Chissano is enlightened? Well, tell that to the family of Carlos Cardoso, an investigative journalist assassinated in November 2000 for revealing that the ruling elite had stolen millions of dollars from the country's banks. Tell it to the family of António Siba-Siba Macuácua, the head of Banco Austral, who was throw down a flight of stairs to his death in August this year for demanding corrupt politicians allied to Chissano pay back their massive overdue loans. Tell that to the families of the 50 protestors gunned down in Maputo for demanding fresh elections. Tell that to the families of 83 political prisoners suffocated to death by the police. Tell that to the millions who endure greater poverty because of Chissano's neo-liberal policies, which have made him a favourite of the IMF.

What a better way to expose TM as a dangerous religious cult than to associate it with an African dictator?

Correction, Dan. The Guardian article didnt say that President was "enlightened". The phrase used was: "Chissano President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique is one of Africa's MORE enlightened leaders". ie. meaning that he was willing to take onboard a scientifically validated programme to increase peace and stability in his country - one which has been shown to work well in many parts of the world (see url references) - and that therefore he wasnt being narrow minded or short sighted in this respect.

Sure, he and his country have gone through many challenges and conflicts over the past years. But both have benefited dramatically through adopting the TM approach, and this is borne out in scientific studies published in respected peer reviewed publications, such as the Journal of Conflict Resolution (see url references).

So this method of creating peace in the world is not open to debate, it has been verified in numerous independent studies over the past 30 years.

David Edwards Ph.D, Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin, said of this approach to creating world peace:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

Cheers,

Ron

---

Daily Mail & Guardian
Johannesburg, South Africa.
January 13 2000
 http://www.mg.co.za/mg/news/2000jan1/13jan-tm.html

Preventing war with consciousness-based defence

Preventing war in the world is as easy as a shift in perspective, and adopting transcendental meditation, argue DR DAVID LEFFLER and LEE LEFFLER

NO enemy, no war. The key to peace is preventing an enemy from arising. Mozambique's government recognised this in 1992 while attempting to end civil war. They prevented enemies from arising within their borders using a new
"secret weapon" -- consciousness-based defence. This technology helped Mozambique, and could offer hope to all nations struggling with enemies inside and outside their borders.

Warfare is more dangerous than ever. Weapons of mass destruction are easily available on the world arms market. Building up arms and powerful weapons incites fear in friends as well as foes. A novel solution is needed.

The root cause of war is the build-up of stress and tensions in collective consciousness in a nation. Collective consciousness is the sum of the
influences created by its individual members. This collective consciousness
affects the thoughts and feelings of those same individuals.

If a nation's collective consciousness is full of tension and fear, then disorder erupts. Social injustice and unfavourable economic conditions thrive
in such chaotic environments. Unresolved religious, territorial, political and cultural differences add to the unrest. This creates a frustrated and
dissatisfied population, further destabilising society.

Therefore, raising collective consciousness by reducing stress in society prevents the conditions that lead to enemies, conflict, and war. An ancient
system of defence, revived by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, raises collective consciousness by reducing stress. Using a simple, non-religious mental technique called the Transcendental Meditation (TM) programme, collective
consciousness is raised starting on the level of the individual.

Individuals practice the TM technique daily in large groups. Extensive
scientific research indicates that practitioners of the TM programme experience increased coherence and higher states of consciousness. The
consciousness of the individual affects the group, and the group creates a super-radiance effect. Super-radiance means the coherence of the individuals
and the group radiates into the surrounding population.

Tensions in the population of Mozambique were running high in 1992 after
decades of war. The damage to human life and property was high. After the
General Peace Agreement was signed, the country remained in a precarious
situation. Although a United Nations mission would soon be coming into the
country, fighting could have easily broken out again at any time.

President Alberto Joachim Chissano and other representatives of the
Mozambique government were contacted by Maharishi Vedic University. Maharishi
Vedic University, based in Vlodrop, Holland, felt that Mozambique was a good
candidate to implement Maharishi's system of defence. The University gave a
detailed presentation on the TM programme and cited research published in
leading scientific journals. These journals included The Journal of Conflict
Resolution, Social Indicators Research, International Journal of
Neuroscience, Journal of Crime and Justice, and Journal of Mind and
Behaviour.

After serious and critical study of the programme by the Mozambique Armed
Forces Joint Chiefs of Staff, these leaders implemented the programme. The
goal was to create the Maharishi Effect in the country. The Maharishi Effect
happens when the number of people practicing the programme reaches a critical
mass, creating coherence, peace and harmony throughout the nation.

The TM technique was taught to different police and military units including
the Ground, Naval and Air Forces. More than 16 000 people learned the TM
programme, and many practiced it daily in large groups. Additionally, more
than 3 000 went on to learn the advanced TM-Sidhi programme and Yogic Flying,
which is even more powerful.

Learning TM takes a few hours over several days. Then, the meditation is
practiced for about twenty minutes, twice a day. The military merely added
two more duties to the members' daily routines. Since the military by its
nature is disciplined, it was an ideal choice for participating in the
meditation project. The military's job is to protect society. By practicing
the TM programme, the military fulfills its duty without violence.

After the programme was under way in 1993, positive trends were noticed.
Peace was maintained. Crime, which is normally expected to increase at the
end of a war, actually decreased, as predicted by Maharishi Effect
scientists.

The next year, the military began to be demobilised. The Commander of the
Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General Tobias Dai, who is now the General Secretary
of the Ministry of Defence, noticed a sudden change. "What is very clear is
that once the positive effect is created, if group practice is stopped, the
previous tendencies of higher collective stress, as determined from the crime
indices and the tense situations in the country, began to rise again. In
1994, there was a remarkable decrease in coherence in the country as a result
of decreased participation in the group practice of the Transcendental
Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme ..."

Dai attributed the dip in coherence to the demobilisation of the troops and
anticipated ending of TM courses for future police officers. He also said in
1994 that "until now, although with several difficulties, the maintenance of
peace has been possible during these two years, and free and just elections
have been carried out ..." Coherence-creating groups of meditators were
recreated. A year later, the United States National Defence Council
Foundation dropped Mozambique from the list of conflicts in the world, and
stability has since been sustained.

The Maharishi Effect apparently strikes at the most fundamental strategic
point -- the level where enemies arise -- stress in collective consciousness.
If enemies do not arise, there are no battles. Warfare and violence become
obsolete.

Maharishi's consciousness-based strategy may be the first truly defensive
system for maintaining peace. Any nation that has only allies becomes
invincible. If the Maharishi Effect is real, military experts in this
technology could create permanent peace.

Jane's Defence Daily, the highly regarded source for defence and police
information, recently printed advertisements announcing the strategy. A
Jane's spokesperson quoted in the Londoner's Diary said: "We checked these
advertisements with our company board. They are defence related and don't
contravene the Geneva Convention because they don't advertise torture
weapons, napalm or weapons of mass destruction." The spokesperson indicated
that a new trend may be emerging. "We haven't had a chance to test the
system, but spiritual defence systems could be the next generation of
weapons."

Due to the success of TM programme on many fronts, Dai met officials at
Maharishi Vedic University a few weeks ago. They finalised plans to train 7
000 military personnel in the TM and TM-Sidhi programme. If the success in
Mozambique is repeated by other militaries, fear-based defence strategies
could disappear. The Mozambique military is setting an example for the rest
of Africa and the world.

President Chissano states: "First I started the practice of Transcendental
Meditation myself, then introduced the practice to my close family, my
cabinet of ministers, my government officers, and my military. The result has
been political peace and balance in nature in my country. People ask me if
this is a religion. I have explained to them that I may keep my religion but
I should take advantage of this science and make maximum use of it. We will
not stop praying in our churches, we will not stop praying in our mosques, we
will not stop praying in our synagogues, but we will make an appeal to the
support of nature through the application of this technology (of conscio
usness)." Chissano expressed his willingness to endorse his experiences to
any government which inquires. Why not South Africa?

-- The Mail & Guardian, January 13 2000.

==ends===

A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

That's funny, I thought the war ended because the Soviet Union was no longer funding Frelimo and South Africa and the US pulled the plug on Renamo, allowing Catholic priests to intervene and begin negotations in 1990. Like Angola, the end of the cold war meant that the superpowers took little interest in maintaining civil war. If you think the peace process was suddenly sparked off when Chissano started bouncing around yogic flying in 1992, then you are utterly naive and have no knowledge of Mozambican political history.

As for the country's state of health, floods have given rise to cholera and malaria outbreaks, the suicide rate is one of the highest in the world, the country endures one of the highest AIDS and infant mortality rates in the world, mentally disturbed former combatants are continuing to kill members of their own communities and 26 per cent of children are malnourished. Economic reform advocated by the IMF is leading to more misery, with the price of cash crops like cashew nuts and sugar dramatically falling in value due to Chissano's trade liberalisation.

And I also note you have side-stepped the issue of human rights abuses under Chissano's reign.

I suggest you evangelise your quackery to a forum of middle-aged professionals, who are always willing and able to afford the exortionate prices of your TM con.

Daniel,

The bottom line is that TM and Yogic Flying are the most effective ways of reducing conflict and war in the world, and this has been shown time and time again in validated scientific studies (see enclosed urls). So the effectivness of these techniques isnt open to debate (as Ive said before). However, enough people have to practice these techniques regularly in order for them to have the maximum positive effect in society.

I know you from my days in London, and I'm aware that your heart is in the right place when it comes to issues such as world peace, GMOs, and pollution issues etc. However, Im surprised at your highly negative views on TM. But as I said before. You carry on as you think best, based on your own view of reality.

All the best,

Ron

==

A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this (TM) research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

TM is not proven to be anything but an expensive gimmick invented by a fake guru.

Recent independent research in Germany, which the TM movement tried to suppress, found that 76% of long-term meditators experience psychological disorders, including 26% nervous breakdowns, 63% experience serious physical complaints and 70% recorded a worsening ability to concentrate. See  http://www.trancenet.org/research/toc.shtml

As for TM's incontrovertible evidence, Professor Markovsky of the University of Iowa says there is little proof - at least none published in respected medical journals - to suggest that TM has any wider impact on society. See  http://www.trancenet.org/research/markovsky.shtml

Of course, you might say 'this is all biased research by pharmaceutical companies'. But the TM movement has largely funded the research that has 'proven' that TM works. In short, the TM movement has bought off second-rate scientists with massive research grants to dupe vulnerable members of the public into joining the religious cult. TM is very similar to Ron L Hubbard's Scientology in this respect.

If you really want to know learn a TM mantra, but don't want to spend the money, go to:  http://caic.org.au/eastern/tm/free-tm.htm
This provides a free list of 'secret' mantras, which are allocated according to age. I know it's right, because I once practiced TM and, embarrassingly, forked out a lot of money for it, although I was only 17 at the time. I've never met 'Ron' though.

Don't fall for this bullshit. Peace can only come through revolution.

Of course there will always be those who attempt to put out misinformation on any novel strategy which aims to improve health in a natural way, and TM is no exception. But the fact remains that TM has been widely identified by INDEPENDENT scientists as the most effective tool in this respect.

..For example, here are a few quotes from leading independent scientists on research into Yogic Flying as a means to create coherence and reduce crime. You can choose to read these quotes with an open mind, or otherwise, but in either case they have been well validated in independent published journals.

