- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Barrytown/Station Hill Press, Inc. (Jan 1 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0882681362
- ISBN-13: 978-0882681368
- Product Dimensions: 22.2 x 15.2 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 581 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,504,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Long on detail but short on analysis, this memoir takes an ambivalent view of the author's 13-year involvement with the guru known mostly for lurid headlines regarding sex and Rolls-Royce collections. In 1971 Franklin, bored with life in the suburbs and wanting to change the world, found ecstasy in Bhagwan Rajneesh's technique of Dynamic Meditation, soon immersed herself in his discourses and eventually left her marriage and her children for India, where she wrote several books for Rajneesh. She describes life in an Indian ashram, ``Peyton Place in burgundy,'' as well as the controversial Rancho Rajneesh in Oregon, offering portraits of movement personages such as foul-mouthed Sheela, Rajneesh's power-mad personal secretary. Though she is often critical of herself and Rajneesh's movement, Franklin writes that she can't account ``for the stoned, blissed-out feelings he evoked in me and thousands of others''; author Frances Fitzgerald, in Cities on a Hill , offers far more insight into Rajneesh's techniques and the psychology of devotees. Moreover, because Franklin acknowledges creating composite characters, her use of verbatim dialogue throughout the book seems suspect. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sounding familiar...,
By A Customer
This review is from: PROMISE OF PARADISE (Paperback)
Dr. Rajan (see other review) sounds like the very Sannyasin he criticizes for failing to see their guru's own shortcomings or failing to learn from his, Rajneesh's, teachings. Yet here he is, Rajan, doling praise to Rajneesh, swearing love, and claiming to grasp the truth better than Franklin. Sounds like a follower. Next: a trip to the ashram?
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews) 9 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Rajneesh enigma is revealed,
By LEO_SUN_SIGN_777 - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: PROMISE OF PARADISE (Paperback)
The book is fascinating and answered most of my questions on the Rajneesh cult phenomenon. I always wondered about the techniques that cult leaders in general and Rajneesh in particular used to control the minds of masses of people. My other big question was what type of people surrender to these leaders and why they let themselves be exploited.The Rajneesh case was especially interesting to me, because I read a few of his books in the early 1980's, listened to his tapes, met many sanyasins (devotees) and even went to the big annual celebration in Oregon in July 1983. I was pressured many times to "take the plunge", but never even considered becoming a follower. And after reading this book, I thank goodness that my reasonable mind made the right judgment call. I have to admit that I always thought he was better than other gurus and cult leaders, and valued the well being of his followers. But sadly, I was in for a rude awakening and really shocked to discover what was really going on in the ashrams. The book is well written and it feels genuine, but it is way too long and repetitive. In my opinion, the book would have been more effective if it was condensed to about three quarters of its size. But the writing style is fluid and the material absorbing, so it's not a big flaw. I hesitate to discuss more details of the story, because it will spoil the readers' enjoyment. To me the book read almost like a detective story, peeling layer after layer of my illusions about the 'enlightened' Guru and his 'truth seeking' devotees. So the only thing I'd like to add is; If you really want to understand the Rajneesh phenomenal appeal to some of the most educated people in the world, his mixed messages and his tactics of mind control and exploitations, this book is highly recommended. 13 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intimately interesting,
By Angarai Vadyar - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: PROMISE OF PARADISE (Paperback)
"The Promise of Paradise" offers valuable insight into the workings of a "cult". I use the word "cult" with the full understanding that the established religions that exist today have all started as "cults". The day-to-day account of Satya Bharti Franklin is very lucid;the author herself had been a ghost-writer for Rajneesh.It is sad that the writer has not really learnt any lasting lessons from Rajneesh, viz, unconditional love for yourself and others, joyful surrender to existence at every moment, the concept of no mind which is the soul of meditation, etc., etc.. From what I glean from Satya's book, it seems that Rajneesh himself didn't practise what he so admirably preached. Perhaps he didn't realize that his ambition to promote his ideas through a group of people unfit to fathom the true meanings of Tantra, Tao and zen had stood in his way of dismantling completely the commune he helped to build. He perhaps wished for a large number of Bodhisatvas which he obviously didn't get. But I am deeply grateful for Rajneesh for giving me great insight into who I am really. Love and best wishes to all of you. 5 of 16 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sounding familiar...,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: PROMISE OF PARADISE (Paperback)
Dr. Rajan (see other review) sounds like the very Sannyasin he criticizes for failing to see their guru's own shortcomings or failing to learn from his, Rajneesh's, teachings. Yet here he is, Rajan, doling praise to Rajneesh, swearing love, and claiming to grasp the truth better than Franklin. Sounds like a follower. Next: a trip to the ashram?
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