Why is cosmic consciousness referred to as centering?

If enlightenment and samadhi mean total consciousness, cosmic consciousness, all-pervading consciousness, then it seems very strange to call this state of cosmic consciousness centering, as the word `centering' implies one-pointedness. Why is cosmic consciousness, or samadhi, called centering?

It is like small children doing arithmetic. They can always go to the back of the book and can know the answer. The answer is there; at the back of the book, the answers are given. They can look at the question, then they can go to the back and know the answer. And once a child knows the answer it is very difficult for him to learn the method, because there seems to be no need. When he already knows the answer, there is no need. And really, he will do the whole thing in reverse order. Then through any false, pseudo method he will arrive at the answer. He knows the real thing, he knows the answer, so he can arrive at the answer by just creating a false method. And this happens so much in religion that it seems, as far as religion is concerned, everyone is…

Osho, you said that awareness created centering and crystallization, but I personally feel that awareness brings a feeling of deep void within me. Please explain the relationship between centering and inner void.

As man is, he is without a center -- without a real, authentic center. He has a center, so to speak, but the center is false. He only thinks he has a center. The ego is a false center. You feel that it is there, but it is not. If you go to find it, you will not find it at all. Bodhidharma reached China 1100 years after Buddha. He was a Buddha himself. The Emperor Wu came to receive Bodhidharma. When no one was there, he asked Bodhidharma, "I am very, very disturbed. My mind is never at ease. What can I do? Tell me. Make my mind at peace, at ease. I am in deep conflict; an inner struggle continues -- so do something." Bodhidharma said, "I can do something. Come early in the morning at four o'clock, but remember to bring your self." The Emperor felt: "Either…

Osho, you said last night that to realize the that, the transcendental truth everywhere, one must first realize it at one's own center of being. Then you said that a centering for this is needed. Is this centering the same as that of gurdjieff's crystallization? Please tell us how this centering or crystallization is different from strengthening one's own ego, and how does it lead to the transcendental truth, the that?

This is absolutely incorrect. If you surrender, only then can you be an individual, because the ego is not your individuality. It is false, it is just a facade. If you surrender the false, then you are bound to explode into the real. And this is the beauty of surrender: you cannot surrender the Self -- mm? -- that is impossible; you can only surrender the ego. You can give up only that which has been given tb you. You cannot give up your Self; that is impossible. There is no possibility. How can you give up your Self? You can give up something which has been put into you, which is a social penetration. Really, you can give only that which doesn't belong to you, which you are not. This will look contradictory, paradoxical. You can give only that which you are not. That which you are you cannot…

Centering is needed -- that is totally different. When you explode, you must have a centre from where there will be expression all over the place. You become a flower and the petals open in all directions. What will be the case if the petals -- all the petals -- open in one direction? The flower will not be there. They open in all directions and the fragrance released, goes to all directions -- it has no direction, it is not addressed at all. It does not know where it is going, but one thing is certain, it is centred. The flower has a centre to it. So become more like a flower be centred. Whenever you feel this energy, don't be worried about the direction. Just sit silently or stand silently, breathe slowly, and feel your energy centred just below the navel, mm? two inches below the navel.

18. Look lovingly at some object. Do not go to another object. Here in the middle of the object -- the blessing.

19. WITHOUT SUPPORT FOR FEET OR HANDS, SIT ONLY ON THE BUTTOCKS. SUDDENLY, THE CENTERING. 20. IN A MOVING VEHICLE, BY RHYTHMICALLY SWAYING, EXPERIENCE. OR IN A STILL VEHICLE, BY LETTING YOURSELF SWING IN SLOWING INVISIBLE CIRCLES. 21. PIERCE SOME PART OF YOUR NECTAR-FILLED FORM WITH A PIN, AND GENTLY ENTER THE PIERCING AND ATTAIN TO THE INNER PURITY. The human body is a mysterious mechanism. Its working is two-dimensional. In order to go to the outside, your consciousness goes through the senses to meet the world, to meet matter. But this is only one dimension of your body's functions. Your body has another dimension also: it leads you in. If consciousness goes out, then whatsoever you know is matter; if consciousness goes in, then whatsoever you know is non-matter. In reality, there is no division: matter and non-matter are one. But this reality -- X -- if looked at…