Sahaj Foundation

What Sahaj Foundation does

Sahaj Foundation is an Indian non-profit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, that delivers inner-growth and organizational transformation programs. Its portfolio spans four lines: residential retreats at Deer Park Institute (Head2Heart, Peaceful Living, Dealing with Negative Emotions); online meditation programs delivered via Zoom (Cultivating Emotional Balance, Weekend Morning Intensives); organizational transformation offerings (Culture for Inner Growth Intensive applying Frederic Laloux's Teal organization principles; The Money Pilgrimage for founders); and rural immersion programs (PVK Dialogue on Rural Development, Aao Gaon Ko Jaane for urban students, Swanimaan for rural children). The methodology integrates Buddhist teachings, meditation practice, and experiential learning into frameworks such as a Three-Component Mental Engagement model.

The foundation operates on a hybrid commercial-and-philanthropic model rather than conventional revenue generation. Most programs use sliding-scale contributions tiered by geography — INR 7,000–12,000 for Global South participants and USD 200–400 for Global North participants on CIG — while One-on-one Conversations and certain retreats are offered entirely on a Gift Economy basis with voluntary post-experience contributions. Residential retreats use unit pricing (e.g., INR 9,800–14,400 for Dealing with Negative Emotions depending on room configuration). Distribution is community-led through the website application portal, participant testimonials, and partnerships with Deer Park Institute, Empathy Connects, DLRC Pune, Where There Be Dragons, Findhorn Foundation, Teach For India, and Indian academic institutions.

Cumulative impact reported includes 26 organizations served through CIG, 352+ participants across 22 PVK Dialogues since 2017, and 123 participants across 4 CIG online gatherings. The organization is founder-led (Ashish Kumar, IIT Roorkee 2009 graduate, and Divya Gupta) with Manoj Sharma as Mentor Trustee, and operates with a 6-person core team. No external institutional funding, venture capital, or parent entity has been disclosed.

Name

Sahaj Foundation

Legal name

Sahaj Foundation

Website

https://sahajfoundation.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Development & Wellness Programs

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Mindfulness retreats
• Organizational transformation programs
• Emotional balance workshops
• Rural development dialogue
• Inner growth facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bir

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Contribution/Fees: Sahaj Foundation operates primarily on a sliding-scale contribution model where participants pay based on their willingness and financial capacity. Different programs have suggested contribution ranges: INR 7,000-12,000 for Global South participants or USD 200-400 for Global North participants for CIG; Rs 9,500-14,500 for Cultivating Emotional Balance; and accommodation-based fees (Rs 9,800-14,400) for residential retreats. Some programs operate on pure Gift Economy basis where contributions are voluntary.
2. Gift Economy Contributions: Programs like One-on-one Conversations and some 'Dealing with Negative Emotions' retreats are offered entirely on Gift Economy basis, where participants contribute as per their willingness and capacity after the experience. This model supports accessibility while allowing those who can afford more to subsidize others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sahaj Foundation is a non-profit organization that designs and delivers residential retreats, online meditation/emotional-balance programs, organizational transformation intensives, and rural immersion dialogues rooted in Buddhist teachings and reflective practice. Offerings include multi-day Himalayan retreats at Deer Park Institute (Bir, Himachal Pradesh), the 6-week Culture for Inner Growth (CIG) program on Teal organizations, the 6-week Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) program, PVK Dialogue on Rural Development, programs for urban and rural children, and personal One-on-one Conversations. Participants access programs via sliding-scale contributions or gift-economy model.

