Col. Brian M. Rees (Abstract). The Application of Strategic Stress Management in Winning the Peace. In the proceeding of the “International Conference on Armed Forces & Conflict Resolution in a Globalized World” July 14 – 17, 2008, Seoul, Korea, Session 12, p. 87.

Session 12: Military Operations other than War

Abstract:

The Application of Strategic Stress Management in Winning the Peace

Although the US is preeminent in maneuver warfare, success in current (and probable future) counterinsurgency operations is hampered by the infectious ideology of the enemy. But the stress and frustration necessary to fuel the insurgency and Islamist terrorism are enemy critical vulnerabilities.

Strategic Stress Management (SSM), in the form of groups of persons practicing a meditative technique called the TM-Sidhi Program, can be applied to reduce hostilities in targeted populations. The underlying hypothesis is that consciousness is a field, and that effects generated in the field of consciousness can affect the brain chemistry, the thinking and the subsequent behavior of potential belligerents who are not engaged in or even aware of the practice. This hypothesis has been tested in over fifty studies that have documented reductions in combat deaths, crime, and terrorist acts related to the size of the groups practicing the intervention.

As a prospective Course of Action (COA), SSM is suitable and feasible, and readily distinguishable from virtually any other COA. However, it is unorthodox, and its acceptability is uncertain.

[ Editors Note: Col. Brian Rees, M.D. previously gave a similar presentation at the United States Army War College. See:

Proteus Futures Digest First Edition

A Compilation of Selected Works Derived from the 2006 Proteus Workshop

Compiled and Edited by John Auger and William Wimbish
The Proteus Management Group Proteus Futures Digest

A Compilation of Selected Works Derived from the 2006 Proteus Workshop First Edition

The Proteus Management Group

Sponsored by: The National Intelligence University, Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Executive Agent: United States Army War College

A PDF containing this paper (Pages 265 to 281) is available on their website at: http://www.carlisle.army.mil/proteus/docs/Workshop-digest-2006.pdf

An HTML version containing just Col. Rees’s paper is also available online at:
http://www.istpp.org/military_science/Col_Rees_Masters_Paper.html ]

The abstract for this paper appeared in the Seoul National University & Korea Military Academy International Conference on Armed Forces &Conflict Resolution in a Globalized World, published by the International Sociological Association Research Committee 01 Other presentations: Combat Stress | Preventing Enemies

Promotional Photos

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	David R. Leffler, Ph.D. Center for Advanced Military Science (CAMS) Fairfield, Iowa, USA
	Kurt Kleinschnitz, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Physics at Maharishi University of Management Fairfield, Iowa USA
	Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kulwant Singh, Ph.D., U.Y.S.M. Director General, Maharishi Invincible Defence Programme New Delhi, India

As published in the Fiji Daily Post.

LEFFLER – An overlooked, proven solution to terrorism – 4-Sep-2008

Despite its advance technology and valiant efforts, the US Department of Defense (DoD) is struggling to eliminate terrorism utilizing its current strategies and tactics.

Terrorism and war are human problems requiring human solutions. The underlying cause of these, and other types of social violence, is accumulated social stress.

Therefore, to eliminate such social problems, the DoD needs to reduce collective societal stress. No collective stress means no tension between the United States and other countries, religious groups, and insurgents. No terrorism.

Extensive scientific research indicates that the best way to reduce collective societal stress, and thereby snuff out war and terrorism, is by adopting an ancient strategy: “Avert the danger that has not yet come.”

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has revived the ancient Vedic technology of Invincible Defence in a non-religious manner. It has been quietly and successfully used by members of many faiths to eliminate conflict in the recent past.

By applying this human resource-based technology, which is non-lethal and non-destructive, the military could reduce tensions and control terrorism. In this way, the military becomes invincible because the country takes out the enmity of the enemies.

With no enmity between them, former enemies become friends and the nation becomes invincible because there are no enemies to fight.

A Prevention Wing of the Military would be the ideal way to utilize this ideal goal of invincibility. This wing would comprise about 2 to 3 percent of the military. The remaining personnel would carry out their normal military duties.

The Prevention Wing of the Military would be trained in the primary components of Invincible Defence Technology the Transcendental Meditation (TM) programme and its advanced practice, the TM-Sidhi programme. They would practice these techniques in large groups, morning and evening.

According to extensive scientific research, the size of the group needed to reduce social stress depends on the size of the population.

The group size needs to be at least the square root of one percent of the population. To calculate this number, multiply the population size by 0.01, and then take the square root of this number. For instance, the US has a population of approximately 301 million.

301,000,000 x 0.01 = 3,010,000. The square root of 3,010,000 is approximately 1,735, so a group of at least 1,735 IDT experts would be needed. The group size needed to affect the world is currently about 8,126.

Studies show that when this threshold is crossed, the “Maharishi Effect” takes place.

Crime goes down, quality of life indices go up, and war and terrorism abate. For instance, a Maharishi Effect intervention was created and studied in the US capital in 1993. Predictions were lodged in advance with government leaders and newspapers. The research protocol was approved by an independent Project Review Board. Crime fell 23 percent below the predicted level when the TM-Sidhi group reached its maximum.

Temperature, weekend effects, or previous trends in the data failed to account for changes. This research was published in the peer-reviewed Social Indicators Research.

Over 50 studies have shown that Invincible Defense Technology works. Mozambique used IDT to end its civil war in the 1990s. Today, Holland, Bolivia, Columbia, Trinidad, and Peru have enough practitioners of the TM-Sidhi programme to be invincible. The United States is close to having a large enough group. And India is working on a global project. These are all civilian groups.

How Does Invincible Defense Technology Work?

The causal mechanism for IDT is not completely understood, however, a study published in 2005 in the Journal of Social Behavior and Personality offers an explanation of a proposed causality of IDT in biological terms. Research on the powerful neurotransmitter serotonin research has shown that is produces feelings of contentment, happiness and even euphoria. Low levels of serotonin, according to research, correlate with violence, aggression, and poor emotional moods. The IDT study showed that higher numbers of IDT experts practicing in groups correlated with other community members having a marked increase in serotonin production. These results were statistically significant and followed the attendance figures. This offers a plausible neurophysiologic mechanism to explain reduced hostility and aggression in society at large.

The experience of transcendental consciousness in the advanced individual TM practitioner appears to be associated with an increase in serotonin activity and a decrease in cortisol.

As far as we can speculate, the experience of transcendental consciousness during the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique produces coherence in the brain of the TM practitioners (more powerfully in a group) and enlivens coherence within the unified field.

Since the unified field underlies everything and everyone, there is increased coherence in the non-TM practitioner’s brain as well. Serotonin is materially involved in this increased coherence.

This research was referenced in a paper published by the Security and Political Risk Analysis (SAPRA) think tank which puts this in a more complete context.

Theoretical physicists allude to the unified field as the basis of all laws of nature. IDT appears to work from this fundamental level. The Maharishi Effect happens when collective consciousness is made more coherent through IDT.

Examples:

One year ago, civilians in the Netherlands quietly formed a large enough group of IDT experts to achieve the Maharishi Effect. Since then, civilian groups in Bolivia, Trinidad, Columbia, and Peru took responsibility for building sufficiently large groups.

The United States is very close to achieving the requisite number of IDT experts through the Invincible America Assembly in Fairfield, Iowa.

The pilot project in Mozambique dissolved after the United Nations broke up the military as part of the civil war treaty. High school students, who will graduate and move on, make up the bulk of the practitioners in Columbia.

Limited economic opportunities in Iowa have hindered the development of a permanent group in the US civilian groups may not be reliable over the long term.

The DoD is responsible for protecting the nation, and is obligated to thoroughly examine realistic, scientifically-proven methods for ending war and terrorism.

