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Meeting Life: Writings and Talks on Finding Your Path Without Retreating from Society
In this fascinating collection culled from teachings never before brought together in book form, Krishnamurti offers wise reflections and fresh perceptions on love, politics, society, death, self-censorship, relationships, solitude, meditation, spiritual growth, and much more. Through provocative meditations and in-depth answers, Krishnamurti answers such timeless questions Meeting Life also features a number of Krishnamurti's talks, delivered in Switzerland, India, England, and California, Here is the profound wisdom of a beloved teacher who moved millions with his words. This thought-provoking and inspirational volume will provide strength and encouragement to anyone searching for insight.
240 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 1991
32 people are currently reading
287 people want to read
About the author
J. Krishnamurti
1,336 books4,270 followersJiddu 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 humankind.
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 humankind 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 belief systems, nationalistic sentiment and sectarianism. At the same time, they give new meaning and direction to humankind'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. Many of these have been published as books, and audio and video recordings.
This author also writes under: Jiddu Krishnamurti
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 humankind.
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 humankind 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 belief systems, nationalistic sentiment and sectarianism. At the same time, they give new meaning and direction to humankind'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. Many of these have been published as books, and audio and video recordings.
This author also writes under: Jiddu Krishnamurti
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 6, 2008
Just started reading but J. Krish is easily becoming one of my favorite minds to ever exist.
January 11, 2021
I came across a book by Jiddu Krishnamurti in 2019, a very small book called "Meditations" - it was a compilation of aphorisms extracted from all of his books and bulletins. Being a meditator (mantra based) for more than 8 years, many things felt familiar but many others things didn't. In fact I read those aphorisms sparsely, so I could find their content in my experience. Something was lacking, I wasn't getting it all, there was new information that pointed something that I couldn't believe, that I was wrong. So I investigated a little more ever since. I came across videos from the Krishnamurti Foundation in India, and listened to some hours of video, not daily, but they kept sipping in. Then a very sudden thing manifested itself in just a sentence, this combination of words: "Thoughts are movements of the mind". This thing stuck with me, I understood it, I found it in my experience. He was right, he is right. I could see those movements, coming and going, ending and restarting, not just in a practice of meditation, but later on, you just wake up to it. Everything changes after that.
Then I started to question everything, inquiring as this beautiful man would say, so I stopped my practices gradually by stopping using the mantra and starting to use just silence till I stopped my practices completely. Everything was wrong, it was right in a sense that it was necessary for me to understand what I understand now, but wrong in the sense of being attached to a practice - we should never do that.
3 weeks ago I received this book that I found on ebay, "Meeting Life", I was reading parts of it and then later I would be seeing videos of his talks on youtube;
The 7 hour conversation between Krishnamurti, Dr.Bohm and Dr. Shainberg (https://youtu.be/z3VmciTsopE)
more talks between K. and Dr. Bohm(https://youtu.be/CvL4uNA4U-k)
and a very beautiful one between K. and Buddist Scholars (https://youtu.be/tdyNVFXyKF8)
I began to realize something that is very interesting, these talks (specially the first two I mentioned) are meditations. You just need to observe with full attention, inquire, but don't make choices. They do have an impact on you.
My mind was very quiet. A quietness that I hadn't found without my old practice, but this is still a very "superficial" meditation, nevertheless it is a path to truth. To understand oneself.
Once you see the movements of thoughts there is no going back. You feel your thoughts organizing information with the help of memory. Your self is constantly using the information that is provided by your senses, directly or through a recording (stored in memory). We fall so easily on this trap, that thoughts are real - they are not a real thing, thoughts are an interpretation of what is real. This is what Buddha said more than 2 thousand years ago, we don't see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. Because we are slaves of our own creation, this image, the self, the tiny self. The confusion crept deep inside because we, all of us, believe that our tiny self has thoughts, he doesn't, it is just a construction of thoughts that uses other thoughts. The tiny self is running our life. Realizing this is a very disturbing ordeal. Because the tiny self isn't real. This is what society uses as a fuel to exist. The notion of self. The tiny self that wants to become, that turns desires into pleasure, that later turn to pain, so pleasure can be rejoiced. It is a never ending quest to pure madness. A type of madness that is known to be sane, which is perverse. We all say, we are our jobs, we are our needs, we are what we become. This becoming, this need, these routines are the self. A nothingness. Something that I found in the work of Samuel Beckett, something that talked to me very deeply, but I couldn't grasp it.
Krishnamurti was, like many have said, a beautiful flower. Read this book or any other by him. This one in fact is a compilation of short prose, Q&A and public talks (that went to be published as bulletins). Question everything. Don't accept authority, and this implies don't take Krishnamurti as an authority. That wasn't his quest. If you pay attention, he rarely uses memory, of course he used memory to maneuver a language and so on, but pay attention, he is really inquiring again and again, in him, the same things. He isn't using memory, he is questioning in the present. This is what we can learn, to question. If you disagree that is just fine, I did it too, that is not a bad thing. Just question, look, say no. Don't hide. This is very serious business. This is living.
