Shanthi Project

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Shanthi Project

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to teaching social-emotional resiliency through mindfulness.

Founded in 2010, Shanthi Project teaches brain-based mindfulness techniques such as controlled movement, breathing, and meditation. Students learn valuable coping and life skills that cultivate self-awareness, enhance self-esteem and promote positive emotions, helping them establish healthy and productive relationships with themselves, their families, and their communities. Shanthi Project also supports and participates in scientific research on how mindfulness and yoga benefits trauma survivors, and its approach has been proven to reverse the effects that emotional and physical trauma has on the brain.

10/16/2025

The giving season is nearly upon us, and we're ringing it in with another Shanthi After Hours! This time, join us at Stone Farm Cellars 46 for a festive evening. We'll ring in the start of the giving season with an exciting basket raffle, and stoke the cozy spirit of December with seasonal drinks—including a signature beverage from our friends at Stone Farm Cellars 46. (They'll generously be donating 12% of drinks sales from this event back to us!)

Looking forward to it? We are too! See you on December 3rd for an evening of community, connection, and cheer. RSVP at ShanthiProject.org/SAH.

✨ Shanthi After Hours is our ongoing free happy hour series; each event gives our friends, supporters, and community an opportunity to meet the people behind Shanthi Project, learn more about our mission, and play a vital role in furthering the reach of our work.

10/14/2025

We had a super time tabling this past weekend at the Easton Farmers' Market! Many thanks to them for allowing us to share our mission with the community — it’s our favorite thing in the world 🌎

10/10/2025

Happy World Mental Health Day, friends! 🥳 Over the past couple of days, we’ve taken this opportunity to speak about the science of mindfulness and mental health. We’ve learned that mindfulness interventions have the power to cultivate mental health—and today, we’ll explore their enduring nature, too.

But before that, we’re asking (one last time!) for your support. Our evidence-based mindfulness programs directly support the mental health of those we serve. On World Mental Health Day, there’s no better way to recognize this impact than to help us expand our reach, grow our impact, and sustain our mission. Just donate below or on our website: ShanthiProject.org/donate.

After all, the science tells us that mindfulness isn’t only effective—it’s also long-lasting! In one of the only long-term studies of its kind, this paper by Solhaug et al. examines the effects of mindfulness programming years after an intervention has ended.

A full four years after participating in a seven-week mindfulness program, these researchers found that participants still showed significant progress on mental distress, mindfulness, avoidance coping and problem-focused coping. They also saw that participants who viewed mindfulness training as a way to engage in intra- and interpersonal exploration ultimately had greater engagement with long-lasting mindfulness practice!

Overall, it’s safe to say that there’s a clear link between mindfulness and mental health. These past few days, we’re only touched the tip of the iceberg! We’re grateful that, with each new study published, our work is only strengthened. With an evidence-backed impact like this, it’s no surprise that we love what we do!

*Solhaug, I., de Vibe, M., Friborg, O. et al. Long-term Mental Health Effects of Mindfulness Training: a 4-Year Follow-up Study. Mindfulness 10, 1661–1672 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01100-2

10/09/2025

World Mental Health Day is tomorrow, and we’re diving deeper into the science on mental health and mindfulness. Today, we’re discussing the impact of mindfulness practice on anxiety – but we’re also asking you to consider giving to Shanthi Project! This World Mental Health Day, you can support a mission that’s evidence-backed and grounded in decades of peer-reviewed science: ShanthiProject.org/donate.

Overall, here’s what the science says: mindfulness and anxiety symptoms are negatively correlated. But one meta-analysis from 2020, referenced in the graphic above, is particularly interesting. Here, researchers synthesized outcomes from 14 studies, finding not just that mindfulness interventions were effective in easing anxiety, but that they are *significantly superior* to other options when it comes to reducing anxiety symptoms in young people.

This study compared mindfulness programs with conventional measures, such as treatment as usual and health education.

What does this mean? It indicates that mindfulness may hold even more power than we previously thought! It suggests the potential for mindfulness-based interventions to be widely supported and carried out to promote mental health – which is exactly what Shanthi Project is all about.

*Zhou, Xiang, Jieyu Guo, Guangli Lu, Chaoran Chen, Zhenxing Xie, Jiangmin Liu, and Chuning Zhang. 2020. “Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Anxiety Symptoms in Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Psychiatry Research 289 (1): Article 113002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113002.

10/08/2025

In anticipation of World Mental Health Day this Friday, we’re showing why we care by explaining the evidence-backed connection between mindfulness and mental health. And we’re asking you to show that you care, too, by donating to Shanthi Project. When you do, you’re supporting the mental health of your neighbors and community members across the Lehigh Valley. Keep reading to learn about our impact, then head to ShanthiProject.org/donate or give below!

