Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Vernon Barnes PhD Dr Jean Fortunet · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Birth date	1918
Birth place	Jabalpur, India
Death date	2008
Death place	Vlodrop, Netherlands

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a prominent spiritual leader and founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement, which gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s with the help of celebrities such as The Beatles, John Lennon, and George Harrison. He was born in Jabalpur, India and studied physics at Allahabad University, where he was influenced by the teachings of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati and Adi Shankara. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's spiritual development was also shaped by his time at the University of Allahabad, where he was exposed to the ideas of Rabindranath Tagore and Jawaharlal Nehru. His teachings were later popularized by authors such as Aldous Huxley and Deepak Chopra.

● Early Life and Education

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was born in Jabalpur, India in 1918 and grew up in a Hindu family, where he was exposed to the teachings of Krishna and Vedanta. He studied physics at Allahabad University, where he was influenced by the teachings of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati and Adi Shankara. During his time at university, he was also exposed to the ideas of Rabindranath Tagore and Jawaharlal Nehru, which later shaped his spiritual development. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's education was further influenced by his time at the Indian Institute of Technology, where he studied alongside Homi Jehangir Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. His interest in spirituality was also shaped by his readings of Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, which were introduced to him by Swami Sivananda.

● Spiritual Development

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's spiritual development was shaped by his time with Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, who taught him the techniques of meditation and yoga. He was also influenced by the teachings of Adi Shankara and Ramana Maharshi, which emphasized the importance of self-inquiry and non-dualism. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's spiritual development was further influenced by his time at the Ashram of Swami Sivananda, where he met Neem Karoli Baba and Anandamayi Ma. His teachings were later influenced by the ideas of Jiddu Krishnamurti and Ram Dass, which emphasized the importance of mindfulness and compassion. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's spiritual development was also shaped by his readings of Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi, which introduced him to the concepts of Taoism and wuxing.

● Transcendental Meditation

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi developed the technique of Transcendental Meditation, which involves the use of a mantra to quiet the mind and access a state of consciousness known as pure consciousness. This technique was influenced by the teachings of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati and Adi Shankara, which emphasized the importance of meditation and self-inquiry. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's technique of Transcendental Meditation was popularized by celebrities such as The Beatles, John Lennon, and George Harrison, who practiced the technique and promoted its benefits. The technique was also endorsed by authors such as Aldous Huxley and Deepak Chopra, who wrote about its benefits in their books. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's organization, the Transcendental Meditation movement, was established to promote the technique and provide training to individuals around the world, including at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of California, Los Angeles.

● Career and Legacy

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's career as a spiritual leader spanned over five decades, during which he established the Transcendental Meditation movement and wrote several books on spirituality, including The Science of Being and the Art of Living and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita. He was also a prolific speaker and lecturer, who gave talks at universities such as Harvard University and Oxford University. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's legacy continues to be felt today, with the Transcendental Meditation movement having a presence in over 100 countries around the world, including India, United States, and United Kingdom. His teachings have also been influential in the development of mindfulness and wellness programs, which have been adopted by organizations such as Google and Apple Inc.. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's legacy has been recognized by awards such as the National Order of the Legion of Honour and the Padma Shri, which were conferred upon him by the governments of France and India.

● Teachings and Philosophy

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's teachings emphasized the importance of meditation and self-inquiry in achieving a state of pure consciousness. He believed that this state of consciousness was the key to unlocking human potential and achieving enlightenment. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's teachings were also influenced by the concepts of Taoism and wuxing, which emphasize the importance of living in harmony with nature and cultivating a sense of balance and harmony. His teachings have been compared to those of Buddha and Lao Tzu, who also emphasized the importance of mindfulness and compassion. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's philosophy has been influential in the development of New Age and integral theory, which emphasize the importance of holism and interconnectedness. His teachings have also been recognized by institutions such as the Vatican and the Dalai Lama, which have acknowledged the value of his contributions to the field of spirituality.

● Criticism and Controversy

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Transcendental Meditation movement have been the subject of criticism and controversy over the years, with some critics accusing the organization of being a cult and others questioning the scientific basis of its claims. Some critics, such as James Randi and Carl Sagan, have accused the organization of making exaggerated claims about the benefits of Transcendental Meditation, while others, such as Deepak Chopra and David Lynch, have defended the organization and its teachings. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has also been criticized for his handling of the Beatles and their involvement with the Transcendental Meditation movement, with some critics accusing him of exploiting the band's fame for his own gain. Despite these criticisms, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's legacy continues to be felt today, with the Transcendental Meditation movement remaining a prominent force in the world of spirituality and wellness. The controversy surrounding Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has been the subject of books such as The Guru Papers and Stripping the Gurus, which have examined the criticisms and controversies surrounding the Transcendental Meditation movement.