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Why the Beatles Quit the Ashram

The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi introduced Transcendental Meditation to the west 50 years ago. Now about 89, he's never talked directly about what caused the rift between him and the Beatles. It was their touting of him and his northern India ashram that helped make him into an international celebrity. By 1968, though, all the Beatles but George Harrison had rejected him and his teachings. The usual reasons given for this are that the Beatles found out that he was much more concerned with money and making passes at their female friends than with spiritual matters.  

But according to new claims by Deepak Chopra, it was the Maharishi that did the rejecting, and he did it because the Beatles and their friends were taking drugs. Shocking, we know. The full quote, from today's Times of India, after the jump.

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