– 21 April 2023

Beloved Prem Martyn,
What a joy it was to have you with us for those four months last year at the Osho Mevlana Commune in Amsterdam. Now, while writing your eulogy we all start laughing, remembering the deep, funny, clear, crazy, broad-minded, wild, spontaneous, genius and outrageous moments we have shared with you.
You came here and bathed in an Osho community after the traumatic isolation – due to the covid lockdown – you had been in, during and after your most beloved soulmate, Prem Jyoti, had left her body .

Initially, there were no separate rooms available, so you shared one and lived together with Tarangita for a while. Actually, this close and direct contact brought you back to life. Slowly – but not too slowly – your spirit started to sparkle again and we enjoyed the generous sharings of your sharp and overflowing fun and laughter, alternated by deep tears and stories about Jyoti and your colourful rich life.
Never in the 32 years of our Commune’s existence, did we have someone with us who had decided to connect and meet with everybody and did so in such a direct, loving and intimate way – with everybody! You just went for it.
Coming from such a multicultural background gave you many contradictory sides. On the one hand there was your sharp, witty, cynical, distanced and liberal English side, and on the other your overflowing, warm, emotional, sensual, sharing and ‘good Italian cooking’ side. A very surprising combination.
Nothing was too crazy, bad or sad to talk about with you. Eloquence, performing comedy, heart and soulful singing were your outstanding qualities, especially Van Morrison’s rebellious songs sounded sometimes loud and clear – or soft and soulful – through the commune. And it was great to sing together.
We have all been enriched by your wise and alive company and by your life experiences, in particular by the many projects you had set up with Jyoti and the many years spent at the Ko Hsuan School.
After staying with us for those four months you seemed to be ready to start a new life. So, where to live now for the rest of your life with all those experiences and with the money at your disposal?
After considering various plans you went to India.
We stayed in contact through WhatsApp and exchanged a many humorous messages about your travelling. Finally, you found your place with your son in England. You had a good time together.
At some point the messages stopped. One of us tried to reach you and received your son’s message in April saying that you had left the body. We were shocked and sad that you left so soon.
Dearest Martyn, we wish you Love as always, Light and Laughter. We are sure you are dissolved in the Great Love and the stars will lighten up with your jokes and songs and full-hearted singing…
With love from
Osho Mevlanies, Amsterdam
Thanks to Tarangita, Madhugit and Pathika
Update 27.7.2023: His son, Rammiel, informed his family that Martyn passed from a heart attack as he had suffered from angina for a few years. (Thanks to Martyn’s brother, Dominic, for info.)

Dear Prem Martyn,
Thank you so much for the many beautiful, colourful times we spent together in Amsterdam. Whether it would be singing together Dusty Springfield songs from the bottom of our souls whilst painting the fence, or drinking a can of beer on a park bench, talking about life and joking about looking like two bums in the meantime.
I will never forget how you courageously tried cycling with me through Amsterdam after not doing so for yeeears! We had such a blast and a laugh doing that.
And I won’t forget the numerous deep convos we had about your life with your beloved Jyoti. So much love, so many beautiful stories, and an equal amount of tears that always came up when you shared about her.
You inspired me heaps, and advised me on love and other aspects of life. I hope you are now reunited with your love, and smiling when you look back on your colourful life on earth.
Much love,
Sanne (Surya Vani)
Grief is like living two lives
by Madhugit
On 28 March 2023, Leandre Prem Martyn Shannehaye wrote to me on Facebook:

I was shocked. I came to know him only six months earlier when he was staying at Mevlana in Amsterdam. He was telling us about his love of his life: Ma Prem Jyoti. Together they were running the Ko Hsuan School in Devon, UK. She left her body 5 years before him. He was still very much affected by that.
My reply was:
Praying for you & her. That you will find her again some lucky day.
His reply:
Madhu Hein Rietveld, It’s tough getting older without one’s love by one’s side. Very tough. So many times I have just wanted to leave, be done, over. But there’s nothing to do, and it’s all such a waste of her love and my time left. I don’t function well at all in society and starting all over again is just a myth. Love and affection and constancy and kindness was everything that Jyoti gave me.
I still don’t get that she is gone. No Jyoti to laugh or sing with, or giggle with or make dinner for, or ask or say a million and one things… no eyes to see me or to return a tender gaze. 33 years of knowing each other and 22 years of company with each other.
Those are memories now, repeating in every day… and tears, always tears.
Thank you.
Love to you Madhu, be well and… everything x
Amazing. They were very much in love. The pain he was describing brought me to tears. How to reply? How to comfort a soul that has gone through so much pain?
My reply:
I can feel your pain. But behold, dying right now is even more difficult.
When you can overcome the pain this very moment, then there will be one hindrance less when you need to surrender all. Consider yourself more fortunate than others, who will have to deal with this also when their time has come.
Dedicate yourself to the love that is surrounding us. This is what Jyoti is giving you and prepare yourself to be with her.
She is there, waiting.
I never thought that he would take me that seriously and was getting ready for his departure. Life became unbearable for him. Pointless. I cannot believe that he was that serious and that he would leave his body a month later.
He was a wonderful man. We had many, many laughs. He was squeezing the juice of life to the very last. We had shared many talks. He told me he was in so much pain. It must have taken a toll on him. His heart could not bear it any longer.
Life is very precious. Live with dedication, devotion and awareness. We have only one life! This is such a gift. It will not last.
Rest in peace, dear Martyn. You did well. Your love for her was strong and deep. You could not leave her there, stranded alone on the other shore.
May we learn from you, to choose wisely. Not to let a chance like this go by.
Dance your way through the eternity of time together with your beloved friend Ma Prem Jyoti.
Madhugit
*) Update 27.7.2023: Madhugit’s wording, as previously stated, that he was ‘planning his departure’ could have been misinterpreted. Martyn died from a heart attack after having suffered from angina for many years. The sentence now reads: I never thought that he would take me that seriously and was getting ready for his departure.
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