Love and Confidence Are Inner Processes and the Path Begins With Self Acceptance

“Much Energy Is Wasted in Fighting with Oneself; In Rejecting, in Condemning. Much Energy Is Wasted.

“If you start accepting yourself, you become a reservoir of energy because then the conflict ceases; then there is no civil war; then you are one piece. Much energy is preserved, and that overflowing energy is creativity.

“A person who is in conflict with himself can never be creative. He is destructive, he is destroying himself, and through himself he will destroy others also. All his relationships will be poisoned. The most basic and the most fundamental commandment is to love oneself. I don’t say only accept, because that word is not enough — you can accept and you may not love. You may accept, because what can be done? — you are in a deep helplessness, but that is not acceptance.

Unless you accept yourself as a blessing, unless you accept and welcome yourself, unless you accept yourself in deep gratitude, unless you love yourself, you will never become an overflowing energy.

“Then the energy can flow in song, in dance, in painting. A thousand and one ways of creativity can be found; or it can simply flow in deep silence. And whomsoever comes in contact with that deep silence will be transformed and will hear for the first time the music which is celestial. So not only accept, but accept with deep gratitude.

“Be thankful that God has made you you, and not anybody else. Everybody has a unique function to fulfill, that’s why he exists. And when I say everybody, I mean everybody. A Judas is as much needed as a Jesus. Without Judas, Jesus will be poorer; something will be missing in the story. So Jesus has to be thankful to Judas also. Not only accept yourself, but accept everybody else as he is. God knows better.”

To continue reading and see all available formats of this talk:
Osho, Hammer on the Rock, Talk #1 – Your Only Responsibility Is to Become Yourself