Peace - both for the world and for individuals - is the number one issue of our time.

The threat of terrorism on a vast scale casts its shadow everywhere. At the same time we require individual peace. Greater wealth has not created a better quality of life: stress grows day by day. We clearly need to rethink our understanding of the dynamics of creating peace.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of Transcendental Meditation, is the world's foremost expert in the science of consciousness, and has devoted the past 50 years to strategies for creating individual and collective peace. His solution, based on ancient Vedic wisdom, is simple, practical and can be applied now. While many commentators believe the approach to combating terrorism adopted by the Anglo-American alliance will only inflame hatred and make matters worse, there is solid scientific evidence that Maharishi's solutions will soften negative tendencies and create peace as soon as they are implemented.

Each week Maharishi holds a press conference in which he outlines his approach. You are welcome to participate. The press conference is held every Wednesday at 4pm, and is broadcast on the Satellite Hotbird 4 (details overleaf) and via the internet at www.globalcountry.org. Questions can be emailed.

I respectfully suggest that the story of Maharishi and his tireless work to bring peace to individuals and the world is interesting. Furthermore the practice of Transcendental Meditation and the benefits it brings for mind, body, behaviour and the environment may be of significant value to your readers. The practice is simple, the underlying theory is logical, and there are a great many people who are happy to testify to the benefits.

But this is more important than a 'good story'. In the current climate it is vital that the public know that there is an alternative to the 'war on terror' - one that has been validated by scientific research, and can be implemented at a fraction of the cost.

I urge you to listen to what Maharishi has to say, to ask questions, and to inform your readers. I will help in any way that I can. A short fact sheet is enclosed.

Yours sincerely, [your name]

=== fact sheet on a separate sheet (double sided)====

SOME FACTS ABOUT TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION

1. Collective Benefits: Reducing violence and negativity in the world Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes reduces violence and negativity in collective consciousness, according to 17 papers published in independent peer reviewed scientific journals. For example: a 2003 paper found that on three different occasions during 1983-1995, groups of approximately 7,000 meditators were formed for periods lasting from 8 to 11 days, twice in the United States and once in Holland. Five days after the assemblies started, terrorist activities in the world calmed down. The study also found that warfare due to national and international conflicts decreased by approximately 30%. The cost of establishing a permanent peace-creating group of experts in these techniques is less than the cost of a wing and tailfin of a single B2 bomber.

2. Endowment Fund established: David Lynch spearheading promotion In order to establish such a coherence creating group and secure a peaceful future, a $1 bn Endowment Fund for World Peace has been established. Oscar-nominated film director David Lynch, who practises Transcendental Meditation, has been spearheading the publicity for this fund, and has recently granted a number of press interviews.

3. Medical Research A $2 million grant has recently been awarded by the US Government to Maharishi University of Management's Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention. The research advance previous studies looking at the effectiveness of TM for the prevention and treatment of heart disease. The University has been awarded more than $20 million in federal funds for research in cardiovascular health since 1988.

4. Health Benefits Transcendental Meditation has been shown to be effective for a wide range of stress-related health complaints, including high blood pressure, angina, asthma, insomnia, abuse of alcohol and cigarettes, atherosclerosis, etc. People who practise TM regularly need less medical treatment, and cost the health service less, according to published research.

5. Education Benefits At a school in Detroit, Michigan, 140 teachers and students have learned TM, and practise it twice a day as part of their school curriculum. This programme has been funded to the tune of $300,000 by local donors and corporations including General Motors and Chrysler. The meditating school children are happier, have higher self-esteem, get along better with fellow students, and handle stress better than a non-meditating control group, according to a recent pilot study conducted by the University of Michigan. The Maharishi School in Lancashire, where all the staff and students practise Transcendental Meditation, reports similar results.

6. Rehabilitation Benefits The entire current issue of the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation is devoted to research on Transcendental Meditation. There are three strings to this research: Terrorism (outlined in point 1 above), Rehabilitation (Transcendental Meditation is effective in treating and preventing criminal behaviour; no other approach has such documented success), and Recidivism (inmates who learned Transcendental Meditation in maximum security prisons were 45% less likely to reoffend after release).

7. General Benefits Most of the people who learn Transcendental Meditation are looking for ordinary benefits: reduction of stress, greater effectiveness, better sleep, reduced anxiety, improvements in stress related health problems, etc. Many have experienced extraordinary benefits, and some are happy to talk to the press about them.

8. Recent media coverage A number of articles on Transcendental Meditation have recently been published, including in The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Observer, Church Times, Saga Magazine, BBC World Service, Sainsbury's Magazine.

Satellite details for press conferences Hotbird 4 at 13 degrees East: Transponder 122; Channel MOU.2; Frequency 10949 MHz; Polarity Vertical; Symbol rate 27500; FEC 3/4]. Every Wednesday, 4pm. Internet details for press conferences www.globalcountry.org. Further information: Jonathan Hinde, National Spokesman for TM: 020 7402 3787 or hinde@t-m.org.uk [for local press, please also include your local details]