Foundation Focus
Winter/Spring 2023

"As long as the thinker exists apart from his thought, which he is trying to dominate, there can be no fundamental transformation. As long as the 'me' is the observer, the one who gathers experience, strengthens himself through experience, there can be no transformation, there can be no creative release; but, that creative release comes when the thinker is the thought, which is not to be bridged by any effort; that can only come when the mind realizes that any speculation, any verbalization, any form of thought, only creates more, gives strength to the 'me' as long as thought exists separate from the thinker, there must be the limitation, the duality, the conflict.

When I realize that, then I am watching, then the mind is everlastingly watching how it is separating itself from experience, asserting itself, seeking power. That awareness, if you pursue it, if the mind pursues ever deeply, more extensively, without seeking an end, a goal, then you will see that the thinker and the thought are one. In that state there is no effort, there is no becoming, there is no desire to change; in that state there is a transformation which is not of the mind.

What is this 'I'? What is this 'me?' It’s a name, a form, memories, hopes, frustrations, longings, pains, sorrows, passing joys. That 'me' we want to continue, we want it to continue and become perfect and we realize that, so we say beyond this 'me' there is the 'super-me,' the self which is not the 'me,' which is timeless, a state of spiritual entity; but still, that spiritual entity is within the field of time, is it not? Because I have thought of it. If I can think about it, it is still within the field of my reasoning.

Please, if I can think about the spiritual state, I know about it, I know what it is, I know what it tastes like, what it looks like, what its sensations are. If I know about it, it is still, it is already within the field of my knowledge; and my knowledge is based on memory, on my conditioning. So, if I can think about it, surely it is not something spiritual, something timeless; because, thought is the result of the past, of memory, of time; thought has created this spiritual entity, because you are conditioned to accept that theory, because you’ve been brought up from childhood, conditioned that way. Perhaps another is conditioned not to believe in that – which is happening in the world. He’ll deny that you are a spiritual entity, because he is brought up, conditioned to think in those terms.

So, each one of us, seeing our own impermanency, our own transciency, want, crave for some kind of permanency; and the very craving creates the symbol, the sensation, the idea, the belief, and we cling to it. So, there is the 'me,' who is the transient, and there is the 'super-me,' super-self, which is permanent; and so the mind is pursuing the permanent. So, there is a conflict, the conflict of the opposites, of duality, of the 'me' which is impermanent, and beyond 'me,' in 'me,' concealed, deep down, far away, is the timeless, spiritual entity which is permanent, everlasting, changeless, absolute; and the various degrees between 'me' and that. So, I’ve given birth to duality, conflict; and to achieve that I must have time, a psychological growth, a becoming towards that. So, there is always in this process the 'me,' the observer, and the thing which he is going to gain, the observed. And so he gives himself to the struggle, strengthens his longings, his struggles, his desires. And so for that he must have time, the future; therefore he has reincarnation – if not now, tomorrow. But if we can cut across all that and see that as long as there is the thinker and the thought, the observer and the observed, there must be this conflict; and through conflict there can be no understanding, no peace."


J. Krishnamurti
Excerpt from Choiceless Awareness

Dear Friends,

We invite you to read Foundation Focus, which is our bi-annual printed newsletter that features news, information, and updates from the KFA. Click here to read the full digital version. 

Our first online course, Unconditionally Free, starts next week on February 15. This course is a virtual, live, and interactive exploration of J. Krishnamurti’s life and work. It will have twelve monthly modules with selected readings and one live session each month starting February 15, 2023, until January 17, 2024. Participants can register any time during the year (the previous live sessions will be available as recorded video). Click here to learn more about this course and register now. Please contact us (courses@kfa.org) if you require financial assistance to enroll in the course.

The recent silent retreat at the Center was an opportunity to explore silence, not for any particular result, but just to watch with stillness and space. Surrounded by the beauty of nature and the sounds of Ojai’s wildlife, participants of this retreat quietly gathered together. The absence of technology and conversation allowed for a different type of observation of the self and the natural surroundings. The weekend retreat served as a reminder of the power of nature and the importance of taking time for silence. For those interested in attending a silent retreat, the Center is offering two more this year: one on July 14-16 and another from December 1-3

Next month, our first program, The Driving Force of Pleasure, will take place at the Center in Ojai from March 3-5. Pleasure-seeking seems to be a major driving force in our everyday existence and an ever-growing value in the modern world. During this in-person weekend intensive, participants will deep dive into this issue of pleasure and how increasingly bound we are to it, as well as propelled by it.