"My first reaction to work in this tradition was one of total disbelief. However, its proponents have shown themselves prepared to subject programs
to empirical test, and the technique already has a sounder basis than many less exotic approaches. At the minimum, courtesy and humility demand interest and attention to its progress and testing. If favourable tests keep
coming, we should not shrink from using them, or from seeking to understand them." - - Ken Pease, Ph.D., Professor of Criminology, University of Huddersfield, England; Board Member Home Office National Crime Prevention Board.

"This is promising research. It is a non-traditional approach, but the methodology of these studies is sound and the statistical significance high.
In a world as unstable and dangerous as ours, I believe that any approach with such consistent objective support deserves careful attention."
- Dr. Ved Nanda, Director of the Legal Studies Program, University of Denver; formerly President of the International Association of Law Professors.

"The hypothesis definitely raised some eyebrows among our reviewers. But the statistical work was sound. The numbers were there. When you can statistically control for as many variables as these studies do, it makes the results much more convincing." Raymond Russ, Ph.D., Professor of
Psychology, University of Maine; Editor of the Journal of Mind and Behaviour.

"I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of ANY OTHER SOCIAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in
the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.
" David Edwards, Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
--

In addition, numerous medical studies have shown TM's effectiveness. For example, the enclosed article outlines the Swedish Air force's experience of using TM, as does the enclosed info from The American Heart Foundation in a breakthrough study which caught the attention of the medical profession world-wide.

The year is 2001. The world is on a knife edge. Bio-weapons could easily wipe out millions. We therefore need to look carefully in an open-minded way at the most effective ways to eliminate the root cause of terrorism and war and have the foresight to accept novel ideas if necessary.
Calling for a 'revolution' certainly indicates an awareness that change is needed in the world. But actually bringing about that change in a smooth and non-violent way is another matter and requires, well ...read on!

Cheers,

Ron

----

Research on Transcendental Meditation (TM) at the Swedish Air force Sensitive test for selection of pilots indicates profound effects on mental health
By Jaan Suurküla M.D.

 http://hem.spray.se/ltmsv/DMTeng.htm
--------------------------

Background

A great problem in combat pilot training all over the world has been that psychological tests have not been able to reveal the deeply seated disturbances that make persons unable to keep the head cool in highly stressful situations. In Sweden, a major part (up to 80%) of the pilot trainees failed year after year. With few exceptions, the reason was psychological inaptitude revealed under demanding flight situations. The situation has been similar in other air forces, which meant great economic losses considering the high costs of pilot training.

Therefore the Swedish Air force sponsored the development of a test designed to reveal hidden psychological disturbances. The test used was the "Defence Mechanism Test" (DMT) originally created by Ulf Kragh. It was modified in important respects by the psychologist Thomas Neuman and was introduced in the Air Force 1970. As there are fundamental differences between Kragh's method and the way Neuman applies it, we will call it "DMT-Neuman".

Defence Mechanism Test (DMT) ad modum Neuman

This test turned out to be very reliable with a high correlation between the test points and inadequate behaviour or mistakes in demanding flight situations. Since the test was introduced in combat pilot selection, very few incidents or crashes have occurred due to psychologically inadequate pilot behaviour according to the Air Force (1). The same is the experience from the other air forces that now are using this test for selection of combat pilots (for more, see footnote 1).

DMT-Neuman is an unusally sensitive and reliable method for detecting deep rooted disturbances in the psychology, greatly superior to MMPI and other common tests for revealing such disturbances. The most important reason is that, differently from such tests, it does not depend on verbal responses to questions.

Instead, DMT-Neuman detects disturbances in the perception of threatening pictures presented in a fraction of a second. It is experienced as a very brief flash that one only gets a very vague idea about. This is called subliminal perception. Persons with pronounced defence mechanisms react spontaneously with anxiety (indicated a/o by pronounced galvanic skin responses etc) that makes them distort what they perceive.

DMT-Neuman reveals deep-seated disturbances

According to psychology, the proneness to use psychological defence mechanisms in threatening situations is closely related to the presence of deeply seated, often early acquired memories of anxiety provoking and otherwise traumatic or insecurity-causing experiences. These memories uphold an increased level of conscious or often subconscious anxiety. When a situation somehow appears threatening to such a person, this anxiety tends to break through. The defence mechanisms have the function to suppress these anxiety provoking impressions. So differently from secure and harmonious people who perceive the threat realistically and handle it adequately, the traumatized person immediately mobilizes reality-distorting defence mechanisms.

Remarkably common

Experience from DMT-Neuman studies has objectively verified psychological experience that most people with these disturbances usually behave completely normally except for in very demanding threatening situations. Extensive testing indicates that only a small percentage of the population is free from such defence mechanism activating disturbances. Massive experience from psychotherapy has shown that it takes often 20-25 years or more of psychotherapy to access and cure these deeply seated subconscious anxiety upholding disturbances.

DMT-Neuman research on subjects practising Transcendental Meditation
1. Pilot study

Pilots who were found to have pathologically high DMT-Neuman points (risk category 4) were grounded. The Air force wanted to recover these pilots but they had been informed that the disturbances that DMT-Neuman indicated were such that it would take too many years with the best psychotherapy methods to cure them. An Air force officer, involved in the DMT-Neuman project, contacted the undersigned, who then was the medical advisor of the TM movement. The officer asked if I had some experience about the effects of TM on such disturbances and wondered if TM might promote a more rapid cure. I told him that, against my experience of considerable improvement in a number of cases with serious anxiety problems, I was certain that one year would be enough to produce a significant improvement in the grounded pilots. Five of these, who were eager to regain flight duty, were encouraged by the Air force officer in charge of the project to start TM.

After one year, the pilots were retested by Thomas Neuman. In all five he found pronounced improvement, from the highest risk group (IV) to the lowest risk group (I). Neuman commented that the result was sensational considering that the serious and profound disturbances the test revealed in these five cases takes decades of psychotherapy to improve.

2. Controlled study

Although the test was designed to reveal stable deep-seated disturbances, the question arose if there was a flaw in the test considering the dramatic improvement after one year of TM. So the Air Force set out a program to investigate whether DMT-Neuman might sometimes give errors, measuring more superficial and temporary disturbances.

Part of this program was to make a one year controlled study with TM (2). A group of 15 persons who had failed at Air Force pilot selection due to high DMT-Neuman scores was used. Eight of them were instructed in TM and seven were controls. The average DMT-Neuman score was similar in both groups (slightly higher among controls).

At retesting after one year, the DMT-Neuman scores of the control group were unchanged. The scores of the TM group had improved at an average with about ten points. See diagram below

Additional retesting studies were made, all confirming that DMT-Neuman detected a stable trait unless the persons did TM.

The conclusion was that TM has indeed a considerable positive and profound effect on deep seated anxiety causing personality disturbances (trait anxiety). Neuman also concluded that TM would be of great valuable as a preventive measure for ensuring optimal psychological health in Air Force pilots. The introduction of TM as part of the standard training of pilots was therefore recommended by the Four Star Air Force Colonel Hedberg, responsible for national military flight security. But for reasons other than scientific, the High Commander of the Air Force did not decide to integrate TM in the training.

Comment

The result indicates that TM can improve performance significantly under psychologically highly demanding conditions. Also, it indicates that TM can considerably improve stress tolerance in stress-prone people as DMT-Neuman measures a key factor in stress proneness. Differently from common stress treatment and prevention methods, TM apparently affects the fundamental causes of stress sensitivity.

The healing of profound psychological disturbances indicated by the DMT-Neuman study concurs well with other results indicating profound and rapid positive effects of TM on the psychology in cases where conventional methods have been ineffective. This includes considerable improvement of Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Vietnam veterans (4) and considerably reduced recidivism and reduced violence in severe criminals (5, 6). The reason for this remarkable effectiveness seems to be that TM acts on a profound level, apparently transforming the neurophysiological basis for psychological disturbances. A neurophysiological transformation towards higher integration of brain functioning is indicated by improvement of brain wave coherence (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) and alteration of Sensory Evoked Potentials (12).

As the TM technique differs in important respects from meditation techniques and common stress reduction methods, there is no scientific basis for assuming that these results are applicable for other methods.
-----------------------

Acknowledgement: I want to thank Air Force Colonel Lieutenant Folke P Sandahl, who supervised the Air Force DMT development project, for checking and confirming the correctness of this manuscript and for valuable suggestions and advice.

------------------------
Footnotes

The validity of Neuman's interpretation method
Ulf Kragh, the inventor of DMT suggested the responses to subliminally presented threatening pictures could be interpreted as projections of psychological states of the subject. However it is difficult to reliably establish the psychological significance of a certain response.

Because of this, Neuman avoided any evaluation of psychological states with his version of DMT. His mission was to develop a stringent quantitative test for selection of Air Force pilots. The Air Force demanded it should have a high reliability and validity. To achieve this, Neuman found it was useful to assess only the presence of Defense Mechanisms. The number of different Defense Mechanisms present and some other stringently quantifiable criteria were used for calculating test points.

In a systematic manner, Neumann developed his evaluation method using mistakes in combat pilot performance as the criterium of validity. He arrived at a correlation above 0,7 between the test points and error-proneness in pilot performance. The validity of this method has been further confirmed in extensive practical use in the Swedish and other air forces. Since the introduction of the test, there has been a very great decrease (to almost zero) of accidents and incidents found to be caused by pilot mistakes. Furthermore, formerly about 55-80% of the pilot trainees failed during training due to inappropriate flight behavior (making mistakes in stressful situations). But after the test was introduced 30 years ago, not a single Swedish pilot trainee has been discarded for this reason, although the pilot trainers systematically expose them for the same stressful situations that made a major part of trainees drop out formerly.

Neuman did additional in-depth studies that further confirmed the validity of his method, demonstrating the connection between presence of defence mechanisms as revealed by his test and traumatic memories. He found that TM first normalized responses associated with recent traumatic memories and then gradually worked backward in the "record" of traumas. Unfortunately, the Air Force decided these reports should be confidential as they revealed intimate personal details of the subjects, some of whom still are active in the Air Force. In assessing anxiety he did not use projective psychology interpretations but objective criteria like galvanic skin responses.

Conclusion: While the Kragh system uses a projective test approach for assessing the psychological response with important uncertainities due to interpretation problems, DMT-Neuman is a scientifically stringent quantitative method determining the amount of defense mechanisms with a high level of validity and reliability.
------------------------------------------------------

RReferences

1. Sandahl, F.P.: The Defence Mechanism Test DMT as a Selection Instrument when Testing Applicants for Training as Military Pilots. Stockholm: Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademiens Handlingar och Tidskrift (Proceedings and Journal of the Swedish Military Academy) nr 4, p 132-154, 1988.

2. Sandahl, F.P.: Inverkan av tm-utövning på neurotiseringsgrad. Stockholm: Läkartidningen (Journal of the Swedish Medical Association), vol 77, nr 34, p 2808 ff, 1980. (Swedish)

3. Eppley, K.R., Abrams, A.I., and Shear, J. Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45(6), 957-974, 1989.

4. Brooks JS, Scarano T; Transcendental Meditation in the treatment of Post-Vietnam Adjustment. Journal of Counselling and Development 65:212-215. 1985.

5. Bleick CR, Abrams AI; The Transcendental Meditation Program and Criminal Recidivism in California, Journal of Criminal Justice 15:211-230, 1987.

