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WITNESSING – THE SPIRIT OF MEDITATION
In Judaism, there is a rebellious secret school called Hasidism. Its founder, Baal Shem Tov, was an extraordinary man…
Meditation is an adventure, the greatest adventure that the human mind can undertake. To meditate is simply to be, without creating anything – no action, no thought, no emotion. You simply are, and this is pure bliss. Where does this bliss come from, if you are not doing anything? It comes from nowhere, or rather, it is everywhere. It has no cause, for existence is made of a substance called joy.
When you are not doing anything at all – physically or mentally, on any level, when all your activity ceases and you simply are, simply exist, this is meditation. You cannot do it, you cannot practice it: you must understand this.
Whenever you have time, simply be, and let go of all doing. Thinking, concentration, contemplation – these are also doing. If, even for a single moment, you do nothing, but simply remain in your center, completely relaxed, this is meditation. And once you can do this, you can remain in this state as long as you like, eventually even for all twenty-four hours of the day.
When you realize the way in which your essence remains undisturbed, you can gradually perform various actions, vigilantly observing that your essence remains unwavering. This is the second part of meditation; first, you must learn simply to be, and then to perform the simplest actions: sweeping the floor, taking a shower, while remaining centered. After this, you will be able to perform more complex actions.
For example, I am talking to you, but my meditation is not disturbed. I can speak, but in my center there is not even the slightest ripple; it is completely silent, absolutely silent.
So meditation is not against action. It does not require you to escape from life. It simply teaches a new way of living: you become the center of the cyclone.
Your life continues, and it becomes more intense – more joyful, clearer, more obvious, more creative – and yet you stand aside; you are simply an observer on a hill, watching everything that happens around you.
You are not the doer; you are the observer.
The whole secret of meditation lies in this: you become the observer.
Doing continues on its own level; it is not difficult: you chop wood, you draw water from the well... You can perform any actions; only one thing is not allowed – you must not lose your centering.
This awareness, this observation, must remain absolutely clear and undisturbed.
In Judaism, there is a rebellious secret school called Hasidism. Its founder, Baal Shem Tov, was an extraordinary man. At midnight, he would usually return from the river – he often went there because at night the river was completely quiet and peaceful. He would sit there, doing nothing – simply observing his “self,” observing the observer. One day, returning home, Baal Shem passed by a rich man’s house, at whose gate a watchman stood.
The watchman could not understand why this man returned every night at the same time. Finally, the watchman could not restrain himself, went out into the street, and said:
“Excuse me for disturbing you, but I can no longer contain my curiosity. I constantly think about you. What do you do? Why do you go to the river? I often followed you, but I saw nothing – you simply sit there for hours, and at midnight you return.”
Baal Shem replied:
“I know that you often follow me. The night is quiet, and of course, I hear your footsteps. I know that every time you hide behind the gate. But not only do you arouse my curiosity; you also arouse mine. What do you do?”
“What do I do?” the man was surprised. “I am an ordinary watchman.”
“My God, with that word you have explained everything to me!” exclaimed Baal Shem.
*The English words “watchman” and “watch” are cognates. – Trans.
“I don’t understand,” said the watchman. “If you are a watchman, you must watch over a house, guard it. But what do you watch when you sit on the sand?”
Baal Shem replied:
“There is a small difference: you watch those who may enter the house, but I watch the one who watches. Who is this observer? This is the work of my life: I observe myself.”
“That is a strange job,” said the watchman. “And who pays you for it?”
“It is such bliss,” replied Baal Shem, “such joy, such immeasurable blessing, what other payment is needed? Only one moment – and all the treasures of the world are nothing in comparison.”
“It is amazing,” said the watchman. “I have been working all my life, but I did not know anything like this. Tomorrow I will go with you. Teach me. I know how to watch; I just need to know where to look; you are watching in a different direction.”
Only one step is needed, and it concerns direction, dimension. You can either focus on the external, or close your eyes to the external and focus your consciousness inward – and you will know, for you are the knower, you are awareness. You have never lost it. You have only cluttered your awareness with a thousand and one things. Focus your awareness, let it rest within you – and you will be home.
The essential essence, the spirit of meditation, lies in the ability to witness.
A crow caws... you listen. There are two parts here – the object and the subject. But there is also a witness who sees both – the crow and the listener; there is someone who observes both. It is very simple.
You see a tree: there is you, there is the tree, but don’t you discover something else? – that you see the tree, that there is a witness in you who sees that you see the tree?
Observation is meditation. It doesn’t matter what you observe. You can observe trees, a river, clouds, children playing nearby. Observation is meditation. What you observe is not the main thing; the object is not the main thing.
The main thing is the quality with which you look. The quality of conscious and vigilant awareness – this is what meditation is.
Remember: meditation is awareness. Everything you do with awareness is meditation. The main thing is not the action, but the quality that you bring to the action. Walking can become meditation if you walk vigilantly. Sitting can become meditation if you sit vigilantly. Listening to the singing of birds can become meditation if you listen with awareness. Listening to the inner noise of your own mind can become meditation if you remain vigilant and observant. The most important thing is to be awake. Then everything you do will become meditation.
