Self-Inquiry with Henry Fischer, April 6, 2025

Self-Inquiry Meeting
On-site Dialogue with Henry Fischer
April 6, 2025

Ralph Tiller began by inviting all dialogue attendees to the 2025 KECC events and personal study stays at Swanwick and in Victoria and communicated that dialogue is an exploration in self-inquiry. He introduced Henry Fischer as April’s support person and dialogue facilitator. Nine people were present at the dialogue.

Henry began with an invitation to consider that we are coming together as human consciousness and that we might be tentative about what we know. He welcomed all attendees to be facilitators and explore topics together potentially as one human consciousness exposing itself as it is. After a period of quiet the following reading from The Book of Life (excerpts from J. Krishnamurti) was offered:

“A healthy, normal reaction I have to find out why desire has such potency in my life. It may be right or it may not be right. I have to find out. I see that. Desire arises, which is a reaction, which is a healthy, normal reaction; otherwise, I would be dead. I see a beautiful thing and I say, “By Jove, I want that.” If I didn’t, I’d be dead. But in the constant pursuit of it there is pain. That’s my problem—there is pain as well as pleasure. I see a beautiful woman, and she is beautiful; it would be most absurd to say, “No, she’s not.” This is a fact. But what gives continuity to the pleasure? Obviously it is thought, thinking about it… I think about it. It is no longer the direct relationship with the object, which is desire, but thought now increases that desire by thinking about it, by having images, pictures, ideas… …Thought comes in and says, “Please, you must have it; that’s growth; that is important; that is not important; this is vital for your life; this is not vital for your life.” But I can look at it and have a desire, and that’s the end of it, without interference of thought.”

The group began by considering both the reading and the invitation that we explore as one human consciousness. There was some pointing out that delight might be a better word than desire for the direct experience of sensory desire and also some looking at what was meant by the word consciousness. Did it refer to some experiences and not others? Is it increased by attention, meaning is there a distinction between the conscious and unconscious? Was it divided in some way that wasn’t the activity of thought? There was also discussion about awareness and interest in the reactions of everyday life.

The group finally moved into considering the movement of wanting itself (without an object) and desire (with an object). There was some sensing that wanting itself was an undesirable state but did it reveal something that is normally covered over by the activity of seeking an object of desire?

Henry Fischer