A stroll through Osho Risk: the Buddhafield in the Heart of Denmark
When pulling into the maple adorned Risk courtyard, new visitors might wonder “Is this Risk? I thought it would be much bigger than that!” However, soon after settling into this typical Danish farmhouse, located in the middle of Jutland (one of the most beautiful Danish countrysides), a huge world starts unfolding (slideshow below should load shortly).
Osho Risk was founded some 25 years ago and, since then, a flourishing and still growing community has formed around it. About 100 friends, living on the premises, in nearby villages or further afar have put their energy together to hold this Buddhafield alive, through daily meditations, celebrations and workshops. These are attended by a large number of visitors from Denmark but also from abroad.
The barn has been converted into a luxurious Mandir, famous for its spiked window open to a spectacular view of the hills in the distance. This is the place where Osho’s meditations are held on a daily basis and which are open to everyone. For the Evening Meditations, which are often accompanied by live music, we have a complete collection of Osho’s discourses. These are shown on a state of the art video projector.
The Mandir is also home to the Therapist Training. It is addressed to anyone seeking inner growth on a deeper level, and is the only one of its kind held outside the Multiversity in Pune, and this since 1990! The training spans over 20 months and is divided into 11 week-long sessions. If I may drop some names, in the new training which started last month we will have (in order of appearance) Aneesha, Moumina, Premartha & Swarup, Tarika, Nishant, Turiya, Dwari, Devapath, Ganga, Rafia, Sagarpriya.
A variety of growth workshops, the ‘seasonal’ Festivals as well as music and theatre performances are housed in the Mandir. For the latter it can easily be transformed into a theater venue with a professional lighting system.
The tastefully decorated dining room has recently undergone a major expansion; from a cave-like coziness it has been transformed into a light and airy space surrounded by huge glass windows opening onto a lush garden. Even during those few days in the month where Risk is not packed to the brim by an international crowd of workshop participants, the dining room is still busy and buzzing. It is ‘the’ place for Buddhafield members and friends to meet, eat together, gossip, share a bottle of wine, throw parties or have a snack after a performance. The good atmosphere of the place is supported by the delicious organic vegetarian meals, breads and cakes which a joyous crew of friends, who take turns in the kitchen, put out for us.
To take a walk through the Risk garden is a special treat throughout the year. A huge veggie garden, resembling a Van Gogh painting, supplies the kitchen with fresh organic vegetables, herbs and berries. The lawns are surrounded by flower beds; fruit trees, ponds, fountains, a Zen garden and a bond fire place are there to be discovered. The garden reveals sweet corners where we can hang out in the sunshine with friends or seek for moments of solitude. In summer the cappuccino/wine bar is set up under a tent on a permanent wooden foundation – which is also a great dance floor, whereas in winter it moves back to the upstairs lounge.
Shunyo is the name of the small, round mediation hall in the middle of the garden. It looks like a Hobbit hut and has a beautiful, large window (this kind of windows has probably created the English word ‘window’, meaning ‘wind’s eye’). This hall serves as a unique space for quiet meditations, tea ceremonies or intimate group processes.
The dozen people who live at Risk are helped by others who live in the surrounding area to take care of the place. They cover the various daily tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, transportation, music, office, reception, and organize the sharing circles which have always been a feature here. However, Risk also extends the invitation to seekers from near and far to come for a limited stay while joining the ‘Workers Program’, a great opportunity to experience Commune Living.
I mention the Festivals again because Risk is famous for hosting these ‘seasonal’ celebrations (New Year, Spring, Summer and Autumn) because of the activities they offer: cabarets, parties, dance, high energy live music and a variety of workshops for inner discovery. The celebration events are so popular that I advise anyone out there planning to come for a Risk Festival to book it well ahead of time!
Read more about Osho Risk on: www.oshorisk.dk
You can join the Osho Risk page on Facebook to get updates, infos on workshops, pics, news and juicy gossip: www.facebook.com
YouTube presentation video…
YouTube presentation of the Therapy Training…
Ageha took sannyas in 1976 and spent most of her life in Osho’s communes. By the turn of the century she returned to her native Denmark to live in Risk where she continued practicing the musical skills. Now based in Aarhus some 50 km from Risk, she tours Europe sharing poems by Rumi in soundscapes of her exotic instruments.
www.agehaprem.dk – www.youtube.com
Text by Ageha for Osho News
Photos by Samarpan for Osho News and from Risk archive
Copyright © 2010 Amano Samarpan – reproduced with permission
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