Deer Park Monastery
Deer Park Monastery is a nonprofit Plum Village mindfulness practice center in Escondido, California, serving individual practitioners, families, and young adults through retreats, residential training, mobile app, and a global network of 12+ practice centers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersEscondido, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Deer Park Monastery does
Deer Park Monastery is a nonprofit mindfulness practice center in the Plum Village tradition founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, located on a 400-acre campus in Escondido, California. It serves individual practitioners, families, young adults, and professionals through multi-format programming including Days of Mindfulness, weekend retreats, the 90-day Rains Retreat (priced $4,500-$13,500), the 15-month Action Wake Up residential training program for ages 18-35 ($1,500/month), and the K-8 Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing. The organization distributes content via the Plum Village mobile app (iOS/Android), Substack newsletter (10,000+ subscribers), YouTube Dharma talks, online courses, the shop.deerparkmonastery.org bookshop, and livestreaming, while supporting a global network of 12+ sister practice centers across the US, France, Germany, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, and Canada.
Deer Park Monastery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Deer Park Monastery
- Legal name
- Deer Park Monastery
- Website
- https://deerparkmonastery.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Deer Park Monastery is a nonprofit Plum Village mindfulness practice center in Escondido, California, serving individual practitioners, families, and young adults through retreats, residential training, mobile app, and a global network of 12+ practice centers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Deer Park Monastery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Spiritual Retreat and Mindfulness Practice Center
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents) (BPAGAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL), Yoga & Meditation Experiences (Studio Classes, Guided Meditation, Mindfulness) (THAJAHAA), Holistic & Alternative Therapy Retreats (Naturopathy, Energy Work) (THAGAMAI)
Keywords
Where Deer Park Monastery is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Escondido
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices14 records
Markets served
Deer Park Monastery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Dana: Donations are the main source of support for the monastery. The Happy Farm and Action Wake Up program operate entirely on dana (generosity). Visitors and supporters are invited to contribute financially to keep the monastery open and support various initiatives.
- Retreat Fees: Revenue from retreat programs including the 3-month Rains Retreat (ranging from $4,500 to $13,500 depending on rate tier), weekend retreats, family retreats, and teen retreats. Dormitory accommodation included.
- Action Wake Up Program Fees: 15-month residential training program costs $1,500 per month, including room and board. Need-based scholarships available.
- Bookshop Sales: Online bookstore (shop.deerparkmonastery.org) selling Parallax Press books, dharma items, mindfulness resources, and monastery merchandise.
- Music Festival Proceeds: Rhythm of the Earth annual music festival generates proceeds supporting monastery projects including the Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing and the Sister Chan Khong documentary film.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Rains Retreat (3-month residential program) - Supporter Rate |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Rains Retreat - Benefactor Rate |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Rains Retreat - Base Rate |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Rains Retreat - Reduced Rate |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Rains Retreat - Special Case Rate (18-35 years) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Action Wake Up Program - Monthly Fee |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Farm Donations |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Rhythm of the Earth Music Festival |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels9 records
Deer Park Monastery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Deer Park Monastery is a 400-acre mindfulness practice center in the Plum Village tradition offering meditation retreats, Dharma teachings, and community programs rooted in the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The monastery provides in-person residential retreats (Days of Mindfulness, 3-month Rains Retreats, family and teen retreats, and the 15-month Action Wake Up residential training program for ages 18-35) alongside digital resources including the Plum Village mobile app, online multi-week courses, and livestreamed Dharma talks. The monastery operates primarily on a donation/dana model supplemented by retreat fees, bookshop sales, and proceeds from the annual Rhythm of the Earth Music Festival.
Product overview
Deer Park Monastery offers a comprehensive portfolio of mindfulness and Buddhist practice resources centered on the Plum Village tradition established by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The core offerings include the Plum Village App (mobile application for guided meditations and mindfulness practice), Online Courses for digital learning, and various retreat programs (Days of Mindfulness, Rains Retreat, Family Retreats). Additional products include Dharma Talks, Guided Meditations, and Podcast content for ongoing practice support. The monastery also publishes The Hidden Mountain Record annual publication and supports The Mindfulness Bell journal. Major initiatives include the Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing (K-8 educational institution), Deer Park Happy Farm (organic regenerative farm), the Thich Nhat Hanh Museum project, Sister Chan Khong Film documentary, and the Action Wake Up 15-month residential training program for young adults. The Coyote Tracks newsletter provides ongoing community communication via Substack, while the Bookshop offers e-commerce for mindfulness resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hidden Mountain Record: Deer Park's annual publication recapping activities and teachings at the monastery.
