Self-inquiry

/in /by

Self-inquiry

With Oda Lindner

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada

 

Eight participants were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Metchosin location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. It was our first session of this year’s visit by Oda Lindner from Niagara, Ontario, as the support person in residence at the Centre. Some of those attending were regulars and some were new to the “dialogue” events at 538 Swanwick Road. Oda had facilitated events in previous years and was familiar with some of the participants.

Oda began the session by reading a short passage about the “observer” and “the observed”, a central aspect of Krishnamurti’s teachings. She then invited comments and responses from the group members which might help to illuminate the meaning of K’s perspective on the relation between these apparently separate elements of our experience. A few people in the group shared some of their insights into the division between the observer and the observed and the transcendence of that division. Such insight was said by K to be crucial when studying the workings of one’s consciousness. The sharing opened up some intensive exploration of the self-knowledge and “seeing” that could possibly clear the content of the consciousness or the habits of thought by which each person might be limited or held back when approaching the spacious “emptiness” that could reveal the deeper aspects of who or what we really are.

After some probing into the living presence of silence and “the timeless”, the inquiry turned to the nature of fear and its mechanisms within us. What kind of observation, what depth of feeling and seeing, are necessary to bring about the change in us that makes a difference? The investigation seemed to stimulate some conflict amongst the group and yet we came to a mutual sharing of such truths as the need to remain open and present to whatever one was experiencing within the group process and within oneself. Such shared realisations seemed to be of significant value as we felt our way into ever-deeper realms of “what Is”. It was an interesting journey into the nature of thought and awareness which seemed to leave the group with an anticipation of further gems to be discovered in coming sessions with Oda.

 

DB