He became last week the public face of the practice, which originated in India with the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. At a press conference in New York's plush Plaza hotel, Lynch launched a $1 billion fundraising campaign to build 100 'peace palaces' across America, part of a plan for 3,000 buildings across the globe, one in each major city. Inside the palaces up to 300 devotees will spend their time meditating and 'yogic flying', which practitioners say is a form of levitation. Once the peace palaces are up and running - the theory goes - war, violence and crime will come to an end.