Watching the Witness: A Loving Juxtaposition of Osho and A Course in Miracles

Yesterday, I read just the first five pages of Osho’s  “Meditation:  The First and Last Freedom,” and it had a very profound impact on me.  I started practicing Watching right away.

So meditation is not against action.  It is not that you have to escape from life.  It simply teaches you a new way of life:  you become the center of the cyclone.

Your life goes on, it goes on really more intensely—with more joy, with more clarity, more vision, more creativity—yet you are aloof, just a watcher on the hills, simply seeing all that is happening around you.

You are not the doer, you are the watcher.

Doing continues on its own level, there is no problem:  chopping wood, drawing water from the well.  You can do small and big things; only one thing is not allowed and that is, your centering should not be lost.

That awareness, that watchfulness, should remain absolute unclouded, undisturbed. (p. 4)

A crow is crowing. . .you are listening.  These are two—object and subject.  But can’t you see a witness who is seeing both?—the crow, the listener, and still there is someone who is watching both.  It is such a simple phenomenon.  You who is watching both.  It is such a simple phenomenon.  You are seeing a tree: you are there, the tree is there, but can’t you find one thing more?—that you are seeing the tree, that there is a witness in you which is seeing you seeing the tree. (p. 6)

object                               noise                      crow

subject                             listener                   witness

watcher                            watcher                  watcher

And now, Gentle Reader, let’s become watchful:

Please close your eyes, breathe in and breathe out, and become aware of something outside, or an inner thought.

Become aware of your witnessing the event, or thought.

Sink into your awareness of watching the witnessing of the event.

Thank you.

(This became particularly powerful to me when I realized that the witness is standing on the foundation core beliefs, a slippery slope, indeed.  Fortunately, this practice enables me to sink below this interpretation of event, and rest in peace.)

Now, as if that is not exciting enough, this morning I read the Lesson for the day, 33, There is another way of looking at the world, and I was astonished.

Today's idea is an attempt to recognize that you can shift your perception of the world in both its outer and inner aspects. A full five minutes should be devoted to the morning and evening applications. In these practice periods, the idea should be repeated as often as you find comfortable, though unhurried applications are essential. Alternate between surveying your outer and inner perceptions, but without an abrupt sense of shifting.

Merely glance casually around the world you perceive as outside yourself, then close your eyes and survey your inner thoughts with equal casualness. Try to remain equally uninvolved in both, and to maintain this detachment as you repeat the idea throughout the day.

The shorter exercise periods should be as frequent as possible. Specific applications of today's idea should also be made immediately, when any situation arises which tempts you to become disturbed. For these applications, say:

There is another way of looking at this.

Remember to apply today's idea the instant you are aware of distress. It may be necessary to take a minute or so to sit quietly and repeat the idea to yourself several times. Closing your eyes will probably help in this form of application.

In this Lesson, hear the echoes of Osho’s words.

outer         outside               situation
inner         inner thoughts    disturbance
surveyor   detachment         awareness

When we look through the eyes if the witness, we are looking through the body’s eyes; when we look through the Watcher’s eyes, the surveyor’s eyes, we are seeing with Christ Vision.

We are being instructed to train our minds, so that we are vigilant, aware, of our inner and outer worlds, and in this awareness we are receptive to be guided by the Holy Spirit, whose still, small Voice is speaking to us all through the day.

Once you are aware of all these three, they all become joined into one phenomenon.  And when all these three are one—functioning together perfectly, humming together, you can feel the music of all the three; they have become an orchestra—then the fourth happens, which you cannot do.  It happens on its own accord.  It is a gift from the whole, it is a reward for those who have done these three. (p. 8)

The Watcher is a gift from the whole:

I am God's Son, complete and healed and whole,

shining in the reflection of His Love.

In me is His creation sanctified

and guaranteed eternal life. In me

is love perfected, fear impossible,

and joy established without opposite.

I am the holy home of God Himself.

I am the Heaven where His Love resides.

I am His holy Sinlessness Itself,
for in my purity abides His Own.
(What am I? 1)

I sat quietly, and then I wrote these Haiku:

What do I do next?
just chop wood and carry water
you will be guided  

I am receptive
breathing in and breathing out
and this Haiku comes        

I am “in” the world
and, Thank God, not “of” the world
that awareness:  Peace