Freedom From The Known

Born in poverty in India, Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986) became a leading spiritual and philosophical thinker whose ideas continue to influence us today. George Bernard Shaw declared that he was the most beautiful human being he had ever seen and Aldous Huxley was one of his close friends. Whether debating politics with Nehru, discussing theories with Rupert Sheldrake and Iris Murdoch, or challenging his students not to take his words at face value, Krishnamurti engaged fully with every aspect of life. He is regarded by many modern religious figures as a great teacher, an extraordinary individual with revolutionary insights; Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra are all indebted to his writings. Freedom from the Known is one of Krishnamurti's most accessible works. Here, he reveals how we can free ourselves radically and immediately from the tyranny of the expected. By changing ourselves, we can alter the structure of society and our relationships. The vital need for change and the recognition of its very possibility form an essential part of this important book's message.

Krishnamurti shows how people can free themselves radically and immediately from the tyranny of the expected, no matter what their age--opening the door to transforming society and their relationships.

The book contains quite comprehensively Jiddu Krishnamurti's philosophical ideas on human freedom. Like Buddha and Christ, Krishnamurti also possessed great love for human beings. Therefore, he showed a great concern for human plight. He lived for more than ninety years, during which he talked, discoursed, and lectured at different places in various countries for almost sixty years. His main concern in those talks was to enlighten man about the impediments that didn't allow him to achieve freedom. As a philosopher, Krishnamurti's position is quite unique. He develops neither any new philosophical canons, nor believes in any kind of practices, which would help man to attain freedom gradually. He holds that man can reach the domain of freedom at once provided he keeps his mind free from every kind of thoughts. The thoughtless state of mind is the state of a 'meditative mind'. It is also the state of a 'silent mind'. In a most simple and convincing language, Krishnamurti reasserts the importance of the ancient precept 'know thyself' and advises us to seek liberation by acquiring the right knowledge, which is the 'knowledge of one's own self.' Those, who love philosophy and wish to acquaint themselves with Krishnamurti's views on human freedom, will find this book very interesting.

J. Krishnamurti is one of the most revolutionary thinkers of our age. To listen to him or to read his books is an experience by itself. He challenges every norm and value of individual as well as social life. He is not interested in mere outer changes; he stands for a fundamental transformation, what he calls the Mutation of the Mind. He states that there must arise first the New Man before a New Society can be brought into existence. The present book deals comprehensively with all aspects of Krishnamurti`s teachings, his philosophy, his psychology and a practice of no-practice. Krishnamurti says: Society is always static; only in the individual can there be a radical revolution. It is with this individual revolution that this book is fundamentally concerned.

365 Daily Meditations on Freedom, Personal Transformation, Living Fully, and Much More, from the Man the Dalai Lama Described as "One of the Greatest Thinkers of the Age"

Architects are facing a crisis of agency. For decades, they have seen their traditional role diminish in scope as more and more of their responsibilities have been taken over by other disciplines within the building construction industry. Once upon a time, we might have seen the architect as the conductor of the orchestra; now he or she is but one cog in a vast and increasingly complex machine. In an attempt to find a way out of this crisis, there is growing debate about how architects might reassert the importance of their role and influence. On one side of this argument are those who believe that architects must refocus their attention on the internal demands of the discipline. On the other are those who argue that architects must, instead, reacquaint themselves with what many still believe to be the discipline’s core mission of advancing social progress and promoting the public good, and at the same time the scope of their traditional disciplinary remit. At root, this question is fundamentally about freedom, about whether architects still possess it – if they have ever done – and whether it is possible to find the professional, disciplinary and individual autonomy to be able to define the spheres of their own practice. Presenting a variety of views and perspectives, this issue of AD takes us to the heart of what freedom means for architecture as it adapts and evolves in response to the changing contexts in which it is practised in the 21st century. Contributors include: Phillip Bernstein, Peggy Deamer, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Kate Goodwin, Charles Holland, Anna Minton, Patrik Schumacher, Alex Scott-Whitby, Ines Weizman, and Sarah Wigglesworth. Featured architects: Atelier Kite, ScottWhitbyStudio, C+S Architects, Anupama Kundoo, Noero Architects, Umbrellium, and Zaha Hadid Architects. Architects are facing a crisis of agency. For decades, they have seen their traditional role diminish in scope as more and more of their responsibilities have been taken over by other disciplines within the building construction industry. Once upon a time, we might have seen the architect as the conductor of the orchestra; now he or she is but one cog in a vast and increasingly complex machine. In an attempt to find a way out of this crisis, there is growing debate about how architects might reassert the importance of their role and influence. On one side of this argument are those who believe that architects must refocus their attention on the internal demands of the discipline. On the other are those who argue that architects must, instead, reacquaint themselves with what many still believe to be the discipline’s core mission of advancing social progress and promoting the public good, and at the same time the scope of their traditional disciplinary remit. At root, this question is fundamentally about freedom, about whether architects still possess it – if they have ever done – and whether it is possible to find the professional, disciplinary and individual autonomy to be able to define the spheres of their own practice. Presenting a variety of views and perspectives, this issue of AD takes us to the heart of what freedom means for architecture as it adapts and evolves in response to the changing contexts in which it is practised in the 21st century. Contributors include: Phillip Bernstein, Peggy Deamer, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Kate Goodwin, Charles Holland, Anna Minton, Patrik Schumacher, Alex Scott-Whitby, Ines Weizman, and Sarah Wigglesworth. Featured architects: Atelier Kite, C+S Architects, Anupama Kundoo, Noero Architects, Umbrellium, and Zaha Hadid Architects.

When Krishnamurti's Notebook first became available in 1976, it was soon realized that it was a spiritually unique document giving his perceptions and experiences and describing his states of consciousness. It is a kind of diary but one that is little concerned with the day to day process of living, though very much aware of the natural world. Jiddu Krishnamurti was born on 11 May 1895 in Madanapalle, a small town in south India. He and his brother were adopted in their youth by Dr Annie Besant, then president of the Theosophical Society. Dr Besant and others proclaimed that Krishnamurti was to be a world teacher whose coming the Theosophists had predicted. To prepare the world for this coming, a world-wide organization called the Order of the Star in the East was formed and the young Krishnamurti was made its head. In 1929, however, Krishnamurti renounced the role that he was expected to play, dissolved the Order with its huge following, and returned all the money and property that had been donated for this work. From then, for nearly sixty years until his death on 17 February 1986, he travelled throughout the world talking to large audiences and to individuals about the need for a radical change in mankind. Krishnamurti is regarded globally as one of the greatest thinkers and religious teachers of all time. He did not expound any philosophy or religion, but rather talked of the things that concern all of us in our everyday lives, of the problems of living in modern society with its violence and corruption, of the individual's search for security and happiness, and the need for mankind to free itself from inner burdens of fear, anger, hurt, and sorrow. He explained with great precision the subtle workings of the human mind, and pointed to the need for bringing to our daily life a deeply meditative and spiritual quality. Krishnamurti belonged to no religious organization, sect or country, nor did he subscribe to any school of political or ideological thought. On the contrary, he maintained that these are the very factors that divide human beings and bring about conflict and war. He reminded his listeners again and again that we are all human beings first and not Hindus, Muslims or Christians, that we are like the rest of humanity and are not different from one another. He asked that we tread lightly on this earth without destroying ourselves or the environment. He communicated to his listeners a deep sense of respect for nature. His teachings transcend man-made belief systems, nationalistic sentiment and sectarianism. At the same time, they give new meaning and direction to mankind's search for truth. His teaching, besides being relevant to the modern age, is timeless and universal. Krishnamurti spoke not as a guru but as a friend, and his talks and discussions are based not on tradition-based knowledge but on his own insights into the human mind and his vision of the sacred, so he always communicates a sense of freshness and directness although the essence of his message remained unchanged over the years. When he addressed large audiences, people felt that Krishnamurti was talking to each of them personally, addressing his or her particular problem. In his private interviews, he was a compassionate teacher, listening attentively to the man or woman who came to him in sorrow, and encouraging them to heal themselves through their own understanding. Religious scholars found that his words threw new light on traditional concepts. Krishnamurti took on the challenge of modern scientists and psychologists and went with them step by step, discussed their theories and sometimes enabled them to discern the limitations of those theories. Krishnamurti left a large body of literature in the form of public talks, writings, discussions with teachers and students, with scientists and religious figures, conversations with individuals, television and radio interviews, and letters.

If truth can set us free, where do we find it? In The First and Last Freedom, Krishnamurti argues that we will not find truth in formal institutions, nor in organised religions and their dogmas, nor in any guru or outside authority; for, according to Krishnamurti, truth can only be realised through self-understanding. Controversial and challenging, yet always enlightening, Krishnamurti guides us through society’s common concerns, such as suffering and fear, love and loneliness, sex and death, the meaning of life, the nature of God, and personal transformation - consistently relating these topics to the essential search for pure truth and perfect freedom. This classic philosophical and spiritual study offers wisdom and insights particularly suited to our own uncertain times.

When thought sees that it is incapable of discovering something new, that very perception is the seed of intelligence, isn’t it? That is intelligence: ‘I cannot do.’ I thought I could do a lot of things, and I can in a certain direction, but in a totally new direction I cannot do anything. The discovery of that is intelligence. This comprehensive record of J. Krishnamurti’s teachings is an excellent, wide-ranging introduction to the insights of the great philosopher and religious teacher. Apart from existential issues such as violence, insecurity, conflict, pleasure, fear, and suffering, Krishnamurti examines larger but related questions, such as the role of the guru (with Professor Jacob Needleman); the traditional methods prescribed by Vedanta (with Swami Venkatesananda); the problem of good and evil (with Alain Naude); and the relationship between thought and intelligence (with Dr. David Bohm). First published in 1973, this book contains, apart from Krishnamurti’s public talks and answers to questions from the audience, his incisive dialogues with some of the eminent minds of his time.

Discussions which raise central psychological and spiritual issues facing mankind. They should help to elucidate many points for those already familiar with the author's ideas. Others, reading him for the first time, may be struck by the clarity of his insights and their challenging message.

Changing Oneself, Changing The World. Genuine Reform, Says Krishnamurti, Can Be Brought About Only By Individuals Who Have Discovered What It Is To Love And To See . In This Radical Text, Which Brings Together Two Of His Most Popular And Influential Works, The Only Revolution And The Urgency Of Change, The Spiritual Teacher Who Rebelled Against Religion Points To A New Order Arising When We Have Ceased To Be Envious And Vicious And Have Died To Everything We Know, For Only Then Can We Give Birth To The Innocence That Allows The Timeless New To Come Into Being . The Traditional Reformer, By Contrast, Merely Patches The Old. It Is Through A Meditative Mind That Dissolves The Distinction Between Oneself And The World That Life Takes On Meaning And The Beauty Of The Heavens And The Earth Is Constant . Krishnamurti Says, Simply: When You Are Not, Love Is. Seeing, He Declares, Is The Greatest Of Skills. In These Pages, Gently, He Helps Us To Open Our Hearts And Our Eyes.

In a time of unprecedented outer change in the political and social spheres, is there a fundamental inner challenge that faces each one of us? In these 18 dialogues, Krishnamurti indicates that pinning hopes on organized religion, science, political ideology or the market economy not only fails to address basic human problems, but actually creates them. Instead, he discusses with Professor Anderson the concept of a wholly different way of living.

Presented in the most lucid style, the purpose of the book is not merely to know the characteristics of the self. It is also to find out about the truth of existence and beyond death,as well as to learn the process to knowledge. Only then the individual would discover the reasons for his selfishness, hatred, anger, fear that he cradles everyday in his life. The issue to have the knowledge of the `self` is very obscure. Yet the ideas presented in the book are not only inspirational but also introspective and embody the qualitative rational techniques to reach higher recesses of consciousness and soul-realization. The book is captivating as examples from real-life situations have been quoted to explain what is the nature of the Self and how it can transcend to tranquillity, peace and permanent bliss. Some Glimpses: *Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you *The Western point of view about Self--Greek Ideas, European Contention and Five Theories of Mind *The Eastern Approach--Vedantic conception, Gita`s mantras, Jiva as a conscious substance *Western dilemma and the Eastern approach--concept of unity and the quest for unity #v&spublishers