Thank you to the Krishnamurti Foundation for amazing work. The videos, the books and everything. These talks, these texts, everything that this man produced is highly important. No gurus, no teachers, no rituals, no practices. Life is the practice.
All the best to you and your own.
Then I started to question everything, inquiring as this beautiful man would say, so I stopped my practices gradually by stopping using the mantra and starting to use just silence till I stopped my practices completely. Everything was wrong, it was right in a sense that it was necessary for me to understand what I understand now, but wrong in the sense of being attached to a practice - we should never do that.
3 weeks ago I received this book that I found on ebay, "Meeting Life", I was reading parts of it and then later I would be seeing videos of his talks on youtube;
The 7 hour conversation between Krishnamurti, Dr.Bohm and Dr. Shainberg (https://youtu.be/z3VmciTsopE)
more talks between K. and Dr. Bohm(https://youtu.be/CvL4uNA4U-k)
and a very beautiful one between K. and Buddist Scholars (https://youtu.be/tdyNVFXyKF8)
I began to realize something that is very interesting, these talks (specially the first two I mentioned) are meditations. You just need to observe with full attention, inquire, but don't make choices. They do have an impact on you.
My mind was very quiet. A quietness that I hadn't found without my old practice, but this is still a very "superficial" meditation, nevertheless it is a path to truth. To understand oneself.
Once you see the movements of thoughts there is no going back. You feel your thoughts organizing information with the help of memory. Your self is constantly using the information that is provided by your senses, directly or through a recording (stored in memory). We fall so easily on this trap, that thoughts are real - they are not a real thing, thoughts are an interpretation of what is real. This is what Buddha said more than 2 thousand years ago, we don't see the world as it is, we see the world as we are. Because we are slaves of our own creation, this image, the self, the tiny self. The confusion crept deep inside because we, all of us, believe that our tiny self has thoughts, he doesn't, it is just a construction of thoughts that uses other thoughts. The tiny self is running our life. Realizing this is a very disturbing ordeal. Because the tiny self isn't real. This is what society uses as a fuel to exist. The notion of self. The tiny self that wants to become, that turns desires into pleasure, that later turn to pain, so pleasure can be rejoiced. It is a never ending quest to pure madness. A type of madness that is known to be sane, which is perverse. We all say, we are our jobs, we are our needs, we are what we become. This becoming, this need, these routines are the self. A nothingness. Something that I found in the work of Samuel Beckett, something that talked to me very deeply, but I couldn't grasp it.
Krishnamurti was, like many have said, a beautiful flower. Read this book or any other by him. This one in fact is a compilation of short prose, Q&A and public talks (that went to be published as bulletins). Question everything. Don't accept authority, and this implies don't take Krishnamurti as an authority. That wasn't his quest. If you pay attention, he rarely uses memory, of course he used memory to maneuver a language and so on, but pay attention, he is really inquiring again and again, in him, the same things. He isn't using memory, he is questioning in the present. This is what we can learn, to question. If you disagree that is just fine, I did it too, that is not a bad thing. Just question, look, say no. Don't hide. This is very serious business. This is living.
Thank you to the Krishnamurti Foundation for amazing work. The videos, the books and everything. These talks, these texts, everything that this man produced is highly important. No gurus, no teachers, no rituals, no practices. Life is the practice.
All the best to you and your own.
August 4, 2025
This was my first step into Krishnamurti’s world—and it felt like diving into the deep end. The book is dense with knowledge, concepts, and insights on life, the mind, and meditation. It’s not ideal for beginners, but if you stay with it, the depth slowly begins to unfold.
July 3, 2008
The same teachings are taught here as on any Krishnamurti book. But this one gives you very realistic ideas on how to apply it in your life.
February 25, 2014
You probably won't get it but it's always good to listen to it.
May 26, 2017
For those who want to meet life, not outside but deep within their own selves.
This book is a wonderful collection of reflections on various aspects of life. The conversations and lectures in the second part are specially insightful.
J. Krishnamurthy has written brilliant pieces to illustrate the ancient concept that disorder outside arises out of disorder within and solutions must be found inside.
This book is a wonderful collection of reflections on various aspects of life. The conversations and lectures in the second part are specially insightful.
J. Krishnamurthy has written brilliant pieces to illustrate the ancient concept that disorder outside arises out of disorder within and solutions must be found inside.
September 1, 2015
Still reading this awesome copilation of kirshnamurti's ideology that could perfectly fit in our daily lives! It brings such a sense of peace and love that I dont want to end it just yet!
July 21, 2016
A great book, full with wisdom from Jiddu Krishnamurti. Inspiring as always and motivating.
October 7, 2017
This is a great book for anyone and everyone who wants to introspect on the journey of our lives and the society that we have created around us. This book will force you to rethink about your belief system, be it religious or be it philosophical.
I will recommend this book to everyone without any doubt. A must read book.
I will recommend this book to everyone without any doubt. A must read book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews