The Walls Around Ourselves – Exploring Psychological Barriers
“Psychologically we have created walls around ourselves, walls of resistance, walls of hope, fear, greed, envy, ambition, desire for position, power, prestige. They are created by the thinker. The thinker has created the space around himself in which he lives, and there he is never free. Beauty is not only the thing that you see; that’s a very small part. Beauty is not the result of thought, is not put together by thought. Like love, thought has no place where affection is. Where there is jealousy, envy, greed, ambition, and pride—love is not. We all know that. But, to find out what it means to love, there must surely be freedom from all travail, all jealousy, all envy. Then we will know.
In the same way, to be free implies no psychological walls created by the center. Freedom means space. Freedom also implies an end to time, not abstractly but actually. Freedom means to live completely today because we have understood the whole structure, the nature, and the meaning of the past. The past is the conscious as well as the unconscious. We have understood the whole of that. Because of that understanding, there is the active present, which is living. Can this actually happen in our daily life?”
J. Krishnamurti
Talk 5, Paris, 1966
Please share your thoughts
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 which 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.
Share your thoughts in the comments below.
I discovered Krishnamurti in 1975. I was searching for something real to hold on to, as I was afraid for my sanity.
I continue to read and attempt to be a real person to this day.
Must not give up or in. There is no choice.
Thanks,
Ted
Just like beauty, love is beyond thought. Jealousy, greed, ambition, etc are the walls or imprisonment therefore no freedom. Love cannot take place when there are walls, to love is to be free. Watching K’s talks on YouTube made me aware what is, how to live, and how to die. What a blessing to know him .
This challenge is ever new because we are constantly generating these walls even with what we think we have come to understand in the preceding moment. There is nothing to be done other than realizing that and letting go of what we want to hold onto.
I understand that
Un comentari molt , jo també entenc que . Gracies.
I always see the resistance as resistance, conflict as conflict, envy as envy, hatred as hatred etc., etc., But if when I look into myself if I can find that it’s only freedom that exists and not resistance, conflict, envy, hatred etc., etc., then I comprehend there’s nothing wrong with the entire life which is already free, not from anyone or anything but the nature and structure of life itself is freedom. It is ‘me’ who is neurotic and as long as I don’t observe that I am neurotic I am never free. So tne real observation must happen in me by really looking into myself into the drama of my mind which accepts the so called conditioning and takes it for granted. Unless I am really serious about my inquiry, I can never look at ‘what is’ that life is already free and full and complete.
Love it 🙂
It is hard to understand Krishnamurti’s statement that we must first be free, or free of time in order to comprehend the truth. But, what is more useful is also his statement that we must begin with ourselves, which is more applicable in our lives. If I’m sad or angry, i must first explore this emotional states. That means that I’m staying with the fact of sadness or anger, but not with the motive to change them. To stay with anger means that there is no something else than anger. Anger is, and that’s a fact. My staying with anger dissolves anger into energy from which I’m not separated. Me and anger are one energy, one movement of life. If i want to overcome anger, than this movement of life is not natural, but violent – friction. So, if i stay with whatever i am in this moment then energy or movement of life take its natural course and changes me into what i am already, into state of natural awareness or blissfulness. That state is freedom, and love and doesn’t com into being by wanting, or striving because they are again friction of life energy.
The observation, attention and Choiceless Awareness of every living moment, our actions and reactions only can reveal us what is truth..
And
To be able do it , will give us freedom from known and open the door of unknown..which is immense and sacred love and peace..
Walls around ourselves was really nice, hearing to JK’s deep Voice and meaningful simple sentences immediately draws one into attention and brings a clarity.
It would be great to get updates on new articles, videos and online events
Regards,
Chandrashekar
To be in the state of consciousness of “the Observer and the Observed” is where we can find and experience freedom.
I enjoyed this. Thank you
JK shows the way. Solution to the complexity. And he makes it and all sorts of issues as science.He is a scientist.
I find so much comfort in these videos.
Krishnamurti takes you back on what it really means to be human. Truly and amazing experience in each video I watch. These videos are priceless!
RIP J.K.
Gone but his words live on for the world. 🙏
Who Am I
Who am I, or am I not
Who knows?
Perhaps He in the Heavens knows
Or He too knows not
Find out for yourself
But who is the self that seeks to find
That labors to know, hopes to discover
Descartes said: I think therefore I am
Does he not presuppose the existence of I?
An entity that thinks and acts
And if this entity did not think
Would I cease to exist?
Is there really a thinker, an I
Separate and apart from thoughts
Or is the thinker and thoughts one, not separate and apart
Is it not this separation that creates the I?
Observe the mind, thoughts fleeting past, in an unending flux
Apparently to no avail, to no end, unfettered, uncontrolled
Observe them from moment to moment
Simply observe, without choice, without desire to control or modify
And an insight may emerge
There is no thinker, no entity that thinks
Only thoughts, a ceaseless stream, a flux
That emanates from a bundle of memories
Of experiences, of beliefs, personal and collective
Of hurts, jealousies, unfulfilled desires, of quests interrupted
Of fleeting moments of happiness, joy, and sorrow
Of knowledge acquired or passed on from eons past
Embedded in the brain, defining the contours and content of I
So what am I, who am I, now at the present?
A bundle of past memories, responding to the challenges of the present
Or is there a self, separate and apart from I
That I knows not, nor aware of, nor can ever realize
Who knows, Perhaps She in the Havens knows
Or perhaps She too knows not.
It was asked, “one must be free first, but what exactly does that mean?” You see, that is the wrong question. Perhaps we think it is a common expression to say, “what does it mean”, and not worth examining. But it is such thinking which will never realise freedom. There lies the point precisely addressing the question. It is an alertness to the way we think, this repetition of verbal analysis, and seeing the danger, dropping it completely, like a hot rock, there is freedom.
Despite Krishnamurti success and wisdom, I found he does not bring the clarity that some others bring. I heard and read his teachings in the eighties and later studied Ramana Maharishi, later again Nisargadatta and more recently Rupert Spira. He does not make it clear that awareness is our true
nature prior to thoughts, feelings etc. Also his confusion or lack of clarity on Consciousness and the objects of Consciousness (i.e. thoughts, feelings etc.) Obviously our thoughts, feelings are different for each human being but the Light of Knowing (Consciousness) is the same for all sentient creatures. Also his obsession that no one was enlightened or understood the Truth (except Him) I really do not know if that is ignorance or arrogance, obviously he did not meet everyone. I have never heard another teacher rant about this issue so incessantly. Also again this issue that thought being of itself, Thought is never aware, only awareness is aware of thought and all else in the Phenomenal World . I have found those about issues elucidated by other teachers rather than Krishnamurti.
have a good day
Your comments caught my attention. You put forth the concept of there being a “Light of Knowing” (i.e. Consciousness) that is the same for all sentient creatures. Are you suggesting that the Light of Knowing, Consciousness, and Awareness all refer to the same ‘thing’? If not, then how are they similar and/or different from one another? Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge.
K brings out everything as it is
Black and white
Every word is packed with such energy that there no other way but to be put to think………
Think, experiment, think and experiment
Make your conclusions..
If any.
Lovely start to the day 🙏🏼
The author uses the word thinkers to imply people with Resistance (Negative Thoughts). Love is not the absence of thinking, Love is the absence of Resistance (from conscious mind) and Fear (from subconscious mind), or the presence of Respect and True Self (God).
Love brings Freedom and Hopes. Freedom is not the liberation from relationships, Freedom is to be respected as your True Self. Hopes are not expectations, Hopes comes from the sense of being loved, being received unconditionally.
Such an amazing human being, his clarity, his capacity to inquire into any give topic, never straying from the inquiry at hand truly amazing.
” That which speaks does not know,
That which knows does not speak”,
Is very pertinent when K is in the picture.
His teachings/ dialogues arose in one’s live at the perfect Now.
Within, there is a communion with everything he utters. So precise with the language used, even down to the etymological meaning of the words, no denying what he is pointing to.
One had a life / mind altering experience in March 2014, resulting in one’s Seeing one was an addict to various substances, alcohol being the primary addiction.
In a hopeless state of mind and body, suicide seemed the correct option.
One decided to ask that final question. What is it all about, why am I in such a mess, what is wrong with ” me”, and out of nowhere, ” a peace beyond all understanding arise within”.
Have done alot of personal inventory, looking inwardly, not seeking any answers, but questioning everything over the next 2 years, there was amazing insights, and then K and his Dialogues, Wow, it was / is impossible to express fully.
No doubt, K is a portal from the Unknown, a rare being, whose dialogues provided one listens with an open mind, from a space where ” one knows one does not know” brings a Freedom from the Known that really cannot be expressed in words.
To live in that natural meditative stateless state of Being / Non-Being requires vigilance, which is in itself is effortless, spontaneity.
Know Thyself, as K says… Self Knowledge via Self Inquiry never seeking answers but sticking to the query posed is where Freedom =Truth =Love =Compassion arises.
Eternally Grateful to have being a Observing, Witnessing Presence to his lifes work and legacy.
For those with the capacity to Listen Attentively, where there is no judgement, Comparison, nor Analyses, K dialogues are a pathless path to Freedom.
Humankind is stuck in the stream of human consciousness , with all its dogmas, rules, regulations, control mechanisms, to break free of all that conditioning requires an open mind , which is rare in this illusionary realm.
