What Really Happened at Rajneeshpuram? A Firsthand Account
Nov 28, 2024
One vivid memory stands out when I think of life at Rajneeshpuram in central Oregon, a memory that encapsulates the very essence of the commune. It was during the daily ‘drive by’, a ritual filled with music, song, and dance.
Osho would drive one of his artistically painted Rolls Royces down the red-hued county road, winding its way right through the middle of the commune. We would gather in our thousands, lining the sides of the road, armed with a medley of musical instruments. Despite working 16-hour days, the air was filled with overflowing love and joy as we sang, danced, and expressed our deep devotion to our spiritual master.
Many tourists who passed through would ask, “Are you all on drugs?” They had never seen such a display of joy and love, and it seemed impossible to them that this was a natural high. Explaining to them that this was indeed a natural high, arising from deep meditation and love, was often a difficult task. It was hard for them to believe that such overflowing joy could come from a place so pure, a place that was fueled not by substances, but by the deep bliss born from our connection with Osho and the practices he taught us.
Who is Ma Ananda Sarita?
My name is Ma Ananda Sarita, and I am a devotee of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (now known as Osho). I met Osho in Mumbai, India, when I was 17 years old and from that moment, I became deeply dedicated to his teachings. He initiated me into his Neo-Sannyas, and I made the commitment to dedicate my life to meditation and the path of spiritual awakening.
For the next 26 years, I remained in his community, living first in Mumbai, then at his ashram in Pune, then at Rajneeshpuram, and later, when he returned to India, back in Pune again. Even after Osho left his body in 1990, I stayed within his community for another 9 years before traveling and teaching all over the world. The experiences I had and the lessons I learned during my time in these communities have shaped my life in ways I continue to cherish to this day.
Many people I meet are deeply curious about what life was really like at Rajneeshpuram. They ask about Osho’s lifestyle, his Rolls Royces, the controversies that surrounded the commune, and what it was like to live in a massive community of meditators.
In those days, (early 1980’s) there was no internet and no social media. The only way to do publicity was through traditional Magazine Ads, Billboards or through Television Ads. Osho’s brilliant strategy of being a spiritual Guru (in the highly materialistic society of USA) who had a fleet of Rolls Royces, ensured that he was always in the news!
There is a powerful quote from a great Enlightened Master named G.I. Gurdjieff: “An honest being who does not behave absurdly has no chance at all of becoming famous, or even of being noticed, however kind and sensible he may be.”
Ma Anand Sheela, Osho's personal secretary, played a pivotal role in the founding of Rajneeshpuram and though she masterminded many very positive aspects of the community, she also had another, darker side which didn’t become fully apparent till after she left the community in 1985.
After she left, many people came forward to recount bizarre aspects of her leadership, one of those being especially during the 1984 bioterror attack she orchestrated. Sheela and her close associates led a plan to poison salad bars in Wasco County to manipulate voter turnout, resulting in widespread illness and significant legal fallout.
When people hear the words Rajneeshpuram, they generally tend to think of Sheela and her shenanigans and about Osho’s Rolls Royce's. I’ve always felt the urge to set the record straight, to offer a personal perspective on this unique chapter of my life, and to share the deeper truths that the outside world often missed. Through this sharing, I hope to give insight into the spirit of Rajneeshpuram, a place of profound transformation and joy, where meditation was at the heart of everything we did.
The following write up weaves together some memories from all three phases of Osho’s Community, but mainly focuses on Rajneeshpuram, the controversial City oasis we created in the desert of Oregon, USA.
My Journey to Rajneeshpuram
I was a sincere seeker, passionately searching for the essence of life. At 15, I left my hometown in California and embarked on an epic hitchhiking journey that took me through North America, across Europe, and eventually overland to India. I didn’t know much about meditation or spiritual paths at that time, but as soon as I set foot in India, the first inner calling I felt was to attend a 10-day Vipassana Meditation Retreat with Goenka. In Bodh Gayá, the place where Buddha became enlightened. After completing the retreat, I decided to take it further with a month-long silent retreat in Mumbai.
It was on the evening before that retreat that I met a couple in a backpacker’s hotel. They invited me to join them to meet a man they described as very unique. That man was Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, later known as Osho. Meeting him changed my life forever. After completing my Vipassana retreat, I attended Osho’s Meditation Camp in Mt. Abu and was initiated into Neo-Sannyas. That marked the beginning of my spiritual journey. Through Osho, I was catapulted into a life of deep inner ecstasy and fulfillment, profoundly influenced by his teachings of eastern spirituality and his ability to shed light on the sacred lives and teachings of many enlightened beings who have graced this earth.
First Impressions
When I arrived at what was known as The Big Muddy Ranch (later called Rajneeshpuram), shortly after the land was purchased, I was one of 20 brave souls who travelled to this dry, almost lifeless Oregon desert. The land, spanning 100 square miles, was an overgrazed wasteland, and imagining how it would be transformed into a spiritual oasis seemed nearly impossible.
But the 18 men in this first group of enthusiastic Sannyasins wasted no time, quickly getting to work with bulldozers and laying pipes to create the infrastructure needed to build accommodations. I was assigned kitchen duty, which meant preparing enough food for the 18 ravenous spiritual pioneers!
Settling In
As we settled in, wave after wave of devoted international Sannyasins poured into the Oregon ranch, (later known as Rajneeshpuram). Our intention was clear — to create heaven on earth in this 100 square miles of desert. It was truly astonishing to be part of such a grand project and witness both the people and the desert bloom. Most of the year, we numbered around 3,000 people, but during our three yearly festivals, the population swelled to about 20,000.
Our incredible organic truck farm and sprout garden nourished us perfectly. Osho had taught us that work is a form of worship, and we threw ourselves into our duties with deep joy and devotion. Within just a couple of years, we had built temporary and permanent accommodation for the vast number of people pouring in.
We created a huge dam that turned a small trickling stream into a large lake, perfect for swimming. That stream became a river, thanks to our construction of small check dams and the trees planted along its banks. We paved miles of roads with local gravel, which had a charming reddish hue, and we even built an avant-garde recycling plant for wastewater, which was used to irrigate our fields, ensuring they remained lush and green.
Our thriving downtown area included a wonderful vegetarian restaurant, a clothes shop, a club for dancing, a bookshop, a post office, and more.
Facing External Opposition in Wasco County
A county road ran through the middle of our town, and so it was that innumerable tourists came daily. One of my tasks was to offer tours of the ranch, which would last about 1 ½ hours. The local visitors were often dumbfounded at what we had accomplished in such a short space of time.
They would comment that it seemed impossible, they wondered if we were on drugs, as so much happiness exhibited by residents of the community didn’t seem real to them. I assured them that we weren’t into drugs, but instead, we brought meditation into every aspect of our lives. Everywhere you looked, there were scenes of joyful people going about their day, spontaneous singing, dancing, hugging, or groups of people laughing together. Whether laying pipelines, building houses, constructing roads, baking bread, or running a shop, the evidence of happiness was everywhere.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Some local people were dead set against our presence. Trucks with large gun racks would drive slowly down the county road, sometimes with a big poster showing a rifle target with Osho’s photo, and the caption: “Better dead than red!” This was, of course, referring to the fact that an integral part of our Sannyas life was the maroon-colored clothing we wore.
Our legal team worked tirelessly to maintain our incorporated status as a city in Wasco County. There were groups of Oregonians who were determined to rid the area of our thriving city at any cost. They stopped at nothing, even plotting to assassinate Osho. To learn more about the details of these events, I recommend reading Passage to America by Max Brechner.
A Day in My Life at Rajneeshpuram
At various times during the five years on the ranch, daily rituals would shift and change, depending on the job and whether Osho was in silence or giving discourse. Meditation was an integral part of our lives, and this would begin the moment we woke in the morning.
During the intensive years of creating an oasis in the desert, we generally worked about 16 hours per day. And if someone had a girlfriend or boyfriend, they might be making love half the night. Yes, we lived in a way that seems humanly impossible. Yet, through the joy of meditation, we tapped into levels of energy that appeared to be superhuman.
At one point, Sheela also controversially invited homeless people to live on the ranch, aiming to provide them with shelter and a loving community lifestyle while raising ethical questions about manipulation and exploitation.
The gathering in the central cafeteria for meals was always a joyous occasion. The cooks put their heart and soul into the food, and it was served in efficient lines. I always remember the huge abundance of nutritious sunflower sprouts from our lovingly tended sprout garden. Each day, when Osho would go out for a drive in one of his artistically painted Rolls Royces, everyone would leave their work and line up on the roadside to greet him. We would bring musical instruments and sing and dance as he drove slowly by, offering blessings to one and all.
My Role in the Commune
My main role in the community was as a member of the public relations and press office. This job included giving public tours in a big van or in a large school bus. It also involved accompanying the multitudes of reporters or TV crews who came from all over the world. On occasion, we were asked to go and give public talks at a university or at local Lions Clubs. This job was always very exciting and brought deep learning in its wake.
For example, a news reporter or TV media person would come and be absolutely blown away by the presence of so much joy and creative outpouring. They might write an enthusiastic article, which they would show to us. Then, when it was published, it would be a scathing article full of negativity and lies. We would then question the reporter and ask what happened to his original article. He would invariably say, “Well, I have a wife and child to support, and if I published that original article, I would lose my job!" The editor changed the whole thing to make it aligned with the instructions of the owner of the newspaper.”
I remember one time asking Osho about the incredible amount of negative so-called journalism about him. His answer was very insightful. He said, “It doesn’t matter whether an article is positive or negative. What matters is that people see my photo.” And indeed, it was as he said.
We had people pouring into the ranch, asking to be initiated into Sannyas when the publicity was at its very worst. We would ask them what brought them, in spite of the negativity being put out through the media. I remember several people answering, “Well, I didn’t read the article because I sensed it was all ‘misinformation.’ I just saw his photo and knew I had to come.”
Living Together
In the early days of the ranch, whoever was there lived in dormitories or, later on, as we built houses. We would live 2, 3, or even 4 to a room and share a communal bathroom. Out of necessity, we simply let go of prudishness and developed strong family ties to the people we lived with. It was very common in the morning for one person to be on the toilet while another was in the shower.
Similarly, if someone wished to have a date, either they had to go into the living room so as not to disturb their roommates, or they would simply make love once the lights went out in the bedroom. I went to sleep many a night with the musical sounds of one or more couples' ecstasy reverberating in my ears.
Embracing Osho’s Teachings
Osho’s discourses were a central part of our lives as Sannyasins. Luckily, his discourses were recorded, so even if someone was living in another part of the world, they could still benefit from his spiritual presence through his masterful teachings. He would often offer series of discourses on a particular theme, covering subjects about spiritual masters across a wide spectrum. Some of the topics in his over 650 transcribed books include:
Talks on Zen, Tao, Buddha, Zarathustra, Hassids, Tantra Masters, The 112 Methods in the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, Baul Mystics, Upanishads, Sufis, Jesus, Krishna, Patanjali Yoga, Answers to Questions from Seekers, and many others.
While I loved all of Osho’s discourses, I was particularly infatuated by his teachings on the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. His Book of Secrets, where he delves deeply into these 112 methods, stirs my body, heart, and soul. It is a body of work that opened new dimensions of understanding for me, and continues to be a deep source of personal inspiration. The Rajneesh movement stands as an important religious experiment, offering critical insights into major religious, economic, and political trends over the last 50 years.
Experiences in Dynamic Meditation and Therapy
While in Osho’s community, I practiced a wide range of his meditations with great diligence. His methods helped open up the entire chakra system, awaken Kundalini, and opened the portal into spiritual awakening. Some of the meditations I practiced for an extended period include: Dynamic Meditation each day for 1 ½ years, Kundalini Meditation for 1 ½ years, Atisha’s Heart Meditation (several rounds of 21 days each time), Laughter Meditation (several rounds of 21-day cycles), Nadhabrahma (a series of 21 days), Natraj Dance Meditation, Gourishankar, and Mahamudra, which became personal favorites of mine!
At one point, Osho invited me to practice Sufi Whirling Meditation for two hours at a time for 6 months. He also invited me to practice Full Body Energy Activation for 6 months, a challenge I thrived on. I also deeply loved the 112 methods from the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, and teaching these methods is now one of my passions. In addition to these, I participated in numerous silent Zen Meditation Retreats, the Mystic Rose 21-day Meditative Therapy, and much more.
As a result of these practices, my chakras opened and came into alignment, leading me to experience numerous Satori moments and states of Samadhi. Osho’s specialty has always been to help people awaken their innate wisdom and essence. He worked tirelessly to guide us on this path as long as he was in his body. Even after his passing, multitudes of people around the world continue to be enriched and uplifted on their spiritual journeys through his methods of meditation, his meditative therapies, and his books, audio recordings, and videos.
In Rajneeshpuram, there was also the Rajneesh Multiversity, where people came from all over the world to participate in a wide range of therapy groups. Some of the best therapists in the world gathered around Osho, and these therapy groups were of the highest caliber.
