Jan 22
Yet another Osho commune? by Persephone
A recently received document from an old and dear friend has prompted my response below. This document, written by a young woman at great length, talked about the failings of the whole movement around our teacher, Osho, after his death. She also talked (in my opinion, totally spuriously) about the idea of creating a new commune. It was a political letter, with political and hidden personal aspirations that I found quite alarming, and based on untutored knowledge. This is my personal rebuttal, written to my friend, and also forwarded on to the young woman who wrote the original piece.
Dearest, brightest Bhagawati,
Thank you for what you do for us. I have just finished reading Mahadevi’s treatise on the potential ‘future’ of sannyas( a collective noun for spiritual seekers). As an ‘oldie’ sannyasin from the mid 70s, when my first Poona1 Darshan (meeting with the Master) only consisted of 15 people, I strongly disagree with what she wrote. Of course there has been, and still is, sadness at the loss of a dream. This is both natural and human. I would not dare to speak for anyone other than myself, so here goes:
When I dropped the mala, orange clothes and publicly using my sannyas name, it had nothing to do with leaving Osho. That is impossible! I needed to leave the organisation. It was that simple.
Osho had helped me change my life. How could I possibly not be eternally grateful for that? Even ‘though I rarely mention his name, my experiences during my time with him are in my work, in the things that I write and in the way I try to live my life each day. They are part of me. If you multiply my experience by the hundreds of thousands like me – there you have your sangha (spiritual community). It does not need walls, or buildings, organisations or leaders. How do you hold a rainbow in your hand?
Recently, now 24 years later, I find myself reconnecting with many old and dear sannyasin friends quite naturally. I have not sought them out – but they have appeared through your efforts Bhagawati, and others – with the help of the internet. This has been heart warming and very moving for me. I think Osho would have embraced and celebrated this way of communication world wide – with a huge grin! Perhaps this is the way of the future, it certainly seems to be the way of the present moment.
Mahadevi talks like a politician, with a deep desire to persuade us to join the Party. She did not even tell the ‘pointing the finger to the moon’ story correctly! I was there. It was his pointing finger we were asked to let go of, lest we lose our way to the moon! There was no mention of ‘grasping’. This is from an old Zen story that Osho used in many different contexts.
Her whole premise is that without yet another large commune (and it’s potential leader), ‘sannyas’ – (which is, after all, only a general Sanskrit name for seeker and not particular to Osho at all), will not save something that, in fact, doesn’t need saving. It doesn’t need saving because it is still alive and well in thousands of us all over this planet.
Each of us found our own, wandering way to Osho as individuals – we made of him what we did – or not. We are still individuals, leading seperate lives, enriched by an un-forgettable experience that we shared. To try and collect this myriad of peoples, dreams and journeys together is madness. We experienced that madness in its beauty and its shadow. Why on earth would we want to repeat it?
Osho constantly talked about NOT following him, NOT creating another religion, about meditating in the market place, living our lives as fully as we could out in the world. Paradoxically, as was his way, a religion was created for purely political purposes and convenience; and we gladly played along for a while. Who are we to gather together to make the same mistakes all over again? This would happen. This is what does happen when thousands of people get together – as has been proven over and over again in all walks of life – globally.
We were not special. I, and many like me, were so very very lucky to have been blessed by spending time with him, fallling in love with him. Yes, there were also hard lessons to be learned – isn’t that what teaching is for? My belief is that it’s not what I do that matters, but who I am, doing whatever has to be done! Like ordinary families, my sannyas family is far-flung. Some of us are dying, some of us live in small groups, many of us live alone, no different from all other sentient beings. I feel held by simply knowing that. And, as in ordinary families – it is lovely and heartwarming when I meet other members of my sannyasin family – there is an unspoken language of love that we share.