6. Abrams AJ, Siegel LM, The Transcendental Meditation Program and rehabilitation at Folsom state prison: A cross validation study; Criminal Justice and behaviour 5:3-20, 1978; ALEXANDER CN, Doktorsavh vid Harvard University: "Ego development, personality and behavioural change in inmates practicing the Transcendental Meditation Technique or participating in other programs: A crossectional and longitudinal study. Dissertation Abstracts International 43:539B, 1982

7. Levine, P. Proceedings of the San Diego Biomedical Symposium sid 15 ff, 1976.

8. Dillbeck MC, Bronson EC, International Journal of Neuroscience 14:147-151, 1981.

9. Orme-Johnson DW et al Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program, Collected Papers vol 3:215, Vlodrop, Holland, MVU Press, 1989.

10. NIDICH R et al, Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program, Collected Papers vol 4, Vlodrop, Holland, MVU Press, 1989, 2273-2277.

11. TRAVIS, F. T. Eyes open and TM EEG patterns after one and eight years of TM practice. Psychophysiology 28(3a): S58, (Abstract), 1991.

12. LYUBIMOV, N. N. Mobilization of the hidden reserves of the brain. Program Abstracts of the 2nd Russian-Swedish Symposium "New Research in Neurobiology," Brain Research Institute, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, May 19-21, 1992.

Swedish Physicians for Transcendental Meditation
-
---

NEWS RELEASE

Transcendental Meditation Reduces Hypertension in High Risk Men and Women

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Heart Association Journal Publishes New Study on Stress-Reduction and Hypertension in an Inner City, Older Population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results published in today's issue of the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, showed that the Transcendental Meditation technique significantly lowered blood pressure in older African American men and women who were at high risk for five major risk factor groups.
The study was the first of its kind to investigate the application of stress reduction techniques to African American subgroups who displayed major hypertension risk factors including obesity, high alcohol use, low exercise level, psychological stress, and high sodium intake.

Researchers at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, teamed up with medical doctors and researchers at the West Oakland Health Center in Oakland, CA. They monitored 111 subjects, ages 55 to 85, who were randomly assigned to three groups: the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), or a lifestyle modification education control group.

After three months, subjects in the TM group showed significant reductions in blood pressure at both high and low risk levels for all five major hypertension risk factors, and for smoking, a major cardiovascular risk factor. Whereas, subjects practicing the TM program with the highest combined risk profile decreased significantly in blood pressure, educational controls with the same profile significantly increased in blood pressure over the same time period.

Other findings of the study include:

Of the two stress-reduction techniques, Transcendental Meditation was approximately twice as effective as Progressive Muscle Relaxation in reducing hypertension.

Women in the TM group reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 10.4 points and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 5.9 points, compared to control women; women in the PMR group did not show a significant difference.

Men in the TM group reduced SBP by 12.7 points by DBP by 8.1 points, compared to control men; men in the PMR group reduced DBP only.

The blood pressure reductions found in the TM subgroups were similar to those commonly found with antihypertensive drugs. Comparable blood pressure reductions in drug trials over the long-term have been associated with 35-40 percent less strokes and 20-45 percent less coronary heart disease.
"These findings are important because they show that even in the worst case scenario-when someone has multiple risk factors for hypertension and heart disease-the Transcendental Meditation technique can effectively reduce high blood pressure and thus help prevent cardiovascular disease and death," said Charles Alexander, Ph.D., co-author of the study and Professor of Psychology at Maharishi University of Management.

Previous studies have found that intensive, multidimensional lifestyle changes in diet, exercise and stress management can help prevent coronary heart disease (CHD) if maintained over the long-term.

"Our findings indicate that the use of the stress-reducing TM technique by itself--independent of one's lifestyle or stress level--decreases high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor to CHD," said Alexander, a Harvard-trained psychologist.

"This is critically important because research shows that people who are high in psychological stress (i.e., anger, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem) generally find it difficult to initiate and maintain lifestyle changes, typically reverting to at-risk behaviors after some time," Alexander said.

The study's other co-authors include: Robert Schneider, M.D., Director of the Center for Health and Aging Studies, and Mawiyah Claybourne, Ph.D., a National Institutes of Health-sponsored postdoctoral fellow at M.U.M., Bill Shepard, Ph.D., Director of the West Oakland Health Center's Stress and Hypertension Research Clinic; Frank Staggers, M.D., Medical Director of the Drug Detoxification, Rehabilitation and Aftercare Center at the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinics in San Francisco; and Brent Egan, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

"Over 43 million Americans suffer from hypertension," said Dr. Schneider. "With the growing evidence of the adverse side-effects of antihypertensive drugs, these findings on stress-reduction through the TM technique are very encouraging. They my forever change to way doctors treat high blood pressure and prevent heart disease."

The study was supported by two grants from the Retirement Research Foundation (RRF) in Chicago. RRF, which was founded by the late John D. Mac Arthur, is the nation's largest private foundation exclusively devoted to aging and retirement issues.

The National Institutes of Health have awarded approximately $3 million for two additional studies currently examining the longer-term effects of the TM program, compared to other behavioral approaches, on hypertension, stress-reduction and heart disease in African Americans.

# # #

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

Beware of "free mantras" posted on dubious websites. The many well-documented health benefits of TM are the result of being taught properly by trained teachers, and of course, of practising TM regularly and consistently over a period of time.

Ron

PS: The following webpage illustrates the significant improvements in health and performance which were experienced by the officers and soldiers practising the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program in the State of Bahia, Brazil. These improvements resulted in improved community relations as measured by a dramatic increase (1,206%) in the number of positive reports received by the Police Department from the citizens of Salvador (Excellent review, pictures included)

 http://www.davidleffler.com/brazilchart.html


----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

Tschh, you anti-capitalist types! Look, Ron told you this TM biz is endorsed and practised by an Extremely Powerful and Important Person, namely President Chissano of Mozambique. And all you can do is rabbit on about how Chissano has abused human rights now and again, and okay maybe had a few of his political opponents shot! Picky or what? Isn't it clear that it's only thanks to TM Chissano has the inner calm to carry out these necessary actions to defeat terrorism?

(I know I retired but this was irresistable!)

Ron obviously doesn't want you to learn something for free. Why? Because if the mantras were free, the fake guru Maharishi Mahesh would not be able to fleece vulnerable and often disturbed people for personal remunerative gain. The sordid little TM cult is classified in the US as a religion, not a scientific or medical research foundation. When was the last time your doctor got you to do puja in front of a fake guru before he or she treated you? When have you had to pay hundreds of pounds for a meditation class? It is a wierd and even dangerous religious cult, just like the Scientologists. Even the Hare Krishna cult doesn't charge you to learn their mantras or eat prasadam in their temples. While the Krishnas are feeding the homeless in Camden, the Maharishi cult is loving it up with dictators and rich capitalist bosses.

I really don't know why IMC is letting Ron's postings be displayed as news. He is simply advertising a commercial product that has little to do with the anti-capitalist or anti-globalisation agenda. Would IMC allow McDonalds to advertise here?

Get this TM filth out of IMC!

Daniel wrote:

"The sordid little TM cult is classified in the US as a religion, not a scientific or medical research foundation"

Wrong again Daniel. TM isn't classified as a cult or a religion in the USA (you've been browsing too many "anti-cult" websites I think :) The US government actually funds TM in a number of ways and recognises it as a simple and natural stress management technique. It is used in this respect in a number of places such as schools, hospitals and prisons. For example, the enclosed article, published in the highly influential U.S. MEDICINE a few days ago, outlines how the National Institutes of Health's National Centre for Complementary Medicine in Bethesda, awarded four major grants to study the individual health benefits of transcendental meditation. The awards included a $7.5 million grant to conduct research over a five-year period as well as a $1.4 million grant to the Johns Hopkins Center for Cancer Complimentary Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Once again, you can read the enclosed article with an open mind, or you can add your own twist to it , the choice is yours. But the fact remains that TM, and its more advanced form, Yogic Flying, are widely recognised and adopted in many parts of the world, and have shown to be effective in reducing individual stress and collective tensions, and are therefore the key to creating real and lasting peace in the world.

So this is the reason why I post TM info to the IndyMedia website etc on a regular basis, and it would be narrow-minded and short-sighted of me not to circulate this information to others. If you wish to oppose this then fine, but personally I would suggest that you put your time and energy into something a bit more positive and productive, as per the spirit of the IndyMedia news forums.
These sites are open to any forward thinking individual or group which has radical or novel ideas that many help change the world for the better.

All the best,

Ron

--------

 http://www.usmedicine.com/dailyNews.cfm?dailyID=52

November 12, 2001
U.S. MEDICINE (newspaper of Federal Medicine)
Transcendental Meditation Group Seeks $1 Billion Endowment

By Matt Mientka

WASHINGTON-As the world prepared for the American-led war on terrorism last month, supporters of the transcendental meditation movement returned here to ask for a $1 billion endowment to fund a permanent garrison of transcendental meditators in India to promote peace via the unified field of quantum mechanics theory.

To date, the group has raised $40 million in its effort to establish the endowment, the interest of which would support approximately 8,000 permanent transcendental meditators in India-the square root of one per cent of the world's population, which is enough to make a substantial difference, the group said.

The group first launched its fund-raising effort in a pre-planned press conference here on September 11, which was cut short by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Indian scientist who more than 40 years ago revived the ancient Vedic technology, joined his colleagues here
Sept. 28 via satellite from Vlodrop, Holland to promote the project.

Maharishi criticized America's nascent war on terrorism as ineffective, calling President Bush a "wild man." "I know many Americans are saying, 'take revenge,' but take revenge against whom?" he said. Instead, Maharishi implored Americans to consider transcendental meditation as a means to influence others through the unified field, which is said by quantum physicists to connect everything in the universe, including human consciousness on a collective level.

Transcendental meditation is a natural application of unified field theory, which is well accepted in quantum mechanics and is no longer even controversial, said John Hagelin, PhD, a Harvard-trained quantum physicist who ran for president last year as the Natural Law Party candidate. According to Dr. Hagelin, 212 institutions in more than 30 nations have conducted approximately 600 research studies that have
supported the efficacy of transcendental meditation on reducing collective and individual stress on human beings. Approximately 50 studies on transcendental meditation, supporting the technology's efficacy, have been published in leading peer-reviewed journals such as Science and the Journal of Conflict Resolution, he said.

According to Dr. Hagelin, a group of humans as large as the square root of one per cent of the world's population-8,000 today-would be able to positively influence world populations like a radio transmitter broadcasting via the electromagnetic field. "These technologies of consciousness go far beyond the power of positive thinking or prayer, in the mainstream sense of that term, to access and stimulate the most powerful level of mind and matter-the so-called unified field of natural law," he said. "This has become the object of intensive scientific investigation over the past two
decades."

In fact, the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Bethesda, Md., in 1999 awarded four major grants to study the hypothesized individual health benefits of transcendental meditation. The awards included a $7.5 million grant to the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa to conduct research over a five-year period as well as a $1.4 million grant to the Johns Hopkins Center for Cancer Complimentary Medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Though the United States government funds transcendental meditation research to explore individual health benefits, TM movement spokesman Sam Katz told U.S. MEDICINE last month that the U.S. government, which is less enthusiastic about the hypothesized collective benefits of the technology, has not contributed to the endowment fund. Katz said that private individuals and corporations in America and worldwide account for most of the money raised thus far, though the movement is still pursuing government sponsorship. "We're still trying to get the larger donations and, once we do, then we're going to get this group together right away because we know that it's quite urgent," he said.

