What is this? Is it harmful? What are the processes involved? SB

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[www.aummeditation.com]

Leading therapist Veeresh (Danny Sanchez-Yuson) is the creative force behind the the 'Aum'. He is the President and founder of 'The Humaniversity' - an accredited university in Holland. His aim is to help others express their emotions and expand their personal awareness.

The AUM meditation is an intensive interactive process which is so powerful it will change your life and yet so simple you will wonder why you hadn't thought of it yourself. It energises, it releases stress and tension, it heals old wounds, it nourishes, it accesses your inner power,s it restores your appetite for life.

At the end of this two and a half hour process you will feel a deep sense of warmth and relaxation and the fragrance of love and celebration in your heart.

Because the AUM, which by the way stands for Awareness, Understanding and Meditation, has been so important in transforming all of our lives we are busy presenting it to as many people as possible. It is currently happening in Brighton and London. If you would like it to happen in your area please get in touch. If you have never tried it there's is no better time than now!

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I have had no personal involvement with this group but looking at them I would say that they should at the very least be approached with caution and that they are potentially dangerous.

Looking at the link that you posted the picture on the front page looks suspiciously like a kirtan to me (congregational chanting) in the Krishna religions. This is where people would dance and sing mantras, the abundance of orange clothing is another hint, being favoured in this religion, and the prescence of the 'Om' symbol which is said in scriptural references to represent Krishna. There are many mantras, so the lack of chanting the most commonly recognised Hare Krishna does not discount that they are proponents of this philosophy. The entire faith is very complex and it is also possible that they are 'impersonalists' - do not worship god as a person ie Krishna. It can be hard to tell, particularly when cults tend to be secretive and deceptive but there is enough referenes to the terminolgy there to sugguest a connection.

There is a trade in sellling meditation and spiritual/personal growth linking to cults - as only two examples Science of Identity (my ex cult) and Falun Gong. There is a lot about Falun Gong in the RR database for comparison. You will be able to note the vast differences in how this cult presents itself and it's practices and the dangers that it poses to their followers who have committed murders and self mutilations as a result of this 'peaceful' and 'self expanding' faith. I know from experience that offerring meditation for all of the same reasons that this group does is used as a ploy to recruit followers.

Looking at the site for the Humaniversity [www.humaniversity.nl]

The philosophy seems typical new age-y type stuff, lots of talk about 'communal therapy' and the need for and value of hugs. There is also a lot more tips that this is Krishna associated.

This quote from the founder.

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Although the Humaniversity is an independent organization, there has always been a strong spiritual connection to the enlightened Indian Mystic Osho. Most of the Humaniversity Staff are sannyasins, i.e. disciples of Osho. Veeresh's personal involvement with Osho has always been one of a simple, pure heart connection.

"Osho will always be my Master. I will always be Swami Anand Veeresh.
Sannyasins will always be my brothers and sisters. For me, Osho dies
only when I die, because He is alive in my heart."

VEERESH

Sannyasin is derived from Krishna philosphy and it is saying that these people have very definite spiritual affliliations.

I do not normally recommend the below website because I have found them to have pro-cult bias in some cases, but it seems to be an appropriate starting point to look more into this Osho character. The following is just a short excerpt..

[www.religioustolerance.org]

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In 1983, Osho's secretary Sheela Silverman predicted on behalf of Osho that there would be massive destruction on earth, between 1984 and 1999. This would include both natural disasters and man-made catastrophes. Floods larger than any since Noah, extreme earthquakes, very destructive volcano eruptions, nuclear wars etc. would be experienced. Tokyo, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Bombay were all expected to disappear. There is doubt that these predictions actually came from Osho; they are not representative of his other teachings.

A number of sources have reported that spiritual devotees of Rajneesh had spread salmonella on a local restaurant's salad bar in order to reduce voter turnout on a measure that would have restricted the group's activities. Allegedly, 751 people were affected by the bacteria.

