We are the World Weekend Retreat at KECC
August 17 – 19, 2018
This retreat was focused on the frequent statement of J. Krishnamurti that we are the world and the world is us. The intent was to look at the state of the world, with special attention to a few specific aspects directly experienced by the facilitators, and to question what is the correct action to be taken in the face of the dangers we are currently facing such as climate change, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear radiation in the environment, and the abuse of aboriginal peoples, to mention but a few. In what way are we responsible for these problems and what can we do to make a difference? Three doctors, Chanda Siddoo Atwal, Melissa K. Nelson, and Hillary Rodrigues gave presentations over the weekend concerning their areas of particular interest. The retreat participants then engaged in group “dialogue” to explore collectively how to approach these huge challenges which threaten both human well-being and survival as well as that of the other species and manifestations of life on this planet.
The introductory “talk” on Friday evening was attended by 25 people, facilitators included. Brief descriptions of the topics were offered as well as an outline of “Dialogue”, the mode of shared exploration to be employed over the weekend. The group then entered into a dialogue for the rest of the evening. This set the rhythm for the weekend, which unfolded in a similar way over the three days. The quality of the participation was remarkable high, as there was a level of attention and presence which allowed for deep sharing of thoughts, insights, and feelings about the topics being explored. Some of the information shared about what has been and is going on in our world was shocking to many participants. It was realized that such knowledge has been widely suppressed by those in power who have benefitted from the denial of and insensitivity to the harm they are inflicting.
The first evening and the Saturday were perhaps relatively more focused on the situation in the “outer” world. On Sunday the attention turned more to the possible causes of the problems within ourselves and how they emerge from our “inner” state of consciousness, which often acts on the basis of fear and violence. Hillary led us in considering the actual truth or falseness of the “We are the world” statement. Using a collection of quotes from Krishnamurti’s talks and writings, we looked at what it might mean to experience the statement not merely as a concept, but as a reality – if it is such a fact.
The workshop was felt to be quite intense and challenging by many of the fifteen who stayed for the whole retreat, but also there was a great sense of sharing in a way which supported us to “be ourselves” and to express without being judged or evaluated. This was felt to be a very significant aspect of the experience and one important element of the “action” that is required in meeting the realities of human conflict and the destruction of life. Chanda summarized the event by saying that she felt something very important had taken place and that we should meet again next year to delve further into the issues and be part of a necessary transformation of consciousness.
The Light of Pure Knowing, September 9, 2018, at KECC
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauThe Light of Pure Knowing
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada
This Sunday morning session was attended by nine participants. We listened to a guided meditation on breathing by Rupert Spira from his book and CD entitled The Light of Pure Knowing. The forty minute meditation was an exploration of several dimensions of our breathing, beginning with a more physical aspect, moving on to a contemplation of the false idea of a separate self that is doing the breathing, and ending with an invitation to realize that it is not “we” who are breathing but the universe itself. “Whatever it is that is undertaking the breathing is also undertaking thinking, sensing, feeling, and perceiving. Experience is always one – one seamless tapestry – made only of the knowing of it. Nothing is distant from that; nothing is separate from that; nothing is other than that.”
Following the guided meditation there was an hour left for sharing and discussion. We talked about the meanings and significance of what had been pointed to by Rupert, along with the challenges of embodying it in our lives or “abiding” in the knowing Presence. There were some lively interactions which were noticed to present an opportunity to see ourselves and our reactions in the crucible of relationship.
Exploring Awareness at KECC, Sept. 2, 2018
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauExploring Awareness
September 2, 2018
At KECC
Five of us were in attendance for this Sunday afternoon of guided meditations which aimed to deliver an experiential, direct knowing of the nature of awareness and our essential being. The weather allowed us to sit outside under the fruit trees. The session began with David guiding us through an “Inner Body” meditation derived from Eckhart Tolle’s teachings. We brought attention to the aliveness in the body and then further explored the nature of this Presence, the sense of Being, and the awareness of it. Is the sense of Presence limited or bounded? Is Awareness itself located in any position?
We took a twenty-minute walk on the property, observing nature without attaching to labels and concepts. Can we see the “essence” or beingness of a tree or a flower? The walk was followed by a CD featuring Mooji inviting us to pay attention to our sense of Being and its qualities. Appreciation of what is, that which is here without effort or thought, was a central aspect of the half-hour meditation. We ended with a period of silence, some sharing of our experience, and further inquiry. Participants expressed an enjoyment and a positive value in the experience.
Krishnamurti Study Session, Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauKrishnamurti Study Session
September 2, 2018
At KECC
Six people gathered on this Sunday morning to pick up on the study of Chapter 31 in the Q & A section of J. Krishnamurti’s classic The First and Last Freedom. The section is entitled “On Immediate Realization” and in it K asks whether there can be a direct understanding of a problem without needing preparation or extensive analysis. He suggests that direct contact with the problem can only happen in the “now”. Anything else will be a postponement, which can never lead to an adequate response to a challenge, which is always new. K interestingly admits that when he explains his vision with words it can all sound very complicated. If we experiment, however, we may find that it is easy and simple to understand. This just requires an open receptivity to the “truth” of the matter.
The material stimulated a focused inquiry in the group which brought us to the sense of entering a state beyond thought wherein we experienced a completion of the exploration. Of course, the looking and listening will continue to probe more deeply.
Krishnamurti Study Session at KECC, August 26, 2018.
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauKrishnamurti Study Session
Sunday, August 26, 2018
KECC
A small group of four met to study J. Krishnamurti’s book The First and Last Freedom. We resumed our investigation of chapter 31 in the Q & A section, entitled “On Immediate Realization”. The questioner asks Krishnamurti, “Can we realize on the spot the truth you are speaking of, without any previous preparation?” K responds by asking, What do you mean by truth?” He puts the question differently: “Can you understand a problem directly, fully, and be free of it?” As we slowly read the first couple of paragraphs in the text we probed into the meaning of looking, listening, and seeing. Can there be seeing or insight at any time but immediately, in this moment, the now? The seeing is immediate, but perhaps we cannot know what the results will be and how insight will translate into action or transformation. We discussed K’s idea that insight produces a mutation in the brain cells, which are then “permanently” changed in some significant way. Does this mean that psychological thought comes to an end or is less predominant? Is psychological thought necessary? We examined our ideas of what K is actually saying and its implications. There were some differences in our understanding of what he was pointing to, but as we explored more deeply we seemed to transcend those differences and come to a more common perception. All participants were familiar with such inquiry and contributed to a meaningful and rich sharing of questions and insights.
We are the World Weekend Retreat at KECC
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauWe are the World Weekend Retreat at KECC
August 17 – 19, 2018
This retreat was focused on the frequent statement of J. Krishnamurti that we are the world and the world is us. The intent was to look at the state of the world, with special attention to a few specific aspects directly experienced by the facilitators, and to question what is the correct action to be taken in the face of the dangers we are currently facing such as climate change, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear radiation in the environment, and the abuse of aboriginal peoples, to mention but a few. In what way are we responsible for these problems and what can we do to make a difference? Three doctors, Chanda Siddoo Atwal, Melissa K. Nelson, and Hillary Rodrigues gave presentations over the weekend concerning their areas of particular interest. The retreat participants then engaged in group “dialogue” to explore collectively how to approach these huge challenges which threaten both human well-being and survival as well as that of the other species and manifestations of life on this planet.
The introductory “talk” on Friday evening was attended by 25 people, facilitators included. Brief descriptions of the topics were offered as well as an outline of “Dialogue”, the mode of shared exploration to be employed over the weekend. The group then entered into a dialogue for the rest of the evening. This set the rhythm for the weekend, which unfolded in a similar way over the three days. The quality of the participation was remarkable high, as there was a level of attention and presence which allowed for deep sharing of thoughts, insights, and feelings about the topics being explored. Some of the information shared about what has been and is going on in our world was shocking to many participants. It was realized that such knowledge has been widely suppressed by those in power who have benefitted from the denial of and insensitivity to the harm they are inflicting.
The first evening and the Saturday were perhaps relatively more focused on the situation in the “outer” world. On Sunday the attention turned more to the possible causes of the problems within ourselves and how they emerge from our “inner” state of consciousness, which often acts on the basis of fear and violence. Hillary led us in considering the actual truth or falseness of the “We are the world” statement. Using a collection of quotes from Krishnamurti’s talks and writings, we looked at what it might mean to experience the statement not merely as a concept, but as a reality – if it is such a fact.
The workshop was felt to be quite intense and challenging by many of the fifteen who stayed for the whole retreat, but also there was a great sense of sharing in a way which supported us to “be ourselves” and to express without being judged or evaluated. This was felt to be a very significant aspect of the experience and one important element of the “action” that is required in meeting the realities of human conflict and the destruction of life. Chanda summarized the event by saying that she felt something very important had taken place and that we should meet again next year to delve further into the issues and be part of a necessary transformation of consciousness.
Approaches to Self-Inquiry, August 12, 2018
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauApproaches to Self-Inquiry
Sunday, August 12
At KECC
Four of us were present for this Sunday afternoon session in the meditation room of the main house. There were several options in the material to be explored and we settled on a video of Rupert Spira, well-known nondual spiritual teacher, in conversation with two teachers of A Course in Miracles. The teachers wanted to ask Rupert how the vision of the Course compared with his own perspective on key issues related to consciousness, awareness, God, and reality. Rupert was asked to comment on a number of statements from the Course, which he did in his usual precise and detailed manner. There seemed to be agreement on the points discussed.
Our group engaged in a further discussion of some of the issues which seemed most interesting to us and slowly inquired together in a way which brought is to a sense of stillness and peacefulness beyond the activity of thought. There was a feeling of unity and harmony in the group which seemed to be a significant outcome of the dialogue exploring the nature of our experience.
Rupert Spira Session–August 12th
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauReport for the Rupert Spira Session—August 12, 2018
Chapter 20—Every Breath Belongs To The Universe
Today’s session included powerful sharing—so powerful that we only completed one half of the chapter. The theme today was Rupert’s idea that belief in a separate self moving about in a world of independent objects is nothing short of blasphemy. In order to help us shift into a more spacious experience he took us through several visualizations and contemplations centered on breathing.
For example, we learned that with our eyes closed we have no experience of a solid, dense earth. Also, in these existential contemplations there was nothing to think about. It only involved visualizing and feeling.
Participants noticed a feeling of peace permeating the meditation room as we all reflected on Rupert’s words. One person shared that all we needed to do was relax and stop “seeking”. Another told us how we could experience oneness with others. This is because the awareness that I am is the same awareness that you are. The importance of breathing began to become clear as the session continued.
We spent time talking about how the power of judgments can cause us to start believing in things or conditions that don’t exist, reminding us of Krishnamurti’s focus on the importance of observing and experiencing what actually is.
In order to maintain the belief in a separate self we must rely on clues embedded in our conditioned reactions and become aware of the influence of our five senses. What Rupert does in this audio is start to erase those clues and undermine our conditioning so that we rely more and more on our actual experience. This is the way to freedom. This is the way to break up the myth that we’re a cluster of thoughts and feelings imprisoned inside a bag of skin.
Exploring Awareness at KECC, August 5, 2018
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauExploring Awareness
KECC
August 5, 2018
Our afternoon session on Sunday, August 5, resumed our exploration of guided meditation as a way of understanding directly what Krishnamurti and other teachers are pointing to. It is proposed that a more experiential knowing or insight may be available than through verbal discussion, or that the activity of verbal inquiry will be complemented by being invited into an experience of it in a different way. The three participants were guided into a way of looking at both the nature around us as we sat on the front lawn and then the arising of our thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the same space of observation or awareness. We then took a silent walk while exploring the total attention we’d been invited to embody, followed by a short sharing of our experiences. It was remarked that the type of perceiving suggested opened up the awareness to a more subtle and detailed seeing and a sense of wholeness.
