Bye Bye Virendra

Goodbye Virendra

2010-03-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

Written the day after Virendra left his body

There was stillness in the house yesterday. The rhythm of his breath was an invitation to the rhythm of our heart.

Thank you Virendra for letting be in your close circle of friends in such an intimate moment, I said to him couple of weeks ago and again the day before his final departure.

Virendra has many friends and I can't say we knew each other very well on a day to day practical level, but our "connection" started long ago, here in Amsterdam in the faraway 1986.
Three weeks ago we laughed about that. He said do you remember Milena when you paid the Rebalancing Advance Training and you had trouble getting all the "Italian lira" to Holland. At that time he was in charge for the administration of the old Caravansary Osho center in Amsterdam.

And the suddenly it struck me this very gentle man, far away from any power trip of the Commune, looking at me with his wonderful blue eyes trying to help me out on financial things. A detail I had forgotten but that came vividly back in my mind.
Over the years after that, we met again many times in Poona and always he had this gentle beautiful smile as if he was all the time in contact with the secret of life.The giggling laughter of a real sadhu.

I think Virendra knew the art of being watchful, mindful, peaceful with an open heart. I am sure. I tasted his grace in his last days of his life. I breathed into the depth of his meditation, that took me gently deeper inside myself.
He has been facing with an extreme dignity his mortal predicament. He did what he could to help his body recover from the cancer and when there was nothing more to do, he accepted this too.
When in October last year, I found out he was sick, I wrote him an email. He replied:

Cara Milena,

What a nice surprise to receive an email from you, and with so much empathy.

Sometimes I like to look at your Mountain Girl web diary. Not very often, but once in a while. So I have some contact with what is going on in your world.
Yesterday I included you among the people that I sent the latest news about my health, but is was in Dutch and I don't know whether you can read that.
What it comes down to, is that it is still unknown whether the cancer in my chest is curable of incurable. It will probably take a few more weeks to get that clear.
Basically I am in the same situation as everybody: We know that the body is going to die, and we don't know when it is going to happen - could be today, could be in thirty years. But in my case it is now a ? 50% ? chance that it will be within a few months. It is a wake-up call.
In the meantime I got morphine pills, which really help, and that is a big relieve after all these months of gradually increasing pains.

Thank you for offering your help. For now, help is not needed beyond what my friend Prerna is giving, but that may change.

Love,
Virendra

His wonderful friend and wife: Prerna, an angel on earth to relieve him from many of his discomforts, to comfort him with her sweet devotion, to remind him the joy of being loved, to sit with him in silence and much more that only belongs to the sacred-bond they shared.

At the beginning of January I found an email from her asking if I could pass by at their house.
My heart jumped in joy. And so it started, ...the beginning of the end. Or maybe a new beginning.

Virendra, yesterday, on his last day he looked peaceful. I told him, "My dear I dreamt about you last night and you were so happy hugging us." He looked at me with smiling eyes and the sweet smile on his face and he said: I am very happy, now, Milena.
These were the last words from him I heard few hours before he left.

The silence deepened.
I was feeling since days a burning aching sensation in my heart. A call of love from the Beloved. The Beloved that Rumi talks about it. Finally that sweet painful longing I was feeling, calmed down and it melted in a cool lake of awareness.
He drew his last breaths.
Only Prerna was next to his bed.
Pratito, Srajan and me were sitting in compassionate stillness in the living room. And yet we felt it.

"Emptiness", Virendra said the day before yesterday. "I feel a great emptiness. No attachment".
Yes, Virendra we never born we never died. The cloud doesn't cease to exist just because it turns into rain. But the cloud is in the rain, in the sun, in the grass, in the piece of paper one holds in his hands. We are a continuation. I was quoting from Thich Naht Hanh's book "No death no fear - comforting wisdom for life".

And certainly Virendra had no fear. It was humbling to watch him leaving us. Suddenly he would open his eyes wide and gave us a wonderful smile. You could only smile back at this utter innocence and love that was pouring out of him. And my heart would melt.

Couple of hours before he asked Prerna to send this email to friends. The subject of the email was: the goose is out.

Lieve vrienden,

Nu gaat het snel.
Ik ben blij.

Bye bye,

Virendra

When the moment arrived he said to Prerna: Bye bye.

He is continuing his journey. He knows the way.

May God bless his traveling to the other shore and beyond that.

bella, originally uploaded by driek.

I found a book in his house the day before he died, amongst so many Osho books. "The gift" from Hafiz. I started reading it and Prerna ever so generous told me to take it as his present. There was a paper in it, handwritten by Virendra, with many of his favorite poems. I read them all and choose two of them.

I have learned so much

I have learned
So much from God
That I can no longer
Call
Myself

A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim,
A Buddhist, a Jew.

The Truth has shared so much of Itself With me

That I can no longer call myself
A man, a woman, an angel,
Or even pure
Soul.

Love has
Befriended Hafiz so completely
It has turned to ash
And freed
Me

Of every concept and image
My mind has ever known.

Good journey, friend, originally uploaded by driek.

When You Can Endure

When
The words stop
And you can endure the silence

That reveals your heart's
Pain

Of emptiness
Or that great wrenching-sweet longing,

That is the time to try and listen
To what the Beloved's
Eyes

Most want
To

Say.

Finally Virendra,
may you rest in the Beloved heart.
Finally at home.

The picture that you kindly sent me 2 years ago, of a laughing Utkantha during the Mystic rose in '88, hangs in my house and will always remind me of your wonderful presence on earth.
With an heart full of gratitude,
With a longing that never dies.
Milena,
aka
Ma Anand Utkantha.

On the 14 of February we will have a Sufi Dancing event in his dedication in de "Oude Kerk" in Amsterdam.

Last post

2010-02-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

The blog bye bye Virendra was created by me and Driek one year ago in dedication for this man who walked this earth for a while. I shared my experiences and my thoughts about being with him in his last days. I also published few emails sent to me one year ago when Virendra died.
I described few events of The "heart dance" taking place in various places with "Friends of Virendra musician."

The last entry was about the injury of Prerna happening exactly on the first anniversary of his death.

I want to thank everyone for reading and contributing. It is my time now to say goodbye through this blog. If you like you can follow my adventures in life and my writings on my personal blog Mountain girl.

I wish you all well and most of all peace of mind and love in your heart.
Milena, a mountain girl!

One year after

2010-01-29T11:39:00.000-08:00

For you Prerna, because you love the mountain too.

Exactly one year after Virendra left his body the 28 January 2009, Prerna had an accident. Yesterday the 28 of January 2010 riding her bicicle back home she was hit by a car. She fall badly and the bike fall on top of her. She was driven by an ambulance to the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam. She has a bad fracture at Tibial Plateau.and needs to be operated but not before next Friday, a week from now.

She can received visit on the visit hours which are from 11 to 13 and from 16 to 19.30. Also tomorrow she will have a cellular in the room and people can call her. If you wish to know her cell number please email me and I will let you know.

After the initial shock Prerna is now fine and slowly accepting that it will take some time for her to fully recover. Pratito and Srajan took care of her last night and I spent most of the day today in the hospital telling her my war story of my long time in hospital.

Last year after I came back from my Christmas holiday in Italy Virendra called me to go and visit him. The story is told in the first blog entry. Last night I came back from Italy and I received a call from Gambheera telling me about Prerna situation. So is life.

Sending tons of love to everybody and a healing prayer to Prerna.

On my birthday

written by Milena

Heart dance in Wajid

2010-01-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

Some pictures of a nice day singing and dancing heart dance with Rangini and the Friend of Virendra. In Wajid on the 16 of January.

When we danced the song "Rejoice in the Lord" Rangini told everyone present that Virendra really liked the song, only he couldn't really say "Lord" actually he did not wanted, instead he changed into the word "Void."

Rejoice in the Lord ( Void) always

Rejoice, rejoice
and again I say rejoice

I remember having a discussion about this with him in his last weeks. He was all for emptiness and void, and nothingness and I love to call on God, the Lord, the Almighty Father the fullness of life and the richness of dying.

Just two different ways although a common past in our time with Osho, still so many ways to express the Ultimate. I like the dance of the Lover with the Beloved like the Sufi and Christian mystics, Virendra liked the sense of "nothingness".

Some people sang Lord and some used the word Void. Pick the one that resonates with you.

As long as you rejoice in whatever happens to you with gentle acceptance and a heart in love, then all is okay.

Milena

20 Years Osho left his body.

2010-01-05T05:03:00.000-08:00

I thought to publish this invitation from Srajan to a day meditation. It is 20 years that Osho passed away, and almost one year from the departure of Virendra. In these 20 years many sannaysin have "left their body" just to name few I personally was friend with:
Ma Shanti Genny, Ma Yoga Sudha, most beloved Disha, Swami Bhavan Amsterdam and many many other including Sw Virendra. I like to add here also Tim Guest aka Yogesh who died last summer of an heart attack at the age of 34.

My heartfelt wishes for peace to the heart and acceptance of the body to Swami Rupesh (more info on his blog) in Mexico who suffers of another form of cancer.
(written by Milena)

From Srajan:

Hallo allemaal,
De allerbeste wensen voor het nieuwe jaar.
Deze maand is het 20 jaar geleden dat Osho zijn lichaam verliet en dat wordt in een meditatiekring gevierd door heel Nederland.
Wij willen dat in Amsterdam Buitenveldert vieren met meditatie en heart dance en willen jullie van harte uitnodigen.
Zegt het voort aan iedereen die graag mediteert.
Liefs,
Rajyo, Pratito en Srajan

Zondag 17 januari in De Atlant
10 – 11 Dynamische – meditatie
12 – 13 Nadabrahma - meditatie
13 – 14 Lunch
14 – 15.30 Heart Dance - met de Vrienden van Virendra
16 – 17 Kundalini - meditatie

Kosten € 25 incl. lunch. Losse meditaties € 5.
Voor deelname en informatie: bel 020-6694841 of mail srajan@xs4all.nl
Adres: Scholengemeenschap De Atlant, Teilingen 4, Amsterdam Buitenveldert.
Tram 5 of metro 51, halte Van Boshuizenstraat. Daarna 5 minuten lopen.
Neem je eigen meditatiekussen en handdoek mee.

De opbrengsten van de dag gaan als donatie naar de Stichting Vrienden van Osho.

Poem from Wirla to Virendra

2009-04-24T01:23:00.000-07:00

Prerna writes to us:
Beloved friends,

Ik voel me GOED vandaag! Het feest was fantastisch en ik wil jullie bedanken voor een onvergetelijke avond.
Toen ik naar bed ging hoorde ik nog ons zingen en de guitars spelen en dat ging door totdat ik in slaap viel.

Wirla wilde voor ons gisteravond een gedicht voorlezen. Maar ik denk dat ze te schuw was om het te doen en gaaf ze het aan mij.

Wirla and Virendra

From Wirla

Do not stand on my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glint on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened wheat
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
Do not stand on my grave and cry
I am not there. I did not die
Do not stand on my grave for I am not there
don’t weep
I am the wind in the trees
I am the salt in the sea
I am wherever you want me to be
I am if you are able to see

Always for You Virendra

2009-04-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday 6 of April we were invited in Prerna 's house to celebrate with good food and music just the magic of life.
Prerna took out her recipe from the old Zorba the Buddha cook book. Amazing food and for an Italian expressing a comment like this it must means it was really delicious.
We enjoyed each other company in the house were our beloved friend Virendra spent so much time, silent time, meditating time, relationship time and finally his dying time. His presence were all over us and with us.

We didn' t even really finish eating that our musicians took their chitars and start playing. And of course singing.
Virendra in "Tai Chi" posture with a smiling Pratito and a concentrated Gyanam, tuning ....

Driek with his bass and Hinge's hands playing tablas.

Let's get going, singing our way to God. At least for me. In the back ground the dances were going on. We just missed Ageya, she couldn't make it.

Gambira ever so sweet and Virendra amazing picture. I couldn't stop photographing him with us.

And finally, "good bye and hello" our dear Friend. Your presence is ever so felt. Thank you Prerna for the sweet evening.
You could view more picture of a Milena rocking ....you in my blog.
Milena

From Ageya

2009-04-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

At the end of the Sufi dance in de Oude Kerk 14 feb. 09

Virendra
On the 28th of Januari Sami Anand Virendra left his body.
He lived almost all his life in the city of Amsterdam.
Virendra's search started when he was 10 years old and one of his uncles gave him a book about space. He told one of his friends that seeing that book he suddenly was there.
In the 70-ies he went to Osho.
He was one of the first people supporting Amitabh, the Osho Meditation Center on a boat in an Amsterdam canal.
On his funeral many people talked about that, they did their first Dynamic Meditation, Vipassana or Meditation weekend with him. Virendra loved Tai-chi, Sufidance and doing everything in a very regular order.

That gave him the time and rest for his great love, meditation.
Many also may have known him from the Stad Rajneesh in Amsterdam were he lived many years and took well care for the financial administration of that commune.
Among many friends and lovers Virendra had two longtime time lovers, Wirla and Prerna.
With Wirla he lived many years together in the Commune in Amsterdam and also with Prerna he lived for many years together in the Commune and after they moved out.
At one time Virendra and me gave meditation' s classes in community centers in Amsterdam.
When later Prerna spend some years in America, I was close with him too, for some time.

Last year Virendra got ill and at some point it turned out nothing could be done about it. For the last months Virendra could only sleep sitting up. The care and love from Prerna was comforting Virendra. I never heard a complain from him and seeing Virendra in his last weeks always left me with an unexpected unknown joyous feeling. At one point when he only could breath more and more difficult he decided that it was time to take off.
It was precious to take care of his body, together with Wirla and Prerna. It was cold winter and nature supported in that way that his body could stay home for a whole week. Sitting there with him one could always feel lifted up in a beautiful space. Many friends came at the house and later to his funeral were we sang his loved songs. Also when the flames transformed his body.
A few weeks later his friends held a SufiHeartDance where he was invited and remembered.

These spring days, walking along the canals in Amsterdam I often sing a song for him and remember his gentle being.

Ageya

Virendra's cremation

2009-02-27T01:44:00.000-08:00

This flower in Virendra's living room started to open the day he left his body. We could almost see unfolding its wonderful petals in the stillness of the apartment. The picture was taken the day after.

For a whole week Virendra's body was resting in his room. Friends could come and sit with him in prayer, in respectful silence, singing softly with tears, with smiles.
Prerna opened her house as a temple for meditation. The most powerful meditation I know.
Death meditation.

Yesterday, Wednesday the 4th of February the kind people of the undertaker company took with utter respect the body of Virendra to the crematorium De Niewe Ooster.

There a lot of friends were waiting to give the last goodbye to Virendra.

Musicians sang for ten minutes "There is so much magnificence near the ocean, halleluja".
Followed by ten minutes of silence.
Then the gentle notes of "Fly, fly high, let the earth touch the sky" transformed the silence into a devotional prayers of love, gratitude, and in some ways, so dear to the sannaysin, blissful space.

The following set of pictures may give you a bit of a feeling. I apologize in advance for the quality of the photos. I am not a photographer and my hands were so shaken by the magnitude of that moment and the intensity in the room. I came to know Virendra so intimately in the last days of his life and I was not immune, neither I wanted to, from emotions and tears in departing from his physical form.

