Ommmm ..... my gosh!

Remember the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and transcendental meditation -- sitting Indian style and going "Ommmmmm"? Think all that stuff was pretty kooky? Did you know you gave the maharishi's followers $8 million in 2002 to "study natural healing modalities, including transcendental meditation"?



How did they get your money? From the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And the $8 million is not all -- they seem to turn up quite often on the NIH grant list. The maharishi is not the only one getting money from this $29 billion a year agency -- you might be interested in looking at some of their other grantees at their website (http://www.nih.gov/). When everyone seems to be so concerned about violating church and state, how can we possibly justify giving money to this cult? Here are a few excerpts from the Maharishi Vedic City website:



Welcome to Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa, USA incorporated on July 21, 2001, as a model of ideal city life. The name “Vedic” comes from the Sanskrit word “Veda,” which means “knowledge.” The name “Maharishi” is in honor of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who is renowned throughout the world for bringing to light in a scientific, systematic manner the complete Vedic science of consciousness. This includes 40 approaches to promote life supported by total Natural Law and enhance the quality of every aspect of life.




Every building is designed according to Maharishi Sthapatya VedaSM design, to promote health, happiness, and good fortune. Each building faces east and has a central silent space called a Brahmasthan and a golden roof ornament called a kalash.


Recognizing that the solution to all problems is proper education-education that develops the total brain potential and cosmic creative intelligence of every student-the City adopted an ordinance on January 28, 2004, to establish Maharishi Vedic University to provide a public university, colleges, and primary and secondary schools for the city's residents. The City and the surrounding area is also home to pioneering Consciousness-Based universities and schools including Maharishi University of Management, Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment, Maharishi Open University, Maharishi Spiritual University, and Ideal Girls School.


The City has adopted as its constitution the Constitution of the Universe, which administers the infinite diversity of the universe with perfect order.


The ideal currency of the City is the Raam-the development currency of the Global Country of World Peace.



Founded to become a “lighthouse of peace” for America and the world. The City is working to establish a permanent group of peace-creating experts whose daily practice of Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation™ and Yogic Flying techniques will promote coherent national and world consciousness and thereby prevent any negativity from arising in America or in the family of nations.



I looked up yogic flying techniques -- that's levitation, folks! They actually think they can levitate their bodies just by thinking about it. Doesn't get any kookier than that in my book! The solution to all problems is education? Sounds like brainwashing to me. They have their own currency? I know the dollar is dropping in value, but I don't like the thought of being paid in Raams. They've adopted the constitution of the universe? Guess James Madison and the other founding fathers aren't good enough for them.



You know, if the government would quit wasting money on crap like this, we could all get a much bigger tax rebate!