Staff Trip to Switzerland

At the start of the summer, four of our faculty and staff members traveled to Switzerland to attend the 2024 Mürren International Gathering around the work of J. Krishnamurti.

Located in the Bernese Oberland in the Swiss Alps, Mürren is a serene and picturesque mountain village that is car-free and accessible only by cable car. Each year, it plays host to the two-week International Gathering around the work of J. Krishnamurti, welcoming attendees from across the world who engage in viewing and reflecting on selected Krishnamurti talks, inquiry and dialogue, and spend time hiking and immersing themselves in the surrounding Alpine environment.

This year, participants from 14 countries and four continents joined the event, including the UK, France, Denmark, and Germany, as well as India, Australia, and the United States, including Oak Grove teachers Mary Kelley, Marie Samson, Nina Mecagni, and head chef Julia San Bartolome.

The first week of the gathering was dedicated to the theme of “Order and Disorder.” “Each day began with a shared breakfast, followed by music or silence and a well-curated, topic-based video or audio recording of Krishnamurti,” explains Nina. “Our dialogues were rich and insightful, examining the nature of order and the causes of disorder within our lives and societies. We came to see that order is not a state to be achieved but a living process of awareness.”

“Our dialogues were rich and insightful, examining the nature of order and the causes of disorder within our lives and societies.”

The second week’s theme, “Why Don’t We Change?”, presented attendees with a simple yet deeply challenging question, inviting them to confront the very core of their being. “Through dialogue and personal reflections, we explored the barriers to change,” Nina adds. “We examined how our conditioned thought processes create resistance and how awareness can dissolve these barriers, the dissolution of which is genuine change itself.”

Attending this gathering in Switzerland was a profound experience for our Oak Grove faculty and staff members.

“Attending this gathering along with my colleagues strengthened not only our relationship but also our commitment to our learning community in Ojai.”

“The privilege of traveling to the heavenly mountains of Mürren has truly been the most restorative experience I have ever had,” says Mary. “It was in Mürren, among friends and fellow inquirers from around the world, that I rediscovered my inspiration and calling at Oak Grove School as a lifelong learner. Attending this gathering along with my colleagues strengthened not only our relationship but also our commitment to our learning community in Ojai.”

Marie echoes this sentiment, adding: “We had rich conversations that inspired me to keep investigating our school founder’s philosophy. I spent a lot of wonderful time with my coworkers who also attended the gathering, and I am so grateful for the new depth of our relationships, which will help foster a deeper sense of belonging on campus. I am so thankful to Oak Grove school for offering such an uplifting and fulfilling experience to teachers and staff.”

“The value of our dialogues and inquiries into the teachings have stirred something deep within me, an eloquent shift that words scarcely capture.”

Nina concludes that for her the trip was a priceless gift. She especially enjoyed hearing about other participants’ lived experiences and relationships “and witnessing the myriad ways the teachings have manifested in our lives.” She says, “The value of our dialogues and inquiries into the teachings have stirred something deep within me, an eloquent shift that words scarcely capture. As I left, I felt properly disturbed with a deeper sense of awareness, heartfelt gratitude for the vastness that revealed itself, and a continued willingness to walk in a totally different direction.”