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gives this date. However there have been other dates proposed also. See ]</ref>, and taught by his own master, Guru Dev ]. His meditation techniques have been taught to millions of people around the world. gives this date. However there have been other dates proposed also. See ]</ref>, and taught by his own master, Guru Dev ]. His meditation techniques have been taught to millions of people around the world.


== Biographical overview==
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is the founder of Transcendental Meditation. He is widely regarded as the foremost scientist in the field of consciousness, and is considered to be the greatest teacher in the world today.
=== Early life ===


Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was born on January 12th, 1917 to a ] family living in the small village of Chichli near ], Madhya Pradesh, in the central region of India. His name at birth was Mahesh Prasad Varma. He earned the equivalent of a master's degree in physics at ], graduating in 1940.
In 1955 Maharishi left the Valley of the Saints in Uttarkashi, endowed only with the confidence he possessed in the knowledge of life and living bestowed on him by his beloved Master, Shri Guru Dev, His Divinity Brahmananda Saraswati, Jagatguru Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, Badarikashram, to extend the light of the Himalayas to the farthest corners of the earth.


After completing his studies, he became a disciple and secretary to the Hindu ] ], the ] of ], who gave him the name Bal Brahmacharya Mahesh, from 1941 to 1953. He then practiced meditation in retreat for long periods during the year or so that he stayed near Uttarkashi in the Himalayan foothills.
Describing his first meeting with Shri Guru Dev, Maharishi once said: 'As a thirsty man arrives at a well, so I arrived at the feet of my Master. The quest of a perfect Master was there. The first sight of his personality was enough to make me surrender at his feet. He was the most highly revered sage in India and was held as the embodiment of divine consciousness . . . .'


In 1955, he assumed the title "]" (Great Sage or Great Seer) and began publicly teaching what he states is a traditional meditation technique which he later renamed ]. In 1957 he founded ] in India, the first of his many organizations that are informally referred to as the ], and began the first of many tours to bring Transcendental Meditation and related programs and products around the world.
In memory of Shri Guru Dev, on 31 December 1957 in Madras, India, celebrating the conference of Spiritual Luminaries of India, Maharishi inaugurated the Spiritual Regeneration to spiritually regenerate the world.


=== The Transcendental Meditation Movement ===
Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation, which is the subjective technology of Maharishi's Vedic Science of Consciousness, is the most widely practised and extensively researched programme of self-development in the world. It unfolds the full potential of Natural Law in human consciousness as the basis of improving all areas of life, and is regarded as the most effective programme of human resource development.


According to the official US for Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation program ] has been taught worldwide to over 5 million people. The number of TM teachers trained to teach meditation since the beginning of the movement is reported to be in the tens of thousands, of those, the number who continue to practice and teach meditation today may still be more than a thousand. Over its fifty-year history the TM Movement has gone through many phases of reorganization.
More than 600 scientific research studies, conducted during the past forty years at over 200 independent universities and research institutes in 30 countries, have validated the profound benefits of Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme for the individual and for every area of society, including health, education, business, industry, rehabilitation, defence, agriculture, and government.


The TM movement maintains a number of websites. Providing basic information for the general public is , which hosts Maharishi's weekly webcast press-conferences that are also broadcast by satellite. Information is also available on what he has named "Consciousness Based Education" , the ] and the K-12 school, .
Over five million people in all parts of the world and from all walks of life have learnt Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation. Maharishi has trained 40,000 teachers of the Transcendental Meditation Programme, and more are continuing to be trained.


During the 1960s and early 1970s the TM Movement became seen as part of the then current "counter-culture" phenomenon, at which time a number of celebrities learned TM. Celebrity students at that time included ], the ] (including singer ] who became a TM teacher) and ] ], who befriended Maharishi and put his picture on the back cover of his '']'' album. Comedian ] and magician ] were also students of Maharishi, while ] and ] are two notable directors who have practiced TM. Lynch is currently involved in an effort to raise $7 billion to teach TM to all students in the USA, via his .
In addition, more than 100,000 people have learnt Maharishi's TM-Sidhi Programme and are daily practising Yogic Flying, an advanced programme of Transcendental Meditation that dramatically enhances all the benefits brought about by Transcendental Meditation for the individual, and creates a highly purifying influence in world consciousness.


