Be aware of the moments of no-thought

This meditation method, listed in the ‘Contents’ under Chapter 65, “Destroy the Limits”, encourages practitioners to perceive the subtle pauses in mental activity. While the provided sources do not offer a direct, explicit sutra for “Be aware of the moments of no-thought” beyond its listing, Osho’s extensive discussions on mind, thought, awareness, and the state of “no-mind” throughout The Book of Secrets provide a comprehensive foundation for understanding and practicing this technique.

What the Method Is

The core instruction, as implied by the technique’s title and Osho’s teachings, is to cultivate an uninterrupted awareness of the instances when the mind ceases its activity, even for a fraction of a second, resulting in a state of thoughtlessness or “no-mind”. This method aims to break the identification with the ceaseless flow of thought and discover the pure consciousness that lies beyond it.

How It Is Done

Given the absence of a direct, detailed instruction for this specific technique, the practice can be inferred and constructed by synthesising various related methods and principles discussed by Osho:

  • Cultivating General Awareness: The fundamental prerequisite is to begin increasing your overall alertness and awareness in daily life, starting with simple, ordinary activities. This could involve:
    • Conscious Walking/Eating: Be fully present and aware while walking, eating, or taking a bath. The aim is to join awareness with whatever you are doing, even simple tasks.
    • Observing Basic Sensations: Become alert to basic bodily sensations like thirst or hunger.
  • Observing the Breath and its Gaps:
    • Watch the In-breath and Out-breath: Pay keen attention to the entire breathing process, from the incoming to the outgoing breath.
    • Focus on the Interval/Turning Points: Become acutely aware of the small, momentary gaps where breathing momentarily stops after the incoming breath and before the outgoing breath, and vice-versa. This “neutral gear” between breaths is a prime opportunity for the mind to cease.
  • Implementing “Stop” Techniques:
    • Sudden Cessation of Activity: Practice suddenly stopping any impulse or activity. When the body stops totally, the mind also stops. The moment should be sudden, without conscious preparation or adjustment.
    • Conscious Quitting of Desire: When a desire arises, consider it fully, without interpretation, and then suddenly quit it. This releases energy back to the source and halts mental activity.
    • Physical Exhaustion: Engage in vigorous physical activity until complete exhaustion, then drop to the ground as a whole, becoming aware as the body falls. This intense physical state can lead to a moment where you feel detached from the body and the mind stops.
  • Detaching from Mental Processes:
    • Witnessing Thoughts: Observe thoughts as they run through the mind, without identification or judgment. Let them be like clouds passing in the sky.
    • “Unminding Mind”: Aim to remain in the “middle” (the non-choosing state) in all aspects of life, as advocated by Buddha’s middle path. This detachment from extremes helps the mind cease its dualistic functioning.
    • Listening to Sounds: Bathe in the “center of sound,” feeling oneself as the centre of all incoming sounds. Alternatively, by stopping the ears (e.g., with fingers), listen to the “sound of sounds” (Anahat Nad), which is a soundless sound leading to the dissolution of thoughts. Intone a sound like “Aum” very slowly and subtly, with increasing alertness, until it dissolves into soundlessness or “soundfulness,” leading to total awareness.
  • The “Moment of Sleep” Awareness:
    • As you fall asleep, just before consciousness dissolves, remain aware of the breath and the invisible ‘prana’ flowing to the heart. This moment between waking and sleeping is a powerful gateway to inner being and control over dreams and death.
Commentaries and Insights
  • Mind as the Barrier: Osho consistently describes the mind as the primary barrier to experiencing truth and self-knowledge. The mind is an accumulation of words and thoughts, constantly interpreting and creating a false reality. It is a process, not a static thing, and consumes energy.
  • The “No-Mind” State: Meditation is fundamentally about transcending the mind. The state of “no-mind” is where all thoughts cease, and pure consciousness or awareness remains. This state is the truth, freedom, and nirvana. It is described as a vast emptiness, an abyss, a bottomless void, or shunya, which can initially evoke fear.
  • The Significance of the “Gap”: The moments of no-thought are not mere emptiness but “energy-filled” centres connected to the cosmic source. In these gaps, one is neither body nor mind, but simply pure existence. This gap is where “the happening” is possible.
  • Alertness is the Key: The success of these methods hinges on cultivating intense awareness and alertness. While thoughts can disappear through sleep, unconsciousness, or drugs, true meditation requires thoughtlessness with consciousness. This alertness prevents the mind from deceiving or creating new thought patterns.
  • Simplicity and Ego’s Resistance: The techniques may appear deceptively simple. The ego often resists simple methods, preferring arduous challenges that offer a sense of accomplishment. However, genuine spiritual “explosion” is not a causal phenomenon but a spontaneous happening when barriers (like the mind) are removed.
  • Transformation and Inner Purity: When the mind dissolves, a profound inner purity and innocence are revealed. This leads to freedom from fear, suffering, and the limitations of identification with the body and mind. One becomes “faceless” or experiences their “real face”.
  • Physiological and Psychological Connection: Tantra strongly emphasises the body as the starting point for spiritual transformation, as it is within immediate reach and its processes are intimately linked with mental and spiritual states. By influencing physiological processes (like breath or sensory input), psychological states can be profoundly altered.
  • Master’s Guidance and Authenticity: For powerful techniques that directly manipulate subtle energy, such as those that might induce a no-thought state, the guidance of a master is highly advised. A master can provide individualised instruction and ensure the energy is properly integrated and released, preventing potential “mental illnesses” or “wounds” from incomplete practices. It is crucial to be authentic in practice and not to deceive oneself.
  • Beyond Duality: In the state of no-mind, the consciousness is “unmoving” and can truly know reality. This transcends the dualities and polar opposites that the mind constantly creates.