serious

2004 Letter from Johan Lem Issue No. 24, 2004-2005 of the Krishnamurti International Link magazine, contained the letter below from Johan Lem. I don’t know who Mr. Lem is, but this letter struck me as the most common-sense approach to applying K’s work that I have ever seen. To me, this letter is worth decades of reading and studying, if it is applied. I suspect however, that until one has done decades of reading and studying, letters like this mean nothing. I hope it can save you more time than it saved me! Understanding, or Living the Teachings? After having read a few articles in different issues of The Link, I have the impression that the goal of many authors is to understand the teachings, and their approach is often very intellectual and complicated. My approach is simple. Many years ago I used the teachings to understand myself. This understanding is not intellectual, but direct; it occurs through seeing what is happening one’s psyche when it happens. This seeing comes through a state of awareness when inner and outer senses are open, alert, interested to see or experience what is taking place there and then, no matter whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. From that moment on, if one is alert in daily life, the teachings are no longer so important: ‘what is’ has taken over the teaching job. As in this awareness thought has automatically calmed down, such a state cannot be found through any activity of thought. There […]