Imagine The Unimaginable

What the Method Is

The core instruction of this meditation technique is to “imagine the unimaginable”. Unlike some other methods in the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra which are presented as specific two-line sutras, “Imagine the unimaginable” is itself the direct instruction. This method is fundamentally about pushing the mind to its absolute limits by asking it to conceive of that which is beyond its inherent capacity, thereby leading to its cessation. It is to be approached from a state of inner detachment, akin to being on a “watchtower,” observing from a distance.

How It Is Done

To practise “Imagine the Unimaginable”, one must engage in a deliberate attempt to conceive of that which the mind is inherently incapable of grasping:

  • Cultivate Inner Detachment: Begin by establishing an inner distance from all thoughts, emotions, and external phenomena. This is likened to sitting on a “hill,” observing everything below without being involved. This detached observation applies to your body, mind, actions, and even your past and future. The aim is to imagine that whatever is happening, it is not happening to you, but to someone else, or that you are merely a spectator.
  • Attempt the Impossible Conception: Actively direct your mind to try and imagine concepts that transcend its ordinary capabilities:
    • Absolute Nothingness: Attempt to conceive of a state where there is “nothing” – a complete void. The mind, which requires an object to function, will inherently struggle with this.
    • Pure Being: Strive to imagine pure existence, stripped of all attributes, a pure “is-ness” without form or name.
    • Beyond Duality: Push the mind to conceive of something that is neither matter nor mind, neither good nor bad, and neither beautiful nor ugly. The mind is accustomed to thinking in polar opposites, and this method challenges and transcends that limitation.
    • Formless and Nameless: Concentrate on imagining something that has no specific name or definable form.
  • Witness the Mind’s Defeat: The objective is not to successfully imagine these concepts, but to push the mind to its very limit until it “is defeated” and can no longer proceed. At the precise moment the mind acknowledges its incapacity to imagine the unimaginable, it drops its activity.
  • Realise the Result: When the mind drops, you are “left alone” in a state of pure consciousness, free from the mental process.
Commentaries and Insights
  • Mind as a Limited Instrument: Osho profoundly explains that the mind inherently functions only through objects and concepts. It requires a subject and an object; it cannot operate in a vacuum. When confronted with the “unimaginable”—that which has no name, form, or dualistic attribute—the mind is deprived of its necessary object and thus ceases to function. This cessation of the mind’s activity is the core purpose of the technique.
  • The State of No-Mind (Shunya): The “unimaginable” refers to the ultimate state of no-mind, pure being, or shunya (emptiness), which is beyond all conceptualisation and duality. When the mind drops, what remains is thoughtless consciousness, where the individual’s true, unconditioned self is revealed. This state is considered the foundation of spiritual health in Tantra, as the ordinary mind is seen as the fundamental “disease” or “disturbance”.
  • Beyond Intellectual Grasp: This method is not an intellectual exercise aimed at comprehending the “unimaginable,” but rather an existential approach to confront the mind’s inherent limitations. Any intellectual understanding or borrowed knowledge about this state is considered a barrier; only direct doing and experience lead to authentic knowing. Osho warns against mere talking or reading about meditation, urging direct practice.
  • Catalyst for Sudden Enlightenment: The abrupt cessation of the mind, facilitated by this technique, is intrinsically linked to the concept of sudden enlightenment. Osho posits that realisation does not inherently require time, as the ultimate truth is already present and merely needs to be uncovered. The mind, with its continuous flow of thoughts, is the primary barrier preventing this immediate realisation.
  • Connection to Other Tantric Principles: This technique resonates deeply with several other Tantric principles and methods:
    • “Watch from the Hill”: The broader context of the chapter from which this technique is drawn emphasises the importance of detachment and observation, creating an inner witness separated from all phenomena.
    • Transcending Dualities: By attempting to conceive of what is neither good nor bad, beautiful nor ugly, the method directly addresses Tantra’s non-dualistic philosophy, which asserts that reality is one and that man-made distinctions of pure/impure are merely interpretations.
    • Simplicity vs. Depth: Like many simple-sounding Tantric methods, this one appears deceptively simple, which can lead the ego-driven mind to dismiss it. However, Osho stresses that their simplicity makes them powerfully direct, accessing fundamental realities without inflating the ego.
    • The Body as a Vehicle: While this specific method is more mind-oriented, it aligns with Tantra’s overall emphasis on using the body as a starting point for spiritual transformation, leveraging the intimate link between physiological and psychological processes.
  • Warnings and Obstacles:
    • Difficulty and Daring: Osho states that this method is “very difficult and only very daring people can try it”. The difficulty lies in the mind’s inherent resistance to its own dissolution and its inability to grasp “nothingness”.
    • Fear of “Not Being”: The experience of the mind stopping and the “I” disappearing can evoke profound fear, akin to a spiritual “death”. This primal fear often prevents individuals from engaging deeply with such meditation methods.
    • Deception by Mind: The mind is cunning and may attempt to intellectualise the experience or create “spiritual dreams” (imagined results) rather than allowing authentic transformation. The true experience is non-conceptual and non-verbalisable.
    • No Gradual Attainment of “That”: While preparation can be gradual, the ultimate experience of “thinking no thing” or the “unimaginable” is a sudden, non-causal event. It is not a matter of gradually increasing perception of the divine, but a discontinuous shift.