The Maharishi Effect – The Real Reason Meditation Feels So Good

(Previously posted on vedicknowledge.com which is sadly no longer online. Thank you.)

The Maharishi Effect is the phenomenon of the rise of coherence in the collective consciousness of any community. Scientific research has clearly demonstrated that when one per cent of the population of a city or town practices Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Program, the crime rate significantly decreases. Similarly, when groups of individuals practicing Maharishi’s TM-Sidhi Program equal at least the square root of one per cent of a population, there is a significant reduction of crime and accidents, as well as an increase in stock prices, decreased pollution, decreased unemployment, and decreased hostilities between nations.

The basis of the Maharishi Effect is the rise of collective consciousness. Collective consciousness is the wholeness of consciousness of any specific group. For example, when we talk of community consciousness, we merely put together the consciousness of all the individuals who make up the community; for national consciousness we put together the consciousness of all the citizens of a nation.

There are innumerable divisions and organizations of collective consciousness, but among these there are seven principal levels: family consciousness, community consciousness, city consciousness, state or provincial consciousness, national consciousness, world consciousness, and universal consciousness, each created by the individuals within the group.

The phenomenon of collective consciousness can best be understood by examining the concept of a field, as described by modern science. Physicists delineate a variety of infinite, unbounded, and all-pervasive fields that operate invisibly throughout creation, governing the activities of innumerable Laws of Nature. For example, the electromagnetic field—one of the four principal force fields—permeates the entire universe, and enables radio and television transmitters to send signals by creating waves within the field. While the waves are unseen, they nonetheless create effects with which we are all familiar—the sounds and images of radio and television.

Likewise, the other three fundamental force fields—gravitation, weak interaction, and strong interaction—also pervade everything and behave invisibly throughout Nature. Self-referral consciousness is also a field, though on an even more fundamental level, for it is the omnipresent, invisible, and unbounded field from which all force and matter fields emerge.

Just as a radio transmitter can create waves in the electromagnetic field, individuals constantly create influences on all parts of creation simply because consciousness permeates every aspect of the material universe. To illustrate, if a stone is thrown into a pond, waves are produced that travel throughout the pond. Each wave produces some effect in every part of the pond. Similarly, the wave of individual life, through its activity, produces an influence in all parts of the cosmos.

On the basis of this same principle, the direct experience of self-referral consciousness influences every aspect of the universe, enlivening it with the perfect order and harmony inherent within self-referral consciousness. For this reason, groups of individuals can create very powerful effects in the environment through their collective practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program—through their self-referral practice, they enliven every aspect of the universe by stimulating its most fundamental constituent, consciousness, and they especially enliven the collective consciousness of the city or province or nation in which they are located.

Since collective consciousness is created by the individuals within it, as individual consciousness grows, collective consciousness rises; and as collective consciousness rises individual consciousness grows. In other words, as an individual regularly experiences self-referral consciousness and enlivens it in his own awareness, the levels of collective consciousness in which he participates—family, city, province, nation, etc.—are simultaneously improved. This higher value of collective consciousness in turn affects, in a positive way, every one of the individual members of that level of collective consciousness.

Since individual and collective consciousness maintain this reciprocal relationship, a group of individuals practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program will bring a powerful influence of orderliness and harmony to collective consciousness, enabling an entire population to act more coherently, more harmoniously, and more in accord with Natural Law. On this basis, Maharishi has brought to light the potential for every nation to create invincibility for itself and for all its citizens.

Invincibility not only describes the ability of a nation to maintain impregnability to its enemies—both within the nation and outside of it—it also describes a state in which every aspect of national life is in perfect balance. Invincibility is a state of fully integrated, perfectly coherent national consciousness, in which the inner depth of consciousness is integrated with the outer values of life. Maharishi has described invincibility in his book Enlightenment and Invincibility in the following words:

The sign of invincibility of a nation will be from the integrated value of harmony in the country. The tensions and disharmonies will be less, the flowering of business will be there, trade and industry will be increasing, people will be happy, sickness will be less, seasons will be in time, crops will be abundant, the economy will be better; the nation’s influence in the family of nations will be greater and more appreciated. The internal growth of cultural integrity will be more, people will be functioning more in accordance with the Laws of Nature, they will not violate the Laws of Nature, and therefore they will not create problems for themselves and for others.

That country will be more and more loving to all other countries. The influence of good from the country will be purifying for the whole family of nations. So everyone will love the country. These will be the songs of the growth of invincibility of the nation. (p. 66)

When a significant number of individuals practice the TM-Sidhi Program, in a group (the size varies depending upon the size of the nation’s population), the infinite coherence inherent within self-referral consciousness is spontaneously enlivened in collective consciousness, and every aspect of national life becomes connected. National life not only becomes perfectly balanced, but no negative influences from outside or from within the society can disturb this balance.

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Combating Emotional Vampires – Who Sucks Your Energy?

I recently came across this article and felt that I should post it since it was a good follow-up to my recent post: How to Break Bad Relationship Patterns from this Life and Previous Lives

Daily OM
Combating Emotional Vampires
by Dr. Judith Orloff

The following is an excerpt from the “Combating Emotional Vampires” on-line course.

