Why does my love toward you give me fulfillment and freshness, while loving others creates tension?

When I love others it is a tension for me. Only my love toward you gives me a fulfillment, a freshness. Why is that?

This, too, can become a frustration at any moment because the other still remains the center. Whoever it is... the other must not be the center. If you really feel intimate with me, then remember this: the other must not be the center. The moment your love is not centered on me you will be happy. If your love is centered on me that will only create problems. You will love me and you will find someone else to hate. This is what happens. If you love your guru, then you will begin to hate and condemn all other gurus. If you love Ram then even Krishna becomes an enemy. If you love Jesus then how can you love Mohammed? You have to create an enemy. If you love someone -- even if you love me and you feel a freshness, a fulfillment -- then, too, deep down, the other…

What is divine love? How does an enlightened person experience love?

First let us look at the question itself. You must have been waiting to ask it. It couldn't have come to you just now; you must have decided on it in advance. It was waiting to be asked; it was forcing you to ask it. Your memory has determined the asking, not your consciousness. If you were conscious right now, if you were in the moment, this question would not have come. If you had been listening to what I have been saying, this question would be impossible. If the question has been present in you, it is impossible for you to have heard anything I have been saying. A question that is constantly present in the mind creates a tension and because of the tension you cannot be here. That is why your consciousness cannot act with freedom. If you understand this, then we can take up your question.…

Beloved Osho, eight years ago you sent me on the journey to go and love myself. This is somehow happening: my heart space is growing. But something is missing since I'm still looking outside for an answer, for the other.

And in these monasteries they have been doing all kinds of austerities and they have been suffering all kinds of things imposed by themselves. Certainly the second stage of love must be a greater torture; otherwise why should these people choose this? And these are intelligent people, more intelligent people than average. I have heard about a Trappist monastery. In that monastery, talking was not allowed. Every monk was given an opportunity, if he had something to say to the abbot, once in seven years' time. One monk entered, renouncing his wife. Seven years passed. Those seven years were such a torture -- because the cell that was given to him was too small, and the glass of the window was broken so whenever it was raining, the water was coming in. Day and night he was shivering; he could not ask for more clothes or blankets because speaking was…

Beloved Osho, is it possible for a man's mind to become like the mind of the newborn baby?

Definitely. A lake is absolutely calm, peaceful, but with the incoming breeze the waves start rising. But if the breeze stops, the waves will also stop and the lake will become calm. It will again become like a mirror. The lake is clean; with the falling of the leaves it becomes dirty, but when the leaves settle down the lake will again become clean and fresh. A child is born -- the lake was still clean, there were no ripples, there were no leaves of thought, no waves of desire. Then with the advent of youth storms arose, strong winds blew and the lake was full of waves. The mirror got lost. There was a terrific onset of passion. Then old age came and the storm was over -- the lake was calm again. A little understanding -- let the leaves settle down. A little understanding -- let the winds…

Beloved Osho, the other day you said that as long as we are dependent on the other, we are bound to hate them. Are you also my "other"? I know that right now I depend on you and I say yes to it with all my heart, but it drives me to tears to think that I should ever hate you because I am dependent on you. Can you please fill my heart with understanding and ease the pain?

Nobody is dependent on me. I am not creating a mob of slaves. My whole effort is just the opposite: to drag you out of the crowd of the slaves and to make you independent individuals. But from your side, I can understand. From your side, you may be thinking you are dependent on me. That is a misunderstanding. You are absolutely free. Free to be with me, free not to be with me, free to be for me, free to be against me -- it is your joy. Don't make it heavy. Keep it light and playful. You love me; hence the fear has arisen that one day you may fall into the opposite and you may start hating me. Don't be worried, because your love is not just love. You love me not for any biological reason, you love me for some spiritual growth. Your love is part…