Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Indian guru, founded Transcendental Meditation (b. 1918)

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, born Mahesh Prasad Varma on January 12, 1918, and passing on February 5, 2008, was an influential Indian yoga guru whose profound teachings and global initiatives left an indelible mark on the spiritual landscape. He is widely recognized for developing and popularizing Transcendental Meditation (TM), a unique mantra-based meditation technique designed to allow the mind to settle inward beyond thought to experience pure consciousness. Over his lifetime, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi emerged as the principal leader and guru of a vast worldwide organization, which has been diversely characterized both as a new religious movement and as a non-religious, scientifically validated method for stress reduction and personal development. As an adult, he became widely known by the honorific title "Maharishi," meaning "great seer" or "great Rishi," signifying a venerable sage, and "Yogi," denoting a practitioner of yoga, emphasizing his mastery and teachings in the spiritual domain.

His foundational spiritual journey began after he completed a degree in physics from Allahabad University in 1942. Following this academic pursuit, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi became a devoted assistant and disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, revered as Guru Dev. Guru Dev held the esteemed position of Shankaracharya – the paramount spiritual leader – of the Jyotir Math, one of the four cardinal monasteries established by Adi Shankara, nestled in the serene Indian Himalayas. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi consistently credited Swami Brahmananda Saraswati with being the profound inspiration behind all his subsequent teachings, highlighting the traditional guru-disciple lineage that shaped his understanding and dissemination of spiritual knowledge.

The global outreach of Transcendental Meditation commenced in 1955, when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi initially introduced his technique as "Transcendental Deep Meditation" within India, a name later refined to "Transcendental Meditation." This marked the dawn of a new era for meditation, bringing it to a broader audience. His first ambitious global tour, aimed at disseminating these transformative teachings, began in 1958. During his extensive travels and public appearances, his devoted followers affectionately referred to him as "His Holiness," a testament to the reverence he commanded. Furthermore, his characteristic laughter, often evident during television interviews, earned him the endearing moniker, "the giggling guru," a nickname that softened his public image and made him more approachable to a global audience.

The Global Reach and Organizational Impact of TM

The Maharishi's vision led to an extraordinary expansion of Transcendental Meditation worldwide. It is reported that he personally trained over 40,000 TM teachers, enabling the technique to be taught to more than five million individuals globally. This vast network resulted in the establishment of thousands of teaching centers and hundreds of colleges, universities, and schools dedicated to Vedic knowledge and consciousness-based education. TM websites further indicate that tens of thousands have also learned the advanced TM-Sidhi program.

Key Initiatives and Institutions:

His educational initiatives include a network of schools and universities with campuses in multiple countries, designed to offer a consciousness-based curriculum. Notable examples include Maharishi International University (now Maharishi University of Management) in the United States, Maharishi Vedic University in India, and institutions in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. These institutions aim to integrate traditional academic disciplines with principles of consciousness.

Diverse Organizational Structure:

The Maharishi, along with his family and close associates, established a multifaceted organizational structure comprising both charitable organizations and for-profit businesses. This dual approach supported the spread of TM while engaging in various commercial ventures. Examples include health clinics promoting Maharishi AyurVeda, a holistic health system, mail-order health supplements, and organic farms focused on sustainable agriculture. These enterprises not only generated revenue but also aimed to embody the principles of natural law and holistic living promoted by the Maharishi.

Economic Footprint:

The reported value of the Maharishi's global organization has been estimated to range from millions to billions of U.S. dollars, reflecting its extensive assets and widespread activities. In 2008, the organization officially placed the value of its United States assets alone at approximately $300 million, underscoring the significant economic scale of its operations.

Later Initiatives and Legacy

The late 1960s and early 1970s marked a period of immense public attention for the Maharishi when he gained significant fame as the spiritual guru to iconic figures such as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and other prominent celebrities. This association dramatically boosted the visibility and popularity of Transcendental Meditation, introducing it to a mainstream Western audience.

In the late 1970s, he introduced the TM-Sidhi program, an advanced series of meditation techniques that proposed to enhance the mind-body relationship of practitioners, ultimately leading to greater coherence and potentially extraordinary abilities. A notable technique within this program is "Yogic Flying," which involves practitioners experiencing short hops during meditation, described by proponents as an initial stage of levitation. This aspect of the TM-Sidhi program often garnered significant media attention and curiosity.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi also ventured into the political arena by founding the Natural Law Party in 1992. This political movement aimed to solve societal problems by promoting governance based on "natural law," advocating for policies that would align with universal principles, including the widespread practice of Transcendental Meditation for creating coherence in national consciousness. The party ran campaigns in dozens of countries, seeking to bring about positive change through a consciousness-based approach to politics. In the same year, he relocated his central administrative hub to near Vlodrop, the Netherlands, which became a significant global center for his organization.

In 2000, Maharishi created the Global Country of World Peace, a non-profit organization envisioned as a borderless global nation dedicated to promoting peace through the collective practice of Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programs. He appointed its leaders and embarked on initiatives such as establishing "Peace Palaces" worldwide to serve as centers for the practice and teaching of TM.

In early 2008, just three weeks before his passing, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi formally announced his retirement from all administrative activities, entering a period of silence. He passed away peacefully on February 5, 2008, leaving behind a profound spiritual legacy and a global movement dedicated to promoting peace, coherence, and enlightenment through Transcendental Meditation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and TM

What is Transcendental Meditation (TM)?

Transcendental Meditation is a specific, simple, natural, and effortless mantra-based meditation technique practiced for 15–20 minutes twice a day, sitting comfortably with eyes closed. It allows the mind to settle inward beyond thought to experience deeper states of awareness and pure consciousness, aiming to reduce stress and enhance mental clarity.

What is the significance of the name "Maharishi"?

The name "Maharishi" is an honorific Sanskrit title meaning "great seer" or "great Rishi," signifying a venerable sage or a profound spiritual master who has attained deep wisdom and insight into universal truths.

Did Maharishi Mahesh Yogi truly teach people to "fly"?

The TM-Sidhi program includes a technique referred to as "Yogic Flying." Practitioners of this technique report experiencing short "hops" or "bounces" while sitting in the lotus position during meditation, which the organization describes as an initial stage of levitation. It is not literal flight, but rather a phenomenon that proponents believe indicates a powerful mind-body coordination.

What was the purpose of the Natural Law Party?

The Natural Law Party, founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1992, was a political initiative aimed at solving societal problems through governance based on "natural law." Its platform included promoting practices like Transcendental Meditation on a wide scale to foster coherence in collective consciousness, believing this would lead to more harmonious and effective governance.

What was the Global Country of World Peace?

Established by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 2000, the Global Country of World Peace is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting global peace through the widespread practice of Transcendental Meditation. It functions as a "nation without borders," aiming to achieve world peace by enlivening natural law in individual and collective consciousness.