You can click the link to the whole set of Virendra's cremation:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29904709@N08/sets/72157613332989329/

or directly to the slideshow:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29904709@N08/sets/72157613332989329/show/

After that the body was taken to the cremation oven and some of us went with him to help the casket to enter into the "holy fire".
Srajan pressed the button that lights the fire.

The last piece of his presence in the physical body completely detached itself from it and flew into eternal life with a serenity and a lightness that melted my heart and relieved my soul. We were so deeply moved.

In summer last year three friends of mine died in one week. I wrote a poem that I send to Virendra some time ago.
From an email from Prerna.
"Dear Milena,
I wanted to let you know that when I showed Virendra your BEAUTIFUL
e-mail and read the poem, Virendra leaned back, relaxed against his mountainous pile of pillows and smiled beautifully. It was really very nice and deeply moving. These deaths in our "family" are making us ready for our own great journey.
Much love from Prerna

To you beloved Virendra may you keep smiling beautifully

Home

The wind stopped blowing,
everything around is quiet,
even the birds hold their songs

listen

peace is the sound of silence
and I will be resting here
back to earth with lilies
covering me,

listen

I am home
finally at home.

written by Milena

Singing and dancing for Virendra in de Oude Kerk

2009-02-17T04:03:00.000-08:00

It has been a wonderful Celebration, dancing and singing for our beloved friend Virendra.

Prerna sent me an email the day after which, with her permission, I am copying here for you all:

Beloved Milena,

Are you still glowing from the Sufi Dance yesterday? Walking through town to the tram stop I felt sometimes like I was flying! Was it because I was tired from organizing, packing, thinking and planning? No, maybe a little but what I mostly felt was deep gratitude for the friends who were there, the friends who created those songs, for the dance which makes me laugh like a little kid, for living on this beautiful planet, with sunshine on a cold winter's day. And looking at the musicians! Srajan really cracks me up, he so obviously enjoyed himself despite cold fingers- grinning like a little kid. At one point I had no partner so I stood behind each musician and danced at his back. Driek looked also totally in his element- laughing and enjoying and playing his beloved bass. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm still dancing and singing.............

That say is it all.
Thank you to everyone who came for this sweet Valentine's day of Love and Peace in the world and beyond this world.

Below some pictures of the event.

Sufi Dance event for Virendra. Rehearsal

2009-02-10T02:46:00.000-08:00

Sufi Dance event for Virendra and for love and peace in the world.

Getting started with lots of cakes.

On 14 Feb in de "Oude Kerk" in Amsterdam there will be the Valentine Peace Celebration.
It is a day for love and peace in the world with many events happening between 11.00 and 16.00.

It is not possible to say precisely but around 14.00, Ageya, Srajan, Gyanam and friends will be playing Sufi Dance/Heart Dance de Oude Kerk. To make sure come early.
We will dedicate the event to our beloved friend Virendra.
All of you are invited to come and join. The details for the fee and the logistic you can find here on the valentine peace project program. It is an event organized by others, we are just guests.

Last night in Pratito and Srajan house we had the rehearsal for Saturday event and Virendra was with us all, in the room smiling happily.
At the end we watched old photos on Srajan computer about Virendra's past and I can tell you, he was very much there, in spirit.

Some shots from yesterday (by a poor photographer, me):

Srajan letting go for Virendra. These two guys were such good friends.

few weeks before Virendra passed away
Don't hesitate to mail me if you want to know more, but it is all written here what I know.
Love to all, friends of Virendra,
Milena

From Rangeeni: Lord of the dance

2009-02-08T02:12:00.000-08:00

Virendra was een echte liefhebber van sufidansen (hartdansen, Dances of Universal Peace) en hij kon een 'kring neerzetten' als geen ander. Ik vond in mijn 'sufidans-archief' deze heerlijke, typische Virendra-brief, over het samenstellen van een programma voor een meditatiedag van Wajid:

Lieve Rangeeni,
ik heb dinsdagavond, na ons telefoongesprek, geprobeerd zo snel mogelijk een bandje te maken met de liederen die ik op 8 november zou willen dansen, zodat je dat normaal gesproken nog voor het weekend krijgt, dus (ruim) op tijd voor maandagmiddag.
Daartoe moest ik dus eerst het programma, zoals ik dat voorstel, afmaken, zodanig dat het een evenwichtig geheel vormt. Ik heb From You I Receive erin opgenomen, omdat jij dat graag zingt en ik ook.
Het bandje is gekopieerd van andere bandjes, waarvan 1 een kopie van een heel oud bandje is, dus schrik niet van de geluidskwaliteit (maar geniet van de sfeer).

Wat niet op het bandje staat, zijn de twee laatste liedjes:
- From You I Receive - jou wel bekend - en:
- We are moving the way of the white clouds.

