Osho's perspective on Consciousness
When Osho Spoke About Consciousness
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Osho, is it possible for a man's consciousness to become like that of a newborn child?
Certainly. A lake is all quiet. Then waves arise, gusts of wind come—the lake trembles. When the gusts pass, the lake again becomes still, becomes a mirror again. The lake is pure. Leaves fall, it becomes dirty. The leaves will settle to the bottom; the lake will again be fresh and clear. When the child is born, the lake is still clear—there are no ripples, no leaves of thoughts, no waves of desire. Then everything becomes wave-tossed—storms arise, the mind trembles, the mirror is lost. Youth comes; everything turns stormy; nothing remains settled; the wild, tempestuous surges of great desires arrive. Then old age comes; all the rubbish, the stones, the ruins lie about. But what was there at the source is still there. A little understanding—to let the leaves settle; a little understanding—to let the winds of desire stop. The lake will become the same again; the nature of…Read the full discourse →
Question: A friend has asked: Osho, do all the enlightened have their consciousness become feminine? It will, inevitably. But by “feminine” it doesn’t mean they become women. By “feminine” I mean their consciousness shifts from aggression to receptivity, from being aggressive to being receptive. Only when this receptivity arises can one open the inner doors to the divine.Read the full discourse →
Osho, are the insentient and the conscious two separate things, or two forms of one and the same reality?
There is a mention in the life of Bhoj: an astrologer came, looked at Bhoj’s hand, and said, “You are most unfortunate. You will carry even your wife to the cremation ground, your sons too. You will have to take each member of your household to the cremation ground; after all of them, you will die.” Bhoj was furious. He had the astrologer handcuffed and said, “Lock him up. What a man—speaking such ill-omened words!” Kalidasa was sitting quietly, laughing. He said, “The astrologer speaks no ill omen; he simply lacks the art of saying it—his emphasis is wrong.” When Kalidasa said this, Bhoj asked, “What do you mean?” Kalidasa said, “Let me see your hand.” After looking, he said, “You are greatly blessed! Your life span is very long. Blessed—in the sense that neither your wife nor your sons will ever be saddened by your death. No one will…Read the full discourse →
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…Read the full discourse →
Are all consciousnesses alike?
definition"All consciousnesses are one indivisible awareness; the differences we perceive are mere illusions of personality and ego. To truly connect, we must drop our identifications and recognize the silent witness that unites us all."
"True revolution is not about politics or economics; it is a profound awakening of consciousness that transcends all ideologies."
Are mind and consciousness two separate things or is the silent mind what is called 'consciousness'?
definition"Mind is a borrowed illusion, while consciousness is your timeless essence; in true silence, the mind dissolves, revealing the purity of your being."
"Witnessing is not a technique but your intrinsic nature; it reveals what is and dissolves illusions."
Are the insentient and the conscious two separate things, or two forms of one and the same reality?
definition"The insentient and the conscious are not separate; they are two poles of the same reality, where matter is the unmanifest consciousness and consciousness is the matter revealed."
"You are not a wave in the ocean of consciousness; you are the ocean itself, where individuality dissolves and all boundaries vanish."
"Higher consciousness does not guarantee perfect health; the realized one often transcends the body, viewing it merely as a temporary shell while focusing on the eternal being within."
"True consciousness is total awareness of the present; when fear arises, it pulls you away from the now, snapping the thread of your clarity."
"Consciousness is a mirror that reflects without judgment; it is the ego that judges itself, while the watcher simply sees things as they are."
Did Gautama's consciousness enter you at your conception or has it gradually suffused with you?
definition"Gautama's consciousness does not invade; it flows into your being like two rivers merging, deepening your silence and enriching your truth without altering your essence."
"Enlightenment transforms consciousness from aggression to receptivity, allowing the divine to flow in through the open heart."
"Questions about the outer world are answered through memory, while the deepest truths of the inner self arise only from consciousness. Confusing these realms leads to misunderstanding; science evolves externally, but spiritual insight is timeless and direct."
"Enlightenment has one flavor, transcending names and traditions; it is the followers and labels that create separation."
Do values like love, religiousness, authenticity, and happiness change as human consciousness grows?
outcome"As your consciousness evolves from darkness to light, every value transforms from instinctual compulsion to conscious presence, revealing the true essence of love, religiousness, authenticity, and happiness."
"Consciousness is pure freedom, limitless and lawless; to impose laws on the inner soul is to shackle its spontaneity and uniqueness."
"The inner man reveals himself only at the peak of awareness, where dualities unite in a harmonious dance; true recognition comes as consciousness matures, culminating in the orgasmic meeting of opposites."
"True progress is not in the accumulation of outer changes, but in the formless awakening of consciousness that transcends time and space."
"To be born in full consciousness, one must cultivate awareness and meditation throughout life, for it is in the preparation for death that we truly prepare for the next birth."
"Transcendence arises not from opposing body and mind, but from realizing their oneness; in the present moment, drop the inner war and let spiritual consciousness bloom naturally."
"In the silence of meditation, you will find that your true essence is not the content of your thoughts, but the vast, empty presence that exists beyond them. In this nothingness, the flower of pure awareness blossoms."
"Certainty arises not from belief, but from the flowering of awareness; when you truly see, you realize that human-level self-awareness is a unique gift of Earth."
"Only awakened individuals can raise planetary consciousness; when you drop the egoic "I" and live as an authentic "i," your transformation radiates and invites others to awaken."
"Your astral body carries the scars of past lives, but through meditation, you can awaken to your untouched center and break the cycle of rebirth."
"Awareness is the key to higher consciousness; by turning your clarity inward and practicing steady watchfulness, you can rise above the conditioned mind and discover the depths of your true being."
"In the emptiness of consciousness, truth is not recognized but simply is; it shines in the choiceless clarity of a silent mind, free from the distortions of thought."
Profound Quotes on Consciousness
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