Our Story

Osho Leela, the brainchild of Dhyano(Chris Harding), manifested after he made a world tour, which took place in Australia, India and the Humaniversity in Holland. He had the idea to open a community based on the ideas he gathered from each place - the vision, is to create Paradise on Earth.

In the early nineties he led a series of AUM meditations in London. Realising there was a huge interest in active and interactive meditations, he opened a drop-in centre in Tufnell Park and launched the Humaniversity Four Year Therapist Training and the Nine Month Personal Growth Course. The response was massive and it became clear that there was a demand for a communal living facility outside London, to run side by side with the centre in London.

A property was found in Wimborne, Dorset. It was ideal. An old school house with several out-buildings and residential cottages became the base for Osho Leela. A team of willing volunteers, drawn largely from the Therapist Training Courses, developed a thriving, vibrant and loving community. Founded on the spiritual teachings of Osho, an eastern mystic, Veeresh, a western therapist based in Holland and underpinned by Dhyano's entrepreneurial knowhow, Osho Leela developed the reputation of being a loving home, where people could be themselves and fulfill their potential as loving, creative, self-aware human beings. Within five years it became clear that we needed a new home, preferably owned by Leela.

In 2000 Osho Leela moved to its present address in Gillingham, Dorset. Close to a mainline railway station and having the benefit of a caravan park and fifteen acres of land, everyone was excited by the move. The programmes offered expanded to include introductory weekends, singles weekends, healing workshops, massage groups and theatre and comedy gatherings. The Therapist Training grows from strength to strength and the community has expanded from ten to over twenty people, including four children.

A major expansion in our programme has been the festivals. The Summer Music Festival has always been on the Leela calendar. It has become well known as an exciting place to meet others in a relaxed, loving environment and to enjoy great music. So popular was this event that we decided to expand the concept to include New Year, Easter and May Bank Holiday festivals and latterly to include the whole month of August, known as A Month in Paradise – a month long extravaganza of music, dance, theatre and singing workshops.

The future looks bright and happy! We are tightening our business procedures and we are constantly reviewing our accommodation needs in terms of beds and workshop spaces. We have become established as one of the UK's leading personal growth centres, where warmth, openness, respect, acceptance and awareness are our key principles. Whatever the problem, we try to solve it. We love to say YES! and gradually we are turning on many people to the fact that life really is a celebration.

For Forthcoming events have a look at our Calendar