based in London.
• Samye LingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuddhist monastery and retreat center near Lockerbie, Scotland. Used for in-person teacher training retreats and courses. Course participants can book accommodation directly through Samye Ling.
• The CrichtonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational and conference venue in Dumfries, Scotland, used for mindfulness in nature retreats and other courses. The site features tall trees, summer flower meadows, and land art.
• Holy IsleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetreat island off the west coast of Scotland. Used for mindfulness retreats and teacher training. Some tutors and founders have lived and trained on the island.
• FindhornminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpiritual community and education center in Scotland used for Mindfulness for Life retreats. Located at IV36 3TZ.
• Medito FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a Friend of the Mindfulness Association. The Medito app is a free, anonymous mindfulness app that the MA has collaborated with.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Palouse Mindfulness: US-based online MBSR provider offering free and paid Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction courses and teacher training. Comparable course methodology but operates asynchronously online, contrasting MA's live cohort model.
• Plum Village: International mindfulness community founded by Thich Nhat Hanh offering retreats, online courses, and an app. Comparable to MA in Buddhist lineage and retreat-led delivery but operates globally with stronger consumer brand recognition.
• Medito Foundation: Nonprofit providing the free Medito mindfulness app, listed as a Friend of the Mindfulness Association. Competes at the free-tier acquisition layer where MA's free daily meditations also operate.

Broad incumbents

• Insight Timer: Largest free meditation app globally with millions of users, offering guided meditations and teacher-led content. Directly competes with MA's free daily meditation sessions and partially overlaps with paid course offerings.
• Calm: Leading consumer meditation and mindfulness app competing for the same beginner and stress-reduction audience. Reaches materially larger scale than MA but lacks accredited teacher training and Buddhist-rooted methodology.
• Headspace: Global consumer mindfulness and meditation app with hundreds of millions of downloads, offering guided meditations, courses, and corporate wellness. Competes with MA for beginner mindfulness share but lacks MA's depth-of-practice and teacher training certification pathway.

Direct peers

• Breathworks: Manchester-based UK mindfulness charity founded by Vidyamala Burch offering teacher training, 8-week mindfulness courses, and retreats for health and wellbeing. Most direct UK peer to MA given similar teacher-training focus, BAMBA affiliation, and charitable mission.
• Bangor University Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice: UK academic center offering MSc and teacher training in Mindfulness-Based Approaches. Comparable to MA's postgraduate partnerships and is a leading BAMBA-recognized training provider competing for the same teacher training market.
• Oxford Mindfulness Centre: University of Oxford-affiliated mindfulness research and teaching center offering MBCT teacher training, MSc programs, and public courses. Closely comparable to MA's MSc delivery model and teacher training pathway, anchored in academic rather than Buddhist lineage.
• The Mindfulness Network: UK charity offering BAMBA-listed mindfulness teacher training, supervision, and public courses. Closely mirrors MA's teacher training and supervision offerings within the UK regulatory framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MindfulnessAssociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/themindfulnessassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mindfulness-association-limited
• Xx.com/mindfulnessa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Mindfulness Association