Synopses & Reviews
Like an iridescent diamond,” is how David Moody describes revered philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti in this intimate portrait of him at the Oak Grove School in California. Krishnamurti, once groomed by Theosophists to become the next World Teacher, founded the school in 1975 and personally oversaw it for the last decade of his life. Moody, Oak Groves first teacher and later director, recounts their close work together and explains Krishnamurtis ideas with splendid clarity. He also recounts how those ideas sparked competition among the staff, producing a complex force-field that challenged Moody to the utmost. The resulting drama, and Krishnamurtis involvement in it, forms the core of this rare, behind-the-scenes view.
Review
This is an excellent book that describes not only the manner in which Krishnamurti related and worked with his colleagues, but also the deeper educational issues facing all of us. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to more deeply understand the educational endeavour Krishnamurti undertook during his lifetime - both the philosophic aspects and the functional difficulties of realizing them in a modern setting.
--Professor P. Krishna, Trustee, Krishnamurti Foundation in India and former Rector, Rajghat Education Centre in Varanasi, India
The Unconditioned Mind is a fascinating story about the first years of Oak Grove School and how J. Krishnamurti, David Moody and others dealt with its numerous challenges. It reads like a roman policier with a philosophical touch. Intriguing, brilliant and profound.
-- Ulrich Brugger, Director of The Ojai Retreat
David Moody has given us an intimate and engaging account of a grand experiment in education. The reader is treated to many vivid glimpses of the personal presence and core teachings of one of the last century's most fascinating spiritual figures. At the same time, we are alerted to some of the inevitable challenges--in the form of power struggles, personality clashes, and conflicting goals--facing those committed to actualizing Krishnamurti's dream of a new kind of school guided by the ideal of the unconditioned mind.
--Sean Kelly is Professor of Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He is the author of Coming Home: The Birth and Transformation of the Planetary Era.
The Unconditioned Mind is a sensitive account of the founding of a Krishnamurti school and the relationships central to it. David Moody's recollections of Krishnamurti are beautifully written and make this a fascinating read. I was especially touched by the passage where he gazed into Krishnamurti's eyes and felt it was "...like looking through a clear window, with only open space on the other side."
--Friedrich Grohe, former industrialist, trustee of the Krishnamurti Foundations, and author of The Beauty of the Mountain: Memories of J. Krishnamurti
The Unconditioned Mind represents a unique contribution to the growing literature about J. Krishnamurti, one of the greatest teachers of the twentieth century. I grew up in Ojai, California and attended Krishnamurti's annual talks under the oak groves from an early age. I highly recommend The Unconditioned Mind to anyone interested in the work of Krishnamurti. I found the story line riveting and could not wait to find out what happens next. David Moody handles controversial material with eloquence and sensitivity. As the former mayor of Ojai, I can attest to the authenticity of Dr. Moody's narrative description of our most distinguished resident.
--Suza Francina, author of The New Yoga for Healthy Aging and other books, and former mayor of Ojai, California
The Unconditioned Mind tells a universal story about a truly extraordinary being and the intersection of his passionate vision with all of the forces that support and affect the actualization of that vision. The author draws vivid, detailed pictures of Krishnamurti, the people he gathered around him, and the quality of their relationships with him and with one another. I found the story line totally engaging. At times it truly reads like a suspense thriller.
--Dr. Patricia L. Papernow, Psychologist
Clinical Instructor in Psychology, Dept of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Author, Becoming a Stepfamily (Taylor and Francis) and Surviving and Thriving in Stepfamily Relationships (Routledge, in press)