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• Two Ways to Live

We humans live in two worlds: one that we create with our own minds, and the one that we share with all other human beings. One is imaginary and the other is real.

We may have different ideas about which world our ego belongs to, and where the line lies between the real and the imagined.

We know what it means to live with the self, the 'me', the so-called ego. That is our conscious life. This book is about life without the self. It may be the best way to live.

This option may sound strange, absurd, frightening, or impossible even pointless.

It should be made clear that we are talking about the self-image: the subjective mental picture in our mind, with which we identify and which we call the self or the ego.

This feeling arises in childhood and continues throughout life, more or less actively. The self is the centre of our experiences. It reacts to what is happening around us.

The self-image is created in the brain with the help of memory. A person who is unconscious or asleep has no self-image. In a sense, self-image is a living thing.

The Self Is a Prison

According to Krishnamurti, the self is a prison that we have locked ourselves in. It would be easy to escape and be free, yet most people choose to remain in their personal prison when they could live happily and freely.

Krishnamurti said there are three reasons for this.

Firstly, we are used to our current way of life and accept it without seeking alternatives.

Secondly, we don't seem to know of a better way. This does not occur to us because nobody has told us what life without the self would be like.

The third reason is fear. We cling to what we have and what is familiar and safe, even though our current way of life is distressing in many ways.

True or False?

For 66 years, Krishnamurti tried to show that the self is an illusion created by the mind, and that a world beyond can be reached by letting go of all the unnecessary things we have accumulated. This material was collected before we were born and will be collected after we die. We pass our burdens on to the next generation, and the cycle continues.

Krishnamurti offered a radical view of the mind and the world. It challenged the established worldview. He wanted to show us a different way of living, but this requires us to abandon our current self-centred way of life.

His philosophy can be culminated in two key phrases: the observer is the observed, and we are the world.

Our current way of thinking is based on a flawed and deluded view of the world. According to this view, the world consists of separate parts that interact with each other and evolve.

However, according to Krishnamurti, this is not true. The separateness of these parts is an illusion created by the mind, and the self is its direct manifestation.

It is easy to reject Krishnamurti's idea of wholeness because our sense of humanity is based on our individual identities. The self is the central concept of our worldview, so challenging it requires considerable courage.

The Ego Rejects Facts

The truth of this claim is difficult to investigate because the ego does everything in its power to reject any doubts about its own existence. When threatened, the self clings even more tenaciously to itself and its beliefs.

The ego cannot see how the internal and external are connected. For Krishnamurti, however, these two are inseparable; they are one movement, with the inner creating the outer and the outer creating the inner.

If we want to change the world – as every sane person should – we must start with ourselves, not others. We cannot change others.

Time Is an Illusion

Most people recognise their own shortcomings. Yet they believe that they can become better human beings simply by improving themselves. However, Krishnamurti rejected this idea of improvement, showing that time cannot help us solve our problems. Understanding is always immediate.

Another of Krishnamurti's radical ideas relates to time. We live in time – or rather, we imagine that we do. To Krishnamurti, time itself is an illusion created by the mind. Without thought, there is no time. There is only the present moment, in which we imagine the past and the future.

The self is a construct of time. It lives in time; in yesterday and tomorrow. This moment is all there is; it encompasses the whole world, its history, and its future. It also encompasses us, the inner observer who observes the external world and draws emphatic conclusions about ourselves and the world.

Understanding this enables us to overcome the challenge presented by Krishnamurti, which is to see that separateness and time are self-created, and that this illusory view causes all our inner problems.

If we delve deep into our minds, we will discover that we are not separate from this energy, our internal and external worlds are intertwined and cannot be separated from each other.

The Reason Lies Deep Within

The energy of the self is insignificant yet self-sufficient. When we feel anxious and afraid, we try to get rid of these feelings in many ways, and perhaps we succeed for a moment.

Krishnamurti showed that the root cause of human problems lies deep within the structure of our consciousness and in the way we act and connect with the world.

Fact and fiction become intertwined in our minds, and we can observe the dire consequences in the world around us. Fact is what is actually happening at any given moment, while fiction is how we think about it.

World chaos is a fact that anyone can verify by reading the morning paper or watching the evening news. People hate and kill each other because of their beliefs – yet on the other hand, they also admire and love others.

The Me Is a Mine

The most serious consequence of our misconceptions is our misunderstanding of ourselves, and this is what we are about to dismantle.

Our deeply held beliefs are rarely based on facts. They are a mixture of myths and ideas created in our minds. Some of these are true; many are not.

Krishnamurti recognised that the mind creates a world based on its own fantasies. This world consists of ideas that we have absorbed from our environment. Although people in different countries have different beliefs, this mechanism is the same for everyone, everywhere.

Our mind collects, stores, and uses perceptions. It does this incessantly, and mistakes facts for fiction. This can lead us to harbour misconceptions and start living in fantasies of our own creation.

Direct and Indirect Connection

Krishnamurti first identified this mechanism in himself and then in others. Our mind colours the world. What we see is the content of our consciousness, not the external world itself. We soon begin to shape the world to our own liking.

When people think and wish differently, they want to change the world to suit themselves. This creates the kind of mess that we see in the world right now.

It is important to be aware of this pattern. There are two ways of viewing it: as an idea, or without the self. The latter may seem impossible, but according to Krishnamurti, it is definitely possible.

When we perceive real danger, we act immediately without thinking. In that situation, the 'I' is just a useless hindrance. However, we don't recognise the dangers we create in our minds, always associating them with something external.

The option of seeing without the self doesn't occur to us when our minds are dominated by thought. Krishnamurti spent decades trying to show that there is another way to live. Without the self,
we are in direct contact with 'what is'.

What is encompasses everything, including the mind-made realm and beyond. The self denies us access to this world.

Exposure to the Miracle of Life

In this book, we explore what Krishnamurti said about the two ways of living. We are all somewhat familiar with the way we live now. If you are content with this way, you probably are not interested in exploring the alternative.

However, if you want to find out if we humans can live without any problems, you may wish to embark on a journey of discovery and experience the timeless, inexplicable miracle of life for yourself.

I have been on this journey since 1977 – for 48 years. Before that, I lived in the world of my ego for 24 years. After reading Krishnamurti's books, I noticed amazing changes in the way I perceived the world and myself.

I have now read almost all of his books, translated three of them into Finnish, subtitled dozens of his videos, and listened to audio tapes of his talks. I have also read over twenty books about him.

I want to share the knowledge I have acquired, because nothing has empowered and energised me more than Krishnamurti's thoughts.

For this book, I have selected material from his extensive body of work. Rather than simply repeating what Krishnamurti said, I will refer to his words according to my own understanding.

I do not try to 'live by his teachings', because that is impossible. As K explains, life is always more than any teachings and must be approached with humility and wonder, which cannot be explained.

Krishnamurti's teachings cannot be repeated or taught to others. They express the flow of life, which each of us experiences alone yet we all live together.

This living energy surrounding us all cannot be confined or proclaimed.

The Nine Cores of the Teachings

While writing Krishnamurti's biography, Mary Lutyens asked him to summarise the essence of his teachings. In October 1980, she received a reply that provided a good starting point for this book.

