Meditative Self Inquiry: What is Meditation?
With Mukesh Gupta Online
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Ten people were in attendance for another presentation in the Meditative Self Inquiry series offered by Mukesh Gupta. In this case he was with us online from Europe to share his understanding of what J. Krishnamurti taught or expressed about meditation, a subject that has numerous ways of being conceived and described. After a short period of silence, Mukesh talked for forty minutes about meditation as Krishnamurti shared it, then opened up the session to questions from the participants. Following that the group was split up into small “Breakout” rooms of three for a more participatory and intimate experience of group dialogue or inquiry. Then we returned to the full meeting to share some of what took place in the small groups and to bring closure to the session.
Mukesh began his talk by pointing out that K usually began his inquiries into meditation by talking about what it is not rather than what it is. Meditation, according to Krishnamurti, is not a repetition of words (mantra), focusing on an image, following a certain practice or goal to be achieved in time, or an exercise in concentration. What is it, then? K does suggest that, in a positive sense, meditation is “putting our house in order”. This means bringing order to our inner life and activities and thereby creating order or harmony in our “outer” lives. But then the question is “How do we do this?” Can we do it with thought? Is that the appropriate tool, or is there a different energy available, an awareness different from thought which functions in the present moment rather than in the past (as thought does) and which is choiceless by its very nature? The energy of attention or quiet self observation is free from the thought-created “self” or “me” and free of “the known”. The functioning of this attention is meditation and it empties consciousness of its contents. It is not an effortful activity, for effort to change ourselves only creates more conflict. A simple watching without naming or judgement brings a deep understanding of the contents of our consciousness, which releases trapped energies. This observation must be an activity of love: judgement or condemnation is not helpful. In meditation the meditator dissolves. As long as there is a meditator, an entity meditating, there is no real meditation. Meditation, Mukesh agreed with K, is an unpremeditated act. It is to be aware of the whole process of “the meditator”. Self-centred activity must be watched and understood. We must be with the facts of who and what we are, asking deep questions about our identity. Our questions must bring forth a deeper response wherein the active mind becomes silent. Living and meditation are then not separate and there is a constant learning without conclusions.
When the group was invited to pose any significant questions there were a number of topics that were broached. The issue of losing attention when occupied with activities was raised to begin with. Mukesh answered very directly and clearly by saying that we learn to be aware and become more aware by being aware. We can experiment with awareness in our lives, which will slow down the thinking mind and make observation easier. Another questioner mentioned the fact that there always seems to be a “me” or some content present within our consciousness. It was asked if this can then be watched. Can it be seen that the independent “me” is actually an illusion?
The small breakout groups seem usually to be enjoyed and found valuable, and the thirty minutes allocated to that part of the meeting was apparently interesting for the participants. On returning to the full group, a final sharing of our experiences was an appropriate way to wind up the event. Mukesh’s guidance through the subject of meditation was appreciated.
Self Study Meeting January 2, 2022
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauSelf Study Meeting
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Zoom online
Fourteen people were in attendance for this installment of what has been a series of monthly meetings to explore deeply the teachings of J. Krishnamurti. The meetings have been going on now for a few years and most recently have been via the internet, which allows participants to join us from all over the world. Our investigations are supported and stimulated by selections from The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti. In this case the readings were the April 1 – 14 selections focusing mainly on the topic of desire.
The April 4 entry was used as guidance for a silent contemplation to begin the session and bring attention to observing ourselves. The passage was read slowly while participants sat quietly, opening to the meaning and experience of what K was saying. The main thrust of the pointers was that if we look at desire without any judgement or “condemnation” then the nature of desire will be revealed in unexpected ways and with new and fresh aspects. K challenges us to be open not just to particular desires but also to the “total quality” of desire. The contemplation of these utterances triggered a variety of responses, sometimes quite contradictory and emphasising different perspectives and ways of approaching the issue of desire in us. There were manifestations of apparent conflict between participants and, on the other hand, of significant “truths” or insights. There were sharings of appreciation for the opportunity to discuss such subtle but important matters with like-minded individuals. As usual, the nature of “the self” was questioned again and again and discussed with some intensity. Many of the group agreed that kindness, patience, and compassion are elements much needed in the practice of dialogue if it is to be not only fruitful but also enjoyable.
What is Our Relationhip with Each Other?
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauWhat is Our Relationship with Each Other?
Supplementary Meeting with Jackie McKinley
December 30, 2021
Zoom online
From November 25 to 28 Jackie Mckinley hosted a series of dialogue meetings exploring the question “What is Our Relationship with Each Other?” Those dialogues were attended by fifteen to seventeen people. At the close of the series, Jackie invited participants to reconvene for a follow-up gathering on December 30 to further investigate the same question in the light of what may have been awakened by the first series of dialogues and since. On this occasion, fourteen people were able to attend.
Jackie began with an acknowledgement of the significance of people gathering in an atmosphere of respect and seriousness to address questions of importance to themselves and humanity as a whole. On the other hand, she pointed out, there is a danger in presenting our conclusions as if they are the truth. Thought thinks it is in control but, in fact, we are imprisoned by thought and time without being fully aware of it. Can we “suspend” our thoughts and feelings so there is space to look at and listen to them? Can there be a different quality to our discussion, an awareness which notices the outward reality and the inward at the same time? Can we simply be with what is taking place in the here and now, experientially?
After her introduction, Jackie suggested we sit quietly in silence and be open to whatever arises for individuals. This stimulated a sharing of a number of issues in relationship with others and questions of identification with thoughts and with people. It became a process of “unburying” hidden things in ourselves, which was said to be “very interesting”. The significance of an awareness that questions everything and takes no assumption for granted was explored in the group, and the subject of psychological “death” was brought forward as deeply relevant to self-transformation. It was proposed as a key topic to be looked at when bi-weekly dialogues begin with Jackie in February of 2022
The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group meeting
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauThe Urgency of Change Dialogue Group meeting
Sunday, December 19, 2021
Zoom Online
Eight members of the Urgency of Change Dialogue Group were able to attend this final meeting of 2021. The focus of the session was the chapter entitled “Dreaming” in the J. Krishnamurti book, The Urgency of Change. The chapter contains an interesting discussion of the similarity between our daily use of symbolic language and the symbolic nature of our nighttime dreaming activity. One segment in particular seemed to communicate the essence of K’s teachings about the “self” and the causes of unhappiness in our living. “Symbols are a device of the brain to protect the psyche; this is the whole process of thought. The “me” is a symbol, not an actuality. Having created the symbol of the “me”, thought identifies itself with its conclusion, with the formula, and then defends it: all misery and sorrow come from this.” This statement by Krishnamurti formed the basis for much of our group dialogue and inspired some unravelling of the truth of it in our own life experience. K’s core ideas about the mind’s tendency to separate the observer and the observed were very much a part of the inquiry and, as such, seemed to be a fitting completion to a year of exploration.
Appreciation was expressed by participants for the opportunity to share such genuine exploration of ourselves while at the same time acknowledging the challenging nature of honest observation of the often tricky mind and its motives for behaviour. A quiet sense of comradeship seemed to have been generated by such an authentic and self-revealing endeavor. There was little doubt that we would all continue to pursue our interest in self-knowledge. We will have a “final” meeting in the first month of the new year.
A New Mind and Heart: Living and Dying
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauA New Mind and Heart: Living and Dying
With Cynthia Overweg (Online)
December 18, 2021
This was the last installment of the year in Cynthia’s series of presentations called “A New Mind and Heart”. This session was entitled “Living and Dying” and was attended by eighteen people in total. Cynthia attended through the Zoom online platform, as did everyone else. She began her presentation by stating that living and dying are in fact not two separate things. The “me” or “self” must die or disappear for love and life to be fully manifest. “Freedom from the known is death, which is truly living” (K). Krishnamurti’s teachings to that effect may seem complicated but can be very simple. And they seem to be particularly relevant at this point in our present global challenges.
K asks us what can bring about a complete harmony of the intellect and the heart, given that we are heavily conditioned in so many ways and our thought-belief patterns cause enormous division and suffering in the world. Clear seeing, he says, is the ending of the “me”. This “seeing” is not part of the conditioned mind but, rather, acts upon our conditioning to empty the conditioned contents of our consciousness.
As usual, Cynthia interspersed her talk with periods of silent watching and listening, adding beautiful pictures and relaxing music to the experience. She asked profound questions about what stands in our way and how fear resists the coming to an end of the self which seeks continuity. She brought in some nuggets of wisdom from other traditions; for example, a writing found in a Greek monastery and a saying by Ramana Maharshi about the great importance of self-realization. And her presentations always include numerous expressions of Krishnamurti’s words and their relevance to the topic being investigated. A central point in that context is K’s suggestion that we observe the operation of our own minds without any condemnation or justification.
A good half hour to forty minutes was left for questions and responses from the participants. Issues of ending divisive thinking by seeing in the moment, letting go of attachment, the desire for continuity of thought and self-identity, the inadequacy of words, repression of the feminine, and the loss of sensitivity and emotional balance were discussed and some significant insights were shared. In concluding remarks, Cynthia emphasized the central importance of understanding ourselves that is so central to Krishnamurti’s message.
Meditative Self-Inquiry with Mukesh Gupta
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauMeditative Self-Inquiry
December 12, 2021
Zoom Online
This session of meditative self-inquiry led by Mukesh Gupta, who reached us online from India, was focused on a question asked by Krishnamurti: “Is there a single factor that can solve all our problems?” Sixteen people in total were in attendance for the presentation which consisted of a talk by Mukesh followed by a good amount of time for questions and group exploration. After a short period of silence, Mukesh asked a challenging question right from the beginning. “What is the dominant element in our daily lives? What occupies us most of the day?” He then suggested that it was thinking. Although thought has practical value and is necessary, it also brings fear into our consciousness. It creates problems and suffering in our relationships and then tries to solve the problems it has itself created. We live in a world of images which create division and separateness and are driven by self-centredness. Is it possible to let go of all the contents of our consciousness and see what is actually present in that state of emptiness in which it seems nothing is happening? Can we meet the living moment fully?
Mukesh expanded on these topics for about forty-five minutes then opened the floor to questions and dialogue. One participant asked about superstition or stories created by thought and Mukesh wondered if we could look at the phenomenon without judgement and explore the related issues of self-centredness and insecurity. In this way self-inquiry could help us. Another group member brought up the fact that fear distorts our perceptions and closes the “heart”. “How can we love unconditionally?” he asked. Mukesh offered that thought must be looked at as a universal element that creates fear, which originates in “unawareness”, avoidance, and not facing the reality of what is. The key is to be attentive. Attention is not an expression of thought; it is, rather, a wholistic intelligence free of conditioning, free of the “me”, of the “centre”. It can unlock the heart and put thought in its right place. Attention-based living is living from the heart. This was explored in its different aspects and in greater detail. We touched on the nature of silence and the silence of nature.
The central place of love was brought forward and its significance for being attentive was looked at from a few angles. It was suggested that meditation is only meaningful when there is love, and in our inquiry we must ask ourselves why love is not present. St. Augustine’s saying, “love and do what you will” was explored along with Krishnamurti’s statement that “I don’t mind what happens”. It was an insightful two hours of dialogue and inward focus of attention. We look forward to more time with Mukesh in the new year.
Self Study Meeting, December 5, 2021
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauSelf Study Meeting
December 5, 2021
Zoom Online
Seventeen people were present for this Sunday morning meeting which was focused on the March 1 – 17 entries in The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti. These selections from K’s talks and writings looked into a number of aspects which came under the headings “Dependence”, “Attachment”, and “Relationships”. Feedback from the participants indicated that the readings were found to be extremely interesting and significant. The session began with a short talk by the facilitator (David) on the quality of attention suggested by Krishnamurti when we enter the journey of self-observation and self-knowledge. A short period of silence was then followed by a reading of the March 3 selection which deeply examined the root cause of dependency and attachment, connecting it with the avoidance of the sense of loneliness. In order to go beyond dependency we must know the nature of loneliness and how it is generated in our consciousness. We must “be with” our inner emptiness and see what is revealed when resistance to it is seen and dissolved.
The topic seemed to be a relevant and meaningful one to many participants, which awakened various responses and interactions within the group. Perhaps the greatest emphasis was given to the need to remain curious about the structure and challenge of loneliness and its significance in being a doorway to a deeper experience of Being and love. The whole of the meeting was taken up with discussion of the issues raised by the March 3 entry and a few other March entries mentioned by participants from their reading.
What is Our Relationship with Each Other?
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauWhat is Our Relationship with Each Other?
Dialogue with Jackie McInley online
November 24 – 28, 2021
Jackie McInley joined us for the first time from the UK for five sessions of group dialogue exploring the question “What is our relationship with each other?” Each session was two hours or a little more and was attended by fifteen to seventeen people, including facilitators and staff. Participants were from as far as Australia, Sweden, Guatemala, Edmonton, and Ontario, as well as locals from the Victoria area.
Jackie began with a discussion of the methodology of the group process. Although it can be difficult for a group to consistently follow a thread of inquiry, that is what she suggested we would attempt to do. Normally we put a lot of thought into describing our experience, but in this case we would be observing how that is taking place and thereby penetrating the more superficial layers of our relationships. We would be looking at such questions as the source of our intention in being together as a group. Do we know why we are here? And what is it like if we don’t know? What is the space of not-knowing like? Can there be a gap in the known? If we have an answer we may be closing the space of inquiry. And what is the difference between intellectual “understanding” and fundamental change?
