OTHERS HAVE become important in our lives, self has become neglected. Our requirements of food, clothing, shelter, and sex are met from others. As if these basic needs were not enough, we have added social status, bank balance, cinema etc. for which also we depend on others. All the time we have to please others for favors. We are left with no time for ourselves, discovering our true self.

Even pleasing others, it may be seen, is not easy. However, we have devised means of doing it. Thus by paying money we can piggy ride anyone. By solemnizing marriages, men can enter women. We are still ignorant about means of entering the self, to discover our true self.

Religions, which began after the experience of its founders in discovering the true self, have now become, more or less, vehicles for fulfilling worldly aspirations. Its methods of self discovery have become methods for self-aggrandizement. The most common method employed in religions, in search of the true self, is the ‘chant’. A word or mantra is repeated in an overlapping manner, which should overshadow the hustle and bustle of the mind and reveal to us our true identity. This simple technique, however, hardly works for the modern man, whose mind is too flustered to be easily tamed.

Yoga is another method of entering the self. It uses slow rhythmic body movements to alternately stress and relax the body. As one finally relaxes in shav asana, the energy field rises to the Sahasrara Chakra filling one with joy and bliss.  The trick is to let the body and mind relax, as in deep sleep, but not falling asleep. This practice increases one’s sensitivity immensely. Gradually one begins to experience the source-less sound, which is the first introduction to true self. As one experiences this, one’s experiencing oneness with existence or losing oneself to existence could not be far behind.

However, these days yoga has become health improvement and keeping fit exercises. Its original purpose of discovering the true self has been lost. Moreover, the slow and rhythmic body movements of yoga are unsuited to modern man who is used to fast pace life as in fast food, fast driving, fast music etc.

Osho, the master of spiritual masters, devised new methods of entering the self. He introduced dynamic meditation comprising of swift body movements - fast breathing, jumping, twisting, shouting, and dancing etc. It would tire one completely and force one to lie down in complete rest, which is the next step in his meditation. As the body relaxes, the energy released from it escapes to the crown of the head filling one with untold joy. Regular practice of meditation helps one to discover one’s true self.

The technique of entering the others we knew well, but Osho gave us the technique for entering the self. It only requires now a person of real intent to use it and discover the true self.