Product overview

Sahaj Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, offering a diverse portfolio of personal development and organizational transformation programs. The offerings can be categorized into four main areas: (1) Organizational Transformation through the Culture for Inner Growth (CIG) Intensive program; (2) Retreats including Head2Heart, Peaceful Living, Dealing with Negative Emotions, and Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) - a 6-week online program; (3) Rural Immersion programs including PVK Dialogue on Rural Development, आओ गांव को जाने! for urban kids, and Local Community Projects featuring स्वनिर्माण (Swanimaan) for rural children; and (4) Personal guidance through One-on-one Conversations and The Money Pilgrimage for founders. The foundation operates primarily in the Himalayan region at Deer Park Institute, with online components for CEB and Weekend Morning Intensives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Culture for Inner Growth (CIG): A 6-week intensive program exploring Teal organizational principles for transforming workplace culture based on self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary purpose.
• The Money Pilgrimage
• Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB)
• PVK Dialogue (Prashna Vikaas Ka)
• SwarNirmana (स्वनिर्माण)
• Aao Gaon Ko Jaane (आओ गांव को जाने)

Products and services

• Culture for Inner Growth (CIG) Intensive A six-week online program designed for working professionals and founding members of for-profit or non-profit organizations (best suited for organizations with 5–50 members). Explores transformation of organizational culture using Teal principles — Self-management, Wholeness, and Evolutionary Purpose — adapted from Frederic Laloux's 'Reinventing Organizations'.
• Head2Heart Retreat A 7-day residential retreat in the Himalayas (Deer Park Institute, Bir) designed to take seekers on a journey from their minds to their hearts, helping them identify their heart's calling and gather courage to follow it. Batch size 10–15 participants.
• Peaceful Living Retreat A 3–4 day residential retreat at Deer Park Institute, Bir (Himachal Pradesh) designed to help participants go within and understand the real needs of themselves beyond material offerings — an inner journey to experience love, compassion, trust, and inner peace. Batch size 10–15 participants.
• Dealing with Negative Emotions Retreat A 7-day study and meditation residential retreat in the Himalayas focused on understanding, facing, and transforming negative emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, attachment, greed, and jealousy. Includes accommodation, facilitation, food, and local travel. Pricing: Single Room INR 14,400, Twin Sharing INR 12,300, Dormitory INR 9,800 per participant; INR 5,000 non-refundable deposit.
• Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB) A 6-week online meditation and study program based on Buddhist teachings designed to build awareness and right understanding of the mind for working professionals. Includes 12 sessions (90 minutes each) plus personal one-on-one coaching; batch size 10–20 participants. Suggested contribution INR 9,500–14,500. Uses the Three-Component Mental Engagement Framework (External Influence, Mental Engagement, Expression).
• The Money Pilgrimage A journey designed for founders and business owners to explore their personal relationship with money, featuring the Money Game experience adapted from the Findhorn community in Scotland (delivered in virtual format by Greaterthan).
• One-on-one Conversations Personal guidance sessions conducted via phone (audio mode) where facilitators apply personal experiences derived from Buddhist teachings to help individuals deal with emotional imbalances, doubt, fear, or anger. Offered in the spirit of Gift Economy — participants contribute as per their willingness and capacity.
• प्रश्न विकास का — A Dialogue on Rural Development (PVK Dialogue) A 6-day dialogue for college students and working professionals to understand development by questioning its basics through rural context, reflection, and on-field village visits. 22 dialogues have been organized since 2017 serving 352+ participants, in collaboration with Empathy Connects, DLRC Pune, Where There Be Dragons, and Indian universities.
• आओ गांव को जाने! (Aao Gaon Ko Jaane!) A 7-day residential program for urban school students (ages 12–17) to understand rural eco-systems and experience values that the rural populace naturally lives with.
• Local Community Projects — स्वनिर्माण (Swanimaan) A 7–15 day holistic development program for rural kids (ages 12–15) focused on life skills, values, and exposure to the outside world. Uses project-based learning, interactive sessions, surveys, collaborative games, documentaries, and meditation. Workshops of 6–8 hours per day for about 15–20 kids during school breaks.
• Weekend Morning Intensive — Dealing With Anxiety An online weekend intensive session focused on dealing with anxiety from a Buddhist perspective, conducted via Zoom as part of the Dealing with Negative Emotions / Cultivating Emotional Balance program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 organizations transformed through Teal organization principles
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• Where There Be DragonsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018International exchange program partnership for rural development dialogue. July 2018 batch included international participants from USA, Brazil, Switzerland through this collaboration.
• Empathy ConnectsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Collaboration for PVK Dialogues on Rural Development targeting working professionals. Empathy Connects refers participants to the dialogue program. Multiple cohorts conducted together including April 2018 and May 2018 batches.
• DLRC Pune (Democratic Learning and Reflection Center)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership for school student and parent dialogues as part of PVK Dialogues series. Conducted multiple sessions including September 2017 and September 2018 batches focused on school students.
• Deer Park InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeer Park Institute in Bir, HP serves as the primary venue for all residential retreats and dialogues. Established in March 2006 as a center for classical Indian wisdom traditions, it provides the Himalayan setting integral to Sahaj Foundation's programs. The partnership enables authentic immersion experiences in a contemplative environment.
• IIT MandiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Ashish Kumar previously helped set up IIT Mandi's 'Centre for Innovative Technologies in Himalayan Region' before founding Sahaj Foundation. Ongoing relationship with academic institution for rural development dialogues.
• Teach For IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple Teach For India fellows have participated in PVK Dialogues and organizational transformation programs. Alumni from the organization have also joined as facilitators and supporters.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Art of Living: Largest Indian-founded wellness and meditation organization globally, running residential retreats (including in the Himalayas), online programs, and corporate workshops. Directly comparable to Sahaj on meditation retreats and online delivery, but at vastly greater scale.
• Isha Foundation: Indian yoga and meditation nonprofit offering residential programs (Isha Yoga Center), Inner Engineering online courses, and rural revitalization initiatives. Comparable in Himalayan setting, meditation focus, and nonprofit structure, but orders of magnitude larger.
• Vipassana Meditation (Dhamma Giri): Global network of residential Vipassana meditation centers offering 10-day silent retreats. Overlaps with Sahaj's residential meditation retreats and gift-economy/donation-based pricing philosophy, though focused exclusively on Vipassana technique.

