126-558: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born Mahesh Prasad Varma , 12 January 191? – 5 February 2008) was the creator of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and leader of the worldwide organization that has been characterized in multiple ways, including as a new religious movement and as non-religious. He became known as Maharishi (meaning "great seer") and Yogi as an adult. After earning a degree in physics at Allahabad University in 1942, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi became an assistant and disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (also known as Guru Dev),
252-655: A "phenomenal success". In the 1970s, SIMS centres were established at "over one thousand campuses", including Harvard University , Yale University, and UCLA . In 1967, the Maharishi gave a lecture at Caxton Hall in London, which was attended by Leon MacLaren , the founder and leader of the School of Economic Science (SES). He also lectured at UCLA, Harvard, Yale and Berkeley. That year, an article in Time magazine reported that
378-610: A "pool of mud" after a decade of attempts to lower the rate of crime in the city, which had the second-largest TM community in the US. He told his followers to leave and save themselves from its "criminal atmosphere". The Maharishi is believed to have made his final public appearance in 1991, in Maastricht , the Netherlands. Deepak Chopra , described as "one of the Maharishi's top assistants before he launched his own career", wrote that
504-480: A "scorpion nation". He lifted the ban after Blair's resignation in 2007. During this period, skeptics were critical of some of the Maharishi's programmes, such as a US$ 10 trillion plan to end poverty through organic farming in poor countries and a US$ 1 billion plan to use meditation groups to end conflict. Transcendental Meditation Transcendental Meditation ( TM ) is a form of silent meditation developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi . The TM technique involves
630-562: A Dandi Sannyasi. Swami Swaroopanand became president of the Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad, established by Swami Karpatri. On Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama's demise in 1973 the title of Shankaracharya (disputed) of Jyotir Math, Badrinath passed to Swami Swaroopanand. Later he also became the Shankaracharya of Dwarka peeth in 1982. The title of Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math was disputed by some.[4] He
756-465: A TM teacher training program as a way to accelerate the rate of bringing the technique to more people. He also inaugurated a series of tours that started in India in 1955 and went international in 1958 which promoted Transcendental Meditation. These factors, coupled with endorsements by celebrities who practiced TM and claims that scientific research had validated the technique, helped to popularize TM in
882-617: A Vedic-style pyramid to be built in São Paulo , Brazil, and to be filled with Yogic Flyers and other TM endeavours. The Maharishi founded Maharishi Ved Vigyan Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a self-described educational institution located in Uttar Pradesh , India, in 1982. The institution reports that it has trained 50,000 pundits in traditional Vedic recitation. In 1983, the Maharishi invited government leaders to interact with his organization called "World Government". In January 1988, offices at
1008-481: A body "Maneeshas according to "Mathamnaya Mahanushasanam " not through a "Will" in "Mathamnaya Mahanushasan no where it is mentioned the concept of will, there should be some principals to be followed according to tradition, when there is no system of Will in Adi Shankarachaya Parampara how Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati writes a Will in faviour of any person ?, this it self proved that
1134-600: A course in India and a one-month tour in South America. He established Transcendental Meditation centers in Port of Spain, Trinidad; Caracas, Venezuela; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; Lima, Peru; and Bogota, Colombia. In addition, in 1966 the Maharishi founded the Students' International Meditation Society ("SIMS"), which The Los Angeles Times later characterised as
1260-459: A cult. Participants in TM programs are not required to adopt a belief system; it is practiced by atheists, agnostics and people from a variety of religious affiliations. The organization has been the subject of controversies that includes being labelled a cult by several parliamentary inquiries or anti-cult movements in the world. Some notable figures in pop-culture practicing TM include
1386-678: A detailed account of his world tours, as do two biographies, The Story of the Maharishi , by William Jefferson, and The Maharishi by Paul Mason. The first world tour began in Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar ), and included the countries of Thailand, Malaya , Singapore, Hong Kong and Hawaii. He arrived in Hawaii in the spring of 1959, and the Honolulu Star Bulletin reported: "He has no money, he asks for nothing. His worldly possessions can be carried in one hand. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
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#17327763889391512-589: A few miles north of Fairfield, Iowa , in the United States. This new city requires that the construction of its homes and buildings be done according to the Maharishi Sthapatya Veda principles of "harmony with nature". In a 2002 appearance on the CNN show, Larry King Live , the first time in 25 years that the Maharishi had appeared in the mainstream media, he said "Transcendental Meditation
1638-564: A forty-day course was held for "sadhus, sanyasis, and brahmacharis" to introduce TM to "religious preachers and spiritual masters in India". The Maharishi toured cities in Europe, Asia, North America and India in 1963, and also addressed ministers of the Indian Parliament . According to his memoirs, twenty-one members of parliament then issued a public statement endorsing the Maharishi's goals and meditation technique. His Canadian tour
1764-511: A fundraising project to raise US$ 1 billion "on behalf of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi" to build a meditation centre large enough to hold 8,000 skilled practitioners. The Maharishi ordered a suspension of TM training in Britain in 2005 due to his opposition to prime minister Tony Blair 's decision to support the Iraq War. The Maharishi said that he did not want to waste the "beautiful nectar" of TM on
1890-518: A note of discord and mistrust, when we had enjoyed so much kindness from the Maharishi". Asked if he forgave the Beatles, the Maharishi replied, "I could never be upset with angels." McCartney took his daughter Stella to visit the Maharishi in the Netherlands in 2007, which renewed their friendship. The New York Times and The Independent reported that the influence of the Maharishi, and
2016-807: A number of property investments, buying a former Rothschild mansion in England, Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, Roydon Hall in Maidstone , Swythamley Park in the Peak District , and a Georgian rectory in Suffolk . In the United States, resorts and hotels, many in city centres, were purchased to be used as TM training centres. Doug Henning and the Maharishi planned a magical Vedic amusement park, Vedaland, and bought large tracts of land near Orlando, Florida , and Niagara Falls, Ontario , to host
