Peace Could Be Just a 'Yogic' Hop Away

October 10, 2001

from New York Newsday, a Long Island daily paper:

By Carol Eisenberg

STAFF WRITER

October 1, 2001

The Indian guru who brought transcendental meditation to America says he has

the antidote to global terrorism.

In his first public remarks in seven years, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said

he is summoning 40,000 yogis in India, who are trained in meditation as well

as the practice of "yogic flying," to create a spiritual force field that

will produce world peace and harmony.

All he needs to pull it off, he says, are a few "peace-loving billionaires

in America" willing to donate $1 billion to build housing for the group and

pay their expenses.

"Today I'm challenging America," said the guru, who taught meditation to the

Beatles and Mick Jagger 30 years ago. "If I had the support of money, I have

all that is needed to ... completely stop all this violence."

The fund-raising campaign, which began more than a year before the Sept. 11

terrorist attack, had raised $40 million by late last week, said Mario

Orsatti, a spokesman for the Institute of Science, Technology and Public

Policy at the Maharishi University of Management in Fairfax, Iowa.

In simplified terms, the idea is this: If enough people gather to meditate

and "fly" - hopping in a seated, lotus position - they will create a force

field that can repel hatred and spread happiness in the world's collective

consciousness. Such concepts originated in the ancient Vedic religion, which

was practiced in India about 1500 BC before giving way to Hinduism.

A Pentagon spokesman, Army Maj. Tim Blair, called the Maharishi's campaign

"a noble effort" and said he would not discount it. "I think everyone should

take every measure available, whether through prayer or meditation, to try

to end the violence that's caused by terrorism," he said.

2001, Newsday, Inc.

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