Comments on: Nepalis choose to live in a commune

By: Heraclitus

Heraclitus — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:44:49 +0000

“Work” as meditation can only follow for many seekers after a sometimes long acquaintance with so-called formal meditation. Like the many ranges of Osho meditations, which of course he in his turn culled from many traditions, but presented them with all the skills of an Alaistair Campbell. Of course when he introduced them little was known in the west of all the various eastern traditions of formal mediation he made interesting.
The problem for many sannyasins, and non sannyains is solely with the word “work”. I am sure Osho realised this when he authoirsed Sheela to bring in the word “Worship” instead. However sadly that was also a poor choice.
Play is a better word. A 24 hour hour play, then there is no distinction between when one is working or not working, consciousness just goes on 24 hours, and the watching arises slowly, and a Buddhafield where many were doing this did help. It could be contagious.
Rajneeshpuram an experiment to provoke God can be obtained I belive through Purnima, an English mail order and internet order website for Osho books, etc.
Though most people were into this experiment it was a total surprise for most of us that those in power (a relatively small number) were sadly not into it, and presumably did not understand it even. For that Osho must bear some responsibility.

By: Alok john

Alok john — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:17:12 +0000

No I was not in Rajneeshpuram, but I did visit Medina UK many times, where the emphasis was similarly “Work as Meditation.”

I agree there is such a thing as gaining awareness through work or group situations, though this has not been my way.

I do think many old sannyasins undervalue formal meditations. Basically they are quite demanding, and not everyone wants to do them.

By: amrito

amrito — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:40:53 +0000

Just too interject—I believe Alok John, who was in Rajneeshpuram (i think), made that assertation first.

But I agree with you and Osho spoke about Work as Meditation many times. And, from listening and reading books from others who were there, this was definately happening.

I’m trying to find a video-documentary “Rajneeshpuram-An Experiment to Provoke God”. I think Viha has it!!

Its a shame a few small blemishes compared to the large strides and alternatives Rajneespuram was offering causes such a negative stigma in the world press!

It was in Tapoban in fact where I saw the first videos of Rajneeshpuram—Sw. Arun seemed to have loved his own experiences there!

By: Heraclitus

Heraclitus — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:29:59 +0000

Hi Neerav,
I dont like when you say no-one was meditating at Rajneeshpruam. You totally misunderstand your Master.
Many of us were meditating in Rajneeshpuram, we called the meditation work, it was playful, demanding and most of all a constant reminder for awareness.
Formal meditation is actually just the beginning of awareness, only a 24 hour thing will get you to the beyond. Why is Arun stuck in this formal one hour meditation groove… it needs 24 hours, and that was what the Ranch experiment was all about for most of us, and many like me remain grateful for it, and count it as the most formative experience of our lives.

By: amrito

amrito — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:40:27 +0000

I dont know, one time I was listening to one of Osho’s lectures prior to Rajneeshpuram and it put things into light…i’ll try to dig it up, but Osho was speaking Pune One about the Master’s work and how it was not consistent with society.

He said many techniques and therapies that he wanted to intoduce would never be allowed by society and its structure. He went on to say a Master never works to create success for himself or his structure, but to create opportunities for spiritual growth.

I spoke to someone who was in Pune One and was with Osho since the late 60s, and she had told me Osho used to tell some close sannyasins to create fabricated situations, Zen-like.

For example, He told one of his therapists to walk up to another sannyasin and slap him in the face–> a direct order from Osho. This created a situation, an experience, for growth that’s unlike any thing ever taught. Zen masters used to throw desciples out of windows to create situations!! Gurjieff once even had his desciples almost drown in water!

In this particular lecture Osho was talking about the commune and he used the word experiment over and over. He said, when people get so attached to the structure and him, he’ll take everything away. He said his way was not to be a Guru who is predictable, but a Master who would do anything to show truth.

No matter what, this truth will remain a mystery, but I feel Rajneeshpuram was simply a Master’s device for the growth of his sannyasins. I think Osho knew about Sheela all along and really did want to give sannyasin’s a taste of fascism.

Rajneeshpuram was as much a part of Osho’s teachings as his 500 books, and will remain for future seekers who go towards Osho. We know for sure Osho wasn’t planning on being a Saint in the eyes of society nor did he bother of what people thought of him.

So tasting Osho today, wouldn’t be the same without the rajneeshpuram crisis–and I find the taste refreshing. So if Osho did fuck things up, he must have seen how fucked everyone was anyways!!

Ohm!!

By: Alok john

Alok john — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:58:10 +0000

Vista : “So basically…..Osho….himself fucked it up then!…”

Not really Vista, but it is all very complicated.

Basically he was always in a let-go, the nature of his enlightenment. So when Sheela pushed him to go and stay in America, He said “Okay Sheela.”
And when she bought the Ranch, and many sannyasins wanted to build a city rather than meditate, he allowed that to happen.

He had complete trust in existence and was always in a let-go; and always lived like that. It is strange and hard to understand.

By: vista

vista — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:38:33 +0000

So basically…..Osho….himself fucked it up then! After all the talks on meditation and meditations and meditations..he actually didnt give energy to basic thing what he talked about….. he actually misused other peoples money and energy and work and love and devotion and fucked it up….is that so?

By: Sw Aatmo Neerav

Sw Aatmo Neerav — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:21:41 +0000

No one was meditating in Rajneeshpuram. Everyone was working 12 hrs a day at the Ranch. Radha says the same in her book ‘Tantra’ and so does Shunyo. Some old sannyasins say that this was the reason why the Ranch came to such a dramatic end. The huge structures of the commune had no basic foundation.

By: Alok john

Alok john — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:09:27 +0000

>>whatt!! really? That means there must be more people meditating now when Osho’s not in the body than ever before when he was in the body??!

Quite possibly.

>>But what about that huge hall in rajneeshpuram? Werent daily dynamic meditations still happening?Ive seen a few pics with close to a thousand people doing dynamic.

I believe there was no daily meditation program at rajneeshpuram. People were working 12 hour days. Sheela used to say “Work is worship.” But there were several festival days a year and also big annual summer festivals which sannyasins attended from all over the world. So that is probably the pics you have seen. They may have had a meditation program at the festivals.

>>Do you mean silent meditation as apposed to active, or just ignoring the entire day of meditation altogether?

The life at the Ranch was build around activity and work, not meditation.

>>And was this happening in rajneeshpuram more or pune 1 or pune 2?

At Pune 1 and 2, meditation was central with daily programs not so dissimilar to Pune of today.

You can download videos of the time at http://www.oshobuddha.com/discourses.htm

You can read about what Osho called ‘the fascist regime’ at Rajneeshpuram in a book by Tim Guest, ‘My life in Orange’, and ‘Diamond Days with Osho’ by Shunyo

By: amrito

amrito — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:47:12 +0000

whatt!! really? That means there must be more people meditating now when Osho’s not in the body than ever before when he was in the body??!

But what about that huge hall in rajneeshpuram? Werent daily dynamic meditations still happening?Ive seen a few pics with close to a thousand people doing dynamic.

Do you mean silent meditation as apposed to active, or just ignoring the entire day of meditation altogether?
And was this happening in rajneeshpuram more or pune 1 or pune 2?

Interesting…