Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg October 3, 2024

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Self-inquiry 

With Cynthia Overweg 

October 3, 2024 

At Esquimalt Park Pavilion 

Victoria, BC 

 

Five people in total were present for this meeting sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada and facilitated by Cynthia Overweg. Cynthia and Ralph introduced Cynthia and the programs she would be offering, followed by a short meditation guided by Cynthia and focused on awareness of the breath, then including awareness of the body and any tensions being experienced. It was suggested that such attention brings a different quality of awareness and energy. The floor was then opened to any questions or issues participants wished to explore within the group context. The topics that were brought forward for discussion were as follows: 

  • One group member said that she was happy just to be 
  • Another was interested in exploring the mutation of the mind spoken of by Krishnamurti 
  • It was suggested that with attention change happens by itself. 
  • Open curiosity about learning 
  • What is dominating our experience at any moment and can we allow our experience to be and to move through different spaces inwardly and outwardly? 
  • Being together with others can elicit a sense of unity which can feel quite blissful 
  • Are we following a path or more entering a state of open awareness? 

 

DB 

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, September 19, 2024

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Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues 

September 19, 2024 

At Gorge Pavilion  

Esquimalt, BC    

 

This meeting began with a short period of silence wherein participants were able to be with their own thoughts and feelings. There were only four of us at the gathering, but still we could share and explore together as we looked into some of the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, that being perhaps the main purpose of such meetings along with looking into the understanding of ourselves. As it turned out, one group member was interested in a phrase often presented by K himself: “the observer is the observed.” It is a saying which seems to be only partially grasped by many inquirers and often causes some difficulty in comprehension. In this case we examined a number of angles to the mystery and questions were raised which seemed to be unresolved. A few such issues were as follows: “Is silence the ultimate reality”? And, also, it was asked, “Is it beneficial to understand the nature of the self and the nature of the activities of our consciousness?” Several participants asserted that Krishnamurti indicated in his talks and writings that such understanding is crucial. Some debate about the questions took us to the end of the meeting. 

 

DB       

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, September 29, 2024

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Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues 

Sunday, September 29, 2024 

At KECC Metchosin, BC 

 

Eight people attended this Sunday afternoon meeting sponsored by the Krishnamurti Centre of Canada. Four of them were new to self-inquiry meetings. It was a lovely day, with weather enabling us to sit out on the front lawn in front of the main house. It was the last meeting for the time-being that will be facilitated by Hillary. After a silent period the meeting was opened to questions and observations. Some participants shared that, for them, Krishnamurti had been difficult to understand but also very valuable and interesting for the exploration of deeper ideas about life and living. 

Hillary outlined some ways of paying attention to both the outer and the inner responses that arise in daily existence. The challenge of the chattering mind was mentioned along with the counter-productive nature of attempting to control it. The “practice” of noticing the activities of thought and feeling was said to be very interesting and valuable in the understanding and transformative power of observing the actions of our conditioned selves and gaining insight into our patterns of behaviour. There was a good deal of discussion about the significance of “seeing” in Krishnamurti’s teachings. Hillary concluded the session with the statement that one of our most challenging issues is the factor of time, both in the realm of the clock and in the psychological sense. 

Participants commented that the dialogue had been very useful for them in the pursuit of “truth” and the study of K’s message. 

 

DB 

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues September 26, 2024

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Self-inquiry 

Thursday, September 26, 2024 

With Hillary Rodrigues 

At Gorge Park Pavilion 

Esquimalt, BC 

 

Five people in total were present for Hillary’s last Victoria meeting. We began with a reading from The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti in which K speaks of the relation between the brain and the conditioned mind. His explanations were found by the group members to be complex and challenging. As a group we explored the fundamental relationship of the human being to the rest of life and the relationship of all life. Other topics explored were the question “Can the conditioned mind examine itself?”, the emptying of the content of consciousness, being with the “facts” and the movements of the self, the possibility of living with an open vulnerability, and total attention without effort. We closed with the appreciation that our “imperfections are opportunities for discovery and “enlightenment”.  

Exploring Ourselves, September 21, 2024

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Exploring Ourselves 

With Jackie McInley 

September 21, 2024 

Online Meeting 

 

Eight people were present for this online meeting sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada with Jackie McInley facilitating. She shared some introductory ideas about the purpose and structure of a “dialogue” meeting. There are at least two levels to the structure of the dialogue. The first level is what is happening on the surface and the second is that which is going on behind or beneath the surface, including the motives of the participants in sharing what they do. Group members can be aware of these hidden motives, Jackie has noticed, to varying degrees. As the group process unfolds, the motive or motives start to reveal themselves and some participants are willing to stay with the exploration. David Bohm emphasised this willingness to stick with the process. 

Jackie led us in a quiet sit for about five minutes then asked if anything had come up to be looked at. Did we get pulled into thought or did we remain free of thought? One person brought up the topic of taking things personally that are not meant to be taken so. “Do we take ourselves seriously when we need not do so, and can that issue be looked into?” Another introduced an observation that the mind creates images of the self, which might be explored as well. Does the mind have any choice about the matter? Is one caught up in the self-image or can there be freedom? Does the image I have about myself create conflict? Can this be seen and some freedom be experienced? Can we go into such questions together, as Krishnamurti said, and can we discover something new about ourselves? 

The question of hurt was raised. Is it possible to go beyond any need for others to treat us in a certain way? This involved “shoulds” and introduced the issue of dropping our expectations of how others should behave towards us. Or are our reactions to others automatic defences? And what are we defending? Is it “the me” that is responsible? What is “the me” or the “self”? Can there be a death of “the me”? Can something other than”the me” come into the situation, and how might this come about? Can this happen when there is real listening and observing? This was what K kept saying. One participant asked why this cannot happen. Can we not see the patterns of the self operating in our day-to-day lives? Are we genuinely interested? Somehow we keep getting pulled away from the place of attention. We may think we are listening, but we may not be and may, rather, be thinking. Can we be together in a state of attention? “Something to find out” was a closing comment from one friend. 

 

DB 

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, September 15, 2024

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Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues 

Sunday, September 15, 2024 

At KECC Metchosin, BC 

 

Ten people in total were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada and held at the Swanwick Road location in Metchosin, BC. It was a warm, sunny day, good for sitting outdoors on the front lawn with the gorgeous ocean and mountain views. Our facilitator, Hillary Rodrigues, opened the meeting with a period of silence followed by a verbal description of the main features of “dialogue” meetings. Dialogue, Hillary offered, involves a sensitive observing of what is arising in others as the group interacts with each other and also a sensitive observing of what is arising within ourselves. What is observed can be shared with the group and explored in greater detail. 

One participant mentioned his noticing of a tendency in himself to look for some sense of stability or security as communication moved on. Another questioned whether there is, in fact, any stability or security to be found. Can we remain in a place of stability? This led into an examination of thinking and the creation of a “self” and, in turn, to an inquiry into the possibility of knowing emptiness. We circled around a few questions and came to what seemed like a central issue: the death of the self. Can an “I” or a self-image be aware of its own death? There were a number of issues that group members brought forward, including what was often said by Krishnamurti, that when the self is present love is not – and vice versa. It seems that a kind of psychological death is necessary in order to realise the deeper states of consciousness. 

One group member said that he would like to understand more deeply the meaning of another of K’s sayings: “the observer is the observed”. Participants offered various points of view regarding the issue and it seemed that there was some deepening of understanding concerning it. The discussion went on for some time before time ran out and we dispersed for some snacks and further friendly talk. Most of us seemed to be anticipating our next meeting with some enthusiasm. 

 

DB  

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, September 12, 2024

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Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues 

Thursday, September 12, 2024 

At Goward House 2495 Arbutus Road 

Victoria, BC 

 

Seven participants were in attendance for this dialogue meeting at Goward House in Victoria sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. Unable to use our usual locations for this meeting, we were able to gather at a lovely house in the forest near the University of Victoria where we felt very comfortable and at ease with the classic furniture and large windows. 

Our facilitator, Hillary, suggested we begin with a period of silence. As we sat quietly, Hillary made some valuable comments about the preciousness of silence. Silence, he said, allows more of a focus than usual on what is going on inside us. Thinking can be “relentless” but also interesting in that it can include one’s own responses to what is going on in others and one can see how the “self” arises in relation to others. 

As we rested in quietness there was a sense of sharing the energy of group presence and unity, which was experienced by some as “love.” In addition there was the experiencing of the arising of the “ego” self, which Krishnamurti and others often recommended we observe carefully. Group members pointed out that, in such a relationship, the various appearances of the “I”, “me” and “mine” can readily be observed. 

We commented on the central place of desire (or latching on to a self) in the occurrence of suffering. 

Although a functional self is necessary, one man pointed out, perhaps a greater need is that of insight. Effective insight is important in any attempt to go beyond the self. We sensed a harmony in the group and a “thinking together” often mentioned by K and which might be felt as more profound than any thinking. 

It was a delightful meeting with a quality of communion. 

 

DB 

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, September 8, 2024

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Self-inquiry,  

September 8, 2024 

With Hillary Rodrigues 

At KECC Metchosin 

 

Eleven people in total were in attendance for this afternoon meeting at 538 Swanwick Road in Metchosin, BC. It was a beautiful sunny day and we were able to sit out on the front lawn with the lovely views and the sounds of nature. Hillary Rodrigues, our facilitator and support person, began the session with a short period of silence. He commented that it can be challenging to be silent and that the opportunity was present to observe ourselves while intending to be deeply quiet. After the five minutes or so of silence Hillary opened the meeting to any questions that had come up in the reading of The Book of Life: Meditations with Krishnamurti or any other readings or questions. He mentioned that dialogue is a learning together about any issue that has arisen or any reaction that has taken place in our consciousness. This inspired one participant to relate an event that happens to her occasionally where she is suddenly lit up by some idea that seems to come out of nowhere. She was curious to explore what happens, especially as the happening sometimes develops into a “passion” or something of beauty or love. 

