In darshan, Osho speaks to the participants of the Arica group, asking them about their experiences. One of them is Bob, a film producer, who becomes Swami Prem Samvada.
Osho: How was the group?
Bob: The group was perfect. I was very resistant at first, because I was having lots of phone calls from the United States, because my loved ones are very sick.
I was very distracted… then I would come back to the group and everything was so peaceful that I didn’t have the chance to throw anything. Then gradually I began to appreciate the group more and more, because instead of throwing off all this energy, I found I could centre more, and the news was not something that could turn me away from that. I felt very good about.
Mm mm. Sometimes it happens that in a situation where there is every possibility of getting sad, depressed, angry or negative, there is every possibility to lose the coolness and collectedness. If, in that situation, you are working on a certain technique, in the beginning it may seem that it is impossible because the situation is so raw.
But this is my observation: that in such situations, techniques go very deep if you just persist, because the contrast always makes things more clear. It is just as if on a blackboard you draw with a white chalk – it looks perfect. You can draw the same figure on a white wall with white chalk – and it will disappear.
It is the observation of centuries that on the darkest nights of life people attain to the highest peaks of bliss. When there is every possibility of getting depressed, deeply depressed, if you are doing something, the disturbance will not be a distraction; it will itself become the background, and your effort will shine against its contrast.
You are a photographer so you can understand it – that the background needs to be the opposite. If the background and the figure are the same, then the figure loses much – the intensity, the sharpness; everything is lost..
It has been good. In the beginning there is always resistance, and it is a good sign that your mind is feeling unconsciously that you are moving in deep waters: the fear is there and you start resisting. Resistance is a very symbolic thing. It shows that something is going to happen, otherwise the mind never resists. If the mind knows the territory is familiar and you have travelled it before, then there is no fear and the mind doesn’t resist. Once the mind becomes aware that you are moving into unfamiliar territory, something uncharted, something that you don’t know – then it resists.
Always remember, where there is resistance there is treasure. Once you see the resistance, gather courage, because you are moving somewhere and something is going to happen. Forget everything and follow in the direction from where the resistance is coming, and you will never come out of it empty-handed. But the ordinary tendency of the mind is that whenever you feel any resistance to anything, you simply escape. You miss many riches that life was going to shower on you.
A comfortable life is the poorest possible. And by comfortable I mean a mind that goes on avoiding resistances and always finds a convenient way to live. Then you will vegetate, you will not live.
Are you going back soon?
Bob: Well, since your birthday… I’ve been moving with all these people here; I’ve been with as many people as I could be here, at the ashram, and also the next circle of people – those who maybe don’t come here every day, but live very close – and I spent time with them.
Every morning I would get up and the most incredible things would happen; with no plan I would just be led from one person to another.
I’ve found so many things here. It is very very rich material that is happening here. I believe more strongly than ever… that an incredible film can be made form this.
Much is possible out of it. Beautiful people have come, and more beautiful people will be coming soon! Good!
So what about you? (Much laughter from the group; we all know what that means!)
Become a sannyasin!
(Bob nods his head slowly, in agreement.)
Close your eyes…
(The mala is placed over Bob’s head.)
This will be your new name: Swami Prem Samvada. Samvada means dialogue and prem means love – a dialogue of love. And I give it to you for certain purposes. All that is beautiful you will attain through deep relationships, mm? – with people, with nature. If you can find a dialogue, then you will attain much.
A dialogue is not a discussion. A discussion is a fight; a verbal, intellectual fight. A dialogue is a deep sympathy, a deep rapport with the other person, so that sooner or later you start flowing with the energy of the other. Then the other is no more the other, and you are not fighting; you are cooperating, helping the other to be himself. You remain yourself and the other remains himself, and there is a deep meeting – not an argument.
Samvada – it is one of the most beautiful words.
And dialogue is a very very deep love, sympathy, rapport. With somebody you suddenly feel love and you start flowing. It is illogical, but it is very meaningful.
Change to complete orange! Good.
Osho, Hammer on the Rock, Ch 11
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