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168-715: A number of educational institutions have been founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi , the Transcendental Meditation movement and its supporters. These institutions include several schools offering public and private secondary education in the Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment (USA), Maharishi School (England) the Maharishi International School (Switzerland), Maharishi School, (Australia), South Africa (Maharishi Invincibility School of Management), and

336-660: A new religious movement and as non-religious. He became known as Maharishi (meaning "great seer") and Yogi as an adult. After earning a degree in physics at Allahabad University in 1942, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi became an assistant and disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (also known as Guru Dev), the Shankaracharya (spiritual leader) of the Jyotir Math in the Indian Himalayas. The Maharishi credits Brahmananda Saraswati with inspiring his teachings. In 1955,

504-417: A 24-hour digital streaming extension of the program available through its website and Peacock . The show's first broadcast aired on January 14, 1952, as the brainchild of television executive Sylvester Weaver , who was then vice president of NBC . Weaver was president of the company from 1953 to 1956, during which time Today ' s late-night companion The Tonight Show premiered. In pre-production,

672-572: A Georgian rectory in Suffolk . In the United States, resorts and hotels, many in city centres, were purchased to be used as TM training centres. Doug Henning and the Maharishi planned a magical Vedic amusement park, Vedaland, and bought large tracts of land near Orlando, Florida , and Niagara Falls, Ontario , to host the park. The theme park was supposed to be a gateway into understanding the mysteries of

840-466: A West Coast edition by broadcasting parts of the show live for viewers there. In such an event, the live portion does not typically go beyond the 7:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) half-hour or the bloc before the first set of advertisements. Once completed, the remaining blocs/segments taped from the East Coast edition will follow. Throughout the live segment, the presenters will explicitly make some reference to

1008-592: A brief traffic report) and local advertisements. Certain NBC affiliates that produce an additional morning newscast for a sister station or digital subchannel may prerecord the local inserts aired during the first one to two hours of Today to focus production responsibilities on just one of their local channels. Starting in June 2014, SiriusXM began simulcasting Today on a new channel called Today Show Radio, Channel 108, with The Best of Today starting at 6   am (Eastern) and

1176-484: A cafe and charges for visitors, although the site remains essentially a ruin. In 1968, the Maharishi announced that he would stop his public activities and instead begin the training of TM teachers at his new global headquarters in Seelisberg , Switzerland. In 1969, he inaugurated a course in his Science of Creative Intelligence at Stanford University , which was then offered at 25 other American universities. In 1970,

1344-564: A clinical neuropsychologist and health advisor for the TM's Committee for Stress-Free Schools. The New York Times reported in 2005 that American University, in Washington D.C., was set to begin offering Transcendental Meditation classes as part of a research project to measure its potential effect on "grades, IQ's and mental health". Later, the practice of the technique by 250 students at American University , Georgetown University and Howard University in

1512-647: A few sources say John Gray was a MERU graduate. The Maharishi Foundation purchased the Kolleg St. Ludwig campus in 1984 for US$ 900,000 and it became the MERU university campus. The Maharishi School in Skelmersdale , Lancashire , England is the only specialist TM school in the country and has 100 pupils aged between four and 16. At Limeside Primary in Oldham , half of the teaching staff now regularly meditate. In September 2011,

1680-403: A format that emphasized the social interaction of the anchors, Roker and newsreader. The graphics were also overhauled with introduction of the new set (a slightly modified version of this package and the revised logo debuted on Early Today that November, further integrating the early-morning news program's branding with Today ). The logo-to-peacock animation was moved from the left corner to

1848-566: A guest on The Merv Griffin Show in 1975 and again in 1977, and this resulted in "tens of thousands of new practitioners" around the USA. In the mid 1970s, the Maharishi's U.S. movement was operating 370 TM centres manned by 6,000 TM teachers. At that time, the Maharishi also began approaching the business community via an organisation called the American Foundation for SCI (AFSCI), whose objective

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2016-502: A half years to attune himself to the thinking of Brahmananda Saraswati and to gain "a very genuine feeling of complete oneness". At first Brahmachari Mahesh performed common chores but gained trust and became Guru Dev's "personal secretary" and "favored pupil". He was trusted to take care of the bulk of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati's correspondence without direction and was also sent out to give public speeches on Vedic (scriptural) themes. The Maharishi said his life truly began in 1940, at

2184-554: A million copies and was published in fifteen languages. The Maharishi's activities in 1966 included a course in India and a one-month tour in South America. He established Transcendental Meditation centers in Port of Spain, Trinidad; Caracas, Venezuela; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; Lima, Peru; and Bogota, Colombia. In addition, in 1966

2352-469: A national organization of 6,000 American medical doctors who practiced TM, a private school, a clinic, and a TM meditation center. In 1991, the Washington Post reported that the Maharishi, referring to Washington DC, had advised TM practitioners: "save yourself from the criminal atmosphere". As a result, 20 to 40 TM practitioners put their homes up for sale in an effort to move away from the city. In 2007

2520-488: A network of Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools (India). Likewise, Maharishi colleges and universities have been established including Maharishi European Research University (Netherlands), Maharishi Institute of Management (India), Maharishi University of Management and Technology (India), Maharishi Institute (South Africa) and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vedic University (India). In the US, critics have called Transcendental Meditation

2688-431: A new anchor desk. The new set retains the 360 home base used in the previous design. The new set replaced much of the dark wood colors with lighter colors and removed the emphasis of orange in previous design in favor of orange accents. In February 2018, while Guthrie and Kotb were at the 2018 Winter Olympics , the studio received minor changes including new screens and flooring in the former screen area; and by November of

2856-415: A new name, Bal Brahmachari Mahesh. Coplin refers to bala brahmachari as both a title and a name and considers that it "identified him as a fully dedicated student of spiritual knowledge and life-long celibate ascetic." Brahmananda insisted that before accepting Mahesh as a pupil he must first complete his university degree and get permission from his parents. The Maharishi recalls how it took about two and

3024-431: A new set and graphics package (it was originally set to debut on September 9, 2013, but was delayed one week to complete final design details). The "home base" is located on a platform that can spin 360°, therefore allowing the view and direction of the camera to change depending on the half-hour. A new couch and background was added in the "sofa area" (where the anchors sit and discuss topics). A social media area known as

3192-535: A news department) see a national summary of temperatures on a weather map. The semi-retired Scott, who gained fame through his antics that included costumes and props, still appeared on-air to continue his tradition of wishing "happy birthday" to centenarians . Scott's traditional local cue was "Here's what's happening in your world, even as we speak." He retired completely from television on December 15, 2015. The job of "panelist" has no set definition. Panelist duties can range from conducting interviews to reporting on

3360-466: A number of topics in-studio and in the field. Regular panelists on the program include the following: From 1952 to 1964, a notable member of the cast was a woman, often an entertainer, the Today Girl. Usually, she discussed fashion and lifestyle, reported the weather, covered lighter-fare stories or engaged in verbal jousting with Garroway. Estelle Parsons was the first to hold the job, though her title at

3528-658: A physician and MIT-trained neuroscientist, as the king or Maharaja of the GCWP in 2000. The GCWP unsuccessfully attempted to establish a sovereign micronation when it offered US$ 1.3 billion to the President of Suriname for a 200-year lease of 3,500 acres (14 km ) of land and in 2002, attempted to choose a king for the Talamanca , a "remote Indian reservation" in Costa Rica . In 2001, Maharishi University Of Information Technology

