Osho, Rajneeshpuram, & "public memory"

[DGA]

I grew up in Oregon. I was a child in the early 1980s, coming to adolescence when Rajneeshpuram was in the news All Day Long. Here's a recent article explaining that phenomenon.

http://www.oregonlive.com/rajneesh/#incart_hbx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Watching this stuff on the news was my first exposure to the concept of a guru, to meditation, and to spiritual practice in a group. Since then, I've met committed Buddhists in North America who had been or in some ways still remain committed to the Rajneesh/Osho project.

In fact I've been invited to teach at a campus meditation group in which the regular teacher uses Osho's stuff. (We'll be doing something else on my watch.)

I bring it up here because I think this experience is useful to keep in our public memory. If you want to understand the context in which we practice now, this is an important moment in the history that produced this now. When did the 1970s really die?

[Grigoris]

We have a large Osho centre here on the island which only really functions during the summer. They also have a beachside bar and a number of shops in the village near the centre.

Contact with Oshoites always leaves me with a nasty slimey feeling. Up until now I had some idea that something about the organisation is not quite right. Now I know!

Thanks for that Jikan. A real eye opener!

[DGA]

It's a fascinating scene and a very interesting moment historically: as Rajneeshpuram was crumbling, Da Free John (Adi Da, Da Avadhoota, &c) was on the news for his "crazy wisdom" excesses... and (don't know if I want to bring this up) the troubles internal to Shambhala were ripening.

A particular style of teaching, the outlandish thing, came to a close by the end of that decade.



Last thought: the landscape in Central Oregon is absolutely stunning. One of the most beautiful places. Surprisingly isolated too.

[plwk]

When did the 1970s really die?

When men stopped wearing the bell bottoms....

[kirtu]

When did the 1970s really die?

John Lennon's assassination in 1980 (and I was not a Lennon fan and didn't understand his great work for peac at the time).

Kirt

[kirtu]

It's a fascinating scene and a very interesting moment historically: as Rajneeshpuram was crumbling, Da Free John (Adi Da, Da Avadhoota, &c) was on the news for his "crazy wisdom" excesses... and (don't know if I want to bring this up) the troubles internal to Shambhala were ripening.

A particular style of teaching, the outlandish thing, came to a close by the end of that decade.

In Germany I ran around with some young Germans in Cologne when I had time off - generally one of the recurrent discussions was Sheela and Rajneesh.

However your observation that basically this kind of outlandish teaching style was coming to an end - across the board (across faith systems) there can be these kinds of similar trends/similar concerns - they stem from deep rooted societal patterns.

Last thought: the landscape in Central Oregon is absolutely stunning. One of the most beautiful places. Surprisingly isolated too.

Hmmm .... can I get an acre for $500 and live off of it in a tent/tipi for a year or two?

Kirt