Archive for category: Event Summaries

Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Metchosin, BC

There was a turnout of twelve (all included) for this meeting at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada in Metchosin, BC. The weather was sunny and the wind was very mild, so we were able to sit outside on the front lawn without getting cold and without the problems in hearing each other when speaking that have been an issue at recent gatherings. The meeting began with self-introductions by participants, after which our facilitator, Cynthia, asked us to observe a few minutes of silence, listening to what was happening around us and within us. Following the silence She asked if anyone had a question or insight to share from their reading of the Krishnamurti text The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti, which we are using as a reference for these self-inquiry sessions, or from their “reading” of the book of their own lives. Several group members expressed that the process of looking at ourselves involved an exposure of vulnerabilities which often made it quite challenging. It was agreed that the process involves a peeling away of layers of our consciousness which are not our true identity and in that process fear can easily be awakened. Krishnamurti has spoken of this awakening of fear and its transcendence. We opened up and examined a variety of fears which can arise and questioned the reality or “realness” of them. It was said that Krishnamurti felt it was most important to examine our psychological fears rather than ones related to physical harm or danger, which could be dealt with on a different level.

We discussed the importance of “being with” our fears and being authentic in our sharing of them and their effects on us. When it comes to dealing with our fears it was questioned whether the search for “answers” to our problems is effective or helpful. It was an interesting and revealing dialogue in which we attempted to gain an understanding which could bring a greater freedom into our daily lives.

DB

Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg
Sunday, May 12, 2024
At KECC Metchosin location
538 Swanwick Road

Fourteen people attended this Sunday gathering at the Krishnamurti
Educational Centre of Canada location in Metchosin. The session was
facilitated by Cynthia Overweg who is visiting the Centre and will be
available for an uncertain length of time. We are fortunate to have a
dedicated student of Krishnamurti’s teachings like Cynthia with us and
able to support interested students of K who can choose to stay with her
at the Centre.
We began the meeting with a period of silence. Then Cynthia spoke of
her conviction that love is the essence of all Krishnamurti’s teachings,
although expressed in different ways. She asked a number of questions
about love, wondering if it is always immediately available to us and
asking what gets in the way of love and what kind of conditioning blocks
the love in us. It was suggested that our habit of comparing people with
each other can certainly prevent the flow of love between humans as it
brings memories of being hurt to the fore. On the other hand, as
Krishnamurti said, being aware moment to moment of our conditioned
thoughts as they arise can keep us open to the presence of love and
compassion. One participant expressed that when “because” loses its
significance then love appears. And the desire for security with the fear
of being threatened work together to suppress the flow of love. These
are real issues for human beings.
We discussed Krishnamurti’s ideas about those who love radically being
“dangerous”. He seems to be saying that stepping outside of
conventional behaviour may be thought of as “dangerous” by those
attached to the status quo and hesitant to explore other possibilities. In
this sense memory, although necessary, can keep love away. There was
mention of the difference between being alone and being “lonely”.
It was inquired if we could come up with a question that we could carry
with us as a reminder of the importance of staying with the “practice” of
self-observation. Can there be a continuous compassionate curiosity in
our self-observation? One person recommended Cynthia’s book Silent
Awareness because of its depth and beauty of expression.
We ended with a short silence that completed the experience for this
event. The sunny afternoon had been somewhat disturbed by wind and
cold, but most seemed to have valued the opportunity to sit outside in
nature where, although we sometimes had difficulty hearing each other
speak, we could enjoy the pure, clear sounds of the bird songs and the
lovely view of the Juan de Fuca Straight with the Cascade Mountains in
the background.

DB

Self-inquiry with Cynthia Overweg

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada

Metchosin, BC

Fourteen people in total were present at the Metchosin location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre on Swanwick Road for this Sunday meeting. We were happy to welcome Cynthia, who formerly lived in Ojai, California, and now lives in Washington state. She is joining us as a guest facilitator for about one month. Cynthia has offered her skills to the Krishnamurti Centre for some years now in leading online gatherings and workshops which have been greatly enjoyed by participants. In this current series, Krishnamurti’s text, The Book of Life: Daily Meditations with Krishnamurti, is being used as a reference for the study of K’s perspectives on important issues in life and self-understanding.

