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Introduction to the Consciousness-Based Education Program

Improve educational outcomes by developing students’ full inner potential
Our schools are entrusted with the responsibility to develop the most important natural resource of our nation—the intelligence and creativity of our youth. The Consciousness-Based education program enables any school to fulfill this responsibility by systematically developing the latent creativity and intelligence of students, so that irrespective of their educational or socio-economic background they can experience increasing success and fulfillment every day. This is accomplished through effective, proven technologies of consciousness, featuring the Transcendental Meditation® program.

Development of consciousness is key to learning
Traditionally, education has attended primarily to what students study—the objective aspect of knowledge—without systematically developing the subjective basis of knowledge, the student’s consciousness. Yet it is the quality of the students’ consciousness, or awareness, that determines their degree of intelligence, creativity, confidence, inner calm, and motivation—all fundamental to education. Scientific research verifies that these qualities are directly developed through the Consciousness-Based education program, which enlivens holistic brain functioning through the experience of the full potential of one’s consciousness.

Consciousness-Based education makes use of the natural and effortless Transcendental Meditation program for developing students’ full inner potential. More than 600 scientific research studies conducted at over 200 universities and research institutes in 30 countries verify the wide-ranging benefits of this technique for individual life and society. By developing increasing use of the total brain, the Transcendental Meditation program strengthens the cognitive, physiological, and affective foundations of learning, while promoting more healthy life-style choices and positive behavior.

At the same time, regular practice of this technique significantly reduces the stress and tension that many students and teachers experience daily, and creates a happy, harmonious, focused learning environment. The Transcendental Meditation program is not a religion or religious practice, and involves no change in lifestyle or belief. More than five million people around the world, of all cultures and backgrounds, have learned the practice.

This Association offers the scientifically validated Consciousness-BasedSM education program, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. More than 40 years of experience and over 600 scientific research studies have shown this non-sectarian program to improve educational outcomes, reduce stress and antisocial behavior, increase creativity and intelligence, and unfold the inner happiness of students and teachers of all cultural and educational backgrounds.
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Selected scientific research findings

  Benefits relevant to students
• Improved academic achievement
• Increased creativity
• Increase in fluid intelligence (IQ)
• Improved moral reasoning
  • Decreased substance abuse
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Increased self-esteem
• Improved general health
• Increased field independence (not as easily influenced by others)
 
Benefits relevant to teachers
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Increased energy and vitality
• Reduced incidence of illness
• Lowered health insurance use
  • Improved mental clarity
• Increased mental well-being
• Increased efficiency
• Increased self-actualization

Developing ideal citizens
As students unfold more and more of their inner potential, they cease to be frustrated and dissatisfied, and recognize expanding possibilities for their lives. Their thoughts, feelings, speech, and behavior become more life-supporting for themselves and others; increasingly they enjoy happy, healthy, problem-free lives, spontaneously fulfilling their own interests while upholding the interests of others—the basis of ideal citizenship.

The program is easily implemented
The Consciousness-Based education program has the following features:

  1. Transcendental Meditation program. Professionally trained instructors teach this technique to the school faculty, then to the students, after which the faculty supervise the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique in class for 10 to 15 minutes twice daily.
  2. Natural Law curriculum. In addition to the Transcendental Meditation technique, the Natural Law curriculum is taught at least once per week. In age-appropriate language it presents universal principles—natural laws—which the students find common to all academic subjects and to their own experience as their creative intelligence develops.
  3. Teacher preparation. In-service programs are provided to prepare teachers to teach this curriculum.
For more information on implementing the Consciousness-Based education program in an existing public or private school, after-school setting, or to start a new school with a CBE program.