Testimonial letter from Ma Anand Divyo
This letter is one of a remarkable series of over 2650 letters amassed in 1983 to support Osho's attempt to get permanent resident status in the US at the time of the Oregon ranch. The image is reproduced here with the kind permission of The Oregon Historical Society. Information about their collection of these letters and other supporting material -- the "Jeffrey Noles Rajneesh Collection", named for Osho's immigration lawyer Jeffrey Noles, who compiled them in 1983 and donated them to the OHS -- can be found at this page. The wiki is grateful to the OHS for making access available for these documents. For more information and links to all the letters, see Testimonial letters.
This letter is from Ma Anand Divyo. It is "Exhibit A-2034" in the Noles collection.
The text version below has been created by optical character recognition (OCR), from the images supplied by OHS. It has not been checked for errors but this process usually results in over 99% correct transcription. Most apparent "errors" are correct transcriptions of typos already in the original. The image on the right in the text box links to a pdf file of the original letter, it has 2 pages.
 Ma Anand Divyo TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I am a practicing licensed cosmetologist, having attended numerous seminars, clinics, schools for the past 26 years, learning how to make people "mere beautiful". I owned several small businesses and always had an affluent clientele, rich housewives to slick successful career women. This work has lead me into thousands of American lives and honestly I must say that 99% are all miserable, unhappy, unaccepting of themselves. Coming to me with the false idea that their dollars would make them more loved and accepted, that I could create that happiness. After 22 years of this environment.... absorbing all this ... I myself did not know who I was, totally miserable. ..not accepting or loving myself...disillusioned. Four years ago I purchased a book by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh... .took it to my shop an explosion....this was it....everything I'd ever felt or been able to express someone had put into words. Truth at last! Laughing, crying with relief. Now where is this man, is he alive and can I go to see him? Several months later I locked the door of my business and took with me the willingness to drop my saddness and sorrow to be with this beautiful Master. I never regret this decision or looked back. My life has never been so fulfilled. As each day passes, more acceptance, more love of who I am, thus peace and contentment. I now live in Rajneeshpuram and am helping to build this exceptional city. ..and yes I am a cosmetologist .. the work I had grown to hate, is now a new love affair. My caring for people is now genuine and real... now I can do it out of love for others as well as myself. Recently during our Second Annual World Celebration I had a real opportunity to see how much I had changed... 800 - 1000 sannyasin guests passed through Chiyono Beauty Salon. The joy I experienced caring for these beautiful people ... who, like myself, have freely chosen to be with Bhagwan, was a most previous gift as I was loved and nourished in return...never have I experienced that in the outside world. Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is beyond words. Agift for all of society, humanity, to enjoy. The United States of America should celebrate at having Bhagwan here. Internationally renowned for His exceptional teachings that are totally for these times, this century, a live Religion - that can only benefit this strife tossed world. Rajneeshpuram....a city of peace, harmony, understanding.... and much love could not be possible without Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Growing more beautiful each day in His presence, as are His sannyasins the world over. Sincerely, |
(Please note: We assume that the above letter is still copyrighted, but we regard its historical interest to constitute a Fair Use exception for publication in this wiki.)
