East West Center

What East West Center does

Oost West Centrum (trading as East West Centre, brand shorthand OWC, website owc.be) is a Belgian private educational institution that has operated a holistic wellness and personal development curriculum for more than 40 years. The organization delivers in-person courses, workshops, and multi-year professional training programs across modalities including meditation, yoga, qigong, tai chi, mindfulness, massage therapy (shiatsu, foot reflexology, craniosacral therapy, deep tissue), dance and conscious movement (5 Rhythms, Movement Medicine, Open Floor, shamanic dance), nutrition and vegetarian/vegan cooking, nature-based retreats, shamanism and energetic healing. Programs are led by a roster of more than 50 independent instructors and delivered across multiple Belgian locations — an Antwerp headquarters (Van Schoonbekestraat 148), a Bruges-area tie (Maldegem) for key instructors Frank and Kathy Coppieters, plus course venues in Ghent, Leuven, Limburg, and Brussels — with a separate ecological retreat center, La Ferme du Bois-le-Comte in Orval, Ardennes, that offers multi-day residential programs with on-site vegetarian/vegan catering, permaculture operations, solar power, and reed-bed water purification.

The underlying technology stack is a content-rich website with course calendar, instructor profile pages, blog articles, and self-service registration, organized by location, theme, and instructor; there are no proprietary platform features, APIs, or AI integrations disclosed. Product architecture is fundamentally physical and experiential: trial lessons, single workshops (€27-€240), multi-session series (€55-€95), year-long training cycles (€600-€1,700 per year), and accredited professional programs (Foot Reflexology two-year, Shiatsu three-year, Craniosacral Therapy, Voeding & Vitaliteit three-year cooking). The center does not maintain a mobile app. The two-year foot reflexology program is recognized by Belgian and European reflexology federations; the three-year shiatsu program is recognized by Belgian and European reflexology federations.

Revenue is generated from three streams: (i) course and program fees paid by individuals, paid variously per session or annually; (ii) external course space rental (cursusruimtes) at the Antwerp and Orval locations; and (iii) made-to-measure courses for corporate and group bookings (cursussen op maat). The organization also accepts donations via a "Giften & Steun" pathway, indicating non-profit educational orientation. No external funding, venture capital, parent company, or institutional investors are identified. The customer base is primarily Belgian individual wellness seekers across Flanders, with a secondary segment of professional trainees seeking accredited complementary-health credentials, and a smaller tertiary segment of corporate group bookings. Belgian health insurers may reimburse certain yoga and wellness lessons.

Name

East West Center

Legal name

Oost West Centrum

Website

https://owc.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oost West Centrum (East West Centre) is a Belgian private education center operating for over 40 years, delivering in-person holistic wellness courses — meditation, yoga, massage, dance, nutrition, and nature retreats — across Flanders and the Ardennes to individual learners and accredited multi-year professional trainees, led by more than 50 independent instructors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Holistic Wellness Education

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Holistic & Integrative Wellness Education (Ayurveda, Traditional Practices) (EDAAAHAH), Wellness Retreats & Immersions (Multi-day, Digital Detox, Mind-Body Programs) (THAJAHAB), Holistic & Alternative Therapy Retreats (Naturopathy, Energy Work) (THAGAMAI), Wellness & Mindfulness Classes (Yoga Workshops, Meditation, Breathwork) (THAJAKAK)

Keywords

• Holistic wellness education
• Professional massage training
• Meditation and yoga courses
• Nature wellness retreats
• Complementary therapy training

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerpen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Course and program fees: Revenue generated from individual course registrations, workshop fees, year-long training program tuition (e.g., Voeding & Vitaliteit three-year cooking program at €1600-1700 per year, Shiatsu training, Foot Reflexology two-year program at 90 hours per year), and multi-day retreat stays (e.g., Ardennes programs including accommodation and vegetarian meals). Course prices range from trial lessons (€15-49) to comprehensive multi-year professional training programs (€1000+).
2. Course venue rental: The organization rents out its course spaces (cursusruimtes) at its Antwerp and Orval locations to external groups and instructors, generating supplementary rental income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

East West Center (Oost West Centrum) is a Belgian holistic wellness education center that sells in-person courses, workshops, year-long programs, multi-day nature retreats, and accredited two- to three-year professional training programs in meditation, massage, yoga, dance, nutrition, permaculture, and shamanism. Offerings are delivered by more than 50 independent instructors at owned/partner venues in Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, Limburg, and the ecological retreat center La Ferme du Bois-le-Comte in Orval, with students registering and paying directly through the owc.be website.

