Self-inquiry, October 22, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Sunday, October 22, 2023

With James Waite

At 538 Swanwick Road in Metchosin, BC

 

Ten people all included were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin. The meeting was facilitated by James Waite, who picked up in the area he’d left on the previous Sunday, which was Krishnamurti’s description of the “old brain” and the “new brain”. He gave a short summary of what we had previously covered. The old brain creates our sense of ourselves by projecting images that together make up the sense of a person. These images must be seen instantly as they arise and not through search and analysis, which are the ways of the old brain. K speaks of the “way of negation” and the “emptying of consciousness” or the “emptying of the known”. As we empty our consciousness of the known we begin to know what is true. The seeing of the false brings about a complete revolution in consciousness, James asserted, revealing our true nature as peace, love, joy, and beauty. We do not know these qualities objectively: we are them.

The question arose, “how does conflict and suffering arise in us? Do they originate in fear? We spent some time with the issue of fear. It was asked if fear disappears with the death of the body. It was mentioned that the Buddha had claimed that the cause of suffering is ignorance, the ignoring of what we truly are.

It was suggested that “passion” is required in the journey of self-inquiry and, James suggested, this passion is a gift rather than something we ourselves create. It is a yearning within us to know the truth. Once we take the first step into truth the rest will unfold by itself as we negate the contents of the conscious and unconscious mind.

It was proposed that an intensive attention is necessary and we wondered how such awareness arises. Is suffering necessary, and are suffering and sorrow the same? Do we really care deeply about the truth or are we merely lukewarm in our interest? What is our motive for such activity? James suggested we read the postings in the Facebook group called West Coast Self-inquiry where we might find some material of interest.

We finished up our meeting with a modest meal of Indian sweet desserts provided by the wife of one of our group members. The food and the friendly company was very much enjoyed as a supplement to our dialogue and inquiry session.

DB

Self-inquiry, October 18, 2023

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Self-inquiry

October 18, 2023

With KECC staff

Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion

 

Eight people attended this meeting at the fairly new Gorge Park pavilion in Victoria, BC. James Waite, who was scheduled to facilitate the event, was not able to do so and was replaced by Ralph and David representing the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. The meeting began with short self-introductions by those present and then a question wondering if any of the attendees had a subject related to self-inquiry or the teachings of J. Krishnamurti on that activity which they would like to explore within the context of the group format.

One person spoke directly to her interest in the question “What is self-inquiry?” and a few others responded with their perspectives on the nature of the “practice” or activity. The responses focused mainly on the significance of observing one’s thoughts and feelings as they manifest in relation to one’s interactions with the world and with other individuals. We looked carefully for some time at the sensations and reactions of our physical body, noticing that our bodies react in subtle and complex ways as we go about our daily lives. Our minds are also very complex and display multiple expressions of a “self” or personality. This “I” concept is very much involved in creating conflict in our relationships and observing its movements is necessary if we wish to attain any freedom from conflict and suffering. Insight into the workings of our body-mind is crucial in this practice of self-inquiry. We can learn to be more sensitive to the various layers of the self as we observe.

It was an interesting exploration of some fundamental aspects of Krishnamurti’s vision of life and the potential of the human being.

DB

Self-inquiry, October 15, 2023

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Self-inquiry

With James Waite

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada

 

Eight people attended this Sunday afternoon dialogue session at the Metchosin location for KECC at 538 Swanwick Road. Facilitator James Waite opened the meeting with a reading from a J. Krishnamurti talk on the subject of the “old brain” and the “new brain”. When the brain becomes quiet the old brain is transcended, making space for a new clarity of perception and understanding which the old brain cannot have. The old brain, James pointed out, is binary or dualistic, always thinking in terms of either/or. It is dualistic, grounded in subject/object conceiving, and oriented to the past, whereas the new brain is attentive in the present moment and can recognize our true nature as awareness. The old brain is who or what we think we are, not what we really are.

A question was posed by a participant, “How can we switch from the old brain or mind to the new?”

A sensitive discussion followed concerning the limitations of beliefs and definitions and then the need for “order” when we are seeking freedom. The nature of order and the need to see the disorder in ourselves were looked into and it was suggested that seeing the disorder is the essence of the new functioning of the brain, bringing forth a different quality of awareness or perception.

It was suggested we take care to notice during the coming week how the old brain habitually acts in our daily lives. There seemed to be a keenness to watch ourselves in such a way.

DB

Self-inquiry October 11, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

With KECC staff

Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion

 

A total of seven people were present for this late afternoon meeting of inquirers interested in exploring J. Krishnamurti’s perspectives on self-inquiry and the way individuals can investigate the nature of their own psychological and “spiritual’ make-up. As K himself said, an effective application of self observation can bring about a state of freedom and fulfilment in the individual which can express itself in his or her daily life. Some of those present were fairly new to Krishnamurti’s approach to self-knowledge but had penetrating questions and insights, thus bringing a freshness and creativity to the inquiry which made it very interesting and challenging in a somewhat profound way.

