In her new memoir, By My Own Rules, Sheela reveals also the 18 rules that define her life. By PTI, published in The Indian Express, July 27, 2021.
Osho Rajneesh’s former aide Ma Anand Sheela has come out with her memoir in which she bares it all – her lessons, her beliefs, her inspiration and the 18 rules that define her life.
Writing in By My Own Rules was not an easy task for the irrepressible, honest, bold and charming Sheela but she did not want to pass up this opportunity and took it as “yet another adventure.”
Over the years she had developed a reputation of being controversy’s favourite child. Whether it be her portrayal in “Wild Wild Country”, or the Osho International Foundation’s take on the Netflix series, a wide spectrum of opinions has cloaked the real Sheela for too long.
In the 1980s, she was the personal secretary of Bhagwan Rajneesh and the manager of the Rajneesh commune in Wasco County, Oregon, US. She was eventually sentenced to prison, where she served her time and walked out after three years. Adored and vilified at the same time by the world, she has seen it all – from rebuilding her life from scratch to being the subject of the web series.
“Wild Wild Country” has definitely altered many perceptions, Sheela claims. “It has drawn attention to my fearlessness, courage, hard work and love. I have received thousands of letters and messages after its release from people who have seen the series, opening their hearts out to me. The younger generation is receptive to these qualities and feels inspired by me.
“They saw in the film my hard work and dedication to Bhagwan, then and now,” she writes. In the book, published by Penguin Random House, Sheela elaborates in detail the 18 rules that define her life.
These rules include: pain cannot be avoided, pain has to be endured; everybody deserves a second chance; love has no limits; build your life on love, patience and acceptance; follow your dream, and make it come true; always remember, ‘This too shall pass’; accept life as it comes; if you believe in it, your wish will come true; face challenges with all you have; and a daily routine provides discipline and structure to our lives.
The remaining rules are: sex and sexuality are natural; accept the opportunities that come your way with an open mind; don’t hesitate to speak the truth; be adventurous; love enough so you can let go; live in the moment, be positive and make the most of what you have without any expectations; make new mistakes every day instead of repeating the same mistakes; and never forget your roots.
Image by Osho News
Comments are closed.