VINITA DESHMUKH
October 11, 2000
Indian Express
PUNE, OCTOBER 10: First, they embraced Osho’s unique meditation techniques, to the extent of trade-marking them. Now, apparently embarrassed by all the negative publicity swamping them, they seem to have significantly climbed down from their rigid stance, trying to be ”very liberal.”
Yes, the Osho International Foundation had made it mandatory for anyone to seek their exclusive permission for conducting or participating in the special meditations devised by Osho during his lifetime. This had created an outrage amongst Osho’s disciples and attracted negative publicity in the media, during the last six months or so.
Now all of a sudden, the foundation through its website, www.osho.org, has sent across to the world, a curious message – one that just might douse a bit of the copyright controversy of Osho’s works, that has taken form of a conflagration.
The fresh addition to the site, which we stumbled upon a couple of days back, clearly states: ”No permission is required to do, or to offer publicly, any Osho Meditation. The only restriction is that if you are offering or arranging an Osho Meditation publicly, you need to ensure that what you are offering is as described in the book, Osho, Meditation: First and Last Freedom, and that any Osho Active Meditations is accompanied by the music specifically created for that meditation.” Vow, does that ring some heavenly music in your ears?
However, above this insertion, the original warning remains untouched: ”All trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and trade styles on this site are owned by Osho International Foundation. Proper use is limited to use in connection with the products and services of the mark owner and no other use is permitted without the owner’s prior written permission. The following marks are owned by OIF: Osho, Active Meditations, Dynamic Meditation, Gourishankar Meditation, Kundalini Meditation, Nadabrahma Meditation, Nataraj Meditation, Osho Active Meditation, Osho Kundalini Meditations, Spiritually Incorrect, Osho Rebalancing, Osho Divine Healing, Osho Cranio-Sacral Balancing, Osho Tibetan Pulsing and Mystic Rose.” Wonder why they have left this one hanging like a Damocle’s sword, for disciples across the globe.
However, in this part of the globe, Panchgani to be precise, rebel old-timer sannyasin Swami Chaitanya Bharati, in defiance of any trademark norms, is in the thick of a 10-day meditation camp. About 55 participants from all over the country are merrily engrossed in having a first hand experience of practically all of the ”trade-marked” Osho meditation techniques.
Since Chaitanya Bharati had already been adopting the ”hell care” attitude to all the restrictions imposed by the Osho International Foundation, he is least impressed by the latest concession granted with its rider that, if you are offering or arranging an Osho Meditation publicly, ”you need to ensure that what you are offering is as described in the book” and that any Osho Active Meditations is accompanied by the music specifically created for that meditation.
Says Swami Gyan Surti, an ardent disciple of Chaitanya Bharati and his camp coordinator: ”The meditations performed at Panchgani are basically Osho’s, but it is with a little bit of the Swami Chaitanya Bharati touch. He has changed the meditation technique a bit and has added his own music in some places.”
What does the Osho International Foundation have to say to this?
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
