Page 34 - JOURNAL OF THE KRISHNAMURTI SCHOOLS
P. 34
the journal of the krishnamurti schools no.25
as ecological movements, climate change protests, feminism and
so on can save the world from the catastrophe inherent in our very
idea of the world. A fundamental change can take place only when
we look into ourselves and undertake the solitary journey of self-
knowledge, and through that cleanse the doors of our perception
and learn to look anew. Then perhaps the divine face of the world
will reveal itself to us.
David Skitt, as the editor of several volumes of K’s talks and dia-
logues, has engaged with a vast volume of his works. In his arti-
cle he distils his learnings from the challenges posed by K—the
challenge of going beyond the animal survival instinct in the face
of life situations; the challenge of going beyond the image-making
process in relationships; the challenge of realizing human predic-
aments as being common to all; and finally, the challenge of see-
ing through the illusions created by the separative self. In trying
to meet these challenges to the best of our abilities, our feelings of
alienation in an indifferent universe can perhaps end, so that we
start to feel at home in it.
Javier Rodrigues’ article is a cogent rendition of the major themes
in K’s teachings, which he sees as an ‘education for mankind’. One
major theme in the teachings is that ‘where there is division there
must be conflict’. No amount of environmental manipulation will
solve the conflicts caused by our identifications with collectivities,
ideologies, traditions and so on, for as K has pointed out, the inner
invariably overcomes the outer. This leads to the realization that
only the deepening of self -knowledge has the potential to resolve
these conflicts. Towards the end of his article he says that K’s “grand
vision of freedom and wholeness is characterized by the greatest
simplicity and immediacy, for it is founded on pure perception”.
For him, this restores the true meaning of religion, and helps in
16

