MVRI’s First Regional Conference was held on the Gold Coast in 2016
Featuring international speakers, MVRI launched its First Regional Conference on Maharishi Vedic Science: “Atma—Ved—Vishwa—Brahm” in beautiful, award-winning Maharishi Vedic Architecture in Queensland, Australia. The theme, Atma (pure, transcendental consciousness), Ved (knowledge), Vishwa (the universe), Brahm (Totality, total knowledge of natural law, or unity consciousness), set the stage for the full range of topics for consideration.
Convenor, Dr Geoffrey Wells invited Dr Bevan Morris to open the conference and His Excellency Chandra Bhandari, Indian ambassador for Yoga, led with an inspiring address.
Presented by H.E. Chandra Bhandari and His Excellency Muon Veasna, MVRI Directors Dr Fergusson and Dr Bonshek were awarded the Royal Order of Sahametrei 2016, for service to His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni and the people of Cambodia, acknowledging the establishment of Maharishi Vedic University (MVU) in Cambodia and continuing collaboration and research programs.
Papers presented included:
Maharishi Ayurveda: The Vedic Approach to Health by Professor Gaynor Hamill; Eating When Empty is Good for your Health: Insights from Maharishi Vedic Science into Hunger Recognition by Dr David Lovell-Smith; The Language of Form in Maharishi Sthapatya-Ved and Maharishi Vedic Yogini Shakti Peetham: A New Yogini Shakti Peetham in New Zealand—two presentations by Dr Neil Hamill.
Dr Hamill also presented a short video of which “Glimpse of a Yogini Shakti Peetham” features the structure.
Following this Dr Michael King spoke on Empowering Offenders to Rehabilitate: Transcendental Meditation, Therapeutic Jurisprudence and the Criminal Justice System. The talks continued with Looking for the Pattern of the Ved in Modern Psychiatry by Dr Nick Argyle; Researching and Appreciating the Book ‘Maharishi’s Absolute Theory of Government’ by Dr Geoffrey Wells; Benefits and Outcomes of Practicing Transcendental Meditation. By His Excellency, Muon Veasna; A Case History of Maharishi Vedic Science in Cambodia: Economic and Social Impacts by Dr Lee Fergusson; The Unmanifest Canvas: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Arts, Creativity and Perception—A Source Document for Creative Practice by Dr Anna Bonshek; Playing with Prakriti: Reflections on Musical Structure in My Recent Compositions by Dr Corrina Bonshek; and An Artist Talk: Considering Maharishi Vastu as an Experience of Space by Dr Veronica Aldous. An evening concert finished with music by Richard Aldous and Dr Corrina Bonshek