For those seeking to understand the "physics" of their mind, or perhaps just a higher sense of consciousness, the Institute of Mentalphysics may be just the thing they were looking for. Built by Frank Lloyd Wright and his son Lloyd Wright in 1946, the Institute of Mentalphysics sits in the high desert of Joshua Tree, California. Based on enlightenment philosophy, the Science of Mentalphysics is advertised as "a portal to your inner being."

The Science of Mentalphysics was originally created by Ding Le Mei in 1927. Born as Edward John Dingle, Ding Le Mei was a British journalist who spent twenty-one years living and studying in Asia, mostly Tibet. During that time, he was one of the first Westerners to study under a Tibetan Lama Master, and used his experience to fuse the similarities between Eastern and Western religious philosophies into his own new creation.

Mentalphysics is a hybrid of meditation and breathing techniques which, when coupled with the sharp powers of the mind, can bring about a "Christ-like" transformation of consciousness. The philosophy borrows many techniques from Tibetan breathing exercises and yoga principals. It is commonly referred to as "The Super Yoga of the Western World."

Though the philosophy has few similarities with the traditional, academic study of physics, Ding Le Mei believed that the mind created reality, thus leading to the name, "Mentalphysics." He concluded that through a series of self-realization techniques, one could rapidly develop their spiritual awareness and expand their consciousness, even coming to control reality itself, a la Neo in the Matrix. Believers often refer to the philosophy as "the science of the future."

The institute itself is located on 420-plus-acres in the Mojave desert. It features the largest collection of buildings designed by Lloyd Wright and includes titles such as the Preceptory of Light, the First Sanctuary of Mystic Christianity, and the 700-foot long residence, Caravansary of Joy. Since its opening, roughly 225,000 students worldwide have enrolled to learn Ding Le Me's teachings.

Today, the Institute of Mentalphysics, also known as the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, features a variety of workshops dedicated to spiritual awareness and healing. Visitors can plan an overnight retreat, walk the Medicine Wheel, or experience the 15 "holy" spiral-shaped stone paths. Known as vortices, these structures are said to channel the site's "natural energy" and help visitors find clarity, for a fee, of course.