Dialogue Group Meeting

    Dialogue Group Meeting Sunday, March 15, 2015        Five people met at the Swanwick Centre for an afternoon of unstructured dialoguing.  Lynn was not able to facilitate due to a cold, so by default I, David, became the leaderless leader.  On the drive to the Centre I had been thinking about my purpose in attending these meetings and how I can best achieve that purpose.  It seemed immediately clear that the essence of it all for me is to “practice” being fully present and attentive to whatever is arising in my life and likewise in the meetings.  This can have many residual benefits and offshoots or aspects to it.  The question seemed to perhaps be an interesting one for the group as a whole, especially as there was a new member who might gain a good sense of what we are about as individuals and as a group.  Group members shared their own reasons for participation and their valuing of the group.  Appreciation was expressed for the quality of listening usually present, the emphasis given to questioning rather than to knowledge, and the opportunity to observe oneself in interaction with others.  The conversation moved into the subject of choice and “doership”, a fertile ground for inquiry and exploration.  Do we choose what to do or is there more a movement that happens from a larger field of intelligence – or perhaps conditioning?  The discussion turned to the problem of suffering and the urge to experience unity or oneness.  One participant mentioned that often the “what?” question is asked but it seems rarely the “why?”  Is there a plan or meaning to life and the universe?  Why are we here?  Why is life here?   I’m sorry to report that no conclusive answer was found.  It was mentioned that Krishnamurti said that if we see that the observer and the observed are one and the division collapses, then we will never need to ask what is the meaning of life.  Krishnamurti’s teachings were also referred to in relation to other points of discussion. The last part of the meeting was taken up largely considering the impact of beliefs on the stage of politics and international relations.  Hopefully an interesting and useful afternoon for all.