Beauty and Sensitivity in a Troubled World
Beauty and Sensitivity in a Troubled World
November 20 – 22, 2020
Zoom Online
This retreat was led by Cynthia Overweg from Ojai, California, where she has been involved with the work of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America. The three-session retreat consisted of three Zoom meetings of one and a half hours each which were each attended by a total of twenty-four people. The attendees were mainly from the USA and many were appearing at a KECC event for the first time. Cynthia presented a number of questions each day while emphasizing that the most important questions are those that arise in us and are part of our observation of ourselves. Some of Cynthia’s questions were as follows:
– What is sensitivity?
– How do we approach living with sensitivity?
– Can we see and listen without the mind interfering?
– Can we not make sensitivity personal? What are the implications of realizing the impersonal nature of it?
– How can we be sensitive and remain grounded?
– Can we have an authentic relation with beauty when we are bombarded with ugliness in the world?
Each day Cynthia gave a talk on the subject of beauty, with lovely pictures of nature and numerous quotes from K books: Krishnamurti’s Notebook, Krishnamurti’s Journal, and Krishnamurti to Himself. She included quotes from other “teachers” like Jane Goodall, which added to the universality of the subject. There were also regular periods of silent meditation. All of this provided an experiential context for the exploration. Suggestions were given concerning ways we might support our living with sensitivity, which Krishnamurti says is “the highest form of intelligence and love”. It means being sensitive not only to beauty and joy but also to ugliness and sorrow. On the third day, Cynthia brought in the dimension of beauty in relationship and the importance of learning about ourselves in the “mirror of relationship”, in which we see the “hidden causes of sorrow” and awaken compassion. The challenges of relationship in the time of a pandemic were touched on and discussed in the group. Each session included time for group sharing and exploration.
The presentation was very well done and was much appreciated by the participants