2142-618: A potential for bias and conflicting findings more research is needed. The Transcendental Meditation program and the Transcendental Meditation movement originated with their founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and continued beyond his death in 2008. In 1955, "the Maharishi began publicly teaching a traditional meditation technique" learned from his master Brahmananda Saraswati that he called Transcendental Deep Meditation and later renamed Transcendental Meditation. The Maharishi initiated thousands of people, then developed
2268-405: A potential risk of bias indicated the necessity of further evidence, conducted by researchers without bias. By 2004, the US government had given more than $ 20 million to Maharishi International University to study the effect of meditation on health. In his 1963 book, The Science of Being and Art of Living, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi says that, over time, through the practice of the TM technique,
2394-551: A press conference with American inventor Buckminster Fuller at his first International Symposium on SCI at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts. From 1970 to 1973, about 10,000 people attended the Maharishi sponsored symposia on his modern interpretation of Vedanta philosophy, called Science of Creative Intelligence. During these conferences, held at universities, the Maharishi spoke with "leading thinkers" of
2520-588: A private meeting with Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, during which he spoke about the principles of TM and "the possibility of structuring an ideal society". That same year, the Pittsburgh Press reported that "The Maharishi has been criticised by other Eastern yogis for simplifying their ancient art." The Maharishi appeared as a guest on The Merv Griffin Show in 1975 and again in 1977, and this resulted in "tens of thousands of new practitioners" around
2646-516: A seven-step course, and fees vary from country to country. Beginning in 1965, the Transcendental Meditation technique has been incorporated into selected schools, universities, corporations, and prison programs in the US, Latin America, Europe, and India. In 1977, a US district court ruled that a curriculum in TM and the Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI) being taught in some New Jersey schools
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#17327763889392772-590: A similar four-week course with 1500 participants at Humboldt State College in Arcata, California . In 1970, after having trouble with Indian tax authorities, he moved his headquarters to Italy, returning to India in the late 1970s. That same year, the City of Hope Foundation in Los Angeles gave the Maharishi their "Man of Hope" award. By 1971, the Maharishi had completed 13 world tours, visited 50 countries, and held
2898-602: A sovereign micronation when it offered US$ 1.3 billion to the President of Suriname for a 200-year lease of 3,500 acres (14 km) of land and in 2002, attempted to choose a king for the Talamanca , a "remote Indian reservation" in Costa Rica . In 2001, Maharishi University Of Information Technology was founded at Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh India. In 2001, followers of the Maharishi founded Maharishi Vedic City
3024-448: A system of building and architecture called Maharishi Sthapatya Ved. The TM movement's past and present media endeavors include a publishing company (MUM Press), a television station ( KSCI ), a radio station ( KHOE ), and a satellite television channel (Maharishi Channel). During its 50-year history, its products and services have been offered through a variety of organizations, which are primarily nonprofit and educational. These include
3150-598: A title and a name and considers that it "identified him as a fully dedicated student of spiritual knowledge and life-long celibate ascetic." Brahmananda insisted that before accepting Mahesh as a pupil he must first complete his university degree and get permission from his parents. The Maharishi recalls how it took about two and a half years to attune himself to the thinking of Brahmananda Saraswati and to gain "a very genuine feeling of complete oneness". At first Brahmachari Mahesh performed common chores but gained trust and became Guru Dev's "personal secretary" and "favored pupil". He
3276-554: A world conference of mayors in Switzerland. In that same year, he also addressed 3000 educators at an American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) conference on quality of life and higher education. In 1974, Maharishi International University was founded at the site of the former Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. In October 1975, the Maharishi was pictured on the front cover of Time magazine. He made his last visit to
3402-565: A world plan for peace, the Maharishi inaugurated the Natural Law Party (NLP), calling it a "natural government". His adherents founded the NLP in 1992. It was active in forty-two countries. John Hagelin , the NLP's three-time candidate for U.S. president, denied any formal connection between the Maharishi and the party. According to spokesman Bob Roth, "The Maharishi has said the party has to grow to encompass everyone." Critics charged that
3528-479: Is "ever present wakefulness" present even during sleep. Research on long-term TM practitioners experiencing what they describe as cosmic consciousness, has identified unique EEG profiles, muscle tone measurements, and REM indicators that suggest physiological parameters for this self described state of consciousness. However, the Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness notes that it is premature to say that
3654-643: Is not science. Theologian Robert M. Price , writing in the Creation/Evolution Journal (the journal of the National Center for Science Education ), compares the Science of Creative Intelligence to Creationism . Price says instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique is "never offered without indoctrination into the metaphysics of 'creative intelligence ' ". Skeptic James Randi says SCI has "no scientific characteristics." Astrophysicist and sceptic Carl Sagan writes that
3780-495: Is on a world odyssey. He carries a message that he says will rid the world of all unhappiness and discontent." In 1959, the Maharishi lectured and taught the Transcendental Meditation technique in Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and London. While in Los Angeles, the Maharishi stayed at the home of author Helena Olson, and during this period he developed a three-year plan to propagate Transcendental Meditation to
3906-421: Is reported to have an estimated net worth of USD 3.5 billion. The TM movement has been characterized in a variety of ways and has been called a spiritual movement, a new religious movement , a millenarian movement, a world affirming movement, a new social movement, a guru-centered movement, a personal growth movement, a religion, and a cult . Additional sources contend that TM and its movement are not
