The Effect of Large Assemblies of Yogic Flyers on Worldwide Indicators

A large assembly of more than 7,000 participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program (approximately the square root of 1% of the world's population) had a measurable effect on worldwide indicators, demonstrating the holistic nature of the Global Maharishi Effect.

Increased Positivity of Events in Situations of International Conflict Percent of Total Events as Rated for Degree of Conflict

During the three-week period of the Taste of Utopia Assembly, the balance of negativity to positivity in events pertaining to international conflicts in the trouble-spot areas of the world shifted significantly towards increased positivity. After the Assembly the balance of events reverted towards increased negativity. Reference: Orme-Johnson, Cavanaugh, Alexander, Gelderloos, Dillbeck, Lanford, & Abou Nader, 1987.

Increased Positivity of Events in Lebanese Conflict Percent of Days in Each Period as Rated for Degree of Conflict

During the three-week period of the Taste of Utopia Assembly, positivity of events in Lebanon substantially increased, seen as progress towards peaceful resolution of the conflict. After the Assembly the situation quickly deteriorated. (Note: The content analysis was conducted by a team comprising members of various interest groups in Lebanon.) Reference: Orme-Johnson, Cavanaugh, Alexander, Gelderloos, Dillbeck, Lanford, & Abou Nader, 1987.

Increased Vitality and Positivity of Heads of State Percent of Events with Prior Negative Trends Rated for Reversal or Non-Reversal of Trend

According to Maharishi, government is the innocent mirror of the nation, and the heads of state reflect by their speech and actions the quality of national consciousness. During the Taste of Utopia Assembly, coherence increased in world consciousness as exhibited by more positive, evolutionary statements and actions of heads of state of nations throughout the world and by more national and international support for their policies and leadership. After the Assembly the quality of the statements and actions of heads of state and of the support they received reverted towards less positivity. Reference: Orme-Johnson, Cavanaugh, Alexander, Gelderloos, Dillbeck, Lanford, & Abou Nader, 1987.

Simultaneous Increase of Major Stock Market Indices Percent Change over Three-Week Period

During the Taste of Utopia Assembly, the major stock markets of the world increased simultaneously, indicating balanced economic growth worldwide. After the Assembly the same major stock markets reverted to a pattern similar to that seen prior to the Assembly, with some increasing and some decreasing. Reference: Orme-Johnson, Cavanaugh, Alexander, Gelderloos, Dillbeck, Lanford, & Abou Nader, 1987.

Rising World Stock Index World Index of Capital International S.A., Geneva

During the Taste of Utopia Assembly, rising coherence from MIU created a wave of confidence and optimism throughout the world, seen as a rise in the World Index of stock prices, a composite index of 19 countries. After the Assembly the Index resumed a downward trend. References: Orme-Johnson, Cavanaugh, Alexander, Gelderloos, Dillbeck, Lanford, & Abou Nader, 1987. Cavanaugh, Orme-Johnson, & Gelderloos, 1984.

Population influenced: World. Coherence group: 7,000 participants in the TM and TM-Sidhi program at the Taste of Utopia Assembly, December 1983 to January 1984, at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa, U.S.A. Dependent variables: Statements and actions of heads of state worldwide, conflict in trouble-spot countries, conflict in Lebanon, World Index of stock prices, air traffic fatalities worldwide, and other variables available for specific locations. Experimental design: Comparison of dependent variables during the Taste of Utopia Assembly with the prior and subsequent three-week periods, and with changes during the comparable periods in previous years. Various statistical techniques appropriate to each data set were used, including chisquare contingency table analysis and Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment analysis. Results: Increased progress expressed by heads of state in reversing negative trends and accelerating positive trends (p=.02), increased positivity in trouble-spot areas (p=.002), increased progress towards peace in Lebanon (p=.006), increase in World Index of stock prices (p=.00004), and significant improvements in other variables. Conclusions: This research demonstrates the holistic nature of the Global Maharishi Effect. Reference: Orme-Johnson, D.W., Cavanaugh, K.L., Alexander, C.N., Gelderloos, P., Dillbeck, M.C., Lanford, A.G., & Abou Nader, T.M. (1987). The influence of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field on world events and global social indicators: The effects of the Taste of Utopia Assembly. In R.A. Chalmers, G. Clements, H. Schenkluhn, & M. Weinless (Eds.), Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers (Vol. 4, pp. 27302762), in press. Vlodrop, The Netherlands: Maharishi Vedic University Press. Cavanaugh, K.L., Orme-Johnson, D.W., & Gelderloos, P. (1984). The effect of the Taste of Utopia Assembly on the World Index of international stock prices. In R.A. Chalmers, G. Clements, H. Schenkluhn, & M. Weinless (Eds.), Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers (Vol. 4, pp. 27152729), in press. Vlodrop,The Netherlands: Maharishi Vedic University Press.