Osho Commune: Just Too Weird (Even For Me)

Have you ever found yourself in a place so bizarre and ridiculous that all you can do is laugh to yourself and think “Where the f**k am I? Is this place for real?!?!?!?” ? Well, this is precisely what happened to me during my stay at the Osho Commune in Pune. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed so I don’t have any photos to document just how strange the entire place is. Sometimes my curiosity lands me in the most absurd places and there is absolutely no embellishment in what follows…

I really dig a lot of what Osho has written (though Osho never really “wrote” anything and the 600 + books to his name are really just transcriptions of discourses he gave) and thought that while I’m living in India it would be interesting to visit the commune and a good opportunity to practice “openness” and “non-attachment to view.” I really didn’t think much about what to expect when I decided to visit Osho Land but within seconds of my arrival when I was greeted by a man that looked like an Indian version of Kenny G I realized I was in for quite an interesting experience. I’m pretty open minded, have done enough weird shit in my life so I figured I’d just roll with the whole “Osho experience” and make the most of my time there. Though I did bypass having a past life regression and opted for an extra plate of organic broccoli instead and I also managed to escape the commune to check out the Iyengar Yoga Studio in Pune which was really, really cool.

The Osho Commune is a cross between a space station and a Zen paradise and is really nothing more than a bizarre, new age spa where wealthy people go to have an “experience” (myself included).  When I arrived I found out that the Commune is also called the “Osho International Meditation Resort” and upon discovering this I seriously thought I’d ditch the whole idea of staying at the “Resort.” I felt ashamed of myself for wasting money in such a ridiculous manner because I am really trying to live more simply but I was already there and just so tired and at the very least figured it would make for a good story.

No matter how hard I tried it was impossible for me to take anything that went on there seriously. In fact, my stomach is sore from laughing so much at the ridiculousness of it all and I was actually reprimanded and almost kicked out of a few “meditation sessions” for laughing too much. But it was just so totally insane I couldn’t help laughing! In order to get rid of our deep conditioning we were asked to speak in “gibberish” for an hour, act like animals (I had to bark like a dog and act like a cat) and my personal favorite—”connecting with our inner child” where we had to crawl around, scream, cry and act like babies/infants while screaming “mommy!” How could I not laugh hysterically? Ouch, my stomach is still hurting from laughing so much! On the third day I had to call my big brother and my friend Gina in the States to share how it was this insane new age spiritual supermarket!

Upon my arrival I had to take an AIDS test (some of you know about Osho’s liberal views on sex) and after a lengthy registration process I was escorted by this Ewok looking man to get my “robe.” In order to participate in any of the activities you have to wear a maroon robe (don’t ask but the maroon color has to do with energetics or something). A middle aged Indian man who insisted on calling me “baby girl” picked out my “robe” which was really just a tight fitting, scandalous, backless maroon dress. I figured I’d never do anything like this again so I put on the “robe” but also managed to snag a maroon shawl too. Staying at the Osho Commune isn’t cheap but there are tennis courts (they call it zenis), a pool, a sauna and access to all of the “meditation sessions.” The food is pretty affordable and excellent but there is no money at the commune and you have to buy everything using “Osho Vouchers.” When I was there I really felt like I was caught in an episode of the twilight zone and I had to wonder if anyone else there took it seriously! I could literally hear Osho laughing at what his devotees had made of this place because in so many ways it goes against a lot of what he stood for.

Every evening the entire compound shuts down for the “Evening Meditation” in the Osho Auditorium which is futuristic looking structure with a large marble hall inside. You have to wear a white “robe” for the evening meditation (again it has to do with energetics). As you enter live music is playing which is a cross between John Tesh and Yanni and you are expected to just totally let go and dance. There were probably more than 500 people in the hall dancing like crazy and I figured I’d just have fun with it and try and get in a good workout too so I just did the little capoeira I know and jumped up and down like a maniac. After dancing for some time all of a sudden the music stops and we had to throw our hands up in the air, jump and scream “OSHO!” Everyone got so into it and it totally weirded me out. After dancing and screaming “OSHO!” we then watched a discourse Osho had given on Zen and I actually really enjoyed this. Even though the entire commune is completely strange I still think a lot of what Osho has written is right on. But after the discourse you have to start screaming like crazy. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. On my right a man with a heavy South Indian accent was screaming in Telegu and to my left a middle-aged Californian woman screamed demonically “Mother F****r!” I just sat there in the middle laughing hysterically at how bizarre it all was. Then after the screaming we have to stop suddenly, maintain silence and lie down in savasana. After savasana the “Evening Meditation” is over and we leave. As I was leaving all these people were saying how great the meditation was and I just thought to myself, “When the hell did we meditate? I thought we just danced like fools and screamed like idiots with a pretty cool Osho talk sandwiched in between.”

So, I’m all for being friendly and hugging people I know but getting down with strangers is just not my thing. My second day I was quietly reading “Old Path, White Clouds” while sipping chai at the “Zorba the Buddha” Café not to far from the “Osho Plaza” and “Buddha Grove” and all of a sudden Daddy Yankee starts blasting and this incredibly beautiful but of course bizarre Brazilian man just picks me up and grabs me (apparently he was excited because he thought I was Puerto Rican—I haven’t been mistaken for being Puerto Rican since I was living in NYC 5 years ago!) and at that moment I decided that I had had enough. After two days I’d had my fill of amusing stories from sketchy encounters with strange men and I made a sign that said “practicing silence” pinned it to my “robe,” wrapped myself in my maroon shawl and boycotted all activities except for the sitting silent meditation which was held three times a day at hour long intervals in a really nice marble meditation hall with of course a large Osho statue erected in it (but right before you enter the hall there is a dentist chair—I never really got why that was there). I really enjoyed these sitting sessions because I rarely get a chance to sit like this and focus on my breathe, posture and awareness. (There was also an “Osho Vipassana Sitting” but it was pretty different from Goenka-ji and we weren’t even told to scan.) Aside from these silent sitting sessions, which were held in the morning, early afternoon and late afternoon I just read, swam and relaxed. But in order to swim in the pool or use the sauna you have to wear a maroon “Osho” bathing suit which was of course scandalous and the type of thing I would only bust out in Brazil but I figured “When in Rome…” There was this crazy Scandinavian woman that monopolized the sauna and every 15 minutes she would just start yodeling! It was totally insane! I think in addition to taking an AIDS test you should have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to visit the commune. I know I am totally judging here and have a LONg way to go but the whole Osho path seems so selfish to me. I really believe with all my heart that “To whom much is given, much is expected” and while I understand you can’t really know if you are truly helping if you aren’t enlightened there is absolutely no real emphasis on protecting the environment and helping others but I know that wasn’t what Osho was about.

Even though I totally failed with practicing “openness” I think that even Thich Nhat Hanh would have found the whole “Osho experience” beyond absurd. And just how I thought a lot of what went on there was ridiculous and strange I’m sure if someone walked in on my sangha singing Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village songs they would think we were a bunch of weirdos too—it’s all relative I guess. So, if you are into reading Osho I would suggest sticking to just reading his stuff and not visiting the commune in Pune unless you are only looking for a really good laugh—which you will definitely get. I’m glad I spent a few days there, I have no regrets. I’ve had enough laughter to last the next few years and it was such an amusing way to start my Winter Travels! I’ll be laughing about this whole experience for years to come! I haven’t even shared half of the insanity I encountered there. I could write a novel about the characters I encountered there.  Still, I did meet some genuinely sweet people there. I met a young man with down syndrome  who I really connected with and unlike me he was able to just not judge and truly roll with the “Osho Experience.” When I was in Middle School I spent every study hall volunteering in my school’s Special Education classroom and worked at a school for autistic children the summer before I went to college and always felt like I was being helped more than I was helping.

I just arrived in Aurangabad and am off to visit the Ellora Caves but just had to send out this email—I’ve been laughing so much and writing this has helped me let a lot out. I have to stop laughing to myself or else people will think I’m crazy! My stomach is really sore, ouch! I don’t think it is possible to laugh this much. In fact, I was thinking about one of our interpretive dance sessions this morning and I walked into a glass door, ouch!

Pune itself is a really cool city. In fact, after Pondicherry it just might be the most chill place I’ve ever visited in India and I could totally come back here and spend a lot of time. Visiting the Iyengar studio was awesome. I got to observe BKS Iyengar’s daughter, Geeta teach an all women’s intermediate two-hour Iyengar class. Wow, Geeta-ji is super strict and was yelling a lot throughout the class! The class was almost all Indian women and I was impressed with just how strong they all were. Unlike many female yoga practitioners in the US all of the women (even the few foreigners there) were anything but “traditionally slim and fit.” In fact, each woman had a pretty enormous tooshie and so does Geeta-ji and they were all wearing these tiny shorts. It’s funny how different yoga is in India and how us Westerners have such deep conditioning with respect to our bodies etc. The studio itself was gorgeous and I’ll post pictures on facebook when I can! 

After Ajanta and Ellora I’m off to Bodh Gaya where I’m taking some courses with this amazing American Nun, Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi who was in retreat for 6 ½ years at the Root Institute. I am also hoping to get seeds from THE Bodhi tree to plant back in the states!

Well Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 Smiling and Giggling,

 Meena

 

“My finger can point to the moon, but my finger is not the moon. You don’t have to become my finger, nor do you have to worship my finger. You have to forget my finger, and look at where it is pointing.” – Osho, The Rebel

Mindfulness Teaching with Ven. Sudhammacara

Wow! Today I had the opportunity to attend a teaching with an amazing Japanese Buddhist Monk, Venerable Sudhammacara at Radhika Rawley’s home in Delhi. Talk about coming at exactly the right time–the weeks before the Holidays must be the most insane! On my way home after the teaching I shared a cab with some lovely women into the dharma. One was from Ireland and we just bonded over our love for my teacher Thay. I love Thich Nhat Hanh so much. I’m at a loss for words. She was sharing with me how Thay’s books seem to lift her out of the darkest places and how his teaching on Emptiness on the last day of the Delhi retreat blew her a way. I still remember someone yelling, “Don’t Go!” and all of the monastics singing…”No coming, no going…” I saw a lot of Thay’s teachings in Ven. Sudhammacara’s talk on Mindfulness.  I feel so blessed to have my teacher Thay. I just love him so much. What follows are my notes from today’s teachings:

Mindfulness 

freedom from our own mind…anxiety or fear is the strongest negative emotion, not even anger. 

the purpose of meditation is to stop suffering

why do we observe the breathe to stop suffering? we need to investigate the nature of suffering

only one kind of suffering (not only suffering from ager, relationships etc.) YOU ARE ONLY SUFFERING FROM YOUR MIND!

we need to understand the nature of suffering and we realize we only have the suffering of our own mind.

you are not suffering from not having enough money. you are suffering from anxious thoughts of not having enough $.

if we check our mind we find we are suffering from fear

we are constantly speaking in our heads.

non stop thinking is the essence of suffering

stop anxious thinking to end suffering

we can’t stop thinking unless we use some kind of meditation

thinking and watching the breath cannot be done at the same time

if you feel mental agony you are doing something wrong, instead of stopping thinking you are using thinking.

the situation doesn’t change but you feel peace and stillness and a fundamental shift occurs in your consciousness

meditation should be joyful effort

thinking vs. awareness

when you are thinking your mind goes everywhere but the present moment

the mind doesn’t go to the present moment because you can’t think in the present moment.

you can only observe the breath, you cannot think, only think in the past and future

all our suffering is from nonstop thinking which is torturing us

to free ourselves of torture we must go to the present moment

completely new consciousness and awareness

for hindus the thinking mind in maya (Ramana Maharshi)

stop thinking and you see the world as it is

we are wearing very thick glasses and we see the world through our crazy thinking and believe this is reality

we must take off the glasses and stop thinking when we do this we see the world as it is which is peaceful, beautiful, joyful

we have misery as long as we wear the glasses

breath is a crystal clear method, no excuse or ambiguity

clear difference between thinking and awareness

(Thay) if we do things as a means to an end then we are not present

we must do things for the sake of doing

blue sky, white clouds (thinking mind) the breath helps us make a gap in nonstop thinking

(Krishnamurti) in a teaching he once said, “I will share my secret” his secret was that he doesn’t mind what happens, he knows the blue sky! we have to see the blue sky in order to have understanding–emptiness

thinking, emotion and body are part of it–we are an emanation of the blue sky

His master from the Soto school said that when he attained Enlightenment his body and mind dropped

people suffer because people are greedy

human beings are deceived by our own mind

we are full of fear

without a spiritual practice we can’t have any real solutions to the worlds problems–the env, spiritual, and political movements must join together into one movement

fear and cynicism is the problem

oprah promoted both eckhart tolle and obama–she listens to her heart and just knows

Keep The Spark

Just got this forwarded to me from my mom and it came at just the right time. I had an off day…my students felt that an exam I gave them was unfair and I took it personally…This is just what I needed to read! 

This is…. Inaugural Speech by Chetan Bhagat for the new batch at the symbiosis BBA program 2008…ranks as one of the best speech one would have heard… 

Keep the Spark                                                            
Good Morning everyone and thank you for giving me this chance to speak to you. This day is about you. You, who have come to this college, leaving the comfort of your homes (or in some cases discomfort), to become something in your life. I am sure you are excited. There are few days in human life when one is truly elated.  The first day in college is one of them.  When you were getting ready today, you felt a tingling in your stomach. What would the auditorium be like, what would the teachers be like, who are my new classmates – there is so much to be curious about. I call this excitement, the spark within you that makes you feel truly alive today. Today I am going to talk about keeping the spark shining. Or to put it another way, how to be happy most, if not all the time.                
                                                                            
Where do these sparks start? I think we are born with them. My 3-year old twin boys  have a million sparks. A little Spiderman toy can make them jump on the bed. They get thrills from creaky swings in the park.A story  
from daddy gets them excited. They do a daily countdown for birthday party - several months in advance – just for the day they will cut their own birthday cake.                                                            
                                                                            
I see students like you, and I still see some sparks.. But when I see older people,  the spark is difficult to find.. That means as we age, the spark fades. People whose spark has faded too much are dull,dejected,      
aimless and bitter. Remember Kareena in the first half of Jab We Met vs the second half? That is what happens when the spark is lost.  So how to save the spark?                                                            
                                                                            
Imagine the spark to be a lamp’s flame. The first aspect is nurturing – to give your spark the fuel, continuously. The second is to guard against storms.                                                                    
                                                                            
To nurture, always have goals. It is human nature to strive, improve and achieve full potential. In fact, that is success. It is what is possible for you. It isn’t any external measure – a certain cost to company pay package, a particular car or house.                                        
                                                                            
Most of us are from middle class families. To us, having material landmarks is success and rightly so. When you have grown up where money constraints force everyday choices, financial freedom is a big achievement.                                                              
But it isn’t the purpose of life. If that was the case, Mr Ambani would not show up for work. Shah Rukh Khan would stay at home and not dance anymore. Steve Jobs won’t be working hard to make a better iPhone, as he  
sold Pixar for billions of dollars already. Why do they do it? What makes them come to work everyday?                                                
They do it because it makes them happy. They do it because it makes them feel alive. Just getting better from current levels feels good. If you study hard, you can improve your rank. If you make an effort to interact  with people, you will do better in interviews. If you practice, your cricket will get better. You may also know that you cannot become Tendulkar, yet. But you can get to the next level. Striving for that next level is important.                                                        
Nature designed  with a random set of genes and circumstances in which we were born. To be happy, we have to accept it and make the most of nature’s design. Are you? Goals will help you do that.                              
                                                                            
I must add, don’t just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.                                              
                                                                            
There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.                                          
                                                                            
You must have read some quotes -  Life is a  tough race, it is a marathon or whatever.. No, from what I have seen so far, life is one of those races in nursery school. Where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same with life, where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.                                                              
One last thing about nurturing the spark – don’t take life seriously. One of my yoga teachers used to make students laugh during classes. One student asked him if these jokes would take away something from the yoga practice. The teacher said  – don’t be serious, be sincere. This quote has defined my work ever since. Whether its my writing, my job, my relationships or any of my goals. I get thousands of opinions on my        
writing everyday. There is heaps of praise, there is intense criticism. If I take it all seriously, how will I write? Or rather, how will I live?   Life is not to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? It’s ok, bunk a few classes, goof up a few interviews, fall in love. We are people, not programmed devices.                                                        
                                                                            
I’ve told you three things – reasonable goals, balance and not taking it  too seriously that will nurture the spark. However, there are four storms in life that will threaten to completely put out the flame.These must be guarded against. These are disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness of purpose.                                                    
Disappointment will come when your effort does not give you the expected return. If things don’t go as planned or if you face failure. Failure is  extremely difficult to handle, but those that do come out stronger. What did this failure teach me? is the question you will need to ask. You will feel miserable. You will want to quit, like I wanted to when nine publishers rejected my first book. Some IITians kill themselves over low grades – how silly is that? But that is how much failure can hurt you. But it’s life. If challenges could always be overcome, they would cease to be a challenge. And remember – if you are failing at something, that means you are at your limit or potential. And that’s where you want to be.      
                                                                            
Disappointment’s cousin is  frustration, the second storm.  Have you ever  been frustrated? It happens when things are stuck. This is especially relevant in India . From traffic jams to getting that job you deserve, sometimes things take so long that you don’t know if you chose the right goal. After books, I set the goal of writing for Bollywood, as I thought they needed writers. I am called extremely lucky, but it took me five years to get close to  a release.                                          
                                                                            
Frustration saps excitement, and turns your initial energy into something negative, making you a bitter person. How did I deal with it? A realistic assessment of the time involved – movies take a long time to make even    
though they are watched quickly, seeking a certain enjoyment in the process rather than the end result – at least I was learning how to write scripts  , having a side plan – I had my third book to write and even something as simple as pleasurable distractions in your life  – friends, food, travel can help you overcome it. Remember, nothing is to be taken seriously. Frustration is a sign somewhere, you took it too seriously.    
                                                                            
Unfairness - this is hardest to deal with, but unfortunately that is how our country works. People with connections, rich dads, beautiful faces, pedigree find it easier to make it – not just in Bollywood, but            
everywhere. And sometimes it is just plain luck. There are so few opportunities in India , so many stars need to be aligned for you to make it happen. Merit and hard work is not always linked to achievement in the short term, but the long term correlation is high,and ultimately things do work out. But realize, there will be some people luckier than you.      
In fact, to have an opportunity to go to college and understand this speech in English means you are pretty darn lucky by Indian standards. Let’s be grateful for what we have and get the strength to accept what we  
don’t. I have so much love from my readers that other writers cannot even imagine it. However, I don’t get literary praise. It’s ok. I don’t look like Aishwarya Rai, but I have two boys who I think are more beautiful    
than her. It’s ok. Don’t let unfairness kill your spark..                  
                                                                            
