Our Story
A Lotus in the Mud is a paywall-free web magazine dedicated to wellness, mindfulness, and spirituality. We bring together insights from ancient traditions and modern science to help readers live happier, healthier, and more peaceful lives.
Launched in November 2022 and formally introduced at the Indian Consulate in New York in January 2023, Lotus has grown steadily, earning appreciation from readers and recognition from the media for its thoughtful, accessible, and inspiring content.
Born in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lotus began as an offering — to serve, to bring clarity and connection, and to share knowledge that uplifts.
Our Work
Every story we publish meets a simple yet high standard: it must be accurate, insightful, and useful. To date, Lotus has published over 750 original, in-depth articles that explore wellness, spirituality, science, and mindful living in a contemporary voice.
Our writing is clear and engaging, our design intuitive and reader-friendly — a reflection of the balance we seek between modern expression and timeless wisdom.
Our Founder
Parveen Chopra
Founder & Editor,
A Lotus in the Mud
Parveen Chopra, founder and editor of A Lotus in the Mud, is a veteran journalist and meditation teacher with over three decades of experience in wellness and spiritual media. He founded Life Positive in 1996, India’s first body-mind-spirit magazine, and has held senior editorial roles at India Today and DNA Mumbai. After moving to the U.S. in 2008, he edited The South Asian Times for over a decade and One World Under God, an interfaith journal. His writings have appeared in Yoga Journal, Newsday, and on Patheos.com, where he authors the Lotus Pond column. In the post-COVID era, he launched A Lotus in the Mud to offer thoughtful, credible, and uplifting content for modern seekers, expanding its community across India and the U.S.
Our Philosophy
The lotus flower — pure, radiant, and resilient — symbolizes our shared journey through life’s mud toward awakening and wholeness. It reminds us that even in struggle, we hold the power to rise and bloom in body, mind, and spirit.
Our Organization
A Lotus in the Mud is published by the American Center for Wellness and Spirituality Inc. (ACWS), a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in New York.
ACWS is a social enterprise that extends the magazine’s mission offline — fostering interfaith harmony, community well-being, and world peace.
We remain proudly independent — guided not by ideology or institution, but by truth, compassion, and the spirit of service.
Rev. Tom Goodhue
Executive Director Emeritus,
Long Island Council of Churches
As a journalist, Parveen Chopra has worked with people of many different faiths, nationalities, ethnic backgrounds, and political persuasions. He brings the experience we desperately need today to our divided land.
D.R. Kaarthikeyan
Former Director General, National Human Rights Commission, India, Padma Shri awardee.
I have always admired Parveen Chopra’s qualities of head and heart, and his achievements. Proud of you. I pray for success in all your positive and spiritual endeavours.
Suma Varughese
Facilitator of ‘The Zen of Good Writing’ Course, former Editor, Life Positive & Society magazines
As founding Editor of Life Positive, Parveen Chopra broke fresh ground in publishing industry in India with an outstanding holistic and spiritual magazine. Now a New Yorker, he looks to again blaze a fresh trail with A Lotus In The Mud that looks fresh, inviting and informed. I am excited for Mr Chopra as well as the readers of this web magazine.
Nitin Ajmera
Chair of the Board of Parliament of the World Religions; and CFO at a New York company
An interfaith movement started in 1893 in Chicago with the Parliament of the World Religions. A Lotus in the Mud is an offshoot of the same effort. This amazing web magazine is trying to bring forward positivity and helping the world to realize that effort is needed to resolve all our issues and make ourselves a better community and a better society.
Ranju & Ravi Batra
Eminent Attorney, Chairman – National Advisory Council South Asian Affairs
Parveen Chopra is a uniquely talented man, with a tempered moral compass. His journalistic abilities have helped enhance the US-India relationship and create a community out of the Indian diaspora. His latest chapter in life harnesses his past experiences, to empower Lotus: a perfect metaphor for living life stress-free. Ranju and I wish Parveen and Lotus readers life’s best!
Our Team
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Calling All Writers & Seekers!
We’re inviting thoughtful, passionate contributors to write for us. If you love exploring themes of wellness, spirituality, mindful living, inner growth, ancient wisdom, healing journeys, or anything that helps people live happier, calmer, and more conscious lives—we’d love to hear from you. Share your voice, your insights, your story. DM us on our Social media or email your interest to join our contributor community.