Parallax Press
Parallax Press is a Berkeley-based nonprofit publisher co-founded by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh that produces mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism books, the Mindfulness Bell magazine, calligraphies, and educator resources for individual practitioners, families, schools, and Buddhist sanghas worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Parallax Press does
Parallax Press is a nonprofit publishing house co-founded in 1986 by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh and Arnold Kotler, headquartered in Berkeley, California. It publishes books, periodicals, and art products devoted to mindfulness practice, Engaged Buddhism, and the Plum Village tradition, serving individual practitioners, families, educators, and Buddhist communities. The catalog is anchored by the bestselling Mindfulness Essentials series (over 1 million combined US sales), a children's mindfulness library, the quarterly Mindfulness Bell magazine, and exclusive Thích Nhất Hạnh calligraphies printed on Japanese mulberry paper.
The underlying technology stack is a conventional publishing operation augmented with e-commerce infrastructure: a direct-to-consumer storefront at parallax.org, a regional EU shop, segmented email newsletters (The Raft, L'Île Intérieure, retreat/event digests), ebook distribution through standard digital reading platforms, and standard book retail channels. No proprietary AI/ML, data platform, or app is documented; the technology investment is in commerce, digital content delivery, and email-based community engagement. Customer-facing product extension into Kickstarter for the first time in 2026 (The Plum Village Cookbook) marks a recent channel addition.
The business model is donation-supported nonprofit publishing. Revenue combines one-time book and merchandise sales ($6.99–$18.95 trade titles; $45 calligraphy prints; $75–$145 curated bundles such as Seeds of Mindfulness Collection and Awakening Path Kit), recurring Mindfulness Bell magazine subscriptions, ancillary merchandise (journals, cards, calendars), and tax-deductible donations. Distribution runs through direct e-commerce, a regional EU storefront, Kickstarter campaigns, and standard wholesale book retail. Customer segments are diversified across individual mindfulness practitioners, children and families, educators and schools, and committed Buddhist sanghas.
Parallax Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Parallax Press
- Legal name
- Parallax Press
- Website
- https://parallax.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Parallax Press is a Berkeley-based nonprofit publisher co-founded by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh that produces mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism books, the Mindfulness Bell magazine, calligraphies, and educator resources for individual practitioners, families, schools, and Buddhist sanghas worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Parallax Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mindfulness Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (513120), Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirituality & Personal Growth Publishing (Mindfulness, Contemplative, New Age) (MPAJAHAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG), Mindfulness, Meditation & Stress Management Education (EDAAAHAD)
Keywords
Where Parallax Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Parallax Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Sales of hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats of mindfulness and Buddhist teaching books. Includes children's books, educator resources, and mindfulness practice guides.
- Merchandise: Sale of mindfulness-related goods including calligraphies, journals, cards, calendars, note cards, and wearables.
- The Mindfulness Bell Magazine: Quarterly magazine publication covering mindfulness teachings, community stories, and practice resources.
- Bundles and Kits: Pre-curated collections like the Awakening Path Kit ($145) and Seeds of Mindfulness Collection ($75) offering multiple books and materials at discounted bundle pricing.
- Donations: As a nonprofit publisher, Parallax Press accepts donations to support their mission of offering teachings that help transform suffering and injustice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Children's Books - eBook |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Children's Books - Hardcover |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Adventures of Drip and Drop |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mop Rides the Waves of Life |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Mindfulness Essentials Series |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Educator Resources |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Calligraphy Prints |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Journals and Cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Seeds of Mindfulness Collection |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Awakening Path Kit |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Shipping Threshold |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Parallax Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Parallax Press is a nonprofit publishing company that publishes books and media on Buddhism, mindfulness practice, and Engaged Buddhism. The company sells hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions of its catalog — including the Mindfulness Essentials Series, children's mindfulness books, educator resources, Zen calligraphy prints, and journals/cards — through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce site, a regional EU shop, and traditional book retail channels. It also publishes the quarterly Mindfulness Bell magazine and accepts donations to support its mission of making mindfulness teachings accessible.
