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The Fairfield Ledger, Monday 28 May, 2001   
 
Voters give overwhelming 'yes' to new city
By Beth Dalbey, Ledger news editor May 23, 2001 
 
Located north of Fairfield, Vedic City will become Iowa's 950th city,
its first 
since 1982 and the first city in the United States to be developed
according to 
the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda. Residents of the area voted
64-1 
Tuesday in favor of incorporation. 
      Overwhelmingly and with only one dissenter, Iowa's 950th city was
born 
Tuesday night.
      The first new city in Iowa since 1982 and the first city in the
United 
States built exclusively according to the architectural principles of
Maharishi 
Sthapatya Veda, Vedic City (a Sanskrit word meaning knowledge, it is
pronounced 
vay-dick) received the support of 64 residents.
      With about 78 residents eligible to cast ballots, turnout was
around 83 
percent.
      The 654-acre area north of Fairfield becomes the seventh
incorporated town 
in Jefferson County - and its smallest. With 131 residents counted in
the 2000 
Census and a cushion of a half dozen people, Pleasant Plain loses its 
distinction as the smallest of the small towns in Jefferson County.
Vedic City 
petitioners estimated about 125 people live there.
      That may change, as developers of the new city have stated all
along they 
plan to move as quickly as is practical to bring in additional territory
through 
voluntary annexation procedures before the state City Development Board.
That 
board operating under the umbrella of the Iowa Department of Economic 
Development provided five of the six members of the special committee
that 
approved and moved the incorporation question to voters.
      (For the complete story, please refer to Page 1 of the May 23
issue of The 
Fairfield Ledger.) 
 
�Fairfield Daily Ledger Inc. 2001  
 
===================================================================
Associated Press: Vedic City' to Be Built on Yogic Principles 
                       New high-tech city being built by followers
                       of transcendental meditation leader
                       Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. 

                       By David Pitt 
  

                       FAIRFIELD, Iowa, May 2 (AP) - Gravel roads
                       near this southern Iowa town once led only to
                       rows of corn and soybean fields. Now there are
                       paved pathways to a sparkling community of
                       gold-trimmed buildings. 

                       A new high-tech city is rising - and from an
                       unlikely source. Iowa's latest development is
                       being built by followers of Maharishi Mahesh
                       Yogi, who brought transcendental meditation to
                       the Beatles generation. 

                       The community about four kilometers (two
                       miles) north of Fairfield was carefully laid out
on
                       a grid conforming to Sthapatya Veda
                       construction, an ancient Hindu principle that
                       governs the relationship of the homeowner to
                       the sun, moon, planets and stars. 

                       Dubbed Vedic City by its developers, the
                       community now is seeking to become Iowa's
                       950th incorporated city - the first since 1982. 

                       Vedic City developers must hold a referendum
                       by June 7, allowing local residents to vote on
                       the incorporation. Within 45 days of the
                       referendum, elections for a mayor and city
                       council members must be held. 

                       Hotels, private homes, businesses and
                       condominiums have already sprung up in the
                       new community of about 125 residents.
                       Developers eventually envision a city of 5,000
                       radiating peace and positive thinking throughout
                       the world. 

                       Area farmers have expressed some concern
                       about the new city gobbling up valuable farm
                       land, and some Fairfield officials are worried
                       developers will annex plots near city boundaries
                       or be unable to provide basic services. 

                       ``The city doesn't take a position on the
                       incorporation, but we have some concerns,''
                       City Administrator John Brown said. ``Some of
                       those concerns can't be determined until we
                       see what their future plans are.'' 

                       Most Iowans don't seemed to mind. Known for
                       its flat, pastoral beauty, agricultural history
and
                       as the launching pad for future presidents at its
                       caucus, Iowa seems to have taken the new city
                       in stride. 

                       ``It's a good, rich, nourishing environment in
                       Iowa,'' said Lindsay Oliver, an employee at The
                       Raj, a holistic health clinic and spa resort in
                       Fairfield that has been featured in dozens of
                       national magazines. 

