Osho's perspective on Joy
When Osho Spoke About Joy
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
The question is: To attain joy in life or mental peace, does one have to make some sacrifice, some renunciation? Or can peace and the joy of life be attained in another way?
So if you have to leave something—if you say, I must make a sacrifice—the trouble has begun. Don’t do sacrifice. Never leave anything by force. Rather, make efforts to attain the highest in life. And whenever something higher comes to you, the substitute—the inferior—will drop. It will drop by itself. You cannot drop restlessness, but you can find peace. And when peace is found, restlessness drops. One cannot abandon wealth, but one can discover dharma. And when dharma is found, the hold of wealth drops. But what do we do? We get into the reverse cycle. A man thinks: If I give up money, I will gain dharma. If I leave home, I will find God. If I drop this, that will happen. The very language of leaving is wrong. The true language of life is the language of attaining. The language of leaving is the language of death, not…
Beloved Osho, does joy arise out of the heart or out of the being? If it comes out of the heart, does it drop away when one reaches the being? If so, how come you are radiating so much joy? Osho, I am so attached to joy and grace. Do I even need to drop them?
Any kind of stupid fashion and people will imitate, thinking that "perhaps if all these intelligent people are doing it and I am not doing it, I will be thought unintelligent." But imitation is unintelligent. It is perfectly good to be in search of your being, which is the source of joy and bliss and truth and love and all that is valuable in existence. Of course it needs the heart for a few values to be expressed, and mind for other values to be expressed. Your being is utterly intelligent, but intelligence can be expressed only through the mind. And your being is immensely loving, but love can be expressed only through the heart. Right now you have forgotten about the being and you are only carrying instruments with nothing to express. It is just like carrying a guitar, and you don't know why you are carrying this thing…
Osho, when should a person celebrate joy? When is celebration appropriate?
The emperor couldn’t make sense of what to do next. Chuang Tzu had said something astounding: with whom he had seen the colors of life—joys and sorrows, ups and downs—who had been like his shadow every moment, should he not even be able to bid her farewell with a song? That would be ungrateful. This is my gratitude, my “ah!”—I am only expressing my thankfulness. If you seek occasions for joy, you will never find them. If you know how to be joyful, every occasion is an occasion; every season a season. Every moment you will discover some device. What a marvelous man Chuang Tzu must have been—at such a moment he found a reason to play the tambourine! One should be such a person. So I say to you: celebrate every moment. “When is celebration appropriate?” Every moment is appropriate. Because only when you are in celebration are you…
Osho, while listening to you, many times you begin to appear colorful, and yet like an emptiness. The wall behind your chair also looks colorful, and I become filled with a strange joy. What is all this?
And once you learn the knack of entering those colors—if you descend even a single step into this depth—then you won’t need to see those colors only around me. If you look at any tree with the same peace and love with which you looked at me, then around that tree too a sea of colors will begin to surge. It is surging; you lack the eyes. Existence is veiled by no curtain; only you are blind. Even by a small flower you will see dimensions of aura opening. Once you understand that to look at anyone with quietude and love is essential for seeing truth, then you will see as it is. Until now you have seen very little. You have seen as if many curtains had been hung and behind them the lamp is hidden, and only tiny rays manage to reach you. As each curtain is removed,…
"When you seek the highest truth, the lesser falls away effortlessly, like a dry leaf, leaving no regret or struggle. Let renunciation happen; don’t force it."
"Joy is not found in the destination, but in the sincerity of each step taken; when you immerse yourself in the present, the journey itself becomes the blossoming of bliss."
"Joy blossoms from the authenticity of your being, not from the masks you wear to please the world. Embrace your individuality, for true beauty lies in the colors of your soul, not in the labels of society."
"You are not just a vessel for joy; you are joy itself, and as you deepen into your being, that joy radiates more brilliantly through your heart."
"Live your truth as a celebration, allowing your joy to radiate and inspire others to seek their own authentic path."
"Celebrate life now, for in the face of uncertainty, joy becomes our greatest rebellion against destruction. Dance, sing, and love, for it is in bliss that we find the strength to transcend fear."
"Your joy is not defined by the world's judgments; it is found in the depths of your own experience and the totality of your being. Immerse yourself fully in what brings you delight, for that is the true measure of your aliveness."
"True joy is a glimpse of the eternal, a moment that transcends the mind; embrace it fully, for its fleeting nature reveals the depth of your being."
"Transcendental joy can blossom not only in peace but also in the midst of chaos; do not make peace a prerequisite, for joy arises in its own time and manner."
"Bliss is an inner discovery, while prestige is a borrowed filling sought by those empty within; true joy transcends the need for respect."
"Boredom is a signal that you are living from borrowed patterns; embrace it, drop the second-hand roles, and dare to live authentically from your own center to rediscover the joy of life."
"Joy is not given by me; it has always been within you, waiting to be discovered as you drop your defenses and listen with your heart."
"When joy and freedom from sadness arise, your inner seed bursts open, revealing the clarity of your identity and the self-evident path ahead."
"Joy is not the destination; it is the warm sunlight that opens you to your innermost being, preparing you for the master’s shock that shatters the false self."
"When pain and joy coexist, your awareness deepens; suffering becomes a blessing that sharpens your presence and intensifies the taste of life."
"Unexpected joy is a reminder of your own nature; when the mind is still, the fullness within reveals itself, and what always was becomes suddenly recognized."
"Joy is not something to be achieved; it is the spontaneous radiance of your own innate enlightenment, revealed when the mind falls quiet and desire loosens."
"The true devotee's joy is not in the attainment of God or liberation, but in the pure longing for the divine, where the heart surrenders and becomes one with the ocean of love."
"In the presence of the master, joy becomes a return to your true home, where life transforms into a blissful dance of creativity and love, free from the burdens of purpose and societal demands."
"Trust the colors and joy that arise in meditation; they are the whispers of your being inviting you to embrace the beauty of existence."
What is the ultimate joke of joy?
definition"You are already enlightened; the only illusion is created by the mind and ego that cling to problems, forgetting that all is divine and nothing is lacking."
"Be total with whatever is present; embrace joy fully when it arises, and immerse yourself in the sorrow of others without the distraction of consolation."
When is celebration appropriate?
definition"Celebrate now, in every moment, for joy is your natural state; existence itself is a continuous festivity waiting for you to dive in."
"The ache in your heart grows alongside joy because love speaks a language the mind cannot comprehend; embrace both the tears and the celebration, for in their union lies the essence of life."
"Joy in living arises when you come without reason, for in the absence of motive, the heart opens and life blooms effortlessly."
Profound Quotes on Joy
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