23 October 2006

A delegation toured China in September, presenting Maharishi’s Consciousness-Based Education and correlating its basis with ancient Chinese wisdom.  A panel of distinguished speakers was led by His Excellency Dr John Hagelin, world-renowned quantum physicist and Minister of Science and Technology of the Global Country of World Peace. The tour generated considerable interest and resonated very well with the country’s evolving values and goals.

Six agreements were signed by school principals, paving the way for Maharishi University of Management and Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment to introduce Consciousness-Based Education in China. In addition, endorsements were received from officials of Chinese education bureaus supporting its introduction. Steps are underway to get the final approvals for implementation.

‘Dr Hagelin is linking modern science, Maharishi Vedic Science, and Tao, which is Chinese traditional wisdom. This made the audiences very accepting of the presentations,’ said Dr Zhu Yunxiang. Dr Zhu is Associate Dean of Asia Expansion at Maharishi University of Management and a faculty member who was the driving force in the tour’s organization. Dr Zhu has an MBA and recently received an honourary Doctorate of World Peace from Maharishi University of Management.

According to Dr Zhu, the national goals of China are to be a coherent and harmonious society with education as a top priority. He described education as the number two or three industry in China. Additionally he noted, the government shows concern about the negative influences from Western culture while still aiming for the positive aspects, and is now turning to its own ancient traditions as the antidote.

Dr Hagelin’s correlation of Maharishi Vedic Science and the Chinese concept of the Tao (from the Tao Te Ching, a book whose authorship is attributed to LaoTze) complemented addresses by Dr Ashley Deans, director of Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment, University Trustee Dr Michael Dillbeck, and Dr Fred Travis, associate professor of Maharishi Vedic Science. A DVD presentation on health by Robert Schneider, MD, was also given.

Dr Deans spoke on the success of Consciousness-Based Education, Dr Dillbeck presented research findings, and Dr Travis showed the brainwave changes during regular learning, under stress, and during the practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Programme. Dr Travis demonstrated how brain changes during Transcendental Meditation (TM) are the exact opposite to the changes under stress.

A presentation to an audience of 500 teachers and administrators included a demonstration of electroencephalograph brainwave readings during the meditation of a Japanese practitioner accompanying the tour, who practices the advance TM-Sidhi Programme, including Yogic Flying.

‘The audience even gasped when we showed them this,’ Dr Travis said. ‘They were absolutely silent when we showed him meditating for four minutes. It was as though watching the brainwaves gave them the sense of the inner silence during the TM technique.’

Generous benefactors from Hong Kong and Taiwan helped sponsor the tour. Also helping to actively organize and sponsor the tour were Dr Stuart Zimmerman and Dr Larry Chroman, long-term, generous supporters of Maharishi University of Management (M.U.M.) Professor Qi Dahui of M.U.M.’s branch campus in Beijing was also instrumental in the success of the tour.