NLS 014: Transcendental Meditation, The Beatles, a Guru and India with Paul Saltzman

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I saw the trailer for the, Meeting The Beatles in India documentary by Paul Saltzman and I instantly know that I wanted to have him on the show. His unique experience meeting the Beatles in 1968 at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in India changed his life forever and this cosmic aligning story is one that reinstalls faith in finding purpose in the strangest of places. Director Paul Saltzman returns to India as he reminiscences his time with the Beatles while they were on a spiritual retreat under the mentorship of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968. It's honestly a remarkable once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of timing and positioning. ‘If you really want to look at yourself more carefully, you might want to get away from the environment you grew up in.’ Paul received this soul message at age 23, after having the realization that his life was lacking the substance of the soul and he was set to find answers. The cosmic gods led him to India where, even though it cost him a lot financially and in his personal life, he was being pulled towards the existential resolve that that is healing through Transcendental Meditation. On this pilgrim, it just so happened that Paul ended up seeking help to mend his broken heart through meditation at the same ashram as THE BEATLES and their loved ones. Integrating into the ashram community brought in the opportunity to photograph the Beatles during the duration of his stay. He details this very shockingly positive-life-altering opportunity in his 2018 book, The Beatles in India, and in his 2020 documentary, Meeting The Beatles in India. In 1968, the Beatles went to Rishikesh, India, studied transcendental meditation, and wrote music. These intimate photos are the only record of their time in this sacred retreat. This new edition of The Beatles in India brings intimate images of the group, taken at an ashram in Rishikesh, India, to a wider audience than ever before. No photographers or press were allowed at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in the foothills of the Himalayas, but the Beatles had no objection to fellow visitor Paul Saltzman freely snapping pictures during their time there. This unprecedented access resulted in an extensive collection of intimate photos of the world’s most beloved rock band during one of their most serene and productive periods, only two years before the official dissolution of the group. Containing a wide-ranging narrative by Saltzman—about everything from the story of how “Dear Prudence” came to be to George Harrison’s description of the first time he picked up a sitar—this unique and exclusive exploration of one of the Beatles’ most tender and bittersweet periods is a must-have for all fans of the legendary rock group. It was a pleasure speaking to Paul. Enjoy!