                       ``There are shared values here,'' Oliver said.
                       ``We understand that you live in the country for
                       a reason, even with more people moving here,
                       we are sensitive to the quality of life. We want
                       to see the stars at night, too.'' 

                       Followers of the transcendental movement have
                       made Fairfield a key spot since the 1970s when
                       Maharishi University of Management opened.
                       Some 1,000 acres (400 hectares) was bought in
                       1991 as the basis for the new city. 

                       Vedic City will be made up of a ring of 10
                       circles. Plans call for an observatory and two
                       golden domes in the center of town, one for
                       women and one for men. 

                       There are now about 40 buildings, including a
                       hotel, a few retail businesses and private
                       homes. The town's name is derived from the
                       Sanskrit word ``veda,'' meaning ``knowledge,'' 

                       Building a home in Vedic City is not cheap. An
                       acre of land may cost as much as dlrs 100,000,
                       but the cost will likely come down if
                       incorporation is approved, said Bob Wynne, a
                       management consultant. 

                       The design of the city and its buildings all
                       conform with the movement's principles, which
                       maintain that buildings have east-facing
                       entrances, all natural materials, abundant
                       natural light and carefully placed rooms.
                       Kitchens, for example, should be located where
                       digestion is most healthy. 

                       Followers say homeowners who implement the
                       rules will be able to think more clearly and
                       creatively, make better decisions, feel more
                       alert and become happier and healthier. 

                       Wynne is a believer. He came to Fairfield in
                       1978 to teach a course in transcendental
                       meditation, and stayed. He and his wife,
                       Maureen, are among the original developers of
                       Vedic City. 

                       Their home has an open floor plan with large
                       windows flooding interior spaces with light from
                       all directions. Each room is positioned to take
                       advantage of the sun's varying energy as it
                       moves across the sky. 

                       ``Neurons fire in the brain differently depending
                       on which direction you're facing,'' Wynne said.
                       ``If you're facing east and north, research has
                       shown you have better brain activity.'' 

                       Vedic City's movement toward incorporation
                       began after developers spent their own money
                       for a sewer plant and a dlrs 600,000 water
                       tower. They also won a tax district
classification
                       allowing them to use property tax revenues to
                       pave roads and make other improvements. 

                       They soon realized they could benefit even
                       more from becoming incorporated - issuing
                       bonds, applying for government grants and
                       collecting taxes. 

                       ``The idea of becoming a city came with the
                       critical mass,'' Wynne said. 


                       Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights
reserved. 
This
                       material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten, or
                       redistributed. 

Washington Post, May 2. 2001
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20010502/aponline030331_000.htm - 
�hnliche Seiten
New Age City in Iowa
 Updated: Wed, May 02 03:03 AM EDT

 By DAVID PITT, Associated Press Writer

 FAIRFIELD, Iowa (AP) - Gravel roads near this southern Iowa
 town once led only to rows of corn and soybean fields. Now there
 are paved pathways to a sparkling community of gold-trimmed
 buildings. 

 A new high-tech city is rising - and from an unlikely source.
 Iowa's latest development is being built by followers of Maharishi
 Mahesh Yogi, who brought transcendental meditation to the
 Beatles generation. 

 The community two miles north of Fairfield was carefully laid out
 on a grid conforming to Sthapatya Veda construction, an ancient
 Hindu principle that governs the relationship of the homeowner to
 the sun, moon, planets and stars. 

 Dubbed Vedic City by its developers, the community now is
 seeking to become Iowa's 950th incorporated city - the first
 since 1982. 

 Vedic City developers must hold a referendum by June 7, allowing
 local residents to vote on the incorporation. Within 45 days of
 the referendum, elections for a mayor and city council members
 must be held. 

 Hotels, private homes, businesses and condominiums have
 already sprung up in the new community of about 125 residents.
 Developers eventually envision a city of 5,000 radiating peace
 and positive thinking throughout the world. 

 Area farmers have expressed some concern about the new city
 gobbling up valuable farm land, and some Fairfield officials are
 worried developers will annex plots near city boundaries or be
 unable to provide basic services. 

 "The city doesn't take a position on the incorporation, but we
 have some concerns," City Administrator John Brown said. "Some
 of those concerns can't be determined until we see what their
 future plans are." 

 Most Iowans don't seemed to mind. Known for its flat, pastoral
 beauty, agricultural history and as the launching pad for future
 presidents at its caucus, Iowa seems to have taken the new city
 in stride. 

 "It's a good, rich, nourishing environment in Iowa," said Lindsay
 Oliver, an employee at The Raj, a holistic health clinic and spa
 resort in Fairfield that has been featured in dozens of national
 magazines. 

 "There are shared values here," Oliver said. "We understand that
 you live in the country for a reason, even with more people
 moving here, we are sensitive to the quality of life. We want to
 see the stars at night, too." 

 Followers of the transcendental movement have made Fairfield a
 key spot since the 1970s when Maharishi University of
 Management opened. Some 1,000 acres was bought in 1991 as
 the basis for the new city. 

 Vedic City (pronounced VAY-dick) will be made up of a ring of 10
 circles covering slightly more than one square mile. Plans call for
 an observatory and two golden domes in the center of town, one
 for women and one for men. 

 There are now about 40 buildings, including a hotel, a few retail
 businesses and private homes. The town's name is derived from
 the Sanskrit word "veda," meaning "knowledge," 

 Building a home in Vedic City is not cheap. An acre of land may
 cost as much as $100,000, but the cost will likely come down if
 incorporation is approved, said Bob Wynne, a management
 consultant. 

 The design of the city and its buildings all conform with the
 movement's principles, which maintain that buildings have
 east-facing entrances, all natural materials, abundant natural
 light and carefully placed rooms. Kitchens, for example, should be
 located where digestion is most healthy. 

 Followers say homeowners who implement the rules will be able to
 think more clearly and creatively, make better decisions, feel
 more alert and become happier and healthier. 

 Wynne is a believer. He came to Fairfield in 1978 to teach a
 course in transcendental meditation, and stayed. He and his wife,
 Maureen, are among the original developers of Vedic City. 

 Their home has an open floor plan with large windows flooding
 interior spaces with light from all directions. Each room is
 positioned to take advantage of the sun's varying energy as it
 moves across the sky. 

 "Neurons fire in the brain differently depending on which direction
 you're facing," Wynne said. "If you're facing east and north,
 research has shown you have better brain activity." 

 Vedic City's movement toward incorporation began after
 developers spent their own money for a sewer plant and a
 $600,000 water tower. They also won a tax district classification
 allowing them to use property tax revenues to pave roads and
 make other improvements. 

 They soon realized they could benefit even more from becoming
 incorporated - issuing bonds, applying for government grants and
 collecting taxes. 

 "The idea of becoming a city came with the critical mass," Wynne
 said. 

 --- 

 On the Net: 

 Maharishi Global Construction: http://www.MGC-vastu.com 

 Veda House: http://www.vedahouse.com
===============================================================================
In Many Ways, a New Iowa Town Looks to
East 
http://college1.nytimes.com/guests/articles/2001/04/17/841845.xml
New York Times/April 17, 2001 
By Jennifer Lee 

Vedic City, Iowa -- Ten years ago, Chris Johnson, a San Francisco real
estate 
developer, looked at the rolling farmland of gravel roads and scattered
wooden 
houses here in southeast Iowa and had a vision.

He saw a city of harmony, a circular town where all the buildings faced
east 
toward the rising sun. He saw golden domes rising out of the town circle
that 
would hold thousands of transcendental meditators, all with the shared
goal of 
bringing coherence to the world around them.

Mr. Johnson, along with a dozen other believers, took his proposal back
to 
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the leader of the international transcendental
meditation 
movement who had sown the seeds of such a community when he chose
neighboring 
Fairfield to locate his home for higher learning, Maharishi
International University, in the early 1970's.

