BlogHer - Transcendental Meditation guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, dies - Comments

impressions

truthwillout — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:50:57 -0500

from reading here and elsewhere, i come to the conclusion that TM has had many hundreds of scientifically peer reviewed and published reports on its medical and psychological benefits, whereas mr john knapp (and one might guess his apparent alter ego ruth) seems to simply be looking to make a living off of people who want him to 'help' them get 'free' of some cultish attachment they may have formed to TM or whatever other organizations they have formed dependent attachments to (perhaps not unlike john's own unhealthy attachment to TM and/or any other organizations or people he has previously formed dependent relationships with), by instead becoming attached to his ''therapy'' (whatever that might be, though it certainly hasn't had many hundreds of medical publications over 40 years from leading research institutions from around the world establishing its therapeutic value)

I've enjoyed the many posts

laughing crow speaks — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:36:02 -0500

I've enjoyed the many posts above shedding light on TM, including ihsiraham's witty and insightful remarks. Thanks to everyone for taking the time. And thanks to Mr. Knapp for being the reason all this accurate information was brought out.

So many falsehoods are being spread by the K-spammer. Looks like his original post was removed by the site administrators for being spam.

This statement of his (i.e., ruth's) is really funny, regarding the research on meditation: "Many are not even studies."

Haa haa. Right. Let's tell the career scientists on the editorial boards at the International Journal of Neuroscience, the AMA's journal Archives, the journal Hypertension, the American Journal of Physiology, and hundreds of other leading scientific and medical journals that they are fools, publishing TM research studies that are somehow repeatedly, hundreds of times, slipping through the peer-review process, studies which are really not studies.

I challenge K-spammer to cite one single research study that the TM program references that is in reality "not even a study."

I'll leave you with the words of Dr. Vernon Barnes, U of GA medical college, speaking about the TM research on the Ask the Doctors site:

"Once the research is peer-reviewed and is out there in so many medical and scientific journals, it’s been subjected to such high levels of scrutiny—it’s not just some organization’s promotional tool, it belongs to science.

Bad boy, telling more fibs about meditation...

Lil Knowledge Kitten — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:01:43 -0500

Dear ruth/knapp, no need to overreact, my friend. let's just be purr and be good kitties.

But in all fairness, to respond to ruth/knapp's further aspersions,

1. "He is known to be an anti-meditation activist. By whom?" >> with all due respect, by just about everyone who keeps up with meditation topics on the internet and who sees that mr. knapp's posts are ubiquitous. Just do a search on his name and see how many TM articles he has tried to swiftboat.

"He has said in the past that meditation works fine for many.>>" a brief visit to any of mr. knapp's anti-TM websites contain probably the most harsh denigrations of the TM technique on the internet, if you look past the first page. of course, with the extensive body of scientific research out on TM, even the anti-TM crowd is now admitting that there must be some good results. but notice his wording, "meditation works fine for many." This is ruth/knapp's way of saying that for many others, it is very harmful, a point of dogma that the "true believer" anti-meditation crowd vehemently clings to, despite the plethora of doctors and scientists who proclaim otherwise.

2. "Spamming to promote his websites. So, Mr. Knapp has a different point of view. He is free to express it. He links to his sites as an easy way to make his opinion known. What is wrong with that?" >>> absolutely nothing, perhaps. but that is one wiki definition of spamming, a practice that generally irritates people. Likewise, there's nothing wrong with people who have more accurate information stating their point of view. It's the disingenuous tactic of trying to appear neutral, I think, that may be questionable. face it, it's not just a case of someone leaving a personal post on a blog. this is a blog spammer with alerts out on TM, copying/pasting a standard negative blurb on TM articles to advertise his negative web sites. he can do it, but many people consider it irresponsible because he condemning something that only helps people.

3. "His websites are misinformation central, spreading rumor and falsehood. What is false?... I think the TMO sites spread far more falsehoods with their claims about east facing architecture, astrology, and "perfect health" through the use of their high priced supplements. Oh, and don't forget Yogic Flying." >>> nothing could be further from the truth. every single principle and claim made for the TM program is backed by scientific research. and there are many statements on mr. knapp's websites that are blatant fibs: TM produces harmful results. TM is about brainwashing. TM people say that they can teach you how to fly. etc. etc. etc. These things are not just matters of opinion, these are factually inaccurate. If mr. knapp doesn't respect the venerable Vedic tradition of knowledge and it's prescriptions for green, healthy architecture built in accord with natural law, if he doesn't recognize to the Vedic principles that planets can influence human life (most cultures do), and if he doesn't believe in ayurveda, that's fine, but the TM organization makes no false claims about any of this.

4. The TMO claims it has taught 6 million TM. But they have no idea how many continue its practice. My bet? Not many.>> a moot point. but, as posted elsewhere: " it's true that out of the 6 million people who have learned TM, no one can know how many are regularly practicing twice-daily everyday, just as no one knows how many of the tens-of-thousands of people who have bought nordictrack are exercising everyday. but what kind of criticism would that be to say that nordictrack is no good because we don't know how many people use them everyday? it's a grabbing-for-straws criticism. but what's more significant is that out of the millions who have learned TM, there are so few people who actually claim, as knapp and his few (disgruntled?) buddies claim, that TM is no good."

5. The 600 studies? Many are not even studies...the Alberta study which reviewed meditation research, not just TM, and the conclusion was that mediation research was filled with methodological and other problems.>>Another example of misinformation and the broken record syndrome of a true believer. The NIH would not have awarded over $24 for scientists to research TM if there was not a precedence of solid, impartial science behind TM. The NIH research money is extremely hard to get and there is intense competition for the grants. Over 300 peer-reviewed journals would not have accepted flimsy TM studies for publication. ruth/knapp cites a controversial meta-study that was itself not even peer-reviewed (it was published in a respectable journal, but without undergoing the standard editorial process), which did not actually consider all the available data on TM, was not just about TM but also mindfulness and other forms of meditation, was criticized by scientists around the world for drawing conclusions that were not supported by the data, and has been rejected by the vast majority of meditation researchers (including Kabat Zinn and Ken Wilber) as insignificant.

sorry ruth/knapp, you loose again.

MMY was a public figure.

ruthsimplicity — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:43:59 -0500

MMY was a public figure. His life and his work are there for all to criticize or praise.

I have seen no place where Knapp has presented rumors as fact. In fact, he has repeatedly said that TM works fine for many. Get your facts straight before you slam someone.

slander

ruthsimplicity — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:42:54 -0500

I am posting one more time in defense of Mr. Knapp. I am bothered that people who believe in TM would stoop to such personal attacks, such as:

1. He is known to be an anti-meditation activist. Oh? By whom? He has said in the past that meditation works fine for many.

2. Spamming to promote his websites. So, Mr. Knapp has a different point of view. He is free to express it. He links to his sites as an easy way to make his opinion known. What is wrong with that?

3. His websites are misinformation central, spreading rumor and falsehood. What is false? No one has pointed to a thing that he has said which is false. He simply has a different opinion on TM and the TMO than some of you. In my humble opinion, I think the TMO sites spread far more falsehoods with their claims about east facing architecture, astrology, and "perfect health" through the use of their high priced supplements. Oh, and don't forget Yogic Flying.

4. The TMO claims it has taught 6 million TM. But they have no idea how many continue its practice. My bet? Not many.

5. The 600 studies? Many are not even studies. Mr. Knapp linked the the Alberta study which reviewed meditation research, not just TM, and the conclusion was that mediation research was filled with methodological and other problems.

apologists for John Knapp

laughing crow speaks — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:32:03 -0500

Thanks to those above for exposing John Knapp.

The single support for Knappy boy by our friend "ruth" may well be misplaced. Sure, let everyone have their say, but John Knapp is known to be an anti-meditation internet activist who disingenuously takes advantage of the blogging medium by constantly spamming it to promote his websites. His copy-and-paste negative posts against TM are "sprinkled like bird droppings throughout the blogosphere," as has cleverly been said of him elsewhere by other bloggers.

Knapp and a small handful of his pals, literally 4-5 obviously disgruntled former TM participants, try to create a perception on the internet that TM is controversial. Because of how Google works — retrieving information but not verifying its accuracy — Knapp and his small cadre have been able to throw their negative mix into the Google search on TM. His websites (he maintains at least three himself) are Misinformation Central, replete with rumor and falsehood. It is also suspected by people who have encountered him on blogs that he uses more than one name to post his vitriol, to give the impression that he has someone agreeing with him.

