Founder of Elan Vital was Guru Maharaj Ji (Prem Pal Singh Rawat) born 1957 in Hardwar India
It was founded 1971 and has according to latest available figures around 470000 followers worldwide.

Knowledge/Beliefs
“Knowledge” or the primordial energy (source of life) is obtained through four forms of meditation, which originate from "surat shabda” yoga. These meditation techniques originated in DLM from a guru in the Sant Mat tradition, which is a Sikh sect, whose believe system draws many elements from Hinduism. These forms of meditation earlier taught by many people in DLM are now only taught by Maharaji.

The four steps of meditation
The first meditation technique is called Divine Light

The eyes are closed so that the focus stays on the inside. Using the thumb and middle finger the rim of the eyelid is followed, starting on the external edges of the eye. Slowly the fingers are moved to the median corner of the eye in contact with the eyelids. The fingers are rested on this spot while touching the eyelids and bone of the nose. The index finger is gently rested above the nose in the middle of the forehead. The eyes are not moved. Then you just relax and focus on the "inside." If focus is lost, start over from the beginning. This meditation technique is usually done for 15 minutes.

The second technique is called "Music." Use your right thumb to close/gently cover the right ear, and the left thumb to close/gently cover the left ear. This is done using the fleshy part of the thumbs; the thumbs are not pushed into the ear. Make sure to keep the trigus -- the small cartiledge piece at the opening of the ear -- out. Then keeping your eyes closed, focus inside.

The third technique is known as "Nectar." Keeping your eyes closed, breathing normally, and focusing on your breath going in and out, follow what you feel and let your focus go inside.

The fourth technique is known as "primordial vibration" or "Holy Name." Keeping your eyes closed, let the tip of your tongue rest on the pallette. Let the tongue go where ever it wants, and begin to focus on the inside.

The four different meditation techniques should all be done for roughly 15 minutes. Many of the practitioners of “Knowledge” meditation techniques report a remarkable transformation of consciousness.

The first change is the discovery that meditation is a source of physical energy.
The second change starts when one begins to feel that events in one's life are being arranged for the sole purpose of getting one's attention, of experiencing learning
The meditating person starts having an increasing awareness that reality is not quite how it looks at the surface and that it is specially arranged to look the way it does for the one who sees it
“Knowledge” is a very personal experience. Though some of the experiences are similar, there is not one predetermined experience, valid for all meditating persons.

When the first two forms of meditation are learned, instructors will check if they are done in the proper way. If necessary they are shown again. During the third and fourth kind of meditation the instructors stay in the room and just make sure nothing goes wrong.

According to Maharaji one should not expect anything spectacular. The major goal of the meditation is to focus on the inside The meditation techniques are helping the practitioner to have an inner experience. The philosophy of the meditation is to experience what is already within us. It is one the individual has to perform for him- or herself, with the guidance of the teacher. The focus of “Knowledge” is on the god within you, or the divinity within, as the power that gives existence.

History
Shri Hans Maharaj Ji was initiated into the Sant Mat tradition by Sarupanand Ji, and took over his following at Sarupanand Ji's death in the early 1920 when he named his mission Divine Light Mission (DLM). Sant Mat means the way of the saints and is a Sikh sect, whose believe system draws many elements from Hinduism.
After establishing an informal mission in Delhi the number of followers grew steadily. Six years after founding DLM Shri Hans Maharaj Ji died. Before his death "Knowledge" was passed to all of his sons, but after his death his youngest son, Guru Maharaj Ji, became the spiritual leader of DLM at the age of eight. Guru Maharaj Ji called himself "the perfect master" and continued the DLM that his father had started.

In the late 1960's some hippies went to India seeking a guru. In India they became associated with Maharaj Ji's movement and received the "Knowledge." After their return to the US they invited him in 1971 and only 13 Maharaj Ji spoke in the mountains of Colorado. In this way DLM was started in the US.

By 1972 the movement had spread across the country and followers were going to India to acquaint themselves with the movement there. DLM eventually grew so large that t was shifted from Delhi to Denver, Colorado.

While in the beginning DLM grew fast it never acquired the following of the masses the followers had hoped for. The public attitude towards their guru was often hostile and a 1973 festival supposed to fill the Houston Astrodome and to celebrate the birthday of Maharaj Ji's father fell through. Due to this failure the Mission became loaded with debts and when funding of other DLM programs was cut, disillusioned premies started to leave.

Further turmoil within DLM appeared, when Guru Maharaj Ji married. His marriage broke the already strained relationship with his mother. Much of the DLM organization was restructured thereafter. Many of the Indian teachers of “Knowledge” went back to India with his mother but. most of his followers stayed. The number of DLM programs were reduced.

Following the weakening of the eastern influence, many premies started referring to Maharaj Ji as a “humanitarian leader" instead of "Lord of the Universe" and many ashrams closed down. With followers leaving money became scarce. So in late 1976 Maharaj Ji reverted back to the DLM's traditional ways. The reversion back to old customs did bring some followers back.

In 1977 and 1978 Maharaj Ji's programs got more and more elaborate. The renewed surge of energy from the new programs brought more old premies back, so that many of the closed ashrams could reopen again. Headquarters were changed in 1979, from Denver, Colorado to Miami, Florida.

More money was always needed and 1983 the ashrams were ordered to be closed again. This devastated the majority of the premies. Soon after DLM became a charitable group known as Elan Vital

Elan Vital was established to make the teachings of Maharaj Ji available. Maharaj Ji's touring was kept to a minimum, and “Knowledge” was given to very few people.
Propagation restarted 1984 and 1985 and Maharaj Ji then re-established the instructor role into Elan Vital. Instructors were the only ones besides Maharaj Ji, who were allowed to spread “Knowledge” But after some more years Maharaj Ji decided, that only he could spread “Knowledge” He increased the number of speeches he made every year. He also started making video and audio tapes as well as information packets to spread his ideas. During this time Maharaj Ji changed his name from Guru Maharaj Ji to Maharaji.

At present Maharaji still gives programs on “Knowledge” and distributes videos, and other media around the world. The original Eastern religious practices were dropped. Instead the Maharaji encourages people to experience the reality of the “life now”.

Issues and Controversies
Like most new religious movements the Divine Light Mission/ Elan Vital has received its fair share of counter cultist publicity. Reports in the media were often repeating that Maharaj Ji seemed to live more like a king than a Guru should live.
Counter cultists also raised questions on the mind set of DLM followers after having received “Knowledge”. DLM was criticized for stressing emotional experience over intellect. Some followers stated, that the notion of a contradiction between Mind and Soul created inner conflicts. Most ex followers of DLM criticized that the most destructive thing was the idea that critical thinking was “being in your mind”, when you were supposed to be within your spirit.
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Around 1973 the anti-cult movement reached its climax, with several ex-members becoming vocal critics of the mission. A number of ex-members charged Divine Light Mission with brain washing and mind control. Maharaj Ji himself was described by anticultists as immature and unfit to be a religious leader and his teachings were condemned as lacking substance.

Some ex-premies criticized the fact that DLM/Elan Vital seemed to do very little in terms of philanthropic work. The whole movement was said to be totally devoid of any kind of philosophy toward helping the less advantaged or the poor. The whole focus according to ex followers was self-centered. DLM/Elan Vital should, but has not done anything to benefit the community around them.

Since DLM first began many followers or premies have left the organization. Some of these people feel as though they were manipulated while they were part of the DLM, others do not feel this way at all. With the decreased number of DLM/ EV followers came a decrease in the amount of public counter-movements and if there is criticism it is mostly coming from ex followers.