Krishnamurti wrote his answers in one long paragraph, but I have grouped them into nine key points:

· Truth is a pathless land.

Truth cannot be found by any organisation, creed, dogma, priest or ritual, by philosophical knowledge or psychological technique. We have to find it through the mirror of relationship, through understanding the contents of our own mind, through observation, not through intellectual analysis, introspective dissection.

· Images are the cause of our inner problems.

Humans have built an inner fence of security out of religious, political and personal images. These ideas manifest as symbols, opinions and beliefs. The burden of these images dominates people's thinking, our daily life and relationships.

· The content of consciousness is common to all people.

A person's perception of life is shaped by the concepts that are established in his mind. Man's consciousness consists of his content and is the essence of his existence. The individuality is the name, the form and superficial culture we acquire from tradition and environment. The uniqueness of man does not lie in the superficial but in complete freedom from the content of our common consciousness. Man is therefore not an individual.

· Freedom has no motive.

Freedom is not a reaction or a choice. It is man's pretence that because he has choice, he is free. Freedom is pure observation without direction, without fear of punishment and reward. Freedom is without motive; freedom is not at the end of the evolution of man but lies in the first step of his existence. In observation one begins to discover the lack of freedom. Freedom is found in the choiceless awareness of our daily existence and activity.

· Thought is time.

Thought is born of experience and knowledge, and it is inseparable from time and the past.

· There is no psychological evolution.

Our action is based on knowledge and therefore on time. Man is therefore always a prisoner of the past. Time is the psychological enemy of humanity.

· The observer is the observed.

When one becomes aware of the movement of one's thoughts, one will discover a division between thinker and thought, the observer and the observed, the experiencer and the experience.

· Insight causes a mutation in the mind.

When one discovers this basic division is an illusion, then only is there pure observation which is insight without any shadow of the past, or of time. This timeless insight brings about a deep, radical mutation in the mind.

· Total negation is the essence of the positive.

When there is negation of all those things that thought has brought about psychologically, only then is there love, which is compassion and intelligence.

The Krishnamurti Challenge

Krishnamurti spoke extensively about life's challenges. All the topics I have chosen for this book relate to how we can live right in a world that can be depressing and distressing, even frightening.

He was convinced that most people's problems are self-created and internal, and that they can all be solved.

Even if the world is chaotic, our own mind doesn't have to be. The key is to see what is. The Krishnamurti challenge is to be free to see things as they are, not as we want them to be. The conditioned self is not free; it is tied to a pole and moves within a very limited area. It lives in constant conflict.

The universe knows how to function – we don't have to worry about that. Let's focus on minding our own minds.

The Message of Freedom

Seeing the world correctly reveals the incredible energy that permeates all living things. You could even call life a miracle.

Some consider Krishnamurti's teachings to be gloomy and accusatory, even hopeless, because he often spoke about how bad the world and humanity are.

However, he emphasised that we don't have to live in conflict, fear, and sorrow, but that we can free ourselves from all evil and torment at any time.

He brought us a message of freedom and joy, and did not want anyone to remain trapped in their own mind.

A few days before he died, Krishnamurti told his close friends that they might not realise what they were missing in life unless they discovered the mystery of life for themselves.

See for Yourself!

Krishnamurti particularly emphasised that he was not teaching anything, but only wanted to highlight things out and encourage people to see for themselves. He described life as we encounter it in each moment, rather than how we want it to be. Everyone must see for themselves because, through the eyes of others, we do not see the world as it is.

The conditioned self does not see things correctly and remains within a narrow, limited area. Moreover, it lives in constant conflict.

This is a challenge we must solve. It is not easy, but may be possible. According to Krishnamurti, it requires living without the self.

Words Are Not Enough

Krishnamurti explicitly forbade interpreting his teachings, yet we all do exactly that when we listen to him or read his texts. We are forced to use words, even though they mean different things to each of us.

The teachings quoted in this book are taken from Krishnamurti's public speeches and his conversations with individuals and various groups.

He wrote two diaries entirely by himself and dictated a third.

In public talks, Krishnamurti always spoke spontaneously. He recounted hundreds of conversations he had with people who came to see him, in his own words, and these were published in four books. After the three Krishnamurti Foundations were established,

most of his conversations were recorded and published as transcripts or in edited form.

Focus on the Whole

This book contains material from Krishnamurti's writings, public talks, and conversations with individuals or groups. He wrote two diaries and dictated a third, and many of the other books are edited transcripts of his talks. In his talks, he always spoke spontaneously, using simple, everyday words.

He repeated his familiar themes over and over again, approaching them from a slightly different angle each time. To him, they were always new and fresh.

Please understand that the essence of the teachings lies not in the words themselves, but in how we take them to heart when we read or hear them. Words themselves have very little meaning; we must go beyond them, as well as beyond the self.

When speaking of himself, Krishnamurti used the pronoun 'he', the word 'speaker', or simply 'K', because he felt that he had no self, no fixed identity. Here, I will refer to him as he referred himself: K.

We will go through his works in chronological order. Direct quotations are in quotation marks; elsewhere, the text is my summary of the main points of the speeches and discussions.

I have tried to be as accurate as possible, but I encourage you to check the exact wording of any unclear passages on the official Krishnamurti Foundation website.

Don't Miss It!

Krishnamurti has three powerful messages for us. Firstly, we are not individuals. The self is not a fact, but a fiction; an imagined entity. The fact is that we are the world.

Secondly, we can never find truth, but truth may find us when we are in direct contact with what is, and there is no self.

Thirdly, if we want to change the world, we must start with ourselves. This doesn't mean getting rid of the self, but rather seeing that it is just a thought. This radical insight leads to a mutation in the brain cells.

Krishnamurti boldly claimed that this mutation takes place in the mind, and he spoke about it for 25 years, first in Paris in September 1961. This mutation revolutionises perception, but it requires direct perception and selflessness.

It is pointless to 'seek' mutation or try to eliminate the self. Mutation occurs when the brain is in a state of passive awareness. Then it transcends time and thoughts.

The Only Step

These three insights of Krishnamurti may seem distinct, but they are actually one process that either happens right now or never. The future only exists in our thoughts. If you take this step, you will no longer have a sense of self.

This may sound frightening, but it is your ego that is afraid, because it feels threatened – and it is threatened. As K points out, fear is a product of time and has no place in freedom.

This is the core message of Krishnamurti. We either get it or we don't. No amount of explanation can make it clear to anyone, and trying to understand it with a conditioned mind is totally meaningless.

Don't Waste Your Life

Whether escaping time and separateness is perceived as a liberating opportunity or a frightening threat depends on whether our ego becomes activated upon hearing about it.

Freedom is the most wonderful thing a person can experience, but it may seem as though you have to give up everything you love to achieve it. This is why many people reject the idea without even finding out what it's about.

As K often said, it is fundamental to understand this. It is also urgent. Look at what is happening in the world right now – in our world! We are all responsible, not just the leaders who misuse their power.

