Let There be Peace on Earth: The Great Experiment II
Over the months, columnists in this magazine have referred to the 1998 peace vigil dubbed the Great Experiment. This first "experiment" was an eye-opener: in the same time frame, crime rates dropped and major negative global politics eased. Now, we're looking forward to another such experiment, one that is to be monitored carefully to record the changes that can result from such a vigil for peace. The outcome of this new vigil is one that will be noted in the scientific community.

The meaning of prayer and its power to create change is part of humankind's heritage, one that may be reaching critical mass. Conscious use of this energy, based in love and trust in "Thy will be done," is the foundation of nothing less than a new age of comprehension. The strength of stone is being put into place in that foundation . . . and each one of us is invited to join in the dedicated work. What a time to be alive! --J.R.

"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me." That's one of my favorite songs--and thoughts. Two years ago, on April 23rd, 1998, Great Experiment I took place. It was a worldwide movement in which hundreds of thousands of people in over 80 countries stopped for ten minutes to pray for peace. It was called an experiment because the goal was to demonstrate scientifically the belief of mystics and sages through the ages: That a focused, feeling-based prayer is the most powerful force in the universe.

During the 1998 event, forty people gathered for a vigil at the United Nations. That vigil and a Great Experiment I took place on a day prophesied by a group of Hopi elders. During a visit to the UN, the elders had said: "Four years, four months, four weeks and four days from now, something will happen at the UN that will change the world."

Since that time, many other Peace Prayer Vigils have been held. The power of the Internet was harnessed as these vigils and meditations were broadcast via RealAudio at www.worldpuja.org. You've read about some of those vigils in this column.

And now, another worldwide mega experiment is planned. On Easter Sunday, April 23, 2000 at 2 p.m. EST, Great Experiment II will take place. It is being organized by Doreen Virtue, James Twyman, Gregg Braden and others.

There are indications that these peace prayer vigils work. Taking this a step further, the organizers of Great Experiment II want to use a number of scientific measuring techniques to see if the data on this can be quantified. They point out that isolated experiments by the Transcendental Meditation group have had amazing success; these have been conducted on smaller, city by city scales, though. Great Experiment II will attempt to use scientific methods to analyze the effect of global meditation on human consciousness.

According to organizers, the effect will be measured in two ways: by studying sample cities where large groups of people will gather and through a scientific data system that measures shifts in consciousness.

You don't have to be on the Internet to participate in Great Experiment II. You can join a prayer group or even just stop for ten minutes to pray individually. If you do want to join via the Internet, go to the www.worldpuja.org site about 15 minutes or so before the vigil is supposed to start. For more detailed information about Great Experiment II (including suggested prayers, etc.) go to EmissaryOfLight.com, AngelTherapy.com or GreggBraden.com. These sites will post the results of Great Experiment II about two to three weeks after the event. Also, if you want to share your vigil experiences or tell of how your life changed after the Experiment, please e-mail your stories to AskTheAngels@aol.com.

Taoist Web Sites

Two Taoist web sites have come to my attention. Both are worth a trip on the Internet Highway. The Taoist Restoration Society's site (www.taorestore.org) contains in-depth information about Taoism, especially its role in the 21st Century. The "Introduction" section explains that Taoism is a cornerstone of traditional Chinese culture. The reason Taoism is still valuable today is that it "aspires toward harmony between the individual and underlying, universal energy."

In the section "Taoism in the 20th Century," you discover that the Taoist Restoration Society is working to overcome years of anti-Taoist repression by the Chinese government. The group points out that over the last 50 years, the foundations of organized religious Taoism have been uprooted. With this in mind, the society is trying to get important Taoist temples rebuilt and repaired. If you want to find out more about Taoism or get involved with this worthy effort, surf on over to this site.

The other site is called Tao Resource (www.taoresource.com). This site is more commercially oriented and offers a complete line of traditional Taoist religious and cultural goods including altar flags and tables, bells, chimes, books, music, candles, incense and jewelry. According to the home page, many of the featured products come from small workshops or merchants in remote and inaccessible areas of China. The artisans are often very religious rural people. Even if you're not interested in purchasing items, however, the site is worth a visit. The "Taoist Pantheon" page features drawings and descriptions of the various Taoist gods.

Do you have a favorite spiritual or personal growth Web site that you'd like me to review? Please drop me an e-mail at Monty764@aol.com.

Mary Montgomery-Clifford is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises ("Freelancing with Finesse!"), specializes in public relations, events, promotions, writing project and web authoring, development and publicity. Contact her via e-mail at Monty764@aol.com, by phone at 773-235-8821 or at her web site at www.montymedia.com.