As we look at ourselves, can we forgive ourselves for our conditioned responses to each other and to the questions we ask? Can we see our assumptions and judgements without judgement? Can we see the subtleties of what is going on in our relating? At the same time, can we be kind with each other? Can we have fun with our observing, not having to always “get it right”? The practice of suspending our questions and reactions was explored along with the possibility of seeing the universality and connectedness of our problems and issues rather than merely focusing on the individual person who has an individual issue. Can that be the spirit of our inquiry, as Krishnamurti and David Bohm recommended. And can there be an underlying silence in us even when we are using words? Space and quietness are needed in order to see.
Jackie suggested a few experiments involving a quiet openness to whatever arises in us in the moment rather than a debate or discussion that seeks solutions and answers. The sharing was permeated by pauses and periods of silence from which spontaneous questions and observations could emerge. This allowing of a space of not-knowing was kept in the forefront throughout the five days with questions such as “Are we really listening to each other – and to everything?” and “Are we blocking our creativity by having answers?” “Are we creating a distance between ourselves and another, between a “me” and “my thoughts”? “Are we observing from a distance?” “Are we attached to our thoughts?” “Are we seeking attention or security?” There was an ongoing and rich investigation of our capacity to look and listen, which was pointed out to be more alive and full than the mechanical patterns of the “me”. We looked at the difference between “fact” and “fiction” in our observing and how we are “bound” by our thinking and our words. If there is no attention to this then we just repeat our conditioned responses. Is there something about conditioning that we like? Do we keep things hidden? Can we be attentive even when in a state of reaction and defensiveness?
Some more intimate or penetrating questions were asked. Do we take something from others in our relationships? Is thought capable of respecting boundaries? Does thought use others? What is it in us that can act differently? Is there a part of us that is free of the self? What about the so-called “Higher Self”? Jackie skillfully guided us to stay on track and keep returning to meaningful inquiry. We were encouraged to journal about our responses to what went on in the group and in the smaller ‘’breakout groups”, inviting deeper insight into our patterns of thought and feeling. The dialogue was an immersion in self-awareness and an inquiry into our ideas and concepts about awareness, self-knowledge, and what happens when we observe ourselves with such a persistent and inquiring attitude. For this participant it was a very interesting process which had an effect on my experience of daily life. Included were some experiences of beauty and joy in the “heart”. One additional meeting has been arranged as a further integration and opportunity for self-discovery.
The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting, November 21, 2021
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauThe Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Zoom Online
Unfortunately this meeting was affected by technical difficulties in getting the gathering started on Zoom. It took me (David) about forty-five minutes after the official start time to get the meeting running. I don’t know what the problem was but hope to clear it up for the next meeting I facilitate. Five members of the group were extremely patient and waited while I did all I could to get things working. I later saw that other group members had been emailing me during that time and realized I could probably have kept in touch with them by email and they might have been able to join the meeting once the technology was operative. That seemed too complicated for me while the confusion was happening, as my computer skills leave much to be desired, so I just remained hopeful that people would make a number of attempts to log in and soon would be able to gain access once I’d fixed things at my end (if possible) and those who were present had begun the dialogue.
As it turned out, when we were able to start the meeting forty-five minutes late there were six of us present. One more joined us near the end of the meeting. I appreciate the willingness to stay with the process displayed by those who stayed and understand completely that it was frustrating for those who were unable to make any connection due to the technical challenges.
The plan for the session had been to look carefully at the selected chapter entitled “Belief” in the Krishnamurti book The Urgency of Change and then to explore a number of issues related to belief that were not dealt with in the book, particularly beliefs related to our sense of identity. Are limiting ideas we have about ourselves given relevance and power through our belief in them? Are ideas about the “unknown” merely forms of belief without substance? Does the belief in security lead to a constant searching for something that doesn’t exist? And what is real security, if there is such a thing? How is fear related to these issues? These and other questions were to be investigated.
Once we got the meeting underway we did actually explore all of the proposed questions and other questions as well that arose during our communications, such as the quality of inquiry that must be present in us in order to truly undergo a transformation. It ended up being a relevant and very meaningful dialogue, in spite of the earlier confusion and difficulties. And the dialogue went on for about the usual length of time. It was an unexpectedly interesting and valuable experience for at least some of us – and maybe for all.
A New Mind and Heart: Beauty and the Sacred, November 20, 2021
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauA New Mind and Heart: Beauty and the Sacred, an Inquiry into Inner Freedom
With Cynthia Overweg online
November 20, 2021
When introducing each installment of the “New Mind and Heart” series of presentations, Cynthia usually quotes J. Krishnamurti to the effect that in order to respond adequately to the current crisis in the world and in consciousness, there must be a new mind and heart. K’s approach, she explains, is a negative one in the sense that we must strip away whatever is inhibiting our awareness of the beauty of love and Being. A divided mind and heart create a divided world.