Another program next month occurs online from March 13-17, called Dying to Separateness. Participants will meet for daily online sessions and explore questions such as, is there dying to being separate in which there was never anyone separate to begin with? When psychological resisting arises, what is actually being resisted? Is it the particular circumstances, or is it the fact of not being in control? At its deepest level, is being separate resisting not being separate? Is it avoiding what actually is?

On March 27th, our evening program, Krishnamurti and Tradition, will be taking place. This program is an evening talk by Ravi Ravindra in Pine Cottage, in which he will explore Krishnamurti's relationship with tradition. Ravi Ravidra is Professor Emeritus at Dalhousie University in Halifax (Canada) where he served for many years as a Professor in the departments of Comparative Religion, Philosophy, and of Physics. Ravi’s spiritual search has led him to the teachings of J. Krishnamurti, G. I. Gurdjieff, Zen, Yoga, and a deep immersion in the mystical teachings of the Indian and Christian classical traditions. He is the author of several books on religion, science, mysticism, and spirituality.


Finally, we would like to invite you to attend the KFA Annual May Gathering taking place at Oak Grove School in Ojai from May 6-7. This year's gathering brings together participants from near and far to delve into insightful conversations, participate in workshops, and admire the beautiful surroundings of the OGS campus. With an array of programs focused on subjects such as consciousness and education, participants will have the chance to interact with scholars who have a deep appreciation for Krishnamurti's teachings. The theme for this year's gathering is Choiceless Awareness, and this event will occur both in-person and through virtual streaming online. To register for this free event, click here. We look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

 Jaap Sluijter
Executive Director

Residential Scholar Program
Rebecca Janovic

 
When a friend told me about the Residential Scholar Program at the Krishnamurti Center in Ojai, California, something inside me lit up. It was not until arriving at the center that I began to understand just how immense and beautiful an opportunity I was stepping into. Within the first few days, I was struck by the potency of the space as the silent aliveness of the land was itself breathing an energy of assistance into the body, connecting me to deeper inner seriousness.
 
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Oak Grove School
Return to India 

Inspired by the work of J. Krishnamurti, an Oak Grove School education seeks to cultivate in students sensitivity and awareness of their relationship to themselves, each other, and the world. Beginning in early childhood, OGS students understand they are part of something bigger than their classrooms, and that we all share responsibility for our global community. A culminating expression of this global relationship is the annual high school seniors’ trip to India. 

 
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Archives & Publications 
Cory Fisher

This past October, after a two-year absence due to the pandemic, we had the chance to visit the Frankfurt Book Fair. One of the biggest in the world, this book fair draws participants worldwide, including writers, publishers, printers, distributors, and book designers.

 
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Unconditionally Free Exploration/Online Course
Starting Soon

A virtual, live, and interactive exploration of Krishnamurti’s life and work. Twelve modules with one live session each month, starting February 15, 2023, until January 17, 2024. Selected readings for each session from the books Unconditionally Free, The Life and Insights of J. Krishnamurti and Always Awakening, Buddha’s Realization Krishnamurti’s Insight, with Samdhong Rinpoche. Recurring international dialogues, questions, commentary, and explorations.

 
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Individual and Society
Javier Gómez Rodríguez


Javier Gómez Rodríguez will facilitate an in-depth online program for the Krishnamurti Center titled Individual and Society. He attended Brockwood Park as a student and later worked there as a teacher. He has translated several of Krishnamurti’s books into Spanish. He lives in the Netherlands and has been involved with the Dutch committee and an informal group called Krishnamurti Link International for many years. He is currently working on a book about the teachings.

 
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Planning for Long-Term Financial Sustainability
Francisco Mazza

We are committed to our mission of preserving the legacy and teachings of J. Krishnamurti at the Krishnamurti Center for generations, which has been a vital resource for those seeking to deepen their understanding of Krishnamurti's teachings. We are committed to ensuring that it remains so for generations to come. To that end, we have established three restricted funds that will help us secure the long-term financial sustainability of the Center's programs.

 
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