THE MAHARISHI EFFECT
Every individual continuously contributes to, and is influenced by, the quality of life in society as a whole. Based on this principle, Maharishi predicted in 1960 that if even a small fraction of the population were to practise Transcendental Meditation, positive changes would be observed not only in their own lives but also throughout the community.
This prediction was first investigated in 1974 in a number of American cities where 1% of the population had learned Transcendental Meditation. When the 1% threshold was reached, a substantial reduction in crime rate was observed, in contrast to previous crime trends in these cities and to the continuing rise of crime in matched control cities with far fewer meditators [342].
This result has subsequently been confirmed and extended by larger and increasingly more rigorous investigations, which have demonstrated that the percentage of the population practising Transcendental Meditation is a reliable predictor of decreases in crime, suicides, and accidents even after controlling for demographic factors that are known to influence these parameters. For example, scientists found that the observed improvements in quality of life could not be explained by changes in population size and density, residential stability, college population, ethnic distribution, unemployment rate, average income, percentage of the population living below the poverty level, age distribution, average level of education, police coverage, or previous crime trends. Further research confirmed a direct causal relationship between numbers practising Transcendental Meditation and reduction of crime rate in two separate random samples, one of 160 cities and the other of 80 metropolitan areas in the United States [343, 348].
This phenomenon, representing a transition to a more orderly and harmonious state in society, was named the Maharishi Effect in recognition of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who had both predicted it and made possible its practical implementation. More than 40 separate studies have now been conducted on this effect [342-369].
Scientific interest grew sharply when it was observed that the effect of coherence in society was greatly intensified when Transcendental Meditation and the advanced TM-Sidhi programme, including Yogic Flying, are practised together in a group. As a result, the number needed to generate the Maharishi Effect was found to be greatly reduced, to as little as the square root of one percent of the population. This figure is a very small proportion of any large social system: approximately 800 for the United Kingdom, 1750 for the United States, and only 8000 for the world as a whole. These relatively small numbers have made it practically possible to test this formula repeatedly in cities, provinces, states, whole nations, and even the entire world [343-369].
The rise in coherence and harmony in society created by groups utilizing this technology has been repeatedly verified through increasingly well-controlled studies, including prospective projects, employing the most rigorous experimental designs and statistical methods available in the social sciences. Many have appeared in leading journals, including Journal of Conflict Resolution; Social Indicators Research; Psychology, Crime and Law; The Journal of Mind and Behavior; Psychological Reports; Journal of Offender Rehabilitation; and Journal of Social Behavior and Personality. The results of these investigations, summarized in Table 4, reach exceptionally high levels of statistical significance: taken together, they establish the Maharishi Effect on a level of proof unprecedented in sociological research.
Research Findings on Groups Practicing the
Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program
With the discovery of the Maharishi Effect, world peace and prosperity become, for the first time, achievable goals. Permanent maintenance of several groups of 8000 individuals collectively practising Transcendental Meditation and Yogic Flying – more than enough to sustain a continuous powerful influence of coherence and positivity for the entire world – would cost no more than a very small number of advanced military aircraft [366-369].
Every individual continuously contributes to, and is influenced by, the quality of life in society as a whole. Based on this principle, Maharishi predicted in 1960 that if even a small fraction of the population were to practise Transcendental Meditation, positive changes would be observed not only in their own lives but also throughout the community.
This prediction was first investigated in 1974 in a number of American cities where 1% of the population had learned Transcendental Meditation. When the 1% threshold was reached, a substantial reduction in crime rate was observed, in contrast to previous crime trends in these cities and to the continuing rise of crime in matched control cities with far fewer meditators [342].
This result has subsequently been confirmed and extended by larger and increasingly more rigorous investigations, which have demonstrated that the percentage of the population practising Transcendental Meditation is a reliable predictor of decreases in crime, suicides, and accidents even after controlling for demographic factors that are known to influence these parameters. For example, scientists found that the observed improvements in quality of life could not be explained by changes in population size and density, residential stability, college population, ethnic distribution, unemployment rate, average income, percentage of the population living below the poverty level, age distribution, average level of education, police coverage, or previous crime trends. Further research confirmed a direct causal relationship between numbers practising Transcendental Meditation and reduction of crime rate in two separate random samples, one of 160 cities and the other of 80 metropolitan areas in the United States [343, 348].
This phenomenon, representing a transition to a more orderly and harmonious state in society, was named the Maharishi Effect in recognition of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who had both predicted it and made possible its practical implementation. More than 40 separate studies have now been conducted on this effect [342-369].
Scientific interest grew sharply when it was observed that the effect of coherence in society was greatly intensified when Transcendental Meditation and the advanced TM-Sidhi programme, including Yogic Flying, are practised together in a group. As a result, the number needed to generate the Maharishi Effect was found to be greatly reduced, to as little as the square root of one percent of the population. This figure is a very small proportion of any large social system: approximately 800 for the United Kingdom, 1750 for the United States, and only 8000 for the world as a whole. These relatively small numbers have made it practically possible to test this formula repeatedly in cities, provinces, states, whole nations, and even the entire world [343-369].
The rise in coherence and harmony in society created by groups utilizing this technology has been repeatedly verified through increasingly well-controlled studies, including prospective projects, employing the most rigorous experimental designs and statistical methods available in the social sciences. Many have appeared in leading journals, including Journal of Conflict Resolution; Social Indicators Research; Psychology, Crime and Law; The Journal of Mind and Behavior; Psychological Reports; Journal of Offender Rehabilitation; and Journal of Social Behavior and Personality. The results of these investigations, summarized in Table 4, reach exceptionally high levels of statistical significance: taken together, they establish the Maharishi Effect on a level of proof unprecedented in sociological research.
Research Findings on Groups Practicing the
Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program
• Decreased crime (research on: Merseyside, UK; Netherlands; Washington DC and Puerto Rico, USA; Metro Manila, Philippines; Union Territory of Delhi, India; Israel; and Jerusalem, Israel) [343-348, 351, 361-362]
• Decreased violent crime (Washington DC) [345]
• Decreased violent fatalities (homicide, suicide, and motor vehicle accidents) (USA) [343]
• Decreased motor vehicle and/or aircraft accidents and fatalities (Netherlands; USA; Jerusalem, Israel; Worldwide) [351-352, 361-362, 366]
• Decreased fires (Jerusalem, Israel) [361-362]
• Reduction of notifiable infectious diseases (USA; Australia) [366]
• Increased economic prosperity and confidence—
• Decrease in an index of unemployment and inflation (USA; Canada) [354-357]
• Increases in stock market indices (USA; UK; Israel; Worldwide) [352, 358, 361-362, 366]
• Increased patent applications (indicating increased creativity) (USA; UK; South Africa; Australia) [366]
• Improvements in overall quality of state and national life (as measured by composite indices including data on crime, suicides, accidents, foetal deaths, infant mortality, infectious diseases, pollution, alcohol and cigarette consumption, gross national product, days lost through strikes, patent applications, higher educational attainment, and divorce rates (USA; Canada; Philippines; Rhode Island, USA; and Iowa, USA) [346, 349-350, 352-353, 359]
• More positive national mood (Israel) [361-362]
• Reduced conflict and increased progress towards peace in major world trouble-spots—
• Decreased war deaths, war injuries, and intensity of conflict (Lebanon) [361-362, 367]
• Decreased international conflict (Worldwide) [363, 366, 368]
• Increased progress towards peaceful resolution of conflict (Lebanon) [367]
• Reduced casualties and injuries from international terrorism (Worldwide) [363]
• More positive interactions between the superpowers and increased friendliness in statements of US Head of State (USA; Soviet Union) [364-365]
• Increased harmony in international affairs (Worldwide) [366]
A fascinating feature of these investigations is that diverse and apparently unrelated social parameters are found to improve simultaneously, consistent with the conclusion that this technology enlivens a source of orderliness and integration that is common to all aspects of life [352, 361-362, 366].
• Decreased violent crime (Washington DC) [345]
• Decreased violent fatalities (homicide, suicide, and motor vehicle accidents) (USA) [343]
• Decreased motor vehicle and/or aircraft accidents and fatalities (Netherlands; USA; Jerusalem, Israel; Worldwide) [351-352, 361-362, 366]
• Decreased fires (Jerusalem, Israel) [361-362]
• Reduction of notifiable infectious diseases (USA; Australia) [366]
• Increased economic prosperity and confidence—
• Decrease in an index of unemployment and inflation (USA; Canada) [354-357]
• Increases in stock market indices (USA; UK; Israel; Worldwide) [352, 358, 361-362, 366]
• Increased patent applications (indicating increased creativity) (USA; UK; South Africa; Australia) [366]
• Improvements in overall quality of state and national life (as measured by composite indices including data on crime, suicides, accidents, foetal deaths, infant mortality, infectious diseases, pollution, alcohol and cigarette consumption, gross national product, days lost through strikes, patent applications, higher educational attainment, and divorce rates (USA; Canada; Philippines; Rhode Island, USA; and Iowa, USA) [346, 349-350, 352-353, 359]
• More positive national mood (Israel) [361-362]
• Reduced conflict and increased progress towards peace in major world trouble-spots—
• Decreased war deaths, war injuries, and intensity of conflict (Lebanon) [361-362, 367]
• Decreased international conflict (Worldwide) [363, 366, 368]
• Increased progress towards peaceful resolution of conflict (Lebanon) [367]
• Reduced casualties and injuries from international terrorism (Worldwide) [363]
• More positive interactions between the superpowers and increased friendliness in statements of US Head of State (USA; Soviet Union) [364-365]
• Increased harmony in international affairs (Worldwide) [366]
A fascinating feature of these investigations is that diverse and apparently unrelated social parameters are found to improve simultaneously, consistent with the conclusion that this technology enlivens a source of orderliness and integration that is common to all aspects of life [352, 361-362, 366].
With the discovery of the Maharishi Effect, world peace and prosperity become, for the first time, achievable goals. Permanent maintenance of several groups of 8000 individuals collectively practising Transcendental Meditation and Yogic Flying – more than enough to sustain a continuous powerful influence of coherence and positivity for the entire world – would cost no more than a very small number of advanced military aircraft [366-369].
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