Ik heb dat laatste lied wel op een cd van Miten, maar daarop zingt hij het niet zoals ik het bedoel.
Zoals ik het bedoel is het een echte meezinger, die begint met:
Laaaa Lalalalaaaa Lalalalaaaa Lalalalaaaa Lalalalaaaa Lalalalaaaa Lalalalaalala - en dat twee keer. Als je niet weet wat ik bedoel, kan ik het per telefoon voorzingen. (Maandag zit ik op mijn werk: 020 689 3831. Of ik het kan gaan zitten zingen op het moment dat je eventueel mocht bellen, kan ik niet voorzien).
Daarna We are moving the way of the white clouds - drie keer.
Tot slot wordt er oorspronkelijk gezongen: Home to you, maar ik vind dat dat niet klopt. De wolk is niet op weg ergens naar toe. De wolk heeft geen doel. De wolk is er gewoon. Als de wind deze kant op gaat, gaat de wolk deze kant op. Als de wind die kant op gaat, gaat de wolk die kant op. De wolk zegt dan niet "Ho! Stop! Ik was op weg naar het zuiden." Home is here. Home is where you are. Daarom zou ik graag de laatste woorden Home to you willen vervangen door Here and now.
Overigens wil ik hier geen gestructureerde dans bij geven. Het is gewoon heerlijk om dit tot slot samen te zingen. Erbij dansen mag natuurlijk ook.

Wat niet op het bandje staat is de binnenkomer. Ik bedoel: terwijl de deelnemers binnendruppelen zouden we iets kunnen zingen. Ik stel voor: iets dat jullie graag zingen en spelen. Als het kan een lied met een tekst die verwijst naar het samen zingen en dansen dat we gaan doen. Maar als jullie graag iets anders zinden, dan doen we dat. We hoeven niet altijd te zingen:

The universe is singing a song, the universe is dancing along, the universe is singing on a day like this (x2). It is high time to dance (3x), so wake up and dance.
- accoorden: G C D G Em C D G - refrein: G D C D
- (stencil from the First Annual World Celebration - "The Osho Song Book")
Andere mogelijkheid:

I'm here to wake up to this day, I'm here to dance the clouds away, I'm here to live and sing my song, and disappear into the blessed one. / There's no I, there's only You, only You, only You.
- (tape "Enlightenment Day 1981" - accoorden van Srajan: A D B7 E)
Nog een mogelijkheid:
Loving is a beautiful feeling. Dance till you fall in love (2x)
Disappear in this song till the dancer is gone and till only the dance remains.
- (Tape "Magic in the Air" - accoorden van Srajan: G e C D C D B7 e C D)
En kennen jullie deze?
High is the song, Free is the dance, Deep is the feeling of our love.
Maar misschien hebben jullie een andere favoriet.

De Dansen:

Op het bandje kan de toonhoogte anders zijn dan de gewenste:

Allah: CG / C
Kring – Handen vast.
Allah 4x Zijwaarts lopen, begin met de rechter voet.
Langzaam
Er Rahman, Er Rahim Draai alleen – rechtsom – op de plaats,
de eerste keer 1 slag (½ op Er Rahman, ½ op Er Rahim)
de volgende keer net zo vaak als je wilt – 2 of 10 of 1.
Dan weer de handen vast in de kring.
- Betekenis:
“Allah: De Ene – die er is – die je bent.
“Er Rahman, Er Rahim: Medeleven en Mededogen (Compassion & Mercy)”

Ya Azim: CC / FC (Am?) / G G7 C
- In C
- Betekenis: “O, hoe prachtig toont God zich aan mij in de vorm van jou.”
Ya Azim, Face partner, hands in prayer position – bow.
Ya Azim, Raise arms high – eye contact.
El Allahu, Turn to face person behind you, arms spread open
- V: eye contact
El Allahu, Turn to face partner – V: eye contact
Allah hu, Bow to partner – V: ¿ hands in namaste
Halleluyah. Advance with arms raised high to next partner

I love you: C F G7 / G C / F C G7 C / G7 C
- In C
I love you whether you know it or not,
I love you whether I show it or not.
Face partner in circle, one meter distance, hands on own heart, looking at partner.
On phrase “love you”, fling arms open; bring back to heart on “I”,
then fling open again on phrase “love you”.
There are so many things I haven't said inside my heart.
Perhaps now is a good time to start.
Take right hands and walk past partner, continuing to advance around the circle,
looking at faces until song ends.
Begin again with new partner.
If missing a partner, run to the center.

Shalom Allahem: Am C F C Am Em
Shalom Allahem x2 Face partner, join hands in prayer mudra, turning to right, eye contact.
Shalom, Shalom Turn in place alone.
Repeat to left.
Then advance
- In a (Srajan).

I bless what comes (and) I bless what goes (3x). Em
Two long lines of people facing each other about two meters apart.
Take a step toward each other on the phrase “what comes”,
remain still on the phrase “what goes”. (V: Zet de achterste voet naast de voorste.)
On the last “what goes” you take four steps backward to starting position.
V: Step forward with right foot and start stepping back with right foot.
V: Step back slightly toward the right to get in front of the next partner.
“Bless” can be substituted with “enjoy”, “accept”, “like”, “love”, “melt with”, “laugh with”, “play with”, “dance with”, “sing with”. Vertel dit bij de uitleg.

