Osho's perspective on Hypnosis
When Osho Spoke About Hypnosis
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Beloved Osho, why is it difficult for some people to be hypnotized? Is it because we do not trust the person who is doing it to us, or are we not as receptive as those who can be?
He was immensely excited. He said, "Do whatever... but I want to be celibate before I die, because this is the only thing in which I have failed in my life. I have never failed in anything." He gave millions of dollars to the freedom movement. So all the leaders who became prime ministers, and presidents and cabinet ministers looked to him as a father figure. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was the prime minister, told him, "It was okay not to give taxes to the British government, but now it is your own government." He said, "Remember, it does not matter to me which government it is. I can donate twice the amount that you think I should pay in taxation, but taxation? -- that I cannot do. And you cannot catch hold of me, because I don't have any books. Except for me, nobody knows how much money I…
Isn't the reverse the case? That a really intelligent person cannot be hypnotized?
A person of lower intelligence cannot be hypnotized; it is impossible. The greater the intelligence, the greater the hypnotizability. The more intelligent you are, the higher your I.Q., the more susceptible you are. A genius can be hypnotized very easily, but an idiot cannot be hypnotized at all. Your conception is wrong, but it's a prevalent mistake. What you are saying is wrong, it is absolutely unfounded, there are no grounds for it, but it is a very prevalent concept -- that people who can be hypnotized are not intelligent. It is absolutely wrong.
Is there some kind of hypnosis involved in the technique?
The moment a person begins to experiment with this method there is no question of belief or faith, there is no question of hypnosis. The contrary is the case: we have hypnotized ourselves into believing that we are normal and sane human beings. This is the hypnosis! The whole world is a great madhouse and we have hypnotized ourselves into thinking that we are sane, normal. But the insanity that is hidden in the background always tries to come out: it erupts, it explodes out of us in dreams. It explodes out of us when we are intoxicated. LSD or mescaline cause an explosion of madness, but the explosion does not come from the LSD or mescaline, and dreams do not create the madness either. Drugs or dreams just uncover your self, the authentic being that is within you. That is why, for a sadhaka, a seeker, it has been…
Beloved Osho, is there something that is a mixture of hypnosis and meditation? -- because in your presence I feel as if mesmerized and yet I am aware of everything around me too.
In my presence it can happen, a mixture of both... a silence that feels almost as if you are absent, and still you are alert about every small thing that is happening around. My presence is a totally different way of hypnosis and meditation together. It has never been tried. If you try only hypnosis then you cannot be aware of other things around you: you will fall asleep, deep asleep. You will hear the voice of the hypnotist, but you will not hear anything else. If you meditate you will become alert and you will hear everything around you in clear alertness, but you will not find the soothing softness, as if you are asleep and yet awake. And that's what I want to happen in my presence -- both together. I don't want you to be hypnotized; that's an old and crude method. I want you to be…
"Intelligence does not shield you from hypnosis; in fact, the more intelligent you are, the more easily you can be entranced by the depths of your own mind."
"Hypnosis can unveil the depths of your inner being, but tread carefully, for the unconscious is a trusting child that can be led astray by harmful suggestions. Embrace meditation and self-suggestion as your true guides, for they empower you from within."
"Effort creates tension; to deepen your self-hypnosis, surrender to the process and allow a trusted guide to lead you into the depths of your own being."
"This technique is not about belief or hypnosis; it is a journey of de-hypnotizing yourself from the collective conditioning, allowing your authentic self to emerge through the awakening of suppressed energies."
"In my presence, a soft hypnosis merges with meditation, creating a state of soothing relaxation and crystal-clear alertness, where you become both relaxed and a witnessing awareness."
"Hypnosis is a doorway to the unconscious; when approached with innocence and clarity, it reveals healing depths, but if clouded by conditioning, it can unleash the terrors of repressed pain."
"To enter the unconscious, first relax and watch passively; only then can you carry a small consciousness to witness and dissolve the barriers that bind you."
"In the depths of hypnosis, you touch the veil of enlightenment, where the right guidance can unlock your inner silence, but in the wrong hands, it becomes a tool for conditioning and exploitation."
What is hypnosis?
definition"Hypnosis is not magic; it is the mind's natural suggestibility, a tool that can either imprison or liberate, depending on the awareness with which it is wielded."
"Hypnosis penetrates the layers of the unconscious, allowing repressed truths to emerge, while psychotherapy often dances around defenses, leaving the deeper self untouched."
"Hypnosis takes you into the depths of unconsciousness, while meditation elevates you to the heights of total awareness; the direction of your intent determines whether you descend or ascend."
"Hypnosis is an ancient science, a key to the inner realms of consciousness that has been suppressed by dogma, for it holds the power to unveil truths that threaten the established order."
"Hypnosis flourishes in the soil of trust and understanding; without a heartful receptivity, the mind remains closed, and transformation becomes impossible."
Profound Quotes on Hypnosis
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