Osho Rajneesh, aka Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, aka The Rolls-Royce Guru, was an Indian guru who attracted many thousands of followers at his utopian Oregon commune in the early 1980’s before being deported from the United States. His story is fascinating and full of intrigue, making him a perfect candidate for an eye-catching documentary on Netflix. Wild Wild Country, executive produced by the Jay and Mark Duplass (The Mindy Project, The League), exposes the reality behind a too-weird-to-be-true piece of history.
Rajneesh’s life was the stuff of legend. He owned ninety-three Rolls Royces. He constructed his own city in the desert. He was involved in a small war with local residents in Oregon over his massive commune. Then there was a bioterrorism attack. And an assassination plot to murder a U.S. Attorney. And he may have taken sixty milligrams of Valium every day, and was said to have been addicted to nitrous oxide.
The teachings of Rajneesh place an emphasis on the importance of meditation, awareness, love, celebration, courage, creativity, and humor. His felt that these qualities were being suppressed by society’s adherence to static belief systems, religious tradition, and socialization. His beliefs continue to influence Western New Age thought to this day.
Seriously, though, ninety-three Rolls Royces. Check out the craziness below:
Wild Wild Country hits Netflix on March 16th.
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