The School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation

What The School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation does

The School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation is a New York-based not-for-profit educational organization, chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York and operating with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Its lineage traces to The School of Economic Science founded in London in 1937, with the New York City school established in 1964 and reoriented to its current philosophy-and-meditation mission in 1965. The school offers a tiered curriculum starting with the 9–10 week "Philosophy Works" introductory course ($10 registration fee), progressing through Philosophy 2–11 foundation and continuing courses ($90 each), and culminating in advanced N-level and M-level courses ($175). Mantra-based meditation instruction is gated behind Philosophy Works completion, with one-on-one tutorials and ongoing classroom support. Delivery is hybrid: online via Zoom and in-person at three New York City locations (12 East 79th Street, 5 West 63rd Street, and Laughing Man Cafe in Tribeca) plus two Wallkill, NY sites anchored by the 220-acre Borden Estate retreat property with overnight capacity for over 60 people. The institution is a volunteer organization with no full-time paid staff; all tutors serve without remuneration under the learn-and-teach principle, and Senior Tutor Barry Steingard has held his position since 1996.

Name

The School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation

Legal name

The School of Practical Philosophy

Website

https://philosophyworks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation is a New York-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering tiered philosophy courses and mantra-based meditation, delivered online and in-person across NYC and Wallkill, NY, to individual adult students seeking self-discovery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Education — Practical Philosophy and Meditation

NAICS

Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Yoga & Meditation Experiences (Studio Classes, Guided Meditation, Mindfulness) (THAJAHAA)

Keywords

• Philosophy education
• Meditation training
• Adult education courses
• Self-discovery programs
• Wellness instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

West New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Course Registration Fees: Philosophy Works introductory course offered for a $10 non-refundable registration fee as a gift to the community. Foundation and continuing courses (Philosophy 2-11) are priced at $90 per course. Advanced N-level courses are $175 each.
2. Donations: The school relies on donations to cover basic operating expenses. Tuition costs are kept below necessary levels so that interest in Practical Philosophy, not money, is the only requirement for participation.
3. Special Event Fees: Fees for special events such as Plato Study Day ($50), Emerson Study Day ($30), and other retreats at the Borden Estate property.
4. Event Venue Rental: The 220-acre Borden Estate is available for public and private events including weddings, corporate retreats, and artistic retreats, managed by a separate entity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The School delivers an experiential adult education program in practical philosophy and mantra-based meditation. The flagship offering is the Philosophy Works introductory 9-10 week course ($10 registration), which leads into a structured continuing curriculum (Philosophy 2-11 at $90/course), advanced N-level and M-level courses ($175/course), mantra-based meditation for qualified students, and supplementary events such as Plato Study Day, Emerson Study Day, and retreats at the Borden Estate property. Courses are offered online via Zoom and in-person at NYC and Hudson Valley locations.

Product overview

The School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation offers a structured educational program centered on practical philosophy and meditation. The main product is the Philosophy Works introductory course, which leads into a progressive curriculum of five core Philosophy courses (Philosophy 2-11) covering topics such as Happiness, Love, Presence of Mind, Freedom, Emotional Freedom, Decision, and The 5 Sheaths. The school also offers mantra-based meditation instruction for qualified students, advanced courses (M-Level), study weekends, and special events like Emerson Study Day and Plato Study Day. The program is delivered in-person at New York City locations (Uptown and Downtown Manhattan) and Hudson Valley (Wallkill, NY), as well as online via Zoom. The school operates from its Borden Estate retreat property in Wallkill, NY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Philosophy Works Introductory Course

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced stress and increased effectiveness in daily life
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Borden Estate Event ManagementminorOthersBookings at the Borden Estate not related to School activities are being managed by a separate entity. The school opened the property for public and private events including weddings, corporate retreats, and artistic retreats.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Calm: Consumer meditation, mindfulness, and sleep platform with guided meditation libraries and masterclasses. Comparable as an adjacent player in the guided meditation instruction space, but at vastly larger scale and different business model.
• Headspace: Mainstream consumer meditation and mindfulness platform with guided meditation and structured courses. Comparable only at the category level; operates as a venture-backed digital subscription business rather than non-profit education.

Direct peers

• The School of Life: Founded by Alain de Botton, offers philosophy-based courses for everyday life, workshops, and retreats. Directly comparable as a secular philosophy education provider with group classes and a global online/in-person delivery model.
• The Art of Living: Global non-profit offering meditation, breathing techniques, and wisdom-based courses with multi-tier curriculum from introductory to advanced. Comparable as a structured, volunteer-tutor-based educational organization teaching mantra-based meditation and philosophy.
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Bay Area non-profit meditation center offering residential retreats, daylong events, and progressive training programs. Comparable for combining retreat-based, multi-tier education with a volunteer teacher model.
• Chopra Center: Offers meditation, yoga, and self-development courses and certifications, including mantra-based practices. Comparable for tiered educational programs teaching meditation and philosophical/wellness principles.
• Transcendental Meditation: Teaches mantra-based meditation as its core offering, with tiered instruction (introductory through advanced) and certified teachers. Comparable for its traditional, ceremony-based mantra meditation initiation and structured course progression.
• Plum Village: Global Buddhist community founded by Thich Nhat Hanh offering mindfulness retreats, online courses, and monastic training. Comparable as a meditation-focused educational organization with tiered programming and international reach.
• Insight Meditation Society: Non-profit offering residential meditation retreats and multi-week courses. Comparable as an educational non-profit providing progressive meditation instruction with retreats and special events.

Regional players

• New York Insight Meditation Center: NYC-based non-profit offering meditation classes, workshops, and retreats with a volunteer/dana teacher model. Comparable as a same-city, non-profit, tiered meditation education provider using similar introductory-to-advanced course structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/philosophyworks
• Instagraminstagram.com/philosophyworks/?hl=en
• Xtwitter.com/PracticalPhilo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 School of Practical Philosophy & Meditation