There is much truth and beauty in the words of Osho; there is also much that readers may find disturbing. The legacy of this teacher, professor, and philosopher, also known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (1931–1990), is continued by the Osho International Foundation and the Osho Meditation Resort in India.
Osho aspired “to create every possibility for the emergence of a new kind of human being who is not contaminated by the past. . .” To this end he advocated forgetting everything we’ve learned from our parents and society, encouraged sex play and nudity for young children, and spoke of open relationships rather than committed ones.
The controversy over Osho’s teachings may have sullied his image, but those who can overlook this may learn that it is possible to have love relationships that are free, unconditional, and — whether or not they last — much less painful.