Regarding America's present war against terrorism, Dr. Hagelin said last month that Americans should support the administration and Congress but should also strive to "plug some of the loopholes, the gaping holes in our defense strategy." A so-called Vedic defense, built upon transcendental meditation, would ease global tensions that are the root cause of terrorism, he said.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The staff of U.S. MEDICINE works to provide objective information about events and policies in federal medicine.

Our affiliated organization, the non-profit U.S. Medicine Institute for Health Studies, promotes innovative thought and debate about significant issues in federal medicine.

Queries and comments should be directed to David Sevier, Managing
Director U.S. Medicine Institute for Health Studies
 sever@usminstitute.org
--

A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

So the US government funds research on dubious TM techniques? Ronald Reagan was great friends with the Moonies who helped set up the far-right Washington Times, does that make them respectable? The TM cult obviously has friends in high places who are willing to divert millions of dollars into the pockets of an insidious fake guru like the 'Maharishi' Mahesh. Such is the corruption of the Maharishi cult and the US government.

Can you give me the answers to the following questions:
1. Why does the TM cult seek to prevent the publication of independent research which proves that the technique either does not work or is harmful? I'm specifically referring to the Maharishi cult's attempt to get an injunction on the publication of a damning report on TM in Germany.

2. Why do you need to charge those who practice TM hundreds and even thousands of dollars when other organisations offer meditation techniques at a low cost or for free? Why don't you offer a refund?

3. Why are mantras kept secret? Why are they allocated on the basis of age?

4. If TM is a scientific cure for all society's ills, why do you need to keep up this pretence of Hindu mysticism?

5. Why did the Maharishi cult create the Natural Law Party and waste so much money? Was it a vain attempt to gain political influence?

Daniel, as I thought, you put a "cult" twist on the previous article! But the fact remains that TM is widely recognised and adopted in many parts of the world, and has been shown to be effective in reducing individual stress and collective tensions, and are therefore the key to creating real and lasting peace in the world. Time well tell how it all pans out. But meanwhile, you carry on with your "cult" view of TM (but maybe take things a bit easier :)

Re your questions:

1. "Why does the TM cult seek to prevent the publication of independent research which proves that the technique either does not work or is harmful? I'm specifically referring to the Maharishi cult's attempt to get an injunction on the publication of a damning report on TM in Germany".

Answer, TM isn't a cult. It's available in many countries as a natural stress management technique. In the UK for example, over 700 doctors practice TM and recommend it to their patients. In addition TM is available through the National Health Service as a proven an effective means to improve health and well-being (see enclosed scientific references - URL)

2. Why do you need to charge those who practice TM hundreds and even thousands of dollars when other organisations offer meditation techniques at a low cost or for free? Why don't you offer a refund?

Answer. TM is taught on a one-to-one basis over a 5 day period. I'm sure nobody would expect to teach over those days and not be paid for their time. In addition there are advertising costs to cover, plus hire of halls or lecture rooms etc? (TM is actually taught free in many third world countries tho). Re "Why don't you offer a refund?" Answer, because Ive never been asked for a refund.

3. Why are mantras kept secret? Why are they allocated on the basis of age?

Answer. You say you've learned TM, so presumably these questions where covered when you learned.

4. If TM is a scientific cure for all society's ills, why do you need to keep up this pretence of Hindu mysticism?

Answer. Am I keeping up a pretence of Hindu mysticism?
I've certainly never mentioned "Hindu mysticism" in any of my postings and I'm not a Hindu. I was born in the UK and therefore I'm a Christian by birth and try to be in outlook as well.

5. Why did the Maharishi cult create the Natural Law Party and waste so much money? Was it a vain attempt to gain political influence?

Answer. I'm not aware of an organisation called the "Maharishi cult", nor do I have much of interest in politics.

Ron

PS: For anyone who is interested, enclosed are some TM 'facts and figures' gleaned from various sources, including a groundbreaking TM research project in Washington DC which was monitored by many independent observers, including an independent US science team.

---

TM fact and figures

 http://www.tmscotland.org/stoppress.shtml

TM Lowers Health Costs

Findings from a study published in the current issue of the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH PROMOTION show that people who practice the Transcendental Meditation® technique are healthier and need less medical care--a dramatic finding which could save billions of dollars each year.

The study of Quebec citizens enrolled in the government health insurance program showed that over a six-year period those practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique reduced government payments to physicians by 13 percent each year compared to a control group. This translates into a savings of as much as $300 million per year for the province's health insurance company.

"This is a significant finding for Canada, and one that could help reduce the soaring health care costs in the U.S. as well," says Robert Herron, Ph.D., lead author of the study and associate professor of health economics and policy at Maharishi University of Management, Iowa. He said that a 13 percent decline in costs would translate into a $45 billion savings for U.S. health insurance companies. (June 2000).

New Research Shows TM Reduces Heart Disease

Learning to relax and reduce stress through the practice of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique may reduce atherosclerosis - and risk of heart attack and stroke - as effectively as drug treatments, yet without side-effects, according to findings published in the current (March 2000) American Heart Association journal STROKE.

"This finding that the disease process in the arteries can be reduced through the TM program may have vast implications for the current management of cardiovascular disease and health care costs," says Amparo Castillo-Richmond, M.D., lead author of the study and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the College of Maharishi Vedic Medicine.

The reductions found in the TM group were comparable to those achieved by lipid-lowering medications and intensive lifestyle modification programs.

Robert Schneider, M.D., second author of the study and director of the NIH-sponsored Centre for Natural Medicine and Prevention (CNMP) at the College of Maharishi Vedic Medicine, states, "Cardiovascular disease is associated with psychological stress. Previous research has found that the TM program decreases coronary heart disease risk factors, including hypertension, oxidized lipids, stress hormones and psychological stress, and is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and death in African Americans and the general population."

"Taken together, these and other findings suggest that the distinct state of 'restful alertness' experienced during the TM technique may be triggering self-repair homeostatic mechanisms in the body, which lead to the regression of atherosclerosis," says Schneider.

Landmark Sleep Study on Meditators

Researchers collaborating from four U.S. and Canadian universities have found a unique style of brain functioning during deep sleep in long-term TM meditators. The subjects reported experiences that match classic descriptions of higher states of consciousness recorded throughout history and cross-culturally.

The study was published in 1998 in SLEEP, the premier journal of the American Sleep Disorders Association and Sleep Research Society (Vol. 20(2):102-110).

The study was conducted by psychologists Lynne I. Mason, Ph.D. and Charles N. Alexander Ph.D., from Maharishi University of Management. (M.U.M.), and co-authored by other scientists from Duke University, University of Iowa, University of Alberta and M.U.M.

The experimental subjects were all long-term practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique, who claimed to experience continuously 'transcendental consciousness' - a state of heightened inner wakefulness and tranquillity - during waking, dreaming and sleeping states of consciousness. Transcendental consciousness is generally accompanied by experiences of intense happiness and peace.

Mason said that the "acid test" of the claims would be to measure the subjects' brain functioning during deep sleep, "when the average person is virtually unconscious and when the subjects could not influence their brain waves. The brain waves of deep sleep are so well documented that any changes due to the experience of the transcendental consciousness state would be easily apparent."

The researchers found that electrophysiological brain activity, as measured by EEG, registered the theta/alpha brain waves typical of transcendental consciousness, simultaneously along with the delta brain waves typical of deep sleep and unusually low muscle tone.

"This landmark study has enormous implications for our understandingof states of consciousness and the functioning of the human mind" said Gary P. Kaplan, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Clinical Neurophysiology, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York

Meditators Reduce Crime in Bermuda

For 2 weeks in March, 46 TM-meditators meditated twice a day at the Police Recreation Club in response to a call last summer by the Acting Commissioner of Police for suggestions from the public for dealing with the problem of violent crime.

Last summer, Stuart Hayward, Emily Liddell and Brian Horsfield met with the Police and presented published research on the crime reducing effects of large groups of individuals practicing TM and the advanced TM Sidhi technique together.

Preliminary results for the project are now available. Compared with the average for the 4 weeks prior to the project, violent crimes of wounding, assault with bodily harm, and murder were down by 22% in the first week, 33% in the second week and 56% for the week after the project. This is consistent with their prediction that serious crimes against persons would be diminished by about 20%. This prediction was made in advance of the project to a Review Board of 10 individuals with positions of responsibility in the community. The results have been presented to the Review Board and, at their suggestion, further statistical analysis is being performed to determine the significance of the results.

Canadian Companies Support TM

Concerns over increasing stress and absenteeism have sparked Canadian companies to begin paying for courses in TM as part of their employees benefit package. Assumption Life and Maritime Life Assurance pay from 50% to 100% of the TM course fee to promote employee wellness. Companies include Bank of Nova Scotia, and Investors Group. In New Brunswick, government employees at Economic Development and Tourism, and Health and Community Services have also recently been approved to learn.

Prime Minister of Peru supports TM in Schools
Peruvian Prime Minister Victor Joy-Way has endorsed a joint venture between Ricardo Palma University and the Maharishi Institute of science and Technology for Peru which will include the teaching of TM in Peruvian schools. "A successful and integrated life in the new millennium will require education to fully develop the consciousness of every student", said Dr Ivan Rodriguez Chavez, Chancellor of the university. This venture follows the successful introduction of TM into the curriculum of three schools in Puno (see below).

Transcendental Mediation Improves High Blood Pressure

The following review of a fascinating and innovative study (1997) on a group of elderly African Americans shows how Transcendental Meditation conquers stress even in the inner cities.

OVERCOMING INNER CITY STRESS

Dr Robert Schneider, Director of the Laboratory for Health and Ageing Studies at Maharishi University of Management in the United States, wanted to find the toughest possible conditions to test three alternative approaches to lowering high blood pressure. He chose a population group with a high risk for hypertension: elderly African Americans who lived in one of the most high-stress areas of the USA the inner city of Oakland in California.

Comparing Transcendental Meditation with Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) and a standard diet and exercise programme, the study showed that Transcendental Meditation clearly reduced blood pressure most effectively. "Elevated blood pressure in the patients practising Transcendental Meditation generally fell to within the normal range after only 12 weeks of practice," said Dr Schneider.

For years hypertension has been an alarming problem in this segment of the population, he said. "High blood pressure in black people is about twice as prevalent as the average. It's the major culprit for the higher rates of strokes, heart attacks and shorter life expectancies seen in older black Americans."

Dr Schneider also said that people did not like the side effects of the usual drugs used which were expensive and inconvenient.

128 African Americans with mild hypertension aged between 55 and 85 took part in the study at a community centre in Oakland, California. After 12 weeks, hypertension had normalized in the Transcendental Meditation subjects. Their systolic blood pressure had decreased by an average of 11 points. This compared with a five-point decrease in the PMR group and no change in the third group, who followed standard instructions for diet and exercise commonly prescribed for hypertensive patients. Large decreases in blood pressure were also seen in those Transcendental Meditation subjects continuing to take their medication. The results indicate that Transcendental Meditation can be used as a sole treatment or as an adjunct to conventional treatment," said Dr Schneider.

