About three years ago I had visited Osho Tapoban; it was my first experience of an Osho Commune. I read about it in books, I felt it in Osho’s words, I saw it in Osho’s eyes and for many years I wondered; what ever happened to the orange revolution?
Growing up as an ethnically south-Asian Canadian in a mainly Caucasian city, Guelph Ontario, I’ve always felt like a merger between Eastern and Western flavors. When Osho spoke about Zorba the Buddha, I could totally envision it. When I read about the New Man, I saw it everywhere around me and the potential here in Canada.
My dad had an old Osho book, Zen the Path of Paradox, and from front to back—page to page— it was a mysterious delight. In those earlier edition books, Osho centers around the world were written inside. I was surprised to see one just next to my town in Waterloo. It seemed at one point an Osho Meditation Center was just steps away.
I loved the orange, the malas, the celebration and the story of Rajneeshpuram (Yes, even its grand finale). Without Sheela and her gang, Osho’s message would never be as crystallized as it is now: no matter who controls the organization surrounding Osho, Osho will always remain separate, aloof and available. They hold no spiritual authority over anyone and certainly cannot represent Osho.
I guess this holds true today with the current situation in Pune; all their instructions and guidelines on how meditators should be or how one should perceive Osho. Their rules on mundane matters like meditation robes shouldn’t be allowed outside of the resort, malas shouldn’t be worn visibly, and pictures of Osho before 1981 without a hat shouldn’t be shown in Osho Centers. I found this quite suffocating and unbelievable to what I felt when absorbing Osho through the way he lived his life. (I hope sharing my honesty won't get me banned!)
So when I arrived at Osho Tapoban it was like I was thrown back in time. The place was absolutely riveting with energy, the majority was young and it was a great dance and dissolving every day. I was full of gratitude that a place like this existed in the world. Meeting Sw. Anand Arun at that time and hearing him with passion in his eyes about Osho and spreading Osho’s vision was tear-flooding.
However, soon after I left Tapoban every other person I met had a different opinion about Osho and how he should or should not be. Many also criticized Sw. Anand Arun and Osho Tapoban for being fixated in the past. They told me he was just trying to be a guru and have some followers, or he was trying to be priest of Osho and all other shenanigans. Obviously I was taken aback and again left in utter confusion. I went to Pune, and thought this is the place to be—no more bullshit. But bullshit is everywhere including Pune (Took me a good few months realize this but I'm no Pune Basher, see below article for clarification*)!
So When I heard about Osho Tapoban’s controversy over Oshorebel.com, I vented out my confusion and anger to Sw. Anand Arun in an article called “Tapoban: East and West”. In delusion from my actual experiences of Tapoban with other external influences I criticized Sw. Anand Arun.
Since then, I had always been checking Tapoban’s website on a weekly basis. Some attraction to what was happening there never faded away. Every time I checked it looked like something was expanding somewhere in the world. I looked at the pictures and indeed something was happening that I had forgotten or was avoiding.
Tapoban was a place I could surrender and melt to Osho, and I didn’t have to feel I was making him into a religion either (or in “spiritual preschool” as some have egotistically put it). I went back and observed what I really did feel there and realized many places and people I’ve met didn’t have that fire that Tapoban had. I had also been coordinating bi-weekly meditations here in Canada at a Unity Church with an Osho admirer for 2 years. However it ended due to his controlling nature on Osho’s vision and a constant interference with his opinion on sannyas, surrender and cathartic meditations. I realized Osho cannot be compromised, edited or glossed up at any cost.
When I found out Sw. Anand Arun was scheduled to have meditation camps in the US, I knew he had to come to Canada. There was still a lot of hesitation. I contacted Sw. Arun and he was immediately ready to come. I tried contacting other local sannyasins and Osho lovers but no one really seemed pumped about it. Everyone in their own lethargic ways was passive to the idea. In a way I didn’t know if what I was doing was right anyways (Pune may ban me etc), so I cancelled the program with Sw. Arun with a bit of relief.
But this decision came to bite me in the ass! I couldn’t stop thinking about not having a camp here with Sw. Anand Arun. I was restless and finally my dad told me I shouldn’t stop myself from challenges or fear, I could use this opportunity for inner growth. I contacted him again and I didn’t get a response. When I finally thought nothing was going to happen, Sw. Arun confirmed someone had already booked a space in Canada for a meditation camp (All the way from Washington DC)!
From there, everything happened on its own accord. People contacted me out of nowhere and I met another sannyasin, Ma Namita, who helped me every step of the way. My website, http://www.osadhana.com/, which has been up for a year now started doing the things I finally wanted it to do. The entire passiveness suddenly disappeared and excitement was building.
After ending regular meditation at the Unity Church, I didn’t really know what was next because no was really committed to doing anything. But oh boy, things changed literally over night.
Many friends have already written about Osho Meditation Camps with Sw. Anand Arun, so I won’t go into details, but let’s just say over 45 people attended the camp and the room’s capacity was 35 (Next year it’ll be fully my responsibility to pick a much better space). Things just exploded and a new wave of people, the majority of the 45, were all talking about an Osho Meditation Center.
We now have four actively running Osho Meditation Centers. Four times a month the group meets at each center. Local activities are being held at each center like daily Dynamic Meditation or weekly Osho meditations and Osho discourses.
After the camp I ran a talk program at the University of Guelph for Sw. Anand Arun and I only did two weeks of advertising. I was only expecting 20-25, but had a whopping 54 people show up. I didn’t know how Sw. Anand Arun’s style would go for homegrown Canadians, but the response was overwhelmingly very good. I have email list of 30 people whom are very interested in regular Osho meditations.
Let’s just say, although I’m still searching each step of the way for authenticity, I’ve fallen in love with Sw. Anand Arun and his passion for Osho. I never felt as if he were trying to take Osho’s place, in fact, that’s the reason I’m completely taken aback from my previous feelings. His beauty is in the fact that during the whole camp it was all about Osho, meditation, and everything in between. There’s no priesthood, gurudom or any of that nonsense, just playful dance and harmony. Yes, and I’m proud to say, I still don’t know much about nothing and I’d rather be this, than compromise with my inner feelings.
Again, I made a few edits to this article because I do not condemn the Meditation Resort, but perhaps one day would like to see it integrate some of what Tapoban is doing. A further synthesis between East and West, devotion and responsbility. And one day Tapoban can adopt a friendlier style welcome committee for Guests who have never heard of Osho or meditations (Sw. Anand Arun does this very well, but some others in Tapoban should learn this!)
As far as the wildfire is concerned, it’s as dry as ever and we’ve lit the spark. Let’s wait and see.
*I don't want to sound like a Pune basher. I absolutely loved the experience in Pune, and the ambience they created for meditation. Each and every stone or piece within the Resort seemed to be in harmony and balance for meditation. The maroon still flows, the dance still happens and Osho's books and literature are still readily available. However that connection to surrender and dissolve to Osho has its restrictions. But if one can look beyond these restrictions, Pune is still a paradise and I recommend it for anyone who meditates.
For info on previous article on SannyasWorld: Tapoban East West the link is as follows:
