Testimonial letter from Sw Prem Vihanga
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 Sw Prem Vihanga (Bernd Ratza). It is "Exhibit A-1586" 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.
 Prem Vihanga To whom it may concern: I’m a 26 year old student of anthropology at the University of Munich, Germany. My interest in history of humanity in social structures of groups and in the way mankind grew up to big societies like we have now, led me to my study. Through my general interest in foreign countries and the way people live there, I came to know about meditation. I went to different places where meditation is practiced like Findhorn in Scotland, Buddhist meditation center in Germany and a Suficamp with Peer Villayt and Innhat Khan. Those were good experiences, but still I felt like something is missing In Germany since a couple of years, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is a very famous person often discussed in newspapers and in T.V. There are a lot of Rajneesh Meditation Centers and a lot of sannyasins. I went to some of these centers did some of the meditations offered there and spoke to the people doing meditations and running the centers. My interest in Bhagwan grew and I felt something is happening in my life since I was in touch with his work. I became more relaxed more open to people and more effective in my studies. In 1981 I went to India to experience the country and the people. I had an audience with the Dalai Lama, the head of Tibetan Buddhism in Dharamsala and then I went to Poona, India. When I met Bhagwan it was totally clear to me that I wanted him as my master because he’s the most outstanding person I ever met. The whole atmosphere of love and joy delighted me and I became a sannyasin. Back in Germany I continued my studies with a more open mind since Bhagwan showed me how to live life more relaxed and to concentrate on my work in the same time. Bhagwan's words about man's psychology and behavior helped me a lot in understanding the way of how civilization began and how social and religious structures work together. Now since 1 month, I am a visitor of Rajneeshpuram, Oregon. I participated in the festival celebration and in some meditation programs. I haven't been in Bhagwan's personal presence for 2 years and it is one of the most exciting and overwhelming experiences of my life to see and feel him again. He looks more beautiful and healthy than ever. I don't know if you have ever experienced this, for me the best ideas come to my mind when I'm totally relaxed and not thinking at all. Suddenly these ideas come like flashlights to my mind, I forget them again and a few hours later I remember them and can write them down. When I sit with Bhagwan during Satsang these things happen most strongly to me. Sitting with him in silence is really an amazing time. It's a space full of joy and light. I feel this soft love coming up in me and I discover more and more my full potential through Bhagwan. It happened to me in this week of Satsang that some really good ideas came to my mind. In a couple of days I go back to Germany and sit for my final exams to become a major in Anthropology. And I go back with the certainty that I’m able to do a good work and that it’s an interesting thing to do and it’s the thing I choose to do. The time I spent here in Rajneeshpuram is really valuable for my daily life. It’s amazing to see this growing city like an oasis in the middle of a desert. People are very friendly and it’s a non-violent space. I never saw people fighting or other signs of aggression. I can leave everything at any place, even my purse and I’m sure when I come back it’s still there. I didn’t see drunk people or people hanging around not being aware what they are doing. I saw people working without struggling against each other, but in harmony and with joy. The whole city is really nice looking and very clean. This all happens only through the presence of Bhagwan because to see him daily, even for a short time when he drives by, remembers me and all the people here who we are and that our true nature is to live in peace and harmony. [signed] |
(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.)
