Page 162 - Demo

160%u201cOne of the most surprising results of the project has been the enrichment of the inmates%u2019 and staff%u2019s spiritual life. Before the beginning of the project, some people were wondering whether the program was in accord with the fundamentals of Islam, the main religion of our country. But it became clear very quickly that there was no conflict between Islam and Maharishi%u2019s Transcendental Meditation.%u201cNo one was asked to change his beliefs or to follow any moral code, and meditation altered in no way the prescribed prayer times. Also, a good number of prisoners spontaneously reported that since they had started Maharishi%u2019s Transcendental Meditation, they felt a greater peace of mind, which improved the quality of their prayers. With this increased inner calm, they naturally felt inclined to do the five daily prayers as prescribed by our religion. %u201cThese changes happened without any encouragement either from the Penitentiary Administration or from the teachers of MERU [Maharishi European Research University], since instruction into Maharishi%u2019s Transcendental Meditation does not imply any moral or religious prescription.%u201d %u2014Colonel Mamadou Diop, Director of Penitentiary AdministrationPrison Project in Senegal