The Lotus Institute

What The Lotus Institute does

The Lotus Institute is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization offering Buddhist mindfulness practice and teaching for "change makers" engaged in individual and collective healing work. Founded by Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward and the late Dr. Larry Ward and rooted in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, the institute emphasizes the intersection of Buddhism with social justice, particularly through Dr. Larry Ward's "America's Racial Karma" framing of racial healing. Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward continues as co-founder and executive director following Dr. Larry Ward's passing in August 2025. The organization has approximately 10 employees and is headquartered at a registered address in Pataskala, Ohio, while operating primarily online with global reach.

The institute delivers a portfolio of structured courses (Anam Cara, a three-month spiritual mentor training; Midnight Path, a six-month Bodhisattva path program; and self-paced On-Demand Courses), recurring events (monthly guided meditations led by Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward, monthly dharma talks, and qigong classes), and published books (Morning Night, America's Racial Karma, Love's Garden, Making Friends with Time). In-person retreats are held at partner venues including Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Omega Institute, Kripalu, and Christine Center. All online programming is delivered via Zoom with recordings provided within 48 hours.

The revenue model combines multiple low-ticket streams: a monthly membership program (plans beginning at $15/month) granting access to five monthly events and a community forum, sliding-scale course fees, individual event registrations ($15 meditations, $30 dharma talks), donations under the Buddhist dana (generosity) principle, and book royalties through retail partners including Parallax Press, Amazon, and Bookshop.org. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, supported by an email newsletter, Instagram content, and word-of-mouth referral within the sangha and partner organization network. No proprietary technology products, applications, or APIs underpin the offerings.

Name

The Lotus Institute

Legal name

The Lotus Institute

Website

https://thelotusinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Lotus Institute is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization offering Buddhist mindfulness courses, retreats, and community events rooted in the Plum Village tradition for change makers pursuing healing and transformation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mindfulness and Spiritual Education

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs (HSADAJAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Buddhist mindfulness teaching
• Meditation education
• Spiritual mentor training
• Online dharma programs
• Contemplative retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Pataskala

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Monthly membership program providing access to regular events (meditations, dharma talks, qigong), curated weekly practices, community forum, course discounts, and special events. Plans begin at $15/month.
2. Course fees: Multi-month online courses such as Anam Cara (spiritual mentor training) and Midnight Path with registration fees. Offered at sliding scale pricing.
3. Donations and dana: Many events offered freely with donations appreciated, reflecting Buddhist generosity (dana) principles. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
4. Sliding scale event fees: Individual guided meditations ($15) and dharma talks ($30) offered at sliding scale pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Lotus Institute is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization that delivers Buddhist mindfulness teaching rooted in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Its sellable offerings comprise multi-month online courses (Anam Cara spiritual mentor training, Midnight Path Bodhisattva program, on-demand courses), published books, a monthly membership program (from $15/month), and recurring live events including guided meditations, dharma talks, qigong classes, and in-person retreats at partner venues.

Product overview

The Lotus Institute is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization offering Buddhist practice(s) for change makers on the journey of individual and collective healing, transformation and liberation. The organization provides a portfolio of courses including Anam Cara (spiritual mentor training), Midnight Path (Bodhisattva path program), and On-Demand Courses, along with published books (Morning Night, America's Racial Karma, Love's Garden), and recurring events including guided meditations, qigong classes, and dharma talks. A membership program provides access to monthly events and community features. The teaching approach is rooted in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Anam Cara: A three-month online course dedicated to cultivating the skills and compassionate presence of a spiritual mentor (anham cara meaning 'soul friend' in Gaelic).
• Midnight Path
• On-Demand Courses