Many of us are starting to become tired of this game of life. We have been comparing and striving all our life. But no matter how much success we have achieved—we are still hollow and still have found nothing fulfilling. We don’t even know if happiness exists because it is no longer a living thing in our experience—it has become dead, as we only know it as a concept or memory. We have sought self-help advice, philosophies, and religious teachings to transform ourselves but have not gotten anywhere. We have made some superficial improvements—like adopting a new mindset—but our core remains the same. We are still competitive, still fearful, and we get disturbed all the time. The problem with all attempts at self-improvement is that we do not address the fundamental problem, which is: who is the “you” who needs to be improved? We do not see that the one who is making the improvement is the same one who needs to be improved. The more we try to improve, the more conflict we introduce, within and without. The more knowledge we stuff in our heads, the more we become trapped in a conceptual prison of reality. Inevitably, the more confused we get in life. The book guides the reader out of their distorted beliefs to experience reality beyond the mind. When the deeper intelligence is allowed to flourish without our mind's interference, then the game of life becomes effortless.

For thousands of years, political leaders have unified communities by aligning them against common enemies. However, today more than ever, the search for “common” enemies results in anything but unanimity. Scapegoats like Saddam Hussein, for example, led to a stark polarization in the United States. Renowned neuropsychiatrist and psychologist Jean-Michel Oughourlian proposes that the only authentic enemy is the one responsible for both everyday frustrations and global dangers, such as climate change—ourselves. Oughourlian, who pioneered an “interdividual” psychology with René Girard, reveals how all people are bound together in a dynamic, contingent process of imitation, and shows that the same patterns of irrational mimetic desire that bring individuals together and push them apart also explain the behavior of nations.

Among the most famous visionaries of our times, J. Krishnamurti (1895–1986) continues to transform thought, lifestyles, and education across continents more than three decades after his death. In this new biography, tracing the nine long decades of his life, from his growing-up years, his relationships to his writings and talks, Roshen Dalal provides a much-needed corrective – an objective and balanced view of his legacy. Adopted by Theosophists at the age of fourteen, and proclaimed a world teacher and messiah, in 1929, Krishnamurti dissolved the Order of the Star created for him and went on to develop his own philosophy. What is it about his ideas that draws the following of generations of people? Delivered to a divided world then, what makes his message so relevant now? While his ideas on education are idealistic, why do they continue to be everlasting in their contribution and appeal? Krishnamurti’s vision is of a world without boundaries or wars, a world where compassion and goodness predominate, and his message is that such a world can be arrived at only through individual transformation.B24 There is no direct path to transformation, yet through intense perception and understanding, it is possible to achieve this goal. Carefully reconstructing the events and extracting the essence of his talks, Dalal dispels several myths, explains his teachings, and reveals the underlying theosophical and occult influence in Krishnamurti’s life. Here is the most complete biography yet, of one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century.

The psychological revolution that Krishnamurti refers to is not only in the conscious mind, but also in the unconscious. He states, 'This is one of our difficulties, perhaps our major difficulty: to be free of the whole content of the unconscious.' This hidden part of our consciousness is the result of 'many thousands of years of man's endeavor; we are the sum total of his struggles, his hopes, his despairs, his everlasting search for something beyond, and this piling up of experience is still going on within us. To be aware of that conditioning, and to be free of it, demands a great deal of attention.'

**THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** We're living on the wrong clock. And it's destroying us. 'To read it is ... to experience how freedom might feel' Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks Our life is dominated by the corporate clock that so many of us contort ourselves to fit inside. It wasn't devised for people, but for profit. We need to embrace a whole new concept of time: one that gives us and our planet a brighter future. In Saving Time, Jenny Odell, bestselling author of How to Do Nothing, examines how we got to the point where time became money. Taking inspiration from the pre-industrial, ecological and geological rhythms of our world, she offers us radical new models to live by that make a more humane, more hopeful existence seem possible. Now is our moment to rethink. And if we do, time might just save us. 'An inimitable gift' Jia Tolentino, author of Trick Mirror 'One of the most important books I've read in my life' Ed Yong, author of An Immense World