Others will find him, use him, take him to their hearts – or not. He will go down in history. I have no doubt at all about that. Veet Moha (Tony Kendrew) wrote: “…the man born Rajneesh Chandra Mohan, whom I knew as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and is now called Osho, was by far the most influential catalyst for my understanding and appreciation of the world. The depth of his understanding and expression were breathtaking, and the transformations that happened around him profound and lasting. . . The mud of controversy surrounding his name is beginning to settle, but it could take a few more generations to see him clearly.”
Tony’s clear and loving words helped me to make my own settlement.
With love veet asmi (Persephone Arbour)
Update: I recently read a beautiful lecture given by him in 1967, in it he stated, with crystal clarity, that there should be no organisation, no cult. He said he wanted there to be a ‘gathering of friends’ – this is what is happening now I am glad to say. I consider myself to be one of those friends. To download the lecture, please click here.
January 23rd, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments, Persephone, re the man we knew as ‘Bhagwan’. His sangha stretches even to a small Mexican playa on the Pacific, where I (a Canadian) am wintering writing a novel, and to the Mexican craftsman in the local plazuela who made me an ‘OM’ pendant out of coconut. We are two more ‘sannyasins’ who feel that our lives have been enriched forever by the guru who once commented that he himself never would have joined such a group as he had created. I remember from those days in the 70s, that Bhagwan seemed to be most thrilled by the prospect of all of us returning to our own communities as his ambassadors. I feel that I’m still doing his work, whether anyone knows it or not.
January 23rd, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Thank you. Yes, we are alike. I loved your words, especially “whether anyone knows it or not.” I am smiling as I write that!
January 24th, 2010 at 11:16 am
You have to laugh! Yesterday I posted what I posted. Today through my mail box comes this quotation from Osho! Oh how I love serendipity!:
NOTHING ELSE IS POSSIBLE
persephone, You come to me seeking knowledge. You want set formulas so that you can cling to them. I don’t give you any. In fact, if you have any I take them away. By and by, I destroy your certainty. By and by, I make you more and more hesitant. By and by, I make you more and more insecure.
That is the only thing that has to be done. That’s the only thing a master needs to do! To leave you in total freedom. In total freedom, with all the possibilities opening, nothing fixed… you will have to be aware. Nothing else is possible.
Osho
For more quotes like this – log in to http://www.mysamasati.com
January 24th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Hi Persephone:
I take your point about the living loose connection – aided by the Internet – that now exists, but don’t see that Osho would have been against another commune. One can get very cosy living in one’s own space, with a few chosen friends, with one’s choice of when and how one integrates with others and – while of course it’s true that awareness can be practiced in all kinds of situations – it’s sometimes the “shock” of events outside one’s comfortably known realm that are the great teachers.
Nothing needs to be done to be aware, to be awake – but this simple understanding and practice takes for many of us (perhaps most) a tool and the instruction in using that tool that comes from a non-controlled (by our minds) direction. As you know I too was in the Ashram by 1973 and led groups and got hurt (emotionally) and hurt others (blindly unintentionally) and started the first “Osho oriented” ashram outside India (in Ibiza) and saw that too fall apart…and all of this IS the teaching. The ego is the issue and the many ways of investigating the ego and realising the essential Self, is the way.
Communes provide – at a particular phase in peoples lives – both much needed support in investigation and the “outside needling” that can lead to a pricking of our conditioned attitudes about who we are. So I dont feel we should say “no” to their creation. What we do need to do of course is be aware of the pitfalls in any human enterprise – and especially where there is money and power over other peoples lives at stake. But these too are features to be investigated – we need to know the darkness as well as the light of our minds to ultimately know their illusionary nature.
Osho chose to teach through the tool of communes, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (“I Am That”) that I was also grateful to be with in the late 1970′s, did not. He simply sat in the corner of his room in Mumbai and, simply WAS and spoke directly from that place of detachment, that witnessing, that was a joy. N didnt touch diectly upon the emotional confusion that existed within most of Osho’s Sanyassins – so few went to him. What they wanted was the rub of bodies, feelings and minds…and we all got that! Via Holistic Psychotheraputa…
There’s still a place for both, and more…
with love, Satprem
January 24th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Persephone, what you wrote has such a beautiful ring of truth to me – I write this now as by the time I next see you I will have forgotten … tho that ties in with another of your posts, and maybe I’ll be prompted …
January 24th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
Hi, this is a refreshing website..I feel refreshed anyway by reading about consciousness here. Yes, I find I learn as I go along (wheresoever). Strangely, when googling Mahadevi a few minutes before coming here without much luck – it was with some surprise that Mahadevi’s treatise on the potential ‘future’ of sannyas…was being mentioned. This is already a place of sharing and a lot of lovely tendrils to get our teeth into….well IF we still have some of them. x
January 24th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Dear Persephone, I just loved what you wrote. Not being a Sannyasin that wore the orange clothing or travelled to Poona, I did not spend time with the man in the physical sense. I would still say “yes!”, if asked, was I a sannyasin? I have listened and still listen to his discourses. He will always be the one that opened my mind and my heart. For me he was an outstanding teacher, and lover; no one has ever reached me as deeply or as profoundly as he. I am not a political creature nor am I in a position to say what were the mistakes that caused the downfall. However, I am sure that no re-forming, re-establishing, re-grouping, or for that matter trying to fulfill whatever the dream was, will bring that energy back. “The rainbow is dead” and with it has gone that wonderful cohesive soul that drew us for what ever reason to his side. I cannot say how many thousands of people he must have reached in his time here on earth, I can only say he reached me and for that I will eternally grateful.
January 26th, 2010 at 12:34 am
osho is alive and shining in my heart, which is totally unbelievable, but it’s true. it must be so in all my companions, I can tell by their utter beauty. and of course there is no osho and no sannyas. I bow to the feet.
January 27th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Dear Persephone
Osho came into my life at the begining of 1980 and I took sannyas in Belgium. There were a few Belgian sannyasins, but the connection with the master was the most important to me. It was then, is still now, and will be there with me for ever. I saw him in Rajneeshpuram for 2 visits.
I will be always be grateful for the heart-opening, lessons and growth that he gave me and still does. I never had any desire to live in a commune. I like my freedom. His work continues. I feel always happy when I see how he can open and touch again the hearts of young people today from all over the world.
I feel myself as an ambassador of his teachings and spreading his work for those who are in search or need.
I like to share his world and love with people who are open to it. And, when occasionaly there is some meeting with sannyasins, it is such a unique joy to celebrate it with his people.
In 2006 he called me to come to him when I was in Glastonburry. In 2007 I went to Poona for the 1st time after all these years. And even ‘though I missed poona 1 and heard criticisms of the resort, it felt like a magical world. For me he is the greatest master of all. I travelled in india and visited other ashrams but his place is my home and the best. Every Monday I meditate in a group and if I sit there, or in Poona, it is all the same as sitting in samadhi in Poona. One stargate to other dimensions….Let us focus on essentials, heart and soul energy connected with existence and not lose ourselves into the illusions of the temporal form and his changes.
Thank you for sharing your vision, beautiful wisdom and experience.
February 2nd, 2010 at 10:20 am
I’m with you, I want to keep going forward with my own journey. When I passed through Poona last year I was deeply touched by all the young ones who are now finding Osho through what’s left of his Ashram. I found deep peace in just going to the meditations, I felt recharged , so I agree let it be…. we each carry and express him in our own way.
May 13th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Beyond ego – veet asmi means – but look! “Who are we to gather together to make the same mistakes all over again? This would happen.”
Did you not know that many thousands of people have arrived lately? You are saying “I have done it – it was of value – but I will oppose offereing this value to anybody else.”
That is absurd. I’d have thought that, with all that gratitude and love for Osho, you’d have moved to make sure that the same experience was available now and for centuries – that you’d offer your experience gladly to help raise awareness of these “mistakes” so that they do not become destructive.
Because, after all, you say that “This is what does happen when thousands of people get together – as has been proven over and over again in all walks of life – globally.”
Perfectly true – yet London is still functioning after 2000 years.
