Self Study Meeting, July 4, 2021

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Self Study Meeting

July 4, 2021

Zoom Online

 

Twelve participants in total were present for this Sunday online gathering. The focus of study was intended to be the February 17 – 21 selections from The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti. These are passages from K’s talks and writings on the subject of action without thought. It is a somewhat challenging section of the book. We opened with a short guided meditation exploring the possibility of a simple perceiving of the activities of the mind, including feelings and sensations, which does not enter into the complexities of discursive thinking as we approach core issues of human consciousness. When the meeting was then opened to interaction within the group there were a few participants with very definite ideas that they apparently wished to have acknowledged or understood by others. Many of these ideas were perhaps of value and could have been a foundation for a very fruitful inquiry, but the intensity with which they were expressed made it difficult to engage in the kind of sensitive and tentative dialogue that Krishnamurti seems to recommend. There was a degree of argument and defensiveness that sometimes felt contrary to the spirit of dialogue, which requires an open listening. On the other hand, some people felt that there was value in the way the discussion progressed despite the focus wandering away from the actual text. A greater focus on the written material was suggested by some to be desirable and will most likely be more emphasized in future meetings.

The Art of Seeing with Cynthia Overweg, June 25 – 27, 2021

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“The Art of Seeing” with Cynthia Overweg

June 25 – 27, 2021

Zoom Online

This series of three presentations by Cythia Overweg from Ojai, California, was attended by between twelve and fourteen persons in total each session. Cynthia combined talks on the teachings of J. Krishnamurti with periods of quiet meditation, breath and bodily awareness, silence, and music. She also invited questions and feedback from the attendees. She intends to create a space of focused attention in which what K is saying may be understood through direct seeing and self-observation. “Seeing”, she stated, is central to Krishnamurti’s teachings and warrants a deep immersion in his explanation of its nature. When true seeing takes place there is no separation between the observer and the observed. The mind is quiet and there is a transformation.

According to K, “the act of seeing is the only truth; there is nothing else.” Seeing is the perennial transformation spoken of by many sages. Watching ourselves, Cynthia said, is fascinating and it opens the door to the “immeasurable”. With self-understanding comes love. Why do we not see? K explains that our mind is not free but is occupied with self-interest. To find freedom we must learn what the mind is doing and be sensitive to all the activities of thought.

Cynthia made use of many quotes from K’s writings and talks along with quotes from other sages down the ages. The truth of what others have said must be confirmed by ourselves in our own self-examination. She explored the topic of seeing in some depth over the three presentations and then summarized the main points in the last presentation with an outline of the steps involved in laying the foundation of self-transformation.

– There must be awareness of ourselves in “the mirror of relationship.”

– We must learn to see with our whole being.

– Meditation is the purging of the mind of its self-centred activity.

– The silent mind is open to receive the immeasurable, which is indescribable.

There is an apparent contradiction when K says that the foundation can be laid instantly and also that it takes a lifetime of work. The contradiction can be resolved in our own inquiry when it is seen that both points are true.

Cynthia brought the series of three meetings to a close with the questions “What is your relationship with what you see?” and “What is your relationship with silence?” Good material for ongoing contemplation. It was a powerful and valuable meditation on core teachings about “the miracle of seeing,” and it seems certain that participants left with many valuable insights having taken place.

The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting, June 20, 2021

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The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting

Sunday, June 20, 2021

Zoom Online

Five members of the group informed us that they would not be able to attend this meeting for various reasons to do with summer-time activities, birthdays, and so on. There were nine of us in attendance. The focus for this meeting was to consider any questions or insights still alive from our previous gathering related to the chapters “Perception” and “Suffering” and then to move into a study of the chapter entitled “The Mind and the Heart”. All selections were from The Urgency of Change by J. Krishnamurti. There were some issues from the first chapters that still were of interest to some participants. “What does it mean to perceive totally?” provoked some valuable inquiry which touched on the idea that the whole of life is present in each moment, as stated by Krishnamurti in the text. There was some questioning of whether there is any such thing as “moments” or is there, rather, an undivided flow of life which cannot be separated into moments. Some valuable discussion of the nature of suffering arose before we moved on to the chapter on mind and heart, which again provoked a good deal of significant inquiry. There was a sense that the dialogue was touching into a number of subtle and deep points in our exploration of ourselves and that it was looking into important and essential questions about the functioning of consciousness. We spent a good deal of time exploring the concept of “negation”, which has a central place in Krishnamurti’s teachings.

The opening guided meditation introduced the challenge of approaching what often appears to be complicated ideas with simplicity and a direct seeing of “what is”. The subject came back into the discussion a number of times and seemed to have a definite significance. It was a valuable journey of self-knowledge apparently enjoyed by all present.

Nonduality: An Experiential Journey with GP Walsh

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“Nonduality: An Experiential Journey” with GP Walsh

June 12, 2021

Zoom Online

This Saturday morning session with spiritual teacher GP Walsh was attended by twenty-one people in total. GP has offered a number of presentations through the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada over the last few years, in each case attracting a good number of interested students who have always seemed to very much enjoy his communication style. He began and ended the session with guided meditations focusing on the simple sense of being that is always present, the “non-phenomenal” knowing which brings a sense of a reality which is undivided. GP spoke of the Buddha and Krishnamurti, with their shared challenge in speaking of knowing ourselves when we cannot describe ourselves. They both said that we can only discover ourselves for ourselves and not through the knowledge of another. What we actually are has no subject-object dualism. The two spiritual giants sought the source and cure of suffering, which lies not in the experience of suffering but in the one experiencing it. As soon as we say ‘this shouldn’t be happening” we begin to suffer. Trying to control life only creates suffering. On the other hand, Krishnamurti says “I don’t mind what happens.”

After a presentation of roughly an hour, with some questions from the audience, GP opened the floor for further questions. The first question considered the apparent contradiction between spiritual inquiry and the performance of duties demanded by society. GP suggested we ask “who” or “what” is playing the human roles in life. It will be seen that there is actually no self or person performing the roles: there is just an emptiness, an indefinable movement of life. It is a recognition that what we are is the emptiness and not the personal identity or the images projected by thought, which is the source of all our problems. It was asked how we can know the difference between good and evil actions. GP replied that the Emptiness that we truly are is inherently discerning. If we ask what is the most loving thing to do, which is the vital question of each moment, the answer is an inner knowing of the heart. And we learn as we go.

Another questioner asked why the penny doesn’t drop completely or why is the understanding not totally realized for most of us. This opened a good deal of discussion and inquiry into “knowing” and “Being” and the belief in a separate self. As soon as a separate self is believed in, we begin to suffer. We can ask what appearances arise in and what remains when they depart. All preferences can be seen as arbitrary, which activates a letting go of attachment and, therefore, brings freedom.

It was another illuminating meeting with GP and the inquiring participants who joined the event.

Self Study Meeting, June 6, 2021

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Self Study Meeting

Sunday, June 6, 2021

Zoom online

     Fifteen people, all included, were in attendance for this Sunday session online to share questions and insights related to the suggested reading from The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti. The readings were focused on selected material from K’s talks and writings on the subject of “Belief”. David opened the meeting with a guided meditation exploring Krishnamurti’s idea of “total attention without effort” and the capacity to observe our thoughts and feelings without the belief that they are a true and accurate representation of who or what we actually are. And if our thoughts are believed to be real and true, can that be seen and, in the seeing, questioned. Can there be an observing of thoughts, including any doubts and fears, “negative” or “positive” ideas, without giving them the authority of truth? Can there be a “choiceless awareness” which awakens a different kind of knowing other than intellectual analysis?

     After the meditation and some discussion the floor was opened to participants who wished to share what was significant for them in the February 9 – 16 readings. Some interesting questions and responses were shared related to the material, along with some overly long and repetitive monologues and then some seemingly assertive (perhaps even aggressive and confrontational) commentaries by a couple of individuals. It was somewhat challenging to keep the meeting on a friendly basis when frustration was being felt in the group with some of the communication styles. Hopefully there was benefit in observing our reactions as revelations of the activities of “self”. There is always value in the activity of self-inquiry.

 

The Transformation of Consciousness, May 29 – 30, 2021

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Meditative Self-Inquiry: The Transformation of Consciousness

With Mukesh Gupta

May 29 – 30, 2021

Zoom online

This was the final session of the spring series on “meditative self-inquiry” presented by Mukesh Gupta and sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. Eleven people (all included) were in attendance. The Saturday meeting featured a presentation by Mukesh covering quite widely the subject of the transformation of consciousness as Krishnamurti spoke of it in his teachings. Mukesh clearly stated that he was presenting his own understanding of the teachings and not claiming to be an ultimate authority on what K has said. He soon asked the question, “What is consciousness?” According to his understanding of K, there is no consciousness as we know it without the contents, which are our experiences, thoughts, memories, knowledge, desires and fears. There may be something else when consciousness is emptied of its content, but normally we only know it through conflict between fragments, between one desire and another, between what is and what should be (the ideal). There is the conflict between “me” and my experiences, the thinker and the thought, the observer and the observed. K asked if there is a separate “I”, or is the “I” merely a thought and therefore, in a sense, an illusion or unreal. What can be done about this sense of separation that creates all our suffering and problems psychologically speaking? Is there anything to be done other than to be completely still with it? Transformation cannot happen through effort, thought, idea, or desire. There must, rather, be a seeing of the patterns of thought and division. This seeing is the ending of conflict. The nature of this seeing includes the facts of no observer or “past baggage”, no psychological time or effort (which is futile), and no motive. It is not part of thought and is therefore free of time and conflict. Seeing is also supreme action, negation, intelligence, love, and transformation. The false drops away when seen. Supreme discontentment is necessary in this self-inquiry process.

The second half of the meeting was open for questions and comments from participants. There seemed to be some difficulties in fully comprehending what K is actually meaning and applying it to everyday life, so there was a good deal of discussion of finer points of the presentation. The meeting on Sunday continued with the same number of people and further group exploration of the same and similar issues, partly in the form of a breakout into two smaller groups. The breakout allowed for a more intimate and engaged sharing, which apparently was enjoyed by participants. Being with emotions such as anger was looked into along with what it means to be aware. At the end of the meeting Mukesh recommended two Krishnamurti books as being very helpful: The Wholeness of Life, and Truth and Actuality. It was a fruitful and enjoyable weekend of inquiry.

A New Mind and Heart: The Crucible of Sorrow

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A New Mind and Heart: The Crucible of Sorrow

May 15, 2021, with Cynthia Overweg

Zoom Online

 

This was the fourth and final presentation by Cynthia in the series “A New Mind and Heart.” Seventeen people in total were present for the Saturday morning broadcast from Ojai, California. Cynthia explained that the dictionary meaning of “crucible” is a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development. This relates to Krishnamurti’s teachings in a number of ways. He says that mind and heart are not actually divided but thought creates a division which must be transcended. Mind must perceive wholly: perception must be fresh and without judgement. In this perception sorrow comes to an end and “the ending of sorrow brings love and compassion.” (K)

Cynthia’s talk tied the topic to the challenge of the Covid-19 emergency with all its sorrow and suffering. There were also a number of pauses for relaxation and noticing the breath – a returning to silence of the mind. Her understanding of what Krishnamurti pointed to is that we must approach sorrow very simply. Our relationships must be understood, including our relationship with sorrow. There is the sorrow of ignorance, the lack of awareness of the total process of ourselves, the sorrow of time and measurement, personal sorrow and the sorrow of mankind. There is joy in life but also much suffering which must be looked at. There is war, poverty, inequality, indifference, and intolerance. These are suffered by all humans. Krishnamurti asks if there can be a “psychological revolution”, but “few of us are willing to face that.”

Can the mind be silent in the face of sorrow? Can we remain with sorrow? Out of that comes passion (the abandonment of the self) which is love and beauty. “Beauty, love, is where you are not.” (K) Cynthia wondered if the sacred can be experienced without the contrast of the profane. Following the hour-long presentation there was a half hour available for group discussion of the topics introduced, producing some interesting questions and observations. Cynthia wound up the session with her favourite quote from K, “When I understand myself, I understand you, and out of that understanding comes love.” The series of four presentations was an offering of lovely quality from Cynthia.

The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting, May 16, 2021

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The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Zoom online

Twelve participants attended this Sunday morning meeting. Three of the group were unable to join us for various reasons, but two of them sent their greetings and best wishes. We began the meeting with a guided meditation exploring the possibility of “whole attention”, mentioned by Krishnamurti in the readings. This attention is not something that can be practiced or made deliberate. The question was posed, “Can this quality of attention be present right from the beginning, without psychological effort?” After the “meditation” there was some discussion of our experience, which revealed that participants had been aware of certain shifts in their consciousness which seemed meaningful. The inquiry moved to a consideration of Krishnamurti’s teachings as often having the nature of Zen koans, or questions that cannot be answered by rational thought and therefore require an accessing of a state beyond, or prior to, the thinking mind. This may be what David Bohm described as “shared meaning” in his writings on group dialogue.

The chapters recommended for reading in preparation for the meeting were the ones entitled “Perception” and “Suffering” in The Urgency of Change. Some of the ideas shared by K in those chapters were integrated into our discussion and overall the conversation flowed in a creative and interesting way, interspersed with periods of spontaneous silence. The silence was appreciated by some of the participants who commented on the phenomenon. K often speaks of the significance of that quality of silence which is a natural outcome of self study and a doorway to a “deeper” knowing of who or what we are – and what life is. The companionship was hopefully enjoyable for everyone, significant in the experience of non-separateness, and of value as an opportunity for self-observation and learning.

The Journey of Self Transformation, April 23 – 25, 2021

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The Journey of Self Transformation with Ravi Ravindra

April 23 – 25, 2021

Zoom online meetings

 

Ravi Ravindra has become a regular and popular presenter at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. This year’s attendance, similar to previous online presentations, was between twenty-eight and thirty people, including facilitators. Ravi ran the sessions online from India with help from Ralph in Victoria. Ravi opened with a short period of silence and then spoke of the importance of a quiet mind and the need to transform ourselves before we can have any realization of what we truly are. A self-inquiry is necessary, a discovery of the aspect of myself that is identical with the Source of life, Brahman, or Christ Consciousness. All the real teachers ask us to wake up from a mechanical way of living to living consciously. Can we realize our true nature as love and live from that truth? What action is required? Ravi suggested it is not enough to have a theory about it. We must study the “book of ourselves” and actually experience the spiritual dimension of ourselves. Self-study is necessary and a seeing of what holds us back, including the nature of our conditioning. There is no need to be against the self or ego, but we must find that which we more deeply are: the sacred element in ourselves. Ravi suggested we take time at home to ask if we see the two aspects of ourselves, their characteristics, and how much of our day we spend in each one. Over the three days (one and a half hours per day) he spoke of various aspects of our makeup and of the journey of self transformation.

In addition to exploring various phases of the spiritual journey, Ravi also spoke of some exercises which could bring greater awareness to our breathing and our sense of being. We can spend time sitting quietly. We can investigate whether or not we have created ourselves and are in charge of our breathing as well as the operation of our bodies. Our bodily sensations are an important aspect of our self-knowing and learning. We can ask what are the biggest “demons’ in us and what are the highest gods. How much are we attached to our usual ways of doing things, to the status quo, and to the body? We should be “searchers” and not “believers”. It is necessary for us to actually practice our self-inquiry. Krishnamurti is held up as an example of someone who kept asking questions. In fact, we eventually become a question rather than “having” questions.

Ravi’s three talks were a rich sharing of his wisdom and understanding gained from many years of self-study. He also allowed time in each session for questions or comments from the participants. Some of the questions and further sharings by Ravi touched on the following:

– Awareness and love

– Being with “what is”

– Expecting particular results from our practice

– In some phases the work seems to get more difficult

– How can we move through different levels of the work?

– Why have organized religions deviated so much from the original teachings?

– How can I stay in touch with my real purpose in life?

– How can I give up desire and attachment?

– How can I get beyond the need to be wanted?

– Can I see the sacred in my own heart?

– Does everything have consciousness in it?

– The stage of “disillusionment” with the journey.

– The shift from focusing on the destination to the appreciation of the journey itself

– The indescribable nature of what is found. Even the Buddha could not describe Nirvana

– The shift from effort to grace, receptivity, and the “feminine”.

– The process of negation or “neti, neti”

– Finding the right balance and place of all apparent opposites or dualities

– Mysteries cannot be solved but may be dissolved and celebrated. A mystery may act on one’s life even though not solved.

– Is there anything that comes through me but is not my doing?

– Karma and “luck”

– Space for our “ordinary self”

– Prayer and the attitude of “submission to truth”.

– How to benefit from the “good” and “evil” in us

– Dealing with challenging situations by making room for that which is beyond the “me”.

– The uniqueness of each one of us

These questions and more were dealt with skillfully by Ravi and provoked interesting discussion amongst the group. A central theme raised by Ravi was the idea of the “wishing tree”. If we are clear about what we want and our intentions then the Universe will support us in those intentions. We can observe the truth of this in our own lives.

We very much enjoyed having Ravi with us again and look forward to further visits, virtually or in person.

The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group, April 18, 2021

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The Urgency of Change Dialogue Meeting

Sunday, April 18, 2021

Zoom online

Three members of the group were unable to attend the meeting this month, but the rest of us – ten participants – enjoyed an excellent gathering. The material for assigned study was the two chapters in The Urgency of Change text by J. Krishnamurti entitled “Organization” and “Love and Sex”. The two topics were not as different as they might seem, for they both explored the facts of division and separation within human beings and in their relationships. The process of self observation and self-understanding was also looked into in both chapters in a way that provoked fundamental questions about how we live and how we set about looking at ourselves and our ways of organizing our daily activities.

After beginning with a guided meditation and some silence, we read the last paragraph of the first chapter out loud. We then entered into a discussion of some of the significant questions therein about our approach to self-knowledge. “Where are we going to start?” K asks. “You must start from freedom,” he answers. This stimulated a good deal of conversation and inquiry amongst the group in examining what is meant by these statements. The talk led into other material in the chapters, especially looking at some of the ways we divide our experience and perceptions into images and concepts about who or what we are. We create an “observer” and an “observed”, for example, which division K points out is the basis of all human problems. Other topics explored were the central place of “negation” in K’s approach and the emphasis on seeing what love and freedom are not rather than attempting to develop an intellectual understanding of what they are, which would put us in the limited realm of thought.

There were many insightful contributions from the participants and it seemed to be an interesting and fruitful dialogue, hopefully of benefit to all. The readings for next month are the two chapters “Perception” and “Suffering”, which appear to be linked by some common themes.