Someone Wearing a Mala….

The other day I was  coming out from the head post office near the mail railway station (Freiburg) and suddenly my eyes caught hold of a bearded western man,  who was wearing some kind of mala and who was sitting alone outside of a coffee shop.

So out of curiosity I walked towards my next destination in a way  that I got a closer look at the man and his mala.
What I saw was like seeing a falling star. With exclamation, I shouted excitedly, ” Hey, you are wearing Osho Mala?”
The man looked at me, stood up and said, ” Are you a Sannyasin?”

Once I said, Yes, there was a hug, a melting hug, the same very energy one is used with sannyas hugs as if you are entering into each other, there is some transparent openness as if months of dynamic and kundalini has created a window in the wall.

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He also felt amazed at the wonder of meeting another sannyasin and that too just arriving in the city from Ireland a few minutes ago,  on his way to a farm house in France where a few seekers are living as a community.

I was in a hurry also to be at my part time work so I asked him for a quick selfie with the thought, I will write at sannyasnews about this incident,  how wonderful was the original idea of Osho. (Mala)
We exchanged the mobile numbers and names. Pramendra was suppose to be picked up by someone so there was no chance that we meet again.
I was simply surprised and was walking with the feeling, ” MY God, first time during last 15 years i have met someone in Germany with Osho Mala.”
It was reminding me that lost era of innocence in Osho Hugs and a common base where strangers from different parts of earth could see the one humanity.

Around an hour later, I got the SMS from him that he will be picked up next day, so has the time to meet up if I feel like.

I wrote him back, i have one and half hour extra time, we can meet,  have a coffee and meditate in the silence of the churches.

As I came to know, Parmendra took sannyas 6 years ago in Miasto. His elder brother was already a sannyasin. When he told him his wish to go to Pune, brother said, ” Pune has not that energy anymore, better you go to Miasto.”
Four months in Miasto become his turning point.
While talking and listening, I was observing too, how alive and present he is, as if is really struck by some higher calling.

I was sharing my stories about Pune, its spring and autumn and how bad (in my view) the policy of the management at root level have made the branches go dry, otherwise, Freiberg was once a very happening Sannyas city.
When I asked, ” Have you ever seen someone wearing Mala in England or Ireland?
His answer was No, but he said it  does not matter to him at all.
While describing  in my eyes the dried up sannyas scene , I also mentioned that a few ex. sannyasins are living together under the leadership of an Indian in Freiberg.  As he was curios to meet them, I gave him their address.

Next day, came the message, Met a Ex. Sannyasin at UMA. No love and light only pain and darkness. Thank you X

Spontaneously i wrote , ” Lols.”

Shantam

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43 Responses to Someone Wearing a Mala….

  1. Parmartha says:

    Thanks, Shantam.
    So where was your mala then??! Dont see it in your picture!

    Just go to Nepal, plenty of people wearing malas there and you would feel at home, except some commentators say that the picture of Osho should be replaced with one of Arun…But guess your attachment to your part-time job means you are not footloose and fancy free – as a sannyasin should be!

    Of course the mala was dropped by Osho himself in 1985…but some people are still attached to ancient history – I would call it prehistoric history myself! But somehow I still liked your story!

    • Prem says:

      Parmatha,

      I find it very very sad that people like you, after 30 years of sannyas, you think the mala is “just a picture of Osho”.

      Do you think Osho created the mala as a fashion accessory?
      Do you think it is “just a picture”?

      It has nothing to do with time or ancient history – the mala is beyond time, and it is a direct connection with Osho’s energy.

      And to say “Osho dropped the mala” is very incorrect.

      Osho made the mala no longer compulsory, but nowhere did he say that people should not wear a mala. It is no longer mandatory. It doesn’t mean “Osho dropped it” – but perhaps this is what you want to hear.

      Osho has many discourses where he describes the energy connection through a mala – but I guess you only want to hear the one where he “dropped it”.

      A day after he “dropped” the orange clothes and the mala – and saw that people happily changed clothes and dropped the mala – he called them hypocrites, and asked: “Why did you wear it in the first place, if you are so happy to get rid of it?”

      Anyway, it is really really sad that after so many years of sannyas, you see the mala as “just a picture”.

      And it is also sad that you consider the mala “ancient history”. From my experience it is beyond time, and it has nothing to do with where Osho considered it compulsory to wear or not.

      • Parmartha says:

        Can’t understand your post, Prem. You certainly just ‘suppose’ things about me.
        Where have I said the mala is just a picture?

        I don’t know whether you lived close to Osho (as I did for some years). He was always changing things and shocking disciples by the changes.

        Life was very difficult in 1985 for sannyasins, even when travelling with the full regalia. That is very likely the stimulus Osho had for getting us to go ‘underground’, which was also an experience in itself, and a good one.

  2. Lokesh says:

    Check this out. It was a surprise for me and it probably will be for you also.

    http://oshoviha.org/p-797-osho-mala

    • madhu dagmar frantzen says:

      No surprise for me, Lokesh, what you´re posting here. Reminded me of hearing long, long ago, that Malas with the old oval locket had been merchandised on Goa´s beaches for quite a good price.

      And what a sad thread Shantam is making up here, including that ‘selfie’. Times ago, it was also him, wasn´t it, saying that the Sannyas movement doesn´t need ´outer enemies´ of fundamentalists of all kinds, the inner enemies will do? Too bad that he doesn´t see himself in that latter category when meditating and investigating about such issues.

      Otherwise and however, it´s also that social robotting in social networks in the big brain factory of internet are supporting any kind of psychopathology and psychological, mental and spiritual destructiveness anyway. And good to keep also that in mind.

      Monday today –
      the first thin layer of snow
      and the sky is bright;
      the gardeners planted a row of new trees right in time last week –
      hope they will make it….

      Madhu

    • Parmartha says:

      Yes, a surprise, Lokesh! And thanks for the information.

      I have a mala from 1974, as you probably do, oval, and out of mischief sometimes show others who are avaricious!

    • sannyasnews says:

      Viha Connection reminded us of this:

      “You may remember that we devoted a VC issue to great mala stories.
      Some years ago we read a wonderful story about a westerner who travelled around India wearing his mala and met all kinds of interesting, beautiful people.

      We have been selling malas for over 25 years, and it is still a popular seller. Some centres and therapists buy 50-60 malas at a time. We connect with many new people through the malas they order.

      Mala buyers want them for many reasons. We are always happy to support their Osho energy.

  3. sw. veet (francesco) says:

    Nice story, Shantam.
    I know another sweet German guy who loves Miasto.
    http://www.devamanfredo-stoneart.com/index.

  4. Kavita says:

    Shantam, prior to my sannyas, when I lived in Munich, during my initial days I had a similar feeling every time I came across anyone in a Salwar (Indian pants). I met more Pakistanis than Indians, and sometimes Turkish, a few invited me for a meal at their home, I really enjoyed that camaraderie.

    That apart, you are still such an unbelievable Osho seller!

    • Parmartha says:

      Yes, Kavita, when I also lived in Hamburg I used to go to the British Council library, partly in the hope of meeting a few English people.

      Of course no hugs, but a warm feeling, and was good to share stories of Scunthorpe and Swansea in those humourless shores.

  5. swamishanti says:

    Meeting people unexpectedly.
    A few years ago I spent some time in living on a beach near a fishing village on the east coast of India. There I briefly met an Austrian couple. The guy caught some of his own fish and gutted and cooked it himself.

    They were interested in watching giant turtles that happen to visit nearby beaches there every year to lay their eggs. Every year, thousands of tiny baby turtles hatch and make the long journey down to the sea. But only a handful survive and make it to the ocean. Most are picked up and eaten by seabirds.

    This young couple travelled up towards Bengal and eventually spent a month on a deserted island in Bangladesh. But I was already back in UK by that point.

    One day, in the local supermarket, to my total surprise, in walks the Austrian guy, smelling of beer and heavily tanned. We both stared at each other in disbelief – it was like, “What the fuck?” What are you doing here? Then he said, “My friend!!!” and we shared a bear hug.

    He explained that it was his first trip to England, that he had come over specially, just for his friend’s 40th birthday party, someone he had met in the Alps who lived in London. His friend wanted to have his birthday in the area where I happened to live. It was his first trip to England and he had absolutely no idea that I had lived in this forest patch.

    So it was like…Wow! The whole weekend, wtf?!

  6. Parmartha says:

    Good Day, Shantam.
    You seem to think that, apart from in Nepal, the world is an Osho mala desert. Actually, in London and the UK a number of people still wear their malas, some Arun people, a few Keerti people, and in particular people associated with the Humaniversity!!!

    • shantam prem says:

      What made me impressed and opened my heart in this Mala story is the complete innocence of the wearer. If some Indian or Nepali or some other cultist was wearing mala, my eyes would have looked with scepticism.

      The man is a lonely seeker and not aware about the various fishermen distributing malas. The farmhouse where he has gone for few months has nothing to do with sannyasins, it shows his openness to be part of alternative people who are not part of branded spirituality.

      As far as business of mala is concerned, I must tell about my work resume in the commune. From 1988 till 1993 I was part of the working team at Osho Acadamy of Sannyas Initiation. There must be few hundred times that I have repeated Osho’s guidelines about Mala during the interviewing process before the initiation.

  7. Lokesh says:

    As far as Shantam’s article goes it is good. That said, it is nothing to write home about. If one leads a full life that life will have plenty of serendipitous encounters.

    Some years ago I was in Baja, California. After some weeks, I discovered a very remote beach, surrounded by dinosaur eggs, large round, granite boulders. It was located at the end of a 20 kilometres dirt track and completely deserted. Looking out over the Sea of Cortez I saw a humpback whale breach the sea’s surface. Near this point I could just make out a small sea craft.

    Half an hour later, the small boat started heading for the shore. As it drew closer I could see it was a small kayak. When it was about fifty metres from the beach I thought and felt that I recognised the kayak’s sole occupant.

    The kayak was beached and its rower came ashore. It turned out to be a sannyasin friend I had not seen or heard of in years. We were both flabbergasted to run into each other in such an extremely remote corner of the world.

    • frank says:

      Those who have experimented with and documented the occurrence of synchronicity have echoed Jung’s own findings which were that synchronicity appears more likely to happen in a variety of special circumstances.

      These situations include such life-changing major events as:
      Births
      Deaths
      Falling in and out of love
      Turning points or personal crises
      Rescues from danger
      Travel.

      None of this `explains` anything.
      It is more just an observation of what appears to happen.

      • Kavita says:

        After reading Lokesh’s post one thought was how the dinosaur egg was waiting to be seen in another time capsule!

        MOD:
        DOES THIS MAKE SENSE, Kavita?

      • satchit says:

        “None of this `explains` anything.”

        No, synchronicity does not explain anything. But it gives meaning. It is like poetry and gives meaning. Existence says ‘hello’ to you and shows you that you are not alone on this planet.

        • frank says:

          Satchit,
          Yes, it gives meaning, but importantly, the experiencer gives it meaning too. Like poetry, as you mention, there needs to be a reader/audience who is an appreciator of poetry.

          The idea that it is “Existence saying ‘hello’ to you and showing you that you are not alone on this planet” is your ‘reading’ of the ‘poetry of synchronicity’.

          Rationalists postulate that it is simply the existence of random chance at work. Others might take it to mean Existence has got a very obscure sense of humour, like in the tale of Mr Fontgibu:

          The French writer Émile Deschamps claims in his memoirs that, in 1805, he was treated to some plum pudding by a stranger named Monsieur de Fontgibu.

          Ten years later, the writer encountered plum pudding on the menu of a Paris restaurant and wanted to order some, but the waiter told him that the last dish had already been served to another customer, who turned out to be de Fontgibu.

          Many years later, in 1832, Deschamps was at a dinner and once again ordered plum pudding. He recalled the earlier incident and told his friends that only de Fontgibu was missing to make the setting complete – and in the same instant, the now senile de Fontgibu entered the room.

