Singer songwriter Ben Harper shared one of many personal stories at the amazing Change Begins Within benefit concert on Apr. 4 at New York's Radio City Music Hall to raise money to teach kids in at-risk schools how to meditate.
For many years, Harper lived next to David Lynch, director of Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and other iconic fare, as well as the host and rainmaker of the night's festivities. Harper complained he was having a tough time getting rid of a mouse, so Lynch soon showed up with a giant living mouse trap he had fashioned in his workshop. The mouse checks in and lives out his years inside the trap, happy.
I felt a bit like that mouse during the four-hour show as we awaited the arrival of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in one of the rare performances by the two remaining survivors of the Fab Four.
Most of the crowd was old enough to remember Beatlemania first-hand, and the night was thick with surprise guests and testimonials. Howard Stern showed up to tell how his mother was saved from depression by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the wild-haired and blissful Indian guru who gave the Beatles a path to inner peace in the turbulent '60s, and in return became something of a pop icon.
Eddie Vedder, who wowed the crowd with a solo mandolin number as well as a giant chant that grew in power as he used a digital sequencer to add layers of vocals, seemed to be there a bit more because of Lynch. Vedder recalled his pre-rock star days working a 36-hour shift as a security guard and watching Lynch's Eraserhead at least four times in one day. He performed "Under Pressure" with Harper, whose band included My Morning Jacket's Jim James on vocals.
Sheryl Crow came out and did a terrific version of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" in one of several evocations of the Beatle most influenced by transcendental mediation and Indian philosophy. (The Beatles traveled to India in 1968 to study with Guru Maharishi. "We were looking for something to stabilize us during the end of the crazy '60s," McCartney said at the Apr. 3 press conference.)
Donovan was amusing but a little too creaky, though "Season of the Witch" held up quite nicely.
The show dragged on, with Lynch and actress Laura Dern (she's married to Harper) provided lame stage patter accompanied by microphone feedback. At one point, Jerry Seinfield cracked up the crowd, surprised by the fact that the comedian actually meditates.
Finally, Ringo Starr came out and sang "Yellow Submarine," and the night took a leap upward. He was spry and fit, but his voice was even more out of tune than usual. No worries - he would make Paul McCartney sound even better.
Three hours into the concert, the outgoing Beatle took the stage with his band, breaking out solid versions of "Baby You Can Drive My Car," "Got to Get You Into My Life," "Lady Madonna" and "Let it Be." He introduced "Blackbird" by explaining the tune's roots as a civil-rights song and noted that we now have President Obama. McCartney waxed about John Lennon on "If You Were Here Today" and then launched into "Band on the Run," which works great in a big venue like Radio City.
After "Hard Day's Night," Ringo joined McCartney for "A Little Help from My Friends." The two walked arm-in-arm off stage before returning for the encore. About "Cosmically Conscious" - a relatively obscure solo song off his 1993 Off the Ground album - McCartney said he wrote it after spending time with the Maharishi in Rishikesh.
The bliss of it all Guardian, Saturday 24 February 2007
DAVID LYNCH … has meditated for 30 years. He says it transformed his life, saved him from himself. "You naturally, effortlessly, beautifully dive within, and each deeper level has more happiness - the mind wants to transcend meaning, to go beyond into the unbounded ocean of pure consciousness..." (more …)
Meditation: for old hippies or a better way of life? The Herald, Glasgow, Monday 23 April 2007
By Jonathan Rowson
“I learned Transcendental Meditation (TM) in 1998, while a student at Oxford University, six months before my final exams … and was struck by how easy it was to practise the technique. I suddenly had more energy, concentrated better and felt warmer towards other people. Shortly afterwards, I earned a first-class degree, which had not previously been on the cards. In fact, TM was by far the best thing I learned at Oxford.
“I am now a professional chess player, the current British champion, and wouldn't dream of playing a serious game without meditating beforehand. …” (more …)
Meditation 'leads to longer life' Guardian, Monday 2 May 2005
The Beatles were right: researchers have found that hanging out with the Maharishi may make you live longer. …
"The study found that in older people with mild high blood pressure, those practising Transcendental Meditation had a 23% lower risk of death from all causes."
The study was funded by the US government … (more …)
Mind the Gaps Saga Magazine, October 2003
Fifteen years ago, Maureen Cleave decided to attend an introductory class on Transcendental Meditation …
Little knots of worry loosen … grudges borne over years, stabs of guilt about the past. You think of these things and come to realise that they've gone. One is surprised by new insights. …
“Then there is bliss. This is an irrational happiness that floods the system - my system all too rarely … you realise you had it as a child. When you have this feeling on the London Underground in the middle of the rush-hour, you know you're really getting somewhere.” (more …)
Could Transcendental Meditation help? The Probe December 2004
HOW many people love their dentist? Don’t answer! My daughter wouldn’t let us buy a house on the same street as the surgery. But Kevin Esplin is a dentist people love. He puts his calm and jolly manner down to Transcendental Meditation. And, that’s not all. He regularly recommends the TM technique to patients. “If their lives are stressful,” says Kevin, “then a visit to the dentist can be the last straw. Or else the dam bursts when the chair rises. If I’m faced with a client under stress, I just can’t help saying ‘You’d love TM.’ … (PDF )
“You’re all there... that’s the difference” The Probe, January 2005
“I’m a GP and I’ve been in general practice in North London for 25 years. I’ve recommended TM to more than 200 of my patients in that time, with many benefits and advantages. I’ve been practising TM myself for years and have found it superbly beneficial in my personal life. I’ve also found it helps deal with professional stresses.” …(PDF )
)