Meditative Self-Inquiry with Cynthia Overweg, September 25, 2025

The meeting began with a few minutes of silence and a suggestion to give attention to one’s breath during the silence. Afterwards, several participants said they appreciated the “quality” of the silence, noting that there was a sense of relaxation in the stillness, especially since some had driven to the meeting in heavy and noisy traffic. This stimulated an exploration of the vast amount of noise and conflict in the world, something Krishnamurti pointed to as a result or projection of our own inner divisions and conflicts. Ten people were present.

A participant wondered why we continue, century after century, to endure the status-quo and even make it worse with escalating conflict and the destruction of ecosystems. Several observations were expressed that ranged from our individual and collective conditioning to a sense of helplessness to affect significant change. A question was asked: What if the thought of helplessness about our world situation is just the mind’s way of escaping responsibility? One of Krishnamurti’s statements along these lines was offered: “If you as a human being transform yourself, you affect the consciousness of the rest of the world.” The part affects the whole of human consciousness. This provided an important context for Krishnamurti’s emphasis on self-understanding, transformation and the responsibility each of us has in helping to bring about a new society.

We then read a brief passage from the Book of Life which centered on Krishnamurti’s statement that “fear is the non-acceptance of what is.” One participant, who is facing a medical diagnosis which involves ongoing memory loss, offered his own insights about understanding fear and accepting “what is.” His sensitive and heart-felt comments about what “letting go of the known” means for him generated a feeling of communion among us. The searing authenticity of what was said lingered in the air for a while. The meeting ended with a deep sense of our connectedness and a long period of silence.

By Cynthia Overweg