After Rajneesh's death, the community evolved into what is now known as the Osho International Meditation Resort, managed by the Osho International Foundation. This transformation has expanded its global reach, offering ongoing programs that appeal to both individual and corporate participants.
Celebrating Life
Music and dance were always an integral part of Osho’s community lifestyle. In fact, the phenomenon of Ecstatic Dance, which is sweeping the world today, originated in Osho’s community. In these gatherings, there were no drinks, no drugs, no shoes, and no talking. Musicians would play uplifting celebrative music and songs, and we Sannyasins would dance with abandon, swept away in pure ecstasy. Osho used to say, “Dance, till the dancer disappears and only the dance remains.”
We had a music department that specialized in creating new songs almost every day to sing as an act of devotion while Osho was entering or leaving the Buddha Hall, where he would give his discourse. I used to weep in devotional ecstasy as the singing lifted us higher and higher. I would think, “If only the whole world could know the joys that are present here! If only all beings could taste this grace, this incredibly creative and uplifting music.”
After Osho left his body, many of the highly talented musicians dispersed into the world, becoming really successful in their own right. Great names such as Deuter, Deva Premal, Miten, Praful, Bhakta, Milarepa, Maneesh de Moor, Karunesh, Ma Deva Yoko, Prem Joshua, Bindu, Devakant, and many others emerged from our community. I believe that music, together with meditation, is the backbone of a community.
Many times, while wandering through the ashram in Pune, I would be pulled into a spontaneous Kirtan, where someone would start beating a drum and singing the names of holy beings. A crowd would gather, and everyone would sing and dance to the point of delirium. To live in a place like this transforms you forever!
The Culture and Community Through My Eyes
I absolutely loved the cultural diversity in Osho’s community. We had people from every walk of life and from so many countries I lost count! This melting pot revealed to me very clearly that the more diverse the cultures are, the more love manifests in and through us. I have seen it demonstrated over and over again that cultural diversity breeds innovation, creativity, compassion, empathy, and love. We learn to divest ourselves of our worst aspects from cultural conditioning and embrace the best aspects.
A core aspect of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh's teachings was sexual liberation, which positioned the Rajneesh movement as a departure from traditional asceticism, promoting full living and personal freedom, particularly in the realms of sexuality and self-expression.
I well remember a joke Osho told:
Definition of Heaven: where the French are the lovers, the Italians are the cooks, the Swiss are technicians, the British are the police, the Indians are the spiritual guides, and the Germans are the organizers.
Definition of Hell: Where the Swiss are the lovers, the Germans are the police, the British are the cooks, the French are the technicians, the Indians are the organizers, and the Italians are the spiritual guides.
Relationships and Connections
As an integral part of Osho’s teachings, his followers were encouraged to explore relationship as a spiritual path. In my case, I married at the age of 19. Osho gave us his blessing and a gift to symbolize our marriage. He also gave us a choice of three inscriptions to put on our wedding rings. We chose the one that read: “Love doesn’t mean, but be.”
During the years we remained married, we could go to Osho, ask questions, and receive his guidance about every aspect of married life. This experience offered a multitude of challenges and revelations and also nurtured our love into incredible states of inner ecstasy. I was benefited beyond measure to learn the many valuable lessons that came about because of his masterful guidance.
People were very free in Osho’s community to explore many and varied styles of love relationship. He called these, “Love Experiments.” Some people would go into phases of celibacy while someone else may be feeling to ‘play the field’ with multiple partners. Someone would feel called to monogamy while someone else would feel called to polyamory. After some time, the person may find their energies naturally shifting to a new type of love experiment.
All was welcome within the crucible of meditation. This is the difference that made all the difference. Each and every aspect of ourselves we were experimenting with was always under the watchful gaze of our meditative, witnessing consciousness. This ensured that rather than falling into a downward spiral through so-called love, we would find ourselves ‘rising in love’ to new heights of consciousness and bliss.
Navigating the Challenges
Life inside the community was twofold. On one side, there was the spiritual sadhana, which was ongoing, and on the other side, there was the external world, which was attacking our community. We relied on a core team who handled the external power politics and whose job it was to keep our community safe from outside pressures. To this end, we had Osho’s secretary, Sheela, and the few people who worked directly with her. We also had a legal team and our own police force.
For the 3,000-plus people who lived and worked in the community, for the most part, we had no clue about what was happening in terms of the outer politics. We were living in a Love and Meditation Bubble. As I was in the Press Office, I was part of the interface between the community and the press. But in terms of the abuse of power going on behind the scenes within our community, I had very little clue.
