Astrall
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Avoid noisy and bellicose people; they disturb the spirit.
A very simple statement, but it has immense
importance. It is filled with great meaning. “Avoid
noisy and bellicose people...” Who are these noisy people, and,
above all, why does a person become noisy? A person who
deep down feels inadequate is always noisy. He is afraid that
if he is not noisy, you will see his weakness; if he is not
noisy, you will be able to notice his inadequacy; if he is not
noisy, then, perhaps, he will be exposed. Through noise, he
creates a smokescreen around himself: he hides behind his
noisiness.
Adler is right in saying that all politicians, essentially,
suffer from an inferiority complex. No one would go into
politics if they did not suffer from an inferiority complex.
Politics is a noisy, very noisy occupation, very loud and
very bellicose. An inadequate person tries to prove that he
is adequate. He wants to hide his inadequacy by striving to
become prime minister or president, striving to acquire a lot
of money, to conquer the whole world.
Alexander the Great must have suffered from the
greatest inferiority complex, greater than anyone else, other
wise, why would he worry about conquering the world? When he
was heading to India – it was the last part of the world that
had not yet been conquered by him – he met an incredibly
beautiful man, Diogenes. And Diogenes asked him:
“Why are you striving to conquer the world? Why don’t you
conquer yourself?”
Alexander laughed – not very sincerely.
“You are absolutely right, but right now I cannot stop.”
I must finish what I have started. First, I must
conquer the world, and then I will do what you are talking
about.
Diogenes said:
“Then you will have no time left – the world is vast.”
By the time you conquer it, life will slip out of your
hands.
But Alexander didn’t listen. In fact, that’s exactly what
happened: he couldn’t return home. He died on his way back
from India; there was no time even to return home, let alone
return to his own center, to his true home? His whole life was
spent proving that he was a great conqueror. But what is the
point of trying to prove it? People are always trying to prove
something that they feel they lack. Therefore, “avoid noisy
and bellicose people...” They are empty; they have nothing.
You cannot learn anything from them. On the contrary, “...they
disturb the spirit.”
They will distract your mind. They will share their
stupid ideas with you. They will give you advice and guide
you. They have not gone anywhere; they know nothing, but they
will pretend to be wise, they will pretend to have achieved
something. They will pretend to be anything.
Seek the company of humble, simple, silent, non-
political, non-aggressive people, and you will be able to
learn a lot. But you can only learn something in the company
of innocent people. Yes, playing with children, you can learn
much more than by communicating with a politician. Even
being among animals and trees, you can learn much more than
in the company of the so-called rich man.
And people can easily distract you, because you are not yet
centered.
Ambition is contagious. Avoid ambitious people,
otherwise their fever will inevitably infect you, it will
inevitably affect you. Perhaps you will start moving in a
direction that is not yours; perhaps you will start doing
things that you would never have intended to do, but simply
because you found yourself in someone’s company...
Just look at your life – it is accidental in almost
everything. It is not essential; it is accidental. Your father
wanted you to become a doctor, and now you are a doctor. He
dreamed that his son would become a famous doctor; he
realized his dream. He used you as a means to realize his
ambitions. This is not love – this is exploitation.
My father wanted me to become an engineer, or a scientist,
or a doctor. I said to him:
“If you insist, if it will give you pleasure, I will do any
stupidity that you ask of me. But remember that this is not
love. If you love me, then let me be what I want to be. I do
not want to be a doctor, and I do not want to be an engineer.
I have no desire to be a scientist – that is not my path. I do
not feel any joy in the scientific way of thinking. I am
inclined to something completely different: I am deeply in
love with poetry, aesthetics, beauty, truth.”
He said:
“Then you will remain poor!”
I replied:
“Well, that’s fine; I can accept that. I will be poor, but
let me be what I want to be. Even in my poverty, I will be
rich, and following your desire and becoming a doctor, I may
be very rich, but I will remain poor and will always yearn for
what was my true passionate desire.”
He was a man of great understanding. He meditated on
this and said:
“Then that’s fine. Do whatever you like; I bless you.”
He could easily have forced me, because he had money. He
could have forced me to move in any direction, because I was
helpless. He showed love; he showed understanding. He
allowed me to be what I wanted to be.
If you are in the company of noisy people, they will
inevitably confuse you. He was not a noisy man – he was
very modest, completely non-aggressive. I never saw him
quarreling with anyone. He didn’t even shout at me when I
did something wrong, something that he didn’t like. I never
saw him angry. It was wonderful to be with such a person...
but such an opportunity comes rarely.
At least do one thing: avoid noisy, aggressive people. If
you cannot find loving, silent people – if you try, you will
find them – if you cannot find them, communicate with trees.
At least they are not noisy; at least they are not aggressive.
Learn to communicate with animals, communicate with
children. Or you can remain alone; there is no need to worry
about being with other people. Minimize contacts and remain
alone or be with those who are silent.
This is one of the greatest statements of Lao Tzu: “The
most beautiful company is when you feel with someone as if
you are alone.” Understand Lao Tzu – when you can be with
someone in such a way that you feel as if you are alone, when
that person gives you so much freedom and gives you so much
silence that you feel completely alone. His presence is not an
obstacle; his presence, in fact, enhances your solitude, enriches
your solitude.
