🌌 Mysticism −59%

Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: The Koan of Relationships

✍️ Osho
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$20.00 $49.00 Save $29.00 (59%)
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Osho is a prominent spiritual teacher of the twentieth century whose influence continues to expand internationally after his death in 1990. Written in a paperback format published by St. Martin's Essentials, the work addresses individuals seeking personal growth in a post-ideological era where traditional moralities no longer apply. The author's teachings capture seekers globally across diverse ages. Readers encounter perspectives regarding individual autonomy, self-respect, and human connection that challenge established prejudices. Recognized internationally by publications such as the Sunday Times of London and Sunday Mid-Day, the influence of his teachings reaches seekers of all ages in virtually every country of the world.

🌌
Mysticism

Praise for this book

“Filled with wisdom and light...an uncommon look at common yet under-discussed topics.”
— Khe Hy, creator of RadReads
🏛 St. Martin's Essentials 📅 2002 📖 256 pages 🌐 en 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9780312291624
Fun Fact
Osho's "Love, Freedom, and Aloneness" offers a bracing, unconventional take on human connection. It excels at dismantling outdated notions of dependency in relationships, championing individual wholeness as paramount. Readers seeking quick fixes or traditional romantic advice will be disappointed. However, for those prepared to deeply introspect and embrace a radical philosophy of self-liberation, this book is a potent catalyst, carving its unique niche in spiritual self-help and challenging the very foundation of how we conceive love.

📝 Description: Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: The Koan of Relationships

Osho wrote Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: The Koan of Relationships, which St. Martin's Essentials published as a paperback. The book addresses connections between individuals while exploring how freedom forms a foundational requirement for human life. According to RadReads creator Khe Hy, this work offers an uncommon look at common, under-discussed topics with abundance of wisdom and light. Set in a post-ideological world where traditional moralities no longer apply, this text urges readers to examine and break free from conditioned belief systems or prejudices limiting their capacity to enjoy life. It questions boundaries dividing lust from love, examines whether lust can mature into love, and considers how to live alone without feeling lonely. By recognizing personal freedom, people learn to exist independently and comfortably with themselves, opening the possibility of finding love and fulfillment alongside someone else. The Sunday Times of London designated Osho as one of the 1000 Makers of the 20th Century, while Sunday Mid-Day recognized him among ten figures who changed India's destiny alongside Gandhi, Nehru, and Buddha. Beginning during the 1970s, the author captured the interest of young Westerners seeking to experience meditation and personal transformation.

💎 Expert review

“
💎
Esoterica Books editorial team
Occult literature desk
Osho provocatively argues that genuine love requires mastering aloneness, offering a compelling critique of dependency in modern partnerships. The text succeeds in its mission to redefine intimacy through the lens of radical self-sufficiency. However, readers seeking structured, step-by-step relationship advice or traditional moral frameworks will likely find this approach disorienting and overly abstract. It is not suited for those who prefer concrete scripts over philosophical deconstruction. The work demands a willingness to abandon comfort zones regarding commitment and desire. While intellectually stimulating for open-minded seekers, it may frustrate readers clinging to established social norms or expecting practical tactical guidance for immediate relational issues.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking to dismantle ingrained societal expectations about romance and dependency will find profound liberation here. This book is ideal for those feeling trapped by traditional commitments who crave authentic connection without loss of self. It serves individuals ready to confront the discomfort of solitude as a gateway to genuine intimacy. By challenging conventional desires, it offers a radical path to personal fulfillment. Those willing to question the very nature of affection will discover how true happiness arises from self-sufficiency rather than external validation. It is a guide for anyone prepared to forge new relational paradigms rooted in freedom and individual wholeness.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —
⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5
★★★★★
For those weary of conventional relationship advice, seeking a profound re-evaluation of love, intimacy, and personal autonomy. If you're ready to dismantle old paradigms and cultivate self-sufficiency as a foundation for genuine connection, this book offers a challenging yet liberating perspective.

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
E
Esoterica Books editorial team

Osho provocatively argues that genuine love requires mastering aloneness, offering a compelling critique of dependency in modern partnerships. The text succeeds in its mission to redefine intimacy through the lens of radical self-sufficiency. However, readers seeking structured, step-by-step relationship advice or traditional moral frameworks will likely find this approach disorienting and overly abstract. It is not suited for those who prefer concrete scripts over philosophical deconstruction. The work demands a willingness to abandon comfort zones regarding commitment and desire. While intellectually stimulating for open-minded seekers, it may frustrate readers clinging to established social norms or expecting practical tactical guidance for immediate relational issues.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Not in the conventional sense. This book focuses on personal transformation, arguing that becoming a complete and self-sufficient individual is the prerequisite for any truly meaningful and healthy partnership.
In this context, "koan" refers to a paradox or riddle, specifically the perplexing yet profound interrelation of love, freedom, and aloneness. Osho uses it to challenge conventional understanding and provoke deeper, non-conceptual insight into these fundamental aspects of human experience.

📖 Who should read this

For those weary of conventional relationship advice, seeking a profound re-evaluation of love, intimacy, and personal autonomy. If you're ready to dismantle old paradigms and cultivate self-sufficiency as a foundation for genuine connection, this book offers a challenging yet liberating perspective.

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Embracing Solitude

This book posits that true aloneness, distinct from loneliness, is the bedrock for healthy partnerships. It explores how cultivating a complete sense of self-sufficiency fosters self-respect and prevents codependency, allowing individuals to enter relationships not out of need, but from a place of inner abundance and strength.

