Choiceless Awareness
“There are these three things which we must understand: concentration, choiceless awareness, and attention. Concentration implies resistance – concentration on a particular thing, on the page you are reading, or on the phrase you are trying to understand: to concentrate, to put all your energy in a particular direction. That is one thing. I needn’t enlarge on that, need I? In that concentration there is resistance and therefore there is effort and division. I want to concentrate, thought goes off on something else, I bring it back. The fight. And if you love something you concentrate very easily. All that is implied in the word ‘to concentrate’, to put your mind on a particular object, or a particular picture, a particular action. That is one thing.
Choiceless awareness implies to be aware both objectively, outside, and inwardly, without any choice. Just to be aware of the colours, of the tent, of the trees, the mountains, nature – just to be aware. Not choose, say, ‘I like this’, ‘I don’t like that’ or ‘I want this’, ‘I don’t want that’. Right? To observe without the observer. The observer is the past, which is conditioned, therefore he is always looking from that conditioned point of view, therefore there is like and dislike, my race, your race, my god, your god, all the rest of it. We are saying to be aware implies to observe the whole environment around you, the mountains, the trees, the ugly walls, the towns, aware, look at it. And in that observation there is no decision, no will, no choice. Get it? You understand it?
And attention – concentration, choiceless awareness and attention. In attending there is no center. Right? You are completely attending. Are you now – if I may ask – attending to what is being said? If you are completely, totally attending there is no you who is attending – is there? You understand? If you are listening completely with your heart and with your blood, everything, there is no me attending. Right? There is no me which limits that attention. Then attention is limitless. Right? Therefore attention then has complete space.”
J. Krishnamurti
Talk 7, Saanen (Switzerland), 1977
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The Immeasurable is dedicated to exploring the essential questions of our existence: who we are and where we are going. The intent is to inspire readers to question assumptions of the mind, offering opportunities to ask deep questions about common life themes that are superficially accepted.
We encourage an investigation into the fabric of reality and our physical and cultural conditioning. In this exploration, we might find a new understanding of time and its relation to our thinking processes. A perception of the interconnectedness within the totality of life might arise in us as our perception expands through these explorations.
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Wonderful and deeply insightful quote from K on concentration, choiceless awareness and attention. I’m recalling an introduction to one of Krishnamurti’s earlier books by Aldus Huxley. He refers to an early use of the term “choiceless awareness” by Krishnamurti. Can you direct me to either the book or the quote directly. Thank you.
I’m also reading Unconditionally Free— a very helpful book, in deepening one’s understanding of the remarkable incarnation that was, and I think we must rightly say, still is, Krishnamurti.
The book would be The First and Last Freedom. Hope that helps, I have it but can’t find it just now. You could probably dig out the foreword on the internet I would guess.
That is a nice except, thanks for sharing. But the Narrator whom writes an analytical page on the subject, setting himself up as the authority is strange! Why do it? Why no go into any of these things directly!?! We don’t need to give K credit for our investigation into reality. His words speak for themselves, this translation from English to English is entirely unnecessary. Let’s focus on recognizing our condition past, and leave the ego, to attend the present moment. How can we do that?
It seems all birds and animals exhibits this choice-less awareness which JK is speaking about.
This idea of concentration and resistance is interesting. Sometimes I find that I cannot ‘concentrate’ on something I find interesting, so I take refuge in social media. However, if I look into that more deeply, I find that I am not exercising ‘choiceless awareness’ (such a helpful phrase). I am not aware of what is going on in my interior landscape. I am not aware of the whole picture, and it is the whole picture, unjudged and uncriticised, that allows me to rest. Once I am at rest, I am no longer being pulled, and I can turn effortlessly to what I know I want to do.
with the music so loud I can barely understand K. Please tone it down. You must think it’s nice or beautiful or something – it’s INTERFERING
Jk is right in observing that the attention- concentration, choiceless awareness and attention- is limiting the time frame one focus on outwardly and resistance inwardly. But by observing one loses his methodical mind to the object, if one loves that object or his likeness to the object. Both ways some resistance is there. His connotation choiceless awareness is presenting a new perception to the observer without observing the known fact or idealogy.
If you want to explore and investigate, go right ahead. They are nice activities. You want to expand your perception?; What does that even mean?
Why not observe reality, the world around you, and see what opinions you create. It’s your opinions which don’t allow you to see reality for what it is: the truth.
Who are we? Whoever we think we are.
Where are we going? To the end.
What is the purpose? The experience.
Thought creates restrictions. To be free, observe without thought. You can get there through observing your opinions, finding out where they came from, and realizing that you don’t have to create any.
Freedom is not choosing whatever you want; Freedom is not having to choose.
I had an experience this morning as I practiced my focus and attention on dusting: the cloth, the spray of the liquid, the movement of items, the way my hand moved, the appearance and disappearance of dust particles. . I said, “Put your heart and soul into dusting.” I was aware of thought particles coming in to add input, and I observed them without trying to disrupt or disturb their offerings. And I kept my gaze on dusting.
JK has helped me refine my role of complete attention on the speaker or activity, without trying to run interference.
What is choiceless awareness? It is the consciousness that ” I AM “. Also known as Soul, Atma, Cosmic Consciousness, Brahman etc.
There is no me which limits the attention refers to “ME THE BODY CONCIOUSNESS.” Choiceless Awareness is beyond the mind while all activities like attention and concentration is mental related to body consciousness. We must understand that the Awareness or I AM is the ultimate SELF in us. There is no CHOICE.
We have to understand choiceless awareness and that explains everything.
I don’t see the difference between choiceless awareness and attention. I think both mean the same.
I have been witnessing my thought process recently. I see how powerful it is. It is always trying to get something out of me. Makes me wonder if it ever comes to an end as it is always moving. Yes, bringing awareness is one way,love is another as there is no thought involved. This alligns with my experience so far. Not sure but worship could be another way.
As Frank Zappa, sang, “Who you jivin’ with that debris?” The “you” who is attending ti liable for the next month’s rent, whether or not attending or not.to this hokum.