Beatles in MMY article
editThe Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in August 1967, studying with him in Bangor, Wales, and in early 1968, attended a TM teacher-training course in Rishikesh, India. While Starr and McCartney left the Maharishi's camp for personal reasons, Lennon’s and Harrison’s departure was marred by controversy. "Magic" Alex Mardas had relayed a story to John and George that Maharishi had made sexual advances on Mia Farrow or other course participants.[1]
Years later Lennon would phone Maharishi to apologize for his youthful mishap of publicly accusing Maharishi of improprieties—accusations that had nothing to do with Maharishi, but, seemingly, everything to do with John’s personal temperament (it was "an error in judgment," Lennon later commented).[2] Yoko Ono told Rolling Stone magazine, in March, 2008, that if Lennon were alive today he probably would have reconciled with (Maharishi). "John would have been the first one now, if he had been here, to recognize and acknowledge what Maharishi has done for the world and appreciate it," she says."[3]
George Harrison, years later, commented on the contretemps, saying, "Now, historically, there's the story that something went on that shouldn't have done—but nothing did."[4] Paul McCartney, in his biography, likewise says that he does not believe the allegations and also attributes them to Mardas.[5] Farrow's autobiography is ambiguous about the incident: she describes "panicking" and fleeing after the Maharishi put his arms around her in a dark cave, immediately after a private meditation session, and that "at my level of consciousness, if Jesus Christ Himself had embraced me, I would have misinterpreted it."[6]
After the Maharishi's death on February 5, 2008, Sir Paul McCartney released a statement saying, "Whilst I am deeply saddened by his passing, my memories of him will only be joyful ones. He was a great man who worked tirelessly for the people of the world...." Ringo Starr released a statement saying, "One of the wise men I met in my life was the Maharishi. I always was impressed by his joy and I truly believe he knows where he is going."[7]
Paul McCartney commented on April 3, 2009, in a press conference prior to his performance at the David Lynch Foundation benefit concert ”Change Begins Within”, that Transcendental Meditation was a gift the Beatles had received from Maharishi at a time when they were looking for something to stabilize them. The concert, headlined by McCartney on April 4, 2009, was created to raise funds to support teaching TM to one million children around the world.[8] During part of the concert McCartney was accompanied on stage by Ringo Starr for only the second time since the breakup of The Beatles many years earlier.
Version 2 October 30, 2009
editThe Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in August 1967, studying with him in Bangor, Wales, and in early 1968, attended a TM teacher-training course in Rishikesh, India. While Starr and McCartney left the Maharishi's camp for personal reasons, Lennon’s and Harrison’s departure was marred by controversy. "Magic" Alex Mardas had relayed a story to John and George that Maharishi had made sexual advances on Mia Farrow or other course participants.[9]
Years later Lennon and Harrison both acknowledged that a mistake have been made. Lennon classified the incident as "an error in judgment".[10] Harrison commented, "Now, historically, there's the story that something went on that shouldn't have done—but nothing did."[11]
Farrow's autobiography is ambiguous about the incident: she describes "panicking" and fleeing after the Maharishi put his arms around her in a dark cave, immediately after a private meditation session, and that "at my level of consciousness, if Jesus Christ Himself had embraced me, I would have misinterpreted it."[12]
After the Maharishi's death on February 5, 2008, Sir Paul McCartney released a statement saying, "Whilst I am deeply saddened by his passing, my memories of him will only be joyful ones. He was a great man who worked tirelessly for the people of the world...." Ringo Starr released a statement saying, "One of the wise men I met in my life was the Maharishi. I always was impressed by his joy and I truly believe he knows where he is going."[13]
Paul McCartney commented on April 3, 2009, in a press conference prior to his performance at the David Lynch Foundation benefit concert ”Change Begins Within”, that Transcendental Meditation was a gift the Beatles had received from Maharishi at a time when they were looking for something to stabilize them. The concert, headlined by McCartney on April 4, 2009, was created to raise funds to support teaching TM to one million children around the world.[14] During part of the concert McCartney was accompanied on stage by Ringo Starr for only the second time since the breakup of The Beatles many years earlier.
References
edit- ^ Wenner, Jann (2000) [1971]. Lennon Remembers. Verso, W.W. Norton & Co. p. 27. ISBN 185984376X.
Yeah, there was a big hullabaloo about him trying to rape Mia Farrow or trying to get off with Mia Farrow and a few other women, things like that.
- ^ New York Times, "Meditation on the Man Who Saved the Beatles"
- ^ Rolling Stone, March 2008
- ^ The Beatles Anthology, Chronicle Books, 2000, pp. 285-86
- ^ Miles, Barry, Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now (Holt: 1998), p. 429, "it was Magic Alex who made the original accusation and I think it was completely untrue."
- ^ "What Falls Away". Bantam. p. 128. ISBN 0553763342.
...I was blinking at his beard when suddenly I became aware of two surprisingly male, hairy arms going around me. I panicked, and shot up the stairs, apologizing all the way. I flew out into the open air, and ran as fast as I could to Prudy's room... I blurted out something about Maharishi's cave, and arms, and beard, and she said, It's an honor to be touched by a holy many after meditation, a tradition. Furthermore, at my level of consciousness, if Jesus Christ Himself had embraced me, I would have misinterpreted it.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|firstname=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lastname=ignored (help) - ^ "Beatles pay tribute to late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi", AFP (February 7, 2008)
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090403/people_nm/us_beatles.
- ^ Wenner, Jann (2000) [1971]. Lennon Remembers. Verso, W.W. Norton & Co. p. 27. ISBN 185984376X.
Yeah, there was a big hullabaloo about him trying to rape Mia Farrow or trying to get off with Mia Farrow and a few other women, things like that.
- ^ New York Times, "Meditation on the Man Who Saved the Beatles"
- ^ The Beatles Anthology, Chronicle Books, 2000, pp. 285-86
- ^ "What Falls Away". Bantam. p. 128. ISBN 0553763342.
...I was blinking at his beard when suddenly I became aware of two surprisingly male, hairy arms going around me. I panicked, and shot up the stairs, apologizing all the way. I flew out into the open air, and ran as fast as I could to Prudy's room... I blurted out something about Maharishi's cave, and arms, and beard, and she said, It's an honor to be touched by a holy many after meditation, a tradition. Furthermore, at my level of consciousness, if Jesus Christ Himself had embraced me, I would have misinterpreted it.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|firstname=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|lastname=ignored (help) - ^ "Beatles pay tribute to late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi", AFP (February 7, 2008)
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090403/people_nm/us_beatles.