Meditation Scene Switzerland: Guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi & Zen priest Vanja Palmers

Last Updated on October 8, 2024 by pg@petergamma.org

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was controversial in Switzerland. He left the Seelisberg, since the poplation wanted to limit the number of visitors in the village since it is only a small village with 600 people. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was very popular all over the world.

And even the Beatles went to Maharishi in Inda meditated with him in India, as can be seen in the following video. They released their song “Across the Universe in 1969”:

The song was influenced by Lennon’s and the Beatles’ interest in Transcendental Meditation in late 1967 – early 1968, when the song was composed. Based on this, Lennon added the mantra “Jai guru deva om” to the piece, which was part of the chorus. The Sanskrit phrase is a tribute to the late Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s spiritual teacher, “All glory to Guru Dev”.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Across_the_Universe

In 2004 the Retreat Center of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Switzerland was closed. The population in Seelisberg was unhappy with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi since he flooded the small village in the Swiss mountain with Yogis and meditators.

When Maharishi Mahesh Yogi s meditation center was closed, million heir and zen priest Vanja Palmers funded and founded the Felsentor retreat center near Lucerne:

https://www.felsentor.ch/vanja-palmers

The center was inauguration in september 22, 2004:

https://www.unilu.ch/fakultaeten/kultur-und-sozialwissenschaftliche-fakultaet/institute/zentrum-religionsforschung/religionen-schweiz/forschung/kuppel-tempel-minarett/gebaeude/zendo-felsentor

But the Beatles came not to visit the Felsentor Retreat Center. Why not? Is this because of Vanja Palmers is so negative? In the following video at 3:40 Vanja Palmers who talks about that we are stressed, and also our children are stressed, and says:

It is as great consolidation that things are not eternal.
This valley of tears we all go through will end one day

But how can Vanja Palmers attract yogis and meditators with this attitude, people who are looking for happiness and relieve from stress? In this respect, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was much more successful than Vanja Palmers. Maharishi attracted crowds of people, but how is it with Vanja Palmers?

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi s retreat center in Switzerland will be a tourist hotel soon:

But the Felsentor Center is still open. And we hope Palmers center attracts as many visitors as the center of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi did one day. And there seems to be enough place on the Rigi for a big number of Yogis and meditators which hopefully will come. The center was previously used for events of meditators who took Psilocybin up at this place. And these where as far as we know quiet a large number of people.