Ultimately, It's All a joke! (by Priya)

I was blessed to be able to participate in the Mystic Rose for the first time in 1988, after Osho introduced it. I was part of the first batch of 50 ashram residents who were invited to what became known as the Workers' Mystic Rose.

At the time, the program was just two weeks long: one week of laughter and one week of crying. (The third week, called Watcher on the Hill, was added a few weeks later.) The group began at 6 and ended at 9 am, so there was just enough time for a quick breakfast before I rushed to college.

What a contrast! The ashram's joyful, dynamic, and bubbling spirit contrasted with the stiff, inflexible, and closed people out in the world. Eventually I realized that Osho put me in this situation to learn to be comfortable in both worlds.

Because we participants were friends, the laughter week was pleasant and simple, while the crying week was more distant for me. At 19, I couldn't re-ally feel my pain, and going to college after crying meant that I could not stay in the vulnerable space for the rest of the day.

I saw a significant difference the second time I did it, three years later. I was able to reach deeper levels of sadness within myself, making crying easier. It is a blessing to have seven days to be in a womb-like energy to devote time and space to these emotions. Many long-forgotten memories surfaced, and I dealt with them effectively.

Now, after 17 years of hosting Mystic Rose in Osho Nisarga, the experience has an entirely different flavor. Here, there is only one group at a time, and the entire ashram supports that group. There is no distraction from being immersed in the process and being in a powerful Buddhafield with stunning views of the mountains, as well as walks down by the stream that runs through the property, makes it easier to go within.

My mother, Neelam, who was Osho's secretary for India and formed Osho Nisarga in 2007, facilitated the Mystic Rose every year in March. Watching her lead it while she was undergoing cancer treatment had a significant influence on me. It was four years of hospitals, chemo treatments, and a major surgery. Yet every year, she led Mystic Rose despite her physical pain and frequent hospital visits. Seeing her effortlessly lead the group in this tough situ ation, I questioned her, "How are you doing? How can you laugh? And your silent sitting is deeper than ever. You do not move at all for three hours. Something is happening to me as I observe your silence."

I realized that laughter allows us to experience life through a fun lens. Ultimately, everything, including disease, is a big joke. This transformation is what makes the Mystic Rose so magical.

Osho Nisarga's small Himalayan center helps maintain group vitality. Twenty-one days of vulnerable living together fosters an enjoyable, intimate journey.

You can (and should) repeat it. Osho maintains that just as we detox our bodies regularly, we must also cleanse the layers of dust that keep gathering on our souls.

After years of working on myself, I've realized that the third week is the most powerful for me. Every February, I lead a silent retreat for twenty-one days, and the quietness and stillness within has grown. Following the ripples of laughter and tears, the silence where there is no movement has taken on a greater significance. I feel as if I've gone through the entire cycle, passing through each step in its profundity. And leading it this year alongside Naman, whom Neelam has trained, will be a new experience for me.

Ma Deva Priya