          • frank says:

            Strangely, just after I sent this post (3.03pm), I checked my e-mail and to my astonishment, I had received a mail(3.11pm) from a guy I have not seen or heard from for 44 years. They do say that one thing that provokes synchronicity is talking or writing about it. I don`t know if it`s synchronicity exactly, but it`s a shot of Wyrd, for sure

            I am a little worried as the last I heard, this guy was expelled from school for exposing himself in a pub, and I have just now found out he`s a member of the Conservative Party.
            (Although there`s nothing strange in the confluence of those two facts).

            I have got a nasty feeling that Existence is taking the piss.

  8. Kavita says:

    About 21 years ago , Vani ( my young sannyassin friend ) were travelling to her hometown Hyderabad for a coupla days , we boarded the AC compartment of the train in the evening , luckily it was not crowded , so we had the whole coupe to ourselves , I love train journeys & also the variety of local food .

    Just before dinner time , we notice familiar elderly Indian Swami passed by , he was visiting the washroom , on his way back he noticed us and inquired about our travel , after a little talk he told us he is visiting his family , he seemed to be a big traditional business man ( Jain/Marvadi ) , he had an attendant along who followed him , while we were talking the railway staff came for taking the dinner order , to which the Swami intervened & told the staff that we would be joining him for his home cooked dinner , Vani & me were so delighted to join him , his attendant arranged the dinner and we enjoyed this simple and flavorsome meal thoroughly .

    Morning when we were about to reach our destination , we gave our farewells to each other , and moved towards the exit , and lo , there appeared another elderly – familiar face , an Australian Swami who had a boutique in Koregaon Park and knew India more than us , he seemed happy to see us and he asked which side we were going , when we told him he said he would be passing that area & that he would drop us to Vani’s home !

  9. satchit says:

    “Satchit,
    Yes, it gives meaning, but importantly, the experiencer gives it meaning,too.
    Like poetry, as you mention, there needs to be a reader/audience who is an appreciator of poetry.

    The idea that it is “Existence saying ‘hello’ to you and showing you that you are not alone on this planet” is your ‘reading’ of the ‘poetry of synchronicity’.

    Certainly it is my “reading”. I am the author and the reader at the same time. The circle is meeting. This is what Osho meant when he spoke of “make your life a tale ” – you can choose.

    Synchronicity happens also sometimes in inventions. The same ideas come up simultaneously in totally different places.

  10. Bong says:

    Necessity is the mother of all invention. Big firms don’t invent they beg, borrow and steal. Facebook et al. So who is Miasto?

  11. Parmartha says:

    Synchronicity seems just a comforting for the human mind.
    It does not exist.

  12. shantam prem says:

    So blessed are the Muslims, whichever city in whichever country they go, within few minutes, they will be greeted by someone, “Salam Alle-kam!” Must be divine coincidences!

  13. Parmartha says:

    When you recognise a fellow sannyasin just in the street or the train, JUST BY THE VIBE, and no mala to tell you, then….. …. ….

    • shantam prem says:

      Parmartha, when was the last time it happened to you to meet an unknown fellow sannyasin without Mala?

      Maybe few can shake their memory to find one such incident in the distant past or recently.

      • satchit says:

        Shantam Prem,
        Looks you are too serious about being ‘a sannyasin’.
        Hello, ego!

        Yes, those were the good times – orange and mala.
        One knew immediately whom to hug and whom not to hug. LOL

        • shantam prem says:

          Satchit, I am serious about Sannyas only on this blog because it is called Sannyasnews. In the day-to-day life, I have no desire to expect sunny weather in the month of November. I feel very contented to sit in the churches and in the public transport and enjoy the people and bless them not to have any guru, any cult.

          But yes, I have also the will to revive creation of Osho in its modified format. Hugs are eternal but all the swamis with bushy beards and all the Mas with hairy armpits; that time and age is gone and gone for maybe next two to three hundred years.

          When Pluto will be again in Libra and Scorpio in few hundred years, generation of that time may have their own master provoking zeitgeist of love and sexuality.

  14. satchit says:

    “But yes, I have also the will to revive creation of Osho in its modified format.”

    Yes. “A man has to do what he has to do!”
    Who said those famous words?
    Was it Sisyphus with the rock uphill or was it Jesus climbing the cross?

    Cheers!

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