Repression

Osho, the conclusion Freud and modern psychologists have reached—that repression doesn’t work—was that known to Mahavira as well?

Absolutely. There is no other way. Whenever a person has become free, it has never been through repression. Whenever freedom has happened, it has happened through awakening. It’s another matter that in those days the language was not clear, the expression not so refined. Expression keeps becoming clearer over time. Consider Newton. He told us that things fall because the earth has gravity. Now someone may ask: before Newton, did things that kept falling also fall because of gravity? Newton, only three hundred years ago, said that things fall from above to below because the earth pulls—because of gravity. Someone could ask: before Newton, did things not fall? And if they did, did they fall due to gravity? We would say: they too fell because of gravity. Whenever anything has fallen, it has fallen due to gravity; Newton merely brought the news to light. He only formulated it. Things have…

Question: OSHO, WHY HAVE ALL THE RELIGIONS USED REPRESSION AS A BASIC STRATEGY? The mind says the woman is beautiful -- and if you feel a desire for beauty I don't see that there is anything wrong in it. If you feel a desire for ugliness, then something is wrong, then you are sick. Beauty has to be appreciated. When you see a beautiful painting, you would like to possess it. When you see anything beautiful, just by the side of it the idea comes as a shadow, "If this beautiful thing could be mine...." Now, these are all natural thoughts. But the priest will say, "The rains have not come because of your impure thoughts" -- and you are absolutely indefensible. You know it, you are ashamed of yourself. God is always right.

Repression has become an automatic reaction in our bodies and minds which we do not even recognize or want to change any more. How can we learn to tell between a false image and a real one in ourselves?

So do not be for and do not be against. Allow the thoughts to move, let them go wherever they are going, be in a deep let-go, and simply witness. Whatsoever is passing, witness. Do not judge; do not say, "This is good, this is bad." If the thought of a divine being comes, do not say, "Beautiful!" The moment you say this you are identified with it, and you are cooperating with the thought process. You are helping it, you are giving energy to it, you are feeding it. And if you are feeding it, it can never drop. Or if there is a thought, a sexual thought, do not say, "This is bad; this is sin." Because when you say, "This is sin," you have created another series of thoughts. Sex is a thought, sin is a thought, God is a thought. Be neither for nor against. Simply…

What is repression?

Repression is to live a life that you were not meant to live. Repression is to do things which you never wanted to do. Repression is to be the fellow that you are not: Repression is a way to destroy yourself. Repression is suicide -- very slow of course, but a very certain, slow poisoning. Expression is life; repression is suicide. This is the Tantra message: Don't live a repressed life, otherwise you live not at all. Live a life of expression, creativity, joy. Live the way God wanted you to live; live the natural way. And don't be afraid of the priests. Listen to your instincts, listen to your body, listen to your heart, listen to your intelligence. Depend on yourself, go wherever your spontaneity takes you, and you will never be at a loss. And going spontaneously with your natural life, one day you are bound to arrive…