Rajneeshpuram

Inside the Cult of Bhagwan and Its Failed American Utopia

By: Russell King

Narrated by: Russell King

A tale of breathtaking ambition, flamboyant personalities, palace intrigue, and casualties strewn along the path to enlightenment.

In 1981, ambitious young Ma Anand Sheela transported the Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh to the United States to fulfill his dream of creating a utopia for his thousands of disciples. Four years later, the incendiary Rajneeshpuram commune in Oregon collapsed under the weight of audacious criminal conspiracies hatched in its inner sanctum, including the largest bioterrorism attack in US history, an unprecedented election fraud scheme, and multiple attempted murders.

Rajneeshpuram explores how this extraordinary spiritual community, featured in the Netflix docuseries Wild Wild Country, went so wrong. Drawing from extensive interviews with former disciples and an unprecedented review of commune records, government and police files, and archival materials, author Russell King probes the charismatic power that Bhagwan (later known as Osho) and Sheela exercised over the community and the turbulent legal and political environment that left commune leaders ready to deceive, poison, and even murder to preserve their home and their master.

Rajneeshpuram is a fresh examination of the Rajneesh story, using newly available information and interviews with high-ranking disciples who have never before shared their stories.

©2022 Russell King (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

What a beautiful community

Seems like the best advice is check the zoning before you buy land to start a new religious movement.

Absolutely fascinating and a must read!

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Rajneeshpuram or history about insular religious communities established in the U.S.

I have watched the Netflix documentary, Wild Wild Country, multiple times each year since it aired. I also watched multiple news clips and interviews. Yet, I always went back for more because there is so much we miss between the footage.

King offers necessary insights from overlooked voices and perspectives from the commune. They spend much of the narrative on the activities of the top of the commune hierarchy. For those without the time to scour the documents relevant to the case, this book is a must read since the author refrains from their own moralisms, and is comprehensive and concise synthesis of the history.

Intriguing. Truth that reads like a novel.

An intriguing point in history. Russel King writes out the facts in a way that’s so engaging you feel like you’re in the room. I loved hearing it read in the author’s own voice.

Well researched and haunting

I loved how well researched this book was. The author was able to use facts to create a seamless narrative about the history and mentality behind this cult. I was especially interested in the psychological motivation and the inter connectivity between key players within the cult community. Some very smart people unwittingly become victims and this is as haunting cautionary tale but also a beautiful story that stands on its own.

Fascinating!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this detailed accounting of one of the strangest stories I’ve ever heard! I had watched the documentary prior to reading this book but discovered so many additional details captured by King that I hadn’t heard before. Wonderful!