 Two days later , on 26 August , the Beatles travelled by train to the college campus in Bangor , Wales . It was perhaps the first time the band had travelled without their tour managers and they had not even thought to bring money . The station was mobbed because of a bank holiday and Cynthia Lennon , mistaken for a fan , was held back . She ran after the train but missed it and arrived later by car . The group , along with Mick Jagger , Marianne Faithfull , Cilla Black , Harrison 's sister @-@ in @-@ law Jenny Boyd , and around 300 others , learned the basics of Transcendental Meditation , and were given their mantras . The group " hesitated only slightly " when asked to donate the customary week 's wages , a large sum for a Beatle , to learn . While there , they announced at a press conference that they were giving up drugs ( apparently referring to psychedelics , but not marijuana ) . This was a choice " in keeping with the Maharishi 's teachings " but one made prior to meeting the Maharishi . The Maharishi did advise them privately to avoid involvement with the " Ban the Bomb " movement and to support the elected government of the day . Their intention was to attend the entire ten @-@ day seminar but their stay was cut short by the death of their manager , Epstein , in London on 27 August . The Maharishi consoled them by saying that Epstein 's spirit was still with them and their good thoughts would help him " to have an easy passage " and journey to his " next evolution " . According to McCartney , the Maharishi " was great to us when Brian died " and Cynthia Lennon wrote " it was as though , with Brian gone , the four needed someone new to give them direction and the Maharishi was in the right place at the right time . " 
