Doing is okay -- non-doing is okay The Further Shore #23
Discourse Overview
The core teaching is that doing and non-doing are both valid when approached without ego: act as an instrument so actions happen through you rather than from a self that claims credit. Osho uses the cooking metaphor—cook the food but don't become the cook—and the tree image—allow flowering without forcing it—to show how effort can flow without creating a doer. Activity should be conscious rather than compulsive, so the doer disappears even as things are done. He also recommends deliberate imitation as a practice to heighten awareness and transform unconscious copying into a conscious art. On desire: when a desire arises, follow it or refrain according to the moment but do so without claiming authorship, allowing the feeling to move through you rather than bind you. On the ego: the trap is the ego born of identification with effort; the remedy is to witness activity as an instrument and refuse to sign the work. On doing versus non-doing: both are acceptable when they come naturally, and forcing either leads to stagnation. On energy and rest: let overflowing energy be expressed and accept laziness when it comes, using conscious practices so doing becomes an art and non-doing a relaxed presence.
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Osho's Commentary
[The tantra group is present. One member says he's feeling confused about what to do when desires come up. When he plays them out he sees that he's doing and not letting things happen. If on the other hand he doesn't go with them, he condemns himself for not following what he's feeling.]
The way you are trying you will remain trapped. The trap is created by your effort, the very effort is creating the trap. You misunderstand the whole approach. When I say, 'Let things happen', I don't mean don't do, otherwise how will they happen?
I am simply saying that while you are doing things let them happen through you. I'm not saying to just sit silently and let things happen; then how will they happen? The food will not cook by itself -- you will have to cook it, but while cooking it you need not become a cook. You can remain floating; you can allow god to cook food for you, through you: you become an instrument.
This is one of the basic problems that has faced humanity always, and people have always got trapped in it. If you say to them to do, they do too much; out of doing the ego arises and they are trapped. If you say to them, 'Let things happen', they simply become lazy, they drop all doing; then nothing happens. They are trapped and then they think nothing is happening.
When I say to let things happen, I mean let things happen through you. They cannot happen from anywhere else, they will not happen out of the blue. You will have to do but you need not become a doer. Doing will be there, the doer will disappear -- that's the whole point -- and then you are never trapped.
And sometimes you would like to do too much because in that moment it may be your natural desire to do. Then go into it -- just don't become a doer; don't pay too much attention to doing. Doing is okay; just remember that you are not to become an ego. Don't say, 'I have done this'. Keep the attitude, 'It has happened through me; god has done it'. When you paint a picture, just say, 'God has painted through me; I was instrumental'. When you write a poem, just say, 'God has written it'; don't sign it. That's all... it is simple.
The way you are taking it you will be trapped... and you are not a man who can simply relax: you have energy, you have more than enough energy. It needs to flow, it needs to become great foliage around you, it needs to bloom. So if a tree starts thinking that it has not to do anything and it starts pulling itself in and flowers don't come, the tree will say, 'The flowers are not coming'. The tree has to flower -- it just need not do it deliberately; it need not become a doer. You follow me? Simply allow!
Sometimes one feels like being lazy; then be lazy. That's what god wants you to do in that moment. And sometimes one is feeling so full of energy, overflowing; one wants to do many things. Then do many things and enjoy doing it!
Sometimes enjoy non-doing -- when it comes easily; don't force it. Sometimes enjoy doing -- when it comes easily; don't force it. Let things come easily; doing or non-doing, that is irrelevant.
Sometimes sit silently and enjoy if that is that moment's desire. Listen to each moment and don't get fixed. And never allow the ego to arise out of anything whatsoever. Watch that the ego does not arise, and then everything is right, everything is okay. Doing is okay, non-doing is okay.