Freedom: The Courage to Be Yourself by Osho

Freedom: The Courage to Be Yourself Reviews

• 
  Alexander

  I enjoy reading Osho's books, even though they do get repetitive (for a good reason). This book introduced me to a few interesting concepts: "freedom for", and "three dimensions of freedom". Given that for Osho (and I agree with him) freedom is the ultimate goal, the topic of freedom is a very important topic. Surprisingly I was thinking very little about this topic before (yet another stab into self-hypocrisy). Great read.
• 
  Madi

  A book that clarifies what freedom is and how we generally run from it. Freedom is not revolution, because that itself is a fight against a system with a new system in mind. Freedom is responsibility of oneself.
• 
  Digendra Sharma

  this book changed my whole concept about freedom,love,family,marriage.....it says freedom doesn't mean being careless actually it is being responsible...take responsibility of yourself break free the chains of dependence on family,god,nation,conditioning by your parents,teachers,priests.....these are the things man created to protect himself,to be a slave...believe in yourself.fate,kismet,destiny ,god are all hocus-pocus things created only by man during the transition from an animal to a soul,individual,human being.and we are still in slavery(in transition)....live every moment,live in the present because past is just a memory and future is unpredictable so past and future are not real,.the only thing which is real is present....live in this moment ..do not dream because dreaming is just hoping to live life in future and don't think about past...be yourself....do whatever you like ....this book dictates three stages to be free and surprisingly they are very practical and with proof,evidence from the past too..i never expected it to be....freedom is not about being irresponsible...it is not actually getting a license to do anything....it is not just FROM something...like freedom FROM god...it is just one part of freedom its negative part which is not complete without its positive part which is freedom FOR..it is more important than the first part...freedom for what?to do something creative..what you really want to do..to carry on your repressed talent which became lost under the layers of your slavery..do not follow orders of anybody understand their experience and make you own decisions with your intelligence and take responsibility of those decisions..commit mistakes it will help you grow up...increase more and more your own experience....do not follow any body else's experience you are an individual...this book also explains love in the most logical and real way...love is unconditional.do not fall in love be a loving person....they say real love never dies...but the truth is it can die if you do not respect the privacy of the other individual....this book explains so much it seems impossible t write every thing in one review.this book i believe is a must read for each and every individual on the planet.
• 
  Shaheed

  أحبب أولادك و استمتع بحريتهم دعهم يرتكبون الأخطاء و ساعدهم ليروا أين ارتكبوا الخطأ أخبرهم أن ارتكاب الأخطاء ليس عيبا لكن لاترتكبوا نفس الخطأ مرتين
• 
  Joeskin Thaweesut

  As one might expect, Osho blended Western and Eastern philosophy in an unsystematic form...repetitive and easy to read. A lot of his ideas are borrowed from existentialism and Nietzsche. However, his interpretation of Nietzsche is wrong and unacceptable. If you're familiar with existentialism and a fan Nietzsche...you may as well find this book a charade.
  
• 
  Vanea Tudor

  Almost everything you have to know about freedom is in this book. OSHO has a great approach on how you can be free even when society is trying to make you a slave from the day you are born.
• 
  Marisa Fernandes

  A verdadeira Liberdade não é "de", é "para". É a Liberdade para sermos nós próprios e isso significa responsabilidade.
  
  Nesta linha, Osho distingue um rebelde de um revolucionário, sendo que o rebelde, quando comparado com o revolucionário, é livre de facto. "Um rebelde é alguém que não reage contra a sociedade, que compreende todo o seu jogo e simplesmente desliza para fora dela. Ela torna-se irrelevante para ele. Ele não é contra a sociedade. E essa é a beleza da rebelião: é a liberdade. O revolucionário não é livre. Ele está constantemente a lutar contra alguma coisa (...)" (p.71)
  
  Outra distinção igualmente importante é que é feita entre reacção e acção. Acção é Liberdade. Reacção não. Acção está para o rebelde, assim como a reacção está para o revolucionário. E está tudo dito.
  
  Diria que um dos pontos altos de "Liberdade. A Coragem de ser Genuíno" é, para mim, a abordagem que o autor faz da evolução espiritual, recorrendo a Friedrich Nietzsche e a "Assim Falava Zaratustra". Deste modo, numa primeira fase, o homem será camelo (assimiliação), depois leão (independência) e numa terceira fase, criança (criatividade). Nem todos chegam à fase da criança. Osho aprofunda e detalha muito mais cada uma das fases e, em certa medida, faz uma interpretação e análise muito própria, extremamente interessante.
  
