Every three minutes someone is admitted to the hospital for a food-induced allergy attack. What is just as alarming is the fact that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions. Babies and children suffer more often than adults, but food allergies can develop any time and at any age. One of the best ways parents can arm themselves is to be educated on the ins and outs of food allergies.

Even though food allergies can be inherited, whether or not a child will develop an allergy to the same foods as their parent or sibling is unpredictable. There is some data which shows that if a child is allergic to peanuts, his or her sibling is more likely to be allergic to peanuts as well, but it is not inevitable.

Food-related genetic diseases, like celiac disease, very often run in families. Celiac disease is not an allergy but rather a gluten malabsorption issue and not to be confused with an allergy to wheat. The symptoms and physical reactions differ significantly and should not be confused with each other.

Symptoms of food allergies are quickly reactive, showing up within hours, minutes or even seconds. The most common symptoms involve the skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract and/or the cardiovascular system. Anaphylaxis, which includes restricted breathing, a drop in blood pressure and problematic heart rate, is the most severe reaction and is life threatening. If your child shows any of these symptoms seek medical attention immediately.

Other food allergy symptoms include hives, vomiting, rash, wheezing and coughing. Mild reactions should be noted, photographed if possible, and discussed with a doctor.

Navigating public spaces and social activities can be challenging if you have kids with allergies. The good news is that awareness is growing regarding food allergies. Many schools have implemented peanut-free policies or nut-free tables to help kids manage their allergies. Parents have embraced the importance of asking about food allergies when hosting parties or playdates. Even children have come to understand that some food allergies are life threatening and have compassionately risen to the challenge of standing by their food-allergy friends.

Testing for many food allergies is available today. There are both blood tests and skin-scratch tests that can measure your childs sensitivity to various food. Ninety percent of food related allergic reactions are caused by the following foods:

Though avoiding the foods your child is allergic to is of utmost importance, cross-contamination can happen, especially in restaurants, and accidental exposure can happen anywhere. It is important to know how to treat your childs allergies and when to seek medical attention. Mild allergies can often be treated with antihistamines or topical creams while severe allergies with a risk of anaphylaxis may require you to carry injectable life-saving medication at all times.

If you think that your child may have a food intolerance or allergy, contact your pediatrician or allergist to discuss your concerns, testing and treatment options.

by The Bombshell Mommy

Originally posted here:

Organic Food Online | Buy Healthy Food Online at Vitacost

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (12 January 1918[1] 5 February 2008) was born Mahesh Prasad Varma and became known as Maharishi (meaning "great seer")[2][3] and Yogi as an adult.[4][5] He developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of a worldwide organization that has been characterized in multiple ways including as a new religious movement and as non-religious.[6][7][8]

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi became a disciple and assistant of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya (spiritual leader) of Jyotirmath in the Indian Himalayas. The Maharishi credits Brahmananda Saraswati with inspiring his teachings. In 1955, the Maharishi began to introduce his Transcendental Deep Meditation (later renamed Transcendental Meditation) to India and the world. His first global tour began in 1958.[9] His devotees referred to him as His Holiness,[10] and because he often laughed in TV interviews he was sometimes referred to as the "giggling guru".[11][12][13]

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame as the guru to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and other celebrities. In the late 1970s, he started the TM-Sidhi programme that claimed to offer practitioners the ability to levitate and to create world peace.[14] The Maharishi's Natural Law Party was founded in 1992, and ran campaigns in dozens of countries. He moved to near Vlodrop, the Netherlands, in the same year.[15] In 2000, he created the Global Country of World Peace, a non-profit organization, and appointed its leaders. In 2008, the Maharishi announced his retirement from all administrative activities and went into silence until his death three weeks later.[16]

The Maharishi is reported to have trained more than 40,000 TM teachers, taught the Transcendental Meditation technique to "more than five million people" and founded thousands of teaching centers and hundreds of colleges, universities and schools,[17][18][19] while TM websites report tens of thousands learned the TM-Sidhi programme. His initiatives include schools and universities with campuses in several countries including India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.[20] The Maharishi, his family and close associates created charitable organisations and for-profit businesses including health clinics, mail-order health supplements and organic farms. The reported value of the Maharishi's organization has ranged from the millions to billions of U.S. dollars and in 2008, the organization placed the value of their United States assets at about $300 million.[17]

The birth name, birth date, and caste of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi are not known with certainty, in part because of the tradition of ascetics and monks to relinquish family connections.[21] Many accounts say he was born Mahesh Prasad Varma (Hindi: ) into a Kayastha family living in the Central Provinces of British India.[3][22][23] A different name appears in the Allahabad University list of distinguished alumni, where he is listed as M.C. Srivastava.[24] and an obituary says his name was "Mahesh Srivastava".[25][26][27][28]

Various accounts give the year of his birth as 1911, 1917 or 1918.[13] Authors Paul Mason and William Jefferson say that he was born 12 January 1917 in Jabalpur, Central Provinces.[29][30] The place of birth given in his passport is "Pounalulla", India and his birth date as 12 January 1918.[31] Mahesh's father is identified as a local tax official in the civil service[13][32][33] though some sources say he worked in the department of forestry,[22][30][34] and others that he was a schoolteacher.[35] Srivastava is the name of his nephews and cousins.[21] Mahesh came from an upper-caste family,[36] being a member of the Kayastha caste, a high-status caste whose traditional profession is writing.[30][34][37]

Mahesh studied physics at Allahabad University and earned a degree in 1942.[22][29] While a few sources say that he worked at Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur for some time,[32][38] most report that in 1941, he became an administrative secretary to the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (also known as Guru Dev)[29][34][39][40][41] and took a new name, Bal Brahmachari Mahesh.[4]:22[42] Coplin refers to bala brahmachari as both a title and a name, and considers that it "identified him as a fully dedicated student of spiritual knowledge and life-long celibate ascetic".[42] The Maharishi recalls how it took about two and a half years to attune himself to the thinking of Brahmananda Saraswati and to gain "a very genuine feeling of complete oneness".[43] At first Brahmachari Mahesh performed common chores but gained trust and became Guru Dev's "personal secretary"[44] and "favored pupil".[29] He was trusted to take care of the bulk of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati's correspondence without direction, and was also sent out to give public speeches on Vedic (scriptural) themes.[4]:22

Brahmachari Mahesh remained with Swami Brahmananda Saraswati until the latter died in 1953, when he moved to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand in the Himalayas. Although Brahmachari Mahesh was a close disciple, he could not be the Shankaracharya's spiritual successor because he was not of the Brahmin caste.[45][46] The Shankaracharya, at the end of his life, charged him with the responsibility of travelling and teaching meditation to the masses, while he named Swami Shantananda Saraswati as his successor.[32][47]

In 1955,[13][48][49][50] Brahmachari Mahesh left Uttarkashi and began publicly teaching what he stated was a traditional meditation technique[51] learned from his master Brahmananda Saraswati, and that he called Transcendental Deep Meditation.[52] Later the technique was renamed Transcendental Meditation.[53] It was also then that he was first publicly known with the name "Maharishi" an honorific title meaning "great sage" after the title was given to him according to some sources from "Indian Pundits" and according to another source the honorific was given along with Yogi by followers in India. Later in the west the title was retained as a name.[5][54]

He traveled around India for two years[55][56] interacting with his "Hindu audiences" in an "Indian context".[57] At that time, he called his movement the Spiritual Development Movement,[34] but renamed it the Spiritual Regeneration Movement in 1957, in Madras, India, on the concluding day of the Seminar of Spiritual Luminaries.[13] According to Coplin, in his visits to southern India, the Maharishi spoke English rather than the Hindi spoken in his home area to avoid provoking resistance among those seeking linguistic self-determination, and to appeal to the "learned classes".[58]

According to author William Jefferson, in 1958, the Maharishi went to Madras to address a large crowd of people who had gathered to celebrate the memory of Guru Dev. It was there that he spontaneously announced that he planned to spread the teaching of TM throughout the world. Hundreds of people immediately asked to learn TM.[30] In 1959, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi began his first world tour,[13][18] writing: "I had one thing in mind, that I know something which is useful to every man".[11]

The Maharishi's 1986 book, Thirty Years Around the World, gives a detailed account of his world tours, as do two biographies, The Story of the Maharishi, by William Jefferson, and The Maharishi by Paul Mason.[4][30] The first world tour began in Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar) and included the countries of Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, Hong Kong and Hawaii.[59][60][61] He arrived in Hawaii in the spring of 1959 [34] and the Honolulu Star Bulletin reported: "He has no money, he asks for nothing. His worldly possessions can be carried in one hand. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is on a world odyssey. He carries a message that he says will rid the world of all unhappiness and discontent."[62] In 1959, the Maharishi lectured and taught the Transcendental Meditation technique in Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and London.[18][59][63][64][65] While in Los Angeles the Maharishi stayed at the home of author Helena Olson,[59][66] and during this period he developed a three-year plan to propagate Transcendental Meditation to the whole world.[34] Though most of his audience consisted of average middle class individuals, he also attracted a few celebrities, such as Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Nancy Cooke de Herrera and Doris Duke.[5]

