THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT, IRELAND, 15 May 2005 THE LOTUS POSITION ON WORLD PEACE A meditation guru is to set up a "peace government" off the Mayo coast, writes Donal Lynch At Press conference held in the RDS [Royal Dublin Society] last Friday, members of The Global Country of World Peace, a group founded by transcendental meditation guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, announced that it has purchased Inishraher Island, off the coast of Mayo, with the intention of founding an International Peace Centre. The 30 acre island was sold to the group "at a keen price" by local Colm Cronin, who has had an interest in the Maharishi’s teachings for years. Transcendental meditation, which formed a distinct strand of Sixties subculture after being adopted by the Beatles, has many acknowledged health benefits for the individual. However, Friday's press conference was mostly dominated by discussion of its effects on political stability. The Global Country of World Peace - described by the Raja of England, Dr. Peter Warburton, as an "omnipresent country without borders" - aims to promote "the peace and prosperity of every individual and every nation" through transcendental meditation and the observance of natural law. He said that Ireland has always stood fast behind the principles of natural law and, to some bemused smiles, added that this country was "a shining example to other nations" While some of his followers in the audience listened with their eyes closed, he added that the group aimed "to bring invincibility to Ireland and through this to bring invincibility to the world". The conference was also addressed, by a video link from America, by Dr. John Hagelin, a Stanford educated physicist and twice-failed U.S. presidential candidate. After congratulating Ireland on the establishment of the Peace Government of Ireland (the Irish Branch of the Global Country of World Peace), he said that Maharishi's teachings were particularly relevant today because of the ever- present threat of terrorism. He said that "knowledge of the administration of natural law can, quite literally, raise a nation to a level of absolute security". Doctor Joe Hayden, President of the Peace Government of Ireland, said Ireland was suitable for the project because of its history of neutrality and peace keeping. Quoting former Minister for External Affairs, Seán McBride he said that "peace has to be the desperate imperative of mankind". He added that the group hoped to run the proposed centre - to be known as the Maharishi Peace Palace - along the lines of the Maharishi's teachings by promoting Ayurveda health care (a system based on the preservation of health). In addition to the proposed centre in Mayo the group has offices in Dublin, and in time, intends to found centres throughout Ireland. These will be funded by the educational courses to be held in the centre as well as donations by private benefactors. Dr. Donn Brennan, the eminent Irish exponent of Ayurveda will give a talk tomorrow evening in the Kingston Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin at 7.30 p.m. Admission Euros 10. ENDS ......... Excerpts from two more articles: THE IRISH INDEPENDENT, IRELAND, 14 May 2005 ISLAND'S "YOGIC FLYERS" WILL EASE ALL OUR WORRIES By Breda Heffernan Such is the mind power of the "yogic flyers" who will soon call Inishraher Island in Clew Bay home, this country need never worry about incoming nuclear missiles, according to the followers of an Indian mystic. The island was named as a Maharishi Capital of the Global Country of World Peace at a ceremony this week. Followers of the spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - who introduced the West and the Beatles to transcendental meditation - are to submit plans to Mayo County Council to build a "Peace Palace" on the 30 acre island. At a news briefing in the RDS in Dublin yesterday, His Highness the Raja of England, Dr. Peter Warburton, said Ireland would be "invincible" thanks to the intervention of his band of yogic flyers. The Peace Palace would be home to a "Vedic" university where students from around the world would study the powers of consciousness. Bertie Ahern's life would be made easier once the good vibrations began emanating from Inishraher, he said. … He added: "The Government of Ireland will be raised to invincibility and enjoy a level of success they have not known before". The Raja, who was led into the RDS by a lone Scottish piper, said he realises that modern Ireland might not be ready for his brand of spirituality but believes persistence is the key. The group remained tight-lipped about how much the island cost saying they got it at a "special rate" as people in the area agreed with their ideas for it. ENDS ......... THE SUNDAY BUSINESS POST, IRELAND, 15 May 2005 Column: Last Post edited by Fiona Ness PASSPORT TO INISHRAHER Last Post… [received] an invitation last week from His Highness the Raja of England, one Dr. Peter Warburton, informing us of the designation of Inishraher, a small privately-owned island in Mayo, as a 'Maharishi Capital of the Global Country of World Peace'. This borderless country was apparently established in 2000, and is governed by His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. His Holiness aims to promote 'enlightenment to every individual and invincibility to every nation' by, among other things, establishing groups of yogic fliers around the world. The country even has its own currency, the Raam--now on limited availability in the Netherlands at the neat conversion rate of €10 =1 Raam. Inishraher is owned by Colm and Dolores Cronin, and is under the care of Johnnie McGough of Castlebar, who, perhaps not so coincidentally, studied Ayurvedic cooking at the Maharishi Vedic Medical Centre in Boone, North Carolina. An international education centre is to be established on the island as part of the effort to attain permanent world peace. ENDS .........
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