Why Jaap Sluijter, the Executive Director of Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA) Is A Disgrace To Krishnamurti
The flower J. Krishnamurti gave Reza Ganjavi
“I am, of course, saddened by the state of the foundation, mirrored as it is in the neglect of the Grove. I take no joy in stating that I could see this coming as far back as 15 years ago. That the foundation has fallen into a fiefdom of personal ambition is most distressing.” One of J. Krishnamurti’s closest friends
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws". Publius Tacitus (56-117 AD)
Reminder to Jaap Sluijter and KFA's useless Board of Trustees: "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." ― Aldous Huxley
Shame on Jaap Sluijter For Lying Through His Teeth, Again
As Executive Director of the Foundation of man who spent a lifetime speaking about importance of truth, Jaap Sluijter has bluntly lied several times, for wicked, malicious reasons that are absolutely illegitimate and absolutely in contradiction to everything Krishnamurti stood for.
I heard again in 2023 that someone who visited KFA a few years back encountered Jaap -- and Jaap lied through his teeth. It's really a shame and a total disgrace to Krishnamurti.
These were brought to the useless Board of Trustees who proved to be useless, hopeless, and some of them compromised in terms of conflict of interest. One of the Board members brought Jaap to the foundation. Him, and another one, reportedly do business dealings with Jaap in Hawaii, and several are too weak in light of the influence of big money which is behind the first board member mentioned in this paragraph.
I was shocked when I heard the person who had met Jaap tell me what Jaap had said which was 100% a fabricated lie. It wasn't his first time lying.
Rajagopal, Worst Thing That Happened To K, Until Jaap Sluijter Came Around
Rajagopal was the editor of Krishnamurti's best selling book, Think on These Things. Rajagopal was very jealous of K. They left India about the same time and set sail towards a joint destination but K was to be the "world teacher" and Rajagopal was always a step behind. K had the brilliant mind, and Rajagopal took the path of physical chastity and was gone long times at a time to the point that his beautiful wife, Rosalind (whom I met when she was very old - and was still radiantly beautiful thought she had lost her mind to dementia), was having an affair with K. The three of them were very close, like family.
Rajagopal was a key player in early K publications but became a thief. K resembled him to the banker who claims the money people deposited is his. This led to an ugly long legal fight - probably given continuity by the lawyers who were being paid by K's close wealthy wonderful friend, Mary Zimbalist, whom I visited many times, including at her house.
Rajagopal's daughter wrote an awful book about K's relationship with his mother -- a book that had a lot of logical inconsistencies and was more of a tabloid than an account of history.
Rajagopal is viewed by many as the worse thing that ever happened to K. Until Jaap Sluijter came along.
Jaap Sluijter, Worst Things That Happened To Krishnamurti, Ever
In my view, based on observations, information, personal experience, and experience of others I know, Jaap Sluijter is the worst thing that happened to K; for many reasons, which will be outlined herein.
Jaap's Recruitment By Friedrich Grohe & Gang
Jaap was brought in to KFA as part of the naive millionaire, Friedrich Grohe's Gang's infiltration of Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA) after Mary Zimbalist dies. Until then Mary Z was keeping Grohe and his gang at an arm's length. I was volunteering at KFA at the time and witnessed how the gang was moving in, powered by Grohe's money and clout and influence mongering. Contrary to the boss, some of the Gang as they call themselves are not naive and to the contrary know exactly how to keep Grohe "happy" by feeding him what they want him to hear while using his clout and money to further their agenda -- to the point that people close to Grohe are saying that he's almost out of money. I heard him say that himself -- and one of his closest friends said the Gang spending money on his credit cards, and the pure expense associated with supporting the Gang's salaries and expenses, has run the big-time multi-millionaire into saying he's almost out of money. Of course that's relative. For Grohe to be "out of money" I supposed means his 50 million of whatever is now down to 10 million -- or 5 million -- plus real-estate and maybe he still has the big box of jewellery and precious metals his wife was telling people he has, with diamonds, etc. -- who knows.
Grohe's Influence Mongering at Krishnamurti Foundations
What we do know is that Grohe's influence mongering in the K foundations is undeniable. A man showing up in the last 3 years of K's life, taking over two of his three foundations some years after K's work. Mind you, the incompatibility of intellect. K was a giant. Grohe is a apparently spoiled son of a rich plumbing supplies company owner, and is apparently not an independent thinker, and hires people to think for him.
I've known Friedrich Grohe for many years, been on many walks with him, one on one, and even stayed at his house, and he healed my knee after an injury that lingered for years, and he's helped the foundations and schools -- he was a "guardian angel" at some point who turned into a "fallen angel" as a K's close friend put it, because of the viciousness of his Gang, and in my opinion, his own small-minded, myopic, uneducated, naive vision that he knows what is best for Krishnamurti Foundations.
He infiltrated KFA and KFT -- but he was reportedly chased away from KFI. Radhika Herzberger Jayakar, whom unlike Grohe can think for herself, and was one of K's best friends, writer, educationist and scholar, reportedly told Grohe's Gang to take their money, leave and don't look back. What a good move!
Grohe's influence at Krishnamurti Foundation Trust / Brockwood Partk School / Inwoods was disastrous. We did a two-year research involving over 70 witnesses and had no idea Grohe influence was a factor but by the end it became very clear the chaos could have been totally prevented had it not been for Grohe's deep rooted influence mongering, and his puppets including Raman Patel (who's on his payroll and is now an Executive Director of KFT), and others. See: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
Grohe & Gang's History Of Incompetent Recruitment For K Foundations
Refer to what's said above about incompatibility of K and Grohe, from an intellectual standpoint. One witness said K treated Grohe like a kid.
Grohe & Gang have had a history of making poor judgments on recruiting for the foundations -- which was part of their influence mongering -- using their clout, money, influence, to instate disastrous candidates in key roles at the K foundations -- like Nasser Shamim and Mina Masoumian. See: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
Jaap Was Another Disaster Recruitment Of Grohe & Gang
Publication Of This Material Was Not Time Critical And On Back-burner Because I Deemed KFA As Hopeless Due To Grohe & Gang Infiltration
I had deemed KFA as hopeless a few years back, after their Executive Director Jaap Sluijter (appointed by Friedrich Grohe & his Gang) broke basic codes of ethics and decency by fabricating lies about me because he was trying to a) kiss up to Friedrich Grohe after my "Fifth Foundation" Report shed light on Grohe & Gang's reckless behavior around Krishnamurti's work, and b) because he did not respect freedom of speech, just as any dictator doesn't; Jaap did not like accountability, including to the KFA Board of Trustees. So he made a mess -- and then he refused to meet with me to try to find a peaceful resolution, even after some KFA trustees told him to meet with me; so there was never a dialogue -- and seeing the level of dishonesty and lack of integrity at KFA, I deemed them hopeless and put the notes on hold till I find time to publish them. Prior to that I published periodicals around K's work.
This Document Was Produced After Finishing Investigation into KFT by Our Task Force, in December 2022
I put together this page after our taskforce finished with the investigation of Krishnamurti Foundation Trust (KFT) in the UK, with a massive 340 page report of mismanagement and its associated massive complaint to the England/Wales Charity Commission.
Was Produced After Finishing Investigation into KFT by Our Task Force, in December 2022
All the empty seats in the back rows are not shown. Less than 20 people present while KFA used to attract over 200 people to these gatherings.
And a critical shortage of young people
K's Modest Wishes - Deplorable State of Oak Grove
From a former Trustee and close friend of Krishnamurti: "K didn't have wishes, he had injunctions to us to care for the land and preserve the teachings. And, to not mix him up with anything. As for the banyan tree being planted, I understand that one was but while it might have been a K suggestion, it would be wrong to characterize it as a wish. This is more blurring around the edges."
"K wanted the Oak Grove to be cared for but I don't recall him ever saying he wanted a fence around it or OGS. Last time I saw the Oak Grove, some years ago, it was in deplorable condition. You are right to be suspicious of Mark's comments about what K may have said."
Mark Lee said a list of K's wishes - with the banyan tree as the first - which makes sense coming from Mark because he likes to sensationalize things. But surely caring for the land was a top priority for K - and Jaap failed in that -- and Jaap also failed in the other area: not mixing K with other things.
See pictures at the bottom of this page about the deplorable state of the Oak Grove because of Jaap Sluijter neglecting it.
Jaap's Hypocrisy: Do as I say, Do not as I do
From some letters I wrote to KFA's Board of Trustees: "Why do you think K dreaded organizations? Because he knew they can be run by people like Jaap & Mark & Company. They were NOT interested in the truth. When you lie, you can't look at the person in the eyes. Michael Mendizza asked Jaap to meet with me to address this. Jaap refused because he had lied. Same with the board. They refused because they did not have the nerve to look at me in the eyes and admit to their lies." ... “… cultist mind of Jaap & Company which used this falsehood as truth in order to support his vicious sick goal for which he had no sound reason. He padded this falsehood with another lie.”
Jaap Sluijter's Introduction to David Moody's talk was foolish in my opinion, and showed gross hypocrisy:
"An Uncommon Collaboration, Krishnamurti & Bohm with David Moody" (2017).
Jaap said there are some 650 tapes on YouTube. "All the 650 tapes" of Krishnamurti are put on YouTube by the Foundations."You can find it all but because there is so much you might not come across it". What a brilliant logic! Because there are lots (650) talks on YouTube you might not come across it. So maybe he means if there were less talks, like 65 instead of 650, you might come across it easier (LOL).
Funny Jaap talks about intellectual honesty but he's on record himself for lying through his teeth -- meaning, stating what he knows to be false as truth. Can't get any more hypocritical. He includes himself as serious about the questions of inquiry -- while in reality he's shown utterly disinterested in truth of that which he's lied about because he knows he's lied and that truth would shatter the foundations of his lies, yet he calls himself interested in the quality of inquiry K talks about.
"What it means to be honest and rigorous in our inquiry" more blah blah from a man who has intentionally lied himself. He has the nerves to preach to people that that honest inquiry is something we have to do -- but he did not do it himself !! Typical preaching of DO AS I SAY; DON'T DO AS I DO. Do as I say, not do as I do!
"The admonition do as I say, not as I do, is an acknowledgement that the speaker is being a hypocrite." (Grammarist.com)
David Moody's talk was good - he's a thoughtful person - and yes that term "thoughtful" is still a positive word in my mind thought in K circles it's downplayed since you're not supposed to think -- but people who think you're not supposed to think didn't get K's point. K pointed out importance of thought applied to its right place but not in no place. Thoughtless and foolish can be synonyms. By the same token, thinking where thought doesn't belong is a root cause of much of the psychological chaos in the world. Learning where that fine line is, is part of growth as human.
(see related section here: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/the-last-circular-around-krishnamurtis-work#h.4gx4jfcaixk0
However, I disagree with David Moody who said those who listened to K didn't understand him. That's a false statement. Many did. But many in his foundations apparently didn't or else they'd live by those important facts K pointed to.
Jaap is taking credit for the work done to clarify words so, using his phrase, science and spirituality can come together. News for Jaap is this was done decades ago, when he was in the crib. K made this very clear. Jaap implicitly criticizes K for using the term the self-coming to an end – but K made it very clear – when Jaap was in the crib – that he does not mean physical death but psychological ending of sense of self. The world was not waiting for Jaap to make that clear. But he takes credit for it as an effort led by himself – haha – Jaap’s sense of self needing food again while he preaches about ending of sense of self. More hypocrisy.
KFT Fabricated Lie About My Contact With KFA, In Order To Justify Not Talking With Our Task Force
In response to a 14-point accountability document we sent to KFT, as part of the Charity Commission complaint process prerequisite, KFT came back with a bunch of empty, baseless, frivolous threats to intimidate us; and it avoided all the issues we raised; and it cooked up a lie that my dialogue with KFA had failed. As evidence presented herein shows, including an email from a KFT Trustee telling Jaap to have a dialogue with me -- Jaap refused to have a dialogue because he had acted dishonestly, and he did not have the character and courage to look at me in the eyes and repeat the lies he had cooked up, or better yet, as a man of integrity would do, to come clean, admit that his action was unethical, and find a peaceful solution.
Instead Jaap just dropped the ball and left the disorder he made unresolved, and acted totally contrary to K's core values; and he's the Executive Director of K's foundation! Congrats to Grohe & Gang for yet another major screw-up of the Krishnamurti legacy by an incompetent, preposterous act of recruiting.
So a dialogue never happened. But KFT says it did and it failed, which is a lie, although I can see Jaap also lying about that but I cannot read the minds of people who lie! I can't put myself in their shoes because truth is important to me, and it was important to K.
One of the 70+ witnesses we talked to during our KFT investigation, who's also familiar with the KFA situation pointed out that the arrogant, dishonest statements of KFT management was nothing new. They also fabricated a concept of "impasse" in order to justify the firing of the principal of Inwoods, and they blamed it on the principal while in reality, they had admitted it was not her fault, and most importantly they refused to meet her to open up the impasse and resolve it -- and even refused to define what the impasse was!! Because it was a fabricated fake concept and going into it would have meant it evaporating.
The witness wrote: "Yes, like Brockwood Park management saying there was an impasse with Inwoods after they rejected any attempt at cooperation..." The subject of KFT's mismanagement is discussed at length here: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
Scope
This page contains information about my dealings with Krishnamurti Foundation America, with a bunch of artifacts provided at the end (images, videos) -- and the turmoil KFA went through prior to Grohe Gang infiltration which led to Jaap Sluijter becoming a (terrible) Executive Director -- and how KFA was fast tracked into becoming hopeless, in my view.
Also see the K-circulars section of this site has a lot of publications I made around work of K and his foundations: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work
WARNING: Don't mix up Krishnamurti with his foundations
KFA which K himself called an idiotic foundation is hopeless and with exception is run by people who are generally self-serving and have gone against some of K's basic teachings, so they are not living his teachings. His English Foundation (KFT) is even worse at the moment (December 2022) unless the Charity Commission steps in and replaces some of the Trustees. Check out https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
Deliberate Dishonesty Is Moral Corruption
This summarizes the entire moral corruption at KFA: Executive Director Jaap Sluijter who's appointed by Friedrich Grohe & member of his Gang Rabindra Singh who's a Trustee of KFA because of being on Grohe's payroll -- LIES about me -- intentionally states a falsehood he knows to false, as truth, which creates a huge chaos because falsehoods stated as facts create disorder but Jaap was too dumb and too wicked to see or care about that -- and he had no respect for all that Krishnamurti said about importance of truth, integrity, order -- and refuses my request to talk about it -- and Michael Mendizza, a Trustee of KFA, writes to Jaap and asks him to meet with me to talk about it -- and Jaap refuses -- because he's so arrogant to not obey an order of a Trustee who is his superior, because Jaap is empowered by having support from Grohe & Gang -- and Jaap is so coward that he doesn't have the courage or character to meet with me because that would mean truth can no longer remain hidden by Jaap's facade of falsehood.
And later down the line, other Grohe puppets have the nerve to say they don't want to meet with our taskforce investigating gross mismanagement at KFT, because purportedly there was a dialogue and it failed. No it did not fail. There was no dialogue because Jaap didn't have the character and integrity to face the truth that would inevitably emerge in a dialogue. And the above parties have a business of getting money from public in form of donations -- and getting money for selling the public opportunity to have a dialogue. If that's not hypocrisy, I don't know what is.
Accuracy
Accurate reporting is important to me. Therefore, if you see anything that is materially false, please contact me with the evidence and correction will be made.
Dogma / Jaap's Easy Life Foundation
Dogma means believing something that's not true.
KFA, under Jaap Sluijter's direction and Mark Lee's influence has engaged in dogmatic behavior which is very much against K's teachings. They have proven to not be interested in truth, in probing, inquiring, finding out -- and instead they have promoted a delusion.
K was against dogma and delusions. He challenged people to examine their own images and the image making machinery -- to find truth -- and not to project a false image and act on it, which is exactly what KFA has done.
Jaap's KFA has exhibited it's not interested in truth.
It's more interested in fabricating a delusion which is convenient and self serving, in that it allows it to achieve a sick goal which it would otherwise not achieve if it told the truth -- and that is exactly why they don't want to communicate because they lied -- and communication would shatter their lie.
And as soon as it gets feedback -- truth clashes with the reality they've built and they've tried to protect -- it goes on a slander and character attack spree to discredit the challenge which is threatening to the delusion and ignorance KFA is caught in.
That's Jaap's KFA for you. Congratulations!
And Mark Lee has a hand in it too.
And these guys think they can throw fire crackers at people (not literally) and then pretend nothing happened! Mark meets you afterwards and wants to shake hand and completely forgets that the foundation took action based on lies -- and in their small minds think, oh, we punish you (for the lie they made up) and your sentence will be over. Are you kidding me?! Which planet are these guys from ?!
I don't want to put my foot in that place as long as Jaap and the kind of mentality him and Mark and other dogmatic trustees prevails.
We should rename KFA to JELF (Jaap's Easy Life Foundation). I'll say why later...
[these are notes for a presentation I'm preparing]
Kind Regards
Reza
Big Picture
I met Krishnamurti when I was very young. After his death I had a good relationship with his foundation in the USA (KFA). I donated to them, and helped them. See the section below ("BEFORE" which depicts before the Grohe Gang takes over and instates Jaap Sluijter as Executive Director) for lots of communications including several "thank you" notes from the foundation to me. Before Grohe Gang take over by instating their Executive Director KFA went through a long period of doing its job, until it lost a lot of money in the stock market (against K's will) and bringing a couple of problematic trustees, and increasing influence of Grohe Gang -- so for a period before Grohe Gang takes over KFA had some issues and I was a volunteer and visitor there and got involved in them -- which was not entirely unrelated to the Grohe influence but it more had to do with the internal mess at KFA and conflict between trustees as described below.