Fearing a raid of the type that later happened in Waco, several of Osho's disciples arranged for him to be flown to Charlotte for safety. In North Carolina, he ran afoul of US immigration law. He allegedly arranged a number of phony marriages between some of his Indian followers and American citizens so that the former could obtain clearance to stay in the country. He was also charged with lying on his immigration papers. He entered an "Alford Plea," commonly called a no-contest plea.

Doomsday theories, criminal behaviour, ideas of persection and paranoia among followers are all symptoms of 'guru-itis'. Any group that is associated with such a guru is most likely a cult.

The key phrase that you should pay attention to is "...the AUM meditation is an intensive and interactive process...." This means intense, deep meditation for a couple of hours, probably including mind stopping techniques involving breathing "exercises" (hyperventilation) and chanting, all done in a group venue. This can be very harmful for some people, and it does invoke altered states of consciousness.

Some people can blow this off, walk away feeling good - no harm done. Others can go into a psychotic state and even catatonia. This is not something to play with. I experienced some of these meditations in the OSHO ashram in Pune, India and also in Marin Co., California. These meditation methods are powerful and should come with a huge warning label. Also, there will be no emergency medical staff there to help those who suffer ill effects - keep that in mind as well.

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sametanner
Also, there will be no emergency medical staff there to help those who suffer ill effects - keep that in mind as well.

Thank you for the warnings. It seems that having "no emergency medical staff" is a common feature of these orgs. e.g. Mankind project, Landmark, AUM, etc., etc.

And Osho is the very same geru known as Rajneesh who headed the free love paedophile cult in Poona!! At his Ashram now at Osho University in Poona sexually transmitted deseases was and still are so rife that condoms are freely avalable. Children are still considered to be 'trash.' Humaniversity and AUM and many other so-called tantra self-development retreats are based on Osho's teachings.

Please advise me as to whether this style of meditation is safe. I have recently done an Osho AUM Meditation and had very severe physical and mental problems afterwards. Not least of these was a splitting headache.

The AUM (Humaniversity) leaders have to date refused to correspond or to advise me; yet at the session they stated that they were professional psychotherapists and properly trained in leading AUM. At the start I was a little alarmed a being asked to sign a medical disclaimer and to give details of an emergency contact. Thank you.

It also appears that this style of meditation is widespread, even 'safe' organisations like www.london-meditation.co.uk promotes versions.

*** At a typical web site it states:

[www.london-meditation.co.uk]

Third Stage - 10 minutes:

With raised arms, jump up and down shouting the mantra, "Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!" as deeply as possible. Each time you land, on the flats of your feet, let the sound hammer deep into the sex center. Give all you have; exhaust yourself totally.

Fourth Stage - 15 minutes:

Stop! Freeze wherever you are, in whatever position you find yourself.
Don't arrange the body in any way. A cough, a movement - anything will dissipate the energy flow and the effort will be lost. Be a witness to everything that is happening to you.

*** However I have found a warning thus:

[home.att.net]

Cathartic Dancing Meditation

Cathartic Dancing Meditation is a cosmic powerhouse that can be practiced by students in good health with a normal cardiovascular system. As it is a physically strenuous exercise, one should get a complete physical examination by a competent physician before experimenting with this technique. Explain the method to your doctor, and ask if it would be physically dangerous for you to do. He probably won't understand your motives for wanting to do it, but he can tell you if he thinks your heart can safely handle it. As with jogging or mountain climbing, you must practice this method at your own risk.

*** Also there is the warning at:

[home.att.net]

*Dynamic Meditation: (warning) This spectacular meditation method was Rajneesh's trademark, and it remains a tremendously effective tool for naturally expanding consciousness. Rajneesh never did the technique himself because he didn't need to. He developed the method simply by observing his disciples, who would occasionally go into spontaneous body movements during his early meditation camps. When his judgment started to decline, he unfortunately changed the third and fourth stages of the method into a pointless torture test. The correct and most effective version of this meditation technique has four stages, each lasting ten minutes.

Stage #1) Start by standing with your eyes closed and breathe deep and fast through your nose for ten minutes. Allow your body to move freely. Jump, sway back and forth, or use any physical motion that helps you pump more oxygen into your lungs.

