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The Hana (Flowers) Japan Tour was a wonderful adventure from start to finish. I kept a tour diary on Facebook which has more text and photos: https://www.facebook.com/oneskymusic. Enjoy <3

Spring is unfolding. In this season, it is all about flowers and fresh, new perspectives. The Japan tour comes into focus. Let the magic begin.

Hana (Flowers) Tour ~ Japan

May 24 Nagoya
one day event (1-9:30pm)
contact: Halima and Pradip / Osho Events Center
phone: 0527 02 4128
email: dancingbuddha@magic.odn.ne.jp

May 31 Tokyo
celebration event (6-10pm)
contact: Anupa / Osho Japan
phone: 0337 03 0498
cell: 09 069 29 2277
email: osho-japan@box.email.ne.jp
www.osho-japan.com

June 6-7 Kyushu
Utsava Meditation Camp
contact: Nirguno
phone: 0974 72 0821
email: osho@me.com

June 13-14 Hiroshima
“Call Of The Heart” Meditation Camp
Osho Information Center
contact: Naropa and Bhuti
phone: 0828 42 5829
email: prembhuti@blue.ocn.ne.jp (http://now.ohah.net/goldenflower/)

Traveling to India is always a pilgrimage. I also experience it as a calling, something one’s Soul responds to when it’s the right time. As it happened, I responded to this call once again and reached Goa on a balmy night February 21st last month.

It is hard to say why India is considered a spiritual country. On one level, it has plenty of poverty and a host of Third World problems. And to the Western way of doing things, it is almost laughingly dysfunctional. I love the story Osho tells, whereupon reaching the train station and happy to see the train was on time, the stationmaster commented “Indeed, it is on-time, but precisely 24 hours late!” This fact about India can either be maddening or endearing, depending on one’s degree of enlightenment. And yet, aside from all my teasing and India’s perceived faults, how many of us have not gotten off a plane in India and not felt that familiar sense of coming home?

For so many young Westerners, India came on the collective radar with The Beatles. Songs like George Harrison’s “Within You, Without You”, and the band’s journey to Rishikesh, were partly responsible for a huge movement East for my generation. A professor friend of mine, Satya Vedant, shared with me that his comparative religion course in Berkeley he taught in the late 60’s was standing-room only. All young people were intrigued and wanted to know about India it seemed. I was also curious and bitten by the wanderlust bug, which prompted me to drop out of university with a semester to go (much to my father’s chagrin) and buy a oneway ticket to Bombay.

People are always asking me how I met Osho. Aside from the crazy notion to follow my Soul’s calling, meeting Osho was what I call a “divine accident”. How can it be otherwise? That after reaching Bombay — and four maddening days of not knowing why in God’s name I had taken such drastic action that landed me in the middle of such unfamilar chaos  — I decided to visit the hill station of Pune? Who knows where I would be today had I not responded to the travel brochure I found lying in the local YMCA where I was staying, that used such flowery, descriptive language assuring me I was on my way to a place resembling Switzerland? Oh, what a shock it was reaching the Pune train station at 12 noon, seeing such mayhem before my eyes on the station platform! It seems funny now in retrospect (hilarious in fact), but unknown to me at the time, I was indeed coming Home.

Another accident (if there are such things) was meeting a crazy, good-natured English guy on a stretch of north Goa beach one month later. Mind you, in 1976 there was none of the tourism in Goa there is now. So meeting someone out of the blue on those endlessly, long deserted beaches was something of a rarity. Eventually, he and I would travel back to Pune and take sannyas: he going up first and receiving the name from Osho — “Marpa” — followed by me, receiving the name, “Milarepa”. If you know something of Tibetan Buddhism history, Marpa was Milarepa’s master. Life is so wonderfully strange, isn’t it?

Another thing about India: It has something with Time. Time just feels different there compared to the West. One delightful morning in Goa last month, I found myself walking on the same sandy beach I did in 1976 marveling at the fact nothing has changed much in all these years, at least on the surface — the sun, the sea, the beach — all still the same. In fact, were it not for the zillions of new beach huts and tourists, it could have been just yesterday I was here. And yet, what a journey it has been all these thirty-nine years since my first visit.

Once Osho penned the question, “Beloved Osho, Why am I a philosopher”, and signed my name to it. So before I stray too much down a philosophical path with this update, let me just say that the intention of this post is not so much to elaborate on the nature of Time, nor reminisce on all the water down the Ganges, but basically to connect a few dots of experience and bring focus to the Now. Let it be said that one purpose for visiting India last month was to celebrate my 62nd birthday there. And as dreams have a way of coming true, Goa was just the right place and the right time for this. I also had a band event in the north starting March 1st. Which brings me now to the second part of my story.

Travels after Goa took me north and eventually to Dharamsala and Osho Nisarga for the five-day meditation event called “Heart To Heart”. I rendezvoused with the musicians in Delhi to travel by van. How amazing: that Dharamsala is just little over an hour’s flight from Delhi, but it took us all of fourteen hours to reach Dharamsala with our luggage and instruments. Chalk it up to all the chai and dhaba stops along the way which added to the length of our journey and made it more an adventure than anything else.

The last time I was in Nisaraga was a year before it was finished. What a wonderful paradise it has flowered as. The five days of event went so fast, so deep, and so incredibly high. Of the many delights were morning satsangs, the dance meditations, the ecstatic Evening Meetings, Heart Dance, the outdoor fire-party on Night Four which included many lovely performances from the guests along with some great dj’ing by Rahi. The event finished on a high note with a touching Sannyas Celebration. Neelam and her dedicated kitchen staff saw to it that we all had the most wonderful, nourishing food imaginable. And I can’t describe the view of the mountains those clear, early mornings. The Himalayas: so close, always beckoning.

I want to especially thank the musicians, Chandira and Ashik, traveled so far to play; and also Vatayan who lifted our hearts to the sky with his drums. Also special thanks to Rahi who helped manifest a miracle with the equipment and our technical needs. And to Neelam, Priya, Deep, Prakash, Tathagat, and everyone of the Osho Nisarga team — a heartfelt namaste and thank you for everything.

India, my love says it all and more. I am already looking forward to next time.

There are those whose death we mourn. And there are those whose death is not some sad, drab affair but a cause for celebration. For them, death is the culmination of how they lived, and in Veeresh’s case, this means a life of totality, joy, and love. I have no doubt that when death came knocking for him, he slipped out silently, knowingly, in a deep let-go, and satisfied he had no stone left unturned. He will live on through his work and continue to inspire the humanity he cared so much about. How he asked to be remembered says it all, and more. “When I die, what I would like written about me is: Here lies Veeresh, a man of Osho. He loved, and was loved by many.” Please enjoy this slideshow tribute https://youtu.be/K1REohBcGl4

I love the story Osho tells about the master painter commissioned by the king to paint a great work for the palace. The painter accepts the challenge on one condition: that no one be allowed to see the painting until it is finished. Finally, the day arrives when it is ready and the king and court are summoned. The painting is unveiled and it really is, without a doubt, his most magnificent life’s work. Even the painter is speechless. He turns to the king, smiles, and taking him by the hand both step together into the painting, disappear, never to be seen again. And so it is on this last day of 2014, I pause to look back one last time, acknowledging with a smile and a bow the wonderfully colorful year it has been, before stepping into the painting and what lies ahead: a New Year waiting to be discovered, lived, and celebrated. Best wishes everyone!

Today I celebrate Osho, the Open Sky who introduced me to the world of meditation, opening my eyes and heart to a life of love, laughter, and celebration. Gratitude, always.

“Just being empty, you will understand — there is no other way of understanding. Whatsoever you want to understand, be that, because that is the only way. Try being an ordinary man, nobody, with no name, no identity, with nothing to claim, with no power to enforce on others, with no effort to dominate, with no desire to possess, just being a nonentity. Try it — and see how powerful you become, how filled with energy and overflowing, so powerful that you can share your power, so blissful that you can give it to many, to millions. And the more you give, the more you are enriched. The more you share, the more it grows.”

And The Flowers Showered
Chapter #1

Every year the tours are different. This is a good thing because it keeps things fresh and on the up-and-up. Nivedano certainly added spice this season, and together with Nirdosh, the two Brasilians gave the groove swing and a LOT of energy .

There are a million and one details that go into each year’s planning. I always experience a kind of disbelief when the music is finally happening, there are no bugs in the sound system, and the whole thing is rolling along. And roll it did for five consecutive, joyous weekends. I knew from the first notes in New York, this tour would be moving (grooving!) from peak to peak. It had that special something. I call it the wow! factor. Plain and simple, just wow!

New York

Chicago

Dallas

Atlanta

San Diego

After the RISK Summer Festival, travels took me to Portugal for the seven-day Family Constellation Training facilitated by Darshan. It was followed immediately by the OSHO Heart Festival — both in the same wonderful venue along the Tagus River where it reaches the sea. The training was many things: intense, inquiring, insightful, and ultimately liberating, while the festival gave opportunity for integrating the work and also celebrating it.

From Lisbon, I traveled to England where I rendevoused with Chandira and Rishi for the OSHO Leela Summer Festival. It had been many years since I visited England. It was a delight to meet so many old friends and also make a few new ones. The energy went high and deep in the course of a few divine days. I am always amazed what happens when people come together to meditate. Hearts open and some remembrance happens — so precious, so nourishing, so healing.

Oh, what Joy! For seven days in July, the Osho RISK Summer Festival reaffirmed the words of the Sages: “This Very Body, The Buddha. This Very World, The Lotus Paradise.” The combination of meditation and love makes it reality. It’s easy. It just takes a little courage and some initiative. This is the insight I will carry in my heart from the festival.

The music was given wings by the most wonderful group of musicians: Bindu, Chandira, Diana, Harisharan, Jivan, Lars, Nadiya, Palash, and Salima. Wow! Wow! Wow! Thank you, beloveds.

There were wonderful workshops to enjoy; incrediblely tasty and nourishing food from the cooks; a great cabaret; a stellar jazz evening, several discos, good weather, and and and … even a hot tub! Everything supported by the divine, magical Nature of the surrounding countryside, so perfect for walks, being with oneself and what is.

And a special thank you to the festival organizers, Anjee, Ashiko, Subhuti and their support team for the smooth sailing we all experienced and enjoyed.

Satsang is a beautiful word from Sanskrit, the ancient language of the seers. Sat means “truth” and sang means “communion”. Hence satsang: “communion with truth”.

But what is Truth? Hmm, such a serious question. Or does it provoke a belly-laugh? One might say this distinction is what separates the unenlightened from the sages. However, the essential question “what is truth?” provides the basis and impetus for all spiritual search. Those humanity considers wise unanimously agree: truth which can be said is not the truth, but that truth is something that must be lived to be experienced.

Osho, known for his relentless hammering of disciples’ questions, says that when a question-less state of mind is reached, what he calls no-mind, is it possible to glimpse the truth. Only when all questions have disappeared and there is simply silence can the flame of awareness be passed from master to disciple. Such a silent communion beyond words and mind is the essence of satsang.

My first taste of satsang was with Osho. These were silent sittings, gatherings of disciples and master, and different from Osho’s discourses where he would speak on various topics; or darshans which were informal meetings with disciples and visitors.

Satsang with Osho almost always happened in the morning. Osho gave them a format which he would modify from time to time. They were invariably one hour long and for the most part silent sittings, but sometimes the musicians would play several improvisations. Also, there was always a humming stage in which everyone participated. At Rajneeshpuram (also known as The Ranch) I remember hearing Osho comment that the humming was the most important part. This came as a shock to some of us musicians, but I was also intrigued. Surely he must have another reason for saying this other than to hammer our delicate musicians’ egos. From this time on, though, I began to pay more attention to the silences.

On occasion, Osho would have someone read from a particular text. For example, at The Ranch during one particular festival, the readings were from The Prophet by Kahil Gibran. On other occasions, there was space set aside for the gachami’s (as we called them) which were a call and response chant from ancient Buddhist scriptures the whole community recited in unison. Slowly, I began to understand that every “technique” Osho employed, no matter what the twist, was in the service of silence —  the music, the readings, the humming, the gachami’s — even the gaps. Everything pointed to silence.

In the time since Osho left-the-body, satsang has evolved into a structured meditation in its own right, something that can be done by anyone, anywhere, anytime. The communion in my understanding is no longer something that that needs disciples and masters. The joy of the meditation is the communion in that happens in silence with oneself, or expansively, the communion of oneself with the whole of Existence.

Those of you who know the One Sky Events know that the Morning Satsang Meditation is a much-loved part of the program. Its basic format is exactly how I experienced it with Osho: a silent sitting of seekers punctuated by several improvisations from the musicians, gaps for silence, and a humming stage somewhere in the middle. Sometimes Osho quotes are played but other than this, there is no speaking or any dialogue between individuals. Satsang has nothing to do with the world of words. It is a meditation that supports relaxing into oneself and letting go into silence. I will not be as bold to say that this silent  “communion” is where truth happens, but … perhaps it is. I invite you to see for yourself.

On this note, I would like to share a morning satsang meditation that was recorded at Osho RISK Center in Denmark during the Summer Festival 2004. I discovered the recording recently while cleaning out my cupboards. I decided to give it a listen before assigning it the fate of other accumulated, old stuff of mine headed for the trash. I am not a big fan of live recordings. Perhaps this is why I never listened until now, but wow — what a wonderful surprise. The music is not only beautifully played, but skillfully recorded and mixed — a rare combination. Realizing it might be something nice thing to share, I connected with the musicians they all said YES! So I want to thank and acknowledge them, also the recording engineer, Deekshant, for allowing me to make this available. It features Palash on the Chinese harp called guzhen; Chintan on tablas; Rishi on framedrum and percussion; Chandira on keyboards; and Yoko on Japanese bamboon flute called shinobui. I had the luxury this particular morning to sit and enjoy the meditation as a participant.

To prepare the music for this sharing, I did some minor technical clean-ups then formatted the track precisely as a one hour meditation. It has a bell at the beginning, a bell in the middle signaling the start of the humming, and three bells at the end. The first of the music stages starts around the two minute mark. I would suggest before beginning to fast-forward ahead to this point and set the volume of your player to a comfortable listening level. Then roll back to the beginning to start the meditation with the first bell. In this way, you can enjoy the meditation from start to finish, undisturbed, without having to adjust your player’s volume.

Satsang remains one of my favorite meditations simply because there is not a lot of technique involved in doing it. When the music is there, I listen; when the silent gaps come, I relax and let-go; when the humming starts, I hum — all the while knowing these minor “doings” are in the service of deepening the silence. Sound like a great meditation? It is — divinely and deliciously so. The musicians and I are happy to share it here with you as a free download. Meditation is one of life’s great luxuries. I invite you to sit back, relax, close your eyes, and enjoy satsang.