Osho's perspective on Self
When Osho Spoke About Self
Passages from the discourses where this theme comes alive.
Why don't I feel that I am myself?
Now the time has come to get out of others' expectations. Don't go on fulfilling others' expectations; that is a very subtle slavery. The mother wants you to do this, the father wants you to do that, the society wants this... and everybody wants, everybody is making demands on you. And nobody leaves you alone and nobody wants you to do the thing that you would like to do. Now the time has come: do your own thing -- get out of all this bondage. This is what sannyas is all about: a declaration of freedom, a declaration that "I am going to be myself whatsoever the cost and whatsoever the consequences." And you will not be a loser, that I can promise you; you will not be a loser, you will be infinitely enriched. You are not here to fulfill others' expectations, you are here to live your authentic…
You always.say that you're not there. Everyone else says they look into your eyes and there's no one there. How is it that I always experience the opposite, that you're there and you're the only one who's really there?
Savita, truth is always paradoxical. If it is not paradoxical it is not truth. The only way to be is not to be. Only when one is absent, presence arrives. So, both are true. Those who look into my eyes and see nobody they are right, absolutely right. And, Savita, you are also right: that when you look into my eyes you see THE ONLY ONE WHO'S REALLY THERE. And these two experiences don't contradict, they com-plement each other. If somebody is looking for an ego in me, for a personality, he will not find one. There is no personality there; the personality has disappeared. It was a dream, and I no more entertain any dreams. It was a guest; now the only one who lives inside me is the host. Those who are looking for the guest, they will not find the guest -- they will not see any…
Beloved Osho, what does it mean when you say, "just be yourself"? How can I be myself when I don't know who I am? I know many of my preferences, likings, dislikings and tendencies, which seem to be the outcome of a programmed biocomputer called the mind. Does just being oneself mean that one totally lives out the whole content of the mind as watchfully as possible?
Yes, it exactly means that -- to live as an awareness: awareness of all the programs the mind has been conditioned for, awareness of all the impulses, desires, memories, imaginations... all that the mind can do. One has to be not part of it, but separate -- seeing it but not being it -- watching it. And this is one of the most essential things to remember, that you cannot watch your watchfulness. If you watch your watchfulness, then the watcher is you, not the watched. So you cannot go beyond watchfulness. The point that you cannot transcend is your being. The point that you cannot go beyond is you. You can watch very easily any thought, any emotion, any sentiment. Just one thing you cannot watch -- and that is your watchfulness. And if you manage to watch it, that means you have shifted: the first watchfulness has become…
Question: BELOVED OSHO, CAN YOU SAY WHO YOU ARE? Maneesha, I am an invitation for all those who are seeking, searching, and have a deep longing in their hearts to find their home. I am an answer to the question that everybody is, but cannot formulate -- a question that is more a quest than a question, more a thirst than a verbal, mental inquiry; a thirst that one feels in every cell and fiber of his being, but has no way to bring to words and ask. I am an answer for that question which you cannot ask and you cannot expect that it could be answered. When I say I am the answer, I don't mean that I can give you the answer... yes, if you are ready, you can take it.
Are forgetting the self and remembering the self two different paths or are they the same?
definition"Forgetting the self and remembering the self are not two paths; they are two sides of the same coin, leading you beyond the ego into the boundless freedom where bliss naturally unfolds."
"Stay rooted in your authenticity; true transformation arises from within, allowing you to respond to the world with clarity and creativity rather than fear."
"The ego-personality dies with the body, but the witnessing consciousness is eternal, transcending birth and death. In realization, the cycle of rebirth ceases as desires dissolve into the vastness of being."
"Your personality is merely a mask that dies with the body; your true individuality, the essence of your being, is eternal and cannot be touched by death."
"You don’t need to know yourself to be yourself; just drop the burdens of imitation and let your unique essence unfold naturally."
How can I be myself?
practice"To be yourself, unlearn the lies of society; drop all pretensions and return to your own center, for you are already unique and complete."
"In the depths of silence, your true self whispers, guiding you beyond the noise of the mind. Surrender to that stillness, for it is there that clarity and direction arise."
"You are never anything but yourself; it is only your beliefs and dreams that create the illusion of being someone else. Wake up to your original nature, for the difference between the awakened and the unawakened is simply awareness."
How to be totally yourself?
practice"To be totally yourself, drop all goals and judgments; live each moment in total acceptance, and watch as sadness, anger, and greed naturally dissolve into joy, compassion, and love."
How to navigate the feelings of nothingness and fulfillment in the quest for self-identity?
practice"Trust the paradox of nothingness and fulfillment, for it marks the death of the ego and the birth of a larger identity; embrace the unknown with childlike innocence and risk your old self to be reborn into a fresh, spacious being."
"You are not identical to others; you are a unique wave of the same ocean, expressing the universal Self in your own distinct way."
"Add everything until nothing stands outside, and in that totality, the ego dissolves, revealing the One that is beyond all."
"Your real answer lies within; let the master's words be mere indications, for true understanding dawns only through your own journey."
Is there no sadhu who truly seeks the Self?
definition"True seekers of the Self do not wear holiness as a uniform; their saintliness is formless and unadvertised, found in the naturalness of their awakening."
"A devotee does not seek answers or attainments; he dissolves the seeker itself in love and surrender, revealing the truth when the 'I' disappears."
What do you mean by 'me' and 'you'?
definition"When the thinking 'I' dissolves into simple being, we realize that there is no separation; we are all drops merging into the same ocean of existence."
"To be yourself is to drop the false self and rest in the egoless presence of your true being, where the essence of who you are can finally blossom."
"The 'I' in 'Who am I?' is not a question to be answered but a sword to cut through the illusions of the mind, leading you to the silent depths of your true being."
"Your true essence is beyond names and forms; it is the witnessing consciousness that remains untouched by the transient nature of existence."
What does it mean to just be yourself?
definition"To just be yourself is to live as unconditioned awareness, the silent watcher of your thoughts and desires, untouched by them. In this unaffected watchfulness, you discover the joy and beauty of your true nature."
"What you value and what you fear are not in the world around you, but are creations of your own mind; transform your perception, and the grip of both will dissolve effortlessly."
"To hold on to imposed beliefs is to betray your own self; only by letting go can your true essence blossom and fill the world with its fragrance."
"When you ask 'Who am I?' with full intensity, let go of the breath and immerse yourself completely in the inquiry, for it is in that totality that transformation unfolds."
"Hiding behind others may offer temporary shelter, but when it becomes your identity, it drains your strength and distorts your reality; be fluid, dance with life instead of clinging to rigid shadows."
"When you stop taking sides and embrace choiceless awareness, the conflict within dissolves, allowing your true intelligence to guide you effortlessly in the present."
Profound Quotes on Self
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