If you feel sleepy, just sleep—just try not to snore and bother others.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
The other day you were giving such a beautiful lecture about dreaming. I wanted so much to listen and understand, but I had to fight to keep my eyes open. Finally, I gave up fighting, lay down and slept for the rest of the lecture. When you said, 'this is what satori is,' I woke up with the feeling of having missed something very essential. This is a very stupid question but I don't know how to put it otherwise. Would you please comment about sleeping through lectures?
The question is from Anuprada. Anuprada, you can sleep. Everybody is allowed to do anything that feels like it is the right thing in this moment. If you feel like sleeping, fall asleep. Just one thing to remember: Don't snore -- because that keeps other people awake.
Osho, why do I always fall asleep during the discourse?
That's what happens in many car accidents. Many car accidents happen somewhere in the night nearabout between two and four, and the reason is that the driver is trying hard to keep his eyes open; by and by, he becomes capable of keeping his eyes open, and still he falls asleep. He keeps his eyes open and falls asleep with open eyes. Now this is a scientific finding. And that makes the whole problem: because he thinks he is awake he goes on driving because his eyes are open, but the sleep has taken possession of him, he is no longer aware. When you are awake, there is not much wakefulness; just a small part of you is awake. So you are not a loser, don't be worried. Whenever sannyasins come and ask me, "What should we do?" I tell them: Don't fight, otherwise you will miss me and you…
Why do I always fall asleep in discourse? Sometimes I can't help comparing myself to those people who sit absolutely still, just imbibing you, and that makes me feel like I have so far to go, especially every time when people come up to me after the lecture and say, "wasn't it amazing today?" maybe more would come through to me if I just accept that discourse is a good place for me to sleep.
It is the perfect place. Don't be worried about those people who come and tell you, they must be joking. You sleep well. They must be trying to disturb you, they must be trying to create some jealousy in you. They must be really jealous of you -- that you are sleeping so well and snoring, and those poor people are just sitting. They want to disturb you. Don't be worried. Go on sleeping. You have to go far, but in sleep, nowhere else. The game was drifting off into total boredom when a man in the crowd suddenly burst into a round of applause. The man next to him said, "Why did you do that?" "Sorry," he replied. "I was trying to keep myself awake." You don't know how much difficulty people are having in keeping themselves awake. You just go into your sleep, relax into it. If you…
Yesterday, although sitting in an uncomfortable position, I slept deeply through most of your lecture. I don't find your discourses boring, so why did I sleep?
Nothing wrong. If you enjoy the sleep, perfectly good. Just remember one thing: don't start snoring because that disturbs other people's sleep. A man started to snore in his seat at the opera. 'Please stop your snoring' the usher pleaded 'you are disturbing the others.' 'Look, kiddo' the man said angrily. 'I paid for this seat and I'll do as I please.' 'Yes, sir' replied the usher. 'But you are keeping everybody awake.' Sleep is good -- nothing like it. Enjoy it to your heart's desire. And sometimes it happens.... There are two possibilities: listening to me, either the talk becomes boring, then you can fall asleep; or the talk can become like a lullaby, then too you can fall asleep. The talk can become like a song around you, a warm song around you, then you can fall asleep. Or it can become a jarring note, very boring, so…
Question: BELOVED OSHO, IN ALMOST EVERY LECTURE I HAVE THE TENDENCY TO GO TO SLEEP. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, I WAKE UP WITH A SHOCK, OR RATHER IN A SHOCK, WHICH GOES THROUGH MY WHOLE BODY. IS THIS THE WHIP? Not yet! Just the shadow of the whip. But it is still something: the shadow of the whip. If you are a man of understanding, the whip will not be needed; its shadow will do. If you are not a man of understanding, then sooner or later the whip itself will be needed. Buddha has said that there is one type of man for whom just the shadow of the whip is enough. Just like very, very intelligent horses: just the shadow of the whip is enough. Then there is a second type: the sight of the whip is needed, the shadow won't do -- the mediocre mind.