Before I describe the East/West event at Osho Nisarga this March, I want to start with a powerful insight I had with Osho in 1986.
I arrived in Uruguay to join a small group of friends caring for Osho during his stay in Punta del Este. There were maybe fifteen or sixteen of us in total. Kendra managed the household affairs and shared with me that Osho wanted each of us to have a small task—nothing like the long fifteen-hour days at the Ranch, just something light and fun so we could relax and enjoy ourselves. Kendra assigned me the job of cleaning the small living room where the discourses would take place. It felt like bliss.
As luck would have it, Osho decided to start speaking on the very day I arrived. I had just come from Los Angeles, where I worked as a bulldozer driver leveling hilltops for housing developments, as well as a parking lot attendant in Santa Monica. I was also having fun with my appearance. I had dyed my hair black, shaved, and begun dressing like an actor from the television show, “Miami Vice”.
That evening, I took a seat in the back of the room. It was so small that every seat felt like the front row. Halfway through the discourse, I must have dozed off because I suddenly felt on full alert inside. It was as if someone was shining a flashlight on my closed eyes. Tuning into what Osho was saying, he was describing a man without a beard as akin to a woman with a mustache. At that moment, I realized that the “light” I was sensing was Osho focusing in on me. Red alert. Then I heard him say, “Just look at Milarepa sitting there in the back without a beard looking like a complete idiot.” Laughter filled the room. It was Osho’s way of saying hello and welcoming me. By the way, I grew my beard back VERY quickly.
Weeks went by. I was blissfully soaking up Osho’s presence and silence. Sannyasins were instructed not to come to the property as it was too small to accommodate many people. Additionally, there was a concern about upsetting the Uruguayan government, which was under pressure from the United States regarding Osho. However, one day Nivedano showed up. Gayan, his beloved, was part of the household. She was working in the sewing room stitching beautiful new robes for Osho.
Nivedano approached me and said, “We have to get some instruments and play.” Inside, I was thinking, “Oh no. Why would we want to do this?” The silence I was enjoying felt too precious to disturb. Sensing my resistance, and not taking no for an answer, he asked Nirvano to ask Osho if he would like us to play for the discourses. The answer came back a definitive “Yes.” Before I knew it, with all my resistance in tow, I found myself in a car heading to the nearby city of Montevideo in search of music stores.
It was a long day, but I eventually found a guitar, and Nivedano some small percussion instruments. That same night, we played as Osho entered the room. And he didn’t just come in; he came in DANCING. At that moment, seeing him beaming and surrounded by His joyous people, I realized that the silence Osho speaks of is not the silence of a graveyard; it is the silence of celebration. This insight penetrated deeply and has remained with me ever since. Several weeks later the Uruguayan government asked Osho to leave and I found myself at the airport in a situation I would have wished otherwise: celebrating Osho’s departure.
Fast forward thirty-nine years to early February of this year. Priya was offering the Silent Retreat group some tips during the orientation as we were about to begin. One sentence she said particularly resonated with me: “Make your silence a celebration.” I remembered her words many times throughout the retreat. It always brought me an inner smile, knowing that the East/West event in March would be a celebration of this insight.
Between the Silent Retreat and East/West event, I had a few days to prepare the schedule, set up and rehearse and sound-check with the band. It was lovely to welcome Chandira, who traveled from Germany to play bass, keyboards, and sing. She and I share a time-tested connection and intuitive communication from our years of touring together. We comprised the “Western” element of the band while Vatayan (drums) and Milind (bansuri), along with our guest percussionist, Tejas, represented the East. However, as musicians know well, there are no borders or boundaries in music; it is a universal language. Especially today, with so much cultural crossover, you can see how music distinctions have merged and evolved. What began with The Beatles when George Harrison introduced Western audiences to the sounds of the sitar and tablas—not to mention the groundbreaking fusion band, “Shakti”—has transformed music beyond what anyone could have imagined sixty years ago.
As the event unfolded, the musicians and beautiful gathering of participants connected and our spirits soared. With each meditation, our hearts opened, silence deepened, and our energies harmonized. Raju and his kitchen also seemed to catch the vibe. Every meal served to the group was infused with a healthy dose of love and celebration.
Each day began with Dynamic Meditation, setting the tone for the Morning Satsang. Throughout the day, various meditations such as Nataraj, Stop! Dance, Laughing Drums, Heart Dance, and Kundalini added variety and spice to the schedule. During Evening Satsang, enthusiastic shouts of “Osho! Osho! Osho!” echoed through the Buddha Hall so loudly that I’m sure the nearby Himalayas heard us. The last night went so high in Sannyas Celebration and Energy Darshan it took everyone a while to come back to Earth. On Day 5, our gathering came to a gentle close with Dynamic Meditation, Satsang, and Sufi Whirling, while Raju’s lunch provided the perfect finishing touch to what was truly a canvas of the divine—a celebration of silence.
The photos from Uruguay are from my archive, while many of the lovely event photos were taken by Rahi (https://www.rahiadventure.com). A heartfelt thank you to him, as well as to Priya and her entire Osho Nisarga team (https://www.oshonisarga.com). Finally, I want to express my gratitude to all the wonderful participants who brought their joy and dancing hearts to the meditations. I can only say, Osho! Osho! Osho!