- Coyote Tracks
- Rhythm of the Earth Music Festival
- Ocean of Peace Meditation Hall
- Action Wake Up
- Deer Park Happy Farm
- Thich Nhat Hanh Museum
- Thich Nhat Hanh School of Interbeing
Products and services
- Plum Village App Mobile application designed to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, and joy through guided meditations, deep relaxations, practice poems, bells of mindfulness, and other Plum Village practices accessible globally on iOS and Android.
- Online Courses Multi-week digital courses on mindfulness, the teachings and life of Thich Nhat Hanh, and various mindfulness subjects delivered through the monastery's online portal.
- Retreat Programs In-person residential retreat programs including Days of Mindfulness (single day), weekend retreats, the 3-month Rains Retreat, family retreats, and teen retreats held at the Deer Park Monastery campus and partner locations.
- Action Wake Up Program 15-month residential training program in Buddhist spiritual practice, applied ethics, community living, mindful service, and leadership development for young people aged 18-35, priced at $1,500 per month including room and board with need-based scholarships.
- Bookshop Online retail shop selling Parallax Press books, dharma items, mindfulness resources, and monastery merchandise.
- Dharma Talks Library Recorded Dharma teachings and talks by monastics at Deer Park Monastery covering Buddhist mindfulness practices and the Plum Village tradition, distributed via the website and YouTube.
- Guided Meditations Audio-guided meditation sessions for practitioners to follow mindfulness practices at home.
- Coyote Tracks Newsletter Substack-based newsletter featuring event announcements, writing, art, music, and meditation from Deer Park monks and nuns, with over 10,000 subscribers.
- The Hidden Mountain Record Deer Park Monastery's annual publication recapping activities, stories, and highlights of mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism practices at the monastery, published by Parallax Press and available as paperback and eBook.
- The Mindfulness Bell International journal of the Order of Interbeing and Plum Village Sangha featuring articles on mindfulness practice worldwide and listing hundreds of affiliated Sanghas.
- Podcast Series Audio podcast series featuring teachings, Dharma talks, and mindfulness practices from the Deer Park monastic community.
- Rhythm of the Earth Music Festival Annual mindful music festival held at Deer Park Monastery featuring live performances at natural venues across the 400-acre grounds, walking meditation between performance areas, and live streaming of portions of the event, with proceeds supporting monastery projects.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5 Action Wake Up cohort members received Five Mindfulness Trainings after 3 months of practice
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Deer Park Monastery
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Deer Park Monastery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Deer Park Monastery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Floating Leaf SanghaminorPartnership with Floating Leaf Sangha to co-host the 'Peace is The Way' Mindfulness Retreat in Alaska from August 27-30, 2026. Deer Park Monastics travel to Alaska to lead the retreat in partnership with this local Sangha community.
- YMCA of the RockiesminorPartnership with YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado to host the 'The Sun My Heart' Retreat from August 9-15, 2026. The retreat is held at the YMCA facility, bringing mindfulness practice to a new venue and audience.
- Sage Hill Ranch GardensminorPartnership for seedlings and ongoing support through 2026 for the Deer Park Happy Farm. Sage Hill Ranch Gardens provides organic seedlings and gardening expertise to support the monastery's organic farming initiative.
- Joe Reilly and the Community GardenerscoreMusician and performer at Rhythm of the Earth Music Festival, part of the founding artistic lineup for the mindful music festival since its inception in 2023.
- Free Cloud Collective (including Nels Cline and Alex Cline)coreMusical collective featuring acclaimed musicians who performed at the inaugural Rhythm of the Earth Festival, contributing to the unique blend of mindfulness and music that characterizes the event.
- Makeda and the World Beat Cultural Center Drum and DancecoreCultural performance group that performed at the inaugural Rhythm of the Earth Festival, bringing world beat music and dance to the mindful music festival.
- Born IcoreMusician who joined the lineup for the second annual Rhythm of the Earth Festival in 2024, bringing unique musical talent to the event.
- Parallax PresscoreOfficial publisher of Thich Nhat Hanh's books and related materials. Publishes The Hidden Mountain Record annual publication for Deer Park Monastery. Deep partnership in making Buddhist teachings accessible through published works.
- Plum Village (France)coreRoot temple and origin of the Plum Village tradition. Deer Park Monastery is part of the international Plum Village Sangha network. Shared resources, teachings, monastic exchanges, and coordinated practice schedules connect the global monastery community.
- Blue Cliff MonasterycoreSister monastery in Pine Bush, New York. Part of the Plum Village practice center network. Shares teachings, hosts shared events, and provides regional mindfulness practice opportunities on the East Coast.
- Magnolia Grove MonasterycoreSister monastery in Batesville, Mississippi. Part of the Plum Village practice center network. Shared lineage through Thich Nhat Hanh with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. connection. Statues of both on grounds.
- Wouter Verhoeven (Filmmaker)coreFilmmaker directing the documentary film 'Oneness: Zen Observations in Times of Division' about Sister Chan Khong. A generous donor stepped forward in spring 2024 to fully finance the film as executive producer.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthThe Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health at Harvard is connected to Deer Park Monastery. Staff member visited Deer Park to support 'The Buddha, The Scientist' retreat and has returned with mindfulness practices to share with the Harvard community.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Deer Park Monastery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Headspace: Leading commercial meditation and mindfulness app with millions of subscribers globally. Competes directly with the Plum Village app in the digital mindfulness space, but operates as a venture-backed consumer subscription business rather than a monastic nonprofit.
Direct peers
- Tassajara Zen Mountain Center: San Francisco Zen Center's mountain monastery in Carmel Valley, California — the oldest Soto Zen monastery in the U.S. Offers residential meditation retreats, monastic training, and guest stays; directly comparable as a Zen Buddhist residential retreat and practice center.
- Shambhala Mountain Center: Large Buddhist retreat and meditation center on 600+ acres in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. Offers residential retreats, dharma programs, and contemplative education; comparable in scale, retreat programming, and mountain setting to Deer Park's California campus.
- Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Major Insight Meditation (Theravada) retreat center in Marin County, California, offering residential silent retreats, daylong programs, and online courses. Closest non-Plum Village analog as a large-scale Vipassana/insight retreat center with multi-day residential programs and teacher-led practice.
- Magnolia Grove Monastery: Sister Plum Village monastery in Batesville, Mississippi, founded by Thich Nhat Hanh in 2005. Operates retreats and mindfulness practice on 120 acres with nearly 40 monastics in residence; same lineage, same practices, same retreat model.
- Insight Meditation Society (IMS): Pioneering Insight Meditation retreat center in Barre, Massachusetts, offering multi-week residential retreats in the Theravada tradition. Comparable scale and program structure to Deer Park's residential retreats, though in a different Buddhist tradition.
- European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB): Sister Plum Village institute in Waldbröl, Germany, founded by Thich Nhat Hanh in 2008. Offers 100+ courses annually on Buddhist psychology and mindfulness for professionals. Same lineage and tradition as Deer Park, comparable educational programming.
- Plum Village (Village des Pruniers / Làng Mai): Root temple of the Plum Village tradition founded by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1982 in southern France. Deer Park Monastery operates as part of this parent network, sharing teachings, monastics, and practice schedules, making it the closest direct comparable organization.
- Blue Cliff Monastery: Sister monastery in Pine Bush, New York, also part of the Plum Village practice center network. Offers identical Plum Village mindfulness practice, retreats, and residential programs on 80 acres of Catskills woodland, directly comparable in offering and tradition.
- Thai Plum Village: Largest Plum Village community in Asia, located on edge of Khao Yai National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site). Hosts up to 200 monastics and offers retreats in Vietnamese, English, and Thai. Same tradition, same monastic community, comparable program scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Deer Park Monastery social profiles
Digital presenceDeer Park Monastery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Deer Park Monastery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Deer Park Monastery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Deer Park Monastery 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 Deer Park Monastery
What does Deer Park Monastery do?
Deer Park Monastery is a 400-acre mindfulness practice center in the Plum Village tradition offering meditation retreats, Dharma teachings, and community programs rooted in the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The monastery provides in-person residential retreats (Days of Mindfulness, 3-month Rains Retreats, family and teen retreats, and the 15-month Action Wake Up residential training program for ages 18-35) alongside digital resources including the Plum Village mobile app, online multi-week courses, and livestreamed Dharma talks. The monastery operates primarily on a donation/dana model supplemented by retreat fees, bookshop sales, and proceeds from the annual Rhythm of the Earth Music Festival.
Is Deer Park Monastery a public or private company?
Deer Park Monastery is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Deer Park Monastery founded?
Deer Park Monastery was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Deer Park Monastery based?
Deer Park Monastery is headquartered in Escondido, United States, in the North America region.
How does Deer Park Monastery make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Dana is the primary driver. The others are retreat Fees, action Wake Up Program Fees, bookshop Sales and music Festival Proceeds.
Who are Deer Park Monastery's main competitors?
Headspace is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Shambhala Mountain Center, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Magnolia Grove Monastery, Insight Meditation Society (IMS), European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB), Plum Village (Village des Pruniers / Làng Mai), Blue Cliff Monastery and Thai Plum Village.
Does Deer Park Monastery have an API?
No public API is recorded for Deer Park Monastery.
What industry is Deer Park Monastery in?
Deer Park Monastery's product category is Spiritual Retreat and Mindfulness Practice Center. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAC, Religious Orders & Monastic Communities (Monasteries, Convents), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAL, Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 7000.