The Great British Buddhafield

by Dhyano

Yes, there is a British Buddhafield, and not only that, but it’s thriving!
After Medina (the Rajneesh U.K.H.Q 1981–85) closed, there were many lean years for Osho’s sannyasins, friends, and lovers in the U.K. Small centers opened… then closed. All that began to change in 1994 when Osho Multiversity London opened and lots of people started coming. In 1995 we started the Humaniversity Therapist Training Program, which attracted a great gang of trainees, and in 1996 we opened Osho Leela – a commune of between 6 and 12 residents.

In 2000, Osho Leela moved on from the original rented schoolhouse and farm to its new location in beautiful Dorset, in the south of England. We now own our property, which has allowed all the frustrated creativity that could not be expressed in the previous renting situation, to gush out in all directions. The resident community is around 20 people with scores of visitors each week. We have a big house with 20 bedrooms, 15 acres of land, a licensed caravan and camping park on which we keep our own caravans plus six three-bedroom mobile homes, and we’re about to build a fantastic new meditation and therapy pavilion of some 250 square meters.

Two years after Osho Leela opened, a new community began in Somerset, about 120 kilometers away. This community, called Croydon Hall, is run by sannyasins and has all the goodies normally associated with Osho. As I’m from Leela, I’ll write mostly about Leela in this article. It’s interesting through, that Leela leans more toward the Zorba side of things and Croydon Hall more toward the Buddha. While neither is devoid of its counterpart, the emphasis is clear and together we’ve got Osho’s vision covered.

So what’s the flavor of Osho Leela? Well, it’s a bit like Pune One. It’s buzzy and intense and very active. There is an air of pioneering. There is a lot of freedom and yet a lot of commitment. There is a lot of building and creating. There is a feeling that we are creating Paradise on Earth – not using any of Osho’s texts, but rather trying to represent the spirit of His vision. We are passionate about living our lives and about the quality of our relating and friendship. We love to party and we love to enjoy being ordinary human beings.

Of course, the basic foundation is Osho. What an inspiration! But we also have another element that supports our way, the Humaniversity Therapist Program, which was founded by Veeresh and is now in its eighth year at Leela. This training goes from strength to strength and we regularly have 35 to 50 trainees each year. The trainees come from all over – Australia, Belgium, Holland, Czech, West Indies, Brazil, South Africa, France, Germany, and even one from the US of A. The training focuses on authenticity, friendship, the art of relating, and living life to the max. It’s gutsy, fast moving, and intense, like the crazy paradise that surrounded Osho in Pune One.

But like Pune One, the opposite energy is also available. We have meditation groups, satsangs, and beautiful nature. In fact, we are busy transforming the 15 acres of land previously used for sheep grazing into a Meditation Wonderland, something like Nulla Park – but different.

Each year we have two Music and Meditation Festivals, which are always amazing. They regularly attract between 200 and 300 people, and many new sannyasins have their mala celebration at them. We also host many non-Osho events, which helps us earn the money to pay the bills and fund improvements and new building.

There is a strong family feeling at Osho Leela. We are all part of Osho’s worldwide family, and we also have an intimate Leela family with four young ones (two babies of nine months and two girls of four and half years).

The British Buddhafield is doing great. In January 2003, we are joining with Croydon Hall to put on a weekend to support new center leaders with planning guidance. With the growing thirst and development of interest in Osho, many new initiatives are underway – the network is spreading. Also next year, again together with Croydon Hall, we will be running a British Sannyas Festival (and keeping a stiff upper lip, old chap!).

So there are many opportunities to come and check us out. We run a Community Experience Program (like a working holiday), or you can come and stay on a non-working holiday and visit our local sites. (Stonehenge and Glastonbury are about 35 minutes away.) We also have friends all over the U.K., so wherever you go, we can put you in contact with “the family.”

It’s great to be invited to write and say hello to the “Viha family.” On behalf of Her Royal Highness the Queen, Basil Fawlty, the English Baseball team, and all your friends and lovers in the Great British Buddhafield, I send you all loads of love and soft upper lips.

Cheery-bye. Dhyano

Osholeela@btinternet.com