Monday, July 20th – 7pm
Suggested donation; $10. ($5 for members)

OM-MD is an organization that is working to create an environment for positive human development based on the integral approach. The two main directions of work are: Development of children (“World of Childhood”) and the Development of adults (“Open World”)

Child Development Initiative

OM-MD in the past few years has adopted as a core principle, an integral approach towards facilitating the development of children. This includes creating children and family centers that provide services in entertainment, education, goods, and leisure-time activities.

As of today the Center is the leading-edge (and the only) center of its kind in Moscow. Since its foundation it has reached with 30,000 visitors per month attending various offerings. Since 2007, the OM company has begun publishing a series of books for children, several of which are recurrently at the top of bestseller lists for children’s books. A significant and strategic initiative has been the formation of the Institute of Contemporary Childhood whose aims include: Integrative research in Child Development, training of specialists in the sphere of childhood and building capability for supporting contemporary childhood. As of today the holding company is in the process of transforming its trademarks into brands using the AQAL Integral Model. Therefore, we were able to create and sustain a developmental play & game environment in which through maximal contact with our target audience we can facilitate the process of development of the target audience, tailored to the levels of their consciousness by using Ken Wilber’s integral model.

At this point the company is in the process of intensive preparation to create a network of centers inside Russia with the prospect of further expansion into the international market. In the near future, their plans include publishing the first magazine for children, magazine for adults, a web-portal for children and a children’s cartoon studio. We perceive the company’s role in Russia as that of a company that would shape the culture of the newly emerging Russian middle class. Precisely because we already have a research center, a cultural center, and a system for the production and sale of goods production as well as a viable business organization, we have entered into a phase of in-depth dialogue with the government and various social organizations on possible expansion and adoption of our model.

Adult Development Initiative

In 2003, “Open World” – OM (Otkritiy Mir), a community center was founded, and is situated right next to Mir Detstva Children Center (MD) in the Center of Moscow. Starting out as a space for seminars in transpersonal psychology, OM was reconceptualized as an integral center that includes seminars in body practices, tai chi and qigong groups, aikido, wu-shu, various yoga approaches, SPA massage, meditation classes, gestalt therapy groups, individual psychotherapy, and various personal growth trainings. Six thousand people attend the center per month. Currently the center provides space for various seminars and trainings; and world-renowned teachers and masters from different schools are regularly invited to offer their teachings. The OM Center also has the Laboratory of Events. Its function is to organize various events, celebrations, and other kinds of cultural services. The center is growing and in preparation to expand.

One of the most important features of the OM Center is that it serves as a spiritual center where various spiritual lineages practice in one building. Similar to the Integral Spiritual Center in Denver, we hope thereby to foster an integrative dialogue among different spiritual traditions.

Thus, the various activities of the OM Center embrace projects in integral spirituality, integral business, integral psychology, integral health, and integral culture. The integral culture aspect plays a very important role in the life of the OM Center and includes a community space at the tearoom, cultural gatherings, performance of various artists and musicians, and art exhibitions. There’s also a theatrical laboratory that organizes and trains people in amateur acting, improvisational theater, plays, and performances. Moreover, the OM Center functions as a supportive environment for the emerging integral community. The Moscow Integral Salon holds its meetings and presents integral knowledge by providing space for seminars, integrally related topics and approaches.

The media division is currently represented by the OM Publisher, a publishing house that publishes books on spirituality (especially, Buddhism), psychology, and integral theory and practice. The intent is to publish more integral literature: Grace & Grit has already been published, and in the works are the translated publications: Integral Vision, Integral Spirituality, Boomeritis, Genpo’s Roshi’s Big Mind – Big Heart (these are the books the rights for which have already acquired).