Category Archives: Music
What a wonderful series of events, from the OshoFest in San Diego through Upstate New York, Wisconsin, and Dallas! I kept a good tour diary on Facebook where many of these following photos can be seen. But included here are some of my personal favorites plus a few new ones. The driving part of the tour was almost six thousand miles. But with a fun band, and a good DJ and person on snacks, they go quickly — all part of the amazing journey every tour is. Miracle! Also, that these events are among the most consistent Osho activities in North America since more than twenty years. Double miracle! The joy remains in everyone coming together, the music the magnet and the mysterious thing that brings us all to the point of silence – and the peaks of ecstasy – time and timeless time again. Kudos to this year’s band: Chandira, Rishi, and Tarisha. My gratitude also goes out to all our various organizers and their tireless, loving teams. I have arranged the photos more or less chronologically, but also felt to leave them a little more random than usual. I always remember Osho liking the books in His library arranged on their shelves like this: randomly, with more flow and less order. And it’s true: when I just flip through the photos without them being arranged too much the joyous chaos of the events shines through like so many galaxies exploding. So has been the feeling at every event this year. To view more tour diaries, visit www.facebook.com/oneskymusic. Enjoy!
The wonderful Osho Leela Festival in Dorset, England was a joy from start to finish: from the many creative workshops throughout the days and evenings, to the inspired live-music events which included Trance Dance with Rishi and the band; Heart Dance with Yatro and Nishok; Morning Satsang; Osho Evening Meeting; the Celebration Concert with Milarepa and the band; and the heartful soaring Sannyas Celebration. Many thanks to musicians Tarisha (keyboards, vocals), Suvarna (violin and vocals), Sudhi (violin), Prabodh (bass), Shanti Dharma (congas), Rishi (drums). Special thanks to Shaun for mixing. And to the whole Osho Leela Team, my deepest gratitude.
This is the first time I can remember that I’ve been in the States and not Europe in summer. It has been a welcome break from touring and all the traveling this involves. More importantly, it has given space for new adventures and possibilities.
“It is only in adventure continuous adventure, that life grows to higher and higher plenitudes, that it reaches to the Himalayan peaks.” Osho
I was in India the first three months of New Year. I had two events with the band: one in the state of Gujarat, the other in Himachal Pradesh close to The Himalayas. I also participated in a 21-day silent retreat in February that was a nourishing process for my heart and soul. And, there were many adventures in between — everything reminding me that India is a place I remain deeply connected with. I kept a good diary on Facebook with many photos and text. So rather than repeat it all here, I would like to reference this link: www.facebook.com/oneskymusic.
Year Of The Dance
One of my favorite representations of the Divine is the Nataraj, god(dess) of dance. I can’t imagine a better theme for 2016. Travels take me East this first day of the New Year. Let the adventure begin!
Pausing a moment for one last look back at 2015, just to smile and say Thank You. It’s been a great year, impossible to predict, full of adventures and surprise around every corner. I am grateful for it ALL. I turn now to face the way ahead. The sky before me is clear, an empty canvas waiting for what will be. Best wishes to everyone for a magical Year 2016!
“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty. You want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it … Let this be the criterion always: Anything that makes you festive, anything that gives you celebration, anything that makes you dance and sing to such an extent that you disappear in your dancing, in your singing, in your celebration — is the only true religion I know of.” Osho
There have many postings of the USA tour photos already on Facebook and the Meetup sites, but these collections are some of my favorites. I realize while it’s hard to capture all the many wonderful highlights with such a narrow selection, scrolling through these galleries gives a good sense of the magic, however indescribable it may be.
The tour really does move in what Osho describes a vertical dimension, where timelines don’t procede predicatably horizontal, but from peak to peak. It really is true, and I’ve said it many times, every year I can’t imgaine how the next can possibly top the previous. But, I am always humbled. And also grateful. Because so much goes into making it possible: from all the planning and logistics that start twelve months before, to all the organizers who do this from the goodness of their heart and the simple joy of sharing; to the band, the amazing musicians I am fortunate to play with; to the flow of searching souls who find their way to the venues from all corners of the USA and World. Indeed, it is quite a galaxy of details that must mesh seemlessly. Quite a miracle, to say the least.
