Rajneesh / Osho and Humaniversity in The Netherlands.

American-born Veeresh Danny Yuson-Sanchez (1938- ) founded this centre in 1978 and continues as its director. Veeresh was a drug addict who successfully stopped his addiction and trained to help others with similar problems before he met Osho / Rajneesh in 1974. His Humaniversity is independent from the [Osho / Rajneesh] Pune ashram but maintains ties with it and other institutions and individuals influenced by Osho / Rajneesh.

The teachings, therapies and techniques associated with Osho have changed substantially over his lifetime and have continued to change after his death. Whilst Osho / Rajneesh (1931-1990) was alive, the movement went through various phases of communal living, particularly at the Pune (Poona) ashram in India and at the Oregon Rajneeshpuram (1981-1985).

The Pune ashram was controversial for other reasons; it attracted a variety of seekers as well as therapists, and as a result there was a lot of experimentation with a wide variety of techniques. Some of the group therapies, however, especially those known as 'advanced therapy groups', garnered a reputation of being violent. Not only was there occasional violence as people were doing 'ego work', therapies were frequently mixed with the teachings on sexuality. As a result, the ashram was linked to allegations of sexual misconduct including paedophilia and uncommitted "free love". STIs were rampant and condoms were made freely available. The feral children of the numerous "free love" unions were a real problem for the Pune authorities. Some did not even know who their real parents were. All belongings, even toys, were shared communually.

Although the Pune ashram in India was the setting for the most experimental and controversial techniques, Rajneeshpuram was the more controversial. Senior leadership at Rajneeshpuram was convicted of serious felony charges including assault, attempted murder, arson, wiretapping and mass food poisoning. Osho himself was not charged with any of these crimes, but was deported from the USA in 1985 for visa irregularities.

Today, the Pune ashram, now called the Osho International Meditation Resort, is a very different, more mainstream, place, and attracts thousands of visitors each year. The Pune Centre is governed by an Inner Circle of 21 sannyasins (desciples of Osho) appointed by Osho before his death. Swami Prem Jayesh is the leader of this group. Osho International Foundation, based in New York, administers the rights to Osho's work and the copyright of his name.

The 'Multiversity' at the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune continues to run hundreds of courses and workshops that employ a wide range of therapies. The centre is run as a luxury resort for westerners to 'recharge' physically and spiritually.

Although the human-potential techniques are still in operation, the meditations are geared towards those who can pay. Resort residents at the Osho guesthouse are charged about £40 per night for their comfortable air-conditioned accommodation. Students on 90-day meditation work training programmes are expected to pay from £350 for their 90-day accommodation. Indian nationals are offered less than half-price rates, but most attendees are of international origins.

Perhaps as an indication of the continuing practice of "free love" intending students are required to pass an HIV / AIDS test before being admitted.

Veeresh has a reputation of running more intense and confrontational courses at his Humaniversity than those usually run at the Multiversity. His therapy style is also described as more similar to what was practised at Pune in its early years than what has become more recently popular. An interviewer described his courses as consisting of 'deep emotional release processes, late nights, unpredictability, and intense social interaction'. Veeresh is currently running a Humaniversity programme at the Osho Meditation Resort Multiversity in Pune, India (6 February 6 - 4 March 4 2007).

In Britain there is a 'London Humaniversity AUM Meditation' which is directly affiliated with Veeresh and the Humaniversity. It runs the two and a half hour AUM mediation sessions at rented venues in London and does not maintain physical premises. (See: [www.aummeditation.com] The twelve stages of this 'meditation' practise are described in detail on this website.)

Osho Leela in Dorset is the largest of 18 information, distribution and meditation centres in Britain and currently consists of fourteen adult sannyasins living in shared houses and an open number of temporary residents (it does not represent the Humaniversity in Britain). Osho Leela is an independent organisation that draws inspiration from Osho and has connections with, but not formal control by, the Pune Osho Meditation Resort. However, there is an overlap of people and courses between the various centres and independent organisations. There are probably around 3,000 people currently associated with the Osho movements in Britain.

Typical concerns about Humaniversity are as follows:

One enquirer was a former participant who reported that he felt very uncomfortable during a 'sexual healing workshop' that asked participants to participate in public masturbation and homosexual touching. This enquirer walked out during this workshop. He did also report that he did not feel pressured to return and joined in later sessions without penalty.

Another enquiry was a parent concerned about a child attending a counselling training course at the Humaniversity centre. The advertised descriptions of the courses at the Humaniversity website (http://www.humaniversity.nl) do tell participants to expect challenging experiences that will probably bring up strong emotions and feelings. With techniques of this kind, people are likely to have different reactions. Some report positive life-changing experiences, others report negative, or even traumatic, experiences.