When the Maharishi came to the U.S. in 1959, his Spiritual Regeneration Movement was called Transcendental Meditation.[11] That same year he began the International Meditation Society and other organizations to propagate his teachings,[67] establishing centres in San Francisco and London.[33] For years, the sole teacher of Transcendental Meditation in America was a San Diego woman named Beulah Smith.[5]

In 1960, the Maharishi travelled to many cities in India, France, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Africa.[68][69]

While in Manchester, England, the Maharishi gave a television interview and was featured in many English newspapers such as the Birmingham Post, the Oxford Mail and the Cambridge Daily News.[70] This was also the year in which the Maharishi trained Henry Nyburg to be the first Transcendental Meditation teacher in Europe.[71][72]

In 1961, the Maharishi visited the USA,[29] Austria, Sweden, France, Italy, Greece, India, Kenya, England, and Canada.[55][73] While in England, he appeared on BBC television and gave a lecture to 5,000 people at the Royal Albert Hall in London.[55][74] In April 1961, the Maharishi conducted his first Transcendental Meditation Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh, India, with sixty participants from various countries.[18][75] Teachers continued to be trained as time progressed.[76] During the course, the Maharishi began to introduce additional knowledge regarding the development of human potential, and began writing his translation and commentary on the first six chapters of the ancient Vedic text, the Bhagavad Gita.[77][78]

His 1962 world tour included visits to Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand.[citation needed] In Britain, he founded a branch of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement.[29] The year concluded in California where the Maharishi began dictating his book The Science of Being and Art of Living.[79][80] In Rishikesh, India, beginning on 20 April 1962, a forty-day course was held for "sadhus, sanyasis, and brahmacharis" to introduce TM to "religious preachers and spiritual masters in India".[81]

The Maharishi toured cities in Europe, Asia, North America and India in 1963, and also addressed ministers of the Indian Parliament.[82][83] According to his memoirs, twenty-one members of parliament then issued a public statement endorsing the Maharishi's goals and meditation technique.[84] His Canadian tour[85] was also well covered by the press.[86]

The Maharishi's fifth world tour, in 1964, consisted of visits to many cities in North America, Europe and India.[87][88] During his visit to England, he appeared with the Abbot of Downside, Abbot Butler, on a BBC television show called The Viewpoint.[89][90] In October of that year, in California, the Maharishi began teaching the first Advanced Technique of Transcendental Meditation to some experienced meditators.[91][92] While travelling in America, the Maharishi met with Robert Maynard Hutchins, the head of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, and U Thant, the Secretary General of the United Nations.[93][94] During this same year, the Maharishi finished his book The Science of Being and Art of Living, which sold more than a million copies and was published in fifteen languages.[95]

In 1966, the Maharishi founded the Students' International Meditation Society ("SIMS"), which The Los Angeles Times later characterised as a "phenomenal success".[13][96] In the 1970s, SIMS centers were established at "over one thousand campuses",[97] including Harvard University, Yale University, and UCLA.[5]

In 1967, the Maharishi gave a lecture at Caxton Hall in London which was attended by Pattie Boyd, George Harrison's wife,[33] as well as Leon MacLaren, the founder and leader of the School of Economic Science (SES).[4]:22 He also lectured at UCLA, Harvard, Yale and Berkeley.[98] That year, an article in Time magazine reported that the Maharishi "has been sharply criticised by other Indian sages, who complain that his programme for spiritual peace without either penance or asceticism contravenes every traditional Hindu belief".[99] Religion and culture scholar Sean McCloud also reported that traditional Indian sages and gurus were critical of the Maharishi, for teaching a simple technique and making it available to everyone, and for abandoning traditional concepts of suffering and concentration as paths to enlightenment.[100]

During 1967 and 1968 the Maharishi appeared on American magazine covers such as Life, Newsweek, Time and many others.[101] He gave lectures to capacity crowds at the Felt Forum in New York City and Harvard's Sanders Hall.[5] He also appeared on The Tonight Show and the Today TV shows.[5] At the end of 1968, the Maharishi said that after ten years of teaching and world tours, he would return to India.[102]

In 1967, the Maharishi's fame increased and his movement gained greater prominence when he became the "spiritual advisor to the Beatles",[95][103] though he was already well-known among young people in the UK and had already had numerous public appearances that brought him to the Beatles' attention.[104] They met in London in August 1967 and the Beatles went to study with the Maharishi in Bangor, Wales, before travelling to Rishikesh, India,[29] in February 1968 to "devote themselves fully to his instruction".[105]Starr and his wife Maureen left after ten days,[105][106][107] McCartney and Jane Asher left after five weeks,[108][109][110] and Lennon and Harrison departed sixteen days later.[108] During their stay, the Beatles heard that the Maharishi had made sexual advances towards Mia Farrow.[111] On June 15, 1968, in London, the Beatles formally renounced their association with the Maharishi as a "public mistake". "Sexy Sadie" is the name of a song by the Beatles, written by John Lennon in India and credited to LennonMcCartney.[105][112][113] Lennon originally wanted to title the song "Maharishi",[114] but changed the title at George Harrison's request. Harrison commented years later, "Now, historically, there's the story that something went on that shouldn't have done but nothing did."[115] The New York Times and The Independent reported that the influence of the Maharishi, and the journey to Rishikesh to meditate, weaned the Beatles from LSD and inspired them to write many new songs.[33][105] In 2009, McCartney commented that Transcendental Meditation was a gift the Beatles had received from the Maharishi at a time when they were looking for something to stabilise them.[116] The Beatles' visit to the Maharishi's ashram coincided with a thirty-participant Transcendental Meditation teacher training course that was ongoing when they arrived. Graduates of the course included Prudence Farrow and Mike Love.[117][118][119]

In 1968, the Maharishi announced that he would stop his public activities and instead begin the training of TM teachers at his new global headquarters in Seelisberg, Switzerland.[96] In 1969, he inaugurated a course in his Science of Creative Intelligence at Stanford University, which was then offered at 25 other American universities.[29]

In 1970, the Maharishi held a TM teacher training course at a Victorian hotel in Poland Springs, Maine, with 1,200 participants. Later that year, he held a similar four-week course with 1500 participants at Humboldt State College in Arcata, California.[120] In 1970, after having "a little trouble with Indian tax authorities," he moved his headquarters to Italy, returning to India in the late 1970s.[121][122] That same year, the City of Hope Foundation in Los Angeles gave the Maharishi their "Man of Hope" award.[123]

By 1971, the Maharishi had completed 13 world tours, visited 50 countries, and held a press conference with American inventor Buckminster Fuller at his first International Symposium on SCI at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts.[29][124][125][126] From 1970 to 1973, about 10,000 people attended the Maharishi sponsored symposia on his modern interpretation of Vedanta philosophy called Science of Creative Intelligence. During these conferences, held at universities, the Maharishi spoke with "leading thinkers" of the day such as Hans Selye, Marshall McLuhan, and Jonas Salk.[5]

The Maharishi announced his World Plan in 1972, the goal of which was to establish 3,600 TM centers around the world.[29][34] That year, a TM training course was given by the Maharishi at Queen's University and was attended by 1,000 young people from the USA and Canada. At the start of the course, the Maharishi encouraged the attendees to improve their appearance by getting haircuts and wearing ties.[127] He also "persuaded" the U.S. Army to "offer courses in TM to its soldiers"[29] and made videotaped recordings of what was thought to be the West's first comprehensive recitation of the Rig Veda.[128]

In March 1973, the Maharishi addressed the legislature of the state of Illinois. That same year, the legislature passed a resolution in support of the use of Maharishi's Science of Creative Intelligence in Illinois public schools.[29][129][130] Later that year he organized a world conference of mayors in Switzerland.[29] In that same year, he also addressed 3000 educators at an American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) conference on quality of life and higher education.[2]

In 1974, the Maharishi International University was founded. In October 1975, the Maharishi was pictured on the front cover of Time magazine. He made his last visit to the Spiritual Regeneration Movement centre in Los Angeles in 1975, according to film director David Lynch, who met him for the first time there.[131]

In 1975, the Maharishi embarked on a five-continent trip to inaugurate what he called "the Dawn of the Age of Enlightenment". The Maharishi said the purpose of the inaugural tour was to "go around the country and give a gentle whisper to the population".[132][133] He visited Ottawa during this tour and had a private meeting with Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, during which he spoke about the principles of TM and "the possibility of structuring an ideal society."[134][135][136] That same year, the Pittsburgh Press reported that "The Maharishi has been criticised by other Eastern yogis for simplifying their ancient art."[137] The Maharishi appeared as a guest on The Merv Griffin Show in 1975 and again in 1977, and this resulted in "tens of thousands of new practitioners" around the USA.[13][138][139][140]

In the mid 1970s, the Maharishi's U.S. movement was operating 370 TM centres manned by 6,000 TM teachers.[11] At that time, the Maharishi also began approaching the business community via an organisation called the American Foundation for SCI (AFSCI), whose objective was to eliminate stress for business professionals. His TM movement came to be increasingly structured along the lines of a multinational corporation.[96]

The teaching of TM and the Science of Creative Intelligence in a New Jersey public school was stopped when a US court, in 1977, declared the movement to be religious, and ruled adoption of TM by public organisations in breach of the separation of church and state (First Amendment).[141]

During the 1980s, the organisation continued to expand and his meditation technique continued to attract celebrities[11] despite its "outlandish claims" and accusations of fraud from disaffected former disciples.[96] The TM organization made a number of property investments, buying a former Rothschild mansion in England, Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, Roydon Hall in Maidstone, Swythamley Park in the Peak District, and a Georgian rectory in Suffolk.[96] In the United States, resorts and hotels, many in city centres, were purchased to be used as TM training centres. Doug Henning and the Maharishi planned a magical Vedic amusement park, Vedaland, and bought large tracts of land near Orlando, Florida, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, to host the park. The theme park was supposed to be the a gateway into understanding the mysteries of the universe. According to the Maharishi's official Vedic city wedbsite, "Entering Veda Land through a secret cave on a windswept plateau high in the Himalayas the adventure starts as one travels through a waterfall that leads to a forest where an ancient Vedic civilization awaits to reveal the deepest secrets of the universe (sic)".[142] These plans were never executed and, for Niagara Falls, Veda Land turned out to be just another theme park proposal that never materialized, joining an eclectic list that includes the Worlds of Jules Verne, the Ancient Chinese City and even Canada's Wonderland when it was first being planned.[143] The Maharishi commissioned plans from a prominent architect for the world's tallest building, a Vedic-style pyramid to be built in So Paulo, Brazil, and to be filled with Yogic Flyers and other TM endeavours.[144] The Maharishi founded Maharishi Ved Vigyan Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a self-described educational institution located in Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1982. The institution reports that it has trained 50,000 pundits in traditional Vedic recitation.[145][146] In 1983, the Maharishi invited government leaders to interact with his organization called "World Government".[34]

In January 1988, offices at the Maharishinagar complex in New Delhi were raided by Indian tax authorities and the Maharishi and his organisation were accused of falsifying expenses.[147] Reports on the value of stocks, fixed-deposit notes, cash and jewels confiscated, vary from source to source.[148][149][150][151] The Maharishi, who was "headquartered in Switzerland" at the time, reportedly moved to the Netherlands "after the Indian government accused him of tax fraud".[152]) Following an earthquake in Armenia, the Maharishi trained Russian TM teachers and set up a Maharishi Ayurveda training center in the Urals region.[153] Beginning in 1989, the Maharishi's movement began incorporating the term "Maharishi" into the names of their new and existing entities, concepts and programmes.[154]

In 1990, the Maharishi relocated his headquarters from Seelisberg, Switzerland, to a former Franciscan monastery in Vlodrop, the Netherlands, which became known as MERU, Holland, on account of the Maharishi European Research University (MERU) campus there.[155][156] During his time in Vlodrop, he communicated to the public mainly via video and the internet. He also created a subscription-based, satellite TV channel, called Veda Vision, which broadcast content in 22 languages and 144 countries.[96]

In 1991, the Maharishi called Washington D.C. a "pool of mud" after a decade of attempts to lower the rate of crime in the city, which had the second-largest TM community in the US. He told his followers to leave and save themselves from its "criminal atmosphere".[157] The Maharishi is believed to have made his final public appearance in 1991, in Maastricht, the Netherlands.[158]Deepak Chopra, described as "one of the Maharishi's top assistants before he launched his own career",[13] wrote that the Maharishi collapsed in 1991 with kidney and pancreas failure, that the illness was kept secret by the Maharishi's family and that he tended to Maharishi during a year-long recovery. According to Chopra, the Maharishi accused him, in July 1993, of trying to compete for the position of guru and asked him to stop travelling and writing books, which led to Chopra's decision to leave the movement in January 1994.[159]

As part of a world plan for peace, the Maharishi inaugurated the Natural Law Party (NLP) and calling it a "natural government."[122] His adherents founded the NLP in 1992.[160] It was active in forty-two countries.[161]John Hagelin, the NLP's three-time candidate for U.S. president, denied any formal connection between the Maharishi and the party.[162] According to spokesman Bob Roth, "The Maharishi has said the party has to grow to encompass everyone".[161] Critics charged that the party was an effort to recruit people for Transcendental Meditation,[163] and that it resembled "the political arm of an international corporation" more than a "home-grown political creation".[164] The Indian arm of the NLP, the Ajeya Bharat Party, achieved electoral success, winning one seat in a state assembly in 1998.[165] The Maharishi shut down the political effort in 2004, saying, "I had to get into politics to know what is wrong there."[166]

In 1992, the Maharishi began to send groups of Yogic Flyers to countries like India, Brazil, China and America in an effort to promote world peace through "coherent world consciousness".[122] In 1993 and 2003, he decided to raise the fees for learning the TM technique.[167][168][169]

In 1997 the Maharishi's organization built the largest wooden structure in the Netherlands without using any nails.[96][158][170][171] The building was the Maharishi's residence for the last two decades of his life. In later years, the Maharishi rarely left his two-room quarters in order to preserve his health and energy.[172] He used videoconferencing to communicate with the world and with his advisors.[172][173] Built to Maharishi Sthapatya Veda architectural standards, the structure, according to the Maharishi, is said to have helped him infuse "the light of Total Knowledge" into "the destiny of the human race".[174][175]

In 2000, the Maharishi founded the Global Country of World Peace (GCWP) "to create global world peace by unifying all nations in happiness, prosperity, invincibility and perfect health, while supporting the rich diversity of our world family".[3][176] The Maharishi crowned Tony Nader, a physician and MIT-trained neuroscientist,[40] as the king or Maharaja of the GCWP in 2000.[177] The GCWP unsuccessfully attempted to establish a sovereign micronation when it offered US$1.3 billion to the President of Suriname for a 200-year lease of 3,500 acres (14km2) of land and in 2002, attempted to choose a king for the Talamanca, a "remote Indian reservation" in Costa Rica.[178][179]

In 2001, followers of the Maharishi founded Maharishi Vedic City a few miles north of Fairfield, Iowa, in the United States. This new city requires that the construction of its homes and buildings be done according to the Maharishi Sthapatya Veda principles of "harmony with nature".[180]

In a 2002 appearance on the CNN show, Larry King Live, the first time in twenty-five years that the Maharishi had appeared in the mainstream media, he said "Transcendental Meditation is something that can be defined as a means to do what one wants to do in a better way, a right way, for maximum results".[95] It was occasioned by the reissue of the Maharishi's book The Science of Being and Art of Living.[181] That same year, the Maharishi Global Financing Research Foundation issued the "RAAM" as a currency "dedicated to financing peace promoting projects".[96]

In 2003, David Lynch began a fundraising project to raise US$1 billion "on behalf of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi" to build a meditation centre large enough to hold 8,000 skilled practitioners.[182]

The Maharishi ordered a suspension of TM training in Britain in 2005 due to his opposition to prime minister Tony Blair's decision to support the Iraq War.[183] The Maharishi said that he did not want to waste the "beautiful nectar" of TM on a "scorpion nation".[183][184] He lifted the ban after Blair's resignation in 2007.[185] During this period, skeptics were critical of some of the Maharishi's programmes, such as a $10 trillion plan to end poverty through organic farming in poor countries and a $1 billion plan to use meditation groups to end conflict.[155]

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, concerned about his health,[186] became increasingly secluded in two rooms of his residence.[155] During this period he rarely had "face-to-face" meetings and instead communicated with his followers "almost exclusively by closed-circuit television."[187]

On 12 January 2008 his ninetieth birthday the Maharishi declared: "It has been my pleasure at the feet of Guru Dev (Brahmananda Saraswati), to take the light of Guru Dev and pass it on in my environment. Now today, I am closing my designed duty to Guru Dev. And I can only say, 'Live long the world in peace, happiness, prosperity, and freedom from suffering.'"[188][189][190]

A week before his death, the Maharishi said that he was "stepping down as leader of the TM movement" and "retreating into silence" and that he planned to spend his remaining time studying "the ancient Indian texts".[95][103] The Maharishi died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes on 5 February 2008 at his residence in Vlodrop, Netherlands.[191] The cremation and funeral rites were conducted at the Maharishi's Allahabad ashram in India, overlooking the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers.[192][193]

