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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS: * Maharishi's new message of hope for the world about the forthcoming establishment of 40,000 Yogic Flying Vedic Pandits on the banks of the Ganges.
* The opening of the Maharishi School Woodley Park Centre for Sports & Arts, on 30 November, with comments and congratulations from a wide range of speakers including Dr Geoffrey Clements, BURA director David Scougall, West Lancs MP Colin Pickthall, Brookside star Glyn Pritchard, and the project's architect John Renwick. (Full story attached below.)
* Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa, announces its city constitution to be the Constitution of the Universe, and its ideal language to be Sanskrit.
* A review of the rising artistic success of TM Teacher Rodney Love.
* Kevin and Linda Rossiter, who have risen to the top of the interactive media world, explain how living at the Maharishi European Sidhaland has been crucial to their success.
* Book launch of Oranges: Poems from Maharishi School. 47 prize-winning poems in one slim volume. Edited by Cliff Yates, with a foreword by the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion. (£6.50 plus £1 p&p)
* What the papers say: Excellent articles from the Express on the Maharishi European Sidhaland, and from the Ottumwa Courier about the recent education conference at Maharishi University of Management.
Make sure to get your copy now and keep in touch with all that is happening in Maharishi's organisation in Britain and around the world.
With best regards, TM News editorial team Feedback to editor David Hughes at david108@appleonline.net Tel: 01695 735579
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Cover story for Dec/Jan issue of TM News:
First Maharishi Sthapatya Veda public building in Britain opens in Skelmersdale by David Hughes
On Friday, 30 November, at exactly 1 pm, Britain's first public building constructed according to Natural Law was declared officially open by the Member of Parliament for West Lancashire, Colin Pickthall.
The Maharishi School Woodley Park Centre for Sports and Arts is designed according to Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, the ancient Vedic system of architecture revived by Maharishi in recent years, which promotes good health, clear thinking, harmony and prosperity by enhancing the connection of users of the buildings with the near environment and with the cosmos. The availability of this system represents a breakthrough for urban regeneration, recognised by the British Urban Regeneration Association last year with a best practice award to the Maharishi European Sidhaland, of which the new Centre is a part.
It is an honour to be asked to perform the formal opening ceremony, said Colin Pickthall, unveiling a plaque at the precise time selected by Maharishi Jyotish (the Vedic science which deals with the influences of the wider environment) to promote enjoyment and bliss for users of the building.
I'm sure there will be a lot of pleasure and joy for people in this building in the future, said Mr Pickthall, and it gives me great pleasure to declare this building open.
The Centre was constructed over the past three years with a generous grant from the government's Sportsmatch organisation, which matched sponsorship from floor-lifting experts Uretek. It will be used by children from the Maharishi School, and by the surrounding Skelmersdale community. The opening ceremony was attended and celebrated by a capacity audience, including many who had contributed in various ways to the construction of the Centre.
This building has been a colossal team effort, said civil engineer and Maharishi European Sidhaland director John Renwick, who designed the Centre and led the project to build it. John, Britain's foremost expert in Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, explained the central principles of the system, including the use of right proportions, placement and orientation, and allowing the full use of energy from the sun.
We want everyone to have this knowledge, he emphasised. Architecture can actually help to find solutions to social and economic problems, by enabling people to feel a part of their communities. People are rebuilding all the time, so why not build houses and cities, all over the planet which are in tune with Natural Law, so that everybody can enjoy the benefits?
Under the efficient and courteous guidance of master of ceremonies John Collins, a fellow Sidhaland director, representatives from many groups and organisations added their congratulations.
Inspiring experience
Maharishi School head teacher Derek Cassells gave a succinct and powerful summary of the benefits of Maharishi's consciousness-based education; and former Chairman of the Governors of the Maharishi School Richard Scott paid tribute to the children themselves. For those who have not had the opportunity to spend time with the children at the Maharishi School, he said, Let me tell you, it is a completely inspiring experience. No one deserves more credit for the existence of this sports hall than the children of the Maharishi School, and I'd like to thank them all.
Spending time with the children inspired Richard to approach local companies, and the Sportsmatch organisation, to raise funds for a sports centre. I'd also like to thank our government, he added. Sportsmatch were the first to recognise the greater community good that could be realised through the Maharishi School.
Richard also read out a letter of congratulations for the occasion from Sportsmatch director Mike Reynolds.
On behalf of pupils at Maharishi School, Kit Harding (10) congratulated the builders, and said that lots of people would have fun in the new Centre.
Chris Davies, Managing Director of matching donors Uretek, paid tribute to the hard work of everyone in his company who had produced the revenue to support the building, along with a total of 150 other donors and volunteers.
Britsh Urban Regeneration Association director David Scougall was also on hand to offer his congratulations. Outdoing even the Sidhaland's own representatives, he described the new Centre as one of the world's great buildings, although it may not appear that at this moment, referring to the Maharishi Sthapatya Veda project as an exemplar to be copied widely in urban regeneration. The Government has supported new intiatives; this is a flagship, he said. The message that I have for the community of Skelmersdale, and local government is - come and have a look; get behind this.
Community opportunities
Encouraging future community users of the Centre was Brookside star Glyn Pritchard, whose highly successful career as an actor began when, at the age of nine, he began attending drama classes at a local council youth club - not as grand as this, he kindly mentioned. The Centre, he said, provides a golden opportunity to become involved in many such activities. And maybe, when you open another building, you'll have someone who came here and found a career for themselves. I'd like to wish you, and the building, all the very best.
Community liason Jill Tugwell outlined the activities to be held in the Centre, including five-a-side football, tae kwon do, pilates, yoga, and aerobics. Even armchair aerobics, so no-one can escape, she added, to laughter. I hope to see you all here, including the councillors.
Councillor Robert Hodge, the highly respected leader of West Lancashire District Council, while expressing personal interest in the armchair aerobics, also hoped that the building would be used by all sorts of organisations and voluntary groups.
A long-term and supportive friend of the Maharishi European Sidhaland, Councillor Hodge was very pleased to be present at its latest celebration.
I am delighted to come and extend the good wishes, the greetings and the congratulations of the District Council to you on this most excellent achievement, this exciting and impressive building that you have created here, he said.
Tribute
The celebration was concluded by Dr Geoffrey Clements, director of the Maharishi Foundation of Great Britain. On behalf of the Foundation, Dr Clements thanked Colin Pickthall, Councillor Hodge and the local district council for their ongoing support; and he read out warm messages of congratulation from the Minister of State for Sport, the Rt Hon Richard Caborn, and from the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Tim Yeo, who were unable to attend the event in person. Mr Yeo expressed the hope that he will be able to visit the project in the near future.
The building itself is a great accomplishment, said Dr Clements. But the accomplishment of this building represents everything that has been going on here over the past twenty years; it is a tribute to that, and to the support also that has come in from all the local leaders and members of the community in Skelmersdale and West Lancashire.
Dr Clements enumerated the key ingredients of the Maharishi European Sidhaland, including the highly successful consicousness-based education of the Maharishi School, the provision of natural health care through Maharishi Ayurveda, the housing developments, the Maharishi Golden Dome, the business community, and the participation in local environmental projects.
The award from the British Urban Regeneration Association spoke of the fact that this is a wonderful example of a joined-up project, a joined-up community, in which everything is done in an integrated way. And we see here an integration of all the different levels and areas of life, he said. I think this is what makes it such an inspiring project; and that magnetic attraction, which brings so many of us here today, speaks of the way in which such an integrated project can be successful, and can lead on to other projects.
I would like to conclude, said Dr Clements, by wishing for the success of this building, and wishing the communty here the brightest level of success in its further expansion; and that it may continue to be a lighthouse and an inspiration for other similar projects being set up around this country and around the world.