What do you think?
Rate this book
By My Own Rules: My Story in My Own Words
Irrepressible, honest, bold and charming, very few can claim to have lived life on their own terms as Ma Anand Sheela has. Yet controversy continues to follow her. Whether it is her portrayal in Wild Wild Country or the Osho International Foundation's take on the Netflix series, a wide spectrum of opinions has cloaked for too long the real Sheela Bernstiel. In the 1980s, she was the personal secretary of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and managed the Rajneesh commune in Wasco County, Oregon, USA. She was eventually sentenced to prison, served her time and walked out in three years. Today, she runs homes for the disabled and the elderly in Switzerland. Almost three decades later, she is still in love with Bhagwan and his teachings. From rebuilding her life from scratch in Switzerland to an interview with Karan Johar on her grand return to India, she is adored and vilified by the world at the same time. In her memoirs, By My Own Rules, Ma Anand Sheela bares all-her life, her lessons, her beliefs, her inspiration and what makes her live life on her own terms.
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2021
6 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 28, 2023
Does everybody deserve a second chance?
When you want to know about something that has happened, it's always the best to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. I believe that's the intention most people who read this book have. We want to know Sheela's version of what happened at the Rajneeshpuram. And Sheela knows that. She knows we have preconceived ideas about her, those which come from Osho's talks and the media and the recent Netflix documentary "Wild, Wild Country".
That's why she says right from the beginning that this book is not bout what happened at the Commune. She says she's written about it in her previous book, "Don't Kill Him". This book is about her post-Osho life. I was kind of a bit disappointed but still I was intrigued. So I read on.
I can imagine how difficult life would be for her in her post-Osho, post-prison time. But she is Sheela. She's ambitious, headstrong, and never-gives-up.
While people couldn't forgive her and hated her for what they believed she had done in the Commune, she tried to break free from the chains of her past. She even received death threats! Everywhere she went, her past followed her, even though it had been a long time.
How she re-built her life again in Germany and Switzerland without knowing a single word in their languages is courageous and admirable.
Most of the book is about her life in Switzerland and how she founded the care homes there, and later in Vietnam and Mauritius, despite many unfair challenges because of her past, and how she managed the homes and the teams and how she cared for her elderly residents. She gives each chapter a title with her life principles.
That being said, there's one thing I didn't really enjoyed about this book. That's what I feel her attempt to disgrace Bhagwan. First she talks about how much she loved Osho, how his teachings helped her, but her love confuses me.
In one occasion, she says how drug addicts are egoistic and how they don't care about the environment or other people, then she talks about how Osho used drugs. She even says that Osho's drug use was the reason she left the ashram! Everybody knows that's not true at all.
In another occasion, she says how Osho had the ultimatum in decisions regarding the Commune. She says all she did was exactly what Osho asked of her. She also mentions that Osho decided on his own to stop speaking. But what we've known from Osho is that Sheela made him to not speak.
(Here, I must admit that I might have a bias. I love Bhagwan. When her version of the story contradicts Bhagwan's version, I'll take Bhagwan's version. And I'll also take the fact that the FBI and the US government imprisoned her, not Bhagwan, for what had happened at the Rajneeshpuram.)
So even though she says how much she loved him, I feel a sense of her hatred towards Bhagwan. First she tries to disgrace him, then she tries to put the blame for what happened in the ashram on him.
I still love this book. But I would love it more if she defended herself without disgracing and blaming Osho, or still better if she didn't try to defend herself at all, because we all make very big mistakes in our lives, and the only important thing is how we rebuild our selves after taking responsibility, apologizing if needed, and atoning for our mistakes.
In conclusion, this is a tale of redemption and resilience, Sheela's inspiring journey beyond Rajneeshpuram. It enables us to see her in a different light. You'll find her as a headstrong, ambitious, and never-give-up-on-her-dreams kind of person and on the spiritual side as a soft-hearted, compassionate person towards her team and her elderly residents at her care homes.
This book is a worthwhile read despite its flaws. Although in the beginning, her attempt to disgrace and blame Osho detracts from the book's overall message, in the latter parts she effectively conveys her messages of love and compassion and to accept life as it comes and that everybody deserves a second chance.
When you want to know about something that has happened, it's always the best to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. I believe that's the intention most people who read this book have. We want to know Sheela's version of what happened at the Rajneeshpuram. And Sheela knows that. She knows we have preconceived ideas about her, those which come from Osho's talks and the media and the recent Netflix documentary "Wild, Wild Country".
That's why she says right from the beginning that this book is not bout what happened at the Commune. She says she's written about it in her previous book, "Don't Kill Him". This book is about her post-Osho life. I was kind of a bit disappointed but still I was intrigued. So I read on.
I can imagine how difficult life would be for her in her post-Osho, post-prison time. But she is Sheela. She's ambitious, headstrong, and never-gives-up.
While people couldn't forgive her and hated her for what they believed she had done in the Commune, she tried to break free from the chains of her past. She even received death threats! Everywhere she went, her past followed her, even though it had been a long time.
How she re-built her life again in Germany and Switzerland without knowing a single word in their languages is courageous and admirable.
Most of the book is about her life in Switzerland and how she founded the care homes there, and later in Vietnam and Mauritius, despite many unfair challenges because of her past, and how she managed the homes and the teams and how she cared for her elderly residents. She gives each chapter a title with her life principles.
That being said, there's one thing I didn't really enjoyed about this book. That's what I feel her attempt to disgrace Bhagwan. First she talks about how much she loved Osho, how his teachings helped her, but her love confuses me.
