10 of the Best Osho Quotes that Will Make You Think

Osho was a spiritual philosopher, Indian guru, and great speaker. He spent a lot of his life giving speeches all over India. He also spent a while in the US, where he founded a community known as Rajneeshpuram. But his life wasn’t free from criticism and controversy.

Anyone who knew him says he was a revolutionary. A person capable of confronting the deepest beliefs of his society. Thanks to his charisma and his knack for words, he gained thousands of followers and shared his vision about life and death with the world.

He wrote spiritual books. Some of the ones that stand out are: “The Book of Secrets,” “Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: The Koan of Relationships,” and “Enlightenment: The Only Revolution.”

There’s no doubt, Osho left a great legacy we can remember today with these quotes below.

Love is appreciation

Love is giving wings, not chaining down. That’s Osho’s concept of love. If we limit our loved one, if we want and demand them to change, they won’t be the person we love anymore. That’s why it’s important to respect the other person and let them be who they are.

Maturity is Accepting the Cost of Being Oneself

This is one of Osho’s quotes we should keep in mind each and every day. Being who other people want us to be isn’t maturing. It means trying to  please people, seeking approval, and lastly, it’s betraying ourselves. 

A mature person accepts themselves and, above all, they take responsibility for themselves in every sense. They don’t play the role of victim, they play the protagonist, and they act accordingly.

They don’t wait for things to happen, they build their own destiny. They’re also not unaware of their mistakes, but they see them as a chance to learn.

Enjoyment is a Priority for Osho

Osho sees enjoyment as a fundamental part of having a full life. But he’s not talking about superficial, material enjoyment.

What he’s talking about is the kind that comes from inside, from our conscience. It’s a feeling that brings an appreciation for the small things and the miracles of everyday life.

He also says to put your energy into change when when you are in pain and feel helpless. It pushes us to get out of our comfort zone, to find our place in the world and meet our potential.

We are Unique

This is another of Osho’s quotes worth burning into our minds. It’s a great starting point for reflection. We’re not superior or inferior or even the same. We’re limited edition. 

So, any comparisons we make are rarely fair… and it’s simply it’s not comparing apples to apples.

Living thoughtlessly, taking what others do or what we think they’d do as a reference point is a mistake. The goal is very different.

It’s about exploring our potential and remembering our strengths. This task absolutely requires connecting with ourselves and giving the best we have to others.

The Art of Unlearning

Osho the spiritual philosopher suggests unlearning, knocking down the old walls limiting us and replacing them with new ones. They should be flexible and give us space in case we need it.

Osho suggests empowerment and freeing ourselves from blame. Seeing problems and mistakes like that frees us from condemnation.

What he’s saying with his words is that we’re not wrong. Inistead, it’s our way of thinking and looking at what’s happening to us and inside us that’s wrong. And for that, there’s always a solution. We have to look for a new perspective… a new angle, a new point of view.

The Value of Looking Within Yourself

Osho reminds us that it’s more than breaking molds, facing our fears, and taking risks. T he greatest value is in our ability to look within ourselves. 

Having the courage to see our fears, fill in the gaps, and illuminate our brokenness is fundamental if we want to keep growing.

Now then, we have to be careful because this impulse might also set us back and trap us. The best way to look within ourselves is with responsibility, acceptance, and respect.

The Importance of Now

The now is a central theme in Osho’s quotes. In fact, we can find it hidden in a lot of them. The power of the present and our awareness of it will give us a life lived intensely.

If we anchor ourselves to the past or get caught in expectations, life will disappear without us even noticing. Being happy isn’t a question of yesterday or tomorrow, but today. And it seems like we have the bad habit of forgetting that.

Living Without Fear

Fear limits, paralyzes, traps, and makes small.  It steals our life away. What we have to do is be brave and confront what we fear, regardless. If we don’t, we’ll end up with “what if…”, “but…”, and expectations.

Let’s step beyond fear. Let’s take the risk and cross that line and see what happens. A lot of the time what we imagine is much worse than reality…

Enjoying our own Company

If you see yourself as unpleasant, a loser, worthless, do you really expect people to enjoy your company? We only give the things we truly feel and think. So, if we want a healthy, trust-based relationship, first we have to believe and trust in ourselves. 

As we’ve seen, Osho’s quotes are a valuable legacy. That’s just as much for what they say as what they inspire in us. They might be the first thread of a thought, or the first drop with many more to come that will help us change.

They’re words to turn to if we want to question and truly know ourselves, so we can then know everyone else.