Radical Relationship Philosophy

Osho redefines love as a space of shared freedom rather than possession or obligation. He encourages readers to question societal norms surrounding desire, commitment, and the potential for primal attraction to evolve into deeper, more meaningful affection, offering unconventional perspectives on intimacy's true nature.

Unshackling Beliefs

The text directly challenges ingrained social and moral conditioning that dictates our perceptions of love and freedom. It invites readers to critically examine and dismantle outdated ideologies and inherited belief systems, empowering them to forge personal, authentic paths in their relationships and their ongoing journey of self-discovery.

📜 Historical context

Osho, a controversial and influential spiritual teacher of the 20th century, blended Eastern mysticism with Western psychology. His extensive body of work, including this volume, consistently critiques societal norms and institutionalized thought. His insights on relationships often provoke a radical reinterpretation of human connection, emphasizing individual liberation and conscious awareness in all aspects of life.

📚 Glossary

Koan
Conditioning
Post-ideological world

📔 Questions to reflect on

  1. How do my current relationships reflect my own sense of self-sufficiency or, conversely, my dependencies?
  2. What societal beliefs about love and partnership have I internalized, and how might they limit my experience of true freedom?
  3. If I were to redefine "love" and "freedom" purely for myself, what would be their essential components and how would they interact?

✍️ More books by this author Osho

All books by this author →
The Beauty of the Human Soul: Provocations Into Consciousness - PGW Osho
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Osho
The Beauty of the Human Soul: Provocations Into Consciousness - PGW Osho
$15.95
86
Osho Zen Tarot: The Transcendental Game of Zen -25% 🔥 Bestseller
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Osho
Osho Zen Tarot: The Transcendental Game of Zen
$29.99 $40.00
86
When the Shoe Fits: Stories of the Taoist Mystic Chuang Tzu (Revised)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Osho
When the Shoe Fits: Stories of the Taoist Mystic Chuang Tzu (Revised)
$16.95
86
The Secret of Secrets: On the Secret of the Golden Flower: Taoist Teachings on Life and Existence -23%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Osho
The Secret of Secrets: On the Secret of the Golden Flower: Taoist Teachings on Life and Existence
$50.00 $65.00
81
The Art of Living and Dying: Celebrating Life and Celebrating Death -43%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Osho
The Art of Living and Dying: Celebrating Life and Celebrating Death
$19.95 $35.00
81
The Diamond Sutra: The Buddha Also Said...
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Osho
The Diamond Sutra: The Buddha Also Said...
$19.95
81

🏛 Books from this publisher St. Martin's Essentials

All books from this publisher →
The Book of Numerology: The Essential Texts -36%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Ariel Yvon Taylor, John C Laurie, Isidore Kozminsky, Clifford W Cheasley, Sepharial, Manly P Hall
The Book of Numerology: The Essential Texts
$19.00 $30.00
81
Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences -27%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Pasulka, D W
Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences
$27.00 $37.00
86
The Dhammapada: Sayings of the Buddha (Essential Wisdom Library) -55%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Müller, F Max
The Dhammapada: Sayings of the Buddha (Essential Wisdom Library)
$14.99 $34.00
86
The Prophet: The Complete Original Edition: Essential Pocket Classics
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Gibran, Kahlil
The Prophet: The Complete Original Edition: Essential Pocket Classics
$10.00
86
The Body Code: Unlocking Your Body's Ability to Heal Itself -26%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Nelson, Bradley
The Body Code: Unlocking Your Body's Ability to Heal Itself
$49.99 $68.00
78
The Lost Books of the Bible: The Essential Texts -27%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Charles, R H
The Lost Books of the Bible: The Essential Texts
$35.00 $48.00
81
The Language of the Soul: How the Words You Choose Shape the Life You Live
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Nepo, Mark
The Language of the Soul: How the Words You Choose Shape the Life You Live
$22.00
81

You might also like

See more →
Courage: The Joy of Living Dangerously
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Osho
Courage: The Joy of Living Dangerously
$19.00
81
The Book of Ecstasy: Opening Yourself Up to Erotic Energy--In All Its Forms -20%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Carrellas, Barbara
The Book of Ecstasy: Opening Yourself Up to Erotic Energy--In All Its Forms
$20.00 $25.00
86
The Book of Hermetica: The Three Essential Texts: The Corpus Hermeticum, the Emerald Tablet, the Kybalion -29%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Three Initiates, Hermes Trismegistus
The Book of Hermetica: The Three Essential Texts: The Corpus Hermeticum, the Emerald Tablet, the Kybalion
$19.00 $27.00
86
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Timeless Buddhist Guide to Life, Death, and Rebirth -17%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Evans-Wentz, W y
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Timeless Buddhist Guide to Life, Death, and Rebirth
$19.00 $23.00
86
The Prophet: The Complete Original Edition: Essential Pocket Classics
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Gibran, Kahlil
The Prophet: The Complete Original Edition: Essential Pocket Classics
$10.00
86
The Language of the Soul: How the Words You Choose Shape the Life You Live
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Nepo, Mark
The Language of the Soul: How the Words You Choose Shape the Life You Live
$22.00
81
A Still Forest Pool: The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah -37%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Chah, Ajahn
A Still Forest Pool: The Insight Meditation of Achaan Chah
$19.95 $32.00
92
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: 50th Anniversary Edition
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Suzuki, Shunryu
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: 50th Anniversary Edition
$19.95
92
The Interior Castle: Or the Mansions -23%
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Of Avila, St Teresa
The Interior Castle: Or the Mansions
$22.31 $29.00
92

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

A teacher featured in this book: Osho

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist