Ask Osho!

Does bhakti, like meditation, also begin with aloneness?

Synthesized from Source definition

"Both bhakti and meditation begin in aloneness, where the bhakta dissolves the 'I' into God, while the meditator transcends even God to discover pure consciousness; in the end, the essence is the same: nonduality."

Core Insight:
According to Osho, yes: both bhakti (devotion) and meditation begin in aloneness - freedom from the crowd - but their flavors differ. The bhakta erases the 'I' so only God remains; the meditator drops even God so only pure consciousness remains. When only the One is left, names differ but the taste is the same: nonduality.
Yes - both start alone: in devotion you let your 'I' vanish so only God is there; in meditation you drop even God so only bare awareness remains; in the end it's the same One.
Why this matters practically
- Helps you choose a path: surrender the ego (bhakti) or drop all objects (meditation).
- Reduces dogma: different methods, one realization.
- Guides practice focus: bhakta remembers God alone; meditator cultivates objectless awareness.
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