The Template Network

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What was once called the Emin Society or the Emin Foundation is now an international network of independent groups which 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 spirituality, personal development, the arts, learning, ecology, human behaviour, evolution and well-being.

Contents

[edit] History of the Emin

Signed photograph of Raymond Armin ca. 1990.

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 stabilised 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.

[edit] Organisation

During its history, the Emin organisation 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, that regularly share and exchange the results of their work.

[edit] Origins of the name

It is an Arabic word which means faithful. The book entitled "Dear Dragon" from 1976 gives more information on this name.

In 1981 a request for verification of this from the London Central Mosque produced the response that Emin is a europeanised 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).

[edit] Origins of the philosophy

The Emin philosophy is the result of the work of Raymond Armin who from a very early age sought to understand the world around him. Through observing and studying nature he independently arrived at the understanding that the Universe works through certain core Natural Laws and of what these laws are. He then embarked on a journey of ever greater research into the natural worlds as well as the great works of science and philosophy from around the world and throughout history.

Leo noticed that often the same ideas or concepts, feelings or perceptions, would occur at different times in history or in different places around the world, but they would do so under different names and in different languages. He also noticed that many concepts were presented in an incomprehensible form making them very difficult to understand. Leo collected these different understandings into a simple to grasp and up-to-date system based on the Natural Laws and numbers. The basic premise being that the Natural Laws are at the core of all life, and that everything can therefore be explained by these Laws.

As Leo continued to work with people, so the Emin philosophy continued to develop and grow and it has come to contain profound understandings about the Universe, the Human, the seen and the unseen, that are quite extraordinary, original and profound.

[edit] Philosophical content

The philosophy contains certain basic propositions, including: 1) That the universe is governed by laws and is constantly evolving, 2) that the potential of a human lies within and can be brought out by development, and 3) through development a person might offer a better return to the Universe.

They promote the concept that the aim of personal development is to come into living-harmony with these laws, and thereby become an active facilitator of the forces that drive the evolution of the universe.

[edit] Sentiment

The idea of sentiment runs through much, if not all, of the Emin philosophy. The premise being that a person's sentiment towards anything, including themselves, will largely determine what type of relationship, dealing or interaction they might have with that thing. As an example, if a person has a good sentiment towards the planet then they will respect her and appreciate her processes and will want to help in issues that might affect her well being. And, a person's sentiment towards their partner will likewise determine the nature of that relationship. This can be extended and applied to any matter at all and is viewed as being fundamental to a person's spiritual journey especially where integration is concerned.

[edit] The natural laws

Emin groundwork (a term given to elementary research practices) shows that the whole of the Universe and all that goes on in it happens through the government or manifestation of natural laws, for example:

  • The "Law of Eight" as exampled through the Octave,

Therefore, through studying the Laws a person can come to a better understanding of how the Universe works and the purpose of each element within it, including oneself.

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.

[edit] The archives

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

[edit] Comparison to other philosophies

Certain elements of the philosophy can also be found in Buddhism, Taoism, Theosophy, the works of Gurdjieff and Rudolph Steiner, and other eastern and western philosophy.

Elements of the philosophy that have similarities to Gurdjieff's 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.

[edit] Practices

Exercises include mental and physical conditioning, reasoning, meditation and contemplation. They are designed to regulate and develop the different functional levels of the human system. Many exercises are designed to promote understanding of oneself and of others; and then there are exercises of a more fun nature designed to release stress.

An ingredient of the Emin way is to seek understanding in order to change the conduct of one's life to come into greater harmony with the higher, spiritual, self. There is, however, no ideal of ascetism or otherworldliness in the Emin – spirituality is to be realised through rather than at the cost of ordinary, human life in the world. A writing from 1976, known as "The seven songs of Pemero", contains the line: We, who live and love the Higher, will not stray from the Mother in our Honour of the Father.

[edit] Meetings

Emin activities begin from introductory meetings which enable members of the public to discover the philosophy for themselves. Members organise meetings of their own and everyone is encouraged to undertake personal research.

[edit] Names

Members of the Emin society often adopt a name of their own choosing. Sometimes this is a quality that they might wish to develop in their life or that they might want to champion into the world, like Care or Patience for example. Chosen names reflect personal values, an aspect of nature that a person is inspired by perhaps, like Sky or Lake, or a colour such as Blue or Yellow. People can change their name as often as they wish.

[edit] 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 organisation 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'.

[edit] Offshoots

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

[edit] 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

[edit] Position Purple

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

www.position-purple.com

[edit] Books

[edit] Emin and Template publications

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

Cobwebs Press is a name used to publish some Emin writings

[edit] Books inspired by the Emin philosophy

  • 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".

[edit] 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 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 ISBN 0-7914-1000-5. Book offers a sociological analysis of the Israeli branch of the Emin.

[edit] External links

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