The Lotus Institute
PO Box 1428
Pataskala, OH 43062
Website: thelotusinstitute
Description of Organization:
The Lotus Institute was founded in 1996 by Dr. Larry Ward and Dr. Peggy Rowe Ward, two of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s senior Dharma teachers. The Lotus Institute offers teachings, practice and guidance that nurture a healthy and resilient body and mind. Programs include an in-person retreat, an online event, or a course that blends Buddhist practices with trauma-informed teachings and research in neuroscience and psychology.
Grant(s) Awarded
In 2026, a grant of $5,300 was awarded in support of the Anam Cara program. This program is designed to support intergenerational, non-hierarchical spiritual mentorship, enhancing participants’ ability to guide,connect and co-imagine a more just future for the planet and all beings. Given the popularity of their pilot program, they are planning for our second round of Anam Cara beginning in January 2026. They intend to use the grant funding to support more scholarships for BIPOC participants andhonorarium for BIPOC faculty.
In 2024, a Women in Buddhism grant in the amount of $12,500 was awarded to support a mentor training program, Anam Cara, with the aspiration to support women leaders within the Buddhist tradition. This training program is aligned with Lotus Institute’s three pillars: healing stored trauma, transforming the narrative of superiority, and the experience of beloved community. Rooted in these three pillars, the training program’s goals are:
● Cultivating trauma resiliency and mindfulness in younger, underserved people and in
their unique communities;
● Cultivating a healing foundation for participants and offering resourcing within their communities;
● Supporting the continuation of the dharma by bringing underrepresented people into the spotlight of important topics in the future of American Buddhism. This will be accomplished while strengthening the long term-sustainability of The Lotus Institute by increasing our reach and impact, especially with younger people and women from BIPOC or LGBTQI+ groups.
The training program will be for people who want to explore what it means to live out their aspirations of justice, wellness and beloved community — in other words, living the Bodhisattva Path.
In 2022, a grant in the amount of $2,000 was awarded in further support of a $20,000 grant made by Hemera Foundation for the “Lotus Root Program”, a mobile, multimedia studio for creating a podcast, interview series, and online classroom for storytelling and teachings related to the future of American Buddhism. The Lotus Root Program expands Buddhism beyond in-person experience and offer a connection to practitioners across Buddhism and other traditions.