Relationships are always an energy exchange. To stay feeling our best, we must ask ourselves: Who gives us energy? Who saps it? It’s important to be surrounded by supportive, heart-centered people who make us feel safe and secure. It’s equally important to pinpoint the emotional vampires, who, whether they intend to or not, leech our energy.

To protect your sensitivity, it’s imperative to name and combat these emotional vampires. They’re everywhere: coworkers, neighbors, family, and friends. In Energy Psychiatry I’ve treated a revolving door of patients who’ve been hard-hit by drainers–truly a mental health epidemic that conventional medicine doesn’t see. I’m horrified by how many of these “emotionally walking wounded” (ordinarily perceptive, intelligent individuals) have become resigned to chronic anxiety or depression. Why the blind spot? Most of us haven’t been educated about draining people or how to emancipate ourselves from their clutches, requisite social skills for everyone desiring freedom. Emotional draining is a touchy subject. We don’t know how to tactfully address our needs without alienating others. The result: We get tongue-tied, or destructively passive. We ignore the SOS from our gut that screams, “Beware!” Or, quaking in our boots, we’re so afraid of the faux pas of appearing “impolite” that w! e become martyrs in lieu of being respectfully assertive. We don’t speak out because we don’t want to be seen as “difficult” or uncaring.

Vampires do more than drain our physical energy. The super-malignant ones can make you believe you’re an unworthy, unlovable wretch who doesn’t deserve better. The subtler species inflict damage that’s more of a slow burn. Smaller digs here and there can make you feel bad about yourself such as, “Dear, I see you’ve put on a few pounds” or “It’s not lady-like to interrupt.” In a flash, they’ve zapped you by prodding areas of shaky self-worth.

This is my credo for vampires: Their antics are unacceptable; you must develop a successful plan for coping with them. I deeply believe in the merciful message of The Lord’s Prayer to “forgive people their trespasses,” but I’m also a proponent of preventing the unconscious or mean-spirited from trespassing against us. Taking a stand against draining people is a form of self-care and canny communication that you must practice to give your freedom legs.

What turns someone into an emotional vampire? First, a psychological reason: children often reflexively mimic their parents’ most unflattering traits. A self-absorbed father can turn you into a self-absorbed son. Early modeling has impact. Studies of Holocaust survivors reveal that many became abusive parents themselves. The second explanation involves subtle energy. I’ve observed that childhood trauma–mistreatment, loss, parental alcoholism, illness–can weaken a person’s energy field. This energy leakage may condition those with such early wounds to draw on the vitality of others to compensate; it’s not something most are aware of. Nevertheless, the effects can be extreme. Visualize an octopus-like tendril extending from their energy field and glomming onto yours. Your intuition may register this as sadness, anger, fatigue, or a cloying, squirrelly feeling. The degree of mood change or physical reaction may vary. A vampire’s effects can stun like a sonic blast or make you! slowly wilt. But it’s the rare drainer that sets out to purposely enervate you. The majority act unconsciously, oblivious to being an emotional drain.

Let me tell you the secret of how a vampire operates so you can outsmart one. A vampire goes in for the kill by stirring up your emotions. Pushing your buttons throws you off center, which renders you easier to drain. Of all the emotional types, empaths are often the most devastated. However, certain emotional states increase everyone’s vulnerability. I myself am most susceptible to emotional vampires when I feel desperate, tired, or disempowered. Here are some others:

•Low self-esteem

•Depression

•A victim mentality

•Fear of asserting yourself

•Addiction to people-pleasing

When encountering emotional vampires, see what you can learn too. It’s your choice. You can simply feel tortured, resentful, and impotent. Or, as I try to do, ask yourself, “How can this interchange help me grow?” Every nanosecond of life, good, bad, or indifferent, is a chance to become emotionally freer, enlarge the heart. If we’re to have any hope of breaking war-mongering patterns, we must each play a part. As freedom fighters, strive to view vampires as opportunities to enlist your highest self and not be a sucker for negativity. Then you’ll leave smelling like a rose, even with Major-League Draculas.

We Are Energetic Beings. Need Proof?

Yes, we are energetic beings. Need proof without having a Kirlian photo of your aura taken?

Here is one way you can tell right now … feel your hair.

Our hair is naturally part of us and part of our energy. Notice that your hair does not bother you while it stays connected to you. However, once one small piece of hair falls out and lands on your neck or arm, immediately it tickles your skin. Getting a piece stuck in your shirt can make you wiggle.

Why?

Well, that little hair became separate from you … separate from your energy. It is no longer a part of your whole being.

One of the first books I read in the beginning of my journey into metaphysics was, The Sense of Being Stared At by Rupert Sheldrake. It is a very thought provoking book filled with stories, studies and more.

The title says it all.

Just how do you know that the person sitting behind you is staring at you? How do you “feel” it? How do you know to turn around and look right at the person staring at you out of a crowd of hundreds?

We feel their energy touching our energy.

Yes, we are energetic beings.