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This approach of direct experience of the unified field is both ancient and modern. The Vedic tradition of knowledge, from ancient India, is the most complete and highly developed tradition of meditation in the world. This ancient approach of gaining knowledge and experience of natural law, the unified field, has become the focus of intense scientific research over the past 50 years. The late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi revived, from the ancient Vedic science of consciousness, systematic technologies for experiencing the unified field, including the Transcendental Meditation program and its advanced techniques. The military application of these meditation practices is known as IDT. They have been successfully used by members of many faiths to eliminate conflict in the recent past. If Israel were to apply this human resource-based technology, which is non-lethal and non-destructive, it could reduce the collective societal stress that is fueling the rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
Transcendental Meditation Is Not a Religion
People from all religious backgrounds practice the Transcendental Meditation program and appreciate how it has enhanced their faith.
Rabbi Michael Shevack of the Bucks County Free Synagogue in Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania, commented on his experience of the TM program with reference to his practice of Judaism:
"There is a common misconception amongst many different 'western' religions, mainly Judaism, Christianity and Islam, that Transcendental Meditation is a form of some kind of Hindu worship and is therefore pagan. Based on my direct experience with the TM technique, I can clearly say that this idea is a misunderstanding and is simply not true.
"In fact, my experience as a TM practitioner, since the age of 17 (I am now 55) has proven just the opposite. At first I was attracted to TM as a way to reduce stress, and was very excited by the hundreds of studies that demonstrated it having a positive effect on lowering stress, blood pressure and improving generally well-being, both mental and physical. However, as I practiced TM, I found that these benefits were actually mere 'byproducts' of the experience.
"I found that I was opening, day after day, meditation after meditation, to what I considered to be a deep spiritual experience. Such an experience was not 'other worldly,' nor did it belong to 'another religion.' Such an experience was deeply rooted in the practical day to day experiences of life, and as such, became deeply integrated with the practice of my day to day Judaism. I found that TM opened me up to intuitive insights and understandings which helped 'make sense' of my Jewish practice; it made the observance of my own faith increasingly alive and spiritually vibrant
"Based on my experience, I can say that there is nothing to fear about TM. If you are Christian, it will make you more Christian. If you are Jewish, it will make you more Jewish. If you are Muslim, it will make you more Muslim. Due to the growing appreciation of one's own faith through TM, one does not seek out other religions; one becomes fulfilled in one's own.
"Lastly, as a leader in inter-religious dialogue, who has worked with many of the world's noble religions, I believe that TM can provide a doorway to a common spiritual understanding and experience that can help bring about, and speed, the development of mutual respect and understanding of the world's religions, by deepening and enlivening the universal spiritual foundation upon which they are all based.
"In short, it is a fast, effective, universal approach to peace.
The Maharishi Effect
According to extensive scientific research, the size of the group of IDT experts needed to reduce social stress and create peace in a given population must be at least the square root of one percent of the population. To calculate this number, multiply the population size by 0.01, and then take the square root of this number. For instance, Israel has a population of approximately 7.5 million, and 7,500,000 x 0.01 = 75,000. The square root of 75,000 is approximately 274, so a group of at least 274 IDT experts is needed.
Studies show that when the required threshold of IDT experts is crossed, crime goes down in the affected population, quality of life indices go up, and war and terrorism decrease. Scientists have named this phenomenon the Maharishi Effect in honor of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who first predicted it over 30 years ago.
Invincible Defense Technology experts gathered in Washington, DC, lowering the crime rate 24%
For instance, in 1993, a two-month Maharishi Effect intervention was implemented and studied in Washington, DC. Predictions of specific drops in crime and other indices were lodged in advance with government leaders and newspapers. The research protocol was approved by an independent Project Review Board. The findings showed that crime fell 24 percent below the predicted level when the peace-creating group reached its maximum size. Temperature, weekend effects, or previous trends in the data failed to account for changes. This research was published in the peer-reviewed Social Indicators Research (1999, vol. 47, 153-201).
Over 50 studies have shown that IDT works. The causal mechanism has been postulated to be a field effect of consciousness-a spillover effect on the level of the unified field from the peace-creating group into the larger population. On this basis, a study published in the Journal of Social Behavior and Personality (2005, vol. 17, 285-338) offers an explanation of a proposed causality of IDT in biological terms. The neurotransmitter serotonin produces feelings of contentment, happiness and even euphoria. Low levels of serotonin, according to research, correlate with violence, aggression, and poor emotional moods. The IDT study showed that higher numbers of IDT experts practicing in groups correlated with a marked increase in serotonin production among other community members who were neither participating in the IDT group nor aware of the study. These results were statistically significant and followed the attendance figures in the IDT group. This finding offers a plausible neurophysiologic mechanism to explain reduced hostility and aggression in society at large.
IDT Group Size and Quality of Life in Israel