Originally the expectation had been that the session would be facilitated by James Waite. The time of day, however, made it difficult for James to drive home on the Malahat highway and James was replaced by Ralph and David in the basically leaderless gathering. The situation was acknowledged at the beginning, there were brief introductions by participants, then the floor was opened to anyone with a burning question who would like to share it with the group. When one group member mentioned Krishnamurti’s emphasis on “choiceless awareness” in exploring one’s consciousness, a second person asked if one could in fact make a distinction between the two things. This led to some pertinent observations about the two concepts, their meanings, and the subtleties of unfolding their deepest significance. How we go about such an investigation was explored. The dissolution of concepts and of thought in the face of direct seeing made for interesting dialogue.

A participant read a passage from a K book entitled Freedom, which opened up a discussion of the nature of space and of the concrete images that fill the space as the centre we call ”me”. The functioning of this “I” thought was commented upon, along with a further reading from the Krishnamurti book, and the dialogue unfolded in a way both pleasant and revealing. It was an enjoyable sharing and inquiry into the nature of the mind and beyond.

 

DB

Self-inquiry, October 1, 2023

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Self-inquiry with Oda Lindner

Sunday, October 1, 2023

At Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada

Metchosin, BC

 

Nine people showed up at the Centre to explore the teachings of Krishnamurti together with Oda Lindner from Niagara. Oda has been visiting for a couple of weeks and facilitating twice-weekly meetings with interested people as well as having individual inquiry sessions with participants wishing to have a more intimate exploration of what K may have to offer them. The group meetings provide an opportunity to look more deeply into the teachings in a group context.

One of the participants suggested we each give a short introduction to ourselves and to our understanding of what K has said. Oda then recommended that each one address the questions “What is meditation?” and “How do I apply meditation in my life?” Oda began by saying that her understanding of meditation is to be aware of every thought and feeling that arises in us. This awareness of the movement of thought brings about a natural silence which contains a sense of love, joy, and beauty. It is learning about oneself through choiceless awareness and being fully attentive to that end.

Other participants shared their experience of meditation, which included being aware of conflict within us. The opposition between “what is” and “what should be” or “what will be” creates conflict and lack of harmony in relationships, which in turn brings suffering. The fact of fear was mentioned and some discussion of how to deal with it took place. It was asked if we need to see the whole picture of fear before it will disappear completely. How can fear be completely resolved in us? Sharing our perspectives brought a richness to the exploration of the questions brought to the circle. Participants seemed to value and enjoy the process.

DB

Self-inquiry, September 27, 2023

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Self-inquiry

September 27, 2023

With Oda Lindner

Esquimalt Gorge Pavilion

 

Seven people in total attended this Wednesday afternoon meeting at the beautifully constructed pavilion in Gorge Park on Tillicum Road. The session was facilitated by Oda Lindner, who is visiting the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin, BC, and is being sponsored by the same charitable organisation. The purpose of the Centre is to disseminate the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, a spiritual teacher who lived from 1895 to 1986. Oda Lindner has spent many years studying the teachings and presently lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario.

Oda began the meeting by describing how she had found breath work very helpful in experiencing the meaning of what Krishnamurti spoke of when he gave his own talks and wrote his many books. Breathing is always taking place in the present moment, which K says is the only time we can realise the truth of what he is saying. There is a strong tendency in the human mind to continuously bring in the past and to separate ourselves from each other and from the present moment. Group discussion or dialogue is useful in bringing attention to the deeper aspects of our capacities to penetrate deeply into the layers of our consciousness and to realise a sense of freedom in ourselves.

Different participants had varying input into the discussion, some of which seemed to stray from the central points of K’s teachings and yet were considered to be important for those sharing them. One group member produced a book written by Mark Lee entitled Probing the Mystery and asked permission to read a passage which expressed K’s assertion at the end of his life that nobody has touched the mystery that is Krishnamurti and nobody ever will. At the same time it was agreed that it is not helpful to compare ourselves to Krishnamurti and judge ourselves to be less than perfect in that comparison.

The dialogue ranged through a number of topics and questions raised by K during his lifetime. The issue of desire was considered by one person in particular to be very important in unravelling the meanings in the teachings and we spent some time with it. The writer had some doubts about the extent to which the dialogue actually revealed significant insights into the understanding of our habits of thinking in that area, but the process of inquiry seemed to be felt useful by some of the group. How many was difficult to tell.

Self-inquiry

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Self-inquiry

With Oda Lindner

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada

 

Eight participants were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Metchosin location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. It was our first session of this year’s visit by Oda Lindner from Niagara, Ontario, as the support person in residence at the Centre. Some of those attending were regulars and some were new to the “dialogue” events at 538 Swanwick Road. Oda had facilitated events in previous years and was familiar with some of the participants.

Oda began the session by reading a short passage about the “observer” and “the observed”, a central aspect of Krishnamurti’s teachings. She then invited comments and responses from the group members which might help to illuminate the meaning of K’s perspective on the relation between these apparently separate elements of our experience. A few people in the group shared some of their insights into the division between the observer and the observed and the transcendence of that division. Such insight was said by K to be crucial when studying the workings of one’s consciousness. The sharing opened up some intensive exploration of the self-knowledge and “seeing” that could possibly clear the content of the consciousness or the habits of thought by which each person might be limited or held back when approaching the spacious “emptiness” that could reveal the deeper aspects of who or what we really are.

After some probing into the living presence of silence and “the timeless”, the inquiry turned to the nature of fear and its mechanisms within us. What kind of observation, what depth of feeling and seeing, are necessary to bring about the change in us that makes a difference? The investigation seemed to stimulate some conflict amongst the group and yet we came to a mutual sharing of such truths as the need to remain open and present to whatever one was experiencing within the group process and within oneself. Such shared realisations seemed to be of significant value as we felt our way into ever-deeper realms of “what Is”. It was an interesting journey into the nature of thought and awareness which seemed to leave the group with an anticipation of further gems to be discovered in coming sessions with Oda.

 

DB

Self-inquiry, September 20, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion

With James Waite

 

Eight participants were in attendance for this Wednesday afternoon meeting at the lovely Gorge Park Pavilion in Victoria, BC. The session was facilitated by James Waite from Brentwood Bay. It began with some spontaneous sharing of our backgrounds and interest in the works of J. Krishnamurti. The topics of discussion and exploration ranged over various aspects of self-inquiry and the challenges of learning about ourselves. It was asked whether such inquiry produces anything new and fresh in our experience of ourselves and especially in our insight concerning the makeup of our consciousness and psychological structures. This was considered to be important because seeing something about ourselves in a new way can bring about a change in us which may deepen our way of experiencing our lives and our relationships with each other. We spoke of the central place of learning in our lives and of what is actually meant by learning. Self-observation was said to be the most important element of Krishnamurti’s teachings along with the integration of such “meditation” with our daily lives of work and play. Every moment is a teaching moment and asks for our willingness to “walk the walk”, which requires the kind of sensitivity displayed by Krishnamurti throughout his lifetime.

The fact of “emptiness” or “vacancy” was explored along with the necessity for us to realise and embody these states of being, as K did in his life. An important aspect of emptiness is the activity of fully listening to others and to one’s own inner reality as it displays itself in our relationships. The listening empties the mind of thought and concepts which only clutter the mind and prevent clear seeing and insight. It is crucial, it was said, to see the operation of the “I” concept in oneself and to dissolve the solidity of thoughts which create the sense of self.

The illusion of “practice” was explored, wherein practice is seen to be an obstruction rather than a beneficial activity.

The eight participants all had significant ideas and insights to share, making the dialogue an interesting and apparently meaningful one for all of us.

DB

Self-inquiry, September 17, 2023

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Self-inquiry with James Waite

Sunday, September 17, 2023

Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada

538 Swanwick Rd., Metchosin, BC

 

Eight people in total were present for this outdoor meeting on the front lawn at the Metchosin Krishnamurti Centre. When the requirement to be vaccinated was mentioned as the meeting got underway, it turned out that one of the participants had not been vaccinated and was asked to leave. The young man was quite willing to depart without any ill feelings and the meeting continued without any significant conflict.

Once the meeting was in process one of the participants expressed an interest in exploring Krishnamurti’s approach to the subject of fear and how one could best investigate the presence of fear in such a group setting and in one’s daily life. This led to some sharing of what group members understood about being with fear from their studies of Krishnamurti as well as their studies of themselves. We discussed the observation of thought without judgement, the arising of insight in such observation, meeting life situations without reaction, and seeing our conditioning as it reveals itself in our daily relationships. A couple of books were recommended when people asked for guidance in that domain and participants opted to purchase the K books Freedom from the Known and The Book of Life.

The tone of the meeting was one of cooperation and friendliness.

 

DB

Self-inquiry, September 13, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Wednesday, September 13, 2023

With James Wait

Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion

 

Six participants in total attended this late afternoon meeting at the lovely Gorge Park Pavilion in Victoria, BC. The meeting was sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada and was facilitated by James Waite. The event began spontaneously with group members introducing themselves and sharing how they understand who or what they are, which at least partly depended on their conditioning or what they have been told. It was clear that each participant has his or her own explanations of what life is about and how they identify themselves in the world. It was mentioned that Krishnamurti focused on bringing forward the quality of “intelligence” which arises when thought takes a back seat. He asked if there is a “fresh” and “new” way of living that is beyond thought.

Another participant asked if we could explore the question of “how” intelligence is awakened. Man, according to K, is caught in knowledge and thinking. What will change him or her? It was offered by a few that what is required is observation without trying to change what is observed. The movement of thought can be observed and we can thereby be free of the thoughts that are habitual for us and which create a kind of slavery.

It was commented that group members tended to hold forth with their sharings for long periods rather than asking for responses and questions about what is being said. Some wondered if we needed more questioning, and if it would be useful to explore the make-up of our own suffering. K put a lot of attention in his talks onto psychological suffering, one participant said, and the need to break the slavery that we ourselves have created. The perceiving of slavery, he said, is the breaking of it. As soon as we see the fact, we are out of it.

At one point the discussion seemed to become contentious. James then asked what we really want and there was some agreement that we want happiness. It was then suggested that we need total attention, which produced a shift towards more cooperation and peacefulness within the group – and a sense of “love”. The meeting ended on a “positive” note.

DB