Bulletin 2019 (PDF)

2 Krishnamurti Foundation Bulletin 93 3 America 2019 s you leave the Pacific behind and enter into the country, winding over various small hills, The air is peaceful, quiet, full of that strange dignity of A the country, you enter the valley. It is quiet, perfumed almost untouched by man. You enter into this valley, which is almost like a vast cup, a nest. Then you leave the little village and climb to about 1,400 feet, passing rows and with orange rows of orange orchards and groves. The air is perfumed with orange blossom. The whole valley is filled with that blossom scent. And the smell of it is in your mind, in your heart, in your whole body. And there is a quietness in the mountains, a dignity. And each time you look at those hills and the high mountain, which is over 6,000 feet, you are really surprised that such a country exists. Each time you come to this quiet, peaceful valley there is a feeling of strange aloofness, of deep silence, and the vast spreading of slow time. And the mountains that morning were extraordinarily beautiful. You could almost touch them. The majesty, the vast sense of permanency is there in them. And you enter quietly into the house where you have lived for over sixty years and the atmosphere, the air, is, if one can use that word, holy; you can feel it. As it has rained considerably, for it is the rainy season, all the hills and the little folds of the mountain are green, flourishing, full – the earth is smiling with such delight, with some deep quiet understanding of its own existence. Krishnamurti to Himself Ojai, 1983 50th Anniversary 50th Anniversary 4 Krishnamurti Foundation Bulletin 93 5 America 2019 late 1940s, with Aldous Huxley and others, Krishnamurti started Introduction the Happy Valley School (now called Besant Hill School). Though Krishnamurti withdrew from participating at Happy Valley, his interest in education remained a primary theme throughout his Krishnamurti Foundation The Krishnamurti Foundation of America (KFA) is celebrating life. He gave talks at Thacher School as well as dialogues with of America its 50th anniversary this year. Founded in 1969 by J. Krishnamurti teachers and parents at Oak Grove School, founded in1975 by 50th Anniversary Committee and a small group of trustees, the KFA exists to preserve, protect Krishnamurti, with KFA trustees and director Mark Lee. and disseminate his teachings. The KFA oversees the historic Pine Cottage library and Pepper Tree Retreat in Ojai and Oak Each year Krishnamurti typically spent three to four months Grove School in Meiners Oaks. at Pine Cottage among the orange groves in Ojai’s east end. He enjoyed walking with neighbors and their dogs, hiking up Horn Krishnamurti fell in love with the Ojai Valley in 1922 when Canyon, and designing and maintaining the gardens with his he and his brother were guests of Mary Gray, a Theosophist personal assistant Mary Zimbalist and gardener Alasdair Coyne. who owned several cottages on McAndrew Road. Pine Cottage During these months in Ojai, the KFA hosted numerous religious became Krishnamurti’s California home for the next six decades. scholars, educators, philosophers, and scientists in multi-day Over the years, he gave hundreds of talks at the Oak Grove in discussions with Krishnamurti. Among these individuals were Meiners Oaks which drew thousands of listeners each year. Jonas Salk, Rupert Sheldrake, Jacob Needleman and David Bohm. Krishnamurti’s discussions with Bohm have been transcribed Many of those who came to the talks became residents of the and published in Truth and Actuality, The Future of Humanity, The valley or frequent visitors. These included Annie Besant, Beatrice Limits of Thought, and The Ending of Time. Wood, Monica Ros, Alan and Helen Hooker, and Aldous Huxley. The entire Krotona Colony moved to Ojai from Hollywood in Krishnamurti travelled extensively during his lifetime, talking 1924 and established the Krotona School of Theosophy. In the with millions of people around the world. In 1985, while on a speaking tour of India, he became ill with pancreatic cancer. He traveled back to Ojai to live out his final days in the valley that he loved. Krishnamurti died at the age of 90 at Pine Cottage on February 17, 1986. Today, 33 years after his passing, there remains the sense of urgency that Krishnamurti communicated while inquiring into life—an urgency to understand the nature of thinking, of fear, and of conditioning, and to see oneself as all of humanity. Articles written about the Ojai Valley still mention his importance in shaping the cultural and spiritual ethos of the community. Today his talks are viewed online worldwide; his books have been translated into more than 30 languages; and his foundations and schools are thriving in the United Kingdom, India, and the United States. Most Ojai residents and visitors know that an important ‘philosopher’ named Krishnamurti once lived here. Those who have read his work or visited the campuses on McAndrew Road or Lomita Avenue can attest to the teachings’ deep vitality and enduring relevance. 50th Anniversary 50th Anniversary 6 Krishnamurti Foundation Bulletin 93 7 America 2019 Brief Biography of Krishnamurti Michael Krohnen Pine Cottage Librarian J. Krishnamurti (K) was born in Madanapalle, Krishnamurti pursued this mission for the rest in southern India, on May 12, 1895. His family of his long life. He travelled to Europe, North and was of the Brahmin caste. His mother died when South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, he was 10 years old and his father, a Theosophist, giving public talks and discussions and founding moved the family to Adyar, near Madras, where schools in India, England, and California. the worldwide headquarters of the Theosophical Society (TS) were located. Throughout his travels, Krishnamurti interacted with many prominent individuals in the fields of It was in Adyar that K was “discovered” in science, the arts, education and politics. During the 1909 and declared to be the next World Teacher. years of World War II, however, the global eruption He and his younger brother, Nityananda, were of violence prevented him from travelling and giving adopted by Dr. Annie Besant, president of the public talks. During this period, he remained in TS, and taken to the United Kingdom. There they Ojai and pursued his mission on a smaller scale. He You have to were privately educated, and K was groomed for gave many private interviews and initiated a series his role as the World Teacher. An international of writings in which he described his observations be a light organization called The Order of the Star in the and illustrated his teachings. Many of these writings East was founded to prepare for his arrival. In were published in the years that followed. anticipation of this role, K travelled throughout onto yourself. Europe, India and Australia to meet and address After the war, K resumed his global travels gatherings of his followers. and speaking tours. Eventually he founded Nobody can Krishnamurti Foundations in England, the In 1922, K visited the United States for the United States, India, and the Spanish-speaking first time, as a result of his brother’s ill health. world. These organizational structures continue give you this Nitya died in Ojai, California, in 1925. to function 33 years after his passing in February 1986, in Ojai, at the age of 90. In August 1929, K dissolved The Order of light. the Star at its annual convention in Ommen, the Throughout his public and private appearances, Netherlands. He said, “Truth is a pathless land,” Krishnamurti emphasized that he was not a and he questioned the validity of all religious guru or an authority figure and that no sect, cult organizations. He declared it his mission to set or religious organization should be created on human beings “absolutely, unconditionally free.” the basis of his person, life or work. 50th Anniversary 50th Anniversary 8 Krishnamurti Foundation Bulletin 93 9 America 2019 The Intent of the Oak Grove School J. Krishnamurti It is becoming more and more important in a world that is destructive and degenerating that there should be a place, an oasis, where one can learn a way of living that is whole, sane and intelligent. Education in the modern world learns to look at the whole of man's endeavor, has been concerned with the cultivation, not his search for beauty, his search for truth and The original statement of intelligence, but of intellect, of memory and for a way of living without conflict. Conflict is of intent was written by its skills. In this process little occurs beyond the very essence of violence. So far education has passing information from the teacher to the not been concerned with this, but in this school Krishnamurti in 1975 when taught, the leader to the follower, bringing our intent is to understand actuality and its the Oak Grove School was about a superficial and mechanical way of life. action without any preconceived ideals, theories founded. The statement was In this there is little human relationship. or belief which bring about a contradictory attitude toward existence. revised to its present form in Surely a school is a place where one learns 1984 by Krishnamurti and about the totality, the wholeness of life. The school is concerned with freedom This whole movement of inquiry into Academic excellence is absolutely necessary, and order. Freedom is not the expression of knowledge, into oneself, into the possibility of the school staff. but a school includes much more than that. one's own desire, choice or self-interest. That something beyond knowledge, brings about It is a place where both the teacher and the inevitably leads to disorder.

Load more