=========

 http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/dc_md.html

Effects of Group Practice of the Transcendental Meditation Program on Preventing Violent Crime in Washington, DC:

Results of the National Demonstration Project,
June–July 1993

John S. Hagelin, Maxwell V. Rainforth, David W. Orme-Johnson,
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, Charles N. Alexander, Susan F. Shatkin, John L. Davies,
Anne O. Hughes, and Emanuel Ross

Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy,

This study presents the final results of a two-month prospective experiment to reduce violent crime in Washington, DC. On the basis of previous research it was hypothesized that the level of violent crime in the District of Columbia would drop significantly with the creation of a large group of participants in the Transcendental Meditation® and TM-Sidhi® programs to increase coherence and reduce stress in the District.

This National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness brought approximately 4,000 participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs to the United States national capital from June 7 to July 30, 1993. A 27-member independent Project Review Board consisting of sociologists and criminologists from leading universities, representatives from the police department and government of the District of Columbia, and civic leaders approved in advance the research protocol for the project and monitored its progress.

The dependent variable in the research was weekly violent crime, as measured by the Uniform Crime Report program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; violent crimes include homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. This data was obtained from the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department for 1993 as well as for the preceding five years (1988–1992). Additional data used for control purposes included weather variables (temperature, precipitation, humidity), daylight hours, changes in police and community anti-crime activities, prior crime trends in the District of Columbia, and concurrent crime trends in neighboring cities. Average weekly temperature was significantly correlated with homicides, rapes and assaults (HRA crimes), as has also been found in previous research; therefore temperature was used as a control variable in the main analysis of HRA crimes. Using time series analysis, violent crimes were analyzed separately in terms of HRA crimes (crimes against the person) and robbery (monetary crimes), as well as together.

Analysis of 1993 data, controlling for temperature, revealed that there was a highly significant decrease in HRA crimes associated with increases in the size of the group during the Demonstration Project. The maximum decrease was 23.3% when the size of the group was largest during the final week of the project. The statistical probability that this result could reflect chance variation in crime levels was less than 2 in 1 billion (p < .000000002). When a longer baseline is used (1988–1993 data), the maximum decrease was 24.6% during this period (p < .00003). When analyzed as a separate variable, robberies did not decrease significantly, but a joint analysis of both HRA crimes and robberies indicated that violent crimes as a whole decreased significantly to a maximum amount of 15.6% during the final week of the project (p = .0008).

Several additional analyses were performed on HRA crimes to further assess the strength of the main findings. These indicated that the reduction of HRA crimes associated with the group of participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs could not be attributed to changes in police staffing. These secondary analyses also found that the reduction of HRA crimes was highly robust to alternative specifications of the statistical model—that is, the effect is independent of the isolated details of the models used to assess seasonal cycles and trends. No significant decrease was found in any of the prior five years during this period of time, indicating that this effect was not due to the specific time of year. Furthermore, the intervention parameters for the group size revealed that the effect of the group was not only cumulative with the increase in group size, but also continued for some time after the end of the project.

Based on the results of the study, the steady state gain (long-term effect) associated with a permanent group of 4,000 participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs was calculated as a 48% reduction in HRA crimes in the District of Columbia.

Given the strength of these results, their consistency with the positive results of previous research, the grave human and financial costs of violent crime, and the lack of other effective and scientific methods to reduce crime, policy makers are urged to apply this approach on a large scale for the benefit of society.

Reference: Hagelin, J. S., Orme-Johnson, D. W., Rainforth, M., Cavanaugh, K., & Alexander, C. N. (1999). Results of the National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness in Washington, D.C. Social Indicators Research, 47, 153-201.

====

A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

Like a politician or a cult member in a tight corner, Ron decided not to answer most of my questions and instead used the opportunity to blow your own trumpet. As for scientific tests, the Maharishi cult plunges millions of dollars into scientific grants and is well-known for bribing scientists.

In fact, for every 'independent' study Ron quotes, there are about 10 which confirm that TM is either not effective or is damaging. That's why the Maharishi cult is keen to suppress information in the courts - see www.trancenet.org for more details - and why Ron refused to answer my first question.

Did you know that it costs less to study a university degree that take up TM? With 10 to 20 people learning TM in one week, these 'teachers' are earning more money for the Maharishi cult in five days than an average person earns in a year. No wonder the Maharishi cult is worth £3.5 billion! So what kind of people does the exorbitant technique appeal to? The rich and famous - it is an elitist cult, with followers chosen on the basis of how much money they can give. That's why Ron quotes dictators like Chissano as 'proof' that TM works. Hardly something any member of the anti-capitalist movement would want to get involved with!

The truth is that mantras are kept secret because there are only a dozen of them. Imagine paying hundreds of pounds just to be told to recite a name of a Tamil god - which is what each mantra is!

The Maharishi cult is a bastardised form of Hinduism, based on a warped interpretation of vedic scripture intended to make money out of sahibs. When you first chant your mantra, you have to do puja (a devotional ceremony) to the Maharishi's dead guru, while holding a flower. The teacher then says 'Jai Guru Dev' - which is Hindi for 'victory to the leader god', ie Maharishi Mahesh. They treat Maharishi like a god and yet they claim not to be a cult!!!!!

The Maharishi cult is reviled in India, the home of 'guru dev'. It is regarded as a white man's wet dream. Why? Because it is rightly seen as a dangerous cult - even the Hindu fundamentalists of Shiv Sena and the RSS think so!

I wouldn't want to ban or persecute anyone for their religious or spiritual beliefs. But the Maharishi cult is certainly not the answer to the world's problems and is, in fact, a ploy by a small collection of people to rip off individuals and even institutions. I dread to think that the NHS might use yogic flying instead of vaccination programmes!

Tell you what, Ron, your cult spends enough on propaganda, so why don't you quit and go and spew your crap in the Daily Mail's 'Female' section?

Can I have my money back? Perhaps you could call up Patrice Gladwin at Cambridge who took £100 off me when I was 17 for your TM con? Do you get a kick out of preying on young people?

Good morning Daniel/anonymouse. Nice to see you so bright and cheerful this morning!

Readers to this site may be interested in the following info on how TM is being used successfully by many major companies in the USA, the UK, and India etc. Check it out (see enclosed article). For example, more than 10,000 business people in Japan have learned the Transcendental Meditation Technique. Over 2,000 of them are top executives of leading Japanese companies including Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Toyota Motor Company, Kyocera (Yashika), and One World Supermarkets. Over 100 Japanese companies have introduced the TM program to their managers and employees.

Businesses aren't dumb or short-sighted, they realise an invaluable tool to promote health and productivity when they see it, And with so much stress around these days, TM is much needed!

Also, this news just in:

The UK government has now approved Transcendental Meditation as a suitable course for the Individual Learning Accounts scheme, in England and Wales.
 http://www.tmscotland.org/stoppress.shtml

Cheers,

Ron

--

Transcendental Meditation in the Workplace

 http://www.tmscotland.org/tm/businesses.html

Recently the Transcendental Meditation Programme has been introduced to the multinational giants of India, Tata Tea Ltd. and Tata Chemicals. 20,000 managers and employees of Tata Tea and 6,000 of Tata Chemicals have taken part in the programme. Other renowned companies enjoying the benefits of this unique programme include: Associated Cement, Indian Aluminium, Reckitt & Colman, Oriental Bank of Commerce, SRF, Eveready, Tata Unisys, BHEL, Jindal Polyester, Indian Petro Chemicals Ltd., Anand Group, DCM Shriram, Finolex, Hewlett Packard India, DCM Financial Services, Indian Sugar and General Engineering Corporation, SWIL, Williamson Magor and Co., and Kribhco.

South India Research Institute Ltd.

South India Research Institute Ltd. (SIRIS) comprises 16 industries manufacturing basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and edible oils. A total of 3,000 employees are working in the SIRIS group of industries. A large majority of employees practise Transcendental Meditation. After implementation of the Maharishi Corporate Development Programme, G.S. Raju, chairman of the corporation, noted: 'Transcendental Meditation is practised during working hours twenty minutes twice a day. Apart from improving performance, this has helped the progress of the company. Workers now work only 7 hours but produce 10 hours worth of output. Before learning Transcendental Meditation in 8 hours of work the productivity was equivalent to only 6 hours -- an increase of productivity by 57%. In addition, there was a marked reduction in stress, reduced absenteeism, and the workers reported less fatigue, worries, and anxiety. We have found a more relaxed, peaceful and comfortable atmosphere and working climate in our companies.'

USA Fortune 100 Company

One of the largest corporations in the United States turned to the Maharishi Corporate Development Program in an effort to improve employee health and effectiveness. Managers and employees in a large Midwestern manufacturing plant of the Fortune 100 company, as well as those in a Pennsylvania distribution company, learned the Transcendental Meditation technique (company names withheld in accord with corporate policies). After 3 months the employees who learned the TM technique were compared with a control group of non-meditating employees who worked at similar job sites, held similar job positions, had similar demographics (age, education, etc.), and similar personality characteristics before the study began.

Published Research

The study was published in the international scientific journal Anxiety, Stress, and Coping. Researchers reported that, compared to controls, the group that learned the TM technique had significantly:

Less anxiety, job tension, insomnia, and fatigue
Reduced cigarette and hard liquor use Improved health and fewer health complaints Enhanced effectiveness, job satisfaction, and work/personal relationships.
As found in previous studies, the effectiveness of the TM program in reducing anxiety, smoking and drinking, and in promoting personal development was substantially greater than other forms of meditation or relaxation. A study published in a leading management journal found that managers and employees practising the Transcendental Meditation program an average of 11 months* showed significant improvements in job performance and job satisfaction as compared to members of a control group of co-workers and supervisors. People at every level of the organisation benefited from the TM program.

Large Multinational Company: Sumitomo Heavy Industries

More than 10,000 business people in Japan have learned the Transcendental Meditation Technique. Over 2,000 of them are top executives of leading Japanese companies including Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Toyota Motor Company, Kyocera (Yashika), and One World Supermarkets. Over 100 Japanese companies have introduced the TM program to their managers and employees. After the implementation of the Transcendental Meditation program at Sumitomo Heavy Industries, a high technology company with about 8,000 employees, research on the project was conducted by the National Institute of Industrial Health of the Japanese government's Ministry of Labour. The study evaluated 447 participating managers and employees in comparison to 321 controls at the same company. Participants showed substantial improvements in physical and mental health, including significant reductions in anxiety, insomnia, depression, emotional instability, physical complaints, smoking, and digestive problems.

