About Acem

It was established in Oslo, Norway in 1966 by Dr Are Holen. Since its inception, Acem has continuously been developing ways of teaching and guiding people in their meditation processes within a framework of scientific medical and psychological understanding; the teaching is based on modern Western thought and lifestyle. There is no guru or religious tradition behind Acem’s activities.

Thus, Acem is not teaching a system of beliefs. The emphasis is on the meditation practice and what it entails. The major aim is to assist people by means of a reflective approach in leading richer and more insightful lives through deep relaxation, stress management, increased energy and personality development for the benefit of the person, and also of his social environment and society at large.

Acem’s three basic tools are:

• Meditative processing by means of Acem Meditation.
• Verbal processing by means of technical and process-oriented meditation guidance and communication groups (an intensive interpersonal group process of one week’s duration or longer, available only in Acem).
• Physical, bodily processing by means of classical, meditative yoga integrating movement, breath and attention, as well as other methods for enhancing bodily awareness.

However, Acem Meditation is the primary activity of the organization, while the other tools are optional and supplement the first.