Keerti refers to the media coverage about Osho and his sannyasins and addresses how to go about negative statements in particular now on the occasion of Sheela’s visit to India.
Sheela’s arrival in India has stirred up all kinds of emotions in the hearts of Osho’s lovers. It is natural. Many people dislike or hate her for what she did 35 years ago. And now there are young people who have never known or seen her before; they admire her after watching award-winning Wild Wild Country, the 6-part serial on Netflix. Though these episodes were totally lopsided and did not show anything of Osho’s life or vision, they did generate a huge interest in Osho. All around the world, new people started reading or listening to Osho’s discourses.
Negative publicity or controversy in Osho’s case has always worked in his favour. Osho knows it. Sheela knows it. We know it. Once in Pune 1 days I got disturbed by the negative media and asked Osho a question: Bhagwan, shall we do something to stop this negative publicity? He chided me and said: Have you gone mad? You should help increase it. It is because of this negative media, that more and more people are coming to me and are being transformed.
In Pune 2, he told me to never freak out on the media but to simply respond point by point; when they publish the response, thank the media. So I did. And the Indian media became very positive and started publishing excerpts from Osho’s discourses. Now, discourses or quotes are being published on a regular basis, almost daily. Unfortunately, this scenario has not changed in the western media because our western friends, including OIF have been really sluggish or helpless regarding the negative media in their countries. They have not been so keen to build bridges with the media. In Osho’s case, it always starts with negative media and then it depends on our smartness or intelligence how we use it, how we turn it around.
There’s no point in being abusive to Sheela. She is still doing Osho’s work this way, keeping the interest alive in Osho’s life and vision, while many positive people and Osho’s lovers are simply transforming themselves by remaining in their comfort zones. Osho often says that people should be for me or against me, but I should be not ignored. He doesn’t like being ignored. And he says it is easier to transform people who oppose him, but with disinterested people, there’s no hope.
I am ready to be condemned by friends who hate Sheela, but I cannot hate Sheela just because they condemn me. When she spoke on TV – ABP, I refuted her. And I will continue doing the same wherever it is possible to respond. I wish some other friends will also become a bit more responsive in refuting in a decent way on the media platforms. Otherwise, they can just continue to enjoy living in their comfort zones.
I have no issue with that. I respect their freedom. Meanwhile I continue to remind myself what Osho told me and respond.
With Sheela stirring up huge media interest, every one of us has an opportunity to make use of it and be responsive towards the media before they make a commercial nonsense movie on Osho, his life and vision.
Love, Keerti
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