Maharishi Corporate Development Programme has brought us -- more than 25,000 employees who have been instructed into Transcendental Meditation -- much closer together. We feel enriched and empowered and better able to serve.' -- D. S. Seth Chairman Tata Tea Ltd, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Chemicals Ltd, India

'During Transcendental Meditation we experience our inner nature -- which is cool, calm, and refreshing. This daily experience of deep inner silence results in more energy and alertness during the day, making our activity more successful and enjoyable. And we feel also it's very Indian -- it is something that comes naturally to the people of India. This will give us an edge in the global environment, where we have to compete with people from all over the world.' -- Dr. B. K. Modi Chairman and President, ModiCorp

'Transcendental Meditation… gives much needed peace of mind, helps professionally by increasing concentration levels and finally, gives the bottom line satisfaction at the end of a long workday. The practical day-to-day benefits include more alertness, increased levels of tolerance, patience, and understanding.' -- Anant Dehadrai India Director, Sumitomo Heavy Industries

'In the very first week I personally realised the effect of Transcendental Meditation on my working -- and in the next four months, on my health. Now I work with better efficiency due to better clarity of mind and thoughts. I credit Transcendental Meditation for controlling my blood pressure and for keeping me fresh and active throughout the day, thus improving my quality of life. I recommend Transcendental Meditation to those who want to improve their quality of life at the cost of 20 minutes twice a day.' -- K. K. Agrawal Senior Vice President (Operations), Hero Honda

'After having practised Transcendental Meditation twice daily for about 20 minutes each time, during the last 6 months, I am much more relaxed even during moments of high pressure. My memory is also better. My relationship with my family members and colleagues in the office has substantially improved. The so called factor of luck or good fortune is even more evident in a number of critical situations. I am over 60 and have been practising yoga for the last 44 years. Despite this, TM has certainly been a great help in substantially improving the quality of my life.' -- Shashi Ullal President and Managing Director, Hughes Escorts Communication LTD

'I have practised Transcendental Meditation since 1974, and now more than 100 co-workers at Ericsson apply this technique. I find it much easier to implement new ideas, as I have the drive to formulate and propagate them in a constructive way. It's also easier to take and accept new things and resolve conflicts between old and new. There is also more direct communication in the organisation.' -- Eva Salomonsson Director of Technique and Quality Department, Ericsson, Sweden

'We have chosen MCDP to achieve a well-balanced personality development of our employees. Those of us who have practised TM in SRF have reported many benefits-better alertness and calmness as well as freedom from many stress-related health problems. All these will doubtless improve harmony and teamwork in our organisation, besides improving the lives of our people.' -- Ramanathan President HRD, Sri Ram Fibres LTD

'Transcendental Meditation has been very helpful to me in solving business as well as personal problems. I find that the practice makes me feel deeply relaxed, and my attitude has become more positive. I am sure that Transcendental Meditation will be instrumental in bringing joy and happiness in the lives of many more people.' -- Ratan Jindal Managing Director, Jindal Strips

'Transcendental Meditation, for me, is the means to get back to myself. It gives rest, solidity and insight into the happenings around oneself. For me, Transcendental Meditation works at the fundamental level of mind and body, integrating them both more and more. ' -- Pieter Koridon, Management Development Manager (ret.) IBM, Holland

'Transcendental Meditation increases the integrity of the functioning of the whole brain physiology. It is very useful for relieving the tension of the mind and in developing creativity. Having a method to restore tranquillity of the mind is in great demand these days.' -- Hideo Itoh, M.D. Industrial Doctor, Toyota Motor Company,
Japan

- Burton A. Dole, Jr. Former Chairman and CEO, Puritan-Bennett Corp. Leading manufacturer of respiratory products: "The key to success in today's world is innovation, creativity -- beyond anything else. If you create products and services that are clearly better than what your competitors produce, you're going to succeed in today's world. Having the ability to enhance one's own creativity as well as that of one's employees seems to me to be the ultimate responsibility of a manager within a company. And the Transcendental Meditation program allows that creativity enhancement to take place beyond anything I've ever seen."

- Steve Rubin Chairman and CEO, United Fuels International, Inc. International energy brokerage firm: "For me the experience of settled inner wakefulness and expanded awareness during the Transcendental Meditation technique is the real foundation for successful decision making. After meditating I have the mental clarity and alertness for laser-like focus on the details and, at the same time, for broad comprehension so I don't get lost in the details. I find myself continuously growing in insight and intuition, as well as in the ability to focus and analyze. Over my years in business, the TM technique has been a real competitive advantage."


-----------

A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------



A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

----

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

----------

Problems cannot be solved by bouncing around on a matress all day.

But at least Ron admits that the Maharishi cult is closely entwined with business interests, who want to brainwash their employees into joining its cult.

So you're taking money of the tax-payer for the much-maligned individual learning accounts? Isn't your £3.5 billion cultic empire enough, without having to scrounge off the poor working man's taxes?

Daniel wrote:

"Problems cannot be solved by bouncing around on a matress all day".

Wrong again Dan, numerous independent studies have shown that TM and Yogic Flying create a strong influence of positivity and coherence in the environment and thereby reduce (or even eliminate if the TM group is large enough) problems such as crime, terrorism and war. But dont take my word for it, check out the enclosed scientific references, plus the quotes from leading independent professors and scientists, which I posted earlier on this thread.

Daniel wrote:

But at least Ron admits that the Maharishi cult is closely entwined with business interests, who want to brainwash their employees into joining its cult. So you're taking money of the tax-payer for the much-maligned individual learning accounts?

Wrong again Dan. All companies who use TM make it available to their employees voluntarily and in an open way. All employees are given an in-depth introductory course explaining the many well-validated health benefits of TM.

So TM is scientifically validated and out in the open.
(The majority of people dropped the "TM cults" and "brainwashing" misnomers way back in the 80s).

Daniel wrote:

Isn't your £3.5 billion cultic empire enough, without having to scrounge off the poor working man's taxes?

Answer. I dont have a £3.5 billion cultic empire. I work as a campaigner against GM foods. I havent taught TM for a year or two, so I therefore have nothing to gain financially from TM, or from posting info on TM to this and other websites around the world, other than to inform people of TM's well-documented potential for improving health and creating coherence and order in the environment (see enclosed scientific references).

Summary:

So to sum up. Ive posted numerous scientifically validated references over the past few days on the many benefits of TM in promoting health in society, and its important role in creating world peace at this critical time in history. By comparison, Daniel has put forward the following solution to creating world peace:

"Don't fall for this (TM) bullshit. Peace can only come through revolution".

I rest my case,

Cheers,

Ron

---
Think about it:

"In which camp would you have found yourself if you had lived in the time of Galileo when he proposed support for the radical notion that the earth revolved around the sun instead of the other way around? Think about it. Would you have rationally examined the evidence presented, or would you have just rejected the radical new paradigm?"

------------------

[PPS: I personally took part in the following study in Washington DC and I therefore witnessed the positive influence that was created by reducing the crime rate by over 20% in just a few weeks. Ron]

 http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/dc_md.html

Effects of Group Practice of the Transcendental Meditation Program on Preventing Violent Crime in Washington, DC:

Results of the National Demonstration Project,
June–July 1993

Dr John S. Hagelin, Maxwell V. Rainforth, David W. Orme-Johnson,
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, Charles N. Alexander, Susan F. Shatkin, John L. Davies,
Anne O. Hughes, and Emanuel Ross

Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy,

This study presents the final results of a two-month prospective experiment to reduce violent crime in Washington, DC. On the basis of previous research it was hypothesized that the level of violent crime in the District of Columbia would drop significantly with the creation of a large group of participants in the Transcendental Meditation® and TM-Sidhi® programs to increase coherence and reduce stress in the District.

This National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness brought approximately 4,000 participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs to the United States national capital from June 7 to July 30, 1993. A 27-member independent Project Review Board consisting of sociologists and criminologists from leading universities, representatives from the police department and government of the District of Columbia, and civic leaders approved in advance the research protocol for the project and monitored its progress.

The dependent variable in the research was weekly violent crime, as measured by the Uniform Crime Report program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; violent crimes include homicide, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery. This data was obtained from the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department for 1993 as well as for the preceding five years (1988–1992). Additional data used for control purposes included weather variables (temperature, precipitation, humidity), daylight hours, changes in police and community anti-crime activities, prior crime trends in the District of Columbia, and concurrent crime trends in neighboring cities. Average weekly temperature was significantly correlated with homicides, rapes and assaults (HRA crimes), as has also been found in previous research; therefore temperature was used as a control variable in the main analysis of HRA crimes. Using time series analysis, violent crimes were analyzed separately in terms of HRA crimes (crimes against the person) and robbery (monetary crimes), as well as together.

Analysis of 1993 data, controlling for temperature, revealed that there was a highly significant decrease in HRA crimes associated with increases in the size of the group during the Demonstration Project. The maximum decrease was 23.3% when the size of the group was largest during the final week of the project. The statistical probability that this result could reflect chance variation in crime levels was less than 2 in 1 billion (p < .000000002). When a longer baseline is used (1988–1993 data), the maximum decrease was 24.6% during this period (p < .00003). When analyzed as a separate variable, robberies did not decrease significantly, but a joint analysis of both HRA crimes and robberies indicated that violent crimes as a whole decreased significantly to a maximum amount of 15.6% during the final week of the project (p = .0008).

Several additional analyses were performed on HRA crimes to further assess the strength of the main findings. These indicated that the reduction of HRA crimes associated with the group of participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs could not be attributed to changes in police staffing. These secondary analyses also found that the reduction of HRA crimes was highly robust to alternative specifications of the statistical model—that is, the effect is independent of the isolated details of the models used to assess seasonal cycles and trends. No significant decrease was found in any of the prior five years during this period of time, indicating that this effect was not due to the specific time of year. Furthermore, the intervention parameters for the group size revealed that the effect of the group was not only cumulative with the increase in group size, but also continued for some time after the end of the project.

Based on the results of the study, the steady state gain (long-term effect) associated with a permanent group of 4,000 participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs was calculated as a 48% reduction in HRA crimes in the District of Columbia.

Given the strength of these results, their consistency with the positive results of previous research, the grave human and financial costs of violent crime, and the lack of other effective and scientific methods to reduce crime, policy makers are urged to apply this approach on a large scale for the benefit of society.

Reference: Hagelin, J. S., Orme-Johnson, D. W., Rainforth, M., Cavanaugh, K., & Alexander, C. N. (1999). Results of the National Demonstration Project to Reduce Violent Crime and Improve Governmental Effectiveness in Washington, D.C. Social Indicators Research, 47, 153-201.

---------

American Public TV broadcast on terrorism:

"How to effectively eliminate the root cause of terrorism and war", a new video featuring Major General Singh, a 35-year career army veteran, and John Hagelin PhD, award-winning quantum physicist, speaking recently on APTV throughout the USA:
See:  http://www.worldpeaceendowment.org/videos/solution010918.ram
[Streaming video - requires media player such as RealPlayer]

See also:  http://www.worldpeaceendowment.org/
[Includes peer reviewed research published in respected publications such as Journal of Conflict Resolution]

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)


----------

A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

--

Go Ron! These cynical anti-capitalists may be too disrespectful to buy the endorsement from His Moderate and Democratic Excellency President Chissano, but surely they can't ignore the senior figures in business and finance who you quote.

I mean, these people are our heroes; front-line troops in the War To Protect Capitalism And Profit From Its Enemies! If they say TM works, what right have the likes of us to disagree? It's our Duty To Democracy And Freedom to open our purses wide and say "help yourself, oh wise TM guru"...

Looks like "nonny mouse" and Daniel are the same person.

Nope, Ron, that's just your paranoia. Keep taking the ayur-vedic medicines and just hope they help you.

Yes, well maybe. But then again, it just means there are at two folk who have posted to this thread and havent yet grasped the value of the info that Ive posted.

But the fact remains that TM has been widely identified by INDEPENDENT scientists as the most effective tool in this respect. For example, here again are a few quotes from leading independent scientists on research into Yogic Flying as a means to create coherence and reduce crime. You can choose to read these quotes with an open mind, or otherwise, but in either case they have been well validated in independent published journals.