The Peace Force, a sanctioned entity in Oregon, played a crucial role in creating a sense of community and protection within Rajneeshpuram amid escalating tensions with local residents.
Internal Conflicts
As meditation was first and foremost in our community, much was solved through active or silent meditation practices. In case anger arose, people were advised to do the Pillow Beating Meditation or Dynamic Meditation. These practices were meant to help release any pent-up emotions and return to a state of balance and calm. Meditation was the foundation of our lives, and through it, we resolved conflicts and found peace within ourselves.
Living Through the Tension
Three months before the catastrophic and shocking meltdown of Rajneeshpuram, I had a precognitive dream about it. In the dream, I witnessed from a soul level what would be taking place and was instructed not to be disturbed by these events but to simply witness it as though watching a movie. So, this is how it was for me. I witnessed everything while still being aware of my human vulnerability and the panic that some people went through as our paradise-like way of life crashed down around us.
In the early days of Rajneeshpuram, Sheela asked me to let her know if I saw any signs that she was on a power trip. She said she wished to remain in loving devotion to her Master, Osho. But she knew that her position as his secretary could bring a power dynamic, and she wished to avoid that. After a few years, she was definitely exhibiting signs of being on a power trip. At that time, I almost never saw her, as she was quite isolated with her small group of people who had the overview of the community.
One day, I met with her and reminded her of what she had asked me a few years before, to let her know if she was on a power trip. I said, “Sheela, you are showing signs of being on a power trip, and you asked me to let you know if that was the case, so you can wake up and come back to being simply a devotee.” She answered, “Thank you for telling me, but now, it is too late.” Around that time, Osho began exposing her egoic power trip in his discourses, which, of course, she didn’t like.
Soon after that, she left Rajneeshpuram with her small group of followers. I remember standing at the Rajneeshpuram airport as she was boarding the plane, not really comprehending the implications of her action. Soon afterward, people began speaking up and sharing information about Sheela and her group’s crimes. Various people had only one small part of the puzzle. But when all the pieces of the puzzle were put together, it dawned on us that she had really been abusing her position in so many ways.
Osho exposed her criminal power trip as it came to light and called government officials to come and investigate her crimes. However, both local government and the press tried to put Osho and Sheela into the same basket and accused Osho of being responsible for Sheela’s crimes. This led to a cascade of events, including Osho being put in jail, where he was treated abominably, which severely affected his health.
Witnessing the Decline
Finally, after being jailed for 12 days and then arranging for a plea bargain, Osho was released on the condition that he leave the country immediately. The details of this are in Osho’s book titled Socrates Poisoned Again After 25 Centuries. Osho subsequently traveled to 21 countries, searching for a safe haven where he could live and meet with his people in peace. He was thrown out of all 21 countries, being described as “dangerous.” This of course was a ludicrous description of a man who simply gave discourse, taught people to meditate, and celebrated life.
While Osho was touring the world, I was still in Rajneeshpuram taking care of the Press Office. Over those six months, we had a skeleton crew responsible for selling everything and dissolving whatever remained, in preparation for the property being taken back by the bank. This period is a significant part of Oregon history, marked by the tensions between the commune and the local community. One fact a lot of people are not aware of is that all of those Rolls Royce's, supposedly owned by Osho, were not his personal property and were all sold to a dealer in Texas.
Leaving Rajneeshpuram
When there were only six people left in Rajneeshpuram, I left, together with my boyfriend. We were given a lump sum of money to get started in the world. The day I left, I went to see a view I had cherished, looking over the long valley where the truck farm was, bordering the river. As I looked with awe and wonder, an enormous and brilliant rainbow arched over the entire valley. I took this as a supreme blessing and left in peace, with a joyful heart.
Life After Rajneeshpuram
After leaving Rajneeshpuram with my boyfriend, we traveled to Aspen, Colorado, and lived in a large communal house where we and our friends started a company called “The Lion’s Roar, One Call Does It All.” Some of my friends were musicians, so we offered house cleaning services as well as music for events or parties. It didn’t take us long to become very successful, cleaning the mansions of wealthy people in Aspen.
California Press has released critical works related to the Rajneesh movement, such as Hugh Urban's book 'Zorba the Buddha,' which explores the multifaceted impacts of Rajneesh and his movement on society and spirituality.
