Self- inquiry, June 25, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Sunday, June 25, 2023

With Mukesh Gupta

At KECC Metchosin, BC

 

Five participants were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin, BC. The gathering was facilitated by Mukesh Gupta, who is visiting for some time from India. We were able to sit on the front lawn with its lovely ocean view, oak trees, and bird songs.

Mukesh began the session with a short description of what a self-inquiry dialogue is and is not. It is not a debate or exchange of opinions. We are not much interested in thought and the intellect, but more in learning together about ourselves. This learning takes place in a space of deep listening from one’s whole being with a quiet mind. There is a staying with a question that may be posed by anyone, allowing the question to flower, as Krishnamurti used to say.

After brief self-introductions, the floor was opened to anyone who had a burning question. One group member shared that she often wondered about how we can be fully in the present moment when there is such a tendency to be distracted. This opened the discussion to a range of responses which revealed the thought patterns that are common for most of us. One of these was the fact that we do not fully know ourselves and are actually afraid to meet ourselves. We may not know why we do what we do, what our purpose is in life, and this unknown sometimes seems vast and meaningless. On the other hand it was pointed out, is there not a great harmony in life? Is questioning and exploring not worthwhile and interesting?

The inquiry turned to the fact that we often turn away from the sense of nothingness or emptiness in life and in ourselves. This creates a great deal of noise in our minds. Can there be another sense of ourselves beyond the noise of thought? Can we make a quantum leap into a space of peacefulness? It may begin with a noticing of the movements of thought and then a “staying with” this questioning observation. “What is the capacity to be simply and consistently aware?” it was asked. And can we keep asking such questions?

The ongoing inquiry produced a dissolution of the sense of separation between individuals, and the emerging of a feeling of “love” amongst group members. A sense of shared meaning was registered by all and a harmony was strongly agreed to be present. It was a delightful experience.

Self-inquiry, June 21, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Esquimalt Gorge Pavilion

With Mukesh Gupta

 

Continuing with his offerings in Victoria during his visit from India, Mukesh welcomed five “friends” in an afternoon dialogue at the Gorge Park Pavilion in Esquimalt. All six attendees joined equally with questions and insights that created a lively and interesting afternoon of inquiry into the nature of ourselves. We explored a number of subjects with a focus on gaining insight into the make-up of our own consciousness and thus coming upon a sense of freedom in our experience of living. First, we looked into the challenge of calming the nervous system as a ground for self-understanding and realization of a deep peace within. We then moved into an examination of the concept of “innocence” and what it might really mean. This opened into some dialogue about fear, greed, and war in the world. Related to these explorations, the issue of our conditioning as human beings in our current society was raised and a good deal of time spent in looking at different aspects of our conditioning, for example the need to be competitive and to compare ourselves with others. Right education is needed to move beyond this quality of conflict.

It was a worthwhile and interesting session apparently enjoyed by all.

 

DB

Self-inquiry, June 18, 2023

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Self-inquiry

With Mukesh Gupta

Krishnamurti Educational Centre, Metchosin

June 18, 2023

 

A small group of four gathered at 3 pm in the Gatehouse to dialogue with Mukesh Gupta from India. Windy and chilly weather prohibited sitting outdoors, but holding the meeting indoors felt comfortable and conducive to conversing in a quiet and attentive manner. As he often does, Mukesh asked if anyone had a pressing question to delve into. He outlined what he feels are important qualities to bring to such an exploration of our own minds and hearts. Effective dialogue, he shared, requires a slow and sensitive looking and listening without any demand to produce an immediate answer or solution to a problem or question that has arisen.

One participant shared that she’d been wondering about the state called “enlightenment”. What is it, exactly, and what does Krishnamurti say about it? This led to a spontaneous exploration of thought and awareness, the difference between the two, and what it means to awaken to a state of awareness. Is there any method, any “how”, to awakening to awareness?

We went slowly and carefully into the nature of thinking and what it is like to move without a method into a state of seeing and listening which is beyond the definitions and descriptions that thought draws on to label such subtle realities. Every participant found his or her own inner insights and conceptual terms which added to the group process of discovery, producing a creative flow of fresh and lively perceptions. It was an unfolding, largely beyond thought, which brought a sense of timelessness in the slow and gentle unravelling of the nature of thought and awareness. The insights were sometimes difficult to describe but were very interesting to the contemplative minds that all participated with deep perception and intelligence, seemingly with minimal effort, in the creation of a rich experience of “meditative self-inquiry”.

Self-inquiry, June 14, 2023

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Self-inquiry

June 14, 2023

Esquimalt Gorge Pavilion

With Mukesh Gupta

 

Six people were in attendance for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Gorge Park Pavilion facilitated by Mukesh Gupta, who is visiting from India for the summer. Mukesh generally offers a very open-ended format so that participants can express and explore whatever issue is foremost in their experience. One of the dialoguers gave a full description of an interpersonal issue she had been struggling with for some time and which had been generating a good deal of frustration and difficulty for her emotionally. A couple of other participants added their own stories to the first one so that the group was soon actively engaged with the resolution of a few issues while at the same time being very aware that seeking a solution to our problems was not going to be ultimately a deeply satisfying procedure. The temporary fix that might be found would not resolve the tendency of thought to create similar problems repeatedly. It became more and more apparent that what was needed was a persistent and deep watchfulness in regard to the activities of the thinking mind. The group began a wider and more profound examination of the mind’s core habits and tendencies. Sometimes these were expressed in very abstract ways which seemed challenging to understand – except by the person sharing them.

As the dialogue continued, the communication seemed to become more comprehensible, with moments of fuller and also of lesser sharing of meaning. This seems to often be the case when people get together to explore the workings of themselves but, nevertheless, it seemed like a worthwhile exercise and a useful way to spend an hour and a half on a Wednesday afternoon. There was a sense of shared meaning in tackling the nature of our consciousness and the focus moving more and more into the realm of mystery. We were quite aware of the extreme difficulty in attaining any final description or definition in the attempts of thought to pin down any reality. Ultimately we found it impossible to find any stable or solid ideas to describe our own nature and the nature of consciousness. This was not an insight to be held without value and the feeling was that we had penetrated a number of layers of our thinking and exposed ourselves to a more interesting level of “what is”.

Self-inquiry, June 11, 2023

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Self-inquiry with Mukesh Gupta

Sunday, June 11, 2023

KECC Metchosin

 

Five dialoguers joined together on a lovely sunny afternoon in Metchosin to inquire into our essential nature and the truth of who or what we actually are. The fine weather allowed us to sit on the lawn in front of the main house at 538 Swanwick Road. The meeting was facilitated by Mukesh Gupta, who is visiting from India for several months. After a period of silent sitting, Mukesh asked if there was any particular question or issue that anyone would like to explore. He then suggested that we ask some deep questions regarding the nature of order and disorder and specifically “What is wellness?” and “What is happiness?” This stimulated further questions about suffering and disorder. Is disorder the cause of suffering, and where does reactivity play a role in our unhappiness? Unconsciousness was offered as a cause of disorder, including the assumption of identity and the illusion of such thought-generated activity. Our beliefs in certain identities have the power to cloud our perceptions of ourselves and the world, limiting the freedom that is possible when attentive awareness observes the thinking process.

Krishnamurti used to say that the first step is the last step. We discussed the importance of beginning with listening and noticing when listening is not taking place. This listening creates more spaciousness in the mind, is a living and instant perception which reveals the “truth” of life as Being and Seeing and brings us into an ever greater sense of Presence. Listening to our own suffering brings learning and insight as the outcome of our actions and thoughts are seen. Therefore, it is important to keep asking ourselves, “What is listening?”

The engagement in a small group dialogue of this sort was deemed to be of great value in the exploration of ourselves and the integration of an ever-deepening understanding of our nature and our capacity to respond effectively to life on a daily basis.

 

DB

Self-inquiry, Wednesday, June 7, 2023

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Self-inquiry

June 7, 2023

With Mukesh Gupta

Esquimalt Gorge Pavilion

 

Six of us in total were present for this meeting at the lovely Gorge Park Pavilion. Mukesh Gupta from India was with us as a facilitator and support person. He asked participants to share what their interest was in such a meeting, which inspired interesting short stories of individual’s journeys through the realms of Advaita Vedanta, Vipassana, the formless, the opening to “emptiness”, and the experience of “just being”. A final question was asked to end the introductions: “Can we be meeting life freshly day by day, moment by moment?”

Mukesh mentioned that such explorations share a common “ground” in that the intellect can be useful but we can go deeper than knowledge and thought. We can invite a sense of love and affection. Self-inquiry can be an experience of deep meaning in the silence from which we listen and speak. We can slow down and connect with this living moment.

One dialoguer asked what it means to “be with” or “stay with” something and it was suggested that slowing down may be very helpful. This allows us to relate to “others”.

Mukesh guided us in an exploration of the source of thought, which was found to reside in memory and imprints of memories, both of which can be useful or not. It is important to discern what about thought is true or false. Mukesh suggested that “seeing” is most important and that seeing anything clearly brings liberation.

It was an interesting meeting with some new friends in attendance.

Self-inquiry, June 4, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Sunday, June 4, 2023

With Mukesh Gupta

At KECC Metchosin

 

This was the first meeting this year facilitated by Mukesh Gupta, newly arrived from India for a planned stay of three months at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada In Metchosin, BC, a half-hour drive from Victoria. There were eight people in total present for the dialogue gathering which began with each person giving a short introduction of themselves and their interest in Krishnamurti and his teachings. There was a short disagreement between one of the group and Mukesh which created some disturbance, but most of the participants soon settled down and began to enjoy the group inquiry. We were able to sit on the front lawn where we had sunshine or shade, as we chose, and a minimum of wind.

The talk soon turned to the sharing of some painful recent experiences of separation from a wife as well as memories of relationships that had produced some intense sorrow or suffering. There seemed to be a need on the part of a number of the participants to share their pain with the others and to feel supported by them. Out of this sharing there developed a sense of compassion and acceptance which at times spontaneously turned into a meditative silence of the whole group for extended periods. Between the times of silence we spoke of the challenging reality of losing something or someone we love and of the meaning of friendship and connection with other humans. We looked at the process of becoming attached to another and of having that attachment broken. Krishnamurti’s ideas about love and attachment were brought into the circle and explored. His teachings about observing ourselves throughout the flow of our daily lives were considered with care. The individuals present appeared to find the inquiry of value and to be an activity that would attract them in the future. After a period of about two hours the meeting was brought to an end with a summary by Mukesh. We look forward to further such gatherings.

DB

Self-inquiry, May 28, 2023

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Self-inquiry

May 28, 2023

With Harshad Parekh

KECC Metchosin

 

Six people in total were present for Harshad’s last dialogue meeting at the Swanwick Road location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. He is returning to India on May 29. It was a lovely sunny day, allowing us to sit out on the lawn in front of the main house, with its spectacular view of the ocean and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains in Washington. We decided to read some excerpts from a Krishnamurti book, Think on These Things, to be followed by discussion of the content. Before reading, Harshad gave a short but precise introduction to what K says about thinking. In various ways, he points out that thinking continuously creates problems and, in fact, Is the problem. Is it possible to see this clearly and to be free of thinking? Is there something we can call awareness that is beyond thinking and can observe the movements of thought and feeling. Is such observation freedom? This question seems to be at the core of K’s teachings.

The chapter looks at the issue of working together or “cooperating” in order to ensure our physical survival as well as our psychological security and well-being. This requires an understanding of how our minds work when they create difficulties and conflicts in our relationships. One of the issues is that almost all our behaviour is motivated by reward and punishment and the attempt to assert and build up our sense of self. This can produce an experience of separateness, but when this is seen the separateness may dissolve and an energy of cooperation may arise to sustain our enjoyment of supporting each other. At the same time we may understand when not to cooperate, for example when an idea looks promising but includes elements that will produce conflict and disharmony. The plan may be corrupted by selfish motives.

The book is addressed to young students, and it deals with the challenge of learning how to work and play effectively and happily. It seemed like a subject of real importance and one worthy of deep inquiry in our lives. We felt grateful for Harshad’s guidance over the past month and wished him a good trip home.

Self-inquiry, May 24, 2023

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Self-inquiry

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

With Harshad Parekh

Esquimalt Gorge Pavilion, Victoria, BC

 

Five people in total attended this afternoon meeting at the lovely location of the Pavilion in Esquimalt Gorge Park. The session was facilitated by our current visitor from India, Harshad Parekh and was sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

Harshad began with some ideas about perception and awareness which together awaken us to the beauty around us and within us. Attachment to words and concepts interfere with clear perception and fill our inner space with thoughts and feelings that clutter our experience. Self-observation and “meditation” can produce a clear seeing, as when the Buddha saw the morning star with its great beauty and significance. Noticing our reactions while in daily life as well as in contemplative activities like group dialogue can clear our consciousness of its content and reveal the beauty of inner space. The mind’s tendency to create images prevents a greater depth of seeing and inquiry.

The conversation turned to the value of learning moment to moment as we observe the movements of our minds and hearts. We explored the meaning of education for children and the need for the deep support of unconditional love, which Krishnamurti judged to be absolutely essential in growing up as a psychologically and emotionally healthy being. This requires a great sensitivity on the part of the parents and teachers of the children. The difference between acquiring knowledge and developing a sensitive awareness was looked into as a part of this interesting and enjoyable dialogue.

DB

Self-inquiry, May 21, 2023

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Self-inquiry,

Sunday, May 21, 2023

With Harshad Parekh

At KECC

 

Five people attended this meeting at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin, BC. It was a sunny but very windy day, so we decided to hold the gathering inside rather than out on the lawn. Harshad was present once again to guide us through an inquiry into the challenge of living with compassion and awareness when dealing with others and with ourselves. He began by asking if there was a burning question that someone would like to explore in some depth and one of the participants was eager to present such a problem. It was an issue of being triggered by behaviour on the part of others that felt dismissive or critical and wanting to find an effective way or a formula for being with her reactions in a more peaceful manner. The question led to an extended inquiry into being aware of the activities of one’s mind in a way that could dissolve conflict. There was a good deal of talk about self-observation as the main “solution” to any such problem as well as remarking on the difficulties that can arise when one looks directly at the self and its habits. It was mentioned that “the self” tends to have a deep attachment to its own survival and continuity, thus provoking fear when its behaviour is closely examined. There were a number of interesting insights shared in this area and, although there was some sense of argument at times, we were left with a feeling of having considered some significant issues in a cooperative manner.

DB