The Oracle Institute

The Oracle Institute is a 501(c)(3) educational charity founded in 2004 by Laura M. George and located in Independence, Virginia.^[1] Oracle operates an interfaith spirituality school, a non-profit publishing house, and a peacebuilding practice. Oracle also operates as a think tank, researching and reporting on religiosity in America and throughout the world. Oracle's stated purpose is to serve as "An Advocate for Peace and a Vanguard for Conscious Evolution." Oracle's formal mission statement is an adaptation of Thomas Jefferson's Act for Establishing Religious Freedom.^[2]

Oracle's spirituality school offers courses, workshops, conferences, and retreats which focus on the five primary religions (Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam), New Age theosophies, peace-building, and sustainability. Oracle also regularly hosts classes conducted by ambassadors from The Federation of Damanhur.^[3]

Oracle publishes books under its imprint, Oracle Institute Press. Oracle's publications focus on religion, fundamentalism, evangelicalism, esotericism, mysticism, as well as spirituality for children. Oracle Institute Press has won two Independent Publisher Book Awards in the Religion category,^[4][5] the Young Voices Seal of Approval, and the 2015 Indie Book Award in the Spiritualiy Category for its latest release Divine Attunement: Music as a Path to Wisdom.^[6]

After two years of litigation,^[7][8] during which Oracle was represented by The Rutherford Institute,^[9] Oracle achieved the right to build the "Peace Pentagon" along the New River in Grayson County, Virginia.^[10] The Peace Pentagon is a PassivHaus eco-spirituality center that will serve as the headquarters for Oracle's spirituality school, publishing house, and peace-building practice.^[11] Oracle also is a member of the Fellowship for Intentional Community.^[12]

Publications

Authors published by the Oracle Institute include Oberto "Falco" Airaudi, Yuval Ron, Valerie Tarico, and the Institute's main founder, Rev. Laura M. George, J.D.

• The Truth: About the Five Primary Religions. Laura M. George (1st Ed. © 2006; 2nd Ed. © 2010). Winner of a 2006 IPPY award. The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-0-9773929-1-9

• The Love: Of the Fifth Spiritual Paradigm. Laura M. George with contributions from Desmond Tutu, Bill McKibben, Aung San Suu Kyi, Maya Angelou, David Suzuki, Wendell Berry, Stephen Dunn, Alex Grey, Brian McLaren, Chris Mercogliano, Andrew Cohen and others (© 2010). The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-0-9773929-2-6

• Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light. Valerie Tarico, Ph.D. (© 2010). Winner of a 2011 IPPY award. The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-0-9773929-3-3

• Deas and Other Imaginings: Ten Spiritual Folktales for Children. Valerie Tarico, Ph.D. (© 2011). The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-0-9773929-8-8

• Bral Talej: Damanhur Divination Cards. Shama Viola and Oberto Airaudi (© 2011). The Oracle Institute: UPC 8032937910017

• Dying to Learn: First Book of the Initiate. Oberto Airaudi with a Foreword by Laura M. George (Revised English Ed. © 2012). The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-1-937465-01-8

• Reborn to Live: Second Book of the Initiate. Oberto Airaudi with a Foreword by Alex Grey (Revised English Ed. © 2013). The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-1-937465-05-6

• Seven Scarlet Doors: Third Book of the Initiate. Oberto Airaudi with a Foreword by Barbara Marx Hubbard (Revised English Ed. © 2013). The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-1-937465-09-4

• Divine Attunement: Music as a Path to Wisdom. Yuval Ron with a Foreword by Zia Inayat-Khan (© 2014). The Oracle Institute: ISBN 978-1-937465-162

External links

• The Oracle Institute Website

References

1. IRS Website, "Organizations Eligible to Receive Tax-Deductible Contributions (Pub. 78 data) - Search Results," May 21, 2013: http://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/pub78Search.do?ein1=26-0108053&names=oracle+institute&city=independence&state=VA&country=US&deductibility=all&dispatchMethod=searchCharities&submitName=Search
2. Thomas Jefferson, Act for Establishing Religious Freedom: http://www.virginiamemory.com/online_classroom/shaping_the_constitution/doc/religious_freedom
3. "Oracle Institute Explores Eco-Spirituality,"Galax Gazette,October 12, 2010: http://www.galaxgazette.com/content/oracle-institute-programs-explore-eco-spirituality
4. Independent Publisher Website: http://www.independentpublisher.com/newsdetail.php?page=1049
5. Independent Publisher Website: http://www.independentpublisher.com/article.php?page=1442
6. 2015 Indie Book Awards Web Site: http://www.indiebookawards.com/2015_winners_and_finalists.php
7. "Proposed Interfaith Retreat Center in Virginia Tests Founder, Community," The Washington Post, July 7, 2011: http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2011-07-07/local/35237903_1_grayson-county-prayer-groups-civil-liberties-group
8. "The Religious Fanatics are Already Here," Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 19, 2011: http://www.timesdispatch.com/archive/the-religious-fanatics-are-already-here/article_15fa8cf4-4e4a-576a-b90d-74c7a46357b6.html
9. Rutherford Institute Website: https://www.rutherford.org/issues/religious_freedom/victory_grayson_county_board_of_supervisors_green_lights_development_of_spi/
10. "Oracle Institute Breaks Ground," Galax Gazette, May 25, 2012: http://www.galaxgazette.com/content/oracle-institute-break-ground
11. "Grayson Approves Oracle Institute Special Use Permit," Galax Gazette, December 13, 2011: http://www.galaxgazette.com/content/grayson-approves-oracle-institute-special-use-permit
12. Fellowship for Intentional Community Website: http://directory.ic.org/23848/The_Oracle_Institute