Although the Humaniversity might use controversial techniques, it does appear that the activities are voluntary. Since Osho's death, controversy has been minimal and sannyasins stress their sense of personal autonomy and freedom.

With regards to the AUM Meditation sessions these appear to actively target 'vulnerable people' to draw them into the Osho 'cult'. As are other Osho inspired 'active meditations' AUM Meditation can be potentially injurious and an injury disclaimer contract has to be signed before participating. Particants pay a fee to attend. Few concessions are made for new comers. Medical support is rarely provided, not even first aid. Yet the leaders are always described as fully trained and professional.

The personal development techniques offered by Veeresh are likely to attract people who are having various difficulties in their lives and want to make changes in the way they understand the world. These changes often surprise and concern friends and relatives. Certainly, the individual involved in personal development courses may later regret some of their actions and decisions. However, other people report being happy with the decisions and changes they have made as a result from courses such as these. There have been few reports about any recent negative experiences in Osho-inspired centres, although there should be awareness that Vereesh offers 'challenging experiences' (somewhat in line with the more confrontational approach at Pune).

It appears that there are now many Osho sannyasins who are devoting their lives to promoting his teachings under the generic umbrella 'tantra.' These are probably second generation off-spring from the Pune and Oregon communes. Whilst 'tantra' itself is thousands of years old, most modern tantra organisations seem to be based on the mid-20'th century somewhat twisted teachings of Rajneesh / Osho. The main organisations appear to be BodyElectric (USA), SkyDancing (USA and worldwide), Gay-Tantra (Germany and Europe), and a myriad of lesser so-called 'schools of awakening.' Many of these appear to be run by Osho devotees dabbling with vulnerable people's lives without formal training or qualifications in conventional psychotherapy. Yet they all seem to promise enhanced self-awareness, improved relationships, and sexual healing; but as always - for a price.

Finally I find something abouth the humaniversity that doesn't come from devotees.
I am worried about a friend of mine, who has joined them a while ago. She tells me stories that raises my hair. At first she was reluctant to tell anything about her experiences, then she told some things, and after that she became silent again. I think she feels very uncomfortable to tell anything about it and I know (from her own words) that some humaniversity therapists warn people that speaking out about it might only confuse people, so it is better not to tell too much.
She had a relationship when she started to do the humaniversity. Because she had sex there and felt guilty, she asked one of the therapists if she had to tell her boyfriend. The advise was not to tell him, because after all this was her proces and he would not understand it anyway.
By this statement, they create a distance between her and her loved one.

It all seems to be very sexual loaded. There are arranged sexual encounters, in which they put the men in a circle and the women as well, and make them walk around each other. On a sign given by the therapist the circles stop, and the one in front of you is supposed to be your date. Of course you don't have to have sex with them, but they do encourage you to 'explore' yourself in it. I can imagine that with some group pressure, you are not gonna refuse too many times, because according to Veeresh all you need to do to get better is to orgasm and fuck.


( read this, from the Humaniversity website [www.humaniversity.nl] itself:
"So when in groups you find people afraid of orgasm, help them to understand that orgasm is going to make you saner, more intelligent, less angry, less violent, more loving. Orgasm is going to give you your roots that have been taken away from you. So don't be worried.")

Yeah.
She told me that in some cases she didn't want to have sex with the men that the therapists set her up with, but she just 'let them do their thing'.
Of course it is all one big learning experience. If you don't want to, then it might be that you feel resistance. You should find out why that is. What happened to you in the past that you are not feeling comfortable?
It can easely all be one big f*cked up mindgame.

One other example like this is about a workshop in which the women had to present hookers, and the men had to present the clients. This way, a client could ask a hooker. Of course again they are talking about free will, you don't háve too, but what about the group pressure?!?

I asked her if the therapists also had sex with the clients. She said: "Well, officially not, but yes it happens." So there you got a nice powerplay, there is always a powerdifference between therapist and client, and sex should NOT be an issue between the two of them to my opinion!

I can say many things about this because it actually makes me sick. I have seen too much psychological manipulation myself, and I also know that a therapy group can actually function very well and be a great benefit to someones healing proces.
With therapeutical things like this, I only see a lot of manipulation and damage beeing done.
After she had been there for a few months, she told me that she felt like having a nervous breakdown. Well, how good was it then for her? But of course they tell her that this was only a start, and to really get well she should not stop now but continue.

Quote
SeekingTruth
Rajneesh / Osho and Humaniversity in The Netherlands.

Yet they all seem to promise enhanced self-awareness, improved relationships, and sexual healing; but as always - for a price.

And the price paid can also be the destruction of relationships outside the cult. Have no doubt Humaniversity is every bit as licentious as the ashram was (and still is) at Pune. Free sex at the latter was so bad, and the feral kids produced caused so many problems, that enforced sterilsation was ordered for both men and women (even as young as 14) by Rajneesh himself.

