One of the most important
spiritual mystics of the 20th century, though shrouded toward the end of his
life in scandals created by followers in the American commune set up in Oregon.
His philosophies encompassed the search for freedom and individuality with a
strong emphasis on love and human psychology. His ashram in Poona, India, is the
largest meditation center in the world. Osho
has
been described by the Sunday Times of London as one of the "1000 Makers of
the 20th Century" and by Sunday Mid-Day (India) as one of the ten
people-along with Gandhi, Nehru, and Buddha-who have changed the destiny of
India. More than a decade after his death in 1990, the influence of his
teachings continues to expand, reaching seekers of all ages in virtually every
country of the world.
Underlying
all meditation techniques, including martial arts-and in fact underlying all
great athletic performances-is a quality of being awake and present to the
moment, a quality that Osho calls awareness. Once we can identify and understand
what this quality of awareness is, we have the key to self-mastery in virtually
every area of our lives. According
to great masters like Lao Tzu or Buddha, most of us move through our lives like
sleepwalkers. Never really present in what we are doing, never fully alert to
our environment, and not even aware of what motivates us to do and say the
things we do. At
the same time, all of us have experienced moments of awareness-or awakening, to
use another-in extraordinary circumstances. On the road, in a sudden and
unexpected accident, time seems to stop and one is suddenly aware of every
movement, every sound, every thought. Or in moments that touch us
deeply-welcoming a new baby into the world for the first time, or being with
someone at the moment of death. Awareness,
says Osho, is the key to being self-directed, centered, and free in every aspect
of our lives. In this book, Osho teaches how to live life more attentively,
mindfully, and meditatively, with love, caring and consciousness. OSHO
challenges readers to examine and break free of the conditioned belief systems
and prejudices that limit their capacity to life in all its richness.
Intuition
deals with the difference between the intellectual, logical
mind and the more encompassing realm of spirit. Logic is how
the mind knows reality, intuition is how the spirit
experiences reality. Osho's discussion of these matters is
wonderfully lucid, occasionally funny, and thoroughly
engrossing.
All people have a natural capacity for intuition, but often social conditioning
and formal education work against it. People are taught to ignore their
instincts rather than to understand and use them as a foundation for individual
growth and development-and in the process they undermine the very roots of the
innate wisdom that is meant to flower into intuition.
In this volume, Osho pinpoints
exactly what intuition is and gives guidelines for how to identify its
functioning in others and ourselves. You will learn to distinguish between
genuine intuitive insight and the "wishful thinking" that can often
lead to mistaken choices and unwanted consequences. Includes many specific
exercises and meditations designed to nourish and support each individual's
natural intuitive gifts.
Osho is one of the best-known
and most provocative spiritual teachers of the twentieth century. More than a
decade after his death in 1990, the influence of his teachings continues to
expand, reaching people of all ages in virtually every country of the world.Born
in India in 1931, Osho first became known as a rebellious
philosophy professor in the 1960s and traveled extensively
throughout India, giving talks, debating with traditional
religious leaders, and introducing his revolutionary active
meditation technique, Dynamic Meditation. In 1974 he
established a center for meditation and self-discovery in Pune,
India. His work there, he said, was an experiment to create
the conditions for the birth of a "new man"--one who
is free of all outdated ideologies and doctrines of the past
and whose vision encompasses both the spiritual wisdom of the
East and the scientific understandings of the West.
Osho
is now globally recognized as one of the twentieth century's
most important spiritual guides, although his uncompromising
approach and "in your face" style were often
misunderstood during his lifetime. "He loved
controversy," says Aroon Purie, editor of India Today.
"He used to make all kinds of outrageous statements that
would get everybody worked up. People used to get upset about
the messenger and forget the message. Today the messenger
isn't there and people are listening to the message, which is
something very intelligent and useful."
