A Man Called Otto - A Metaphor of Surrendered Living.

In the spiritual world, it is widely understood that the highest truths or peak experiences of awakening cannot be fully expressed in words. Osho often emphasized this limitation of language, saying:

“That which is experienced in silence can never be explained in words.”

At the same time, it is also said that the highest truths should not be stated too directly, because the ordinary human mind tends to reduce them to its own limited level of understanding. Two quotations beautifully capture this paradox.

Ludwig Wittgenstein once said: - “What can be said at all can be said clearly; and whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.”

Osho, in his own compassionate way, turned this statement around and said: - “That which cannot be said, must be said at any cost.”

It is difficult to decide which approach is “correct.” Wittgenstein’s statement reflects intellectual honesty, while Osho’s reflects compassion—the compassion of a master who makes every possible effort to convey the inexpressible, trusting that the student can rise to meet the truth. At the very least, the seeker cannot complain that something was deliberately withheld.

This background is necessary, because what follows requires walking a very fine line. A slight imbalance of words can distort the meaning, and misinterpretation can arise easily. Yet, following Osho’s path, I choose to take the risk of explaining the unexplainable.

Today, I am going to write about deep metaphor contained in the movie A Man Called Otto. It is a remake of the 2015 Swedish film A Man Called Ove, which was based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Fredrik Backman.

*A Man Called Otto* (2022) is a warm, bittersweet drama about Otto Anderson, a rigid and grumpy widower who has lost his wife and, with her, his sense of purpose. Living an isolated life governed by strict routines, Otto keeps people at a distance while silently struggling with grief and loneliness.

His life begins to change when a lively young family moves in next door—especially Marisol, whose warmth, persistence, and humanity slowly break through Otto’s emotional defenses. Through unexpected friendships, memories of love, and small acts of compassion, Otto is reminded that life still holds meaning and that human connection has the power to heal even the deepest wounds.

On the surface, the film speaks about grief, loneliness, and community. Beneath the surface, however, it carries a much deeper spiritual metaphor.

A Core Spiritual Principle

There is a well-known spiritual idea that whatever happens in this existence happens according to the Divine will. In other words, nothing occurs without the permission of the Divine.

Over the years, reflecting deeply on spirituality, I have seen that this idea can be immensely liberating when understood correctly—and dangerously misleading when misunderstood. As Osho repeatedly reminded us, anything powerful is always double-edged: it can either awaken or destroy, depending on the level of consciousness with which it is approached.

Right Interpretation: SURRENDER

At its highest level, this principle points toward total surrender. If the Divine has created existence and is sustaining it, then nothing can happen outside that intelligence. Whether or not we understand a particular event is irrelevant; our mental conditioning does not alter the supremacy of the Divine.

In this highest sense, the idea that “everything happens according to Divine will” is not fatalism—it is surrender. It is trust. It is acceptance without resistance.

Misinterpretation: DISTORTION

When misunderstood, this same idea can lead in destructive directions.

One distortion is passivity: “If everything is done by the Divine, why should I do anything?” Here, surrender degenerates into procrastination.

Another distortion is moral bypassing: “If everything happens by Divine will, then even destructive actions must be permitted.” This is where spirituality becomes an excuse for ego.

A mundane mind often oscillates only between two tamasic options—inaction or destruction—while ignoring the possibility of conscious, creative action. Creative engagement is rajasic; surrendered acceptance without ego is sattvic.

This is why higher spiritual truths must be approached from a higher level of consciousness. When a person interprets such truths from a lower guna, the interpretation reveals more about the interpreter than about the truth itself.

Now if you see, a mundane mind is saying that either people will stop taking actions and become lazy or they will start taking destructive actions. As if taking right creative action is never an option before us.

Why the same person is unable to say that if Divine is supporting all our actions then why we should not take all creative actions as Divine is anyways backing our actions?

But No. For a mundane mind, not doing anything is an option or doing destruction is an option. Now, both these options are Tamasic by nature; i.e. either procrastination or destruction.

Taking some creative action will be Rajasic option and taking life as it comes in a surrendered mode without any prejudice will be a Sattvic option.

This is why; I always said that while interpreting the Spiritual Concepts, we should always take higher level of meanings and it is always recommended that only an awakened person is interpreting words of another awakened person in order to prevent any miscarriage of meaning.

So, if at all these wrong interpretations did something then it showed the choices of interpreter and his Guna level. By making these interpretations, he let himself know and other people know that he is functioning at Tamasic level and his journey of evolution must start from there.

This is another purpose sharing such higher spiritual truths can serve. A Guru can come to know about the level where Disciple is functioning.