Osho
In Judaism, there is a rebellious secret school called Hasidism. Its founder, Baal Shem Tov, was an extraordinary man…
Meditation is an adventure, the greatest adventure that the human mind can undertake. To meditate is simply to be, without creating anything – no action, no thought, no emotion. You simply are, and this is pure bliss. Where does this bliss come from, if you are not doing anything? It comes from nowhere, or rather, it is everywhere. It has no cause, for existence is made of a substance called joy.
When you are not doing anything at all – physically or mentally, on any level, when all your activity ceases and you simply are, simply exist, this is meditation. You cannot do it, you cannot practice it: you must understand this.
Whenever you have time, simply be, and let go of all doing. Thinking, concentration, contemplation – these are also doing. If, even for a single moment, you do nothing, but simply remain in your center, completely relaxed, this is meditation. And once you can do this, you can remain in this state as long as you like, eventually even for all twenty-four hours of the day.
When you realize the way in which your essence remains undisturbed, you can gradually perform various actions, vigilantly observing that your essence remains unwavering. This is the second part of meditation; first, you must learn simply to be, and then to perform the simplest actions: sweeping the floor, taking a shower, while remaining centered. After this, you will be able to perform more complex actions.
For example, I am talking to you, but my meditation is not disturbed. I can speak, but in my center there is not even the slightest ripple; it is completely silent, absolutely silent.
So meditation is not against action. It does not require you to escape from life. It simply teaches a new way of living: you become the center of the cyclone.
Your life continues, and it becomes more intense – more joyful, clearer, more obvious, more creative – and yet you stand aside; you are simply an observer on a hill, watching everything that happens around you.
You are not the doer; you are the observer.
The whole secret of meditation lies in this: you become the observer.
Doing continues on its own level; it is not difficult: you chop wood, you draw water from the well... You can perform any actions; only one thing is not allowed – you must not lose your centering.
This awareness, this observation, must remain absolutely clear and undisturbed.
In Judaism, there is a rebellious secret school called Hasidism. Its founder, Baal Shem Tov, was an extraordinary man. At midnight, he would usually return from the river – he often went there because at night the river was completely quiet and peaceful. He would sit there, doing nothing – simply observing his “self,” observing the observer. One day, returning home, Baal Shem passed by a rich man’s house, at whose gate a watchman stood.
The watchman could not understand why this man returned every night at the same time. Finally, the watchman could not restrain himself, went out into the street, and said:
“Excuse me for disturbing you, but I can no longer contain my curiosity. I constantly think about you. What do you do? Why do you go to the river? I often followed you, but I saw nothing – you simply sit there for hours, and at midnight you return.”
Baal Shem replied:
“I know that you often follow me. The night is quiet, and of course, I hear your footsteps. I know that every time you hide behind the gate. But not only do you arouse my curiosity; you also arouse mine. What do you do?”
“What do I do?” the man was surprised. “I am an ordinary watchman.”
“My God, with that word you have explained everything to me!” exclaimed Baal Shem.
*The English words “watchman” and “watch” are cognates. – Trans.
“I don’t understand,” said the watchman. “If you are a watchman, you must watch over a house, guard it. But what do you watch when you sit on the sand?”
Baal Shem replied:
“There is a small difference: you watch those who may enter the house, but I watch the one who watches. Who is this observer? This is the work of my life: I observe myself.”
“That is a strange job,” said the watchman. “And who pays you for it?”
“It is such bliss,” replied Baal Shem, “such joy, such immeasurable blessing, what other payment is needed? Only one moment – and all the treasures of the world are nothing in comparison.”
“It is amazing,” said the watchman. “I have been working all my life, but I did not know anything like this. Tomorrow I will go with you. Teach me. I know how to watch; I just need to know where to look; you are watching in a different direction.”
Only one step is needed, and it concerns direction, dimension. You can either focus on the external, or close your eyes to the external and focus your consciousness inward – and you will know, for you are the knower, you are awareness. You have never lost it. You have only cluttered your awareness with a thousand and one things. Focus your awareness, let it rest within you – and you will be home.
The essential essence, the spirit of meditation, lies in the ability to witness.
A crow caws... you listen. There are two parts here – the object and the subject. But there is also a witness who sees both – the crow and the listener; there is someone who observes both. It is very simple.
You see a tree: there is you, there is the tree, but don’t you discover something else? – that you see the tree, that there is a witness in you who sees that you see the tree?
Observation is meditation. It doesn’t matter what you observe. You can observe trees, a river, clouds, children playing nearby. Observation is meditation. What you observe is not the main thing; the object is not the main thing.
The main thing is the quality with which you look. The quality of conscious and vigilant awareness – this is what meditation is.
Remember: meditation is awareness. Everything you do with awareness is meditation. The main thing is not the action, but the quality that you bring to the action. Walking can become meditation if you walk vigilantly. Sitting can become meditation if you sit vigilantly. Listening to the singing of birds can become meditation if you listen with awareness. Listening to the inner noise of your own mind can become meditation if you remain vigilant and observant. The most important thing is to be awake. Then everything you do will become meditation.
Osho