In 1978, nine-year-old Sarito Carroll’s life took an unexpected turn when her mother brought her to India to visit the ashram of guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later known as Osho). What was intended to be a brief trip over her summer vacation quickly became permanent when her mother decided they would stay and join the ashram. Three years later, when Rajneesh relocated to the United States, twelve-year-old Sarito arrived alone to Oregon, becoming one of the first thirty-five settlers at what would become Rajneeshpuram—a bold and controversial city built on the Big Muddy Ranch. The commune soon attracted thousands of devotees, lured by the guru’s promises of love, spiritual enlightenment, and a utopian society free from conventional constraints.

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.

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.