Krishnamurti Study Session

Saturday, October 28, 2017

The material for study this meeting was from The First and Last Freedom by J. Krishnamurti, Q&A 17 “On Memory.” A questioner had asked K. about his statement that memory is incomplete experience. He goes into the issue in depth in the response to the questioner, covering different aspects of it. The challenges of life are always new, but memory is always the old and therefore is inadequate in responding to the present situation. Also, memory tends to function as an instrument of the “me” or separate self, habitually protecting and defending the self and carrying past experiences in relationship into the present moment, thereby preventing any fresh and direct experience of life. This can make life “weary, dull, and empty”

The three participants engaged in some interesting discussion about the subject matter, reflecting on the relevance of it in our own lives and bringing awareness to the way thought operates in us as memory. We explored the difference between thinking and presence, the sense of pure being, and wholeness. It was a delightful sharing.

Science and Nonduality Conference

San Jose, California

October 20 – 22, 2017

It has been a consistent part of our program at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada for the past three years to host a live streaming of the annual conference held in the San Francisco area in October. The conference is a forum for prominent scientists and spiritual teachers to come together and share their perspectives on the nature of reality with an audience apparently comprised of people interested in the scientific and/or spiritual dimensions. Twelve participants were present at the Centre for the weekend. As is often the case, there were some problems with the technology and the live streaming was not always available, but fortunately the presentations were recorded and could be viewed later on our own schedule if not live. The weekend was packed with presentations by a mixture of male and female presenters with sometimes very different ways of communicating their viewpoints and questions about the study of life and consciousness. They covered a wide spectrum from very complex and rational science to wild and chaotic expressions of the “Kali” energy, a more right brain and less linear mode. A prominent focus was the need to integrate the “heart” with the head. Participants were familiar with some of the presenters, particularly such as Adyashanti, Rupert Spira, Francis Lucille, Cynthia Bourgeault, and Deepak Chopra. There was some comedy and entertainment mixed in with the more serious presentations.

The sessions were mostly twenty minutes in duration, which in many cases allowed for only a taste of the presenter’s full vision. More in-depth exploration would have been available at the conference itself with longer sessions supplementing the program taking place in the main auditorium. Nevertheless, the material did invite a looking into ourselves and a questioning of unconsciously held beliefs and concepts. Some of the talks inspired a sense of wonder at the vastness and majesty of the universe and the capacities of the consciousness that can contemplate it. A video of a David Suzuki interview with David Bohm, who was closely associated with J. Krishnamurti for many years, was included in the program. Delicious meals were provided by Pearson College. As always with the events at the Centre, the weekend was an opportunity to be with ourselves in a way that invited insight and deeper understanding. It seemed to be much enjoyed by all present.

Inquiry Sunday
October 1, 2017

Four of us were in attendance at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada for our monthly “Inquiry Sunday” event. The morning session included a showing of a movie produced by Paul Smit entitled “All About Nothing,” followed by a video clip of Paul himself explaining the main causes of human suffering. The film was very well made and humorous while getting across some fundamental insights about human behaviour and the “non-dual” approach to our predicament. We enjoyed a good deal of lightness and laughter while witnessing the difficulties of the various characters in the story as they experienced conflicts and frustrations as a result of their identification with the idea of being separate entities. The commentary from those characters with a clearer vision of the situation was also entertaining as well as profound.
We had some engaging conversation about the film which touched on some real-life challenges the group participants had been facing. It provided a practical relevance to the inquiry. The afternoon session was planned as a Q & A session with video clips by Krishnamurti and others, but the guests from the morning could not stay for that event.

Death and Birth Beyond Time
Retreat with Richard Waxberg and Deborah Kerner
September 22 – 24, 2017

We were delighted to be joined again this year by Richard and Deborah from the Krishnamurti Foundation of America in Ojai, California. Their brochure for the weekend event describes the intentions and approach of their work. “We are entering together into an exciting journey of discovery, inquiring into the potential for living in freedom to see if it is possible to meet the mystery and beauty of being alive with a fresh mind, as if for the first time…. The intensive retreat invites us to explore Krishnamurti’s insights that point to the possibility of a transformation of consciousness.”
Fourteen people participated in the retreat, which was mostly conducted in a “dialogue” format.  For periods of time each day we sat in a circle, sharing the inquiry and the insights arising as we emphasized “what K referred to as a deep ‘listening and seeing’, the open door through which unexamined beliefs, concepts. and ideas can be revealed beyond the limitation of thought and time, without judgment or resistance. This dimension of ‘seeing’ and ‘listening is like turning a powerful light on our conditioned responses, the normally hidden layers of conditioned thinking.”
Using quotes from K’s writings as entry points, our group dialogues unfolded spontaneously, along with occasional reminders to leave our tendencies to fall into limited thinking strategies and to be open to a more direct knowing (or “not-knowing”) that is vibrant and alive. Many aspects of the journey beyond becoming and into “being” were investigated in an atmosphere of affection and respect. A videotape of K speaking with David Bohm was played on Saturday night and provided more stimulation for our inquiry. There was time for walks in nature and rest periods. Delicious meals were provided by Pearson College. It was a wonderful weekend and we will be looking forward to Richard and Deborah’s return next year.

Krishnamurti Study Group
Saturday, September 2, 2017

We had a good turnout of ten participants for this afternoon session on the front lawn of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin. We looked into The First and Last Freedom, Q & A # 15 “On Criticism.” Krishnamurti goes into some of the reasons why we criticize ourselves and others and asks if even so-called “constructive criticism” is actually useful. He asks us “What is the necessary state of mind and heart that will understand relationship?” He suggest that what is needed is a passive awareness that is not judging or evaluating what is actually present but is open and sensitive to it. We cannot understand a child if we are projecting our own opinions about its behaviour. We must look and listen with a quiet mind, with warmth and affection.
The passages from the text stimulated lively discussion in the group, with a real application of what was being read to the communication, so that there was a sense of harmonious exploration rather than argument or opinion. Such sharing is enjoyable and tends to produce meaningful insight.