3D"The =

The Maharishi Effect is the phenomenon of the rise = of=20 coherence in the collective consciousness of any community. = Scientific=20 research has clearly demonstrated that when one per cent of the = population=20 of a city or town practices Maharishi=92s = Transcendental=20 Meditation Programme, the crime rate significantly decreases.=20 Similarly, when groups of individuals practicing Maharishi=92s=20 TM-Sidhi programme with Yogic Flying equal at least the square = root of=20 one per cent of a population, there is a significant reduction of = crime=20 and accidents, as well as an increase in stock prices, decreased=20 pollution, decreased unemployment, and decreased hostilities = between=20 nations.

The basis of the Maharishi Effect is the rise of = collective=20 consciousness. Collective consciousness is the wholeness of = consciousness=20 of any specific group. For example, when we talk of community=20 consciousness, we merely put together the consciousness of all the = individuals who make up the community; for national consciousness = we put=20 together the consciousness of all the citizens of a nation. =

There are innumerable divisions and organizations of = collective=20 consciousness, but among these there are seven principal levels: = family=20 consciousness, community consciousness, city consciousness, state = or=20 provincial consciousness, national consciousness, world = consciousness, and=20 universal consciousness, each created by the individuals within = the group.=20

The phenomenon of collective consciousness can best be = understood=20 by examining the concept of a field, as described by modern = science.=20 Physicists delineate a variety of infinite, unbounded, and = all-pervasive=20 fields that operate invisibly throughout creation, governing the=20 activities of innumerable Laws of Nature. For example, the = electromagnetic=20 field=97one of the four principal force fields=97permeates the = entire=20 universe, and enables radio and television transmitters to send = signals by=20 creating waves within the field. While the waves are unseen, they=20 nonetheless create effects with which we are all familiar=97the = sounds and=20 images of radio and television.

Likewise, the other three fundamental force = fields=97gravitation,=20 weak interaction, and strong interaction=97also pervade everything = and=20 behave invisibly throughout Nature. Self-referral consciousness is = also a=20 field, though on an even more fundamental level, for it is the=20 omnipresent, invisible, and unbounded field from which all force = and=20 matter fields emerge.

Just as a radio transmitter can create waves in the = electromagnetic=20 field, individuals constantly create influences on all parts of = creation=20 simply because consciousness permeates every aspect of the = material=20 universe. To illustrate, if a stone is thrown into a pond, waves = are=20 produced that travel throughout the pond. Each wave produces some = effect=20 in every part of the pond. Similarly, the wave of individual life, = through=20 its activity, produces an influence in all parts of the = cosmos.

On the basis of this same principle, the direct = experience of=20 self-referral consciousness influences every aspect of the = universe,=20 enlivening it with the perfect order and harmony inherent within=20 self-referral consciousness. For this reason, groups of = individuals can=20 create very powerful effects in the environment through their = collective=20 practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi = program=97through=20 their self-referral practice, they enliven every aspect of the = universe by=20 stimulating its most fundamental constituent, consciousness, and = they=20 especially enliven the collective consciousness of the city or = province or=20 nation in which they are located.

Since collective consciousness is created by the = individuals within=20 it, as individual consciousness grows collective consciousness = rises; and=20 as collective consciousness rises individual consciousness grows. = In other=20 words, as an individual regularly experiences self-referral = consciousness=20 and enlivens it in his own awareness, the levels of collective=20 consciousness in which he participates=97family, city, province, = nation,=20 etc.=97are simultaneously improved. This higher value of = collective=20 consciousness in turn effects, in a positive way, every one of the = individual members of that level of collective consciousness. =

Since individual and collective consciousness maintain = this=20 reciprocal relationship, a group of individuals practicing the=20 Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programme will bring a = powerful=20 influence of orderliness and harmony to collective consciousness, = enabling=20 an entire population to act more coherently, more harmoniously, = and more=20 in accord with Natural Law. On this basis, Maharishi has brought = to light=20 the potential for every nation to create invincibility for itself = and for=20 all its citizens.

Invincibility not only describes the ability of a = nation to=20 maintain impregnability to its enemies=97both within the nation = and outside=20 of it=97it also describes a state in which every aspect of = national life is=20 in perfect balance. Invincibility is a state of fully integrated,=20 perfectly coherent national consciousness, in which the inner = depth of=20 consciousness is integrated with the outer values of life. = Maharishi has=20 described invincibility in his book Enlightenment=20 and Invincibility in the following = words:

The sign of invincibility of a nation will be = from the=20 integrated value of harmony in the country. The tensions and = disharmonies will be less, the flowering of business will be = there,=20 trade and industry will be increasing, people will be happy, = sickness will be less, seasons will be in time, crops will = be=20 abundant, the economy will be better, the nation=92s = influence in the=20 family of nations will be greater and more appreciated. The = internal=20 growth of cultural integrity will be more, people = will be=20 functioning more in accordance with the Laws of Nature, = they=20 will not violate the Laws of Nature, and therefore they will = not=20 create problems for themselves and for others. =

That country = will be=20 more and more loving to all other countries. The influence = of good=20 from the country will be purifying for the whole family of = nations.=20 So everyone will love the country. These will be the songs = of the=20 growth of invincibility of the nation. (p.=20 66)

When a significant number of individuals individuals = practise the=20 TM-Sidhi Programme, including Yogic Flying, in a group (the size = varies=20 depending upon the size of the nation=92s population), the = infinite=20 coherence inherent within self-referral consciousness is = spontaneously=20 enlivened in collective consciousness, and every aspect of = national life=20 becomes connected. National life not only becomes perfectly = balanced, but=20 no negative influences from outside or from within the society can = disturb=20 this balance. This is true invincibility, not the false sense of = security=20 that comes from stockpiling weapons of mass = destruction.

Throughout the physical and biological sciences we can = locate=20 principles that give rise to permanence, or invincibility, where a = systems=20 is strengthened to such an extent that its integrity remains = virtually=20 unaffected by outside influences that act upon it. In these cases, = indestructibility seems always to depend on the coherence of = collective=20 functioning of the individual components of the system. =

In Physics, principles of invincibility are those that = protect the=20 structural integrity of a system or its ability to maintain order. = This=20 may include many aspects, including, the strength of the material, = its=20 hardness, the strength of the structure, its resistance to outside = penetrations, etc.

One example is the Meissner Effect. If we take an = ordinary metal at=20 ordinary temperatures=97such as an iron bar at room = temperature=97and bring a=20 magnet near the bar, the magnetic field will penetrate inside the = iron.=20 The electrons, which are already flowing around in a disorderly = and=20 confused state, will become even more disorderly and confused, = because=20 their paths are distorted by the presence of the magnetic field. = In a=20 superconductor, however, something quite different takes place. In = a=20 superconductor, the electrons within are already moving in a = coherent=20 collective state, and because of their coherence the invading = magnetic=20 field is repelled, and must flow around the outside of the = superconductor.=20 In this case, it is the coherence of the collective functioning of = the=20 electrons that causes it to maintain its invincible state. =

In an = ordinary electrical=20 conductor, incoherent, disordered electrons allow = penetration by an=20 external magnetic field.
In a superconductor, = coherent=20 collective functioning of the electrons spontaneously = excludes an=20 external magnetic field, and maintains its impenetrable=20 status.

This examiple of invincibility beautifully = demonstrates the=20 general principle of how inner coherent collective functioning of = a system=20 results in the ability to defend against external disturbing = forces.=20

The principle through which the Maharishi = Effect=20 resolves and prevents military conflicts is parallel to this = principle of the = Meissner Effect.=20 Just as the process of introducing greater coherence among the = iron=20 molecules makes the bar invincible, a group of Yogic = Flyers=97experts in the=20 practice of Maharishi=92s TM-Sidhi Programme=97practicing this = Vedic=20 Technology introduces greater coherence and harmony in the = collective=20 consciousness of the nation, rendering the nation impervious to = negative,=20 hostile influences. This invincible armour is called a = Kavach in=20 the Vedic Language. When the nation is surrounded by a = Kavach, it=20 has no enemies, and therefore achieves victory before war, where = even an=20 enemy cannot be born.

The results of the collective practice of Maharishi=92s=20 Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programme have been = documented on=20 every level of society by over 50 research studies, which have = used the=20 most sophisticated tools available to the social sciences. The = following=20 is a brief summary of some of the research on the Maharishi=20 Effect.

Effects on City=20 Life

Using Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment analysis = of=20 predicted threshold, scientists in 1984 found a 22% reduction in = homicide=20 when the group of Yogic Flyers exceeded the predicted threshold.=20 Researchers in 1987 used Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment = analysis of a 5-month intervention period compared to pre- and=20 post-intervention baselines, and found that when the creating = coherence=20 group (Yogic Flyers) surpassed the square root of one per cent of = the=20 population of Metro Manila in the Philippines, there was a = significant (p=20 < .005) decrease in crime.

Effects on State = and=20 Provincial Life

Another researcher found in 1990 that a significant = decline in=20 crime rate, traffic fatality rate, and unemployment (also combined = in an=20 index) in the state of Iowa, USA, as a result of the coherence = creating=20 group at Maharishi International University (p=92s < .05 for = each=20 variable). This researcher employed Box-Jenkins time series = transfer=20 function analysis of the effect of group size on quality of=20 life.

Effects on = National=20 Life

A number of studies have demonstrated significant effects = on the=20 quality of life in an entire nation from a coherence creating = group. These=20 include decreased crime and accident rates in Holland during three = intervention periods (all p=92s < .025); increase in the = British stock=20 market index (1983); using Box-Jenkins time series impact = assessment=20 analysis, researchers in the U.S.A. found a decrease (p =3D .005) = in traffic=20 fatalities when a coherence creating group in Iowa exceeded the = square=20 root of one per cent of the nation=92s population = (1984).

Effects on = Neighboring=20 Countries

Employing Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment = analysis of the=20 effect of the TM-Sidhi group, a researcher found that the = influence of a=20 creating coherence group in the United States not only reduced = Okun=92s=20 Misery Index (the sum of monthly inflation and unemployment rates) = in the=20 United States, but also in its neighboring country Canada. = However, he=20 noted that the effect was larger in the United States than in = Canada,=20 underscoring the need for every nation to maintain its own group.=20

Other researchers found that as the size of a creating = coherence=20 group increased in Jerusalem, it began to first influence the = city, then=20 the nation of Israel, and then its neighboring country Lebanon. = This study=20 measured a composite index including war intensity and war deaths = in=20 Lebanon, Israeli national mood and national stock index, auto = accident=20 rates, number of fires, and crime rates for both Jerusalem and = Israeli; it=20 employed Box-Jenkins time series analysis using impact assessment, = cross=20 correlation, and transfer function analyses of the creating = coherence=20 group size on all variables and indices.

Effects on = International=20 Conflict and Quality of Life

Studies have found that the Maharishi Effect creates a = profound=20 effect on International conflicts. A study of U.S. relations with = the=20 former Soviet Union between 1985 and 1987 found that when the size = of the=20 coherence-creating group at Maharishi International University = exceeded=20 the square root of one per cent of the U.S. population, there was = in the=20 following weeks a significant improvement in the actions of the = United=20 States toward the U.S.S.R.; in addition, studies have found = decreased=20 conflict in troubled areas of the world, and decreased war deaths = and=20 injuries and significant progress toward peace in = Lebanon.

The Global = Maharishi=20 Effect

One of the most significant areas of research on the = Maharishi=20 Effect is the effect of a creating-coherence group of Yogic Flyers = on the=20 entire world. In December of 1983, Maharishi International = University=20 hosted a three-week assembly for participants in Maharishi=92s = TM-Sidhi=20 programme. Participants attended from all parts of the world, = creating the=20 first group in excess of 7,000 (the square root of one per cent of = the=20 world=92s population). Using a variety of statistical techniques = appropriate=20 to the different data sets (including chi-square contingency table = analysis and Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment analysis),=20 researchers found a number of positive changes in the quality of = life=20 throughout the world, including increased positivity in = trouble-spot areas=20 (p < .002), increased progress towards peace in Lebanon (p < = .006),=20 and increase in the World Index of stock prices (p <=20 .00004).

These studies clearly indicate the powerful influence = available=20 through the collective practice of Maharishi=92s TM and TM-Sidhi = Programme.=20 With the creation of groups in all the nation=92s of the world, = there will=20 be a phase transition of world consciousness leading to Heaven on = Earth=20 for all mankind. In this way, Heaven on Earth is being created = through the=20 complete scientific knowledge of Natural Law that is now available = to=20 everyone through the programmes of Maharishi's Vedic Science and=20 Technology.

The most powerful way to create invincibility is through = groups of=20 Yogic Flyers, for it is through the group practice of = Maharishi=92s TM-Sidhi=20 Programme, including Yogic Flying, that the quality of a = nation=92s=20 collective consciousness can be most effectively improved. By = creating=20 enough groups throughout the world, every nation can enjoy = invincibility,=20 and the entire world will enjoy Heaven on Earth=97life filled with = happiness=20 and success, free of problems and suffering, where every = individual=20 spontaneously lives in accord with Natural Law.

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