Gopala: E / D
- In A
- Meaning: “A dance praising Krishna (joy) as a child and his mother Devaki who symbolises magnetism.”
- One large circle. Join hands.
Gopala, Gopala, Devakinandana Gopala. Skip or walk to right.
Gopala, Gopala, Devakinandana Gopala. Skip or walk to left.
Devakinandana Gopala To center with hands joined.
Devakinandana Gopala Back to outer circle.
Devakinandana Gopala To center with hands joined.
Devakinandana Gopala Back to outer circle.
- Misschien meerdere keren versnellen en vertragen

Jumna / Ganga: Am / G C Dm C G Dm
Stand in a circle, facing center.
Jumna ki jai jai, Keeping left foot in place, lunge forward and down on right foot bringing arms to the ground.
Ganga ki jai jai Pivoting on left foot, step back with right foot, raising arms up to the sky.
Repeat both parts.
Clap!
Kailash Shakti Shiva, Shankar ki jai jai Join hands in circle with arms raised above shoulders, and walk to the right.
Clap!
Kailash Shaki Shiva, Shankar ki jai jai Repeat to the left.
- Begin op e – volgens de hoestekst: Em, Am Em, Em, Bm Em.
- “Playful Hindi song in praise of the flowing rivers and the god of dance.”

From you I receive: C F G7 C C
- In C
- Mooi om te zingen – Langzaam – Geen percussie
From you I receive. Take one partner’s hands in circle.
To you I give. Take hands of person behind you.
Together we share. Join hands and sing to center.
In this we live. Hold right hand of partner and advance
to next partner

alleen zingen (geen dans) (voorlangs overlangs kring):

Magnificence: C G Am G / F C Dm G //
There is so much magnificence
In the ocean
Waves are coming in
Waves are coming in
Evt. canon met Hallelujah

– in A: Here, here is all. All, all is here.
Slot: Breng het voorhoofd naar de vloer – geknield dan wel uitgestrekt.

From Gyanam

2009-02-08T01:04:00.000-08:00

Gyanam in his devotional singing mood for Virendra
with Driek

Wat een prachtige week is het geweest, na de celebration brak alles open, m`n stadse hart werd zacht en open, vaak keek ik naar de foto van Virendra..zo`n lieve vriend..
Dertig jaar geleden deed ik m`n aaaallereerste meditatie bij hem, in Arnhem..Vippasana.

Daarna elkaar altijd weer treffen,..vaak op m`n verjaardag, want dat eindigde meestal in community singing, en daar genoot Virendra heel erg van.

Lieve Virendra ik ga je voorlopig nog erg missen.

Gyanam

Letter from Prerna to friends around the world

2009-02-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

Beloved Osho, Dhanyam and friends around this beautiful world,

Beloved Anand Virendra left his body behind on January 28, 2009.

He chose consciously for the death of his body,
he chose the moment to go,
who would be there with him,
how his send off would be,
how everything would be arranged.
He totally accepted his illness and its inevitable and quick end, just as he accepted being cared for, being a little bit spoiled end fussed over, and the endless cups of veggie broth.
He often spoke of the endless space within, empty-ness, acceptance, gratitude, Osho
The morfine he took stilled the pain but left him clear-headed and gave a sweet, light feeling of euphoria. He really smiled a lot and was sweet and uncomplaining.
He was ready to go and he said with a laugh “there’s no point in just hanging around”.
The last discourse we listened to with him was Zen: The Original Man #8, part 1, 1988.08.23.

He sweetly said bye bye to his compassionate doctor, turned and said bye bye to me, nodded at his doctor and listened as the doctor said, “Dag, meneer” (Good day to you). !
We were shaking with laughter, the poor doctor was shaking with nerves. Virendra closed his eyes, took a few shallow breaths and JUMPED.
I felt he jumped, way out of the body, way away into existence, way, way deeper into our hearts. No attachments, no regrets, no looking back. It was too cool.

His last 3 lovers washed and oiled his body.
I felt immediately after the jump and in the days that he lay in our bedroom “chilling out” that there was no Virendra “there” in the body. He was GONE.

Sweet Sw. Srajan wondered aloud which of us was going to push his last button! (at the cremation).

Virendra offered his many friends a great way to celebrate his send off- just before the cremation at the beautiful cemetary, there was live music played by his friends, and a deep silent space between the music sets. We really took off dancing and singing with the last song- Fly High My Love. I could look out over the friends and family and musicians and I could not stop laughing! It was HOT!

Milena created a blog for Virendra. Everyone is welcome to send poems, photo’s, stories about him, maybe videos, so these can be enjoyed by a world-wide circle of old and new friends.

In deep gratitude I bow down to Osho.

devaprerna@hotmail.com

From Prerna: Virendra 's soup

2009-02-07T03:51:00.000-08:00

From Milena. A little introduction to this recipe that was emailed to me by Prerna to be posted on this blog.

Virendra in his last period didn't eat much. Actually he didn't eat at all.
He enjoyed only soups. When he described to me what he eats he kept on saying:"Prerna -with a smile on his face- makes such a delicious soup for me. Though I can only drink the broth. Also a tomato soup that Prerna - with a smile- makes can go down my throat. "

One day I prepared the Virendra's soup recipe you see below and it took me more then an hour to cut the veggies very fine and go through the exact procedure and cooking instruction that Prerna had given to me on a neat piece of paper. She did it for him for weeks in a row.

