Meditative Self-inquiry with Mukesh Gupta, July 21,2024

Meditative Self-inquiry

Sunday, July 21, 2024

With Mukesh Gupta

At KECC Metchosin

 

Ten people were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting with Mukesh Gupta at the Swanwick Road location in Metchosin. The meeting was sponsored by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada and it began in the Gatehouse before it was decided to try sitting on the lawn in front of the main house. The change in location was enjoyed by most of the participants but a few were feeling cold towards the end of the session.

Mukesh began the meeting with a silent sit and a short introduction to the nature of self-inquiry. He said that in self-inquiry it is very important to slow down and to inhabit the space in a way that creates a togetherness. The process is more one of the “heart” than of the intellect. Listening from the space of the heart there is no limitation. We are exploring, or, rather, a shared space is exploring without judging. There is an inquiry into what is true in this moment. What is arising may be from the past but then the question is “how do we relate to it?” Do we judge “what is” as good or bad? Any judgement is a waste of energy, it was said. Pure observation was invited as the most effective and meaningful approach

Participants offered some descriptions of their state of mind when listening in a state of presence or in what some called “meditation”. States of “mind” were described as “high” or “low” energy and it was asked if such a variation was not natural. A distinction was made between the state of “becoming” and the state of “Being” or peacefulness where there is no effort to reach or achieve any particular state.

There was a sharing of being open to one’s own likes and dislikes within oneself and the flow from one personality to another where there might even be a sense of multiple personalities. It was said that the personality is “the known” and there is no freedom in that state. When there is a seeing of the personality then there is a dissolution, which brings some freedom. The state of Presence is the freedom from the personality. One group member emphasised that our true nature or essence is Divine and we must fully acknowledge that aspect of what we are.

We spoke of the truth of non-movement, of that which is prior to all movement and all arising. In that state there are no points of reference and no place to land on. There is neither this nor that. There is a state of beauty when one is beyond the mind.

Our explorations seemed sometimes difficult to follow and yet there seemed to be significant moments of “truth” and insight.

 

DB