Leonard Orr
Encyclopedia
Leonard Orr is an American best known for developing Rebirthing-Breathwork
, a 'system' or technique of breathing that can help one to overcome the "trauma" of being born. Leonard claims to have met twelve immortal yogis, including Haidakhan Babaji
who died in 1984.
Many people value the tool of rebirthing, yet his idea of physical immortality
has not gained widespread acceptance. Orr is also one of the earlier proponents of "prosperity consciousness
" the idea that the state of one's mind, and beliefs about oneself are a key factor in "manifesting" more money. He also propounds an idea he calls "emotional energy pollution."
, New York
. During his teen years, he became a born again Christian. When he converted to Christianity and started to read the Bible, he took Jesus' words literally "He who believes in me shall never taste death," that anyone who believed in Jesus literally would not die.
He attended seminary with plans of becoming a preacher. However, while in school, Leonard said he felt a calling to be a minister to the unchurched
. Pursuing this feeling of a calling and some of his curiosity about life, Leonard soon was reading and practicing New Thought
philosophy (such as Science of Mind and Ernest Holmes
).
He watched this process for a few years and began to understand what was happening. He then shared his experiences and found that there were many people interested in experimenting with ways to recall their birth memories. Leonard created "Theta House", the first Rebirthing Center to accommodate this interest. These early Rebirthers began breathing with a snorkel in a hot-tub while floating face down,(usually supported by 2 or more people), to stimulate womb memories. He noticed that a certain breathing rhythm would occur, which led to the start of the Rebirthing-Breathwork
technique out of water.
Throughout this time, Leonard was fascinated with the idea of not experiencing physical death – which he termed "physical immortality," and read, studied and searched for all the information that he could on the subject.
In 1973 he ran for mayor in Los Angeles.
Rebirthing-Breathwork
Rebirthing-breathwork is a breathing technique that claims to heal suppressed emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, etc. It shares a common belief with various other therapies called rebirthing, with both groups believing that human birth is a traumatic event and that reviewing or revisiting this...
, a 'system' or technique of breathing that can help one to overcome the "trauma" of being born. Leonard claims to have met twelve immortal yogis, including Haidakhan Babaji
Haidakhan Babaji
Haidakhan Babaji, simply called "Babaji" or Bhole Baba by his students and devotees, was a teacher who appeared in northern India and taught publicly from 1970 to 1984...
who died in 1984.
Many people value the tool of rebirthing, yet his idea of physical immortality
Immortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
has not gained widespread acceptance. Orr is also one of the earlier proponents of "prosperity consciousness
Prosperity Consciousness
Prosperity consciousness is a term and teaching often referred to in New Age and New Thought communities, and it is a term sometimes used by financial professionals. It describes the belief that by opening one's mind to the financial opportunities in the world, and by living a life and having a...
" the idea that the state of one's mind, and beliefs about oneself are a key factor in "manifesting" more money. He also propounds an idea he calls "emotional energy pollution."
Childhood and education
Leonard Orr was born in WaltonWalton (village), New York
Walton is a village in the town of Walton, Delaware County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 3,070.Walton is the home to the annual Delaware County Fair.-History:...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. During his teen years, he became a born again Christian. When he converted to Christianity and started to read the Bible, he took Jesus' words literally "He who believes in me shall never taste death," that anyone who believed in Jesus literally would not die.
He attended seminary with plans of becoming a preacher. However, while in school, Leonard said he felt a calling to be a minister to the unchurched
Unchurched
"Unchurched" means, in the broad sense, people who are not connected with a church. In research on religious participation, it refers more specifically to people who do not attend worship services...
. Pursuing this feeling of a calling and some of his curiosity about life, Leonard soon was reading and practicing New Thought
New Thought
New Thought promotes the ideas that "Infinite Intelligence" or "God" is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, sickness originates in the mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.Although New Thought is neither...
philosophy (such as Science of Mind and Ernest Holmes
Ernest Holmes
Ernest Shurtleff Holmes was an American writer and spiritual teacher. He was the founder of a Spiritual movement known as Religious Science, a part of the greater New Thought movement, whose spiritual philosophy is known as "The Science of Mind." He was the author of The Science of Mind and...
).
Teaching
He began teaching others that thoughts affect the outer world, and gathered a following. During this time he found he was spending increasing amounts of time in the bathtub, literally staying in for hours every day. He was having frequent flashes of memories of being in the womb or being born.He watched this process for a few years and began to understand what was happening. He then shared his experiences and found that there were many people interested in experimenting with ways to recall their birth memories. Leonard created "Theta House", the first Rebirthing Center to accommodate this interest. These early Rebirthers began breathing with a snorkel in a hot-tub while floating face down,(usually supported by 2 or more people), to stimulate womb memories. He noticed that a certain breathing rhythm would occur, which led to the start of the Rebirthing-Breathwork
Rebirthing-Breathwork
Rebirthing-breathwork is a breathing technique that claims to heal suppressed emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, etc. It shares a common belief with various other therapies called rebirthing, with both groups believing that human birth is a traumatic event and that reviewing or revisiting this...
technique out of water.
Throughout this time, Leonard was fascinated with the idea of not experiencing physical death – which he termed "physical immortality," and read, studied and searched for all the information that he could on the subject.
In 1973 he ran for mayor in Los Angeles.