Howard Stern to Introduce Ringo at TM Benefit Concert

This in from AWEARNESS Blog:

"Raunchy radio star Howard Stern has -- believe it or not -- copped to being a student of Transcendental Meditation for years. ...every morning -- at 4 am -- and night he clears his head and meditates. Stern credits the practice with helping him quit smoking and achieve his goals in radio. He also announced on his Sirius show last week that he will appear at Hollywood director David Lynch's "Change Begins Within" concert at Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, April 4. Also appearing are Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eddie Vedder, Donovan, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, Moby, Bettye Lavette, Paul Horn and Jim James.


The event's goals are to "raise funds to teach one million at-risk children to meditate -- giving them life-long tools to overcome stress and violence and promote peace and success in their lives." The David Lynch Foundation advocates meditation -- the TM Quiet Time program -- in schools as a means to increase academic performance and attention span. To that end the foundation provides scholarships for students in grades 6-12. From Associated Content:

David Lynch and other proponents of TM suggest that students who spend 15-20 meditating each morning experience better concentration in school, better academic performance and lower incidences of depression and anxiety.

Despite Howard Stern's repeated self-proclamations that he is the "King of All Media," he rarely makes live appearances in public outside of his radio show. Stern stated that he originally considered declining Lynch's offer to appear because of his discomfort about appearing in public, but changed his mind because he believes in the cause so strongly. He also stated that Transcendental Meditation practice helped to reduce his mother's symptoms of depression.

Learn more about the concert at DLF.tv. Information on Transcendental Meditation program scholarships can be found here.

The "Beatles Examiner" reports:

Howard Stern announced on his radio show Wednesday that he'll be introducing Ringo Starr at the David Lynch "Change From Within" benefit concert April 4 starring Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr at Radio City Music Hall. In discussing what his introduction would be, he said he was introduced to meditation by his mother.

"I'm gonna go up there and say, 'Listen, I've been meditating since I'm 18 years old. I'm now 55. And meditation was a big thing in my family. It changed our lives, particularly my mother's. My mother was a depressed woman." he said on the air. ... "I like (meditation). I've been doing it ever since. ... And I love them for saving my mother. And I even got to interview the Maharishi twice. Then I'll say the Maharishi was a great man. And I thank him every day for this," he continued.

Stern gave high praise to the Beatles. "I believe the Beatles had such an impact on our world that they were truly profound individuals. That's why I get excited when Paul McCartney's here. And John Lennon I felt equally the same way. ... They influenced so many people and touched so many people's lives through their creativity."

After a comment was made that with Paul and Ringo in the same building, they've got to be doing something together, Stern alluded to that, but didn't give details. "Well, I've been given certain information about this concert because I'm a part of it. Where I understand big things will be happening."

He also make a joking remark that recalls Paul's recent appearance on Stern's show. "I'm gonna steal something from Paul. I'm gonna steal the real guitar that he's playing. I'll be backstage and I'll just grab something." Stern fans know that McCartney gave him an autographed bass guitar for his birthday.

Concert webcast: DLF.TV, David Lynch's new online channel which started on Wednesday, will webcast from backstage at the "Change Begins Within" concert April 4. (The concert itself will not be webcast.) The webcast will start att 6:30 p.m. EDT on DLF.TV and will use BitGravity's BG LiveTM highly-scalable flash-based video stream service.

Concert ticket contest: The Lynch Foundation is giving away two tickets to the show in a contest. Read about it in a column we posted Wednesday.

Times-Colonist: Victoria flautist gets back with Beatle buddies

Paul Horn with George Harrison in 1968 in India.
Photograph by: Paul Horn's private collection, Times Colonist

Victoria flautist gets back with Beatle buddies
By Grania Litwin, Times Colonist, March 20, 2009


Victoria jazz flautist Paul Horn just turned 79, but that's not stopping him from appearing with Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan and Sheryl Crow at a benefit concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall on April 4.

"They should have held it in Madison Square Garden," he joked, noting the event was sold out in seconds, with tickets priced from $99 to $500 US. Internet scalpers are reselling them for up to $4,250.

"It's very exciting getting together again -- man it's been 40 years," said Horn, who first met the Beatles and Donovan at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in 1968. He was making a film about the holy man, and they all studied transcendental meditation together.

"During about six weeks I got to know Paul and George best, Ringo only stayed about two weeks. John was more of a loner, although interested in learning to play the flute. George was studying the sitar and we'd go to a little hut sometimes and jam. Donovan was there the whole time -- the quintessential flower child, a very sweet, gentle soul." He and Donovan later toured the U.S. together twice.

The concert will raise funds for the David Lynch Foundation, which wants to teach a million children to meditate, said publicist Steve Yellin from Iowa.

"We've already taught more than 70,000 around the world and hundreds of schools in the U.S. have now applied."

Horn applauds Lynch for bringing transcendental meditation into schools, to help reduce stress and bullying, and increase creativity and health. "It's an ambitious project, but it's all about timing. It has taken time for the West to finally connect with Maharishi's message, and realize TM is not a religion."

All the musicians are donating their time, said Horn, who has recorded more than 40 albums, won Grammys and worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington to Nat King Cole. Other performers at the event are Ben Harper, Moby, Bettye Lavette and Jim James.

How will Horn fit in with the youngbloods?

"I'll be there to give a break from the energy," he said with a chuckle, adding he'll play a piece with Donovan, then an improvisational solo with digital delay -- echo effect -- that he guarantees "will quiet the crowd."

