The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting, November 8, 2020

The Urgency of Change Dialogue Group Meeting

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Zoom online

A few members of the group could not attend our gathering this time, resulting in a meeting of five participants. Our focus was on the chapter entitled “Discipline” in the Krishnamurti book The Urgency of Change. As well as some references to the text, participants also raised a number of interesting questions related more generally to the process of dialogue and self-inquiry. It was asked if we are entering into the new in our exploration or just repeating what we already know. It seemed like an excellent question which provoked some inquiry without perhaps coming to any final conclusion. In fact the limitation of all conclusions was pointed out and discussed. Another subject of investigation was the nature of the “I” or “me”. What are we referring to when we use such words? Is there a “self” that can be defined or said to be a real entity? These seem to be questions worthy of looking into in a way that can perhaps bring fresh insight. The nature of awareness and attention was questioned and their nature as non-conceptual, non-objective, indescribable, and ungraspable was explored, again with an emphasis on looking without conclusions. Perhaps such an inquiry is an opening to the “new”, to something beyond thought.

Some statements about “saints” made by Krishnamurti in the chapter were questioned by one group member and feedback requested from participants. The discussion moved in the direction of wondering about the need for compassion and non-judgement in our perceptions and conceptions. Again we left some openness around the question. The session invited sharing from all participants and hopefully provoked ongoing inquiry in our daily lives until our next meeting in December, the last one for 2020.