We then listened to a guided meditation by Jeff Foster, which was similar and also somewhat different than the first meditation. After the forty minute meditation we discussed briefly how it had affected us and the conversation became a friendly and significant sharing of our experiences which we all seemed to appreciate.
Krishnamurti Study Session, August 5, 2018
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauKrishnamurti Study Session
KECC
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Continuing with our study of J. Krishnamurti’s book The First and Last Freedom, we looked into Q & A chapter 31, “On Immediate Realization.” A small group of three of us sat out on the front lawn on a lovely summer day and were soon engaged in discussion about the changing nature of life in Victoria and how such change reflects the general situation we are facing in the world, with the increasing population, crowdedness, environmental degradation, and interrelated issues that are clearly affecting our daily lives. When we turned to the chapter in the book there was a clear connection between our concerns and K’s discussion of meeting a problem or a crisis and being free of it. The exploration continued with attention to the various levels of challenge in the “outer” world and their equivalent in the “inner”. It was a very alive and interesting dialogue.
From Delusion to Awakening Weekend Retreat, July 27 – 29, 2018
/in Event Summaries /by David BruneauFrom Delusion to Awakening
with GP Walsh
July 27 – 29, 2018
This weekend retreat, held at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada near Victoria, BC, was presented by GP Walsh, a spiritual teacher from New York. GP has been teaching inquiry and self-awareness for over thirty years. He is the founder of the MasterHEART Institute and the creator of Inner Reconciliation, which formed the backbone of this retreat.
GP’s website explains the central points of his teaching. The path to awakening is twofold: the path of inquiry or wisdom and the path of compassion or heart. Both are necessary in order to both know the reality of your true being and to live it in everyday life. We are always our true self, but we do need to have our own unique personal realization of it. And it doesn’t stop there. Once the awakening begins to dawn we can begin to integrate that inspiration and wisdom into every detail of our lives. Thus we become the living truth.
The retreat began with a public talk on the Friday evening, attended by seventeen people. GP spoke of the fact of impermanence and change, pointing out that conflict is the attempt to make stable that which is always changing. He asked if there is something unchanging which observes the change, something unmoving which can see the movement. He expressed his deep appreciation of J. Krishnamurti and the importance of his teachings on the understanding of the operation of the “egoic” mind, As Krishnamurti points out, without this understanding we cannot be free.
GP encouraged us to openly express what is going on in the egoic consciousness and not to sugar-coat it. Thus we can be with what is authentically our experience. This set the stage for the weekend of inquiry, guided meditations, and group discussions of the nature of our consciousness and our true identity as awareness rather than as the “person”. Included were stories depicting our human shared process of seeking, GP’s own experiences in that domain, and exploration of the challenges and anxieties involved in the deconstruction of the ego. The sixteen participants looked into the nature of the “present moment” and kept returning to the question “Who am I, really?” GP pointed to the
significance of allowing whatever is being experienced and being aware of resistance in ourselves to “what is”. Everything in us has a place when not being interpreted and shaped by the egoic delusion that we are separate entities. When the idea of separateness is believed, we suffer. Otherwise, our unique expression of Being can by enjoyed and valued. The one and it’s expression as the many are of equal significance.
GP skillfully stretched the boundaries of our understanding and experience of ourselves and our reality. He also presented a short experiential outline of the “Emotional Freedom Technique”, which has been helpful for resolving fears and conflicts.
Included in the weekend were two videos about the life of Krishnamurti and some of his teachings on the subject of freedom. Delicious meals were provided by the local Glenrosa Restaurant. It was a wonderful weekend and we look forward to further association with GP.