It won't be a Woodstock redux, and there'll be no moshing at New York City's Radio City Music Hall at 8pm, Saturday, April 4th, when Sir Paul McCartney and a star-studded roster of hipsters such as Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Moby, Ben Harper, and Sheryl Crow, along with Donovan, Paul Horn, The Beach Boys' Mike Love, a bunch of surprise guests, and hosts David Lynch, Russell Simmons, and Laura Dern appear on that historic stage. But under the David Lynch Foundation's banner of "Change Begins Within," this special benefit concert is intended to raise funds to teach one million children meditation--and that includes 10,000 at-risk students around the New York City area. "This concert will provide the support for kids to 'dive within'...to help overcome the stress and violence that is destroying their lives, and to unfold their full potential to become healthy, happy, creative individuals," the iconic filmmaker explained in a press release from just a few days back. His foundation already has awarded scholarships to more than 60,000 students across the United States as well as the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.
And what is this meditation technique that David Lynch's organization has been promoting? Here are some hints: It was learned and popularized most famously by The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Donovan, Mary Tyler Moore, Mia Farrow, Clint Eastwood, Heather Graham, Stephen Collins, and Deepak Chopra; over the years, it was embraced by millions in the United States, including hugely famous celebrities in entertainment, sports, politics, art, broadcasting, science, the medical field, education, and even religion; its famous teacher brought the technique to the West in 1958 with the intention of lowering the stress of both the individual and the planet; and since its introduction, it's impossible to not at least know someone who knows someone who practices the technique for 20 minutes twice a day. Okay, that last point gave it away, it's Transcendental Meditation, introduced to our society by the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who himself, had enjoyed incredible celebrity during the sixties and seventies when "TM" (as it's called) became embedded in US mainstream culture.
Mostly known for his highly-influential, artistic films such as Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Dune, Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire, Wild at Heart, Lost Highway and the pop-culture phenomenon and television series, Twin Peaks, Lynch has dedicated most of his time to this cause. "In today's world of fear and uncertainty," he said, "every child should have one class period a day to dive within himself and experience the field of silence--'bliss'--the enormous reservoir of energy and intelligence that is deep within all of us." The end result? "Teach one million kids to meditate, and we will change the world overnight," he declared. Dr. William Stixrud, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist in Silver Spring, Maryland, who specializes in working with children, has researched the technique and its effect on the young mind. "I have been a big fan of using TM in schools for many years due in part to the program's unparalleled ability to create the experience of relaxed alertness in students, and to create learning environments in which students feel safe to tackle very difficult material and assignments," he explained. On a more publicized level, for decades, many in the medical community have recommended this particular form of meditation to lower stress, blood pressure, and to help combat addictions such as smoking and self-medication. Educators have found that it improves focus, reduces violent tendencies, reduces incidents of drug abuse, and improves the social interaction and overall behavior of students. Additionally, studies have found that practicing the technique (in what has been dubbed "quiet time") has improved academic performance while lowering stress, anxiety, and depression in students.
In New York City, where this concert will be performed, "Over one hundred schools...expressed interest in incorporating the Transcendental Meditation technique into their systems," Dr. John Hagelin, PhD, a quantum physicist, pointed out. He continued, "Extensive research on the benefits of the TM technique on student health and performance...contribute(s) to the wide acceptance of the program." In 2008, when Lynch held a one-day seminar on the subject for educators, they literally had to turn away scores of people from the hotel due to the overwhelming response and attendance. And if all of this sounds a bit too good to be true or too granola-esque for your taste, take into consideration that The National Institutes of Health has pledged grants in the amount of twenty-four million dollars over the last 20 years to study the TM technique's effects on heart and brain functioning. The entity has found the technique especially provides benefits against high blood pressure. Last year, in Parade Magazine, Dr. Mark Liponis wrote an article titled "Alternative Therapies That Really Work," within which he stated TM was the "most popular meditation practice" with "scientific backing" behind it that "passed the litmus test of rigorous medical inquiry."
So, this is what the "Change Begins Within" event is promoting, and what is being offered to our children by David Lynch and his organization--with the cooperation of parents and schools, of course, and with the initiative's endorsement by participating musicians of the benefit concert. It's the opportunity for any student, member of The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, etc., to become smarter and less-stressed by meditating--plain and simple. "I've been 'diving within' through the Transcendental Mediation technique for over thirty years," Lynch revealed. "It has changed my life, my world. I am not alone." He's right; you'd be surprised who is practicing the technique, probably even as you're reading this article. Now, if you can remember back to the days when TM first became the "it" child across this country's campuses, when The Beatles, Donovan, The Beach Boys, and so many others flew to Rishikesh to spend time with Maharishi, and if you can remember the waves of interest when Deepak Chopra touted its benefits on the lecture circuit, in books, and on TV shows, then you can see that there is something about TM that keeps it electric in the culture. It's no longer just your father's TM, though, yeah, it's exactly the same simple practice that's been taught for hundreds of years.
