…left her body on 10th November 2015, at age 93
Salama (aka Inge Heinrichs) was born on 18. Juni 1922 in Ingolstadt, Bavaria. When she was 10 years old her family moved to Berlin where she studied graphic design at the Art Academy. In 1945, when the bombing became too much, she moved back to Bavaria with her boyfriend, where they survived as portrait artists. Clients were mainly US soldiers of the occupation troops. They later moved to Munich where she was a successful graphic designer and artist. They also had two daughters, Henrietta and Coco. She co-founded the Munich extra-parliamentary opposition (APO) and often held well-attended evenings for discussion. She also founded men’s and women’s groups; her idea was that women had to learn talking and men to learn listening.
After having undergone many hours of psychoanalysis she came to know bodywork, in particular Bioenergetics which she then studied under Gerda Boyesen.
Salama, then still Inge, founded a small private elementary school together with like-minded people. She also wrote for Das Blatt, a local Munich paper, about marxism and psychology, politics and psycological health. She worked at the ‘Gesundheitspark’, a centre for health promotion, for over 30 years, i.e. until its closure in 2006.
On her search for who she really is, one day she found herself in Margarethenried at the now almost legendary Osho Centre Purvodaya, north of Munich. Shortly afterwards, in summer 1978, she went to Pune and took sannyas. She studied person-centered therapy (PCT), psychodrama, gestalt, encounter, primal.
For many years she lived communally in Harlaching, Munich. Together with her two daughters, Henrietta and Coco, she ran the Institute Heinrichs and Heinrichs. Veeresh of the Humaniversity awarded her with an honorary doctorate for her life’s achievements.
Salama wrote two books: „Das Geheimnis der Lebendigkeit“ published by Kösel Verlag and „Körpersprache als Schlüssel zur Seele“ published by Peter Erd Verlag.
Henriette and Coco were present when their mother died.
Thursday 19th November, 1-4:30pm, there will be a farewell party. Salama has asked that there will be dancing at her funeral!
Info credit to Gathin via Sucheta and OTI article by Avinasho, dated September 2006: Alles muss ans Licht
Anand means bliss, salama means peace. Bliss can have two expressions: either it can be an ecstasy, overflowing, or it can be silence, peace, stillness. If bliss flows outward it is ecstatic. If it simply remains in then it is peace, and peace is a higher state than ecstasy. Even if one has attained to ecstatic joy, one has to go one step more, because one cannot remain in ecstasy forever; it tires. All kinds of excitement are tiring; although this is spiritual excitement, still it tires. It can’t become a permanent state; you cannot live in it forever – you will have to rest.
But one can be in peace forever, so that seems to be more natural. Sufis are ecstatic – they dance, they sing. Buddha sits silently. There is no visible dance, there is no visible song, but there is utter peace. Even dance has been transcended. Even song has disappeared into silence.
So the dance that dances not is the highest, and the song that remains silent is the greatest — that is the song of the songs. But one has to begin with ecstasy. The right procedure is to begin with great ecstasy – dance, song, expression — and then slowly slowly to let all disappear into bliss.
Osho, Don’t Look Before you Leap, Ch 6, 6 July 1978
Tributes
I lived with Salama for a while. What I will remember about her is her young spirit and her curiosity about life even though she was well over 80 then. I never felt that there was a difference in age between us but that we were 2 seekers on the same path. Fly high beloved, thank you for being in my life,
Sucheta
Wow. 93 – only? : ) Well, I bet you will enjoy the next part of your journey at least as much as you have enjoyed being in the body. Thanks for being here! Love,
Jhari
Farwell Salama, may your ferryman carry you safely to the other shore. I got to know you in your therapy groups in the early eighies, too immature jet to value you. But you valued all of us. Had a breakthrough in that atmosphere of authenticity around you. You must have touched many with your path. Years ago you told me on the phone that it was a difficult job to get older. I will remember that. In Tibet they would call you a dakini, a truly wise woman. Fly high…
Nirbija
Dear Salama, you are the one with whom I did my first groups and you are the one who brought me to Osho. I am deeply grateful forever – fly high! Love,
Ila
Salama, du geliebte Oide Hex. Danke. Ich liebe dich und bis später.
Gathin
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