Inauguration of Maharishi Global Development Fund
On October 11, 1997 the Maharishi Global Development Fund was inaugurated on the top floor of the World Trade Center in New York City. The goal of the fund is to create ideal housing for the whole world through projects built according to Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design. Founders of the fund Fred and Shelly Gratzon, Chris and Linda Hartnett, Earl Kaplan and David Kaplan contributed a total of 300 million dollars, which will provide equity guarantees on loans made by local banks that finance the reconstruction projects.

New Maharishi Vedic Approach the Health Program Promotes Expansion of Consciousness
A program for spiritual development is the latest addition to the Chronic Disorders Program, addressing the ultimate chronic disorder—the mistake of the intellect (Pragya-aparadh). Lasting 21, 30 or 41 days in residence, the treatments help purify and enliven the seats of intellect (Buddhisthan) and consciousness (Chetanasthan). This program is now offered at The Raj Maharishi Ayur-Veda Health Center in Fairfield, Iowa.

Nine New Teachers Gradate in Compton, Quebec
On March 22, 1998 nine ladies from the United States completed the Transcendental Meditation Teacher Training Course and graduated as Governors of the Age of Enlightenment. They have begun teaching the TM technique in Philadelphia, New York City, Palo Alto, and Madison. We wish them great success!

Maharishi Vedic Observatory^TM Receives first U.S. Patent
Carl Stone, President of Maharishi Global Vedic Observatory, has been awarded a patent from the U.S. Government on the design of the Maharishi Vedic Observatory, and has two more pending approval. "It’s a great honor to have our first patent," said Carl, "and recognition by the patent office of the uniqueness of this knowledge." Maharishi has commented that viewing the Vedic Observatory aligns individual awareness with the evolutionary flow and direction of Natural Law, bringing life into greater harmony and balance with cosmic life.

New $2.25 Million Grant Received by Maharishi University of Management
Robert H. Schneider, M.D., and Skip Alexander, Ph.D., have received their seventh in a series of grants totaling 7 million dollars from the National Institutes of Health to study the beneficial effects of the TM program for the prevention and treatment of heart disease. The TM technique is unique among non-pharmacological approaches to heart disease, since research has shown it to be as effective as many anti-hypertensive medications in reducing high blood pressure, but without harmful side-effects.

Maharishi University of Management Faculty and Students Visit Vlodrop
During the first two weeks in April, the entire faculty of Maharishi University of Management attended a conference with the founder of the University in Vlodrop, Holland. This conference coincided with a meeting of the University’s board of trustees and the annual visit of the graduating seniors of Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in Vlodrop. Altogether, more than 170 people from Fairfield were in Vlodrop during that time.

The faculty studied one of Maharishi’s recent books, entitled Celebrating Perfection in Education. One of the main themes of this book is that everything is Vedic, and therefore everything should be as it is. That is, everything is created out of the total potential of Natural Law, and therefore the total potential of Natural Law should be fully awakened and enlivened within everything.

In his talks to the faculty, Maharishi emphasized that the true purpose of education is to make students "commanders of Natural Law." He also emphasized the value of reading Vedic Literature in Sanskrit as a most effective way of awakening the body’s inner intelligence and accelerating growth toward enlightenment.