In a small cabin in a North London Wood (Queen’s wood), used in the great plague to bury thousands of bodies, some half a dozen old sannyasins come together early every Saturday morning to “Just Sit”. We can jointly say after 18 months, that “just Sitting” is very difficult, even if one is old and frail, and the morning sounds of the wood calm the spirit. But it is true, that gradually breakthroughs occur, and even group ones, and sometimes it can be said that Osho is also there with us. So we are a witness to that. Therefore we recommend “just sitting circles”, and hope that other such circles, wherever people may be reading this, will flower. (SN folk)
Osho says:
Rinzai has a famous saying: Sitting silently, doing nothing, and the grass grows by itself.
Rinzai was a great zen mystic – a Chinese – founder of the Rinzai sect of zen. Literally the word means: one who helps people to cross the river, the boatman. And he helped many people to cross the river; he was one of the greatest boatmen. There are only a few names in the history of religion which can be compared to Rinzai.
… Rinzai was one of the greatest meditators. His meditation is the simplest – just sitting and doing nothing. It is the simplest and yet the hardest, because if people are told to do something, they can; even if it is difficult they can manage to do. But when they are told not to do anything and just to sit, it becomes almost impossible.
Nobody knows how to do nothing, nobody knows how not to do. People know how to do things; it is easier. Once the knack of it comes to your consciousness, you will laugh that it was so simple; one can simply sit.
So, start at least one hour sitting… Make it a point that whenever you have time to just sit silently under any tree. Go to the river or anywhere and just sit. There is nothing else to do, just go on sitting for one hour. Thoughts will come – let them come and go.
Rinzai’s famous saying is: Sitting silently, doing nothing, and the grass grows by itself. There is no need to do anything – the grass-is growing by itself. And so grows the soul… so grows the inner being! It needs nothing; no prop is needed….
It is simple, nice and loving post. In my planned London visit during Spring, I will try to join one time this group of half dozen silent sitters to feel the Osho energy arrival.
Right now, for the last many years, I sit and sleep in the churches. Many times my visit coincides with the evening mass in Polish. I understand nothing yet many times eyes get moisture.
After every such sitting in the churches, I feel like mobile device whose battery has been charged. The candles before the Maria, the altar, feeling of protection and warmth in the Gothic architecture, and the people with devotion. The combination really gives the feeling of Jesus-consciousness prevailing.
Sometimes ‘thank you, Osho’ feelings also arise; after all, it is because of His commune I am here in Germany. As a loser or a winner, depends upon the situations I confront.
The topic of this string, ‘Just Sitting’, reminded me of this photograph that by chance I snapped in the ashram gardens one day. By “chance” I mean it was not contrived or posed, and whoever she was (as I have no idea) she was not aware of my presence. I simply moved quietly away and left her undisturbed.
It was only much later when the film was developed that I realised the photo captured something. The image has not been enhanced or tampered with in anyway.
I have made available a link to a larger version so those where no circle is available can sit with her:
http://i.imgur.com/GO86IaX.jpg
It’s worth contemplating as you look at her sitting, that she is totally unaware that her moment of candid silence was destined to be shared with others almost 40 years into the future.
YES, SN folks, JUST SITTING…
…and maybe you should change place?
It´s Saturday today – your meeting ´day´ of friends, and I have remembered yesterday how blessed I have been when you posted photos – seemingly ages ago – and I felt so honoured to see it. Felt encouraged to share some intimacy too.
Then quite some months later, I saw at least two of you sitting here (Munich) in a café, close by a small city-creek – but I wasn´t able to connect, abused by and for some Bavarian version of a Shakessperean ´Lady Macbeth´, or worse.
Tonight I did a little research about the info you gave in the topic.
Well, wherever we go, sit, lie on, we are sitting, going, lying on the ashes of our forefathers/mothers – children. But some places are indeed ´specially loaded’, aren’t they?
And I asked myself, when I read your post-issue, why you may have mentioned the great plague and the burying place in particular.
