The Open Center was a pioneering institution in advancing and restoring the relevance and viability of the holistic and ecological worldview within all aspects of our society.
First launched at 83 Spring Street in Soho in 1984 and unique in its urban setting, the Open Center introduced hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers to teachings and practices that are now ubiquitous in our culture. From yoga, Buddhism and mindfulness to shamanism and transpersonal psychology, the Open Center brought together a multiplicity of paths and traditions, highly respected faculty and an engaged, spiritually connected and diverse public.
The mission of the Open Center, as expressed through nearly four decades of classes, workshops, events and trainings, was to rebirth a consciousness that honors the interdependence of our bodies, minds and spirits, the enhancement of our relationships with each other and a deeper attunement to the sacred within our living planet.
The Open Center continually created programming with a profound impact on both individual and collective levels, through both recovering lost knowledge and also imagining new, more harmonious and just ways forward. For example, the Art of Birthing and Art of Dying conferences played key roles in returning agency and dignity to both chidbearing and end-of-life decisions and experiences. The Esoteric Quest has passionately resurrected the forgotten wisdom traditions of the West.
Throughout its existence, it gave great emphasis to inner development, multicultural spiritual practices, creativity, and social well-being.
Partnerships with the Rainforest Alliance, the International Forum on Globalization and the CUNY Graduate Center, among others, allowed the Open Center to produce a number of other significant events. For example, Voluntary Simplicity offered essential guidance in moving beyond conventional concepts of endless growth and consumerism. Examining the Real Agenda of the Religious Far Right provided penetrating analysis of the fundamentalist impulses and projects that could undermine democracy.
After 25 years in Soho, the Open Center moved to a larger location on 30th Street where its courses, bookstore and wellness center could expand.
In its full 38 years of operation, there were more than 400,000 participants in its programs, workshops and trainings. Additionally, hundreds of classes were brought to historically underserved neighbors through the InReach program, dozens of faculty extended or began stellar careers through the Open Center, and countless lives were transformed through access and through community.
The Open Center closed its midtown doors at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, yet pivoted to an online format that allowed it to bring its offerings into the homes of a global population. While it has now ceased operations, the Open Center leaves behind a deep and significant legacy.
For nearly 40 years the Open Center was a home to New Yorkers seeking personal and collective healing, meaning and a deeper relationship to spirit. It also stands as an ancestor to an array of holistic centers that continue the work of personal, cultural and ecological healing and transformation.
