Self-inquiry 

Sunday, November 3, 2024 

With Ralph Tiller and David Bruneau 

At Metchosin, BC 

A small group of three was present for this meeting sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada and held in the Gatehouse at 538 Swanwick Road. Participants were asked if they had any pressing questions or issues they would like to explore in the group. One person (Jeff) expressed interest in the history of the Krishnamurti school that was the beginning of the activities at the Metchosin location of the Centre. Ralph and David were able to share a good deal of the background, including such historical details as Krishnamurti’s personal visit in 1978 to the grounds and including the development of the school which then became an adult Centre based on K’s teachings. We then looked at a movie about the Brockwood Park K school in England and the Ojai school in California and discussed some of the developments of the organizations around Krishnamurti. A newspaper clip was found from some time ago which quoted from the book Freedom from the Known; it provided material for some study of K’s thoughts on relationship and the desire for safety and security. The quote Included the necessity of seeing ourselves and others without an image.  

It was an interesting and valuable afternoon of discussion. 

DB 

Self-inquiry, October 31, 2024  

with Ralph Tiller and David Bruneau 

At Esquimalt Park Pavilion 

Victoria, BC 

Five participants were in attendance for this Thursday afternoon meeting at the lovely new pavilion in Esquimalt Gorge Park. The meeting was  sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. The facilitator asked if any participants had a burning question they would like to explore with the group and one person shared that he would like to examine the issue of pain, both physical and psychological. Other group members offered input to the discussion which branched out to include the pain triggered by the many changes that we all undergo as life is experienced. We talked about chronic pain, the grief of losing vitality, the fragility of life, and what could happen when we accept that pain is a part of our lives, with old age for example. 

We took up the question of what can be done to be with our pain or suffering so that life is not made constantly unbearable – or at least it can be less so. Krishnamurti and others have given many helpful clues as to being present with our problems which we could well benefit from. We looked at the issue of naming our experience vs. not naming it and allowing the sensations, thoughts, and feelings to unfold in our awareness. Participants have found that this approach is particularly helpful when it comes to emotional pain and discomfort. They spoke of the effects of going towards our pain or “leaning into it”. Krishnamurti spoke about “total attention” to all that we think and feel and this seems to be a very useful “strategy” or non-strategy. 

The quality of the dialogue produced an atmosphere of lightness and enjoyment of the interactions and communication. 

DB 

Self-inquiry with Ralph Tiller and David Bruneau 

Thursday, October 24, 2024 

Esquimalt Park Pavilion 

Sponsored by KECC 

Only three people were present in the Esquimalt Park Pavilion for this meeting on a lovely sunny day in Esquimalt, BC. We began with a ten minute silence wherein we had the opportunity to observe the movements of the mind. After the silent period we talked about questioning vs. not questioning beliefs. We spoke of the history of beliefs and stories which can bring people together and at the same time can separate them. The belief in the “me” as a separate individual seems to be perhaps the basic source of the world’s problems. 

We spoke of the practice of koans in the Zen discipline which seems to create an opportunity to “jump out” of the mind and somehow go beyond thought. 

We commented on the fact that small groups can sometimes allow the participants to delve more deeply into whatever is looked into than larger groups can. Today seemed to support that idea. 

Self-inquiry with Ralph Tiller and David Bruneau

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Esquimalt Park Pavilion

Victoria, BC, Canada

Sponsored by KECC

Only three people were present for this meeting sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada and located at the lovely Esquimalt Park in Esquimalt, British Columbia. Ralph commented that sometimes smaller meetings can be more profound and indeed we did find the meeting to be interesting and meaningful. We began with a reading from The Book of Life: Meditations with Krishnamurti which we found to be quite powerful in expressing some of K’s ideas about the “Detriment to Change” presented by knowledge and the seeking by “a centre” of personal satisfaction when the mind must be “free from the known.”

The dialogue began with a silent period wherein it was suggested we take the opportunity to observe the movements of the mind. After the silence we discussed a few subjects such as questioning vs. non-questioning and the history of belief and stories promoting it. Belief has brought people together and at the same time separated them. One of the most significant beliefs has been the idea of the “me” as a separate individual and it seems that the source of the world’s problems is the accepted idea that we are all separate individuals.

We talked about the use of koans in Zen practice which sometimes enabled a jumping out of the mind and a “going beyond”.