According to Osho, deep listening quiets the mind’s aggression and curiosity, dissolving tension and distance. In passive, choiceless attention, anxiety subsides, a restful silence arises, and you feel absorbed—almost self-forgetful—as the “known” falls away and the fresh, unknown draws near. This meditative stillness can appear anywhere—by a river, birds, or wind—without dependency on a guru.
When you really listen, your busy feelings calm down, you feel peaceful and close, and you sort of melt into the moment.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Beloved Osho, I feel I can relax more and more deeply into myself. Yet, at the periphery, there is an unassertiveness, a trembling that can cloud the blissfulness of life. Beloved master, does my ego need nourishment?
My God! Prem Rajya, I wonder whether you have been listening to me. Every day, morning and evening, I'm telling you to drop the ego and you are asking me a great question: "Beloved master, does my ego need nourishment?" And you are also saying, "I feel I can relax more and more deeply into myself. Yet, at the periphery, there is an unassertiveness, a trembling that can cloud the blissfulness of life. Does my ego need nourishment?" That will destroy whatever relaxation you have, and that will stop your growth going inwards. It will make your trembling more strong and the cloud that is covering the blissfulness of your life will become darker. Nourishment of the ego is against your authentic being; it cannot help you in any way. It can only destroy you -- destroy you as you are destined to be by your nature. Ego is a…
Osho, when we begin to ask a question we feel an infinite distance; and when you begin to speak, through your way we don’t know where we are carried. While listening, sometimes joy bursts forth, sometimes tears well up. Sometimes this happens, sometimes that. Sometimes you shake us like a storm; sometimes you shower like a cloud. What is this?
Krishnamurti continuously emphasizes right listening—samyak shravana. But even right listening can be dangerous. It has its use, because the first glimpses are received from there. Then do not make those glimpses the basis of your life. Try to find those glimpses in different situations, so there can be freedom from the guru. So sometimes by a tree, sometimes by a river, sometimes standing in the middle of the marketplace, listen to the sounds and become silent. There too the same other realm will instantly open. When you ask, when you want to ask, you become restless inside. Questions agitate you and make the mind aggressive. A question too is a kind of deep violence. But when you listen, the mind becomes quiet; the tension settles, the waves dissolve. In that listening, there is a glimpse of the other world. Certainly, at times I shake you like a storm, and at…
It sounds unbelievable—that by listening alone one becomes a siddha, a pir, a deva, even Indra! That by listening earth and sky abide! That by listening islands, worlds, and netherworlds stand! That by listening, death cannot touch! It sounds like exaggeration. Not a trace of exaggeration. Because the moment you learn the art of listening, you learn the art of being intimate with life. And as soon as awareness of existence begins, you will discover that the silence you touch within in the moment of listening, the emptiness you taste then, is the very ground of existence. On that silence the sky is poised, on that silence the abyss is poised. In that very emptiness, in that very hush, the whole universe is revolving. In that silence a seed cracks and becomes a tree. In that silence the sun rises.
Beloved Osho, whenever we are asking you questions, we feel infinitely distant from you, and when you begin to speak, we reach through your grace to unfathomable depths. Sometimes, listening to you, happiness overflows in us, and sometimes we are flooded with tears. Sometimes this happens, other times something else. Sometimes you batter us like a tempest, and sometimes you shower on us like rain clouds. What is all this?
Krishnamurti constantly emphasizes "right listening," but right listening can also become a danger. It has its purpose -- it gives you the first glimpses. But don't make those glimpses the base of your life; rather try to get those glimpses in different situations, so that you can be free of the master. So sometimes standing near a tree, sometimes near a river, sometimes in the middle of the marketplace, listen to the sounds and be quiet. There too the same other world will open up for you. When you ask a question, when you are wanting to ask, that questioning comes out of your inner restlessness; the questions disturb you and make your mind aggressive. Deep down a question is also a form of violence. But when you listen the mind becomes quiet, the tension subsides, the waves disappear; in that listening you enter the other world. And yes, it's…
Question: THROUGH LISTENING OCCULT POWERS AND SAINTLINESS ARE GAINED, HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE MADE STABLE, AND THE WORLD AND LOWER WORLDS REVOLVE. THROUGH LISTENING DEATH DOES NOT TOUCH. NANAK SAYS, THROUGH LISTENING DEVOTEES ATTAIN BLISS, AND SIN AND SORROW ARE DESTROYED. THROUGH LISTENING VISHNU, BRAHMA AND INDRA CAME INTO BEING, THE MOST SINFUL WILL SING HIS PRAISES, AND THE SECRETS OF YOGA AND MYSTERIES OF THE BODY ARE REVEALED. THROUGH LISTENING ALL THE SCRIPTURES AND TEACHINGS ARE KNOWN. NANAK SAYS, THROUGH LISTENING DEVOTEES ATTAIN BLISS, AND SIN AND SORROW ARE DESTROYED. THROUGH LISTENING ALL TRUTH AND CONTENTMENT ARE ATTAINED, AND THE VIRTUE OF BATHING AT THE SIXTY-EIGHT HOLY PLACES IS GAINED, AND THROUGH LISTENING AGAIN AND AGAIN HONOR.IS EARNED THROUGH LISTENING SPONTANEOUS MEDITATION HAPPENS. NANAK SAYS, THROUGH LISTENING DEVOTEES ATTAIN BLISS, AND SIN AND SORROW ARE DESTROYED.