An excellent expose of the Rajneesh cult (now called Osho) is in the book:

Bhagwan: The God That Failed (A Thomas Dunne Book) (Hardcover)
by Hugh Milne

[www.amazon.co.uk]

If you or anyone else has any other reports of the kind of activities that go on at Humaniversity - Nederlands or UK etc. - I think that they need to be aired here.

Unfortunately his perverted teachings and sexual practices are being spread by numerous so-called 'Tantra' schools all over the world.

The quote about orgasm is at

[www.humaniversity.nl]

If therapy consists of having sex with all and sundry I wonder what their STD/STI rate is? Also one would hope that condoms are provided. However many STDs/STIs can still be passed on even if condoms are worn. Another issue of concern must be during the somewhat random nature of obtaining a date (possible sexual partner for later) when say a 60-year old guy and a 20-year old woman are partnered together. Great for the guy, but not so great for the girl. And I have also heard that during the group sex meditations that sometimes a girl has to watch her boy friend have sex with another girl, or a boy watch his girl friend having sex with another guy.

And they call this therapy?

Quote
SeekingTruth

And the price paid can also be the destruction of relationships outside the cult.

That is exactly what I mean. When they told her to keep things a secret for her boyfriend, they create a destructive distance between them. The two of them have split up, allthough I can not say if this is because of the Humaniversity.

What I do know is that she says that she feels more distance between her and her other friends, because they don't want to constantly share their feelings like she wants to.
And I also know that she is very carefull with what she tells me, because she realises that i am not extremely enthousiastic about the whole thing. I do actually try to accept that this is what she wants, and instead of critisizing I rather ask her some questions, because I don't want her to go into a defensive state and close the doors.
And this defence, I felt right away, from the first time I saw her again after she had been there for a coupe of months.

By the way, this is in the Netherlands community.

About the condoms:
I asked her how this goes. She says that every participant has to fill in a paper in which they state that they are healthy, and they need an aids test to come with that statement.

That says enough.

(Sorry if this is accidentally posted twice.. I pushed the return button, refined my spelling and pushed again on submit...)

I want to add this as well, just some thinking out loud:

I absolutely do also believe that if this is what someone chooses, then it's the person who makes the choise and who am I to go against it? My way doesn't have to be anybody elses way of living.

I am just worried, because I think that in a client-therapist situation people are very vulnerable, and especially sexual practices like this could really harm someone.
It is not for me to say that harm is actually been done there, it is what I suspect.

I ask myself till what point do you say that the person him/herself is responsible for what is happening? Who am I to say that this person is 'beyond clear thinking'?

If people in a community want to have sex together, even unprotected, it's their choice. But then again, in a therapeutical environment we are talking about very vulnerable people. And therapists who know that and should not make an other relationship with the client then the therapeutical one. They should also not stimulate the person into creating a distance between them and their loved ones.

Maybe it goes even to the point that the humaniversity is great for most people there. But that does not say that there are no victims.

With what my friend told me, I think psychological manipulation is happening there, and peoples lives can be damaged by this. That is what I hate, what makes me angry. People who seek help and therapy should not be misused like this. They should be safe and be able to grow and find who they really are inside and what they really want inside.
I think by sexualising everything and telling people that there is something wrong with them if they are not willing to have those sexual experiences, you make people even more vulnerable, and take something from them that is the most vulnerable thing they have.
(I also heard that there are sometimes more men there then women, which is normally not the case in therapeutical setups, and if there are more men and they do a circel, a girl has to date more then one man at the same time.)

The sexualisation Veeresh makes, and 'his' therapists make, is like people here on this board say an extension of what happened in the Osho commune, and in many cults. And history tells it is never without damage or powerplays.

I do hope that people who have actually been in the humaniversity program speak out.

Quote
Sangre
I think by sexualising everything and telling people that there is something wrong with them if they are not willing to have those sexual experiences, you make people even more vulnerable, and take something from them that is the most vulnerable thing they have.

In Pune the local Indians were horrified to witness scantily clad Westernised women (and guys) from the Rajneesh commune intimately socialising with each other. Semi-nakedness is not part of the Indian culture especially in public with strangers.

However at a recent 'Introduction to Tantra' event I attended one of the activities was to give a partner (in many cases a total stranger of the opposite sex) a naked massage. There was an Indian lady there who did not participate - such an activity in public was totally against her culture.

Also too at another 'Tantra Weekend' we also had to give naked massages to each other. An Indian professional guy was there and whilst he was fairly happy to receive a massage from two semi-naked guys and two semi-naked women, he himself kept his lower clothes on. This weekend was part of a series which he had paid for. But he never went to the following weekends.

