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Posted in Articles | Comments Off on Op-Ed Piece “Reducing Tension in the Middle East” by Drs. Orme-Johnson and Leffler is Available Worldwide in over 50 Locations
Published 26 November 2012 in the Pakistan-based United News Service Expired link: http://unitednewsservice.com/2012/11/26/reducing-tension-in-the-middle-east
By Dr. David Orme-Johnson and Dr. David Leffler
A statement released by the Jewish-American group J Street says: “Military force alone is inadequate as a response to the broader strategic challenge Israel faces.” (“For Israel, it’s different this time” November 19, 2012). History shows that political resolutions cannot be achieved while tensions remain high.
While we agree with this wise advice, history shows that political resolutions cannot be achieved while tensions remain high. Deep-rooted ethnic and national stresses embedded in the collective consciousness of the region are at the basis of the Israel and Hamas conflict, as in all other conflicts worldwide. Unless these stresses are rooted out, destruction and killing will continue, as they have for millennia.
Now there is hope because a proven technology of consciousness to create peace is available. This novel approach establishes a filter of coherence and order in collective consciousness in the present, which is capable of transforming the flow of negativity from the past into a more harmonious future.
This technology is group practice of an advanced form of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique. Over 600 scientific studies show that TM practice reduces stress in the physiology, mind, and behavior of the individual. Even a small fraction of individuals in the population engaging in its advanced practice has been found to reduce stress in cities, states, nations, and the world, as seen by reduced war deaths, terrorism, and crime and increased cooperation, cultural exchanges, and creativity.
An experiment conducted during the peak of the Israel-Lebanon war in the 1980s found that on days when the numbers of meditators were largest (and also on the subsequent day), levels of conflict were markedly reduced—by about 80 percent overall. Moreover, the quality of life in Israel improved, as indicated by reduced crime, auto accidents, and fires; a rise in the national stock market; and improved national mood. These results were published in Yale University’s Journal of Conflict Resolution (1988, 32:776–812), and were later replicated on seven different occasions over an 821-day period when such groups were formed in Israel, in Lebanon itself, and at locations throughout the Middle East, Europe, and other parts of the world (Journal of Social Behavior and Personality,2005,17(1):285-338). Subsequent analyses showed that the effects could not be accounted for by social, political, or climatic events at the time (Journal of Scientific Exploration, 2009, 23(2):139-166).
Another notable intervention study conducted in 1993 in Washington, D.C.—then called the “crime capital of the world” because of its high crime rate—found that violent crime declined 23 percent below the predicted level. This outcome, like those in the Middle East studies, was predicted in advance, with research monitored by an external project review board. Temperature, weekend effects, and previous trends in the data failed to account for these changes (Social Indicators Research, 1999, 47: 153-201).
Another study measured the global impact of assemblies of over 7,000 meditators—the predicted threshold for worldwide effects. The study, which used data from the Rand Corporation and content analysis of major newspapers, found that global terrorism dropped by 72% and international conflict by 32% during these assemblies (Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 2003, 36(1-4): 283-302).
In all, over 50 studies have demonstrated statistically and socially significant effects of this approach to reducing conflict and improving the quality of life in society. Although the causal mechanism is not completely understood, studies have shown that TM practice increases EEG coherence and serotonin levels of other individuals in the environment (International Journal of Neuroscience, 1989, 49(3/4):203-211; Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 2005, 17(1):339-373). Both these biological effects predict reduced stress and increased harmony in individuals, even at a distance from the meditators.
The military in Mozambique used this strategy to end its civil war in the 1990s. Today, many Latin American countries are successfully implementing this approach in military and education settings. In the Middle East, responsible people from any country in any sector of society, public or private, could create peace-keeping groups in the military, in prisons, among retirees, or wherever such groups are practical.
Are we as nations to go on like rats trapped in a conditioning cage, reacting the same way decade after decade? Or shall we step out of the cage into the transcendental level of our own consciousness and grow up into enlightened human beings, rather than continuing to resort to destroying and killing? This is the choice we have right now.
We are not suggesting that politicians drop what they are doing. They would never be able to do so, nor would that be wise. What we are suggesting is that the military of Israel, or any organization, establish such coherence-creating groups to quickly reduce tensions in the Middle East’s collective consciousness. The military is traditionally the most organized aspect of society and by itself could quickly create such a group. The international classic, Sun Tzu’s Art of War, advises that it is better to win without fighting. A proven technology now exists that takes recourse to the most powerful level of natural law to enable the military to succeed—by preventing the birth of an enemy. Its implementation could be a scientific experiment, using objective measures and independent, outside observers. The predicted outcome is accelerated progress towards a just, equitable, lasting peace.
About the Authors:
David Orme-Johnson, Ph.D., is one of the principal researchers in the world on meditation and its effects, having over 100 publications. He has traveled to nearly 60 countries to speak about the research on meditation to scientific conferences, the public, the press, program directors, government officials, members of Congress, parliaments, heads of state, and the United Nations, and he has served as an expert on meditation for two NIH technology assessment conferences.
Letter to the Editor published in the “Opening Shots” section of the 15 October 2012 issue of the Air Force Times, page 4:
TM CAN SLOW AGING EFFECT
Neurophysiologist Regina McGlinchey was quoted saying that because of the stress of long and repeated deployments by our military, “We’re looking at people who are going to be having cognitive problems much earlier than they should be having them” [“War might be making young bodies old,” Sept. 24]. Is it possible to help these warriors and to prevent the many stress-related problems that appear to be accelerating the aging process in our highly stressed personnel?
Modern medicine has discovered that the declines commonly seen in cognitive functioning, mental functioning and physical health as people age are not inevitable. Indeed, it is possible to age successfully and to maintain better-than-average functioning. Yet, very few interventions have been shown to slow biological aging and increase the likelihood of successful aging. The most prominent intervention is a mind-body technique, the Transcendental Meditation program, which has been shown to reverse many of the physiological and neurophysiological changes associated with aging.
In a 1982 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, older TM practitioners were compared to controls. The findings revealed that older TM practitioners who had practiced the TM technique for more than five years had biological ages 12 years younger than controls.
Research conducted at Harvard University and published in 1989 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that elderly individuals who practiced TM lived significantly longer than controls who participated in other interventions. This finding is quite remarkable: It signifies that TM practice profoundly affects the neurophysiological and physiological basis of the aging process, resulting in a slowing and even reversal of the aging process, as well as enhanced longevity.
A study published in Military Medicine shows that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experienced a 50 percent drop in PTSD symptoms in just four weeks.
Research has also shown that regular TM practice decreases most of the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including hypertension, anxiety and depression.
During this dangerous time, hopefully the leaders of Iran will seriously consider deploying Invincible Defense Technology. Salutes to the Iranian for having the courage to print an Op-Ed about Invincible Defense Technology titled:
WHO TV 13: WARRIOR WELLNESS: Healing Hidden Wounds. See complete WHO YouTube version with concluding anchors comments: Veteran Meditation. Posted on: 4:10 pm, July 27, 2012, by Megan Reuther, Tweeted by Megan: One Iowa Veteran shares his story of healing the hidden wounds of war.
Des Moines Register: Meditation, fellow veteran help Colo reservist heal from PTSD by Daniel P. Finney, 12:31 AM, Jul 26, 2012. Expired link: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120726/NEWS/307260049/-1/COMM03/Meditation-fellow-veteran-help-Colo-reservist-heal-from-PTSD
Also posted on DefenseTracker.com: Meditation Helps Reservist Heal [Expired link: http://defensetracker.com/web/?p=2578] and Wounded Times Blogspot, July 26th, 2012
Fairfield Ledger cover article by Diane Vance: Combat stress subject of public forum Saturday By DIANE VANCE, Ledger staff writer | Jul 25, 2012. The entire article is available on this blog: http://wp.me/pD0BA-5Ub.
Ames Patch: Story County Veteran Once Suicidal Finds Relief from PTSD with Transcendental Meditation by Jessica Miller, July 25, 2012 [Expired link: https://patch.com/iowa/ames/story-county-veteran-once-suicidal-finds-relief-from-ptsd-with-transcendental-meditation]
Connie Boyer of Opening Fairfield Doors interviews Jerry Yellin at Fairfield Media Center http://wp.me/pD0BA-5UK, July 23, 2012 by FFMediaCenter.
KTVO TV 3: Veterans speak out on post-traumatic stress, by Kate Allt Posted: July 18, 2012 at 4:44 PM [Expired link: http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=777840#.UBb-90R8KfZ
Announcements
Quad Cities Online: PTSD forum for veterans planned in Fairfield, Iowa [Expired link: http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=602035&query=Healing%20the%20Hidden%20Wounds%20of%20War]
