Aspects of Meditation Book 3: Awareness, the Key

By Osho

In spiritual teacher Osho's Aspects of Meditation Book 3: Awareness, the Key you'll discover a deeper understanding of meditation through an investigation into the subtle workings of the mind—transforming the unconscious through awareness.

The West has taken to meditation with great enthusiasm. We contemplate. We concentrate. We embrace mindfulness techniques and a multitude of mantras. We have undertaken to “do” meditation.

The Aspects of Meditation series is comprised of brief, precious texts in which Osho shows us the core of meditation is not about sitting silently or chanting a mantra. It is, instead, a question of understanding the subtle workings of the mind. In Book 3, Osho explores different states of unconsciousness and the ways in which they can transform awareness of the here and now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Feb 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781250786470

Osho

Osho is one of the most provocative and inspiring spiritual teachers of the twentieth century. Known for his revolutionary contribution to the science of inner transformation, the influence of his teachings continues to grow, reaching seekers of all ages in virtually every country of the world. He is the author of many books, including Love, Freedom, Aloneness; The Book of Secrets; and Innocence, Knowledge, and Wonder.

Book preview

Introduction to the Series Osho: Aspects of Meditation

Osho is known worldwide for developing meditation methods that are uniquely suited to our fast-paced and often stressful modern world. These methods have been developed over years of experimentation and observation. In addition to being offered regularly by OSHO meditation centers, they have been used to great benefit in prisons, schools, and drug rehabilitation programs. Hence, it may be surprising to hear him say, Meditation itself needs no techniques; it is a simple understanding, an alertness, an awareness.

This series of small books serves to explain what Osho means by that statement. In its pages, both new and experienced meditators will discover the profound insights into the human mind that underlie all the OSHO Meditations and better understand how they work.

On the way to being alert, says Osho, there are so many obstacles. Man has been gathering those obstacles for centuries—they need to be removed. So the work of the techniques is just to prepare the ground, is just to prepare the way, the passage to create a space in which the mind becomes quiet, silent, almost absent. Then meditation happens of its own accord.

AWARENESS IS THE KEY

The unconscious can be transformed only through awareness. It is difficult, but there is no other way. There are many methods for being aware, but awareness is necessary. You can use methods to be aware, but you will have to be aware.

If someone asks whether there is any method to dispel darkness except by light, howsoever difficult it may be, that is the only way—because darkness is simply the absence of light. So you have to create the presence of light, and then darkness is not there.

Unconsciousness is nothing but an absence—the absence of consciousness. It is not something positive in itself, so you cannot do anything except be aware. If unconsciousness were something in its own right, then it would be a different matter—but it is not. Unconsciousness doesn’t mean something; it only means not consciousness. It is just an absence. It has no existence in itself; in itself it is not. The word unconscious simply shows the absence of consciousness and nothing else. When we say darkness, the word is misleading, because the moment we say darkness, it appears that darkness is something that is there. It is not, so you cannot do anything with darkness directly—or can you?

You may not have observed the fact, but with darkness you cannot do anything directly. Whatsoever you want to do with darkness you will have to do with light, not with darkness. If you want darkness, then turn off the light. If you don’t want darkness, then turn on the light. But you cannot do anything directly with darkness; you will have to go via light.

Why can you not go directly? You cannot go directly because there is nothing like darkness, so you cannot touch it directly. You have to do something with light, and then you have done something with darkness.

If light is there, then darkness is not there. If light is not there, then darkness is there. You can bring light into this room, but you cannot bring darkness. You can take light out from this room, but you cannot take darkness out from this room. There exists no connection between you and darkness. Why? If darkness were there, then man could be related somehow, but darkness is not