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Osho on How can enlightenment be both long and arduous, yet also here and now?

How can enlightenment be both long and arduous, yet also here and now?

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Enlightenment is not a distant goal but a return to the ever-present truth, where surrender transforms the arduous journey into effortless awakening.

— Osho
Synthesized from Source definition
Core Insight:
According to Osho, enlightenment is both long and arduous and here-now because truth (God) is ever-present, but you are absent - lost in dreams (maya) and ego. The "journey" is not outward travel but returning from projection to presence. It feels hard due to your attachments; it becomes effortless through surrender. Renounce dreamworld investments, awaken, and grace reveals what has always been.
It's like you're dreaming you're far away while you're actually home; stop clinging to the dream, wake up, and you'll see you're already there.
Why this matters practically
- Shifts focus from striving to present-moment awareness.
- Encourages letting go of ego-driven fantasies that sap energy.
- Invites surrender and trust, making inner change feel supported by grace.
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