(21 May 2003) His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has offered government leaders the formula for successful administration: Add one period a day in the classroom for Transcendental Meditation so that students develop their total brain physiology and create coherent national consciousness. Then, Maharishi said, the long, terrible history of crime, sickness, and suffering in every nation will disappear as darkness disappears with the onset of light.

Maharishi dismissed the pervasive use of punishment as a way to stop crime and promote peace, calling it "vulgar, a complete failure, and a waste of human potential. Punishment has existed for thousands of years, and crime has not been stopped," Maharishi said. "Proper education ─ consciousness-based education ─ is the only answer."

Maharishi’s declaration came on Wednesday, 7 May, during his weekly global news conference, broadcast live via satellite, Internet webcast, and teleconference call. Maharishi’s next news conferences will be held on 21 and 22 May.

Maharishi contrasted modern, job-oriented education with his consciousness-based, enlightenment-oriented education. "The religious texts proclaim, ‘Man is made in the image of God.’ Man is born to be a lord of Natural Law; he is not born to be a slave. Modern job-oriented education is a poison to the cosmic potential of human life. It gives a man enough money to buy food, clothes, a house, and a car ─ and that is his life. But that is a waste of life. When you can command the totality of Natural Law, why should you be a slave to situations and circumstances?"

Maharishi called for one period a day in the classroom for Transcendental Meditation so that every individual commands Natural Law and enjoys waves of success in life. The first half of the class would be used for students to practice his simple, natural technique to develop their total brain physiology. The second half of the class would provide intellectual understanding of the experience, based on the most up-to-date knowledge of modern science and the ancient Vedic science of consciousness.

"There is only one experience that makes use of the total brain physiology, and that is the abstract experience of unboundedness in Transcendental Consciousness ─ an experience that awakens the individual’s cosmic creative potential," Maharishi said. "Then the evolutionary power of total Natural Law will function in his every thought, feeling, speech, and action for the spontaneous fulfilment of all his desires."

Maharishi said that about 20 per cent of each generation are students, and that when 20 per cent of the people of a country are developing their total brain physiology and rising to higher states of consciousness through Transcendental Meditation, "then the whole national consciousness will be integrated and harmonious ─ the basis of successful administration and a peaceful, harmonious world."

In addition to bringing consciousness-based education to the world’s schools, colleges, and universities, Maharishi announced that he is establishing in every country groups of peace-creating experts. Each group will have between several hundred and several thousand experts, depending on the population of the country. Maharishi also said that 3,000 Peace Palaces are being built in the world’s largest 3,000 cities, including 51 in the UK ─ each Peace Palace will be the home to a smaller group of 100 to 200 experts.

"It is now within our reach to create prevention-oriented, problem-free administration in every nation," Maharishi said. "Then every government in our dear world will be positive and fulfilling for everyone in every way. The administrators will be satisfied because every individual will be healthy, wealthy, and wise. No nation will amass destructive weapons because no nation will have an enemy.

"Governments and individuals now have a great choice: They can utilise the knowledge of total Natural Law ─ the will of God ─ to enjoy bliss and all possibilities in life, or they can continue down the path of negativity and destruction," Maharishi said. "Life is yours ─ make your choice."