About 6 million people have learned TM over the past 50 years. The fact that there are only this small handful of detractors on the internet is powerful testimony to the benign and benefitial nature of the TM program. (Knapp's own anti-TM blog features only 5-6 regular contributors, and this after years of soliciting for contributions).

There are so many people like myself and those above whose experience with TM is totally positive and life-enriching over a lifetime, and who speak up to clarify the facts, that such postings as Mr. Knapp's are becoming sidelined by the simple truth that TM is an invaluable tool to maximize health and happiness.

Over 600 scientific research studies on TM speak much louder than the small bits of confusion. Truth alone triumphs, say the Upanishads.

you want facts?

Inspector108 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:33:55 -0500

The only other point of view that Knapp links to is his own. If you look at his websites or read what he says in interviews you'll find that he blames his problems on his former involvement with TM. Now he is trying to make a living by convincing others to do the same. I can't think of a better formula for failure as a human being than to go through life blaming ones problems on something or someone outside of oneself.

Knapp takes every opportunity to trash the TM organization and its founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Maybe you're into 'turning the other cheek', but if somebody keeps attacking something I respect and value, I think I have the right to stand up for it.

If you want information on TM you can find plenty of it at these Websites:
tes:

http://www.tm.org/ [USA]

http://tm.org/inthenews/index.html

http://www.mum.edu/ [University in the USA]

http://www.askthedoctors.com

John Knapp comment

ruthsimplicity — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:24:02 -0500

Well, some nasty posts about Knapp.

I think Mr. Knapp is doing a service by providing links to another point of view. To criticize his motives is childish. You cannot read his mind. You have no idea if he is bitter or not. And to assume so reflects more on you than on him. At least he uses his name. Those of you who leap criticism upon him don't use your names or give any facts.

Maharishi and John Knapp

ihsiraham — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:55:50 -0500

Thankyou,Mata, for your balanced reportage on the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s passing.

JohnKnapp’s self-depiction (read his links, above) as a simple, innocent helper andtherapist of those “10-20%” who experienced “negative effects” oftranscendental meditation is palpably false. As is evident from his vociferous website, Mr. Knapp is afervent, almost indefatigable, amazingly active campaigner againsttranscendental meditation and in particular, against his former guru, theMaharishi Mahesh Yogi, whom Mr. Knapp defames at every opportunity, using thetried and true method of accusing this man of “having affairs”, based upon—youguessed it-- hearsay.

Thefact is verifiable that the rumours of “the Maaharishi’s sexual improprietyagainst Mia Farrow (Sintra, as she was then)” --of which Mr Knapp is so proud-- were simply alie told by “Magic Alex” (a.k.a. Janni Alexis Mardas, and Alex Mardas), one ofJohn Lennon’s groupies and a drug dealer who was disgruntled at the Maharishinot letting him join the Beatles in the Rishikesh Ashram in 1968. By Googling Mardas’ names and aliases,one will read a fascinating tale of the power of character assassination byrumour.

JohnKnapp is a past master at this and makes a rich living for himself and for hisorganization through exactly that technique.

OnKnapp’s own website, he even puts the Maharishi akin to Adolf Hitler and theNazis, asserting that meditators are the victims of concentration-camp-like,human experiments.

…thisis way-out stuff… BUT, boy, JohnKnapp is going to save you fromthe cults and the weird people.

Despitethe supposedly “open” image John Knapp is selling (in his little “intro”spam-boxes), on his own self-promoting website he gives no credence totranscendental meditation being good for anybody. Read it; he allows not one iota of good from it. If we are to believe John Knapp, it’sjust incredible that people survive even a few days of practising transcendentalmeditation!

Heasserts unabashedly, “If transcendental meditation were a drug, it would longago have been taken off the market”.

Ibelieve that Mr Knapp is the kind of guy who, if he were a lawmaker, would makeit illegal to practise transcendental meditation.

Hecasts himself as the self-appointed sheriff of the meditation police, and hewants constantly to remind us “Just say ‘no’(…to transcendentalmeditation)”.

Unfortunatelyfor John Knapp and his highly-committed employees who want us to believe that Maharishi was worsethan Pol Pot, the world will leave John Knapp’s eminently forgettable methodsbehind, and continue to seek out the Maharishi’s teaching, by the hundreds ofthousands every year.

John Knapp must get nightmares thinkingof the vast majority of millions of happy practitioners of transcendentalmeditation who will continue to inspire millions of new learners. I’m afraid Master Knapp simply will notbe able to keep up with the pace of the spread of transcendental meditation.

Althoughit is apparent that it is their life’s work to prevent transcendentalmeditation from becoming even more popular, I fear Mr Knapp, Inc had better diversify, say, trydiscouraging fundamentalist christianity or fundamentalist islam.

Knappis sensible enough in his public comments to confess that his assertion of “10-20% of practitioners” having “negative effects” from transcendentalmeditation is based in his own biased personal speculation, drawn purely uponundocumented “anecdotes”.

Onelook at John Knapp’s website reveals a negative bias so extreme as to appearrather obsessive and cult-like in itself.

Seeingthe hundreds of places where John Knapp’s comments and advertisements pop up,he can’t possibly be the one person he markets himself to be. If Mr Knapp truly is so busyde-programming the “hundreds” of transcendental meditators he claims to be“helping” to “recover” from this “dangerous” practise, how does he have thetime to be all over the world-wide web daily, as evidently he is?

Mr.Knapp’s organisation employs a highly commercialised, sophisticated spam methodto make sure his name, anti-transcendental meditation advertisement and linksappear anywhere on the world wide web wherein the words ‘transcendentalmeditation’, ‘Maharishi’, or “TM” appear.

Inaddition to appearing, vulture-like, at the bottom of the slightest mention of“transcendental meditation” or “Maharishi”, Mr. Knapp’s customary online behaviour is publicly to lodgecomments lauding any blog or article that is derogatory to transcendental meditationor its guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. John Knapp openly and gleefully cheerleads any effort by any commentatorwho slanders, vilifies, belittles or smears Maharishi, irrespective of whatalternative or cult-like worldview the blog may promote.

Inhis own website, Knapp decries so many techniques and teachers (though hisfavourite whipping-posts are transcendental meditation and Maharishi), but indefending himself once in a critical blog, he claimed to be a Shaivite Hindu. Apparently his own, watered down brandof Shaivite Hinduism must be just dandy, since, presumably, John Knapp reallyhas done his homework diligently, unlike when he supposedly wasted so manyyears flunking life because of hispractising transcendental meditation. Wow, what a life of regret andbitterness, and just think: and it was all caused by someone else, thatMaharishi fella who tricked him into meditating, and even tricked him intobecoming a (failed) teacher of it.

HasMr. Knapp investigated thoroughly the “10-20%” who might get “harmed” byShaivite Hinduism? Of course not—Shaivite Hinduism is John Knapp’s own cult-of-choice, so naturally we areexpected to assume that nothing dreadful ever has happened to anyone while practisingShaivite Hinduism, or that, “anecdotally”, we could blame on John’s religion.

Iwould wager that a considerable body of “anecdotal evidence” could be “accrued” (invented) that, carefully spun,could cast Shaivite Hinduism’s worldwide track-record into question. One could do the same to jogging. Or to the dreadful practise of havingsex. Or to drinking water.

Whystop there?

Mr.Knapp’s organisation does not stop there.

MrKnapp’s character assassination of the Maharishi is attempted by his calling fora collection of rumours thatslander the Maharishi, and then gleefully retailing these “reports” as “fact”.

Onewonders how Master Knapp’s personal life would stand up if we were to invitethe world to offer anecdotal speculation about “affairs” he might have had, or“bad effects” his “therapeutic” approach might have. If ever anyone is interested in finding out if Mr. JohnKnapp’s Knowledge program has a deleterious effect, please let me know where tosign on. This man’s claims make meboth sick and tired.

Response to John M. Knapp comment:

Inspector108 — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:22:19 -0500

Many critics consider John M. Knapp to be a self-promoting spammer who has nothing worthwhile to offer, but tries to make money by creating fear about useful programs like TM. A previous post of his indicated that he is a disgruntled former TM'er. With any organization that has attracted millions of participants, it is inevitable that a few people will become detractors. While I am impressed that John M. Knapp has shown the resourcefulness to transform his disgruntlement into a career, I do object to him labelling TM as a cult and spamming every article about TM on the Web. Although it is perhaps more worthy of sympathy to see an individual allowing his personal or professional life to revolve around some lingering bitterness, in the interests of fairness I feel I must counter the comments he is leaving.

