Osho / Rajneesh - Notes on Osho's teachings, approach and the talks with The Secret of the Golden Flower
For whatever reason, I've taken an interest in Osho (ie Chandra Mohan Jain, Baghwan Shree Rajneesh etc). I have taken forays into his teachings over the last two decades or so, on and off. As a kid, I recall seeing him on TV, and later in my early twenties, I found interest and solace in his teachings about world religions, philopshy and going against the grain. Later again, in my 30s and 40s, I took an interest at various times with his specific approaches to practical spirituality, meditation, mindfulness and the ways his practically brought about awakening in his disciples. I was also interested in his own unique interpretations of classic texts like the Vignan Bhairava Tantra, The Secret of the Golden Flower, Zen teachings, Yoga sutras of Patanjali, Gurdjieffs teachings, Sufi teachings, and many others.
I had purchased the whole lecture serious for The Secret of the Golden Flower, probably about 5 years back, though because of its length, being 55 hours or so, had not gotten around to starting and finishing the serious. I prefer to block out a chunk of time to really get into a teaching or series, and had not had the time to devote to this, which would take at least 2-4 weeks, possibly more.
Then, unexpectedly, I was given the inner guidance to start look at this again, and revisit Osho's teachings in general. There were a few obstacles in the past that stopped me really looking into his teachings, these being the massive amount of content, difficulty in sorting the essential from the unessential (in terms of awakening material and direct path material for liberation), and also his (and his group's) general disharmony and chaos that is well documented with the happenings of his experimental commune in both Pune, and in the US. I had road tested his take on vipassana, and some meditations such as the Dynamic Meditation, and stillness meditation etc., but my experience at that time was that there was TOO MUCH content and TOO MANY approaches to meditation in general, making the whole system difficult to follow.
Now, years later, for some unknown reason, I was drawn to really look into this teacher again, and spend some quality time with him and his message. I went through the 55 hours slowly, and used the content and lecture series as a sort of meditation and contemplation in itself. I now see that indeed his way of teaching via a massive amount of content, was itself a meditation approach designed to slowly penetrate the conscious egoic mind by way of stories, narratives, and pointers DURING the lectures and Q&A themselves.
I'll comment in this post specifically about the Teaching of the Golden Flower (or "The Secret of Secrets" as this serious is called by the Osho Foundation).
Some key topics and points from the talks:
- Society, orthodox religions, socialisation etc. has been the cause of a host of issues related to the false personality, manufactured roles, man/woman, dualities
- False personality vs essence (one's being, innate existence)
- Living in the world, taking spirituality into the marketplace, and removing the need for seclusion, monasticism
- The ashram as a mini marketplace or wordly situation for working on oneself
- The need to pay for things, espeicially spiritual teachings, in order to add value rather than devalue the teachings
- Meditation as a knack, a non-doing, rather than a doing or forced activity such as yoga
- Making use of the body, but knowing oneself as not the body
- "Circulating the light" inwardly, a Taoist practice. The "spirit" abiding between the eyes, rather than the heart centre in the chest. Thinking about the light, and philosophising creates great systems of thought, but ends without any result.
- TSOTGF : Both 'fixation' and 'contemplation' are needed. When thoughts arrive, they need to be fixated for a brief time until they're gone, then contemplation is engaged again. Just performing one will not produce any lasting effect, such as in hatha yoga (too much fixation and focus) or psychotherapy (contemplation and analysis without any focus or fixation).
- Different packaging for the same truths and outcomes- e.g. Taoism, Zen, Hassidism, Tantra.. and other mystical/practical approaches vs dogma / ideologies
- Anti-philosophy: Philosophy is completely related to the mind, thought, conditioning, logic, and divorced from both experience and objectivity, which have been taken by relgion and science. Philosophy is generally an endless void etc etc. "Philosophy is a blind man, in a dark room, looking for a black cat that isn't there."
