In June/July 1993 more than 4,000 meditators descended on Washington D.C. to conduct an experiment. Their aim was to prove that collective meditation would lower the levels of violent crime purely through the thoughts and intentions of the massed meditators. Against the projections of the FBI and the Washington D.C. Chief of Police, the experiment worked. Violent crime rates dropped by a staggering 23.6% (maximum increase), and when the experiment was finished, violent crimes rates rose again.
Graph showing violent crime rates against weeks of assembly by the meditators.
(Source http://www.worldpeaceproject.org/news/)
So what does this mean for us?
By using meditation as a means for increasing peace we can, literally, help lower rates of violence, across the world. If only 4,000 meditators can have such an impact over such a short space of time in Washington D.C., what could 40,000 (or more!) meditators across the world in a combined effort achieve? With a world population of over 7 billion people, if only 1 per cent of the population came together, a total of 70 million people, imagine the effect it could have on areas such as the Middle East. Peace across the world is well and truly within our grasp, we need only come together and do away with the fear driven, materialistic lies that our corrupt governments present to us.
Meditation for dealing with personal stress
Besides the benefits to humankind as a whole, meditation has huge personal benefits. Amongst many others, it is proven to significantly lower stress levels.
With so many of the men and women of our armed forces, both still serving and ex, suffering from epidemic levels of post traumatic stress from conflicts ranging from World War II to Afghanistan, and a civilian population living in a constant fear of (fabricated) terrorism, economic collapse, crime and poverty; meditation can and will help to alleviate these stresses reducing the need for psychoactive drugs that numb our minds to reality.
How can we get started?
Contrary to popular belief, mediation is practiced by all religions, and is not just something that Buddhists or New Age ‘hippies’ engage in. As such there is a wealth of ways to find out more or get started. A simple search online for ‘basic meditation techniques for stress’ will yield lots of results to help you on your way. The thing to remember is that mediation is effortless, natural and incredibly rewarding. Don’t take my word for it though, give it a try and let’s increase the peace together!
Joe Lidster is a member of Veterans For Peace UK, he served in the Royal Marines and is a daily meditator.
Veterans For Peace UK 
Excellent article Joe, I’ve been practicing daily meditation for the past couple of years, I encourage anyone to try it, nothing to lose and so much to gain. Collaborative research catalysed by Scientists at the Mind and Life Institute has shown that it is indeed possible to transform ourselves for the betterment of our own lives and for society, by cultivating wholesome states of mind, thought after thought, day after day, year after year. PEACE
Anyone thinking of doing this SHOULD… It grounds you and makes you see so much clearly. We are all connected peace and love Kenny
Hi Joe, what a great post! Been meaning to get down to some meditation for a long while. This may well be the kick up the a#@e I need, thanks!
John Boulton (VFP UK).
What a good idea, and you could throw in some yoga too. Works a treat for releasing stagnant energy within the body……
This site is great. Every post has something different to offer.
Regarding the above, I remember they did a ‘study’ like this in Israel a few decades ago using TM and similar to this one, that magic number of 1% was found to be the right number of meditators to effect change.
To be honest I would like to look at the paper more closely to make a properly informed opinion but the similarity in results is eerie in a welcome way.
Well said Joe, I am an ordained minister in the Church of England and have practised mindfulness meditation for a number of years. I have experienced personal benefits and have seen it work for many people and it doesn’t require a religious commitment. Count me in.
The first rule of medicine is that the physician should do no harm. The same should apply to peace activists and all attempts at conflict resolution and conflict prevention.
Meditation certainly applies this basic rule, it does no harm and most likely does some considerable good to the meditator and to all those he or she comes into contact with