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Beatles in MMY article
The 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.

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). 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."

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." Paul McCartney, in his biography, likewise says that he does not believe the allegations and also attributes them to Mardas. 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."

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."

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. 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
The 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.

Years later Lennon and Harrison both acknowledged that a mistake have been made. Lennon classified the incident as "an error in judgment". Harrison commented, "Now, historically, there's the story that something went on that shouldn't have done—but nothing did."

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."

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."

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. 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.