Meditate in a moving vehicle

What the Method Is

The core instruction for this meditation method is: “In a moving vehicle, by rhythmically swaying, experience. Or in a still vehicle, by letting yourself swing in slowing invisible circles.” This technique aims to lead to an inner centering and a profound experience through embracing external or internal motion.

How It Is Done

To practice this method, you should:

  • For a moving vehicle:
    • Do not resist the movements of the vehicle. For example, if a bullock cart sways to the left, instead of resisting and swaying to the right to balance, move with the movements.
    • Sway rhythmically with the vehicle’s movements, allowing yourself to become part of it, as if engaged in a dance.
    • Close your eyes to eliminate external distractions.
    • Forget about external factors like the road, government, or the driver.
    • Create a “music” or “beautiful harmony” in your movements.
    • This non-resistant, rhythmic swaying will lead to the “experience”.
  • For a still vehicle or while sitting anywhere:
    • Begin by swinging your body in visible circles, starting with a larger circle.
    • Gradually slow down the swinging, making the circles smaller and smaller.
    • Continue until your body is no longer visibly moving, but you can still feel a subtle, inner movement.
    • Keep your eyes closed throughout this process.
    • Do not stop or resist the sensation, even if you feel dizzy or think you might fall; allow the process to continue naturally. The “dropping” or falling can itself be a moment to “be whole”.
Commentaries and Insights
  • Centering as the Goal: This technique is a method for centering, which is the path to cosmic consciousness or samadhi. Humans often live “off-center,” leading to inner tension and turmoil, and this method helps in restoring one’s rootedness in the navel center (hara). When fully centered, an “explosion” occurs, and the individual center dissolves into the cosmos.
  • Overcoming Resistance and Energy Dissipation: Ordinarily, when in a moving vehicle, people unconsciously resist its swaying movements to maintain balance, leading to fatigue and energy dissipation. This constant resistance is a “fight” against the natural flow. The method teaches non-resistance and cooperation with external forces, akin to cooperating with gravity rather than fighting it. This is a fundamental Tantric principle of acceptance rather than struggle, allowing one to flow with existence.
  • Creating a Gap for Awareness: By embracing and becoming one with the movement, a gap is created between the practitioner’s consciousness and the physical body. This helps in realizing that “you are not the body but something beyond the body”. This dis-identification is crucial for transcendence.
  • Paradox of Stillness from Movement: Paradoxically, intense external movement, when consciously embraced without resistance, can lead to inner stillness and centering. When the physical body comes to a stop (or falls), the internal “whirling” may continue, eventually bringing the consciousness to its center. This aligns with “Stop!” techniques, where a sudden cessation of physical or mental activity can instantly throw one into a state of inactivity where the mind also stops. This spontaneous stopping is key, as a deliberate effort to be inactive can itself become another form of activity, defeating the purpose.
  • Body as a Vehicle for Transcendence: Tantra views the body as a “beautiful vehicle” and a mysterious mechanism that should be used, rather than fought against, for spiritual transformation. The method’s effectiveness relies on understanding and utilizing the body’s energies, recognizing the deep connection between physiological and psychological processes. The ability to feel weightless, as described in another technique, is an example of realizing that “the weight is of the body – not of you”.
  • Tantra’s Amoral and Experiential Approach: Tantra is presented as an amoral science focused on “what is” and “how” to attain truth through direct experience, rather than philosophical “why” or moral ideals. It begins the journey from the practitioner’s current state, acknowledging facts like anger, sex, or physical movement as they are, without condemnation.
  • Simplicity and Depth of Techniques: While the instructions may seem simple, Osho emphasizes their profound potential. The ego often prefers complex challenges, but these “simple” Tantra methods are powerful because they directly address fundamental realities of existence and can lead to immediate transformation. They are “formulas” that work when applied.
  • Patience and Readiness for “Sudden” Enlightenment: Though enlightenment itself is described as a sudden happening, these techniques serve to gradually prepare the practitioner for that sudden moment. Developing the necessary sensitivity and allowing inner processes to unfold requires patience and consistent practice over weeks or months.
  • Naturalness of Children and Innate Being: Children naturally embody the non-resistance required for this method, as their actions are less conditioned. Their enjoyment of whirling and experience of “bodilessness” during it are seen as glimpses of the meditative state, highlighting an inherent capacity that adults lose through societal conditioning. Tantra encourages returning to this natural, spontaneous state.
  • Finding the Right Technique: The collection of 112 methods allows individuals to experiment and find the one that “clicks” with them personally. If a method feels harmonious and brings a sense of health and “at-homeness,” it is the right one to pursue deeply.