Beatles' Indian guru Maharishi Yogi dies
Wed Feb 6, 2008 6:26am GMT
By Alexandra Hudson

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The guru to the Beatles who
introduced transcendental meditation to the West,
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, died at his Dutch home
overnight, aides said on Wednesday. He was said to be
91.

The reclusive Indian mystic shot to international
prominence when the Beatles -- John Lennon, Paul
McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr -- visited
him in the foothills of the Himalayas in 1968 to learn
his transcendental meditation techniques.

Film footage of the four Beatles sitting cross-legged
and dressed in white robes with garlands of flowers
was beamed round the world. Beach Boy Mike Love,
singer Donovan and U.S. actress Mia Farrow joined the
sessions.

After teaching other 1960s and 70s icons, the
Maharishi with the flowing hair and white beard gained
a worldwide following and had more than five million
people studying his methods.

"His Holiness Maharishi Mahesh Yogi... passed away
peacefully," his Global Country of World Peace
movement said in a statement.

"Maharishi's work is complete. He has done what he set
out to do in 1957 -- to lay the foundation for a
peaceful world. Now, Maharishi is being welcomed with
open arms into heaven," said the statement.

The Maharishi moved his headquarters to the small
southern Dutch village of Vlodrop in 1990.

WORLD PEACE

He periodically emerged to appeal for funds to promote
world peace, building a huge business empire ranging
from real estate dealing to a company selling
ayurvedic medicine and cosmetics.

The Maharishi set up universities and schools all over
the world and his Natural Law Party -- which promotes
yogic flying, a practice that involves sitting in the
lotus position and bouncing into the air -- has
campaigned in dozens of countries.

Transcendental meditation, known as TM by its
followers, involves reciting a mantra that
practitioners say helps the mind stay calm even under
pressure. It gradually gained medical respect over the
decades as the Maharishi challenged Western scientists
to investigate its health benefits.

Film director David Lynch, a TM practitioner, said:
"It has changed my life, my world. I am not alone.
Millions of other people of all ages, religions and
walks of life practise the technique and enjoy
incredible benefits."

Last month the Maharishi stepped down as head of his
organisation and said he would be "retiring into
silence".

Born in central India, the Maharishi rarely spoke
about his early life, saying the past held little
interest for him.

He first visited the United States in 1959 as part of
a global tour to introduce transcendental meditation
to the world, and from 1961 he began to train
teachers.

According to the TM organisation, the Maharishi's
message remained constant: "Life is bliss. Man is born
to enjoy. Within everyone is an unlimited reservoir of
energy, intelligence, and happiness."

(Editing by Ralph Gowling)


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