The funeral, with state honours,[194] was carried by Sadhana TV station and was presided over by one of the claimants to the seat of Shankaracharya of the North, Swami Vasudevananda Saraswati Maharaj.[195] Indian officials who attended the funeral included central minister Subodh Kant Sahay; Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal; and former Uttar Pradesh assembly speaker and state BJP leader Keshri Nath Tripathi, as well as top local officials.[196] Also in attendance were thirty-five rajas of the Global Country of World Peace, one-time disciple Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and David Lynch.[197] A troop of uniformed policemen lowered their arms in salute.[197] The funeral received its status as a state funeral because the Maharishi was a recognised master in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta founded by Shankara.[196]

The Maharishi is survived by a brother and "a number of nephews".[198] One nephew, Girish Chandra Varma,[199] is chairman of the Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools Group[200][201] and a "senior functionary of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement in India."[198] Other nephews include Prakash Shrivastav,[202] president of Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools[203] and Anand Shrivastava,[204] chairman of the Maharishi Group.[205]

In its obituary, BBC News reported that the Maharishi's master had bequeathed him "the task of keeping the tradition of Transcendental Meditation alive" and that "the Maharishi's commercial mantras drew criticism from stricter Hindus, but his promises of better health, stress relief and spiritual enlightenment drew devotees from all over the world".[32]Paul McCartney commented saying that "Whilst I am deeply saddened by his passing, my memories of him will only be joyful ones. He was a great man who worked tirelessly for the people of the world and the cause of unity."[206]

The Maharishi left a legacy that includes the revival of India's ancient spiritual tradition of meditation, which he made available to everyone.[207] He is considered responsible for the popularisation of meditation in the west,[208][209] something he accomplished by teaching Transcendental Meditation worldwide through a highly effective organization of his own development.[207] The Maharishi is also credited with "the proposal of the existence of a unique or fourth state of consciousness with a basis in physiology" and the application of scientific studies to research on the physiological effects of Transcendental Meditation and the development of higher states of consciousness, areas previously relegated to mysticism.[210][211][212][213] Partly because of this, Newsweek credited him with helping to launch "a legitimate new field of neuroscience."[214][215] According to the Times of India his "unique and enduring contribution to humankind was his deep understanding of and mechanics of experiencing pure consciousness".[210] A memorial building, the Maharishi Smarak, was inaugurated at Allahabad in February 2013.[216][217]

The Maharishi had come out to teach with the "avowed intention" to change "the course of human history".[102] When he first began teaching he had three main aims: to revive the spiritual tradition in India, that meditation was for everyone and not just for recluses, and to show that Vedanta is compatible with science.[215] The Maharishi had a message of happiness, writing in 1967 that "being happy is of the utmost importance. Success in anything is through happiness. Under all circumstances be happy. Just think of any negativity that comes at you as a raindrop falling into the ocean of your bliss".[95] His philosophy featured the concept that "within everyone is an unlimited reservoir of energy, intelligence, and happiness".[18] He emphasised the naturalness of his meditation technique as a simple way of developing this potential.[218]

Beginning in 1962, the Maharishi began to recommend the daily practice of yoga exercises or asanas to further accelerate growth.[219]

He also taught that practising Transcendental Meditation twice a day would create inner peace and that "mass meditation sessions" could create outer peace by reducing violence and war.[95] According to a TM website, the performance of yagyas by 7,000 pandits in India, plus hundreds of Yogic Flyers in Germany, brought "coherence and unity in the collective consciousness of Germany" and caused the fall of the Berlin Wall.[220][221][222] One religion scholar, Michael York, considers the Maharishi to have been the most articulate spokesman for the spiritual argument that a critical mass of people becoming enlightened through the practice of "meditation and yogic discipline" will trigger the New Age movement's hoped-for period of postmillennial "peace, harmony, and collective consciousness".[223] Religious studies scholar Carl Olson writes that the TM technique was based on "a neo-Vedanta metaphysical philosophy in which an unchanging reality is opposed to an ever-changing phenomenal world" and that the Maharishi says it is not necessary to renounce worldly activities to gain enlightenment, unlike other ascetic traditions.[218]

According to author Jack Forem, the Maharishi stated that the experience of transcendence, which resulted in a naturally increasing refinement of mind and body, enabled people to naturally behave in more correct ways. Thus, behavioral guidelines did not need to be issued, and were best left to the teachings of various religions: "It is much easier to raise a man's consciousness than to get him to act righteously" the Maharishi said.[224]

Some religious studies scholars have further said that Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is one of a number of Indian gurus who brought neo-Hindu adaptations of Vedantic Hinduism to the west.[225][226][227] Author Meera Nanda calls neo-Hinduism "the brand of Hinduism that is taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Deepak Chopra, and their clones".[228] J. R. Coplin, a sociologist and MIU graduate, says that the Maharishi saw his own purpose as "the 'revival' of the knowledge of an integrated life based upon Vedic principles and Vedantist reality".[42]

Author Barry Miles writes that, in spite of the media's scepticism for the Maharishi's spiritual message, they seized upon him because young people seemed to listen to his pro-establishment, anti-drug message with one TM participant saying the Maharishi "signaled the beginning of the post-acid generation".[102][109]

During a CNN interview in 2002, the Maharishi said "Transcendental meditation is something that can be defined as a means to do what one wants to do in a better way, a right way, for maximum results".[95] His movement offered in-residence style TM advanced courses.[229] By the time of his death, there were nearly 1,000 TM training centres around the world.[96]

The Maharishi is credited as having contributed to the western world a meditation technique that is both simple and systematic as well as introducing the scientific study of meditation.[230]

In the mid 1970s, the Maharishi began the TM-Sidhi programme, which included Yogic Flying, as an additional option for those who had been practising the Transcendental Meditation technique for some time. According to Coplin, this new aspect of knowledge emphasised not only the individual, but also the collective benefits created by group practice of this advanced programme.[231] This new programme gave rise to a new principle called the Maharishi Effect, which is said to "create coherence in the collective consciousness" and to suppress crime, violence, and accidents.[232]

Maharishi Vedic Science (MVS) is based on the Maharishi's interpretation of the ancient Vedic texts based on his master, Brahmananda Saraswati's teachings.[233] MVS aims to put forward traditional Vedic literature in the light of Western traditions of knowledge and understanding.[234] According to Roy Ascott, MVS also explains the potential for every human being to experience the infinite nature of transcendental consciousness, also defined as Being or Self, while engaged in normal activities of daily life.[235] Once this state is fully established an individual is no longer influenced by outer aspects of existence and perceives pure consciousness in everything.[235] MVS includes two aspects, the practical aspect of the Transcendental Meditation technique and the TM-Sidhi programme, as well as the theoretical aspect of how MVS is applied to day to day living.[236] These applications include programmes in: Maharishi Vedic Approach to Health (MVAH);[237][238]Maharishi Sthapatya Veda, a mathematical system for the design and construction of buildings;[239][240] Maharishi Gandharva Veda,[241][242] a form of classical Indian music; Maharishi Jyotish (also known as Maharishi Vedic Astrology),[242][243] a system claiming the evaluation of life tendencies of an individual; Maharishi Vedic Agriculture, a trademarked process for producing fresh, organic food; and Consciousness-Based Education.[244][245] According to educator James Grant, a former Maharishi University of Management Associate Professor of Education and the former Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Maharishi brought out a "full revival of the Vedic tradition of knowledge from India" and demonstrated its relevance in many areas including education, business, medicine and government.[246]

The Maharishi wrote more than twenty books on the Transcendental Meditation technique and Maharishi Vedic Science.[247]

In 1955, the organisers of the Great Spiritual Development Conference of Kerala published The Beacon Light of the Himalayas, a transcribed 170-page "souvenir" of the conference. Authors Chryssides, Humes and Forsthoefel, Miller, and Russel cite this as the Maharishi's first published book on Transcendental Meditation, although Transcendental Meditation is not mentioned in the text of the book.[248][249][250][251][252] The book is dedicated to Maharshi Bala Brahmachari Mahesh Yogi Rajaram by his devotees of Kerala and contains photographs, letters and lectures by numerous authors which appear in various languages such as English, Hindi and Sanskrit.[248]

In 1963, the Maharishi audiotaped the text of the book Science of Being and Art of Living, which was later transcribed and published in fifteen languages.[95][253][254] K.T. Weidmann describes the book as the Maharishi's fundamental philosophical treatise, one in which its author provides an illustration of the ancient Vedic traditions of India in terms that can be easily interpreted and understood by the scientific thinking of the western world.[2] In the Science of Being, the Maharishi illustrates the concepts of relative existence as the experience of everyday reality through one's senses, and absolute reality as the origin of being, and the source of all creative intelligence.[255] The Maharishi describes this absolute reality, or Being, as unchanging, omnipresent, and eternal. He also identifies it with bliss consciousness. The two aspects of reality, the relative and the absolute, are like an ocean with many waves.[256] The waves represent the relative, and the ocean beneath is the foundation of everything, or Being. Establishing oneself in the field of Being, or unchanging reality, ensures stability.[256]