Now, if we look carefully at the movie A Man Called Otto, we will realize that a very deep spiritual message is hidden in it but again, if that message is not understood correctly then it can lead to chaos. So, it is time to walk that tight rope now.

Movie Metaphor -

In the film, Otto makes multiple attempts to end his life, yet each time, something intervenes. Initially, this only increases his frustration. Over time, however, a realization dawns: life itself seems to be insisting that he remain.

This realization marks a crucial inner shift. Before it, Otto is in the “doer” mode—asserting his will, acting from despair and ego. After it, he moves into a “non-doer” mode, where life is allowed to happen rather than being forcibly controlled.

This is the subtle but powerful difference between “doing” and “happening.” Doing arises from ego and control. Happening arises from surrender and trust.

Once Otto’s resistance dissolves, destructive impulses naturally fall away. He begins to live without complaint, without insistence, and without inner violence. This is not resignation—it is acceptance of life.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE (IN THE SPIRIT OF OSHO’S COMPASSION)

This reflection is not, in any way, a justification of suicide or self-harm. Suicide is a psychological and emotional crisis that requires understanding, compassion, and professional support. Osho consistently emphasized love for life, awareness, and responsibility.

The transformation shown in the film is not about accepting death, but about rediscovering life. When surrender is authentic, it leads to greater sensitivity, creativity, and care—for oneself and for others. If someone is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, seeking help is not a failure of surrender; it is an act of intelligence and self-love.

As I see, the whole movie is embedded with the concept of surrender to Divine, rather than asserting your own desire.

Possible Misinterpretation 

Now, lowest possible and most dangerous misinterpretation can come from the lowest level of mindset that if everything is happening as per Divine Will then let’s do something destructive to self or others. It will happen only if Divine allows.

This is the kind of misinterpretations people like Javed Iqbal, Jeffrey Dahmer and Jolly Joseph took when they tried to bypass spiritual concept, after doing destructive activities as per their desires.

1. Javed Iqbal, who claimed to kill 100 children at Lahore, said while surrendering that if he was really doing something wrong then why God didn’t stop him?
2. Jeffrey Dahmer, who killed 20+ boys at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, said to himself after killing 2^nd victim that may be Divine has given him birth for this purpose only; i.e. killing boys.
3. Jolly Joseph, a serial killer from Kerala, is reported to have said after getting arrested that Bible says that God forgives everyone. Hence, God will forgive her too.

Now, this is what happens when a mind at a very lower level interprets a concept of a very high level. Quite clearly, these people have nothing to do with The Bible or God or Divine else they won’t have harmed themselves or others who are also given life by the same Divine. Divine not only loves them. Divine loved those people too who were their victims. What they are trying to do is nothing but Spiritual Bypassing.

Now, if we compare their actions with Otto’s actions then we can easily see the difference between -

Realization and Spiritual Bypassing

Otto had a realization that Divine is running the show and Divine wants him to live. So, after that, all actions to destroy self or others automatically stopped and he started life in a surrendered mode, without any complains.

If Javed Iqbal. Jeffrey Dahmer and Jolly Joseph were really so much aware of existence of Divine and that Divine is running the show then they could not have continued with their crimes. It is clear that mention of Divine is just a shield they used later to defend their crimes.

Message - This is the message I wanted to convey here is that the spiritual concept which says that “whatever happens in this world, happens as per God’s wish or nothing happens in this existence without God’s wish” is concept of total surrender. It is for those who accept life as it comes in a surrendered mode and who don’t take any action as per their egoistic desires. They live as life HAPPENS to them. If someone has truly understood this concept then he will never plan to do anything as every plan comes from desire. He will just act spontaneously as per the situations unfolded through life. 

But such concepts are not for those people who act on their egoistic desires and later seek shelter in such concepts. In other words, such concepts are not for Doers.

So, if you want to apply any such concept in your life then first move towards Non-Doer mode from Doer mode and if after reading all this, you have no idea as to how anything will happen in Non-Doer mode then understand that this concept is not for you.

In that case, stay honest in Doer-mode and accept the good or bad results of the Doer-mode honestly without any Spiritual Bypassing.

Conclusion - So as I see, the hidden spiritual message in movie is to surrender to Divine and accept that whatever happens in life is as per Divine Will. Live life as it happens to you without any complains. In other words, we can say that death is anyways coming. Then what is the hurry to go towards it and meet it half-way.

To conclude -

“Rejoice so deeply, so totally, that you disappear in your rejoicing: there is rejoicing, but there is nobody who is rejoicing. When it comes to such an optimum, there is a transformation, a revolution. You are no more the old dark ugly self. You are showered with blessings. For the first time you come to know your grandeur, the splendor of your being.

Say yes to life, say a total yes to life. ”

Gratitude!!!