Finally, the last point that can kill your spark is isolation. As you grow older you will realize you are unique. When you are little, all kids want Ice cream and Spiderman. As you grow older to college, you still are a lot 
like your friends. But ten years later and you realize you are unique. What you want, what you believe in, what makes you feel, may be different from even the people closest to you. This can create conflict as your      
goals may not match with others.  And you may drop some of them. Basketball captains in college invariably stop playing basketball by the time they have their second child. They give up something that meant so much to them. They do it for their family. But in doing that, the spark dies. Never, ever make that compromise.Love yourself first, and then others.                                                                    
                                                                            
There you go. I’ve told you the four thunderstorms -  disappointment, frustration, unfairness and isolation. You cannot avoid them, as like the monsoon they will come into your life at regular        
intervals. You just need to keep the raincoat handy to not let the spark die.                                                                      
                                                                            
I welcome you again to the most wonderful  years of your life. If someone gave me the choice to go back in time, I will surely choose college. But I also hope that ten years later as well, your eyes will shine the same way as they do today. That you will Keep the Spark alive, not only through college, but through the next 2,500 weekends.And I hope not just you, but my whole country will keep that spark alive, as we really need it now more than any moment in history. And there is something cool about saying – I come from the land of a billion sparks.      

Nonviolence, Swadeshi, Self-Reliance and Simplicity: A Gandhian Response in Times of Economic Meltdown and Terrorism

Nonviolence, Swadeshi, Self-Reliance and Simplicity: A Gandhian Response in Times of Economic Meltdown and Terrorism

 

What follows are my notes from an inspiring afternoon at the India International Center in Delhi. I attended a panel discussion with Dr. Vandana Siva, Satish Kumar, Peter Sellers and Ashish Ramgobin.

 

How is Gandhi relevant in times of a financial crisis?

 

This is an amazing potential to transform…

 

The bailout is asking us to consume more, consumption gets a boost in times of crisis. Are there other ways?

 

Satish Kumar

Was in US during 9/11, US response has not brought an end to terrorism, the idea that weapons do not bring security…if this was possible the US would be the most secure nation on earth but it has no real security. 4000 US soldiers have died and continue to die. What is the response of terrorist attacks in the context of Gandhian principles and reality.

No end and no solution in sight, go beyond and find the root causes. We are very intelligent people yet we have not found solutions to our chronic problems—Israel and Palestine, Kashmir. We don’t know how to solve our conflicts. Technology cannot solve our problems. As people we have to raise our awareness and voice.

What is driving people to kill themselves and kill others? Gandhi said there are many things I am prepared to die for but none I am prepared to kill for. We need to go deeper and search for the root causes. Communities have stuck together after the attacks. Terrorism is a way for us to come together—a good chance for India and Pakistan to come together. Credit crunch, bail out banks, free market and globalization is the solution. What have the realists achieved? The Ivy League educated have left us in the state where we are. We’ve had enough of realism. The economy cannot survive without ecology. You must know your place in the scheme of nature. Economy is a subtext of the biosphere. SARVODAYA – upliftment of all

 

Ashish Ramgobin (Participative Development Initiative)

South Africa—liberation, nonviolent measure bringing a common principle of humanity. Sanctions are the least spoken about tools but the last straw that broke the camels back to end apartheid. Nelson Mandela was released because the economy was failing. Problems in South Africa are exactly the same. There is a notion of patriotism outside of India that isn’t in India. The circumstances and situations of today demand a different response.  Why did people follow Gandhi? What do we need as a global community? People should rule themselves, governments rule on greed and power corruption is everywhere. It takes two people to make corruption happen. Activism, there is something that needs to be done on the basis of moral regeneration. Self-reliance is an economic reaction. We need to look at alternate media, alternate education systems. We need to start from the bottom up. Gandhi didn’t start with attacking the British he mobilized the poor. How do we see the poor? Look within ourselves.