For me, it was a revelation to deeply understand how much I had transformed during all those years of living with Osho in his community. Even though I had a supposedly lowly position of being a cleaner, I really felt like an empress! I witnessed the extreme poverty of spirit of the people I worked for and realized how many treasures I was blessed with inside. The wealth I had accumulated in spirit was far greater than anything I had seen in the material world.
Continued Spiritual Practice
During the year I was away from Osho’s physical presence, I still felt him vibrantly present within. I experienced several miracles in regards to being attuned to him. Once he was settled back in Pune in his original ashram, I returned to India to be with him. I remained with him until he left his body in 1990 and then continued living in his ashram for another 9 years after he passed. These were very eventful years, full of profound awakening and spiritual development on so many levels.
After Osho left his body, I began teaching Tantra and Holistic Healing in Osho’s community and later, in Japan and Europe. I left his community in 1999 to settle in France and the UK, where I set up a school of Tantra, Meditation, and Holistic Healing with my Tantra partner. Subsequently, I wrote two books on Tantra, marking the beginning of my dedicated life path of sharing the many blessings I received from Osho with the world at large.
Reconnecting with Former Rajneeshees
I am reminded of something Osho said in answer to a question. The questioner asked, “When we are scattered in the world, how will we know when we meet a Sannyasin? Because we may look like any worldly person if we are not wearing maroon robes.” Osho answered, “You will always be able to recognize other Sannyasins, because when there are two or more Sannyasins together, they will begin telling jokes!”
And this is certainly true! When Sannyasins meet anywhere in the world, it is certain that in almost no time, we will be engulfed in laughter and joke-telling! There is a quality of liberated joy that infuses Osho’s people which we don’t find in others. I believe it has to do with a few factors:
- We have deeply explored conscious emotional fluidity.
- We have embraced meditation as a way of life.
- We are naturally affectionate and loving.
- We are supremely creative.
- We love adventure.
- We love to dance, sing, and celebrate.
- We tend to be very honest and straightforward.
- We easily drop into a quality of wonder and gratitude.
- Many of us have realized the Cosmic Joke!
Conclusion
I see Rajneeshpuram as a microcosm of the macrocosm in so many ways. It taught me that heaven on earth is a very real possibility. It also taught me that power corrupts if we are not able to hold a profound level of awareness. What I witnessed in the creation and eventual breakdown of Rajneeshpuram is, in miniature, what is happening on a wider scale in the world at large.
Living through the events of the Rajneesh movement, with its ongoing activities like meditation, creativity, and yoga programs and its portrayal in modern media such as the Netflix docuseries 'Wild Wild Country,' has sharpened my discernment in recognizing what serves the highest good and what does not. It also taught me that no matter how grand or beautiful a lifestyle may be, it can disappear in a flash, and the only thing we can truly take with us is our inner radiance to light our way. This lesson helps me to continue trusting in my inner light despite any outer shifts or changes.
Legacy of the Rajneesh Movement
I hope anyone reading this article will come away with a vivid curiosity about Osho, the man, and his message. I hope it will help people avoid being swayed by false stories and misconceptions about him and encourage them to seek to know him through his books, his recorded discourses, and by experiencing his meditations and meditative therapies.
His presence is still very much alive for those who practice his methods of meditation. He has left traces of his enlightened presence, like gold dust, throughout all of his many offerings to the world. His Sannyasins continue to spread his fragrance through having imbibed him deep within.
I’ve had it happen too many times to count that people attending my groups say, “I see Osho in you,” or “I feel Osho’s presence when you’re guiding us in meditation.” And I know these same words are spoken to other Osho Sannyasins who are spreading his methods worldwide. He has hidden himself within all those who love him. Osho is a gift who just goes on giving, in myriad ways and in multiple dimensions of being.
Personal Message
When I was 13 years old, I had the great good fortune of meeting Morris Graves, a renowned artist who lived in the Pacific Northwest in California. He said to me, “Out of all my life experience, I have only these words of wisdom to give to you: just go with the flow. Don’t question it. Just flow with it.” By listening attentively to these words and going with the flow, I was carried by the river of life to Osho and, through him, to my flowering and fulfillment as a human being.
So now, what I would like to say to you, dear reader, is: “Just go with the flow.” And if you don’t know how to do that, tune into the subtle voice of your heart. As you acknowledge it, this voice of the heart will become louder and more comprehensible. By listening to your heart, you will be moving in a wonderful direction, because the heart takes its cues from spirit. And when body, mind, and spirit are aligned, you will live in wholeness, harmony, and bliss.