In his Science of Being the Maharishi introduced an additional concept: that of fulfillment viewed as something to be obtained not through exertion or self effort, but through the progressive settling of the mind during the practice of TM.[255][257] This was the first full systematic description of the principles underlying the Maharishi's teachings.[258]

In his 1967 publication, Bhagavad-Gita: A New Translation and Commentary, the Maharishi describes the Bhagavad Gita as "the Scripture of Yoga". He says that "its purpose is to explain in theory and practice all that is needed to raise the consciousness of man to the highest possible level."[259] According to Peter Russell, the Bhagavad-Gita deals with the concept of loss of knowledge and subsequent revival, and this is brought out by the Maharishi himself in the introduction.[260] In the Preface, the Maharishi writes: "The purpose of this commentary is to restore the fundamental truths of the Bhagavad-Gita and thus restore the significance of its teaching. If this teaching is followed, effectiveness in life will be achieved, men will be fulfilled on all levels and the historical need of the age will be fulfilled also."[261]

A second concept, that of freedom, presented as the antithesis of fear, is also prevalent in the book, according to Jack Forem.[262] Forem states that in his interpretation of the Gita, the Maharishi expressed several times that as man gains greater awareness through the practice of Transcendental Meditation, he gradually establishes a level of contentment which remain increasingly grounded within him and in which the mind does not waver and is not affected by either attachment or fear.[263]

The Maharishi was reported to be a vegetarian,[29] an entrepreneur, a monk and "a spiritual man who sought a world stage from which to espouse the joys of inner happiness".[17] He was described as an abstemious man with tremendous energy who took a weekly day of silence while sleeping only two hours per night.[29] He did not present himself as a guru or claim his teachings as his own. Instead he taught "in the name of his guru Brahmananda Saraswati"[23] and paid tribute to him by placing a picture of Saraswati behind him when he spoke.[29] He was on a mission to bring the ancient techniques of TM to the world.[67] Scientist and futurist Buckminister Fuller spent two days with the Maharishi at a symposium at the University of Massachusetts in 1971 and said, "You could not meet with Maharishi without recognizing instantly his integrity."[264] Authors Douglas E. Cowan and David G. Bromley write that the Maharishi did not claim any "special divine revelation nor supernatural personal qualities".[265] Still others said he helped to "inspire the anti-materialism of the late 60s" and received good publicity because he "opposed drugs".[18][266] According to author Chryssides, "The Maharishi tended to emphasize the positive aspects of humanity, focusing on the good that exists in everyone."[267]

According to The Times the Maharishi attracted scepticism because of his involvement with wealthy celebrities, his business acumen, and his love of luxury, including touring in a Rolls-Royce.[96] A reporter for The Economist calls this a "misconception" saying: "He did not use his money for sinister ends. He neither drank, nor smoked, nor took drugs. ... He did not accumulate scores of Rolls-Royces, like Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh; his biggest self-indulgence was a helicopter. "[268][269] When some observers questioned how his organisation's money was being used, the Maharishi said, "It goes to support the centres, it does not go on me. I have nothing."[270]

He was often referred to as the "Giggling Guru" because of his habit of laughing during television interviews.[35][183] Diminutive at a little over five feet tall, the Maharishi often wore a traditional cotton or silk, white dhoti while carrying or wearing flowers.[3] He often sat cross-legged on a deerskin and had a "grayish-white beard, mustache and long, dark, stringy hair".[3][271]Barry Miles described the Maharishi as having "liquid eyes, twinkling but inscrutable with the wisdom from the East".[272] Miles said the Maharishi in his seventies looked much younger than his age.[273] He had a high pitched voice and in the words of Merv Griffin, "a long flowing beard and a distinctive, high pitched laugh that I loved to provoke".[140][273]

Biographer Paul Mason's web site says that Swami Swaroopananda, one of three claimants to the title Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, is "an outspoken critic" of the Maharishi. According to Swaroopananda, the Maharishi "was responsible for the controversy over Shankaracharyas" because he gave Shankarcharya Swami Shantanad encouragement and assistance in fighting the court case which challenged Shantanand's inheritance of the title.[274] In a review of the documentary film David Wants to Fly, Variety magazine reported Swaroopananda's assertion that "as a member of the trader class" the Maharishi "has no right to give mantras or teach meditation".[36] According to religious scholar Cynthia Humes, enlightened individuals of any caste may "teach brahmavidya"[275] and author Patricia Drake writes that "when Guru Dev was about to die he charged Maharishi with teaching laymen ... to meditate".[276] Mason says Shantanand "publicly commended the practice of the Maharishi's meditation"[277] and sociologist J.R. Coplin says that Shantanand's successor, Swami Vishnudevanand, also "speaks highly of the Maharishi".[25][278]

The British satirical magazine Private Eye ridiculed him as "Veririchi Lotsamoney Yogi Bear".[33] The Maharishi was also parodied by comedians Bill Dana and Joey Forman in the 1968 comedy album The Mashuganishi Yogi,[279] by comedian Mike Myers in the film The Love Guru,[280] and in the BBC sketch show Goodness Gracious Me.[281] He was portrayed by actor Gerry Bednob in the 2007 film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. He was also the subject of The Beatles' song Sexy Sadie.[282] In an episode of the popular BBC Radio 4 fictional comedy show Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge a comment is made about Yogi when Partridge is interviewing a spiritual man comparing him to Buddha, Dalai Lama, Uri Geller and "that man The Beatles went to see..."

Maharishi International University (renamed Maharishi University of Management (MUM) in 1995), the first university the Maharishi founded, began classes in Santa Barbara, California, in 1973. In 1974 the university moved to Fairfield, Iowa, where it remains today. The university houses a library of the Maharishi's taped lectures and writings, including the thirty-three-lesson Science of Creative Intelligence course, originally a series of lectures given by the Maharishi in Fiuggi, Italy, in 1972. Described in the MUM university catalogue as combining modern science and Vedic science,[283] the course also defines certain higher states of consciousness, and gives guidance on how to attain these states.[284]

The Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools (MVMS), an educational system established in sixteen Indian states and affiliated with the New Delhi Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), was founded in 1995 by the Maharishi.[285] It has 148 branches in 118 cities with 90,000 to 100,000 students and 5,500 teaching and support staff.[286]

In 1998, Maharishi Open University was founded by the Maharishi. It was accessible via a network of eight satellites broadcasting to every country in the world, and via the Internet.[287][288]

The Maharishi also introduced theories of management, defence, and government[284] programmes designed to alleviate poverty, and introduced a new economic development currency called the RAAM.[289] In 2000, the Maharishi began building administrative and teaching centres called "Peace Palaces" around the world, and by 2008 at least eight had been constructed in the US alone.[290] The Maharishi Institute, an African university that is part of a group of schools around the world that are named after him, was founded in 2007 and uses his Transcendental Meditation technique in their teaching.[291][292]

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in his farewell message on 11 January 2008, announced the establishment of the Brahmananda Saraswati Trust (BST), named in honour of his teacher, to support large groups totalling more than 30,000 peace-creating Vedic Pandits in perpetuity across India.[293] The Patron of the Brahmanand Saraswati Trust is the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math.[188]

The Maharishi is credited with heading charitable organisations, for-profit businesses, and real estate investments whose total value has been estimated at various times, to range from US$2 to US$5 billion. The real estate alone was valued in 2003 at between $3.6 and $5 billion.[294] Holdings in the United States, estimated at $250 million in 2008, include dozens of hotels, commercial buildings and undeveloped land.[290] The Maharishi "amassed a personal fortune that his spokesman told one reporter may exceed $1 billion".[295] According to a 2008 article in The Times, the Maharishi "was reported to have an income of six million pounds".[96] The Maharishi's movement is said to be funded through donations, course fees for Transcendental Meditation and various real estate transactions.[296]

In his biography of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, The Story of the Maharishi (published 1976), William Jefferson suggests that the financial aspect of the TM organisation was one of the greatest controversies it faced. The controversy circled around the Maharishi's mission, the comments from leaders of the movement at that time, and fees and charges the TM organisation made. Jefferson says that the concerns with money came from journalists more than those who have learned to meditate.[297]

View post:

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Blog

See all Posts

Michael Greger MD, 09.01.2016

The National Institutes of Health AARP study of hundreds of thousands of Americans followed for years found that frequent consumption of sweetened beverages, especially diet drinks, may increase depression risk among older adults. Whether soda, fruit-flavored drinks, or iced tea, those...

Read Post | Comments (1)

Janice Stanger, PhD, 08.10.2016

Have you ever anxiously wondered, when planning a trip, how you would find plant-based meals to stay full, energized, and happy? I found Wendy Werneth's free ebook, 9 Steps for Easy Vegan Travel, so useful that I contacted her to learn more...

