Krishnamurti Gathering August 2023

This summer, more than 120 people came to Brockwood Park to spend six days on retreat. Together, they explored the fundamental questions of life, listened to Krishnamurti and inquired into what he was conveying to us with respect to such questions. It was a truly international gathering of people of different ages from all over the world, from as far as Australia and New Zealand, Colombia and India, Canada and the US, and many European countries.

The atmosphere of the retreat was that of seriousness, friendship and openness, making it conducive to discussions and explorations of the common psychological challenges human beings face.

Each day, there was a video of Krishnamurti in the morning and an organised discussion in the afternoon, attended by anyone who wished to. There were ample opportunities to meet people informally during meals, on walks or over tea. There were also opportunities for anyone who wanted to have a quiet retreat and use the beatitude of the grounds or the library to spend time quietly.

A classical music concert and a bonfire were organised on two evenings. Mealtimes were buzzing with conversations and laughter, and many people made new friends during the six days of sharing common interests in seriousness. Krishnamurti said at Brockwood in 1985: ‘Laughter is part of seriousness. If you don’t know how to laugh and look at the trees in the dappled light, you are not quite a human being. If you are merely churchy-serious on Sundays, you are not serious.’

The organised dialogues allowed people to explore topics of shared interest or statements made by Krishnamurti in the morning video. It was also an opportunity for individuals to see the difficulties faced when communicating with others – ideas may clash and reactions may occur. As Krishnamurti states on the nature of discussion and dialogue below, discussion can be very revealing when it comes to human consciousness, the mind and how thoughts and ideas can divide, but also how one can overcome this by meeting the challenge with affection and compassion for one another:

‘Before we begin, it should be made clear what we mean by discussion. To me, it is a process of discovery through exposing oneself to facts. That is, in discussion, I discover myself, the habit of my thought, the way I proceed to think, my reactions, the way I reason, not only intellectually but inwardly.’

– Krishnamurti in New Delhi, 1961.

Look out for further Krishnamurti Gatherings at Brockwood in the future.

We hope you enjoy the selection of photographs below, taken by photographer Piero Martinello during the Krishnamurti Summer Gathering in August 2023. Please click on an image to view it in a larger size.