What is the relationship between practices and bondage in spirituality?
Synthesized from Source
definition
"Spiritual practices are like ladders; they are essential for climbing to the heights of awakening, but once you reach the top, you must leave them behind to avoid becoming trapped in a cage of your own making."
According to Osho, spiritual practices, doctrines and meditations are artificial devices—useful supports that harness body–mind habits to point toward the unsayable truth. They help in the beginning, but the moment awakening flowers they must be dropped; otherwise the device becomes a cage. Truth is beyond methods and words: use the ladder to climb, then leave it behind.
Use practices like training wheels—helpful to start, but take them off or they’ll hold you back.
Why this matters practically
- Practice sincerely but hold methods lightly; don’t turn routines into identity.
- Build supportive habits (posture, breath, actions) while staying flexible.
- As insight matures, simplify and release techniques that no longer serve.
- Build supportive habits (posture, breath, actions) while staying flexible.
- As insight matures, simplify and release techniques that no longer serve.
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