Editing Emin (esoteric movement)

{{Short description|Spiritual movement}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2025}}

'''The Emin''' or '''The Emin Society''' is a spiritual movement based on the work of Raymond Armin, known to members as "Leo".<ref name=Background>[http://www.emin.org/Background.shtml ''Emin Website—Background''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901004743/http://emin.org/Background.shtml |date=2013-09-01 }}. Retrieved 10-10-2013</ref> Originally, The Emin was named ''The Eminent Way''<ref name=Beit-Hallahmi>[https://books.google.com/books?id=OwsH4UoyH4AC&pg=PA17 ''Despair and Deliverance: Private Salvation in Contemporary Israel'']. Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, pp. 17-  ; {{ISBN|0-7914-0999-6}} (1992). On Google books</ref> or ''The Way''.<ref>[http://www.emin.org/White.shtml ''White - The Emin Unto Itself''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901011009/http://emin.org/White.shtml |date=2013-09-01 }}. Retrieved 10-10-2013</ref> The movement arose in the 1970s. The [[Template network|Template Network]] is a movement which offers activities inspired by the Emin philosophy. The Emin has been described as a cult in books such as William Shaw's ''Spying in Guru Land: Inside Britain's Cults''.

== History ==

The movement started in London in 1973.<ref>[http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780192800947.001.0001/acref-9780192800947-e-2235 ''Oxford Reference — Emin Foundation'']. Retrieved 19 October 2013</ref> It was first known as the Emin society and then Eminent Way, which was later abbreviated to "Emin".  In 1977 an Israeli branch emerged, and a center was established in a [[Tel Aviv]] neighborhood in 1980. By 1978 there were also groups in the USA, Canada and Australia.<ref name=Beit-Hallahmi/>

In Israel, Emin members established a village called [[Ma'ale Tzviya]]<ref name=Beit-Hallahmi/> in 1986.  Over the years The Emin has had gatherings in many countries including Ireland, France,  Greece, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Brazil, and New Zealand.

=== Raymond Armin (Leo) ===
Raymond Armin was born in London (1924) under the name Schirtenlieb. He did most of his schooling in London, living around the St.Johns Wood area. He started his working life as an apprentice tool maker at Borehamwood near London England. Armin did time during the war in the R.A.F. as a quartermaster. (His rank was staff sergeant). He married Violet Burton from Waterloo who was 8 months pregnant at the time.

After the war, Armin worked at various locations in and round London e.g. as manager of a furniture company based in Camden Town, London, and then as a market demonstrator. During the late 1940s, while still living in central London, he became father to five   children, one died soon after birth; his name was Brian.

He relocated in 1958 to Yorkshire to follow a new profession as a travelling salesman, selling furniture polish, and then a few years later as an encyclopaedia salesman. In 1963 Armin moved to Nottinghamshire, followed by a move back to London in 1965, where he worked as a civilian driver for the Metropolitan Police and then as a guard for a security firm.

In 1971 John Armin, son of Leo met up with a group of people who were staying in London after travelling around the world "looking for something". They formed into a group under the Armins' leadership, and all met regularly over the next few years, primarily at Leo's flat in Stoke Newington, London.

In 1973, "the Group" began. This would adopt the name of the Emin Society, at which time Armin became known as Leo and John as Orman within the society. The society used many halls around the London areas, eventually occupying a small centre at Gospel Oak in London. Autumn of 1976 saw a relocation to a larger centre at Hotham Road Studios, Hotham Road, Putney, London.

During the 1980's, Armin moved with his wife, Violet, and a woman called Ethra a.k.a. Deborah McKay, from Iowa, to America, where some years later they took on American citizenship.

From roughly the 1990's until his death, Armin lived in a waterfront retreat at Jensen Beach Florida.<ref>Address/Property records 1592 Seahorse Pl Jensen Beach, FL 34957</ref> Armin died in August 2002 from an [[aortic aneurysm]]. Violet Armin (Ruth) died in 2008 in her sleep. 

The Emin was founded by members of the Armin family, followed by a gathering of friends interested in Orman's and Leo's work.

==Philosophy==

=== The Archives ===
Armin has left numerous lectures, written and recorded on audio and video tape. These include writings on psychology and personal development, theology, cosmology, history, meditation, and various practical personal development and perception exercises. Most, but not all, of these writings were written by Armin.