Krishnamurti didn't promise a reward or a diploma to those who understand themselves. However, he repeatedly urged his listeners not to waste their lives, but to courageously embrace the miracle of life they are living in.

Recognising the miracle of life should not be threatening. It is an opportunity that should be embraced. I hope that, by reading

this book, you will somehow sense this and allow the vital energy of life to flow through your mind.

Please do not try to understand everything written here. Look beyond the words. That's all.

Seven Parts, One Whole

This book has seven parts.

The first part, 'Truth Is a Pathless Land', covers his teachings from 1929 to the early 1950s. All talks have been published in written form, except for one series in Ojai in 1949, there are no recordings.

Part two, 'The Observer is the Observed', covers five wonderful books from the 1950s. In these books, Krishnamurti extensively discusses education and the revolution of the mind.

The Commentaries on Living is a trilogy based on notes that Krishnamurti took after meeting hundreds of people from around the world in private. In it, he addresses people's concerns and offers his own suggestions for solutions.

Part three, 'The Mutation Transforms the Mind', covers the 1960s and begins with Krishnamurti's diary from 1961–1962. It is here that he first mentions the word 'mutation'.

Krishnamurti's Notebook is the only book in which he describes his own inner states of consciousness. Two other books from the 1960s, Life Ahead and This Matter of Culture focus on education.

Part four, 'We Are the World', covers six books written between 1960 and 1974.

Freedom from the Known is a comprehensive guide that beautifully represents Krishnamurti's teachings.

The Only Revolution is based on Krishnamurti's notes, in which he recounts his encounters with individuals. The central theme of the book is meditation.

The Urgency of Change consists of Krishnamurti's responses to questions put to him.

The Impossible Question contains the talks given in Saanen in 1971.

The Awakening of Intelligence is a collection of talks and discussions from the early 1970s.

In February 1974, Krishnamurti held conversations with Allan W. Anderson, a professor of religious studies. These eighteen conversations were first published as a video series and later in book form under the title A Wholly Different Way of Living.

Part five, 'All Time Is Now', begins with Krishnamurti's meetings with scientists in 1974, before delving into his dialogues with David Bohm in 1975 and 1976. These are highlighted in the series of fifteen dialogues from 1980, titled The Ending of Time.

Part six, 'Beauty and Love', opens with the beautiful book The Beauty of Life and moves on to the 1980s, the final years of Krishnamurti's life.

In part seven, 'Life as a Miracle', I provide a brief summary of Krishnamurti's work. I feel strongly that many people failed to understand what he was striving for: the instant liberation of the human mind.

That is 'the Krishnamurti Challenge'.

Now or Never

This book presents Krishnamurti's teachings at different times and in different contexts. The same themes are dealt with in slightly different ways in different contexts, yet this is not repetition; rather it is a case of approaching each issue at hand with a fresh mind.

Our focus is not on Krishnamurti's words, but on the life to which they refer. Ultimately, it is all about our lives; yours and mine. Every word points to something for which there are no words.

Experiencing life directly is a powerful and transformative thing. With a quiet mind, we can hear what the noisy mind covers up. K used the word insight, which also means seeing directly. When our attention is not focused on anything in particular, it is focused on everything – or, to use Krishnamurti's words, on what is.

Our brains filter out much of what is essential in life, but for Krishnamurti, the mind encompasses everything that is possible.

When there is no sense of the self, life is a miracle. In this state, Krishnamurti's statements "the observer is the observed" and "I am the world" are true on a personal level.

K emphasised that he does not try to influence anyone or appeal to our reasoning or emotions. Seeing directly is a personal matter.

It is time to start our journey.

Part 1: TRUTH IS A PATHLESS LAND

Talks
Ommen 1929
Italy 1933

Norway 1933

Adyar 1934

Australia 1934

New York 1935

Rio de Janeiro 1935

Montevideo 1935

Buenos Aires 1935

Argentina 1935

Chile 1935

Ojai 1936

Ommen 1936

Ommen 1937

Ommen 1938

Ojai 1940

Ojai 1944

Ojai 1945

Ojai 1946

Madras 1947

Bombay 1948

Ojai 1949

London 1949

Paris 1950

New York 1950

Madras 1952

London 1952

2. The Thrill of Freedom

Although this book focuses on Krishnamurti's teachings, a brief introduction to his life is perhaps necessary, given that he was an exceptional figure in human history.

Born in India in May 1895, Krishnamurti spent most of his life travelling the world and delivering talks. He was 'discovered' on the shores of Adyar in spring 1909. Charles W. Leadbeater, a prominent figure in the Theosophical Society, believed that the 13-year-old boy's aura was so extraordinary that he might be the next World Teacher, who would open a new spiritual reality for humanity.

Leadbeater convinced Annie Besant, the president of the Theosophical Society, of this, and Krishnamurti was educated in the Theosophical teachings in preparation for his future role.

In 1911, K was taken to England and then to California, where he had a profound spiritual experience in August 1922. This culminated in a feeling of deep ecstasy. After this, he began to distance himself from the theosophists, and ultimately left the movement with a dramatic speech on 3 August 1929, at the Ommen camp. This speech was broadcast live on the radio to an audience of 3,000 society members.

In it, K said that he wanted to free people from all spiritual cages they had voluntarily imposed on themselves. Over the following years, he toured India, Europe, and California. However, he felt that his career did not actually begin until Annie Besant had died in the summer of 1933.

A Mutation in the Mind

There are two distinct periods in Krishnamurti's life. One lasted until 1968, while the other began in 1961. K spent the period in between in Europe and India.

For over 30 years, Krishnamurti was managed by Desikachar Rajagopal, an Indian who organised his speaking tours and edited his talks before publication.

The two men parted ways in the spring 1957, after which they were estranged for ten years. This ended when Krishnamurti established three foundations bearing his name to organise his public activities: one based in England, one in the United States, and one in India.

The dispute between the two men continued in court and was not resolved until 1974. By that time, the Krishnamurti Foundations had become active in organising events on three continents and had published a large number of books.

While the content of K's teachings did not change much over the years, a new concept emerged in 1961.

In his diary, Krishnamurti's Notebook, he discusses the mutation of the mind and uses this term until his death to refer to a profound change in brain function. Other key concepts of his were insight, direct perception, intelligence, and meditation, all of which he considered to be of particular importance.

The Thinker Is Thought

In his final decade especially, Krishnamurti spoke at length about thinking, summing it up as merely a reaction of memory. This may sound like an odd simplification, but there is more than a grain of truth in it.

For Krishnamurti, thinking is not something we humans actively do. Rather, it is something that happens automatically in our minds when we react to things. These reactions are based on memory—that is, on previous experiences—and are therefore limited.

This means that it is impossible to change one's mind through willpower alone. Memory does not ask for our permission to act, nor can it be forcibly prevented. We must therefore resort to another tactic.

It is important to note that, for Krishnamurti, thoughts also encompass what we refer to as emotions. Feelings of sadness, fear, anger, and pleasure are recognised by thinking about them and naming them.

This 'namer' is an inner figure we call the self. For K, the self is not separate from thought. For him, the thinker is a concept created by thought and found only in the world of thoughts – not in the real world in which we all live.

