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Osho on Is there such a thing as personal power that is different from power over others, and what is the relationship between power and responsibility?

Is there such a thing as personal power that is different from power over others, and what is the relationship between power and responsibility?

True personal power is the quiet strength of self-knowledge, free from the desire to dominate, while power over others is rooted in insecurity and breeds suffering; true responsibility begins with nurturing your own being.

— Osho
Synthesized from Source definition
Core Insight:
According to Osho, personal power and power over others are not just different but opposite. Inner power arises from self-knowing—cool, loving, compassionate—and carries no ambition to dominate; it is the mystic’s power. Power over others is political, born of inferiority, and spreads suffering. Responsibility, then, is first to one’s own being: when you are fulfilled, your influence becomes harmless care, not control.
Real strength comes from knowing yourself and feels like kindness; trying to rule others comes from feeling small and hurts everyone.
Why this matters practically
- Choose self-awareness and contentment over competing for control; it reduces conflict.
- Let decisions come from compassion, not insecurity; help without forcing.
- Spot ego-driven ambition and heal the inner lack instead of seeking dominance.
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