Click here to go to the next issue.

Saturday, May 19, 2001

Jerry:

Interviews - Kriben Pillay:

Kriben Pillay's book Radical Work explores the value of The
Work as a means of bringing about clarity, creativity and
efficiency in the workplace. It sets out the theory of radical
transformation, drawing on the insights of leading thinkers - David
Bohm, Daniel Goleman, J. Krishnamurti, Danah Zohar and others -
showing why The Work of Byron Katie could be the most radical, but
simple, tool that organisations can use for bringing about the end of
conflict and the beginning of true creative action. We sent him some
questions in his mail-box...

EB: Who is Byron Katie and how did you discover 'The Work'?

KP: Byron Katie is an ordinary American woman from Barstow, California
who, although having everything in material life – beauty, a lovely
family, and a very successful business – suffered from addictions and
an intense depression. While 'drying out' in a halfway house for
addicts, she underwent, at age 43, a transformation of consciousness
that revealed to her that she was not the suffering personality that
she thought was, but Love itself.

As a researcher into transformations of consciousness, I came across
Byron Katie's biography and realized that here was an unusual human
being, and that the process that her transformed state gave rise to,
The Work, has immense implications for suffering humanity.

EB: For readers who are unfamiliar with this system of self-inquiry
can you give a brief explanation?

KP: The Work is a form of self-inquiry that simply poses four
questions: (1) Is it true? (2) Can I really know that it's true? (3)
What do I get for holding onto this belief (story, concept, thought)?
(4) What would I be without this belief? The inquiry then leads to the
turnaround where we begin to see that our suffering is really caused
by the projections of our thinking.

EB: What is your vision? What can readers hope to achieve from reading
Radical Work?

KP: Hopefully, readers will gain an intellectual understanding of The
Work within the context of what leading thinkers have to say about
transformation. Also, it is hoped that the Appendix by Byron Katie
will lead readers to their own release from suffering and gain the
immense clarity that is natural to us.

EB: How can organizations use the 'Work' for transformation and how
does the Work differ from other forms of transformational/motivational
training?

KP: Organizations can be taught to use The Work to end conflict and a
culture of blame that is so prevalent in our society. The Work exposes
all our hidden agendas and fears. But this can only happen if the
organizations want a culture of clarity, efficiency and
responsibility. Many say they do, but they still want to play their
various power games. The Work will radically threaten such attitudes,
and such organizations are best left with 'feel-good' motivational
programmes that put enticing icing on top of a rotten cake. As Daniel
Goleman says, most motivational training only gives people 'a
short-term "buzz" of energy that lasts no more than a few days and
weeks'. Most motivational programmes, also, still teach that we are
separate, disconnected beings that have to control life in some way or
the other and to get as much as we can. The underlying motive here is
still fear. Through The Work we see that non-separation is our innate
state, therefore the way we function is radically different.

EB: Who or what influences your writing the most?

KP: Everything that I have read has influenced me in some way, but the
writings of philosopher J. Krishnamurti have had a profound effect on
me. Authentic clarity, however, is beyond influence and is ever new,
although it may use whatever material it has been exposed to in order
to communicate That which is beyond communication. My current favorite
book is Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now.

EB: Do you have any other books planned? What projects are you working
on at the moment?

KP: I have a children's book planned entitled Is it true you've lost
your marbles? This book will also serve as a fable for adults. The
other book is a series of entertaining stories about my personal
experiences of The Work of Byron Katie. Both books should be published
early next year, if not sooner.

EB: Are there any additional comments or thoughts you would like to
share?

KP: All suffering, if you really examine it, is just a story. But the
mind cannot readily accept this because it lives off drama.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Richard Schiffman, forwarded by Gloria:

I am an author of a just published book entitled "Mother of All" about my
experiences with a remarkable holy woman of India, Anasuya Devi. Her
life-story is unusual in the annals of world spirituality revealing
a uniquely feminine approach to spiritual enlightenment. This book was very
well recieved in India where it was published some years back, but we are
having a little trouble getting word out here in the US about the American
edition which was just released by the Blue Dove Press in San Diego. There
are endorsements on the back by Wayne Dyer, Joseph Chilton Pearce and
Publishers Weekly and the cover shows an arresting portrait of the Mother in
a natural setting. Early reports from bookstores indicate that the book is
selling very well at stores where it is stocked. We are carried by New Leaf
Distributors and listed on Amazon.com.

"Mother of All" is the account of the life and thought of one of the most
unusual woman teachers of the twentieth century. Mother Anasuya Devi of
Jillellamudi village South India was a renowned, if controversial, figure
who shocked Hindu traditionalists by teaching that the world is real and not
an illusion or maya as is commonly held. She insisted that the earth itself,
and not some transcendent divinity, is the highest God. Mother¹s biography--
especially her early years which were marked by extraordinary visions,
miracles and terse Zen-like teachings on the oneness of matter and spirit--
has been compared to the life of Christ.

Is this the type of book that you might be interested in reviewing or
carrying excerpts of in your newsletter? The ISBN number of Mother of All is
1--884997-28-7. The retail price of the book is $19.95.
Kindly let me know if we can provide you with any more information.

Richard Schiffman
richschiff@earthlink.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandeep, forwarded by Tim:

Interesting report on the "New Scientist"

Freedom from the will,
freedom from the law

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Alongside all the esoteric laboratory tinkering and airy
philosophizing about hard problems, the study of consciousness has a
practical side, too. For example, legal scholars are beginning to
worry about whether neurobiology might blast away the foundations of
Western legal systems and the concept of human rights.

They have good reason to worry. Modern neurobiologists and
neurophilosophers of consciousness such as Patricia Churchland at the
University of San Diego deride voluntary choice, free will, and
similar concepts as mere "folk psychology". Indeed, consciousness may
have surprisingly little power to affect behaviour, according to some
of the work now coming out of research labs.

For example, neurobiologists have measured how long certain visual
perceptions take to register in consciousness, says Jeffrey Gray, a
neurobiologist at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. This time
delay--about 200 milliseconds--means that a tennis star at Wimbledon
must return a serve well before becoming conscious of the serve's
approach. "Our everyday experience of having conscious experiences
and acting because of them is in most cases an illusion," says
Gray. "Consciousness comes too late to affect behaviour."

But if that's true, then our cherished notion that we can make a
voluntary, conscious choice to do good or evil goes straight out of
the window. And with it goes the basis for our legal system, says
David Hodgson of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the lone
lawyer to speak at the conference.

Western legal tradition puts great stock in the concept of intent,
says Hodgson. To be found guilty of a crime, a person must
consciously choose to commit the illegal act. Those who are unaware
of their actions or who are coerced by a power beyond their control
are let off the hook.

For some crimes, notably rape, the voluntary consent of the victim is
also at issue. If conscious choice is just a myth, however, this
standard vanishes. Neuroscientists need to consider whether they are
ready to sweep all this away, says Hodgson. "What do they see as
replacing the consent of the woman in determining whether an act of
sexual intercourse is voluntary or rape?" he asks. "There's very good
reason to continue to insist on the fundamental distinction between
acts which are voluntary and acts which are not."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Melody and Jan:

ºI thought you found G's teachings to be
ºof great value as one approaches the 'work' of
ºdeconditioning.
º
ºHave I mis-read you?
º
ºMelody

Not at all: deconditioning concerns apperception.
And that could be called "to know who you are":
when that is crystal clear, moksha/nirvana is a
matter of "when", not of "if", because from then
on, one becomes aware of the life-force and
conditioning will burn out by itself.

And that is the difference between teachings/
methods: when apperception fails to give that
clarity, what's the use of it anyway? Because
apperception-only will not free one from the "wheel".
All methods/systems only address a part of
conditioning: that what was important for the
teacher. No guarantee whatsoever that "works"
for you too.

To see conditioning, one has to be
free from most of it - and then, advice it always
"personal". What is a crucial conditioning for one,
can be a triviality for someone else. Hence, a general
advice that "works" can only be drastic - like
unconditional surrender, or a "mental" visit to Yama.
Those taking that advice don't show up on a mailing list :)

Jan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim:
Dear List,

I've appreciated the input and energy from everyone over the past 2 1/2years
-- the list has acted for me as a "living Guru," and I'm thankful for it...
the Guru is no longer needed. I stand free. For those who still want to
communicate with me, I'm currently subscribed to the following mailing lists:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The Way Station
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Nisagardatta

You may also Email me privately at coresite@home.com or visit my website, The
Core, listed below.

If I start a new mailing list, it will be posted in a prominent location on
the following website: http://coresite.cjb.net

Good luck to you, Jerry.

*Poof*
Joy, Laughter and Blessings,
Tim

top of page