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3696-692: A press release, in 2010, at a global educational summit in Bahrain, the institute was granted an award that recognized it as an innovative institution with the potential to significantly improve educational outcomes through adaptable and replicable business models. The web site for Consciousness-Based Education, South Africa lists 12 partner schools in the US, Netherlands, Australia, India, Ecuador, Thailand, China, and Great Britain and says that "Consciousness-Based Education has been introduced into more than 230 schools and more than 25 universities or other tertiary institutions worldwide". A Maharishi Secondary School for Girls

3864-585: A public statement endorsing the Maharishi's goals and meditation technique. His Canadian tour was also well covered by the press. The Maharishi's fifth world tour, in 1964, consisted of visits to many cities in North America, Europe and India. During his visit to England, he appeared with the Abbot of Downside , Abbot Butler, on a BBC television show called The Viewpoint . In October of that year, in California,

4032-559: A revised form of Eastern, religious philosophy and opposed its use in public schools while a member of the Pacific Justice Institute says practicing Transcendental Meditation in public schools with private funding is constitutional. The Students' International Meditation Society (SIMS) incorporated in 1965/1966 and focused on offering the TM technique to students and faculty at schools and universities. The UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) chapter had 1,000 members and

4200-411: A sketch titled "All About Deborah Norville" (a takeoff on the classic film All About Eve ), which depicted Norville as ruthlessly scheming to take Pauley's place as Today co-host. In October 1989, it was announced that 13-year veteran Pauley would leave Today at the end of the year. NBC, as expected, announced that Norville would become co-host. An emotional Norville hugged Pauley on the air after

4368-412: A still image of a weather map. When the show converted to all-color broadcasts in 1965, weather maps were prepared and projected on a screen behind Frank Blair, who delivered the forecast immediately after his news summaries. Following Blair's retirement on March 14, 1975, Lew Wood took over the newsreader and weather reporting duties (using Blair's format). When Floyd Kalber became newsreader in 1976, Wood

4536-426: A weather event or from the cable channel's suburban Atlanta headquarters, or as a fill-in for Roker. This lasted until 2018 when TWC was acquired by Entertainment Studios . NBC owned-and-operated stations and network affiliates are given a 30-second window to insert a local forecast segment into the program following the national weather report; Roker's outcue for the local break is "That's what's going on around

4704-421: Is a physiological technique that calms the mind, improves grades and attention span, while reducing disruptive behavior. A 2011 research review said their "findings provide good support for the use of TM to enhance several forms of information processing in students". Maharishi European Research University ( MERU ) was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Seelisberg , Switzerland in 1975. The university's purpose

4872-661: Is a public university located in Katni , Madhya Pradesh . Maharishi University of Management and Technology, with campuses in Bilaspur and Chhattisgarh , is a private University recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Maharishi Center for Educational Excellence (MCEE) was established in 1999 by its chairman, Girish Chandra Verma. The Maharishi College of Natural Law was established in Orissa India in 1982 and

5040-552: Is affiliated with the New Delhi Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and/or their respective state-school, education boards. Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools include 148 branches in 118 cities with a total of 90,000 to 100,000 students and 5,500 teaching and support staff. The Maharishi Institute of Management has campuses in Bangalore , Bhopal , Hyderabad , Indore , Chennai and Maharishi Nagar (Delhi). The institute

5208-578: Is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC . The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television and in the world, and after 72 years of broadcasting it is fifth on the list of longest-running United States television series . Originally a two-hour program airing weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., it expanded to Sundays in 1987 and Saturdays in 1992. The weekday broadcast expanded to three hours in 2000, and to four hours in 2007 (though over time,

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5376-521: Is listed as M.C. Srivastava , and an obituary says his name was "Mahesh Srivastava". Various accounts give the year of his birth as 1911, 1917 or 1918. Authors Paul Mason and William Jefferson say that he was born 12 January 1917 in Rajim , Central Provinces , British India ( Chhattisgarh , India ). The place of birth given in his passport is "Pounalulla", India, and his birth date 12 January 1918. Mahesh "most likely" came from an upper-caste family of

5544-634: Is located in Fairfield, Iowa , United States. The university is not-for-profit, is accredited through the Ph.D. level by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , and offers a Consciousness-Based Education approach that includes the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. Degree programs are offered in the arts, sciences, business, and

5712-510: Is located in Mbale , Uganda . There is a Maharishi School near Melbourne, Australia and a Maharishi Research Institute in Japan. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born Mahesh Prasad Varma , 12 January 191? – 5 February 2008) was the creator of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and leader of the worldwide organization that has been characterized in multiple ways, including as

5880-619: Is located in Zurich, Switzerland . Maharishi Shiksha Sansthan (MSS) is a registered society that oversees Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools (MVMS) and Maharishi Ideal Girls Schools located across India . MSS also administrates the five campuses of the Maharishi Institute of Management and the Maharishi University of Management and Technology campus. The Maharishi Vidya Mandir Schools were founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1995. MVMS

6048-577: Is rooted in Hinduism and crosses the same constitutional line as in the Malnak case and decision of 1979. Since then, however, "TM has made a comeback of sorts with some governmental sponsorship" according to authors Forsthoefel and Humes. In May 2008, Lynn said that the Americans United for Separation of Church and State was keeping "a close legal eye on the TM movement" and "there are no imminent cases" against

6216-470: Is seen in the opening of the show in home base moves up and down to allow a view of the outside from the home base. Some minor changes were implemented throughout the early and middle part of 2013, not only in the way that things are presented, but also with modified graphics and minor updates to the set. That year, a new, larger anchor desk was introduced with space to seat all four main anchors (Guthrie, Lauer, Morales and Roker). The new desk brought an end to

6384-557: Is to conduct research into the effects of Transcendental Meditation and higher states of consciousness. The original campus was located in a Victorian-era hotel above Lake Lucerne . The first chancellor was physicist Larry Domash. David Orme Johnson was the vice-chancellor. Institutions bearing the MERU name have also operated at Mentmore Towers , an estate in Buckinghamshire , England, and at Vlodrop , Netherlands. Notable alumni include Bevan Morris , Ashley Deans, Mike Tompkins , and

6552-565: Is useful to every man". The Maharishi's 1986 book, Thirty Years Around the World , gives a detailed account of his world tours, as do two biographies, The Story of the Maharishi , by William Jefferson, and The Maharishi by Paul Mason. The first world tour began in Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar ), and included the countries of Thailand, Malaya , Singapore, Hong Kong and Hawaii. He arrived in Hawaii in

6720-850: The Today TV shows. He and the Beatles met in London in August 1967, when George Harrison and his wife Pattie Boyd urged their friends to attend the Maharishi's lecture at the Hilton on Park Lane . The band members went to study with the Maharishi in Bangor , Wales , before travelling to Rishikesh, India, in February 1968 to "devote themselves fully to his instruction". Ringo Starr and his wife Maureen left after 10 days, Paul McCartney and Jane Asher left after five weeks;

6888-458: The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards . A mock set was set up in Dateline NBC ' s studio, which was also used during inclement weather. The program also used a temporary outdoor set at NBC Studios , and MSNBC 's Countdown with Keith Olbermann (which joined at Studio 1A in 30 Rock on October 22, 2007). On September 13, 2006, Today moved back into the revamped Studio 1A space. The new studio

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7056-775: The City of Hope Foundation in Los Angeles gave the Maharishi their "Man of Hope" award. By 1971, the Maharishi had completed 13 world tours, visited 50 countries, and held a press conference with American inventor Buckminster Fuller at his first International Symposium on SCI at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts. From 1970 to 1973, about 10,000 people attended the Maharishi sponsored symposia on his modern interpretation of Vedanta philosophy, called Science of Creative Intelligence. During these conferences, held at universities,

