Omega was founded in 1977 at a time when holistic health, psychological inquiry, world music and art, meditation, and new forms of spiritual practice were just budding in American culture. The mission was as simple as it was large: To look everywhere for the most effective strategies and inspiring traditions that might help people bring more meaning and vitality into their lives.

Since then, Omega has become the nation's largest holistic learning center. Every year more than 20,000 people attend workshops, retreats, and conferences on its 195-acre campus in the countryside of Rhinebeck, New York, and at other sites around the country.

While Omega has grown, our mission remains the same. Omega is not aligned with any particular healing method or spiritual tradition. Our programs feature all of the world's wisdom traditions and are committed to offering people an opportunity to explore their own path to better health, personal growth, and inner peace.

The name "Omega" was inspired by the writings of Teilhard de Chardin, a 20th-century mystic and philosopher who used the word "Omega" to describe the point where all thought converges. This refers particularly to that point within each one of us where our inner, spiritual nature meets our outer, worldly nature. Teilhard believed that in the synthesis of these two domains of life lay the greatest challenge—and the greatest hope—for human evolution. Of his belief in the balance between world and spirit, Teilhard wrote, "I am going to broadcast the seed and let the wind carry it where it will."

Omega has taken on the task of helping spread that seed so that a better world for all of us can continue to take root and grow.