Product overview

East West Centre (Oost West Centrum) is a holistic education center in Belgium offering a broad portfolio of wellness and personal development courses. The core offering consists of live, in-person courses organized across multiple locations (Antwerp, Ghent, Limburg, Leuven, and Orval/Ardennes) under thematic categories including Meditation & Movement (yoga, qigong, tai chi, mindfulness), Massage (shiatsu, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, deep tissue), Dance & Conscious Movement (5 Rhythms, Movement Medicine, Open Floor), Healthy Cooking & Nutrition (vegetarian/vegan cooking, fermentation, macrobiotics), Nature & Retreats (wild herb foraging, hiking, detox in the Ardennes), and Shamanism & Energetic Healing. The center also runs accredited professional training programs in shiatsu, foot reflexology, and craniosacral therapy lasting 2–3 years. Programs are delivered by over 50 independent instructors, with multi-day residential retreats held at the eco-center La Ferme du Bois-le-Comte in Orval.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Ferme du Bois-le-Comte: Ecological retreat center located in Orval, Ardennes, Belgium, offering multi-day courses in nature, wellness, and holistic practices. The venue features vegetarian/vegan cuisine and operates on permaculture principles.

Products and services

• Meditation & Movement Courses Courses in meditation, mindfulness, yoga, qigong, tai chi, and breathing techniques aimed at stress reduction and mental resilience for adult individuals.
• Massage Courses and Workshops Workshops and courses in massage techniques including holistic massage, deep tissue massage, and introductory modalities for individuals seeking personal practice or foundational training.
• Dance & Conscious Movement Courses Dance courses including 5 Rhythms, Movement Medicine, Open Floor, shamanic dance, trancedance, and dance therapy aimed at trauma healing and emotional expression for adults.
• Healthy Cooking & Nutrition Courses Vegetarian and vegan cooking workshops, fermentation courses, self-care with herbs, seasonal and macrobiotic cuisine classes for individuals interested in healthy cooking and food-based wellness.
• Nature Courses & Ardennes Retreats Multi-day residential courses and retreats held at La Ferme du Bois-le-Comte in Orval, including wild herb foraging, hiking weekends, nature coaching, and detox weeks, with accommodation and vegetarian meals included.
• Shiatsu Professional Training Three-year professional training program in Zen-shiatsu offered to individuals, recognized by Belgian and European reflexology federations.
• Foot Reflexology Professional Training Two-year professional training program in foot reflexology, comprising 90 hours per year, recognized by Belgian and European foot reflexology federations, for individuals seeking a professional qualification.
• Craniosacral Therapy Training Multi-year professional training program in craniosacral therapy delivered at OWC Antwerpen for individuals pursuing a recognized credential in craniosacral therapy.
• Resilience & Stress Reduction Courses Courses focused on building mental resilience, emotional healing, trauma processing, and stress management through various holistic modalities for adults.
• Shamanism & Energetic Healing Courses Courses in shamanism, Reiki, and energetic healing — including workshops and multi-day trainings in the Ardennes — for individuals pursuing spiritual development.
• Voeding & Vitaliteit (Nutrition & Vitality) Three-Year Program Three-year professional vegetarian/vegan cooking program (priced €1600-1700 per year) covering nutrition, fermentation, seasonal cooking, and macrobiotic cuisine, for individuals pursuing professional credentials in nutrition.
• Custom-Made Group Programs (Cursussen op maat) Bespoke wellness courses and team events designed for groups and organizations, including corporate team-building and staff wellbeing programs delivered at OWC venues.
• Venue Rental (Cursusruimtes) Rental of course spaces at the Antwerp and Orval locations of East West Center for use by external instructors, groups, and organizations running their own courses or events.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 40 years of continuous operation in holistic wellness education
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Sadhana Yoga: Belgian yoga and meditation school with locations in Ghent and Antwerp offering workshops and teacher trainings. Comparable as a Belgium-based wellness education provider operating in overlapping Flemish cities, though narrower in modality than OWC.

Direct peers

• Como Shambhala: Italy/UK-based wellness brand offering yoga, holistic health, and fitness programs at resort and urban locations. Comparable as a multi-modality wellness provider combining urban programming with retreat-style destinations.
• SHA Wellness Clinic: Spain-based integrative wellness retreat offering structured programs across nutrition, fitness, and holistic therapies. Comparable as a multi-modality European wellness retreat with educational components.
• Lanserhof: European wellness clinic group (Germany/Austria/UK) offering integrative medicine, longevity, and wellness programs. Comparable as a multi-modality European wellness provider with a long operating history.
• 1440 Multiversity: US wellness education campus offering workshops, professional trainings, and personal development programs. Comparable in multi-modal curriculum and workshop-led business model to OWC.
• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: US holistic education and retreat center offering workshops across wellness, meditation, yoga, and creative arts at a residential campus. Comparable as a multi-modality workshop-and-retreat operator with a similarly broad curriculum.
• Buchinger Wilhelmi: Family-run German/European wellness clinic offering therapeutic fasting and integrative health programs across multiple locations. Comparable as a long-established European wellness retreat with educational and therapeutic programming.
• Esalen Institute: Pioneering US holistic education center on the California coast offering workshops in meditation, yoga, massage, bodywork, and personal growth with a residential retreat format. Closely comparable in modalities, workshop-led delivery, and experiential retreat operations.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: US-based holistic wellness education and retreat center offering yoga, meditation, nutrition, and personal development programs with residential workshops and professional training. Highly comparable multi-modality education-plus-retreat model to OWC.
• The Golden Door: US residential wellness retreat offering fitness, nutrition, and personal development programs. Comparable as a multi-modal wellness retreat with structured programs and a long-established brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oost-west-centrum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 East West Center