Nearly 11,000 people representing 139 countries came together in Hyderabad, in south-central India, for a “10,000 for World Peace” assembly, held from December 29 to January 12.

The assembly had a two-fold purpose: first, to generate an influence of peace and harmony in society at a turbulent and uncertain time in history, and second, to call public attention to the power of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs to create such an effect, with the goal of securing support for a permanent large peace-creating group.

The assembly was held at the award-winning Kanha Shanti Vanam complex. Located on the outskirts of Hyderabad and described as “an ecological paradise,” Kanha Shanti Vanam is the world’s largest meditation facility.

Besides the participants who traveled to India from other countries, the assembly included 900 Maharishi Vedic pandits and 4,500 students from Maharishi Schools around India.

More than 600 participants learned the advanced TM-Sidhi program during the assembly, and more than 250 learned the Transcendental Meditation technique.

More than 700 women came from the Himalayas, wearing their traditional dress, all of them TM and TM-Sidhi program practitioners.

The 10,000 meditation experts engaged in long sessions, morning and evening, of the Transcendental Meditation and advanced TM-Sidhi programs — not talking about peace but actually creating it.

On the final evening of the assembly, several of India’s spiritual and health leaders joined the thousands gathered at Hyderabad’s Kanha Shanti Vanam to celebrate the achievements of the assembly and honor its convener, Dr. Tony Nader, the neuroscientist who is the successor to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Her Holiness Amma Sri Karunamayi, affectionately known to her followers as “Amma,” was joined by Dr. Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, Chief Imam of the All India Imam Organization, to bless the assembly participants and the technologies of consciousness they had showcased for establishing world peace.

Amma’s message was simple: “Meditation is the best medication,” she said. “All problems can be addressed by practicing meditation twice a day.”

Coherent brain functioning

A highlight of the assembly was a dramatic demonstration of brain-wave coherence using electroencephalography, EEG. Scientists showed how the practice produces immediate coherence in brain functioning in an individual that is then instantaneously and enormously enhanced by the meditation of thousands of practitioners gathered in the same location.

Scientists showed how TM practice produces immediate coherence in brain functioning in an individual that is then instantaneously and enormously enhanced by the meditation of thousands of practitioners gathered in the same location.

The researchers noted that 54 studies published in peer-reviewed journals and professional conference proceedings have already established the capacity of these consciousness technologies to radiate a powerful influence of coherence and peace throughout society, significantly reducing crime, violence, terrorism, and war and strengthening positive trends even among those who do not practice the technologies. This is called the Maharishi Effect, because Maharishi predicted it more than sixty years ago.

Uniting science with spirituality

Amma is globally revered as a living saint — the embodiment of divine motherly love — and a humanitarian, peace leader, and spiritual teacher. In her talk, Amma emphasized the importance of “uniting of science with spirituality for unity and sustainability in this new millennium, exactly as Dr. Nader is doing as he leads the TM organizations throughout the world.”

Dr. Nader commented, “Just as dear Amma Ji said, no drop of love is ever wasted. Every moment anyone transcends even for a moment, they are giving nectar to the world.”

Dr. Nader then reviewed how, as the decades passed and the transcendence of the TM experts deepened, scientists started to investigate from an objective level the extraordinary value of this subjective experience.

“We are only a few in the world that transcend the way we do,” he said. “This knowledge started under the banner of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement. As it became known, it was found to be wonderfully effective. As Amma Ji said, more than 750 empirical studies on Transcendental Meditation have now verified scientifically the enormous value of this simple knowledge of transcending for every area of life.”

All groups desirous of peace must work together

The All India Imam Organization led by Dr. Imam Ilyasi is the largest organization of imams (those who lead prayers in mosques) in the world and the largest Muslim organization in India. He speaks for the half a million imams in India and is a religious and spiritual guide of the two hundred and ten million Indian Muslims.

“All of you are an inspiration to the world. You come from all countries, all religions, and all walks of life, and you share in the practice of these powerful consciousness technologies. I salute you. . . .”

— Dr. Imam Ilyasi, Chief Imam of the All India Imam Organization

After garlanding Dr. Nader, Dr. Imam Ilyasi said, “All of you are an inspiration to the world. You come from all countries, all religions, and all walks of life, and you share in the practice of these powerful consciousness technologies. I salute you and the outstanding example of togetherness you have demonstrated here.”

Former Prime Minister of Japan: “Our world needs this group”

In a letter of support to the Hyderabad assembly, the Right Honorable Yukio Hatoyama, former Prime Minister of Japan, wrote, “Our world needs a group of at least 10,000 people practicing the TM and TM-Sidhi programs. Under the leadership of Dr. Tony Nader, you are achieving that. I feel certain that this group, when it is permanently established, will lead to peace in our world. Based upon my experience as Prime Minister of Japan, I would like to strongly propose that all the governments in the world look into this demonstration with scientific data and support the creation of permanent groups for fraternity, peace, and prosperity.”

“Our world needs a group of at least 10,000 people practicing the TM and TM-Sidhi programs.”

— The Right Honorable Yukio Hatoyama, former Prime Minister of Japan

Dr. Nader commented, “Maharishi always wanted enlightenment for everyone. Vasudhaiva kutumbakam — ‘the world is my family’ — this was his reality. And where would this be done? Maharishi always felt it would be done in India, the land of the Veda — that Bharat would do it. And now this is really taking shape.”

Dr. Nader continued, “Maharishi saw that Veda, pure knowledge, would do it. And when we truly look into what Veda is, we realize it’s the laws of nature that are incarnated in every one of us: that each one of us is Veda. In this sense, though we come from 139 different countries, we all are from the land of the Veda. We have now carried this objectively verified supreme knowledge back to the land of the Veda as an offering of support to humanity and beyond humanity to all aspects of life.”

A very real possibility — creating world peace through the Maharishi Effect

Further honor was given to the assembly by Dr. Devendra Triguna, President of the All India Ayurvedic Congress and Vice President of Central Council of Indian Medicines, which is a Government of India nodal agency. Dr. Triguna is former honorary physician to the President of India, and the government of India has awarded him with both the Padma Bhushan, its third highest civilian honor, and the Padma Shri, its fourth highest honor.

“Because of the tireless work over fifty years of His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Ayurveda is now a household word throughout the world,” Dr. Triguna told the assembly. “And I know that many of you gathered here had important involvement in that achievement. Your efforts have demonstrated the possibility of creating a disease-free society through the preventive approach of India’s ancient system of natural medicine. And now your assembly has demonstrated the very real prospect of peace through the Maharishi Effect.”

Bringing the assembly’s achievements to the leaders of every country

Many of the more than 10,000 assembly participants, upon returning home in the coming weeks, will be carrying the message of the assembly to the leaders of their countries.

In concluding the assembly, Dr. Nader said, “We celebrate a grand feeling of wholeness. Tonight, we have seen great leaders coming together from one tradition of belief to another tradition of belief, from one understanding to another understanding — coming together with the flag of total knowledge to create a world that will satisfy Maharishi’s enlightened vision.

“Before he departed this life, Maharishi said, ‘The future is bright and that is my delight.’ In this assembly, we have seen the beginning of what will make the future really bright. As this knowledge of transcending is acknowledged more and more, as this light spreads, the darkness cannot stand. As is said beautifully in Bharat, Satyameva Jayate, ‘that which is sattvic, that which is good and right and true — that will always win.’ Because, ultimately, only what sustains and maintains will be fully adopted.

“We stand today on this grand platform of supreme knowledge. I urge all the leaders of the world not to delay. Adopt this knowledge, create groups just like this assembly of 10,000, and usher in a bright new era of world prosperity and peace.”