According to Krishnamurti, the self is a bubble that bursts when we realise that it is a thought. This requires insight, which is completely absent from thinking.

Consciousness Is a Storehouse

It is also important to understand that, contrary to how the word is generally understood today, Krishnamurti did not use the word consciousness to refer to awareness, but rather as a kind of mental storehouse. However, consciousness not only stores information; it also plays a significant role in perception. There is now strong scientific evidence for this.

The content of consciousness refers to everything a person has stored in their mind during their lifetime. Some of this content is unconscious, yet it still influences our thoughts and, consequently, our behaviour.

Krishnamurti made a clear distinction between the mind and the brain. The brain is the instrument that produces thoughts, but the mind encompasses much more. For K, there was no such thing as an individual mind.

The World Is Indivisible

Krishnamurti often began his series of talks by stating that the state of the world is a result of the way we humans divide it into parts. He said that we are literally the world, not separate from it. Our sense of individuality is merely a myth created by the mind. The world is actually one indivisible entity, and we are an inseparable part of the energy of the indivisible universe.

He emphasised that this statement was not just his opinion or his imagination, but a truth that is available to anyone who is willing to see the world as it actually is. Invisible bonds connect us not only to other human beings, but also to animals, nature, the stars, and the cosmos as a whole.

Krishnamurti felt that the myth of separateness originates in the brain, which mistakes itself for the centre of the cosmos. Our sense of self is real, yet it is based on our imagination, as well as on information and experiences gathered by our brains. We build our worldview on these things, and this worldview is both false and dangerous. It threatens to destroy civilisation on Earth.

Krishnamurti identified a fundamental flaw in the world we have created by our brains. To correct it, a mutation in the brain cells is required. This would be a functional rather than genetic change to the way our minds process perceptions.

The brain registers and stores perceptions of the external and internal worlds in memory. We learn words and skills to help us cope with our everyday life. We recognise ourselves in the mirror and know where we live. We can also recall where we have been and remember our passwords. Without memory, we would end up in a nursing home.

Problems arise when our brain operates in the psychological realm. This is where fears, sadness, anxiety, shame, joy, and the many other emotions that are part of our lives are generated. It is not the emotions in themselves that are the problem, but rather how they affect our lives and control our behaviour.

Thinking Prevents Direct Perception

One of Krishnamurti's key insights concerns the role of thinking in our lives. It is widely considered to be the most important human function through which we navigate our life.

However, according to K, thinking is the root of all our problems. Thinking does not solve our problems; it causes most of them and prevents them from being solved.

Thinking can be helpful in solving technical problems, but when it comes to mental problems, it is the cause of our difficulties. It is important to understand the fundamental difference between these two types of problem. Understanding the mind requires direct perception, which causes a mutation in the brain.

The challenge is that nobody can help another person see directly, and most people don't even want to see in this way. The obstacle is the mind's program, which turns all perceptions into concepts so quickly that we don't have time to react and prevent it.

Krishnamurti also emphasised the difference between words and objects. A word is not the object it describes. Not all words have a counterpart in reality; they are products of our imagination. Yet we react to them as if they were concrete objects.

Goodbye to All Cages!

Perhaps the most significant decision in Krishnamurti's life was to dissolve the Order of the Star organisation. Rumours of this had been circulating since the early summer of 1929, but in August, at Ommen, Krishnamurti announced his intention to dissolve the organisation that had been set up for him.

"I desire to free man from all cages, from all fears, and not to found religions, new sects, not to establish new theories, new philosophies. I want to make this clear, because I don't want these childish discussions year after year. My only concern is to set man absolutely, unconditionally free."

Following the meeting, Krishnamurti resigned from the Theosophical Society. Outwardly, his life did not change much, and most of his listeners remained loyal. From then on, all events were open to anyone interested.

In November 1929, Krishnamurti held a convention with Annie Besant in Benares. The following month, he held another in Adyar and Guindy, near Madras. In early 1930, he toured northern of India, returning to Ojai in March. This camp attracted 2,000 people.

In July 1930, a camp was held in Ommen that was attended by people who were interested in what K had to say rather than in what he was supposed to become.

In autumn 1930, K did not go to India, but toured Europe: France in October, Switzerland in November, and Athens in December. While in Bucharest, he met Queen Marie at her palace.

The new year, 1931, began with talks in Yugoslavia and Hungary. The last Eerde camp took place over five days in early February.

During his second talk in London in March, K spoke about a completeness that could not progress because it was absolute.

"Truth lies only through elimination; then there is a timeless understanding. Then you liberate the mind and heart, and know harmony, which is completeness."

In a letter to his friend Lady Emily Lutyens that same month, he wrote that he was trying to build a bridge to help others realise the abundance of life.

"You have no idea how difficult it is to express the inexpressible, and what is expressed is not truth."

The Dead Don't Listen

The European tour continued to Edinburgh, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Vienna. After the Ommen camps in July and August, K returned to Ojai for a six-month break.

Throughout the spring, he gave talks in Ojai every Sunday. After the Ojai camp in June 1932, K toured America for four months.

In November, he travelled to India, touring the country throughout the following spring. The reception he received varied, and he bluntly stated, "Adyar is lovely, but the people are dead."

In May 1933, Krishnamurti met Annie Besant, who had lost her memory. This was the last time they met; Besant passed away on 20 September 1933, aged 86. Among her motherly advice to K was the suggestion that he must drink grape juice to get stronger.

Following Besant's death, K did not return to the Theosophical Society's headquarters for 47 years. On his next trip to India, he stayed at Vasanta Vihar, which became his new residence in Adyar.

A new phase began in Krishnamurti's life.

3. Starting from the Core

Krishnamurti considered his career as a speaker to have begun in July 1933 in Italy, where he delivered seven talks in nine days.

In his first talk, he expressed the hope that listeners would not be satisfied with his descriptions of facts, but would discover for themselves the fullness and sheer joy of seeing reality directly.

K did not want to describe reality, but rather hoped that everyone would look at everything around them with fresh eyes. He said that we don't see the beauty around us or experience the deep joy of life because we have dulled our minds by relying on the descriptions of others.

We look to books and the wise for descriptions, settling for something that seems plausible enough. In doing so, we lose touch with living reality and become imitative machines. We cherish the platitudes that we have learned from others and are satisfied with substitutes, even when the real thing is right in front of us.

In the turmoil of life, we seem to be unable to face adversity. We seek immediate relief from our anxiety. Our broken minds are unable to help themselves, and instead seek refuge in others. In such an emotional state, we will rely on anything that eases our distress.

If no help is found, the search continues. If we find help and our inner pain remains within our tolerance level, we stagger away with no concern for tomorrow.

However, when it comes to spiritual matters, relying on others makes us slaves to illusions, as all our helpers are themselves under the spell of their own beliefs and can only offer us temporary relief.

Of course, being able to temporarily avoid or postpone pain is not enough. For Krishnamurti, at least, it was not enough. He wanted everyone to understand what causes our pain and discomfort. This insight must be first-hand and genuine, it cannot be based on explanations learned from others and fluently quoted.

We will never reach this realisation unless we don't face ourselves as we really are. But we neither want nor dare to do this because the truth often hurts. We try to run away from ourselves at all costs.

When consumed by self-pity, we seek temporary relief in anything that makes us feel better. We escape into beliefs, without realising that we are only treating the symptoms and not addressing the real cause of our inner conflict.

Self-made Problems

Krishnamurti argues that most of our problems are self-made. When we encounter something unpleasant, we try to fight it by inventing its opposite. In doing so, we create a problem that would not otherwise exist.

We have grown up with this mindset and cherish it, even though the consequences are dire. There is an easy solution to most internal and most external problems that anyone could apply immediately, but we don't do so because our minds are wired to maintain contradictions.

K sums up the core of our problems simply. We live in two worlds: the real world and the world created by our minds. We don't realise that only one of these worlds is real.

Our inner world is a construct of our own perceptions, which do not exist in the real world. We live in a world of dreams and daydreams because we are afraid to face life as it is.

The contradiction arises when these two worlds collide. When our dreams don't come true, we become anxious and try to escape reality by immersing ourselves in pleasant fantasies.

We create a comforting yet painful world of illusions.

Krishnamurti offers another option. Awareness of the world may be a rather crude remedy, but it works for all the problems we create for ourselves. We must stop blaming the world for our problems because the root of all evil lies within us.

Dreaming Is Not Seeing

At the beginning of his talk at the University of Oslo in September 1933, K stated that there is a living, and eternal reality that will never be revealed to those who are held back by their fears and beliefs.

We have adopted a way of life in which truth has very little place. False beliefs have been forced upon us for millennia, driving society and tempting us to seek happiness in all the wrong places.

True happiness does not come from searching for it, but from living our lives openly and facing the world as it is.

The ego does not help us to find the truth; rather, it prevents us from seeing it. We are blind to our own daily lives and deaf to the voice of the heart. We drift through life, gathering experiences. Yet life is not fiction; it is immense and indescribable.

Sometimes, we can find what we are looking for by searching, but only if we know what to look for. Neither God nor truth can be revealed to anyone because they cannot possibly be contained within the human mind.

Someone asked K whether religions and religious teachers help people to free themselves from all evil. His answer was blunt: religions do not liberate people or impart the right values; they enslave people. No book can describe reality as rich as it truly is. Wisdom and the good life cannot be found through reading books alone. A person cannot be free if they cling to their beliefs, whether they originate from within or without. All false beliefs prevent us from seeing the truth.

The next day, a series of three talks began in Holmenkollen. K began by saying that searching for the meaning of life destroys our understanding of it. This search does not solve our problems; it only clouds our judgement.

We have created an inner standard of what life should be like. These images prevent us from experiencing happiness, because we are no longer living in the present moment, but in our dreams.

We crave something more because our life here and now does not satisfy us. We are not satisfied with what we are. We feel that something is missing from our happiness, which is why we pursue it by any means necessary and at any cost.

There is a simple way out of this vicious circle of pursuing happiness, but unfortunately, two things prevent us from seeing it.

Firstly, the feeling that something is missing seems very real to us.

Secondly, we are effectively sold different ways to achieve our dreams, and we become hooked on them. That's what life is all about. Everyone has experienced a period of happiness, whether briefly or for a long time.

When you experience deep happiness, nothing else matters. In a state of direct experience, your mind does not need dreams.

Problems arise when you start to recall happy moments. A wonderful memory can make the present moment seem even bleaker.

K advised his Norwegian audience to look at the people around them and the long shadows created by the sunset with full awareness, without drawing conclusions or without making comparisons. In such a state, memories and dreams are completely futile.

Life Is about Waking up

In his second talk at Holmenkollen, K began by saying that there is a natural way of living, but most people don't know about it because they lead partial lives.

Our perception of life is built on many false assumptions. One such assumption is seeing life as a school or a journey where we accumulate knowledge and experiences. This is a big mistake!

We make an even bigger mistake when we imagine that life can be packaged and described in words or explanations.

A good life does not simply come about by meeting the conditions we set for it. It comes when we realise that life is not about collecting experiences, but about living in the moment with awareness. This pursuit must end, and it ends when we realise that our goals are wishful thinking and self-deception.

Few people understand what it means to live in the moment. We talk about it as though it were bread, but saying this does not mean doing it. Memories shape our experiences so quickly that we don't even realise it happening.

We react to people, things, and words without realising that our reactions are not based on facts, but on our perceptions.

In order to live in the moment, the mind must be still and not burdened with memories. Then our heart and mind will be united. In that moment, the good life becomes real, not just a dream.

A Prayer Is an Escape

The third talk began with a question about the meaning of prayer. K stated unequivocally that asking for help from outside sources is an escape from reality and prevents us from finding the right solutions to our mental health issues. By asking for help, we avoid taking action.

Another listener wanted to know why, in K's view, self-evaluation does not lead to self-knowledge. He replied that studying a dead thing does not help us to understand a living thing. Explanation is not enough to remove the cause. Instead, we must free ourselves from the chain of cause and effect and avoid getting caught up in endless intellectual speculation.

On Sunday at the Oslo Coliseum, K gave his fifth talk in Norway, summarising the themes of the week. Someone asked if talking to the spirits of the dead could help us to understand life in its totality.

K wondered why people think the dead are more helpful than the living. Is it because the dead cannot contradict us? He said that he is more interested in studying life in all its swift wanderings than speculating about dead spirits.

The question of sex arose again, and K linked this topic to life as a whole. Sex has become a problem for many people because they have lost their passion for life. When people are passionate about life, sex does not become a problem.

In his last talk, K was asked about the importance of rituals. He finds them repulsive and pointless. Festive rituals temporarily distract people from their worldly troubles and provide solace, but they have little effect on everyday life.

Someone asked whether K was prepared to accept the consequences of people abandoning their religion by following his advice.

He replied that he had not called for anything to be abandoned. However, he has demonstrated that blind faith in the words of others can lead to submission to their authority and to spiritual abuse. The truth can never be found in the teachings and instructions of others. Ultimately, everyone is responsible for their own beliefs and for whom they choose to obey.

One listener asked for the quickest way to solve problems.

"There are no shortcuts", K replied, "and there is no need for them. "The important thing is not to look for new solutions, as these are all attempts to escape.

The audience laughed when the question of whether K is a vegetarian was raised. He asked why such a question was being asked. "It is not what goes into your mouth that will free you, but the finding out of true values, from which arises complete action", K answered.

Beliefs Prevent Thinking

While K was giving six talks at the Theosophical Society in Adyar, the new year began.

Despite knowing that some listeners might disagree with him, he hoped that everyone would listen to him without prejudice. He emphasised that he was not attacking the Theosophical Society; but to him, all religious organisations are harmful to human beings and prevent the free movement of thought. Beliefs and traditional knowledge deprive people of personal insight, and it is precisely these insights that must be awakened.

It is difficult not to take a position on any issue, whether for or against. Unfortunately, for many, opposition simply means rejecting new ideas. This is not a matter of critical reflection, but of stubbornly defending one's own point of view.

