Fairfield's fame levitates after Oprah's meditation
The
already more-well-known-than-you-think town of Fairfield, Ia., is about to
have its national visibility grow by Oprah-esque proportions.
The media icon paid a stealthy six-hour visit to the Maharishi University of
Management last October and will tell the country about her newfound
devotion to transcendental meditation at 8 p.m. on Sunday as part of her new
weekly series, "Oprah's Next Chapter." Fairfield Mayor Ed
Malloy, who took the media mogul on a tour of one of the university's golden
domes before she meditated there with about 400 other women, said Winfrey
already had a working knowledge of transcendental meditation based on her
experience with inner-city school systems.
The practice has been introduced there to children suffering from academic
and behavioral problems with the help of Maharishi board of trustees member
David Lynch, the television and film director whose private foundation
promotes "consciousness-based education and world peace."
"It's had phenomenal results (in schools) and I think she became intrigued
by that," said Malloy, who has practiced transcendental meditation for 38
years. "Oprah's bright and energetic and gregarious and thoughtful and
provocative and we are honored and tickled to be featured by her in this
way."
Transcendental meditation first came to Fairfield by way of the Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi, who gained international fame as the guru to the Beatles before
transforming the bankrupt Parsons College property into his namesake
university in 1974.
In 2001, the Maharishi's followers incorporated their own town, called
Maharishi Vedic City, about two miles north of Fairfield. Sales of
non-organic food are banned and buildings are designed to follow principles
the Maharishi established, such as facing east and featuring a golden roof
ornament. About 1,300 people live there, and an estimated on-quarter
of Fairfield's 10,000 residents also practice transcendental meditation.
Winfrey has tried to make a similar impact on her employees by encouraging
them to meditate twice during each work day.
Paul Chesnutt-Winer, who hosted Winfrey in his home and will be featured
with his family on Oprah's television show, said the practice of
transcendental meditation could not have made a better friend.
"She's an amazing combination of being a strong, executive women and really
a lot of fun," he said.