When Grohe Gang took over it was downhill big-time because they didn't even care for truth. When you step on truth and are willing to say something that you know is false as truth, you're finished ! There's no hope for you ! You become Donald Trump ! And some of these guys did just that.
So in summary, I had a very good, smooth relationship with KFA for many years, and they were appreciative of my contributions. I both helped them financially, and volunteered my services in the form of dialogue organization / moderation, IT services, organizing music events, playing in charity concert, organizing K video showing in Santa Monica totally out of my own initiative which attracted a lot of people and was a big deal, and so on.
But due to an internal trustee conflict and using me as described below, I got involved with them in the James Paul / Diane White saga.
I was attacked in the Krishnamurti library by Michael Krohnen once, absolutely, totally unprovoked -- because of some crazy reason of him trying to kiss up to Diane White -- and he told the Board later that Mark Lee and James Paul had approved it. It was horrendous! He apologized to me later after he realized how stupid he had acted and once he was caught. I was very nice to them the whole time. I could have filed a police report. I had a witness who called these guys "fascists".
And I could have also sued KFA in a slander case, as a trustee suggested it! But I never would allow myself to sue a dear friend's foundation no matter how terrible it had become. Also I am very non-litigious and always try to work out all peaceful alternatives first. And I tried with KFA - to get them to have a dialogue - but all I got was a bunch of lies and stupid denials which made me conclude KFA is hopeless and a disgrace to Krishnamurti.
There was a big divide among trustees regarding Jaap and his actions. I heard most trustees were not in approval of Jaap's conduct and wanted to oust him but his political backing (Grohe & Gang's influence and money) was too strong - so he survived.
The post Grohe-Gang / Jaap KFA was a disaster in many ways. There are many examples from my personal experience with them - as well as experiences of others. Unfortunately we didn't have the kind of network that we did at Brockwood to tap into so many witnesses otherwise we could have produced a compelling case and go to regulators.
One of Jaap's biggest screwups was the way he treated Tom Heggestad who had cancer all over his body. He made Tom cry! Story follows below. Here's my interview with Tom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzEUFOoyPDI
The anti-Reza sentiment among a very few compromised people was two-fold:
1) Trying to kiss up to rich people like Diane White and Friedrich Grohe
2) Not liking the fact I am a writer and I was publishing circulars (they wanted to control all communications like a dictatorship).
Jaap Sluijter, Another Disaster Recruitee of Friedrich Grohe & Gang
Grohe & Gang are unqualified for doing recruitment for schools and foundations and their track record has been disastrous. Highlights of their ineptness is included in this document: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement . For example, they recruited Mina Masoumian who became the most powerful person at Brockwood Park School and she had no experience or education in pedagogy, safeguarding, pastoral work, etc., and similarly with her husband Nasser Shamim. Grohe & Gang empowered them implicitly via being their political backing and ones who recruited them -- and via Grohe Gang member Raman Patel who was on the grounds at KFT / Brockwood and pampered their recruitees to ultimate power while he acted from the shadow, as per numerous testimonies we received. When sugar hit the fan, Raman jumped to the foreground and became Executive Director of KFT -- which is another disaster appointment because Raman in my view is totally unqualified for that role -- his closest related experience is managing a kitchen of 4 people, and his experience as appliance repairman is totally unrelated.
Grohe & Gang's appointing Jaap Sluijter to run KFT was another inept decision which was clearly done in order to keep the power in the Grohe circle. Jaap was backed by Grohe's man who made his way to be a Trustee of KFA because he is on Grohe's payroll -- and the results speak for themselves. A synopsis is reflected in this document. I've attended the KFA gatherings as virtual participant and am regularly disappointed by KFA going further and further away from the objectives of the founder, my friend, Mr. J. Krishnamurti. And the painful part is that K predicted this and warned about it -- and Jaap/Rabindra/Grohe fast-tracked it to nowhere land, especially in terms of values that are core in K's teachings such as truthfulness, attention, affection, caring, diligence, inquiry; just basic respect for what K talked about for a lifetime.
Political Dynamics That Got Rabindra/Jaap in KFA
Someone sent me this note. It sounds reasonable enough that I will reprint it, given the Foundation is not a private club. But I cannot be sure of its accuracy.
"The only reason Rabindra was invited to the board was the <> <> — interim executive director after they got rid of Mark (that was Frode, James Paul takedown) - another great story when you want.
<> was a <> butt licker and <> being gay was all for putting another gay man on the board — he likely thought that Rabindra was going to <>. AND <>.
Mark Lee never liked Rabindra and always blocked it until then (HE WAS AFRAID OF THE INFLUENCE / GROHE’S MAN) — <> cut off Mark's <> (??????).
I was at the meeting were Rabindra put Jaap forward. I'll never forget because nobody but me knew who he was—I worked with him while he was at KFT. In fact, I went on record and voiced my displeasure with the idea at the Board meeting, I warned everyone as diplomatically as I could that it was a bad decision. WHY ?
Frode and <> were behind most of it—first they brought on Michael Lommel as a trustee to stack the vote, then they brought on Rabindra, it was very strategic.
Jaap would not be a Board member if it was not for Rabindra —I think the GROHE group had the entire thing planned for years."
Jaap Contributing To Dictatorial Movement In Human Consciousness
North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un wanted to "set an example" for others who might dare to criticize the current situation in North Korea, and ordered the death of the farm manager.
Jaap's style contributed to the dictatorship mindset of humanity -- if one studied K's work one would understand that. When you cook up lies and try to shut down reporters with lies that is exactly what they do in dictatorships. You should see the ridiculously long list of rules Jaap made - looked more like a list from a military camp. K points out the fact that you are the world and the world is you. Jaap is contributing to the same movement that we see in awful places, in terms of effect on human consciousness.
Jaap Could Not Have Achieved His Goals Without Rabindra (of Grohe Gang) Support
Rabindra Singh / Friedrich Grohe brought Jaap to KFA and empowered him to be in this ultimate powerful position and consider trustees to be under his thumb.
Just the same as Raman Patel / Friedrich Grohe brought Nasser Shamim and Mina Masoumian to KFA and supported them in their rise to ultimate power and having the trustees under the thumb of the real power center which was outside the Board of Trustees, i.e., the Old Boys Clan, and Grohe and his Gang and extended gang who receive perks from Grohe including Bill Taylor and Antonio Autor. Gisele Balleys was another one but she left the Board or was asked to leave after our research was released.
In both cases the results were horrific, per the testimonies of over 70 people regarding KFT - and what happened to KFA, a fraction of which is represented in this document. I didn't care enough for KFA to do a proper research with an activist team as we did at KFT because KFA seemed and still seems hopeless. But we had and still have hope for KFT, depending on what the Charity Commission decides to do -- if they oust some trustees (Derek Hook, Wendy Smith, Gary Primrose) then there is hope for KFT. Our KFT research report: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
Insider Alliances: Jaap Sluijter, Rabindra Singh (of Grohe Gang), Trustee Francis Frode Steen, Property/Business Deals in Hawaii
Jaap and Rabindra reportedly have done property and/or business deals in Hawaii -- Jaap reportedly spends time in Hawaii and some visitors and interns at KFA have said he was in Hawaii when they needed him in Ojai.
Trustee Frode Steen reportedlt has also done property or business deal(s) in Hawaii reportedly in association with Rabindra and Jaap.
Frode and Rabindra are trustees of KFA. Jaap is the Executive Director of KFA appointed by Rabindra and his boss, Friedrich Grohe who's had a history of influence mongering at the Krishnamurti foundations and have gained tremendous power both KFA and KFT via his proxies. Grohe's Gang were reportedly asked to leave KFI and take their money with them -- otherwise KFI would have been ruined by them too as they have ruined KFA and KFT, in my opinion. Also see: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
It's important to note that my involvement in the research at KFT was absolutely non-prejudiced. Our task-force identified much later into our research, the huge influence of Grohe & Gang in the miseries at KFT. See https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/reza-ganjavi-on-his-role-in-investigating-kft-brockwood-park-mismanagement
~~~
Off Topic, Paul Herder was arrested in Hawaii, extradited to Ventura, and charged with serious crimes: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/the-last-circular-around-krishnamurtis-work#h.2vv5phxvtwaa
After Mary Zimbalist Died Grohe Gang Started Infiltrating KFA
After Mary Zimbalist died, Grohe Gang began infiltrating KFA. She was keeping them away. They had already gained too much influence at Brockwood/KFT (which became far worse after Mary Cadogan died in the UK) and culminated in a Grohe Gang member Raman Patel becoming the Executive Director after "sugar hit the fan" that the Executive Director they had instated (Nasser Shamim) and his wife (Mina Masoumian who was wholly unqualified for her role at the school given she had no background in pedagogy, safekeeping, etc.) as the most powerful person at Brockwood Park School, had taken the foundations (Trust, KFT) to a new low which led to us investigating the matter and publishing a 340+ page report of testimonies of over 70 people about KFT's mismanagement due to Grohe Gang's heavy influence and failure of key duties by the Board of Trustees to oversee this disastrous management.
I was a volunteer at KFA when Grohe Gang's influence began. I remember the overtures by Grohe's employee Rabindra Singh and his Grohe funded Kinfonet, to Mark Lee, and how Mark Lee was flip flopping -- behind their back he was against them because he probably knew if they gain too much power it could be bad for him -- and in front of them he was very friendly because he also was interested in their financial power.
Mary Zimbalist (https://www.maryzimbalist.net/) died in 2008 at age 93. Her close confidant Dr. Scott Forbes carried on her legacy which led to a major publication of her memories (https://inthepresenceofk.org/).
Mary Zimbalist was not too fond of Grohe and his Gang. She tolerated them but kept them at an arm's length. Friedrich Grohe and Scott Forbes had been in a major conflict when Scott was principal at Brockwood and Grohe had just joined the K circle with his big money (he donated over a million GBPs towards a study center at Brockwood) and reportedly paying people to disparate Scott to the Board and holding up money over another large donation until Scott was fire by the Trustees. So the animosity ran deep.
I wasn't there at the time but I know that K really liked Scott -- Scott and Mary were his closest friends and people he trusted most. And Grohe was probably jealous of Scott being so close to K -- and there were factional conflicts between followers of Dorothy Simmons and Scott -- and K appointed Scott as the principal and announced it in a public event to Dorothy's shock -- and so on. Nothing compared to the misery that plagues KFT after 2015 as documented here (click here). I was not there and never researched it thoroughly but there was this history.
At the same time Mary Zimbalist, like Krishnamurti, really liked and trusted Scott as a very intelligent, good man of integrity. Scott has a PhD in Education.
Mary Z's influence on KFA was clear. After she died, that influence disappeared, and the field was wide open. The rest is history: Grohe's guy became a trustee and brought their guy as an executive director and the rest is downhill fast-track to KFA becoming a hopeless organization because K's values of compassion, kindness, importance of truth, importance of inquiry, etc. etc. - were thrown out the window.
Events Leading To Grohe Gang Takeover
But before Grohe Gang takes over, KFA went through some internal discord that made the ground fertile for it.
Two key events were the failed revolution of some trustees to oust Diane White -- and the financial crisis of KFA which many blame on Mark Lee. For me personally there was another major ordeal: getting assaulted in the K library by Michael Krohnen which he claimed was authorized by a trustee who had failed to convince me to have sex with him (because I'm not homosexual) and who had failed to oust trustee Diane White, and Mark Lee who simply didn't like reporters around (I was publishing circulars around K's works where the subject of KFA's financial crisis was discussed).
But those scandals seemed minor compared to what Grohe's people orchestrated later which was wholly rooted in dishonesty and sheer thirst for power and control of the foundation. Details herein.
Jaap Has Failed Krishnamurti
There’s a dignity to philosophers; an honesty. One of the top philosophers in America is a good friend of mine – his textbook on introduction to philosophy is taught in in over 300 universities in the US. Talk about influence. I know him very well. He told me Reza I have had many students but you’re the best one… just to show how close we are…
Dignity honesty not settling for a fiction let alone creating the fiction and selling it as a fact which is what the Executive Director of Krishnamurti’s organization has done.
A man who’s in charge of directing and execution of the work of a foundation set up around a man who a) dreaded organizations and b) was one of the greatest philosophers of all time, should have inherited some of that spirit. Jaap Sluijter does not.
Jaap Sluijter's Hypocrisy
Krishnamurti was a great man and warned about hypocrites who try to promote something they don't live. Now his Foundation is run by Jaap Sluijter
(Executive Director) and based on what I've see, I believe he fits that profile perfectly of someone who's trying to preach something he is not living. It's a shame, but who cares right, when the ultimate goal seems to be money! Krishnamurti himself didn't even have a bank account.
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Another mailing today about those very concepts which sound completely like lip service coming from them.
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By the way, Rabindra reportedly brought Jaap to KFA -- interesting story in relationship to Friedrich Grohe's influence , and then Rabindra who works for Friedrich made it to the top of the Board. Jaap has said him and Rabindra do real estate deals in Hawaii.
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Today's mailing of course asks for money. Money money money... made so funny... in Krishnamurti's world! (with Theme of Abba).
Funny how asking for money is stamped with "Understanding Ourselves" -- what the heck !!!!!!
Ok here's the exact text:
"Spring Appeal: Understanding Ourselves. We are nearly one month into our Spring Appeal campaign, and still have a ways to go to reach our goal. Please consider making a donation today to help us keep Krishnamurti's work in print and online, and to help the Oak Grove School and the Krishnamurti Center provide spaces for awareness, questioning and understanding.
Make a Donation"
K being online costs no money, e.g., on YouTube, and other places where one can download his books for free. K center provide space for awareness ?? Wait -- why should I pay someone to provide space for awareness? I can just be aware (LOL). ... questioning -- wait Jaap -- questioning is the spirit of inquiry -- but you've proven you have no interest in that -- dogma doesn't care to question. "understanding" -- come on Jaap, your action has shown me you have no interest in that -- this is pure bullshit Jaap -- you're preaching something you're apparently not living, in my not so humble opinion.
Poor Krishnamurti!
St. Jaap, St. Rabindra, and the Gang
Reza Ganjavi's contributions to an online discussion:
Jaap, St. Rabindra & "the gang" will take care of it (LOL)..... POOR KRISHNAMURTI.... if he were some guru you'd expect the mess that is happening now, which is painful to watch in the backdrop of the warnings he gave about perils of organizations.
Some notes from the video K 1970 Malibu - future of foundations and schools https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOOr8Fg3YLQ
He's 75 years old in this interview. Super bright person. He'd spent all his adult life talking about the importance of inquiry, truth, and other important concept.
In 1923 in Holland someone donated 5000 acres and a castle on it to K's work. Krishnamurti gave it back to the owner when he dissolved the organization that was set up around him...
Around 1925 land was bought in Ojai where gatherings and meetings could take place. Just the land remains.
1969 (? -- he says last year) 40 acres / Brockwood Park was bought /
KFA. They have a Bulletin. Morally ethically and deeply they're all inter-related -- (if that's the case, it's difficult to imagine why KFT & KFI have not helped get rid of Jaap The Scum which even some of KFA's own trustees wanted to get rid of, but failed, I believe due to the power structure as supported by Friedrich Grohe. Look at scum#2 Rabindra -- he made his way to the top of the foundation (Board secretary) -- the guy who brought Jaap in and have reportedly has engaged in business dealings with him in Hawaii.
Both Jaap & Rabindra have acted highly contrary to some of the core values that K stands for so they have no business being in the foundation, in my opinion. There is concrete evidence for this, which will be published in due time for those who have not experienced the bitter ugly side of this for their own, first hand. I personally know some of them.
In 1983 Friedrich Grohe comes into the picture -- businessman whose father establish an extremely successful and rich German sanitary fittings maker with revenues of over a BILLION dollars per year.
No interpreters - you'll have St. Paul, St. Peter, the whole gang will come up and mess up the whole circus. St. Jaap, St. Rabindra, and "the Gang"...
KFA's Major Loss In Stock Market Against K's Wish To Speculate With KFA's Money
I was a volunteer at KFA when big bankers were coming to meet Mark Lee about investments. I was told by a credible source that K adamantly disallowed putting foundation's money in speculative investment. Mark Lee reportedly didn't listen. It resulted in a huge loss. Mark claims it was a 40% loss but knowing Mark has falsified things before, in my view the loss could have been higher. Of course Mark tried to blame it on the stock market and economy. Yes the market and economy had a hard time at that time but market and economy didn't decide for KFA. Mark and the trustees did. How much the trustees were involved I don't know but I assume Mark talked them into it.
The implication for KFA was disastrous. Several long term staff members were laid off. Mark Lee himself supposedly took a salary cut and became part-time. Based on information I received, People who were let go were Michael Krohnen, John Duncan, Chloe Gladstone, Wendy Smith, Joseph Ross, Ken Andreasen, Doug Evans, Michael Lommel, Anat Dagan. People who remained were Derek Dodds, Jackie Saunders, Eric Williamson, Tom Heggestad, Fransesca Alyakrinskaya, David Klein, Kirby Slavin.
Several of the people who were laid off were upset at what had happened. Had the money not been speculated with they would have kept their jobs.
The foundation got weak -- fertile ground for Grohe Gang to eventually take over.
Jaap Sluijter's Intern Program Disaster / Testimony Of An Intern
I heard of several interns who were disgruntled at Jaap and the program - at different points in time. In once snapshot I spoke with an intern who had been there for 4 months and she complained about the program especially how void of Krishnamurti it was and how void of Jaap it was as Jaap was often in Hawaii.
She said some creepy guy had become an intern while Jaap was in Hawaii and there was nobody to properly vet him (not that Jaap would) -- the guy was always talking about sex -- and where he slept was separated from this young lady and another female intern, not with a wall by a plywood.