  Gostei bastante. Talvez ainda mais do que de "Criatividade. Libertar Forças Interiores". "Liberdade. A Coragem de ser Genuíno" trouxe-me mais novidade, análise e interrogações. E deixou-me um sem número de vezes a pensar no que tinha acabado de ler...
• 
  Julene Duijvestijn

  Four stars is a bit generous but I’ll leave it at that. Although I do not agree with all of Osho’s ideas I think this book encourages you to reflect about the so called “cages” our society makes us live in, how at some point it becomes a loophole and that what is supossed to make us free becomes a prison/chain. The idea that revolution is not freedom really spoke to me because the ultimate revolution is indeed to be in your most honest and transparant way. Of course there will always be a third party ( friend, company, whatever ) that will exercise some kind of opression, but to be ultimately free is to be ultimately responsible, as Osho says. When there is no institution to blame for the happenings in our lives we become truly free, our lives in our hands. It’s a nice idea.
• 
  Vui Lên

  Việc trở thành lạc đà là món quà từ xã hội, trở thành sư tử là món quà dành cho chính mình.
  
  Osho luôn có rất nhiều câu chuyện thú vị để mình họa cho câu chuyện của mình. Lạc đà là cái tôi xã hội gán, sư tử là cái tôi tạo, và trở thành đứa bé đầy trí tuệ là lúc không còn lệ thuộc vào bất kì đối tượng nào nữa.
  
  Cách Osho phân loại tự do thành tự do với, tự do vì và chỉ tự do cũng là một cách diễn đạt mới lạ nhưng có khả năng công phá thành trì của những cái tôi chật kiến thức.
• 
  Digendra Sharma

  this book explains a whole new concept about freedom,love,family,marriage.the book explains a lot of things which seems at first quite difficult and risky to apply in your life but till the end osho makes you wonder what if this is the way my life is supposed to be,if this is the only way world should be ,if this is the only way to understand the ultimate truth.it says freedom doesn't mean being careless actually it is being responsible..but to be honest i's finally up to you to follow anything...and frankly although i like reading and listening to osho(especially in hindi)i am not sure if everything osho says is true.take responsibility of yourself break free the chains of dependence on family,god,nation,conditioning by your parents,teachers,priests.....these are the things man created to protect himself,to be a slave...believe in yourself.fate,kismet,destiny ,god are all hocus-pocus things created only by man during the transition from an animal to a soul,individual,human being.and we are still in slavery(in transition)....live every moment,live in the present because past is just a memory and future is unpredictable so past and future are not real,.the only thing which is real is present....live in this moment ..do not dream because dreaming is just hoping to live life in future and don't think about past...be yourself....do whatever you like ....this book dictates three stages to be free and surprisingly they are very practical and with proof,evidence from the past too..i never expected it to be....freedom is not about being irresponsible...it is not actually getting a license to do anything....it is not just FROM something...like freedom FROM god...it is just one part of freedom its negative part which is not complete without its positive part which is freedom FOR..it is more important than the first part...freedom for what?to do something creative..what you really want to do..to carry on your repressed talent which became lost under the layers of your slavery..do not follow orders of anybody understand their experience and make you own decisions with your intelligence and take responsibility of those decisions..commit mistakes it will help you grow up...increase more and more your own experience....do not follow any body else's experience you are an individual...this book also explains love in the most logical and real way...love is unconditional.do not fall in love be a loving person....they say real love never dies...but the truth is it can die if you do not respect the privacy of the other individual....this book explains so much it seems impossible t write every thing in one review.this book i believe is a must read for each and every individual on the planet.
• 
  Erna Kindli

  It’s the first Osho book I’ve read and it’s so different from what I expected. In a good way!
  Yes, it’s spiritual but not religious. It all made sense to me and found it very relevant in the 21st century. My only question is : how do I put this in practice? 🙃
  
  ***Thoughts preview and note to self ****
  Basically, freedom is inside you. If you get rid of all your social and educational fixations and beliefs, all your desires and ambitions, you will be free.
  ***
  Don’t fight your past, your education, your socialization. What you’re fighting against will direct/influence you. Just be aware of these and don’t let them direct your life. Understanding them sets you free.
  ***
  We live in our little golden cages (work, family, relationships, career, fortune, religions, recognition by society) because it’s comfortable. These are our chains. We can be free by being aware of these and by deconstructing them. A scary thing, for sure. When you want to be truly free, you are in for the unexpected:)
  ***
  If we look into our fears bravely, they will disappear.
  ***
  We waste our lives if our goal is to please society.
  ***
  Freedom is an opportunity to define yourself and to find joy in making the world a bit nicer.
  ***
  Free FROM /// Free TO
  Figure out what to do with your freedom: discover yourself, use your talents, create, dance. Creativity is key.
  ***
  We all should get to know the ego, so that we can let it go. Your ego is a social construct. Your soul is not.
  ***
  You can only be free in the present. Living in the past; planning the future puts us in chains.
  ***
  Love is not a relationship. Don’t have expectations. Just be loving and let each other be free.
• 
  Abhishek Malviya

  Just to give rebelling thoughts/philosophy doesn't means that its a good thought. Today, people think that if any philosophy is new than it is good. If it is completely out of box than it should be tried once. Take one from me and try once, Stop drinking anything for one month and you will save water for hundreds of people.
  Short stories are meant for supporting the spot. But most of the short stories we nowhere related.
  Few article must be appreciated. But as whole it is a pudding made of ill flour mixed with few nuts.
  Carefully choose them
• 
  Chimedee M

  A Jigsaw Picture. But a nice one. Again would I like to say: Damn you St.Martin's Griffin. Don't drop the jokes out, you f'''ing idiots ruin the whole thing. It was like eating bread without butter, jam and sugar. But the bread was tasty which I should say.
• 
  jewelthinks

  i love osho -- contradictions and all -- but this book was harder to read and understand than the 3 others that i've read. it was just too all over the place.
• 
  Catarina

  É um livro que nos ajuda bastante a refetir a olhar a vida de outra perspetiva. Porém é bastante repetitivo. Percebo que a ideia seja reforçar a mensagem porém torna-se maçador. Senti também que sendo um livro que defende a liberdade e é contra os ideias passados pelos outros, sejam religiões, partidos etc... por vezes parece também que está a dar-nos os ideias e a "obrigar-nos" a seguir-nos por elas. Não deviamos chegar a essas conclusões sozinhos como defende em todo o livro? Quer nos ensinar a pensar da maneira que considera certa, isso é a mesma coisa que os outros "líderes" religiosos fizeram e que são criticados por Osho.
• 
  AchiMsd

  Osho nu dezamageste nici in aceasta carte - pe care o vad (la fel ca si pe celalalte) un ‘ghid de viata/pentru viata’ echilibrata.
  
  
  Este usor de citit.. dar greu de inteles; si mai greu de pus in practic. Lectiile care se revarsa din aceasta carte precum un izvor de intelepciune sunt menite sa iti distruga ego-ul/sinele si sa-ti hraneasca sufletul.. o data ajuns la performanta aceata.. esti liber.
  
  
  O carte pe care o recomand oricarui om care se considera open-minded si dornic de a-si abandona latura hedonista, superficialitatea absurda si tot ce este necesar pentru a atinge un nivel de echilibru radiant. 🤓
  
  #5/21
• 
  Nicoleta Jantoan

  Am citit această carte pe 1 ianuarie, ca o inițiere în cărțile lui Osho și mi-a plăcut foarte mult. Cartea este plină de judecăți de valoare prețioase, însă mi-am schimbat nițel părerea după ce am vizionat documentarul "Wild, Wild Country" despre viața lui Osho și despre comunitatea acestuia.
• 
  ReConnect

  What a great read ... Full of wisdom and humour !
• 
  Filipa

  O Osho tem-se revelado uma espécie de mestre/referência para mim, nos últimos tempos, pelos mais variados motivos. Quando comecei a ler as obras dele, ainda mais. Isto porque apesar dos seus livros serem compilações de palestras e conferências que ele deu ao longo da sua vida, não perdem nenhum valor por isso e não deixam de ser pequenos grandes tesouros.
  Na verdade, há que ser dito que estes livros não são mais que a insistência em alguns conceitos-chave. Conceitos que nós tendemos a pôr de lado como paraísos para além-morte ou simplesmente conceitos que rotulamos de desnecessários, porque somos mais evoluídos, vivemos com outros propósitos, etc.
  