I am sad to see hear that you apparently consider that Osho and sannyas existed only for you alone and, once you have had enough, then that can be the end of Osho and sannyas.
To put it another way – having ruled yourself out of sannyas you wish to rule everybody else out too. But sannyas has been refined. All those buffoons have left! The new people are far better, and there is no idiot therapist herd-think to give them problems.
James E. Bonser also wrote:
However, I am sure that no re-forming, re-establishing, re-grouping, or for that matter trying to fulfill whatever the dream was, will bring that energy back.
He is also living in the distant past.
May 21st, 2010 at 7:11 pm
You make a very valid point. I was one of the lucky ones way back then. However, in your defense of a new commune you have misunderstood and misinterpreted what I wrote. Easy to do when emotions and defensiveness run high! I understand that.
Just be clear about one thing. Osho is still very firmly in my heart. You write: ” . . . you apparently consider that Osho and sannyas existed only for you alone and, once you have had enough, then that can be the end of Osho and sannyas. To put it another way – having ruled yourself out of sannyas you wish to rule everybody else out too. . .”
If you had taken the trouble to read anything on my website you would know that is not true. My remarks were not meant to discourage others finding their way to Osho – far from it. I wrote about my unease at the hidden suggestion in the original letter I received, about the new commune, that there was someone already in waiting to ‘take Osho’s chair’ – to be some sort of successor.
Thousands are continuing to find Osho – all on their own, through his books and in centres all over the world. There is an organic growth of new sannyasins finding their own ways and with their own companions on those ways. There is no need for hullabaloo of any kind, and there is certainly no need for an Osho dynasty, Osho himself is more than enough!
I recently read a beautiful lecture given by him in 1967, in it he stated, with crystal clarity, that there should be no organisation, no cult. He said he wanted there to be a ‘gathering of friends’ – this is what is happening now I am glad to say. I consider myself to be one of those friends. To download the lecture, please click here.
May 23rd, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Dear Reader,
I was at the ranch for four years. I lived in a trailer close to the cafeteria because of my physical disability. A wonderful, elderly, beloved Indian woman also lived in that trailer, Sita Ma, and she was regularly visited in the evenings by the other Indian sannyasin living on the ranch. I tell you this by way of background for the anecdote I’d like to share. I was reminded of it while reading the comments on the issue of to have or not to have another commune.
The days following Bhagwan’s disclosures of the crimes that had been committed were filled with confusion, uncertainty and much, much more. During a gathering of the Indian sannyasin in our trailer one evening, I heard Ma Taru say that what’s happening is the fulfillment of the gacchhamis. The first gacchhami, I Go to the Feet of the Awakened One, is fulfilled when an individual becomes a disciple; the second gacchami, I Go to the Feet of the Commune of the Awakened One, was being fulfilled while in Poona and at the ranch; it was now time for the third gacchami, I Go to the Feet of the Ultimate Truth of the Awakened One, to begin. We will be dispersed into the world to live our lives with the consciousness we gained as a result of the first two gacchhamis. What form that takes will be unique to each individual.
I was strongly opposed to adopting the gacchhamis and I performed the ritual grudgingly each day.* That evening I found value in them for the first time. I didn’t read Bhagawati’s letter so I can’t speak to what she said directly, but with Bhagwan no longer in a physical body, the best any of us can do is live what we learned from our experience of him in the way that best matches each one of us. In other words, anyone wanting to live communally according to his teachings should go ahead and set one up, and those of us who prefer to live what we learned in the world at large should do that too.
Remembering Thomas Wolfe’s sentiment, You Can’t Go Home Again, seems apt under the circumstances.
With love,
Ma Prem Sambodhi
*For a fuller understanding of my attitude, I invite you to read my book, recommended in Persephone’s newsletter, #16.
Note from Persephone – Sambodhi’s book is well worth searching for. You can read about it in my review from March 4th called ‘Persephone’s Book Review: A Surprise Life by Susan M. Clare’ Go to the Archive section at the bottom of the right hand column on any page on the web site, click on Book Reviews and you will find it there.