What happens when we raise the consciousness of the world?

Beloved Osho, when you say that you want us to raise the consciousness of the world, it puzzles me. I feel I need all my energy to get my own feet off the ground. And I am in a way totally forgetting "that world," and glad to be able to let go and disappear in this buddhafield of drunken bliss, dance and silence. So what is it that we need to do in order to fulfill this vision?

Prem Turiya, all that is needed from you to raise the consciousness of humanity, is just to raise your consciousness to its fullest peak. You don't have to do anything else. So there is no puzzle at all -- the puzzle is created by your mind; because mind always separates, divides: you, and the world. And then the problem arises: if you have to put energy into raising the consciousness of the world, what about yourself? Your own consciousness is still not on the wing. But as far as I am concerned -- and it should be remembered by all, it is not only Turiya's question -- you are the world. There is no division. The moment you are raising your consciousness higher, you are raising the world's consciousness higher. If you can become enlightened, you have done everything that was possible, within your capacity, to raise the world's consciousness.…

Beloved Osho, how do you intend to raise the consciousness of the entire planet? Do we have enough time? Do we have a chance?

I am a lazy man, I cannot do that. If I have to catch hold of my ear I will catch it directly, rather than moving my hand around my head and then catching hold of my ear -- that looks ludicrous. But Ramateertha made a great impression by this. People are foolish; if you try to see what things people get impressed with you will be surprised. That will show you what kind of humanity exists on the earth. They were very much impressed by Ramateertha: "Here is a man who is egoless." He was not egoless. There is enough proof in his life to show that he was not egoless. When for the first time in India I said that, there was great anger amongst Hindus because they always believed that Ramateertha was one of the greatest souls born in this century. He was respected around the world,…

In this regard a friend has also asked: Osho, can we know our past lives?

Sri Aurobindo undertook another experiment. He did not appear to succeed, and did not succeed outwardly, but his direction was absolutely right. His experiment was this: Is it possible for a few souls to rise so high that their very presence begins to lift and call other souls upward? Is it possible that when one person’s soul rises, the overall level of the soul of humanity rises with it? This is not only possible; today it is the only possibility. Nothing else can work now. Man has fallen so low that if we plan to change people one by one, perhaps the change will never happen. In fact, the one who goes to change them is more likely to be changed by their company—to be corrupted along with them. You can see it: those “servants of the people” who go to serve the people—within a short time it is discovered…

Question: Third question: Osho, I want to awaken the world. What should I do? In the spiritual sense, saints have always known that you all are asleep even while awake. Krishna has spoken the famous line—remember its opposite as well; it is just as true. Krishna said: “Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ, tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī”—that which is night to all beings, therein the disciplined one is awake. That is half the statement. The yogi is awake even while asleep; his eyes are closed, yet within there is wakefulness. The non-yogi is asleep even while awake. This is the second half, which Krishna did not say. But I want you to remember it. It is more useful to you. The first will make sense when you become a yogi. For now, remember the second: with eyes open, you are asleep. Ramteerth, don’t ask yet about awakening the world.

Beloved Osho, when I was a student at a japanese buddhist university I heard the word consciousness. Beloved Osho, what does it mean?

Kranti Satbodha, consciousness you already have, but only in a very small proportion. It is just like an iceberg -- one tenth is above water and the rest is under water. Just a little bit is conscious in you. I am saying something and you are listening to it; without consciousness it is not possible. These pillars of Chuang Tzu Auditorium are not listening -- they don't have consciousness. But we are aware only of a very small piece of consciousness. Meditation is the whole science of bringing more and more consciousness out of darkness. The only way is to be as conscious as possible twenty-four hours a day. Sitting, sit consciously, not like a mechanical robot; walking, walk consciously, alert to each movement; listening, listen more and more consciously, so that each word comes to you in its crystal clear purity, its definitiveness. While listening, be silent, so that…