In the Shadow of Enlightenment

I paused all of my other reads as soon as I started reading this book.

Sarito Carroll survived the Rajneesh cult, and in this honest, reflective and engrossing memoir, she focuses on her years in the cult; how her foundation years outside of the cult were, her complicated relationship with her mother, the brief time in Hawaii, being one of the first 32 people to be accepted on the ashram in Pune, and what she suffered and witnessed in the cult from the age of 9 until 16, and the aftermath of the years in the cult. She talks about how she decided to tell the truth, raise awareness and hold her perpetrators accountable.

This is a book, despite its tragic material, which can be read in a couple of sittings because of Carroll’s writing.
She does not shy away from telling the sad but very real details.

I first encountered Bagwaan teachings in the form of a book when I was in my early 20s. It was a book about creativity that caught my attention, with its minimalistic cover, on the shelf of a trustworthy source (a respectable book store) of tasteful books from abroad. I soon myself digging for more of the same language - seemingly, the language of creativity and freedom. After reading more, and some observations in India, and a some research, I came to know that the writer I came to know was not the author of the books himself, but they were often edited from his ‘teachings’. A couple of points felt contradictory in the books, others repetitive, some helpful, mainly because the guru was inspired by some of the most influential philosophers, artists, and writers. Then, I learnt about the commune in Oregon and the terrifying experiences of the cult members. Carroll’s book is one of the most eye-opening. honest and detailed telling of the cult.

The book is a warning call about all past, present and future cults, mass cognitive dissonance, and the idolisation of others.

Part of me wanted to know what happened to all the children who were in the cult, and it hurts me that the perpetrators kept on living lives without being held accountable for their actions, bar the vague and diplomatic apologies. But it is at least something. I am glad to hear that the author is leading a meaningful life and is helping children.

The publication date: November 11, 2024

Nobody knows what hides behind closed doors of religious cults. Cheering masses on the streets welcoming their beloved leader in a shining Rolls-Royce, happy faces of hard-working people who want nothing to do with the outside world, and seemingly peaceful teachings —that's all can be a mirage. It took Sarito Carroll more than thirty years to find the courage to speak about sexual exploitation in Rajneeshpuram, a commune in Oregon, at the time when she was a teenager. What we would now call sexual abuse of a minor was considered a norm, her complaints dismissed, and the author had difficulty articulating what wrong had been done to her. During her seven-year stay in the commune, she felt faulty, worthless, undesirable; not that the world around her was in denial. The silence around the topic is still prevalent, with the current devotees of Osho admitting the flaws yet taking no responsibility for the actions of adult Rajneeshees in the 1970s-80s.

As of today, the Wikipedia article doesn't mention sexual exploitation and abuse of teens as the cause of any controversy around the international Osho movement. There is a brief mention of mothers abandoning their children in search of spiritual enlightening - the author saw children as small as four without parents - and forced sterilization to avoid pregnancies. I hope the situation will change after the publication of this book.

IN THE SHADOW OF ENLIGHTENMENT: A GIRL'S JOURNEY THROUGH THE OSHO RAJNEESH CULT is the author's rigorous exploration of her upbringing, not spiritual in any way. The author's openness and her ability to document the tiniest movements of her soul, every thought she had, masterfully convey the atmosphere of the Indian, and then Oregon communes. It's not a light read emotionally; yet, IN THE SHADOW OF ENLIGHTENMENT should be read and surveyed as a startling example of the hushed-up atrocities inside religious cults.

I received an advance review copy through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

my Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6961460693