Peter Sellers (“There is plenty of doing to do”)

This is a new chapter. All of us are the great grandchildren of Gandhi. New models of citizenship, leadership. Internet community…based on moral conviction and spiritual search…solidarity not reduced by the power of money. Democracy’s in the US mostly purchased…Obama raised money in small amounts by many people responding to his idealism. The 21^st century was hijacked by Bin Laden and Bush but now we can begin with idealism, not as a distant hope but the only option. Things that are not sustainable collapse. Do we have the alternative ready? Do we have the blue prints for the alternative ready? For artists, idealism is the clay we sculpt an image of justice in. We need to respond to the hunger today and prepare our imagination for the next political reality. Mozart…image of equality first created in art. Alternative information systems—what art always was. Can we demonstrate equality? The 6^th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita can only be realized in a temple. The task of the artist is to create a space for accuracy and precision, experiments with Truth, democracy people are starved of. In Ancient Greece as important as the senate was the theatre, each of us as beings are infinite. Infinity is our very being. If you lived in Athens you had to vote to attend the theatre. In the theatre, music, poetry and dance is where the voiced of the unheard are heard. Listen deeply to the unheard voices to keep democracy alive. The project for the arts is to create the space for truth. The lack of communication is why there is violence. We need to open the channels of communication and stop violence and communicate with skill. How do you bless the person who is killing you? This is satyagraha—Nelson Mandela is forming a government with those who want to kill him. Mozart’s last opera…responsibility and representation. No one is safe until the most troubled voice in the room is not suffering. Truth is found in the spaces between us, larger than each of us, owned by none of us. The ability to share a measure of what we embody. We need to create with imagination and energy, this shared space, the larger truth becomes sacred. Greek Olympics…what was impossible yesterday is possible today. Democracy of achievement, there is nothing impossible. Empower the beautiful, astounding generation.

 

Questions

 

What would Gandhi do?

 

He would begin with the poor (WPA created by FDR, the government empowered the weakest). We need to find and recover our soul and rebuild our values and humanity

 

India’s youth lured into call centers are the lost generation, lives taken from them. $ they get is not worth the psychological melt down, no skills aside from working in a call center. IT has saved 40 billion by moving to India and it has created a class of socially brutal, environmentally irresponsible. Globalization has stolen 15 years from these youth.

 

Emerging generation we need to move beyond narrow identity

 

Assuming that the earth is limitless limits us!

 

Take what we have learned from Gandhi and take it forward two more steps.

 

We have to move from defining ourselves from the opposition. What are we for?

 

Right livelihood, not being a consumer, invite young people to be creators

 

Limits generate abundance

 

(Jesus) worse than murdering when we think someone is less than us. This is the worst form of mental violence.

 

Masses is a term from the 20^th century (mass production) we need to NOT take it with us to the 21^st century. Everyone is unique.

 

We need patience, it will take longer but the roots will go deeper. The wisdom of India is that we can grow slowly with deep roots across many generations. This is the only thing that will save the planet. We can create small zones of quality. Anything on a mass scale loses quality.

 

Right now movements are emptied of their spiritual power.

 

What we’ve built in 200 years has destroyed everything before. Wanting to move quickly we have destroyed the planet.

 

Communication is not only through words, real communication is through living examples. Live it and practice it. Transformation is about understanding the limits of oneself as an agent of chance.

 

When we try to measure things we lose the infinity of spirit. You can never know the effects of your actions. All you can do is commit deeply.

 

Rembrandt, Cezanne—change the world through art

 

Science and Spirituality…Everything is a part of God…no room for self doubt

 

Indian Opinion (1903-1906)

 

Ashish – how different we all see the world…we all believe in Gandhi’s teaching and want a better world but we will contribute in different ways…see if you can change the life of even one person

 

Gandhi would have asked, “What would you do?” each of us has to understand ourselves, truth and justice and apply it with in ourselves.

 

Never make an excuse and don’t be afraid to walk on the danger path.