Therapeutic Techniques

Psychodrama and Role-Playing: You will get a new name for the two weeks that you are here. The name serves to emphasize a certain aspect of your personality, and will change more than once in the course of the program. The purpose is to make you more aware and to come to greater self-acceptance.

For instance, someone who is always “nice” could get a name that helps her to get in touch with her anger, like “Angry Punk.” Someone with a very low self-esteem could get a name, such as “I Am Beautiful,” that reinforces his feeling of self-worth. Or somebody who is depressed could get the assignment to dress up as a clown and entertain everybody. Acting these roles out in a supportive community will reinforce your ability to change positions in life. We have a large collection of theater clothes available for this purpose.

Hugging: Hugging is one of the basic techniques used in the Humaniversity. You may get the assignment to give a hundred hugs per day. This reinforces your self-confidence in connecting with others and gives you the feeling of being loved and accepted by the people around you. It has been scientifically proven that physical touch is one of the basic yet most widely neglected needs of human beings. 

Emotional Healing: Awareness and the ability to express the four basic emotions – fear, anger, pain and love – are essential for a fulfilling life. Because of this, emotional work forms a large part of the Tourist Program. You will be able to unload emotional burdens that you’ve been carrying, learn what lies behind your reactions, and have the opportunity to use your feelings to create healthy connections with others. One of the techniques used is Flushing, an innovation by Veeresh. It combines free association with releasing repressed emotions. This exercise creates clarity, healing and relaxation on a physical level. At the end of each session you will share your experience with others and receive the warmth and reassurance you need to open your heart. 

Bodywork: Your physical body and your emotions are very closely connected. By working on muscular tensions, emotional blocks can be released. The aim of bodywork is to relax your body, improve your flexibility, release stored emotions and ground you in the present moment. A very simple and joyful form of bodywork is dance, which is used as a warm-up for sessions. 

Martial Arts: The OSHO Humaniversity has a large dojo where you will participate in archery and martial arts classes. Archery helps you to develop your focus, coordination and centering. You will also learn the Humaniversity’s own type of martial arts, called Osho-Do. It combines techniques from various traditional schools, but without the competitive aspect. Osho-Do enhances personal power, balance and self-confidence. Part of Osho-Do is the Street Awareness Program (SAP), a simple and highly effective system of self-defense. 

Creativity and Theater: Creativity in the form of drawing, painting and acting on stage is an important part of the program. Designing, rehearsing and performing a theater show as a group enhances the skill of team building. It encourages spontaneity and playfulness as you are joyfully immersed in the creative process. 

Encounter: In the philosophy of the OSHO Humaniversity, encounter is the necessary backbone of any community. Encounter literally means meeting. In the encounter sessions you are encouraged to support each other by openly expressing your judgments and irrational feelings. Once those feelings are out in the open and the charge is released, you will clear the way for better understanding and more love and friendship. 

Sharing: Every day there is a group sharing session with one or more of the therapists about your progress and insights. Here you’ll receive guidance on your next steps in the program. In addition to these mood reports there is always the possibility for individual counseling. 

Sexuality and Sensitivity: In the unique environment of the OSHO Humaniversity, you can safely explore your sexuality. A lot of attention is given to awareness around this delicate subject. The emphasis is on friendship, sensitivity and respect. 

Social Meditations: Meditation is beginning to enter Western consciousness and is becoming an accepted part of our culture. The OSHO Humaniversity draws from many different sources and integrates them into the therapeutic process. The emphasis is on active and interactive meditation techniques.

Social Meditations are an innovation of Veeresh, the founder of the OSHO Humaniversity. Instead of meditating by yourself, you do it with other people, who become mirrors in which you can see yourself clearly. The best known Social Meditation is the AUM Meditation, which leads the participants through an intense experience of 14 aspects of human nature: hatred, forgiveness, love, stamina, life energy, chaos, dance, tears, laughter, sensuality, chanting, silence, respect and communication. The meditation lasts two hours. 

Weekend Workshops: As part of the Tourist Program, you will participate in two weekend workshops. During these workshops you will join a new group of people who will give fresh input to your process.