Splendor in the Auditorium

This morning I went to the Osho Discourse which happens every day from 8-9am. It's a taped program of something Osho has discussed. Many of you have heard some of Osho's tapes as many of you have heard Werner's tapes. Same kind of thing. He discussed the difference between the innocense that people attribute to infants being distinct from the innocense that people attribute to Buddhas. In babies, he explains, it is not enlightenment, rather it is innocense with no experience, just open being. The reason the Buddha can be said to be enlightened is because he went from a state of innocense to the darkness in the world from booze to sex to drugs to whatever and then went back to a state of innocense - enlightenment. So, he described it as an infant being a silver lining and a Buddha being a silver lining inside a dark cloud. I liked it.

There was also a great joke in this discourse about priests, but I will save it for Jennifer Blaine (in Philly) and then she can give it as part of her comedy bit somewhere. It's a real good one! Osho was known for his great humor.

When the discourse was over, the next activity was Whirling Meditation as in spinning. (You remember that from Ecstasy.) This was a totally different experience than I have ever had with spinning. Imagine a dark marble floor very shiny inside a pyramid (4-sided) with recessed lighting. Picture 50 people dressed in various shades of red robes spinning for 45 minutes.

Some spin slowly, others fast. Some spin with their arms up, others with their arms down, some with their arms crossed over their hearts, still others spin like ice skaters spinning on ice.

I went for it. I spun for the first song - great music. I felt like I was flying in the air. I lost myself a few times and then came back. I think the point is getting lost. This was better than ever I have expereinced it before.

At the end of the first song, I bowed and sat down to watch. People's robes were billowed out and all looked beautiful. There were special big skirts that I saw on some men and some women specifically made for spinning. These looked the size of umbrellas and seemed to soar over the air. All in all, people seemed to be floating through time and space. Majestic is the best word I can come up with to try to describe the beauty. It looked like a garden of red spinning tulips.

And then I noticed the reflctions on the marble floor. Now the whole scene took on another quality

All I can say is it was as powerful to watch as it was to do. It was very moving. Not only will I do more spinning while I am here, I will do it when I return as one of my regular practices and I will incorporate it into the workshops even more than we have. No more spinning back-to-back. Everyone will be on their own and will really get into it. I have a whole new appreciation and understanding.

By the way, in the last 15 minutes of the hour, people either fall down to the ground or they sit down and remain silent in whatever position they have landed.

Go for it. Try spinning today. You won't be sorry.

Love,
Laurie