- The present moment, being in the present, rather than being lost in the past and future via the mind
- Unconscious and mechanical behaviour and living vs conscious living and awareness
- Contradition in the teachings. There will be contradiction in the teachings according to the audience, the intended target, and the fact that responses to questions are more aimed at pointers for where to meditate and contemplate, or uncover unconscious beliefs, assumptions and memories. The talks are not aimed at delivering philosophical truths or absolute truths.
- Practice and pragmatism over philosophy and theory.. always. Start from zero, "Adam and Eve", and use your body as a lab. Use the scriptures as practical instructions to experiment with, rather than doctrines to believe in. There's no place for beliefs in this approach. All knowledge has to be your own, and from your own experience in these spiritual activities.
- TBC
Some cautionary or noteworthy points:
Particular advice and synchronicity
Many of the Q&A sessions contain advice and commentary aimed at particular people, personalities and questions that were handed to Osho during the retreat satsangs. Much of this advice is very particular to the individual, and he mentions their name if the question was signed by a devotee. As such, this isn't general advice for everyone. Some of the advice or commentary was meant to trigger something in the questioner or devotee, to spark a reaction for working with, or an area to explore at that time in their journey. The advice given by Osho can't really be generalised in this regard. Commentary on the texts is of a more general nature, and can be applied to one's own journey and place at a particular time. In fact, I found the level of synchronicity with the Osho talks and matching with one's particular issues, challenges and journey at a point in time, to be very high. The talks themselves can certainly become a teacher or powerful tool for one's own Inner Teacher in this regard. But some discrimination in the Q&A sections of the talks should be applied.
Views on other teachers and teachings
Osho has a magnificent grasp of comparative religion, texts, approaches, philosophy and pretty much as an opinion and personal experience with virtually every spiritual path imaginable at that time in the 1970s, well before the Internet was a thing, and information was as freely available as it is today. As such, he has some great points to make about mystical and spiritual approaches, aims, and ways to make the the most of meditation within particular frameworks.
HOWEVER, Osho sometimes, although not often, does miss the mark with a few teachings and his personal observations.. often due to not having direct experience over a period of time ACTUALLY practicing that teaching or approach. For example, his views on Buddhism are mainly from a Mahayana perspective, and his ideas about 'vipassana' meditation seem to be more from the Goenka style use of the word 'vipassana', which pertains to breath awareness and bodily sensations, than other schools of Theravada. Another example, Osho is very critical of TM meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (for obvious reasons, such as the commercialisation of meditation, spirituality etc.), but in particular, he reduces the actual meditation (TM) down to a practice of just listening to a mantra repeatedly, which he equates with the same thing as watching TV, or reading a book, or being absorbed in mindless activity. This is sort of true.. but also misses the point that the technique DOES have some potential to give a pure consciousness experience (of no-mind), and this is actually spoken about in TM teachings. So with this example, Osho is only giving half of the story. The same applies to his comments on Sri Nisargadatta, which were taken from reading a few pages of I AM THAT, and then dismissing the teaching whilst never having met Nisargadatta or digging in a bit deeper into what Nisargadatta was pointing at. To be fair, Nis was also guilty of oversimplifying Rajneesh's teachings and dismissing Osho completely.. it is what it is.
Marriage
Osho's views on marriage and relationships are on the 'revolutionary' side, rather than the practical side.. as such, he's quite scathing of permanent relationships, marriage, institutions, etc. While there's certainly merit in boosting the idea of a natural, spontaneous, and loving relationship, I don't see why this can't exist within the confines of marriage or cultural institutions. By throwing out social institutions and cultural norms like marriage, he ends up 'throwing the baby out with the bathwater'. Thinking that humans can flit around adding and substracting partners according to the ebbs and flows of 'spontaneous love and authenticity' is pretty much fantasy. At its worst, it can lead to laziness, a lack of discipline, and an excuse for the ego to blame everything on one's partner and move on to the next adventure. There's no trying to make things work here, and exploring what one's OWN input into an unhappy relationship is. There's no development of character or growth emotionally when one can dump one's partner and start again at the drop of a hat. Osho's communes seemed to have suffered from this kind of behaviour on a micro scale, and that experiment was probably one to shelve for a far, far distant future when humanity has evolved a considerable distance from the present.
Vegetarianism and diet
Osho coming from a struct Jain background tends to be scathing of meat eaters, and sometimes mentions that there's no reason for 'meditators' to eat meat, and gives a list of dubious down sides to eating meat and its effect on meditation. The reality, however, is that diet is a very personal thing, and highly dependent on one's background, physical characteristics and genetics and personal choice. One the one had he promotes a sort of maturity whereby the individual needs to work out one's best position in life with regards to maturity, integrity and truthfulness. On the other hand, he sometimes hands out the blanket rules and regulations or advice which tends to negate the former philosophy. He also ignores the fact that there have been meditation masters in the past who were both vegetarian and meat eaters. The Buddha for example, had the habit of accepting whatever was offered to the ascetics by the town folk at the time, within the parameters of certain ethical rules. This practice still occurs today in Theravada countries. In contrast, monastics in Asia became vegetarian simply because they could start growing their own foodstuff, and didn't need to wander around begging for food. One isn't better than the other, and both streams produced excellent meditation masters and teachers, regardless of diet choices. A similar thing occurs in other traditions such as Christianity, and even in branches of Hinduism that contain both sorts of dietary preferences. Nisargadattta, for instance, clearly ate meat and was a householder with a business and a family. Gurdjieff also married (several women), had children, and clearly ate meat during lavish dinners including large amounts of alcohol (often purposefully). Ramana Maharshi on the other hand was celibate, minimalist, and strictly vegetarian (and note that he regularly promoted the idea practice and enquiry over externalities such as diet, living arrangements, marriage status or caste). One can find hundreds of examples, and getting off track and into the rights and wrongs of dietary advice, or external situational configurations isn't helpful nor conductive to awakening proper as the main goal.
Groups
There are a lot of break away groups, communes, cults and the like operating currently. There is a wide range of approaches being used to put Osho's teachings and meditations into practice. Unfortunately, many of these groups currently in operation have little to zero understanding of Osho's teachings, meditations, or the basis of the work, not to mention having zero understanding of any traditional approaches to nonduality, spirituality, transformation etc. Some are being run purely as personality cults by questionable individuals with dubious attainments and motives. I would suggest NOT joining any of these groups at this time, but rather immersing oneself in the direct teachings (voice recordings, books, lecture serious, videos etc.) given by Osho himself, contemplating these, and making use of these as per any direct teacher/disciple situation. In other words, no middle man, as Osho himself would advise.
An example here- it is widely believed that Osho/Rajneesh was all about free sex, drugs and rock n roll, veganism, art and song and dance etc. etc. In some of his talks, he refutes all of this and plainly says that the whole point of the teachings is to go BEYOND sex, dualism, and conditioning in order to awaken into a more conscious way of being and living. In other words, the aim is nothing short of liberation, as explained in any of the traditional texts on which he is lecturing or commenting over days and weeks.
I would suggest, for example, listening to the series "The Secret of Secrets- teachings on The Secret of the Golden Flower", which is over 56 hours of talks and lectures and around 31 days of satsangs and contemplations on the teachings, and which, dispells much of the myths and commonly held beliefs about Osho, his teachings and what he was on about.
Some positives and negatives on Osho's teachings and approach in general
A few positives to consider:
Osho's teachings offer a unique and often liberating approach to spiritual awakening. Here are some of the positives associated with his lectures, meditation techniques, and overall approach:
1. Emphasis on Personal Freedom and Individuality
- Liberation from Societal Conditioning: Osho encouraged his followers to break free from cultural, religious, and societal conditioning. He believed that true freedom is the ability to live authentically, without fear of judgment or adherence to imposed norms. This approach is deeply empowering for many, as it allows them to explore spirituality on their terms.
- Encouragement of Self-Discovery: Osho’s teachings urge people to discover their own truths rather than accepting dogmas or doctrines. This encourages personal responsibility, introspection, and self-empowerment, which can be transformative for individuals seeking a path that feels genuinely “their own.”
2. Innovative and Experiential Meditation Techniques
- Wide Range of Techniques for Different Needs: Osho’s repertoire of meditation methods includes dynamic, active practices, as well as more traditional, silent approaches. His dynamic meditation, which combines movement, breathwork, and catharsis, is especially designed to help those who struggle with traditional seated meditation.
- Encouragement of Physical Release: Techniques like Kundalini and Dynamic Meditation involve movement, expression, and energy release, which can help release pent-up emotions or suppressed trauma. Many people find these methods uniquely effective in clearing mental and emotional blockages before moving into deeper meditation.
3. Focus on the Present Moment and Mindfulness
- Being “Here and Now”: Osho emphasized living in the present moment, letting go of past regrets and future anxieties. This focus on mindfulness aligns with practices in many other spiritual traditions, and it provides a clear, grounding approach to daily life that can lead to greater peace and fulfillment.
- Practical Integration into Daily Life: Rather than separating spirituality from everyday experiences, Osho encouraged followers to see daily life as part of their spiritual journey. His teachings emphasize awareness and mindfulness in all activities, from mundane tasks to profound experiences.
4. Openness to Paradoxes and Contradictions
- Acceptance of Complexity and Contradiction: Osho’s teachings embrace the inherent contradictions of human experience, allowing followers to explore spirituality without a rigid or overly simplified framework. This open, often paradoxical approach helps people appreciate that spiritual awakening is not always linear or logical.
- Learning Through Opposites: Osho often highlighted the value of exploring life’s extremes—silence and noise, solitude and community, seriousness and playfulness. This perspective encourages a balanced approach to growth, where individuals learn by experiencing opposites and integrating them into a harmonious whole.
5. Inclusivity and Non-Judgment
- Respect for Diversity in Spiritual Paths: Osho didn’t restrict his teachings to one tradition or set of rules. Instead, he integrated elements from various religious and philosophical systems—Taoism, Buddhism, Sufism, Christianity, Zen, and others. This inclusive approach encourages people from different backgrounds to engage with his teachings in a way that feels relevant to them.
- Encouragement to Question Authority and Beliefs: Osho emphasized the importance of questioning all beliefs, even his own teachings, to develop a genuine understanding. This creates a welcoming environment for those who may have been disillusioned with conventional religions or rigid spiritual systems.
6. Approach to Sexuality and Relationships
- Affirmation of Sexuality as a Path to Awareness: Osho was one of the few spiritual teachers who openly discussed sexuality as a natural, valuable aspect of human experience that can lead to greater awareness and spiritual growth. He believed that exploring sexuality without guilt or repression could help people release shame and cultivate intimacy.
- Encouragement of Conscious Relationships: Osho emphasized the importance of conscious, respectful relationships. His teachings on love and relationships encourage people to relate to others without attachment or dependency, fostering a deep sense of independence alongside connection.
7. Focus on Inner Transformation, Not Conversion
- Non-Missionary Approach: Unlike many spiritual movements, Osho’s teachings don’t aim to “convert” followers or promote any single ideology. He invited people to explore his teachings without pressure or expectation of joining a specific group. This approach allows for more flexibility and respect for personal choice, making it appealing for people from all walks of life.
- Transformation Through Self-Awareness: Osho’s emphasis on self-awareness and transformation, rather than adherence to external practices, places the responsibility for growth on the individual. This can be deeply empowering, as people focus on inner transformation rather than outward displays of spirituality.
8. Acceptance of Humor and Playfulness
- Humor as a Path to Awakening: Osho often used humor and storytelling in his discourses to teach complex spiritual ideas in a relatable way. This humor lightens the atmosphere, making spiritual exploration accessible and enjoyable rather than austere or solemn.
- Encouragement to Not Take Life Too Seriously: Osho’s teachings encourage a playful, light-hearted attitude toward life, recognizing that seriousness and rigidity often hinder growth. This can be refreshing and help people break free from overly rigid or intense spiritual practices.
9. Emphasis on Self-Responsibility
- Awakening as a Personal Journey: Osho emphasized that each individual is responsible for their spiritual awakening, and that no one else—no guru, teacher, or institution—can do the work for them. This perspective places the focus on self-reliance, discipline, and trust in one's inner journey.
- Encouragement to Face Inner Shadows: Osho’s teachings guide individuals to confront their inner fears, conditioning, and ego rather than avoiding or repressing these aspects. This approach can be challenging but ultimately leads to a deeper, more authentic understanding of oneself.
In essence, Osho's teachings provide a multifaceted, inclusive approach to awakening that encourages self-discovery, individuality, and inner freedom. His open, non-dogmatic stance allows followers to engage in spiritual exploration with flexibility and creativity, fostering an awakening that feels deeply personal and transformative.
A few negatives to consider:
- Too many techniques, meditation approaches, complexity and too much content
This is a common observation about Osho's teachings, and probably one of the biggest issues that presents itself to anyone attempting to make practical use of Osho's teachings.
Osho presented a wide array of meditation techniques, each designed to address different aspects of the mind and body. His methods range from dynamic meditation (involving movement, sound, and catharsis) to more traditional forms like vipassana. He emphasized that different people might resonate with different techniques, so he offered options for people to experiment and find what works best for them.
While this variety can be empowering for some, it can feel overwhelming or even contradictory for others. Some people feel that his teachings lack a clear, unified approach, which can lead to confusion, especially for beginners seeking a single path or clear progression in their meditation practice. Osho's rationale was that a single method may not suit everyone, as each individual brings unique tendencies, challenges, and experiences to meditation. However, for those looking for a straightforward path, his approach may seem scattered or complex.
If someone finds the range confusing, one strategy is to try out just a few techniques, exploring them deeply over time, rather than trying to absorb or practice everything at once.
The issue can arise though, that there's just too much complexity and too much meditation advice given over the course of Osho's teachings, which although did span a decade or more, contains hundreds of pieces of meditational and transformative advice. Osho's advice on meditation and awakening is often contradictory and difficult to structure into a practical pathway to follow. Some groups focus on the Dynamic Meditation daily, others on Zazen, and others on creative dance etc. Still others use meditation advice taken from Gurdieff type practices, or Buddhist vipassana. Not every meditational approach given by Osho will lead to awakening. Some meditations such as Dynamic Meditation can take up to an hour or more per day, which won't suit a lot of people. There's also the magic ingredient of devotion and the guru, which Osho emphasises, albeit this doesn't have to be in an objective, physical form.
Overall though, beginners, and even seasoned spiritual practitions are going to struggle with structuring and implementing a lot of Osho's meditation instructions and advice.
- Issues around Osho's present-day followers, communes, communities and practice groups
Osho’s followers and present-day communities, often referred to as sannyasins, face several unique challenges. Some of these issues arise from the complex history of Osho's movement, his unconventional teachings, and organizational dynamics that have evolved since his passing in 1990. Here are some of the main issues often associated with current Osho communities:
1. Organizational Conflicts and Leadership Disputes
- Ownership and Control of Osho’s Legacy: The Osho International Foundation (OIF), based in Pune, India, manages most of Osho's intellectual property and his teachings. However, disputes have arisen over the years regarding who should control these assets, including Osho’s name, copyrights, trademarks, and the Pune ashram itself.
- Internal Conflicts Among Followers: There's often friction between groups wanting to modernize or commercialize Osho's teachings and those advocating for a purer, community-oriented model that emphasizes the original sannyasin lifestyle and communal values.
2. Commercialization and Access Issues
- High Costs of Participation: Osho’s original teachings emphasized freedom from material concerns, yet many followers argue that contemporary Osho centers, particularly the Osho Meditation Resort in Pune, have become expensive and commercialized. High fees and strict rules have led to criticism, as many feel these practices exclude those who cannot afford to participate.
- Shift Towards a Luxury Resort Model: The Pune center, once focused on intensive meditation and communal living, has shifted more toward a resort-style atmosphere. For some followers, this change feels incompatible with Osho's vision and original teachings.