After a period of silence, Cynthia read from the first section of the book entitled “Listening” and invited group participants to bring forward their observations and questions stimulated by the readings. Individuals offered their difficulties and issues with the “practice” of listening, including the barriers they sometimes or often came up against. There was a good deal of discussion concerning the difference between hearing and listening and the importance of sensitivity and receptivity. It was said that really effective listening has a certain energy to it which is a factor of a silent mind and the operation of insight rather than an intellectual comprehension of what is being communicated. The sense of separateness disappears in the listening when there is a quality of full attention in the present moment. It was suggested that the presence of genuine interest is an important element, as is also awareness of one’s body and its sensations. The existence of an awareness that is prior to all manifestation was explored and affirmed. Beliefs and ideas were to be considered as possible blocks to listening.

It was an interesting and revealing sharing of insights and discoveries which kept us engaged for a full hour and a half or more.

DB

Self-inquiry with Jeff Brown

April 28, 2024

At KECC Metchosin, BC

Seven people were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada, facilitated by Jeff Brown and held at the Metchosin, BC location. After a period of silence, Jeff opened the floor to discussion of whatever was interesting to the participants. Somehow the use of the word “God” and related concepts was brought forward and a quite lengthy exploration followed with focus on the question of what is sacred and what do such words mean to us or to others. Is there a quality of experiencing which has a sense of depth and beauty, love and unity, and which could be called an expression of the heart when the thinking mind is in abeyance or in the background? Krishnamurti seemed to be open to such depths of awareness and to be pointing us towards such fullness and completeness of Being.

We asked what can give access to such realms of beauty and does the contact with the “heart” then enable one to live in a way that is attuned to the intelligence of the “heart”. To live in a more or less constant state of learning was mentioned by a few of us as a desirable state to realize or embody while at the same time not losing the humility and innocence of “not-knowing”.

Participants were invited to share a meal at the MyChosen Cafe, which proved to be an enjoyable experience of friendship and a lovely way to complete our afternoon.

The End of Suffering

April 26 – 28, 2024

with Kathryn Jefferies

Zoom online

We were happy to welcome back Kathryn after some years without contact. She was not able to join us in person but we found her online presence to be very satisfying and effective in communicating her message. Eight people were present for the three meetings spread over three days and engaging us for almost two hours each session.

Kathryn introduced herself to the group and shared some of the background to her work and the connection with Krishnamurti, whom she has greatly admired and found very helpful in her pursuit of self-knowledge and self-inquiry. She has also found The Work of Byron Katie to be extremely useful and complementary to working with Krishnamurti’s teachings. “Katie,“ she said, “is the how to Krishnamurti’s what.” The weekend was to be a demonstration of this fact in our direct experience, facilitated by Kathryn, who proceeded to guide us through an exercise in noticing what is happening in our own experience. Both K and Katie, Kathryn said, were interested in exploring what suffering actually is rather than in just getting rid of it. To this end Katie had developed a series of questions which could penetrate the beliefs that we hold about life, the behaviour of others and ourselves, and our suffering. Thoughts believed cause suffering but thoughts questioned bring freedom. Using her questions, Katie asks her fellow inquirer to examine the truth or falseness of his or her complaints about a person’s behaviour and what is being expected. Kathryn asked us to go through the questions in each of our personal situations. This is a way of bringing our assumptions and beliefs to light and, as Krishnamurti said, discovering the self in “the action of relationship.” We see the “stories” that our mind is running. The inquiry is most effective if we want to see the truth rather than seeking to support our egos.

After thoroughly questioning ourselves, we employed some “turn-arounds” which provided new and different perspectives on our beliefs and behaviours. “She is rejecting me” becomes “she is not rejecting me” or “I am rejecting me” and other variations. In each case the inquirer asks in what way the turn-around is true. The turn-arounds were surprisingly effective in revealing the mind at work and dissolving the concepts of thought which limit our sense of freedom. What is left is a greater degree of compassion and kindness. The participants found the process of the workshop to be most helpful.

DB