The Seventh International Convention of Natural Law Parties, held in Bonn, Germany, in July, came out to be by far the most inspiring to date, with 440 delegates from 53 countries. There were brilliant speeches from accomplished leaders of initiatives of global significance, and reports from all countries of the Natural Law Party's achievements on a level not touched before. Perhaps, most importantly, there was consensus on a fundamental reappraisal of the message and focus of the Natural Law Party worldwide.

"For example, it is not enough that press reports mention Transcendental Meditation or Yogic Flying as programmes promoted by the Natural Law Party to reduce crime and conflict, what must come out is how they do it by enlivening the Unified Field of Natural Law, the basis of all life, in the consciousness of every individual. We must show the connection between the experience of Transcendental Consciousness and the qualities of the Unified Field as discovered by quantum physics - how the self-referral nature of the Unified Field is the field of consciousness. Our message is that ideal government is possible on the basis of the Unified Field of Natural Law which is Transcendental consciousness, and that every field of human concern should be based on the Unified Field," he said.

While the Natural Law Party has enjoyed some good successes since it was first launched eight years ago, and is now active in over 80 countries worldwide, Dr Morris said the party will not win elections and form governments unless it comes out with such a strong statement about Unified Field based administration.

Political leadership based on supreme simplicity

"Only the total potential of Natural Law, the Unified Field, can truly bring satisfaction to everyone in society," Dr Morris said. "The whole field of politics is torn apart in the world today. In the light of this terrible condition of politics, we should all be bold and create a political leadership based on supreme simplicity, Transcendental Consciousness, the Unified Field."

Dr Morris emphasised that having a few policies on issues of national concern, like the sketchy words of other parties, will not have much meaning or penetrate to much depth. "The nation will only be transformed on the basis of Vedic knowledge, the quantum field of knowledge, changing the basic principle of life," he said. "The party has placed a strong emphasis on its campaign to ban genetically engineered food, but in comparison this is just one small issue. What is important is the principle of ideal government based upon the Unified Field of Natural Law."

Party Leaders must develop higher consciousness

Dr Reinhard Borowitz, Secretary General of the Maharishi International Council of Natural Law Parties, reminded all of the party leaders present that their success depends upon developing higher states of consciousness themselves and thereby gaining the full support of Nature.

"We must do everything possible to develop higher consciousness in our lives. If we go into an election without the support of Nature and do not present the knowledge of the Unified Field and the Veda, it is just a waste of time.

"The individual is cosmic. If we do not live this cosmic status, we waste an unbounded talent. Every candidate should develop at least Cosmic Consciousness, if not Unity Consciousness. Our message is to fully enliven the Unified Field as the basis of ideal administration of national life on a par with the perfect administration of the universe by Natural Law," he said.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CONVENTION

A new initiative for "wisdom in world agriculture" was launched during the Convention. American public interest attorney, Stephen Druker, and UK NLP environment spokesman, Mark Griffiths, presented a brilliant paper they had drafted with powerful arguments on the urgent need to ban all GM food and create a safe, sustainable strategy to nourish humanity through Natural Law-based agriculture. A new campaign will be launched in the UK at the party's annual conference on 7 October in London.

Convention Chairman, Dr Reinhard Borowitz, discussed the new expansion strategy of the Natural Law Party for the new millennium - one of the major themes of the Convention. "We need a clearly defined plan how to realistically build up the party to the level where we are elected to public office. The Natural Law Party must open up and become a party that politically represents, unites, and is in turn supported by the most evolutionary trends and groups in our society," he said.

The Convention received welcome advice on the party's health policies from Dr Gerard Bodeker, Fellow of Green College (Oxford University's heath-oriented college), and Chairman of the Commonwealth Working Group on Traditional and Complementary Medicine. From his extensive worldwide experience, he highlighted the power of citizens' actions to change health policy in favour of natural medicine. He said that the Commonwealth Group is the largest international ministerial meeting in support of natural health care. "The demand and supply for natural medicine is rising and policy must catch up," he said. "The Natural Law Party is in the front line of these changes and I pledge my full support and that of my organisations."

The Convention was electrified with the reports from the USA. Although they could not attend in person, the party's presidential candidate, quantum physicist Dr John Hagelin, and other US party leaders addressed the Convention via conference telephone. Referring to Dr Morris's message, Dr Hagelin said that it is proving absolutely imely to come out with the deepest knowledge of the Unified Field. "This is revitalising the party in the US in an extraordinary way," he said. "The knowledge of the grandeur of the organising intelligence of nature, and the importance of bringing it into government, is drawing in over 1,000 people to our talks every night, and we have had more press in the last ten days than in the last two campaigns." Dr Hagelin was speaking on the eve of the Reform Party Convention where he was about to be nominated as the party's presidential candidate, thus forming a major third party coalition to challenge the Republicans and Democrats in this November's presidential and congressional elections.

Lt Col Gunter Chasse, defence spokesman of the Natural Law Party of Germany, spoke about the party's campaign in Germany and elsewhere calling for the immediate dissolution of NATO and adoption of peaceful Natural Law strategies to maintain peace. "NATO is a dark spot on human history," he said. "I urge all NATO member states to leave the organisation and join Maharishi's Global Alliance for World Peace, which is based on the invincible power of Natural Law."

Gunter Pauli, Founder of the ZERI Foundation, Switzerland, presented his book "Grow Your Own House". Mr Pauli, whose organisation has a pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover constructed entirely of bamboo, described his remarkable work around the world to develop manufacturing and agricultural initiatives that produce zero waste and emissions.

Dr Krirkchai Charoen-Rajapark, Leader of the "Ram Siam" Party - Natural Law Party of Thailand - spoke about the destructive influence of the IMF, WTO, World Bank and other Western interventions, which are draining resources out of the country, His party is taking vigorous action to alert Thai leaders and the public to protect their sovereignty and independence by establishing Unified Field based administration.

Emilia Jurieva, leader of the Natural Law Party of Latvia, discussed the rapid progress of Natural Law initiatives in her country. In this picture she presents a national press article about the urgent need for a ban of GM food, which was inspired by a visit to the country by Steven Druker.

Edgardo Gagliardi, a Senator in the ruling party of Argentina, and Julio Cesar Pereya, mayor of Florencio Varela near Buenos Aires, told the Convention about initiatives to introduce Natural Law-based administration. Mr Gagliardi spoke about his success with new legislation restricting the introduction of GM foods in the country. Mr Pereya said he already has 40 people at City Hall practising Transcendental Meditation and wants a group of 60 Yogic Flyers there. He plans to introduce Natural Law-based organic agriculture and would like to build a Maharishi Tower of World Peace.

BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONVENTION

The British contribution to the International Convention of Natural Law Parties was very substantial, reflecting the progress of the party in this country in the past year. The first session of the Convention was devoted to reports from the UK, including talks by party leaders and special messages from two Conservative MPs, Tim Yeo and Tony Baldry, summarised below. Prominent British speakers in other sessions of the Convention included Sarosh Zaiwalla, Zerbanoo Gifford, Dr Gerard Bodeker and Mark Griffiths.

Sarosh Zaiwalla, prominent international lawyer and co-founder with Tony Baldry, MP, of the Asian Business Breakfast Club - a forum for politicians, diplomats and business leaders that convenes at the House of Commons and at Embassies in London - endorsed the message of Dr Morris to the Convention (see first part of this report). Mr Zaiwalla said that the concept of the Unified Field is no longer strange, and it is vital to use Transcendental Meditation to become calm and connect with the universal level of Natural Law. "I am so happy to be present at the first convention in the 21st Century of a party for the 21st Century," he said.

Round up of achievements

The Convention began with an impressive round up of achievements of the past year in the UK from deputy party leader Peter Warburton. He reviewed the prominence and respect that the party has achieved during the campaign for Mayor of London, particularly at the almost daily hustings and other special meetings. He also highlighted the pivotal role of the Natural law Party in making the Edinburgh OECD Conference on GM Food Safety aware of Steven Druker's lawsuit against the US Government's Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"The issue of the legality of GM foods in the light of the FDA's cover up of scientist's warnings, and the growing evidence of the risks of GM foods, came centre stage at the Edinburgh Conference and in media reports due to the alertness of the Natural Law Party on this issue," Mr Warburton said.

He also congratulated the NLP candidates in this year's local elections who had shown that votes increase dramatically wherever people become more aware of the party's policies and activities.

The most successful of these candidates was the next speaker at the Convention, John Collins, deputy party chairman. Mr Collins outlined the strategies used to achieve a 79% increase in votes in West Lancashire. These included making full use of the new expansion strategy for the party developed by Dr Reinhard Borowitz; the use of Maharishi Jyotish to determine the auspicious time to start the campaign; the back up of a "coherence-creating" group in the vicinity (at the Maharishi Golden Dome).

In particular, Mr Collins had made personal contact with the electorate to find out what they wanted and to show how the programmes of the Natural Law Party would fulfil this. He also reminded them of the improvements in their lives already as a result of initiatives in the area supported by the Natural Law Party, including the blocking of a new waste dump.

In the past year, Dr Clements, party chairman Richard Johnson, and other party leaders have had numerous meetings with MPs, Lords, diplomats, industrialists, police chiefs, educators, health officials and other prominent leaders. They have found a new level of receptivity to the message of Natural Law and have forged many new associations and alliances.

Strong messages from British MPs

As a result, Dr Clements was in a position to present warm messages to the Convention from two MPs who had wanted to attend in person but were unable to do so. The first was from Tony Baldry, formerly Minister of State at the Foreign Office, who spoke about the contrast between the great opportunities in today's world and the dangers of instability, conflict and disease.

"Entering the 21st Century, the potential for the world is enormous, and each one of us can make an enormous contribution," Mr Baldry said. "To do this we need to maximise our own inner strengths and our periods of personal stillness and reflection. If the Natural Law Party can help us to achieve that objective, then I suspect there is a great deal more we can do for the world."

The second MP, Tim Yeo, Minister of Agriculture in the Shadow Cabinet, gave a videotaped message to the Convention. He spoke about the acute challenge in agriculture to fulfil aspirations without doing permanent damage to the environment. He agreed with English Nature that there should not be any large scale planting of GM crops as long as the fundamental questions of safety remain unanswered.

"We are all stewards of our inheritance here on earth, and it is our duty to pass on to the next generation a world that is better than the one we inherited," Mr Yeo said. "I hope that the deliberations of your conference and the conclusions which you may reach are all listened to extremely carefully by politicians of all persuasions around the world."