In one occasion, she says how drug addicts are egoistic and how they don't care about the environment or other people, then she talks about how Osho used drugs. She even says that Osho's drug use was the reason she left the ashram! Everybody knows that's not true at all.
In another occasion, she says how Osho had the ultimatum in decisions regarding the Commune. She says all she did was exactly what Osho asked of her. She also mentions that Osho decided on his own to stop speaking. But what we've known from Osho is that Sheela made him to not speak.
(Here, I must admit that I might have a bias. I love Bhagwan. When her version of the story contradicts Bhagwan's version, I'll take Bhagwan's version. And I'll also take the fact that the FBI and the US government imprisoned her, not Bhagwan, for what had happened at the Rajneeshpuram.)
So even though she says how much she loved him, I feel a sense of her hatred towards Bhagwan. First she tries to disgrace him, then she tries to put the blame for what happened in the ashram on him.
I still love this book. But I would love it more if she defended herself without disgracing and blaming Osho, or still better if she didn't try to defend herself at all, because we all make very big mistakes in our lives, and the only important thing is how we rebuild our selves after taking responsibility, apologizing if needed, and atoning for our mistakes.
In conclusion, this is a tale of redemption and resilience, Sheela's inspiring journey beyond Rajneeshpuram. It enables us to see her in a different light. You'll find her as a headstrong, ambitious, and never-give-up-on-her-dreams kind of person and on the spiritual side as a soft-hearted, compassionate person towards her team and her elderly residents at her care homes.
This book is a worthwhile read despite its flaws. Although in the beginning, her attempt to disgrace and blame Osho detracts from the book's overall message, in the latter parts she effectively conveys her messages of love and compassion and to accept life as it comes and that everybody deserves a second chance.
September 12, 2021
I’d be honest about this. I had very little knowledge of Osho and his lieutenant in Sheela, who went on to create ‘Rajneeshpuram’ in Oregon (USA), until I saw the documentary on them on Netflix, named ‘Wild Wild Country’.
Sheela, now Ma Anand Sheela, is the center focal point now that Osho is not around. She was vivacious, daring and came across as the the woman in control, of what Osho intended to preach.
But this isn’t the book that will deliver you the spice of what all happened behind-the-scenes. This book takes you to Ma Sheela’s after-life (that is post-Osho), settled in Switzerland and taking care of the old and the diseased. How she has struggled in bringing about this commune and in gaining international recognition is to be read within. 📚
Sheela, now Ma Anand Sheela, is the center focal point now that Osho is not around. She was vivacious, daring and came across as the the woman in control, of what Osho intended to preach.
But this isn’t the book that will deliver you the spice of what all happened behind-the-scenes. This book takes you to Ma Sheela’s after-life (that is post-Osho), settled in Switzerland and taking care of the old and the diseased. How she has struggled in bringing about this commune and in gaining international recognition is to be read within. 📚
August 6, 2021
🎀 BOOK REVIEW 🎀
Book - BY MY OWN RULES
Author - Ma Aanand Sheela
Genre - Non fiction
Review :
Bhagwan Rajneesh , known as Osho , was an Indian godman , who established Rajneeshpuram , a community in the state of Oregon in 1980s .
Osho ashram at Pune was the pioneer center .
Osho was a public figure , known for his speeches and his movement for socialism .
Enters Sheela , a young girl bought to the ashram by her father , and who fell in love with Bhagwan the moment she saw him .
Sheela Patel , became a follower of Osho and joined his community .
She gained his trust and became Bhagwan's personal secretary .
Various controversies began erupting . All the decisions and happenings in the asharam were been taken by Sheela , now known as Ma Aanand Sheela , and this wasn't well accepted by the male communists .
In this book , Ma Aanand Sheela has boldly talked about all that she went through during the time she spent in prison and after that .
Her new life without Bhagwan , but with his teachings and love for him , her way of showing her care and warmth by setting up 2 NGOs in Switzerland , where She takes care of old people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other health issues .
A good read to begin with a clear mind , keeping aside all the controversies and curious enough to know how Ma Aanand Sheela survives and how in love she is with Bhagwan Rajneesh even today .
P.S - Do watch Wild Wild Country On Netflix @netflix_in
Thankyou @penguinrandomhouse for sending me Advanced review copy of this great book . ❤️
Book - BY MY OWN RULES
Author - Ma Aanand Sheela
Genre - Non fiction
Review :
Bhagwan Rajneesh , known as Osho , was an Indian godman , who established Rajneeshpuram , a community in the state of Oregon in 1980s .
Osho ashram at Pune was the pioneer center .
Osho was a public figure , known for his speeches and his movement for socialism .
Enters Sheela , a young girl bought to the ashram by her father , and who fell in love with Bhagwan the moment she saw him .
Sheela Patel , became a follower of Osho and joined his community .
She gained his trust and became Bhagwan's personal secretary .
Various controversies began erupting . All the decisions and happenings in the asharam were been taken by Sheela , now known as Ma Aanand Sheela , and this wasn't well accepted by the male communists .
In this book , Ma Aanand Sheela has boldly talked about all that she went through during the time she spent in prison and after that .
Her new life without Bhagwan , but with his teachings and love for him , her way of showing her care and warmth by setting up 2 NGOs in Switzerland , where She takes care of old people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other health issues .
A good read to begin with a clear mind , keeping aside all the controversies and curious enough to know how Ma Aanand Sheela survives and how in love she is with Bhagwan Rajneesh even today .
P.S - Do watch Wild Wild Country On Netflix @netflix_in
Thankyou @penguinrandomhouse for sending me Advanced review copy of this great book . ❤️
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews