Whatever happened to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Beatles' guru, and the “TM” movement?

The TM movement is not only a religion but a variety of Neo-Hinduism, based on metrics from the academic study of new religious movements. The article provides an updated overview of the movement's development and the reasons for its enormous success, drawing on earlier studies. It assesses whether Transcendental Meditation and its attendant philosophy constitute a religion, using metrics offered by Bainbridge and Stark. Attention is also given to the TM movement's deep appeal for the youth culture of the 1960s.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This article redacts certain sections of the author's recent book on Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement. Specifically, it offers an updated overview—based on earlier studies—of the TM movement's development and what led to its enormous success, while also providing analysis of the movement using metrics gleaned from the academic study of new religious movements. The author places primary attention on assessing whether or not TM and its attendant philosophy constitutes a religion, and, based primarily on metrics offered by Bainbridge and Stark, argues that it is not only a religion but a variety of Neo‐Hinduism. Attention is also given to the TM movement's deep appeal for the youth culture of the 1960s.