Read Post | Comments (2)

Dustin Rudolph, PharmD, 03.31.2016

When I first switched to eating a healthier, plant-based diet I continued to eat fish. I believed I was doing my body good by doing this. After all, fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects...

Read Post | Comments (6)

Jess Parsons, 11.30.2015

Shocking footage, as published on TV. And further unaired footage, from Farmwatch. Of course, it's only shocking if you haven't been paying attention. For decades, investigative psychic geniuses, I mean, animal activists like those at Farmwatch always manage to find the...

Read Post | Comments (2)

Walter Jacobson, M.D., 08.16.2015

Make a commitment to truth, compassion, calm, acceptance and forgiveness. Put these into practice as best you can every day, unconditionally and without exceptions. If you do this consistently: happiness, health, relationships and material success will all improve. SCROLL DOWN TO SEE...

Read Post | Comments (14)

Chef AJ, 07.16.2015

Dear Vegsource Friends, I am running an Indie Go Go campaign to raise funds to shoot 7 more episodes of Healthy Living with Chef AJ which airs on Foody TV. You can see the campaign and the various perks, such as...

Read Post | Comments (2)

J Morris Hicks, 06.01.2015

Our Food Choices in the 21st Century Life began on our planet about four billion years ago. The human species emerged just 200,000 years ago. If you crammed those four billion years of history into one year, we've been here for just...

Read Post | Comments (12)

Ellen Sheen, 02.06.2015

After all these years, I'm still a girl who would rather make it herself than buy it. First, it's cheaper! And second, you know exactly what is in it. So when my oldest kiddo was sick and requested noodle soup, I took...

Read Post | Comments (8)

Christie Mitchell Beck MD OB-GYN, 02.01.2015

It's been less than a month, but Kickstart Your Health Little Rock has already made huge strides in helping our city get healthy and feel good! Now, it's still not too late to sign up for the free and fun 21-day healthy...

Read Post | Comments (30)

Pam Popper PhD, 04.07.2014

The Diet and Lifestyle Intervention Course begins Weds June 4! Instructors include Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Caldwell Essestyn, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Ralph Moss, Dr. Pam Popper, and many others. Topics include intense study of plant-based nutrition and disease treatment, with specific...

Read Post | Comments (9)

Sarah Taylor, 02.06.2014

I know many people made a New Years Resolution to go vegan. And I also know that, around this time of year, many resolutions are broken. So, I wanted to write to those of you who may be struggling, and offer up...

Read Post | Comments (0)

Dr. Will Tuttle, 12.24.2013

I am the Vegan Activist I am the vegan activist, My heart filled with the wish to relieve the hideous suffering Mysteriously inflicted on animals seen as food. Rising early, sitting in silence every day, listening within, opening... dilating.... I am...

Read Post | Comments (5)

Vegparadise Blog, 10.07.2013

In this era where so many kids and families struggle with obesity, it is unconscionable for a library to offer any kind of food as a reading incentive and act as an advertising agent for a food company. It is also unconscionable...

Read Post | Comments (5)

Read more from the original source:

Vegsource - Your source for all things vegan and vegetarian.

Find vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly restaurants here

Help us promote sustainable diets here

During September Shop at

and Support The VRG

For the month of September, TheVegetarianSite will donate a portion of your purchase to The VRG. TheVegetarianSite offers non-leather shoes and clothing, cruelty free personal care products, books, videos, food, and more. We thank them, and we'd like to thank you for supporting The Vegetarian Resource Group!

Join The VRG with $35 via our subscription form, and receive the Vegetarian Journal for two years and a copy of Simply Vegan!

Help yourself and others. Click here for ways to support this website and The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Read the latest articles (PDF):

May Kaidee the Vegan Thai Goddess and My Visit to Plum Village Monastery; Dessert Smoothies; Pakistani Vegan Cuisine; Being a Vegan Culinary Arts Student; Potato Chips' Water Footprint; Veganic Gardening; Vegan Donuts; Nutrition Hotline; Note from the Coordinators; Letters to the Editors; Scientific Update; Notes from The VRG Scientific Department; Vegan Thai Dinner in Boston; Veggie Bits; Book Reviews; Creating a Veggie World; Vegan Cooking Tips; Vegetarian Action; Vegan Meals for Charity"

View the entire catalog

Check out VRG's video, "A Hunter's Guide to His Vegetarian Daughter and His Vegan Son," and share with your friends!

Read more from the original source:

The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG)

Basil Bandwagon Natural Market Clinton 38 Old Rt 32

Flemington 276 Hgw 202/31

Website

They sell organic foods, vitamins, herbs, health and beauty products.

Bonterra Market 3112 Fire Road Egg Harbor TWP, NJ08234 Website They sell natural, organic and whole foods, nutritional products, body care products and provide health information

Dean's Natural Food Market -

25 Mountainview Blvd Basking Ridge, NJ

1119 Highway 35 Ocean, NJ 07712

490 Broad Street Shrewsbury, NJ 07702

Website

New Jersey based organic and natural food stores with three locations. They only offer 100% USDA Certified Organic Fruits and Vegetables. They are committed to having a place people could come to ask questions and gain knowledge about organic foods, vitamins and healthy lifestyles. Cooking classes in vegan,vegetarian, and other special events are also offered.

George Street Co-op 89 Morris Street New Brunswick, NJ Website A non-profit natural foods store owned and run by its members. They sell vegetarian foods organic produce, bulk foods, vitamins & herbs, body care and earth-friendly products, gifts, and more. Everyone is welcome to shop and/or join, with extra benefits available to members.

Grassroots Natural Market

Denville, NJ

Morristown, NJ:

66 Morris Street Website

Two new jersey locations. Sells fresh, high-quality organic produce, natural and organic grocery products, natural health and beauty aids and vitamins'

Green Street Market 3156 Rt. 9 South Rio Grande, NJ Website

They sell organic produce, grass-fed, all natural meats, and organic house made wraps, soups, salads, and specialty items

Happy Carrot 636 Kinderkamack Rd River Edge, NJ 07661 (201) 986-0818 They carry a variety of vegan and vegetarian frozen and fresh foods. The sandwiches are prepared and refrigerated, such as "chicken salad" sans chicken. They offer a good variety of gluten free, vegan,and supplements.

Nature's Corner Natural Market 2407 Rt. 71 and Snyder Ave Spring Lake Hts, NJ, 07762 Website A full service organic and natural food market selling USDA certified organic produce, groceries and cosmetics,along with a soups, salad bar, juices and smoothies. Cooking classes are also offered.

Nature's Pavilion Natural Food Market 564 State Route 23 Pompton Plains, NJ07444 Website They sell natural, organic and whole foods, nutritional products, body care products.

North Slope Farm Lambertville, NJ 386 Rock Rd Website A 50 acre, diversified organic farm whose primary cash products are vegetables, flowers, Eggs free range, and herbs grown on five acres. Other involvements include compost, hay, straw, pasture, fruit, infrastructure, waterways, buffer zones, woodlands, wetlands and community involvement. Their products are sold at:

West Windsor Community Farmers Market Vaughn Drive Princeton Junction Train Station, Saturdays 9 1 Open May Thanksgiving. Summit Downtown Farmers Market Corner of Deforest Ave and Maple Street Sundays 8am 1pm, Open May - Thanksgiving

See the rest here:

Organic Food Stores In New Jersey - New Jerey Leisure Guide

Alexander C.N., et al. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994.

Aron E.N. and Aron A. The patterns of reduction of drug and alcohol use among Transcendental Meditation participants. Bulletin of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 2: 28-33, 1983.

Clements G., et al. The use of the Transcendental Meditation programme in the prevention of drug abuse and in the treatment of drug-addicted persons. Bulletin on Narcotics 40(1): 5156, 1988.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Orme-Johnson D. W. Transcendental Meditation as an epidemiological approach to drug and alcohol abuse: Theory, research, and financial impact evaluation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 119-165, 1994.

Royer A. The role of the Transcendental Meditation technique in promoting smoking cessation: A longitudinal study. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 219-236, 1994.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and marijuana. American Journal of Psychiatry 131: 60-63, 1974.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and the prevention of alcohol abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry 132: 942-945, 1975.

Wallace R.K. et al. Decreased drug abuse with Transcendental Meditation: A study of 1,862 subjects. In Drug Abuse: Proceedings of the International Conference, ed. Chris J.D. Zarafonetis (Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger): 369-376, 1972.

Walton K. G., and Levitsky, D.A. A neuroendocrine mechanism for the reduction of drug use and addictions by Transcendental Meditation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 89-117, 1994.

Excerpt from:

Meditation Classes Evanston - Transcendental Meditation

Alexander C.N., et al. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994.

Aron E.N. and Aron A. The patterns of reduction of drug and alcohol use among Transcendental Meditation participants. Bulletin of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 2: 28-33, 1983.

