As early as 1962, TM Founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi proposed that just a small percentage of people practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique could eliminate the causes of international conflict. “While 10 percent would be ideal, even if only 1 percent of the world’s population meditated, it would be sufficient to do away with the hatred that causes war,” Maharishi said in a press interview.1

At that time there were no scientific studies verifying the personal benefits of TM practice, much less its benefits for society as a whole. Now, over 60 years later, there are more than 800 published studies confirming the benefits of the TM technique, including peer-reviewed research demonstrating its positive effects on society. This societal phenomenon is known as the Maharishi Effect, because it was predicted by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

How could the simple, easy TM technique, practiced by just 1 percent of the population, have beneficial effects on society as a whole? To understand these results, we need to know more about collective consciousness and the field effect of consciousness.