One of the main themes in this issue is the question of change, what is implied in it, whether it is possible within the scope of the teachings and whether we are even honest with ourselves when we say that we want to change. This change involves an investigation into the nature of the psyche,which is central to the teachings and the subject of scientific research. The contrast between the two approaches makes for a challenging dialogue, particularly around the difficulties of self-knowledge.

The question of what it means to live the teachings and how we can cooperate in this inquiry is of a piece with the issue of change.After all, the best way to spread the seed is not by distributing books and videos and endlessly discussing their contents but by the awakening of insight into the unfolding reality of our daily lives. As some of our contributions show, these awakenings do take place in specific instances over the whole field of living, in staying with the difficulties of relationship, the awareness of our identification with the body or the unpremeditated encounter with the timeless.

This very sense of awakening, and whether it is at all possible to bring it about in a school setting, is also at the heart of the educational process. In this issue we explore the implications of this approach in the context of Brockwood Park. K invariably draws our attention to the inner factors that condition our existence. One such factor is our fear of the natural emptiness of the mind. This consideration of emptiness as the essence of mind drives home the significance of turning inward. Meeting the fear and not escaping from the emptiness is a fundamental challenge we must face if we truly mean to revolutionize our lives and the world in which we live.