Maharishi blessed their vision, and the State of Iowa approved Vedic
City's 
incorporation petition in January. Once the city's 125 residents give
their 
formal approval, which is expected next month, Vedic (pronounced
VAY-dick) City 
will become Iowa's 950th city and the first new one since
1982.

The decade-long journey began in the spring of 1991 when Mr. Johnson and
other 
developers bought 50 farms with 3,000 acres of windswept corn and
soybean fields 
for about $7 million.

The developers tried to keep their plans quiet for fear of scaring off
sellers, 
Mr. Johnson said. "Itwas pretty wild," he said. "Some people sold with
some 
reluctance."

The developers kept 1,200 acres on which to build the town. During the
next 
several years, they installed a sewage system, paved the roads and
installed 
equipment for wireless Internet access. They began building houses,
hotels and 
office buildings, which all align with the rotation of the earth
by facing east.

"It's the ideal planned city from scratch," Bob Wynne, one of the
developers, 
said.

The town's name is derived from the Sanskrit word "veda," meaning
"knowledge," 
and was considered a safe choice. "We didn't want anything too
ooga-booga," said 
Fred Gretzon, a local businessman and practitioner of transcendental
meditation 
who has been a main force behind the incorporation petition. "This is
Iowa, 
after all."

Vedic City planners expect it to grow to 1,000 residents within the next
10 
years, many of them  transplants from Fairfield, which has attracted
more than 
3,000 adherents of transcendental meditation since the university opened
in 
1973.

Vedic City is made up of a ring of 10 circles covering slightly more
than one 
square mile. Though development has a long way to go, the town already
has its 
own observatory with ancient astrological and astronomical instruments
to orient 
itself within the cosmos.

According to the master plan, two golden domes will be built in the
center of 
town that together will seat 10,000 for a type of group meditation
called yogic 
flying, which actually resembles cross-legged hopping. "It looks like
hopping, 
but it feels like flying," said John Revolinski, a spokesman for the
university, 
where transcendental meditation and Sanskrit are requirements for
students.

More than 1,500 people practice yogic flying daily on the university's
campus in 
two golden domes, one for women and one for men. The three stages of
yogic 
flying are hopping on the ground, hovering in the air, and flying
through the 
air. Right now, most of the meditators are in the hopping
stage.

"The concept is that if the square root of 1 percent of the country's
population 
is doing the transcendental meditation yogic flying program, we'll
create 
coherence for the whole country," Mr. Johnson said. That number comes,
roughly, 
to slightly less than 1,675 practitioners.

Extending the logic, the square root of one percent of the world
population of 6 
billion comes in at slightly fewer than 7,750 people. But to make sure,
the 
meditators are aiming to build a population of 10,000. Hence, a banner
that 
reads "Ten Thousand for Heaven on Earth" hangs in one of the
Fairfield domes.

The meditators feel the current meditation in the domes has played a
part in 
what they call the upward trajectory of the United States in the past
two 
decades. "There is a greater orderliness, greater peace, greater
friendliness 
among countries that has emerged since 1979," Mr. Revolinski
said. 

"We were very heartened when we saw the end of the cold war." The design
of 
Vedic City and its buildings conform with Sthapatya Veda architectural 
principles, which hold that health, happiness and fortune are influenced
by the 
orientation and structure of buildings.

In the past five years, $250 million has been spent on constructing
Sthapatya 
Vedic buildings, mostly in Fairfield. Houses range from modest homes to
a $5 
million mansion with a swimming pool, theater
and bowling alley. 

Several businesses have built Vedic complexes, but Vedic City is the
first 
settlement to build in complete accord with Vedic principles.

Those principles will eventually become objective standards, Jonathan
Lipman, a 
Sthapatya Vedic architect, predicted. "Some day you could be sued for 
architectural malpractice if you designed a south-facing house," he
said.