Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
April 25, 2026
Joanna Wanta
Practitioners of Transcendental Meditation reported the highest levels of wellbeing, life satisfaction, and self-esteem compared to those practicing Buddhist meditation, mindfulness, Zen Buddhist meditation, or neuro-linguistic programming. The study of 399 people (187 Europeans, 138 Americans, and 74 from other countries) also found statistically significant advantages for Transcendental Meditation in reducing recurring headaches, pain and tension, chest and heart pain, breathlessness, heart palpitations, and fatigue.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
May 1, 2024
Sandy Gowing Price
A group practicing Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, including Yogic Flying, reached the square root of one percent of Australia's population in January 1983. Time-series analysis showed significant improvements in national quality of life: fatal traffic accidents decreased by 14.0%, unemployment fell by 8.3%, and the main Australian stock market index increased. These results suggest that group practice of this program may alleviate social stress, as measured by these social indicators.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
April 1, 2021
Michael King
Courts often retraumatize victims and other parties because their processes are not trauma-sensitive, and court professionals may suffer secondary trauma from exposure to traumatic cases. The article argues that courts are beginning to address trauma through innovative processes and referrals to support services, but more avenues should be explored. It notes research indicating that the Transcendental Meditation technique alleviates PTSD symptoms, promotes psychological growth, and reduces offender recidivism, yet court programs have only used it in small offender rehabilitation settings. The authors propose that courts should consider broader use of this technique to address trauma in parties and secondary stress in court professionals.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
September 1, 2020
Geoffrey A. Wells, Lee Fergusson, Anna Bonshek
This work describes the sixth and seventh states of consciousness according to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which represent the pinnacle of human development. Maharishi taught that these states are accessible to anyone through his simple technologies of consciousness. His published writings on these higher states are fewer than those on Transcendental Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness, because systematic understanding has been given out as experiences of them became more common. The descriptions are concentrated and rich, providing profound insights. Such accounts of the highest levels of human life are extraordinarily rare in history, and Maharishi describes the experiences with clarity, precision, and completeness.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
September 1, 2020
Geoffrey A. Wells, Lee Fergusson, Anna Bonshek
Regular practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, performed twice daily, is said to systematically lead to a predictable sequence of higher states of consciousness: Cosmic Consciousness, Refined Cosmic Consciousness or God Consciousness, and Unity Consciousness. The last represents the full development of human potential. This claim, attributed to Maharishi, is presented as central to understanding individual and collective human life.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
September 1, 2020
Geoffrey A. Wells, Lee Fergusson, Anna Bonshek
The chapter examines how action, impression, and desire relate to living Cosmic Consciousness, shedding light on ignorance and enlightenment and how ignorance transforms into enlightenment. These themes were central to Maharishi's early teaching and reappear in the advanced concept of Pragya-aparadha, 'the mistake of the intellect.'
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
January 12, 2019
Paul Gelderloos, Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, Martin J. Frid et al.
An analysis of 478 public statements by U.S. President Ronald Reagan about the U.S.S.R. from 1984 to 1987 found that larger groups practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program were associated with more positive and harmonious presidential statements. Time-series analyses showed a significant relationship between the number of participants and weekly average ratings of the statements at lags of 3, 5, and 8 weeks, with positive total impacts when participation exceeded the second and third quartiles. Weekly rating totals also showed significant positive impacts at lags of 0 and 3 weeks. The results support a causal interpretation, suggesting that larger group practice was linked to improved U.S.-Soviet relations as reflected in presidential rhetoric.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
August 1, 2018
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, Paul Gelderloos, M. Dillbeck
During 1979–1986, four large groups of experts practicing the Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi program, with approximately 7,000 participants each—approaching the square root of 1% of the world's population—were associated with a significant increase in cooperation and reduction in conflict in Soviet behavior toward the U.S. Time series analysis using a Box-Jenkins transfer function model found both immediate and delayed positive effects of these World Peace Assemblies, with the total impact estimated to be 1.7 times larger than the positive influence of Mikhail Gorbachev. Sensitivity tests ruled out seasonal cycles, pre-existing trends, and the Gorbachev effect as explanations.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
September 1, 2017
Kenneth L. Cavanaugh, M. Dillbeck
A quasi-experiment tested whether a large group practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program could reduce homicide rates in U.S. urban areas. Time series analysis of monthly data from 2002 to 2010 showed a significant reduction in the homicide rate trend during the intervention period from 2007 to 2010. Controlling for pre-existing trends, seasonality, and autocorrelation, the estimated total reduction in homicide rate was 28.4%, or 7.1% annually. This corresponds to an estimated 4,136 murders averted. The authors suggest the results are unlikely due to spurious regression and discuss the mechanism in terms of reduced collective stress.
Journal of Maharishi Vedic Research Institute
November 1, 2016
David W. Orme-Johnson
A group practicing the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program in Israel had a stronger positive effect on a composite quality-of-life index (crime, auto accidents, fires, national mood, stock market, and war intensity in Lebanon) than did cultural, military, political, or climatic events. Vacations improved the index, while summer heat and the resignation of Prime Minister Begin decreased it. Factor analysis revealed two underlying dimensions: a collective-actor factor (war, national mood, stock prices) and an individual-actor factor (crime, fires, auto accidents). The meditation group positively influenced both factors, with a stronger effect on the collective-actor dimension, suggesting the practice affects society as a whole more than individual behaviors.