[Melton, Gordon, "Encyclopedia of American Religions" 7th edition. Thomson (2003) p.2328 ISBN 0-7876-6384-0]
"In the early 1980s, Maharaj Ji moved to disband the Divine Light Mission and he personally renounced the trappings of Indian culture and religion, disbanding the mission, he founded Elan Vital, an organization to support his future role as teacher." [...] Maharaji had made every attempt to abandon the traditional Indian religious trappings in which the techniques originated and to make his presentation acceptable to all the various cultural settings in which followers live. He sees his teachings as independent of culture, religion, beliefs, or lifestyles, and regularly addresses audiences in places as culturally diverse as India, Japan, Taiwan, the Ivory Coast, Slovenia, Mauritius and Venezuela, as well as North America, Europe and the South Pacific.] According to Glen Whittaker, a former spokesperson for the organization in the United Kingdom, Elan Vital no longer has any connection to its originally Hindu or Sikh religious background. The "Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements" states that Elan Vital insists that it is not a religion and that Maharaji's teachings are independent of culture and by no means bound to the traditions of India. Elan Vital, Inc. in the U.S. is a 501(c)(3). It has been labelled a "church" in reference to its tax status. [ [http://www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do?partner=amex&ein=23-7174539#rptlink1 GuideStar - American Express Search - ELAN VITAL INC ] ] As of 2005 the articles of incorporation describe its purpose as performing "religious, charitable and educational activities".
History
The organization was originally incorporated in the U.S. in 1971 as the Divine Light Mission as a non-profit corporation and in 1974 was recognized as a religious organization by the United States Internal Revenue Service under section 501(c)(3). The organization changed its name to Elan Vital in 1983, by filing an entity name change. [ [http://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/ViewImage.do;jsessionid=0000x3kyxhvQmIUOPNwkHlTDN7v:10e81ru5k?masterFileId=19871234276&fileId=19871509395 Colorado Secretary of State, Business Center.] ] Elan Vital states in its website that the name was changed to remove Indian labels and to present Maharaji's message in a manner more congruent with Western culture. [ Elan Vital FAQs - About Elan Vital, Inc. [http://www.elanvital.org/faq/faq_EV.htm Available online] (Retrieved May, 2006)]
Purpose
The president of Elan Vital in the U.S. is Russ Henderling, who presides over a board of directors composed of four individuals who receive no compensation. [ [http://elanvital.org/faq/faq_EV.htm Frequently Asked Questions ] ] Elan Vital has a staff of five full-time employees for administration and broadcast management. The majority of the work is performed by volunteers. [ [http://elanvital.org/about_volunteers.html Elan Vital - About Volunteers ] ]
Elan Vital provides support for the dissemination of materials containing Prem Rawat's message. It also supports an Archive Project aimed to restore and catalog 30 years of film, video, and audio which documents Prem Rawat's work over these years. They say that their materials reach a global audience in 80 countries in more than 60 languages. They also state that Prem Rawat receives no compensation from Elan Vital. Voluntary contributions and sales of its materials support Elan Vital in the U.S., with 1,964 active contributors in the U.S. [ [http://elanvital.org/about_stats.html Elan Vital - About Stats ] ]
According to their website, Elan Vital adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination on any basis, whether race, religion, creed, custom, nationality, age, or gender.
The Elan Vital in the United Kingdom is a registered charity with aims and objectives similar to the U.S. counterpart. [ [http://elanvital.org.uk/elan_vital/profile.html elan vital : profile - Maharaji (Prem Rawat) ] ] In Australia, Elan Vital is a non-profit organization also with similar aims. EV states that the organization is almost completely run by volunteers, who offer their time, skills and donations in supporting the effort to make Prem Rawat’s teachings available as widely as possible. [ [http://elanvital.com.au/elan_01.html Elan Vital Australia ] ] There are also Elan Vital organizations in Spain and Switzerland.
Persons who have been taught Maharaji's techniques of Knowledge can apply and receive a smartcard, issued by Elan Vital in the U.S., that is used to facilitate admittance to events in which the techniques of Knowledge are reviewed, or to gain access to events designed specifically for people that have received such techniques. [ [http://www.smartcardoffice.org/englishPublic/generalinformation.cfm General Information ] ]
Reception
Ron Geaves, a Professor of Religion at Liverpool Hope University in England and follower of Prem Rawat, says that "Elan Vital was established to more effectively promote Maharaji's teachings in a way that was free from any particular religious or cultural association." [Ron Geaves in Christopher Partridge (Eds.), New Religions: A Guide: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities pp.201-202, Oxford University Press, USA (2004) ISBN 978-0195220421]
Sociologist Stephen J. Hunt, writes that
For Elan Vital, the emphasis is on individual, subjective experience, rather than on a body of dogma. The teachings provide a kind of practical mysticism. Maharaji speaks not of God, but of the god or divinity within, the power that gives existence. He has occasionally referred to the existence of the two gods—the one created by humankind and the one which creates humankind. Although such references apparently suggest an acceptance of a creative, loving power, he distances himself and his teachings from any concept of religion...deliberately keeping a low profile has meant that the movement has generally managed to escape the gaze of publicity that surrounds other NRMs. [Stephen J. Hunt Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction (2003), pp.116-7, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 0-7546-3410-8]
Elan Vital was listed as a cult in a 1996 French parliamentary commission report. The report was compiled by the general information division of the French National Police (Renseignements généraux) with the help of cult-watching groups. This list has no official statutory or regulatory authority, and in May 2005 the former prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin issued a circular indicating that the parliamentary report should no longer be used to identify cults. [ [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnTexteDeJorf?numjo=PRMX0508471C Circulaire du 27 mai 2005 relative à la lutte contre les dérives sectaires] ] A 1998 article in "Rocky Mountain News" referred to Elan Vital as a "cult" ["Former Guru on a Different Mission", "Rocky Mountain News", January 30, 1998.
Nowadays, former cult members estimate Maharaji (he's dropped the Guru from his name and simplified the spelling) has 100000 to 200000 followers...] . In 2002 an article by the "Australian Associated Press" referred to the organization as the "Elan Vital cult." ["Guru's followers flock to hear him speak", Australian Associated Press, September 3, 2002, Brisbane, Australia]
References
Notes
Bibliography
*Barrett, D. V. The New Believers - "A survey of sects, cults and alternative religions" 2001 UK, Cassell & Co., pp. 65, 325–329. ISBN 0-304-35592-5
*Chryssides, George D. "Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements". The Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland and London, 2001, pp. 115–116. ISBN 0-8108-4095-2
External links
* [http://elanvital.org/ Official site in the U.S.]
* [http://elanvital.org.uk/ Official site in United Kingdom]
* [http://fundacionelanvital.es/ Official site in Spain]
* [http://elanvital.com.au/ Official site in Australia]
* [http://maharaji.net/ Maharaji's personal website]
