COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS: Meditation, Improvisation, and the Future

Come join us on November 1 as Advaita Vedanta meets Afrofuturism, Quantum Nonlocality, Indigenous Wisdom and a host of other topics that unite ancient wisdom with future visioning. With guest lecture by Anil Maheshwari, PhD, Professor of Management and Information Systems, Maharishi International University. Joined by: Marion Hayden and Marcus Elliott, U-M Professors of Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation in performance and panel discussion.

Jazz musicians frequently recount moments of profound unity among players, listeners, and performance environment. Athletes likewise describe peak moments where an entire team functions as a single organism. The same holds true for teams of surgeons during delicate medical operations, where anything less than optimal collective synchronization can mean the difference between life and death.

An emerging body of scientific research suggests that these experiences may go beyond mere feelings of collective unity and involve connection with an underlying field of consciousness that unites all of humanity, and perhaps, as long upheld by wisdom traditions across the globe, all of life and creation. Leading research institutions in this field include Institute for Noetic Sciences, Institute for Global Consciousness, Global Consciousness Project, International Consciousness Research Laboratories, and Maharishi International University. The exploration of collective consciousness, though challenging academically, may serve as a vital bridge between ancient wisdom and cutting-edge scientific investigation.

Join us as Dr. Anil Maheshwari presents research that takes the concept of collective consciousness to a transformative level. A 17-year longitudinal study suggests that large meditation gatherings can generate a harmonizing effect on society, resulting in reduced crime, violence, accidents, and illness. The talk will explore implications for regional and global peace, ecological sustainability, the resolution of political and ideological tensions, and other applications.

The arts—particularly improvised music—will also be considered for both its rich manifestations of collective consciousness and also as a bridge between scientific and spiritual inquiry. The collective consciousness principle, with deep roots in African wisdom, also poses important ramifications for elevating racial justice discourse from prevailing deficiency narratives to evolutionary thinking.

For more information, please see attached press release. For questions or if you are a person with a disability who requires an accommodation, contact [email protected]. Please be aware the advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the University to arrange.

The PCCS speaker series is supported by a gift from Tuning the Student Mind.

Program in Creativity & Consciousness Studies