Editing Elan Vital (organization)

{{Primary sources|date=March 2008}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                = Elan Vital
| image               = 
| size                = 
| caption             = 
| map                 = 
| msize               = 
| mcaption            = 
| motto               = 
| formation           = 1971 (In United States)
| logo                = Elan Vital logo.gif
| type                = [[501(c)(3)]]
| headquarters        = [[California, United States]]
| membership          = 
| language            = [[English (language)|English]]
| leader_title        = Maharaji
| leader_name         = [[Prem Rawat]]
| key_people          = Russ Henderling, President
| num_staff           = Five full-time, plus volunteers
| budget              = 
| website             = {{Cite web|title=www.elanvital.org|url=http://www.elanvital.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221223858/http://www.elanvital.org/|archive-date=2010-02-21}}
}}
'''Elan Vital''' is the name shared by several organizations that support the work of [[Prem Rawat]], a spiritual leader also known by the title "Maharaji". Independent Elan Vital organizations in several countries raise funds, organize speaking engagements by Prem Rawat and in some cases broadcast his public addresses.

The "[[Divine Light Mission]]" in the [[United States]] changed its name to Elan Vital in 1983, by filing an entity name change.<ref name="sos.state.co.us">[http://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/ViewImage.do;jsessionid=0000x3kyxhvQmIUOPNwkHlTDN7v:10e81ru5k?masterFileId=19871234276&fileId=19871509395 Colorado Secretary of State, Business Center.]</ref> According to the ''Encyclopedia of American Religions,'' the mission was disbanded [when] Prem Rawat personally renounced the trappings of Indian culture and religion, to make his teachings independent of culture, beliefs and lifestyles.<ref name="EnAmRe">Melton, Gordon, ''Encyclopedia of American Religions'' 7th edition. Thomson (2003) p.2328 {{ISBN|0-7876-6384-0}}<br />"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.</ref>

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 registered as a [[501(c)(3)]] non-profit organization. It has been labelled a "church" in reference to its tax status.<ref>[http://www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.do?partner=amex&ein=23-7174539#rptlink1 GuideStar – American Express Search – ELAN VITAL INC<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Its 2005 articles of incorporation described its purpose as performing "religious, charitable and educational activities". The Elan Vital website states that Elan Vital ceased operations in 2010, and has been succeeded by new entities such as Words of Peace International, Inc.<ref name=EV>{{Cite web|title=www.elanvital.org|url=http://www.elanvital.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221223858/http://www.elanvital.org/|archive-date=2010-02-21}}</ref>

==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.<ref name="sos.state.co.us"/> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Elan Vital FAQs – About Elan Vital, Inc.|url=http://www.elanvital.org/faq/faq_EV.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902054403/http://www.elanvital.org/faq/faq_EV.htm|archive-date=2006-09-02}}</ref>

The Elan Vital organization in the United Kingdom changed its name to HDSK (Human Development through Self Knowledge) at the end of 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/ShowCharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityFramework.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1016818&SubsidiaryNumber=0&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1|date=31 December 2009|access-date=22 February 2010|publisher=Charity Commission|title=1016818-HDSK}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hdsk.org.uk/finance/financial_info.html|publisher=HDSK.org|title=HDSK Finances|year=2010|access-date=22 February 2010}}</ref> In April 2010, the Elan Vital website announced that Elan Vital had stopped collecting donations and would cease operations in 2010, to be succeeded by entities such as Words of Peace International, Inc., a new US 501(c)(3) organization "closely aligned with Words of Peace Global (WOPG), the international charitable foundation that promotes Maharaji’s message of peace".<ref name=EV />

== Purpose ==
The United States Elan Vital organization provided support for the dissemination and archiving of materials containing Prem Rawat's message. 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, and that the organization is supported by voluntary contributions and sales of its materials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://elanvital.org/about.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525040759/http://elanvital.org/about.html|archive-date=2006-05-25|title=Elan Vital - About }}</ref>

The Elan Vital organizations in the United Kingdom and [[Australia]] are a registered charity and a non-profit, respectively, with aims and objectives similar to their U.S. counterpart.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://elanvital.org.uk/elan_vital/profile.html |title=elan vital : profile – Maharaji (Prem Rawat)<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2005-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060419070348/http://www.elanvital.org.uk/elan_vital/profile.html |archive-date=2006-04-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  There are also Elan Vital organizations in Spain and Switzerland.

Persons who have been taught Maharaji's techniques 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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.smartcardoffice.org/englishPublic/generalinformation.cfm |title=General Information<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2005-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007024518/http://www.smartcardoffice.org/englishPublic/generalinformation.cfm |archive-date=2007-10-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Reception==

[[Ron Geaves]], a professor of religion at [[Liverpool Hope University]] in England and follower of Prem Rawat, says 
<blockquote>Elan Vital was established to more effectively promote Maharaji's teachings in a way that was free from any particular religious or cultural association.<ref>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|978-0-19-522042-1}}</ref></blockquote>

Sociologist [[Stephen J. Hunt]], writes  
<blockquote>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.<ref>Stephen J. Hunt Alternative Religions: A Sociological Introduction (2003), pp.116–7, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. {{ISBN|0-7546-3410-8}}</ref></blockquote>

Elan Vital was listed as a cult in a 1996 [[Status of religious freedom in France#Actions of the national government|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.<ref>[http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/UnTexteDeJorf?numjo=PRMX0508471C Circulaire du 27 mai 2005 relative à la lutte contre les dérives sectaires]</ref> A 1998 article in ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]'' referred to Elan Vital as a "cult".<ref>"Former Guru on a Different Mission", ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]'', January 30, 1998.<br>Nowadays, former cult members estimate Maharaji (he's dropped the Guru from his name and simplified the spelling) has 100000 to 200000 followers...</ref> In 2002 an article by the ''[[Australian Associated Press]]'' referred to the organization as the "Elan Vital cult."<ref>"Guru's followers flock to hear him speak", [[Australian Associated Press]], September 3, 2002, [[Brisbane, Australia]]</ref>

==References==

===Notes===
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*Barrett, D. V. The New Believers – ''A survey of sects, cults and alternative religions'' 2001 UK, Cassell & Co., pp.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;115–116. {{ISBN|0-8108-4095-2}}

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*{{Cite web|title=www.elanvital.org|url=http://www.elanvital.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100221223858/http://www.elanvital.org/|archive-date=2010-02-21}}
*[http://elanvital.org.uk/ Official site in United Kingdom]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/19991127195653/http://www.fundacionelanvital.es/ Official site in Spain]
*[http://elanvital.com.au/ Official site in Australia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051105015924/http://www.elanvital.com.au/ |date=2005-11-05 }}

{{Prem Rawat}}
{{Sant Mat}}
{{New Religious Movements}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elan Vital (Organization)}}
[[Category:Prem Rawat]]
[[Category:Advait Mat]]
[[Category:Contemporary Sant Mat]]
[[Category:Radha Soami]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1971]]
[[Category:New religious movements established in the 1970s]]