He perfected the technique in 1968 in the Taj Mahal -- a flawless echo chamber -- that resulted in his famous album Inside.

Horn, who will travel to New York with his wife Ann Mortifee, has never played in Radio City Music Hall, although he has performed in New York many times -- twice at Carnegie Hall.

"I'm doing this because I value TM. It has immeasurably affected everything in my life and is a reflection of who I am, my music."

glitwin@tc.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

Ringo to Join Paul for "Change Begins Within" Benefit Concert

Sir Paul McCartney, who is headlining the "Change Begins Within" concert on April 4th, is a friend of David Lynch, whose Foundation is sponsoring this extraordinary event. Sir Paul took his daughter to visit Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Vlodrop, Netherlands, in the late 90's. Paul has signed on as National Co-chairman for the concert and to help raise funds for one million children to learn to meditate. The Iowa Source ran this piece about the latest addition to the concert lineup: Ringo!

enjoy,
laughing crow

The big news is that Ringo Starr had tea with Paul in Los Angeles earlier this week. The night before Ringo had had dinner with some friends who told him about the school project in San Francisco. So when he met with Paul, he was very enthusiastic about participating. Paul and Ringo have not performed together for seven or eight years. The last time they performed was at a concert for George Harrison, who had just passed away. Prior to that, it may have been at least 20 years since they played together on stage. As one of our promoters said, "If these tickets don't sell within one hour after going on sale, we should all retire!" This will be a fabulous and historic event.

David Lynch is orchestrating the whole evening, and it will be a unique Lynchian event—unlike any other concert anyone has attended! He is having a lot of fun coming up with creative and unusual ideas to make it a fabulous evening.

Don't wait, buy your tickets early. It's for a wonderful cause and one of the best events any of us will attend in this lifetime.

Paul McCartney — "Cosmically Conscious"

Hear Paul McCartney perform "Cosmically Conscious" — written in India while with Maharishi.

Paul McCartney's "Change Begins Within" Benefit Concert

Legendary rock musician and former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, will headline the David Lynch Foundation’s benefit concert, “Change Begins Within,” at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Saturday, April 4. The concert will launch a global initiative to teach one million children the Transcendental Meditation technique.

Sir Paul, who is co-chairing the event, learned the Transcendental Meditation technique in 1967 and attended a course with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India in 1968.

Sir Paul will share top-billing with Donovan, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crow, Ben Harper, Moby, jazz flutist Paul Horn, and Mike Love of the Beach Boys.

David Lynch, Russell Simmons, Laura Dern, and other surprise guests will fill out the star-studded slate as presenters.

The concert will raise funds to teach one million at-risk children the Transcendental Meditation technique, giving them the life-long tools to overcome stress and violence—and promote peace and success in their lives. Over 60,000 children in various countries have learned the Transcendental Meditation technique in the past two and a half years thanks to the David Lynch Foundation.

“Over one hundred schools in the New York City area expressed interest in incorporating the Transcendental Meditation technique into their systems,” said Dr. John Hagelin. “Extensive research on the benefits of the TM technique on student health and performance as well as the tremendous educational success of Maharishi University of Management contribute to the wide acceptance of the program.”

“Teach one million kids to meditate—and we will change the world overnight,” Mr. Lynch said. “This will be a celebration of Maharishi’s life-transforming knowledge.” Mr. Lynch, an award-winning filmmaker, inspired Sir Paul and his fellow artists to honor Maharishi and help the David Lynch foundation spread peace.

A limited number of excellent seats have been reserved for meditators and their families and friends. Information about tickets is available through the David Lynch Foundation.

Reprinted from Maharishi University of Management e-newsletter,"Achievements."
To subscribe or view issues, click here.

Cosmic Set-Up: How the Beatles First Met Maharishi

by laughing crow

My old friend Geoffrey Baker, an art professor at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, once recounted to me the story of how Maharishi met first the Beatles in London.

Geoffrey was traveling with Maharishi in 1967 as an assistant (and later was with Maharishi in Rishikesh when the Beatles were there). Geoffrey recalls riding with Maharishi on a train across England, when, seemingly out of the blue, Maharishi asked, “How many are the Beatles?”

Geoffrey was surprised that Maharishi had even heard of the Beatles, being focused as he was on one thing: teaching meditation.

“I believe there are four of them,” said Geoffrey, himself a couple generations out of sync with Beatlemania.

Maharishi then asked that Geoffrey prepare four copies of “The Science of Being and Art of Living,” Maharishi's new book about the principles of meditation, and to give one to each of the Beatles. Geoffrey wondered where and how he was to get the books to the wildly famous quartet. But Maharishi assured him there would be a meet-up. Sure enough, with no visible orchestration from Maharishi's side, the Beatles mysteriously showed up at Maharishi's talk at the London Hilton, as the famous photograph (above right) of the Fab Four sitting with the master afterward attests—each Beatle sitting with his own personal copy of "The Science of Being and Art of Living."

Hear "Dear Prudence" and Watch the Vintage Video of the Beatles in India with Maharishi

John Lennon wrote "Dear Prudence" about Mia Farrow's sister Prudence, who was spending many long hours 'rounding' in meditation inside her bungalo during those weeks at Maharishi's Meditation Academy. "Rounding" is the process of practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique in repeated cycles, done for added benefit and deeper rest in the structured environment of a specially designed meditation retreat. Hence the lyrics, "Look around and round and round and round, round, round..."