Eckankar

Eckankar is a new religious movement founded by Paul Twitchell in 1965. The spiritual home is the Temple of ECK in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Eckankar is not affiliated with any other religious group. The movement teaches simple spiritual exercises, such as singing "HU", called "a love song to God", to experience the Light and Sound of God and recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit. Twitchell was known for adapting Sanskrit words into English, and the word Eckankar is likely Twitchell's adaptation of the sacred phrase Ik Onkar of Sikhism, meaning "One Om". Eck is intended to mean the Holy Spirit, as found in the biblical and Christian terminology. According to the Eckankar's glossary, the term Eckankar means Co-Worker with God. The movement was founded in 1965 by Paul Twitchell (spiritual name: Peddar Zaskq) who remained its spiritual leader (called "Living ECK Master") until his death in September 1971. He was succeeded by Darwin Gross (spiritual name: Dap Ren). On October 22, 1981, Harold Klemp (spiritual name: Wah Z, pronounced Wah Zee) was announced the spiritual leader. Between 1981 and 1987, both Gross and Klemp claimed being the Living ECK Master, and to be the Inner Master, and had their own followers. Eckankar's headquarters were originally in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1975, under the leadership of Gross, the organization was moved to Menlo Park, California. In 1986, Klemp moved the base of operations to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Currently, Eckankar is registered as a nonprofit religious organization in the United States with members in over 120 countries around the world. Its teachings have been translated into more than twenty-five languages. The exact number of members, known as ECKists, is undisclosed. The world headquarters and Temple of ECK, Eckankar's Spiritual Center, are in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on a 174-acre campus with two miles of contemplation trails open to the public. The Eckankar "EK" symbol appears on the list of Available Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.