In his last days even the "wonderful Prerna's soup" was even too much for him.

It was so unbelievable sweet when he would make comment about his long hair becoming few tufts of hair after the Chemio. I don't care if I have only few long hair left, Prerna is the one that looks at me all the time. If she likes it that way I am fine with it. If she wants to cut it I am fine too. And then his smile was just radiating acceptance to what is and deep devotion for the woman that cared for him till his last day.

Virendra’s groenten soep

stukje gember

stukje geelwortel

150 g pompoen
50 g wortel
100 g champignons
50 g aubergine
50 g biet
25 g spercibonen
11/2 liter water
2 afgestreken theelepels sambal badjak
Gebruik de food chopper, of snij alles zeer fijn en breng alles aan de kook voor 5 minuten, verlaag de vlam en laat sudderen. Zet wekker voor 15 minuten.
Voeg 4 eetlepels soya saus toe.
Eerst de volgende groenten wegen, dan 4 minuten voor de wekker afgaat snij ze zeer fijn.
30 g courgette
75 g spitskool
l50 g prei (food chopper werkt niet goed)
100 g broccoli (kijk uit voor zwarte vlekken)
1 groot teentje knoflook
Voeg dit alles aan de sudderen soep toe en erdoorheen roeren. Als de soep weer gaat sudderen, zet de wekker voor 15 minuten. Zodra het afgekoeld is zet de soep in de koelkast.
Drie keer per dag serveren. Stomp eerst de soep een beetje, roeren, dan zeef maar 1 kop met de theezeefje. Opwarmen maar niet koken. Maakt genoeg voor 1 ½ dagen.

From Mahadevi

2009-02-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Beloveds
Ik ben net terug gekomen uit India, waar ik per email vernam dat Virendra
zijn body heeft verlaten.
Bij de holy mountain, arunachala, in Ramana Maharshi ashram, heb ik
met een paar vrienden een vaarwel meditatie gedaan....Stil...licht...beautiful....
Ik heb fijne herinneringen aan hem in de tijd van de Sadhana commune
waar ik shopper was en ik altijd met hem alles afrekende.
Zo n fijne samenwerking , stipt, punctueel en veel humor..!!!
Nu ik terug ben in Portugal is Virendra inmiddels gecremeerd
en zie ik de prachtige foto s en energie die hem in liefde begeleidde.
Ik voel me diep geraakt .
En hij heeft nu net als Anumitie zijn lichaam getrancendeert tot eternal soul.
Vaarwel dear Virendra en doe de groeten aan Anumitie daar in die grote blauwe leegte

Mahadevi

Emails sent to Srajan and Pratito for Virendra

2009-02-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

Beloveds
thanks so much for giving me the news of Virendra's body leaving, and for the beautiful photo. He was a rare person, from my impression of the few times we met.
...
Much love
Maneesha

Toch een shock om te horen dat Virendra gestorven is, hoewel het natuurlijk te verwachten was. De laatste dagen was hij ook steeds in mijn gedachte. En ook nu denk ik veel aan hem, onze bijzondere vriend.
Helaas kan ik de celebration niet meemaken, maar Gyanam houdt me op de hoogte.
Fijn dat jullie nog regelmatig bij hem waren en ook toen hij zijn lichaam verliet.
Een heel mooie celebration gewenst,
veel liefs,
Devabodhi

ja volgens mij heb jij ooit gezegd dat je sterft hoe je hebt geleefd. Weet je dat nog? de kunst van het leven de liefde lijkt wel de komst om het te ervaren en de kunst om het weer los te laten. Ik heb best een verlatingsangst maar daardoor leer ik om alles los te mogen laten. Virendra had een hele mooie stilte en een blik naar binnen en altijd een soort geheimzinnige glimlach. Mooi hoe jullie het ervaren na zijn dood. Dat moet jullie ook een soort rust geven. Ik denk dat het ook heel belangrijk is hoe de omgeving reageert op iemand die sterft. Als de omgeving teveel in de pijn zit en het niet wil accepteren dat iemand weg is dan houden we het in het aardse. ….
Karen

Hi beloveds,
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Yes, it’s truly an honour to share that precious moment.
Hope all is well with you both!
We are just about to leave for a Leonard Cohen concert in Brisbane, we’ll be singing for Virendra!
With love and big hugs from us both,

Deva Premal and Miten

From Poona

2009-02-06T04:24:00.001-08:00

Beloved ones

We had a beautiful celebration for Virendra in Poona.
in heartdance in the Buddha auditorium a song was dedicated to Virendra:

All the birds fly home
as the sun goes down
silence can be touched
splendour of this love
beloved one.

This song and the silence afterwards were so touching.
Afterwards the Dutch people were sitting together with a beautiful picture of Virendra.
Have a beautiful celebration in Holland.
Love, Daya

From Bali

2009-02-06T04:21:00.000-08:00

Lieve mensen,

Bij deze wil ik jullie vanuit Bali condoleren met het overlijden van een van onze dierbare Osho vrienden, Virendra.
Ik kan helaas niet bij de crematie zijn, maar stuur van hieruit veel liefde, sterkte en vooral Osho's licht wens ik jullie allemaal toe.

