Self-inquiry, May 28, 2023

Self-inquiry

May 28, 2023

With Harshad Parekh

KECC Metchosin

 

Six people in total were present for Harshad’s last dialogue meeting at the Swanwick Road location of the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. He is returning to India on May 29. It was a lovely sunny day, allowing us to sit out on the lawn in front of the main house, with its spectacular view of the ocean and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains in Washington. We decided to read some excerpts from a Krishnamurti book, Think on These Things, to be followed by discussion of the content. Before reading, Harshad gave a short but precise introduction to what K says about thinking. In various ways, he points out that thinking continuously creates problems and, in fact, Is the problem. Is it possible to see this clearly and to be free of thinking? Is there something we can call awareness that is beyond thinking and can observe the movements of thought and feeling. Is such observation freedom? This question seems to be at the core of K’s teachings.

The chapter looks at the issue of working together or “cooperating” in order to ensure our physical survival as well as our psychological security and well-being. This requires an understanding of how our minds work when they create difficulties and conflicts in our relationships. One of the issues is that almost all our behaviour is motivated by reward and punishment and the attempt to assert and build up our sense of self. This can produce an experience of separateness, but when this is seen the separateness may dissolve and an energy of cooperation may arise to sustain our enjoyment of supporting each other. At the same time we may understand when not to cooperate, for example when an idea looks promising but includes elements that will produce conflict and disharmony. The plan may be corrupted by selfish motives.

The book is addressed to young students, and it deals with the challenge of learning how to work and play effectively and happily. It seemed like a subject of real importance and one worthy of deep inquiry in our lives. We felt grateful for Harshad’s guidance over the past month and wished him a good trip home.