Indian guru Maharishi Yogi dies
The Indian guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who is credited with introducing the Beatles and other stars to ancient Hindu meditation methods, has died.
The Maharishi, thought to have been 91 years old, died in his sleep on Tuesday evening at his home in the Netherlands.
He introduced the Transcendental Meditation movement to the West in 1959, with the intention of creating individual peace and enlightenment.
By the time of his death, it had grown into a multi-million dollar empire.
The Maharishi announced his retirement and retreat into silence at his home in Vlodrop last month, saying his work was done and that he wanted to dedicate his remaining days to studying ancient Hindu Vedas texts.
"He had been saying he had done what he set out to do," his spokesman, Bob Roth, told the Associated Press.
Mr Roth said the Maharishi died peacefully in his sleep at around 1900 (1800 GMT), due to "natural causes - his age".
Mantras
Born in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the Maharishi trained as a physicist before devoting himself to spiritual enlightenment.
After studying in the Himalayas under Guru Dev during the 1940s and 1950s, he spread the teachings of transcendental meditation throughout the world.
Based on the theory and practice of yoga, transcendental meditation involves a mental technique that can reportedly be easily learnt and practised by anyone to reach a "state of pure consciousness" and gain deep rest.
By repeating in the mind a Sanskrit mantra, a short word or phrase, a practitioner is supposedly able to find deep relaxation, which in turn leads to enhanced inner joy, vitality, and creativity.
"Don't fight darkness. Bring the light, and darkness will disappear," the Maharishi said in an interview in 2006, repeating one of his own mantras.
The Maharishi introduced the technique to the US in 1959, but it did not become widely known in the West until 1968, when the Beatles travelled to India to meditate with him, although the band famously later fell out with him.
The Beatles famously fell out with the Maharishi after visiting him
Despite this, transcendental meditation's 20-minute routine came to be widely used in the worlds of education, business and welfare to reduce stress and improve concentration, eventually building a following of five million people.
Donations and the $2,500 (£1,270) fee to learn the technique helped finance the construction of Peace Palaces, or meditation centres, in dozens of cities around the world, as well as several universities.
After decades of teaching, the Maharishi unveiled plans to use the power of group meditation to create world peace and end poverty.
In 1990, he moved into 200-room mansion in the southern Dutch village of Vlodrop. Concerned about his fragile health, he secluded himself in two rooms, speaking only by video link even to his closest advisers in the same building.
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.
"His passing is profoundly sad. But I for one, am among the millions who are grateful for what he shared with us," said Love. "We will miss you, but your great light will shine on."
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."
The Maharishi moved his headquarters to the small southern Dutch village of Vlodrop in 1990. A memorial service will be held there on Thursday before an expected funeral on the Ganges river in India, a spokesman said.
The Maharishi, thought to have been 91 years old, died in his sleep on Tuesday evening at his home in the Netherlands.
He introduced the Transcendental Meditation movement to the West in 1959, with the intention of creating individual peace and enlightenment.
By the time of his death, it had grown into a multi-million dollar empire.
The Maharishi announced his retirement and retreat into silence at his home in Vlodrop last month, saying his work was done and that he wanted to dedicate his remaining days to studying ancient Hindu Vedas texts.
"He had been saying he had done what he set out to do," his spokesman, Bob Roth, told the Associated Press.
Mr Roth said the Maharishi died peacefully in his sleep at around 1900 (1800 GMT), due to "natural causes - his age".
Mantras
Born in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the Maharishi trained as a physicist before devoting himself to spiritual enlightenment.
After studying in the Himalayas under Guru Dev during the 1940s and 1950s, he spread the teachings of transcendental meditation throughout the world.
Based on the theory and practice of yoga, transcendental meditation involves a mental technique that can reportedly be easily learnt and practised by anyone to reach a "state of pure consciousness" and gain deep rest.
By repeating in the mind a Sanskrit mantra, a short word or phrase, a practitioner is supposedly able to find deep relaxation, which in turn leads to enhanced inner joy, vitality, and creativity.
"Don't fight darkness. Bring the light, and darkness will disappear," the Maharishi said in an interview in 2006, repeating one of his own mantras.
The Maharishi introduced the technique to the US in 1959, but it did not become widely known in the West until 1968, when the Beatles travelled to India to meditate with him, although the band famously later fell out with him.
The Beatles famously fell out with the Maharishi after visiting him
Despite this, transcendental meditation's 20-minute routine came to be widely used in the worlds of education, business and welfare to reduce stress and improve concentration, eventually building a following of five million people.
Donations and the $2,500 (£1,270) fee to learn the technique helped finance the construction of Peace Palaces, or meditation centres, in dozens of cities around the world, as well as several universities.
After decades of teaching, the Maharishi unveiled plans to use the power of group meditation to create world peace and end poverty.
In 1990, he moved into 200-room mansion in the southern Dutch village of Vlodrop. Concerned about his fragile health, he secluded himself in two rooms, speaking only by video link even to his closest advisers in the same building.
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.
"His passing is profoundly sad. But I for one, am among the millions who are grateful for what he shared with us," said Love. "We will miss you, but your great light will shine on."
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."
The Maharishi moved his headquarters to the small southern Dutch village of Vlodrop in 1990. A memorial service will be held there on Thursday before an expected funeral on the Ganges river in India, a spokesman said.
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