Robert “Bob” Masters, Jean Houston’s husband of 43 years, Dies at 81

On July 27th the world lost a great soul who contributed much to many of us ... Bob Masters and his work made a vital difference in the ways we feel about (and in!) our bodies, the ways we experience our Selves in relation to the world, and the ways we know many of the Mysteries of the Unconscious. As a tribute to his work and to honor his memory, we at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute (SBGI) have established a special scholarship fund, The Dr. Robert (E.L.) Masters Scholarship Fund to be used to further his work in the study of Somatic Psychology. If you are interested in making a tax deductible contribution in honor of Bob, please call SBGI (for credit card) or mail a check to SBGI. Click here to read more about Robert Masters.

Robert E.L. Masters Jr., PhD, was the beloved husband of Jean Houston, PhD with whom he 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 came to New York in 1962 where he became the editor of the Library of Sex Research for the Julian Press and published eight books in the field of sexology and natural history which became classics in their field. It was in New York that he met Jean Houston and they were married in 1965. Masters authored or co-authored more than 30 books and 100 papers and articles describing his researches into the varieties of human behavior and potentials. John Lennon wrote a song about one of the books he wrote with Jean Houston, Mind Games. His works have been translated into many languages and he has taught and conducted research in Europe, Africa and Asia as well as the Americas.

Masters is recognized as a leading pioneer in consciousness research and the human potentials field. He has also published poetry, fiction, essays, literary and art criticism, book reviews, anthology contributions. Robert Masters conducted on-site investigations of states of consciousness in many different cultures and countries. He pioneered applications of altered states in education and psychotherapy, as well as in neural, sensory, and kinesthetic re-education aimed at overcoming many different problems but especially at making possible a larger and more productive access to human potentials. Robert Masters was the founder and President Emeritus of the Association for the Masters Psychophysical Method, a group of hundreds of teachers trained and certified by him for the work he created in the field of psychophysical reeducation. Along with Association members, Dr. Masters endeavored to establish Centers for this work in cities across the US, where the intended focus addressed "older people." Prior to his passing, he was involved in related research and other work to delay the onset of "symptoms of aging" and improve the quality of life of older people. In addition to on-going work in psychophysical reeducation and altered states of consciousness Masters initiated experimental approaches to esoteric psychologies and spiritual disciplines and was particularly knowledgeable about Ancient Egyptian psychospiritual practices.
Robert Masters 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”. Dr. Marti Glenn and her husband, Ken Bruer, are establishing as a tribute, the Robert Masters Scholarship Fund for students in somatic psychology at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, and will match any donations up to $15,000. Checks can be made to SBGI-CCSR [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.