=== The Template ===
The Template is a philosophical concept, introduced by Armin in 1992. It describes the spiritual development of the non-physical body through a hierarchically structured system of 16 spheres. Every sphere, with a symbolic name like ''[[amethyst]]'' or ''[[ruby]]'', represents a level of consciousness.<ref>J.H. van Splunter, [http://www.agatentafelen.nl/tafelen/gemrod.html ''Template''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104080207/http://www.agatentafelen.nl/tafelen/gemrod.html |date=2013-11-04 }} (Dutch!)</ref>

==Offshoots==

=== The Template Network ===

The Template Network is an affiliation of groups involved with the Emin philosophy.<ref>[http://www.emin.org/Authors.shtml The Authors of the Emin Site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901003205/http://emin.org/Authors.shtml |date=2013-09-01 }}. Retrieved 10-10-2013<br />"This site has been compiled by a group of people from the international template network who have pursued the work and development of the Emin for many years, and who, together with others, steadfastly pioneer its way today."</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060820122639/http://www.template-netzwerk.de/dp-en-ueberuns.htm ''Template Network Germany—Who we are'']. Retrieved 10-10-2013 on web.archive.org</ref> It is an international network of independent groups, with interests including education, art, ecology, well-being, science and spirituality.<ref>[http://www.templatenetwork.org/en/ ''Template Network'']. Retrieved 10-10-2013. (The ''Template Network'' website is maintained by the ''Template Foundation'')</ref> As of 2009 there were some 1700 people regularly engaged within these groups. There are groups in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and United States. In the UK some of the groups make use of buildings and facilities run by the Template Foundation. There are also several independent organisations and companies offering courses on a commercial basis, that draw on Emin concepts and practices. These include Blue Rose Wellness, an Emin/Template center of spiritual healing, located in [[Brier, Washington|Brier]], [[Washington state]], United States, and the Ruby Care Foundation, an Emin/Template charity group concerned with grief and loss management.

One premise held by Template Network groups is that creation is continuously evolving and that human life is part of that evolution. Another is that human life is an opportunity to consciously find one's own purpose within that evolution. Each individual is responsible for his or her own development and destiny.

=== Gemrod Foundation ===
In 1985, Emin established a centre in [[Leiden]], [[Netherlands]]. In the 1990s it founded the Gemrod Foundation, which organized esoteric workshops, e.g. courses on clairvoyance and aura reading.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Books==

===Emin and Template publications===
* The trilogy [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928035019/http://www.bookkoob.co.uk/book/0904486028.htm] [https://web.archive.org/web/20070621175054/http://www.btinternet.com/~occultique/authors_l.html] of Leo's writings:
** ''Frownstrong'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20060309050105/http://www.getcited.org/pub/102491600]  {{ISBN|0-904486-02-8}} (1974)
** ''Gemrod'' {{ISBN|0-904486-04-4}} (1976)
** ''Dear Dragon'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20060309050014/http://www.getcited.org/pub/101932408]  {{ISBN|0-904486-01-X}}  (1976)
* ''The Blue Book Writings'' (Leo's poetry) [https://www.amazon.fr/dp/0904486044]
* ''Sayings of Leo: Towards Yourself'' (Cobwebs Press, London 1978.)
* ''Cobwebs & Tears: A Study to Inform & Prepare'' {{ISBN|0-904486-12-5}} (Regal Print Company, London 1982)
* ''Toir''.
* ''The Tear'' by John Turner, Eminent Productions Limited 2003. [http://www.template.nl/en/producten/detail/1874717060.html]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{ISBN|1-874717-06-0}}.
* ''The Beacon of Hope'' by Marion Verweij, Eminent Productions Limited 2002. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061203021404/http://www.template.nl/en/producten/detail/1874717052.html] {{ISBN|1-874717-05-2}}.
* ''A New Template of Human Qualities for the Future Bound Scientist'' by Anne Marmenout, Eminent Productions Limited. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051108212622/http://www.template.nl/en/producten/detail/1874717036.html] {{ISBN|1-874717-03-6}}.

===Books inspired by the Template===
* ''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===
* ''Despair and Deliverance – private salvation in contemporary Israel'' by [[Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi]], [[State University of New York]] 1992 {{ISBN|0-7914-1000-5}}. The book analyzes various religious groups in Israel from a psychological and sociological perspective, inside the contemporary Israeli context of the 1970's.

==External links==
* [http://www.emin.org/ Emin web site]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=OwsH4UoyH4AC&pg=PA17 ''Despair and Deliverance: Private Salvation in Contemporary Israel'']. Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, pp.&nbsp;17-  ; 1992. At Google books

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Personal development]]
[[Category:New religious movements in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Self religions]]
[[Category:New religious movements established in the 1970s]]