Since 1999, when I discovered the 20th-century Indian mystic, Osho, and the former commune he left behind him in Pune, I have divided my life between India and the UK. Until 2007, for six glorious months of every year, I spent my
days meditating,
whirling to wonderful Sufi music in what is now
called the Osho Meditation Resort, sitting watching the birds and
butterflies in the jungly park that was one of Osho’s last
gifts to us, creating mandalas, and generally drinking in the vibrancy
and colour of everyday life in India.
For the past two years, although I am still spending even more than six months a year in India, and remain happily based in Pune – despite the continuing environmental destruction of Koregaon Park, the once beautiful and lush district in which I live – I no longer go inside the Osho resort. The atmosphere of this formerly lively, liberal and loving place has become somewhat hidebound, while reduced availability of whirling and high entry prices further lessen its appeal. Regular whirling and sitting in the park have been a loss, but just being in India becomes ever more addictive.
These days, I tend to travel around more to other parts of the country. Unsurprisingly perhaps, I feel especially at home – and in perpetual wonderment – in Rajasthan. Varanasi also made an unexpectedly strong impression on me, as does Hampi. Nonetheless, Pune, with its generally westernised living standards and easy access to technology, as well as the still-steady flow of Osho sannyasins passing through, remains a perfect and centrally located base.
Until 2008, I spent the remaining six months of the year in the UK, working much of the time as a freelance sub-editor, earning the resources to fund such a lifestyle. Current economic conditions have made this way of life increasingly difficult however, so one of my oldest friends – also an experienced journalist – and I have recently launched a web-based editing service, (
www.editingedge.co.uk), in the hope that this may generate some income while leaving me free to stay more of the time in India.
I can only express my gratitude to Osho, and those individuals I have met who are still living in line with his magnificent
vision, for giving me the keys to turn my life into such a beautiful
adventure.
Media coverage and exhibitionsIn June 2006, the German edition of
Osho Times (
www.oshotimes.de)
ran a six-page
feature on my work.
A solo exhibition of mandala prints
ran at the Osho Galleria (www.oshoworld.com) in New Delhi, India, from 23 March 2007, for a month.
From September 2007-February 2008, a number of prints were hung in the therapy rooms at Moving Arts Base (sadly, now closed) in London – just the kind of healing space in which these works ideally belong. On Wednesday 1 October 2008, also at Moving Arts Base, I performed the whirling for the first time in the UK to open an exhibition sale of mandala prints that, in the end, ran until 29 August 2009, with many prints sold.
If you would like to experience the healing and meditative effect of the mandalas in your own healing centre or other workspace, please contact the artist (see Contacts and sales page).