White Lotus Foundation

Name

White Lotus Foundation

Legal name

White Lotus Foundation

Website

https://whitelotus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yoga Education and Wellness Retreats

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Yoga Instruction (Hatha/Vinyasa/Flow) (HSADACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Yoga teacher training
• Yoga certification programs
• Wellness retreats
• Meditation retreats
• Yoga continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Yoga Teacher Training Programs: 16-day residential yoga teacher training certification programs offered four times per year. Tuition includes course materials and residential enrollment includes meals and accommodations.
2. 300-Hour Advanced Certification: Advanced certification for RYT 200 holders requiring completion of multiple specialized courses including Deepening Your Practice, Restorative Yoga, Pranayama, and elective retreats
3. Restorative Yoga Training: Week-long immersive restorative yoga training program with theory, practice, Thai yoga, music and meditation components
4. Thai Yoga Weekend: Weekend workshop combining traditional Thai massage with yoga asana, pranayama and meditation
5. Yoga Retreats: Various weekend and holiday retreats including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Pranayama, Mindful Cooking, Music/Sound/Vibration, and meditation retreats
6. Deepening Your Practice: Advanced training for experienced students and instructors focusing on advanced asana techniques, philosophy, and teaching development
7. Donation-Based Pricing: Retreat programs offered on donation basis with suggested amounts, classified as potentially tax-deductible for eligible professions including fitness, health, massage, yoga and education
8. Books and Digital Products: Sale of yoga books (Yoga Beyond Belief at $20 signed copy), streaming video products (Total Yoga, Flow Series Earth/Water/Fire), digital audio recordings, and artwork prints

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

White Lotus Foundation delivers residential yoga teacher training and certification programs (RYT 200 and RYT 300), specialty yoga training (Restorative, Deepening Your Practice), and weekend wellness retreats at its 40-acre Santa Barbara mountain retreat center. The organization also sells related published books, streaming videos, and audio programs. Founded in 1967, it operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and was the first yoga teacher training provider in America (1968).

Product overview

White Lotus Foundation offers a portfolio of yoga education programs centered around their retreat center in Santa Barbara, California. The core offering is the 16-day Yoga Teacher Training Certification (RYT 200), complemented by advanced 300 Hour Certification, Restorative Yoga Training, and Deepening Your Practice advanced training programs. They provide diverse weekend yoga retreats including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thai Yoga Weekend, Pranayama, and specialty retreats like Music Sound Vibration and Mindful Cooking. Digital products include streaming videos (Total Yoga, The Flow Series with Earth/Water/Fire tiers) and audio programs, as well as Ganga White's book 'Yoga Beyond Belief.' The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1967.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yoga Teacher Training Certification (RYT 200) A 16-day residential yoga teacher training and certification program offering comprehensive instruction in Hatha Yoga, asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, and teaching techniques. Includes Yoga Alliance approved RYT 200 certification for individuals seeking to become certified yoga teachers.
• 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Certification (RYT 300) Advanced RYT 300 hour certification for yoga teachers already holding RYT 200 registration, requiring completion of Deepening Your Practice (twice), Restorative Yoga Training, Sacred Breath-Pranayama, and elective retreats.
• Restorative Yoga Training A week-long immersive program focused on Restorative Yoga practices, using props, breathwork, and passive engagement to address body-mind restoration and well-being. Includes theory, practice, Thai yoga, music, and meditation components.
• Deepening Your Practice An advanced training and continuing education program for experienced yoga students and instructors, focusing on evolving context and content of yoga practice, isoYOGA, 3D Yoga, and philosophical exploration. Week-long residential format with meals and accommodations included.
• Yoga Retreats Weekend and multi-day yoga retreats including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thai Yoga Weekend, Sacred Breath Pranayama, Yoga of Music Sound and Vibration, Yoga and Mindful Cooking, and Preparing for the Final Asana retreats. Donation-based pricing.
• Sanctuary - Personal Meditation Retreat Personal meditation retreat experience for silent contemplation, yoga practice refinement, reading, writing, or family time in a natural sanctuary setting.
• Yoga Beyond Belief (Book) Ganga White's 240-page book published by North Atlantic Books, offering insights to awaken and deepen yoga practice. Includes foreword by Sting. Available as a $20 signed copy.
• Total Yoga Video Series Online streaming video program created by Tracey Rich and Ganga White, providing complete and accessible yoga instruction for beginners and experienced practitioners. 60-minute practice video with unlimited access at $10 digital version.
• The Flow Series Video Streaming Three-part streaming video series (Earth, Water, Fire) created by Tracey Rich and Ganga White, offering progressive vinyasa yoga sessions for different skill levels. Best value bundle available at $27 for unlimited access to all three.
• Audio Programs Digital audio programs including Yoga Anywhere Class, Meditation is Your Life, and The Flow Series audio recordings for home practice.
• Thai Yoga Weekend Weekend workshop combining traditional Thai massage with yoga asana, pranayama and meditation for massage therapists and yoga teachers seeking to add Thai yoga therapy to their practice.

Segments4 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mount Madonna Center: California yoga retreat and conference center with residential teacher training programs, similar to White Lotus in offering multi-day immersions, dedicated retreat facilities, and yoga teacher certification on a large wooded property.
• Himalayan Institute: Yoga and meditation organization offering residential teacher training programs, retreats, and wellness programs. Comparable to White Lotus in its integrated approach to asana, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy delivered through residential immersion.
• Esalen Institute: Long-established (1962) holistic retreat center in Big Sur, CA where White Lotus director Tracey Rich teaches seminars. Both offer residential wellness workshops in a transformative natural setting, though Esalen is broader in scope (psychology, bodywork) vs. White Lotus's yoga focus.
• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: Non-profit education and retreat center in Rhinebeck, NY offering residential workshops, yoga teacher training, and wellness retreats. Like White Lotus, Omega is a 501(c)(3) with multi-day residential programs and recognized teacher training faculty.
• Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat: Residential yoga teacher training center in the Bahamas founded by Swami Vishnudevananda. White Lotus founder Ganga White served as VP of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Society. Comparable traditional yoga residential training and certification model.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: The largest yoga retreat and teacher training center in the US, located in Stockbridge, MA. Like White Lotus, Kripalu offers residential yoga teacher training (RYT 200/300), multi-day wellness retreats, and proprietary methodology, making it the most directly comparable peer in scale and offering.

Emerging players

• Wanderlust Yoga Festival: Curated yoga retreat and event brand offering destination retreats and teacher training with globally recognized instructors. Overlaps with White Lotus's premium retreat customer segment but operates events rather than a fixed facility.
• Yandara Yoga Institute: Yoga teacher training school in Mexico and online offering 200-hour and 300-hour Yoga Alliance certifications. Similar residential immersion model but with a more internationally mobile program and lower price point than White Lotus.

Broad incumbents

• YogaWorks: Large yoga studio chain offering 200-hour teacher training (in-person and online). Far broader geographic footprint than White Lotus but more standardized curriculum; serves as a structural alternative for prospective yoga teachers.

Regional players

• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Bay Area non-profit meditation retreat center offering residential silent retreats. Overlapping with White Lotus's Sanctuary personal meditation retreat program but focused exclusively on meditation rather than yoga teacher training.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=white+lotus+foundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/whitelotusyogabeyondbelief
• Xx.com/WLFyoga
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/white-lotus-yoga-foundation

Compliance1 record

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 White Lotus Foundation