HISTORY OF MISTORY

HISTORY OF MISTORY

Did you know about that "RAAM" currency

A new "currency" issued by a group founded by Beatles guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi may be used and has not violated Dutch law, the Dutch central bank has said.
The Global Country of World Peace, set up by the Indian mystic, issued the brightly coloured notes of one, five and 10 "raam" last October.
Since then, more than 100 Dutch shops, some of them part of big department store chains, in 30 villages and cities have accepted the notes.
The raam is a key element... to promote a balanced world economy, reduce poverty and create world peace
Benjamin Feldman, 'Minister of Finance' of the Maharishi movementA spokesman for the Dutch Central Bank told BBC News Online the bank was keeping a close eye on the raam, although he added that the Maharishi movement had done everything according to the law.
"The raam can be used as long as the notes are not used as legal tender and it stays within a closed-off circuit of users," he said.
Raam roll-out
The raam is also circulating as the currency of Maharishi Vedic City in the US state of Iowa together with the US dollar, while raam-based bonds are being offered in 35 American states.
Benjamin Feldman, 'Minister of Finance' of the Maharishi movement, told BBC News Online the raam could be used to battle poverty and create world peace.
We have a lot of clients in the movement - but so far, only one person has actually paid with [raams]
Dutch shopkeeper
He said governments could use the raam to start up agricultural and other development projects around the world.
"There are 1.5 billion people living in extreme poverty and currencies like the US dollar are not available to most of them. The raam can be used to build new houses, roads, schools and health clinics," Mr Feldman said.
And after a few good crop seasons, and with export of produce, the raam could then be exchanged for any other, hard, currency or even taken out of circulation, Mr Feldman argued.
He added the raam was introduced in a relatively rich nation like the Netherlands, "because developing countries can use that as an inspiration."
The movement plans a roll-out of the currency "in the European Union and in all continents".
Opticians take the raam
In the Netherlands, the raam notes are accepted in Dutch shops at a fixed rate of 10 euros per raam.
"There are now about 100,000 raam notes in circulation. That is not a lot but we are keeping a close eye on it because it must never lead to confusion for the public," the Dutch central bank spokesman said.
Pearle Opticians in the southern Dutch town of Roermond started accepting the raam notes three weeks ago.
"We have a lot of clients in the movement and we did it as a service to them. But so far, only one person has actually paid with it," a Pearle shop manager said.
Shopkeepers can exchange their raam notes at the Fortis Bank branch in Roermond.
The Beatles
Mr Maharishi introduced his "transcendental meditation" methods to the West more than 40 years ago.
Since then, he has built up a following of about six million people.
His most famous followers were the Beatles, who travelled to India in 1968 to meditate with him.

Maharishi to hold global news conferences every Wednesday and Thurs


The Raam, the global development currency of the Global Country of World Peace, is now legally circulating in Holland and is being used by Dutch residents like the Euro—and it will soon be circulating throughout the European Union and in all continents
The Raam is also circulating as the currency of Maharishi Vedic City in Iowa, USA, along with the U.S. dollar, and Raam-based bonds are being offered in 35 U.S. states.
The Raam is a key element in the programs of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to promote a balanced world economy, reduce poverty, and create world peace, according to Dr. Benjamin Feldman, Minister of Finance of the Global Country of World Peace.
Fortis Bank, one of the world’s 20 largest financial institutions, is exchanging the “Netherlands Raam” or “Raam NL” at its branch in Roermond, Holland, near Meru, the Capital of the Global Country of World Peace. And many businesses in Holland are accepting the Raam in the transaction of goods and services at a fixed exchange rate of 10 Euros for one Raam.
Global Country of World Peace
The Global Country of World Peace was established two years ago by Maharishi, founder of the worldwide Transcendental Meditation organization, as “a country without borders for peace-loving people everywhere.” It provides governments with the knowledge and technologies of Total Natural Law to promote prevention-oriented, problem-free administration.
Global news conferences
Maharishi and Dr. Feldman will answer questions on the role of the Raam in creating permanent world peace during Maharishi’s global news conferences every Wednesday and Thursday, which will be broadcast live via satellite, Internet webcast, and telephone conference call (see below for details).
Catalyst for development projects
Dr. Feldman said that governments are invited to use the Raam as a “catalyst currency” to initiate agricultural and other development projects around the world—and, in particular, in 40 poor countries.
“There are one billion hectares of unused land with agricultural potential in these 40 poor countries,” Dr. Feldman said. “The Raam can be used as start-up capital to establish export-oriented organic farms, and to build new houses, roads, schools, and health clinics in these countries. After a few successful crop seasons, and with the export of the produce, the Raam can be exchanged for any other hard currency—and even withdrawn from circulation.”
Dr. Feldman said national farmers’ associations are also invited to participate in the initiative.
3,000 Peace Palaces in 3,000 cities
The Raam may also be requested, in conformity with local laws and regulations, by city mayors and city chambers of commerce to guarantee building costs for the construction of 3,000 Peace Palaces in the world’s largest 3,000 cities, and to establish affiliated organic farms of 1,000 to 4,000 hectares near each city. Each Peace Palace will serve as a home for a group of 100 to 200 experts in Maharishi’s Vedic technologies of peace, including Transcendental Meditation and Yogic Flying. Extensive published research shows that the peace-promoting influence of these groups reduces the acute social stress that fuels conflict and war, and promotes coherence and harmony throughout society.
“During their practice, these groups of Yogic Flyers will enliven the deepest level of Nature’s functioning—the Unified Field of Natural Law—which administers the infinite diversity of the universe with perfect order,” Dr. Feldman says. “They will create indomitable coherence in the collective consciousness, reducing crime, sickness, and other negative trends, and promoting the health and well-being of everyone in the city.”
Founders of the Peace Palace to enjoy profits year after year
Dr. Feldman said that the organic farms will produce enough profits from the sale of organic crops on the international market to maintain a group of Yogic Flyers in each Peace Palace. Profits will also ensure that the “Founders of the Peace Palace”—local investors who build the Peace Palaces—recover their initial expenditures and earn a good annual return on their investment in peace. A Global Chamber of Commerce has been established to provide a world market for the organic products.

The Flag of Global Country of World Peace(first from right)

Alleviate the poverty of the poorand improving the profits of the wealthy
“The Raam has been created to alleviate the poverty of the poor and to increase the profits of the wealthy who wish to create world peace through these 3000 Peace Palaces. It has also been created so that any country can progress with its development projects without any scarcity of funds,” Dr. Feldman said. “The Raam is timely and practical—and an essential element in Maharishi’s programs to reduce global poverty, promote a balanced world economy, and create permanent world peace.”