For most, this April 4th, Radio City Music Hall concert will be about the music, but its statement of solidarity and support for upliftment in education could be the beginning of yet another American wave of consciousness-raising. In our new Obama era of openness to all things that make us a more functional, successful society, this TM thing just might be a useful tool among many to get us there.
http://adventuresintranscendentalmeditation.blogspot.com/
www.davidlynchfoundation.org
The superior person settles his mind
as the universe settles the stars in the sky.
By connecting his mind with its subtle origin,
he calms it.
Once calmed, it naturally expands,
and ultimately his mind become as vast and immeasurable
as the night sky.
-- Lao Tsu
Regarding the "Enlightenment Course," ragged on below, the fact that many successful, high-minded, self-made millionaires donated $1 million for this fundraiser course to support TM educational projects indicates how trusted this organization is.
The naysayer below refers to “tension†with the organization "over control of the vast fortune" he claims Maharishi amassed, "said to lie with his relatives." "Said" ? By whom? I work within this organize. I’ve never noted any such tension. This is gossip, plain and simple. And utterly false.
Maharishi was a monk. He began the TM Movement with his worldly possessions wrapped in a dear skin. He left this world with no more possessions than when he started.
Organizational funds may be transferred "offshore" because many of the international non-profit's projects are "off shore," such as supporting large groups of Vedic pandits in India and elsewhere who, thousands strong, meditate together daily and work silently for peace.
"Only100 people have learned TM annually in the US." Blatantly false.
But this one takes the cake: the desire "to control world events" is "at the heart of TM course offerings." Insane!
A negative mind sees only negativity.
At the heart of TM is pure, innocent silence.
effectively uphold world consciousness on an eternal level of invincibilityâ€, and "Our government is desperate for the peaceful, coherent national consciousness that only we can provide," and “a series of large yogic flying assemblies in Fairfield during the 1980s led to a measurable and marked softening of relations between the superpowers, culminating in the sudden and unexpected ending of the Cold War. John Hagelin, the assembly's organizer, said that since the number of daily meditators in Maharishi Vedic City reached about 1,200 on July 23 2008, the Dow Jones Industrial Index has hit record levels. Once the 2,000 meditators are in place for the assembly called Invincible America (which in fact occurred in September 2008), Hagelin predicts the Dow will surge toward 15,000â€. If only this were either not true, or irrelevant, but alas it is at the heart of the TM program course offerings. These hubristic claims are meant to confirm the special ness and importance of a very small group convinced of its power to control world events. They don’t need more money to begin teaching students; what they do need is honesty and perspective.
I love music, I love a party, and I love Paul. While I am sure that McCartney and the other musicians are well intentioned, and while their personal philanthropic acts are not subject to any outside review, I would urge them to consider taking reasonable steps to ensure that their generosity is as well placed as it is intended.
A donor should ask how much of a charity’s funds are spent on their mission and how much are retained. The David Lynch Foundation for Education is a new foundation hoping to raise $600 each for one million students to learn TM meditation. That would be $600 million dollars for the organization that teaches Maharishi’s TM. That organization should be asked for audited financials. Only a few years ago Maharishi rose well in excess of $100 million dollars by charging over 100 of his wealthiest followers one million dollars each for a one month “Enlightenment Courseâ€. Where do those funds now lie or on what were they spent? Who administers those funds, and under what guidelines?
Maharishi recently died and sources within the TM organization refer to tension over control of the vast fortune he amassed, said to lie with his relatives, and its availability, or not, to organizations promoting meditation. Funds have been transferred to opaque offshore entities in tax haven jurisdictions, from which no information as to controller or disposition of funds has ever been offered. Guidestar.org lists the 2006 tax filing (latest available) for Maharishi Global Development Fund. In 2006 it transferred $38 million dollars to offshore accounts.
For over a decade only about 100 people have learned TM annually in the United States. To understand why there is little or no demand for TM see "TM Yogic Flying and Maharishi Yagyas are the only thing that will
Someone posted a comment saying that Ringo was going to appear at this event but I spoke ot a friend of mine who is an administrator for the David Lynch Foundation and he said that, at this point, any talk about Ringo"s involvement in the concert is just rumor, good hopes, and hearsay.
But Sir Paul and his friends are still gonna rock the house! Yowza!
All children should learn TM as a means to start developing their full potential.