She was also very disgruntled that there was no Krishnamurti in the program -- in 4 months they had not read any Krishnamurti and not discussed or learned anything new about K's teachings! I guess there's either place for Jaap's ego at the Foundation or K's work which is antithesis to ego.
And there seemed to be no oversight by trustees. The most powerful trustee was Grohe's man, Rabindra who brought Jaap in and supported him -- just as Grohe's employee Raman Patel brought in and supported Nasser Shamim at KFT. And the consequences of these inept, foolish recruiting were drastic.
"I wanted to go deeper into the teachings by becoming an intern at KFA. Now I'm here and I am baffled because we haven't studied one fucking thing from Krishnamurti. I have been here for 4 months and haven't learned anything about Krishnamurti."
She said at Theosophical Society they study more Krishnamurti than at KFA where she said K was totally missing. With Jaap at the helm, it's hardly surprising.
She also complained about a lack of compassion, lack of love which again is an essential part of K's teachings, and if you ever met him like I did you would know that he lived that compassion and affection. But you would also know that through his books if you studied them, which Jaap apparently is not interested in.
Jaap seems to be more interested in impressing donors and his own position and power - at any cost. He stepped on truth to achieve a wicked goal. When you step on truth in favor of convenience this is contrary to everything Krishnamurti stood for.
The intern was surprised there was so much confusion there at the foundation. K was very clear and clear thinking and clarity are hallmarks of his teachings, in my view.
"I'm confused. I don't know what I'm doing there now. I had another bad night of sleep. I'm not doing well. I am even questioning what we are doing here".
She said why don't they have enough money to build a proper wall between the girls and this other room where the sleazy guy was sleeping which was separated by a piece of plywood.
They have money and they had money to build that wall but it was not a priority because it's more important that Jaap flies to China to attract donors.
Biggest Hypocrisy: Jaap "Teaches" So-called Non-violent Communications
Someone told me: "Jaap is in South America for a few weeks giving his non-violent communication course—poor people taking that course—it should be called 'how to be a great <> and <>"
It's a tragic comedy that Jaap gives talks about nonviolent communications yet by his violent communication he made a staff member who had cancer throughout his body cry, he lied through his teeth to achieve his twisted agenda, he disrupted a prospective staff member's life by pulling the rug last minute on an employment contract, he neglected the land which was one of only K's modest wishes, and other such actions which are so hypocritical to the Façade of "nonviolent communication blah blah" that he preaches.
Flight To China To Attract Donors While No Money For An Essential Wall
A former trustee and close friend of K told me that
(paste quote of trustee re new car)
Trustee Karen Hesli Tried To Rationalize Jaap's Mindset By False Cultural Reference
Karen Hesli - a very nice lady and old friend of mine who is genuine and well-intentioned (in fact I recommended to KFA to ask her to be a Trustee) tried to rationalize Jaap's stupid, unacceptable behavior by saying he's a big guy (he's very tall) and he's from a culture (The Netherlands) which is purportedly very hierarchical/ authoritarian, therefore he's heavy handed and all these unacceptable behavior traits that seems so contrary to K's work -- e.g. when he intentionally lied, when he made Tom cry, etc. etc. -- but sorry dear Karen, that is not an excuse. In fact The Netherlands is the opposite. It's one of the most democratic and least hierarchical countries in Europe and this can be seen in the government and also companies many of which have quite a flat management structure.
Jaap's Priority: Himself, Money, Impressing Donors
Jaap's priority seems to be impressing donors. From the early days Jaap was drooling about donations and donors. Why? I don't think it's not because he cares about the foundation, it's because more money gives him control over more money and more job security. Knowing everything I know about him, I think he's very egotistic and his motives towards the foundation and K's work are foremost driven by his selfish desires.
If he cared about K and his work he wouldn't neglect the Grove as he did. He wouldn't neglect Pine Cottage as he did. He wouldn't make a long term dedicated staff with cancer all over his body, cry. He wouldn't say lies and alienate members of public to achieve wicked selfish motives and to please the man whose money and clout had gotten him this lucrative easy peasy job with a high pay and virtually no accountability if we believe him when he said he can get the trustee do whatever he wants.
Jaap: Pretend To Be Busy So Donors Are Impressed"; Caught In Image Making Contrary to K's Teachings
K went at length to challenge people to explore living without psychological images -- to understand the whole image making process etc.
Jaap, at a gathering told the workers and volunteers to look really busy so as to impress donors !
Says a lot about Jaap's mentality and values - aside being clueless about some of the core aspects of K's teachings like importance of truth. Jaap's on record for knowingly fabricating a falsehood as fact to achieve selfish means.
Witness: Jaap Working Remotely From Hawaii! Jaap's Apparent Inept Mismanagement And Convoluted, Irrational Twisted Logic
Witness: Jaap Working Remotely From Hawaii! Jaap's Apparent Inept Mismanagement And Convoluted, Irrational Twisted Logic
K spent a lot of energy talking about thinking clearly. And that's a hallmark of people who have grasped and lived some of the truth K points to. That's not the case in Jaap's case. I've heard so many cluttered, intellectually disorderly thoughts out of that guy, that it strengthens my impression that his degree of contact with K's work is out of convenience and not something he passionately delved into.
Jaap was again gone to Hawaii. If he argues that he was on sabbatical (thought he's been in Hawaii many times when he was not on sabbatical) that wouldn't hold water because he claims he has to be in charge in this incident, therefore, he could not have been on sabbatical -- if he was on sabbatical and KFA didn't have a replacement for him that also speaks volumes and confirms that he's too nervous to have anyone get close to his position, even when he's gone, because of his job insecurity - which he's also publicly spoken about while he apparently did his "dirty laundry" in public (that they call dialogue).
Jaap Missing In Action (In Hawaii)
"Here's There were some eucalyptus trees on KFA's property next to <x> property.......that were close to the power lines. Edison asked KFA to take them down because of potential fire hazard (explosion if the trees hit the power-lines...). Before Jaap went to Hawaii, he delegated everything to N (=maintenance person) and gave me his tel. no. in case of need.
When the fire started, some people said that it started because a tree hit a power line in Upper Ojai (not proven yet). I then checked the eucalyptus trees next to <x>...and they were still there.
I contacted the KFA maintenance person.....who was not inclined to do anything. I told him that it was an emergency.......He finally showed up and said that a KFA secretary wrote a letter to Edison asking them to cut the trees. I then called Edison.....They said it was the owner's responsibility to cut these trees.
N (=KFA's maint. person) then said that he didn't have the authority to cut these trees. I then called Mark Lee who agreed that these trees needed to be cut. I then proposed to ask Manuel (who is a landscape and tree contractor) to cut these trees. Mark agreed. Then N. objected saying that Manuel didn't have a license. Then I checked with Manuel who said that he DID have a license and that N didn't even ask him about having a license or not.
Then N checked with Manuel......and told Mark that it was OK to ask Manuel to cut the trees.....which he did.....at the beginning of the night. They announced strong winds......that's why I was concerned."
Jaap's Cluttered, Irrational Thinking
"When Jaap heard about this, he emailed me saying that everything has to go through him. I answered that he gave me N's tel no in case of need.
Jaap also wrote that it was problematic for me to assume that N didn;t know that Manuel had a license. My answer was that there was NO assumption because I asked Manuel.....and Manuel confirmed that N did NOT ask him.
Jaap also wrote that this was not an emergency ! I wrote back that this was a huge emergency.....and that the entire community would have "killed" him if a fire had started on the hill.....because it would have spread to <x> , the Oak Grove, Krotona and the entire valley. With announcing strong winds, the fire fighters wouldn't have been able to contain it quickly.
Anyway, after I denied all the 3 accusations of Jaap, he kept quite......also because I sent a copy to Mark.....who was on my side !"
Jaap Disrupted A Family's Life By Cancelling Employment Contract Last Minute
Jaap Sluijter Pulled The Rug Last Minute In An Employment Contract After Using The Person For Free
I met this person in Ojai – very fine person who went on to receive a PhD. A hard-working, diligent, creative, highly intelligent, well-intentioned man with a keen interest in Krishnamurti’s work.
Next time we met he was devastated as Jaap had just pulled the run from under him by cancelling an employment contract he had promised him which included moving his family with two small children from overseas, and they were in the process of moving when Jaap bailed out on them.
What he said about Jaap showed Jaap was so arrogant, because of his political connection -- of being supported by Grohe Gang / Rabindra Singh who is on Friedrich Grohe’s payroll. We saw the same kind of trend at KFT (Krishnamurti Foundation Trust, UK) which was infiltrated by Grohe’s Gang and appointees. In both cases, Grohe’s appointees felt they have power over the Board of Trustees. Jaap told this man that the Board will do what Jaap wants. That’s how confident and arrogant Jaap was about his power at KFA which has continued to this day at the peril of the foundation, in my view.
He decided not to sue KFA because he was afraid of Jaap retaliating by putting his family in danger.
It appears that a main motive for Jaap cancelling last minute was his insecurity that this man could replace him as Executive Director -- and that would have been a very good thing indeed!
EXCERPT FROM Letter From Victim Of Jaap Sluijter's Abysmal Mismanagement
"I had made contact with Jaap Sluijter who is the Executive Director of the Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA.org) offering to be of service. I explained that I would be in the US for a short while before flying back to China to rejoin my family in Shanghai (where we were living at the time). When we connected, Jaap immediately became interested in hiring me and went at length explaining his 'vision' for the KFA where he had imagined someone like me coming along to help out. He and I hit it off and we talked regularly, he clearly communicated his goal that if I stayed and 'helped out' (for free) he would hire me, and accommodate me and my family's transition back to the US, and we envisioned together having my family move back to Ojai with my two young daughters attending their school (Oak Grove School).
I was very enthusiastic about this idea, although the promised <x> pay was not much, it was what Jaap said he could budget and said he could add other perks along the way. I was very excited because the position held different roles, I was aligned with the ideas and teachings of Krishnamurti, it would provide quality education for my daughters, and it tied into my graduate research – so it seemed like a perfect marriage.
I reasonably acted in reliance upon the assurances and promises made by Jaap to continue our relationship by staying longer in the US and I purposely worked with him in creating the position he described so that I would be able to start getting paid for it as soon as it was funded. He looked for me to officially start employment in a few months time. To meet the expectations that were implied with the promised position, I began performing some of the duties expected which included consulting with Jaap as the director and other KFA staff involved in programming and marketing and as such I regularly drove up for meetings and events at Jaap's request, free of charge, only to find out later that Jaap was using me.
Jaap convinced me to stay in the US beyond my travel visa expiration because he said it would be important for me to do so and attend the organization's annual 'Gathering' that May so I did and I became very active in different ways supporting the premise of my promised position and future employment. Also at Jaap's request that I be actively seen working at the event, He asked me to help set up that event while at the same time also perform my duties as a member of the 'visioning committee'. He asked us to look busy so as to impress the attendees of the gathering!
At the Gathering which is the KFA's biggest annual event I was purposely introduced to VIP members by Jaap and received the endorsement of a possible contributor, Rabindra Singh (part of Friedrich Grohe’s “gang” as they call themselves) whose interest would fund my position from that wealthy organization’s coffers. I found out later that Jaap and Rabindra have a close relationship. Jaap later told me that him and Rabindra are engaged in land deals in Hawaii and signaled that they’re interested in acquiring more property and if I come across any good opportunities to inform him.
I was told afterwards I did a great job and things were again assured to me in the library as we toasted the event's success and my coming on board that 'this is meant to be' by Jaap, so we endeavored even more seriously about my starting and spent an involved amount of time completing a proposal he had planned to present creating my position. He told me I would be hired after the June Board meeting where the funding would be approved He said the approval was a sure thing because he said they bend to his will, they pretty much do what he wants, and he wants to hire me. But, he did not want to make it look like he was hiring me without the Board’s otherwise they could turn on him.
Jaap even showed me where my workspace would be at the KFA. He also agreed that I could store a box I had brought to show him samples of my work and other material I could use to start immediately upon my return from China. He wanted to make sure others don’t see the box so that his decision to hire me, and his power on the Board, were kept hidden.
I told Jaap that with the window of time left before the hiring date I would like to go back to China and be with my family and use that time to begin the transition process before starting the job. He agreed with this but was concerned about my missing the scenario-planning meeting scheduled during that time. He asked how I would do the work while watching my 5-year-old daughter whom I would return to the US with, until my wife and other daughter arrived. I said 'camp' and sitters.
I met at Jaap's house one final time en route my flight, driving to San Francisco's airport from LA where the plan was to return from China to the Bay Area with my eldest daughter where friends of my family could watch her while I helped Jaap complete his East Coast tour by meeting him in NYC as part of my starting the new job. He knew the plan and had agreed to it, and he knew the trouble I went through to get my Chinese visa renewed. Jaap and I even looked for my family’s housing together for my moving to Ojai.
I really wanted to see my family and felt Jaap was using me to work for free by staying longer and longer than I would have ordinarily. I would have a lot of explaining to do to my wife that the purpose of my doing this so was for the sake of the family, thus, being away from them for such a long time. I really missed my family, being away, and was anxious to get back, but I made my top priority to first check with Jaap to get his assurance and make sure that all the arrangements would be made while I was away before I left. This took me a while but Jaap reiterated his assurance that everything was in order, before I left.
Jaap is known by some to be terrible at responding to emails (I’ve heard from multiple sources including KFA trustees that told me directly and one via a friend that Jaap sometimes ignores their emails too) , son hearing back from him while in China packing up was not too big of a concern since things were clarified before I left.
My wife gave a notice at her job and as in China notice periods are long, keep in mind my wife who is a scientist was willing to sacrifice her career and six-figure salary to satisfy my vision of working for the KFA where we could settle down in a less hectic place like Ojai and have our basic needs and health benefits taken care of – while working and living a nice pleasant environment as assured to me by Jaap.
When it became closer to the time to fly back with my daughter, I called and emailed repeatedly wanting to know when he wanted to me to start, I expected he would have let me know how the board meeting went and where we would meet up (so I could arrange seeing him during the east coast tour). I finally after leaving an e voice mail message - only heard back 2 days before my flight from China to the US by email and shortly afterwards in response we talked where he said he decided to hire someone else in my place and this decision took place sometime while I was gone and when I asked why - he made some excuse about this woman having 'graphic art skills' which during the time I was performing my work at the KFA that attribute never came up, he never asked if I had any and it was never a consideration or job requirement in what role we talked about. He was also unable to justify why he did not inform me earlier and ignored my emails and calls.
The night of the day before my flight from China to the US, Jaap wrote me an email withdrawing his offer of employment which he had explicitly made to me, so explicitly that I had initiated moving my family from China, took steps to shut down my life and business there, and bought flight tickets. This bad news was devastating to us. At the end he signed it as: “Lets talk on the phone if you want that. Jaap” – no regret, no apology, and no sense of responsibility for the promise he had made to me. Just a cold hearted, brutal change of mind after all the expectations he set which deeply impacted my wife, our two small children and me. This spirit and conduct was very contradictory to everything I felt Krishnamurti was about.
Other staffers told me later that this person was a new face and a sudden interest to Jaap. Two staffers told me they felt I had been betrayed and led along (strung along) and Derek said when I was no longer around the 'vicinity' Jaap put his attention elsewhere, which meant he ignored the commitment he had made to me which made me suddenly realize that this person, Jaap was only concerned with himself and talked a big game without responsibly following up and following through on his words.
I suffered detrimentally because he broke his promise resulting in a cause of action legally called Promissory Estoppel. The promiser (Jaap) is “estopped” from rescinding the promise if the promiser knew or had reason to know that the promisee would rely upon the promise to the promisee’s detriment.
The promisee in such a case, once the proof has been accepted, is entitled to be made whole. In my case, I dissembled my business operation, let go 2 workers and divided up my family for another half year when I returned to the US with my then 5 year old. It is now going on 3 years where I have not gotten back into my previous stride, I was distraught having to return the US and while it was great to reunite with my family, the girl's English was now minimal and <> was going to start school shortly (I had to find one). I realize that my life and my family’s life was disrupted and I've been affected financially, morally, mentally and emotionally by Jaap's default on his promise, his inaction, unprepared really to be a single parent for an entire year (6 months with one daughter till my wife could take time off and come to California for Christmas holidays and bring our other daughter, and 6 months, after she left, looking after our other daughter). I was unable to find replacement work or means to make an income for a long period of time while having to watch her.
I feel that I am in the very least entitled to Reliance Damages in an amount equal to the lost wages and benefits. It is such a disappointment that the KFA is managed in such a poor way where the internal workings are so apparently corrupted that the leader is unable to make good on their mistakes. Instead it seems to be a serious of cover-ups going on.
There are people who could testify to the truth of my statements. I also have detailed logs of all emails, and notes from all conversations. Michelle and Derek are among other staffers who were in significant positions at the KFA and were told by Jaap that I was being hired. I have the document Jaap emailed me of the proposal outlining and funding my position which he finalized and promised to submit to the KFA board while I was gone (but never did) and Jaap only admitted that to me weeks later after my return to the US that he had failed to follow through on his obligations, but even then, he did not apologize!
I also know people who met me during this period and can testify to my state of being, how devastated I was after Jaap pulled the rug from under my feet. I felt like a chicken with its head cut off.
I met one of the insiders who were well aware of what happened to me and disagreed with Jaap’s action, who said he was disenfranchised that in his opinion, KFA hadn’t gone anywhere. He said KFA should have hired me as I was promised. He saw me choke and have tears in my eyes, remembering the pain I have gone through.
<> and I traveled around during the summer before finally moving <> and myself in with my sister who is notably diagnosed as bi-polar frantically at times psychotic. Not something I wanted my daughter separated from her Mother and sister to encounter and see on a daily basis. The experience also caused additional stress on my sister, especially after my other daughter 3 was brought back to the US. Jaap caused a serious of events to occur that were damaging to my family, and me yet he in his position he benefited from his actions.
After Jaap failed to deliver on his promise and withdrew his offer last minute, he admitted to me weeks later after my return to the US that he had failed to follow through on his obligations, yet he never tried to reconcile it with what he had done, and what the repercussions of that havoc that he had caused. This horrible mismanagement had severe consequences on my family and me.
After causing such chaos in our lives, Jaap never apologized to me. He made some remarks about his shortcomings, but nothing in the form of an apology in a way that recognized his impacts and what resulted. He only admitted to his shortcomings including not having followed through on his obligation, not having his act together, and continued to give me promises of perhaps other opportunities for work at the KFA which of course I did not take seriously given how he mismanaged this situation; I was fed up with Jaap and his empty promises and wanted to move out from his dirty guest cottage quickly.
Jaap caused a serious of events to occur that were damaging to my family, and me yet he in his position benefited from. He knew this to be the case because he told me after the fact that he was afraid I would file a lawsuit.
Donor, visitor: "Call And Tell Jaap To Come Back From Hawaii"
A donor and visitor to the Peppertree retreat at Pine Cottage was upset at the degraded state of the Pine Cottage and he asked for Jaap and they said he was in Hawaii -- so he said: "call and tell Jaap to come back from Hawaii".
Krishnamurti and his brother Nitya lived in Pine Cottage when they came to Ojai early last century. I have slept there when it was a library years before it turned into a retreat, which was a nice offer of the management who appreciated my help and support -- it was special to sleep there given its history.
Jaap Sluijter Promoted Culture of Ignorance and Irresponsibility, Contrary to K's Teachings
One of Krishnamurti's key teachings was the importance of attention and the power of understanding what is. And importance of order in life. And importance of taking responsibility. All those things seem missing in the culture Jaap fast tracked into degradation: promoting falsehood as fact, not taking responsibility for the mess he creates, ignoring important things that need to be attended to, etc.
Same thing happened via Grohe's appointees at KFT as documented here: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/History-KFA-Krishnamurti-Foundation-Friedrich-Grohe-Gang-Jaap-Sluijter-KFT
In general, a private individual has the right to live in a total mess (and a member of public who was invited to Jaap's place commented about the mess he had). But when a person runs a charitable non-profit tax-exempt foundation that enjoys the benefits of being a 501c3 entity, it is prudent to deal with matters that concern the public. If a person is so reckless or inept or driven by ulterio motives to make a mess in relationship to public, as Jaap Sluijter has done -- it is essential to deal with the topic and seek to bring order.
KFA under Grohe & Gang influence and directed by Jaap Sluijter, has shown to be the opposite: make a mess and then ignore it! Which is essentially how KFT has also behaved under Grohe & Gang influence and their cronies.
Poor Krishnamurti!
Luckily Grohe & Gang were not able to infiltrate KFI - they were pushed out by KFI.
Foundation Insider: KFA & Oak Grove School At Each Others' Throats. Congrats Jaap Sluijter!
A KFT insider stated that KFA and Oak Grove School are each others' throats. That's documented here: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement
I also had another report that a head of Oak Grove School could not stand Jaap. I'm not surprised at these reports.
Jaap Sluijter Claimed He's From A Religious Background So "Any Bullshit Goes"
One of Jaap many idiotic remarks was to claim that he's from a religious background so any bullshit goes. Which puts the bullshit he's been promoting as fact in proper light. At least he knows he's bullshitting people, and he thinks it's ok to bullshit them because in his idiotic view that's the religious way, and he idiotically equates religion and bullshit, which also means he never understood the real meaning of religions, and is therefore a disgrace to all that K explored about real meaning of religion -- reminder: Jaap is the Executive Director of K's foundation -- K spent a lifetime exploring the real meaning of religion, and the importance of having a religious mind! In Jaap's mind religious mind is one in which any bullshit goes!
Is it fair to call a man who thinks any bullshit goes as a bullshit artist? When I listen to the talks Jaap gives, they sound like bullshit. Now I know why!
More On Jaap Sluijter's Self Admitted "Bullshit" Propagation And Dishonesty As Executive Director of KFA
Excerpt from one of many overtures I made to KFA to come to the table to talk about the mess that Jaap had created by his idiotic, dishonest, compromised actions which were "bullshit" to quote himself, which now we know he did because he thought "any bullshit goes" which also portrays his attitude towards the foundation I suppose, and his actions seem to be in line with that irresponsible attitude that "any bullshit goes".
On Fri, Dec 16, 2016 at 2:34 PM, Reza Ganjavi wrote:
POOR KRISHNAMURTI !!!!!
This is going to a small group of trustees... which is kind of a joke when people like RABINDRA SINGH is a Trustee of KFA and JAAP whom I think is also a scum like Rabindra, is the Executive director. POOR KRISHNAMURTI !
That hypocrite JAAP SLUIJTER is still running the show at KFA, and now they made this site "immeasurable" with Jaap as a key player in it... boy they have nerves! Poor Krishnamurti !! With people like that around, these kinds of projects are just a waste of time. You can't talk about immeasurable and the great things K talked about when you haven't got a vague idea what the man stood for. When for you religiousness is (these are Jaap's words) "any bullshit goes". What a shame... I used to have a lot of respect for K and his work... now it's in the gutter (JAAP SLUIJTER knows all about that since he's the one who had no reservation in knowingly promoting a lie as truth). POOR KRISHNAMURTI !!!
Go ahead, feed them some more lies Jaap. Who cares about truth right? In your book, any bullshit goes since you're from a "religious background" LOL... POOR KRISHNAMURTI !!!!!!
Krishnamurti's Consistent Views Crush Jaap Sluijter's Irresponsible, Stupid Nonsense
Now contrast that to some of K's ideas whose Foundation you're responsible for:
Jaap says being religious means "any bullshit goes". Krishnamurti (whom I believe would have fired Jaap's ass in no time) said:
"Religion is an inquiry, a very subtle inquiry in which there is no motive -- which is very much the spirit of science.
(talk with Mary Z and Ray McCoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhrKhukwQos)
"A religious mind is a mind which is not only inquiring psychologically, but also from the outer examination comes to the inner. Not that the two are different...like a tide going out and coming in. A religious mind has the quality of inquiry which is not from knowledge to knowledge, but each inquiry is fresh. So there's this constant awareness, attention to perceive that which is true.
(Talk with Indian teachers -- EB/MM video -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irga7EaBCy8 )
POOR KRISHNAMURTI!
Overture And How Krishnamurti Foundation America's Executive Director Is A Disgrace To Krishnamurti
I'll be in California in a few days, in case any of the Trustees of KFA want to meet and talk about the mess that JAAP created by knowingly propagating falsehood as fact. But I believe the whole thing is so messed up that I am not being serious about this statement because I believe KFA has become completely hopeless. Prove me wrong. Let's see if you are willing to take responsibility for your lies and vulgar actions spearheaded by JAAP SLUIJTER, RABINDRA SINGH, and their supporters on the Board. YUYKS is all I can say.... I used to think very highly of K ... when I heard his name I'd feel reverence...... Now it's been dragged into the mud by selfish motives, and wrong actions ........ the sad part is K warned about all this........... but who's to listen? The few around him who had the intelligence to grasp all that were weaseled out by the power hungry (obviously not that smart otherwise they'd know such power games are absolutely futile....)
POOR KRISHNAMURTI. I met him when I was a young boy and felt how he felt like ... felt his energy.... and how special it was... and his life... and his ideas ... and his heart ... and his eyes..... we shook hands and he gave me a flower I still have.... (SEE SECTION BELOW; ARTIFACTS) and I can tell you, in my opinion, the Krishnamurti I met and knew and read all his books has NOTHING -- I REPEAT NOTHING to do with what JAAP SLUIJTER and RABINDRA SINGH stand for....... the lies, disinformation, misrepresentation, ugliness, recklessness, negligence, etc. etc. did you see the pictures of the Oak Grove that had turned into trash....... and Jaap has the nerve to write in Ojai paper and use the trees he ignored for asking for money -------- POOR KRISHNAMURTI!
And K's old friends just sit and watch what's happening and are so alienated or bruised by past cunning politics dropped on them by people in what K called "idiotic foundation" and so on, that the only people who are still around who had a feel for how that man was really about, have no inclination to act and demand action. Just let it slide down the path of mediocrity, tradition, sucked in and finished.
Don't worry, JAAP SLUIJTER can easily come up with plans to make it into a full circus with flashy posters and newsletters to make people like Friedrich and his "gang" and "extended gang" go "WOW! This is impressive" (LOL)! Which of course will mean Krishnamurti's work becomes as irrelevant and mundane as quickly as possible, but who cares, right? Money talks!
Jaap & Rabindra are inside that circumference -- Rabindra is part of the "gang" as they call themselves, and Jaap, is part of "extended gang" as I call it using the same term used for the core "gang"...
It's human weakness that makes cults.
I came across Osho's talk tonight in which he said K was enlightened, he had arrived, but actually, the luggage arrived and not the passenger... and his admirers who granted him 100+ Rolls Royces were in awe ... Osho makes me want to puke... the way he pronounces his "s" (esses), the way he talks, sounds like a crook (he was a crook -- convicted of felony)... and yet gullible Westerners fell for him left and right....
Only Simpletons Think K's Work Is Inherently Protected Against Reckless Treatment
Such is the stream of corruption........ is K immune from it? The gullible think his work is protected. I KNOW it's not. It's in the hands of people like JAAP SLUIJTER, RABINDRA SINGH --- POOR KRISHNAMURTI ! It was only Grohe's simpleton attitude and his Gang who loved that attitude which meant they could play him like a fiddle who thought one can be utmost reckless with K's work and it will somehow survive because it's protected by some esoteric powers! If Grohe had studied history at any great length he'd know that to be a nonsensical idea. But it was a ticket to his Gang to be reckless. See https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/the-fifth-foundation and what ensued since then, i.e., hugely negative impact on both KFA and KFT. Intelligence is good for something and lack of it can be very costly!
All the above is my opinion -- well researched and sincere, and I have evidence for facts I assert. But this is a long story and maybe some day I will publish the details for the sake of history.
KFA's Apparent Lack Of Integrity
Hey, KFA... any integrity in that neck of woods to come clean and look at me in the eyes and intend to clean up the mess your big boys made? I doubt it. They're too big, too much money supporting them in the background.......... POOR KRISHNAMURTI ........ if you read his history you know his attitude towards money and power....... and how he walked away from it all in favor of truth. Do you see the difference now?
A Former Trustee's Response
[Excerpts]
Your invitations to meet with trustees of the KFA to “right the wrongs” will never be accepted. Understand that. There will never be any apologies or contrition or acknowledgements of the truth towards you or me, and why should we ever expect such a thing? There was never any to K! But that doesn’t make any difference whatsoever to the beauty and benediction that K was and his Teachings continue to be. The flower that K gave you and which you preserve may just have more substance than many of the people who have piled into his organizations, and who, I suspect, K would not have given (imposed on?) anyone.
~~~
Dear Reza,
Yes, the light of attention is sanitizing in many ways, and it is its own action—often the only “right” action.
And yes, it is frustrating (I would say deeply tragic) to see people selling the body and soul of all that K generated to the moneyed, especially when the moneyed are self-concerned simpletons. There is no one to blame for this but the trustees who have agreed to the many transactions, turning-a-blind-eye, denials, compromises, and complacencies. I have said for many years that the trustees are not examples of the Teachings being lived, but rather of the need for the Teachings—and I always included myself in this.
When I wrote “"The flower that K gave you and which you preserve may just have more substance than many of the people who have piled into his organizations, and who, I suspect, K would not have given (imposed on?) anyone.” I meant that this flower came to you from what is real and true, and I suspect that when you look at it, you may sense something of beauty, and goodness. What that flower came from and what you can sense in it has more substance that most people, and certainly the egocentric, pseudo-religious, false-claimants who normally pile into anything that originated in truth and goodness. While K gave you the flower, I am sure he would not have wanted to impose on you any awful people.
Jaap Sluijter Made Tom Heggestad Cry Despite Tom's Long Service to KFA and Having Cancer All Over His Body
Coming up
Reza Ganjavi's dialogue with Tom Heggestad. Despite a life-long service to KFA, and having cancer all over his body, Jaap Sluijter still made him because of Jaap's stupid, crude, insensitive, compromised attitude and shortage of love, wisdom, intelligence that Krishnamurti talks about, and because Jaap is clueless about Krishnamurti's work otherwise he would live some of those teachings.
Professor Calls Out Jaap Sluijter's BS Claim / Jaap's Fake Donkey Laugh
Pathik Wadhwa, MD, PhD, is a top notch medical doctor, scientist, professor. I met Pathik many years ago as we had two common friends, Aseem Vaid whom I worked with in IT, and Professor Krishna. I’ve always had tremendous respect for Pathik.
Jaap seems to like to get egotistic glory out of associate with accomplished others – reminds me of a chapter “Glory by Association” in a book I wrote on a Swiss faker. https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/law-ethics/bx-protocol-asd-ponzi-scheme-fake-knights-of-malta PDF version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S-VrgwBnfOK5CFfq8wcTysC7nBpOcHsS/view
So he’s done some events with Pathik – but their levels are so different – that it is like a comedy – with Jaap being the clown. Also what they say are in such different levels and depth. Jaap is mostly gargling convoluted nonsense that shows how little he understands Krishnamurti, and Pathik talks deep wise knowledgeable words. Here’s one such episode where Jaap made a total fool out of himself:
Jaap opens a joint lecture with Pathik, where Pathik is presenting all the substantial material and Jaap comes across like a confused clown who thinks he’s so clear. Jaap starts the talk with a stupid remark calling Pathik, a so-called scientist! Pathik is not a so-called scientist. He’s a real scientist, and Jaap is not even a so-called scientist.
Then Jaap started to boost his ego by bragging about his friendship with Pathik:
Jaap: We became quite close friends over the years.
Pathik immediately responded what sounded to be a genuine, honest response: “Speak for yourself”.
Jaap reacted by bursting into laughing, and literally laughed like a donkey and kept going and going like the way a donkey hollers – or like a crank handle trying to start an antique car – and continued to artificially laugh for 20 seconds – and audience was laughing and he gestured to audience inviting them to laugh even more as an attempted recovery from the reality of what Pathik had just said.
As soon as his laughter finally stopped someone from the audience made another genuine remarked: “It’s not a joke”. She said it like she saw it.
Jaap couldn’t believe his ears and asked her to repeat. “It’s not a joke”. He denied her remark: “It’s a joke” blah blah – “We have common areas and difference”. And started another round of artificial laughter.
“I can see” the lady responded. Yes the differences are very visible between Jaap and Pathik.
I found Pathik’s presentation to be very clear and top notch and Jaap’s discussions were disgustingly convoluted, boring, confusing, cluttered – yet so arrogant like he thinks he’s Einstein.
See it for yourself. I have a copy in case he deletes it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyBo94S48NI
Bad news for a few weasels at the KFA who cook up and promote lies to help them achieve their wicked objectives
I wrote this in May 2015 but didn't publish it.
Krishnamurti was a great philosopher and dreaded organizations. He called his foundation in USA idiotic. The new leader of the same idiotic foundation, Jaap Sluijter engaged in lying and promotion of falsehood. But he wasn't alone. He couldn't get away with it without help of a few others weasels on the board. I believe Krishnamurti would have fired these people or shut down the foundation if he were alive.
There are at least two cases of lying that I'm aware of and I will go public with it because these weasels are caught in a dogma and need the light of public attention because light of truth dispels darkness, and Krishnamurti was a public figure, and the work around him after his death is a matter of public interest -- and his organization is a 501c(3) organization that enjoys a tax exempt status.
Here's some hard truth concerning one of the two lies. The other one is another chapter and the truth heavily contradicts KFA's lie. Furthermore, the motive for KFA to lie is very strong and when put in a slightly historical context it all makes sense: they couldn't handle the truth so they had to resort to lies in order to achieve a sick objective. And Krishnamurti spent a lifetime talking about importance of inquiry, finding truth.
The spirit of inquiry at KFA is dead in these matters because inquiry is dangerous: it can reveal truth and truth is the enemy of the fiction that would help them achieve their sick objective.
And these guys want to disseminate Krishnamurti's work! It's a tragedy indeed and will remain so as long as Jaap and some of their other leaders are there. But they're not planning to go anywhere. They're sitting on the land and the money and think their power and position matter! But the issue is far more serious and of great interest to many members of public including several close friends of Krishnamurti who are furious about the way Krishnamurti Foundation America. Therefore, a full documentary is being made on the subject to be handed to history. What these guys can be sure of is that they can't get away with their lies.
Hypocritical Soliciting of Money
K said himself, if you don't live something, you can't disseminate it. But it doesn't matter to Jaap & his buddy Rabindra Singh, both of whom made it to the top of KFA's power structure. How futile, as in K's mind, as I understood it, such power schemes were worthless. But in this day and age, commoditizing K would be an attractive means of job security, income, and having the nerve to go out solicit donations for values you don't apparently live by.
His latest request for donations says: "The Foundation is a non-profit charity. We need strong and reliable partners to help us continue to share Krishnamurti’s teachings with the widest possible audience..." Forget it... if you don't have a perfume, you can't share it! Soliciting money for it, is just further hypocrisy.
~~~
Jesus Galindaz: Good post...thanks
Friedrich Grohe & Gang and KFA's Preposterous Promotion of Ravi Ravindra Who Is A Disgrace To K
See section on Ravi here: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/the-last-circular-around-krishnamurtis-work
See video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yza0e98peEU
See my notes about promotion of Ravindra's garbage book by Friedrich Grohe's Gang: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/the-fifth-foundation
Jaap Sluijter's Horrible Mishandling of the Krishnamurti Retreat (Pepper Tree Retreat) Check-in
I've travelled to almost 80 countries and stayed at numerous hotels, resorts, retreats, you name it I've had it -- and none -- none whatsoever was as crazy weird as having to deal with Jaap Sluijter's preposterous, arrogant, egomaniac attitude upon checkin -- and I paid a lot of money to stay there -- what a mistake!! Poor Krishnamurti! Here's the story:
Petanjali At KFA!
One of K's very few wishes, aside from caring for the land was to not mix him with other things. Of course, that's well-known -- but not when it comes to Jaap as the Executive Director who said religion means any bullshit goes.
A letter I wrote:
On 10/11/2015 5:36 AM, X wrote: “Ravi is giving a talk at KFA on Patanjali !.....”
Reza Ganjavi:
You're joking me? What a shame. K would be rolling in his grave if he wasn't cremated. He told his close associates I personally know not to mix him with other things, and while Ravi seems to want to bring Patanjali and K on a common ground, there are vast, fundamental differences between the two. I heard Ravi say in a public talk that he did not understand a lot of what K was talking about -- how could he make a fair comparison of something he didn't understand?! Petanjali promotes what K discarded time and again. Take Patanjali's ideas of Dharana and Dhyana for example. K discarded that whole approach by speaking a lifetime about issues with concentration and what meditation is and is not. Now KFA charges the public $20 a head to hear Ravi tell them how Patanjali and K have "much in common" (LOL).
Copying some friends, including my old friend, Friedrich Grohe, who's been a supporter of the KFA and I believe, the status quo there -- Jaap, Mark, etc. I believe, some of Jaap's terrible actions may have been done because he knew he has support. Rabindra who works for Friedrich is on KFA's board and reportedly very close with Jaap.
By the way folks, we managed to help oust a Founder/CEO of a 300-person public company recently. There's a lot little people can do. In a public company you can nominate new Directors and boot the CEO out. In a non-profit it's much harder because there is no voting on directors except from inside, and that's one reason why non-profits are generally more prone to becoming stale, derailed, dogmatic, cult-like, and corrupt.
Your ideas are appreciated -- what can be done? I don't have any hope in other Foundations' trustees to do something because even if they had the vision and determination, they probably don't have the legal power to touch KFA. I have no inclination to fight KFA's management since I have no hope for the place. I believe if K was around he'd dissolve the place or at least fire some of the people there -- he had no reservation doing that with the Order of Star of the East and that was a far bigger organization.
I will publish something in due time for the sake of history, otherwise, I won't be surprised to see more and more idiotic actions from a foundation K himself called idiotic at some point in time. It's not priority except to flush the trash out of my life. I have no time for it now since I'm on an assignment as a Senior Program Manager for the United Nations and a major Swiss firm, to deliver an important humanitarian project.
I have a ray of hope in some of K's old friends to step in and grab the KFA bull by the horns. But that's mostly wishful thinking as the numbers are fewer and status quo is too strong. The sad part is K saw this coming and warned against it so many times.
Best Regards
Reza
“Hi Reza, Very good points! Some of the issues were addressed by K often as found on the writing of Mary Zimbalist...”
“Greetings Reza, Your passion, sincerity (in its true sense), deep concern for the purity and authenticity of the teachings are a source of encouragement...
Consequences of K Being Surrounded by People Clueless About His Teachings
Professor Krishna in his fine book said Krishnamurti told him in his death bed that he's surrounded by people who don't have a foggiest idea what he's talking about ... people like Mark Lee, Michael Krohnen... and much later, people like Jaap Sluijter who occupy the foundation in their heavy handed way while having no clue about the core of K's teachings, his vibes, his person, his presence, his values, which were so different than what KFA is.
Is there any wonder the KFA is a mess it is, when it was driven by people who hadn't a foggiest idea what K was talking about? What if it was run by people who had an idea what K is talking about? How can you live something if you have no idea what it is? That also explains why the same people promote the false idea that K said nobody understood him -- which he never did -- and -- why the same people get involved in diluting K -- if they had the foggiest idea what he's talking about they'd know why he made it very clear he didn't want the people running the foundations to mix him with other things and other reckless irresponsible ways of behavior, utter disregard for truth, and other horrible things which have nothing to do with Krishnamurti.
That's Krishnamurti Foundation American for you -- oh wait -- maybe it should be called Krishnamurti Foundation Asia (LOL) -- that's where Jaap Sluijter's been several times (wait and there's a foundation in Asia already: KFI) -- must be nice collecting those air miles while he finds 3 emails a month too much to handle, ignores the trashed Oak Grove -- dying trees -- damaged road -- and most people in KFA's home town have never heard of K. That's just a small part of the saga of KFA which is a disgrace to K, IMO. By the way, for the publications I totally understand attending China book fair etc. -- but as missionaries, doing dialogues in Taiwan and Korea etc. -- first get a foggy idea of what K talks about (LOL) - then live it - and that living it has its own life -- maybe that life starts in your home town -- but no air miles and nice hotels and paid meals involved (LOL).
More on Dr. Krishna's book: https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/the-last-circular-around-krishnamurtis-work#h.aqvncnjg7r2e
KFA Intern Deported & Other KFA Screwups
TO: K TRUSTEES
Is this another one in series of sloppiness on Jaap's part ?
Now I have it from two sources that the poor Chinese girl to be KFA intern was deported to China for lying in the airport that she's a tourist !! Why didn't KFA handle her visa properly? I know Jaap doesn't always care for truth but it catches up with you! K spent a life time talking about love of truth... POOR KRISHNAMURTI !
The key questions in my mind are, is the KFA Board hostage to Friedrich's money and man (Rabindra)?
Is Mark Lee every going to retire? Come on, the man is on record for making up falsehood about K (e.g. that story of the bomber that never existed that according to Mark beamed down K's talks to US high school psych. & sociology classes in the 1960's!!) and so on and on.
Does KFA Board have any life in it?
Did Karen get sucked into the mediocre status quo?
And the million dollar question is, how in the world has Jaap managed to hang on to this job if it weren't for Rabindra/Grohe support, despite so many screw-ups that are well known to KFA board, but the already funny power structure seems funnier now with the Rabindra/Jaap.
And why didn't KFA manage to keep their BEST person, Derek Dodds who is highly educated, has a deep understanding of K's work, is genuine, energetic, interested, and has contributed far more than Jaap could ever dream about.
And the international trustees are as passive and useless about this matter as can be -- "it's America's problem" -- no it's not -- it's your problem -- if you're a trustee of a K foundation, if you were a friend of K, you would demand a change to this major issue which is so apparent to so many of us but Mr. Grohe apparently thinks everything is just fine (optimism bias of a rich man surrounded by a "gang" as they call themselves) -- that his man Rabindra is doing just fine and the man Rabindra brought, Jaap, is just fine. NOT!
What's it going to take to clean this mess up?
Some people think for themselves, some fall for propaganda and colorful brochures which Jaap is good at producing ;)
My role is to document some facts for the sake of history. Some day someone will look back and shame somebody.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chinese intern deported from US upon entry (another one of several screwups in the name of the great philosopher J. Krishnamurti who'd fire some of the people in charge in a flash)!
Jaap started this funny intern program -- long story... latest episode is I heard last week something but wanted to verify it -- so second verification came. I didn't witness this first hand but feel comfortable enough that it's very likely authentic that I'm sharing it because Krishnamurti was a public figure and a very intelligent one with deep level of integrity. Work that happens around him, work of his foundations for example, are also matter of public concern.
Reportedly a Chinese young lady flew to the USA to attend the intern program and was caught lying that it was a tourism visit vs. "educational" and was deported. Obviously, anyone with a heart felt very bad for her. Nobody should be in that position. And it surely doesn't reflect well on poor K under whose name this kind of thing happens. Without knowing details, I speculate the responsibility wold go with the boss, Jaap Sluijter who should have had the visa situation fully cleared before this intern was recruited. If so, it's not the only Chinese related screwup:
I met a real good person, now a good friend, who was devastated because Jaap promised to hire him and that he secured the funding through Rabindra/KLI/Friedrich Grohe's group, and just to get KFA's Board approval was a formality which he would succeed at. He agreed that my friend would go back to China, move the family (his wife is Chinese) -- and Mike ended up doing this and the day before the flight Jaap calls him and cancels the deal !! Long story.
And then there is neglecting the Oak Grove trees, making an employee with advanced cancer cry because he had a friend visit for a chat during his break, propagating a lie as truth to help Jaap build a unjustified case, and a whole array of other things that make me think, POOR KRISHNAMURTI. There is no doubt in my mind K would have got rid of Jaap, his key supporter and reportedly land-deal-partner in Hawaii Rabindra (who was recently reported to be engaged in slander/false-light), and at least another person there in a flash.
And how such things persist? To me, the answer is clear: MONEY !! Who's behind this? Where's the support coming from? Facts have their own legs. More later...
What is it going to take to have somebody wake up, see so clearly that that seeing acts, and ends this terrible picture. K would have solved it very easily: get rid of Jaap, Rabindra, Mark, and probably several others. He made it all very clear in his life time and it doesn't take supreme intelligence to see it, but obviously there's a shortage of that among some people...
[Update: I heard the Board wanted to oust Jaap but he survived because of the political clout of his supporter as discussed herein. I believe a trustee quit when effort to oust Jaap failed; to be expected; Jaap even told someone the Board is under his thumb ("they will do what I want").
~~~
The same gang who haven’t got a clue about K and some who are more thrilled by money and the high it provides vs. wisdom, also didn’t understand what K said about organizations.
What Jaap does is contradictory to K’s core message – of love of truth. Jaap cooked up lies – he said in that video: about religiousness allowing for being inaccurate. He has no business being JK’s Director. Those against truth are dictators. They thrive on disinformation, ignorance of facts. We see it in Russia, in North Korea, etc.
Woman Reported Strange Dialogue Behavior
Someone contacted me after reading the investigative report on KFT/Brockwood https://www.rezamusic.com/writings/on-j-krishnamurtis-work/KFT-Mismanagement, and alleged being mistreated at dialogue groups, to the point of considering legal action. I looked into it a bit and it wasn't clear to me that she had a legal case, but it's sad to see what has become of KFA dialogues.
"<X> continued to taunt and mock me in conversations until I pulled out of a facilitator's group that Mr. Jaap Sluijter put together. For the next six months, I was subject to cruel treatment in all dialogues associated with <X> including snide remarks, mimetic performances of my gestures, comic portrayals of my dialogue delivery, and mental illness accusations. Eventually, I was asked not to attend the meetings."
I was surprised to hear her say that Jaap Sluijter had reportedly said the KFA dialogue moderators' names are withheld from KFA's website so that they don't get harassed!! I went to Krishnamurti dialogues for years, and also conducted them myself, before Jaap came on board. Look at his horrible management style, and look at the number of people who are alienated, and look at the attitude towards dialogue, moderators, and perhaps one can infer something about the spirit of the place, which reminds one of Krishnamurti's on statement that you are the world in the world is you, and the well-known management fact that the leader of an organization set the tone and the culture. Poor Krishnamurti.
Trustee Names Withheld From Website
The KFA Trustee names were always on the KFA website. Since Jaap came on board, the names are gone. I guess he doesn't like transparency. The names appear in the annual or bi-annual report. Why not have the on the website like almost every other organization? I believe because Jaap views the escalation path as himself!
"Not Emergency" was Emergency
Reportedly, Jaap was in Hawaii when an emergency situation needed action in Ojai. Jaap viewed it as non-emergency, but it was, and action was taken despite Jaap wanting to take no action.
Distorting Krishnamurti
Have you trustees heard of the phrase K said so many times about interpreters distorting ? I am listening to Jaap give a lecture about K and meditation. Oh My God! This guy sounds so incredibly off and clueless about some of the things K spent decades talking about. Also listened to more of his talks at the last KFA gathering, which seem hypocritical.
Also, I found some things he said in some intro remarks at the last KFA gathering, nonsense and tragic -- and of course very hypocritical given how he stepped on truth himself. Maybe he was following his misinterpretation of K's remarks about "seeking", or, his sentiment that religiosity is "any bullshit goes" to quote himself!
K said a few things over and over and over for very good reasons. About pitfalls of organizations, about dangers of interpretation and distortion, about cunning animals, thirst for power and control, and very importantly, about the fact that key to disseminating anything is living it.
Some in this circus think K's teachings is protected and is not distort-able. Others, equally wrong, think it's doomed to be sucked into tradition. Both views are irresponsible. And both views have been driving forces in this circus.
There's a dire need for a trace of that supreme intelligence K talked about in this circus of many acts.
POOR KRISHNAMURTI !
Another Serious Person Ignored
I wrote this in response to her:
Hi <>
Don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't receive responses or feels that way. "Ignorance is bliss" seems to be the style of some people around this work (vs. K's decades of discourse about attention, resolution, order, etc. -- but all that probably sound Greek to some people -- or is conveniently brushed off because those things threaten the presence of other motives which to some are more important than truth. I have seen some at one of the foundations step on truth for the sake of convenience, yet have the nerve to shamelessly quote K and preach about him!
Can you send me a copy of your open letter to the foundation?
Thanks
Reza
<> wrote:
> Dear Reza and <>
> I have been touched by K's message: "Be a light onto yourself", but have not been well
> impressed by the Foundations particularly due to lack of transparency. Now I am glad
> to see some of this surfacing and in the internet! I too once wrote an "Open Letter to the
> Foundations", and never received an answer. My feeling is they do not question themselves
> enough, they are happy to represent "the K World", which is clearly a fabrication of thought.
> Being interested in K's message means being interested in living in awareness. One discovers
> everything there, not in books or somebody else's experience, be it K or the Buda!
> Thanks for sharing your impressions,
> <>
Email To Friedrich Grohe About His Appointee, Jaap Sluijter's Disgraceful, Egotistic, Nutty Talk
Dear Friedrich
Did you see for yourself some of the things Jaap said at the KFA Gathering? I know Rabindra was there, and your organization I'm sure has its own collective opinion that it was wonderful and all rosy. I believe what Jaap said was a major disgrace to K, and once again, totally against some core ideas K stood for, and for some core ideas K was against. It was about Jaap's ego, and giving himself flowers in how he's so critical to K's work (LOL).
If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to do so -- but alone, without influence from the "gang"; please put away any rose colored glasses, and think for yourself, and keep in mind all those books you read by K. I believe KFA has hit a new low, sorry to say, and K's official work is going towards the spiral of mediocrity because of that idiot (and he's not the only idiot in this circle).
I do not believe he would have been able to obtain and maintain this position, despite his numerous idiotic and problematic actions (including knowingly representing a falsehood as truth), without some level of support from you/your "gang". Poor Krishnamurti, especially since he warned about all this. The circus goes on.
Since he's already said he's business partners with your man Rabindra in Hawaii, do you know if KFA is letting Jaap go to Hawaii for a year to build his house, and if so, is he going to continue to draw his salary and maintain his position?
On a personal level I think you're a very sweet and generous and good man. But I am deeply critical of some of your "work" and "gang" members, as you call yourselves. And of course "gangs" give rise to "extended gangs" -- it's the nature of the beast. Some of the things I saw that he said today, made me feel nauseous. I'll try to compile some excerpts. Anybody seriously interested in K's work, who cares enough about what became of K's work after his death, should definitely know what Jaap is thinking.
Best Regards
Reza Ganjavi
Some KFA Trustees' Attempt To Oust Jaap
A couple of KFA Trustees reported back then that there was an attempt to oust Jaap but it failed because of his political backing (mainly due to his support from Rabindra (who has reportedly (2024) been selling Indian Food in a Hawaiian market) who is on Friedrich Grohe's payroll.
From an Unreleased Circular
SCOPE
THIS FILE COVERS ROUGHLY THE PERIOD BETWEEN THE SUCCESS OF FRIEDRICH GROHE TO GAIN CONTROL OF KFA VIA HIS GANG MEMBER RABINDRA SINGH AND THEIR APPOINTEE TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JAAP SLUIJTER -- UNTIL JAAP'S MISMANAGEMENT AND DISHONEST CONDUCT GOT TO A POINT THAT I DEEMED KFA HOPELESS AS LONG AS JAAP AND RABINDRA ARE THERE (OR RATHER WE SAY ARE IN HAWAII IN THEIR BUSINESS VENTURE?)
HOPELESS IS NOT TIME CRITICAL
When I deemed KFA to be a hopeless organization, on top of being idiotic as Krishnamurti himself put it, publishing this material was no longer time-critical. But now I decided to do it because another Grohe influence mongering of a K foundation, this time, KFT, resulted in such gross mismanagement that we had to spent a ton of time gathering testimonies from tens of people and produced a 330+ page report.
KFT LYING AND USING KFA AS EXCUSE TO MAINTAIN STATUS QUO
Among several lies that KFT said in order not to engage in dialogue with our taskforce, and to defend its seemingly rotten status quo that led to so many discontented and alienated people, and collapse of a great school (Inwoods) -- was that my dialogue with KFA had failed. First, KFT used their customary convoluted ambiguous concepts they use to dodge facts. Second, given the context, they're lying because there was never a dialogue because KFA's Executive Director Jaap Sluijter acted dishonestly, and cowardly refused to have a dialogue to find a peaceful solution. He was too chicken to look at me in The Eyes After He Had Cooked Up A Lie He Knew Was Not True But Promoted It As Fact. Unless Jaap Lies So Much He Can’t Distinguish Between Truth And Falsehood.
Warning To Jaap Sluijter About His Dishonest Conduct
6 January 2023
Hey Jaap Sluijter
Listen up. I got information from a witness today that you lied about me. Don't push your luck. I take my rights very seriously. Just because I ignored you after you intentionally promoted a falsehood that you knew was false, as fact, which is the definition of lying and dishonest conduct, it doesn't mean you can go around and keep lying about me. Repeating a lie will just suck you deeper into the hole of moral decay you dived into by your dishonest conduct -- so don't make the mistake of thinking you can make a falsehood turn into truth by repeating it.