"My first reaction to work in this tradition was one of total disbelief. However, its proponents have shown themselves prepared to subject programs
to empirical test, and the technique already has a sounder basis than many less exotic approaches. At the minimum, courtesy and humility demand interest and attention to its progress and testing. If favourable tests keep
coming, we should not shrink from using them, or from seeking to understand them." - - Ken Pease, Ph.D., Professor of Criminology, University of Huddersfield, England; Board Member Home Office National Crime Prevention Board.

"This is promising research. It is a non-traditional approach, but the methodology of these studies is sound and the statistical significance high.
In a world as unstable and dangerous as ours, I believe that any approach with such consistent objective support deserves careful attention."
- Dr. Ved Nanda, Director of the Legal Studies Program, University of Denver; formerly President of the International Association of Law Professors.

"The hypothesis definitely raised some eyebrows among our reviewers. But the statistical work was sound. The numbers were there. When you can statistically control for as many variables as these studies do, it makes the results much more convincing." Raymond Russ, Ph.D., Professor of
Psychology, University of Maine; Editor of the Journal of Mind and Behaviour.

"I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of ANY OTHER SOCIAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in
the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.
" David Edwards, Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
--

In addition, numerous medical studies have shown TM's effectiveness. For example, the enclosed article outlines the Swedish Air force's experience of using TM, as does the enclosed info from The American Heart Foundation in a breakthrough study which caught the attention of the medical profession world-wide.

The year is 2001. The world is on a knife edge. Bio-weapons could easily wipe out millions. We therefore need to look carefully in an open-minded way at the most effective ways to eliminate the root cause of terrorism and war and have the foresight to accept novel ideas if necessary.
Calling for a 'revolution' certainly indicates an awareness that change is needed in the world. But actually bringing about that change in a smooth and non-violent way is another matter and requires, well ...read on!

Cheers,

Ron

----

Research on Transcendental Meditation (TM) at the Swedish Air force Sensitive test for selection of pilots indicates profound effects on mental health
By Jaan Suurküla M.D.

 http://hem.spray.se/ltmsv/DMTeng.htm
--------------------------

Background

A great problem in combat pilot training all over the world has been that psychological tests have not been able to reveal the deeply seated disturbances that make persons unable to keep the head cool in highly stressful situations. In Sweden, a major part (up to 80%) of the pilot trainees failed year after year. With few exceptions, the reason was psychological inaptitude revealed under demanding flight situations. The situation has been similar in other air forces, which meant great economic losses considering the high costs of pilot training.

Therefore the Swedish Air force sponsored the development of a test designed to reveal hidden psychological disturbances. The test used was the "Defence Mechanism Test" (DMT) originally created by Ulf Kragh. It was modified in important respects by the psychologist Thomas Neuman and was introduced in the Air Force 1970. As there are fundamental differences between Kragh's method and the way Neuman applies it, we will call it "DMT-Neuman".

Defence Mechanism Test (DMT) ad modum Neuman

This test turned out to be very reliable with a high correlation between the test points and inadequate behaviour or mistakes in demanding flight situations. Since the test was introduced in combat pilot selection, very few incidents or crashes have occurred due to psychologically inadequate pilot behaviour according to the Air Force (1). The same is the experience from the other air forces that now are using this test for selection of combat pilots (for more, see footnote 1).

DMT-Neuman is an unusally sensitive and reliable method for detecting deep rooted disturbances in the psychology, greatly superior to MMPI and other common tests for revealing such disturbances. The most important reason is that, differently from such tests, it does not depend on verbal responses to questions.

Instead, DMT-Neuman detects disturbances in the perception of threatening pictures presented in a fraction of a second. It is experienced as a very brief flash that one only gets a very vague idea about. This is called subliminal perception. Persons with pronounced defence mechanisms react spontaneously with anxiety (indicated a/o by pronounced galvanic skin responses etc) that makes them distort what they perceive.

DMT-Neuman reveals deep-seated disturbances

According to psychology, the proneness to use psychological defence mechanisms in threatening situations is closely related to the presence of deeply seated, often early acquired memories of anxiety provoking and otherwise traumatic or insecurity-causing experiences. These memories uphold an increased level of conscious or often subconscious anxiety. When a situation somehow appears threatening to such a person, this anxiety tends to break through. The defence mechanisms have the function to suppress these anxiety provoking impressions. So differently from secure and harmonious people who perceive the threat realistically and handle it adequately, the traumatized person immediately mobilizes reality-distorting defence mechanisms.

Remarkably common

Experience from DMT-Neuman studies has objectively verified psychological experience that most people with these disturbances usually behave completely normally except for in very demanding threatening situations. Extensive testing indicates that only a small percentage of the population is free from such defence mechanism activating disturbances. Massive experience from psychotherapy has shown that it takes often 20-25 years or more of psychotherapy to access and cure these deeply seated subconscious anxiety upholding disturbances.

DMT-Neuman research on subjects practising Transcendental Meditation
1. Pilot study

Pilots who were found to have pathologically high DMT-Neuman points (risk category 4) were grounded. The Air force wanted to recover these pilots but they had been informed that the disturbances that DMT-Neuman indicated were such that it would take too many years with the best psychotherapy methods to cure them. An Air force officer, involved in the DMT-Neuman project, contacted the undersigned, who then was the medical advisor of the TM movement. The officer asked if I had some experience about the effects of TM on such disturbances and wondered if TM might promote a more rapid cure. I told him that, against my experience of considerable improvement in a number of cases with serious anxiety problems, I was certain that one year would be enough to produce a significant improvement in the grounded pilots. Five of these, who were eager to regain flight duty, were encouraged by the Air force officer in charge of the project to start TM.

After one year, the pilots were retested by Thomas Neuman. In all five he found pronounced improvement, from the highest risk group (IV) to the lowest risk group (I). Neuman commented that the result was sensational considering that the serious and profound disturbances the test revealed in these five cases takes decades of psychotherapy to improve.

2. Controlled study

Although the test was designed to reveal stable deep-seated disturbances, the question arose if there was a flaw in the test considering the dramatic improvement after one year of TM. So the Air Force set out a program to investigate whether DMT-Neuman might sometimes give errors, measuring more superficial and temporary disturbances.

Part of this program was to make a one year controlled study with TM (2). A group of 15 persons who had failed at Air Force pilot selection due to high DMT-Neuman scores was used. Eight of them were instructed in TM and seven were controls. The average DMT-Neuman score was similar in both groups (slightly higher among controls).

At retesting after one year, the DMT-Neuman scores of the control group were unchanged. The scores of the TM group had improved at an average with about ten points. See diagram below

Additional retesting studies were made, all confirming that DMT-Neuman detected a stable trait unless the persons did TM.

The conclusion was that TM has indeed a considerable positive and profound effect on deep seated anxiety causing personality disturbances (trait anxiety). Neuman also concluded that TM would be of great valuable as a preventive measure for ensuring optimal psychological health in Air Force pilots. The introduction of TM as part of the standard training of pilots was therefore recommended by the Four Star Air Force Colonel Hedberg, responsible for national military flight security. But for reasons other than scientific, the High Commander of the Air Force did not decide to integrate TM in the training.

Comment

The result indicates that TM can improve performance significantly under psychologically highly demanding conditions. Also, it indicates that TM can considerably improve stress tolerance in stress-prone people as DMT-Neuman measures a key factor in stress proneness. Differently from common stress treatment and prevention methods, TM apparently affects the fundamental causes of stress sensitivity.

The healing of profound psychological disturbances indicated by the DMT-Neuman study concurs well with other results indicating profound and rapid positive effects of TM on the psychology in cases where conventional methods have been ineffective. This includes considerable improvement of Chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Vietnam veterans (4) and considerably reduced recidivism and reduced violence in severe criminals (5, 6). The reason for this remarkable effectiveness seems to be that TM acts on a profound level, apparently transforming the neurophysiological basis for psychological disturbances. A neurophysiological transformation towards higher integration of brain functioning is indicated by improvement of brain wave coherence (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) and alteration of Sensory Evoked Potentials (12).

As the TM technique differs in important respects from meditation techniques and common stress reduction methods, there is no scientific basis for assuming that these results are applicable for other methods.
-----------------------

Acknowledgement: I want to thank Air Force Colonel Lieutenant Folke P Sandahl, who supervised the Air Force DMT development project, for checking and confirming the correctness of this manuscript and for valuable suggestions and advice.

------------------------
Footnotes

The validity of Neuman's interpretation method
Ulf Kragh, the inventor of DMT suggested the responses to subliminally presented threatening pictures could be interpreted as projections of psychological states of the subject. However it is difficult to reliably establish the psychological significance of a certain response.

Because of this, Neuman avoided any evaluation of psychological states with his version of DMT. His mission was to develop a stringent quantitative test for selection of Air Force pilots. The Air Force demanded it should have a high reliability and validity. To achieve this, Neuman found it was useful to assess only the presence of Defense Mechanisms. The number of different Defense Mechanisms present and some other stringently quantifiable criteria were used for calculating test points.

In a systematic manner, Neumann developed his evaluation method using mistakes in combat pilot performance as the criterium of validity. He arrived at a correlation above 0,7 between the test points and error-proneness in pilot performance. The validity of this method has been further confirmed in extensive practical use in the Swedish and other air forces. Since the introduction of the test, there has been a very great decrease (to almost zero) of accidents and incidents found to be caused by pilot mistakes. Furthermore, formerly about 55-80% of the pilot trainees failed during training due to inappropriate flight behavior (making mistakes in stressful situations). But after the test was introduced 30 years ago, not a single Swedish pilot trainee has been discarded for this reason, although the pilot trainers systematically expose them for the same stressful situations that made a major part of trainees drop out formerly.

Neuman did additional in-depth studies that further confirmed the validity of his method, demonstrating the connection between presence of defence mechanisms as revealed by his test and traumatic memories. He found that TM first normalized responses associated with recent traumatic memories and then gradually worked backward in the "record" of traumas. Unfortunately, the Air Force decided these reports should be confidential as they revealed intimate personal details of the subjects, some of whom still are active in the Air Force. In assessing anxiety he did not use projective psychology interpretations but objective criteria like galvanic skin responses.

Conclusion: While the Kragh system uses a projective test approach for assessing the psychological response with important uncertainities due to interpretation problems, DMT-Neuman is a scientifically stringent quantitative method determining the amount of defense mechanisms with a high level of validity and reliability.
------------------------------------------------------

RReferences

1. Sandahl, F.P.: The Defence Mechanism Test DMT as a Selection Instrument when Testing Applicants for Training as Military Pilots. Stockholm: Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademiens Handlingar och Tidskrift (Proceedings and Journal of the Swedish Military Academy) nr 4, p 132-154, 1988.

2. Sandahl, F.P.: Inverkan av tm-utövning på neurotiseringsgrad. Stockholm: Läkartidningen (Journal of the Swedish Medical Association), vol 77, nr 34, p 2808 ff, 1980. (Swedish)

3. Eppley, K.R., Abrams, A.I., and Shear, J. Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45(6), 957-974, 1989.

4. Brooks JS, Scarano T; Transcendental Meditation in the treatment of Post-Vietnam Adjustment. Journal of Counselling and Development 65:212-215. 1985.

5. Bleick CR, Abrams AI; The Transcendental Meditation Program and Criminal Recidivism in California, Journal of Criminal Justice 15:211-230, 1987.

