According to Osho, there is no 'voice' of the heart: all voices—urging indulgence or renunciation, sin or virtue—belong to the mind’s ceaseless monologue. The heart is silence and inner emptiness. When every thought and counterthought subsides, a stillness remains; in that spaciousness clarity arises and the Whole can descend beyond all dualities.
The mind talks; the heart is the quiet space that appears when the talking stops.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Osho, which is the voice of the mind and which is the voice of the heart? What is the criterion to know? Please explain.
All voices are of the mind; the heart has no voice. Where voices disappear, there is the heart. Silence is the heart’s voice. Emptiness is the heart’s tone. So there is no complication at all. You think one voice is of the heart and another of the mind; you are falling into a great mistake. All voices are of the mind. It is the mind. It is the mind that wants to grasp wealth, and the mind that wants to renounce wealth. The mind is very complex. On one side it says, “Grab it, plunder it, enjoy!” On the other it says, “What’s the point? It’s all insubstantial.” But both are the mind. On one side it says, “Run! Life is only for a few days—win some position.” From the other side it says, “What’s in positions? Look at those who have arrived.” The mind keeps talking to itself, keeps…
Beloved Osho, how can I find out which of the many voices inside me is the one which comes from the real self to guide me? How can I be sure it doesn't come from the unconscious?
It is very simple: none of the voices come from the inner self. All voices come from the mind. When all voices are absent, the inner self inspires you in silence towards a certain action, direction. It does not come in words -- it is just a silent indication. Otherwise it would have been absolutely impossible to find out which one is the voice of the inner self. It is easy because no voice is of the inner self. So when all voices have died down and there is utter silence, the inner self is capable of taking your hand and moving you. That is the moment to be in a let-go, and allow it to take you wherever it takes you. In language we have to use words which do not apply to the inner reality -- for example, the "inner voice." There is no voice -- it is…
Osho, you often tell us to listen to the heart rather than the mind. But how is one to know which voice is the mind’s and which is the heart’s? Please explain with compassion.
Renuka! The matter is absolutely straightforward. There is not the slightest confusion. The mind always points you outward; the heart always points you inward. When something within says, “Go out—earn money, gain position, prestige, ambition,” know it is the mind speaking, because these are not the heart’s longings. When something says, “Sit silently, close your eyes, dive within yourself, take a plunge into your own being, listen to your life-breath, step into the inner sound that is rising,” then know the heart has spoken. The inner journey is the heart’s message; the outer journey is the mind’s. There is no reason for mistake here. When hatred arises, know the mind has spoken; when love arises, know the heart has spoken. When thoughts surround you, know the mind has seized you; when waves of feeling rise, know you are in the heart. When negation arises—an urge to say “no,” when doubt…
I am always listening to inner voices. But one voice says one thing and another says just the opposite. What should I do?
There are many people here who go on listening to inner voices. These inner voices are just crap. These are just fragments of your mind; they have no value at all. And sometimes you may think that you are listening to some inner guide or you are listening to some master from the beyond -- Master K H, or some spirit, some Tibetan spirit -- and you can go on imagining these things. And you will be simply be fooling yourself. These are all your fragments. And if you go on following them you will go crazy -- because one part will pull you to the north, another part to the south. You will start falling apart. Remember, this is neurosis -- you have to learn to watch all these voices. Don't trust any. Only trust silence. Don't trust any voice, because all voices are from the mind. And you…
Osho, did the heart say anything? Nothing at all. Did the heart hear anything? Nothing at all. Do conversations happen like this? They happen exactly like this!
That is why people have become frightened of love. They talk of love; they do not love. Talking can be done from the skull. But to do—to love—you have to enter life’s trackless forest. There are dangers upon dangers. People hear about love, they understand, they sing songs, they read stories—but they do not love. Because to love means to efface yourself. Only when the ego is lost does the sprouting of love happen. And one who has not known love—the unfortunate one who has not known love—how will he know prayer? Prayer is the culmination of love. It is love’s final distillation, its ultimate essence. “Did the heart say anything? Nothing at all. Did the heart hear anything? Nothing at all. Do conversations happen like this? This is exactly how they happen!” Within, such waves keep arising. There the distance between yes and no is not. There yes is…