Um, no, actually; it looks like the Herald Sun is just doing more advertising for their good friends, the woos. Phew, I was rather alarmed there for a minute. An article today, 'Pupils schooled in calmer karma,' (nice title, retards) outlines the use of TM to transform students into magical superkids who never misbehave. It looks like they're flogging a lecture series by batshit insane wingnut, Ashley Deans, a quantum physicist (apparently) and head of the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment in Iowa. They even provide a telephone number for bookings and a net link. How nice of them.

Maharishi Primary School Principle, Frances Clark, supplies proof that TM works in schools:

"There has been a noticeable change in their growth and enthusiasm for their schoolwork."

Noticeable changes in enthusiasm according to whom? Oh, you're a member of the nut brigade? Excuse me if I don't take your testimony seriously. "Noticeable changes in their growth?" Wow, you can watch people growing before your very eyes? Awesome!

Frances wouldn't be a proper woo if she didn't claim the scientific legitimacy of her fantasies,
though:

"Ms. Clarke said scientific studies had shown TM promoted the full potential of the brain... (blah blah blah)."

Bullshit.

Nice piece of journalism Herald Sun. How much did you receive from the Maharashi people for this crap?

Now, let's take a look at Ashley Deans, the apparent recipient of this advertising space, in
support of his upcoming lectures at La Trobe University. Shame, La Trobe, shame.

Mr. Deans' blog, Enlightened Educator (hahaha, good one), contains many hilarious statements:

"Did you know that top brain researchers report that modern education damages your child’s brain?"

No, Ash, I didn't know that. Sounds like bullshit to me; although, I would agree that modern
education is piss-poor. In fact, it's so bad that people don't immediately point and laugh at idiots like yourself. I don't think our education is that bad that it would do physical damage to a person's brain though. Nice try.

"I know because at Maharishi School we use the Transcendental Meditation technique and Consciousness-Based education to wake up the brain — to develop the brain’s full potential."

Consciousness-Based education? As opposed to unconsciousness-based education: educating the dead.

"This program, when practiced in groups such as school classes, has also been shown to reduce acute social stress, resulting in decreased crime, terrorism, conflict, and war."

Yep, this dude is a complete flipping nut. Just in case you haven't heard, this rubbish is one of
the central claims of TM. Get enough meditating people together, and it sends out waves of
'positive energy,' leading to reduced crime rates, violence, war etc etc. and soon we will
achieve paradise on Earth. Some of you may have seen the film 'What the bleep do we know?' (quite a lot, actually; the film makers obviously weren't aware of that) where they claimed that crime was reduced in Washington over a certain period because a bunch of tools sat about, humming. Of course, the actual statistics put the lie to this. Pesky reality.

"...it is so important that students in schools and colleges receive a Consciousness-Based education, which includes the practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, including Yogic Flying."

This is the about as sad as it gets. Anyone who has any respect for this guy after he mentions yogic flying is a moron. Yogic flying has to be seen to be believed. It consists of a pack of clowns hopping around on rubber mats in the lotus position; that's it (aforementioned clowns, pictured right). Apparently, this is only stage 1 on the path to true levitation. Strangely, nobody has reached stage 2. I wonder why?

Why the hell is this crazy bastard getting plugs in the Herald Sun? Why is La Trobe University allowing him to spew his insane bullshit on their campus? Idiots.

For further information, read the Skeptic's dictionary entry on Transcendental Meditation.