Osho's perspective on Presence
When Osho Spoke About Presence
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
If I don't do anything I find that I start feeling invisible instead of feeling rooted in the earth. Is it possible to be both?
Yes, it is not only possible, it is absolutely necessary; whenever it is happening it will happen in both these ways, they will happen together. When you are not doing anything the ego feels uprooted because the ego is the doer. The more you do, the better the ego feels; it feels rooted, feels on the earth, has a foothold. When you are not doing anything the ego is invisible, it loses its force -- and you are identified with the ego so you feel you are becoming invisible, you are becoming vaporous, evaporating, you are losing solidness. This is one part. The other part: you will soon become aware that if you allow this invisibleness to happen, this evaporation to happen, and you don't fall again on the ego and start doing something, then you will see that you are rooted. That rootedness is of the being. And the…
Beloved Osho, with my friend, meditation, I clean the skeletons from the closet. With my friend, trust, I enter the dark basement and sweep it clean of ancient dust. With my friend, the heart, I open all the windows and allow the fresh breezes in. With my friend, awareness, I light candles in every room. In the kitchen, my friend, patience, prepares the tea. In the garden, I sit with my friend, the master, and wait silently, for I know that the guest will soon be here. Osho, when the doorbell rings, will I be there to answer it?
The guest always comes; its coming is certain. The bell also rings. The door is also always opened, without fail. But the moment you open the door, you are not there. Existence is, being is, but you are not. The way you have known yourself up to now is no longer there, and what is there cannot be named, cannot be defined. It is all and everything... it is the very essence of existence. You will not be there as you think yourself to be. If you are there, then the guest cannot enter in. In fact, the guest can come only when it becomes a certainty that you are ready to disappear. Your disappearance is the appearance of that which you have been seeking all along. This is a paradox: when the sought is found, the seeker is lost. There are these words of Jesus -- in some sense…
Beloved Osho, when the doorbell rings and I open the door to receive the guest, before I disappear will I get a glimpse of her?
Milarepa, you are impossible! When he was going to play his guitar in England, although there is no God, I prayed, "God save the queen" -- because he is such a ladykiller. Look at his question: he is saying, "When the doorbell rings and I open the door, before I disappear will I be able to get a little glimpse of her!" Just old habits... but no harm. In fact, the doorbell never rings. I will tell you a story. Junnaid, the master of Al-Hillaj Mansoor, in his young days when he was still a seeker, used to sit in front of the mosque praying to God, "How long is it going to take? Open the doors!" And one mystic woman, Rabiya al Adabiya, happened to pass by. She hit Junnaid's head hard with her staff. She was an old woman... Junnaid said, "Rabiya, to disturb somebody in prayer is…
Osho, when I listen to you it feels as if I’ve heard you before. When I look at you it feels as if I’ve seen you before. Yet this is my very first time here. It’s the first time I’ve heard you, the first time I’ve seen you. What is happening to me?
Eyes closed, keep advancing—such is the law of the love-mad; Do not bow your head, keep fighting—such is the law of the brave; There is motion in the breath, motion in the heart—here progress alone is the rule; Become motion, and in motion dissolve—such is the law of the motioned ones! I am a challenge—a call! I shake you. I question you. Eyes closed, keep advancing—such is the law of the love-mad; Do not bow your head, keep fighting—such is the law of the brave; There is motion in the breath, motion in the heart—here progress alone is the rule; Become motion, and in motion dissolve—such is the law of the motioned ones! You missed before—do not miss this time. Yes, fear comes. Satsang brings fear. Ah—to see and hear That which truly Is here; Love, in a single instant, effaces its own devotees! Love annihilates. Love burns. But the…
"Your commitment is the true catalyst for transformation; the master is merely a reminder of the potential that lies within you."
"In the hands of the unwise, even the greatest teachings can turn from nectar to poison; presence demands not just awareness, but the intelligence to know when and how to act."
"Rejoice in my absence as you would in my presence, for true mastery lies not in attachment to the form, but in discovering the silence and love within."
"There is no 'other shore' to reach; the higher state of being is found only in the utter presence of the here and now."
"Embrace your dreams and fantasies without rejection, for in their unconditional acceptance, they dissolve, revealing the simplicity of pure awareness."
"Presence is cultivated through choiceless awareness; when you watch your breath and thoughts without interference, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and being blossoms in the silence of your witness."
How to achieve a state of presence?
practice"To achieve presence, simply accept what is; drop all goals and divisions, for you are already complete—just be alert in this moment."
"Once the meditative process has taken root within you, you become your own guide; no external suggestions are needed, for the truth lies in your own being."
"In the stillness of non-doing, the ego dissolves, and in that emptiness, the true rootedness of your being emerges. Embrace the darkness, for it is the gateway to your deepest ground."
"The transforming power of presence is real; when the doer dissolves, tremendous things happen effortlessly, allowing growth to unfold naturally."
"Be alert without tension by simply watching whatever arises, allowing it to pass like clouds in the sky, and in this unconditional let-go, your true presence will reveal itself effortlessly."
What does it mean to be in the front row?
definition"To be in the front row is to acknowledge your need for help; it is the first step towards becoming a swimmer in the vast ocean of life."
"In the instant of meeting, you recognize the flame of the soul, a remembrance from countless lifetimes, awakening the timeless essence that transcends the mind."
"Stay where you are and do what you are doing, but do it with awareness and non-attachment; true transformation happens within, not in the escape from your responsibilities."
What happens to our sense of connection when we return to daily life after experiencing presence?
outcome"True connection does not vanish when you return to daily life; if you are inwardly integrated, the silence of presence travels with you into every activity and relationship."
"In the presence of a master, your ego begins to dissolve, and with it, the burdens of anxiety and despair fall away, revealing a drugless serenity and joy that is your true nature."
"Embrace the moment-to-moment living, and you will find that life is a beautiful adventure, revealing its surprises and possibilities without the constraints of certainty or a fixed future."
"The feeling of not knowing your existence is a friendly wave of innocence, a sign that you are on the right path; trust it, for it leads you into the unknowable where your individual flame merges with the whole."
"In deep presence, the ego dissolves and ecstasy emerges not as an experience, but as the essence of your being when you surrender to the unknown within."
"When your presence becomes intense, you become the master of your own silence, untouched by the chaos of the world around you."
"Pour your total attention into pure delight, for attention is nourishment; as you relish these moments, ecstasy will inevitably win over suffering."
"In the presence of a master, communication transforms into communion, where your ignorance melts into innocence and you awaken to the universal truth, ripening from disciple into master."
"The closer you get to someone, the more the separate self dissolves; true connection arises only in the absence of 'I' and 'you."
"In the present moment, time dissolves, and you enter a state of peace and silence that transcends both suffering and pleasure. This stillness is not an idea; it is a direct experience of the timeless dimension within you."
"When you dissolve into your nothingness, the divine is not something to be witnessed; it is the very essence of your being."
Profound Quotes on Presence
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