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Showing posts from November, 2017

Blog 2

Maggie Billingsley http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/rajneesh-is-a-desperate-man-ma-anand-sheela/1/354660.html Ma Anand Sheela, was the woman that ran the multi-million-dollar Rancho Rajneesh world headquarters of the 350,000-member cult established in Rajneeshparum.  This article explains how Sheela was the starter of these headquarters, and ended it herself because she had had enough. --Sheela was the first lady of the commune and everything was going the way she wanted. Explained in an interview, Sheela was the happiest she had ever been until one day when she came across a scandal-laden development that forced her to storm out of the Rancho Rajneesh and denounced Rajneesh and his followers. The day after she had left, Rajneesh was informed that she had taken 55 million dollars of the sect’s money to Europe, where she left with "her gang." Rajneesh was lashing out on his followers and accused them of several crimes. The crimes being attempted murder, arso...

The Rajneesh and Outsiders

Article:  http://www.oregonlive.com/rajneesh/index.ssf/2011/04/sheela_left_oregon_but_keeps_b.html By: Zach Schultz I came across an article that discusses the life and legacy of Ma Anand Sheela. An Indian American- Swiss woman who in 1985 pleaded guilty  to attempted murder and assault for her role in the 1984 Rajneeshee bio-terror attack.  From 1981 through 1985, she managed the Rajnesshpuram  ashram in Wasco County, Oregon . She was the former chief assistant for the Indian mystic Rajneeshpuram . Sheela moved to Switzerland.             Continuing on the article, Ma Anand Sheela distanced herself from Oregon and the Rajneesh commune, Sheela became a very successful businesswoman in her native Switzerland.   In 1981 Sheela became Rajneesh's personal assistant and convinced him to leave India and establish an ashram in the United States.   In July 1981, Sheela purchased a ranch  in Wasco County, Oregon  which...

Inside the life of a Rajneeshee

                I found an interesting article depicting the life of a Rajneeshee. A Rajneeshee is a member of the Rajneesh movement, or rather, was a member as the movement has come to a close. The article was interesting because it was written by a member of the movement but instead of talking about her own experience, the author talked about someone else’s experience. This article is based on the life of Jane Stork , who was high up in the Rajneesh movement. Although Jane did not start that way, she made her way up the ranks in short time and by the time the movement was in Oregon, she was close to the leader, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, who was later renamed Osho. This article was most interesting because the author was just a follower, and did not move up the ladder and she decided to talk about the story of another member.                 What is fascinating about Jane...

Blog # 2: From Within

After some searching, I came  ac ross  this article published by the New York Times titled   SHOCK SETS IN AS GURU'S FOLLOWERS IN OREGON LEAVE TO FACE OUTSIDE WORLD . The article covers a few key followers of  Bhagwan  Shree  Rajneesh  and  their departure from the  Oregon  commune. I felt it really captured the feelings of uneasiness they felt. Plus, I  chose  to  use this article instead of someone who willingly left, so I could see it from a different perspective.  I thought it  w ould  be beneficial to see both sides since the first thing that is usually at the  forefront of searches regarding former movement members tends to be very biased.  While I would not normally choose to use a source that uses the word "cult" so carelessly, I felt this article really captured what I wanted to be illustrated. When  Rajneesh  moved  back to India people were faced with some li...

Reception

Maggie Billingsley The Rajneesh was first exposed to media in 1978 when Time magazine featured an article called "God Sir." This article was not the best article for the Rajneesh considering the fact that the media was never really on their side. The Rajneesh commune was harassed by media and overlooked by society into thinking this commune was so negative. It almost seemed as if the FBI's goal to tear this commune down. The FBI went out of their way to investigate even further after the Rajneesh commune had already collapsed, to break it down even more. The Rajneesh have been a form of fascination and horror according to the media. The media has very much affected the way people that do not follow the Rajneesh look at them and think about them. Rajneesh is known for his revelation on sex and has constructed a vision of the new man that holds reputation to prior norms.  According to Rajneesh, a man is free to carve out the cosmos of his own image. This means th...