Sheela Interview by Rajeev Jain (2012)

editor summary

Sheela is interviewed in this serial of 13 interviews by Rajeev Jain. The interviews cover the period from the 1980s, following the Rajneeshpuram era, through the end of the series, most likely following Sheela's detention.

Sheela offers her opinions on a range of subjects, especially Bhagwan and his life, Rajneeshpuram, including her involvement at the time, and therapists in general at various times of the recordings. Her presentations are distinguished by the notorious one-sided perspective. She promotes disparaging, erroneous, and objectively false information unaffected by challenging inquiries.

The opening questions for the videos are not present. Therefore, how and about what the inquiry was asked may only be assumed. When inquiries are asked, it conveys a decidedly uncritical attitude. Unfortunately, the videos do not indicate the date they were shot; in any event, the date of publication does not match the date of recording.

Youtube summaries

”Q: bhagwan, we're here to do a story on your personal secretary, sheela, and i was hoping that you might be able to describe your personal relationship with her, and perhaps why it was with sheela with whom you spoke during your vow of public silence.

A: you can just see sheela: she is so beautiful. Do you think anything more is needed?

I have chosen her as my secretary because she has lived with me for many years, and i have seen not only her physical beauty, but also her spiritual beauty. I have seen her intelligence. I have seen that she can manage this whole commune of crazy people.

Q: beloved bhagwan, i'm not a journalist, but i deal with journalists all the time. And before the press conference is over, i have a question that everybody asks me but nobody asked you today. And that is, during the time you didn't speak, sheela was speaking all over the place, and many people got offended with her comments. And everybody asks, "how come sheela is your spokesperson? How come sheela makes those statements? She is antagonizing people." Would you say something about that?

A: i was also very much offended by sheela. Whenever she came back, i hit her hard, because she was not the way i would like her to be-really outrageous! She was falling below the standard. And i was continuously telling her, "don't be worried, we don't have anything to lose. We have the whole world to gain and nothing to lose. Be outrageous!" there is a saying that "no news is good news." it is only half, the other half i have to make. If no news is good news, then good news is no news! It has to be sensational. I have been sharpening her like a sword. "go, and cut as many heads as you Isabel, i agree. I was also offended.

Q: the same question then, that immanuel kant had to answer, the yes or no about love. Are you in love with Sheela? Is she your...?

A: i am in love with so many women around the world. Sheela, of course, is one of them. But i cannot point out a single woman that i love. I love, and my love is not addressed to anybody in particular. And i have loved so many women, i don't think anybody else could have managed it. Even gurdjieff is far behind me in that matter. He loved many women, but not more than a dozen.

Q: is the message you are bringing only for sannyasins, only for 500,000 of your disciples? Or do you want to bring this message to more people in the world?

A: i don't want anything. My people are there. I have not searched for them, they have come to me. Those who are in need, they should seek me. If they are not in need -- get lost -- it is none of my concern.

Q: how do you like my tie? This was the only red thing that i could find?

A: that is the only color i hate. I never use red.

Q: you must love sheela.

A: sheela i love, but not the red color.

Q: she is red and all your disciples are red.

A: that is why i have given red colors to them -- because that is the only color i will never use.

Q: so none of your cars is red, either?

A: there are a few cars which are red, but i am sitting inside and i don't see them.

Q: you are a very wise man.

A: of course. The wisest who has walked on this earth.

A: of course. The wisest who has walked on this earth."

editor’s comment

Sheela's veracity is in question. Nobody is able to determine what is correct and incorrect in her statements. It is also unclear which of her expressions is truly genuine, sincere, or significant. If questions of the interviewer are not included it reinforces the impression of one-sidedness.

See the disclaimer on other pages like Sheela Interview Barcelona 2018 or Sheela Interview Iqbal Singh which puts strong doubt to the fundamental contents of all of this interviews.

language: English

released: videos uploaded Mar 04, 2012, Nov 02, 2012, Mar 09, 2012 and Mar 11, 2012 on Youtube

length: see the table under sources.

credits

Rajeev Jain

youtube.com/ @rajeevjain777

film

see table under sources

sources

YouTube

Title of videos: Shree Ma Anand Sheela 1-14

Publisher: Rajeev Jain (1,420 subscribers on May 16, 2023),

Interviews
YouTube video	length	views	uploaded
video 1 of 14	10m 12s	86,042	2012-03-04
video 2 of 14	09m 50s	25,129	2012-03-04
video 3 of 14	09m 44s	12,937	2012-03-04
video 4 of 14	09m 46s	26,189	2012-03-04
video 5 of 14	04m 36s	13,526	2012-11-02
video 6 of 14	10m 18s	14,116	2012-03-09
video 7 of 14	10m 20s	19,387	2012-03-09
video 8 of 14	09m 17s	72,268	2012-03-11
video 9 of 14	10m 19s	78,219	2012-03-11
video 10 of 14 missing
video 11 of 14	08m 39s	23,025	2012-03-09
video 12 of 14	09m 30s	17,422	2012-03-09
video 13 of 14	10m 18s	125,799	2012-03-11
video 14 of 14	10m 16s	75,017	2012-03-11