It amazes me each year that I am never able to see ahead how things are going to be and look. It is like staring at a blank canvas, or looking deep into a night sky with no stars. Then at some point, quite suddenly actually, things start rolling. And by the first chords of the first event, it is all happening as if a switch is remembered, flicked, and the carnival lights go on. And it just goes and goes and goes, building momentum like some giant wave of energy as we move from place to place. Then, in the blink of an eye things come full circle, it’s over, and I find myself again alone. Yet, something beautiful has moved inside me and I realize, smilingly, a fresh, new perspective has bloomed, shining from the inside out. Ahhh … what to say? Except …This!
New York
Chicago
Atlanta
Dallas
San Diego
Osho RISK Summer Festival 2015 Cabaret Skit featuring Milarepa as Core Dash eeKhan
“A little foolishness and a little wisdom is good, and the right combination makes you a Buddha.” Osho, Returning To The Source
I conceived this skit for the cabaret variety show that happened on the last evening of the Osho RISK Summer Festival 2015. It stars Nadiya, Nikhil, Sudas, and myself (Milarepa). Subhuti is giving the introduction. I play Core Dash eeKhan, a parody of the mega-famous Indian Bollywood star, Salman Khan, often seen in films wearing impossibly short, tight cut-off jeans and sporting a super-ripped physique. He is also a master of all manner of pelvic thrusting when he dances.
I was a little worried (to put it mildly) whether I would be able to manage some semblance of a sculpted physique for the show. I shamelessly admit that a week before the performance I did fifty sit-ups every morning. I am not sure I suceeded in converting my one-pac to a six-pac, but kudos for trying. Once the lights went up and the show was on, all these sorts of worries vanished in a flash and there was nothing else going on, either in my mind or unhinged hips, except the immense fun we were all having.
The storyline runs like this: In the first half of the skit, Nadiya is holding Core’s mirror in which he is constantly admiring himself. Enamored with his own image, he can hardly be bothered with the two women constantly buzzing around him vying for attention. The women don’t give up easily. In fact, the more they are ignored, the more determined they are to make him take notice. However, Core being Core, refuses to let himself be distracted. He is always going back to the mirror from which he can continue admiring his image. At some point, Nadiya becomes bored and fed up. Ditching the mirror, she decides to join the other girls, and at one point says to Core with a wink: “Hai, kem cho. Majama cho?” which translates from Gujarati to English as: “Hey, how are you? Are you happy?” At this point, the two other “women” take off their costumes, revealing themselves to be none other than Nikhil and Sudas, two male Osho RISK residents. The dancing shifts into high-gear as all four break into full-on “bhangra masala”, a take on the traditional Punjabi folk-dancing style.
It was really fun doing this. Everyone enjoyed a lot. It was something creatively different for me to be involved in other than the music which I am usually doing for the festival. I would like to say thank you to Nadiya, Nikhil, and Sudas for being good sports, and courageous enough, to support me in this little bit of intentional madness. Hahaha … life is a play indeed. Enjoy! Click here https://www.youtube.com/
When I close my eyes and think about the festival I see a rainbow: a kaleidoscope of color, feeling, and emotion — a Great Affair of the heart as Osho might say. And beyond, the vastness, the sea, the sky, the silence. The festival felt like a natural progression from the previous Family Constellation Training, a flow of energy that transitioned effortlessly into meditation, lightness of being, openness, and celebration. What a gift. Transformation was still present in the eyes of those from the group who stayed on. Dynamic Meditation with Riktam, Tai-Chi with Zarathustra, and Morning Satsang with the musicians set the tone each morning for the day’s adventures which included: Bhangra Masala Dancing and Theater Improvisation with Bodhi Svaaha; Born Again with Haridasi; Mystic Rose with Alexandra; Past-Life and Family Constellation with Darshan; a singing workshop with Vatayan; Shamanism with Carlos; Heart Dance, Sannyas Celebration, and many more wonderful highlights. Highlights such as this: one afternoon before Kundalini Meditation, the event overflowed yet again when a big box of just-baked custard tarts arrived (the famous ones from Belem!) from one of the event’s sponsors. This was enjoyed, of course, with port wine. Mmm … Portugal. Simply the best. And the band, wow! Thank you guys: Vatayan (keyboards), Bhavesh (drums), and Carlos (guitar). The music was divinely off-the-charts. Special thanks to Darshan and her incredible Heart-Team. Obrigado a todos e vê-lo novamente em breve.
