“Existence is not a problem to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived.”
Countless scientists and men of faith have tried to solve the mystery of existence ever since we realized that there is a possibility that we may not be alone in the universe. There have, of course, been theories about the same but we have yet to come upon concrete conclusions.
In this bargain of trying to understand the purpose of humanity’s existence, we often forget to listen to what our mind, soul and heart truly want out of life. Perhaps, it’s time to look inwards once again and realize that the answers have been within us all along.
In Listening to Your Heart, Osho examines a clever Sufi story to talk about the importance of trusting your own self to truly achieve happiness in one’s life. Read on.
“You take care of the beginning and the end will take care of itself.”
It is believed that man is a collection of contradictions. He is made of various truths and sometimes, while believing just one of them, he ends up losing his way to spiritual freedom.
In order to truly focus one’s self towards a spiritual goal, it is important that a person becomes free from all their dualities. After all, in the absence of dualities, there is oneness. But can one really exist without dualities?
While explaining the significance of a popular Sufi story about true contradictions in How to Attain Singular Consciousness, Osho talks about the simple, straightforward logic of understanding a journey before embarking on it. Read on.
“The search depends on the seeker.”
We live in an age where it isn’t difficult to find a master to guide you along your spiritual journey. In fact, spirituality in itself has become a fad. However, for someone who is looking for real inner growth, simply finding a master or a guru doesn’t help.
Even after a person has made the transition from being a follower to a disciple, how far they go on their journey depends on the master. To identify what kind of master can serve one best, one needs to understand key differences between various seemingly straightforward concepts.
In The Real Master, Osho revisits a popular Sufi story about Bahauddin El-Shah to talk about what it means to be a master to a disciple. Read on.
“Truth cannot be taught but it can be learned.”
When it comes to spirituality, there is a difference between a teacher and a master. In Osho’s words, a teacher is someone who teaches but a master is someone who is. And a disciple with the right inclination can learn everything that the master has to offer by emulating them.
Just as there is a difference between being a teacher and a master, a student and a disciple aren’t the same either. And if one truly wants to embark on a spiritual journey, it is imperative that one must become a disciple. But what does it take to become a disciple?
Read on to see what Osho has to say about it all by revisiting a popular Sufi story in How to Become a Disciple.
“Real freedom is freedom from yourself.”
Reincarnation is one of the most important concepts of Hindu philosophy. A soul goes through endless birth cycles until it learns all the lessons it must before achieving moksha and leaving the material world for good.
One of the most important lessons one has to learn in order to navigate their lives is to get rid of the idea of the ‘self’—one that feeds only desires and ego. But in order to rid yourself of it, how do you identify what constitutes this sense of self?
In The Idea of No-Self, Osho addresses this exact question in the simplest, most strightforward manner. Read on.
The ultimate goal of all spiritual journeys is to become one with nature and one with the universe. The more we distance ourselves from the natural state of things, the more our lives are prone to unhapppiness.
While ‘becoming one with the universe’, sounds much easier than it actually is, it isn’t impossible either with the guidance provided by Osho.
Becoming One With the Whole is Osho’s straightforward guide about understanding and achieving a unity with the universe around us.
“Go headlong with open eyes; maybe this is how your life is going to grow.”
There comes a time in everyone’s life when thoughts turn towards the existential and philosophical mysteries of life. When such questions invade your mind, it becomes imperative to find the right master to guide you in the required direction.
In today’s day and age, masters are available in abundance. The trick, however, is to choose someone who is right for you. Only then can you find the answers you need.
In The Search for Spirituality, Osho talks about the importance of dhamma, especially in today’s day and age and how imperative it is to find the right leadership. Read on.
One of the fundamental beliefs of Buddhism is the concept of dhamma—the law of the universe. Buddhists, instead of praying to a god or a deity, observes this law which is as significant and as simple as the law of gravity.
Living according to the dhamma brings about a real sense of freedom, and real freedom is essential when it comes to discovering the self. This, in turn, helps one along his spiritual journey. However, in order to live according to the dhamma, one must understand exactly what dhamma is.
Read on, as Osho explains in his inimitably simple yet effective style the concept of dhammaand how one can adopt its ways in Living the Dhamma.
“Be in the world but not of it.”
Man’s constant struggle is to keep changing his current state. This need to keep wanting ‘more’ at all times is usually the source of almost all our worries. Nearly all religions and their philosophies are proponents of the belief that a higher power or God has it all planned for us and all the joy and sorrow that comes our way, is all part of a grand plan.
If the grand plan is how things are actually supposed to be, then why go through the misery of constantly fighting against it? Wouldn’t life be better—and happier—if one simply gave in? But what exactly does ‘giving in’ mean? Surely not forgetting to ‘live a life’?
Believing in the Grand Plan contains some of Osho’s most liberating pieces of advice, a thought so radical in its approach that it will make you rethink everything about how you choose to live your life.
“You never escape the effect of your own evil deeds. Be therefore mindful and cease from doing evil.”
Every person on earth has one struggle in common: making decisions in the face of adversity. Whenever a person is faced with a tough choice, there are a lot of factors—both moral and practical—that determine what the person will eventually decide. However, choices come with consequences and not everyone finds themselves equipped to face them.
But what if there was a simple, practical way of ensuring that this struggle and guilt wouldn’t be a problem at all? It could be achieved if only one imbibed some mindfulness in their everyday lives. But what is this mindfulness and how can one gain it?
Read on, as Osho talks about the many virtues and benefits of living mindfully in What Is Mindfulness?, a straightforward guide to living a better life.
