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Dating maintenance tags: {{Cleanup press release}}

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{{Short description|US non-profit religious corporation}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness
| logo = Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness logo.png
| formation = 1968 (formation)<br />June 25, 1971 (incorporation)
| founder = [[John-Roger Hinkins]]
| status = [[Nonprofit organization|Non-profit]] [[religious corporation]]
| headquarters = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| membership =
| leader_title = Spiritual Director
| leader_name = John Morton
| website = {{URL|www.msia.org}}
}}

The '''Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness''' (or '''MSIA''') is a [[501(c)(3)]] [[non-profit]] [[religious corporation]], [[incorporation (business)|incorporated]] in [[California]] on June 25, 1971. The group was founded in California in 1968 by [[John-Roger]] (formerly Roger Delano Hinkins).

==History and teachings==
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MSIA teaches an active [[meditation]] technique known as Spiritual Exercises (SEs). [[Chanting]] specific sacred [[Sanskrit]] words internally is part of SEs. In this aspect MSIA SEs are similar to [[Transcendental Meditation]] (TM) practices. MSIA also offers its students a twelve-year study support subscription called Soul Awareness Discourses. Discourses are seen as an opportunity for individuals to connect inwardly with their own Divinity, each according to their desire and intention. Topics covered expose students to the teachings of MSIA and educate them to stay focused on their individual spiritual practices and service to others. Both initiatory tones and personal discourses are deemed sacred to each student individually and are not shared.

The Founder, [[John-Roger]] (formerly Roger Hinkins) died on October 22, 2014. His successor, John Morton directs the group. Both have been referred to as the "Traveler".

MSIA considers itself a church in very few traditional senses of the word. A deeply ambivalent attitude towards traditional "religiosity" characterizes the "Movement." While it is legally incorporated as a church and provides tools and techniques for [[Soul transcendence]] for those who are looking for them, it prohibits members from evangelizing; it spreads primarily by word of mouth. MSIA has no program of building churches or other buildings, giving it similarities with other 'churches without walls.' It ordains ministers, but ordains no one to preach or teach, only to be of service. Service choices are determined entirely individually. MSIA has only vague and wide guidelines here.

Soul Transcendence, as defined by MSIA, is the process of becoming aware of yourself as a soul and as one with [[God]]. MSIA considers that its teachings draw primarily on the ministry of [[Jesus Christ]] ("The Christ Consciousness is the spiritual line of energy undergirding MSIA");<ref>[https://www.msia.org/faqs Frequently Asked Questions]</ref> teachings also include elements of [[Buddhism]], [[Taoism]], [[Judaism]], and the [[Sant Mat]]/[[Radhasoami]] tradition.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tumminia |first=Diana G. |title=Controversial New Religions |title-link=Controversial New Religions |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-19-515682-9 |editor-last=Lewis |editor-first=James R. |editor-link=James R. Lewis (scholar) |edition=1st |location=New York |language=en |chapter=Heart and Soul: A Qualitative Look at the Ethos of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness |editor-last2=Petersen |editor-first2=Jesper Aagaard |pages=335–336}}</ref>

== Criticism and controversy ==
MSIA has been criticized by a variety of people over the years, but [[David C. Lane]] and [[Peter McWilliams]], who provide the most substantive body of criticism, both focus on the role of founder [[Roger Delano Hinkins|John-Roger]]. The gist of Lane's criticism of Hinkins is that he used spiritual teachings taken from [[Paul Twitchell]]'s [[Eckankar]] (who in turn took them from [[Radha Soami Satsang Beas]], with which Lane is actively involved).
<ref>{{cite book
| last = Frost
| first = William P.
| author-link =
| title = What Is the New Age?: Defining Third Millennium Consciousness
| publisher = Edwin Mellen Press
|year=1992
| location =
| url =
| doi =
| isbn = 0-7734-9192-9
| page = 8 }}
</ref>

Ex-MSIA Minister Peter McWilliams wrote [[Life 102 (book)|''Life 102: What to Do When Your Guru Sues You'']], which was critical of Hinkins. McWilliams also dismisses MSIA as little more than a [[personality cult]]. In his book, McWilliams asserts that Hinkins suffered from [[narcissistic personality disorder]], possibly due to his 1963 coma.

McWilliams chronicles his extended relationship with Hinkins, accusing him of various misrepresentations and improprieties. However, McWilliams later agreed to abandon the copyright to MSIA to settle [[libel]] [[litigation]] over the contents of the book, and later asked that the book be removed from circulation in a notarized letter, stating "the content of the book is no longer one with which I would like to have my name associated."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.life102.com/life102.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010090838/http://www.life102.com/life102.pdf |archive-date=2007-10-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In his book ''[[The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice|The Missionary Position]]'' author [[Christopher Hitchens]] criticizes both [[Mother Teresa]] and John-Roger for a staged photo shoot where the two posed together in a studio with a blank backdrop.<ref>{{cite book
| last = Hitchens
| first = Christopher
| author-link =
| title = The Missionary Position
| publisher = Verso
| year= 1995
| location = London
| url =https://archive.org/details/missionarypositi00chri
| url-access = registration
| doi =
| isbn = 1-85984-054-X
| pages = [https://archive.org/details/missionarypositi00chri/page/7 7], 8 }}
</ref> A blurred backdrop of Calcutta's poor was added later. Hitchens questions the ethics of such a shoot, as well as Mother Teresa for accepting US$10,000 as part of an "Integrity Award" from MSIA, which he describes as having been "exposed in print as corrupt and fanatical".

=== Cult allegations ===

MSIA has frequently been accused of being a [[cult of personality]]. Whether or not MSIA should be labeled a [[cult]] is a matter of dispute. Both the movement and its founder have been through alleged scandals (published in ''People Magazine'' and the ''Los Angeles Times'' among other publications) suggesting financial improprieties as well as sexual misconduct by Hinkins.<ref>[http://gawker.com/5064930/ariannas-mandatory-cult-meetings Arianna's Mandatory Cult Meetings]</ref> MSIA gained widespread attention during the senatorial campaign of [[Michael Huffington]], whose wife, [[Arianna Huffington]], denied that she was a member of MSIA. {{Citation needed|date=March 2018}}

== Notable persons who have studied in MSIA ==
Several well-known individuals and public figures have been involved with MSIA. The most prominent of these is [[Arianna Huffington]].<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/10/13/081013fa_fact_collins?currentPage=all ''New Yorker'' profile, October 13 2008]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090817011224/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/12728717/beauty_and_the_blog ''Rolling Stone'' profile, 4 December 2006]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gawker.com/5064930/ariannas-mandatory-cult-meetings|title = Arianna's Mandatory Cult Meetings| work=Gawker | last1=Tate | first1=Ryan }}</ref> Other notable members are the [[Beach Boys]]' [[Carl Wilson]],<ref name="KirklandBio"/> model/actress [[Jaime King|Jaime King-Newman]],<ref name="JaimeKingQuote">{{cite web|url=http://www.spiritualwarrior.org/|title=Spiritual Warrior: the Art of Spiritual Living - What they're saying|last=King-Newman|first=Jaime|publisher=Mandeville Press|accessdate=27 March 2010|quote="John-Roger is my teacher and my friend."}}</ref> actress [[Sally Kirkland]], an MSIA minister since 1975,<ref name="KirklandBio">{{cite web|url=http://www.sallykirkland.com/pages/ministry.html|title=The Less Known Side of Sally Kirkland|last=Bright|first=Laren|publisher=Sally Kirkland|accessdate=27 March 2010|location=sallykirkland.com|quote="on December 4, 1975, Sally was ordained as a minister by MSIA's founder, John-Roger."|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420002153/http://www.sallykirkland.com/pages/ministry.html|archivedate=20 April 2010}}</ref> actress [[Leigh Taylor-Young]],<ref name="Longevity">{{Cite journal|last=Delmonteque|first=Bob|title=Leigh Taylor- Young Weaves Spirituality and Service Into Hollywood Life|journal=Journal of Longevity|volume=11|issue=10|url=http://www.lty.com/longevity.htm|accessdate=27 Mar 2010|quote="Leigh became an ordained minister in the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSIA) in 1975."|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100428081814/http://www.lty.com/longevity.htm|archivedate=2010-04-28}}</ref> also an MSIA minister since 1975, actor [[Jsu Garcia]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jsugarcia.com/biography.html|title=Jsu Garcia Biography|publisher=jsugarcia.com|accessdate=27 March 2010|quote="One of the most important aspects of Garcia's life is his dedication to Peace Theological Seminary College of Philosophy, for which he and his friend, author John-Roger, have traveled throughout the world each year for the past nine years in an effort to bring peace to troubled areas such as Egypt and Israel"|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704034149/http://www.jsugarcia.com/biography.html|archivedate=4 July 2010}}</ref> and author and management consultant [[David Allen (author)|David Allen]].<ref name="Wired">{{cite web |last=Wolf |first=Gary |date=25 Sep 2007 |title=Getting Things Done Guru David Allen and His Cult of Hyperefficiency |url=https://www.wired.com/2007/09/ff-allen/ |accessdate=15 May 2025 |work=Wired Magazine |publisher=Condé Nast Digital. |pages=Issue 15.10}}</ref> Author [[Peter McWilliams]] was also an MSIA minister but later repudiated MSIA and made a series of personal allegations against MSIA leader John-Roger in his book ''[[Life 102 (book)|Life 102: What to Do When Your Guru Sues You]].''<ref>[http://www.life102.com/ www.life102.com ]</ref><ref>Peter McWilliams, Life 102: What to Do When Your Guru Sues You (Prelude Press: Los Angeles, 1994). {{ISBN|0-931580-34-X}}., pp 6-7.</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

* Frank Rich. "Journal; Manchurian Candidate II", The New York Times, 1994-10-13.

== External links ==
{{Prone to spam|date=July 2013}}

* [https://www.msia.org MSIA's Official Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071102033829/http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/msia.html University of Virginia Religious Movements Homepage Project Entry on MSIA] retrieved 2 November 2007
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080821014836/http://www.msiafacts.org/ MSIA Facts – hosted by MSIA in rebuttal to allegations of being a sect or cult] retrieved 21 August 2008
* [http://www.john-roger.org John-Roger's Official Website]
* [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20100035,00.html 1988 Article from ''People'']

{{Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Movement Of Spiritual Inner Awareness}}
[[Category:Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness| ]]
[[Category:Religious belief systems founded in the United States]]
[[Category:Self religions]]
[[Category:501(c)(3) organizations]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in California]]
[[Category:Religious corporations]]
[[Category:New religious movements established in the 1970s]]

Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness - Revision history

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