7224-626: The Kayastha caste , a caste of scribes in India. The birth name and the birth dates of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi are not known with certainty, in part because of the tradition of ascetics and monks to relinquish family connections. Many accounts say he was born Mahesh Prasad Varma into a Kayastha family living in the Central Provinces of British India . A different name appears in the Allahabad University list of distinguished alumni, where he

7392-601: The Malnak decision "dismantled" the TM program's use of government funding to incorporate Transcendental Meditation into public schools. However, according to religious scholars Douglas E. Cowan and David G. Bromley this "judicial rebuff" of the New Jersey school project did not render "a negative evaluation of the program itself" and those who oppose the practice in public schools are said to be mainly conservative Christians and civil libertarians who seek to preserve church-state separation. Since 1979, schools and universities in

7560-534: The Netherlands in 2007, which renewed their friendship. The New York Times and The Independent reported that the influence of the Maharishi, and the journey to Rishikesh to meditate, steered the Beatles away from LSD and inspired them to write many new songs. In 2009, McCartney commented that Transcendental Meditation was a gift the Beatles had received from the Maharishi at a time when they were looking for something to stabilise them. The Beatles' visit to

7728-649: The Today Show' s live broadcast from Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center in New York City starting at 7:00 a.m. (Eastern), with a tape delayed broadcast at beginning 7:00 a.m. Pacific time. On Mondays The Hoda Show with Hoda Kotb is broadcast exclusive on the Today Show Radio channel. On Tuesdays Off the Rails with Al Roker , Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones airs at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern). On Wednesdays The Happy Hour with

7896-542: The U.S. Virgin Islands , until NBC expanded the program to three hours (extending the program until 10:00 a.m.) on October 2, 2000. A fourth hour (which extended the program until 11:00 a.m.) was eventually added on September 10, 2007. In August 2013, Today released a mobile app for smartphones and tablets. The program airs live in the Eastern Time Zone and on tape delay beginning at 7:00 a.m. in each of

8064-755: The US District Court of New Jersey that a course in Transcendental Meditation and the Science of Creative Intelligence (SCI) was religious activity within the meaning of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and that the government funded teaching of SCI/TM in the New Jersey public high schools was prohibited. The court ruled that, although SCI/TM is not a theistic religion, it deals with issues of ultimate concern, truth, and other ideas analogous to those in well-recognized religions. The court found that

8232-466: The " Raam " as a currency "dedicated to financing peace promoting projects". In 2003, David Lynch began a fundraising project to raise US$ 1 billion "on behalf of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi" to build a meditation centre large enough to hold 8,000 skilled practitioners. The Maharishi ordered a suspension of TM training in Britain in 2005 due to his opposition to prime minister Tony Blair 's decision to support

8400-406: The "Orange Room," was also added to Studio 1A, which contains screens that display Twitter comments or trending topics, Carson Daly was hired to present segments from the room during the broadcast. Six screens that also connect to one 6' x 16' screen were added in the fashion/special topic area. During its first two days of use, the show transitioned away from its news and entertainment format to

8568-472: The "learned classes". According to William Jefferson, in 1958, the Maharishi went to Madras to address a large crowd of people who had gathered to celebrate the memory of Guru Dev . It was there that he spontaneously announced that he planned to spread the teaching of TM throughout the world. Hundreds of people immediately asked to learn TM. In 1959, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi began his first world tour, writing: "I had one thing in mind, that I know something which

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8736-421: The "news desk", as the third "news reader" (Morales) now sits at the main anchor desk. Other minor changes included a new larger desk for the third hour. After the August 16, 2013, broadcast, the program vacated Studio 1A, while the space underwent a remodeling with a more modern look with (as stated by executive producer Don Nash) "a lot more bells and whistles to play with." On September 16, 2013, Today debuted

8904-634: The 1980s, the organisation continued to expand and his meditation technique continued to attract celebrities, despite its "outlandish claims" and accusations of fraud from disaffected former disciples. The TM organization made a number of property investments, buying a former Rothschild mansion in England, Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, Roydon Hall in Maidstone , Swythamley Park in the Peak District , and

9072-601: The Age of Enlightenment". The Maharishi said the purpose of the inaugural tour was to "go around the country and give a gentle whisper to the population". He visited Ottawa during this tour and had a private meeting with Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, during which he spoke about the principles of TM and "the possibility of structuring an ideal society". That same year, the Pittsburgh Press reported that "The Maharishi has been criticised by other Eastern yogis for simplifying their ancient art." The Maharishi appeared as

9240-588: The Beatles ", though he was already well-known among young people in the UK and had already had numerous public appearances that brought him to the band's attention. Following the Beatles' endorsement of TM, during 1967 and 1968 the Maharishi appeared on American magazine covers such as Life , Newsweek , Time and many others. He gave lectures to capacity crowds at the Felt Forum in New York City and Harvard 's Sanders Hall. He also appeared on The Tonight Show and

9408-728: The DLF, it has funded school programs in New York City, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Vietnam, Nepal, Northern Ireland, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Israel. In 2006, six public schools were each awarded $ 25,000 to begin a TM program and a total of twenty five public, private, and charter schools in the United States had offered Transcendental Meditation to their students. In 2006, the Terra Linda High School in San Rafael, California canceled plans for Transcendental Meditation classes due to concerns of parents that it would be promoting religion. In

9576-474: The David Lynch Foundation had funded TM instruction for "more than 2,000 students, teachers and parents" at "21 U.S. schools and universities", in addition to substantially higher numbers of instruction at schools outside the U.S. Programs have been conducted in Washington D.C., Hartford CT, San Francisco CA, Detroit MI, Steamboat Springs CO, Tucson AZ, Los Angeles CA and Chicago IL. One of those programs

9744-441: The Eastern Time Zone will return to regularly scheduled programming (i.e. the segment of the Today show feed already in progress in their corresponding time zone or their local newscast). During the first two hours of the program, local network affiliates are offered a four-minute window at 26 and 56 minutes past the hour to insert a local newsbreak (which usually also includes a local forecast, and in large and mid-sized markets,

9912-408: The Florida Showcase studio. For the next 20 years, the show occupied a series of studios on the third, sixth, and eighth floors of NBC's headquarters; most notably Studio 3K in the 1970s, Studio 8G (adjacent to Studio 8H, home to Saturday Night Live ; also the current home of Late Night with Seth Meyers ) in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and finally Studio 3B from 1983 to 1994. Today moved to

10080-404: The GCWP announced a plan to build a Maharishi Central University campus at "the geographical center of the Lower 48 states" in Kansas. The facility was under construction until early 2008, when, according to founding president John Hagelin , the necessary $ 100 million in construction funds was not readily available during the Great Recession . As of April 2010 one building was near completion while

10248-487: The Iraq War. The Maharishi said that he did not want to waste the "beautiful nectar" of TM on a "scorpion nation". He lifted the ban after Blair's resignation in 2007. During this period, skeptics were critical of some of the Maharishi's programmes, such as a US$ 10 trillion plan to end poverty through organic farming in poor countries and a US$ 1 billion plan to use meditation groups to end conflict. Today (NBC program) Today (also called The Today Show )

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10416-456: The Liebler Foundation and the DLF. The program at the school has been researched by Rita Benn of the University of Michigan's Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Center. The Chelsea School, a private school in of Silver Spring, Maryland, offers the program to its fifth through twelfth graders who have attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). The program was part of a three-month pilot study conducted by William R. Stixrud,

10584-402: The Maharishi School became one of 24 independent schools in the country to be awarded full state funding as part of the government Free Schools initiative. In 1982 the Maharishi University of Natural Law for England was established. Another Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment is located in Wheaton, Maryland, USA, and a single gender, secondary school called Maharishi International School

10752-484: The Maharishi began dictating his book The Science of Being and Art of Living . In Rishikesh, India, beginning on 20 April 1962, a forty-day course was held for "sadhus, sanyasis, and brahmacharis" to introduce TM to "religious preachers and spiritual masters in India". The Maharishi toured cities in Europe, Asia, North America and India in 1963, and also addressed ministers of the Indian Parliament . According to his memoirs, twenty-one members of parliament then issued

10920-448: The Maharishi began teaching the first Advanced Technique of Transcendental Meditation to some experienced meditators. While travelling in America, the Maharishi met with Robert Maynard Hutchins , the head of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions , and U Thant , the Secretary General of the United Nations . During this same year, the Maharishi finished his book The Science of Being and Art of Living , which sold more than

11088-628: The Maharishi began to introduce his Transcendental Deep Meditation (later renamed Transcendental Meditation) to India and the world. His first global tour began in 1958. His devotees referred to him as His Holiness , and because he laughed frequently in early TV interviews, he was sometimes referred to as the "giggling guru." The Maharishi trained more than 40,000 TM teachers, taught the Transcendental Meditation technique to "more than five million people" and founded thousands of teaching centres and hundreds of colleges, universities and schools, while TM websites report that tens of thousands have learned

11256-406: The Maharishi called Washington, D.C. a "pool of mud" after a decade of attempts to lower the rate of crime in the city, which had the second-largest TM community in the US. He told his followers to leave and save themselves from its "criminal atmosphere". The Maharishi is believed to have made his final public appearance in 1991, in Maastricht , the Netherlands. Deepak Chopra , described as "one of

11424-422: The Maharishi for teaching a simple technique and making it available to everyone and for abandoning traditional concepts of suffering and concentration as paths to enlightenment. At the end of 1968, the Maharishi said that after ten years of teaching and world tours, he would return to India. In 1967, the Maharishi's fame increased and his movement gained greater prominence when he became the "spiritual advisor to

11592-404: The Maharishi founded the Students' International Meditation Society ("SIMS"), which The Los Angeles Times later characterised as a "phenomenal success". In the 1970s, SIMS centres were established at "over one thousand campuses", including Harvard University , Yale University, and UCLA . In 1967, the Maharishi gave a lecture at Caxton Hall in London, which was attended by Leon MacLaren ,

11760-401: The Maharishi held a TM teacher training course at a Victorian hotel in Poland Springs, Maine , with 1,200 participants. Later that year, he held a similar four-week course with 1500 participants at Humboldt State College in Arcata, California . In 1970, after having trouble with Indian tax authorities, he moved his headquarters to Italy, returning to India in the late 1970s. That same year,

11928-420: The Maharishi invited government leaders to interact with his organization called "World Government". In January 1988, offices at the Maharishinagar complex in New Delhi were raided by Indian tax authorities, and the Maharishi and his organisation were accused of falsifying expenses. Reports on the value of stocks, fixed-deposit notes, cash and jewels confiscated vary from source to source. The Maharishi, who

12096-682: The Maharishi relocated his headquarters from Seelisberg , Switzerland, to a former Franciscan monastery in Vlodrop , the Netherlands , which became known as MERU, Holland , on account of the Maharishi European Research University (MERU) campus there. During his time in Vlodrop, he communicated to the public mainly via video and the internet. He also created a subscription-based, satellite TV channel, called Veda Vision, which broadcast content in 22 languages and 144 countries. In 1991,

12264-400: The Maharishi spoke with "leading thinkers" of the day, such as Hans Selye , Marshall McLuhan , and Jonas Salk . The Maharishi announced his World Plan in 1972, the goal of which was to establish 3,600 TM centres around the world. That year, a TM training course was given by the Maharishi at Queen's University and was attended by 1,000 young people from the US and Canada. At the start of

12432-443: The Maharishi stayed at the home of author Helena Olson, and during this period he developed a three-year plan to propagate Transcendental Meditation to the whole world. Though most of his audience consisted of average middle class individuals, he also attracted a few celebrities, such as Efrem Zimbalist Jr. , Nancy Cooke de Herrera and Doris Duke . When the Maharishi came to the U.S. in 1959, his Spiritual Regeneration Movement

12600-698: The Maharishi visited the United States, Austria, Sweden, France, Italy, Greece, India, Kenya, England, and Canada. While in England, he appeared on BBC television and gave a lecture to 5,000 people at the Royal Albert Hall in London, organised by Leon MacLaren of the School of Economic Science . In April 1961, the Maharishi conducted his first Transcendental Meditation Teacher Training Course in Rishikesh , India, with sixty participants from various countries. Teachers continued to be trained as time progressed. During

12768-474: The Maharishi's ashram coincided with a thirty-participant Transcendental Meditation teacher training course that was ongoing when they arrived. Graduates of the course included Prudence Farrow and Mike Love . Although the Rishikesh ashram had thrived in its early days, it was eventually abandoned in 2001. By 2016, some of it had been reclaimed with building repairs, cleared paths, a small photo museum, murals,

12936-493: The Maharishi's organization built the largest wooden structure in the Netherlands without using any nails. The building was the Maharishi's residence for the last two decades of his life. In later years, the Maharishi rarely left his two-room quarters in order to preserve his health and energy. He used videoconferencing to communicate with the world and with his advisors. Built to Maharishi Sthapatya Veda architectural standards,

13104-512: The Maharishi's top assistants before he launched his own career", wrote that the Maharishi collapsed in 1991 with kidney and pancreas failure, that the illness was kept secret by the Maharishi's family, and that he tended to Maharishi during a year-long recovery. According to Chopra, the Maharishi accused him, in July 1993, of trying to compete for the position of guru and asked him to stop travelling and writing books, which led to Chopra's decision to leave

13272-692: The Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa. While in Manchester , England, the Maharishi gave a television interview and was featured in many English newspapers, such as the Birmingham Post , the Oxford Mail and the Cambridge Daily News . This was also the year in which the Maharishi trained Henry Nyburg to be the first Transcendental Meditation teacher in Europe. In 1961,

13440-588: The RCA Exhibition Hall on 49th Street in Manhattan in a space now occupied by the Christie's auction house, just down the block from the present-day studio. The first set placed a functional newsroom in the studio, which Garroway called "the nerve center of the world." The barrier between backstage and on-stage was virtually nonexistent. Garroway and the on-air staff often walked through the newsroom set. Glimpses of

13608-582: The San Francisco area there are three schools that offer the technique as part of their school program, funded primarily by the David Lynch Foundation. The Visitacion Valley Middle School began the program in 2007 and the Everett Middle School and John O'Connell High School began the program sometime after that. The Maharishi Institute, an African university, was founded in 2007 and uses the Transcendental Meditation technique in its programs. As of 2008,

13776-700: The Spiritual Development Movement, but renamed it the Spiritual Regeneration Movement in 1957, in Madras , India, on the concluding day of the Seminar of Spiritual Luminaries. According to Coplin, in his visits to southern India, the Maharishi spoke English rather than the Hindi spoken in his home area to avoid provoking resistance among those seeking linguistic self-determination, and to appeal to

13944-440: The TM sessions offered at the school. The Fletcher Johnson Educational Center, a charter school with 1,500 students in Washington, D.C., introduced the TM program for schools in 1994. Its principal, George H. Rutherford, is a member of the DLF's Board of Advisors. The Ideal Academy Public Charter School began its program with the approval of the Washington, D.C. Board of Education in 1997. The 2005–2006 pilot project at Ideal Academy

14112-546: The TM-Sidhi programme. His initiatives include schools and universities with campuses in several countries, including India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The Maharishi, his family and close associates created charitable organisations and for-profit businesses, including health clinics, mail-order health supplements and organic farms. The reported value of the Maharishi's organization has ranged from

14280-565: The U.S. and abroad have introduced the Transcendental Meditation technique using private, non-governmental funding. The technique has been introduced on a voluntary basis, with parental consent, and teachers and parents are taught the meditation before the students learn. Often referred to as the Quiet Time Program, the students and teachers meditate for 10 to 20 minutes twice per day. The program consists of TM instruction and follow-up, as well as training of school faculty and staff to supervise

14448-536: The Washington D.C. area was monitored as part of a research study conducted by American University and Maharishi University of Management. In 2004, the New York Committee for Stress-Free Schools held a press conference in New York City. The conference included testimony from students, educators and scientists who support the use of TM in the school setting. The following year the TM technique was taught to "more than 100 administrators, teachers and students" and over

14616-797: The Worlds of Jules Verne, the Ancient Chinese City and even Canada's Wonderland when it was first being planned. The Maharishi commissioned plans from a prominent architect for the world's tallest building, a Vedic-style pyramid to be built in São Paulo , Brazil, and to be filled with Yogic Flyers and other TM endeavours. The Maharishi founded Maharishi Ved Vigyan Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a self-described educational institution located in Uttar Pradesh , India, in 1982. The institution reports that it has trained 50,000 pundits in traditional Vedic recitation. In 1983,

14784-440: The announcement was made, and many at the network hoped the negative press generated by Norville's increased presence on the program would end. However, this turned out not to be the case. Prior to the announcement of Pauley's departure, much of the criticism had focused on Norville's youth and beauty, with many branding her "the other woman" and a "home wrecker", in a reference to what some felt seemed like her intent on "breaking up"

14952-407: The bottom right side corner of the screen. The logo that was first previewed on September 13, 2013, pared down the number of circular arches from five to three with its coloring switching from different variations – generally shades of red, orange and yellow to depict a sunrise – to entirely orange. In September 2015 Today updated the set once again, the update included new floors, a new couch, and

15120-403: The camera crew and technicians were a frequent occurrence, as were off-screen voices conversing with Garroway. Gradually, machines and personnel were placed behind the scenes to assemble the news and weather reports, and the newsroom was gone by 1955. In the summer of 1958, television manufacturer Philco complained to NBC that staging Today in a studio explicitly called the RCA Exhibition Hall

15288-435: The country, here's what's happening in your neck of the woods," although in recent years, this outcue was used during only starting the second half-hour. During the first half hour, Roker simply uses "your local forecast" which appears after a 30-second commercial. Those not watching on an affiliate which provides local weather segments following the outcue (including international viewers, as well as NBC stations that do not have

15456-561: The course, the Maharishi began to introduce additional knowledge regarding the development of human potential and began writing his translation and commentary on the first six chapters of the ancient Vedic text, the Bhagavad Gita . His 1962 world tour included visits to Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand. In Britain, he founded a branch of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement. The year concluded in California, where

15624-504: The course, the Maharishi encouraged the attendees to improve their appearance by getting haircuts and wearing ties. He also persuaded the U.S. Army to offer courses in TM to its soldiers and made videotaped recordings of what was thought to be the West's first comprehensive recitation of the Rig Veda . In March 1973, the Maharishi addressed the legislature of the state of Illinois. That same year,

15792-530: The departure of Katie Couric and while a new set was readied (during the summer of 2006), the program was broadcast from a temporary outdoor studio in Rockefeller Plaza, the same set that NBC used at the Olympic Games since 2004. During the week of August 28, 2006, the show was moved to a temporary location outside of Studio 1A because MTV was converting the outdoor studio into their red carpet booth for

15960-543: The episode. Lennon originally wanted to title the song "Maharishi", but changed the title at Harrison's request. Harrison commented years later, "Now, historically, there's the story that something went on that shouldn't have done – but nothing did." In 1992, Harrison gave a benefit concert for the Maharishi-associated Natural Law Party and later apologised for the way the Maharishi had been treated, by saying, "We were very young" and "It's probably in

16128-573: The feet of his master, when he learned the secret of swift and deep meditation. Brahmachari Mahesh remained with Swami Brahmananda Saraswati until the latter died in 1953, when he moved to Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand in the Himalayas , where he undertook a reclusive life for two years. Although Brahmachari Mahesh was a close disciple, he could not be the Shankaracharya's spiritual successor, because he

16296-506: The first time in 25 years that the Maharishi had appeared in the mainstream media, he said "Transcendental Meditation is something that can be defined as a means to do what one wants to do in a better way, a right way, for maximum results". It was occasioned by the reissue of the Maharishi's book The Science of Being and Art of Living . That same year, the Maharishi Global Financing Research Foundation issued

16464-632: The floor and wheel in the Today news set, desks, chairs and cameras. When the show wrapped at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, the news set would be put away and the tourism merchandise returned to the floor. After three years in the Florida Showcase, Today moved back to the RCA Building on September 13, 1965. The network converted its news programming to all-color broadcasts at that time, and NBC could not justify allocating four (then-expensive) color cameras to

16632-536: The founder and leader of the School of Economic Science (SES). He also lectured at UCLA, Harvard, Yale and Berkeley. That year, an article in Time magazine reported that the Maharishi "has been sharply criticised by other Indian sages, who complain that his programme for spiritual peace without either penance or asceticism contravenes every traditional Hindu belief". Religion and culture scholar Sean McCloud also reported that traditional Indian sages and gurus were critical of

16800-409: The group's most dedicated students, Harrison and John Lennon , departed with their wives 16 days later. During their stay, the Beatles heard that the Maharishi had allegedly made sexual advances towards Mia Farrow . On 15 June 1968, in London, the Beatles formally renounced their association with the Maharishi as a "public mistake". " Sexy Sadie " is the title of a song Lennon wrote in response to

16968-574: The high-status Kayastha caste, whose traditional profession is writing. Mahesh studied physics at Allahabad University and earned a degree in 1942. While a few sources say that he worked at the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur for some time, most report that in 1941 he became an administrative secretary to the Shankaracharya of the Jyotir Math , Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (also known as Guru Dev, which means "divine teacher") and took

17136-404: The history books that Maharishi 'tried to attack Mia Farrow' – but it's bullshit, total bullshit." Cynthia Lennon wrote in 2006 that she "hated leaving on a note of discord and mistrust, when we had enjoyed so much kindness from the Maharishi". Asked if he forgave the Beatles, the Maharishi replied, "I could never be upset with angels." McCartney took his daughter Stella to visit the Maharishi in

17304-529: The host or newsreader. Dave Garroway illustrated the day's forecast by drawing fronts and areas of precipitation on a big chalkboard map of the United States, based on information gathered earlier in the morning from the National Weather Service in Washington, D.C. Subsequent hosts John Chancellor and Hugh Downs dropped the chalkboard weather map concept, and instead read a prepared weather summary over

17472-618: The humanities. Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment (MSAE), located on the MUM campus, is an independent, non-denominational, college preparatory school located in Fairfield, Iowa. The school has an open admissions policy and its curriculum includes the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique. The Ideal Girls School was a single-gender college preparatory boarding school in Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa. According to its website,

17640-401: The institute were provided by Educating Africa foundation. It was established by the founders of CIDA City Campus with the goal of further addressing the issue of "accessible tertiary education" by utilizing Consciousness-Based education methods. The Maharishi Institute's goal is to set a precedent for the field of higher education that could be replicated in other African cities. According to

17808-523: The legislature passed a resolution in support of the use of Maharishi's Science of Creative Intelligence in Illinois public schools. Later that year, he organized a world conference of mayors in Switzerland. In that same year, he also addressed 3000 educators at an American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) conference on quality of life and higher education. In 1974, Maharishi International University

17976-404: The local weather inserts by NBC stations. Prior to Roker, Today weather reporters were Bob Ryan (1978–1980) and Willard Scott (1980–1996). Until Ryan's hiring, no one on the show had practical experience or academic credentials in meteorology . With NBC's purchase of The Weather Channel in 2008, personnel from that network frequently participate in Today forecast segments, at the site of

18144-496: The main show as contributors – serve as the co-hosts (with Roker and Melvin) of 3rd Hour Today at 9:00 a.m. Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager co-host the fourth hour – titled Today with Hoda & Jenna – at 10:00 a.m. Saturday editions are co-anchored by Peter Alexander and Laura Jarrett alongside co-hosts Joe Fryer (features anchor) and Angie Lassman (weather anchor). Sunday editions are anchored by Willie Geist . Today anchors where termed as "Communicators" on

18312-453: The master's degree level. It was visited by Russell Simmons a year later and is located in the business district of Johannesburg. Its goal is to provide disadvantaged students with an "accelerated holistic education" that includes employment at "an in-house call centre" and other university positions during their course of study. The goal of the work/study program is to allow the institution to become self funded. Initial funding and grants for

18480-582: The millions to billions of U.S. dollars; in 2008, the organization placed the value of their United States assets at about $ 300 million. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame as the guru to the Beatles , the Beach Boys , and other celebrities. In the late 1970s, he started the TM-Sidhi programme , which proposed to improve the mind–body relationship of practitioners through techniques such as Yogic flying . The Maharishi's Natural Law Party

18648-585: The movement in January 1994. As part of a world plan for peace, the Maharishi inaugurated the Natural Law Party (NLP), calling it a "natural government". His adherents founded the NLP in 1992. It was active in forty-two countries. John Hagelin , the NLP's three-time candidate for U.S. president, denied any formal connection between the Maharishi and the party. According to spokesman Bob Roth, "The Maharishi has said

18816-420: The movement. At the same time, Brad Dacus of the Pacific Justice Institute says doing Transcendental Meditation during a school's "quiet time" (a short period of school time for private prayer or relaxation) "is constitutional." According to a 2008 Newsweek article, there is a "growing movement to bring Transcendental Meditation... into more U.S. schools as a stress-buster for America's overwhelmed kids". At

18984-413: The network's early-morning news program at the time, NBC News at Sunrise ) replaced John Palmer at the Today newsdesk, at which point he assumed her previous role on Sunrise . She also began substituting for Tom Brokaw on NBC Nightly News . Shortly after Norville's appointment as Today ' s news anchor, the decision was made to feature her as an unofficial third host. Whereas Palmer had read

19152-410: The new street-side studio on June 20, 1994, providing a link to the show's 1950s origin. Since the debut of the 1990s set, the national morning news programs of each of the major broadcast and cable-news networks have moved street-side – including two of Today ' s Rockefeller Center neighbors, Fox News ' Fox & Friends (at Sixth Avenue ) and CNN 's since-cancelled American Morning (in

19320-482: The news from a desk separate from where Gumbel and Pauley sat, Norville was seated alongside the program's hosts at the opening and closing of every show. Before long, gossip columns and media observers predicted that NBC would remove Jane Pauley from the program and replace her with Norville in an effort to improve the program's recently declining viewership among young women, the demographic most coveted by morning shows. During this period, Saturday Night Live featured

19488-642: The next five years, 300 additional high school students learned the technique. According to the DLF web site, the TM program was introduced to the Arts and Technology Academy at Weaver High School in Hartford CT in 2006. Four hundred and fifty students as well as principals and administrators are reported to have been instructed in the technique. A voluntary program at the Kingsbury School, a Washington D.C. private school "for students with learning disorders" in grades K-12,

19656-572: The other 10 buildings were still under construction. In 2009 an all boys, boarding school, called the Maharishi Academy of Total Knowledge, was founded in Antrim, New Hampshire with "just a handful of students". University of South Carolina sociologist Barry Markovsky described the TM technique in schools as "stealth religion", and Barry W. Lynn , executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State , says Transcendental Meditation

19824-472: The party has to grow to encompass everyone." Critics charged that the party was an effort to recruit people for Transcendental Meditation, and that it resembled "the political arm of an international corporation" more than a "home-grown political creation". The Indian arm of the NLP, the Ajeya Bharat Party, achieved electoral success, winning one seat in a state assembly in 1998. The Maharishi shut down

19992-401: The political effort in 2004, saying, "I had to get into politics to know what is wrong there." In 1992, the Maharishi began to send groups of Yogic Flyers to countries like India, Brazil, China and the United States of America in an effort to promote world peace through "coherent world consciousness". In 1993 and 2003, he decided to raise the fees for learning the TM technique. In 1997,

20160-463: The producers of Kathie Lee and Hoda airs, and on Thursdays Today Show Confidential with the producers of TODAY airs. The channel also simulcasts NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern) The Today Show Radio service is not currently available on SiriusXM's sister service in Canada and Channel 108 is locked out for Canadian subscribers. The Today program first originated from

20328-518: The program began to plummet. Critics felt that Gumbel and Norville lacked chemistry and many loyal viewers began turning to rival ABC's Good Morning America ( GMA ). By the end of 1990, Today , the longtime dominant program, was officially the second-place morning show behind GMA, and most of the blame was pinned on Norville. By the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991, Norville saw her role as co-host continually minimized. Today aired special editions of

20496-460: The program called " America at War ", with Gumbel anchoring most of the show alone. It was not uncommon for Norville not even to appear until the two-hour show's second half-hour. In addition, she was directed not to initiate conversation on the show and only speak when asked a question by Gumbel. Norville left the show for parental leave in February 1991. It was announced that Katie Couric would substitute co-host during Norville's absence. Ratings for

20664-504: The program ceased live broadcasts in September 1959, opting instead to broadcast an edition taped the previous afternoon punctuated with live newscasts each half-hour. The experiment, which drew criticism from many sides, ended when John Chancellor succeeded Garroway in July 1961. Today ' s weekday version was a two-hour program for 48 years, airing from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in all time zones except for Alaska , Hawaii , and

20832-405: The program from different locations. Although the "Communicator" nomenclature has since dropped out of favor, the job remains largely the same. Including Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie, eight men and nine women have served as primary Today hosts since the program's inception: Notes: From the show's inception, the idea of providing the latest news headlines has been critical to the function of

21000-427: The program rose immediately following Norville's departure and Couric's arrival. Midway though her maternity leave, Norville was interviewed by People . In the story, she avoided conversation about her recent trouble on Today , and instead focused on her newborn baby boy. She was photographed breastfeeding her son, a seemingly innocuous event, but NBC management was said to be greatly displeased by this, believing

21168-606: The program's inception. Creator Pat Weaver envisioned a person whose responsibilities would go beyond the bounds of traditional sit-down news anchors. The Communicator would interview, report, moderate dialogue and generally tie the show together into a coherent whole. Garroway and his successors have all followed that model, with little variation. Now, the hosts are expected to do much the same, and on any given day will talk with correspondents, newsmakers and lifestyle experts; introduce and close each half-hour, conduct special segments (such as cooking or fashion) and go on-assignment to host

21336-412: The program. In that vein, there has always been at least one person on set whose job it is to prepare and deliver newscasts. In 1952, that person was called the "news editor" or (informally) "news chief". In modern parlance, the term "newsreader" or "news anchor" is preferred. Under the two-hour format, four newscasts were delivered, once every half-hour. Presently, there are only two newscasts, delivered at

21504-539: The religious nature of the course was clear from careful examination of the textbook, the expert testimony elicited, and the uncontested facts concerning the puja ceremony, which it found involved "offerings to deities as part of a regularly scheduled course in the schools' educational programs". State action was involved because the SCI/TM course and activities involved the teaching of a religion, without an objective secular purpose. According to religious scholar Cynthia Ann Humes

21672-531: The remaining time zones. The remaining three feeds are frequently updated with minor fixes and repairs, and often, correspondents will tape updates that are then edited into the delayed feeds. NBC affiliates in some markets including in the east coast, such as WYFF in Greenville, South Carolina, air the third and fourth hours of Today on tape delay to accommodate live syndicated programs airing at such times. When breaking news stories warrant, Today will produce

21840-531: The same time, critics say that Transcendental Meditation is a revised form of Eastern, religious philosophy, and they oppose its use in public schools. Some parents and critics view it as an overstepping of boundaries that could lead to "lifelong personal and financial servitude to a corporation run by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi". At the same time, many parents feel the meditation has created "profound results" for their children, and that they "hardly view TM as exclusively, or even overtly, religious," and advocates describe it

22008-535: The same year, the Orange Room got a minor change that included a triangular-pattern wall and wooden flooring. During the week, the flagship hours of Today (7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.) are co-anchored by Savannah Guthrie (2012–present) and Hoda Kotb (2018–2025) alongside co-hosts Al Roker (weather anchor, 1996–present), Craig Melvin (news anchor, 2018–2025) and Carson Daly (features anchor, 2013–present) Sheinelle Jones and Dylan Dreyer – who appear on

22176-607: The school was originally chartered in New York in 1996, then set up its campus in North Carolina in 1998, before finally moving to Iowa in 2001 where it received state accreditation in 2003. Maharishi International University College of Natural Law was located in Washington D.C. five blocks from the White House . From 1981 to 1987 this was also the location of the TM movement's "administrative headquarters" for North America as well as

22344-502: The show being live on the west coast from time to time until the tape-delayed segments resume. In some instances, when an NBC News Special Report of breaking news or a live event occurs during the Today show time slot in the eastern time zone, the show's anchors will assume hosting responsibilities and the show will go live across all time zones until such time when the Special Report segment finishes. At that point, viewers outside

22512-524: The show's mascot during the early years), and local news updates from the network's stations. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, including ABC 's Good Morning America , and CBS ' now-defunct The Early Show . In other countries, the format was copied – most notably in the United Kingdom with the BBC 's BBC Breakfast and ITV 's Good Morning Britain , and in Canada with Your Morning on CTV Television Network . When Today debuted, it

22680-420: The show's proposed working title was The Rise and Shine Revue . The show was first supervised by Jerome Alan Danzig . Today was the first program of its genre when it premiered with original host Dave Garroway . The program blended national news headlines, interviews with newsmakers, lifestyle features, other light news and gimmicks (including the presence of the chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs who served as

22848-585: The spring of 1959, and the Honolulu Star Bulletin reported: "He has no money, he asks for nothing. His worldly possessions can be carried in one hand. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is on a world odyssey. He carries a message that he says will rid the world of all unhappiness and discontent." In 1959, the Maharishi lectured and taught the Transcendental Meditation technique in Honolulu, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and London. While in Los Angeles,

23016-489: The structure, according to the Maharishi, is said to have helped him infuse "the light of Total Knowledge" into "the destiny of the human race". In 2000, the Maharishi founded the Global Country of World Peace (GCWP) "to create global world peace by unifying all nations in happiness, prosperity, invincibility and perfect health, while supporting the rich diversity of our world family". The Maharishi crowned Tony Nader ,

23184-461: The summer of 2005, CNN reversed the trend, abandoning its street-level studio and moving upstairs in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle ). ABC's Good Morning America broadcasts from Times Square Studios , although only a portion of its studio is street side. In 2006, Studio 1A underwent a major renovation to prepare for the upgrade to high-definition television broadcasts. After

23352-453: The summer of 2012 until it regained the lead in the aftermath of anchor Matt Lauer 's departure in November 2017. In 2002, Today was ranked No. 17 on TV Guide ' s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time . The entertainment magazine Variety reported the 2016 advertising revenue during the first two hours of the show was $ 508.8 million. On July 15, 2020, NBC launched Today All Day ,

23520-542: The technique was renamed Transcendental Meditation. It was also then that he was first publicly known with the name "Maharishi", an honorific title meaning "great sage", after the title was given to him according to some sources from "Indian Pundits"; according to another source the honorific was given along with Yogi by followers in India. Later in the west, the title was retained as a name. He traveled around India for two years interacting with his "Hindu audiences" in an "Indian context". At that time, he called his movement

23688-472: The television marriage of Gumbel and Pauley. The negative press only heightened after the announcement of Pauley's resignation, and Norville was put under a gag order by NBC brass, which prevented her from defending herself from the widespread and erroneous reports that she somehow orchestrated her rise on Today . In January 1990, the new anchor team of Bryant Gumbel and Deborah Norville, minus Jane Pauley, debuted with disastrous results. Nielsen ratings for

23856-519: The third and fourth hours became distinct entities). Today ' s dominance was virtually unchallenged by the other networks until the late 1980s, when it was overtaken by ABC 's Good Morning America . Today retook the Nielsen ratings lead the week of December 11, 1995, and held onto that position for 852 consecutive weeks until the week of April 9, 2012, when Good Morning America topped it again. Today maintained its No. 2 status behind GMA from

24024-419: The time was "Women's Editor". Upon her departure in 1955, the Today Girl name was adopted. The last to hold the position, Barbara Walters, discussed the job in her autobiography Audition: A Memoir . She wrote that the Today Girl era pre-dated feminism , as it was believed that nobody would take a woman seriously reporting " infotainment " - Walters described the position as a "tea pourer". In 1966, Walters

24192-437: The top of each of the first two hours. Some anchors, including Jim Fleming, Lew Wood, Floyd Kalber and John Palmer, were seasoned journalists before joining the program. Others, including Ann Curry, have used the position to increase their journalistic acumen, at times leaving the newsdesk behind to venture into the field. News anchors have included the following: For the program's first 25 years, weather reports were delivered by

24360-535: The training in Transcendental Meditation and meditate daily for 15 minutes before or after school. In 2010, the women's squash team at Trinity College in Hartford, CT began practicing the TM technique together after every practice. In 2011 music mogul Russell Simmons announced plans to provide financial support to the David Lynch Foundation to teach TM at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut. The TM technique

24528-567: The universe. According to the Maharishi's official Vedic city website, "Entering Veda Land through a secret cave on a windswept plateau high in the Himalayas the adventure starts as one travels through a waterfall that leads to a forest where an ancient Vedic civilization awaits to reveal the deepest secrets of the universe (sic)". These plans were never executed and, for Niagara Falls, Veda Land turned out to be just another theme park proposal that never materialized, joining an eclectic list that includes

24696-609: Was "headquartered in Switzerland" at the time, reportedly moved to the Netherlands "after the Indian government accused him of tax fraud". ) Following an earthquake in Armenia, the Maharishi trained Russian TM teachers and set up a Maharishi Ayurveda training centre in the Urals region. Beginning in 1989, the Maharishi's movement began incorporating the term "Maharishi" into the names of their new and existing entities, concepts and programmes. In 1990,

