STATEMENT FOR THE PRESS

Maharishi inaugurates 2002 as the year of his new global currency, the Raam, and proclaims the onset of a harmonious, peaceful world.

Today (12 January 2002) in his annual New Year's address following seven days of silence at the start of the year, His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation, inaugurated 2002 as the Year of Raam Mudra. Mudra is the Sanskrit word for currency. Raam represents the totality of Natural Law that administers the whole universe without a problem. Raam Mudra is the currency of an ideal problem-free administration.

While Europe is focused on the launch of the new Euro currency, Maharishi has proclaimed the theme of this year to be the launch of a truly global currency - the Raam. This currency is designed to play an integral role in Maharishi's global programme to remove poverty from the poorest nations of the world, and help restore the dignity of self-sufficiency and sovereignty for every nation, while taking the world economy out of the grip of capitalism. (For exchange rates etc., see www.globalcountry.org./rate.html One Raam is currently worth 11.0827 Euro.)

The inauguration was broadcast live from Maharishi University of Management in Vlodrop, Holland, around the world via the eight satellites that carry the Maharishi TV Channel. Examples of the new Raam currency were presented to the leading Vedic scholars and eminent scientists who attended the celebration along with the 40 Ministers and other leaders of the Global Country of World Peace, which Maharishi had founded in October 2000.

During his address, Maharishi proclaimed his confidence that the world of the peace-loving majority would not be overwhelmed by the activities of the destroyers of the world who are growing in magnitude.

Maharishi was referring to the destructive activities of international terrorism and also to the equally destructive response to it by the United States and its allies. Last October, Maharishi spoke to a press conference in Iowa and called for the removal of President Bush, whose warlike posture he said had opened the road to the gates of hell.

Today Maharishi said: All of this [bombing etc.] has been going on in the world, and it will continue, but our performance will also continue. He said: A scorpion will always sting. But God's grace has always saved the world. He added: In this year we will have harmony in the world.

Maharishi set the target for his world-wide organisation this year as the establishment of a group of 40,000 Vedic pandits on the banks of the River Ganges in India, with the help of the currency of Raam. This large group will perform powerful yagyas - traditional Vedic performances that enliven the qualities of peace and harmony in world consciousness. These Vedic experts will follow the traditional Vedic routine of life, and will practise Transcendental Meditation and the TM-Sidhi programme, including Yogic Flying, together as a group. Over 40 scientific research studies have shown that group practice of these Vedic technologies of consciousness dissolves stress and negativity in the collective consciousness of society, reducing crime, conflict and violence, and promoting peace and progress.

Maharishi said: We will be focused this year on establishing one place on earth where such an intense influence of sattva [purity, positivity] will be generated due to the daily routine of the Vedic pandits that it will radiate harmony, happiness, peace and coherence throughout world consciousness, so that problems will not arise.

In addition, Maharishi said, 3,000 Peace Palaces would be created in cities around the world, where smaller groups would use the same Vedic technologies of consciousness to create peace on a local level, adding to the global influence of peace created by the group of 40,000 in India.

The world has drifted away from the real path of peace and happiness, Maharishi said, but it does not matter how mistakenly others are functioning. He emphasised that through his organisation's initiatives positive values will prevail more and more in the world, and all wrong values which demoralise everyone will become less. He said: We don't mind what others do. We centre ourselves in that infinite potential of divine grace. We live that field, and let our example be followed by all other people. But we don't mind if nobody follows, we remain supremely fulfilled.

See also:
www.globalcountry.org.uk
www.globalcountry.org
www.globalcountry.com

ENDS