The Transcendental Meditation technique has helped millions of people and will continue to do so. Its benefits have been validated by hundreds of scientific studies over the past 35 years, many of which were published in peer-reviewed journals. Its efficacy has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health, the premier body overseeing medical research in the US. And it has been introduced into school programs in the US, Canada, Peru, India, South Africa, the UK, and other countries. In the US, TM is taught by a federally-recognized nonprofit organization.

For more information, just Google 'transcendental meditation' and you'll find plenty of good sources.

Nice reminder

Maria Niles — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:07:31 -0600

Thanks for the reminder to meditate, Mata.

I know nothing about the controversy surrounding the Maharishi but I do have a personal experience with TM that was very positive. When I was a kid an older cousin became a follower. She invited my mother and my sisters and I to learn the technique of TM. I was given a mantra and taught the technique and then left in a dark, decorated room to practice. At the end I left the room and was given a peach to eat and I still remember how incredibly delicious that peach was and was better than any candy.

A few years later my cousin was visiting our house and she left after I had gone to bed. I woke to find a loving, empowering letter she had written me, just because and I felt so special and so loved that my cool, hip older cousin would write me such a letter.

My cousin's life was rough later on and that may have been due to mental illness or perhaps from some negative influence from following a guru. But I can't help but think that anything that led her to have such a positive impact on the life of a child must have something good and beautiful at its core.

Beyond Help

Transcendental Meditation guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, dies

Mata H — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:34:42 -0600

At the estimated age of 91, the man who made transcendental meditation a cultural phenomenon has passed away. For many of us who grew up in America through the 1960's, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi gave us the first view we had into a spiritual experience beyond our own. Add to this the fact that the Beatles were devotees, and many Americans began a lifetime fascination with and learning from the traditions of the East.

In many ways, Guru Maharishi was the perfect guru for the 60's. He promoted a community of peace and love, community and joy. The devotion of the Beatles brought him worldwide notice, and he was able to build a multi-million dollar compound and collection of peace and meditation related businesses as a result. By the time he appeared on the cover of Time in 1975, the phrase "Transcendental Meditation" was close to a household word.

There are many who are cynical about his message of peace, who see him as a New Age opportunist -- but there seem to be even more that speak of his sincerity, his kindness, his joy. At minimum he had an idea that he felt could help the world, and devoted his life to trying to make that happen. These days, those who promote peace seem very worth listening to.

Wikipedia gives a view into how he came to prominence:

Maharishi was born to a Hindu family living in Jabalpur in the state of Madhya Pradesh, in India - ...and was named Mahesh Prasad Varma at birth ... According to Jay Randolph Coplin, the name "Mahesh" indicated that Maharishi came from a Hindu family that worshipped Shiva. Cynthia Anne Hume writes that his family was of the kayastha (scribal) caste, an origin that would preclude his being officially called a "guru" (a term, she notes, that the Maharishi did not use for himself as far as she can determine), since the term is reserved for males of the Brahmin caste; but the same caste conventions would allow the honorific terms "yogi" or "maharishi". The scribal caste origin is also stated in the New York Times obituary. Maharishi later earned a degree in physics at Allahabad University. In 1955, Maharishi and began publicly teaching what is a traditional meditation technique that he later renamed Transcendental Meditation. He began The Spiritual Regeneration Movement in 1957, in Madras, India, on the concluding day of the Seminar of Spiritual Luminaries. According to J. Lynwood King, the feedback Maharishi received from the diverse population that learned his technique suggested to him that it could be of wide benefit. By 1958 Maharishi had begun the first of a number of worldwide tours.

Both Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney have made statements about the guru's death. Ringosaid

Starr said in a statement: "One of the wisest 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."

The Maharishi died at his home in the Netherlands on Tuesday. He was thought to be 91. He became famous in the 1960s through his relationship with the Beatles. The group visited his ashram in India in 1968, where they studied his transcendental meditation techniques.

Starr went home after 10 days, complaining that he missed egg and chips.

