OSHO: The Indian Mystic
He was born on December 11, 1931. His name is “Rajneesh” Chandra Mohan Jain also known as Acharya Rajneesh from the period of the 1960s, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh from the period of 1970s and 1980s, and eventually the name Osho in 1989. He was called an Indian mystic and teacher of the spiritual soul.
As a professor in Philosophy, he travelled throughout India as a public speaker in the period of the 1960s, speaking against socialism that raised so much controversy; he also challenged the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and other institutionalized religions. He was also called the “sex guru” because of his advocacy to a more positive and open attitude towards sexuality by the Indian as well as the International Press later on. He settled for a while in Mumbai (Bombay) during the 1970s. His disciples who are also known as neo-sannyasins started their initiation as he took over the role of a spiritual teacher. In his teachings, he shared with his followers his reinterpretation of the writings of religious traditions, spiritual leaders and philosophers from all over the world. In 1974, he moved to Pune where he established an ashram which a Hindu hermitage where people lived harmoniously amidst nature, that attracted a large number of Westerners. Therapies from the Human Potential Movement were offered by the ashram to its Western audience that made news and reached not only India but also abroad due to its permissive aura and the provocative teachings of their leader and founder, Osho. The Indian government and the surrounding society were mounting tensions by the end of the 1970s.
Rajneeshpuram was established by his followers as an intentional community in the state of Oregon in 1981, when Osho relocated to the United States. Within the period of one year, the leadership of the community became entangled with the brewing conflict with the local residents over the primary use of the land marked by bitter hostility that existed on both sides. Osho also attracted notoriety for his large collection of the luxurious Rolls-Royce motorcars. When Osho revealed in 1985 that the Oregon commune had committed a number of serious crimes including bioterror attack on the citizens of The Dalles, the Oregon commune collapsed. Because of this, Osho was shortly after arrested and charged with violations against immigration. In accordance with a plea bargain, he was deported from the United States. Osho then returned to Pune following an enforced world tour wherein he was denied entry by twenty-one countries. It was also in Pune where he died in the year 1990. Today, his ashram still exists and is known by the name of Osho International Meditation Resort.
Osho’s synergistic teachings elaborated more on the importance of meditation, consciousness, love, merriment, creativity and humour which according to him are the main qualities that are being suppressed because of the adherence to stagnant belief systems, socialization and religious traditions. He has greatly impacted the Western New Age thought and his popularity continued to augment even after his death.