A radiance of light, and a few words...
As many former RW members have learned, Michael Gottlieb was a student of Osho-formerly Rajneesh. Although Mr. Gottlieb never acknowledged his influence, the majority of Michael's meditations, letters, tapes and practices were obtained from Osho.
There are many examples where whole sections of writings have been almost lifted directly, and in comparison the volumes of Michael Gottlieb's letters and Osho's writings have strikingly similar theses, vocabulary, cadence, even thought processes. If someone were to read either's works without knowing the author, one could easily be mistaken for the other.
There have been a few RW followers entrusted with access to Mr. Gottlieb's residential office who knew of his sizable, extensive collection of Osho books, audio and video tapes. Little did they realize how routinely these references were passed off as MG's profound "culmination" of many different teacher's words. He preemptively stifled any challenge by claiming "Nothing I teach is original", and "I'll use anything" to reach his students. The examples of direct Osho teachings in his program are so numerous that Mr. Gottlieb must have known it was only a matter of time before the truth would be exposed. He could see that the internet was going to eventually uncover something he could have easily conceded to from the beginning, but still he chose to barely mention Rajneesh's influence. He spoke of him once and only as a peer, never as his revered teacher.
In truth, it is documented that Mr. Gottlieb came to Osho without the ability to express inner sadness or joy. In an openly available audio recording, Osho mentions MG by name and answers a question regarding this inability. Osho spends some time speaking directly to MG and mentions that is it wise that he has extended his stay. Michael's time with Osho must have been a deep experience since it was barely a year after their meeting that MG had his shift to "enlightenment" on Mt. Jacumba. Did Michael ever mention to his students that the body of his work was largely a facilitation of Osho's teachings? Or even an influence? This was a secret that he had to maintain on a daily basis, and it was probably the root of his need for Kabbalistic furtiveness, his resentment toward the dependency he cultivated in his community and his perverse behavior during privates, etc..
Michael always presented his talks as prerecorded tapes that he would play for students during retreats and pilgrimages, or as lectures from written notes from a lectern during his lavish birthday parties. Rarely did he present a talk freeform. Going through Osho's extensive library of talks, one can see that Mr. Gottlieb recorded or wrote his material partially to keep intact the energy and power of teachings that Osho presented off-the-cuff.
Luckily, Osho is one of the most open and published gurus of our time. Let's begin with a number of meditation practices that formed the foundation of Mr. Gottlieb's monthly "Pilgrimages". They can easily be found on Osho's website, created by Osho with specific music and instruction long before Michael's creation of Jacumba.
GIBBERISH and LET-GO
MG would routinely end the first evening of Pilgrimage with this meditation, using the same music. Described on Osho's website as "A method of release using sound and body movement, Gibberish has been described by Osho as “one of the most scientific ways to clean your mind.” It is followed by a guided relaxation into a state of complete let-go."
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www.osho.com]
LAUGHING MEDITATION
This was the second of three meditations that MG considered foundational to Pilgrimage. As quoted from Osho's book, "Beyond Enlightenment", chapter 27, page 11:
"And there is no need that there should be some occasion, some cause. In my meditation camps I used to have a laughing meditation – for no reason, people would sit and just start laughing. At first they would feel a little awkward that there was no reason, but when everybody was doing it, they would also start. Soon, everybody was in such a great laughter, people were rolling on the ground. They were laughing at the very fact that so many people were laughing for no reason at all; there was nothing, not even a joke had been told. And it went on like waves."
From Osho's book, "The Message Beyond Words", chapter 5, page 13:
"While you are doing this laughing meditation, don’t be afraid of what your neighbor will think about you – your laughter will encourage him also because he is also afraid of you! Add this experiment as your morning meditation while you are still in bed."
CRYING MEDITATION
This was the third meditation that MG considered foundational to Pilgrimage. All three were done as a rule until the last 10 years of his life, when he would try another practice or leave one or all out completely. From Osho's book, "YAA-HOO! The Mystic Rose", chapter 30, page 4:
"…cry and weep without any reason, just as an exercise, a meditation…nobody will believe it. Tears have never been accepted as meditation. And I tell you, they are not only a meditation, they are a medicine also. You will have better eyesight and you will have better inner vision.
All that this world needs is a good cleansing of the heart of all the inhibitions of the past. Laughter and tears can do both. Tears will take out all the agony that is hidden inside you and laughter will take all that is preventing your ecstasy. Once you have learned the art you will be immensely surprised: why has this not been told up to now? There is a reason: nobody has wanted humanity to have the freshness of a roseflower and the fragrance and the beauty."
"…you have to allow yourself to weep, cry, for no reason at all – just the tears are ready to come. You have been preventing them. Just don’t prevent, and whenever you feel they are not coming, just say, 'Yaa-Boo!'."
OSHO® DYNAMIC MEDITATION™
Michael would have his pilgrims do this exact one from time to time, using the same music. The description from Osho's website: "This 1-hour meditation is a fast, intense and thorough way to break old, ingrained patterns in the bodymind that keep one imprisoned in the past, and to experience the freedom, the witnessing, silence and peace that are hidden behind these prison walls. The meditation is meant to be done in the early morning, when “the whole of nature becomes alive, the night has gone, the sun is coming up and everything becomes conscious and alert.”
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www.osho.com]
OSHO® KUNDALINI MEDITATION™
This one was the final meditation of MG's introductory "first level" retreats but also done occasionally during pilgrimage. From the Osho website: "This 1-hour “sister meditation” to the OSHO Dynamic is best done at sunset or in the late afternoon. Being fully immersed in the shaking and dancing of the first two stages helps to “melt” the rock-like being, wherever the energy flow has been repressed and blocked. Then that energy can flow, dance and be transformed into bliss and joy. The last two stages enable all this energy to flow vertically, to move upwards into silence. It is a highly effective way of unwinding and letting go at the end of the day."
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www.osho.com]
OSHO® WHIRLING MEDITATION™
Michael had his students practice this whirling med exactly as Osho had created and defined it. From the Osho website: "Whirling is an ancient Sufi technique. While your whole body is moving you become aware of your very being, the watcher at the center, which is unmoving. You learn to be an unidentified witness at the center of the cyclone. This 1-hour meditation is best done on an empty stomach, on bare feet and wearing loose clothing."
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www.osho.com]
MORE TO COME...