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The Veeresh Event

Review of the Veeresh Event, London, 11 December 2003

Old hands will know that Veeresh’s events and therapies include tons of hugging and this was no exception. First we were taught how to hug (really!) Lucy showed us how to do it. Hugging should not be overly sexual but it must be pretty close. English hugging without touching will not do! Then we told someone of our most embarrassing incident and hugged. We shared our best sexual experience and hugged. We were kangaroos and we hugged. Then the men shot Cupid arrows at the women, said, I love you, and yet again we hugged. Finally Veeresh told the men they had to ask the women for a sex date. As this brought up more anxiety for me than the prospect of major surgery, or even leaving the body, I ran away to the bar to get a drink. (I was not the only one!)

Lucy and the pretty Asian lady whose name I always forget were helpers. To be honest they looked slightly bored. Why they deserve the accolade of the best therapists in the world is beyond me. But they did not manage to dampen the participants' enthusiasm.

The venue was fine, the music was good and there were lots of new faces. Friendships were made and phone numbers exchanged. A good time was had by all. For once the evening was not spoiled by an overly hard sell of Veeresh's upcoming group.

Humaniversity therapy is based on simple, even simplistic, structures like the Aum, Irish coffees, doing the washing up on time and endless hugging. Many of the training groups appear to be mere variations or extensions of what happens in the Aum meditation. The therapy has always seemed a bit too much like social work for my taste. Veeresh could never be my Master. But chatting to the trainees at Osho Leela over the holidays, it was obvious that certain people really love and benefit from the training.

Veeresh looked excellent, slim, fit and healthy. I think he must be enlightened. I hugged him once and could feel no resistance at all, he seemed completely empty. Perhaps that is the explanation for the success of his therapy.

How mysterious it is that a dope loving ex junkie from New York, from a minority group, should (maybe) be a Zen Master. Confounds all my prejudices and expectations.

Alok John

Veeresh leads one or two groups a year at Osho Leela and is based at the
Humaniversity, Holland.

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