3. Division over Interpretation of Teachings
- Multiplicity of Interpretations: Osho’s teachings are vast and sometimes contradictory, which allows followers to adopt various interpretations. Some sannyasins focus on his spiritual guidance, while others lean toward his philosophy of rebellion, freedom, or personal empowerment. This can lead to factionalism, with different groups claiming their approach as more “authentic.”
- Mixed Messages in Teachings: Osho’s teachings embrace paradox and changeability, but this can lead to differing opinions on whether specific behaviors, lifestyle choices, or even interpretations of Osho’s legacy are “in line” with his vision. This sometimes creates confusion and disagreements within the community.
4. Controversy and Public Perception
- Lingering Stigma from Past Scandals: The controversies surrounding Osho's Oregon commune in the 1980s, which led to legal issues, violence, and even bioterrorism allegations, have left a lasting mark on the movement's reputation. Public perception of Osho’s followers is often influenced by these events, causing difficulty for communities looking to expand or be taken seriously in a modern context.
- Perceived Cult-Like Elements: Osho’s communities, with their unique terminology, rituals, and communal living, are often viewed as cult-like by outsiders. This perception makes it challenging for sannyasins to gain broader acceptance and can lead to skepticism or even hostility toward those involved.
5. Generational Divide
- Older vs. Younger Sannyasins: Many original sannyasins who joined during Osho’s lifetime are aging, while younger followers often have different perspectives and expectations. Younger generations may be more interested in integrating Osho’s teachings into modern life, whereas older followers might favor maintaining traditional practices and values.
- Evolution of Needs and Practices: Some younger members are drawn to Osho for self-discovery and meditation, but they may not resonate with communal living or intense emotional catharsis techniques that were central to the original sannyasin lifestyle. This generational divide sometimes leads to tension within Osho communities.
6. Struggles to Modernize and Stay Relevant
- Adapting Teachings for a New Audience: As spiritual movements evolve, communities often need to adapt teachings to stay relevant. However, some sannyasins resist such adaptations, fearing they dilute Osho’s messages. Balancing tradition with modern accessibility is a frequent challenge.
- Lack of Centralized Guidance: Without a unifying leader or figurehead, the movement lacks clear direction. Some followers seek more structure and clarity, while others view the absence of a central authority as essential to Osho’s message of personal freedom and autonomy.
7. Criticism Over Sexual Liberation Teachings
- Diverging Attitudes on Sexuality: Osho’s openness about sex as a path to spiritual awakening and his rejection of conventional taboos initially attracted followers. However, as times have changed, some younger or new followers may be uncomfortable with certain aspects, leading to internal divides on whether and how to approach this subject. Moreover, the sexual freedom promoted by Osho’s teachings has led to issues within some communities regarding boundaries and consent, sometimes resulting in criticism and public scrutiny.
In summary, Osho’s followers today face the challenge of honouring his legacy while evolving with the times. The movement’s multiplicity and paradoxical nature can lead to both enrichment and fragmentation, as followers navigate between tradition, modernity, and diverse interpretations of Osho’s vision.
Before ending though, I'll throw in a few last thoughts.
"Witnessing"
Witnessing and effortless noticing and awareness, going within, meditation and effortless vipassana is probably Osho's main approach and underpins all of his talks and sessions and interpretation of texts in some form or another, rather than structured meditations which are more for beginners that need structure.
If I had to summarise the hours and hours of content and talks and interpretations of text, I would have to say getting the knack of allowing witnessing to happen, of becoming aware of awareness, and allowing things to unfold and be noticed in an effortless way, is probably the whole gist of his teaching in a nutshell. All other aspects, practices and pointers are complementary to this chief aim.
A nice summary video on meditation in general:
I'll end this post here, as it has become quite large, and is starting to cover the whole history, teaching, social aspect, etc. outside of meditation, contemplation and awakening. Take what you need from this, and if you do go down the Osho / Baghwan Shree Rajneesh rabit hole, then enjoy the scenery but tread softly and slowly, and make it a one-to-one direct relationship with the teachings.
