Emin Society

There is no organisation today called the Emin Society or the Emin Foundation. There is an international network of independent groups whose work is based on the Emin philosophy. These groups are collectively known as The Template network. As of 2005 there are some 2000 people regularly engaged within these groups. Activities are diverse with interests including personal and spiritual development, the arts, education, ecology and well-being.

History of the Emin

The Emin was started in 1971 by a number of people together with Raymond Armin (1922 - 2002). The group, which called their activities "The Way", met in members' houses and in rented church halls around North London.

Emin members called Raymond Armin, Leo, this being his astrological sign (see names below).

By 1974 the Emin had 80 members; Raymond Armin was employed full time by the society, a centre was rented for meetings at Gospel Oak, London, and the society assumed the name of "Emin". By 1976 a larger place was found at Putney.

By 1977 there were 700 members, at which point numbers seem to have stabilized in Britain.

In 1977 a branch of the Emin was established in Israel, and its members created the community of Ma'aleh Tzviya in the Galilee, where all inhabitants are members of the Emin. The community was given Israeli government support and funding.

During the early 1980s Emin branches were established in Holland (1982), Denmark (1985), Germany and New Zealand.

As of 2000, The Emin had about 3500 members worldwide.

Raymond Armin died in 2002.

Organisation

During its history, the Emin organization has frequently changed.

There is no central organisation and the various groups, although sharing similar philosophical foundations and activities,operate autonomously. The Template Network is the collective name today for these groups, who regularly share and exchange the results of their work.

Origins of the name

It is an Arabic word which means faithful. A book entitled "Dear Dragon" from 1976 states:

In 1981 a request for verification of this from the London Central Mosque produced the response that Emin is a europeanized variation of the Arabic: Ameen. The meanings attributed to the various forms of the word are: "trust", "faith", "worthy to be trusted", "truly", "reliable". It is also a form of the Hebrew word Amen and appears also in Christian usage with the meaning: "I concur" (used at the end of a prayer to signify that the words in the prayer are true and reliable, a statement of faith).

More broadly, The Emin designates the human as a possible channel for higher, spiritual forces.

Origins of the teachings

Some of the Emin teachings and cosmology are derived from Gurdjieff merged with elements of spiritualism, Theosophy and teachings drawn from the history of eastern and western philosophy.

Teachings with similarities to Gurdjieff include: The Ray of Creation the Five Centres, Essence & Personality , Knowledge, Understanding & Being, Body Types, The Three Brains, Centres & Functions, States of Consciousness, Levels of existence, Cosmology & Laws.

The concept of "The astral light" is fundemental to Buddhism, Spiritualism and Theosophy.

Teachings

Emin Teachings share two basic propositions with Gurdjieff and other Fourth Way teachings: 1) The idea that the universe is governed by laws, and 2) the idea that Man, in his undeveloped state, is essentially semiconscious. The method and aim of personal development is to come into harmony with these laws, and thereby becoming an active channel or medium for the forces that drive the evolution of the universe forward.

The laws

The Law of Three is explained as a principle of positive, negative and neutral running all the way through reality. Emin groundwork also teaches the "Law of Two" (see: Duality, Dualism), a "Law of Four" (see: Four elements, Four humours, etc.), a "Law of Five" (see: Five elements, The Law of Fives in Discordianism), a "Law of Seven" (and eight and nine, in relation to the Enneagram and an adaptation of the Gurdjieffian version of string theory of vibrations in cosmic structuralism (see: astral plane, seven wonders of the world, etc.).

Human anatomy and physiology is seen in dialectical terms and the systems (skeletal system, muscular system, etc.) given as examples of numerological laws. Psychology is viewed similarly and the mind divided into conscious, semiconscious and unconscious.

The archives

The above mentioned subjects comprise what is often referred to the Emin archives: Other components include writings on psychology and personal development, theology, history, meditation and various practical personal development exercises and so on.

Practices

Exercises include meditation and visualization.

Emin people strive to change the conduct of their lives and come into harmony with a higher, spiritual intelligence. There is, however, no ideal of ascetism or otherworldliness in the Emin – spirituality is to be realised through rather than at the cost of an ordinary, human life in the world. A writing from 1976, known as "The seven songs of Pemero", states: We, who live and love the Higher, will not stray from the Mother in our Honour of the Father.

Meetings

Emin activities begin from introductory meetings which enable members of the public to experience some of the teaching methods and discourse of the society. Members organize meetings of their own and everyone is encouraged to undertake personal research.

Names

Emin people can adopt a name of their own choosing and to differentiate their developmental endeavour. People can change their name as often as they wish.

Criticism

In 1980 the Emin was the subject of a series of lampoons in the magazine Private Eye. There was a follow-on article in the Daily Express.

Anti-cult groups have called the society secretive, and have complained that Emin archives read as gibberish. The society responds, that Emin archives are the product of philosophical and scientific studies and often occur in a graduated fashion from simple to more advanced so that the concepts are easier to grasp and the reader is not overwhelmed. The organization explains that the practise of quoting subsections of text out of their original context does not lend to easy understanding by the casual observer. They say that complex language is sometimes required to cover abstract and difficult to master concepts although wherever possible, people try to 'keep it simple'.

Offshoots

There are several charities whose activities are inspired by Emin teachings, as well as independent organizations and companies offering courses on a commercial basis, that draw on Emin concepts and practices. These include:

Blue Rose Wellness

Template/Emin also has a branch called the Blue Rose Wellness healing services located in Brier, Washington state, USA.

www.bluerosewellness.org

Position Purple

Israeli based company offering a combination of physical and mental training to individuals and companies.

www.position-purple.com

Books

Emin and Template publications

Various books have been published in limited editions. They include:

The trilogy [http://www.btinternet.com/~occultique/authors_l.html of Leo's writings:
- Frownstrong ^* ISBN 0904486028 (1974)
- Gemrod ISBN 0904486044 (1976)
- Dear Dragon ^* ISBN 090448601X (there are other, non-Emin, books which also use this title)
The Blue Book Writings (Leo's poetry) ^*
Towards Yourself (Leo's sayings) (Leo, Sayings of Leo: Towards Yourself. London: Cobwebs Press, 1978.)
Toir.
The Tear by John Turner, Eminent Productions Limited 2003. ^* ISBN 1-874717-06-0.
The Beacon of Hope by Marion Verweij, Eminent Productions Limited 2002. ^* ISBN 1-874717-05-2.
A new Template of Human Qualities for the Future Bound Scientist by Anne Marmenout, Eminent Productions Limited. ^* ISBN 1-874717-03-6.

Cobwebs Press is a name used to publish some Emin writings

Books inspired by Emin teachings

The Seven Steps of Spiritual Intelligence by Richard A. Bowell. Boston, Nicholas Brealey Publishing 2004 ISBN 1-85788-344-6. The back of the title page reads: This book has been derived from and inspired by the philosophical writings and researches of Leo Armin under the title of the "Template".

Books by outside observers

Spying in Guruland: Inside Britain’s Cults by William Shaw (Fourth Estate, London, England) (distributed by Trafalgar Square, N. Pomfret, VT 05053), 1994, 317 pages. ISBN 1-85702-329-3. Shaw, who is a freelance journalist, became a member of the Emin for some months, and recounts his experiences.

Despair and Deliverance – private salvation in contemporary Israel by Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, State University of New York 1992 offers a sociological analysis of the Israeli branch of the Emin. ISBN 0-79141-000-5

External links