Stage #2) The second ten minute stage is one of catharsis. Let go totally and be spontaneous. You may dance or roll on the ground. Screaming is allowed and encouraged. You must act out any anger you feel in a safe way, such as beating the earth with your hands. All the suppressed emotions from your subconscious mind are to be released.

Stage #3) In the third stage you jump up and down yelling Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! continuously for ten minutes. This sounds silly, but the loud vibration of your voice travels down to your centers of stored energy and pushes that energy upward. When doing this stage it is important to keep your arms loose and in a natural position. Do not hold your arms over your head as that position can be medically dangerous.

Stage #4) The fourth ten minute stage is complete relaxation and quiet. Flop down on your back, get comfortable, and just let go. Be as a dead man totally surrendered to the cosmos. Enjoy the tremendous energy you have unleashed in the first three stages and become a silent witness to the ocean as it flows into the drop. Become the ocean.

Rajneesh unwisely changed the third stage of the method to rigidly holding your arms over your head while shouting Hoo! Even worse, he changed the fourth stage to freezing in place like a statue with your arms still held awkwardly over your head. This method is not only uncomfortable to the point of torture, it can also be medically dangerous for those with an underlying heart condition. When you stand with arms elevated over your head, you increase your level of orthostatic stress.

This means that your heart must work harder to pump blood that has traveled down to your legs back up to your heart and on up to your brain.

You could easily pass out in this position, or induce a heart attack in individuals with coronary artery disease.

Freezing in place makes deep relaxation impossible as it keeps your mind's controlling functions fully operational. This holds your consciousness on the surface, defeating the purpose of the exercise. The point of the technique was to have three stages of intense action followed by a fourth stage of deep relaxation and complete let go. Rajneesh could never have practiced the freeze method himself, not even in his youth.

Asking his disciples to do it simply showed that he had lost touch with reality. Rajneesh was a fallible human being, not a perfect God.

I advise students to only use the enjoyable early version of Dynamic Meditation. This wonderful technique was intended to grow with the student and change as the student changes. After a few years of practicing the method vigorously, the first three stages of the meditation should drop away spontaneously. You then go into the meditation hall, take a few deep breaths, and immediately go deep into the ecstasy of the fourth stage. Rajneesh intended the method to be fluid, health giving, and fun. Those new students who wish to experiment with Rajneesh Dynamic Meditation should read the section on Cathartic Dancing Meditation in Meditation Handbook for further warnings and details before experimenting with this powerful technique.

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sametanner
I experienced some of these meditations in the OSHO ashram in Pune, India and also in Marin Co., California. These meditation methods are powerful and should come with a huge warning label. Also, there will be no emergency medical staff there to help those who suffer ill effects - keep that in mind as well.

When I attended an AUM as a first timer I was concerned that there didn't seem to be any medically trained personnel there, and we had to sign a medical disclaimer and give details of an emergency contact.

A splitting headache was not all that I suffered. During the 'crying' session I ended up being partnered by another guy. Being straight I was NOT comfortable with that because he was very large and we ended up sitting with interlaced legs pressing genitals together. Then we had to act out the crying bit. But my barriers were well up, and the whole exercise was lost for me. When his weight got too much for me I then broke away. But he suggested that we then lie in a spooning position with his genitals pressed against my backside. The leaders stood and watched.

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SeekingTruth
Stage #3) ... Do not hold your arms over your head as that position can be medically dangerous.

But that is precisely what we were told to do. As a first timer I followed the instructions - I didn't know any different. However even the London School of Meditation teaches this technique for Osho Dynamic Mediations.

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S_Byers666
Humaniversity' - an accredited university in Holland

I wonder if their courses and therapists really are accredited? Does anyone know?

The Humaniversity is accredited only in the Netherlands and their standards for accreditation are very lax to say the least. In my opinion, such accreditation is a joke. The Humaniversity, Veeresh, and the rest are not accredited anywhere else and should not be considered legitimate or professional (my opinion). They use the Dutch accreditation to give themselves credibility they do not deserve.