What should we do with the time remaining apart from meditation?

A friend has asked, Osho, apart from the time for meditation in the camp, what should we do with the time that remains? He has asked: Should we read your books?

No, it’s better not to read books in the meditation camp. Mine or anyone else’s—don’t read any books. Whatever time remains, sit alone under a tree; devote it to meditation, to silence. Books can be read some other time. And by reading books you never really get much. So here, in the meditation camp, be concerned only with diving into meditation as deeply and as long as you can. Whatever free time is left—after eating, sleeping, bathing—just sit alone somewhere under the trees. Let whatever is happening, happen. Don’t even worry about what others might say if you sit alone. No one here has anything to say.

Now try to go deep into meditation. Sannyas needs nothing, nothing external; its need is just internal, and that is that you should be deeply involved in meditation and all your energy should flow into it. It is only a matter of effort for a few days in the beginning. Once the rock is broken and the stream starts flowing, there is no difficulty. Once the stream starts flowing, then the stream itself will carry you to the ocean. Effort is needed only in the beginning. If you do it for the first four to six months with determination, without wavering and without relaxing your efforts, then meditation will happen by itself; you will not be required to do it. Try all the meditation techniques here, and then regularly continue one of them that suits you. [The new sannyasin says: I do Vipassana.] Vipassana is good. Concentrate on Vipassana....

In the same way, use of the sense organs should be reduced to the minimum. For example, use your eyes less and less. When using them lower the sight to the earth or raise it upward and see the sky. Watch the sea. But as far as men and women are concerned see as little of them as possible. Because most of our mental associations are formed of human faces, not of trees, clouds and seas. Look at the trees and the clouds and the seas; they don't give rise to any thoughts in you. Human faces, on the other hand, immediately stir all kinds of thoughts in your mind. While walking, lower your gaze and keep it confined to a distance of four feet from you. And keep your eyes only half open so they concentrate on the tip of your nose. That is enough.

One more question—a friend has asked. That too is related to this. That too should be understood. Osho, what is the difference between doing meditation and being in meditation—to be in meditation and to do meditation?

It makes no difference. Keep the arithmetic of seven. Add it up in total. Don’t count one by one that four in the morning, three in the evening—or three in the morning, four in the evening. Seven! And I have given the seven bananas. If you get tangled in the counting, you might go away disappointed. So I have said this at the end: I have given the seven bananas. What I had to say, I have said. Now let us sit for the night meditation. Spread out a little. We will not talk. Quietly, those who need to go may go; those who wish to meditate may sit. Do not talk. Friends who need to leave should go quietly, and those who wish to sit should sit quietly. Those who want to lie down may lie down. Yes—those who are still standing, either sit or go; no one should…

For seven or eight days — however long this camp runs — remain as much in silence as possible. As much as possible. If you can keep complete silence for eight days, excellent. Remain as quiet as possible. Blindfolds will be given — keep the eyes covered as much as possible. Sit anywhere alone, go into the woods; whenever you feel the urge, take deep breaths; whenever the urge comes, stand anywhere in the campus and throw out whatever needs to be thrown out from within. If after the morning meditation it seems that some part has not been thrown, something remains stuck — if in the afternoon it comes to mind — go under a tree and throw it out. Let no camper hinder another; and let no camper discuss what anyone else is doing. Let each do what he needs to do. Do not hinder in the least.