Omega Institute
150 Lake Drive
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 (845-266-4444)
Chairman of the Board: Stephan Rechtschaffen
2007 attendance: 20,000+
Website:
www.eomega.org
Founded in 1977, Omega is a
nonprofit organization with a budget of about $13 million (vs. $15 million in
2005). The institute claims to be "the nation's largest holistic learning
center." (There seems to be some dispute between the Omega Institute and the
New York Open Center concerning who has the rights to this title. The
disagreement concerns the issue of the precise definition of the term
"holistic"--and the issue of which classes can be classified under this title
and which are simply miscellaneous educational offerings.)
Management at the Omega
Institute states that an estimated 80% of its offerings are related to
self-improvement topics. Omega also claims to be "the largest spiritual retreat
in America." Omega has done well by marketing their institute as a high-end
destination, operating in the Caribbean during the cold winter months.
Omega's main facility is a
140-acre campus in the Hudson Valley countryside of Rhinebeck, New York. This
facility offers programs from April to October. A new, state-of-the-art,
facility was recently opened, The Crossings in Austin, TX. Omega had said that
business is generally increasing in the self-improvement marketplace and they
expected this facility to help them handle the increased demand for services.
The Austin center offerer all the same programs and amenities as the NY facility
but it was open for classes year-round.
In its first year, The
Crossings did show increased registrations and was host to several successful
programs. However, after careful consideration, Omega and this facility mutually
agreed that they would begin separating their business relationship. This took
place near the end of 2004.
Some courses and
conferences are also given in Boston, Denver, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami Beach, New
York City, and Cost Rica. Furthermore, the organization offers trips to India,
Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, and several other countries.
Speakers who have taught
Omega Institute classes or have lectured at Omega conferences include Wayne
Dyer, Iyanla Vanzant, Spalding Gray, and Marianne Williamson,
The institute is a holistic
education center offering personal and professional development in subject areas
ranging from health and psychology to multicultural arts and spirituality.
Consumers attend its 200+ workshops, retreats, trainings, and conferences each
year (covering topics as diverse as personal health & development, gender,
relationships and family, arts, creativity & sports, spiritual understanding,
and nature & society). A wellness center is also part of the facility.
In Oct. 2007, Omega
embarked on one of its most ambitious projects to date, breaking ground on a
project called the Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL). The OCSL, a $2.7
million project, is a state-of-the-art green facility that will serve as the
heart of Omega’s initiatives focused on the environment. It will include a
classroom, laboratory, a water garden, a constructed wetland and a water
filtration system called the Eco Machine
Some sample programs...
* Stress reduction
retreat
* Seven steps to personal
power
* Making relationships
work
* Self-esteem for women
* Tao of leadership
The Omega Institute was
co-founded 31 years ago by Dr. Stephan Rechtschaffen, many of whose teachings
are detailed in his book Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy
Your Life. Rechtschaffen's ideas--and many of the classes at the Omega
Institute--borrow from a number of traditions that help people manage stress:
meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and better breathing techniques. Rechtschaffen
is still president of the institute.