The problem with Humaniversity (ex-Rajneesh Institute) and OshoLeela is that they promote the teachings of Rajneesh / Osho - which of course is why they exist. Rajneesh cashed in big time by meeting the demand from Westerners for a free love experience (aka uncommitted sex) much in-line with what went on in the swinging 60's. He twisted ancient tantra to suit the 'needs' of these Westerners who followed and practiced his teachings and were prepared to pay for the 'knowledge.' They still flock to the Osho Campus today. He promoted weird sexual practices including paedophilia between parents and offspring. He called much of this tantra. But his teachings and practices were not tantra at all.

Unfortunately a huge number of tantra organisations have now jumped onto the Rajneesh / Osho bandwagon. These are mainly promoted by second generation members of the Pune &/or Oregon communes. They are simply regurgitating the teachings and activities of Rajneesh / Osho and his sanysassins (followers of Osho) again under the label 'tantra.'

In the main stream these include SkyDancing (USA/UK), Gay-Tantra (DE), and BodyElectric (USA). But there are a myriad of smaller organisations and couples offering tantra workshops based on Rajneesh / Osho.

So now when you seek workshops in tantra you have to be damned careful. There are two types of tantra offered - original untainted thousands or years old tantra v.v. the weird Rajneesh / Osho variety which invariably means nakedness and having uncommited sex.

Humaniversity and OshoLeela (and other Osho centres) also use Active Meditations such as AUM to hook people into the cult. There are some internal documents floating around the web which details such a campaign to do this. Cults are often mentioned as using meditation and yoga workshop to hook people in. Humaniversity and OshoLeela are only two. Another is 3HO which uses Kundalini Yoga as the hook - and this latter is a VERY big business.

It should be obvious why there are more men than women on the workshops - free sex with younger women. But I wonder what the women think about this?

But I think the telling issue that 'lets the cat out of the bag' is that in order to attend any of the so-called theraputic workshops at Osho in Pune, Humaniversity in the Nederlands, OshoLeela in Dorset, etc., you have to pass an AIDS test first. The mind boggles.

Quote
Sangre
they told her to keep things a secret for her boyfriend

Obviously if she ended up having sex with another guy there. Hopefully she wont catch an STD / STI - condoms are not 100% effective. I think you do need to warn her about this possibility.

Three good exposes of the Rajneesh love cult including references to: paedophilia, incest, losing virginity of kids by kids, free love / uncommited sex, AIDs tests including for kids, violent and confrontational 'therapies' resulting in broken bones, enforced unpaid physical labour, enforced sterilisation (men and women), attempted bio-terrorism, murder, extortion, phone tapping, secret recordings, etc., etc.

Bhagwan: The God That Failed (A Thomas Dunne Book) (Hardcover)
by Hugh Milne (Author)

[www.amazon.co.uk]

My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru (Paperback)
by Tim Guest (Author)

[www.amazon.co.uk]

Yoga School Dropout (Paperback)
by Lucy Edge (Author)

[www.amazon.co.uk]

=================

From Tim Guest' book:

[www.readinggroupguides.com]

The article, from The Times, was headlined MINISTER ACTS AFTER INQUEST ON SCHOOLBOY.

A boy was found hanged after a row during a clothes-swapping game with girls at the Ko Hsuan private boarding school, Devon, an inquest was told today.

The school, where some teenage boys and girls share the same bedroom, is organised on communal lines and follows the teachings of the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.

Nicholas Shultz, aged 13, fell out with a girl he had a crush on because she would not let him wear her clothes. About half an hour later Nicholas was found hanging from a rope swing in the grounds.

[The school was closed down by the School Inspectorate shortly afterwards. At least one of the school's directors is still acive in the Osho-inspired tantra scene in the UK.]

=================

Want to see what some of these orange people look like and what they are up to now? Many are the products of uncommitted sexual unions during the free love meditations at Rajneesh / Osho communes. See: [www.sannyas.net]

Scroll to the bottom and you will see that some are now involved in other cults:

[b:f4b885e868]Miracle of Love[/b:f4b885e868]

MOL is a spiritual movement located in San Diego, southern California, offering a path of love, devotion, and feeling. It is led by an American woman called Kalindi, and is renowned for its Miracle of Love Intensive, an 8 day group that REALLY lives up to the name "Intensive".

Many Sannyasins (including Yogananda and Premananda are attracted to MOL and Rafia and Turiya are this season offering a Path of Love process in Poona based on the MOL Intensive.

Sannyasins often have difficulty with the Christian language used in MOL.

Yogananda 11/95

[b:f4b885e868][Avatar[/b:f4b885e868]

A workshop process, I'll let one of the people involved tell you what it is!
Alima is into this.