The great plague, as one found out after the ´Age of Enlightenment´, was induced by an “infected Oriental rat flea. Yersinia pestis bacteria appear as a dark mass in the gut. The bacteria block the flea’s digestive system, leaving it hungry but unable to eat. Instead when it tries to feed it regurgitates yersinia into the wound.” (Wiki).
It´s nice, isn´t it, to leave superstitions of all kinds to garbage bins, and efforts have ever to be refreshed and that´s one thing meditation and coming into Silence is about.
In my little research I did I also found some beautiful little poetic rhyme, a rhyme which is said to be connected in time with the history of your chosen place. It goes like this :
“Ring-a-ring-a-roses,
A pocket full of posies;
Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down.”
‘Mother Goose or the Old Nursery Rhymes’ (Wiki).
One rarely knows more about ´the ashes´ one is sitting upon.
And the very Beauty of Silence takes care of that.
With love,
Madhu
Wonderful pic that Anand Anubodh shared.
Madhu
I agree, Madhu. Beauty, that it is!
This nursery rhyme I recall quite well and it didn’t say “Ashes! Ashes!”, it went “Atishoo! Atishoo!” (you know, the word for a sneezing sound)!
A ring around the rosary (gold rings with the beginning of the lord’s prayer on the inside band).
Pocket full of poesy (banned Catholic prayer book. And is the secret Catholic invocation to recognise Elizabethan underground Catholics.
Jesu Jesu (not atishoo)
Royal fall down! (Catholic Mary beheaded).
Thank you, Madhu, for your warm reflections.
You can always join us in spirit at that time.
.
And…
It will always remain a mystery to me why Osho never gave discourses on Ena Sharples. Her departure from the mortal coil described just so: Ena just sat up, broke wind, and died.
Ena crossing the borderlines and getting into an algorithm playground.
Lokesh,
Many times since our fun meeting I have considered writing a Zen poem, in the tradition of noble seeking and humble finding, to celebrate this SN-funded hospitality trip. In fact, when I received the SN holiday spending vouchers for my stay at any 4-star Ibizan spiritual centre of my choice, it was the least I could do to choose to spend my time at the Rovers Return Buddhist Centre for Sitting Down in Corners Alone with a Pint.
I often find that doing the least I can do, or alternatively as little as possible, helps to spread Osho’s message.
P.S:
Here is a photo of the sitting group which I am joining next week.
But most of them are standing, PM – how do you explain this glaring anomaly?!
P.S:
All right, I know – it’s the birds* you’re after, innit?
*(MOD: birds – UK slang for women).
The world of non-duality knows that standing contains its antonym and that sitting is merely a prelude to…clapping…and that clapping is an occupational risk of scoring.
Just sitting…Do you sit and then close your eyes? Or just sitting…and it doesn’t matter if eyes are open or closed? Just curious.
It doesn’t matter if eyes are open or closed, or half-open….
You still won`t be able to tell your arse from your elbow….
Samarpan,
One eye open, one closed, is also a possibility.
(But only for advanced disciples).
MOD: ANUBODH, WE’VE ONLY JUST NOTICED YOUR INFORMATIVE POST OF FEB.18 (12.48pm) WENT INTO THE SPAM SECTION (NO IDEA WHY). IT’S NOW IN THIS THREAD.
Thank you, mods.
Queen’s Wood cafe has its own site:
http://www.queenswoodcafe.co.uk
Just in case there is any follower of SN who has a fantasy about themselves one day being the Chairman of a newly elected 21, and may have missed my post (or does not bother to read others), here is a direct link. It puts your chances into perspective (aka zero).
http://sannyasnews.org/now/archives/5792#comment-73260
Thanks, Anand Anubodh, seems just in time your contribution.
I had various comments on my Apple screen here in the early morning and at least one (from Ibiza, as far as I can know) addressing me in particular has been replaced by yours.
´Brave New World´, isn´t it?
Madhu
MOD: A FEW OTHERS HAVE BEEN DELETED AS WELL.
Thanks, Anubodh.
What a relief! Just thinking about the wrong people in Pune, I shiver…just read the new thread. Cheers!