Osho
A very simple statement, but it has immense
importance. It is filled with great meaning. “Avoid
noisy and bellicose people...” Who are these noisy people, and,
above all, why does a person become noisy? A person who
deep down feels inadequate is always noisy. He is afraid that
if he is not noisy, you will see his weakness; if he is not
noisy, you will be able to notice his inadequacy; if he is not
noisy, then, perhaps, he will be exposed. Through noise, he
creates a smokescreen around himself: he hides behind his
noisiness.
Adler is right in saying that all politicians, essentially,
suffer from an inferiority complex. No one would go into
politics if they did not suffer from an inferiority complex.
Politics is a noisy, very noisy occupation, very loud and
very bellicose. An inadequate person tries to prove that he
is adequate. He wants to hide his inadequacy by striving to
become prime minister or president, striving to acquire a lot
of money, to conquer the whole world.
Alexander the Great must have suffered from the
greatest inferiority complex, greater than anyone else, other
wise, why would he worry about conquering the world? When he
was heading to India – it was the last part of the world that
had not yet been conquered by him – he met an incredibly
beautiful man, Diogenes. And Diogenes asked him:
“Why are you striving to conquer the world? Why don’t you
conquer yourself?”
Alexander laughed – not very sincerely.
“You are absolutely right, but right now I cannot stop.”
I must finish what I have started. First, I must
conquer the world, and then I will do what you are talking
about.
Diogenes said:
“Then you will have no time left – the world is vast.”
By the time you conquer it, life will slip out of your
hands.
But Alexander didn’t listen. In fact, that’s exactly what
happened: he couldn’t return home. He died on his way back
from India; there was no time even to return home, let alone
return to his own center, to his true home? His whole life was
spent proving that he was a great conqueror. But what is the
point of trying to prove it? People are always trying to prove
something that they feel they lack. Therefore, “avoid noisy
and bellicose people...” They are empty; they have nothing.
You cannot learn anything from them. On the contrary, “...they
disturb the spirit.”
They will distract your mind. They will share their
stupid ideas with you. They will give you advice and guide
you. They have not gone anywhere; they know nothing, but they
will pretend to be wise, they will pretend to have achieved
something. They will pretend to be anything.
Seek the company of humble, simple, silent, non-
political, non-aggressive people, and you will be able to
learn a lot. But you can only learn something in the company
of innocent people. Yes, playing with children, you can learn
much more than by communicating with a politician. Even
being among animals and trees, you can learn much more than
in the company of the so-called rich man.
And people can easily distract you, because you are not yet
centered.
Ambition is contagious. Avoid ambitious people,
otherwise their fever will inevitably infect you, it will
inevitably affect you. Perhaps you will start moving in a
direction that is not yours; perhaps you will start doing
things that you would never have intended to do, but simply
because you found yourself in someone’s company...
Just look at your life – it is accidental in almost
everything. It is not essential; it is accidental. Your father
wanted you to become a doctor, and now you are a doctor. He
dreamed that his son would become a famous doctor; he
realized his dream. He used you as a means to realize his
ambitions. This is not love – this is exploitation.
My father wanted me to become an engineer, or a scientist,
or a doctor. I said to him:
“If you insist, if it will give you pleasure, I will do any
stupidity that you ask of me. But remember that this is not
love. If you love me, then let me be what I want to be. I do
not want to be a doctor, and I do not want to be an engineer.
I have no desire to be a scientist – that is not my path. I do
not feel any joy in the scientific way of thinking. I am
inclined to something completely different: I am deeply in
love with poetry, aesthetics, beauty, truth.”
He said:
“Then you will remain poor!”
I replied:
“Well, that’s fine; I can accept that. I will be poor, but
let me be what I want to be. Even in my poverty, I will be
rich, and following your desire and becoming a doctor, I may
be very rich, but I will remain poor and will always yearn for
what was my true passionate desire.”
He was a man of great understanding. He meditated on
this and said:
“Then that’s fine. Do whatever you like; I bless you.”
He could easily have forced me, because he had money. He
could have forced me to move in any direction, because I was
helpless. He showed love; he showed understanding. He
allowed me to be what I wanted to be.
If you are in the company of noisy people, they will
inevitably confuse you. He was not a noisy man – he was
very modest, completely non-aggressive. I never saw him
quarreling with anyone. He didn’t even shout at me when I
did something wrong, something that he didn’t like. I never
saw him angry. It was wonderful to be with such a person...
but such an opportunity comes rarely.
At least do one thing: avoid noisy, aggressive people. If
you cannot find loving, silent people – if you try, you will
find them – if you cannot find them, communicate with trees.
At least they are not noisy; at least they are not aggressive.
Learn to communicate with animals, communicate with
children. Or you can remain alone; there is no need to worry
about being with other people. Minimize contacts and remain
alone or be with those who are silent.
This is one of the greatest statements of Lao Tzu: “The
most beautiful company is when you feel with someone as if
you are alone.” Understand Lao Tzu – when you can be with
someone in such a way that you feel as if you are alone, when
that person gives you so much freedom and gives you so much
silence that you feel completely alone. His presence is not an
obstacle; his presence, in fact, enhances your solitude, enriches
your solitude.
Osho