Dank voor het zorgen voor hem, wat zeker intens geweest zal zijn.

Shanta en ik zullen tijden de crematie hier bezig zijn met shaken en hebben vanochtend tegen elkaar gezegd dat we voor Virendra zullen shaken (in de Ratu Bagus ashram in Bali).

Virendra was een van de eerste Osho mensen die ik tegenkwam op de boot Amitabh in 1979, waar hij met liefdevolle aandacht aanwezig was bij de introductie cursus. Ik herinner me levendig mijn eerste dynamic, waar hij in de tweede fase een hand op mijn rug legde nadat ik in een enorme oerschreeuw was uitgebroken en daarna onbedaarlijk moest huilen.
Hij was er en ik voelde zijn steun, precies goed afgestemd.
Zo ken ik Virendra, als een zacht mens, die er voor je was als je hem nodig had, heel stil en zonder enig vertoon. Zo bewaar ik hem in mijn herinnering en ik hoop dat een van jullie een bloem voor mij op zijn kist wil leggen.

Heel veel liefs

Sadhya

Je_zus_Buddha

2009-02-06T04:11:00.000-08:00

"I never said

it would be easy"

.....

"I only said

it would be worth it."

Kitty Breen

For our beautiful friend

2009-02-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

The letter written by Ojas de Ronde few hours after Virendra left his physical body.

Lieve, wakkere Virendra,

Ik ben blij dat ik jou heb mogen meemaken.

In de 20 jaar dat ik je mocht meemaken bij de Vrienden van Osho
Was je altijd wakker, alert, kritisch, lastig en …ter zake.
Vooral als het over financiën ging.

The Goose is out! Dat heb je in je laatste dagen beseft!
Hoe komt een gans uit een glazen fles? vroeg eens een zen meester.
Het enige antwoord: hij heeft er nooit in vastgezeten.
Je hebt beseft: Je hebt hier nooit vastgezeten.
Wat een inzicht.
Je hebt alles wat wij menen zeker te weten losgelaten.

In het laatste gesprek heb je me over dat proces nog verteld.
Je hebt me toen verteld wat ‘sannyasin zijn ’ voor jou betekent.
Je zei: sannyasin komt van ‘sam-ni-san’, ‘sam is ‘alles samen’, ‘nisan’ is ‘loslaten’.
Alles loslaten, daar was je mee bezig.
En zo te zien, ging het je goed af.

Dat heb je ook je hele leven gedaan.
Je kamer op de Sluisstraat, waar wij vaak vergaderden, was altijd leeg.
Een tafel, een stoel, een paar planten en een foto van Osho.
‘Ik moet ruimte hebben,’zei je.
‘Ruimte om te mediteren, om t’ai chi te doen,
Ruimte om dynamic te doen, ruimte om te dansen.’
Kaal, maar voor jou was het genoeg. Jij had niet veel nodig.
Je rijkdom was van binnen.

Je hebt veel losgelaten in je leven. Ook innerlijk.
Je begon met heel veel ballast, zoals je me eens zei.
Een start in een omgeving waarin het motto gold:
‘Je bent zondig. Daar kun je niets aan doen. Zo ben je geboren.
Je kunt daarom beter geen plezier hebben in je leven,
geen beloning aannemen.
En dan maar hopen op een gunstig oordeel van God.’

Dat heb je losgelaten. Ik zie je nog dansen,
met hart en ziel soefi dansen.
Je laatste woorden waren: ‘ Lieve vrienden. Ik ben blij. Bye, bye’.
Whaw, ik was zo ontroerd toen ik dat las!
En ik weet dat dit diep uit je hart kwam.

Toen je erg ziek was zie je:
‘Wij hebben al zoveel gekregen,
En iedere dag krijgen wij er meer bij.
Niet te bevatten!’

Je hebt me toen ook verteld over dat omslagpunt in je leven.
Toen je voor het eerst alles begon los te laten.

Je zie: ‘Het was 1957.
Ik was 10 jaar oud en ging al jaren naar de zondagsschool.
Daar hoorde ik de verhalen over God
die Abraham en Mozes opdrachten gaf.
Maar van mijn grootvader had ik een boekje gekregen over spoetniks.
Dat heb ik in een ruk uitgelezen.
Ik las toen over de enorme, gigantische ruimte
en kosmos waarin wij ons bevinden.
De afstand van hier tot de planeten, van de planeten tot de zon
Van de zon tot ons melkwegstelsel …
en dan al die miljarden melkwegstelsels..’

Je hebt het me allemaal uitgelegd alsof je het opnieuw meemaakte,
die prachtig, grote reis die je toen hebt gemaakt,
De ruimte die je toen beleefd hebt.

Die ruimte werd toen voor jou je God, oneindig groots.
Niet te bevatten.

Dat hoef je nu ook niet meer proberen te bevatten.
Nu ben je opgegaan in die ruimte.
Nu ben je die ruimte.
Nu ben je opgegaan in het Licht
Nu ben je het Licht.

Proficiat, Virendra, je hebt reis volbracht.
Geniet er van.
Je bent thuis.
Bye, bye, Virendra

Ojas