Transcendental Meditation in Youth Rehabilitation

University President Dr. Bevan Morris presents Father Gabriel Mejia his diploma Father Gabriel Mejia speaks at the 2009 Commencement Father Gabriel in an upcoming DLF.TV documentary

Father Gabriel Mejia Hosts Conference on the Transcendental Meditation Program in Rehabilitation Father Gabriel Mejia, a Catholic priest who has founded 52 shelters for homeless children and youthful offenders in Colombia, hosted a conference in early October in Rosario, Argentina, with 1,500 representatives from South America. The conference focused on the benefits of the Transcendental Meditation® program for rehabilitating youth offenders and preventing crime, as evidenced through successful programs offered at Father Gabriel’s shelters. Father Gabriel, whom Maharishi Mahesh Yogi referred to as the "Saint of Colombia," received an honorary Doctorate of World Peace at the 2009 Maharishi University of Management commencement ceremony. Raja Luis Alvarez, Raja of Latin America, said, “Father Gabriel offers these troubled youths the opportunity to change their lives from within, so that it becomes unnecessary to control their behaviors on a superficial level.” Through his Fundacion Hogares Claret, Father Gabriel provides sanctuary for displaced street children, taking in anyone who needs help. Father Gabriel has found that any impetus for rehabilitation must come from the children themselves. “Love is the most essential medicine for any illness or disorder,” said Father Gabriel. “That’s why we must insist on globalizing love.” With the help of the David Lynch Foundation, more than 3,600 children have learned the Transcendental Meditation® technique. More than 700 young people have also learned the TM-Sidhi® program, which provides the superradiance number for Colombia to create invincibility for the country. Father Gabriel’s work has been widely recognized, including an award from the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities and an award from the Queen of Spain for his humanitarian work. He has served as president of the Latin American Federation of Therapeutic Communities. Watch Father Gabriel's Commencement Speech here: http://vimeo.com/7171968