Sixteen people were in attendance for this “inquiry into inner freedom” which invited looking and listening with a quiet mind. Such perception energetically connects the brain and the heart and can access the wisdom of the latter. Heart and mind are then one. It is the conditioned mind that distorts our perception of ourselves, others, and the world.
Cynthia makes use of short quiet meditations interspersed with her talks, the question periods, and group discussion. She recommends quiet intervals during one’s daily activities to create a space of perception wherein beauty can be experienced. But what is beauty? The word beauty is not beauty, and an image of beauty is also not beauty. A deeper sense of beauty reveals itself when the “self” is absent. K calls this quality “sensitivity” and without it there is no beauty. Beauty is only possible when there is silence or stillness. In bringing about such silence in the mind, he maintains that “the act of seeing is the only truth”. Seeing brings transformation and awareness of the sacred, which is love and beauty. A serious man or woman, Cynthia said, must find out what is truly sacred. She shared more quotes from Krishnamurti’s teachings elucidating more fully his perspectives on love, compassion, and the sacred – and the fact that in order to know these qualities we must know the “total content of oneself.” K, she suggested, was always talking about love and what stood in its way.
The last half hour of the meeting was taken up with further group exploration of the central themes of Cynthia’s presentation. With her guidance there was an inquiry that was obviously enjoyed and valued by the participants. Much appreciation was expressed as the session came to a close.
“What is Meditation?” with Mukesh Gupta, November 14, 2021
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauMeditative Self Inquiry: What is Meditation?
With Mukesh Gupta Online
Sunday, November 14, 2021
Ten people were in attendance for another presentation in the Meditative Self Inquiry series offered by Mukesh Gupta. In this case he was with us online from Europe to share his understanding of what J. Krishnamurti taught or expressed about meditation, a subject that has numerous ways of being conceived and described. After a short period of silence, Mukesh talked for forty minutes about meditation as Krishnamurti shared it, then opened up the session to questions from the participants. Following that the group was split up into small “Breakout” rooms of three for a more participatory and intimate experience of group dialogue or inquiry. Then we returned to the full meeting to share some of what took place in the small groups and to bring closure to the session.
Mukesh began his talk by pointing out that K usually began his inquiries into meditation by talking about what it is not rather than what it is. Meditation, according to Krishnamurti, is not a repetition of words (mantra), focusing on an image, following a certain practice or goal to be achieved in time, or an exercise in concentration. What is it, then? K does suggest that, in a positive sense, meditation is “putting our house in order”. This means bringing order to our inner life and activities and thereby creating order or harmony in our “outer” lives. But then the question is “How do we do this?” Can we do it with thought? Is that the appropriate tool, or is there a different energy available, an awareness different from thought which functions in the present moment rather than in the past (as thought does) and which is choiceless by its very nature? The energy of attention or quiet self observation is free from the thought-created “self” or “me” and free of “the known”. The functioning of this attention is meditation and it empties consciousness of its contents. It is not an effortful activity, for effort to change ourselves only creates more conflict. A simple watching without naming or judgement brings a deep understanding of the contents of our consciousness, which releases trapped energies. This observation must be an activity of love: judgement or condemnation is not helpful. In meditation the meditator dissolves. As long as there is a meditator, an entity meditating, there is no real meditation. Meditation, Mukesh agreed with K, is an unpremeditated act. It is to be aware of the whole process of “the meditator”. Self-centred activity must be watched and understood. We must be with the facts of who and what we are, asking deep questions about our identity. Our questions must bring forth a deeper response wherein the active mind becomes silent. Living and meditation are then not separate and there is a constant learning without conclusions.
When the group was invited to pose any significant questions there were a number of topics that were broached. The issue of losing attention when occupied with activities was raised to begin with. Mukesh answered very directly and clearly by saying that we learn to be aware and become more aware by being aware. We can experiment with awareness in our lives, which will slow down the thinking mind and make observation easier. Another questioner mentioned the fact that there always seems to be a “me” or some content present within our consciousness. It was asked if this can then be watched. Can it be seen that the independent “me” is actually an illusion?
The small breakout groups seem usually to be enjoyed and found valuable, and the thirty minutes allocated to that part of the meeting was apparently interesting for the participants. On returning to the full group, a final sharing of our experiences was an appropriate way to wind up the event. Mukesh’s guidance through the subject of meditation was appreciated.