About Hemera

The Hemera Foundation believes the seeds of contemplation and self-awareness bear the fruits of thriving inner lives, compassionate communities, and a more interconnected world. Our work has been to cultivate depth and innovation in the application of contemplative practice, as well as opening access to practice by supporting organizations of integrity and scholarships for practitioners.

Hemera was created to meet suffering with openness and awareness. While many forms of hardship deserve philanthropic attention, we focus on an often-overlooked source: the suffering amplified by the mind. We offer tools of inner transformation through our support of people sharing this work and individuals making the journey. With skillful adaptation and application, these practices “change our minds” and our relationship to our world.

We believe that contemplative practices, when cultivated with care, can help people become more self-aware, resilient, connected with others, and beneficial to the world around them. These qualities are not luxuries for anyone; they are the necessary ground of compassion and wise action.

Our work applies contemplative insights in measurable ways that meet the needs of diverse populations.  Some examples are:

We’ve also collaborated on research that bridges contemplation and science, funding university-based studies at institutions such as the Renée Crown Wellness Institute at the University of Colorado, the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia, and the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. We look for research that is connected with implementation, learning from on-the-ground interventions. These studies have explored how mindfulness and compassion influence learning, flourishing, and resilience in young people and adults. One early example is the Thirty Million Words project at the University of Chicago, which translated early childhood research into parent-led interventions that are based on a contemplative approach to connection: tune in, talk more, take turns, delivered in a secular, down-to-earth way. 

Additionally, we are dedicated to helping individual practitioners and teachers connect with retreat practice. Through our Contemplative Practice Fellowships, we have helped more than 15,000 people attend meditation retreats of their choice, deepening their personal insight and contributing to a broader culture of care and presence.

That same individualized approach shapes our focus on young people. We support programs that offer teens and young adults experiences in cultivating presence, emotional resilience, and kindness. From the donation-based Buddhist gatherings led by Dharma Gates to the weeklong mindfulness retreats of Inward Bound Mindfulness, grantees meet young people where they are, with tested practices tailored to their stages of life.

We are not just interested in these methods and tools – we are convinced that they matter. Contemplative practices build inner resources that individuals can employ on their own when confronted with challenges. In a time of division, distraction, and distress, we return to the foundational truths at the heart of contemplative traditions: loving presence, care, and the potential for transformation from within.