Another participant asked how we become passionate about anything? What happens if a loaded gun is pointed at our head? What do we feel? “What is” may not be pleasant. Krishnamurti suggests that we remain present with whatever is. Does that feel dangerous? Can it be peaceful? Does the experience come to an end? Could we all just be with what is? Would that awaken an intelligence which could resolve the world’s problems? Is there compassion in K’s response? 

One participant suggested that “seeing” or “insight” is what is needed most deeply in order for any transformation to take place. Does that happen in our inquiry? The question was left as an open one that could be held in “choiceless awareness” 

 

DB 

Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues, September 5, 2024

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Self-inquiry with Hillary Rodrigues 

September 5, 2024 

At Esquimalt Park Pavilion 

Victoria, BC 

 

Hillary Rodrigues, previously a professor of Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge, will be facilitating our dialogue sessions in Victoria and at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin for some time to come. The Victoria meetings will be held on Thursday afternoons and this was the first.  

Eight people were very pleased to welcome Hillary to the Esquimalt Park Pavilion at 1070 Tillicum Road. Hillary gave a short introductory talk about the nature of dialogue and then led a period of silent meditation where group members could orient themselves to being aware of their own thoughts and feelings as they sat together in a circle. The meeting was then opened up to whatever questions participants might have and would like to explore within the context of the group structure. One group member said she was interested in sensitivity and Hillary then found a relevant reading from The Book of Life: Meditations with Krishnamurti, September 5 selection. The passage from Krishnamurti’s writings spoke of the limitation of the intellect and the potential richness of our perceptions of the world around us when we do not argue and fight about our place in it and thereby miss being aware of our surroundings. 

Krishnamurti wrote that sensitivity has no conditioning to it. It takes us out of the field of fears and anxieties. 

One participant shared her idea of sensitivity by saying that it was a quality of Presence and of Being. She tries to be as present as possible at all times. Another group member explained that, for him, sensitivity can be quite uncomfortable and can open him to fear and a sense of disturbance. Being aware can include awareness of the inner life. It may not be thought that is aware but, rather, the awareness of thinking and sensation is present. Eckhart Tolle suggests we be in a state of wondering what our next thought will be. This can bring about an alertness. Where is awareness located? Is it an attribute of consciousness? 

Another interesting question is to ask ourselves “Why am I here?” Hillary suggested that holding the question can provide an answer or answers that are rich and full and can bring a kind of closure to our questioning. No answer may be ultimately possible. We looked into some basic existential questions which were subtle and with a kind of Zen Buddhist nature such as “neither this nor that”. 

The importance of “openness” was emphasised by one participant and confirmed by Hillary and expanded upon. Intellect narrows awareness, it was agreed, while choiceless awareness broadens perception. Hillary asked if intelligence can arise out of such awareness. The topic was explored further and various observations were shared. The meeting time came to an end with a sense of having enjoyed the group meditation or dialogue process. 

 

DB 

Self-inquiry, September 1, 2024

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Self-inquiry

Sunday, September 1, 2024

With David Bruneau

At KECC Metchosin

 

Five participants in total were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Swanwick Road location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin, BC. David was invited to facilitate the meeting in the absence of Hilary Rodrigues, who will be facilitating for most of the month of September. It was a lovely, sunny day which enabled us to sit on the lawn in front of the Main House. The sun was quite hot, which encouraged us to move to a more shady location on the grass and made things more comfortable for the second half of the gathering.

David started the meeting with a guided meditation inviting participants to be fully present and attentive to their thoughts and feelings. He then read the September 1 passage from The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti, the book we have been using as a reference to the teachings of Krishnamurti. Later in the session David asked if someone would like to read the September 2 entry. The main topics covered by K in those two selections were the difference between insight or “seeing” and knowledge and opinion, the false and the true, and the need for a silent mind in order to perceive the real. The meditation and the readings stimulated group discussion and questioning about how we can know what is true and what is not. How can we see, what does it mean, what is full attention, and the silence that K speaks of were all topics of exploration.

One participant spoke of her experience with Buddhist approaches to self-inquiry and the similarity of Krishnamurti’s approach in some important ways. She felt there was very little contradiction between the Buddhist understanding she had studied and practised and what she had so far heard of K’s approach to self-inquiry and “meditation.” 

Group members agreed that many characteristics seemed to be in accord. 

Towards the end of the meeting one group member shared some personal issues he had about shame and his challenges with it over the years. This introduced a discussion of “being with” feelings that seemed significant. When the meeting time was over, we moved to the Gatehouse where fruit and snacks were served and further friendly conversation took place. Participants gradually drifted away. It was considered that the small size of the group added to the intimacy and depth of sharing that took place and was thereby a beneficial aspect of the meeting.

 

DB