Swami Chaitanya Bharti's Views On Meditation
November 2002
When Osho appointed Swami Chaitanya Bharti in 1974 to conduct meditation camps on his behalf, little did the young photographer from Delhi guess what an incredible and eventful journey lay ahead.
Conducting numerous meditation camps in India and abroad, creating a music company called Oorja Music, releasing Osho Oorja Kirtans, having an exhibition of Osho’s early photographs are some of the fields that he explored. All his enriching experiences have made him eager to spread the message of spiritual evolution to all.
A few weeks before his first-ever 40-day meditation intensive in Goa, the Pune-based Swami spoke to Dhyan Surti. Excerpts:
What do you think of the current surge of interest in meditation and spirituality?
Large numbers of people are getting interested in meditation but are ignorant of its application in their daily lives. There is a misconception about meditation being a magic mantra that alone can solve all problems. Meditation is like lighting a lamp… it lights up your inner space.
Meditation means retaining and remaining in the sense of Presence. It is a means of remaining detached from our miserable emotions. It is through meditation that the inner light of Being gets illumined and makes us aware of the inner world. It is both the greatest and the subtlest force in this universe.
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Now you have a tool to clean up the mess created by the psyche-collective and individual-over many years. Initially, it may not be a pleasant experience. Like a house that has not been cleaned for a long time, your inner world has been ignored for many lifetimes. Just switching on the light will not clear the unwanted.
So what is required?
There arises a need for proper guidance, knowledge and understanding. Without these, even a meditator can be a blockhead. He may become a saint but he will be a silly saint. He may outwardly appear quiet and calm, but will be unable to deal with his life… or his wife (laughter)! There are different dimensions to your being. A multidimensional growth is needed for evolution.
Are you referring to the subtle bodies or chakras?
Ultimately, you have to realise that you are not the body but the Self. In our day-to-day life, we merely take care of the physical body, but are unaware of our psyche which is the cause of all pain and suffering. Beyond the psyche, there is the world of the Soul, of which we are ignorant.
What is taught is incomplete, since they perceive things from a fixed perspective, lacking an integrated understanding. Our 40-day camp is aimed at pursuing the crucial issues in stages.
Beyond the physical body, there are seven layers: the etheric body (Bhaav shrir), the subtle body (Suksham sharir), the mental body (Manas sharir), the spiritual body (Atma sharir), the cosmic body (Brahma sharir), and the bodyless body (Nirvan sharir). All these bodies are connected to their corresponding chakras.
For example, sex is connected to the first body and its base chakra is Muladhar. All our negative emotions arise from the etheric body corresponding to the Swadhisthan chakra. Just doing meditation mechanically will not help unless we develop in all directions.
Why such a long camp?
One, this period from July 2002 to July 2003 is auspicious for meditation and sadhana, when evolution is speeded up. Two, 40 days called Chilla in the Sufi tradition is considered life-transforming, for it bestows immense blessings. Three, I wanted to offer a tribute to my beloved Master Osho, and these 40 days fall between his birthday and his Parinirvan day.
But why are you planning to use Bach Flower Therapy, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Tibetan Yoga?
With the progress of spiritual technology and human psychology, there have been discoveries that can help a seeker make a smooth progress in his inner journey. Most of the blockages in meditation come from the emotional body that can be cleared by these techniques. Tibetan Yoga brings harmony and balance between the inner bodies and chakras.
What role does music play in your camps?
Music has a deep impact on our existence because our very origin is connected with sound. The truth is that all animate and inanimate things in the universe are created from sound vibrations. That is why I use a lot of music in my camps.
Secondly, music is a universal language. If used intelligently, music can nourish, heal and cleanse the inner bodies.
So the task is twofold: to grow in awareness and to clean the psyche.
Yes, the entire past of humanity has crippled you and taught you unnatural ways of living. Society does not help you to be yourself, but it is you who have to integrate with it. You have acquired many artifices and all the time, you are playing roles, wearing a mask. Now you are trying to become natural again.
Until you are at ease with yourself, you cannot be at ease with the world. If you are tense, angry, frustrated and violent all the time, you are spreading those negative emotions in the entire universe. And if you become silent, happy, peaceful, you will start spreading these positive vibrations.
Cleansing the psyche is difficult to do alone. At the camp, when you are together with so many participants, everything becomes easy. You have friends, fellow travellers to share your experiences with, who can guide and help you.
Do you expect any preparation from a participant?
Not really. But if you are tired of being on the edge, this camp is an opportunity, an invitation to jump.
Contact: Osho Dhyan Leela Foundation,
Ph: (020) 6132810,
email: info@dhyanleela.com