Comments on: The Ghost in the Machine, by Lokesh

By: satyadeva

satyadeva — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:54:30 +0000

Yes, on holiday, NP, in an area I know quite well. Normally I’m based in north London.

No smoke issue here though, thankfully.

By: Nityaprem

Nityaprem — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:52:01 +0000

Are you on holiday in south-west France, SD? I always thought you were based in England. We’ve been hearing about the fires on the news, the smoke alone doesn’t sound healthy.

By: Nityaprem

Nityaprem — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:04:48 +0000

I think it’s likely that climate change has played a large role here.

But I also saw a graph of planetary methane levels which were climbing steadily the last ten years, with a note that this was not a man-made effect and that it might be a sign that the planet was coming out of an ice age! Somewhat alarming.

By: satyadeva

satyadeva — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:34:46 +0000

Down here in sw France it’s been in the late 30s, even reaching 40 now and then, for 5 or 6 days, laced with downpours of rain in the late afternoon/early evening the last couple of days. So we’ve had to get used to remaining indoors for large chunks of the 24 hours. At least another day or two of the same is forecast. Last week forest fires raged about 60 miles away. Could this be a symptom of global warming?

By: Nityaprem

Nityaprem — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 06:47:02 +0000

It feels thundery outside. Warm, a bit clammy weather, and overcast, as if any moment we could get a downpour with lightning and thunder. Not good weather for a swim.

But excellent weather for cold showers. Yesterday it was 31 degrees and I had two to cool me down, just short and brisk to rinse off the sweat.

By: satchit

satchit — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 11:25:37 +0000

“Ojas wrote that it was one of the few times where he saw Osho strike a note of sadness.”

Why not? Sadness makes him human.
Maybe he realized that he had failed.

By: Nityaprem

Nityaprem — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 10:14:57 +0000

People’s viewpoints are bound to differ, and you’re certainly right that he was trying to unite a fractious lot. Maybe showing a bit of anger was necessary to fulfil the role for some people.

I’m still chewing on parts of the book, there was one bit where Osho said on the Ranch after Sheela’s departure and the dropping of the red clothes and malas, that with all the devices he had tried to create something for his sannyasins and that the Buddhafield would no longer be possible. Ojas wrote that it was one of the few times where he saw Osho strike a note of sadness.

By: satyadeva

satyadeva — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 09:01:57 +0000

I tend to disagree that “occasional displays of anger and his tendency to provoke” disqualify a master from being “a perfect guru”. Let’s not forget he was taking on a generation of disciples who were spiritual novices in a world that didn’t understand what he was up to. All in all, a pretty lonely job. No wonder he was frustrated at times and let it show.

Where did you (or I) get the idea that a master should never be angry or provocative? From Christian interpretations of Jesus? What about the tradition of Zen masters being hard, occasionally even a little cruel (to our sensibilities)? It must have been quite a test for those in Osho’s inner circle when he ‘hit’ them, particularly if it seemed unreasonable, unfair. Wasn’t coping with that a part of their process, a test of their love and devotion?

In this context It’s well worth remembering, as he memorably declared, “I am not your uncle!”

P.S:
As for “his escapades with the ladies”, well, that’s only come out in recent times so had no effect on his ‘live’ work.

By: Nityaprem

Nityaprem — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:04:09 +0000

In a way I am sad that my father, Deva Subuddho, left his body when he did. He went through years of doubts about the darkness in Osho’s commune which his girlfriend Prasad (who was psychically rather gifted) had made clear, and then through the ‘Children of the Cult’ which caused him a lot of anger and grief, without afterwards also reading Ojas’ book which contains answers to these questions.

Ultimately, Osho’s own job, besides discoursing, was to be loveable for his sannyasins, a mirror in which their own tendencies would be exposed. In that he did not always succeed, his escapades with the ladies, occasional displays of anger and his tendency to provoke had him slip out of the role of the perfect guru from time to time.

I’m grateful to Ojas for the book detailing his spiritual search and time with Osho from 1977 to 1990. It showed me the ashram and communes of my childhood from an adult disciple’s perspective, one who truly dedicated his life to the search, and got me a step closer to a resolution with Osho.

It is difficult for one who has been a child sannyasin to let go of the images and dreams of childhood, and to come to the guru with fresh eyes and a new viewpoint.

By: Lokesh

Lokesh — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:33:46 +0000

It might be the end of everything…aieeeee!

“This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end.”