Education News: Top Stories

David Lynch Gives Unconventional Commencement Address

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18 June 2016

The Excellence In Action page of Global Good News is featuring the Commencement Ceremony at Maharishi University of Management* in which 366 students from 53 countries graduated.

As part of the ceremony, the University presented Mr. Lynch with a Doctor of World Peace honoris causa degree, ''in recognition of the enormous role he has played in promoting Maharishi's knowledge throughout the world, transforming people's lives through the work of the David Lynch Foundation, and laying the foundation for a truly peaceful world,'' said MUM President Dr. Bevan Morris.

Enjoy the full article on the Excellence in Action page

Dr. Bevan Morris announced his retirement after 36 years as the president of MUM and introduced Dr. John Hagelin as the president-elect.

Watch the YouTube video of the commencement ceremony

During the question and answer session Mr. Lynch encouraged students to pursue a career they enjoy. He also praised the role of the Transcendental Meditation program in education as a means to increase students' potential. He said that the purpose of life is to unfold higher states of consciousness and to inspire others to do the same.

The following are five quotes from the question and answer session forming David Lynch's commencement address:

∙ On creating leaders:
'I think this is the definition of a great leader: someone who inspires others to learn Transcendental Meditation, to become a light unto themselves and . . . sending them out there to get [Transcendental Meditation] to other people so that we can have peace on earth.'
∙ On understanding intuition:
''[Intuition is] knowing when something isn't quite correct and then knowing a way to make it correct . . . I always say, intuition is the number one tool for an artist, for people in business, and for human beings. As Maharishi says, 'There are no problems, only solutions.'''
∙ On success:
''[I] meditate regularly. And then the second thing I do is drink coffee.''
∙ On catching a great idea:
 ''I equate ideas to fish; we don't make the fish, we catch the fish . . . It's very fortunate when one catches a great idea... Once you get one fragment [of an idea], it's like bait . . . You drop the line into the beautiful ocean of consciousness.''
∙ And the number one piece of advice from Lynch's 2016 commencement speech, on life lessons learned from film sets:
''Always have final cut.''

Copyright © 2016 Maharishi University of Management, USA

*Maharishi University of Management (MUM) is a private, accredited university featuring Consciousness-Based^℠ Education, designed to develop the student's total potential. The curriculum offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the arts, sciences, humanities, and business, but also integrates self-development programs. All students, faculty, and staff practice the Transcendental Meditation^® technique, which develops integrated brain functioning, promotes wellness, and enhances learning ability and academic performance. Other innovations include taking one course for 3-1/2 weeks with a three-day break between each course, and organic vegetarian meals. Visitors Weekends are held throughout the year. For more information, call the Admissions Office at 800-369-6480 [toll-free in US; outside US call: 1 641-472-1110] or visit http://www.mum.edu.

The MUM website now offers a virtual tour of the campus

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