Resistance is an effective way to prevent learning new things and viewing life anew. Sadly, even basic education does not encourage us to explore things for ourselves. At school, we are taught many things that are not true.

K argues that the world would be a happier place if people were more openly critical of their own beliefs, rather than preaching them to others.

If you want to gain a deeper understanding of life, you must be honest. You must see what is and say what you think and see. We should not rely on others when seeking the truth. It does not help if everyone presents their own version in turn, and we then arrive at a common conclusion by comparing them.

Truth cannot be explained; it can only be perceived, but not through limited thinking based on suppositions.

Religious concepts limit thinking and create sects that argue about right and wrong. While it is human nature to reject dissent, tolerance is no better. According to K, it is hypocritical to think that our beliefs are superior to someone else's. Very few people question their beliefs.

All beliefs have the same consequence: they divide people and separate them into groups. As long as this is not recognised, people will continue to live according to their own beliefs and worship their own creations. We are even ready to kill another human being simply because our beliefs differ. These beliefs then become more important than the people who hold them.

Poison Is Always Poison

In his third talk, K was asked why he opposes religion and the state, despite the fact that many people rely on them. He replied that poison is poison for everyone. He said that he does not oppose organisations per se, but is particularly against those who practise spiritual authority.

In the fourth talk, K was asked why he thinks theosophists are hypocrites. He considers it hypocritical to speak one way and act another. For example, K considers it hypocritical to speak of brotherhood while being a nationalist or to speak of the unity of humanity while holding religious beliefs, practising rituals or emphasising one's own particularity, a form of self-glorification.

When asked about the rules and principles that guide his life, K said that he has none. He does not try to control his thoughts. His concern is to be aware of his actions.

In the fifth talk, he is asked whether it is a good idea to allow the unchaste to enter temples, as Mahatma Gandhi demanded.

K replied that there is no point in seeking truth or gods in temples. He believes that class division is shameful and will not end until we stop classifying people by religion or nationality. As long as people do not understand the harm in worshipping symbols, hatred and war will continue.

People cling to their beliefs and worship them, and there will be fear as long as they do so. All symbols are mere substitutes with no real value. They are a poison that should be eliminated, not worshipped. However, we are reluctant to do so because we want a safe haven and a shelter for the soul at all costs.

In the sixth talk, K described the mechanism of the mind.

People live with internal and external conflicts without realising it. When we encounter difficulties, our minds manifest the opposite of what we are seeking.

There is a contradiction between what is and what is assumed. One is true and the other is not. The contradiction is real, but its opposite exists only as an intellectual concept. It is the intellect that gives rise to religion, society, and the concepts that dominate us. We create norms and enforce them. Thus, we create a substitute for truth and destroy the real thing.

Such substitutes are all artificial and cannot withstand critical scrutiny. They come between us and the truth, as well as between us and other people. However, once you become aware of this, the barrier ceases to be a barrier.

Awareness must be based on direct perception, rather than merely intellectual and verbal understanding. This perception instantly dispels illusion.

Living with a Snake

In March 1934, K toured Australia, delivering talks to large audiences in Fremantle, Adelaide and Melbourne. The journey then continued to New Zealand, where he was also well received.

At the end of April, exhausted from the trip, he returned to Ojai. In June 1934, he gave twelve talks in Ojai.

During one of these talks, someone asked if he was enlightened because he had forgotten all about his substantial debts. K suggested asking the person to whom he owed the money.

Another attendee requested a practical exercise in constant awareness. K responded by asking whether the same question would be asked if there were a poisonous snake in the room. Only someone unaware of the snake would ask such a question.

We are selectively aware of life. We want to get rid of things that cause us pain, yet we cling to the things that bring us pleasure. Most of us wait until the pain becomes so severe that we feel we
must do something about it, but by then it may be too late. To be mindful, you must be aware of everything that is going on inside and outside of you.

K began his last talk by saying that most people have lost the art of listening. When people listen to him, they are preoccupied with their own problems, hoping to find solutions. It is important to
listen to everything without any motive, condition or wish.

Another interesting topic that came up was the meaning and purpose of life. After thinking this, people turn to experts, each of whom offers an answer that they have adopted.

K believes that asking about the purpose of life indicates a lack of intelligence in the present moment. The meaning of life becomes clearer when you realise where that question comes from.

People who live intensely never ask this question because they are not looking for a purpose. For those who lives in truth, reality is enough.

Can Unity Be Described?

In September and October 1934, K and Rajagopal compiled the talks into a book at a hotel in Carmel. The author Rom Landau visited them and interviewed K for his book God Is My Adventure. They met on several occasions.

Among other things, Landau asked K how he had "arrived at the state of experiencing oneness".

K replied that it had not been a sudden miracle, but rather that he had always been somewhat aware of his inner states. It had taken time to articulate that inner state.

Change Starts with Transformation

In March 1935, K returned to the podium after a nine-month break.

In his first talk in New York, he set out to expose the stupidity instilled in us by society. He promised to suggest ways to free ourselves from it.

Many people and groups offer their ways to resolve conflicts. Some argue that we should focus on external problems and try to create structures and organisations that influence people's thinking. Others believe that change starts from within, from the spirit or the mind.

K believes that the only solution lies in achieving the perfect equilibrium between the two. Although we are conditioned by our environment, we can free ourselves from its constraints through true intelligence.

We have drawn an artificial line between the individual and the group. Intelligence removes this distinction, and the contradiction disappears.

War is one manifestation of stupidity: a monster created by limited consciousness. The need for individual security gives rise to a national identity, but the result is exactly the opposite of security.

No system can eliminate the stupidity and illusions within humanity. It is awareness that breaks down limiting boundaries. Intelligence is the only lasting solution.

Rules Don't Work!

After the New York talks, K continued his journey to South America, where he spent the next eight months delivering talks in five countries: Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Mexico. Many of
The listeners did not understand English, yet they listened with rapt attention.

In Rio de Janeiro, K began by emphasising that nobody can solve life's problems or be saved simply by listening to others. He said that most people are too lazy to think for themselves, and blindly accept other people's ideas.

K reiterated that he is not a theosophist, does not want to convert anyone and does not advocate Eastern thought. Ideas have no nationality, and no theory of life is universally true.

In order to understand the truth about themselves, each person must examine their own motives, including those in their subconscious. Many people claim to be seeking the truth, but are actually seeking relief from the anxiety in their lives. Truth cannot be sought; it is happening before our eyes. We can see it if we are free from the illusions of our thoughts.

K was asked for his opinion on charity. He did not consider a noble gesture, giving back a small part of what was first taken from a dispossessed person.

Another person asked if the Ten Commandments of the Bible should be destroyed. K said they had already been destroyed because they were not being followed.

Experience has shown that no book can make people act morally. Obedience is born of fear; it is submission and an attempt to avoid punishment. Morality is a much bigger and more real thing. Doing good comes from the heart, not from compulsion.

Sick of Selfishness

In Montevideo, K began by saying that the art of listening requires an open mind. We often close our ears to those who disagree with us.

