Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1987)
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It seems a pertinent question. From the time the group bought the Big Muddy Ranch in eastern Oregon and renamed it Rajneeshpuram. their presence in the state consistently made headlines and incited heated controversy over a three-year period. Clashes between Oregon officials and tin; Rajneeshees’ outspoken representative. Ma Anand Sheela, received frequent national coverage. Entertainers and social observers also were quick to joke about and judge the group. Bill the (’.at underwent a temporary conversion to Rajneeshism in the comic strip “Bloom County.*’ for example, and TV hosts such as Phil Donahue arranged debates between Rajneeshees and their critics. Interest in the Rajneeshees also ran high among the academic community. Sociologists and psychologists from the University. Oregon State University and several colleges in Washington visited Rajneeshpuram, and many conducted studies dealing with the community or its residents. Then in the fall of 1985. Sheela and several other important people in the Rajneeshee organiza tion abruptly left Rajneeshpuram. It later was reported that they had embezzled millions of dollars from Rajneesh Foundation International, and their names were linked to other questionable acts such as tapping rooms and telephone lines, an outbreak of salmonella in the Dalles and attempts to poison members of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh's per sonal staff. I hough tin; Rajneeshee community made a determined bid to survive this scandal, their efforts were in vain. Further investigation by local authorities suggested that other illegal activities — most notably sham marriages allegedly arranged by Kajneesh to get foreign sannyasins (disciples) into the United States had taken place at Ra jneeshpuram. Such reports led to the arrest and later expulsion of Rajneesh from the country and the deportation of most foreign sannyasins. These events marked the demise of Ra jneeshpuram as a vital community and the Ra jneeshees as a vocal and visible group in Oregon. Consequently, there has been speculation that Ra jneeshism is dead as a religious movement and its followers disbanded and disenchanted. These rumors have little substance, however. The Rajneeshee movement has not dissolved, but only gone underground — especially in Oregon and other states where the resentment towards san nyasins was and is the greatest. Many of these disciples have dropped their Sanskrit names and no longer wear red clothes or malas, the lockets with Rajneesh s picture on them. Many have gone back to school or resumed their former professions. They also are less likely to live communally or engage in group activities than in the past. Smaller city- or area-specific centers also have tended to replace former attempts to consolidate either power or people. Most of these centers are careful to avoid negative publicity and in some cases downplay their affiliation with Rajneesh. But though the outer form may have changed, the inner commitment these sannyasins feel for their master remains the same. "Much of the outer structure of the organiza tion has evaporated." said Swami Prem Jal. a san nyasin who lives in Seattle. "The outer form of the movement now seems more like what 1 feel it has always been in essence: an individualistic path of inner growth. For me. the challenge of being part of the development of an alternative culture has been Rajneesh movement still strong; disciples now living in mainstream replaced by that of individual growth while living and working in the mainstream society.... The larger community still exists, but few of us feel the need to consistently gather together in large groups. Most of us keep quite busy developing our owm in dividual lifestyles.” For some sannyasins, however, the attempt to integrate hack into American culture has not been easy. “Before becoming a sannyasin 1 lived for 15 years in Portland and owned a home there,” said Ma Vinal Agyana, another Seattle sannyasin. “But after 1 left the ranch (Rajneeshpuram), my right to vote was revoked and 1 couldn’t get a job in Portland. The prejudice was so had that 1 finally had to move to Seattle.” Agyana hopes to return to Portland in the future. But other sannyasins plan to remain in the Seattle area as permanent residents. They keep in touch with each other through an informal phone network and meet periodically at one of the 10 to 20 houses that serve as communal gathering spots to watch videos of Rajneesh’s latest discourses, to meditate or to discuss experiences and insights. Space also is made available for traveling san nyasins or other visitors at the cost of $15 per day, which includes a private room and three meals. Coordination of this and other activities is very loose and relaxed. But the apparent lack of structure does not seem to bother sannyasins. “1 do not feel that the growth process of san nyasins stopped because of the lack of a center, commune or of therapy groups,” Jal said. “The spontaneous interactions of sannyasins within and between the houses, as we deal with the practical and human problems of everyday life, serve as highly effective catalysts for both catharsis and awareness. I view my house as an ongoing, leaderless growth group.” 1 Instructured spontaneity does not characterize the interactions of all Rajneeshee communities, however. In San Francisco, for example, sannvasins maintain their own newspaper and opportunities for group meditation, and other activities are more frequent and varied. I ies to Kajneesh Friends Inter national. located now in Boulder. Colo., also are stronger and more judiciously acknowledged than in Seattle. "Basically. Seattle sannvasins are a bunch of rebels and anarchists.” Svvami Deva Pradip said. A lot of us originally came here because we wanted to be close to Bhagwan, but we didn't want to live at Rajneeshpurum and deal with tin* organization.” Among those sannvasins who stayed at Ra jneeshpuram until it closed, most did not seem hit ter about tin* experience or wish they had not par ticipated in life at the commune. Rather, they ap peared to regard their time spent there as a positive, growth-promoting step in their spiritual develop nient and devotion to Rajneesh. "I do not look hack on my experience at Ra jneeshpuram as being negative.” |al said. ”1 came to feel that the energy of the place was such that it served as a kind of psychic vacuum cleaner for my own negative and unnatural conditioning, relentlessly pulling large quantitites out from inside me so that I could wallow in them for a while until they disappeared. ... I now have a sense of a very definite gap between the person I was before and after this period of time.” Some sannyasins also believe that the media coverage biased public perspectives on events at Ra jneeshpuram and that many of the actions taken by community leaders at the time were understandable or quite legitimate. After 1 became a saiwyasin people became very hostile, Agyana said. "One time I was almost run down deliberately in the street - twice! Many people who patronized our Zorba the Buddha' restaurant in Portland had their tires slashed. While at the ranch, I also personally experienced being shot at by cowboys when 1 was working in the vegetable fields. 1 feel that this climate of hostility made everyone at the ranch feel threatened, and tin* wire tapping and other security procedures were in stituted to protect the community. It’s unfortunate that the press blew the facts way out of proportion.” Another common misunderstanding was that the Kajneeshees "took over" the neighboring town of Antelope, Agyana said. "The land in Antelope was up for sale," she said. "We just bought it. It's ridiculous to say that we took over the town. Another misconception is that Bhagwan is fabulously rich and self-indulgent. In truth. Bhagwan doesn't own anything — in cluding any of the cars he drove. A separate finance company owned the Rolls Royces and they were considered to be investments. Bhagwan just en joyed driving them. They were gifts of love, given freely. To think that coercion or brainwashing was ever involved is to misunderstand the master/disci ple relationship and not appreciate what it means." Clearly. Rajneeshism is still alive. Whether it will persist and ever gain recognition as a legitimate religion in the minds of most Americans still is uncertain. Wolff TANNING SPECIAL $30 $45 Enhancers offers a cozy, private room with a fan and headphones. Yon get ... a deep, dark, beautiful tan. Laksa $350 Serving for lunch CHINA BLUE , Restaurant I 879 E. 13th. 343-2832 Scxl to (he VO tkxiksiorv. upxluirs Word Perfect version 4.2 $125* List $495 *Students & Faculty Only EMU Ground Floor -emu. Stay Slim and Healthy The EMU Food Service realizes how important it is for you to keep trim and healthy That's why we offer a wide selection of low calorie dishes for you to choose from • Sushi (The Deli) 9am-11pm Daily • Vegetarian Burger. Salads (Fountain Court Cafe) 1 lam 2pm M f • Vegetarian Spaghetti. 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