Products and services

• Anam Cara A three-month online course dedicated to cultivating the skills and compassionate presence of a spiritual mentor; Gaelic for 'soul friend'. Trains participants in spiritual friendship and mentoring.
• Midnight Path A six-month online program exploring the Bodhisattva path, the ten paramitas, and inner resilience through wisdom of the body and heart.
• On-Demand Courses Self-paced online courses available through the organization's virtual academy, covering various mindfulness and Buddhist practice topics for asynchronous learners.
• Membership Program Monthly membership providing access to five monthly events (two meditations, one dharma talk, two qigong classes), curated weekly practice, supportive community forum, course discounts, and special events. Plans begin at $15/month.
• Morning Night Dr. Larry Ward's debut poetry collection on spirit, race, and nature, published and distributed via Bookshop.org, Parallax Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
• America's Racial Karma Dr. Larry Ward's book exploring an invitation to heal racial divisions through Buddhist perspectives, adopted in university curricula including Emory University.
• Love's Garden A guide to mindful relationships co-authored by Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward and Dr. Larry Ward.
• Guided Meditations Monthly guided meditation sessions led by Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward, typically 30 minutes in length, offered online via Zoom with recordings provided; from $15 per session on a sliding scale.
• Dharma Talks Monthly teaching sessions featuring Dr. Larry Ward, Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward, and guest teachers, typically including guided meditation, poetry, and Q&A; from $30 per event on a sliding scale.
• Qigong Classes Mindful movement and massage classes led by Matt Dorma exploring internal martial arts of qigong and tai chi, typically 45 minutes in length.
• In-Person Retreats Multi-day residential retreats held at partner venues including Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Christine Center (Wisconsin), Omega Institute, and Kripalu.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Plum VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpiritual lineage connection. Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward and Dr. Larry Ward ordained in Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. Regular collaboration with Plum Village monastics for ceremonies and retreats. Plum Village Order of Interbeing affiliation for teachers.
• JungPlatformminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for online courses including 'Self-care, Nourishment and Becoming' 4-week course taught by Dr. Larry Ward.
• Sangha LiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal online platform for interactive dharma classes. Dr. Larry Ward and Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward teach occasional Sunday Sangha sessions on the platform.
• Silence FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted Day of Mindfulness event in Oklahoma City. Quote testimonial describing Lotus Institute as 'a lighthouse for our foundation' guiding their programming.
• Barre Center for Buddhist StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-person retreat venue. 'Widening the Heart' 4-night residential retreat led by Peggy Rowe Ward and Larry Ward in May 2025. 'The Art of Interbeing' 5-day retreat scheduled June 2026.
• Omega InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-person retreat hosting. 'Be Not Afraid: We Were Made for These Times' workshop with Dr. Larry Ward and Kaira Jewel Lingo in September 2023.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in Kripalu Amplify Voices Series. 'How We Heal' summit featuring Dr. Larry Ward in May 2025.
• Zen PeacemakersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored event 'Morning Night: Poetry, Memory, and the Living Legacy of Rev. Dr. Larry Ward' in July 2026.
• Kwan Um ZenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted poetry reading and 'Embodied Dharma Stewardship' talk by Dr. Larry Ward in June 2025. Yearlong series on dharma stewardship.
• Garrison InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint 'Resilience + Contemplative Practices' online forum with Drs. Peggy and Larry Ward in July 2023.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Insight Meditation Society: Massachusetts retreat center offering residential Vipassana retreats and online programming with a similar subscription and retreat-based model; shares dharma teacher training and sangha community focus.
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: California Insight Meditation retreat and online learning center offering residential retreats, online courses, and a membership community. Comparable model combining membership, multi-month teacher training, and a retreat calendar.
• Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society: Los Angeles meditation center offering in-person and online classes, retreats, and a community sangha with a comparable mix of membership, course, and donation revenue streams.
• Plum Village: Global Zen Buddhist community and monastery network founded by Thich Nhat Hanh; the Lotus Institute is a Plum Village Order of Interbeing lay community and explicitly partners with Plum Village monastics for retreats and ceremonies.
• Sangha Live: Global online platform for interactive dharma classes featuring Plum Village and other teachers. The Lotus Institute's co-founders teach occasional Sunday Sangha sessions on the platform, making it both a partner and a competing online dharma classroom.
• Barre Center for Buddhist Studies: Massachusetts-based Buddhist study and retreat center offering residential retreats and teacher training. Hosts the Lotus Institute's 'Widening the Heart' and 'The Art of Interbeing' retreats, and shares a contemplative-education overlap.

Emerging players

• Tara Brach / InsightLA Community (Wisdom, Healing and Meditation): Teacher-led meditation community offering online classes, courses, and retreats rooted in Insight Meditation. Competes for the same Buddhist-leaning U.S. practitioner audience as the Lotus Institute via similar online subscription and course products.
• Mindful Schools: Nonprofit providing mindfulness curricula and training for K-12 educators. Comparable nonprofit education model with online courses, though focused on school-age audiences rather than adult dharma practitioners.

Broad incumbents

• Omega Institute for Holistic Studies: Large New York-based holistic learning retreat center offering workshops, retreats, and online courses across mindfulness, yoga, and wellness. Has co-hosted Lotus Institute workshops and serves a comparable audience at greater scale.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Large Massachusetts yoga, mindfulness, and wellness retreat center with residential programs, RISE retreats, and online learning. Featured the Lotus Institute in its Amplify Voices series and operates an overlapping wellness-retreat model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thelotusinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lotusinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 The Lotus Institute