The grand vision: Magnificent centers of Maharishi Vedic Science established in 435 cities throughout America— in each Congressional District—perfect homes for knowledge and technologies that promote higher states of consciousness, perfect health, living environments in harmony with Natural Law, and peace on earth. The action steps: Teams of experts in each Congressional District working with local real estate agents and project developers to locate suitable land sites, arrange financing, and hire construction management firms to build these Centers as quickly as possible—even in the next few months.

The first success: A magnificent Maharishi Vedic Center— the first in North America—is near completion in Bethesda, Maryland. The facility is a 7,600 sq. ft. two-story, white-stuccoed building, set on a half-acre of land, and is ideally located in a high-population, upscale area, 15 minutes from Washington, D.C., and one mile from the National Institutes of Health. Jeffrey and Rona Abramson of Potomac, Maryland have led the effort, along with nearly 100 other families in the area, to construct the Center. They discuss the building, which began construction in January of this year and will open its doors to the public in September

Enlightenment: What programs will be offered at the new Center?

Jeffrey: The Maharishi Vedic Center is designed to offer all Maharishi Vedic Science programs, including the TM technique and group practice of Yogic Flying. And under the medical direction of Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D., there will be a Maharishi Vedic Medical Center pro-viding Maharishi Vedic Medicine consultations, Maharishi Vedic Vibration Technology, and Rejuvenation therapies.

Enlightenment: When you see the building now, a few months from completion, what do you feel?

Rona: It is such an extraordinarily beautiful building, and because it has been built according to Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design on a proper Vastu (land site), it already radiates a very orderly and powerful influence. You can feel the coherence when you drive by, even before anybody is in it.

Jeffrey: There is something about this architecture, even in its unfinished form, that has a magnificent integrity to it. When you walk in you feel the power of both silence and dynamism.

Enlightenment: Why did you choose to put your time and resources into building a Maharishi Vedic Center?

Jeffrey: When Maharishi started teaching over 40 years ago, he said that the success of the Movement would come from books and buildings. Buildings would ensure the purity and preservation of the knowledge. Buildings inspire people; they provide a continuity of the knowledge from generation to generation.

Rona: When we watch the building go up we are so fulfilled knowing that we now have our own home, and it is a home that will purely reflect Maharishi’s knowledge. And it will be a great blessing on our whole country to have these Centers in every Congressional District. They are light-houses of pure knowledge, and represent the success of Maharishi’s pro-grams in the United States over the last 40 years.

Jeffrey: We knew that because of its elegance, grandeur and prominent location, this Center would showcase the perfection of Maharishi’s knowledge. That is why we wanted to have our own building. You can’t be inside another building or rent office space and achieve that status. Everyone should come for a visit—and then go home and build one of their own.

For more information on the Bethesda Maharishi Vedic Center visit their web site at: www.mvc-bethesda.org. 

Successes in Progress
Right now there are hundreds of people all over the country, working in coordination with members of the Maharishi Thousand-Headed Purusha program and the Mother Divine program, to build Maharishi Vedic Centers in each of the 435 congressional districts. Enlightenment magazine will provide regular updates from throughout the country on the progress of this critical initiative. The following reports come from Lexington, Kentucky; Kansas City; and Santa Barbara, California.

Progress in the Bluegrass
In Lexington, Kentucky, Howard Settle, and Rick and Sue Weller report on their considerable progress in establishing a Maharishi Vedic Center on 11 acres of magnificently beautiful land in the heart of the University of Kentucky Coldstream Research Campus.

"A 108-year lease has been signed with the University of Kentucky, and the University has be-gun the construction of roads and other site improvements. The research cam-pus is being developed on what was formerly one of the most beautiful and prestigious thorough-bred horse farms in the state. Within the campus a 225-acre green-space is planned with walking and biking trails along the creek—and yet all of this is located within two miles of the inter-state system, an easy drive from both Louisville and Cincinnati!

"Re-zoning is underway to permit the Center’s in-residence programs. Plans for the design of the Center are nearly complete so that construction drawings can soon be made and bids can be received on constructing the facility.

"And two non-profit corporations have been formed to support the Maharishi Vedic Center in Lexington and others to be built in Louisville and Northern Kentucky. One corporation will seek grants to provide funding for community education for all of Maharishi’s programs. The other corporation will provide an endowment fund for the construction and permanent maintenance of all Kentucky’s Maharishi Vedic Centers."

The Most Important Public Service
In Kansas City, B.J. and Gary Wacknov and Mary Martha Stevens, who are heading up the project, write: "Our team is searching for the proper Vastu (land site with the suitable orientation) to build the Center for our congressional district. We feel it is the most important public service we can do for our city and our nation. The Meditators here are so excited about establishing the Center because of the knowledge we gain each week from Maharishi Open University. We are so eager to drink this wisdom of life from our own permanent Center—from our own established well—that we can come back to over and over again."

Buildings that Promote the Expansion of Consciousness
In Santa Barbara, California, Richard Bialosky, a prominent local architect and developer, and his wife Jane, send this update:

"It is the dream of every architect and town planner to create an environment that enhances the quality of life. Until now innovations have been superficial, and the beauty of architecture has only been skin deep. Now, at last, with Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, the highest ideal of the architect and user is being fulfilled—buildings and communities which silently promote the expansion of consciousness.

"We are pleased to announce that we have found an ideal site with the proper orientation that will soon be home to a Maharishi Vedic Center and a housing development for up to 40 Maharishi Sthapatya Veda homes or condominiums. We are all eager, impatient actually, to complete this project so we will have the perfect Center for Maharishi’s knowledge and programs, and so we can move into these beautiful new homes which, in and of themselves, will promote perfect health and enlightenment. This is a wonderful, deeply inspiring, project, and we urge everyone around the country to build a Maharishi Vedic Center in their congressional districts as quickly as possible."