Courage: The Joy of Living Dangerously (Paperback)

by Osho (Author) "I am not here to give you a dogma-a dogma makes one certain..." (more)
Key Phrases: George Bernard Shaw, Holy Ghost, Rabindranath Tagore (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Courage is not the absence of fear, says Osho. It is, rather, the total presence of fear, with the courage to face it. This book provides a bird's-eye view of the whole terrain-where fears originate, how to understand them, and how to find the courage to face them. In the process, Osho proposes that whenever we are faced with uncertainty and change in our lives, it is actually a cause for celebration. Instead of trying to hang on to the familiar and the known, we can learn to enjoy these situations as opportunities for adventure and for deepening our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

The book begins with an in-depth exploration of the meaning of courage and how it is expressed in the everyday life of the individual. Unlike books that focus on heroic acts of courage in exceptional circumstances, the focus here is on developing the inner courage that enables us to lead authentic and fulfilling lives on a day-to-day basis. This is the courage to change when change is needed, the courage to stand up for our own truth, even against the opinions of others, and the courage to embrace the unknown in spite of our fears-in our relationships, in our careers, or in the ongoing journey of understanding who we are and why we are here.

Courage also features a number of meditation techniques specifically designed by Osho to help people deal with their fears.

About the Author
Osho is one of the best-known and most provocative spiritual teachers of the twentieth century. Beginning in the 1970s he captured the attention of young people from the West who wanted to experience meditation and transformation. More than a decade after his death in 1990, the influence of his teachings continues to expand, reaching seekers of all ages in virtually every country of the world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312205171
• ISBN-13: 978-0312205171
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #88,426 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This item is part of The Osho Insight Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage yes!, November 11, 2000

By A Customer

This book is "not for that faint at heart but the truly courageous." If you are content with conformity you need not stop here. As a Companion book I would recommend the book An Encounte with A Prophet another book not for the faint at heart but for the truly courageous.

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The undisguised truth, April 12, 2000

By A Customer

Wow, what gem! This book is about the courage to love and to be yourself. Very inspiring, poetic and simply written. The Truth jumped out at me in every word. Definately a book for the serious seeker, for those desiring to know the truth about self and love. Clears up a lot of misconceptions on the subject matter in firm but gentle manner, enticing you to stretch your breadth of vision. A comfort to those of us who have always felt 'different' and uncomfortable about those differences while still being unable to conform. Says that self discovery and living in love are not for that faint at heart but the truly courageous and gives us a glimpse of what life will be like once courage becomes unneccessary.

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love is an infinite sky!, December 20, 2001

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

The day this book came into my life, was a day where I was facing a challenge and could not seem to figure out exactly which path I should take. At times it feels as though an author is the only one listening to the cry of your soul and it is my strong belief that when you need a book, you will find it.

When Osho quoted Kahlil Gibran who said:

"I am just like a river which is going to fall into the ocean." I knew exactly what that meant. When I read this book, I cried, I laughed and then felt very calm. The beautiful way Osho writes was nurturing to my inner being.

To me, this is the type of book where you don't change your belief system, but you observe a thought process and can analyze it. Taking thoughts as you need them and those concepts then become very healing for you. He takes an idea and brings it to a full conclusion, complete with analysis of the initial thought. During that process it might be easy to just take a statement out of context.

So, that aspect is confusing to say the least. I tried to ignore that aspect as so many of the other thoughts made sense. Otherwise his thoughts are insightful, lucid and could not be more true in many regards. His keen observation of life must has been a delight for his family and friends to observe in person.

What I disagreed with was that he said God does not even know what will happen to you in life. I believe he does know our choices, before we even make them. And yet, he does not make those choices for us! Just as we can ask a friend for advice, we can ask God to help guide us or send us someone to help guide us.

Osho also has a subtle sense of humor. His comment on writing a book called: Peace of No mind was so funny in the context, it is worth buying the book for that sentence alone. He also explains the way of the heart as opposed to the way of the mind. While both are needed to survive, life can be more exotic when experienced through the dreams of the heart or viewed from the eye of the soul.

The main sections of the book deal mostly with what courage is, facing new challenges in your life, having enough courage to love unconditionally, finding your original face, listening to your inner self, living in the moment and searching for fearlessness.

Sometimes in life, we take the path we know we must and pay dearly for it. While we may loose a friendship or an opportunity in life, in the end....we find ourselves. And that is who we have to live with in the end.

"... because ultimately only your inner self remains with you." -Osho

Dedicated to a friend who I care deeply about because when you really love a person, you give them infinite space.

~The Rebecca Review