Swanwick Star Issue No. 17 (2024)
James Waite – September 10, 2023
Aspects of awareness and the “process” of learning arose in the group
inquiry and were investigated, along with the importance of being willing
to “let go” of the patterns of thinking that keep the mind identified with its
sense of separateness. Listening to the “inner voice” was said to be
important, and living without attachment to thought’s concepts of reality.
Change and development can happen, it was said, when one is not
attached to the ideas about self to which thinking gives importance.
Oda Lindner – September 27, 2023
Oda began the meeting by describing how she had found breath work
very helpful in experiencing the meaning of what Krishnamurti spoke of
when he gave his own talks and wrote his many books. Breathing is
always taking place in the present moment, which K says is the only time
we can realize the truth of what he is saying. There is a strong tendency
in the human mind to continuously bring in the past and to separate
ourselves from each other and from the present moment. Group
discussion or dialogue is useful in bringing attention to the deeper
aspects of our capacities to penetrate deeply into the layers of our
consciousness and to realize a sense of freedom in ourselves.
Jackie McKinley – March 2024
Jackie narrowed down the question to “What do I really want?” and
encouraged group members to share their responses freely. Some of the
answers were as follows:
– I want to understand what conditioning is
– I want to live in awareness as a felt sense
– I want to practice inquiry
– I would like to move beyond expectations and to see myself
directly
– I want wholeness
– I would like to be involved in self-inquiry in a fuller way
– I want to share with others and explore our connectivity as humans
– I want clarification
– I want to have more fun in my life
– I want to be more alive
– I’d like to understand the source of my difficulties and I need help
with this process
– I want honest communication
– I want intimacy, a pleasurable sharing with others physically,
emotionally, and intellectually.
– I want distance from others at times
A photo from our Wolf Lake School archives when Krishnaji visited Swanwick:
J. Krishnamurti with Dr. SK Siddoo (left) and Dr. JK Siddoo (right)
Aware Living Café with James Waite – March 2024
This final in the six-part series had 8 attendees; the Book Of Life themes
were Relationship and Fear. We started with a deep discussion on how
relationships – if they are genuine – bring with them a certain necessary
friction wherein one may meet one’s own conditioned expectations
and needs for comfort and security only in relationships that challenge
one to see and listen and transform with self-awareness. Indeed, if
there is no tension, there is no relationship; it becomes a comfortable
non-relationship, a convenience and an escape from reality.
Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg I – May 2024
The sense of separateness disappears in the listening when there
is a quality of full attention in the present moment. It was suggested
that the presence of genuine interest is an important element, as is
also awareness of one’s body and its sensations. The existence of
an awareness that is prior to all manifestation was explored and
affirmed.
Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg II – May 2024
We discussed Krishnamurti’s ideas about those who love radically being
“dangerous”. He seems to be saying that stepping outside of
conventional behaviour may be thought of as “dangerous” by those
attached to the status quo and hesitant to explore other possibilities. In
this sense memory, although necessary, can keep love away.
Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg III – May 2024
There was interest in the nature and “practice” of meditation, opening the
conversation to look at the watching of our thoughts as opposed to the
controlling of them. Fighting with our thoughts will not create silence,
spaciousness, or peace, but observing them dissolves thoughts and reactive
feelings or emotions.
Self-Inquiry with Cynthia Overweg IV – May 2024
What happens, Cynthia wondered, when listening starts to happen in
us? One participant offered that there is an immediate awakening of interest,
which creates a different space between the dialoguers. It was offered that
Krishnamurti spoke somewhat of feelings which had a reactive and emotional
content but seemed to give more significance to feeling as a sensitivity and
“presence” or “attention”, a kind of global awareness which might well include
a flavour of kindness such as that displayed by the Dalai Lama. Also included
would likely be an awareness of one’s judgements and resistances.
Meditative Self-Inquiry with Mukesh Gupta – July 2024
One of the most important principles is that we accept ourselves as we are and not as we
would like to be.
IN MEMORIAM
Mark Lee has been an integral part of our lives ever since I was a child. He was our biggest supporter when my mother (Dr. SK Siddoo) and aunt (Dr. JK Siddoo) decided that I had to be taken out of the traditional school system and when they wanted to start a K. school in the 1970s. Being two medical doctors, they really had no idea how to go about it and, then, there was Mark Lee, a ”K” educationist, who guided them every step of the way. It was really a remarkable feat that they were able to start a school at all and I have no doubt that it would not have been possible without Mark Lee’s help. He was something of a brother to my mother and like a favourite American uncle to me. Most importantly, he was very fond of children and treated them like people, never marginalizing them as some adults are wont to do. You felt he was sincerely interested in you when you talked with him and that was a nice feeling as a kid. He was really living what K was talking about with his dedication to his family, to K, to the schools. Later, as an adult, I remember visiting their home in Ojai when I was there for a Foundations meeting and it was really a delightful experience – Asha and Mark knew how to make one feel absolutely at home. It was also an open house any time of the day or night for anyone wanting to engage in dialogue & spiritual discussions in an extremely stimulating atmosphere. Sadly, Mark & Asha were due to reconnect with us after a long absence and to visit Swanwick this summer. Mark shall be truly missed by all of us! Here’s a photo from our archives.
- Chanda Siddoo
Mark Lee with Dr. JK Siddoo, Mrs. Berta Tiller, and Dr. SK Siddoo (left to right)
NOTE: All session reports by David Bruneau