TM -- The answer to our problems
Irish News, Belfast
8 August 2002
by Tony Bailie
THE spiritual leader who once inspired the Beatles, said
yesterday he believes transcendental meditation would help
bring peace to Northern Ireland.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - speaking via a video link - told the
Irish News that his aim was to see the negative energies of
"hatred, mistrust and division" in the north turned into
positive forces.
"That is our effort" he said, as he called for the
establishment of 'peace palaces' in each of the 3,000
largest cities in the world.
Andrea Gribben, Holywood, Co Down - who has been practising
transcendental meditation for the past 15 years - plans to
write to education minister Martin McGuinness to urge him to
introduce meditation in schools.
Ms Gribben, who is a full-time yogic teacher, said
meditation did not require people to abandon their existing
religious beliefs.
"I have taught meditation to ministers and priests. . . in
fact the Maharishi says that people should not abandon their
own religious beliefs, " she said.
"The simple fact is that stress can lead to violence and
since meditation can relieve stress it is an effective means
of elimination conflict."
In the 1960s the Maharishi came to global attention after he
became a spiritual guru to the Beatles and members of the
band travelled to India to study with him.
Yesterday the Maharishi, who is now in his eighties, said
the establishment of peace palaces would serve as
"lighthouses of coherence" where groups could practice
transcendental meditation and yogic flying.
"Through their performances, these groups of yogic flyers
will enliven the deepest level of nature's functioning, the
unified field of natural law, the will of God and radiate
indomitable coherence in world consciousness, " he said.
"This rise of coherence will eliminate acute social stress
which fuels terrorism and war and promote peace in the
family of nations."
Ms Gribben said she planned to rebuild her home, which
overlooks Belfast Lough, to a 'Sthapatya Veda' design, which
gives dimensions, formulas and orientations to provide
"cosmic harmony".
She said a number of influential business men in Belfast had
agreed to partially fund a peace palace close to the city
centre.
"Part of this will be set aside for meditation, but it will
also be a business proposition and we will be letting out
offices in the building, " she said.
GRAPHIC: LIVE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM: Andrea Gribben connecting
via live internet webcast with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
from her Holywood home yesterday
Copyright 2002 The Irish News Limited