Ringo Starr Explains His Gift From Maharishi Mahesh Yogi That He Still Uses
Ringo Starr joined the rest of his Beatles bandmates in Rishikesh, India, in 1968. He was the first to leave, but the short stay was worth it. Ringo’s gift from the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is one he still uses. The Beatles weren’t sentimental about presents — they gave gifts from fans to hospitals — but their drummer has a special place in his heart for the Maharishi’s contribution to his life.
Ringo Starr got a gift from Maharishi that he still uses — a mantra ‘no one can take away’
Visiting Maharshi’s ashram in India came with benefits and drawbacks for Ringo. Transcendental meditation offered a pathway to nirvana and bliss, but staying in a jungle thousands of miles from home presented a challenge.
The drummer’s luggage for the trip included hundreds of cans of baked beans. Ringo didn’t want to risk dining on the local food because of his sensitive stomach (he has never eaten a pizza), so he packed his own supplies. His wife, Maureen, was terrified of the insects that swarmed them.
The couple left India less than two weeks after arriving in late February 1968, but not before Ringo got his gift from the Maharishi. The drummer explained how he still uses the mantra in his book Postcards From the Boys:
“I’m still glad I went and feel so blessed I met the Maharishi — he gave me a mantra that no one can take away, and I still use it.”
Ringo Starr
Ringo was one of the last Beatles to arrive in India and the first to leave, but the short stay proved to be a life-changing experience. The drummer discovered his spiritual side with a little help from the Maharishi. George Harrison dived deeply into his more religious side, but Ringo also tapped into that part of himself.
Ringo told Conan O’Brien (via YouTube) that George’s spirit remains in the world as long as the people he touched with his friendship and music remain. The drummer spoke of feeling John Lennon’s presence during a talk show stop on Aspel & Co. (from YouTube) years later.
Ringo Starr’s gift from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was a private one. We don’t know what the mantra is or how he uses it, but it clearly impact him. The drummer freely displayed his more spiritual side later in his life after his sojourn to India. Some funky things happened to the group while they were there. Ringo’s short stay seemed to spark a lifelong change.
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