Since the military is funded and its personnel are paid to perform their duties, it is not subject to the fluctuations of donors, jobs, graduations, and optional activities.

Military members are paid to follow orders and protect the nation. Ultimately, it is the DoD’s duty to build a Prevention Wing of the Military.

A Paradigm Shift, In Progress Dr. Carla Brown examined bias against IDT in her Harvard doctoral dissertation, which explored whether and how members of the Middle East policy community applied truth and utility tests to research findings.

The study she used had been published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution showing a dramatic 45 percent reduction in war intensity and 75 per cent reduction in war deaths when a critical mass of experts practiced IDT in large groups.

Dr. Brown found that several respondents in each elite group that she interviewed were likely to examine a similar paper in the future, motivated in part by their examination of the quality of science involved. She also explored how some of her interviewees did not take the effort to examine the research, including some social scientists that were critical of the research. Dr. Brown explored means for overcoming barriers to use of this research, including prejudice. At a time when the research outcomes described are greatly needed, this paper may provide context for those who want to understand their own prejudice or built in reservations.

This paper helps defense experts better understand why Invincible Defense Technology is difficult for people to accept, and how these barriers can be addressed. This research has been published in the Journal of Social Behavior and Personality.

A paradigm shift is taking place in the US military. “We believe that preventing wars is as important as winning wars,” according to a new strategy announced by the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard in October. This is the biggest revision of US naval strategy in 25 years, by focusing more on humanitarian missions and improving international cooperation. From the US Army side, Colonel Brian M Rees, MD, MPH, Medical Corps, US Army Reserve, recently completed his Masters research paper from the US Army War College on the topic of IDT called “The Applications of Strategic Stress Management [SSM] in Winning the Peace“.

The paper concluded that “SSM has demonstrated efficacy when addressing the nefarious activities of criminals and terrorists, as well as the legal violence of combatants.”

Colonel Rees recently gave presentations to the Proteus Management Group at Carlisle and Association of Military Surgeons of the US (AMSUS) about how Invincible Defense Technology could prevent the collective stress responsible for war and terrorism.

Published with permission of the author www.davidleffer.com

DAVID R LEFFLER, PhD – Executive Director, Center for Advanced Military Science at the Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy http://www.StrongMilitary.org

Copyright © 2007, Fiji Daily Post

Invincible Nepal: An Ancient Vedic Technology for Modern Security Challenges of Nepal

By Lt. Col. Jitendra Jung Karki

Introduction

This article was originally published in a military magazine in Nepal – Shreenath Journal, August 2008, pages 16-20, vol 1. – reprinted with permission

1. Nepal had been a Vedic Country since the establishment and follower of Vedic science since then. Each and every foundation of Nepal was created according to the Law’s of Nature and Vedic science. And only thing we should understand clearly is exploring and adopting vedic concept is a scientific matter, not a religious concept of Hindus only, who have applied it in a religious way.

2. Nepal, the land of Himalayas and Veda, is today facing a great challenge of increasing internal violence, by various groups of insurgents. How do we stop war, prevent terrorism and make our homelands secure? How can we achieve invincibility? Living in peace and perpetual happiness is not only an intrinsic desire, but fervent collective wish of humankind. Will there ever be an end to terrorism, war and conflict? Is there a way to reduce collective stress and create peace? As we can see collective stress is the root cause of all these problems.

What is Invincible Defence?

3. Invincible Defense Technology is a non-lethal, preemptive national defense strategy. It is better that other solutions for a strong military because it prevents enemies from arising, and neutralizes existing enemies. The courageous world leaders who implement Invincible Defense Technology will be remembered. They will be honored for making their nations invincible using a power stronger than any armament.

4. There is a scientific solution for a strong military that is a non-lethal approach to achieve this goal. It is called Invincible Defense Technology. Invincible Defense Technology is the best solution for a strong military due to following reasons:

• Scientifically studied
• Quietly demonstrated in conflict-prone regions
• Non-religious, nonpartisan
• Easy to implement
• The ultimate approach for conducting operations other than war (OOTW).

