Today Marketdata, through various sources, has been able to
identify about 17 holistic institutes based in the United States that offer a
broad variety of self-improvement courses, workshops, and training. Some are
urban centers and others are residential retreats.
Many of these institutes'
courses are geared toward Eastern religious teachings related to yoga,
meditation, Tai Chi, Zen, holistic medicine, and other techniques, although a
substantial number of them do cover “staple” areas such as weight loss,
addictions, improving relationships, and stress management. Courses encompass
both physical and spiritual topics.
An examination of these institutes’ current course catalogs
reveals a wide variety of courses, not only related to self-improvement topics
but also including spiritual, esoteric, dance, poetry, music, writing, marriage
and family issues, relationships, and other non-self-improvement areas. The New
York Open Center’s personnel indicate that perhaps 40-45% of their course
offerings are directly related to self-improvement topics, with the remainder
falling into the spiritual and esoteric areas.
Institute Directors we
interviewed agreed that this market is “growing up.” Things like holistic
expos, angels, and crystals are out—practitioners with real credentials that can
give people what they want in a short program, imagery, and self-healing are
in. In addition, for today’s time-pressed consumers, one-day programs are
frequently more popular than two-day or lengthier ones.
As for pertinent trends, in
addition to “staple” self-improvement workshops related to stress management,
wellness, improving relationships or communications skills, weight loss,
meditation, etc., most of the institutes have recently expanded into more
spiritual areas (herbs, yoga, Tai Chi, Buddhism, Zen, natural and holistic
health/medicine). Other growth areas mentioned were: improving relationships,
sexuality topics, retreats, and whole-brain learning.
Fees… Programs vary widely in length, and therefore also
in cost. A person may attend a one-evening, three-hour workshop for $30, a
one-day program, a weekend retreat, or a five-, seven-, or ten-day residential
program or retreat. Facilities can vary from spartan to nearly luxurious. A
stay at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health may cost $225 per night, while
some one-session classes at the New York Open Center can cost as little as $20.
Directory of the Major Holistic Institutes in the
United States
Below are listed the major holistic centers we’ve been able to
identify:
Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat and Conference Center
P.O.
Box 578
Detroit, OR 97342 (503-854-3314)
Website: www.breitenbush.com
California Institute of Integral Studies
1453
Mission Street
San
Francisco, CA 94103 (415-575-6100)
Website: www.ciis.edu
Elat
Chayyim: The Woodstock Center for Healing
and
Renewal
99
Mill Hook Road
Accord, NY 12404 (800-398-2630)
Website: www.elatchayyim.org
Esalen
Institute
55000
Highway One
Big
Sur, CA 93920 (831-667-3000)
Website: www.esalen.org
Expanding Light Yoga Retreat Center
14618
Tyler Foote Road
Nevada
City, CA 95959 (530-478-7518)
Website: www.expandinglight.org
Kalani
Ocean Side Retreat
R.R.
2, Box 4500
Pahoa,
HI 96778 (808-965-7828)
Website: www.kalani.com
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health
Box
793
Lenox,
MA 01240 (413-448-3400)
Website: www.kripalu.org
Lama
Foundation
P.O.
Box 240
San
Cristobal, NM 87564 (505-586-1269)
Website:
www.lamafoundation.org
Mount
Madonna Center
445
Summit Road
Watsonville, CA 95076 (408-847-0406)
Website: www.mountmadonna.org.
The
Naropa Institute
2130
Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, CO 80302 (303-444-0202)
Website: www.naropa.edu
The
New York Open Center
83
Spring Street
New
York, NY 10012 (212-219-2527)
Website: www.opencenter.org
Omega
Institute
150
Lake Drive
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 (845-266-4444)
Website: www.eomega.org
The
Option Institute
2080
S. Undermountain Road
Sheffield, MA 01257 (413-229-2100)
Website: www.option.org
Rowe
Camp and Conference Center
Kings
Highway Rd.
P.O.
Box 273
Rowe,
MA 01367 (413-339-4954)
Website: www.rowecenter.org
The
Potters House Healing Place ( formerly Betty Shabazz Holistic Retreat Center)
P.O.
Box 863
Otisville, NY 10963 (845-386-2106)
Wainwright House
260
Stuyvesant Ave.
Rye,
NY 10580 (914-967-6080)
Website: www.wainwright.org
The
Whidbey Institute (formerly Chinook Learning Center)
P.O.
Box 57, 8898 State Rd 525
Clinton, WA 98236 (360-341-1884)
Website: www.whidbeyinstitute.org