Self-inquiry, November 26, 2023

Self-inquiry

November 26, 2023

With Jackie McInley

At KECC Metchosin

 

Eleven people were present for this Sunday afternoon meeting at the Swanwick Road location for the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada. The session was facilitated by Jackie McInley, who is visiting us from the UK and lending her passion and skill with group dialogue to assist our attempts to engage in meaningful discussions or “meditations” about the nature of self-exploration and self-discovery. Without being an authority, she “leads” the groups in looking into questions about ourselves and about life as we are experiencing it. As the setting is one where people have an interest in what J. Krishnamurti has said about such matters, the subjects of “study” are usually related to self-knowledge and insight into our own nature, both as individuals and as members of the human race. Sometimes the investigation takes a turn into unexpected directions, but these often turn out to be interesting in surprising and challenging ways, which was the case in today’s session.

When the attendees were asked what they would like to discuss, one participant introduced a topic involving the keeping of secrets and the creation of a disharmony when such “secrets” were held within and not shared with the group. On the other hand, it was pointed out how such secret behaviours that one may have engaged in, when shared, can break down barriers and promote a greater sense of communion and cohesiveness within the group. Some group members felt that such sharing might be “dangerous” in that others may have strong judgments about the behaviour described. In such cases conflict and division might result from a lack of trust in the results of such sharing. There was a question of what would be helpful to share and what would not and some degree of fear about taking such risks.

The conversation turned towards the almost universal experience of loneliness and the depth of the human need to find comfort in transcending our sense of isolation and separateness. The exploration of loneliness went quite deep and there was some resistance to ending the conversation. It seems that these group meetings have taken us into depths that we are reluctant to leave for the more superficial levels of oursurface interactions and relationships. At the same time, there may be an awakening of uncomfortable feelings and sensations which can be difficult to “be with”. Still, being with them seems necessary in order to penetrate them and “go through” a kind of “death” process wherein the “ego” self may dissolve and freedom from the self may be realised.

 

DB