This image of Pattie Boyd is in the new Beatles book by Peter Brown and Steven Gaines. The authors of "The Love You Make: An Insider’s Story of the Beatles," published in 1983, follow up 41 years later with "All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words."
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India: Rishikesh, also spelt as Hrishikesh, is a city near Dehradun in Dehradun district of the Indian state Uttarakhand. It is situated on the right bank of the Ganges River and is a pilgrimage town for Hindus, with ancient sages and saints meditating here in search of higher knowledge. There are numerous temples and ashrams built along the banks of the river. Wikipedia
you held me all night, my Lord
unseen to the eye,
your grace, a lover's touch, wrapped my skin
unheard to the ears,
your name, my japa, vibrated through my braincells
Monsoon One, do you long for me as fully as i long for you?
do you call on me as ardently as i call on you?
you do, don't you, my Lord?
i am not alone in this quest
for every step i take towards you,
you take two towards me
for every tear i spill in yearning for you,
you ignite vīrya in my skin tissue
for every test of yours that i fail,
you yank me freer of delusion
i see it now, Hari.
you have been pulling me
by my hair and hands to you.
it was all you. it was always all you.
if i run to you as fast as my legs can take me,
will you meet me halfway?
you will, won't you, my Lord?
🦚 Happy Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī! 🙏 poem from my upcoming collection "the Monsoon One and the pilgrim". 💛
BY REQUEST--SUNDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO: “All I Ever Need Is Love”—Rishikesh is a small city in India, set in the Himalayan foothills and known for temples, schools, and scenic views of the Ganges River*. On the edge of town sits the former ashram where, in 1968, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi famously met with The Beatles, Donovan, Mike Love, and other notables to learn about meditation. Fast forward to 2016 for our month-long India tour. We had a few days in Rishikesh—a lovely city—walking around, getting my ears cleaned (a story unto itself), singing songs, and becoming the first Western musicians to perform live in one of the prestigious temples (an auspicious occasion). Later we found the Yogi’s former ashram (now a tiger reserve). Back in the USA a few years later, this song came to me—a George Harrison-inspired playback of our adventure in Rishikesh, with allusions to “white album” songs, the landscape, the tour bus, and the Fab 4. This was recorded by Uma Robin Mackey in our backyard in San Francisco. The silk shirt I’m wearing was custom made in Varanasi (a gift from Uma)…
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*Which reminded me of creeks and rivers where I grew up in Pennsylvania.
Ashtanga Vinyasa is a dynamic form of yoga that synchronizes breath with a progressive series of poses. Its rhythmic flow builds strength, flexibility, and mental focus, offering a holistic practice for practitioners.
Visit: 200 hour yoga teacher training in rishikesh