Beliefs and practices Rajneesh movement

1 beliefs , practices

1.1 religion
1.2 society

1.2.1 intentional community
1.2.2 marriage , family


1.3 commerce

beliefs , practices
religion

a 1972 monograph outlined osho s concept of sannyas. worldwide movement, rooted in affirmation of life, playful, joyful , based on science rather belief , dogma. not rely on ideology , philosophy, on practices, techniques , methods aiming offer every individual chance discover , choose own proper religious path; intent lead people essential, universal religiousness. movement open people of religions or of none, experimenting inner methods of religions in pure, original form, not seeking synthesise them provide facilities whereby each might revived, maintained , defended , lost , hidden secrets rediscovered. movement not seek create new religion.

logo of neo-sannyas international. circa 1970s.

to end, communities founded around world , groups of sannyasins tour world aid seekers of spiritual enlightenment , demonstrate techniques of meditation. other groups perform kirtan (call , response chanting) , conduct experiments in healing. communities run own businesses, , various publishing companies founded. central international university of meditation have branches on world , run meditation camps, , study groups investigate key texts of tantra, taoism, hinduism , other traditions.

in 1 survey conducted @ rajneeshpuram, on 70 percent of surveyed listed religious affiliation none ; however, 60 per cent of sannyasins participated in activities of worship several times month. in late 1981 osho, through secretary ma anand sheela (sheela silverman), announced inception of religion of rajneeshism , basis of fragments taken various discourses , interviews osho had given on years. in july 1983 rajneesh foundation international published book entitled rajneeshism: introduction bhagwan shree rajneesh , religion, in attempt systematise rajneesh s religious teachings , institutionalise movement. despite this, book claimed rajneeshism not religion, rather religionless religion ... quality of love, silence, meditation , prayerfulness . carter comments motivation formalising osho s teachings not easy determine, might perhaps have been tied visa application made immigration , naturalization service obtain religious worker status him. people followed norms of wearing similar clothes , participating in same activities. interesting poeople not punished wearing other clothes or disagreeing teachings. people allowed come , go pleased long did not hurt anybody.

in last week of september 1985, after sheela had fled in disgrace, rajneesh declared religion of rajneeshism , rajneeshees no longer existed, , bearing name dismantled. disciples set fire 5,000 copies of book of rajneeshism, 78-page compilation of teachings had defined rajneeshism religionless religion . osho said ordered book-burning rid sect of last traces of influence of sheela, robes added bonfire.

society
intentional community

osho held families, large cities , nations replaced small communities communal way of life. 1972, small communes of disciples existed in india , kenya, , larger one, known anand shila, planned permanent world headquarters in india. however, plan repeatedly thwarted. large communes planned in west. rajneesh organisation bought 64,229-acre (259.93 km) big muddy ranch near antelope, oregon in july 1981, renaming rancho rajneesh , later rajneeshpuram. initially, approximately 2,000 people took residence in intentional community, , rajneesh moved there too. organisation purchased reception hotel in portland. in july 1983 bombed radical islamic group jamaat ul-fuqra, group had connections militants in pakistani-held azad kashmir , sought attack soft targets indian connections in united states.

the rajneesh movement clashed oregon officials , government while @ rajneeshpuram, resulting in tensions within commune itself. siege mentality set in among commune s leaders, , intimidation , authoritarianism ensued. disillusioned followers began leave organisation. commune members instructed cease communication left.

marriage , family

although movement without defined , shared values, known osho discouraged marrying , having children, since saw families inherently prone dysfunction , destructiveness. not many children born @ communes in oregon , england, , contraception, sterilisation, , abortion accepted. according pike, women justified leaving children when moving ashram reasoning spiritual development more important.

commerce

hugh b. urban comments 1 of astonishing features of rajneesh movement remarkable success business enterprise . developed extremely effective , profitable corporate structure , , 1980s, movement had evolved complex, interlocking network of corporations, astonishing number of both spiritual , secular businesses worldwide, offering yoga , psychological counselling cleaning services. has been estimated @ least 120 million dollars generated during movement s time in oregon, period when acquisition of capital, collection of donations, , legal work primary concern. popular press reported on large collection of rolls royce cars osho had amassed, reported 93 @ final count. james s. gordon reported sannyasins saw cars unrivalled tool obtaining publicity, others business investment or test, others expression of osho s scorn middle-class aspirations , yet others indication of love of disciples. gordon opined osho loved rolls-royces, apart comfort, anger , envy possession of many—so absurdly, unnecessarily, outrageously many—of them aroused . wrote of bumper sticker popular among sannyasins: jesus saves. moses invests. bhagwan spends.

by mid-1980s, movement, assisted sophisticated legal , business infrastructure, had created corporate machine consisting of various front companies , subsidiaries. @ time, 3 main identifiable organisations within rajneesh movement were: ranch church, or rajneesh foundation international (rfi); rajneesh investment corporation (ric), through rfi managed; , rajneesh neo-sannyasin international commune (rnsic). umbrella organisation oversaw investment activities rajneesh services international ltd., company incorporated in uk based in zurich. there smaller organisations, such rajneesh travel corp, rajneesh community holdings, , rajneesh modern car collection trust, sole purpose deal acquisition , rental of rolls royces. 21st century, members of movement running stress management seminars corporate clients such bmw, , movement reported in 2000 making $15–45 million annually in u.s.