Why Invincible Defence?

5. Today we are living in a strife-torn world. Terrorism, wars and conflict are prevalent in many parts of the world. Lives are being lost every day. There appears to be no end to rivalries and conflicts between communities, religious groups and nations–big and small. Perhaps. Invincible Defence Technology, drawn from Vedic heritage, is awakening, creating new possibilities. Modern science has validated its effectiveness. It is just a matter of time before all militaries worldwide will deploy Invincible Defense Technology as their first line of defence.

6. The point of Invincible Defense Technology is to prevent an enemy from arising. Without enemies, everyone wins. This is why the technology is invincible. Terrorism cannot be eliminated by destroying the terrorists. Any step in the direction of destruction only helps to create more terrorists. More terrorists only results in more waves of destruction. There is no wisdom in initiating a continuous theme of destruction in the name of protection. Prudence dictates eliminating the underlying cause of terrorism, war and all types of violence—collective social stress.

7. The USA has the largest defence budget in the world. Despite this, it could not prevent the attacks of 11 Sept 01. The humbling of the USA is a grim indicator that continuing to use only conventional, weapons-based approaches will not end negativity and create world peace. The time is ripe to adopt a new approach. As Maharishi says: “Only a new seed will yield a new crop. Only a new philosophy and new efforts based on new knowledge will fulfill the age old dream of the wise for prevention of crime, terrorism and wars and maintenance of world peace on a permanent basis.”

8. Recent discoveries in the domain of quantum physics and human consciousness, reveal that the field of consciousness is far more basic and powerful than the nuclear field. “This field of consciousness-termed the unified field in the language of quantum physics-is millions of times more fundamental and powerful than the nuclear force.

How it works?

9. After Mozambique’s civil war, the economy boomed, and the crime rate decreased. President Alberto Joachim Chissano attributed the war’s demise and these other positive trends largely to new human resource technology he called a “new secret weapon.” He and many other military leaders are convinced that these changes occurred from the implementation of this new technology called vedic defence technology.

10. On 18 April 1999, 200 Serbian troops entered the Prevlaka Peninsular demilitarized zone just 40 kilometers from our Dubrovnik Peace Project hotel. The obvious purpose of this invasion was to expand the war and involve Croatia in the conflict. Shock waves rushed through Croatia. Invincible Croatia The Dubrovnik Peace Project started with 30 Yogic Flyers the same day as the invasion. By the next day there were sufficient Flyers to create coherence for the Dubrovnik/Prevlaka region. The number of Yogic Flyers continued to increase during the 10 days of the Serbian occupation of the Peninsular. By 28 April there were 134 Yogic Flyers.

During nine of the ten days of the Serbian occupation there were enough Flyers at the Dubrovnik Peace Project to create coherence for the region. This coherence in collective consciousness provides an unseen invincible armour of defence against destructive outside influences. The result of this was seen during this 10-day period. Nothing happened. Then suddenly, without any obvious reason, on 28 April the Serbian troops gave up their mission in the Peninsular and withdrew.

11. Above mentioned successful examples clearly indicates of such an “invincible shield” is the Meissner Effect (see figure). It takes place at the quantum level of superconductivity. In a superconductor, the coherent functioning of the electrons spontaneously excludes an external, disruptive magnetic field. This system maintains its impenetrable status because no random or chaotic activity can take place within it. Ordinary electrical conductors are not impenetrable because the random activity of incoherent and disordered electrons allows penetration of an external magnetic field.

On the left, an external magnetic field penetrates an ordinary conductor whose electrons behave in a chaotic or disorderly way.	On the right, the external magnetic field is excluded from the interior of a super-conductor whose electrons function in a coherent collective manner – invincibility.	The Maharishi Effect creates invincible “national armor” that cannot be penetrated by the collective negativity of other countries.

