‘40 Blessings’: Osho Parimal celebrates its 40th anniversary

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Nirbija writes from his visit to Osho Parimal’s Special Summer Festival

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Cappu Bar
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Once upon a time, a young nobleman left his medieval castle in Germany to travel to India. He came back in red robes, wore a mala around his neck, and had become ‘Swami Sittich’. After he had calmed down his suspicious countrymen, he invited more young friends in red robes and granted them his forefathers’ medieval farm, just below his castle. They invested much money, toiled, refurbished – and sang! That’s how the community started in the early 1980’s. Each year became a new blessing, to this very day – 40 years later – when more than 100 Osho friends still live here on the farm and its surroundings.

This year’s summer festival was accordingly called ‘40 Blessings’. The organizers were Raji, Kushad, Navino and Andres. The programme for these 10 days included live concerts, theatre, dance, Osho’s meditations, such as Dynamic, Kundalini and Heart meditation; satsangs, Yoga, mime shows, an evening disco, massage and touch sessions, pottery workshops and a flea market. Many ‘Parimalis’ and friends in the area contributed by facilitating meditations, workshops and theatre performances.

I had been away from Parimal for a couple of years, and now, coming back, I was blown away by the aliveness and high energy at the festival.

Andres, Navino, Kushad and Raji
Andres, Navino, Kushad and Raji

Here Now with Deva Premal and Miten

Miten and Deva visited on the last day to share their stories and a few songs. My heart opened seeing everybody celebrate and sing our tribe’s songs, like the one which goes, “All is welcome here.” Hands crossed over our hearts, we all went inside ourselves, while rejoicing in this precious feeling.

Miten said, “What is the Blessing of Parimal? …A space in which all and everybody is welcome.

“And what is the price we have to pay for this?” he jokingly asked.

“Being in the Here Now.”

“How far away is that?” asked Deva, teasing him.

“Not so far,” he replied with a smile.

In that moment this became so alive that we could touch the present moment.

Then Deva and Miten’s voices melted together as they sang his new song, Who are we now after so many years?

“Certainly it’s a time to give thanks to Osho who has accompanied us on this incredible journey,” concluded Miten.

The story of how Gut Hübenthal became Osho Parimal

On one of the previous evenings, the community had asked the half dozen founders of Parimal, who were still around, onto the stage.

Everyone present wanted to express their gratitude for their dedication and creativity, and many new people in the community were eager to hear their amazing stories.

The nobleman who had come to Osho (then Bhagwan) also told his tale. In 1980, he, Lord Sittich of Berlepsch, while in Poona received sannyas and the name Swami Sittich. And the Master had suggested he start a meditation center, named Arvind, in his castle!

Many helping hands have created Parimal: in the early 1980s, Stella, Johannes, Mallinda and Punyo founded an association to rent a few ancient timber houses from Sittich, who supported the community as a benevolent landlord. That became the Misfit City Hübenthal commune, inspired by Veeresh. Then Navino (who to this day lives in Parimal) joined her sister Mallinda. Finally, in 1984, Osho gave it the name, Parimal Rajneesh Meditation Center. Parimal meaning ‘fragrance’.

Immense labour and huge financial investments by sannyasins have since transformed this medieval farm. Sannyasin builders, skilled handymen and -women, engineers and funds from a bank had come together to help renovate the dilapidated buildings. (I could leaf through a rare photo album, displaying worn-out pictures of young Mas and Swamis on ladders, with tools, high up on construction scaffoldings, in various stages of renovation of the premises.) Sannyasins could then purchase the newly-created flats from the cooperative, so supplying funds for further investments. (By the way, everybody can still become a member of Parimal Gut Hübenthal Genossenschaft e.G. by buying a share; a new building section is awaiting transformation and financial support is welcome.)

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Parimal today

Today Parimal has created about 50 residential flats and hosts workshops and seminars in its three group rooms and 65 guest beds. It is organized as a registered cooperative and a foundation, Stiftung Gut Hübenthal, that functions as a trustee of the assets.

“The concept of Parimal is an open community based on meditation and mindfulness in order to encourage a new way of living,” says its invitation to newcomers for its volunteer programme.

As a volunteer one is offered board and lodging and the participation in daily meditations in exchange of 4 hours work a day, 6 days a week. Students can participate in a special programme in Parimal with Neerav, a psychologist, who has created a certified university internship for students of social sciences and psychology.

I don’t want to forget to mention Parimal’s now famous vegetarian kitchen and Satyam’s Cappuccino Café in the garden courtyard, a favourite meeting place.

During these 40 years, the community has become an integrated and welcomed part in the Witzenhausen district. The city mayor came on the last day of the festival to express his congratulations. He was seemingly moved by the loving energy and the aesthetic look of the buildings. In fact, the garden design of the lush green courtyard has received a landscaping award.

The local press regularly reports on events at Parimal, and the National TV (NDR) recently produced an unbiased documentry called Als Bhagwan in den Norden kam (When Bhagwan came to the North) with Parimal as one of the major settings. As you can see, Osho and his sannyasins are still a major news subject in Germany.

The precious Parimal perfume has certainly pervaded the days of this special Summer Festival.

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Photographs credit to Jivan Masto, Satyodaya, Helena

Nirbija is a writer, facilitator of Osho’s meditations, and enjoys life in the countryside.

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