Quality of life improved significantly in these three national capital regions during periods when the number of participants practicing Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program in a group exceeded the square root of 1% of the population. Weekly crime totals decreased by 12.1% in Metro Manila (Study 11); weekly violent crimes dropped by 11.8% in Washington, D.C. (Study 12); and daily crime totals decreased by 11% in the Union Territory of Delhi (Study 13).

Reference: Dillbeck, Cavanaugh, Glenn, Orme-Johnson, & Mittlefehldt, 1987.

---

Metro Manila, Philippines

Population influenced: Metro Manila.

Coherence group: A group of participants in the TM and TM-Sidhi programs totaling more than the square root of 1 percent of the Metro Manila population.

Dependent variables: Weekly crime totals 1983–1985.

Experimental design: Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment analysis of a 5-month intervention period compared to pre- and post-intervention baselines.

Results: A significant decrease in crime was found during the stay of the TM and TM-Sidhi experts (p<.005). When the coherence-creating group left, crime returned to its previous level.

Conclusions: A coherence-creating group composed largely of Westerners was able to improve the quality of life in an Asian population. This indicates that the Maharishi Effect operates on a fundamental level that transcends cultural or ethnic differences and diverse social structures.

Reference: Dillbeck, M.C., Cavanaugh, K.L., Glenn, T., Orme-Johnson, D.W., & Mittle-fehldt, V. (1987). Consciousness as a field: The Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program and changes in social indicators. The Journal of Mind and Behavior, 8, 67-104. (Reprinted in Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers, Vol. 5, pp. 3151-3171.)

Washington, D.C., U.S.A

Population influenced: Washington, D.C.

Coherence group: Participants in the TM and TM-Sidhi programs at Maharishi International University College of Natural Law in Washington, and participants from the local community.

Dependent variables: Weekly violent crime totals from the Metropolitan Police Department for the District of Columbia, October 1981 to October 1983.

Experimental design: Box-Jenkins time series transfer function analysis of the TM-Sidhi group size.

Results: There was a significant effect of TM-Sidhi participants in reducing violent crime (p<.01). The decrease in crime associated with increased numbers of TM and TM-Sidhi program participants could not be accounted for by weather, police coverage, population age changes, or Neighborhood Watch programs.

Conclusions: Higher numbers of TM and TM-Sidhi program participants above the square root of 1 percent threshold lead to a greater decrease of violent crimes.

Reference: Dillbeck, M.C., Banus, C.B., Polanzi, C., & Landrith, G.S., III. (1988). Test of a field model of consciousness and social change: The Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program and decreased urban crime. The Journal of Mind and Behavior, 9, 457–485. (Reprinted in Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers, Vol. 5, pp. 3172-3187.)

Union Territory of Delhi, India

Population influenced: Union Territory of Delhi (capital district).

Coherence group: Course on Maharishi's Vedic Science in Delhi, India, November 1980 to March 1981; control period June to October 1980. Number of participants practicing the TM and TM-Sidhi program ranged from 3,000 during November to 250 (square root of 1% of Union Territory population) at the end of March.

Dependent variables: Daily crime totals for the Union Territory of Delhi, June 1980 to March 1981, from the Delhi Police Headquarters.

Experimental design: Box-Jenkins time series impact assessment analysis of intervention period.

Results: Decrease of 14.6 crimes per day (11%) during the experimental period (p<.0001). There were no significant changes in police procedure or policy during this time, nor were any seasonal changes associated with the beginning of the Vedic Science course.

Conclusions: The Maharishi Effect was replicated in another cultural and geographic setting, indicating its universal application.

References: Dillbeck, M.C., Cavanaugh, K.L., Glenn, T., Orme-Johnson, D.W., & Mittle-fehldt, V. (1987). Consciousness as a field: The Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program and changes in social indicators. The Journal of Mind and Behavior, 8, 67-104. (Reprinted in Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers, Vol. 5, pp. 3151-3171.)

Dillbeck, M.C., Cavanaugh, K.L., & Berg, W.P. van den (1983). The effect of the group dynamics of consciousness on society: Reduced crime in the Union Territory of Delhi, India. In R.A. Chalmers, G. Clements, H. Schenkluhn, & M. Weinless (Eds.), Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers (Vol. 4, pp. 2583-2588), in press. Vlodrop, The Netherlands: Maharishi Vedic University Press.