Closing ears and contracting rectum

What the Method Is

The core instruction for this meditation technique is: “Stopping ears by pressing and the rectum by contracting, enter the sound.”. This method aims to block outward sensory perception, particularly sound, and contain bodily energies to facilitate the experience of inner silence and the “sound of silence”.

How It Is Done

To practice this method, one should:

  • Close the ears by pressing them.
  • Contract the rectum by pulling it up.
  • Remain with what is happening inside: Once the ears are closed and the rectum is contracted, simply observe and remain in the “vacant state” that is created within.
  • Experience the pillar of sound: With the outer doors for sound closed, one will begin to “see within… a pillar of sound – and that sound is of silence”. This inner sound is very subtle and will not be released if the rectum is pulled up.
  • Practice regularly: This technique can be done “five or six times” a day, and within “three or four months” one can become an expert. It is a method that works suddenly rather than through continuous practice for a fixed period.
Commentaries and Insights
  • Purpose and Effect on Mind: When both the ears are closed and the rectum is contracted, everything within will stop for the practitioner. It will feel “as if the whole world has become non-moving – as if everything has become static, stopped” and even “as if time has stopped”. This process causes thoughts to dissolve, and the “constant flow of thoughts is not there”. This leads to a state of inner silence, which is a no-mind state.
  • Body Awareness and Sensitivity: Osho emphasizes that humanity is generally unaware of the body and how it functions, often due to societal conditioning that creates insensitivity and a distance between mind and body. Tantra, however, views the body as a vehicle to move to the spirit and advocates for conscious use of the body’s energy rather than being against it. This technique helps in becoming more aware of inner body sensations.
  • Sound and Soundlessness: The outer world is primarily experienced through sounds, which serve as a vehicle for communicating with others. Conversely, soundlessness becomes the vehicle to move inward to oneself. By blocking external sounds and containing inner subtle sounds (which would otherwise be released through the rectum), the practitioner is forced into their own “abyss,” their inner being. This technique reveals the “sound of silence” or “soundlessness,” which is distinct from external sounds.
  • Energy Containment and Transformation: This method is about containing the life energy that moves within. Sound, for instance, typically moves out through the ears or the rectum. By closing these “doors,” the energy is contained, allowing it to be felt more easily as an inner pillar of sound. This containment and the resulting “feeling of being filled with sound gives a deep fulfillment”.
  • Fear and Bodily Function: Osho notes a connection between fear and the unconscious release of the rectum, indicating a disconnect in the body’s system. A fearless person maintains a related breathing system and body, without such gaps. This technique can lead to a sense of “well-being”.
  • Tantric Approach: This technique exemplifies Tantra’s scientific, rather than philosophical, approach, focusing on direct methods to experience the ultimate through the immediate. It highlights Tantra’s acceptance of the body and its processes as integral to spiritual growth, unlike traditions that may condemn or ignore them. Tantra emphasizes that simple-looking techniques can be profoundly effective by touching fundamental realities.