Mimi Smith, who brought up Lennon as a child in Liverpool, wrote: “I don’t understand why they need an Indian, or India to meditate. That can be done here without any fuss. The basic teachings of their church will give them all they seem to be looking for.”
Her reply was part of her regular correspondence with prolific letter writer Eileen Read and was sent on September 7 1967 – less than a fortnight after the death of the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein.
The band had taken a keen interest in the teachings of the Maharishi, the founder of the transcendental meditation movement, and had joined him at a conference in Bangor, North Wales, in August 1967, along with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones and his then girlfriend Marianne Faithfull.
After listening to a lecture on the form of silent mantra meditation, the Beatles held a press conference at the venue in which they renounced the use of drugs.
They cut short their stay when the death was announced of Mr Epstein, aged 32, at his London home following an overdose of sleeping pills.
Both topics were covered in Mrs Smith’s letter which goes on sale at auction in Liverpool next weekend.
She wrote: “I haven’t seen John. The sad loss of Brian has upset them greatly & altered their plans. He will be sorely missed as a good friend and advisor to them. It was a great shock…
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