The others stayed, joined by other celebrities including Mick Jagger, Donovan and Mia Farrow. But the rock stars fell out with the Maharishi over rumours, [ ed. note later found to be entirely without merit ], that he had made inappropriate sexual advances towards Farrow.

The Maharishi went on to build a multimillion-pound global empire and moved his headquarters to a former Franciscan monastery in the Dutch town of Vlodrop.

McCartney said:

"Whilst I am deeply saddened by his passing, my memories of him will only be joyful ones," said McCartney, 65.

"He was a great man who worked tirelessly for the people of the world and the cause of unity.

"I will never forget the dedication that he wrote inside a book he once gave me, which read 'radiate, bliss, consciousness', and that to me says it all. I will miss him but will always think of him with a smile."

Interfaith.org describes some of the controversy that accompanies many discussions of the guru.

It is now rumoured that the movement has more than five million practitioners in more than 130 countries. The simple message that a person could reduce stress by meditating twenty minutes twice a day, on a mantra or Sanskrit word, was appealing, and it was said that if enough people were able to achieve inner peace in this way then wars would end and crime would be reduced.

However in later years, Maharishi was dubbed by some as the P.T Barnum of the New Age when he claimed that advanced practitioners could defy physics and fly - assuming they dedicated themselves to spending $275 a week for a course lasting between four and eight weeks.

Manju at Mystic Masala counters the cynicism with this comment:

I never met the Maharishi, but for some odd reason, the news of his death brought a lump in my throat. I almost felt that a graceful Age had passed on. The age of Transcendental Meditation. The age of inner silence.

I browsed the newspapers, hungry for more news about the Maharishi. But the media seemed only allude to his association with the Beatles. One UK newspaper even went to the extent of writing that the Maharishi got 'lucky' because of the interest the Beatles took in his teachings.

It seems so easy for people to speculate, and they spend so much time just doing this! So that is how, any contribution of a great person, however simple, humble, great or significant, is put to the back-burner, while this odd sensationalism takes over.

Maharishi brought alive the technique of transcendental meditation, through which millions of people got some peace in their turbulent lives. A few moments of meditation brought a stillness into their mind, allowing them to function in this gross world with more focus and clarity.

Phantasmaphile quotes from David Lynch about the virtue of TM:

I very recently finished reading a small gem of a book by Lynch entitled Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. In the book, Lynch discusses the impact his practice of Transcendental Meditation has had on his life and his creative process, saying that it has allowed him to gain access to more vivid, potent ideas:

“Ideas are like fish. If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper. Down deep, the fish are more powerful and more pure. They’re huge and abstract. And they’re very beautiful.”

And, in a touching rememberence, Mllika Chopra (the daughter of Deepak Chopra)describes growing up in the presence of the guru and her sadness at his passing. She begins by saying:

I learned transcendental meditation when I was 9. I think I met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for the first time when I was 13, and for the next decade he was a major influence in my life. I remember sitting for endless hours with Maharishi -- sometimes in crowds of thousands of people, others times just with my parents and brother. Because of my father’s (Deepak Chopra) relationship with him, Maharishi was someone we knew, rather than someone we idolized.

When you were with Maharishi, it truly was like time did not exist. There was a sense of connection to something deeper. Maharishi was a visionary. He always spoke in grand, universal, mythic terms. Numbers were always infinite, possibilities endless, nothing too difficult to accomplish. He would talk about changing the world in sweeping terms, and then suddenly, focus on some minute detail. Since people from so many walks of life came to Maharishi, those endless hours were full of individuals who did different things, who came from every corner of the earth. Maharishi spoke a universal language that resonated with all of them. His language touched people’s souls. You could tune in and out of what he said, and still feel like you were experiencing something truly monumental.

As a young girl, I did not understand most of what was talked about, but I wanted to be there. I felt inspired, energetic, motivated and at peace. When we left him, I would run and shyly give him a rose, and he would give me a smile that always made me laugh.

Maharashi would talk with his sweet voice and then giggle – a giggle that then erupted into a wave of laughter that tickled those in his presence at their very souls. I will always remember the laughter around Maharishi. Around him, I felt happy and free and timeless. Even though I was shy, I could laugh with abandon – a laughter that was so uplifting.

The guru had retired in January saying that he felt that his work was finished.