6. Abrams AJ, Siegel LM, The Transcendental Meditation Program and rehabilitation at Folsom state prison: A cross validation study; Criminal Justice and behaviour 5:3-20, 1978; ALEXANDER CN, Doktorsavh vid Harvard University: "Ego development, personality and behavioural change in inmates practicing the Transcendental Meditation Technique or participating in other programs: A crossectional and longitudinal study. Dissertation Abstracts International 43:539B, 1982

7. Levine, P. Proceedings of the San Diego Biomedical Symposium sid 15 ff, 1976.

8. Dillbeck MC, Bronson EC, International Journal of Neuroscience 14:147-151, 1981.

9. Orme-Johnson DW et al Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program, Collected Papers vol 3:215, Vlodrop, Holland, MVU Press, 1989.

10. NIDICH R et al, Scientific Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program, Collected Papers vol 4, Vlodrop, Holland, MVU Press, 1989, 2273-2277.

11. TRAVIS, F. T. Eyes open and TM EEG patterns after one and eight years of TM practice. Psychophysiology 28(3a): S58, (Abstract), 1991.

12. LYUBIMOV, N. N. Mobilization of the hidden reserves of the brain. Program Abstracts of the 2nd Russian-Swedish Symposium "New Research in Neurobiology," Brain Research Institute, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, May 19-21, 1992.

Swedish Physicians for Transcendental Meditation
-
---

NEWS RELEASE

Transcendental Meditation Reduces Hypertension in High Risk Men and Women

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
American Heart Association Journal Publishes New Study on Stress-Reduction and Hypertension in an Inner City, Older Population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Results published in today's issue of the American Heart Association journal Hypertension, showed that the Transcendental Meditation technique significantly lowered blood pressure in older African American men and women who were at high risk for five major risk factor groups.
The study was the first of its kind to investigate the application of stress reduction techniques to African American subgroups who displayed major hypertension risk factors including obesity, high alcohol use, low exercise level, psychological stress, and high sodium intake.

Researchers at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, teamed up with medical doctors and researchers at the West Oakland Health Center in Oakland, CA. They monitored 111 subjects, ages 55 to 85, who were randomly assigned to three groups: the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), or a lifestyle modification education control group.

After three months, subjects in the TM group showed significant reductions in blood pressure at both high and low risk levels for all five major hypertension risk factors, and for smoking, a major cardiovascular risk factor. Whereas, subjects practicing the TM program with the highest combined risk profile decreased significantly in blood pressure, educational controls with the same profile significantly increased in blood pressure over the same time period.

Other findings of the study include:

Of the two stress-reduction techniques, Transcendental Meditation was approximately twice as effective as Progressive Muscle Relaxation in reducing hypertension.

Women in the TM group reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 10.4 points and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 5.9 points, compared to control women; women in the PMR group did not show a significant difference.

Men in the TM group reduced SBP by 12.7 points by DBP by 8.1 points, compared to control men; men in the PMR group reduced DBP only.

The blood pressure reductions found in the TM subgroups were similar to those commonly found with antihypertensive drugs. Comparable blood pressure reductions in drug trials over the long-term have been associated with 35-40 percent less strokes and 20-45 percent less coronary heart disease.
"These findings are important because they show that even in the worst case scenario-when someone has multiple risk factors for hypertension and heart disease-the Transcendental Meditation technique can effectively reduce high blood pressure and thus help prevent cardiovascular disease and death," said Charles Alexander, Ph.D., co-author of the study and Professor of Psychology at Maharishi University of Management.

Previous studies have found that intensive, multidimensional lifestyle changes in diet, exercise and stress management can help prevent coronary heart disease (CHD) if maintained over the long-term.

"Our findings indicate that the use of the stress-reducing TM technique by itself--independent of one's lifestyle or stress level--decreases high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor to CHD," said Alexander, a Harvard-trained psychologist.

"This is critically important because research shows that people who are high in psychological stress (i.e., anger, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem) generally find it difficult to initiate and maintain lifestyle changes, typically reverting to at-risk behaviors after some time," Alexander said.

The study's other co-authors include: Robert Schneider, M.D., Director of the Center for Health and Aging Studies, and Mawiyah Claybourne, Ph.D., a National Institutes of Health-sponsored postdoctoral fellow at M.U.M., Bill Shepard, Ph.D., Director of the West Oakland Health Center's Stress and Hypertension Research Clinic; Frank Staggers, M.D., Medical Director of the Drug Detoxification, Rehabilitation and Aftercare Center at the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinics in San Francisco; and Brent Egan, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

"Over 43 million Americans suffer from hypertension," said Dr. Schneider. "With the growing evidence of the adverse side-effects of antihypertensive drugs, these findings on stress-reduction through the TM technique are very encouraging. They my forever change to way doctors treat high blood pressure and prevent heart disease."

The study was supported by two grants from the Retirement Research Foundation (RRF) in Chicago. RRF, which was founded by the late John D. Mac Arthur, is the nation's largest private foundation exclusively devoted to aging and retirement issues.

The National Institutes of Health have awarded approximately $3 million for two additional studies currently examining the longer-term effects of the TM program, compared to other behavioral approaches, on hypertension, stress-reduction and heart disease in African Americans.

# # #

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"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

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A proven method to eliminate terrorism and war:

This method is not open to debate; it has been verified in numerous independent scientific studies over the past 30 years and can be implemented straight away if the necessary desire is there.

Quote:

“I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of any other ongoing social or psychological research program. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.”
David Edwards Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
See:  http://www.mum.edu/m_effect/index.html

See also:  http://www.davidleffler.com/index.html

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"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

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This TM research is what scientists call 'pro hoc propter hoc', ie you've extrapolated results from situations that have no causal link. These scientists sponsored by the Maharishi cult have stated things like 4,000 people practiced yogic bouncing in Rio de Janeiro and crime fell by 30 per cent. So what? This proves nothing except that two things happened concurrently. But this is the main basis of the Maharishi cult's 'proof'. Then Big Ron quotes third rate scientists and GPs - curiously including a professor of government, probably a member of the Maharishi cult. Any scientific evidence I have suggested has been brushed aside, as have my questions on the nature of the Maharishi cult and its multi-billion dollar empire. Furthermore, he quotes politicians and businessmen, people who anti-capitalists using IMC regard as the root of problems in this world.

The Maharishi cult's 'collective consciousness' is a false consciousness. There is only one way to change the world and that's through revolt. There is only one true war of liberation and that's class war. That means dismantling all those phoney money-grubbing cults and institutions - from the Maharishis to the Church of England - who have filled people's minds with nonsense and kept them subdued.

Sorry, but you've got it wrong again Danny. The scientists in question having nothing to do with the TM movement. Read the quotes again (below) and you will see that they are independent researchers in their own right in areas such as crime reduction and criminology, whose work in this respect has been published in Peer Reviewed Journals such as 'Science' and 'Mind'. (It seems highly unlikely that they and others are wrong about the value of this research on TM, and that you are correct ).

Also, TM isn't just practised be "some politicians and businessmen" = I only posted the info earlier on how TM was being used in Indian business etc because you had earlier claimed that TM wasn't recognised in India.

TM is practised by people of ALL ages, groups and classes, in most parts of the world - from my 8 year old nephew, to Paul McCartney, Clint Eastwood, to people I know in Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, journalists, etc etc.

Here are those quotes again on the efficacy of TM and Yogic Flying to reduce crime and wars etc. Try 'really' reading them this time:

"My first reaction to work in this tradition was one of total disbelief. However, its proponents have shown themselves prepared to subject programs
to empirical test, and the technique already has a sounder basis than many less exotic approaches. At the minimum, courtesy and humility demand interest and attention to its progress and testing. If favourable tests keep
coming, we should not shrink from using them, or from seeking to understand them." -

- Ken Pease, Ph.D., Professor of Criminology, University of Huddersfield, England; Board Member Home Office National Crime Prevention Board.
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"This is promising research. It is a non-traditional approach, but the methodology of these studies is sound and the statistical significance high.
In a world as unstable and dangerous as ours, I believe that any approach with such consistent objective support deserves careful attention."

- Dr. Ved Nanda, Director of the Legal Studies Program, University of Denver; formerly President of the International Association of Law Professors.
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"The hypothesis definitely raised some eyebrows among our reviewers. But the statistical work was sound. The numbers were there. When you can statistically control for as many variables as these studies do, it makes the results much more convincing."

- Raymond Russ, Ph.D., Professor of
Psychology, University of Maine; Editor of the Journal of Mind and Behaviour.
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"I think the claim can be plausibly made that the potential impact of this research exceeds that of ANY OTHER SOCIAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM. It has survived a broader array of statistical tests than most research in
the field of conflict resolution. This work and the theory that informs it deserve the most serious consideration by academics and policy makers alike.

" David Edwards, Ph.D., Professor of Government, University of Texas at Austin.
--

The year is 2001. The world is on a knife edge. Bio-weapons could easily wipe out millions. We therefore need to look carefully in an open-minded way at the most effective ways to eliminate the root cause of terrorism and war and have the foresight to accept novel ideas if necessary.

Merely calling for a 'revolution' isnt enough. Not now.

Ron



Think about it:

"In which camp would you have found yourself if you had lived in the time of Galileo when he proposed support for the radical notion that the earth revolved around the sun instead of the other way around? Think about it. Would you have rationally examined the evidence presented, or would you have just rejected the radical new paradigm?"

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* American Public TV broadcast on terrorism:

"How to effectively eliminate the root cause of terrorism and war", a new video featuring Major General Singh, a 35-year career army veteran, and John Hagelin PhD, award-winning quantum physicist, speaking recently on APTV throughout the USA:
See:  http://www.worldpeaceendowment.org/videos/solution010918.ram
[Streaming video - requires media player such as RealPlayer]

See also:  http://www.worldpeaceendowment.org/
[Includes peer reviewed research published in respected publications such as Journal of Conflict Resolution]

"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them."
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)


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I have experienced TM, so I can talk from personal experience that it is an expensive waste of time. I have met others who feel the same.

My wife Sanjukta is Indian and so I know a bit more about India than others and I can say categorically that, barring the odd businessman perhaps, the Maharishi is regarded as the same kind of con-merchant as Sai Baba (the afro-haired guru who claims he is god and vomits gold watches) or Prabhupada (the morose looking Bengali who founded the Hare Krishna movement and is a favourite of George Harrison and the corrupt Hinduja brothers).

Hindus correctly see the fake Maharishi as quack who has warped vedic scripture for his own ends - he has frequently revised his theories, each time charging more and more money. I note that you don't like to be pressed on the wealth and power of the Maharishi cult, prefering instead to abstract TM from its superstituous roots and portray it as a scientific technique for adapting 'collective consciousness'. It is by no means scientific and is imbued with Hindu ritual, albeit far from the spiritual bases of Hinduism.

As I say, there are plenty of studies that completely disprove what you are saying. I doubt you or I have the scientific knowledge to battle it out of the relative merits of inquiries into TM. But what I do know is that the Maharishi cult is extremely elitist, corrupt and powerful.

Whoah! 24 posts, each of god knows how many pages?? Ron, Dan, m'dear darlings, surely you can see this conflict could extend for years and ultimately cost millions of lives.. well, bytes, anyway. While that would afford me ample opportunity to amuse the world with more dazzlingly clever parodies, it could concievably start to irritate some folk. Is there any chance of you continuing this over email?