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4032-512: Is something that can be defined as a means to do what one wants to do in a better way, a right way, for maximum results". It was occasioned by the reissue of the Maharishi's book The Science of Being and Art of Living . That same year, the Maharishi Global Financing Research Foundation issued the " Raam " as a currency "dedicated to financing peace promoting projects". In 2003, David Lynch began
4158-523: Is sometimes self described as a technology of consciousness. According to author Michael Phelan, "The fundamental premise of the psychology of fulfillment is that within every person exists a seemingly inexhaustible center of energy, intelligence, and satisfaction... To the extent that our behavior depends on the degree of energy and intelligence available to us, this center of pure creative intelligence may be described as that resource which gives direction to all that we experience, think and do." According to
4284-464: Is the uttaramnaya matha or northern monastery, one of four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara , the reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma . Shankara's four principal disciples, Padma-Pada , Hasta-Malaka , Suresvaracharya and Totakacharya were assigned to these four learning centers in the north, south, east and west of India. The subsequent leaders of each of these four monasteries have come to be known as Shankaracharyas, in honor of
4410-612: Is the uttarāmnāya matha or Northern Āmnāya Pītham, amongst the four Chaturamnay Peethams - Kalady Kerala, birthplace of Adi Shankara with the others being the Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ (Karnataka) in the South, Dvārakā Śāradā Pītham (Gujarat , Dwarka ) in the West and Purī Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ (Odisha, Puri ) in the east . Its appointees bear the title of Shankaracharya. It is the headquarters of Giri, Parvata & Sagara sects of
4536-719: Is writing. Mahesh studied physics at Allahabad University and earned a degree in 1942. While a few sources say that he worked at the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur for some time, most report that in 1941 he became an administrative secretary to the Shankaracharya of the Jyotir Math , Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (also known as Guru Dev, which means "divine teacher") and took a new name, Bal Brahmachari Mahesh. Coplin refers to bala brahmachari as both
4662-438: Is wrong there." In 1992, the Maharishi began to send groups of Yogic Flyers to countries like India, Brazil, China and the United States of America in an effort to promote world peace through "coherent world consciousness". In 1993 and 2003, he decided to raise the fees for learning the TM technique. In 1997, the Maharishi's organization built the largest wooden structure in the Netherlands without using any nails. The building
4788-612: The Birmingham Post , the Oxford Mail and the Cambridge Daily News . This was also the year in which the Maharishi trained Henry Nyburg to be the first Transcendental Meditation teacher in Europe. In 1961, the Maharishi visited the United States, Austria, Sweden, France, Italy, Greece, India, Kenya, England, and Canada. While in England, he appeared on BBC television and gave a lecture to 5,000 people at
4914-494: The Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy , representing the entirety of the ayurvedic tradition. Jyotir Math Uttarāmnāya Śrī Jyotish Pītham or JyotirMath is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams established by the Ādi Śaṅkara 1300 years ago to preserve Hinduism and Advaita Vedānta , the doctrine of non-dualism . Located in the city of Joshimath , Chamoli district , Uttarakhand , India , it
5040-582: The American Heart Association said that TM could be considered as a treatment for hypertension , although other interventions such as exercise and device-guided breathing were more effective and better supported by clinical evidence. TM may reduce blood pressure according to a review that compared TM to control groups . A trend over time indicates practicing TM may lower blood pressure. Such effects are comparable to other lifestyle interventions . Conflicting findings across reviews and
5166-546: The Himalayas , where he undertook a reclusive life for two years. Although Brahmachari Mahesh was a close disciple, he could not be the Shankaracharya's spiritual successor, because he was not a Brahmin. The Shankaracharya, at the end of his life, charged him with the responsibility of travelling and teaching meditation to the masses, while he named Swami Shantananda Saraswati as his successor. In 1955, Brahmachari Mahesh left Uttarkashi and began publicly teaching what he stated
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5292-568: The Netherlands , which became known as MERU, Holland , on account of the Maharishi European Research University (MERU) campus there. During his time in Vlodrop, he communicated to the public mainly via video and the internet. He also created a subscription-based, satellite TV channel, called Veda Vision, which broadcast content in 22 languages and 144 countries. In 1991, the Maharishi called Washington, D.C.
5418-529: The Royal Albert Hall in London, organised by Leon MacLaren of the School of Economic Science . In April 1961, the Maharishi conducted his first Transcendental Meditation Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh , India, with sixty participants from various countries. Teachers continued to be trained as time progressed. During the course, the Maharishi began to introduce additional knowledge regarding
5544-515: The Shankaracharya (spiritual leader) of the Jyotir Math in the Indian Himalayas. The Maharishi credits Brahmananda Saraswati with inspiring his teachings. In 1955, the Maharishi began to introduce his Transcendental Deep Meditation (later renamed Transcendental Meditation) to India and the world. His first global tour began in 1958. His devotees referred to him as His Holiness , and because he laughed frequently in early TV interviews, he
5670-634: The Spiritual Regeneration Movement centre in Los Angeles in 1975, according to film director David Lynch , who met him for the first time there. In 1975, the Maharishi embarked on a five-continent trip to inaugurate what he called "the Dawn of the Age of Enlightenment". The Maharishi said the purpose of the inaugural tour was to "go around the country and give a gentle whisper to the population". He visited Ottawa during this tour and had
5796-498: The credulity of believers. Critics, such as James Randi , have called this research pseudoscience . Randi says that he investigated comments made by former Maharishi International University faculty member Robert Rabinoff in 1978. He spoke to the Fairfield Chief of Police who said local crime levels were the same and the regional Agriculture Department who reportedly deemed that farm yields for Jefferson County matched
5922-607: The "Hindu doctrine" of TM is a pseudoscience . Irving Hexham , a professor of religious studies, describes the TM teachings as "pseudoscientific language that masks its religious nature by mythologizing science". Sociologists Rodney Stark and William Sims Bainbridge describe the SCI videotapes as largely based on the Bhagavad Gita , and say that they are "laced with parables and metaphysical postulates, rather than anything that can be recognized as conventional science". In 1979,