Most of the hits for Osho.com were probably from people looking for “Osho underwear”…
http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+osho+underwear-panties
…but landed at Osho.com by mistake.
Also, Osho.com is the most likely site to turn up when someone is searching for Osho quotes.
It turned up when I looked for this quote from Osho, that appears at the end of Dr. Amrito’s video:
“Any truth that may come later on can be absorbed by this system without any conflict.”
SS,
Osho ‘undies’ – I am sure the OIF would fulfil that market if there was a demand.
Aside from that, I am not entirely sure what other point you are trying to make, as all you have done is describe how internet search engines are supposed to work.
Osho undies – good for some.
But the best idea I`ve seen is the Osho dog jackets:
SS, only a dog could say a thing like that. My dog wouldn’t ’cause he is quite smart – maybe is an Indian dog?
Mysterious and mesmerising are the ways of the labyrinthine convolutions of swami shan’t in thought.
Just Sitting! I think the swami who created this string has never done 21 days Mystic Rose meditation devised by his all-time favourite master.
Never read anything about this. (MOD: WHO, YOU OR the swami?)
Anyway, why one should go for liposuction process when one is already slim and trim through healthy living? Just Sitting surely works. If not sooner, then later.
Let me say in this way, how many of us on this site as sample representatives of Osho disciples have done the Mystic Rose? I have forgotten whether it was three times or four times.
If editors of this site request me to write a article on Mystic Rose, I will do it happily. On my own, half an hour ago I have uploaded a video about the price, politics and availability of Mystic Rose on my FB page.
The “politics” of Mystic Rose?! Are you ‘avin’ a larf or sumfing? For cryin’ out loud! Didn’t do you a lot of good then…If I was you, sunshine, I’d just shut yer cakeole^.
Are you tryin’ to get on bleedin’ Question Time*, or what? Gawd help us all – you interlektules are all the bleedin same, right up yer own brainy arsoles, the lot of yer!
* (MOD: ‘Question Time’ IS A POPULAR BBC TV PROGRAMME WHERE A PANEL OF POLITICIANS AND PUNDITS ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM A LIVE AUDIENCE.
^cakeole (cake-hole) – UK SLANG FOR mouth)
Satyadeva, i talk only about the subject I am aware about.
Next time you write a single sentence about Mystic Rose, do a little research to find out where in UK, Ireland and Scotland one can do Mystic Rose and how much it costs.
“I talk only about the subject I am aware about.”
And once again, the ‘Migrant Swami’ lands the annual SN Award for the sentence communicating the greatest degree of Self-Delusion.
Congratulations, Shantam – that’s about a dozen years in a row you’ve won this now, isn’t it? Tell us all, please: What’s your secret? As Gerry and The Pacemakers always used to say, how DO you do it?
In Scotland they do The Mystic Thistle.
Perfectly correct, Shantambhai!
You are indeed a great meditator!
Mystic Rose 3 times?
And you have shagged three gora girls in 88-90 also?
Bhai, you are one of India`s greatest holy exports!
I will start a political campaign for your chuddies to be buried in own Samadhi to achieve posterity for your posterior!
Rest assured that your return to Jullundur will be a great celebration with your firm buttocks that have benefitted from the liposuction of advanced meditation techniques being held aloft and carried through the streets by thousands of cheering turbanators who would love to achieve what you have achieved!
Yes, meditation is a political matter!
It is absolutely necessary to have regime change and have mind replaced by no-mind by the correct meditations and not just sitting around with eyes half-closed with whiteskin baboons in disused cricket pavilions on property of Her Majesty the Queen!
After 3 Mystic Roses it is clear that you now have the achieved extreme siddhi of bursting into tears due to the smell of frankincense and the sight of priest playing his organ for choirboys in Christian church!
Most goras never even come close!
Due to heroic Mystic Rose exploits, your tears are flowing down cheeks like the flow down legs of man with serious prostate condition after drinking 7 pints of lassi spiked with diuretics wearing Bajaj non-export quality holey incontinence pants!
Yahoo!
Hari Om!