A cursory examination of Maharishi Vedic Science suggests it may address issues related to sustainability, particularly when it points out that contemporary approaches to knowledge isolate the individual from his or her environment; in contrast to the modern scientific disciplines, Vedic Science identifies and encourages “a very intimate connection between the individual and the universe”. Moreover, references in Maharishi Vedic Science to a “self - sufficient” and “infinitely correlated” state of intelligence, an immortal state of pure consciousness, which is the source of manifest creation (a level of life which can be lived by every human being), and the need for “creating a global green revolution” to achieve food self-sufficiency indicate this body of integrated ancient and contemporary scientific knowledge may offer valuable insights into and practical programs for creating a sustainable future. Preliminary research has been conducted on the contribution of Maharishi Vedic Science to sustainability, particularly as it applies to activities such as farming and forestry. For example, Fisher has outlined conventional concepts of sustainability and their relation to what he calls “consciousness-based sustainability” in agriculture, Fagan has discussed renewable fertilizers, crop rotation and diversification, soil conservation and natural means of pest control in the context of genetically engineered horticulture, Scaroni-Fisher and Fisher have considered Vedic knowledge in the light of sustainable forestry and architecture, and Wallace has examined Vedic technologies in the context of organic agriculture. More recently, Heaton has similarly investigated the relationship of Maharishi Vedic Science to sustainable architecture and what Maharishi calls “higher states of consciousness”. However, what data that does exist on sustainability and Vedic knowledge, while comprehensive, relates primarily to ecology, organic agriculture, forestry and architecture, genetic engineering, food production, control of pests and soil science (particularly in relation to erosion), but not specifically to its core principles and how these might be applied to “yield a new crop”. This Special Issue will examine Maharishi Vedic Science from multiple perspectives of sustainability, including ethics, urban sustainability, traditional approaches to sustainability, food production, poverty removal, economics, education, peace studies, consciousness studies, etc.

Aims and Scope:

Maharishi Vedic Science
Sustainability
Principles of sustainability
Frameworks of sustainability
Practices of sustainability
Consciousness studies
Ethics
Education