6048-469: The 18th century, but the monastery was inactive for 165 years following his death. During that time, a number of Gurus made claim to the Shankaracharya title and lawsuits representing the claimants and their representatives date back to the 1900s. For a time, the head priest, Raval of the Badrinath Temple was thought by some to hold the Shankaracharya title there. However, the formal occupation of
6174-490: The 1950s in India and has continued since the Maharishi's death in 2008. The organization was estimated to have 900,000 participants worldwide in 1977, a million by the 1980s, and 5 million in more recent years. Programs include the Transcendental Meditation technique, an advanced meditation practice called the TM-Sidhi program ("Yogic Flying"), an alternative health care program called Maharishi Ayurveda , and
6300-501: The 1960s and 1970s. By the late 2000s, TM had been taught to millions of individuals and the Maharishi was overseeing a large multinational movement. Despite organizational changes and the addition of advanced meditative techniques in the 1970s, the Transcendental Meditation technique has remained relatively unchanged. Among the first organizations to promote TM were the Spiritual Regeneration Movement and
6426-534: The Beatles , the Beach Boys , Kendall Jenner , Hugh Jackman , Tom Hanks , Jennifer Lopez , Mick Jagger , Eva Mendez , Moby , David Lynch , Jennifer Aniston , Nicole Kidman , Eric André , Jerry Seinfeld , Howard Stern , Julia Fox , Clint Eastwood , Martin Scorsese , Russell Brand , Nick Cave and Oprah Winfrey . The first studies of the health effects of Transcendental Meditation appeared in
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#17327763889396552-452: The Beatles heard that the Maharishi had allegedly made sexual advances towards Mia Farrow . On 15 June 1968, in London, the Beatles formally renounced their association with the Maharishi as a "public mistake". " Sexy Sadie " is the title of a song Lennon wrote in response to the episode. Lennon originally wanted to title the song "Maharishi", but changed the title at Harrison's request. Harrison commented years later, "Now, historically, there's
6678-692: The Beatles' endorsement of TM, during 1967 and 1968 the Maharishi appeared on American magazine covers such as Life , Newsweek , Time and many others. He gave lectures to capacity crowds at the Felt Forum in New York City and Harvard 's Sanders Hall. He also appeared on The Tonight Show and the Today TV shows. He and the Beatles met in London in August 1967, when George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd urged their friends to attend
6804-540: The Dasnami Sampradaya (monistic order ). Their Vedantic mantra or Mahavakya is Ayamātmānam brahma (This Atman is supreme being) and as per the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara it holds authority over Atharva Veda . The head of the matha is called Shankaracharya , the title derives from Adi Shankara . Deities worshipped in JyotirMath are Lord Narayana and Shakti-Purnagiri. Jyotir Math
6930-771: The District Registrar in Allahabad . The will named his disciple, 1) Sri Ramji Tripathi - Swami Shantanand Saraswati as his successor and Dwaraka Prasad Sastry - 2) Swami Dwarakeshananda Saraswati, 3) Swami Vishnudevananda Saraswati and 4) Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati as alternate choices. As a result, Swami Shantanand Saraswati assumed the Shankarcharya-ship, but his authority was disputed by other 3 Shankaracharya's Puri, Dwaraka, Sringeri and several of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj's disciples and followers who did not feel that Shantanand met
7056-571: The EEG coherence found in TM is an indication of a higher state of consciousness. In 1961, the Maharishi created the "International Meditation Society for the Science of Creative Intelligence". In 1971 the Maharishi inaugurated "Maharishi's Year of Science of Creative Intelligence" and described SCI as the connection of "modern science with ancient Vedic science". Author Philip Goldberg describes it as Vedanta philosophy that has been translated into scientific language. A series of international symposiums on
7182-498: The Global Country of World Peace, is Tony Nader . The meditation practice involves the use of a silently-used mantra for 15–20 minutes twice per day while sitting with the eyes closed. It is reported to be one of the most widely practiced, and among the most widely researched, meditation techniques, with hundreds of published research studies. The technique is made available worldwide by certified TM teachers in
7308-827: The International Meditation Society. In modern times, the movement has grown to encompass schools and universities that teach the practice, and includes many associated programs based on the Maharishi's interpretation of the Vedic traditions. In the U.S., non-profit organizations included the Students International Meditation Society , AFSCI, World Plan Executive Council , Maharishi Vedic Education Development Corporation , Global Country of World Peace , Transcendental Meditation for Women, and Maharishi Foundation . The successor to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and leader of
7434-502: The Jyotir Math ashram built by Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, then Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj took new land and Built new Ashram in a nearby the 2nd Ashram built by Sri Brahmananda Saraswati ji Maharaj , said to be located near the former cave of Adi Shankara disciple, Totakacharya. Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati (2 September 1924 – 11 September 2022) was an Indian religious leader. In 1982, he became
7560-495: The Maharishi "has been sharply criticised by other Indian sages, who complain that his programme for spiritual peace without either penance or asceticism contravenes every traditional Hindu belief". Religion and culture scholar Sean McCloud also reported that traditional Indian sages and gurus were critical of the Maharishi for teaching a simple technique and making it available to everyone and for abandoning traditional concepts of suffering and concentration as paths to enlightenment. At
7686-429: The Maharishi collapsed in 1991 with kidney and pancreas failure, that the illness was kept secret by the Maharishi's family, and that he tended to Maharishi during a year-long recovery. According to Chopra, the Maharishi accused him, in July 1993, of trying to compete for the position of guru and asked him to stop travelling and writing books, which led to Chopra's decision to leave the movement in January 1994. As part of
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#17327763889397812-609: The Maharishi developed a World Plan to spread his teaching of SCI around the world. The theoretical part of SCI is taught in a 33-lesson video course. In the early 1970s, the SCI course was offered at more than 25 American universities including Stanford University , Yale University , the University of Colorado , the University of Wisconsin , and Oregon State University . Until 2009, Maharishi University of Management (MUM) required its undergraduate students to take SCI classes, and both MUM and Maharishi European Research University (MERU) in Switzerland have awarded degrees in
7938-399: The Maharishi met with Robert Maynard Hutchins , the head of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions , and U Thant , the Secretary General of the United Nations . During this same year, the Maharishi finished his book The Science of Being and Art of Living , which sold more than a million copies and was published in fifteen languages. The Maharishi's activities in 1966 included
8064-402: The Maharishi trained Russian TM teachers and set up a Maharishi Ayurveda training centre in the Urals region. Beginning in 1989, the Maharishi's movement began incorporating the term "Maharishi" into the names of their new and existing entities, concepts and programmes. In 1990, the Maharishi relocated his headquarters from Seelisberg , Switzerland, to a former Franciscan monastery in Vlodrop ,
8190-473: The Maharishi's lecture at the Hilton on Park Lane . The band members went to study with the Maharishi in Bangor , Wales , before travelling to Rishikesh, India, in February 1968 to "devote themselves fully to his instruction". Ringo Starr and his wife Maureen left after 10 days, Paul McCartney and Jane Asher left after five weeks; the group's most dedicated students, Harrison and John Lennon , departed with their wives 16 days later. During their stay,
8316-405: The Maharishi, it was perceived in 1974 after an analysis of crime statistics in 16 cities. With the introduction of the TM-Sidhi program including Yogic Flying, the Maharishi proposed that the square root of 1 per cent of the population (around 6325 people, the square root of 40 million (1% of the global population of about 4 billion people in 1974 )) practicing this advanced program together at
8442-456: The Maharishi, there are seven levels of consciousness: (i) deep sleep; (ii) dreaming; (iii) waking; (iv) transcendental consciousness; (v) cosmic consciousness; (vi) God consciousness; and, (vii) unity consciousness. The Maharishi says that transcendental consciousness can be experienced through Transcendental Meditation, and that those who meditate regularly over time could become aware of cosmic consciousness. An indication of cosmic consciousness
8568-459: The Maharishinagar complex in New Delhi were raided by Indian tax authorities, and the Maharishi and his organisation were accused of falsifying expenses. Reports on the value of stocks, fixed-deposit notes, cash and jewels confiscated vary from source to source. The Maharishi, who was "headquartered in Switzerland" at the time, reportedly moved to the Netherlands "after the Indian government accused him of tax fraud".) Following an earthquake in Armenia,
8694-425: The Matha only officially began when the leaders of the other three Mathas convinced Brahmananda Saraswati to accept the position. The appointment of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji on 11 May 1941 was made by a group of monks and pandits BDM Bharat Dharma Mahamandal based in the city of Varanasi with the endorsement of Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha, the Shankaracharya of Puri and Swami Chandrashekhara Bharati
8820-483: The Netherlands, in the same year. In 2000, he created the Global Country of World Peace , a non-profit organization, and appointed its leaders. In 2008, the Maharishi announced his retirement from all administrative activities and went into silence until his death three weeks later. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi belonged to the Kayastha caste , a caste of scribes in India. The birth name and the birth dates of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi are not known with certainty, in part because of
8946-415: The Peeth Bhawan of Jyotir Math. He also supervised the final construction of the Shrine of Purnagiri Devi about 100 yards in front of the new monastery, which "the Darbhanga ruler" had begun, but not completed, just prior to his brahmaleena 20 May 1953 . Brahmananda's leadership was instrumental in re-establishing the Jyotir Math as "an important centre of traditional advaita teaching in northern India", and
9072-504: The Science of Creative Intelligence in a New Jersey public school was stopped when a US court, in 1977, declared the movement to be religious, and ruled adoption of TM by public organisations to be in breach of the separation of church and state ( First Amendment ). During the 1980s, the organisation continued to expand and his meditation technique continued to attract celebrities, despite its "outlandish claims" and accusations of fraud from disaffected former disciples. The TM organization made
9198-452: The Science of Creative Intelligence were held between 1970 and 1973 and were attended by scientists and "leading thinkers", including Buckminster Fuller , Melvin Calvin , a Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, Hans Selye , Marshal McLuhan and Jonas Salk . These symposiums were held at universities such as Humboldt State University and University of Massachusetts . The following year,
9324-530: The Seminar of Spiritual Luminaries. According to Coplin, in his visits to southern India, the Maharishi spoke English rather than the Hindi spoken in his home area to avoid provoking resistance among those seeking linguistic self-determination, and to appeal to the "learned classes". According to William Jefferson, in 1958, the Maharishi went to Madras to address a large crowd of people who had gathered to celebrate
9450-706: The Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham in Dwaraka, Gujarat and also of Jyotir Math in Badrinath.[1][2] He was the only person till now who have become Shankaracharya of two Peetha (Dwarkamath and Jyotirmath) simultaneously. Swaroopanand Saraswati was born Pothiram Upadhyay on 2 September 1924 at Dighori village of Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh in a Kanyakubja Brahmin family.[3] A direct disciple of Shankaracharya Brahmananda Saraswati of Jyotir Math (1941–1953) and of Shankaracharya (disputed) Krishnabodha Ashrama of Jyotir Math (1953–1973), in 1950 his Guru Brahmananda made him
9576-525: The Shankaracharya of Sringeri. Respected supporters of religious institutions, such as the rulers of the Garhwal, Varanasi and Darbhanga, also endorsed Brahmananda, and their recognition helped overcome opposition from previous claimants to the title. Brahmandanda was also perceived by his supporters as the embodiment of the qualifications mentioned in Vedic texts, and this assisted in his unhindered ascension to
9702-664: The Spiritual Regeneration Movement, the International Meditation Society, World Plan Executive Council, Maharishi Vedic Education Development Corporation, Transcendental Meditation for Women, the Global Country of World Peace , and the David Lynch Foundation . The TM movement also operates a worldwide network of Transcendental Meditation teaching centers, schools, universities, health centers, herbal supplements, solar panel, and home financing companies, plus several TM-centered communities. The global organization
9828-473: The TM technique over its 50-year history has been praised for its high visibility in the mass media and effective global propagation, and criticized for using celebrity and scientific endorsements as a marketing tool. Also, advanced courses supplement the TM technique and include an advanced meditation program called the TM-Sidhi program, the unveiling of which created media controversy and a time of crisis for
9954-544: The U.S. Army to offer courses in TM to its soldiers and made videotaped recordings of what was thought to be the West's first comprehensive recitation of the Rig Veda . In March 1973, the Maharishi addressed the legislature of the state of Illinois. That same year, the legislature passed a resolution in support of the use of Maharishi's Science of Creative Intelligence in Illinois public schools. Later that year, he organized
10080-572: The USA. In the mid 1970s, the Maharishi's U.S. movement was operating 370 TM centres manned by 6,000 TM teachers. At that time, the Maharishi also began approaching the business community via an organisation called the American Foundation for SCI (AFSCI), whose objective was to eliminate stress for business professionals. His TM movement came to be increasingly structured along the lines of a multinational corporation . The teaching of TM and
10206-510: The United States, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The Maharishi, his family and close associates created charitable organisations and for-profit businesses, including health clinics, mail-order health supplements and organic farms. The reported value of the Maharishi's organization has ranged from the millions to billions of U.S. dollars; in 2008, the organization placed the value of their United States assets at about $ 300 million. In
10332-730: The claimed will is fake and fabricated, forgery, other 3 Shankaracharya's did not recognize alleaged "Will" Relevant organizations involved in reviving Jyotir Math, including a committee of pundits from Varanasi, BDM proposed Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama Ji Maharaj as the Shankaracharya, despite Shantanand's claim and occupation of Jyotir Math on (25 June 1953). Ashrama attained Brahmasiddhi in 10 Sept 1973 and nominated Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj's deekshita Shishya disciple Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, who had taken Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama as his guru after Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Swamiji Maharaj's Siddhi death, as his successor. However, because Shantananda still occupied
10458-446: The conscious mind gains familiarity with deeper levels of the mind, bringing the subconscious mind within the capacity of the conscious mind, resulting in expanded awareness in daily activity. He also teaches that the Transcendental Meditation practitioner transcends all mental activity and experiences the 'source of thought', which is said to be pure silence, 'pure awareness' or 'transcendental Being', 'the ultimate reality of life'. TM
10584-425: The court case Malnak v Yogi determined that although SCI/TM is not a theistic religion, it deals with issues of ultimate concern, truth, and other ideas analogous to those in well-recognized religions. Maharishi biographer Paul Mason suggests that the scientific terminology used in SCI was developed by the Maharishi as part of a restructuring of his philosophies in terms that would gain greater acceptance and increase
10710-485: The day, such as Hans Selye , Marshall McLuhan , and Jonas Salk . The Maharishi announced his World Plan in 1972, the goal of which was to establish 3,600 TM centres around the world. That year, a TM training course was given by the Maharishi at Queen's University and was attended by 1,000 young people from the US and Canada. At the start of the course, the Maharishi encouraged the attendees to improve their appearance by getting haircuts and wearing ties. He also persuaded
10836-541: The development of human potential and began writing his translation and commentary on the first six chapters of the ancient Vedic text, the Bhagavad Gita . His 1962 world tour included visits to Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand. In Britain, he founded a branch of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement. The year concluded in California, where the Maharishi began dictating his book The Science of Being and Art of Living . In Rishikesh, India, beginning on 20 April 1962,
10962-736: The early 1970s. There is no good evidence that TM reduces anxiety, or has any beneficial effect on forms of psychological stress or well-being. A 2012 review found that Transcendental Meditation performed no better overall than other meditation techniques. The authors' analysis of a subset of these studies, those that studied specific categories of outcome, found that TM might perform better in reducing negative emotions, trait anxiety, and neuroticism and improving markers of learning, memory, and self-actualization , but performs more poorly in reducing negative personality traits, reducing stress, improving attention and mindfulness and cognition, in comparison with other meditation approaches. A statement from
11088-463: The end of 1968, the Maharishi said that after ten years of teaching and world tours, he would return to India. In 1967, the Maharishi's fame increased and his movement gained greater prominence when he became the "spiritual advisor to the Beatles ", though he was already well-known among young people in the UK and had already had numerous public appearances that brought him to the band's attention. Following
11214-483: The fall of the Berlin Wall and a reduction in global terrorism, US inflation and crime rates to the Maharishi effect. The Maharishi effect has been endorsed by the former President of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano . As the theories proposed by TM practitioners go beyond modern science , the Maharishi effect still lacks a causal basis . Moreover, the evidence has been said to result from cherry-picked data and
11340-562: The field. The Independent reports that children at Maharishi School learn SCI principles such as "the nature of life is to grow" and "order is present everywhere". SCI is reported to be part of the curriculum of TM related lower schools in Iowa, Wheaton, Maryland and Skelmersdale , UK. In 1975 SCI was used as the call letters for a TM owned television station in San Bernardino, California . The Science of Creative Intelligence
11466-536: The honorific was given along with Yogi by followers in India. Later in the west, the title was retained as a name. He traveled around India for two years interacting with his "Hindu audiences" in an "Indian context". At that time, he called his movement the Spiritual Development Movement, but renamed it the Spiritual Regeneration Movement in 1957, in Madras , India, on the concluding day of
11592-489: The human race". In 2000, the Maharishi founded the Global Country of World Peace (GCWP) "to create global world peace by unifying all nations in happiness, prosperity, invincibility and perfect health, while supporting the rich diversity of our world family". The Maharishi crowned Tony Nader , a physician and MIT-trained neuroscientist, as the king or Maharaja of the GCWP in 2000. The GCWP unsuccessfully attempted to establish
11718-433: The journey to Rishikesh to meditate, steered the Beatles away from LSD and inspired them to write many new songs. In 2009, McCartney commented that Transcendental Meditation was a gift the Beatles had received from the Maharishi at a time when they were looking for something to stabilise them. The Beatles' visit to the Maharishi's ashram coincided with a thirty-participant Transcendental Meditation teacher training course that
11844-425: The late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame as the guru to the Beatles , the Beach Boys , and other celebrities. In the late 1970s, he started the TM-Sidhi programme , which proposed to improve the mind–body relationship of practitioners through techniques such as Yogic flying . The Maharishi's Natural Law Party was founded in 1992 and ran campaigns in dozens of countries. He moved to near Vlodrop ,
11970-513: The math's founder, Adi Shankara. As such, they are the leaders of the Dasanami Saṃnyasins, who are considered to have custody of Advaita Vedānta These four principle seats of learning are located in Purī (Odisha), Sringeri (Karnataka) and Dwarka (Gujarat), with the northern (Uttaramnaya) monastery being located in the city of Jyotirmaṭh. Jyotir Math was occupied by Swami Ramakrishna Tirtha in
12096-454: The memory of Guru Dev . It was there that he spontaneously announced that he planned to spread the teaching of TM throughout the world. Hundreds of people immediately asked to learn TM. In 1959, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi began his first world tour, writing: "I had one thing in mind, that I know something which is useful to every man". The Maharishi's 1986 book, Thirty Years Around the World , gives
12222-518: The monastery was visited by the president of India, Rajendra Prasad in December 1952. After the Brahmaleena of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj in 1953, Swami Hariharananda Saraswati , a now deceased disciple of Brahmananda, was offered the title but refused to accept it. Later, it was claimed that five months before his death, Brahamananda had made a will and registered it with
12348-414: The movement’s image. In 2014, a meta-analysis of research found insufficient evidence that meditation such as TM "had an effect on any of the psychological stress and well-being outcomes". The Transcendental Meditation movement consists of the programs and organizations connected with the Transcendental Meditation technique and founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Transcendental Meditation was first taught in
12474-421: The number of people starting the TM technique. He says that this change toward a more academic language was welcomed by many of the Maharishi's American students. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi claimed that the quality of life would noticeably improve if at least the square root of one per cent (1%) of the population practised the Transcendental Meditation technique. This is known as the "Maharishi effect" and according to
12600-460: The park. The theme park was supposed to be a gateway into understanding the mysteries of the universe. According to the Maharishi's official Vedic city website, "Entering Veda Land through a secret cave on a windswept plateau high in the Himalayas the adventure starts as one travels through a waterfall that leads to a forest where an ancient Vedic civilization awaits to reveal the deepest secrets of
12726-488: The party was an effort to recruit people for Transcendental Meditation, and that it resembled "the political arm of an international corporation" more than a "home-grown political creation". The Indian arm of the NLP, the Ajeya Bharat Party, achieved electoral success, winning one seat in a state assembly in 1998. The Maharishi shut down the political effort in 2004, saying, "I had to get into politics to know what
12852-412: The position at the age of 70. Brahmananda was charged with reconstructing the temple and institution at Jyotir Math. Through the assistance of the local Deputy Commissioner and parties responsible for his nomination, Brahmananda reclaimed the surrounding land that had been encroached upon by local farmers. Under his leadership, a two-story, 30-room building was constructed ( New 2nd Math) to serve as
12978-419: The psychological impact of meditation found that Transcendental Meditation had a comparable overall effectiveness to other meditation techniques in improving general wellbeing, but might have distinctive effects on specific psychological variables. A 2017 overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicates TM practice may lower blood pressure, an effect comparable with other health interventions. Because of
13104-469: The requirements described in the 2500 Yrs Adi Shankarachaya Mathamnaya Mahanushasana texts. the Law of 4 Amnaya Peeths, Meanwhile, others claimed that Brahmananda's death was due to poisoning, and later it was found that the so-called "Will" ( 18th Dec 1952 ) was not authentic and fake, forgery, causing civil lawsuits to be filed by concerned parties. successor to the office of Shankaracharya had to be chosen by
13230-527: The same time and in the same place would create benefits in society. This was referred to as the "Extended Maharishi Effect". Author Ted Karam claims that there have been numerous studies on the Maharishi effect including a gathering of over 4,000 people (just under two thirds of the square root of 1% of the population as of 1974) in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1993. The effect has been examined in 42 scientific studies. The TM organisation has linked
13356-540: The silent repetition of a mantra or sound, and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day. It is taught by certified teachers through a standard course of instruction, with a cost which varies by country and individual circumstance. According to the Transcendental Meditation movement, it is a non-religious method that promotes relaxed awareness , stress relief , self-development , and higher states of consciousness . The technique has been variously described as both religious and non-religious. Maharishi began teaching
13482-480: The sole teacher of Transcendental Meditation in America was a San Diego woman named Beulah Smith. In 1960, the Maharishi traveled to many cities in India, France, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa. While in Manchester , England, the Maharishi gave a television interview and was featured in many English newspapers, such as
13608-477: The state average. The Maharishi proclaimed 1981 as the Year of Vedic Science. It is based on the Maharishi's interpretation of ancient Vedic texts and includes subjective technologies like the Transcendental Meditation technique and the TM-Sidhi program plus programs like Maharishi Sthapatya Veda (MSV) and Maharishi Vedic Astrology (MVA) services which apply Vedic science to day-to-day living. Vedic science studies
13734-538: The story that something went on that shouldn't have done – but nothing did." In 1992, Harrison gave a benefit concert for the Maharishi-associated Natural Law Party and later apologised for the way the Maharishi had been treated, by saying, "We were very young" and "It's probably in the history books that Maharishi 'tried to attack Mia Farrow' – but it's bullshit, total bullshit." Cynthia Lennon wrote in 2006 that she "hated leaving on
13860-512: The technique in India in the mid-1950s. Building on the teachings of his master, the Hindu Advaita monk Brahmananda Saraswati (known honorifically as Guru Dev), the Maharishi taught thousands of people during a series of world tours from 1958 to 1965, expressing his teachings in spiritual and religious terms. TM became more popular in the 1960s and 1970s as the Maharishi shifted to a more secular presentation, and his meditation technique
