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   SUMMER 2009 NEWSLETTER

A Newsletter for those interested in TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION by Roger Gurr 020 8224 7676 - THANKS FOR ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS. 

THE ELDERS is a group of twelve people who work together to improve people’s lives across the world. The group came about because of a conversation between Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel of rock group Genesis.  They came up with a novel approach to tackle some of the world’s toughest humanitarian problems.  Nelson Mandela immediately agreed to be part of the group, as did his wife Graca Machel, an international advocate for women’s and children rights. Then Desmond Tutu - former Archbishop and South Africa’s second Nobel Peace Prize winner- agreed to be chair of the group.  The group is called The Elders because their role in relation to the world’s problems is similar to the role played by the ‘elders’ of a village. In villages, elders are wise people trusted to resolve conflicts within their communities. The group is funded by The Founders who have Richard Branson and Peter Gabriel as members.  The Elders started in 2007 with ten founding members; Kofi Annan, former secretary to the UN, Jimmy Carter former US president (Both Nobel prize winners) among them. Today the group has twelve members. Visit www.theelders.org to find out more. For Richard Branson’s own initiative in helping the world to be a better place see  www.virginunite.org

Mia Farrow (who learnt TM from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 60’s)

Mia Farrow has long been committed to the people of Darfur. Over 12 days, she has been fasting on only liquids in order to raise awareness for the horrible crisis unfolding in Darfur after the removal of 13 international aid agencies.

Mia’s health took a downturn and her doctor asked her to stop immediately. Richard Branson was asked by Mia to take over the fast which he did for three days and to continue to ask world leaders to take immediate action and demand that international aid is restored.

Richard Branson stated; “I’m honoured to be taking over the fast for the next three days from Mia Farrow in her courageous stance to support the people of Darfur. Over a year and a half ago, I travelled to Darfur and was horrified by the stories that people of all ages shared with us. Young children had watched their entire family get killed and then had to survive on their own in unimaginable conditions.

I was humbled and inspired by the courage of the Darfuri people and the commitment of the aid organisations that were working on the frontlines. Now, with 13 aid organisations expelled from the country, over 1m people are at grave risk. We cannot stand and watch as 1m people suffer. We all need to stand up and demand that international aid is restored and that the people of Darfur are protected and given the chance to live in peace.”  For more information see www.fastdarfur.org

Holistic approach to 'worldwide stress epidemic':

TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION was presented at a top science conference in Turkey 3 June 2009 - At the recent National Clinical Biochemistry Congress in Antalya, Turkey, more than 200 scientists from across Europe attended a presentation on TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION as a holistic treatment for chronic stress. Several scientists expressed interest in conducting collaborative studies on the effects of the technique on brain functioning.

HAPPY, LUCKY SHOT.

Paul McCartney has recently written to President Barack Obama making him aware of an organisation called OneVoice – an organisation that Paul first came into contact with during his memorable trip to Israel and Palestine last year.

The OneVoice Movement currently has over 650,000 signatories (equally represented by Palestinians and Israelis) and they work steadfastly towards a two state solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict, endeavoring to ensure that the voice of the moderate majority on both sides is heard and acted upon by their respective leaders. Earlier this year Paul officially joined OneVoice’s International Board of Advisors, which includes names such as Danny DeVito and Muhammed Ali.

Whilst performing in Tel Aviv last year, Paul’s message was to bring people together via the power of music – a sentiment that is shared by two singers, Noa, an Israeli Jew and Mira Awad, an Israeli Arab, who are members of OneVoice Israel. They performed a song together for the Eurovision song contest titled There Must Be Another Way.

David Lynch is rumoured to be making a film about Maharishi’s life. – Ed. anyone heard anymore?

CONSCIOUSNESS - A SCIENCE.

Max Planck (1858 – 1947) was no ordinary fellow. He was the father of quantum physics and theoretical physics. He revolutionized our understanding of atomic and subatomic processes.

Planck was born in Kiel, Germany. When he was nine years old, he entered Munich's renowned Maximilian Gymnasium, where his interest in physics and mathematics developed. After graduation at age 17, he chose physics because he had concluded that physics was where his greatest originality lay. Music remained part of his life as he was an excellent pianist who found great joy in playing his favourite works of Schubert and Brahms. He was also an outdoors man who loved taking long walks each day, hiking and mountain climbing even into his twilight years.

Planck received his doctoral degree at the tender age of 21. He was promoted to full professor at the age of 34.

He was much respected as an authority on Physics because of his exceptional abilities to reason and argue.

Planck was considered to be a man of such high personal integrity and wisdom that he was once allowed to speak directly with Adolph Hitler and convey his opinions against Germany's racial policies.

An Ocean of infinite Energy

and Infinite Intelligence,

Maharishi’s ‘Being’,

Universal Consciousness,

The Unified Field,

Plank’s constants,

Pure Consciousness,

‘The Transcendent’

They are all the same!

