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Four Responses from Sannyasins (to Things Fall Apart..)

From Navajata (Christina Leckie) (formerly commune member, Medina)

“Where does this leave any one for whom Osho's vision remains in its essentials, the most heartfelt, intelligent response to life today. And some people....”

Some people backed away because they remained true to their higher essential selves. It is okay to say I know. It is okay to say I know I know. It is okay to say yes through the process of sannyas and life I have achieved. I am enlightened. I am even beyond enlightenment. Because enlightenment will never be the same for all.
Funny isnt it. Only an enlightened person can look down on themselves and say, hello stranger. Or perhaps it is this description of the beyond when you know through the nothingness. Knowing who we are is beyond words, and yet how wonderful to meet another and exchange them.
To actually laugh together and be free together, all with the greatest respect. Not all enlightened people wish for disciples, they simply wish to be with others they can communicate with. Any one for tea?
--- Love

From Alok John

I.) I have not been to Pune for years but I do not know of any evidence that Pune has “had it.” As far as I know from people who have actually visited, the ashram is thriving. You write that most people find the regime questionable, but I do not see how you can know this. It may be only a few people (mainly internet-heads) find the regime questionable. Also I think it is disparaging and insulting to use the word regime to describe the Inner Circle.

As far as I know more young people than ever are travelling to Asia.

2.) How can you say group-based psychotherapy is in eclipse when Osho Leela runs a group a month?

Further the recent work of the (ex) sannyasins Mikaire, Nadeen, Tony
Parsons, Maitreya, Dolano, etc., (though creating their own successful
energyfields) have not seemed to renew sannyas, which seemed to be their
early promise.
What do you expect with such mediocrities/charlatans?

3.) Even the vital organisational bits, Osho Leela in the UK say, would seem
arguably more influenced by Reich and Veeresh than by Osho
— I agree with this.

4) Yet this process of fragmentation and isolation seems insane: how can it be that so many people who are basically on the same wave-length, and have been through so much together, somehow fight shy of being part of a viable net-work of any sort at all? Why is this?

Cos we don’t do White Robe. Osho said that the only thing that would keep such a disparate group of individuals together was regular attendance at
White Robe Meditation. It appears He was correct!

5. Or, alternatively, if organisational sannyas can no longer exist as an independent movement could it exist as a force entering the general counter-culture and acting as a catalyst?

I very much doubt it. Osho’s work is far too revolutionary; it is for the
future, not for today.

6) The movements sparked off by Gurdjieff, by Krishnamurti, by Adi Da, by Scientology, by neo-Buddhism, and more recently by neo-shamanism are all in basically the same parlous condition as sannyas. Could all the “cults” enter into a real dialogue with one another and forge something new?

I doubt it. Da and Scientology really are cults, unlike sannyas.

Love

From Ashik

Good, well written, and exactly how I feel. Heart broken but better to have loved and been loved . "You do not know you are loved until the velvet is all rubbed off" Bless You and I wish you joy.
While I have no answers I wish I could have a hug from someone who knew, ....

Love

From Satchyadeva (Chris Esmond)
(original Editor of Osho’s book the Mustard Seed, 1974)

I have sometimes thought that 'sannyas', or what people, including myself, tended to turn it into, was used to obscure the real reason for its existence, which is surely supposed to be a help to find the truth of one's own being.

'Not being able to 'see the wood for the trees.... ' Barry Long has most
certainly helped me to see that, and other important things that somehow were blurred in my previous experience. Perhaps it's time for people to remain in their 'aloneness' - or find it, - rather than come together in 'crowds' and communities, which can be used as an escape, as well as a means towards awareness, - or maybe it's because life has placed ME in that position and it feels ok right now...
Looking at the sannyasnews 'chatboard' was a disappointing experience, as it all seemed so foolish, people arguing about - what? Nothing at all to do with 'spiritual growth', as far as I could make out'- and everyone hiding behind silly pseudonyms. Somehow, a degeneration of true 'encounter' (largely due, I suspect, to the anonymity encouraged by the setting). I certainly would not wish to voluntarily meet any of the people concerned! Put me right off, it did! However, having said that, one thing I do appreciate from sannyas (among many) is the lack of a 'holier-than-thou' ethos, which is just so refreshing, set against traditional religion, even the 'new age', and certain strands of 'humanistic psychology', ....which squares in a way with your article.

Love

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