In Search of. . .

Giving myself a leisure for a couple of days from my nor-mal way of being, particularly
 from hectic schedules, and from my nagging and worrying mind, I headed towards Osho Tapoban, a retreat center near Kathmandu where I wanted to spend some time in meditation and self-reflection. In fact, I had started being sluggish at my business and had no euphoria for life.

I started the journey early morning on Friday. It was six o’clock in the morning when we reached there. The center is located in the hills of Nagarjun, in a serene setting encircled by green lush trees. As I was walking down the stairs for checking in, my first sight was of a dozen of men and women in saffron gowns dancing to soothing music in a large room with wide glass windows marked as a meditation room.

I found room allocated for my accommodation quite comfortable, with basic amenities; not luxurious, but adequate for a pleasant stay. After a hot shower, I rushed to the meditation room for morning exercise and meditation. The room was peaceful and a few people in their gowns were doing breathing exercise.

After few minutes more people in saffron robes started flocking in. I felt positive vibes all around as soon as Guruji entered the room. He began the lesson on breathing, and demonstrated what he called the ‘bellows breathing’ technique as a stimulating exercise. “This is yogic technique to help stimulate energy when needed and, if done regularly can improve flow of energy throughout the day. This technique of breathing can be used during times of fatigue and when you need to revitalize yourself. It is also used to increase energy level when needed. This kind of breathing will help one to have a good Kundalini meditation,” he said.

The discourse on meditation started after the completion of the breathing exercise and the morning session ended up with Osho mediation. Different spiritual exponents have their own ways of teaching and practicing meditation. Nevertheless, all of them preach meditation as a spiritual experience that helps us to get in touch with our inner being by improving our inner self, thereby helping us lead a more balanced life. It is a natural psychotherapy in which you are your own therapist.

Although the Osho meditation technique leads to a deeper state of relaxation and inner connection, it emphasizes psychic cleansing for stronger inner connection to maintain calm. Most often it is said that psychic cleansing mediation helps people get rid of tension and stress.

It is not an exaggeration to say that everybody in this modern world is stressed due to constant hurry and day in/day out pressures. This heaviness takes a cumulative toll on the nervous system of those who have little time to rest and relax. And, when hurry becomes chronic, the effects of this builds up in the mind, resulting in restlessness.

In the evening meditation session, techniques of invigorating music, dancing, humming, shouting, laughing, shaking, crying, and the likes are used to cleanse physical and emotional tensions. Young people usually like it, as it is both physically and mentally liberating. The Osho practitioners say that due to this practice we become more flowing, spontaneous and alive in our daily lives. The physical and mental benefits felt are enormous when you perform this on regular basis. Doing it in haste, however will take you nowhere. To have a profound impact you need to take your time and try to deepen inside and allow yourself to fully witness a blissful spiritual experience.

To my surprise, soon everybody started shaking their heads slowly and stood up to heat the floor with their dancing. With little pause, I also started shaking and 30 minutes later, I felt completely relaxed as if something going out of my body.

That night I could hear the buzz of the insects, perfect music for mediation; and out my window I had a spectacular view of the full moon surrounded by twinkling stars. “What a view!” I said to myself, engulfed in the warm quilt. I  gazed at the stars until I fell asleep. I had a peaceful night and slept until I heard oho... koho of a small black bird just outside the window, as if she was there to greet me on a beautiful morning.

That fine morning we were introduced to a dynamic meditation, also known as Kundalini meditation. Kundalini is like a refreshing break from your normal self. You enter a space where you can find inner peace realizing that you are absolutely free.

Afternoon time is usually set aside for leisure for everybody. I saw people taking their time off to get clarified about the gaps in their understanding about Osho philosophy. Some were engaged in active discussion, while others spent time reading in the library. I spent the long afternoon in a lively discussion with Osho practitioners on the philosophy and practices of the various doctrines and how they are different from Osho’s discourses.

This is how I spent my two nights and two days at the center. During my stay I did not miss my home and family for a single moment. The whole experience of being at an Osho commune and retreat center is something that I have never experienced before. I was at the Osho center to de-stress myself, and I returned with full energy and rejuvenation. In discovering my inner self, however, I am worried about how to sustain this energy amid the usual hustle and bustle of my regular life. Typically the euphoria lasts for a week or so, then starts fading away. So the bigger question is how to maintain that positive energy.

I realized that this is the best gift I have ever given to myself. After this experience my ways of thinking have changed and I have begun relating to life in a more conscious way. A kind of transformation has occurred. This realization motivated me to search for something more essential, more meaningful and fulfilling in life.

The day I was driving back home I realized that we are so much obsessed by materialistic things and day-to-day life that we hardly have time to think about our own lifestyle, let alone take some precious moments to explore the beauty of our inner selves.

Osho Tapoban, an International Commune and Forest Retreat Center, is located in the dense forest of the Nagarjun Hills in the northern outskirts of Kathmandu, about 5 kilometers from the Balaju By-pass. It can be reached by local bus or taxi. The Center features regular Osho meditations with additional weekend, monthly, and 1 to 7 day meditation events. Read their Internet website for further information: www.tapoban.com (especially the FAQ page). The Kathmandu office is located at Osho Bhawan in Kamaladi. Phone 435.3762 or 435.7312/7313. Email osho@tapoban.com or tapoban@wlink.com.np.
Bhawana Upadhyay a freelance writer and can be contacted at upadhyay_b@yahoo.com.