Review: Don't Kill Him! The Story of My Life with Bhagwan Rajneesh

Don't Kill Him! The Story of My Life with Bhagwan Rajneesh by Ma Anand Sheela
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Many years back, during his lifetime, be it India or the US, Osho Rajneesh & his teachings created stress and suspicion among the local population. Today, I think, many people view his legacy with more openness and accept that he explored new methods & his teachings had value. I have been curious about what made him popular as well as the events which led to his exit from the US. I picked up this book (a biography by Ma Anand Sheela, who was his personal secretary) on impulse expecting to learn more about Osho’s life. This book addressed my expectations partly with some new material not in the public domain. However, since Sheela devotes considerable space to clearing up her own image, it does not come across as being entirely forthright.

The book is divided into two parts – the first dealing with Sheela’s arrest and the judicial process culminating in her sentencing. The second part covers the early part of her life, her first meeting with Rajneesh, her rise among his followers, his teachings and the establishment of the commune in the US.

Sheela refers to Rajneesh respectfully throughout the book. The first half of the book is pretty bland, where she writes about her decision to leave the commune as she was getting disillusioned and wanted a change. Rajneesh reacts with anger at her leaving, accusing her of many serious crimes. She makes the point that the commune at Oregon had been in conflict with local residents for some time, and this allowed the authorities the opportunity they had wanted since long to shut down the commune. She was extradited from Germany and claimed that she accepted a few charges to bring an end to the episode. While it is entirely possible that the authorities had the goal of shutting down the commune based on the controversies and the anger of local residents, Sheela makes no attempt to explain any of the charges against her.

The second part of the book is more interesting – covering her initial meeting with Rajneesh and the rise of his popularity. His dynamic meditation technique gained popularity quickly as also his discourses. While, she refers to Rajneesh respectively throughout, she also writes about his never-ending desires and ability to manipulate others to get what he wanted. For instance, he encouraged followers who had more money, getting them to contribute more. This led to a drastic reduction in his Indian following, by design. This approach continued in the commune in the US, with Rajneesh acquiring nearly 100 Rolls Royces. This portion of the book explores Osho’s complex personality well – a person with many human failings, who did have valuable lessons to offer.

A book worth a read for Sheela’s version of events and some new material on Osho, not found in the public domain.

My rating: 3.25 / 5.

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