Osho was born on December 11, 1931 in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. From an early age he displayed a rebellious, independent spirit, exploring his own truth rather than being swayed by other people's knowledge and beliefs.
After his enlightenment at the age of twenty-one, Osho completed his university studies and taught philosophy at Jabalpur University for several years. In between, he traveled all over India, speaking to huge crowds, meeting with representatives of the educated classes and challenging his country's entire religious and political establishment in public debates, using brilliant rhetoric to attack the most sacred beliefs of Indian culture. He voraciously read everything that gave him an insight into the origin and connections of today's belief systems and ideologies, in short, he studied the collective psychology of modern man.
In the late 1960s , Osho developed his unique meditation techniques . Modern man, he says, is so burdened with outdated worldviews and traditions, and so burdened by the anxieties of modern life, that he must go through a deep purification process before he can enter the state of totally relaxed, thought-free meditation .
Defying categorization, Osho's teachings range from a personal search for meaning to the most pressing social and political issues facing the world today. His books have been transcribed from countless tape and video recordings. He has spoken impromptu to international audiences over a period of 35 years.
According to the London Sunday Times , Osho is one of the "1000 doers of the 20th century"; the American novelist Tom Robbins once called him "the most dangerous man since Jesus Christ". Osho himself describes his work as
Contribution to creating the conditions for the emergence of a new human way of life.
He has repeatedly described this new type of human being as “Zorba the Buddha” – i.e. a person who not only appreciates earthly pleasures like Zorba the Greek, but just as much the quiet serenity of a Gautam Buddha. A common thread running through all aspects of Osho's work is a vision of merging the timeless wisdom of the East with the highest potential of Western science and technology.
Above all, his revolutionary approaches to the science of inner transformation have made Osho famous. Because his view of meditation does justice to the rapid pace of a modern way of life. His innovative active meditations are based on the idea that in order to experience a meditative state free from thoughts and relaxed, the accumulated stress in the body and mind must first be released.
On January 19, 1990, Osho left his body. Just a few weeks earlier, he was asked what would become of his job if he left. He said:
My faith in existence is absolute. If there's any truth in what I say, it will survive. The people who are interested in my work will carry the torch, but not fool anyone.
I will remain the source of inspiration for my people. I want them to grow on their own - qualities like love - around which no church can be built -, like awareness - on which no one has a monopoly - like celebration, having fun, and staying fresh, child-like eyes.
I want my people to know for themselves, not dependent on anyone. And the way leads inwards.
- 14 views