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Cannot sit still to meditate? Osho’s 3 active techniques for restless minds who struggle with silence
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Osho's active meditations use movement, breathing, sound and dance to help you release that built-up energy before moving into stillness.
Meditation is often pictured as sitting quietly with your eyes closed, trying to keep your mind still. But for some people, that approach can feel more frustrating than calming. The moment you sit down, your thoughts may grow louder, your body may feel restless, and emotions you have been holding back can suddenly surface.
Osho took a different approach to meditation. He believed that many modern people carry so much mental and physical restlessness that forcing themselves to sit silently may not be the easiest way to begin. So, the first thing he suggested was to “throw those things out” so you can come to a natural state of rest. His active meditations use movement, breathing, sound and dance to help you release that built-up energy before moving into stillness.
Here are three of his meditation techniques that take a more active route, shares Ma Dhyan Prachi, a meditation facilitator at Osho Dham.
Dynamic Meditation
Dynamic meditation is designed to help you move through restlessness before settling into silence. The practice includes intense breathing, physical movement, catharsis and a period of stillness. Rather than asking you to quiet your thoughts immediately, the technique encourages you to become fully involved in the active stages. The idea is that expressing and releasing pent-up energy can make it easier to become still afterwards. Once the active stages are over, you move into silence and observation. For Osho, this shift from intense movement to stillness was an important part of the practice.
Kundalini Meditation
Kundalini Meditation also begins with movement rather than silence. The practice traditionally includes shaking, dancing, stillness and witnessing. Instead of trying to control every movement, you allow your body to shake and then move naturally into dance. The final stages bring you toward stillness, where you observe what is happening without trying to force a particular experience. For someone who finds traditional meditation difficult, beginning with physical movement may feel more natural than immediately asking the mind to become quiet.
Nataraj Meditation
The practice invites you to dance completely and freely, without worrying about choreography or trying to perform for anyone. The emphasis is on becoming fully absorbed in the movement. As you lose yourself in the dance, the focus shifts away from the constant stream of thoughts and toward the experience itself. The practice then moves into silence.
Osho also developed other active approaches, including Gibberish, Laughter, No Dimensions, Stop Dance and walking meditations. For those who want to explore Osho’s active meditation practices, Osho Dham Delhi conducts various Osho meditation courses and hosts meditation camps throughout the year.
The larger idea is simple: you do not have to force yourself into stillness from the beginning. If sitting quietly feels difficult, you can start with movement, release what feels stuck and gradually allow yourself to become quiet. Sometimes, you do not sit your way into silence. Sometimes, you move your way there.
Disclaimer: Osho’s meditation techniques are spiritual practices and their effects can vary from person to person; they are not scientifically established treatments for mental health conditions. This article is for general informational purposes and should not replace professional advice.
