Editing Rajneesh movement (section)

=== Religion ===
A 1972 monograph outlined Rajneesh's concept of sannyas.<ref name="Yoga Chinmaya 1972" /> It was to be a worldwide movement, rooted in the affirmation of life, playful, joyful and based on science rather than belief and dogma. It would not rely on ideology and philosophy, but on practices, techniques and methods aiming to offer every individual the chance to discover and choose their own proper religious path; the intent was to lead people to an essential, universal religiousness. The movement would be open to people of all religions or of none, experimenting with the inner methods of all religions in their pure, original form, not seeking to synthesise them but to provide facilities whereby each might be revived, maintained and defended and their lost and hidden secrets rediscovered. The movement would not seek to create any new religion.

[[File:NSI-Logo.gif|thumb|180px|left|Logo of Neo-Sannyas International. ''Circa'' 1970s.]]
To this end, communities would be founded around the world and groups of sannyasins would tour the world to aid seekers of spiritual enlightenment and demonstrate techniques of meditation. Other groups would perform ''[[kirtan]]'' (call and response chanting) and conduct experiments in healing. Communities would run their own businesses, and various publishing companies would be founded. A central International University of Meditation would have branches all over the world and run meditation camps, and study groups would investigate the key texts of [[Tantra]], [[Taoism]], [[Hinduism]] and other traditions.<ref name="None">{{harvnb|Palmer|1993|p=72}}</ref>

In one survey conducted at Rajneeshpuram, over 70 per cent of those surveyed listed their religious affiliation as "none";<ref name="None" /> however, 60 per cent of sannyasins participated in activities of worship several times a month.<ref name="None" /> In late 1981 Rajneesh, through his secretary [[Ma Anand Sheela]] (Sheela Silverman), announced the inception of the "religion of Rajneeshism", the basis of which would be fragments taken from various discourses and interviews that Rajneesh had given over the years.<ref name="Metha111">{{harvnb|Mehta|1993|p=111}}</ref> In July 1983 Rajneesh Foundation International published a 78-page book entitled ''Rajneeshism: An introduction to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and His Religion'',<ref>{{cite book|title = Rajneeshism: An Introduction to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and His Religion|date = 1983|publisher = Rajneesh Foundation International|isbn = 0880506997|editor = Academy of Rajneeshism}}</ref><ref name=Carter300>{{Harvnb|Carter|1990|p=300}}</ref> in an attempt to systematise Rajneesh's religious teachings and institutionalise the movement. Despite this, the book claimed that Rajneeshism was not a religion, but rather "a religionless religion&nbsp;... only a quality of love, silence, meditation and prayerfulness".<ref name=Carter185>{{Harvnb|Carter|1990|p=185}}</ref> Carter comments that the motivation for formalising Rajneesh's teachings are not easy to determine, but might perhaps have been tied to a visa application made to the [[Immigration and Naturalization Service]] to obtain "religious worker" status for him.<ref name=Carter186>{{Harvnb|Carter|1990|p=186}}</ref>
People followed the norms of wearing similar clothes and participating in the same activities. The people were allowed to come and go as they pleased as long as they did not hurt anybody.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/226836614/Rajneesh|title=Rajneesh – Rajneesh – Religion And Belief|via=Scribd}}</ref> In the last week of September 1985, after Sheela had fled in disgrace, Rajneesh declared that the religion of "Rajneeshism" and "Rajneeshees" no longer existed, and that anything bearing the name would be dismantled.<ref name="tl85">{{cite news |title=Rajneesh renouncing his cult's religion |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1347&dat=19851001&id=OBgVAAAAIBAJ&pg=1946,4458 |author=Sally Carpenter Hale, Associated Press |newspaper=[[The Ledger]] |date=1 October 1985 |page=8A |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> His disciples set fire to 5,000 copies of the book ''Rajneeshism''.<ref name="tl85" /><ref name="sc85">{{cite news |title=Guru's arrest not imminent |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=[[Spokane Chronicle]] |date=2 October 1985 |page=D6}}</ref> Rajneesh said he ordered the book-burning to rid the sect of the last traces of the influence of Sheela,<ref name="sc85" /> whose robes were added to the bonfire.<ref name="sc85" />