A renowned guru of Meditation, Swami Anand Arun, has said meditation is no more a choice for people in modern times, but it has become a must.

Addressing a ‘satsang’ after inaugurating the Osho Sambodhi Meditation Center in South East London on Saturday, Swami Arun said the mechanisation of society, lack of space for inter-personal communications and pressure to deliver results in a competitive environment were wreaking havoc in people’s lives. In such a situation, meditation is the only tool available that can help people achieve balance in their lives, he said.

Director of the Osho Tapoban (www.tapoban.com) at the Nagarjun hills in Kathmandu, Swami Arun said by practicing meditation we can feel peace and silence within while in the outer world, we will be more efficient. People will remain calm even in adverse situation. “Every individual should strive to be successful in both the planes: material as well as spiritual for which meditation is the only tool,” he added.

Swami Arun said the essence of teachings of Buddha, Jesus and Osho Rajneesh were the same but Osho’s approach was very modern. He said Osho had introduced over 300 meditation techniques keeping in mind needs of the modern man. “If we practice meditation on a regular basis, we can become better father, better husband, better wife and a better citizen,” he added. He said meditation is equally suitable for agnostics as well as those who believed in God.

Swami Arun said meditation is a science and results will come immediately for those who practice it. Saying that every pleasure is associated with pain, Swami Arun said people who practice meditation regularly drop smoking slowly and they no more have to go to a pub or casino to enjoy. “They become happy on their own. It transforms your whole life because you are happy within,” he added.

He thanked Ma Ganga, Ma Chetana and other Osho friends for their support and enthusiasm in establishing a meditation center in South East London.

Speaking on the occasion, Ma Chetana-who also works as a full-time employee at a leading bank in London-said regular meditation changes every thing. She called upon all to find sometime out of their busy routine and join the center in its daily, weekly and monthly meditation sessions.

Earlier, Swami Arun conducted a meditation camp at Swaminarayan temple in Brighton-a popular sea beach to the east of London. Over 30 participants – including academics, businessmen, professionals and housewives– took part in the four-day camp (May 2-5).

Swami Arun is also scheduled to conduct camps, ‘satsang’ and meditation sessions at New castle, Edinburgh, Ealing (London), among others, during his stay in UK until the end of May. Details of his camp are available at www.tathagat.co.uk. nepalnews.com May 14 08