Regional players

• Insight Meditation Society (IMS): Pioneering Buddhist Vipassana retreat center offering residential and online programs on emotional balance, mindfulness, and meditation. Direct comparability in Buddhist-rooted residential retreat model and program structure.
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: US-based Buddhist meditation center offering residential retreats and online programs on mindfulness and emotional balance. Closely comparable to Sahaj's Cultivating Emotional Balance and Dealing with Negative Emotions retreats in pedagogy (Buddhist-based) and format.

Emerging players

• The School of Life: Founded by Alain de Botton, offers programs and content on emotional intelligence, work meaning, and self-development. Comparable audience overlap with Sahaj's CIG (organizational culture) and individual transformation programs, though delivered differently (video/content-led vs. residential).
• Frederic Laloux / Reinventing Organizations Community: The community around Laloux's Teal Organizations framework (the intellectual basis of Sahaj's CIG program). Provides comparable content and convening services to leaders seeking self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary-purpose transformations.
• Empathy Connects: Active PVK Dialogue partner running experiential rural-immersion and self-reliance programs for professionals. Overlaps with Sahaj's rural-immersion track in audience (NGO/social-sector professionals), pedagogy (experiential dialogue), and partner network.

Direct peers

• Findhorn Foundation: Scottish spiritual and personal-development community whose Money Game Sahaj has licensed for its Money Pilgrimage program. Comparable in combining personal transformation, organizational innovation, and gift-economy elements within a residential/contemplative community.
• Deer Park Institute: The actual host venue for Sahaj's residential retreats; also runs its own Buddhist study and meditation programs. Closest peer in terms of program philosophy, geographic setting (Bir, HP), and target audience of contemplative seekers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sahaj-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sahaj Foundation