Namaste 🙏
Of the Self, I am Nothing.
🙏🙌🤗👍💚💚💚
Love is omnipräsent, just take it …
Ich denke mit dem was wir Freiheit nennen hat es wenig zu tun
Есть определённый переход, граница где мысль затихает, как затихает двигатель машины когда выключают зажигание. В этой тишине нет мысли, мыслящего. Только пережив блаженство за мысленного мира, ум пытается повесить ярлыки испытанному – любовь, свобода, чудо, бог… Путь к свободе – свобода от этих ярлыков, иначе они создают желание, желание вновь пережить испытанное, а это может стать иллюзией.
Raised in a Muslim family and society, I remember a verse of Quran that has been quoted a lot, where God (supposedly) referring to prophet Mohammad, says ” We have sent you (Mohammad) as a mercy for the whole of human kind”, that is something which I believed for a long time and since childhood. But now, looking at what religions (any organized religion, not just Islam) have done to human beings (our consciousness) and human society as a whole, one can see that religions have not brought people close and have not solved any of the human suffering, let alone mercy. On the contrary, it has divided people into ‘we’ and ‘them’ or ‘our’ God and ‘our way’ and ‘their way’ and has caused all kinds of violence and more and more suffering to humans.
After reading and understanding K’s teachings, I sincerely believe that he (his teachings) is real mercy for human kind. I am so grateful to have come across his teachings by mere chance. He is a blessing for us. Thank you, K.
JK is outstandingly clear. His clarity is borned on the “self knowledge”. That is not to think but to be conscious about the thinking and the way the thoughts emerge. That way we see the delusion and may be we begin to live and see that life is the cessation of contrariness, and Love is Present.
JK is pure clarity to me
Thanks
The cessation of againtness
In reading the responses I am aware the many reactions to what was presented. For myself in the midst of an unknown journey I wonder why we have any reaction at all. K often chided people to not believe anything another says unless one has found out the truth for oneself. For this person the key is the seeing and listening are the doing. There is nothing more to do. Having said that learning the art of seeing and doing (not separate) is an ever unfolding probing of that which leads to greater depth of understanding. When one listens intently it is done. What was said or read is over. Keep moving. Insight and intelligence will do the rest. Don’t get lost in the words.
THOUGHT CANNNOT THINK ABOUT AWARENESS BECAUSE
AWARENESS PRIOR TO THOUGHT AND PERCEPTION HAS NO
FORM OR NO DIMENSIONS.
Like a mirror, K shows us our stupidity and falsehood. Thanks
“Uno debe ser libre primero, pero ¿qué significa eso exactamente?”.
Libre no es estar condicionado, mediatizado, poseído por un hombre o una mujer, por una religión.
Ser libre es no tener nada, porque no somos idólatras aferrados a lo que sea.
Por eso, la libertad es amor: no tener nada que nos atrape.
J K IS LIFE. FROM THE FIRST DAY AT RISHIVALLEY THE MENTOR IS BEYOND ALL SENSES AND ELEMENTS HE IS SPIRITUAL
I appreciate the desire to reach out to a wider audience, but for me Urgency of Change podcast is much more helpful than the immeasurable videos – along of course with the youtube channel. I watched an extremely powerful video today: https://youtu.be/S5DieVFRmXI
Very grateful for the work folks are doing to make this accessible.
Well-intentioned, I’m sure, this video thing. But banal, superficial, distracting from the message. Pathos and Kitsch.
Krishnamurti didn’t distinguish clearly between the separate Self (ego) and the nature of awareness. To me
and many others that I have spoken to on this matter and who are interested in these matters agree. He Conflated
these two things – Awareness and the separate self (ego) This confusion was really brought out in the Podcast
with Jaap Sluijter and Rupert Spira , I am not being Biased but very interested in the truth of Experience.
cheers
If the point in the K quotation is about thought not being the effective path to “love”, (absence of thought) how can posting a
“Thought or Comment” which is a construct of thought be of any particular use?
TO
JAY M (from :January 9,2023)
The “Light of Knowing” (Awareness) is the same in all beings
but the Objects of this Knowing is different depending
on interest and conditioning. You can validate this from your
experience. CHECK IT OUT in your experience .
Stay close to the evidence of experience as opposed to abstractions
create by thought and memory.
The most direct knowledge we have of ourselves, is the knowledge of being ” I AM’
This could be referred to as Absolute Knowledge because there is no distinction
between that which knows and that which is known, therefore no duality or distance.
CHECK IT OUT, EXPERIENTIALLY
A thought or a sensation or the body is never AWARE, only Awareness is aware of either a thought, a sensation or
the body.. Sorry I do not mean to usurp “The Guru”
Best Wishes in Inquiry