With the exception of ], ] abandoned Maharishi following an alleged incident in which the avowedly celibate Maharishi made sexual gestures towards ]. This disillusionment became the basis of the song "]" from the ]. However, according to several authors, ] deliberately engineered the Beatles' disillusionment (Miles, 1998; Spitz, 2006; Lennon, 1978; Mason, 2005), and Mia Farrow refers to the incident in more innocent terms in her autobiography. (Farrow, 1997). Nevertheless, in an account told many years before to her friend and fellow TM practitioner, screen writer Ned Wynn, Farrow said that she believed that the professed celibate monk had clumsily tried to seduce her (Wynn, 1992).
In 1986, on the basis of the Global Maharishi Effect, Maharishi inaugurated his Programme to Create World Peace through the establishment of large groups practising the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme, and by raising Daivi Shakti (the influence of the infinite organizing power of Natural Law) through the Vedic Performance of Yagya, to create a strong purifying influence in world consciousness.


=== Today ===
Today Maharishi is establishing permanent groups of peace-creating experts throughout the world, with the largest group in India:


After the ] Maharishi started issuing cautions, in weekly satellite press-conference and , about the prevailing directions of societal change in the world. As a solution to current world problems he proposed creating large permanent groups of ] practitioners performing their programs to create the so-called ].
'The goal is to establish a Vedic Capital of Global Administration through Natural Law, with the knowledge of Veda—total Natural Law—as the Constitution, for 16,000 thousand Vedic Pandits to live their Vedic way of life and create and maintain a strong, indomitable influence of coherence in world consciousness, so that peace and harmony prevail, and the whole human race lives in perpetual peace in a problem-free world—perpetual peace on earth.' —Maharishi


With reference to an on-going project to create a Maharishi Effect for the ], where he has lived since the early 1990s, he stated on June 21, 2006 that what "is unfolding right now is the 'supreme level of evolvement of life on earth"..
Maharishi's inspiration to make every country a 'Country of World Peace', and his invitation to every government to declare their country a 'Country of World Peace', led to the inauguration, on 7 October 2000, of Maharishi's Global Country of World Peace.


In 2005 Maharishi said he was starting a trillion dollar program to eliminate poverty and bring world peace.
Maharishi is currently establishing 3,000 Peace Palaces‡ to administer Maharishi's Global Country of World Peace for all time to come. Maharishi Peace Palaces are the local administrative centres of Maharishi's Global Country of World Peace, which will educate the population in the knowledge of total Natural Law.


=== Transcendental Meditation ===
The complete revival of Vedic Wisdom through Maharishi's Vedic Science and Technology of Consciousness and the application of this perfect knowledge in all areas of society to raise individual life to perfection—life in fulfilment; the establishment of Maharishi Schools, Colleges, and Universities around the world to educate all ages of the growing youth in the science and art of practically living daily life in full accordance with Natural Law, will provide the ground of knowledge and its infinite organizing power to sustain the supreme quality of life on earth—Heaven on Earth—for all mankind in all generations to come.


Practicing Transcendental Meditation involves the use of a mantra, or sound, and the proper technique of how to use it. Some TM practitioners report that during the practice their mind becomes very alert but their body receives deep rest, and these effects continue afterward. Maharishi calls this state "Transcendental Consciousness" or restful alertness. He says that mantras come from the age-old Vedic tradition {{Fact|date=February 2007}}, but are just sounds designed as vehicles for the mind to settle down to the quieter states of awareness at its finer levels. The practice is done for 20 minutes, twice a day, while sitting in a relaxed but upright posture with eyes closed. Certain studies have shown that TM and other meditation techniques can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and other physiological measures.(Psychosomatic Medicine 46: 267–276, 1984; American Psychologist 42: 879–881, 1987; Hypertension 26: 820–827, 1995; Journal of Human Stress 5: 24-27, 1979.)
Maharishi in the world today is a cosmic figure caring for the well-being of all mankind and establishing a system to perpetuate life according to Natural Law, the cherished ideal of every government.


