What iRest Institute does

iRest Institute is a U.S.-based non-profit educational and training organization founded in 2006 by Dr. Richard Miller, PhD, dedicated to the alleviation, resolution, and prevention of trauma and suffering. Its core offering is iRest Yoga Nidra, a structured 10-step meditation protocol embedded in an ancient 38-stage yogic meditation approach rooted in the teachings of nonduality, adapted for contemporary use. The protocol is supported by more than 30 clinical trials and has been recognized by the U.S. Army Surgeon General and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury as a complementary and alternative medicine for PTSD and related conditions.

The product portfolio spans guided audio meditations (5-42 minutes), Level 1 and Level 2 teacher training programs (priced around $1,395-$1,695), a $1,900 Teacher Certification Program, a $129/month Teachers Community Network membership, and in-person retreats ranging from $595 to $3,280. Distribution runs primarily through the organization's own Shopify-based e-commerce storefront (shop.irest.org), supplemented by direct live training events and a distributed global network of certified teachers serving as a de facto sales and delivery force. The organization also operates a freemium layer with a free introductory course and sample audio meditations to drive top-of-funnel acquisition.

The institute serves a diversified customer base across two layers: institutional buyers including the Veterans Health Administration, U.S. military installations, Australian/Canadian/British Armed Forces, correctional facilities, hospices, and schools; and individual consumers across personas spanning military veterans, yoga teachers and therapists, psychotherapists, healthcare workers, and the general well-being-seeking public. Marketing is conducted via content (blog, research section, YouTube, podcast appearances), social media (Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo), email, and the training/retreat events themselves.

Name

iRest Institute

Legal name

iRest Institute

Website

https://irest.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

iRest Institute is a U.S. non-profit founded in 2006 that develops and trains certified teachers in iRest Yoga Nidra, a 10-step meditation protocol supported by 30+ clinical trials and used by the VA, U.S. and allied militaries, and individual consumers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Meditation and Wellness Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids & Family Yoga (HSADACAK)

Keywords

• Meditation training
• Yoga nidra instruction
• Teacher certification
• Mindfulness programs
• Trauma resolution

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training Programs: Level 1 and Level 2 teacher training programs offered both online and in-person. These intensive training courses prepare individuals to teach iRest meditation and represent significant one-time revenue per participant.
2. Certification Program: iRest Teacher Certification Program priced at $1,900, providing formal credentials for qualified practitioners to become certified iRest teachers.
3. Digital Products and Online Courses: Pre-recorded meditation courses, webinars, and digital content available for immediate download or streaming through the e-commerce platform.
4. Teachers Community Network Membership: Monthly membership subscription at $129 providing ongoing community access, resources, and support for certified iRest teachers.
5. Retreats: In-person retreat experiences ranging from $595 to $3,280 offering immersive iRest training in retreat settings.
6. Workshops and Immersions: Shorter-format in-person and virtual events providing intensive iRest practice and instruction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

iRest Institute is a nonprofit educational and training organization that teaches and certifies practitioners in the iRest Yoga Nidra protocol, a 10-step meditation framework based on ancient yoga nidra and adapted for modern living. It sells guided meditation audio content, Level 1 and Level 2 teacher training programs, a formal Teacher Certification Program, digital on-demand courses, and in-person retreats and workshops, supplemented by a recurring Teachers Community Network membership for certified teachers.

Product overview

iRest Institute offers a portfolio of meditation and wellness products centered on iRest Yoga Nidra, a 10-step protocol based on ancient yoga nidra practices. The core offering includes guided audio meditations (5-42 minutes) taught by founder Richard Miller, PhD. The product line spans training programs (Level 1 and Level 2 Training), a Teacher Certification Program ($1,900), and a Teachers Community Network Membership ($129). Digital products include meditation collections (42 iRest Yoga Nidra Meditations), specialized courses (Reclaiming Restful Sleep, Freedom from Worry, Awakening to Your Essential Nature), and webinars. The company also offers in-person events including retreats (2026 July Retreat at $3,280, August Retreat at $595), workshops, and free community sessions. All offerings are delivered through their Shopify-based e-commerce platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iRest Yoga Nidra: A 10-step meditation protocol that is a modern adaptation of the ancient practice of yoga nidra, designed for modern day living
• Teachers Community Network
• iRest Teacher Certification Program