Nepal’s Perspective?

12. Nepal, being a vedic country, where 80% of population is sheltered under vedic culture. Still, Her all government administrations and all the security agencies functions according to vedic calendar. So Nepal can have enough vedic potential and vedic environment to explore the exact significance of vedic science and trade them abroad.

13. Nepal’s foreign polity stands for general and complete disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction including nuclear, chemical, and biological and others. As a party to Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and signatory to Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Nepal supports the nuclear weapons free zones wherever they are established. Nepal’s foreign policy and defence policy is largely committed for the peaceful world so it will be compatible for Nepal to adopt non- lethal vedic defence polity.

14. Since her joining the United Nations on 14 December 1955, Nepal has reposed her abiding faith in the principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter. Nepal attaches great importance to the centrality of the United Nations in the multilateral affairs, especially in the maintenance of international peace and security and in promoting international cooperation for the economic and social development. Promotion of international peace and security assumes paramount importance of the United Nations. Nepal has been consistently supporting the UN efforts in the maintenance of international peace and security through her continuous participation in the UN Peacekeeping operations since 1958. Nepal shares its important contribution in UN for the peaceful world specially troops contribution by nepal army stands fifth by 2008. Nepal army can play a leading role with it’s readymade vedic manpower for crisis management in the conflict area of the world with the priceless and effortless modification of on-going vedic culture.

15. In post insurgency and Transitional period Nepal’s political system is largely affected by the large number of negative influences. Now is the right time to set up the defence policy as Vedic so that it is solely benefited by the Nation at the correct time of Need. However Nepal’s defence and foreign strategy is unknowingly compatible with the Vedic defence strategy in the following senses:

Conclusion

16. Nepal’s perspective in vedic studies is completely different than other countries and nepal has the capability for not only to explore the vedic concept of defence but also to lead the world with total concept of peace and security with its vedic population and vedic security forces. The hidden secrets in Veda about Nepalese sovereignty and bravery as Gurkha soldiers in the past needs to be researched and explored for the peace and stability in Nepal.

17. Lastly, for defence to be successful and invincible it has to be scientific; and if it has to be scientific, it has to be Vedic. If the study of defence is not supported by the theories of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, etc. Thus defence cannot be scientific. All theories of modern science uphold all disciplines of Vedic science because Vedic science is fundamental to modern science; whatever is Vedic that only is totally scientific.

Editor’s Note: Readers may also find these editorials about Invincible Defense Technology published by Media For Freedom and the Nepal Monitor to be of interest: Don’t Just Defeat the Enemy—Prevent the Birth of an Enemy and Unconventional: Some Words of Advice to Nepal Army.

The Global Politician also published an editorial titled: Halt Nepal’s Political Unrest Now With Vedic Defence. This article was also featured in The Nepali Post. Another version retitled: Curing Nepal through the power of Invincible Defense Technology was published in The Comment Factory.

About the Author:

Lt. Col. Jitendra Jung Karki is the former commanding officer of Shreenath Battalion in the armed forces of Nepal. He is now assigned to the No 1 Brigade which guards the President of Nepal. Karki lives in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu. He joined the army of Nepal in April 1988. LTC Karki has a degree in Commerce, and is a graduate of the Nepalese Army Command and Staff College. He commanded an independent company in Nepal during the insurgency period from 2004-06. Karki participated in four UN missions: UNIFIL: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, ONUB: United Nations Operation in Burundi, UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, MONUC – United Nations Mission DR Congo Lt. Col. Karki is a member and alumni of The Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies at National Defence University, Washington DC, USA. NESA promotes itself as “the preeminent U.S. Government institution for building relationships and understanding in the NESA region.” His latest publication is “NESA seminar against Terrorism and Vedic Defence Technology,” (in press) No 1 Brigade Journal. Karki is married to Puspa Karki and has two daughters Darshana Karki and Daksthita Karki.