=== How Maharishi and the TM Organization View His Role ===
In the whole galaxy of rulers on earth, there has never been and there will never be a greater ruling intelligence than the one to quietly establish the rule of administration through Natural Law throughout the world, administration through Dharma throughout the world, which is bringing the Light of Heaven on Earth; which is restoring the glory of Heaven on Earth; which is making life on earth heavenly; and which is making Heaven on Earth a reality.


In the introduction to the 1955 book the ''Beacon Light of the Himalayas'', Maharishi makes the following offer to humanity: "Oh ye of the peaceless and suffering humanity! My happiness desires to root out your suffering. Will you extend your arm and allow me to lift you up from the mire of misery and peacelessness?"
This is Maharishi in the world today, a quiet guardian of all nations. Through his brilliance in the field of knowledge and administration, every government now has the opportunity to actualize the supreme purpose of government.

TM literature states "Maharishi in the world today is a Cosmic figure, caring for the well-being of all mankind.... a quiet guardian of all nations." (Maharishi's Absoute Theory of Government 555-556). Another TM publication says that his achievements are "unequaled today or at any time in recorded history." (Maharishi Vedic University 255).

In 1959 Maharishi stated that he would "Fill the Earth with love and create Heaven on Earth."


== Books by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi == == Books by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ==

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Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born Mahesh Prasad Varma on January 12, 1917) is the creator of Transcendental Meditation and leader of the Transcendental Meditation Movement. Maharishi states that his teachings are based on the principles espoused by the Adi Shankara (c. 788-820 AD), and taught by his own master, Guru Dev Brahmananda Saraswati. His meditation techniques have been taught to millions of people around the world.

Biographical overview

Early life

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was born on January 12th, 1917 to a Hindu family living in the small village of Chichli near Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, in the central region of India. His name at birth was Mahesh Prasad Varma. He earned the equivalent of a master's degree in physics at Allahabad University, graduating in 1940.

After completing his studies, he became a disciple and secretary to the Hindu Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath, who gave him the name Bal Brahmacharya Mahesh, from 1941 to 1953. He then practiced meditation in retreat for long periods during the year or so that he stayed near Uttarkashi in the Himalayan foothills.

In 1955, he assumed the title "Maharishi" (Great Sage or Great Seer) and began publicly teaching what he states is a traditional meditation technique which he later renamed Transcendental Meditation. In 1957 he founded The Spiritual Regeneration Movement in India, the first of his many organizations that are informally referred to as the TM Movement, and began the first of many tours to bring Transcendental Meditation and related programs and products around the world.

The Transcendental Meditation Movement

According to the official US website for Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation program Transcendental Meditation has been taught worldwide to over 5 million people. The number of TM teachers trained to teach meditation since the beginning of the movement is reported to be in the tens of thousands, of those, the number who continue to practice and teach meditation today may still be more than a thousand. Over its fifty-year history the TM Movement has gone through many phases of reorganization.

The TM movement maintains a number of websites. Providing basic information for the general public is Maharishi Open University, which hosts Maharishi's weekly webcast press-conferences that are also broadcast by satellite. Information is also available on what he has named "Consciousness Based Education" , the Maharishi University of Management and the K-12 school, Maharishi School for the Age of Enlightenment.

During the 1960s and early 1970s the TM Movement became seen as part of the then current "counter-culture" phenomenon, at which time a number of celebrities learned TM. Celebrity students at that time included The Beatles, the Beach Boys (including singer Mike Love who became a TM teacher) and singer-songwriter Donovan, who befriended Maharishi and put his picture on the back cover of his A Gift from a Flower to a Garden album. Comedian Andy Kaufman and magician Doug Henning were also students of Maharishi, while Clint Eastwood and David Lynch are two notable directors who have practiced TM. Lynch is currently involved in an effort to raise $7 billion to teach TM to all students in the USA, via his David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace.

With the exception of George Harrison, The Beatles abandoned Maharishi following an alleged incident in which the avowedly celibate Maharishi made sexual gestures towards Mia Farrow. This disillusionment became the basis of the song "Sexy Sadie" from the White Album. However, according to several authors, Alexis Mardas deliberately engineered the Beatles' disillusionment (Miles, 1998; Spitz, 2006; Lennon, 1978; Mason, 2005), and Mia Farrow refers to the incident in more innocent terms in her autobiography. (Farrow, 1997). Nevertheless, in an account told many years before to her friend and fellow TM practitioner, screen writer Ned Wynn, Farrow said that she believed that the professed celibate monk had clumsily tried to seduce her (Wynn, 1992).

Today

After the September 11, 2001 attacks Maharishi started issuing cautions, in weekly satellite press-conference and webcasts, about the prevailing directions of societal change in the world. As a solution to current world problems he proposed creating large permanent groups of TM-Sidhi practitioners performing their programs to create the so-called Maharishi Effect.

With reference to an on-going project to create a Maharishi Effect for the Netherlands, where he has lived since the early 1990s, he stated on June 21, 2006 that what "is unfolding right now is the 'supreme level of evolvement of life on earth"..

In 2005 Maharishi said he was starting a trillion dollar program to eliminate poverty and bring world peace.

Transcendental Meditation

Practicing Transcendental Meditation involves the use of a mantra, or sound, and the proper technique of how to use it. Some TM practitioners report that during the practice their mind becomes very alert but their body receives deep rest, and these effects continue afterward. Maharishi calls this state "Transcendental Consciousness" or restful alertness. He says that mantras come from the age-old Vedic tradition , but are just sounds designed as vehicles for the mind to settle down to the quieter states of awareness at its finer levels. The practice is done for 20 minutes, twice a day, while sitting in a relaxed but upright posture with eyes closed. Certain studies have shown that TM and other meditation techniques can lower blood pressure, heart rate, and other physiological measures.(Psychosomatic Medicine 46: 267–276, 1984; American Psychologist 42: 879–881, 1987; Hypertension 26: 820–827, 1995; Journal of Human Stress 5: 24-27, 1979.)

How Maharishi and the TM Organization View His Role

In the introduction to the 1955 book the Beacon Light of the Himalayas, Maharishi makes the following offer to humanity: "Oh ye of the peaceless and suffering humanity! My happiness desires to root out your suffering. Will you extend your arm and allow me to lift you up from the mire of misery and peacelessness?"

TM literature states "Maharishi in the world today is a Cosmic figure, caring for the well-being of all mankind.... a quiet guardian of all nations." (Maharishi's Absoute Theory of Government 555-556). Another TM publication says that his achievements are "unequaled today or at any time in recorded history." (Maharishi Vedic University 255).

In 1959 Maharishi stated that he would "Fill the Earth with love and create Heaven on Earth."

Books by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is credited as the author of more than 16 books. The two most well-known to TM practitioners are the Science of Being and Art of Living: Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita: A New Translation and Commentary, Chapters 1-6.

Related Articles

See also

References

  • Deans, Ashley, PhD (2005) A Record of Excellence: The Remarkable Success of Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment
  • Miles, Barry (1998) Paul McCartney : Many Years from Now, ISBN 0-7493-8658-4
  • Spitz, Bob (2006) The Beatles -- The Biography, Aurum Press, ISBN 1-84513-160-6
  • Lennon, Cynthia (1978) A Twist of Lennon, W. H. Allen, ISBN 0-352-30196-1
  • Farrow, Mia (1997) What Falls Away
  • Wynn, Ned (1993), We Will Always Live in Beverly Hills; Random House Value Publishing, ISBN 0-517-10885-2
  1. Tapasyananda, Swami (2002). Sankara-Dig-Vijaya. pp. xv–xxiv. gives this date. However there have been other dates proposed also. See above

External links

Official TM sites
Miscellaneous external links
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