Robert E.L. Masters Jr., Has Passed Away

Received this sad news from the folks who manage the Jean Houston newsletter. My sympathy goes out to all who are pained by this loss, especially his wife. An obituary appearing in Oregon's local paper can be read here.

“Papa Bob”

January 4, 1927 – July 27, 2008

Robert E.L. Masters Jr., Ph.D., beloved husband of Jean Houston, Ph.D., passed away of natural causes at his home in Ashland, Oregon, in the early hours of Sunday morning, July 27, 2008. He was 81. A private service and cremation were held on July 31, 2008 in Ashland.

With is wife of 43 years, Dr. Masters co-founded and directed The Foundation for Mind Research. The couples’ shared passion for charting, understanding, developing and teaching of human and extended human capacities, fueled their life long adventure towards improving the quality of life for peoples of all ages, cultures and geographic locations. Together, they were among the principal founders of the human potential movement.

He authored or co-authored more than 30 books and 100 papers and articles describing his researches into the varieties of human behavior and potentials. He has also published poetry, fiction, essays, literary and art criticism, book reviews, anthology contributions, and forewords and introductions to books by authors in many different disciplines. His books in the field of sexology and natural history became classics in their field. His works have been translated into many languages, and he has taught and done research in Europe, Africa and Asia as well as the Americas.

Dr. Masters is recognized as a leading pioneer in consciousness research and the human potentials field. In addition to on-going work in psychophysical re-education, altered states of consciousness and other areas long worked with in the context of human potentials (research, educational and other applications), Dr. Masters initiated experimental approaches to esoteric psychologies and spiritual disciplines and was particularly knowledgeable about Ancient Egyptian psychospiritual practices.

Dr. Marti Glenn and her husband, Ken Bruer, have established, as a tribute, “The Robert Masters Scholarship Fund” for students in somatic psychology at their Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, and will match any donations up to $15,000. Checks can be made out to SBGICCSR [Santa Barbara Graduate Institute/Center for Clinical Studies and Research], or a credit card can be used by calling the Institute offices at 805-963-6896 with your information. The mailing address is: 525 East Micheltorena Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Donations are tax deductible.

Robert Masters is survived by his wife, Jean Houston. He will be missed not only by those close to him, but by his peers and the many students who benefited from his mentoring and who called him “Papa Bob”.

Tags: Robert E.L. Masters Jr., Jean Houston, death, Psychology, Papa Bob