According to Osho, true help begins only after self-transformation: the blind cannot lead the blind. Become aflame—authentic, awake, blissful—then your very presence, example, and lived experience can guide others. Advice and good intentions without realization breed confusion and ego; first see, cleanse yourself, walk the path, then share your light carefully.
Light your own lamp first; once you can see, you can safely help others see too.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Beloved master, can we help each other? Can I be helpful to someone, can someone help me? Is becoming aflame the only way to be really helpful? Please, throw some light.
Sarjano, the blind cannot help the blind. Those who are groping in darkness cannot lead others to light. Those who don't know immortality cannot help others to drop the fear of death. Those who are not living totally and intensely, whose song is not yet of the heart, whose smile is only a painted smile on the lips, cannot help others to be authentic and sincere. Those who are hypocrites, pretenders, cannot help others to be honest. Those who are not yet themselves, know nothing about themselves, have no idea of their individuality, who are still lost in their personality which is fake and created by the society, cannot help anybody else to attain individuality. Even with all good intentions, it is simply not possible. If your flame of life is not burning, how can you make the unlit lamps of others aflame? You have to be aflame, Sarjano; only…
The mystic looked at the child and said to the woman, 'Come back after three weeks. I cannot advise you right now.' Even the child was curious, because so many people were advising him. He looked at the mystic and said, 'What is the matter? -- because every person that I have come across advises me, and my mother takes me to every place. I have become accustomed to all this nonsense, and I have to listen. You are the first man who has wanted three weeks. Are you going to ponder over it?' And the old man said, 'No, my child, I am not going to ponder over it. I love sweets myself. I cannot advise you right now. I am not the right person to advise you; my advice will be futile. Three weeks I will practise.
[NOTE: This is an unedited tape transcript of an unpublished darshan diary, which has been scanned and cleaned up. It is for reference purposes only.] One can help others only if one has come to realize one's ultimate nature; otherwise oneself remains in darkness. He cannot help anybody. He can wish to but his wishes will remain unfulfilled. He can intend to but all his intentions will be just an utterly futile exercise. He will not help others, on the contrary he will harm them. It is not a question of good wishes, it is a question of being fully alert, conscious. When you are conscious you cannot harm even if you want to; it is impossible. And the same is true if you are unconscious; you cannot help even if you want to. The unconscious mind goes on harming because it is unconscious.
Regard most earnestly your own heart. For through your own heart comes the one light which can illuminate life and make it clear to your eyes.
That is the reason why Shankara calls the world illusion. The more you move away from yourself, the more you are moving into illusion; and the more you go inward, the more you are moving into reality. Your personality is the gateway toward illusion, toward an unreal dream world. Throw that gate, throw that bridge completely. At least in meditation. I am not saying for you to go and move in society and be authentic. You will be in difficulty. If you feel happy to do it you can do it, but I'm not saying that; don't put the blame on me. The society will create troubles for you. It doesn't want your real faces, it wants your unreal faces. And it is okay as far as the society is concerned. Use an unreal face when you go out, but when you go within, throw that face completely. Don't get…
[NOTE: This is an unedited tape transcript of an unpublished darshan diary, which has been scanned and cleaned up. It is for reference purposes only.] The only way to help others is first to become awakened. If those who are not awakened yet try to help ... their intentions are good but the results are going to be just the opposite. Their wishes are good but they cannot be fulfilled; they are not capable of fulfilling them. They have not even been able to help themselves. That's where all the religions have failed. They create missionaries; they create the idea in peoples' mind that service is the way to god. It is true: service is the way to god. But the sleepy person cannot serve, cannot love. It is impossible. We can try, but he will only create more mess.