It is that place of Bliss within.

Planck's concept of energy conflicted fundamentally with all past physical theory. He was driven to introduce his concept strictly by the force of his logic and is considered by some historians as a reluctant revolutionary. It wasn't until years later via the work of such scientists like Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr, and then the development of Nuclear Bombs, that the far-reaching consequences of Planck's achievement would be validated. The ultimate validation arrived in 1918 when Planck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.

Planck established a new professorship for Albert Einstein. The two scientists became friends and met frequently to play music.

Planck’s concept, derived from mathematics, was that the fundamental dimensions mass, time and space are related to, energy and gravity.

He concluded that everything is energy, basically.

 He also, reasoned that as one probes deeper and deeper into finer and finer elements of any of the atoms that comprise the entire universe time also gets finer.

At a very  fine level time, mass and space disappear or virtually disappear.

However, the energy available at this tiny scale becomes larger and larger.

Think of the atom bomb.

He calculated that on the surface of planet earth, gravity has an effect on; time, space and mass such that these main dimensions could never be smaller than;

 time; (around 10–43 seconds) A billion, trillion, trillion, trillionths of a second. 

 length; (around 10–35 meters) [A trillion, trillion, trillionths of a meter.

 mass; (around 10–8 grams) [A 100 billionth of a gram.    Re; www. http://cerncourier.com/cws/article/cern 3].   

These fine levels became known as Planck’s constants or Planck’s scale.

This very fine scale was first described by physics as the “vacuum state” and then later as ‘The Unified Field’.

 He also concluded that away from the effects of any gravity;

1) Mass, time and space do not exist at a finite scale,

2) An infinite amount of energy does exist at this finite scale.

"I regard consciousness as fundamental,

 I regard matter as derivative from consciousness."

Max Planck (1858 -1947)

Is anything else at this scale? Planck must have given a lot of thought to this scale at the basis of every part of every atom in the entire universe where space and time almost do not exist..

Therefore, every thing must be connected at this scale.  It is the basis of all the diversity of the entire created universe. So surely, at this scale there must also be infinite intelligence.

In other words, fundamentally, everything every where is connected at a point in time and everything everywhere is connected at a point in space. 

At this same point, at this most finite level, that is everywhere, there is infinite energy and infinite intelligence.

Max Planck came to a simple but amazing conclusion.

“I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness."

Plank’s conclusions have never been disproved. They have never been proved.

Maharishi said one can never ‘prove’ that the unified field = consciousness, because consciousness is changing and evolving constantly, and this is not conducive to proof by the established criteria for proof.

 “Point and Infinity, Point and Infinity, point and Infinity”, Maharishi would repeat over and over again at press conferences a few years before he died.

Dr John Hagelin, quantumn physicist, says there is a tremendous amount of evidence demonstrating that the Unified Field of quantumn physics is a Universal Consciousness.

It seems that our individual consciousness is a bit of concentrated Universal Consciousness. 

So, basically, my true self is not rooted in time and space. 

No religion, no philosophy, just simple quantum facts and reason.

 

 

THE UNIFIED FIELD. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi always referred to that place where the mind goes, 

when the mind experiences pure consciousness, as ‘Being’. He always referred to ‘Being’ as a place of infinite energy and infinite intelligence.  He related ‘Being’ to the ‘Vacuum State’ in physics and to Maslow’s ‘Self’ in psychology.  In the 1980s as quantumn physics developed, the vacuum state became known as ‘The Unified Field’.  This accepted the mathematical deductions of Max Planck which implied a place of infinite energy and infinite intelligence.

If there is one and the same Unified Field that is within every part of every thing everywhere then if we can contact it and influence it we should be able to have an effect on others in society. This was as called the Maharishi Effect (Later Unified Field Technology) after Maharishi predicted that 1% of a population practising TM would have a positive effect on that population. Later he predicted that only the square root of 1% of a population practising the advanced Sidhi and yogic flying programmes would have a positive effect. Over 50 research studied involving thousands of people have demonstrated that these are real effects.


“I used to think my brain was the most important organ.

 But then I thought: wait a minute, who’s telling me that?”

Emo Phillps

Happiness and fulfillment in Life should not depend on external things.

Too much attention is paid to achieving happiness and fulfilment from external things. This is the mistake of the intellect. One should first, establish that inner happiness, achieve that inner bliss, establish that happiness within, then all these other things will come.

Also, more harmony with Nature will predominate. This is the teaching of the wise ancient sages of history, and it is as true today as it was then.

Sanskrit in The International Journal of Neuroscience

There is a recently published study in the International Journal of Neuroscience that documents effects of reading Sanskrit (according to this study, some of the effects are similar to those experienced during the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique). For more, see:http://www.mum.edu/TheReview

There is a need for rhythm in life. “There is a need for rhythm in life. Sometimes we need to be part of the noise and bustle of life. Sometimes we need to be separate from it, just to be ourselves. Perpetual business is a great danger to the life of the spirit, and in our modern world of constant noise and activity, it is more important than ever to learn to be alone in silence.” After David Adam Vicar of Lindisfarne.

THe PICTURE below APPEARED IN THE WINDSOR STAR recently. The caption referred to a mother practising TM and Yoga with her son. It also referred to a recent pilot study indicating significant benefits and  success from using TM to help children with ADHD.

TIP BITS New brain cells continue to be born into old age. Getting regular exercise is good for the brain. Jet lag can be overcome more easily by getting sunlight in the afternoon at your destination. Neurophysiologists;  S.Aamoat & S.Wong. Meditate on the plane, it works too.

Transcendental meditation on the CURRICULUM. 13/02/2009  By Graeme Paton, Education Editor Daily Telegraph. Schools specialising in TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION could be opened under plans being considered by the Government.

Since McCartney’s and Donavan’s concert in April, the number of students studying TRANSCENDENTAL MEDIATION has quadrupled, with funds raised being targeted at teaching one million "at risk" young people. The US project is being funded by private individuals and businesses, and interest has been fuelled by the benefit concert that featured Ringo Starr, Sir Paul McCartney, Donovan, Cheryl Crowe, Eddy Vedder, Jerry Seinfeld, Ben Harper, Bette Lavette, Jim James, Mike Love, Laura Dern and Russel Simmons.

More than 100,000 students had learnt TM as a result of the initiative.


New Research Identifies Distinct Sub states of Meditation

New research shows that when individuals practice the Transcendental Meditation technique, their bodies show very distinct states of physiological functioning depending on whether they are transcending or out of the process of transcending.

Researcher Fred Travis, chair of the MUM Department of Psychology, had experimenters ring a bell three times while a subject practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique and then had the subject report what he or she was experiencing at that moment. As a result, he was able to identify specific physiological states associated with the experience of transcendence and also other meditation experiences.

During transcendence, the subject's physiology showed a significantly lower breath rate, indicating a decreased metabolic rate and a deeper state of rest.

But more significantly, during transcendence a person's physiology shows higher respiratory sinus arrhythmia amplitudes. Dr. Travis explains that this is a sensitive measure of "intelligence" of the body, its ability to adapt moment by moment to outer demands.

Simply put, this is a measure of the speeding up and slowing down of the heart as we breathe. A healthy person shows a greater contrast between inhaling and exhaling. And respiratory sinus arrhythmia amplitudes are higher during transcending than other meditation experiences.

"This measure gives a picture of the connection of our physiology with its inner intelligence," Dr. Travis said.

Published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology last fall, the study also shows that individuals have higher EEG alpha amplitude and higher alpha coherence during transcending.

Dr. Travis said that the most important implication of this research is that it indicates that the Transcendental Meditation technique is not a homogenous process, but that there are distinct substates. He said that some research has simply and unfairly compared the average state of physiology during the Transcendental Meditation technique with the average state during other eyes-closed conditions.

"Taking an average rather than noting the distinct sub states is like combining yellow and blue and getting green," Dr. Travis said. "The average says that someone is experiencing green, but in fact that's not the experience. It's distinctly yellow and blue."

Dr. Travis said that the findings suggest that monitoring patterns of physiological variables during the TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION may help establish specific markers associated with transcendence. This could allow a more precise investigation into the nature of meditation experiences and a more accurate comparison of meditation states with other practices or states that are characteristically experienced with one's eyes closed.

 

Serotonin Rising.  Just imagine a revolution of good deeds positively changing the planet.

In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered that humans are hard-wired to be unselfish. During functional MRI brain scans, scientists learn that altruism makes people feel good, lighting up a primitive part of the human brain that usually responds to food or sex.

Combine a heart-warming, funny and semi-autobiographical storyline about two reporters who uncover this altruistic revolution with actual interviews from leading scientists, artists and philosophers and you have the World's First Truly "Feel Good" Movie, Serotonin Rising.

DONOVAN
Join Mike (a selfish, success-driven television reporter) and Katie (his shy, compassionate counterpart) as they follow our experts into the world of the magnanimous mind and reveal the truth about how doing, receiving and observing good deeds can bring us love, happiness and health. With their guidance, Katie helps Mike face his life-long demons and ultimately change his outlook on life.

Through the insightful perspectives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; author Deepak Chopra; film director David Lynch; folk singer Donovan; and many others, this film gives voice to the scientific proof that leading an altruistic, kind and compassionate life will raise serotonin levels and strengthen the immune system.

As philosophers on love share their inspiring thoughts and you observe the joy of giving through real-life acts of kindness and good deeds, you strengthen your own immune system and your serotonin kicks into high gear. Within minutes, you happily discover you're watching the world's first truly "Feel Good Movie". You can see more athttp://www.serotoninrising.com/home/ind

Judge Mason seems to have been the first Judge to use meditation, namely TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION,

as a sentence.

See future issues of this new letter