Products and services

• iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation
• iRest Level 1 Training
• iRest Level 2 Training
• iRest Teacher Certification Program
• Teachers Community Network Membership
• 42 iRest Yoga Nidra Meditations with Richard Miller
• Reclaiming Restful Sleep
• Freedom from Worry: Effectively Coping with Anxiety and Stress
• Awakening to Your Essential Nature
• Explorations in Stillness: The In-Depth Teachings of Non-Dual Meditation with Richard Miller ONLINE
• Dialogue on the Intersection Between Pain Science and iRest Yoga Nidra
• iRest Retreats
• iRest Workshops and Immersions

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Veterans Health AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartneriRest programs are integrated into the VA's Whole Health Program across VA medical facilities. This partnership enables veterans to access iRest meditation as part of their healthcare treatment, particularly for PTSD, chronic pain, and sleep disorders.
• U.S. Military InstallationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartneriRest is implemented across U.S. military bases as an evidence-based meditation protocol for active duty service members, supporting mental health, resilience, and operational readiness.
• Australian Defense ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational military partnership bringing iRest meditation program to Australian defense personnel.
• Canadian Armed ForcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational military partnership implementing iRest meditation program for Canadian military personnel.
• British Armed ForcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational military partnership implementing iRest meditation program for British military personnel.
• Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain InjurycoreStrategic or Co-development PartneriRest is recognized by DCoE as a Complementary and Alternative Medicine warranting continuing research for treatment of post-traumatic stress, providing official validation for military adoption.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Insight Timer: Free meditation app with a large community of teachers, live sessions, and courses. Closely comparable to iRest in its community-led GTM and teacher-network-driven content model, though broader in scope than yoga nidra.
• Waking Up: Subscription meditation and contemplative practice platform founded by Sam Harris. Comparable to iRest as a structured, philosophy-rooted meditation curriculum delivered digitally on a subscription basis.
• 10% Happier: Meditation app offering structured courses, sleep content, and coaching. Comparable to iRest's training/certification and guided meditation offerings, with a similar evidence-tinged, practical-skeptic positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Yoga, meditation, and wellness retreat and education center with professional trainings. Comparable to iRest in its blend of immersive retreats, teacher training, and educational programs targeting yoga practitioners and helping professionals.
• Yoga Alliance: Largest U.S. yoga education credentialing body for teachers and schools. Comparable in that both organizations credential yoga instructors and set training standards, but Yoga Alliance operates at much broader category scope than iRest's yoga-nidra protocol.
• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: Wellness education center offering workshops, retreats, and teacher trainings in meditation and yoga. Comparable to iRest's in-person retreat and workshop model serving overlapping self-development and practitioner audiences.
• Calm: Leading consumer meditation, sleep, and mental fitness app with strong corporate partnerships. Targets overlapping end-user pain points (sleep, anxiety, stress) addressed by iRest, with a much larger consumer marketing footprint.
• Headspace: Large-scale consumer meditation and mental health app with enterprise wellness distribution. Competes with iRest for the same sleep, stress, and anxiety use cases at consumer scale, but operates with vastly greater capital and brand recognition.

Direct peers

• Gaia: Streaming subscription service focused on yoga, meditation, and conscious living content. Comparable to iRest's e-commerce distribution of guided meditation content, retreats, and multi-channel practitioner education.
• Yoga International: Subscription-based digital yoga and meditation content platform offering structured courses, teacher training, and certifications. Directly comparable to iRest's online trainings, digital products, and teacher certification model targeting the same yoga practitioner and teacher audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IRIiRestYogaNidra
• Facebookfacebook.com/iRestMeditation
• Instagraminstagram.com/irestmeditation
• Xx.com/irestyoganidra

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 iRest Institute