How to discern between the dream and reality of love?

Osho, how to know how much of love is a dream and how much is real?

The man was shocked—he had expected praise: “Ah, you are a great devotee! Blessed one! Fruits of births of merit!” None of that—on the contrary Ramakrishna seemed annoyed: “You have given me a problem.” Reluctantly the man picked up the sack and went to the river. He did not dare say no; having offered, who is he to argue? Many times he thought of running away midway—who knows if Ramakrishna is following? But he was scared—people fear saints may curse them; and “they see within,” read thoughts with the third eye! “Not good. Let what has happened be finished.” He delayed and did not return. Ramakrishna said, “It is taking too long; where is he? Let’s go see.” What was the man doing? He had gathered a crowd at the ghat. He would ring each coin on the stone—cling, cling—count: five hundred seventy-seven, then throw into the river; five hundred…

Question: First question: Osho, In my sleep, you; in my dreams, you. We have become lost in your love; the veena of the mind is singing its tune— we have fallen silent, lost in your love. Osho, sometimes you say that dreams are not true, and sometimes you have said that the dream state is very receptive and that in dreams no doubt arises. For nine years I remained connected with you only through dreams; no other link bound me to you. Even now, whatever I have to say to you, or whatever you wish to say to me, all keeps happening only in dreams. What kind of state is this? What is the truth in it? Please grace me with guidance. Veena! In love, distinctions fall—outer and inner; mine and yours; dream and truth. Love establishes non-division. In love duality disappears; twoness vanishes; only oneness remains.

Osho, yesterday you said that jealousy is included in respect. I have immense respect for you, but the jealousy inherent in it keeps poisoning it, and I feel guilt and pain. Does reverence transcend this poison-laced respect?

It needs a little explaining—it's a delicate point. Whenever you respect someone, you do so because you see in that person something you do not have. You respect because you glimpse in the other something you would also like to possess. A beggar respects an emperor because he, too, longs to be an emperor. So on the one hand he respects, and inside he also envies. Because he is not yet an emperor but wants to be. You have attained what he wants to attain. He respects you as skillful, successful: “I stand far back in the line; you have gone ahead to where I should have been.” So you are powerful, clever, intelligent, strong—he respects you. But inside a fire of jealousy also burns—if he gets the chance, he would like to be in your place and push you aside. And if the beggar gets that chance, he 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, everything seems so unreal, like a dream. To me, you seem to be so unreal, floating in and out of discourse each day. I do feel something deep inside happening in your presence, and more each moment being here with you, but I cannot seem to feel a clear understanding. Could you explain what is happening to me?

You say: I DO FEEL SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE HAPPENING IN YOUR PRESENCE. You may not be able to grasp my presence, but you can see something is synchronizing in you, something is triggered in you. The fragrance has reached your nostrils -- you may not be able to grasp it in your hands, but it has reached your nostrils. Your heart is already moved. That's why, Sophia, you have become a sannyasin. You say: I DO FEEL SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE HAPPENING IN YOUR PRESENCE, AND MORE EACH MOMENT BEING HERE WITH YOU, BUT I CANNOT SEEM TO FEEL A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING. You will never be able to feel a clear understanding. I cannot promise clear understanding. I can promise you only more and more mystery. The farther you go with me, the more and more the mysterious is waiting for you. But who cares for clear understanding? It is a…