The key to world peace is simpler than you may think, at least according to filmmaker David Lynch.
Cal State Long Beach previewed Lynch’s newest documentary entitled “Catching the Big Fish: Part II” at the University Theatre on Tuesday. The film focuses on showing students how to achieve enlightenment and peace by engaging in transcendental meditation.
The documentary footage mostly consisted of excerpts from Lynch’s open forums, which were held at various locations across 18 countries within the past year. Between these clips concise quotes or wise sayings were placed to keep your inner mind running with thought.
When Lynch took the stage in the Ukraine, he made the bold statement that it would take the square root of one percent of the population to come together and, ultimately, create peace for the entire nation. With 47 million residents, only 750 of them would need to engage in this form of meditation in order for the world to become “a super happy universe.”
Throughout the course of the film, Lynch preaches the importance of striking all of life’s problems at their roots — their individual unified field, as he refers to it. Transcendental meditation follows that same pattern in that it can only be achieved by allowing oneself to travel deeper into the subconscious until there are no outer or internal thoughts. He reminded the audience that to transcend is to go beyond the field of relativity and look deeper within yourself for the ocean that calms you.
Lynch bases his ideas of those of the guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose two goals emphasize enlightenment of the individual and peace on earth.
When one student in the film bluntly asked what the meaning of life is, Lynch responded, “Totality, everything … The human being is an exquisite being and we have potential and that potential is called enlightenment and fulfillment.”
Taking his belief in the practice a step further, Lynch said he hopes to incorporate transcendental meditation into school curriculum because he believes that starting young helps a child grow up to be happy. In addition, meditation would help kids defer negativity and anger that is bitter and selfish. In one of his open forums, he described anger to be the poison of the environment and of the artist, instigating hate and war. Thus, if anger were eradicated in all humans, world peace could be achieved.
As an example, he asked the audience to envision walking into a room after an argument has just ended, where it is possible to feel the anger and resentment boiling off the skin of those involved. In contrast, he said entering a jovial room filled with bliss and radiating happiness can change a person’s entire mood.
“Negativity is just the absence of that all-powerful bliss, all-powerful love and all-powerful energy,” Lynch said.
Lynch said he believes everyone is an artist in their own way, even those who are stuck in dead-end jobs like cleaning toilets. Once people build up an inner happiness and get enthusiastic about their job, they will figure out ways to make improvements. If they take the path toward creativity, they will begin to see stress and suffering lift from the situation.
Lynch has participated in transcendental meditation for 34 years, twice a day, every day. He takes 20 minutes out of his morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon to discover a consciousness of self. He said it makes a world of difference for him and he believes it could for an average college student struggling with stress and pressure.
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