  Osho lembra-nos que estes conceitos é que devem ser a nossa preocupação principal e lembra-nos também que no meio da azáfama da nossa dita evolução, nos esquecemos de celebrar a nossa individualidade. Esquecemo-nos de cultivar a nossa identidade e o nosso ser. Vivemos para outros - para a nossa família, para o nosso parceiro, para o nosso chefe, para o nosso Estado. Mas poucos param e vivem por eles mesmos. Osho fá-lo com argumentos muito convincentes. O seu discurso não só é divertido, mas é tentador e motivador. É impossível não me sentir inundada com a sua espiritualidade e com o seu positivismo e retiro sempre muito destas obras. Retiro muito para o meu desenvolvimento pessoal. Posso não concordar com tudo o que ele diz e com tudo aquilo que ele acha que é correcto para o mundo/sociedade, mas muito do que ele diz é uma aprendizagem. Uma viagem que me ajuda a questionar certas atitudes que tenho perante a vida e obriga-me a reclassificar essas atitudes.
  Osho tem-me ensinado primeiro que tudo a olhar para a vida com outros olhos e tem-me ensinado que quando achamos que a vida nos corre mal, devemos procurar outros ângulos pelos quais analisar os eventos do nosso dia-a-dia. Ele não defende nenhuma doutrina, religião e é isso que mais aprecio nele, nos seus ensinamentos e nos seus livros. O que ele defende é a espiritualidade, a evolução e crescimento do ser-humano como um ser espirituoso que deve cultivar o amor e a liberdade interior. Porque é do interior que as mudanças se originam e é a partir do interior que podemos começar a mudar algo que não gostamos.
  O nosso interior, os nossos pensamentos, as nossas energias e as nossas emoções determinam, quase sempre, a forma como nos posicionamos no exterior. E por vezes a mensagem que passamos é a de que não queremos acreditar que as coisas podem mudar. A "magia do acreditar" como lhe chama Osho é um milagre verdadeiro e pode influenciar muitas coisas no nosso quotidiano. Pode influenciar a forma como olhamos o mundo e todos os que nos rodeiam.
  
  Com todo o entusiasmo que sinto ao falar sobre Osho, não sei se passei a mensagem que queria. A de que estes são livros muito enriquecedores, que embora tenham o seu quê de utopistas (especialmente no que toca à visão da sociedade) nos podem fazer parar para olhar a vida sob outro prisma. O que tenho retirado destas leituras é as potencialidades do desenvolvimento pessoal e um olhar mais positivo em tudo o que me toca e sobretudo, o cultivo da magia de acreditar.
• 
  Birgit K

  My friend wanted me to bougth this book for him. So I did and then I tought if I already have it in my hands then I read this. I dont understand the fenomen of the Osho. At the beginning I quite liked it...at the very beginning(thats why two stars) This idea that religions are just brainwash for people-this was like the only idea I agreed. But actually I tought right a way he could be an anarchist. I dont belive in anarchy. Human nature cant deal whit anarchy, human nature need rules. It would be total chaos when everyboby would do whatever they want. Human nature has to be totally something else.
  Some things he said in the book were bothered me a lot. Is it really the best example when it comes to democracy, in India you can walk middle of the road or in the right side or in the left side- reading this I was like what the fuck?? People fcking die massively because of this "democracy". Additionally all this poorness, box system,dirt etc. Women in this country are definitely not free at the same time I can tell in the West they are more free than ever. All of his ideas were too overline, too extremist and for me very confusing. Everybody can be a philosopher, every person has his/her own life philosophy. I think every person needs to be as happy as he/she can be in his/her situation. But Oshos philosophy is dont think nothing, dont do nothing what society whants or expect you to do, dont feel nothing, just be some abstract "thing". This is my view of this anddoesent need to be someone elses. Osho is not my cup of tea.
  