24864-574: Was attended by 100 teachers and featured testimony from school principals who have experience with the TM program in schools. In the mid-2000s the TM technique was incorporated into the educational program at the Daburiya High School in Israel. The David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace (DLF) was founded in 2004 and has provided funding for Transcendental Meditation instruction in many educational settings. According to

25032-564: Was called Transcendental Meditation. That same year, he began the International Meditation Society and other organizations to propagate his teachings, establishing centres in San Francisco and London. For years, the sole teacher of Transcendental Meditation in America was a San Diego woman named Beulah Smith. In 1960, the Maharishi traveled to many cities in India, France, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Germany,

25200-467: Was co-founded by researcher and physiologist, Robert Keith Wallace, the first president of Maharishi International University . By 1974, 14 states had encouraged local schools to teach TM in the classroom, and it was taught at 50 universities. Among the public school systems where TM was taught were Shawnee Mission, Kansas , Maplewood , Paterson , Union Hill and West New York , New Jersey , Eastchester, New York and Toronto, Ontario . The organization

25368-588: Was conducted along with research to document the effects of the program. The Nataki Talibah Schoolhouse] in Detroit began using the program for students in the fifth through eighth grade in 1996 and was featured on the Today Show in 2003. The school has since been classified by the Skillman Foundation as a "High-Performing Middle School". Over the years, the program at Nitaki Talibah has been funded by various foundations including General Motors , Daimler Chrysler ,

25536-512: Was described as a "phenomenal success" and continues to function in some countries including the U.S.A. A 33-lesson video course called the Science of Creative Intelligence was offered at universities such as Stanford , Yale , the University of Colorado , the University of Wisconsin , and Oregon State University . In 1979, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the 1977 decision of

25704-406: Was divided into five different sections on the lower level including an interview area, the couch area, the news desk, the performance/interview/extra space area, and home base, which is where the anchors start the show. A gigantic Panasonic 103-inch plasma display monitor is often used for graphic display backgrounds. A kitchen set is located upstairs from the main studio. The blue background that

25872-569: Was established in India in 1995 and offers several degrees including MBA, PGDBA, MCA, BCA and BBA. The institute describes its purpose as the elimination of "existing problems in the field of management in all areas of human concern by establishing automation in administration – management supported by the total intelligence of Natural Law." The Bangalore campus is reported to be an "important centre for computer training and hi-tech learning" in India. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vedic University, also known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidyalaya (MMYVV),

26040-579: Was featured on the PBS program, To The Contrary in 2007. According to the school director, about 10 percent of the teachers, parents and students declined to participate because they found it be religious and cult-ish. Conferences sponsored by the New England Committee for Stress-Free Schools were held in Providence, Rhode Island; Fairfield, Connecticut; and Boston, Massachusetts in 2005. The Boston conference

26208-401: Was founded at Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh India. In 2001, followers of the Maharishi founded Maharishi Vedic City a few miles north of Fairfield, Iowa , in the United States. This new city requires that the construction of its homes and buildings be done according to the Maharishi Sthapatya Veda principles of "harmony with nature". In a 2002 appearance on the CNN show, Larry King Live ,

26376-437: Was founded at the site of the former Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. In October 1975, the Maharishi was pictured on the front cover of Time magazine. He made his last visit to the Spiritual Regeneration Movement centre in Los Angeles in 1975, according to film director David Lynch , who met him for the first time there. In 1975, the Maharishi embarked on a five-continent trip to inaugurate what he called "the Dawn of

26544-413: Was founded in 1992 and ran campaigns in dozens of countries. He moved to near Vlodrop , the Netherlands, in the same year. In 2000, he created the Global Country of World Peace , a non-profit organization, and appointed its leaders. In 2008, the Maharishi announced his retirement from all administrative activities and went into silence until his death three weeks later. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi belonged to

26712-572: Was founded in 2004, "based on the principles of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi"and according to the school, many of its graduates are placed with a company within the "Maharishi Group of Industries". The Maharishi Institute , founded in 2007, under South Africa's Community & Individual Development Association , provides tertiary education utilizing Transcendental Meditation and the Consciousness-Based educational approach. It aims at creating economically self-sufficient institutions that provide large scale, affordable education for students from Grades 11 through

26880-456: Was not a Brahmin. The Shankaracharya, at the end of his life, charged him with the responsibility of travelling and teaching meditation to the masses, while he named Swami Shantananda Saraswati as his successor. In 1955, Brahmachari Mahesh left Uttarkashi and began publicly teaching what he stated was a traditional meditation technique learned from his master Brahmananda Saraswati, and that he called Transcendental Deep Meditation. Later

27048-413: Was promoted to co-anchor alongside Hugh Downs, and the Today Girl position was eliminated. Those who held the position were: From 1953 to 1957, the program featured J. Fred Muggs , a chimpanzee whose antics entertained viewers, but frustrated the program's staff, especially Dave Garroway. Also occasionally appearing was J. Fred's "girlfriend" Phoebe B. Beebe. In 1989, Deborah Norville (then anchor of

27216-399: Was relegated to weather, sports, roving reporter assignments, and presenting live on-air commercials until his departure in 1978. The weather is reported every half-hour during the program's first two hours, though since Al Roker was named weather reporter on January 26, 1996, an interview is conducted by him in place of the national weather forecast at least once during the show, leaving only

27384-465: Was seen live only in the Eastern Time Zone and Central Time Zone , broadcasting for three hours each morning but seen for only two hours in each time zone. Since 1958, Today has only broadcast live on the Eastern Time Zone, and has been on broadcast delay for the five other U.S. time zones (Central, Mountain Time Zone , Pacific Time Zone , Alaska Time Zone and Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone ). Partly to accommodate host Dave Garroway's declining health,

27552-456: Was supported by donations from Maharishi Institute of Creative Intelligence (MICI). In addition to the standard curriculum, the college offers courses in Transcendental Meditation and the Science of Creative intelligence. The college began as a school for boys with 384 students and 17 teachers. The college is recognised by the Government of Orissa and is affiliated with the Council of Higher Secondary Education since 1983. The Cosmic Business School

27720-428: Was taught to students at Norwich University , a private military academy, as part of a long-term study on meditation and military performance. Consciousness-Based Education (CBE) refers to the educational approach that is utilized at schools and universities founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Maharishi University of Management (MUM), formerly known as Maharishi International University, was founded in 1973. The campus

27888-457: Was the Lowell Whiteman Primary School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado which implemented a two-year trial program using Transcendental Meditation in their classrooms. The program was used with fifth through eighth graders. After instruction, the TM teachers visit the school once per month to assess the students' progress and their meditation technique. The following year, about 160 students and teachers at Tucson Magnet High School in Tucson AZ, took

28056-456: Was to eliminate stress for business professionals. His TM movement came to be increasingly structured along the lines of a multinational corporation . The teaching of TM and the Science of Creative Intelligence in a New Jersey public school was stopped when a US court, in 1977, declared the movement to be religious, and ruled adoption of TM by public organisations to be in breach of the separation of church and state ( First Amendment ). During

28224-423: Was unfair (RCA owned NBC at the time). The network bowed to the pressure, and on July 7, 1958, Today moved across the street to Studio 3K in the RCA Building, where it remained through the early 1960s. On July 9, 1962, the program returned to a street-side studio in the space then occupied by the Florida Showcase. Each day, the Today production crew would have to move the Florida -related tourism merchandise off

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