Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
As the world mourns the death of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, it’s worth noting the guru’s close connections to Western North Carolina.
First, from the news obit:
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a guru to the Beatles whose beaming, bearded face became an icon of 1960s hippie mysticism, has died at his Dutch home. He was thought to be 91.
He died on Tuesday, three weeks after telling followers that his work was complete and retreating into silence. Over 50 years, he parlayed his meditaation techniques into a global empire that he controlled by video links from his headquarters on the forested grounds of a former Franciscan monastery.
Maharishi’s teachings helped gain medical respectability for the ancient Hindu practice of mind control that he called transcendental meditation, or just TM.
With the help of celebrity endorsements, Maharishi – a Hindi-language title for Great Seer – made his interpretations of ancient scripture into the foundation of a multi-million-dollar business. His roster of famous meditators ran from Mike Love of the Beach Boys to Clint Eastwood and Chopra, a new age preacher.
In later years, Maharishi turned to larger themes, with grand designs to harness the power of group meditation to create world peace and to mobilize his devotees to banish poverty from the Earth.
So, as you probably know, Maharishi was quite influential, and also a rather astute businessman. Around Western North Carolina, there’s a Maharishi Vedic Health Center on Chestnut Street last I knew. And in another local tie, the Princess Anne Hotel was once owned by the Maharishi Ayer-Ved University of North Carolina, founded by followers of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
But by far the Maharishi’s greatest presence is in Boone, where his Heavenly Mountain retreat and Enlightenment Center are beacons for TMers around the world.
This story provides a good, but dated, overview:
The Bialoskys are one of a growing number of families who are building homes on Heavenly Mountain and helping to create the center of enlightenment and coherence that Maharishi had envisioned in 1993.
It was then that Maharishi announced plans to create a Spiritual Center of America: a permanent home for the Mother Divine and Purusha programs, whose intensive focus on development of consciousness would generate a powerful influence of coherence for the United States. At the same time, the radiance of bliss would draw people to this scenic site in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. To quote a line from a popular movie, “If you build it they will come.”
The builders were successful businessmen David and Earl Kaplan. They purchased the initial 1500 acres, which grew to 7000, and financed and organized all the construction projects.
In just seven years, Heavenly Mountain has become a lively residential and resort community. Development includes five large hotel-type buildings, two recently converted into the new Heavenly Mountain Clinic; six yagya halls for Vedic Pandits; 15 condominiums; and the spacious campuses of the Purusha and Mother Divine programs. Twenty-four private homes have been built by Heavenly Mountain Resort and individuals. Over 800,000 square feet of buildings have been constructed&emdash;all according to the principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda design, the ancient Vedic science of architecture in harmony with Natural Law. Driving along the scenic roads at Heavenly Mountain, one is hardly aware of the extensive development nestled in the thick forests and scattered across the ridgetops, with panoramic views for miles around.
And people have come. Over 2700 people have enjoyed the deep silence and bliss while attending World Peace Assemblies and Creating Coherence courses. Many have been inspired to return again and again, and some have chosen to stay.
Wow. That’s a lot of people meditating for world peace right here in our own back yard. Take a moment to wish Maharishi well.
Links:
Maharishi.org
Maharishi wiki
TM.org