  Sorry for my not so perfect english :)
• 
  Dr Asmaa Nusairi

  خلصت قراية هذا الكتاب الجميل، من الاشياء الي تجعلني سعيده في يوم أقرى كتاب وحصلت على افكار جميله وجديده، تعلمت شي يديد بالنسبه لي كأني شريت شنطة قوجي ولا فندي 😂 طبعا لا يغني من وجود هالاشيا الجميله 😁😁، الكتاب لاشو، أوشو معروف بفلسفته وعمقه في فهم الحياه، طبعا لازم مهارة الفلتر تكون معاك مع أي كتاب تقراه بحيث تاخذ الاشيا الي تناسبك، مع القرايه لا تكون إمعه .. كل ما تقرا شي تصدقه أو تاخذه، لازم تكون عندك مهارة تاخذ ما يناسبك، باختصار الي عجبني في الكتاب بأن الحريه شيء جداا جميل، نضن بأننا أحرار وبأن المقيد هو السجين الي في السجن، لكن الكتاب ياخذك في رحلة مع ذاتك يجعلك تكتشف هل حقا أنت حر، اذا كنت حر معناته أن تعيش في حالة سكون تامه، في حالة سلام مع كل شي، حالتك تكون مشابهه للبحر الهادئ الجميل، تكون أقوى من جميع الظروف، تحترم تحب تبتكر، تحترم الجميع، باختصار تكون مثل فراشه ترقص قي الحياه، تكون روحك كلها حياة وايجابيه، ويختم الكتاب بمعنى عميق للحريه وهي أن الحريه الحقيقيه هي الحريه الروحيه.. يوم روحك تكون حره، حره من كل شيء، ليس السجين مقيد، كثير منا عايش في زنزانه من الهموم والالام والسلبيه، حد عايش في سجن جماعي وكثيرين في زنزانه انفراديه، طبعااا السبب الاول يوم الانسان همل مسؤولية نفسه، سهل نقول أنا ضحيه لوالدين ما احتووني، لمحتمع ظلمني، لمدير كسرني، لجامعه ضيعتني.. ل ل ل.. نحن شطار في لعب دور الضحيه لانه سهل، لكن مجرد ما تتخذ قرار أنك المسؤول الوحيد تجاه كل شي .. بتبتدي توعى تجاه نفسك، وبأن تستحق تعيش في سعاده فبتتحمل مسؤولية اسعاد نفسك، تتحمل مسؤلية تجرب وتخطأ مره ومرتين وعادي أهم شي أنك تتعلم.
• 
  Obeida Takriti

  لا يمكن أن يمر شهرين دون أن أقرأ لأوشو..
  كتاباته تعيد تشكيل عالمك الداخلي بطريقة مختلفة..
  
  ربما لا يفهم الناس تناقضه الظاهري..
  فهو تارة يلحد بكل الآلهة، وفي أحيان أخرى يحكي لك أهمية الإيمان..
  ولكن هذا ما يجعل كتاباته أقوى في نقل التجارب البشرية المختلفة التي نمر بها في حياتنا..
  
  ففي الكتاب ينقل لك أفكاراً تنقلك خلال قراءتك للكتاب لعوالم مختلفة واحتمالات أفضل..
  في هذا الكتاب يشرح عن الحرية ومستوياتها وكيف أنه علينا أن نتخلص من مفهوم الحرية المقيد..
  كأن أن نتحرر من أمر أو نتحرر لأمر..
  علينا فقط أن نكون..
  
  كل كتاب من كتب أوشو، خاصة هذه السلسلة..
  لها وقتها الخاص حسب المرحلة التي يمر بها كل شخص..
  
  
• 
  Eddie Hudson

  Good, but...
  
  Man is always searching for a way to define, identify and then be free of this world. It seems like our daily struggle is to destroy and tear down the parameters of culture as if it was the enemy. But then, in the next breath, we praise some aspect of culture. I don't know if we can have it both ways! Osho provides a good argument for looking beyond the constructs we have established. He gives hope of being free of it as well as giving an adequate description of goals for which to aim.
• 
  Linda Lielvārde

  Brīvība sev līdzi nes arī atbildību.
  
  Jo tad pie visa vainīgs esi tu pats un tavi lēmumi, viss ir tikai tevis paša darbības vai bezdarbības sekas.
  
  Nav, uz ko novelt atbildību.
  
  Brīvība sākas tevī pašā. Tas ir apziņas jautājums.
  
  Arī ģimenē svarīgi vienam otru nepiesiet, bet gan tieši otrādi - palīdzēt otram realizēt savu brīvību.
  
  Bērnam iemācīt, parādīt, ka ir izvēles iespēja, ka katra izvēle nes līdzi sekas, par ko pašam jāuzņemas pilna atbildība. Neizdarīt izvēles bērna vietā.