Cycling Through Life: Rainer Langhans' Unconventional Approach to 85th Birthday and Prostate Cancer
At 85 Years Old, Rainer Langhans Expresses Contentment: Born on August 19, 1940. - Rainer Langhans on the 85th birthday: "I'm already content"
Renowned counterculture figure, Rainer Langhans,, prepares for his 85th birthday on June 19, whilst juggling his prostate cancer diagnosis. But don't be alarmed; his unique outlook on illness means he's just embracing it as a chance to deepen his spiritual practice.
Buzzwords about Langhans' impending demise circulated early this year, but he clarified he's merely "practicing dying" through his inner journey, which he finds to be going "very well".
This unconventional perspective towards his illness stems from meditation, a daily attempt to ... let go of life. The cancer diagnosis simply provided him with an opportunity to intensify this practice.
Living with three partners in the Munich district of Schwabing, Langhans' living arrangement is often clouded in ambiguity - some refer to it as a "harem", but the four-way spiritual connection denies any female oppression connotations. His partners, Christa Ritter, Gisela Getty, and Brigitte Streubel, remain supportive during this journey, viewing illness as an opportunity for personal growth.
Cementing his countercultural status, Langhans co-founded the legendary Commune 1 in the turbulent 1960s. Their goal was to establish a radical social alternative, causing waves with their radical activism against the Nazi generation, the Shah, and the Vietnam War. Lingerie-clad naked communards on the streets were just the beginning of their provocative adventures.
His former flame, Uschi Obermaier, skyrocketed to fame through their relationship and became an icon. Their parting of ways boiled down to differing views on sexuality.
The slogan "Make love, not war" was initially misunderstood, but for Langhans, it was more about fostering spiritual connections instead of an emphasis on physical intimacy. True free love, he asserts, lies not within carnal acts but in the realm of the spirit.
Even as years roll by, Langhans maintains his non-conformist lifestyle and adheres to a vegetarian diet, cycling, table tennis, meditation, and white attire as a symbol of unity.
Taking a sojourn to RTL's "Jungle Camp" in 2011 for financial gain, the experience ignited his quest for communal living and camaraderie. Truth be told, he dearly misses the commune vibe.
Occasionally labeled as an outsider, Langhans' unconventional perspectives and free-spirited living have left him ostracized at times. Born and raised in Oschersleben near Magdeburg, his feelings echoed the sentiment of not belonging. Upbringing in a strict religious boarding school and stints as a conscript soldier, all led him to Berlin, where he dove into Law and Psychology, eventually aligning with like-minded individuals in the Socialist German Student Union. From there sprouted the extra-parliamentary opposition (APO), which birthed Kommune 1.
Fast forward to today, Langhans sees the COVID-19 crisis and his own illness as an opportunity for collective introspection, encouraging the liberal sharing of personal data online, viewing it as a means for deeper understanding and reflection.
"Human, not just Man", Langhans redefines himself as he pursues a treatment that palliatively reduces his testosterone, embracing the chance to transcend "all these lowlands of libido." Embracing the philosophy of species-appropriate treatment, he opts to live a simple life, shunning wealth in favor of spiritual enrichment.
Despite his advancement in years, Langhans remains an ultimate rule-breaker, both in thought and deed.
- In his preparation for his 85th birthday, Rainer Langhans, a renowned figure, is dealing with prostate cancer but views illness as an opportunity for deepening his spiritual practice.
- Living with three partners, Langhans' unconventional living arrangement is often referred to as a "harem", but the four-way spiritual connection denies any female oppression connotations.
- Co-founder of Commune 1 in the 1960s, Langhans and his associates aimed to establish a radical social alternative and were known for their provocative activism against the Nazi generation, the Shah, and the Vietnam War.
- Langhans' former flame, Uschi Obermaier, skyrocketed to fame through their relationship but the parting of ways was due to differing views on sexuality.
- Langhans' slogan "Make love, not war" was initially misunderstood, but for him, it was about fostering spiritual connections instead of an emphasis on physical intimacy.
- During a stint on RTL's "Jungle Camp" in 2011 for financial gain, Langhans missed the commune vibe and remains an ultimate rule-breaker, both in thought and deed.
- Embracing the philosophy of species-appropriate treatment, Langhans opts to live a simple life, shunning wealth in favor of spiritual enrichment, and sees the COVID-19 crisis and his own illness as an opportunity for collective introspection.