Clements G., et al. The use of the Transcendental Meditation programme in the prevention of drug abuse and in the treatment of drug-addicted persons. Bulletin on Narcotics 40(1): 5156, 1988.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Orme-Johnson D. W. Transcendental Meditation as an epidemiological approach to drug and alcohol abuse: Theory, research, and financial impact evaluation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 119-165, 1994.

Royer A. The role of the Transcendental Meditation technique in promoting smoking cessation: A longitudinal study. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 219-236, 1994.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and marijuana. American Journal of Psychiatry 131: 60-63, 1974.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and the prevention of alcohol abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry 132: 942-945, 1975.

Wallace R.K. et al. Decreased drug abuse with Transcendental Meditation: A study of 1,862 subjects. In Drug Abuse: Proceedings of the International Conference, ed. Chris J.D. Zarafonetis (Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger): 369-376, 1972.

Walton K. G., and Levitsky, D.A. A neuroendocrine mechanism for the reduction of drug use and addictions by Transcendental Meditation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 89-117, 1994.

Follow this link:

Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technique - Atlanta, GA

1) Where is the Ashram ?

-

The MCKS Arhatic Yoga Ashram is situated at village Nive in Mulshi Taluka, District Pune. It is about 70 Kms from Pune City and about 220 Kms from Mumbai.

-

Pune airport is the closest airport. Mumbai domestic and International Airports can also be considered for reaching the Ashram.

-

Pune Railway Station is the closest railway station.

-

Mumbai to the Ashram is a distance of about 220 Kms. Visitors may travel along the Mumbai-Pune Express highway and reach Chandni Chowk in Kothrud area. From here one has to turn towards the Ashram and go a further 55 Kms.

-

From Pune to the Ashram, the distance is 70 Kms. The visitors will have to follow Paud Road and pass through Pirangut, Paud and go towards Mulshi. After reaching Mulshi, the road passes thru Tamhini village and reaches Nive Village. Immediately after Nive village, the road branches out and the branch leads to the Ashram. The Ashram is just one kilometer from this diversion.

-

The present taxi charges from Mumbai to Ashram are Rs.3500 for one way drop. The charges include toll charges and the charges are payable to the taxi driver on reaching the Ashram. Similar charge of Rs.3500 is applicable for the return trip. The charges may be shared among the visitors sharing the taxi and about 4-5 persons can travel in a taxi.

-

The present taxi charges from Pune to Ashram are Rs.1800 for one way drop. The charges include toll charges and the same have to be paid to the driver on reaching the Ashram. The charges may be shared among the visitors sharing the taxi and about 4-5 persons can travel in a taxi.

Can a taxi be arranged to travel to the Ashram from Mumbai/Pune?

-

Taxis can be arranged by the Ashram on request being sent to the Ashram on gmail . The details that are required for booking the taxi are name/s of the visitor/s, date & time off arrival, mode of travel, train/flight number and the carrier. Mobile number of at least one person in the group is required to facilitate communicating the vehicle details. Taxis should be booked at least two days before the arrival.

-

The monsoon is from June to September and the rains may be heavy. October, November can be warm followed by winter months Decemeber, January. From February onwards the summer sets in and it will be warm.

Can our mobiles work at the Ashram?

-

The Ashram is situated between a mountain and a valley and only some mobiles work at the Ashram in limited areas.

Does the Ashram have Internet and can the guests use the same?

-

The Ashram does have Internet facility but at the moment the Ashram faces a problem of connectivity. The guests may use the Internet in case of very important work only. The guests should use this service to the minimum.

Does the Ashram have meditation CDs, sound system or does one have to bring them?

-

The Ashram has CDs for the meditations required for the Arhatic Practitioners. The Ashram also has a sound system for use in the meditation Halls.

Does the Ashram have an OHP/LCD projector, laptop for presentation?

-

The Administrative Building provides a classroom in which OHP/LCD projectors are available. Laptop computer is also available and the Arhatic Yogis may bring their presentation on back up devices.

Are there chairs available in meditation halls or does one have to sit on the floor?

-

Chairs are available for use in both the meditation halls as well as all the other places such as dining hall, administration office, units. Sitting on floor is optional and not compulsory.

Do I carry mineral water for drinking purposes?

-

Mineral water is provided for drinking purposes and jars of 20 litres are provided in individual units, meditation halls etc. The guests need not bring their own mineral water.

Does the Ashram provide bed and linen?

-

Each Unit has two beds with mattress, linen, pillow and blanket and

What is the type of food served in the Ashram?

-

The Ashram provides vegetarian food only. Breakfast consists of bread butter with jam, corn flakes, snacks such as Idli, Wada, Poha etc and is as per a schedule. Tea and coffee vending machines are provided in the dining hall and administrative building. The lunch and dinner consists of rice, chapattis, dal, vegetable, salad. Chinese is also served at times consisting of noodles, veg fried rice, veg Manchurian and at times the kitchen also provides pasta. The food is non spicy and simple but rich in nutritious value and sumptious. It is simple and enjoyable by all.

Is there a necessities shoppe at the Ashram for urgent requirements?

-

At the moment, there is no shop in or around the Ashram. Urgent necessities can be obtained from the Admin Office. In case the items are not available, they will have to be procured during the next visit to Pune for purchases.

Where can I change my money to Indian Rupees? Can the Ashram arrange the same?

-

The Ashram does not have any money changing facility. In case the same is required, the Admin staff will assist in getting the money exchanged from Pune during their regular visits.

How do I make the payment for the stay and board etc?

-

All payments for stay, board have to be made in cash. At par cheques of Indian Banks are accepted. No cheques on banks outside India are permissible. Similarly the Ashram cannot accept donations from foreigners or any other person giving an address outside India.

Can one make payment via credit card?

-

Payments via credit card are not acceptable.

Can one make payment by cheque?

-

Cheques can be made in favor of Arhatic Yoga Ashram Management Trust and should be on any bank in India.

In what name should the draft be made?

-

The cheque / draft has to be made in the name Arhatic Yoga Ashram Management Trust and should be payable at Pune.

Can one make payment in cash at the Ashram?

-

We encourage the guests to make their payments by cheque/DD in advance along with the registration for the event. Additional payments can be made at the Ashram in cash. The Ashram provides a receipt for the payment made.

Are donations to the Ashram exempted under IT Act?

-

Donations to the Ashram are exempted under Section 80G of Income Tax Act, 1961 and the exemption is renewed by the Income Tax department every three years. The present registration is valid until 31.3.2012.

Is there a laundry facility at the Ashram?

-

Laundry facility is offered to the guests and the Ashram requires at least two-three days for washing and ironing. The guest should avail of the facility provided there is sufficient time for his departure.

What does one need to carry for short duration a week, fortnight, month ?

-

It is better to travel light. You may bring your towels, suitable clothes considering the time of the year. During rainy season(June to August), guests may bring their rain clothes, rain shoes etc. Apart from this the normal clothes may be brought. The clothes should be light colored and should not be revealing in any form. Plunging necklines, sleeveless clothes may not be included and the participants need to follow the dress code at the Ashram.

Does the Ashram conduct all the courses specified for Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga?

-

The Ashram conducts only those courses which are allotted by the Acharyas and all the courses are not conducted at the Ashram. Normally the preliminary Basic courses are not conducted at the Ashram. The Ashram is a spiritual resort for intensive practice, higher courses, study and meditations.

What is daily schedule at the Ashram?

-

The daily Ashram consists of meditations in the morning, book studies & discussions in the afternoon, walk in the evening and special sessions planned by the Acharyas. The Arhatic meditations are conducted as per a fixed schedule and the participants are expected to follow the schedule at the Ashram.

Does the Ashram have a library? What books are there are there in the library?

-

The Ashram has a library. All the books written by GMCKS are available. In addition, the library carries books on Theosophy, Yoga written by renowned authors.

Who can visit the Ashram? Who are allowed to stay at the Ashram?

-

All pranic healers and Arhatic practitioners can visit the Ashram. Prior permission of the management for a visit to the Ashram. Only Arhatic practitioners are allowed to stay at the Ashram.

Are children allowed at the Ashram?

-

Children under 16 years are not allowed at the Ashram as per the Grandmasters instructions.

How does one register for an event?

-

Right to admission is reserved by the management. Interested persons may write a mail to....and procure the details of the events. Registration can be done by filling the form and making the payment of the registration charges. In case of higher courses, it may be necessary for the forms to be sent to the Acharyas for scanning and selection.

Read more:

GMCKS Ashram, Pune - GMCKS Arhatic Yoga Ashram

In starting the transition to a vegan diet, there are a few different strategies.

Some people shift into a vegan diet slowly, starting with vegan analogues plant-based foods whose taste resembles animal products. Some peoplesimply take out the animal products from their diet and replace them with plant foods with which they are already familiar with. While others concentrate on experimenting with entirely new vegan foods, often from international cuisines. Thankfully, there is no shortage of vegan foods to help make the transition. In fact, most of the food we eat is vegan, without us knowing it![/rescue_column]

An even better option is to grow your own food! If you have a porch that can hold large plant containers or a front or back yard with just a little space, start a garden of your own. Growing your own food is a healthy and cheaper way to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Go to your nearest library or bookstore and find out what grows best in your neck of the woods and get planting!

With a little time and practice, you will develop a new routine for planning meals and cooking. We recommend getting a good cookbook and experimenting, as well as checking out the amazing recipes from the Post Punk Kitchen and Healthy Happy Life. You could also visit our Recipe Archive and try out some vegan recipes.

In the meantime, here are some simple and healthy meal ideas to start with

Most grocery stores carry a great variety of vegan products and many have a Natural or Health Food section. Soy, rice, coconut, hemp, almond and oat milks are also available at many grocery stores, and work in most recipes calling for cows milk. Each has a different flavor, experiment to see which best suits you.

Soy margarines (that do not contain the dairy product whey) and soy yogurts are also available at most stores. The single analogue that has had the most trouble pleasing vegans is soy cheese. Several brands are available, but dont expect it to taste exactly like your favorite cheese. Daiya is a new and popular vegan cheese that is known for its cheese-like consistency and melting properties. There are several awesome cream cheese substitutes and no vegan refrigerator is complete without the mayonnaise substituteVeganaise.You also may want to try out some of the recipes from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook.There are several brands of soy, rice, and coconut frozen desserts, while most supermarkets carry at least one brand.

The most important thing is to keep trying different things try not to let one type of yogurt you dislike keep you from trying the others. Many meat and dairy alternatives taste so different from each other.

Amys Lentil Soup Annies Goddess Dressing Daiya Cheese Earth Balance Margarine Field Roast Sausages Galaxy Foods Vegan Gluten Free Parmesan Grated Topping Gardein Chickn Strips Liz Lovely Cookies OrganicVille BBQ Sauce Pirate Brands Veggie Booty Primal Strips Meatless Jerky

Red Star Nutritional Yeast So Delicious Ice Cream Soyatoo! Extra Creamy Whip Suzannes Ricemellow Creme Sweet & Sara Marshmallows The Vegg Tofurky Meatless Deli Slices Tofutti Cream Cheese Veganaise WholeSoy Soy Yogurt

There are vegan options at many restaurants, including Italian, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Ethiopian. If youre on a fast food schedule, some pizza places, Taco Bell, Burger Kings and Subways have vegan options. Check out vegguide.org for a vegan restaurant near you!

Follow this link:

Eat | Vegan Action

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya ! Om Namo Bhagavate Chidanandaya !

"Sri Krishna is not merely a historical man who came and went, like others, but the Eternal Purusha who dwells even now and shall live in the everlasting future, in the core of all manifestation. It is the Symbol of the Absolute descended into relativity that we call Krishna, the ever-beloved protector of all that breathe and air." - Swami Sivananda

"Jeevan Yoga Series " (video recording)

Video Clips << More>>

Satsang with H. H. Sri Swami Adhyatmanandaji

SIVANANDA ASHRAM (Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India)

Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabadis an organization established to disseminate message and wisdom teachings of Holy Master Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. It is managed by Sri Divya Jivan Sanskrutik Sangh. Brahmlin Sri Swami Pavitranandaji Maharaj, before sanyasa known as Sri Laxmikant Dave, had aspired to bring up an Ashram in Ahmedabad. He incessantly worked to acquire four acres of land, on which the ashram is established today, from government of Gujarat. Today the Ashram is well known for its multifaceted educational, socio-religious and spiritual activities.

H. H. Sri Swami Adhyatmanandaji Maharaj

The Divine Life Society was founded by H. H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj in the year 1936.H. H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, the disciple of H. H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj succeeded as the President of The Divine Life Society in 1963 and He expanded the centers of the society across the globe. H. H. Sri Swami Adhyatmanandaji Maharaj is the beloved disciple of H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj.Swamiji embraced the life in the Holy order of Sanyas in the year 1974. Since then, under the guidance and blessings of his worshipful Gurudev, he has been the charioteer of spreading the messages of spiritual masters and ancient Holy Scriptures. He has been the President of Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad as well as President of Gujarat Divya Jivan Sangh, Ahmedabad.

Sri Swamiji is Yoga Guru of global repute. He has embraced service to the humanity above the self through imparting the knowledge of ancient cultural and spiritual heritage of Yogic Science encompassing Asanas; Pranayama and Meditation.So far Swamiji has conducted over 780 Yoga camps of 10 days duration across the globe. Swamiji renders talks on various subjects on All India Radio over the past six decades. His Yoga lessons and interviews telecast across various TV channels since five decades.

Swamiji has designed Yoga Teachers Training Course (YTTC), a comprehensive 20 days residential program for training of Yoga teachers which is conducted twice during the year since two decades. He has conducted more than 37 YTTC programs which is recognized by Gujarat University. These programs are attended by yoga aspirants from across the globe and he has trained more than 1000 yoga teachers. These teachers render both preventive and curative aspects of yoga teaching for well-being of body and mind across humanity around the world and are instrumental in spreading ancient Indian Culture and rich heritage.

A Yogi and an angel, neck deep in service of humanity, His services to the nation through his yoga camps in the universities, colliery mines, Indian armed forces, Indian administration services not only in the planes but also at Leh (Laddakh), Kargil, Punch etc., has given him a great satisfaction of his Karma Yajna in uplifting the individual beings through the dissemination of science and yoga of synthesis. Swamiji has been speakers on various forums at national and international organizations on management, Yoga and applied Science for stress management and self-improvement subjects. To name few institutions like Ahmedabad Management Association; Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration; Lions and Rotary clubs at international level. His life is tireless strife for perfections. He is always eager to serve the mankind known and unknown.

An icon of inspiration and service to Youth, Swamiji's profound contribution to modern youth to free them from the vices of the drugs addictions in the east and the west has brought Him in great light. The saint with sympathy, kind heart and holy touch has shown these youngsters a dawn to their doomed life.

Swamiji's discourses on ancient Holy Scriptures and spiritual deliveries on the subjects of Gita, Upanishads, Srimat Bhagavat are in simple and lucid language which has touched and inspired millions during last thirty fiveyears of his monastic life.

Swamiji is great missionary on blood donation front and affirms his faith in Donate blood and save life. Swamiji was honored by the Governor of Gujarat as centurion blood donor. During diamond jubilee celebration of Swamiji, for his love and compassion for poor, sick and down-trodden, He organized 230 blood donation camps and inspired 69,542 blood donors who collectively contributed 20,862 liters of blood. Blood Donation is integral part of His spiritual retreat & amp; yoga camps.

Swamiji has great love for plants and trees. He serves society selflessly but in exchange solicits to gift Him plant for ecological balance of the planet Mother Earth. He affirms his deep faith that mindless exploitation of mother earth and vitiating environment through pollution is the root of natural disasters and many human diseases besides threat to millions of animal species. Swamiji has planted more than 10 million saplings and plants on this planet and has rendered great service to Mother Earth for ecological balance.

Swamiji has widely traveled across world visiting several countries for teachings of Yoga and delivering discoursesfor spiritual seekers on our ancient scriptures for spreading of message of Vedant; Gita; Upnishad; Bhagavat and Self Improvement topics. Swamiji has traveled viz; USA; Canada; United Kingdom; Germany; Mexico; Singapore; Malaysia; China; Taiwan; South Africa etc. on invitation from several institutions. Swamiji is interviewed by various Radio / TV medias; news channels and has rendered there talks on Yoga for physical; mental and spiritual wellbeing of mankind.

Swamiji represented India for World Peace conference at Chiapas, New Mexico in 1999. He is a recipient of Life Time Achievement Award from India Canada Cultural and Heritage Association Inc. at Winnipeg, Canada 2005. Also he has been awarded as Ambassador of Peace by Universal Peace Foundation in 2008.He organized first vegetarian conference at Beijing, China in 2009. << More>>

"Manav Seva, Madhav Seva " - Daily Activities at Sivananda Ashram

Sri Ashtalaxmi Bhavan &Sri Chidananda Meditation Center Sri Dukhabhanjan Hanuman Temple & Sri Ram Mandir

Sri Chidananda Yoga Bhawan

Yoga Learing Through - "SIVA" (Sivananda International Vedanta &Yoga Academy) Saint - Kutir and Satsang Hall. Sri Vishwanth Mahadev Temple

Spiritual publication Sivananda UdyanaSri Vishwanath Seva Kendra Swami Chidananda Spiritual Library " Swami Sivananda JnanaYajna Nidhi" of the Divya Jivan Sangh,

Latest Additions.........

Read more from the original source:

Divya Jivan - Sivananda Ashram, Ahmedabad, Home Page