Opening the Circle: A Campaign for the Work Ahead

Zhen Institute holds a quiet but uncommon space: small retreats, carefully chosen groups, a protocol woven from Taoist and Buddhist lineage, somatic integration, modern psychology, and consciousness research with deep devotion and care. Over the years, this work has accompanied hundreds of people, including many in positions of significant leadership and responsibility, back to clarity, connection, and a deeper relationship with themselves, purpose and Truth.
This campaign is an invitation to help sustain and deepen what Zhen is becoming.

Where We Are Now

For several years, Chuchu has offered this work largely on her own: designing and facilitating every retreat, holding integration calls, nurturing community connections, and managing operations, without drawing a salary from the organization while self donating when it’s needed. That level of sustained giving has limits and is not sustainable.

Chuchu is now entering a significant new chapter. a long-form immersion in contemplative practice, spending extended time studying in temples, learning from teachers who are rarely accessible, and exploring the monk's path in a serious way. This is not a step back from the work, but the source of the work. It also means Zhen must build a team that can hold the connections, sustain the community, and carry the operational responsibility so that this chapter of Zhen’s offering is still possible while allowing Chuchu's cultivation.

What Your Support Makes Possible

A team to hold the work Zhen needs operational support, infrastructure,facilitators, integration coaches, so the work does not depend entirely on one person's presence.

Sharing the journey and the lineage Chuchu has learned from teachers and wisdom traditions that are not easily accessible. Part of what this campaign supports is creating the resources and structure for her to share her learnings, so she can continue to share wisdom and support the community beyond just retreats. This is also how we honor and give back with gratitude to the teachers and elders whose legacy we carry.

Scholarship and access Some of the people most ready for this work do not have the financial resources to access it. Zhen has been offering scholarships for every retreats, because we are committed to holding space for those doing meaningful, quiet work in their communities.
Generosity at higher tiers directly funds these places. This is one of the things we care about most.

Integration, structure, and community There are participants who want to continue going deeper. There are communities that want to form and grow but do not yet have the infrastructure to do so. Your support builds the pathways that keep transformation alive between retreats and over the long arc of a person's life.

Consciousness research Zhen partners with researchers from Cambridge and Stanford to study what happens in transformation at the depth we work with. This makes it possible for training the industry, and scales the possibility we see in this work.

A future temple, Zhen's long-held vision is a physical home: a place devoted to truth, healing, wisdom, compassion, service,teaching, practice and community. Every contribution, at any level, is part of building toward that.

A Word on How We Hold This

We offer this invitation with open hands and open heart. We know what it is to receive something rare, and we know that resources are real, generosity is a choice, and trust is earned slowly. We do not take any of it for granted.

We believe the people who have been in these rooms understand something about what it asks of everyone involved.

If you feel moved to support what Zhen is becoming, we receive that with deep gratitude. If the moment is not right, we understand. We are here for the long arc.

With gratitude,
The Zhen Team