13986-538: The tradition of ascetics and monks to relinquish family connections. Many accounts say he was born Mahesh Prasad Varma into a Kayastha family living in the Central Provinces of British India . A different name appears in the Allahabad University list of distinguished alumni, where he is listed as M.C. Srivastava , and an obituary says his name was "Mahesh Srivastava". Various accounts give
14112-524: The training of TM teachers at his new global headquarters in Seelisberg , Switzerland. In 1969, he inaugurated a course in his Science of Creative Intelligence at Stanford University , which was then offered at 25 other American universities. In 1970, the Maharishi held a TM teacher training course at a Victorian hotel in Poland Springs, Maine , with 1,200 participants. Later that year, he held
14238-533: The universe (sic)". These plans were never executed and, for Niagara Falls, Veda Land turned out to be just another theme park proposal that never materialized, joining an eclectic list that includes the Worlds of Jules Verne, the Ancient Chinese City and even Canada's Wonderland when it was first being planned. The Maharishi commissioned plans from a prominent architect for the world's tallest building,
14364-464: The various aspects of life and their relationship to the Veda. Maharishi Ayurveda or Maharishi Vedic Medicine is a form of alternative medicine founded in the mid-1980s by Maharishi. Distinct from traditional ayurveda , it emphasizes the role of consciousness, and gives importance to positive emotions. Maharishi Ayurveda has been variously characterized as emerging from, and consistently reflecting,
14490-561: The whole world. Though most of his audience consisted of average middle class individuals, he also attracted a few celebrities, such as Efrem Zimbalist Jr. , Nancy Cooke de Herrera and Doris Duke . When the Maharishi came to the U.S. in 1959, his Spiritual Regeneration Movement was called Transcendental Meditation. That same year, he began the International Meditation Society and other organizations to propagate his teachings, establishing centres in San Francisco and London. For years,
14616-467: The year of his birth as 1911, 1917 or 1918. Authors Paul Mason and William Jefferson say that he was born 12 January 1917 in Rajim , Central Provinces , British India ( Chhattisgarh , India ). The place of birth given in his passport is "Pounalulla", India, and his birth date 12 January 1918. Mahesh "most likely" came from an upper-caste family of the high-status Kayastha caste, whose traditional profession
14742-423: Was a traditional meditation technique learned from his master Brahmananda Saraswati, and that he called Transcendental Deep Meditation. Later the technique was renamed Transcendental Meditation. It was also then that he was first publicly known with the name "Maharishi", an honorific title meaning "great sage", after the title was given to him according to some sources from "Indian Pundits"; according to another source
14868-589: Was also well covered by the press. The Maharishi's fifth world tour, in 1964, consisted of visits to many cities in North America, Europe and India. During his visit to England, he appeared with the Abbot of Downside , Abbot Butler, on a BBC television show called The Viewpoint . In October of that year, in California, the Maharishi began teaching the first Advanced Technique of Transcendental Meditation to some experienced meditators. While travelling in America,
14994-457: Was at the forefront of the anti-Congress movement in 1950s. He served as the president of Ram Rajya Parishad. He was jailed three times between 1954 and 1970 in relation to the movement to ban cow slaughter.[5] He ran ashrams in various parts of India.[6] His ashram in Singhbhum district of Bihar engaged in re-conversion of Christians to Hinduism.[5] A lifelong supporter of Ram Janmbhoomi, he
15120-525: Was jailed in 1990 when he attempted Shilanysa ceremony on 7 May, 1990.[7][8] At 19 years old he became a freedom fighter in the Quit India movement in 1942, and was known as "Revolutionary Sadhu". He was jailed for this, serving a prison sentence of nine months and another of six months.[14] The present Jagadguru Shankaracharya Paramaradhya Paramadharmadhis Uttaramnaya Jyotishpeethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swamishri Avimukeshwarananda Saraswati'1008'
15246-535: Was ongoing when they arrived. Graduates of the course included Prudence Farrow and Mike Love . Although the Rishikesh ashram had thrived in its early days, it was eventually abandoned in 2001. By 2016, some of it had been reclaimed with building repairs, cleared paths, a small photo museum, murals, a cafe and charges for visitors, although the site remains essentially a ruin. In 1968, the Maharishi announced that he would stop his public activities and instead begin
15372-431: Was practiced by celebrities, most prominently members of the Beatles and the Beach Boys . At this time, he began training TM teachers. The worldwide TM organization had grown to include educational programs, health products, and related services. Following the Maharishi's death in 2008, leadership of the TM organization passed to neuroscientist Tony Nader . Research on TM began in the 1970s. A 2012 meta-analysis of
15498-657: Was religious in nature and in violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The technique has since been included in a number of educational and social programs around the world. The Transcendental Meditation technique has been described as both religious and non-religious, as an aspect of a new religious movement, as rooted in Hinduism, and as a non-religious practice for self-development. The public presentation of
15624-474: Was sometimes referred to as the "giggling guru." The Maharishi trained more than 40,000 TM teachers, taught the Transcendental Meditation technique to "more than five million people" and founded thousands of teaching centres and hundreds of colleges, universities and schools, while TM websites report that tens of thousands have learned the TM-Sidhi programme. His initiatives include schools and universities with campuses in several countries, including India, Canada,
15750-442: Was the Maharishi's residence for the last two decades of his life. In later years, the Maharishi rarely left his two-room quarters in order to preserve his health and energy. He used videoconferencing to communicate with the world and with his advisors. Built to Maharishi Sthapatya Veda architectural standards, the structure, according to the Maharishi, is said to have helped him infuse "the light of Total Knowledge" into "the destiny of
15876-515: Was trusted to take care of the bulk of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati's correspondence without direction and was also sent out to give public speeches on Vedic (scriptural) themes. The Maharishi said his life truly began in 1940, at the feet of his master, when he learned the secret of swift and deep meditation. Brahmachari Mahesh remained with Swami Brahmananda Saraswati until the latter died in 1953, when he moved to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand in
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