The group worked off of a Krisnamurti quote, which will remain the same single quote  for all dialogues in August:

“To go very far, you must begin very near.

But that is very difficult for most of us

because we want to escape from

“what is” ; from the fact of what we are.“

The group began by looking at collective “escape” from both “uncertainty “and “confusion.”

A comparison was made between uncertainty and insecurity, which are frequently viewed as similar but may not be. There were observations of insecurity as threat, which led to a question of whether lack of knowledge is felt to be dangerous?

Some debate centered around whether “what is” is not available when the mind is “chattering” OR

if the “what is” may itself BE the chattering mind.

In returning to the quote ,the questions was asked: “Why is the “near” difficult?”, there was observation of a Blindness to that which is near.

Subsequent conversation  brought in references to Krishnamurti and advice to access silence as a “tool”.

The question arose, “What goes on when the mind searches for a tool?’, Including the usage of Krishnamurti theory as a “tool”? There was observation that without tools, one may be lost, and the group debated the meaning and value of being “lost”.

In closing, a group member asked , “Is it possible to be lost and uncertain without insecurity?”

A reference was made to being without hope or fear, which was reframed in the context of our daily life as hopeful, fearful beings!

 

—Vala Kondo-Legan

The Fundamental Question: Can the Mind Be Quiet?

Mukesh opened with what he called “one most important question in self-inquiry”: Can the mind be quiet? He distinguished between surface mental noise and deeper undercurrents—streams of insecurity, fear of not being accepted, and survival instincts that drive our restlessness. “In the light of silence, all problems are dissolved,” he quoted from Krishnamurti, inviting exploration of what this actually means. Participants examined their resistance to quietness and the mind’s addiction to problem-solving. The discussion revealed how every strategy to achieve silence becomes another form of noise, leading to an insight: “No strategy works.” This recognition brought both discouragement and relief—the paradoxical freedom of having “no hope, no path, no answer.”

The dialogue ended by posing a question as a gift: what brings the passion to be present when we’re constantly being hijacked by conditioning?

Gist: The dialogue identified inward quietness – which emerges effortlessly by being simply present – as the prerequisite for all spiritual inquiry, explored the futility of strategies for achieving silence, and pointed to the paradoxical freedom that comes from recognizing there is no path or solution to be found.

By Joost De Wulf, Belgium

The Flame of Attention

It was another beautiful Summer day in Metchosin, BC. The session began with a message from Mukesh to not treat this dialogue like an arena for debate, but to instead slow down and embrace a meditative quality to our shared exploration together.

After a period of silence we began to discuss image-making and identity, and questioned whether it is possible to be with what is behind or in-front of this veil. It was shared that life is unfolding in a dynamic ever-changing flow, and that being open to that allows for a deeper felt sense of presence. In contrast image-making prevents us from experiencing this full sensation, we get caught up in watching and responding to the movies in our mind.

Gist: The flame of attention was brought in throughout the conversation as a reminder to not just sense an endless state of emptiness but to also recognize the immediacy required in our lives to address the issues before us. Something that can only happen through direct action born out of awareness.

By Joost De Wulf, Belgium

The Art of Self-Inquiry

This gathering became an immersion in self-inquiry as a living practice. Mukesh invited participants into “a space which is alive, which is soft, which is connecting, not separating,” emphasizing that this work requires tools beyond thought—particularly deep listening and observation. When participants brought cosmic questions, he gently redirected toward immediate, existential concerns: “Do you see that you, as a human being, are suffering?” Drawing from Buddha’s approach, he encouraged finding one’s authentic questions rather than borrowed philosophical concepts. The dialogue moved through themes of sorrow, the “me” as a creation of thought, and the possibility of meeting without psychological separation. “This moment,” he offered when exploring what could end psychological time.

Gist: The group explored the art of self-inquiry, emphasizing presence over philosophy, listening beyond thought, and finding authentic existential questions rather than metaphysical speculation.

By Joost De Wulf, Belgium

Opening Meditation and Self-Inquiry

This gathering began with Mukesh establishing the delicate art of meditative dialogue—learning to meet as humans beyond our particular stories while honoring our full presence. Questions emerged around attachment and love, particularly when one participant shared a mysterious experience of believing one of his closest family members had died, revealing how attachment operates in the realm of immediate feeling, not just memory. The conversation wove through the aliveness that appears when we’re truly present together—birds coming alive after silence, curiosity arising spontaneously when a deer entered our space. Participants explored how genuine interest makes us forget ourselves completely, and why we give so much attention to the false self while starving for authentic presence. The dialogue touched on disorientation as potentially creative, the mind’s resistance to change, and the Buddha’s story of the grieving mother who discovered that loss is universal.

Gist: The dialogue went into an exploration of attachment versus love through immediate experience, the mystery of presence that makes everything come alive, and how genuine curiosity dissolves the psychological barriers between self and other.

By Joost De Wulf, Belgium