MIU student Henry Gonzales Ortiz hails from Bogota, Colombia, where he studied classical music at Juan N. Corpas University. While in college, one of his classmates introduced him to the Transcendental Meditation^® technique, which he learned in 2015.

Henry’s parents have struggled with health issues, and in 2018 Henry lost his father to cancer. He decided to change direction and pursue training in natural health and prevention. “I realized that life is about healing and learning, and the TM and TM-Sidhi programs have sped up the process,” he said. “When you have access to your inner peace, the learning gets done more easily. I am very grateful for the deep transformation I have experienced.”

He heard about MIU’s online MS in Maharishi AyurVeda and Integrative Medicine program from his TM-Sidhi^® administrators and enrolled in February 2019. Henry is motivated by the desire to improve his health and help those around him.

“Ayurveda is such an ancient concept, yet it’s also current,” said Henry. “It’s a very profound knowledge that helps you connect with yourself in a way that allows you to be in harmony without much effort.”

Henry has incorporated many of the daily ayurvedic preventative measures in his life, such as the daily oil massage, and has experienced great improvements. He enjoys the weekly structure of his classes and the focus on understanding the material, while at the same time maintaining a stress-free learning process.

In addition to pursuing the online program at MIU, Henry is exploring other forms of preventative therapies, such as energy medicine, yoga, and local medicinal herbs. Once he graduates he would like to have a practice integrating Maharishi AyurVeda^SM and local herbalism. In his free time, he contributes to a music blog by compiling a playlist of songs.

Emily Mauntel is one of six students who recently completed the nine-month Regenerative Organic Agriculture Certificate program as part of her major in regenerative organic agriculture.

Emily grew up in Michigan, where she attended a Waldorf school. She enjoyed spending time outdoors, camping, and working on the community farm, which were all part of the holistic curriculum. Her love of nature led her to study environmental science at Adrian College in Michigan.

While a student there, she was introduced to the Transcendental Meditation® technique by her mother, and learned about MIU from her TM® instructor. When she discovered that MIU offers training in biodynamic agriculture, which is based on the same philosophy as Waldorf education, she decided to transfer.

“I like the curriculum here; it feels like it’s more laid-back, but I am learning so much more in the classroom,” said Emily. “I like both reading about things and doing them.” During the nine-month certificate program, Emily worked on the MIU Student Farm growing produce and helped with the CSA program and the farmers market.

“I also like that meditation is part of the class,” she said. “I feel more grounded from practicing the TM® technique, and I have a clear path of what I want to do.”

During the Thanksgiving holiday, Emily attended a Biodynamic Conference in New York state, where she visited local farms, participated in workshops, and networked with farmers from all over the world. She was able to attend the workshop at no cost with the help of a scholarship she won from the Biodynamic Association. Earlier this year, Emily and her classmate Kelly Kretschmar also attended the Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference in Saint Paul, Minnesota, as MIU’s official delegation.

In January Emily is heading to Oregon, where she will be completing a three-month internship in regenerative sheep grazing as part of her major. After she graduates in June, she wants to continue interning at various farms and learning more about the role of livestock in regenerative agriculture.

Veda Jamoona is a PhD student in Maharishi Vedic Science℠, conducting research on the correlation between higher states of consciousness and neurophysiology. She is studying the brainwaves of individuals practicing the TM® program to discover any unique markers of higher states of consciousness as described by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Veda is from New York City, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from New York Institute of Technology. She first came to Fairfield in 2008 with her mother, who had heard about MIU from a friend. Having grown up in an Indian family, Veda studied Indian philosophy and Vedic traditions from a young age, but she was surprised and delighted to find a university incorporating Vedic knowledge in its curriculum in Iowa.

She applied for the MBA program right away, but after her first class in the Science and Technology of Consciousness, she switched to studying Maharishi Vedic Science. “I was really impressed with the precision the teachers taught with,” she said. “Their egos were not at all involved; the knowledge came directly from Maharishi.”

After finishing her MA in Maharishi Vedic Science, Veda began the PhD program but had to return to New York City. In 2017 she came back to MIU to finish her doctorate. In addition to studying neurophysiology with Dr. Fred Travis, Veda is teaching Sanskrit in the part-time MA in Maharishi Vedic Science program.

Veda took the TM-Sidhi® course during her first semester in 2008 and found her practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs valuable for growing pure consciousness, reducing stress, and expanding her horizons. “I don’t see the limits, I only see the space,” she said. “The field of possibilities grows and I only think about how I can accomplish something.”

Veda loves teaching and conducting research on consciousness, which she hopes to continue doing after completing her doctorate. “Here at MIU we have the answers to questions because we are able to think outside the box,” she said.