Who is OSHO? Here’s Everything About the Rise and Fall of the “Controversial Indian Guru”

 OSHO was a controversial Indian mystic, philosopher, and godman who was born as Chandra Mohan Jain and subsequently became known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. He also founded the Rajneesh movement. His teachings focused on individual freedom, meditation, and a more accepting view of sexuality. He was an outspoken critic of political ideologies and traditional religions. In addition to gaining a sizable following in India and eventually the US, his movement was accompanied by controversy and legal disputes. The OSHO International Meditation Resort formerly stood in for his ashram in Pune, India, and his teachings are still widely followed today.

Key Takeaways:

- The founder of the Rajneesh movement, OSHO was a controversial Indian mystic, philosopher, and deity. Personal autonomy, mindfulness, and a more accepting view of sexuality were all stressed in his teachings.

- Though it was accompanied by controversy and legal disputes, his movement managed to amass a sizable following in both India and the US.

- As a result of the controversy, OSHO's teachings are still widely accepted today, and the OSHO International Meditation Resort formerly stood in his Pune, India, ashram.

- In contrast to conventional religions and ideologies, his teachings place a strong emphasis on living in the present.

Early Life and Spiritual Awakening

In a village of Kuchwada, India, on December 11, 1931, OSHO was born as Chandra Mohan Jain. His family were merchants of cloth. His maternal grandparents gave him the freedom to explore and come to terms with his identity during his formative years. Out of the eleven children, he was the eldest. This incident had a profound effect on his development and influenced his later teachings regarding the importance of individual freedom.

A standout student, OSHO became interested in a range of consciousness-raising practices, including breath control, yogic exercises, meditation, hypnosis, fasting, and the occult. Apart from his doubts about traditional religion, he also became interested in anarchism and communism, which he later rejected.

In 1953, at the age of 21, OSHO experienced a spiritual awakening that drastically changed the course of his life. After perfecting his teachings, he started traveling around India and giving lectures to attract followers.

The Movement of Rajneesh

As his movement gained traction in the 1960s, OSHO opened an ashram in Pune, India. His teachings placed a strong emphasis on the benefits of meditation, personal autonomy, and a more accepting view of sexuality. He asked his followers to reject traditional ascetic practices and live to the fullest in the world, however, without getting any attachment to it.

In addition to gaining a sizable following in India and eventually the US, the movement was accompanied by controversy and legal disputes. The Indian press dubbed OSHO the "sex guru" and criticized him for his teachings on sexuality. Along with charges of emotional and sexual manipulation of followers, his movement was labeled as a cult.

OSHO moved to the United States in 1981 and settled in Wasco County, Oregon, forming a commune. Locals and the state government opposed the commune, though, and OSHO was ultimately removed from the country due to immigration-related issues.

Legacy

Even now, many still adhere to OSHO's teachings despite the controversy that surrounded his movement. Offering a variety of meditation techniques and therapies, his ashram in Pune, India is now called the OSHO International Meditation Resort. His teachings have a great impact till this date and have influenced Western New Age thought. In addition to that, his books and lectures are accessible all around the world.  

OSHO's teachings emphasized on many ideologies such as living your life to the fullest and not to miss the present moment. He also stressed on meditation and self-sufficiency in his teachings. He promoted a more progressive and inclusive approach to spirituality, rejecting traditional religions and ideologies in the process. Millions of people worldwide are still motivated and influenced by the lessons he taught, despite the controversy surrounding his movement.

Death

Osho passed away in Pune, India, on January 19, 1990 at the age of 58 years old. Ever since his deportation from the United States in 1985, Osho's health had been declining. He was held captive for two weeks and allegedly given a toxic substance called thallium as a form of poisoning. He went back to India after being freed, where his health kept getting worse. Although heart failure was listed as the official cause of his death, his supporters thought that he had been poisoned while under US government custody. The speedy cremation, the absence of a recording of his farewell speech on video or audio, and the validity of his will have all been questioned. According to reports, Osho's mother accused his disciples of murder. In addition to ongoing investigations into money laundering and intellectual property rights, the Bombay High Court has requested the original will.