What is Awareness?
Date:June 10-12, 2016 (Fri. evening to Sun. afternoon)
Facilitator:Dr. Ashwani Kumar, PhD
This experiential retreat provides an opportunity to understand and explore the significance of awareness for living a creative and meditative life.
Dr. Ashwani Kumar is currently a professor of Education at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax. He has been seriously engaged with J. Krishnamurti’s work for more than 10 years. He has spoken at Krishnamurti schools and study centers in the US, Canada, the UK, and India. He is also the author of the bookCurriculum As Meditative Inquiry(Palgrave Macmillan, 2013) which explores Krishnamurti’s insights regarding meditation, consciousness, and education.
Awareness (variously also called “meditation,” “pure observation,” and “attentiveness”) forms the core of J. Krishnamurti’s teachings. In this workshop we will together explore the meaning and significance of awareness and its significance for living an intelligent and holistic life.
Krishnamurti always emphasized that we should be a light to ourselves. Respecting his understanding and suggestion, we will explore the questions, fears, and doubts that form our very consciousness. This workshop will provide an opportunity for a dialogue about the factors which hinder a creatively aware and intelligent state of mind and which, in turn, lead to conflicted and unhappy living. This requires an open mind, sincere interest in self-understanding, and a willingness to explore together.
When there is inward awareness of every activity of your mind and your body, when you are aware of your thoughts, of your feelings, both secret and open, conscious and unconscious, then out of this awareness there comes a clarity that is not induced, not put together by the mind. And without that clarity you may do what you will, you may search the heavens and the earth and the deeps, but you will never find out what is true.
J. Krishnamurti
Activities will include talks with Q&A, dialogues, awareness experiments, videos and meditative nature walks.
Cost:
Shared accommodation (double occupancy) with meals:
Regular rate: $250 Early bird rate*: $220
Private accommodation with meals:
Regular rate: $300 Early bird rate*: $270
Day Commuter – with meals:
Regular rate: $190 Early bird rate*: $170
Day Commuter – without meals:
Regular rate: $140 Early bird rate*: $120
* valid up to 30 days before the event
Extend your weekend with a personal retreat of up to 3 nights for a discounted rate of only $40 per night.
Persons with financial constraints may be offered a special discount. Please contact the program manager Ralph Tiller here.
