The Link #23 - Editorial

The more we deepen our inquiry, the less we are satisfied with our explanations of the human condition. Life invariably presents us with points of difference that throw a spanner in the works. Life cannot be bound in a conceptual nutshell for it belongs to the category of infinite change. The field of self-knowledge, so fundamental in a total meeting of life, requires that we do not remain on the level of theory but rather see directly the actuality and implications of our own being. This turn of mind and heart is a necessary step to face up to the facts,which is the ground of transformation.

This issue of The Link explores a number of significant questions regarding the unfolding of self-knowledge. One of the salient aspects being raised in these articles and letters is the importance of bodily self-awareness not only as a mirror of mental and emotional states but also as a clear avenue of direct encounter with one’s actuality past the distorting screen of words. This proprioception is of critical importance for personal work, for dialogue and for education generally.

Other questions raised concern the understanding of K ’s teachings as being or not being for our time and how best to approach them, for example, in a school. The religious aspect of K’s teachings finds little echo in our largely secular Western society and it can be easily confused with the religious traditions of the East. While the universality of K’s teachings clearly defies and transcends such cultural perspectives, we are still left, particularly as educators, with the challenge of conveying their meaning past these linguistic and historical barriers.

The exploration of this universality, particularly in its aspect of self-knowing, is the major theme of the education section, where we present the outline of a programme to implement this approach in a home schooling environment. If our essential work as human beings is to know ourselves, then this aspect of education deserves far more attention than it has received to date. This programme offers a promising way forward.

The quality of non-dualistic perception is essential in this inward journey, whether we are talking about proprioception of the body, mind and hear or about the silent movement of meditation. As always, K’s own words bring through the quality of freedom and wholeness implied in self-discovery, and the sensitivity and creative energy to do so now.