Product overview
Parallax Press is a nonprofit publisher founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and Arnold Kotler that publishes books and media on mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism. The company operates primarily as a traditional book publisher with an e-commerce platform, offering a diverse portfolio of mindfulness resources. The product lineup includes the Mindfulness Essentials Series (pocket-sized books including How to Love, How to Relax, How to Sit, How to Walk, How to Eat, How to See, How to Focus, How to Connect, How to Fight, How to Dream, How to Smile), a Children's Library (mindfulness books for kids including Mop Rides series, Anh's Anger, Puppy Mind, Charlotte and the Quiet Place), the Mindfulness Bell Magazine, Thich Nhat Hanh Calligraphies (over 47 Zen calligraphy prints), curated Bundles (Seeds of Mindfulness Collection and Awakening Path Kit), Books for Teachers and Schools (educational resources including Mindful Arts in the Classroom, Happy Teachers Change the World), Journals/Cards/Calendars (Mindfulness Essentials Cards, How to Live Journal), and the Engaged Buddhism Collection. The company also publishes Thich Nhat Hanh's complete works including Fragrant Palm Leaves, Call Me By My True Names poetry collection, and numerous books on mindfulness practice, social action, and Buddhist teachings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mindfulness Essentials Series Back-to-basics pocket-sized book collection from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh introducing the essentials of mindfulness practice, available in paperback ($9.95–$16.95), ebook, and special hardcover gift editions. Over 1 million combined US sales across the series.
- Children's Mindfulness Library
Quantifiable outcome
- Mindfulness Essentials series exceeded 1 million combined US sales
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Parallax Press
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Parallax Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Parallax Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- International Plum Village CommunitycoreParallax Press operates in close connection with the International Plum Village Community, sending newsletters and news on behalf of the community. The company was cofounded by Thich Nhat Hanh who established Plum Village monasteries.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Parallax Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- TarcherPerigee: Penguin Random House imprint dedicated to personal growth, wellness, and mindfulness. A much larger incumbent that has aggressively expanded in the mindfulness category, increasing competitive pressure on niche publishers like Parallax.
- Hay House: Large established publisher in the self-help, spiritual, and personal growth space with broader scale and a wider author roster. Overlaps with Parallax's mindfulness and personal growth segments but is a much larger commercial publisher.
- HarperOne: Spirituality, religion, and self-help imprint of HarperCollins with significant scale and trade distribution. Publishes many mainstream mindfulness authors and competes for the same consumer buyer through broader retail channels and larger marketing budgets.
Direct peers
- Sounds True: Boulder-based multimedia publisher of mindfulness, spiritual, and self-development content across books, audio programs, and online courses. Directly competes for the same mindfulness practitioner and self-development consumer through a multi-format catalog.
- Shambhala Publications: Major independent publisher of Buddhist, mindfulness, and contemplative living books, and parent of Rodmell Press. Directly competes for Buddhist and mindfulness readers, meditation instructors, and engaged Buddhism community market share.
- Wisdom Publications: Leading English-language publisher of Buddhist books including translations of traditional teachings and contemporary dharma. Directly competes in the same Buddhist reader and practitioner segments, particularly academic and serious practitioner audiences.
- Inner Traditions / Bear & Company: Independent publisher focused on alternative spirituality, holistic living, Eastern philosophy, and contemplative traditions. Overlaps with Parallax in the spiritual practice and Engaged Buddhism adjacent categories.
- North Atlantic Books: Independent publisher of holistic health, sustainability, martial arts, and spiritual practice books with a strong contemplative and Eastern philosophy catalog. Comparable in audience and editorial positioning to Parallax Press.
- Rodmell Press: Shambhala Publications imprint that has historically co-published many of Thich Nhat Hanh's English-language books. The most direct competitor given overlapping author, tradition, and readership, and the obvious alternative home for Plum Village lineage content.
Regional players
- New Harbinger Publications: Independent publisher specializing in psychology, self-help, and evidence-based mindfulness and acceptance-based therapy books. Comparable in the mindfulness and educator segments, particularly for professional and clinical audiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Parallax Press social profiles
Digital presenceParallax Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Parallax Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Parallax Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Parallax Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Parallax Press
What does Parallax Press do?
Parallax Press is a nonprofit publishing company that publishes books and media on Buddhism, mindfulness practice, and Engaged Buddhism. The company sells hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions of its catalog — including the Mindfulness Essentials Series, children's mindfulness books, educator resources, Zen calligraphy prints, and journals/cards — through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce site, a regional EU shop, and traditional book retail channels. It also publishes the quarterly Mindfulness Bell magazine and accepts donations to support its mission of making mindfulness teachings accessible.
Is Parallax Press a public or private company?
Parallax Press is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Parallax Press founded?
Parallax Press was founded in 1986. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Parallax Press based?
Parallax Press is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Parallax Press make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise, the Mindfulness Bell Magazine, bundles and Kits and donations.
Who are Parallax Press's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are TarcherPerigee, Hay House and HarperOne. Direct peers are Sounds True, Shambhala Publications, Wisdom Publications, Inner Traditions / Bear & Company, North Atlantic Books and Rodmell Press. New Harbinger Publications is listed as a regional player.
Does Parallax Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Parallax Press.
What industry is Parallax Press in?
Parallax Press's product category is Mindfulness Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAHAH, Spirituality & Personal Growth Publishing (Mindfulness, Contemplative, New Age), with a secondary code of MPAJAHAG, Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.