Author Susan Shumsky first appeared on SATB in 2019, upon the publication of her memoir, The Maharishi and Me, which detailed her twenty years living at his ashram (including six years working directly for his organization). We discussed her knowledge of The Beatles' Rishikesh sabbatical then, but with her new book, The Inner Light, she goes deep with an exploration of how their interactions with Indian culture and the TM movement impacted their lives and their art. In the course of over 500 pages, she gives chapter and verse on the manifestations of these interactions, sometimes hiding in plain sight, that appeared in their music. 

Between 1963 and 1969, The Beatles issued ephemeral holiday greetings to members of their fan club on flexidiscs. These were collected onto an LP in 1970, but for the most part, escaped a proper issue for the masses (excepting the 2017 limited edition set).  In this holiday edition of SATB, Gary Wenstrup (Beatles Olympiad shows) and I take a deep dive into the history of these recordings, providing context and analysis. In their way, the seven messages serve as a microcosm of the group's career, reflecting the state of the band each year.  You can hear the entire collection here: https://tinyurl.com/23v8vuwe   "Beatles Christmas Supermash" by Tom Teeley.  This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/satb for10% off your first month of treatment.