George Harrison on His Interest in Indian Culture and ‘Levitating and Demateriealizing’
George Harrison became involved in Transcendental Meditation, Indian music, and even wrote a song about the Hindu god Krishna — “My Sweet Lord.” Here’s what this Beatle said about his connection with the country and its culture.
The Beatles’ George Harrison said yogis were doing ‘wondrous things’
In 1967, George Harrison answered questions for the BBC Radio program Scene And Heard. There, he commented on his close connection with Indian culture and what drew him to this country, in particular.
“When I first noticed that I was interested with the music first of all…,” Harrison said (via Beatles Interviews), “and along with that I’d heard stories of people in caves. Yogis, as they’re known. People levitating and dematerializing. And doing all sorts of wondrous things.”
George Harrison mentioned his music appreciation and ‘all the groovy people’ of India
In the same interview, the artist shared his thoughts on Indian music — most of which influenced his later years with the Beatles and his subsequent solo project.
“Through the music, with meeting Ravi [Shankar], it was great because he’s a Braman which is a high sect,” he added, with a Braman defined as a member of the highest, or priestly, class among the Hindus. “Just all the groovy people are Bramans, like the scientists, religious people and musicians, and all those.”
Harrison continued that, ideally, he’d be just as spiritual. He also shared his thoughts on wealth, and how as long as the essentials are covered, anything else would only make your life “empty.”
“What we need isn’t material, it’s spiritual,” the guitarist stated. “We need, sort of, some other form of peace and happiness. And so, that’s why the Indian people all seem very peaceful and as though they have found something, because they haven’t had the material wealth.”
According to Real Life Stories, Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” was written in praise of the Hindu god Krishna. However, Author Bob Spitz wrote in The Beatles: The Biography that “later in life, he [Harrison] would become a vegetarian, consult an astrologer, and devote himself to Transcendental Meditation before embracing traditional Christianity.”
George Harrison advocated for transcendental meditation
Thanks to their relationship with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Beatles (and particularly Harrison) became active in Transcendental Meditation. That’s a form of silent mantra that began in India in the 1950s.
It wasn’t until 1968, though, that all “Fab Four” members traveled to Rishikesh in northern India to take part in a Transcendental Meditation (TM) training course. This artist even approached the Beach Boys to discuss the benefits of Transcendental Meditation. For Al Jardine, that was Lennon and Harrison.
“They wanted to talk to me about something called TM, which is a short acronym for transcendental mediation,” Jardine said. “They proceeded to inform me about this new meditation and this fella called Maharishi… the guru to the stars.”
