Osho Day 6 New Years Day

I was relieved that I was leaving the following day.

No more wearing the purple robe. I was checking my breath. I smelt curry on my breath all the time now or was I just imagining it. I wasnt sure.

Joel had decided he was not staying on after I left. I wanted to do the Samedi mediation but Joel needed to change his plane ticket so I thought it more important to go with him. Thirty one years old, director of a successful London market research company but he would always be my “little” brother.

Lunch was the special New Years day brunch. There were posters advertising the brunch. On it were pictures of melon, sandwiches, cake. I was hopeful, but no, you’ve guess it - curry.

We ate outside. The courtyard was a nicely landscaped area with parasol covered tables. The sun shone. It was warm but not hot. Really great soothing music played. A dancer walked around belly dancing and throwing rose petals in the air. It was a great really enjoyable relaxed atmosphere. Then the sound system packed in and instantly lunch turned back into the mundane everyday curry munching event it had been all week.

There was a later Samadhi meditation which I had decided to go to. I had checked the rules as there were many rules for mediation. For this meditation which is carried out where Osho’s ashes were spread, you needed maroon robe and white socks. I was expecting to be taken into a garden. Instead I walked into a marble floored foyer. On the right were people taking there shoes off. On the left was a 1980’s gold stretch Rolls Royce limousine. Osho obviously wanted his prize possessions near him. We then passed into another room with a leather dentist’s chair, along a narrow corridor with books from floor to ceiling encased behind plates of glass. I was out the door of the room where the mediation was to take place. It was packed; people were struggling to find space to sit down. I couldn’t hide amongst a huge group like in the main auditorium. I left quickly passing the dentist chair and Rolls Royce on the way.

More Zen rummy and dinner followed. Dinner was quiet that night. People had gone off early to watch the variety show. Here the visitors sang and danced in their various national styles and languages. We took our seats at table near to the bar. Our chairs soon started pointing away from the stage to watch the Buddhist bar service delivering the “waiting for drinks meditation”. People were getting frustrated, buying drinks from the bar involved various rules that needed to be obeyed.

Rule 1

You had to order from a waiter when you were sat at your table. There was a sign on the bar which stated “Table Service”. So when people came to the bar, the three static bar staff would point at the sign. The system was great in theory. The only problem was that the waiter didn’t leave the bar. The bar staff and waiter stood there complaining. “I don’t understand why people don’t read the sign”. People would come to the bar, be sent away and would return 10 minutes to argue that they hadnt been served. As the evening drew on the bar area was surrounded by people complaining that they hadnt been served. “I am sorry we are very busy tonight you have to wait” protested the static waiters.

Rule 2

You bought vouchers that you used to pay for food or anything else you needed on the campus. However, the bar used a different voucher system. So once people had finally ordered their drinks they couldn’t pay and further confrontation would ensue.

This was the closest we got to seeing Buddhists rioting.