Hour 75 Meditation – No-Mind Meditation – Emptiness of the Mind Clutter

No-Mind Meditation – Emptiness of the Mind Clutter

Introduction to No-Mind Meditation

No-Mind Meditation, as Osho teaches, is perhaps the most powerful method of attaining mental clarity, inner peace, and transcendence. It is about emptying the mind of its constant chattering, judging, and conditioned tendencies. It’s not merely a matter of clearing the mind of thoughts, but to attain pure awareness in which the mind no longer overwhelms consciousness, freeing one to be more present with what is.

The crux of No-Mind Meditation lies in the fact that the mind, as we perceive it, is usually filled with unwanted noise—thoughts, memories, desires, and fears. These mental constructs veil our capacity to live life in its entirety. No-Mind Meditation encourages practitioners to release these thoughts, enabling the mind to rest in its natural state of stillness, clarity, and openness.

This meditation is a passive approach, meaning the practitioner has to stay quiet and witness the thoughts without reacting to them. It is in doing so that one can go beyond the continuous up and down of the mind and find oneself in a state of absolute awareness.

The Concept of ‘No-Mind’

In Osho’s philosophy, ‘No-Mind’ does not refer to an unconscious or dull state of mind. Rather, it is a state of heightened awareness in which the mind no longer proves to be a hurdle to feeling life. In this state of mind, the mental noise, distractions, and assumptions disappear, and one finds a sense of deeper consciousness.

No.-Mind is not emptiness: It is the receptivity, awareness, and openness of a faculty of faculty-less open awareness. The mind is empty in that it is uncluttered, but is by no means inactive. It is space for direct, spontaneous experience free of cognitive construction.

The Nature of Awareness: No-Mind Meditation is a means of accessing a greater state of awareness—a state that is not controlled by mental projections or judgments. It is an awareness that is expansive, unrestricted, and unencumbered by the patterns of the mind.

The Procedure of No-Mind Meditation

No-Mind Meditation encompasses various stages that aim to encourage the practitioner step by step away from the psychological garbage and become calm. This is how it’s done, step by step:

Step 1: Preparation – Relaxation and Awareness

Goal: Prepare the body and mind for meditation by relaxing and bringing awareness into the here and now.

Directions

Sit comfortably in a quiet area, with your back straight and your body relaxed. You may sit in a chair or on the floor in a cross-legged position. Make sure that you are comfortable and will not be interrupted during the meditation.

Breathe deeply a few times, inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth. With every exhale, release any tension in your body.

Direct your attention inside. Close your eyes and notice your breath. Feel the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits the body. This is where practice begins.

Step 2: Watching the Mind – Observing Thoughts

Goal: To make the thought pattern aware without getting identified with thoughts.

Instructions

Let the thoughts come and go. Sit quietly, and thoughts will occur naturally. Don’t engage with these thoughts. Just observe them. Observe them as if you are a witness.

Do not label or judge the thoughts. Do not attempt to label them as good or bad, positive or negative. Just observe them without attachment.

Be there with the thoughts, but don’t get involved. The moment you get involved with a thought, it becomes your reality. The art is to stay an observer and stand apart from the thinking of the thought.

Key Point: The more you observe without getting involved, the more the thoughts will start disappearing. The mind tends to become calm naturally when it is not nourished with attention.

Step 3: Releasing the Mind – Reaching Stillness

Objective: To permit the mind to release its stream of thoughts and reach stillness.

Instructions:

Go on observing the thoughts, but now permit yourself to feel the space between the thoughts. In the times you are not consciously thinking, you might experience spots of silence or emptiness. These spots are the entrance to No-Mind.

Let the thoughts melt away naturally, without attempting to suppress them. Whenever the thoughts occur, simply watch them and allow them to disperse. By doing this, you will find yourself starting to be enveloped in a profound sense of stillness and peace.

Let go of the need to control the process. Just let the mind be empty and notice the space that opens up inside of you.

Key Point: Here, you can feel what Osho calls ‘a thoughtless state’—a state in which the mind is no longer functioning, yet you are constantly alert and aware.

Step 4: Expanding Awareness – The Presence of No-Mind

Objective: Move into an expanded state of awareness in which the mind is gone, but you are present.

Instructions:

Stay in the quietness of No-Mind. As thoughts drop away, you will move into a deeper awareness. You no longer know the content of the mind, but you are very aware of the moment.

Feel the presence of existence. At this level, there is no separation between seer and seen. There exists solely pure awareness, and you become one with all that surrounds you.

Let yourself be. No action is required at this point. No-Mind is a state of existence, not action. The more you surrender, the more effortlessly, more expansively, you will feel awareness.

Key Point: This is where real meditation occurs. The mind is blanked out, but you are very aware, alive, and linked with the universal consciousness.

Benefits of No-Mind Meditation

No-Mind Meditation has a very powerful effect on the mind as well as the body. Some of the most important benefits are:

Mental Clarity: Continual practice removes the mental garbage and gives a feeling of mental acuteness and clarity.

Emotional Freedom: By releasing the mind’s conditioned patterns, one can emancipate oneself from emotional clutter, fears, and worries.

Spiritual Awakening: No-Mind Meditation helps one experience the unity of being with the universe, beyond ego limitations, into a state of pure consciousness.

Inner Peace: By silencing the incessant mental chatter, you feel deep inner peace and tranquility.

Increased Creativity: With a clear mind of thoughts, the subconscious mind comes in clearer reach, and we experience more inspiration and creativity. 

Reflective Questions

How does it make you feel to simply notice your thoughts without catching onto them? Are you capable of releasing the inner chatter of thoughts, or do you feel you get tangled up in what you’re thinking about?

When you arrive at No-Mind, what do you feel? Do you feel freedom or vacancy, and in what ways does it change your perception of yourself and the world around you?

Can you feel any resistance letting go of thought? How does it show up, and how do you navigate through it?

How does the experience of No-Mind impact your emotional state? Do you feel more balanced, centered, or liberated from past conditioning?

Conclusion

No-Mind Meditation, as taught by Osho, is a powerful technique for transcending the limitations of the mind and experiencing a higher state of consciousness. By observing the thoughts without engaging, and allowing the mind to empty, you create a space of pure awareness, clarity, and presence.

In this condition, you are not just surviving but living in a profound state of oneness with the universe. The secret to becoming a master of No-Mind Meditation is patience and practice. Over time, the mind’s mess will clear, and you will feel the great peace and liberty that results from real stillness.