Swanwick Star Issue No. 13 (2020)

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UVic Stillness Within Meetup

 

Krishnamurti’s Noteboook: UVic Stillness Within Meetup – February 26th

The February UVic meet-up brought eight of us together for quietness and ponderous readings from Krishnamurti’s Notebook. This was new material for almost everyone in the group and the absolute poetic beauty of K’s day-to-day observations had a reverberating affect within many of us.

We reflected on Krishnamurti’s intimate descriptions of his moments in a quiet grove of trees – in stark contrast to his arrival back in populated city describing his sense of violence within the built hubbub of humanity.  We were struck by his seeming merging or love within each expression.   With each new passage, we enjoyed a very provocative exploration.  For example,  what did he mean when describing shifts into a state of ‘benediction’… ? was it grace?  purity? centreless divinity?

In one passage, K. offered view of meditation that takes us beyond our mats and temples…

“Meditation during that walk, beside the stream on a path which meandered gently through many green fields, was not there because of silence or because the beauty of the evening absorbed all thought;  it went on in spite of some talk.  Nothing could interfere with it;  meditation went on, not unconsciously somewhere in the recesses of the brain and memory, but it was there, taking place, like the evening light among the trees.  Meditation is not a purposeful pursuit which breeds distraction and conflict; it’s not the discovery of a toy that will absorb all thought, as a child is absorbed by a toy;  it’s not the repetition of a word to still the mind.  It begins with self-knowing and goes beyond knowing.  On the walk, it was going on, stirring deeply and moving in no direction.  Meditation was going on beyond thought, conscious or hidden, and a seeing beyond the capacity of thought.”

Krishnamurti’s Notebook, 2003

We considered our own moments of unencumbered awe with the world around us – and seeming surrender – minus a surrender.   It was a fabulous dip into the eyes and heart of Krishnamurti;  I think we all felt lighter moving off into our ordinary yet extraordinary moments.

Thanks to KECC for supporting these meet-ups!

Shannon Mullen