Do we need special meditations for women?

Question: BELOVED OSHO, DO WE NEED SPECIAL MEDITATIONS FOR WOMEN? No. Meditation is concerned with your consciousness -- and consciousness is neither man nor woman. This is one of the fundamentals I want the world to be aware of. All the religions have denied the woman any possibility for spiritual growth, thinking that her body is different, her biology is different: she will not be able to reach to the ultimate flowering of consciousness. But it is strange that nobody down the centuries ever enquired: Who reaches the ultimate flowering -- the body, the mind or consciousness? The body is different. If the body was going into meditation, then there would be certainly a need of different meditations for women than for men. Because the body is not involved in meditation, there is no question of any difference.

Why should there be a difference in techniques for men and women?

And whenever two similar types of bodies and minds try to fit into each other, this is perversion. So I say that homosexuality is a perversion. In the West, now, it has become more and more prevalent. Now homosexuals think they are progressive: they have their clubs, parties, institutions, magazines, propaganda, everything. And their number is rising. In certain countries it has come to near about forty per cent. Sooner or later homosexuality will become a pattern all over, a normal pattern. Now even certain states in America are allowing homosexual marriage. If people insist, you have to allow it because the government has to serve the people. If two men want to live together in marriage, it is no one's business to create obstacles. It's okay. If two women want to live together, married, it's no one's business. It's their own affair. But this is basically unscientific. It is…

Osho, then will there also be a difference in the spiritual practice of women and men?

There will be a difference. Less in the method of practice, more in the state of consciousness. Even if the practice is the same, even if the method is one, a man will go at it aggressively, and a woman will go to it receptively; a man will attack it, a woman will surrender to it. The practice may be one, yet their ways, their attitude, will be different. When a man goes, he will seize the practice by the throat; when a woman goes, she will place her head at its feet—at the feet of the practice. There will be a difference in their manner, in their attitude. And that much difference is natural. Beyond that, there is no question of any further difference. Her essential mood will be surrender. And when the ultimate attainment comes to her, she will not feel, “God has come to me”; she will…

Osho, you have titled this series of talks “Sahaj Yoga.” Do “sahaj” and “yoga” not seem mutually opposed?

Anand Maitreya! They don’t just seem opposed, they are opposed. But no ultimate truth of life can manifest without contradiction. Life is made of opposites—darkness and light, day and night, woman and man, negative electricity and positive electricity, birth and death. The very structure of life is woven of opposites. Hence the opposites are not only opposed; they are complementary to each other. If you have labored hard all day, you will be able to sleep deeply. Labor and rest are opposites, yet only the one who has worked can rest deeply—and the one who has not worked cannot. So the opposites are not only opposed, they complete each other. And only the one who has rested deeply at night can rise in the morning and engage in work again. One who has not rested through the night will not be able to work in the morning. Look closely at…

Osho, when I sit near you, the emptiness, the hollowness that happens does not happen so much through meditation. Is there still a need to meditate? And I am very, very grateful. I cannot express what is in my heart.

Shab-e-gham—on the night of sorrow—their call has begun to be heard My night has begun to hum again The flowers have started stealing his smile The morning breeze has begun to bring her message Behold the supposed feebleness of my sigh— it has started to go beyond the stars What was drowned in the darkness of grief— that rainbow has begun to smile A new resonance has risen from the instrument of the heart Hope has begun to sing like a song Ecstasy has upturned the chessboard of love Reason has begun to suffer defeat upon defeat In such a state is Samadhi. In such a state many of my sannyasins here are. A distant sound has begun to come close. Some song is breaking forth within. Some melody is awakening. Some fragrance is appearing. Ecstasy has upturned the chessboard of love Intoxication, sweetness, a holy madness is appearing. Blessed…