Consciousness-Based Education - Maharishi University of ...

Harnessing the laws of nature—maximum success to governmentThis consciousness-based approach to the prevention of disease andthe promotion of health, which raises life to be in accord with naturallaw, elevates the definition of health to an entirely new level: fromthe mere absence of disease to the development of the individual’s fullphysical and mental potential.As a simple but highly-effective public health initiative, we have seenthat the group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhiprogram, reduces stress levels throughout society and, through the aforementionedfield effects of consciousness, raises national life to be in accordwith natural law. The root cause of most diseases, the violation of naturallaw and resulting stress, can be reduced and ultimately eliminated simplyby the establishment of a coherence-creating group. Published researchresults during large coherence-creating assemblies include reduced incidenceof infectious diseases, fewer hospital admissions, and fewer psychiatricemergencies (Orme-Johnson & Gelderloos, 1988; Goodman, R.,Orme-Johnson, Rainforth, & Goodman, D., 1997).One comprehensive system of natural health care combines TranscendentalMeditation with traditional Ayur Vedic medicine. AyurVeda, the most ancient and complete system of natural health care,remains the principal treatment modality in India today. The modernsystematic, scientific formulation of this approach, known as MaharishiVedic Approach to Health, incorporates the development of consciousnessthrough Transcendental Meditation along with numerous otheraspects of traditional Ayur Vedic medicine that have been lost overtime or recently unavailable (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1996; Sharma,1997). This comprehensive system of natural medicine has been foundto be particularly efficacious and cost-effective (Herron, Hillis, Mandarino,Orme-Johnson, & Walton, 1996; Orme-Johnson & Herron,1997), and is stimulating a broad resurgence of interest within themedical community worldwide (The Economist, 1997).Natural medicine takes natural advantage of the laws of nature thatuphold human health. We have previously seen the remarkable extentto which natural law pervades the human physiology. Over millions ofyears, innumerable laws of nature have evolved to uphold physiologicalbalance, maintain homeostasis, and preserve physiological and psyinall 17 medical treatment categories, including 87% less hospitalization for heart disease and55% less for cancer (Orme-Johnson, 1987).189