Beginnings Rajneesh movement

symbol of life awakening movement. circa 1970.

university of jabalpur officials forced osho resign in 1966. developed role spiritual teacher, supporting himself through lectures, meditation camps , individual meetings (darśana or darshan—meaning sight ) wealthier followers. in 1971 initiated 6 sannyasins, emergence of neo-sannyas international movement. osho differentiated sannyas traditional practice, admitting women , viewing renunciation process of renouncing ego rather world. disciples still adopted traditional mala, , ochre robe, , change of name. @ time, osho adopted title bhagwan shree rajneesh .

by 1972, had initiated 3,800 sannyasis in india. total rest of world @ time 134, including 56 united states, 16 each britain , germany, 12 each italy , philippines, 8 in canada, 4 in kenya, 2 in denmark , 1 each france, netherlands, australia, greece, sweden, norway , switzerland. after house purchased osho in poona in 1974, founded ashram, , membership of movement grew. more seekers began visit western nations, including therapists human potential movement. began run group therapy @ ashram.

osho became first eastern guru embrace modern psychotherapy. discoursed daily upon religious scriptures, combining elements of western philosophy, jokes , personal anecdotes. commented on hinduism, zen , other religious sources, , western psychotherapeutic approaches.

swami prem amitabh (robert birnbaum), 1 of therapists in poona ashram, estimates there 100,000 sannyasins 1979. bob mullan, sociologist university of east anglia, states @ 1 time there 6,000 rajneeshees in poona, visiting weeks or months groups or meditations, 2 thousand working , living on permanent basis in , around ashram. lewis f. carter, sociologist washington state university, estimates 2,000 sannyasins resided @ rajneeshpuram @ height.

after osho s death , burial @ site, ashram in poona became osho international meditation resort, 1 of india s main tourist attractions. identifying esalen of east, resort has classes in variety of spiritual techniques broad range of traditions , markets facility spiritual oasis, sacred space discovering 1 s self, , uniting desires of body , mind in beautiful environment. according press reports, attracts 200,000 people on world each year; prominent visitors have included politicians, media personalities , dalai lama.

during time rajneesh in oregon, period of anti-cult leads politicians @ time come out against commune. commune harassed many governmental agencies such fbi, cost lot of tax-payer money. after oregon commune destroyed, fbi goes on investigation bring commune further down. under investigation immigration fraud. after trial of osho, attorney of portland admits government did put commune rest. more members arrested, such sheela p. silverman accused attempted murder. after media craze , deportation of osho, rajneesh movement in oregon broke down 1,500 left in rajneeshpuram. there scandals of children molestation belief going crush building.