Maharishi & Me by Susan Shumsky

Author:Susan Shumsky [Shumsky, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2018-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

The outgoing, vivacious Mia became the center of attention. Maharishi catered to her every whim. Students resented her preferential treatment. When warned his coddling might backfire, Maharishi insisted, “An international star like Mia can bring good publicity. We must treat her special.”86

Maharishi often invited Mia to his cottage for an afternoon talk and mango snack. He singled her out and asked her questions during lectures, making her feel awkward. Maharishi appeared oblivious and continued to pile it on.

Mia’s impression of the ashram: “It was a strange and colorless place. We moved as if in a dream and spoke only where necessary, in the respectful, hushed tones of visitors to a graveyard.”87

Mia had just learned TM and wasn’t practicing hours of meditation. She often wandered off to read by the Ganges. When Mia went shopping in Rishikesh, Maharishi, concerned for her safety, sent a brahmacharya after her. Mia was simply “bored out of her skull,” trying to occupy herself.88 Maharishi’s concern amused and annoyed her.

Mia brought back an emaciated, floppy-eared black puppy from one outing. Maharishi named it Arjuna. When Mia played hooky, Arjuna, with free reign, nipped and yapped at students as they meditated in the lecture hall.

Maharishi acted starstruck over Mia, who seemed to play him with her baby voice and wide-eyed look. The operative expression is “acted.” It’s hard to imagine him starstruck over anyone. However, the more Maharishi showered favor on Mia, the more condescending and hostile she became.

Disgusted with Maharishi’s apparent sycophancy, Mia dictated a cable for ex- husband Frank Sinatra (who deemed meditation “pagan”) in Miami: “Fed up with meditation. Am leaving ashram. Will phone from Delhi.”89 The cable wasn’t sent, because Mia was persuaded to take a safari with course participant Nancy Cooke (assigned by Maharishi to look after Mia) and return for her birthday.

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