In the research world, mindfulness-based programs have a long track record of supporting mental health outcomes. This systematic review from 2020 is a great example, compiling results from 23 different studies to explore whether mindfulness interventions consistently improve mental health signifiers, like rumination, positive affect, and emotion lability.

The results? Researchers found clear and significant evidence of the efficacy of mindfulness interventions for reducing mental health problems.

This study isn’t the only one of its kind. As this paper itself mentions, it’s just one piece in a much larger body of evidence. Over the next couple days, we’ll continue exploring this scientific backing of mindfulness and mental health — and we’ll keep reminding you why we do what we do!

P.S. Have you heard that we’re hosting a free meditation class in celebration of World Mindfulness Day? View the second image for more information, and RSVP at ShanthiProject.org/events.

* Enkema, M.C., McClain, L., Bird, E.R., Halvorson, M.A. and Larimer, M.E. (2020). Associations Between Mindfulness and Mental Health Outcomes: a Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment Research. Mindfulness, 11(11), pp.2455–2469. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01442-2.

10/06/2025

We're excited to announce our newest workshop, coming your way in just a couple of weeks! Gratitude and Grace is a two-hour guided class that will instruct participants through mindfulness practices to help them recognize the small gifts of life — the little things we experience every day.

With the musical stylings of Galen Deery & The Reason Why, Gratitude and Grace offers participants a space to slow down and connect with themselves and their community in an intimate and meaningful way.

This solo workshop will be held from 6-8 PM on Wed. October 22nd, and it will cost $20/ticket. Spots can be reserved on our website — just head to ShanthiProject.org/events!

10/03/2025

World Mental Health Day is exactly one week away, so let's celebrate together! On the morning of Friday, Oct. 10th, we'll be leading a 100% FREE guided meditation at our location in Easton—no prior meditation experience is needed, just come as you are.

This 25-minute practice will combine gentle grounding, a mindful body scan, and an energizing breath focus to help you start your day feeling centered, refreshed, and calm. Together, we’ll quiet the mind, release tension from the body, and awaken a sense of clarity and balance to carry into the rest of your day.

If you want to RSVP or read about our instructor who'll be leading the meditation, head to ShanthiProject.org/events.

09/26/2025

Lots of exciting programming coming up in the next month, including a brand-new workshop at the end of October! As always, we'll be hosting these programs at our Easton location (131 N. 3rd Street), a beautiful space perfect for cultivating reflection, community, and mindfulness.

Head over to ShanthiProject.org/events to get more details + register for these workshops! And feel free to send us a DM or drop us a comment with any questions about our Easton community-based programming.

09/25/2025

Another successful (and very busy) tabling event! Many thanks to Live Well Be Well for inviting us to their block party over the weekend. Our instructor Annie had a blast leading mindfulness activities and sharing information about Shanthi Project. We feel so lucky to have met so many wonderful members of our community!

09/22/2025

Fall is in the air for Shanthi Project! Last week at our new office, our programming staff held their annual back-to-school training. It was a true joy coming together to learn, refresh, connect, and share our excitement for the upcoming year — especially now that we can meet in person at this beautiful new space! Many thanks to Marisa at Creative Spirit for snapping these pics.

09/20/2025

If you're heading to downtown Easton this weekend, make sure to stop by and see our friends at Creative Spirit! Between now and December 31st, they'll be donating 10% of ALL sales back to Shanthi Project — a huge, generous gift that we're so grateful to receive!

Creative Spirit is located at 131 N. 3rd Street in Easton, PA — this is also the location of Shanthi Project's new headquarters! As always thanks so much to them for sharing this beautiful space with us, and for thoughtfully supporting our work in the greater Lehigh Valley. 💙

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Allentown, PA

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https://www.shanthiproject.org/donate

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Our Story

TEACHING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL RESILIENCY THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS.

Shanthi Project is a 501(c)(3) education nonprofit providing evidence-based mindfulness services to more than 4,000 children and adults annually across the Greater Lehigh Valley and New Jersey. Committed for more than a decade to education and advocacy, we are an established agency in the Trauma-Informed Education Movement, and the local authority on building resilience in an increasingly complex 21st-century world.

We offer the benefits of mindfulness, which increase mind-body self-awareness, reduce stress and improve focus. Our work promotes positive emotions that help others learn important skills to establish, or re-establish, healthier and more productive relationships at home, school, work, and within their communities.

We are led by passionate individuals and a team of certified teachers who are trusted by a variety of community partners in Lehigh County and Northampton County, Pennsylvania, as well as Warren County, New Jersey. During the 2019-2020 school year, Shanthi Project worked with 44 schools in 10 districts, teaching 4,000 students in 168 classrooms, and supporting more than 250 teachers and support staff throughout the area.