YOGIC FLYING FIGHTING CRIME

It is hard not to scoff when someone says they can slash crime in Bristol by half, improve people’s health and make them wealthier.

You would be forgiven for laughing out loud when you learn that they plan to achieve this by bouncing cross-legged on the floor.

Technique

The actual technique is yogic flying, an advanced state of transcendental meditation.

It was created by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

He says that the practice not only makes the flyers feel intensely blissful, but they pass on their bliss to others.

As a result, they all feel less like committing crime or acts of violence.

Apparently, seven thousand flyers could embrace the world with bliss.

Crime prevention

Yogic flying is not the first alternative crime prevention idea - here are some they tried earlier ..

Truancy texts

Teachers take the register on an internet phone and text messages are fired to truants’ parents.

Summer activity schemes

Run by police forces in a bid to reduce youth crime during school holidays. Schemes have included dance and DJ courses.

Weston wheels

Traffic police helped to organise the first legal ‘cruise’ to halt illegal cruises causing mayhem on public roads.

Empowered by drama

Drama groups take productions into prison. Inmates ‘act out’ troublesome everyday situations in workshops in a bid to reduce reoffending.

Evidence

Despite yogic flying claims being met by giggles, similar projects over the world have achieved proven, documented success.

Crime has been cut in Russia, South Africa and the United States.

Acts of war were reduced in Lebanon when a large group of flyers were active.

Professor of Criminology Ken Pease says, "Studies on Marharishi Effects have subjected theory to proper, empirical test."

He also says that the "sound results" from such studies, "demand serious interest."

Bristol plans

A group of meditators are drawing up plans for a 'Peace Palace' in Bristol.

The giggles - a common reaction to the claims

Hundreds of people would meditate and go yogic flying twice a day.

Inside Out presenter Tessa Dunlop invited Bristolians with an interest in reducing crime to meet the people behind the project.

Henry Shaftoe, a crime prevention specialist from the University of the West of England, was not convinced.

"Meditation is great but I think there’s a real difficulty with people bouncing on mattresses."

Charity worker Claire Jones asked, "How do you think the Evening Post would pick up on that? They’d be like - these bouncing people want to control the minds of Bristol people. I can just see it!"

Even if the Bristolians weren't won over, Sally Brighouse, one of the group behind the Bristol Peace Palace, was undaunted.

"Maharishi has decided to go ahead anyway and set up what he knows is the solution to the world’s problems."

The flyers now need to find a site to build the palace and convince the council to allow them to build.

Plus there is the small matter of £4 million pounds needed to fund the project.

This may be a task as difficult to achieve as their crime reduction claims.