Osho’s teachings and Pantheism

“God is a presence at the innermost core of your being: it is your own presence. It is not a meeting with somebody else.” Osho

Osho’s teachings are probably some of the most widely read on the subject, with extensive resources on the internet. Pantheistic concepts underly everything he said, although being primarily an eastern mystic, he does not seem to have acknowledged the western version of the philosophy.

You have probably heard of Osho, the influential (and sometimes controversial) mystic, otherwise known as “Bagwhan”. His talks and writings have reached millions. While he came from an Eastern perspective and didn’t use the Western term “Pantheism,” his core teachings resonate deeply with its ideas.

Here’s how Osho’s views often agree with Pantheism:

It’s All Connected: Osho constantly talked about the oneness of existence. He didn’t see a world of separate things, but a unified whole, like waves in one vast ocean of consciousness. This is pure Pantheism – the idea that everything is interconnected and part of one divine reality.
God Is Here, Not Elsewhere: He totally rejected the idea of a distant, separate God. For Osho, the divine wasn’t ‘out there’ to be found, but the very essence of existence itself, present in everything and everyone.
Look Within: He urged people to find the divine inside themselves. God isn’t an external being to pray to, but the spark of consciousness within you. This mirrors the pantheistic idea of God being immanent – dwelling within all things.
Nature is Sacred: Osho had huge respect for nature, seeing it as a beautiful expression of the divine. Connecting with nature, for him, was connecting with the sacred – a very pantheistic view.
Beyond Black and White: He challenged us to drop rigid categories – me/you, spirit/matter, good/bad. He saw these divisions as mental constructs hiding the underlying unity of everything. Pantheism similarly emphasizes oneness over separation.⁵³
Experience It! Osho wasn’t big on just believing things. He pushed for direct experience through meditation and self-awareness. Feel the oneness, don’t just think about it! This aligns with how many Pantheists connect with the divine – through personal, often mystical, experience rather than dogma.

Good to Know: Osho’s main goal was always helping individuals achieve enlightenment and self-realization. He borrowed freely from many traditions to create tools for that inner journey. While his teachings clearly overlap with Pantheism, his focus remained intensely practical and personal.