Pattie Harrison reads about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – 3 August 1967

August 3, 2026

Thursday 3 August 1967 | Esher, Surrey / Los Angeles

On 3 August 1967, The Times newspaper carried an advertisement for Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Spiritual Regeneration Movement Foundation. Pattie Harrison — wife of George Harrison — saw the advertisement at her home in Esher, Surrey, and was immediately intrigued. The encounter set in motion a chain of events that would lead all four Beatles to attend a Maharishi lecture, and ultimately to travel to Rishikesh, India, in early 1968.

The Advertisement

Although the newspaper was dated 3 August 1967, Pattie was not at home in Esher on that date — she was in Los Angeles with George Harrison. It is likely that she saw the advertisement after 9 August 1967, when the couple flew back to London via New York.

Intrigued by the advert, Pattie made arrangements to attend an introductory lecture at Caxton Hall in London, where she was given a mantra. In her memoir Wonderful Today, she recalled the moment she first encountered the advertisement — though she placed it slightly earlier, in February 1967:

“George was away on tour yet again and I was sitting with my friend Marie-Lise at the kitchen table in Kinfauns. It was February 1967 and we had the Sunday papers spread out in front of us. I had a yearning to take up chanting, meditation or something spiritual – I suppose after the experience of India – and she felt the same. Something was missing from our lives, we decided. So there we were, combing through the papers, when we came upon an advert for transcendental-meditation classes in London. Perfect. Off we went to Caxton Hall and enrolled in the Spiritual Regeneration Movement.”

— Pattie Boyd, Wonderful Today

George Harrison Water Colour Portrait T-Shirt White

Celebrate George Harrison — officially licensed merch

George Harrison Water Colour Portrait T-Shirt — a tribute to the Quiet Beatle.

George Harrison Water Colour Portrait T-Shirt →

Key Facts

Date of newspaper	Thursday 3 August 1967
Publication	The Times
Advertisement for	Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Spiritual Regeneration Movement Foundation
Pattie's location on 3 Aug	Los Angeles (with George Harrison); likely saw the advert after 9 August
Introductory lecture attended	Caxton Hall, London
What followed	All four Beatles attended a Maharishi lecture at the Hilton Hotel on 24 August 1967

Caxton Hall, Westminster, London — where Pattie Harrison attended her first Maharishi lecture and received her mantra.

George Harrison All Things Must Pass Text Infill T-Shirt White

All Things Must Pass — George Harrison's spiritual masterpiece

Officially licensed George Harrison merch celebrating his most celebrated solo work.

George Harrison “All Things Must Pass” T-Shirt →

What Happened Next

Encouraged by her experience at Caxton Hall, Pattie persuaded George to accompany her to a further lecture by Maharishi at the Hilton Hotel in London. On 24 August 1967, all four Beatles — John, Paul, George and Ringo — attended the lecture and met Maharishi for the first time. They were so taken with him that they agreed to travel to Bangor, Wales, the following day for a ten-day meditation course.

It was during that retreat in Bangor that the news arrived of Brian Epstein's death on 27 August 1967. The encounter with Maharishi, set in motion by Pattie's reading of a newspaper advertisement, would ultimately lead the group to Rishikesh, India, in February 1968 — one of the most creative and controversial chapters of their career.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did The Beatles first hear about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi?

Pattie Harrison saw an advertisement for Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Spiritual Regeneration Movement Foundation in The Times newspaper, dated 3 August 1967. She attended an introductory lecture at Caxton Hall, London, and subsequently persuaded George Harrison to attend a further lecture at the Hilton Hotel on 24 August 1967, which all four Beatles attended.

When did The Beatles first meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi?

All four Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for the first time on 24 August 1967, at a lecture he gave at the Hilton Hotel in London. They subsequently travelled to Bangor, Wales, for a meditation retreat, during which they learned of Brian Epstein's death.

Where did Pattie Harrison attend her first Maharishi lecture?

Pattie Harrison attended her first Maharishi lecture at Caxton Hall in Westminster, London, where she was given a mantra as part of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement's introductory programme.

Did George Harrison believe in transcendental meditation?

Yes. George Harrison became the Beatle most deeply committed to Indian spirituality and transcendental meditation. His interest in Eastern philosophy, first sparked by his visit to India in 1966, shaped his music and personal life for the rest of his career, most notably on the album All Things Must Pass (1970).