posted October 21, 2004 10:36 AM         

I have read this book ...
The writings of Florence Scovel Shinn

It is wonderful. She tells us how to use The Spoken WORD .

Here is a link if you would like to read some of the book....
http://www.concentric.net/~conure/shinn.shtml

posted October 21, 2004 11:18 AM         

Somebody I know passed away and left me some of her books. I do treasure them.

posted October 21, 2004 12:43 PM         

Words are very powerful indeed. Just as mental projections are powerful.

Whenever I cursed someone verbally it has always borne fruit. To my horrow I found that I had also dug my own grave in that process. I am trying to control any feelings since a very long time and only thinking of pure love for everyone.

posted October 21, 2004 04:27 PM         

It is one of the most beautiful words. The English language should be proud of it. I don't think any other language has such a beautiful word.

One Tom from California has done some great research on it. I think he must be the famous Tom of Tom, Dick and Harry fame….

He says:

One of the most interesting words in the English language today is the word '**** '. It is one magical word: just by its sound it can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. In language it falls into many grammatical categories. It can be used as a verb, both transitive (John ****** Mary) and intransitive (Mary was ****** by John), and as a noun (Mary is a fine **** ). It can be used as an adjective (Mary is ******* beautiful). As you can see there are not many words with the versatility of '**** '.

Besides the sexual meaning, there are also the following uses:

Fraud: I got ****** at the used car lot.

Ignorance: ****** if I know.

Trouble: I guess I am ****** now!

Aggression: **** you!

Displeasure: What the **** is going on here?

Difficulty: I can't understand this ******* job.

Incompetence: He is a **** -off.

Suspicion: What the **** are you doing?

Enjoyment: I had a ******* good time.

Request: Get the **** out of here!

Hostility: I am going to knock your ******* head off!

Greeting: How the **** are you?

Apathy: Who gives a **** ?

Innovation: Get a bigger ******* hammer.

Surprise: **** ! You scared the **** out of me!

Anxiety: Today is really ****** .

And it is very healthy too. If every morning you do it as a Transcendental Meditation—just when you get up, the first thing, repeat the mantra "**** you!" five times—it clears the throat. That's how I keep my throat clear! dh1104

One Indian friend has written—his name is Iqbal Kureshi—he says: Osho, what you say between the jokes is beautiful, religious and spiritual, but the jokes destroy your image in the public eye. After all, what is the purpose of all these jokes?

Iqbal Kureshi, that's exactly the purpose: to destroy the image! I don't want to be known as a saint—that's exactly the purpose. And I am not worried about what others think of me—I am not a politician. Only politicians are worried, continuously worried, about what others are thinking about them, because they have to depend on others—the others have the votes. I don't depend on anybody's votes, anybody's opinion. I am simply whatsoever I am. Why should I be bothered about my image?

The very worry about the image is egoistic, but your saints are worried, I know that. I have known all kinds of your saints—Hindu, Mohammedan, Christian, Sikh Jainas, Buddhists—I have come across all kinds of your saints. They are far more political than your politicians, because this very idea is politics: what people are thinking, remain respectable. Respectability is nothing but nourishment for the ego.

I don't want to be respectable. Either you love me or you don't love me; respect is simply meaningless. Respect and the desire for it is egoistic. So those who love me, they will love me as I am. I am not going to compromise, I am not going to accommodate. And I could create that accommodation so easily: I could not use a few words—'**** ' and '**** '—and I could become a saint. You see how cheap it is! But I am not interested in such cheap saintliness. If I am a saint then whatsoever I say is saintly; if I am not a saint then I may go on reciting the Gita and the Koran and the Vedas but I am not a saint, I am just a parrot.

I am not interested at all in mirrors. I know my original face—and the original face is not known through mirrors. Public opinion is only a mirror.

Iqbal Kureshi must be worried about my image. He says, "It puts your image upside-down." What is wrong with being upside-down? That's what they call in yoga sirshasan—the headstand. And as far as I am concerned, I know that you are upside-down, so when you see me upside-down that simply means I am standing on my legs and you are standing on your head!

The whole of humanity is standing upside-down, but because all are standing upside-down whosoever tries to stand on his feet will look upside-down—he will be a minority. The Buddha is always a minority.

Iqbal Kureshi has asked in a friendly way…he must be in love with me so he is worried. He says: Whatsoever you say between the jokes is beautiful, religious and spiritual.

I don't think so—that is really ******** ! Only the jokes are beautiful, religious and spiritual. But we cannot agree. I cannot agree with you because you are absolutely unconscious, and you cannot agree with me because I am absolutely conscious. We are living in totally different dimensions….

He asks: What is the purpose of all these jokes?

I also ask, "What is the purpose of all these religious and spiritual things that I go on saying?" Just old habit, I think. Otherwise there is no point! And sooner or later you will see—I will only tell jokes….

But Kureshi is worried because he thinks the jokes are sometimes dirty. I have never come across a dirty joke. The idea of the dirty comes from your interpretation, otherwise what is dirty? If you think sex is dirty, then any joke which implies some sexuality becomes dirty. It is your idea that makes it dirty. To me sex is as sacred as anything else—to me the whole of life is divine. And these so-called saints have always been telling you that the whole of life is divine, but it seems they don't mean it. I really mean it! ultima04

posted October 21, 2004 06:45 PM         

To which I will add my own.

Osho's barbs are often unrecognised. His seeming directness masks a great subtlety.

posted October 21, 2004 08:01 PM         

Your simple post has made my day.

quote:

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"Osho's barbs are often unrecognised. His seeming directness masks a great subtlety."

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So very true.

Please tell your friend I said, "No! Thank you."

Peace and Love to you and yours.

posted October 22, 2004 09:09 AM         

I will share a little tale with you, if I may.

A close friend of mine was/is a sannyasin of Osho and spent six months at the ashram in Pune when Osho was still alive.

He described the experience of listening to him, of being in his Presence with this story (a teaching story of Ibn al-Arabi related by Kabir Helminski):

"One day, one of God's Lovers goes to the home of his shaik. The shaik begins to speak to him about love. Little by little, as the shaik speaks, the lover begins to melt, becoming more and more subtle until he just flows like a trickling stream. His whole physical being dissolved in front of the shaik, until there was nothing but some water on the floor.
Just then a friend of the shaik enters the room and asks, "Where is that fellow who just arrived?" The shaik points to the water on the floor and says, "That man is that water."
This kind of melting is an astonishing transformation of state. The man lost his density in such a way that he became what he originally was: a drop of liquid. Originally he had arrived at human form from water, for as God has said: "We created all life from water."
This lover merely returned to his original essence, the water that is the source of life. And so we may draw the following conclusion: A lover is that being by whom everything is brought to life."

Apparently, if one was receptive, to be in Osho's Presence was to experience a literal melting into the ocean of Love.

I was reminded also of some things concerning the nature of Buddhism across the three levels (hinayana, mahayana and vajrayana/tantric) which relates to Osho's approach to sexuality and spirituality:

"There are different characteristic deteriorations of each of the three phases of Buddhism, but in spite of their differences in expression, they are fundamentally based on the same set of weaknesses in human psychology. Ignorance or nihilism may take the form of extreme quietism on the level of Hinayana Buddhism, whereas it may take the form of decadence on the level of Mahayana Buddhism or adventurism on the level of Tantric Buddhism. Greed may manifest itself as vanity on one level, officiousness on another level, and ambitiousness on a third level. Aggression may appear in the form of prudishness, in the form of proselytism, or in the form of authoritarianism; or in a combination of all three of these forms.
The deterioration of religious forms consequent upon approaching them with greed, aggression, and ignorance are not limited to Tantric Buddhism,, or to any particular religion."
--Thomas Cleary, The Ecstasy of Enlightenment

Peace and Grace be with you and yours,

posted October 22, 2004 02:39 PM         

Thank you for brightening my day once again and sharing that tale with me.

What an experience your friend must have had, having been in the presence of him. I've read similar stories of the affects of being in the presence of Osho and other Masters have on a person. Truly awesome. I find it fascinating. Here's one...

quote:

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When I first met Acharya Rajneesh at his Bombay apartment in December of 1970, he was only 39 years old. With long beard and large dark eyes, he looked like a painting of Lao-Tse come to life. Before meeting Rajneesh I had spent time with a number of Eastern gurus without being satisfied with the quality of their teachings. I wanted an enlightened guide who could bridge the gap between East and West and reveal the true esoteric secrets, without what I considered to be the excess baggage of Indian, Tibetan, or Japanese culture. Rajneesh was the answer to my quest for those deeper meanings. He described for me in vivid detail everything I wanted to know about the inner worlds and he had the power of immense being to back up his words. At 21 years old I was naive about life and the nature of man and assumed that everything he said must be true.

Rajneesh spoke on a high level of intelligence and his spiritual presence emanated from his body like a soft light that healed all wounds. While sitting close during a small gathering of friends, Rajneesh took me on a rapidly vertical inner journey that almost seemed to push me out of my physical body. His vast presence lifted everyone around him higher without the slightest effort on their part. The days I spent at his Bombay apartment were like days spent in heaven. He had it all and he was giving it away for free!

Rajneesh possessed the astounding power of telepathy and direct energy transmission, which he used nobly to bring comfort and inspiration to his disciples. Many phony gurus have claimed to have mysterious abilities, but Rajneesh had them for real. The young Acharya never bragged about his powers. Those who came near soon learned of them through direct contact with the miraculous. One or two amazing occult adventures was all it took to turn doubting Western skepticism into awed admiration and devotion.

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Some more interesting stories I've found on Osho's affect on people can be read in the article at this link: Darshan: Osho checks energy http://www.oshoturk.com/osho-life/07-16-denergy.htm

I find that just by picking up one of his books and beginning to read, I am affected very powerfully. I am immediately calmed and start feeling the Oneness again, just like you said 'a melting into the ocean of Love. I can only imagine what it would be like to be physically sitting in front of such a person. Few books have affected me like the teachings he shares in his books have and do. It's a feeling you get inside that cant be understood by the mind. It fills you up, in your heart. Within the emptiness of everything, you feel full. I think that's when you know you truly 'get' the full affect of his words. He is not for everyone though. Very direct, and like you said 'his directness masks a great subtlety'. Personally I like that kind of thing and am able to see deeper meanings behind the words, which isnt hard to to if youre open to it.

In twenty six years on this planet, I have learned much and I'm far from perfect, but that's the fun of it all, learning, growing, just being the best you know how. I try and do my best to try and 'walk my talk', and get better at it everyday. I'm forever greatful for the things I have learned from true Masters like Osho and others. I get excited and want to share him with others whenever I can. But also realize everyone is on their own path and their own teachers will come to them in many different forms when they are ready.

What you quoted from the book by Thomas Cleary sounds fascinating, and I'll be putting on my 'books to get' list.

Thanks to you and your friend for sharing with me. Feel free to share anymore tales you may have. I'm so thankful for your presence here!

Peace and many Blessings.

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