Autobiography of a spiritually incorrect mystic

Osho's posthumous autobiography affords a delightful glimpse into the life of one of the most outrageous twentieth-century spiritual leaders. Consisting of anecdotes that Osho told during his many lectures and classes, the book has a conversational tone that well conveys the sometimes infamous guru's dynamic personality as it offers a sampling of his thoughts on meditation, enlightenment, sex, money, education, and the evolution of consciousness. Osho was not afraid to tackle the world's major religions, pointing out inconsistencies and hypocrisy where he found them and simultaneously drawing together their best aspects into a synthesis grounded in meditation. Osho also answers some of the criticisms leveled at him for his seemingly outrageous behavior and his iconoclastic tendencies. He proves a fascinating man: a prolific writer and lecturer, highly educated, and deeply passionate about his own search for truth. Whether or not one is interested in Osho's teachings or in the controversies surrounding his movement, his autobiography is entertaining, insightful, and for some, perhaps, even enlightening. Bonnie Johnston

"Autobiography" is a misnomer, as the Indian mystic Osho (1931-1990) never wrote his memoirs; this book is an arrangement of reminiscences harvested from thousands of tape-recorded talks. However, the titular phrase "spiritually incorrect" is apt for a man who called himself "Zorba the Buddha." Born Rajneesh Chandra Mohan, Osho became a philosophy professor and began attracting followers in the 1960s. In 1968, he shocked Indian society by publishing a series of talks under the title From Sex to Superconsciousness. In the 1980s, he came to America and founded a commune in Oregon, called Rajneeshpuram. He was deported a few years later following the discovery that his personal assistant had firebombed a county planning office, among other crimes. In 1988, he said that the Buddha had "taken shelter" in him for four days, but departed because of disapproval of Osho's luxurious lifestyle, which included ownership of 90 Rolls-Royces. Osho's thought (or no-thought) clearly arises from India's Buddhist tradition, but his discourses refer to sources as diverse as Muhammad and Jung. Mixing Western therapy and Eastern meditation, Osho introduced such innovative practices as "dynamic meditation," which involved dancing, leaping and shouting instead of sitting in silence. Readers may be amused by Osho's humor, taken aback by his boastfulness, bemused by his pronouncements and shocked by his irreverence, but occasionally they will also be struck by his insight. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved