In the Shadow of Enlightenment: A Girl's Journey Through the Osho Rajneesh Cult

by Sarito Carroll, Zoe Fletcher (narrator), Heroine Publishing (publisher)

In the Shadow of Enlightenment is the gripping story of Carroll’s childhood inside the Osho Rajneesh cult—one of the most controversial spiritual movements of the 20th century. While in the commune, Sarito was submerged in a world where devotion and freedom clashed with manipulation, sexual misconduct, and neglect. This was the life she knew until the movement collapsed amid scandal and criminal charges in 1985, when sixteen-year-old Sarito was thrust into a society she knew little about.

Now, decades later, after battling shame, fear, and self-doubt, Sarito breaks her silence to expose the abuse, exploitation, and disillusionment she endured in the Rajneesh community. She stands up against this formidable spiritual institution that promised liberation while concealing dark secrets behind its facade of love and joy. With raw honesty and heart-wrenching clarity, she recounts her fight to reclaim her identity, confront the community’s betrayal, and heal on her own terms. It is a powerful story of survival, resilience, courage, and hard-won freedom.

In the Shadow of Enlightenment is a profoundly moving exposé about the hidden dangers lurking behind charismatic leaders and spiritual movements. It will inspire and challenge you to question where you place your trust.

Audible Audio

Published January 27, 2025

About the author

In 1978, nine-year-old Sarito traveled to India with her mother for what was meant to be a summer adventure—only to be swept into the infamous Osho Rajneesh movement, where she would spend seven years of her childhood deep inside the cult’s inner circle.

Her debut memoir, In the Shadow of Enlightenment, exposes the dark truths hidden beneath the façade of free love and spiritual awakening. What the world saw as liberation, Sarito experienced as neglect, sexual misconduct, and indoctrination. With unflinching honesty, she traces her journey to reconcile a past shaped by both trauma and a fierce longing to belong—navigating attachment, rage, and the complex bonds of a cultic childhood.

Drawing from her rare perspective as someone raised inside a spiritual commune, Sarito explores the tangled threads of belonging, betrayal, and the long road to self-acceptance. Her story delves into the intricacies of cult dynamics and the emotional cost of breaking free. Through themes of resilience, group psychology, and personal reclamation, In the Shadow of Enlightenment resonates with anyone who has faced an unconventional upbringing or fought to heal from a painful past.

Sarito lives in Colorado, where she is committed to telling the truth—even when it’s painful. She works as an acupuncturist and Realtor, and enjoys long walks, unplugging from the world, and listening to music.