Global Good News: Excellence in Action

Maharishi School in Melbourne, Australia, was established in 1997. The school is a member of the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria, and is non-denominational and open to students of all cultural backgrounds.

The purpose of the school is to offer a unique combination of academic excellence in the traditional subject areas, development of students’ consciousness and creativity, and a high quality of life both for the individual student and the school environment.
The school fulfils this purpose through a carefully structured curriculum that combines the learning goals and curriculum requirements of the Victorian Department of Education with Consciousness-Based Education.

‘Interacting each day with students and teachers who are lively and enthusiastic, who work in a friendly and harmonious way—giving their full attention to each activity—fulfils my aspirations as both a teacher and a Principal,’ says Frances Clarke, Principal of the School.
‘At this school, learning ability, receptivity, intelligence and creativity all develop significantly, regardless of the student's background or gender.

‘Our teaching staff is required to undergo additional training throughout the year in Consciousness-Based Education, ensuring that all our children are treated with respect and kindness, while at the same time they are given guidance by both example and understanding.’

Consciousness-Based Education, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and taught at Maharishi Schools around the world, is an approach that nurtures the happiness and inner creative genius of every student; it directly develops qualities such as learning ability, creativity, confidence, self-esteem, and moral reasoning.

Consciousness-Based Education supports the principle of ‘unity in diversity’, encouraging the individual growth of each student along with growth of ideal social behaviour including tolerance and respect for others. It fosters growth in the direction of higher states of consciousness—and the ability to think and act spontaneously in accord with natural law.

Parents, educators, and students have long felt something was missing in education. How many parents and teachers have had the experience of their students asking the question ‘What has this got do with me, with my life?'

After the early delightful years when a child’s natural curiosity about the world leads him or her on a busy voyage of discovery, it is all too often the case that at some point students start to feel disaffected from school because they can’t find the answer to this question, ‘What has this got to do with me?’

Consciousness-Based Education fills this gap by providing the element missing from education: development of the knower while in the process of acquiring knowledge through standard academic disciplines.

One parent comments:
‘Maharishi School is giving my children not only a solid base of learning skills but also the self-esteem and self-knowledge to make positive choices for themselves throughout their lives.’

Consciousness-Based Education teaches that development from within is essential. It both supports, underlies, and integrates the conventional approach of seeing the student as a container of knowledge—to be filled with an ever-expanding list of information—and with developing and expanding the student’s consciousness so that broader comprehension, increased intelligence, and happiness form the basis of the learning process, allowing it to be even more successful and fulfilling.

For education to be complete, it must include development of consciousness and the achievement of higher states of consciousness. This has been missing in education for many centuries past. Consciousness-Based Education is now available to provide the whole development of the student.

Consciousness-Based Education includes a simple, natural and very practical technique for developing the consciousness and intelligence of the student—the Transcendental Meditation Programme, which is easily and systematically learnt by anyone of any age, education, religion, or background.

Over 30 years of use in education, more than 600 scientific research studies performed at 250 universities in 30 countries over the past 40 years, demonstrate that the Transcendental Meditation Programme greatly benefits mind, body and behaviour. Scientific findings relevant to education include improved academic achievements, intelligence and creativity; memory and learning ability; concentration and ability to focus; health; self-esteem and self-concept; and moral reasoning ability and social behaviour.

Research has also verified increased coherence of brain functioning; greater teacher effectiveness; increased energy and alertness; more happiness and self-confidence; reduced stress and anxiety; and decreased use of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.

Each school day at Maharishi School begins and ends with group practice of Transcendental Meditation. This daily practice provides a perfect foundation for education: development of the student’s own consciousness. With this growth of pure, inner wakefulness, creative genius blossoms, and intelligence and organizing power naturally become stronger.

Daily group practice also creates an environment that is ideal for the learning process. The students gain a natural orderliness and coherence; they become more receptive to knowledge; they exhibit greater alertness; and they radiate bliss and friendliness to their classmates and their teachers.

Another parent comments:
‘My children are a lot more confident and people often mention how radiant they both look. The beautiful, calm, and nurturing environment creates the perfect atmosphere for learning and growing.’

Maharishi School in Melbourne welcomes all families to call and book a personalized tour to see the school in action. For further information and a package including informative DVDs regarding the school, please contact the Maharishi School office:
office@maharishischool.vic.edu.au.

"The potential of every student is infinite. The time of student life should serve to unfold that infinite potential so that every individual becomes a vibrant centre of Total Knowledge."—Maharishi