Having a lot of preconceived ideas prevents us from realising anything new. This is because we want to feel safe. Our sense of self is built on three kinds of security.

Firstly, we seek continuity of self; secondly, we collect things as an extension of the self; and thirdly, we pursue sensation.

The common denominator of all three is selfishness. In our search for security, we settle for substitutes for security, and for most of us, these are enough.

Religions represent a refined form of human self-realisation, fulfilling two of our needs. The central promise of every religion is that the self continues after death.

Another essential element of all religions is the uplifting experiences offered by rituals and symbols. For some reason, however, these are generally not seen as a sign of deep-rooted selfishness.

A priest in the audience, confused by Krishnamurti's blunt words, asks if he should give up helping people. His faith is strong, and his work brings consolation to the suffering.

Once again, K's answer is blunt, and not just for priests.

"We imagine that we are helping people by pacifying them to sleep with comforting words. Thus, the comforter becomes the exploiter. People would benefit more from an awareness of life, as this would
free them from sorrow, fear, and delusion."

Freedom from egotism would render religions unnecessary and prevent the exploitation of others. A deep awareness of the wholeness of life frees us from the self and connects us to the world in a new way. It also would disconnect us from the cycle of time, as the past and the future would lose their meaning. Everything happens in the present moment, in an eternal dimension that K calls the 'ecstasy of life'.

Theosophical Nonsense?

While in Buenos Aires, K was asked for his thoughts on the newspaper reviews that claimed he had no real message and was merely repeating the gibberish of the theosophists who had educated him. The papers wrote that the purpose of K's talks was to create doubt, disturbance and confusion in people's minds.

K does not provoke; he leaves it up to the individual to assess the meaning of his message. He categorically denies being a theosophist or representing any sect or ideology – let alone trying to create a new one.

However, K does not consider causing confusion in people to be a bad thing. He believes that doubt helps everyone to understand the truth, and that doubt can therefore be a purifying balm, an awakener of intelligence.

If we really want to understand the movement of life, we must strip the mind of all self-defensive values.

Giving up Ideals

The next questioner thought that K was intent on destroying all cherished ideals and the whole civilisation that people love.

K denied that he could do that. Even if he could, people would soon invent new ideals for themselves, because most people cannot, and do not even want to live without them.

Another person wanted to know whether K is the new Christ or the Antichrist.

Of course, there is no straightforward answer, as K believes that his identity should not matter very much. Both answers would mislead people and be equally incorrect. What matters is not what K is, but how we live our own lives.

In response to questions about overcoming fear, K offered one effective remedy that is difficult to implement: lose all sense of egotism and fear will have nothing to cling to.

Someone in the audience thought that K offers chaotic theories and that he was inciting people to revolt for no reason.

K denied both accusations and asked everyone to ask themselves whether they are satisfied with the current situation. If not, what do they intend to do as individuals?

By asking themselves this question, people would find themselves in conflict with the authorities and feel the need to rebel against their selfish policies and morals, which exploit individuals for the benefit of a select few.

Paradise on Earth

Another listener said that K had promised people a new paradise on Earth, and that he viewed communism as an immediate solution.

K corrected him. He had said that using intelligence and abandoning delusions could make the world a paradise. However, no system can save humanity from itself. All systems enslave people, and communism is no exception.

Another person asked why K had come to Argentina to preach instead of talking to people who were completely content with their belief in the teachings of Jesus, rather than speaking to his fellow countrymen and women, millions of whom were suffering from hunger and deprivation and worshipping false gods.

K replied that in India he had been asked to go to England and tell the English about the harm they were causing to Indians.

Everyone clings to their own beliefs and is satisfied with them, refusing to recognise the harm they cause themselves and others. This blindness is international; nobody can be forced to realise their own situation. You can get used to anything, including your own misery.

Mind the Gaps

In his talk in La Plata, Argentina, K began by stating that people live double lives. We have separated home and work. This destructive gulf needs to be bridged.

At work, we often act against our conscience. By virtue of their profession, a soldier or a priest may adopt ideas and patterns that cause a lot of harm to others. This also poisons their own minds, often without their realising it.

Double standards have an even more destructive effect on society. The power that our profession gives us justifies us doing evil to others that we would refuse to do to our loved ones.

Although K did not develop this idea further in this context, he returned to it several times later.

Misery Inherited

In Santiago, Chile, in September 1935, Krishnamurti was asked if he believed the League of Nations could prevent a new world war.

K said that it could not succeed as long as the world was divided into nationalities, each with sovereign governments pursuing their own interests. There can be no peace while people see each other as

enemies. War justifies one country's citizens slaughtering those of another. No organisation or government can stop it because they have no means of addressing the real cause of war.

When asked why people try to improve upon the order of things created by God, K replied that this is the attitude of an exploiter. If you are in a good position yourself, you surely don't want to do anything about it.

A profound and fundamental change is urgently needed. It must be so deeply felt that people cannot help but work for it. K thinks that it is utterly irresponsible not to implement changes that would lead to a better life for everyone.

Escaping Evil

Someone in the audience believed that Krishnamurti's lofty ideas and conceptions could never take root in brains degenerated by vice and disease.

K argued: "Vice is a cultivated habit, a means of escape from life and from intelligence."

None of us must drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, or cheat others. We can always choose differently if we feel our habits are doing us more harm than good.

Someone asked if K was withholding some kind of secret knowledge that he did not want to reveal publicly.

He replied that many spiritual organisations are based on the idea of hierarchical exclusiveness, classifying people according to their stage of evolution. This feeds people's sense of self-importance and vanity, creating gross and subtle forms of exploitation.

K said that he has no secret teachings or hidden motives. He does not judge the people around him by any standard. What matters is how deeply a person wants to explore themselves.

'Agent K' in the Andes

Someone asked an amusing question of whether K is a British government agent and whether his talk against nationalism is part of a propaganda campaign to keep India in the British Empire.

K dismissed the rumour as absurd, stating that nationalism is an ugly disease that leads to isolation. He believes the whole idea is based on a false sentiment, stimulated by vested interests and used to justify imperialism and war.

One of the highlights of K's South American tour was a flight over the Andes in a twin-engine Douglas aircraft. Breaking with his usual routine, K ignored warnings about the dangers of the hour-and-20- minute journey.

Break the Limits!

Krishnamurti was away from Ojai for nine months. It took him a long time to recover from his strenuous tour of South America, and he never returned to the continent.

He spent the spring of 1936 in Ojai, delivering a series of eight Sunday talks in April and May. As he would later do with many of his talks, he began by asking the audience why they had come to listen to him.

K said that the purpose was not just to listen to the talk, but to work together to realise how one could live healthily and intelligently.

Exploring reality is not about creating narrow limits and guidelines for living; it is about testing claims. Many people find that identifying with one thing that can improve their situation is enough. Some focus on economic issues, some turn to religion or philosophy for guidance.

However, if we really want to solve our problems, we must view life as a whole, not through a narrow lens. We must also be careful not to trust the experts too much.

First, we must be self-conscious at a deeper level. We must recognise how our environment and past have shaped us. It is particularly important to realise that our inner and outer worlds are inextricably intertwined. The external shapes the internal, and vice versa.

If we want to truly understand life, we cannot draw a line between them. We must be able to observe life's endless movement quietly and without describing or drawing conclusions about it.

There are so many preconceptions and certainties in our minds that it is difficult to discern what is true and what we have created ourselves.

We are quick to believe what those wiser than us say and write. Often, we only take in what pleases us and reject everything else.

What Do You Want and Why?

Once we understand the deep meaning behind our reactions, we want to free ourselves from them. However, this can lead us into another trap. The desire to be free automatically triggers the search for a way, but there is no way. What is needed is a liberating insight that leads to awareness – but that is not a way!

We have a certain perception of reality. If we don't like it, we create an ideal and try to make it come true. We try to shape ourselves and the external world according to this ideal, with varying results.

Rarely do we ask why we need a concept of reality or what purpose it serves. What makes us wantsomething? What do we want, and why?

K takes an easy example. We want to experience happiness. We look for ways to achieve it, and many people offer suggestions.

We should ask ourselves what makes us want to be happy, and whether other people's advice will actually help. But we don't ask that question. Instead, we start from the false assumption that there is a 'me' who is pursuing happiness, and that this 'me' can sometimes achieve it. Consequently, we never explore the nature of the self that wants and seeks, nor what creates it.

K states that without will, there is no self. The 'I' is a creation of our own thoughts, born of a lack of understanding. In direct contact with reality, neither the self nor the problem exists.

If we were to describe in one word that which remains when there is no self, happiness would be a strong contender. Happy is a human being who wants nothing!

Sweet Surrender

After delivering two talks in New York in June and three talks in Edsington, Pennsylvania, in July, K returned to Ommen at the end of July 1936, after a five-year break, to deliver eight talks there.

K said that the Ommen participants were not a select group of people separated from the world. They had come together to examine themselves in order to let go of the illusions and false values that governed the world.

Understanding the true nature of consciousness requires direct perception. Logic alone is not enough, nor can we understand it correctly through the theories of others.

False judgements cause us to conform to external circumstances. We either lose our vitality by submitting to the will of others or we resign ourselves to our fate.

In Ommen, K reflected on the meaning of individuality and why we distinguish ourselves from the world.

In the fourth talk, he used the phrase 'We are the world' for the first time, in response to the question of whether individual change can solve the world's problems. He argued that intelligence solves all human problems. However, it is also important to understand what limits intelligence and prevents it from working effectively.

No Tomorrow

We are not deeply aware of our internal contradictions. If we were, we would not seek solutions by creating ideals. Being occasionally aware is not enough. Life goes on all the time. We must react immediately to everything because there is no tomorrow.

There is a great danger that self-observation is self-centred. This occurs when the self selects and controls observation process. When we act, the self is at work. This means we cant see things as they are.

The mind must be free to see things as they are. When there is no wanting of any kind, only the facts remain. This simple fact cannot be revealed through thinking alone, but rather through trial and action.

Although we can never fully understand reality, we can understand the process of the self. Intellect alone cannot transcend the mind because it operates only in the conceptual realm. Even willpower is not enough. Only seeing works.

In September, K met friends in Paris, and in October rested in Villars, a village near Montreux, before travelling to India.

In December, he gave four talks in Madras and then settled in Vasanta Vihar.

Shocked by India's poverty, K commented that social reform could never end human suffering. No system can change the core of a human being; it can only scratch the surface. We are society, and unless we human beings change, nothing will change.

Love that Burns

In August 1937, K spoke at the Ommen camp for about an hour and a half, delivering eight talks in ten days. This time, the talks contained more questions than answers.

Is there anything permanent? Is there a static centre within us? Is there any difference between internal and external change? Why do we want permanence? Does experience remove ignorance?

Contradictions arise when the static self meets the constantly changing world. Nothing is permanent, there is nothing to which we can attach ourselves. Intellectually, we can realise that this inner centre of our experience is destined to encounter problems.

However, reason cannot solve this problem because it lies deep within the recesses of the mind. We cling to our own biases, interpreting things in the most favourable way possible. Intellect is, however, powerless in the face of profound issues. When you realise this, the flame of love is ignited, burning away fear and desire.

After Ommen, K spent a year in Ojai, during which he met hardly anyone except the Rajagopals.

He said that he had gained tremendous insights about himself and tried to find the right words to describe the deep ecstasy that comes from 'meditating without purpose'.

In February 1938, Krishnamurti met Gerald Heard, an English writer living in Hollywood. Mr Heard had just emigrated to America with the writer Aldous Huxley.

Both Huxley and Heard were interested in Vedanta and were disciples of Swami Prabhavananda. A meeting with Huxley in April 1938 led to a long and meaningful friendship.

Thanks to Huxley, K made his literary breakthrough in the 1950s.Huxley's stunning foreword to The First and Last Freedom encouraged many people to pick up the book and helped to understand what K was trying to point out.

Love Needs no Reason

The Ojai camp did not take place in the spring of 1938 because Rajagopal was in Europe. The last Ommen camp was held in August 1938, as the site was converted into a concentration camp in 1941.

K began the series of six talks by discussing the difficulty of communication. It is not easy to express one's deep feelings, even to a friend. However, it is almost impossible to convey a message to someone who does not listen or try to understand. Messages change along the way, and there is no deep common understanding.

The problem with human relationships is that everyone clings to their beliefs. Truth is only revealed when thinking is free and unlimited.

Perhaps for the first and only time ever, K said that a person must be completely themselves. This is only possible when you love what you are doing. When you love something, all obstacles disappear. You don't need any other reason to do it than love.

People are not themselves when they follow traditions or act according to the instructions of others. That is imitation – an inauthentic way of living. All moral and religious norms make us inauthentic and mechanical.

Genuine Joy Comes Uninvited

To understand life, we need a mind that can keep up with its changes, not one that is stuck in one place. Formulas are poison to the mind, whether they are adopted from others or by ourselves.

Genuine joy comes unsearched for and uninvited. You may desire it, but even the strongest volition cannot produce joy. When joy takes over, we lack nothing and want nothing.

In the last two talks, K spoke about fear. It may be the fundamental reason why we allow ourselves to live mechanically.

Fear makes us cling on to things and create imaginary safe havens. We fail to realise that there is no such thing as safety and that there never will be. Life eventually takes away everything it has given us. The safety created by the mind is an illusion, yet we fail to see this and instead look for ways to escape fear.

When we are freed from all fear, we are reborn. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we merge with the flow of life and are no longer afraid. Our mind stops struggling against the bogeymen it has created, and we become aware of the miracle of life.

The Bombay talks had to be cancelled due to acute civil unrest, but in November 1939, K gave two talks in Poona. A huge crowd was present and listened in silence. During this visit, he also visited the Rajghat school.

The land was acquired in 1928, but the school did not open until 1934. There were 300 pupils, aged between 7 and 18.

K spoke to the teachers every day for two weeks, after which he continued his journey to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, and then on to Australia.

While there, K gave talks in Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Upon returning to Ojai, he settled there for seven years.