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I had heard of J. Krishnamurti over the years – read many lovely quotations by him and heard snippets of his teachings. But I only recently learned the origin and development of this most interesting character. In a nutshell, Krishnamurti was being groomed to be a leader of sorts in the Madame Blavatsky spiritual tradition. But one day he had a mystical experience and realized the truth that all mystics realize. Namely, there is no external road to peace. No guru, no repetitions of rituals, and no infinite number of rules followed lead to joy and freedom from fear.
You can watch the movie The Challenge of Change on YouTube, which collects readings from his book, clips from his talks and tells his biographical story. He embodies precisely the quality I use to recognize a true guru. He frequently says (paraphrasing), “Don’t take anyone’s word for it, not even mine.”
I have never been drawn to Madame Blavatsky’s Theosophy system, though a lot of it is compatible with my world view. Theosophy and New Thought have many similarities, but where they differ, I land on the side of New Thought, more particularly, Unity. Theosophy takes a dualistic point of view and does not believe in the efficacy of prayer. And I know experientially that not only is prayer powerful, but that nothing is more powerful. Theosophy views circumstance as only a result of past karma and therefore unchangeable. New Thought acknowledges that we reap what we sow, but affirms that that through affirming the One, we transcend. The “One” being the all-powerful, all knowing, all good that permeates all manifestation.
My favorite Krishnamurti quote is: If we depend for our happiness on another, on society or on environment, they become essential to us; we cling to them, and any alteration of these we violently oppose because we depend upon them for our psychological security and comfort.
These ideas are not helpful to the advancement of the Theosophy movement. Or to any movement for that matter. Krishnamurti realized the art of being in this world depends upon the recognition of truth. The realization of the truth of being, frees us from fear and therefore from suffering. Krishnamurti discovered this directly upon experiencing the profound loss of his beloved brother. In the midst of that very real pain that humans feel at a time of loss, he did not lose his sense of joy. Because joy is not separate or “instead of” suffering, but rather a way of being in times of tribulation.
As Albert Camus so poetically put it: In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm. I realized, through it all, that… In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.
God, the All Good and the source of all joy and all love, is right here with us in our pain. Knowing that doesn’t take away the pain of loss, but it does take away the fear and the suffering.
Have you experience pain and peace simultaneously? Seen the truth – that beauty comes of all things, even when it’s not immediately apparent? Share your story of meditation and healing in the comments.