People of average intelligence and decency know that much - or were taught by their parents that much. But you're a special kind of creature and you are everything K dreaded, in my opinion, based on seeing your behavior and idiotic and dishonest remarks.
Per your own admission you come from a "religious background so any bullshit goes". Your Bullshit will not go with me. Remember that.
Think twice next time you decide to lie about me. Karma is a bitch.
Reza Ganjavi, MBA
~~~
K repeatedly warned about how power corrupts, and dangers of truth getting organized, and perils of organizations. Jaap made all that become a reality.
Jaap Sluijter Pulled The Rug Last Minute In An Employment Contract After Using The Person For Free And Making Him Move From Overseas
I met this person in Ojai – very fine person who went on to receive a PhD. A hard-working, diligent, creative, highly intelligent, well-intentioned man with a keen interest in Krishnamurti’s work.
Next time we met he was devastated as Jaap had just pulled the run from under him by cancelling an employment contract he had promised him which included moving his family with two small children from overseas, and they were in the process of moving when Jaap bailed out on them.
What he said about Jaap showed Jaap was so arrogant, because of his political connection -- of being supported by Grohe Gang / Rabindra Singh who is on Friedrich Grohe’s payroll. We saw the same kind of trend at KFT (Krishnamurti Foundation Trust, UK) which was infiltrated by Grohe’s Gang and appointees. In both cases, Grohe’s appointees felt they have power over the Board of Trustees. Jaap told this man that the Board will do what Jaap wants. That’s how confident and arrogant Jaap was about his power at KFA which has continued to this day at the peril of the foundation, in my view.
(EXCERPTS FROM LETTER HE WROTE)
"I had made contact with Jaap Sluijter who is the Executive Director of the Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA.org) offering to be of service. I explained that I would be in the US for a short while before flying back to China to rejoin my family in Shanghai (where we were living at the time). When we connected, Jaap immediately became interested in hiring me and went at length explaining his 'vision' for the KFA where he had imagined someone like me coming along to help out. He and I hit it off and we talked regularly, he clearly communicated his goal that if I stayed and 'helped out' (for free) he would hire me, and accommodate me and my family's transition back to the US, and we envisioned together having my family move back to Ojai with my two young daughters attending their school (Oak Grove School).
I was very enthusiastic about this idea, although the promised <x> pay was not much, it was what Jaap said he could budget and said he could add other perks along the way. I was very excited because the position held different roles, I was aligned with the ideas and teachings of Krishnamurti, it would provide quality education for my daughters, and it tied into my graduate research – so it seemed like a perfect marriage.
I reasonably acted in reliance upon the assurances and promises made by Jaap to continue our relationship by staying longer in the US and I purposely worked with him in creating the position he described so that I would be able to start getting paid for it as soon as it was funded. He looked for me to officially start employment in a few months time. To meet the expectations that were implied with the promised position, I began performing some of the duties expected which included consulting with Jaap as the director and other KFA staff involved in programming and marketing and as such I regularly drove up for meetings and events at Jaap's request, free of charge, only to find out later that Jaap was using me.
Jaap convinced me to stay in the US beyond my travel visa expiration because he said it would be important for me to do so and attend the organization's annual 'Gathering' that May so I did and I became very active in different ways supporting the premise of my promised position and future employment. Also at Jaap's request that I be actively seen working at the event, He asked me to help set up that event while at the same time also perform my duties as a member of the 'visioning committee'. He asked us to look busy so as to impress the attendees of the gathering!
At the Gathering which is the KFA's biggest annual event I was purposely introduced to VIP members by Jaap and received the endorsement of a possible contributor, Rabindra Singh (part of Friedrich Grohe’s “gang” as they call themselves) whose interest would fund my position from that wealthy organization’s coffers. I found out later that Jaap and Rabindra have a close relationship. Jaap later told me that him and Rabindra are engaged in land deals in Hawaii and signaled that they’re interested in acquiring more property and if I come across any good opportunities to inform him.
I was told afterwards I did a great job and things were again assured to me in the library as we toasted the event's success and my coming on board that 'this is meant to be' by Jaap, so we endeavored even more seriously about my starting and spent an involved amount of time completing a proposal he had planned to present creating my position. He told me I would be hired after the June Board meeting where the funding would be approved He said the approval was a sure thing because he said they bend to his will, they pretty much do what he wants, and he wants to hire me. But, he did not want to make it look like he was hiring me without the Board’s otherwise they could turn on him.
Jaap even showed me where my workspace would be at the KFA. He also agreed that I could store a box I had brought to show him samples of my work and other material I could use to start immediately upon my return from China. He wanted to make sure others don’t see the box so that his decision to hire me, and his power on the Board, were kept hidden.
I told Jaap that with the window of time left before the hiring date I would like to go back to China and be with my family and use that time to begin the transition process before starting the job. He agreed with this but was concerned about my missing the scenario-planning meeting scheduled during that time. He asked how I would do the work while watching my 5-year-old daughter whom I would return to the US with, until my wife and other daughter arrived. I said 'camp' and sitters.
I met at Jaap's house one final time en route my flight, driving to San Francisco's airport from LA where the plan was to return from China to the Bay Area with my eldest daughter where friends of my family could watch her while I helped Jaap complete his East Coast tour by meeting him in NYC as part of my starting the new job. He knew the plan and had agreed to it, and he knew the trouble I went through to get my Chinese visa renewed. Jaap and I even looked for my family’s housing together for my moving to Ojai.
I really wanted to see my family and felt Jaap was using me to work for free by staying longer and longer than I would have ordinarily. I would have a lot of explaining to do to my wife that the purpose of my doing this so was for the sake of the family, thus, being away from them for such a long time. I really missed my family, being away, and was anxious to get back, but I made my top priority to first check with Jaap to get his assurance and make sure that all the arrangements would be made while I was away before I left. This took me a while but Jaap reiterated his assurance that everything was in order, before I left.
Jaap is known by some to be terrible at responding to emails (I’ve heard from multiple sources including KFA trustees that told me directly and one via a friend that Jaap sometimes ignores their emails too) , son hearing back from him while in China packing up was not too big of a concern since things were clarified before I left.
My wife gave a notice at her job and as in China notice periods are long, keep in mind my wife who is a scientist was willing to sacrifice her career and six-figure salary to satisfy my vision of working for the KFA where we could settle down in a less hectic place like Ojai and have our basic needs and health benefits taken care of – while working and living a nice pleasant environment as assured to me by Jaap.
When it became closer to the time to fly back with my daughter, I called and emailed repeatedly wanting to know when he wanted to me to start, I expected he would have let me know how the board meeting went and where we would meet up (so I could arrange seeing him during the east coast tour). I finally after leaving an e voice mail message - only heard back 2 days before my flight from China to the US by email and shortly afterwards in response we talked where he said he decided to hire someone else in my place and this decision took place sometime while I was gone and when I asked why - he made some excuse about this woman having 'graphic art skills' which during the time I was performing my work at the KFA that attribute never came up, he never asked if I had any and it was never a consideration or job requirement in what role we talked about. He was also unable to justify why he did not inform me earlier and ignored my emails and calls.
The night of the day before my flight from China to the US, Jaap wrote me an email withdrawing his offer of employment which he had explicitly made to me, so explicitly that I had initiated moving my family from China, took steps to shut down my life and business there, and bought flight tickets. This bad news was devastating to us. At the end he signed it as: “Lets talk on the phone if you want that. Jaap” – no regret, no apology, and no sense of responsibility for the promise he had made to me. Just a cold hearted, brutal change of mind after all the expectations he set which deeply impacted my wife, our two small children and me. This spirit and conduct was very contradictory to everything I felt Krishnamurti was about.
Other staffers told me later that this person was a new face and a sudden interest to Jaap. Two staffers told me they felt I had been betrayed and led along (strung along) and Derek said when I was no longer around the 'vicinity' Jaap put his attention elsewhere, which meant he ignored the commitment he had made to me which made me suddenly realize that this person, Jaap was only concerned with himself and talked a big game without responsibly following up and following through on his words.
I suffered detrimentally because he broke his promise resulting in a cause of action legally called Promissory Estoppel.
The promiser (Jaap) is “estopped” from rescinding the promise if the promiser knew or had reason to know that the promisee would rely upon the promise to the promisee’s detriment.
The promisee in such a case, once the proof has been accepted, is entitled to be made whole. In my case, I dissembled my business operation, let go 2 workers and divided up my family for another half year when I returned to the US with my then 5 year old. It is now going on 3 years where I have not gotten back into my previous stride, I was distraught having to return the US and while it was great to reunite with my family, the girl's English was now minimal and <> was going to start school shortly (I had to find one). I realize that my life and my family’s life was disrupted and I've been affected financially, morally, mentally and emotionally by Jaap's default on his promise, his inaction, unprepared really to be a single parent for an entire year (6 months with one daughter till my wife could take time off and come to California for Christmas holidays and bring our other daughter, and 6 months, after she left, looking after our other daughter). I was unable to find replacement work or means to make an income for a long period of time while having to watch her.
I feel that I am in the very least entitled to Reliance Damages in an amount equal to the lost wages and benefits. It is such a disappointment that the KFA is managed in such a poor way where the internal workings are so apparently corrupted that the leader is unable to make good on their mistakes. Instead it seems to be a serious of cover-ups going on.
There are people who could testify to the truth of my statements. I also have detailed logs of all emails, and notes from all conversations. Michelle and Derek are among other staffers who were in significant positions at the KFA and were told by Jaap that I was being hired. I have the document Jaap emailed me of the proposal outlining and funding my position which he finalized and promised to submit to the KFA board while I was gone (but never did) and Jaap only admitted that to me weeks later after my return to the US that he had failed to follow through on his obligations, but even then, he did not apologize!
I also know people who met me during this period and can testify to my state of being, how devastated I was after Jaap pulled the rug from under my feet. I felt like a chicken with its head cut off.
I met one of the insiders who were well aware of what happened to me and disagreed with Jaap’s action, who said he was disenfranchised that in his opinion, KFA hadn’t gone anywhere. He said KFA should have hired me as I was promised. He saw me choke and have tears in my eyes, remembering the pain I have gone through.
<> and I traveled around during the summer before finally moving <> and myself in with my sister who is notably diagnosed as bi-polar frantically at times psychotic. Not something I wanted my daughter separated from her Mother and sister to encounter and see on a daily basis. The experience also caused additional stress on my sister, especially after my other daughter 3 was brought back to the US. Jaap caused a serious of events to occur that were damaging to my family, and me yet he in his position he benefited from his actions.
After Jaap failed to deliver on his promise and withdrew his offer last minute, he admitted to me weeks later after my return to the US that he had failed to follow through on his obligations, yet he never tried to reconcile it with what he had done, and what the repercussions of that havoc that he had caused. This horrible mismanagement had severe consequences on my family and me.
After causing such chaos in our lives, Jaap never apologized to me. He made some remarks about his shortcomings, but nothing in the form of an apology in a way that recognized his impacts and what resulted. He only admitted to his shortcomings including not having followed through on his obligation, not having his act together, and continued to give me promises of perhaps other opportunities for work at the KFA which of course I did not take seriously given how he mismanaged this situation; I was fed up with Jaap and his empty promises and wanted to move out from his dirty guest cottage quickly.
Jaap caused a serious of events to occur that were damaging to my family, and me yet he in his position benefited from. He knew this to be the case because he told me after the fact that he was afraid I would file a lawsuit.
The legal advice I have received so far seems to indicate I have a labor law claim here as well as other common law claims such as <…>.
I also want KFA to come in terms with who is representing them. I have tremendous respect for Krishnamurti. What Jaap did was not remotely in line with Krishnamurti’s teachings, which also clearly points to the fact that when you are not “living it”, all your efforts in dissemination are futile."
Rabindra & Jaap Slandering Because They Can't Handle Criticism
In some dictatorships people who voice their opinions are imprisoned. In their laws press is not allowed to report facts, express opinions, and in some manner observe the actions of the governance.
From notes to Trustees:
I have written to Rabindra asking him to come clean and work with me to find a peaceful solution to the slander he's committed against me -- that whole story he made up and fed you as fact more than once, which was an utter lie. Jaap did a similar thing and that surely has not been buried under the carpet as much as he wished it -- causes have effects.
Funny enough in the only response I got from Rabindra, he admitted to a part of it but as usual he convoluted and twisted the subject so as to avoid it. Fact is he can NOT prove his allegation and I don't have to but I can disprove him. The burden of proof is on him but I doubt any of you ever asked his majesty for evidence, since search for truth doesn't seem to be that important in this K foundation -- if it were you wouldn't buy Jaap's lie either and would at least give me a chance to do a small presentation of facts which refute Jaap's lie). Anyway, this email is about Rabindra's lie. What a duo you have in key positions! Poor Krishnamurti!
... Finding peace and order is a K-101 concept, as is "love of truth" but KFA hasn't seemed too interested in either things, and seems overwhelmed by other strange influences, priorities, and glittering "circus" Jaap Sluijter put on to impress donors.
Did you know that a large donor to KFA stopped writing a $20,000 check after he was at Peppertree and saw how something was being handled by Jaap/management and he was told Jaap was in Hawaii and couldn't be called? This was before he even met me. We came in contact later and he told me this story. Life has its own ways. Alienating good people and supporters doesn't seem to be too abnormal for KFA. The roots of why this is a fascinating and revealing investigation.
~~~
From a note to Rabindra Singh:
Actions have consequences. You can quote K all you want but if you're not decent enough to take responsibility for your action, in this case, your lie, you're asking for and contributing for war. The K you quote spent a lifetime talking about truth and you so crudely step on it for convenience (what your buddy Jaap did was similar: he utilized a lie he knew perfectly well and had admitted it was a lie, and propagated it as truth because it was convenient and helped him achieve a nasty vicious goal he would not have otherwise been able to achieve).
Your own admittance got you in a deeper hole. A lie can't cover another lie, it makes it worse -- again, some basic common sense we were taught as kids -- maybe you weren't.
K Fanatics / KFA Nightmare
I wrote the following and posted it online about the abusive behavior of KFA and Jaap Sluijter.
The responses were interesting, including from a couple of fanatics who live in a la-la land that everything is honky dory and K foundations should not be criticized, just as a religious fanatic can't stand criticism of what he or she blindly believes in.
This is what I wrote:
KFA NIGHTMARE
By Reza Ganjavi
Had another nightmare about the abuses Krishnamurti Foundation America put me through. I have a project at hand to publish the details but haven't had time yet. I know once I publish it and it's in the public domain, in the hands of history, my consciousness will be free from. Krishnamurti was a public figure, and KFA enjoys the benefits of being a 501c(3) organization, and what it does to public is a matter of public interest especially in this case which is not an isolated case. I've run into a number of people, by chance (or as K would say by deeper layers of cause and effect) who've also had very bitter experiences with this organization.
It seems to me that in the last years, under the directorship of Jaap Sluijter, the place went downhill in some ways, though, at a superficial level it seemed to make some "progress" -- they have a sexy newsletter (which one marketing pro called "propaganda piece") -- and they built a yoga gazebo (LOL), etc.!! but how they treat people is far more important and I'm not the only one who found the foundation K called "idiotic" to be just that!
The issue is very simple: They, in particular, Jaap Sluijter has lied and they have not had the character and courage to face it and acknowledge it (to say the least) -- and instead muddled the subject with irrelevant noise. This was the latest episode in a series of terrible episodes. Another one involving Jaap Sluijter as well. And Mark Lee seemed to be involved. Even the beloved Karen Hesli is "in the system" and as Secretary seems to not be too effective against the status quo and power of delusion.
It's a long story which I will hopefully publish soon and get this pathetic hopeless organization out of my system. I believe they are a disgrace to Krishnamurti for a number of reasons which I will enumerate. It's a real shame because Krishnamurti was a great man and the sad part is, he saw this coming and warned against it time and again. I have no doubt he would have gotten rid of some of these people in a flash.
~~
I hear the assumption that many are confused around this work? WHY? K was one of the clearest thinkers and used a fairly clear language -- surely far clearer than many mystical thinkers. But I don't buy the assumption that many are confused around these subjects. I think that's just a projection of a confused mind onto others -- just as the fallacious assumption that reading another's experience can have no value.
The enemy to clarity is fanaticism, dogma, cultism, blind belief, and so on. K spent a lifetime shedding light on this.
Jaap Sluijter's Dog & Pony Show
Regarding KFA Gathering: So glad I wasn't there. Watched some of it on the webcast. It can also be called Jaap Sluijter's Dog & Pony Show. The last session was with my old friend Dr. Satish Inamdar. Listening to the long comments from a few people was like being in a mental hospital -- I recognized some of the voices -- people have been at this for decades -- and then I meet new people who grasp this in a flash.
A few years ago when I was there there was a strange atmosphere as some people were behind glass doing some things which had a strange, superficial feel to it. A while later totally out of "coincidence" I met someone who was part of that group who said Jaap Sluijter had said they should look busy (LOL) so as to impress the gathering's attendants that there's a lot happening.
Now take that and put it aside Krishnamurti's whole discourse on image making and challenges of whether it's possible to live without any psychological images of oneself, others, etc etc -- and according to the person who was there, Jaap Sluijter was so concerned about image of others' image of this group and trying to make a fake impression that they're busier than they need to be. When I heard that it made sense why it had felt superficial.
And it's funny how life brings people together... This is a long story with many chapters which is a replay of history, unfortunately being made by those who didn't read it.
PS -- Krishnamurti dreaded organizations and warned against them extensively and almost dissolved his own foundation but they talked him into keeping a minimal organization for publication purposes. He also said at the end of his life he was surrounded by people who hadn't the foggiest idea what he was talking about. And then there's the subject of money & power, and convenience vs. truth.
~~~
K said don't sell the land but I won't be surprised if they do.
~~~
Funny Jaap's title of presentation was about WORLDWIDE OUTREACH -- I think that just means worldwide paid travel for Jaap. KFA was supposed to be about "A"merica but it extended into China for publication purposes and then Jaap came on board and travelled to Taiwan and Korea and tour of China (not just book fair) and now WORLDWIDE is on the screen -- while most people in KFA's hometown have never heard of K, and Jaap said he will never fix Besant Road because he never goes there (LOL) ... funny but sad indeed !
~~~
Subu, true, but we have better organizations and we have well managed and poorly managed organizations, and we have organizations where the leader's priority is self serving, and we have orgs led by intelligent people and we have orgs led by idiots or cunning animals...
~~~
as K said himself at the core of dissemination it's living it. Fabricating falsehood and promoting it as a fact and pretend you're disseminating K's work. At the heart of K's work is the whole challenge of living without psychological images. You can't be caught in image making and disseminate K's work! That's hypocrisy. China doesn't need Jaap to hold boring dialogues like he does in the US. China has a thriving market for K's books and it's had for many years thanks to the efforts of Derek and others before even Jaap comes into the picture. Most people in Ojai have never heard of K let alone Ventura let alone California and the US, and Jaap's charter is now apparently "worldwide outreach" (LOL). By the way, there's a foundation in Asia already.
~~~
you're welcome. K said at the core of dissemination is living it. He could have been wrong but what he said made sense and there's more to it, as i understand it, than dropping a truckload of books at a bookstore smile emoticon
~~~
yes it's the same machinery that's involved in making images of oneself as making images of others, and their images of oneself, etc... same process... and freedom from that is bliss! (moment to moment)
~~~
that is purely a fake story, a myth, which is propagated by the likes of Mark Lee. Why? I think it could be laziness -- or an alleviation of not having to take on the challenges -- or in some cases, simply idiocy. Intelligent people who grasp it don't bother with that myth. But it's propagated so it's assumed to be true -- like many such lines in history: false but because it's repeated it's believed to be true.
I spoke to most of the people who were there when K said the statement you're referring to -- they all say he was talking about them. He further told Dr. Krishna that he was surrounded by people who didn't have the foggiest idea what he was talking about. Yes giving away books is a form of dissemination but I think he meant more than that -- he spoke about the man from Seattle -- and about the perfume that spreads itself. I don't consider his work as a doctrine to be propagated. It's the truth that him or others have pointed out that has its own life. And if a person goes around talking about it who is not living it, it's no more meaningful than Jehovah Witnesses who come to your door with shaky arguments that can be refuted instantly. They don't show up here any more smile emoticon
~~~
a tour depends on a person. When you're talking about "the books, the videos, the internet as a resource" a book fair for example would do and doesn't need Jaap to fly all over to do it (LOL). Especially when he didn't even go to Besant Road which he should have because if he had a few times he might have feel sorry for his car and decide to fix it for his sake, which seems to be the driving motivation behind his his action since he responded to the question: when will you fix the road as NEVER BECAUSE I NEVER GO THERE. Actually he does -- well he had to -- after another tree died and dropped in the Oak Grove. I saw him. But it was too late! Another one bit the dust!
~~~
I sure hope the K organizations are not turning him into a religion because it is NOT. The misconduct I've seen from a few people in power positions at KFA has NOTHING to do with K. It has to do with stupidity, selfishness, viciousness, tribalism, and other things K spent a life time warning about and exploring the roots of but obviously as he said some people around him didn't have the foggiest idea what he was talking about -- and some of them -- at least one if not more act out of their ignorance and bring other selfish people around who help further the same mentality -- fragmented action breed more fragmentation.
Letter to Trustees of KFA
It has been 2.5 months since Japp's hostility and so far no word from KFA as to the reason behind it. It's reasonable to conclude that as I already knew, Japp's action was totally unfounded, unreasonable, not substantiated by any facts, and not supported by or authorized by the Board which I believe is reasonable enough to base its decisions on facts (otherwise we're talking dark ages).
The last 2.5 months have been extremely painful, and I have wasted a tremendous amount of time trying to reach out to KFA, to invite a dialogue, to try to get some justification for the hostility, and due to lack of communication, I've had to speculate what your problem may be. I can not think of a single case of a wrongdoing on my part which would justify the hostilities exercised by Japp and Krohnen. I explained this very clearly today in an informal conversation to a friend/trustee and she understood.
I made a video speaking about this stupid nonsensical saga which is a classic case of mismanagement -- it's not public but if you want to see it email me.
Since I've picked up from the airwaves that somehow this stupid saga is linked to KFT as though there was an issue there -- I don't know if it's a futile attempt at dirt-digging, or lies which are unfortunately not uncommon, but the FACT of the matter is there is no issue and there has not been an issue with KFT PERIOD. The last 3 times I was there I worked at the summer work party and the pictures are on my website -- they were very appreciative. If anyone tells you Reza is not welcome there they are absolutely lying.
By the way, I was at a party in Ojai tonight and met three people whom I didn't know or hardly knew, who were extremely disgruntled at the KFA and the same people (i.e., Krohnen, and Japp) who've harassed me. I also met another person who had a very negative experience with Krohnen -- he calls Krohnen the dog. He's seen the same dirty power games played on him.
As I explained to the trustee friend, I have no hard feelings for Krohnen, but I see this recurring theme, and his illusions, image making, etc., and the protection he apparently gets from Mark. It's disturbing to see this because it enforces my belief as a student and practitioner of management science that there is a management issue here -- I gave our friend a couple of tips today but it takes more than that when dealing with dynamics of having people around who think they're in a position of authority because of their proximity to K.
As someone who cares deeply for this work, who wants to help and work with the foundation on moving it forward, I am deeply saddened at the state of the foundation -- you can try to disseminate all you want but as K said if you don't live it the dissemination is meaningless. The habit of some foundation insiders has been to discredit the messenger through lies slander etc. - in order to discard the message. It's an old trick. And not to communicate in order to not shatter images which have nothing to do with truth. It chose ignorance as a management style: have a problem? ignore it. That was James Paul's (twisted) legacy! Good managers don't grow on trees.
I assume implicitly that since no explanation has been given there is nothing to explain and therefore Japp's aggression was unfounded and not supported by the Board -- and I already know as that Krohnen's bullying was not authorized by the Board but if Krohnen is telling the truth it was authorized by Mark and James without knowledge of the Board!
I want to be able to go to KFA places as I have for decades without getting harassed and bullied, and I want Krohnen to stop harassing and slandering me while speaking for the foundation. I have never confronted him but next time I will respond to his vulgar actions he undertakes while acting on behalf of KFA in an equitable and civil manner.
I died every time to these aggressions -- moved forward - went in with no image - loved - but KFA's institutional image making didn't drop it - one illusion led to another. And K spoke so much about the pitfalls of organizations -- of people setting themselves up as authority -- it was surprising reading that so many times how this man was so wary of organizations. Now I understand.
LETTER TO JAPP
Jaap:
Today you asked me to contact you in writing so you tell me some details -- I absolutely have NO idea as I have not done anything wrong whatsoever [and as it turned out Jaap had NOTHING, ZILCH in terms of legitimate grievance against me because at all times I had acted perfectly properly and morally and lawfully so he had NOTHING to substantiate his creepy, vulgar action which was just based on trying to kiss up to Friedrich Grohe, and to try to quash scrutiny and my constructive criticism which members of public have every right to do since KFA is not a private club].
An ancient philosopher said a society that can't tell the difference between its good and bad men will fall to pieces. There's little hope for an entity that can't tell if someone is a friend or a foe.
Please explain the reasoning behind interrupting my meeting with Tom today and asking me to leave. I had an appointment with him to talk for 10 minutes -- we've been friends since 1983 when we met K here for the first time and have met many times over the years without a chap like you rudely trying to interrupt our meeting without proper cause.
I have visited KFA offices for decades and have never seen such a rude treatment and even then, with zero explanation whatsoever because I absolutely have no idea what you're thinking. I have NEVER done anything against KFA's rules and policies -- have always respected KFA's space even when I was irrationally and absolutely unjustifiably and without any provocation whatsoever was attacked by Michael Krohnen who physically hit me and uttered profanity in the living room of Krishnamurti's house. I stayed calm because what he did was stupid. His plot to get me to react failed. He didn't have a reason then and you do not have a reason now.
He did not have a case then because I have always respected KFA's rules and respected its rights. If he had a case that would have been officially communicated to me. Instead he made up a nonsensical, delusional rule on the fly as though the foundation is owned by his mommy -- why? Because of some illusions in his head which had nothing to do with him. The he lied to KFA and in doing so he said that Mark and James had blessed his attack on me. Once his plot thawed he said I am welcome here anytime. He is not in a legislative role at the KFA though he acts as he is.
In this civilized society there is a board of trustees and if they want to live beyond a dark-ages mentality if they think there has been a violation they need to contact the subject and give him a chance to state his point of view because as in the case of Krohnen we can see people can get caught in deep illusions followed by lies to cover up stupid actions.
Where is the Krishnamurti in this? We can "disseminate" all we want but first we have to live it. And perhaps because his job security and riding Krishnamurti's Mercedes was so important that he had to lie instead of manning up and admitting his mistake instead of making stories. But having the Big Boys behind him in this bullying act it wasn't that simple - he passed on the blame onto them and what's the best cover up? Make it my fault. Do you see how silly this is? K talked extensively about love of truth - finding truth - inquiring into truth. Where is your inquiry? If you've found truth and have a case why does KFA has to resort to bullying (assuming Big Boys supported empowered Krohnen as their bully). I am 100% sure the Board didn't know about this covert plan. What have I done wrong specifically other than the fact that Mark may not like that I exercise my right to speak freely?
If this has anything to do with <the lady Krohnen harassed> several people heard her case and all believed her -- connecting me with her story is a lame attempt to discredit me -- the same attempt that your big boys have used time and again probably because as Krohnen said to me and Ulrich (whom I asked to act as a mediator) once, in his view (and the big boys probably), nobody from the outside has a right to make comments about the Foundation. Krohnen attacking me has nothing to do with whatever he said or did or didn't say or do to <the lady Krohnen harassed>. What she wrote to you are absolutely her words and not mine, in case you like to assume all kinds of illusions.
FYI, in case there's any uncertainty about this, I did not pay <the lady Krohnen harassed>, I have never had a romantic dealing with her, I have NEVER told her to do anything or say anything with regards to Krohnen's dealings with her. Furthermore, I have never had an intention to hurt Krohnen, get him fired, or any of those vicious things -- I am not a vicious person. I loved him even after he attacked me before. So this whole idea of blaming Ranji's case on me is absolutely false.
And in case it is unclear to you, I carry no enmity about Krohnen. He had gone through these emotional irrational stupid outbursts before and every time I see him I see him as a new person. I have considered though to file a police report only for my own protection in case he hits me again somewhere. I do not trust him but I carry no grudges. If anything Mark Lee and James Paul may have some explaining to do to the Board about why they approved this covert action without the Board's authorization IF they did so -- this coming from Krohnen I am not sure if it's true or not, but "knowing" the big boy club and Mark and James' particular issues, which are not my problem and I can explain exactly why, I assume it's probably true.
Eventually we will all go away and the dogma that surrounds great men after his death as characterized by your action today will be distant history. Just this past week I bought 4 copies of Think on These Things for a 18, 15, 29, 18 year olds. I regularly have discussions with many many people about fundamental questions of life.
I urge you to:
a) give me a specific reason for your action today
b) consider for a moment that you may not have all the facts -- that the organizational image making may be just as distorted and illusory as personal image making.
c) remember that you are a public organization -- aside from the non profit status, there is a general public who is interested in K's work and some of them have an interest in the working of the Foundations.
d) I am keeping quiet about this matter for the moment. Even Galileo was put on trial and had a chance to know what the "religious" dictators were upset about. I absolutely have NO idea what the reasoning behind your action today was. I urge you to tell your people to stop trumpeting their fictitious victory. There is no war. I can't wait to see your reasoning. If I see the airwaves gossiping about this I will have to go public about this immediately too. I have contacted you several times but you have just ignored me -- check out some K's works and his discourses about ignorance.
Thank you for responding to this request.
Japp, when we make a mistake we can either admit it and get on with life or try to cover it up -- K101: fragmented action leads to more fragmented action. Krohnen made a mistake in physically and verbally attacking me -- he absolutely had no right to do so. In fact he violated my rights and broke the law but I didn't go after him because of love for K and his work and being aware of the deeper layers... KFA made a mistake in believing that this was somehow my fault. The Big Boys' plot to oust me failed. I can perfectly explain why their reasoning held NO water -- the grudges they held had no rational basis -- I never violated their rights -- they may have a problem with freedom of speech but California doesn't.
We are in a place which is one of the most advanced in the Nation regarding Freedom of Speech. A person who witnessed how I was attacked called KFA and Krohnen's behavior fascist and that similar thing had happened to him. Management by bullying is a thing of the past.
I also never put anyone in false light or invaded anyone's privacy. They never had a case or else they would not have had to resort to bullying. And they go around trying to discredit me. It has occurred to me to run a full-page ad in the Ojai paper to set the record straight - but so far I had hesitate because of my relationship with K's work.
I call that we make peace. But it'll require talking not ignoring the issue.
Regards
Reza
[Jaap went on to cowardly ignore my request for a dialogue, even when KFA's own trustees asked him to do so, because he was too coward to face the facts, because he had lied and lies are afraid of truth.]
EXCERPT FROM LETTER TO KFA TRUSTEES
... I have come forward with my criticisms of KFA always with something constructive to offer, But the way KFA seems to handle some critics is to shoot them down through cunning means, character attack, smear, slander, lies, bullying, etc. -- and I have never seen an organization have so much tolerance for incompetence. In any other well managed organization in the world some of the people who are calling the shots would have been fired a long time ago - whether because they cost the organization huge losses or they got engaged in covert activities which are against decency and the organization's charter, which could lead to serious reputation damage for the organization let alone injured and upset individuals.
The above is a fact. It's not an opinion, but watch how the organization reacts to it. Apply K's teachings -- mirror of relationship which seems to have been missing for those who have the privilege of having been close to K - whether edited his work or shined his shoes - doesn't matter - proximity leads to privilege apparently in this organization, and gains them protection and an attitude of "anything goes".
Silencing critics through character attacks is an old trick -- discrediting the messenger allows you to discard the message. And year after year of not hearing - closing eyes and ears in order to not truth-test the organizational image-making which is largely based on one or two people's combination of stupidity, image making, utter illusions, desires to maintain power and position, will to power, and other motives which have been called Fascist by some of the people you've pissed off over the years. And total disregard for truth is at the heart of this -- something which is very contrary to K's entire teachings which is about finding truth.
Part of the smear campaign I guess, reading between the lines, is that I was banned from KFT (which is an utter lie) and maybe Japp got confused so that led to his attack. They don't come out and say it directly -- I've heard so much untrue garbage said behind people's backs by KFA that it's mind boggling. On the subject of KFT, I visited it 3 years in a row to participate in the summer work party -- where us volunteered helped prepare the Brockwood Park school and the grounds for the next term. All three years they were very appreciative of my participation. Since then there has been no interactions between me and KFT except to talk to some friends there informally from time to time. I have not had the chance to go there b/c I had no time to travel to UK. There's nothing more to it. I am not banned from going there, and have never been. If anybody says that's not the case they're lying.
As for the other sagas which Michael Krohnen has been brooding on which led to an awful incident of bullying which he claims was approved by Mark and James and I am 100% sure that was not approved by the board because if they had a case they would not need to resort to bullying -- but I bet the board never bothered asking James and Mark, "what the hell was that" and demand accountability. A well managed organization learns from its mistakes -- KFA doesn't - it doesn't even ask - it sugar coats mistakes as though they never happened.
...
LETTER TO KFA TRUSTEES
Dear Trustees of KFA
Happy New Year.
I recently met with a trustee and I have full trust in her but our meeting was informal and instead of assuming something formal will come out of it I am writing to you to make an implicit assumption which I beg you to differ. I do not expect a board decision about me because there has been no decision to begin with and there is no need for one.
For the last 30 years I have always been welcomed at all K foundations including KFA and KFT and KFI (never visited KFL) and have never been restricted from visiting any of them.
The last 2.5 months since Japp's hostility has been very painful, distressful, and enervating because I received no explanation whatsoever for his action, and had to waste a lot of time trying to reach out to KFA and speculate what the problem might be, but I could not find a single case of wrongdoing. And you have not told me what the reason is because there is no reason! Given an absence of a reasonable cause for Japp's action, and lack of a board decision to support his action, I assume, Japp's action was a mistake (see FOOTNOTE: "INFLUENCE" below) and therefore I am indeed welcome to your places as I have been for the last 30 years since I first saw K and volunteered there.
If this is not the case please let me know immediately -- it would be only civil and reasonable if you provided a reason. Otherwise I assume there is no case and since KFA has followed James Paul's bad management decision to "ignore Reza" (his self-protecting motive in this is very clear to me), I assume if you do have a problem that justifies banning me then you would tell me what it is. You do not know what the problem is, because there is no problem -- there is no case against me. K went at length talking about problem of ignorance and spent so much energy talking about the power of understanding and attention vs. ignoring / suppressing / controlling. To a good manager this is intuitive.
As a student and practitioner of management science it is very clear to me that the problem is with management. Good management is a specific talent / skill that some people do not have - they can be trained on it and talent helps - both appear to have been missing at KFA as indicated by the disgruntled people who've been in relationship with KFA, and sad to say I just met people at a party in Ojai who are very upset at KFA.(see FOOTNOTE: "PUBLIC RELATIONS").
If you want to bar me for saying this that's further proof of my point. Good management hears constructive criticism and uses it positively instead of what KFA has done for years which is to try to protect it's institutional ego (hint: "you are the world") and go at lengths to discredit the messenger in order to discard the message, and to use one of K's central theme, engaging in institutional image making, again, a direct reflection of personal consciousness including those who have the most contact with public.
I have provided constructive feedback to KFA as I know others have, but sometimes we hit the same wall. I am not pressing a case that KFA has to change - that is your business not mine - the seed of change is in understanding what-is. All I want is to be able to go to your places and not be bullied. And if something comes to my mind I will speak it - stick to truth as I always have - and deeply examine my opinions with the scientific spirit. This is very contrary to the mindset that KFA exhibits -- I am sorry and sad to say -- which shares many characteristics (which I can point out) of a totalitarian dogmatic mindset, and this is contradictory to philosophy, love of truth and wisdom, which is central to K's message. This mindset seems to be promoted by parties who were close to K which influences newcomers like Japp. See FOOTNOTE "MYTH" below.
KFA is doing a lot of great work. I want to help it and collaborate with it in areas which I am sure will be very productive. I have tried to help KFA throughout the years going back to K's days at whatever level I could. I have several letters of appreciation. I have also helped other foundations. My most recent visits to Brockwood were to participate for three years in the summer work party -- pictures are on my site -- and have visited the schools in India and done concerts and dialogues there. I have never been restricted from attending any K places anywhere because I am a friend and good management recognizes a friend from a foe. It's worrisome signs that KFA might not understand this -- I recently met a potential large donor who is upset at KFA because of the behavior of your people on the ground. Antisthenes' remark is alarming: "Commonwealths fall and perish when good citizens cannot be distinguished from bad."
K was deeply concerned about the problem of having any organization around him -- about corruption and authority. There are disturbing signs of these at the KFA as related to management of roles and responsibilities.
have no axe to grind against anybody -- my responsibility in any relationship is to go in without an image -- this is my daily life and not a theory and has perfumed every aspect of my life and relationships whether it's in running projects, in arts, in investments, etc.
How has this perfume, these precious pointers called "K's teachings, helped KFA's relationships? As K pointed out, living it is the root of dissemination. KFA has a lot of good intelligent people but is apparently weak in management based on indication I and several people have observed. I am happy to help you in any way using my qualifications as a management consultant / business analyst, free of charge (resume attached). There are a lot of references on www.rezamusic.com under the biography section.
FOOTNOTE: MYTH
K was concerned at the end of his life about how much his teaching was grasped by people around him -- I wrote about it under the title "the myth of nobody got it" in a couple of circulars available on my website (www.rezamusic.com) which is a recurring theme and misunderstood by many.
I recently met with a young person who's attended many dialogues and when I mentioned this "nobody got it" subject that keeps coming up she burst into laughter because she's see it come up often as well. The reason behind it is off topic, but briefly, I believe it's used as a justification to meet the challenges K presents -- "if nobody got it - I can't get it either - so why bother". Long story. But I dug into this deeply through several interviews with trustees and people who were there and I believe he was referring to some people who were close to him.
Mary Lutynes referred to that too and resembled it to being too close to sun vs. far enough to be warmed not burned.
FOOTNOTE: INFLUENCE
I can speculate Japp was influenced by same nonsense, crazy illusions, slander and noise propagated by Krohnen. Japp and Krohnen were there and Mark was driving up as I swiftly left. Last time Krohnen attacked me he later indicated he had the green light from Mark and James -- I am sure the Board had not authorized it because if they had, and if there was a reasonable cause, they would not need to use vulgarity and bullying. Furthermore, approving of such acts further empowers a person who is already a self-appointed policy maker and spokesman for the foundation more grounds to continue in that spirit which is very bad for the foundation.
FOOTNOTE: PUBLIC RELATIONS
I recently met four people - three at a party in Ojai - and one elsewhere - a few days ago who are very upset at KFA. One of them is so upset at Krohnen who wants to put together an editorial and publicize this. Another one if very upset at another one of your key people.
Krishnamurti Was Right In Wanting To Dissolve The KFA And Calling It An Idiotic Foundation
Krishnamurti called KFA an "Idiotic" foundation.
Let's look at why he was 100% right and why KFA has been catastrophically mismanaged
As it applies to my situation or my observations:
- There were inner wars involving several staff who left
- Millions were lost in the stock market as against K's wish (get proof)
- The building caretaker who was K's cook makes Foundation policies
- They run covert operations to bully visitors
- They make institutional image making
- They have no interest in finding truth.
- They prefer their untested illusions so they don't communicate.
- They want to kiss the sound of any dissent.
- They believe people from outside the foundation have no business commenting about the work of the foundation.
- In Summary, KFA is the most pathetic organization ever and despite its good people who are involved in the archives, publication projects, etc., it's a dishonor to Krishnamurti's legacy. What else is new? K foresaw this clearly.
If K was a guru who cherished having organizations and hierarchies we could expect
- A 1000 dollar donation I wanted to make to the school went to someone who needed it more.
~~~
Review
Krishnamurti talked about many profound things like search for truth, importance of inquiry, importance of truth, the perils of organizations, the role of the foundations, the real meaning of dissemination, the perils of power etc., and yet, some of his most profound teachings seem to be missing from the way this place is run, based on my experience. It used to be good but then it went downhill with the dictatorial heavy-handed management of Jaap Sluijter which I find to be very contrary to the energy and spirit of K.
~~~
Krishnamurti was a great man but be careful when you go to this place. There are some fanatics there who can be very unpleasant to say the least. If anybody gets too close to you, move away. You don't need to go to this place to grasp the vast and profound teachings of Krishnamurti.
~~~
When I visited this place I was assaulted without any provocation on my part. I have heard of strange stories from a number of other people too. Krishnamurti was a great man and warned about organizations throughout his life. I visited it for many years last time being a couple of years ago and have seen it go downhill because of what seems to be a management issue -- an Executive Director (Jaap Sluijter) who's exhibited some heavy handed dictatorial dogmatic behavior to say the least, and according to several people I know who visited the place who know its history, it doesn't have the same spirit. It's a pity since this was K's home and should have been respected far more and cared for with much more attention. My message and reason for this posting is, don't treat this place like a mecca. And if you're going there to find Krishnamurti's vibrations, find it in his books -- the way KFA has been managed is very contrary to several aspects of Krishnamurti's teachings, in my opinion, and opinion of some others I respect. March 2015 is the earliest date that's listed here and I pick that since I don't remember the exact date I visited but have visited the place many times. This was Mary Zimbalist's home also and I visited her several times too when she was alive. I was also there the morning after Krishnamurti died. Pity for such a historic great place to be directed by Jaap Sluijter whom I do not trust because of several of his wrong actions.
Quotes
“Jaap always leaves at the crucial moment”
A favorite saying of Jaap or perhaps a famous Dutch saying: "there's nothing we can do about it!" -- Can't Do !! Poor K!!
KFA Hypocritically Asking For Donations
They’re using K’s picture, name, and words to raise money but not living his teachings, and in fact have no clue since they've engaged in bullying, image making, harassment, etc.
~~~
A Krishnamurti Foundation America post asking for donations sounded so hypocritical and got the following response, which of course, they deleted because I believe some people there have exhibited a cultist, dogmatic mentality. It's sad that it's turned this way, especially when their founder, one of the most intelligent, passionate and energetic people I ever met, warned about perils of organizations being set up around his work. He was a freelancer since early in life, and broke away from all systems and ideologies...
Goodwill is earned. K spent 65 years talking and sharing his brilliant wisdom and he earned it. KFA lost several key friends and have been good at alienating some people, and in idiotic moves of some people there -- no wonder K called them the idiotic foundation at some point.
I have no hope for the place as long as it's being managed by Jaap and Rabindra and company. I do not give a penny to this organization. And it's hypocritical for some of their people like Jaap to have acted as they have done in some situations and then try to promote K's teachings too and ask for money too! K himself said at core of dissemination of anything is living it. The preservation job is more or less done (digitization) and the dissemination, from what I understand may not be going so well -- hardly surprising given some of the decisions made there which far more resemble a dogmatic, control-freak, cultist, polarized mindset than the love and peace and freedom and dialogue and understanding that K talked about. An ENTIRELY different quality of energy than what K means to me and some others, including some of his closest friends.
One of their best people quit a few months ago.
Feedback to Online Review About Jaap Sluijter
I sent the following feedback to the online review -- trust me, I'd be the last person on earth to want to defend KFA or Jaap but given I felt this person was ignorant about some basic rules of publication I sent this:
The following lines are problematic unless you have proof that they are true. I suggest making the corrections. There's a strong enough case that Jaap & Co. have made for themselves by some of their idiotic actions -- there is no need to state untruth -- in my book there's never a need to state untruth -- it's flat out wrong to do but Jaap & Co. have not had an issue using falsehood to achieve a sick end (I can prove this).
"However, the new director with the help of the board of directors uses foundation funds for the director to take winter vacations to Hawaii."
I've heard that Jaap Sluijter and Rabindra Singh (and Frode Steen I heard) are engaged in business or real-estate dealing in Hawaii. I know about Jaap and Rabindra from multiple sources -- one having heard it from Jaap himself. However, I have seen no evidence that KFA funds Jaap's vacation to Hawaii. If you mean his paid vacation is funded by KFA, every employee has paid vacation, but any other funding of this, I have to see it to believe it.
"and travel to major cities around the world at the foundations expense, something Krishnamurti was opposed to. "
The first part is true I suppose unless those trips are funded by people Jaap visits. The irony is most people in Ojai haven't heard of K and Jaap has gone all over the place and has said he's too busy to read emails and fanatically blocked access to the entire staff, reportedly even during their off time, to whom he considers to be a critic. Typical dictatorial mindset which Karen tried to rationalize by saying he's Dutch / big man - but simple research into Dutch culture invalidates that rationalization.
Anyway, was K opposed to it? I'd say K was opposed to preachers putting on air miles and free hotels and meals IF they haven't lived the teachings and I can point to a number of areas where K has acted contrary to K's teachings.
"$400000 of dwindling funds were used to build a yoga facility without bathrooms or utilities , something the local community has in abundance". I don't know the exact figure but that was one hell of a stupid move -- and I agree that that region is flooded with yoga studios. "[Krishnamurti's] home was badly damaged due to poor maintenance and neglect"
Jaap said he will never repair the Besant Road because HE never goes there!
I know of Jaap having neglected other areas -- he said he'd never repair the Besant Road even if it turns to gravel because HE never goes there. And we know what kind of state the Oak Grove is in -- I have pictures of how it was neglected. And not to mention the tree graveyard -- many of those trees could have been saved.
There's money for useless yoga gazebo (Ojai is full of yoga places) but no money for taking care of the trees and the land and the road which were neglected
Many Oak trees could have been saved.
Besant Road could have been repaired.
The Oak Grove could have been taken care of so it doesn't end up in such deplorable condition.
But that did not happen. These areas were neglected by KFA under directorship of Jaap Sluijter. But an expensive unnecessary yoga gazebo was built, which was totally unneeded as the Ojai is full of yoga places, and yoga classes have been held at the K library anyway.
A visitor / donor wrote: "Sad to see what it has become, they cut down the orange trees K planted to build a Yoga Temple, poorly managed. "
Another Screw-up
Someone gives a check to the Foundation for a large amount, and specifically says it should not be cashed till a certain date, but KFA, on Jaap Sluijter's watch tries to cash the check before the specified date and that screws things up.
Krishnamurti Retreat / Library Rules Seem Like Rules At A Military Compound
One of the key aspects of visiting a Krishnamurti place is the spirit of all that K spent a lifetime talking about. Those of us who met K (Jaap has not) and know his vibes, and the vibes of these K places for a long time before the decadent mismanagement takes over (decadence away from what K taught and associated values and attitudes, rooted in peace, freedom, understanding, etc.
The "rules" are in my opinion over done, unnecessary, freaky, obsessive, and portray a mentality that is so unfit for that place. I visited there for years before Jaap and his in my opinion, lousy, horrible attitude ruin the place. Before his time the place was not perfect but the management didn't have to say blunt lies to people to further some twisted agenda. Before then, staff were not cry because they have an old friend and supporter of the foundation visiting, especially when the staff member has cancer all over his body! And the Executive Director didn't have to put on a show to show off, which is so contrary to K's work and whole discourse on image making. And so on and so forth.
But the rules are the tragic comedy. Reading through the whole inscription was a mind-blowing experience as ridicule would float out of one's ears as one reads what's installed on the Library wall, and made you wonder if you're in a military camp. That was my experience with Jaap's in my opinion preposterous mismanagement of K's Foundation in USA (KFA).
And he lived up to that horrible impressions by coming across as so rude, so incredibly arrogant, and with a kind of vibes that sort of explain why various people have criticized the way he's mishandled some things. Frankly I find what's become of KFA as disgustingly far from important aspects of K's teachings.
Karen Hesli
Karen Hesli was at the time the Secretary of the Board of Trustees (in fact I nominated her as a Trustee when they were looking for a Trustee and she was not in the pool of prospective candidates -- and subsequently she became a Trustee) and as such had, and should have had enough power to take this Jaap subject bull by the horn. But she was too weak. She's a wonderful beautiful angelic wise woman, but she was too weak in that role and got walked all over by Jaap and his political influence (Grohe big money influence / backing -- after all he was reportedly taken to KFA by Grohe's guy and had every support of Grohe while he wore his "everything is perfect" optimistic bias, "rose-colored glasses".
We don't know the extent of the business dealings of Jaap and Rabindra in Hawaii -- and Frode Steen as well -- and latest figure that came out of Hawaii was Paul Herder, a fugitive who allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a 14 year old Oak Grove School student. They busted him in Hawaii. I don't know if he ended up there because of these folks but he certainly knew them. He was arrested and sent to law enforcement in Ventura, California.
Karen Hesli at the time attributed Jaap's military style of management (of a K foundation !!) as a Dutch matter, but she was wrong about that. Her premise was Dutch culture is very hierarchical but it absolutely is not -- it's the opposite: many flat organizations.
~~~
Another Writeup on Jaap's Freaky Rules
Rules – been to many places – never seen such set of rules which seem really ridiculous and a shame for a K retreat to have to have such rules. I’m not questioning the legitimacy of each rule although some of them have very funny implications if you analyze them deeply and reflect a mindset that has a problem and I don’t believe is aligned with the founder’s spirit at all.
Take a place like Esalen – it has thousands of visitors every year – they house and feel hundreds of people every day – they have elaborate facilities which make K’s retreat like comparing a small town kindergarten with Harvard university. And as for the rules – I asked them about it: they said we don’t really even have a set of rule. Ok, smoking is not allowed indoors which is a state law I think – and the only rule they have is to be mindful which is not even a rule – it’s a guideline.
Now K retreat has a full page of rules (LOL) – more than 40 lines – and I counted lines since they’re mostly single space!
And what about? There’s a whole section about guests harassing staff (LOL). In all of the many many years I’ve been there I’ve never seen a guest or anybody harass a staff member. Why would they. I have however, seen and also heard of from credible sources cases of, the other way around – i.e., staff harassing guests. I was a subject of such a harassment myself and I’ll demonstrate it here.
So they have other funny things like rules against challenging (LOL) Directors or staff. Again, I’ve never seen such a thing which seemed it required a rule against it. Anyway what does challenge mean? The only example I can find is an intellectual challenge where a staff member might say X and in all civility a visitor might say but Y – and this happens in the dialogues they offer - - so this is meaningless
Months To Cook Up An Excuse For His Misconduct
It took months for Jaap Sluijter to come up with an excuse to rationalize his dishonest misconduct. Karen Hesli investigated the matter for months and could not explain why Jaap did what he did -- so there must have been no valid reason -- in fact there was not! But months later, Jaap cooked up a bogus excuse to rationalize his misconduct! That's a fact!
Escalation Path: Back On Jaaps' Desk!!
In my opinion, based on direct experience:
If you like to escalate a decision Japp makes the escalation path is that it comes back to Jaap's desk !!
In other words, Board of Trustees is not empowered to have a say in the matter escalated because Jaap runs the place with the attitude he told a person I know, that the Board does what he wants. So he's all powerful, he calls the shots. He could only obtain so much power because of the Grohe Gang backing, in my opinion. No way, that normally an Executive Director would have so much power. Exact same as what's happening at KFT -- and Grohe Gang appointed the leadership there as is the case at KFA: Raman Patel and his cronies Nasser Shamim and Mina Masoumian -- and at KFA, Rabindra Singh and Jaap Sluijter. Both Rabindra and Raman are on Friedrich Grohe's payroll !
Hypocritical KFA
From an online posting by Reza Ganjavi
As long as Jaap Sluijter is the Executive Director and Rabindra Singh is a Trustee, the place is a hypocrite! K stood for truth, for love of truth. Jaap Sluijter intentionally propagated a falsehood he knew was false as truth. Rabindra Singh who reportedly brought Jaap to the foundation and works for Friedrich Grohe (big money) (and is reportedly has engaged in land deals with Jaap in Hawaii) also lied (false light is a form of lying). So you got these two key people in that place supposedly in charge of Krishnamurti's work. Krishnamurti was a giant mind who spent 60+ years talking about importance of inquiry, finding truth, and other things which some of these people running the place apparently don't consider too important otherwise they wouldn't put truth ahead of convenience for achieving sick ends which they could not otherwise achieve with truth. Also some of the same people who don't have a clue what K said apparently didn't read voluminous material he wrote about perils of organizations. So they make another organization, gang, trap, box, which K adamantly warned about. You can make nice websites but when wisdom is missing, it'll do no good.
Gordon, thanks for the note. It's a very serious matter. K spent a life time talking about search for truth, inquiry, giving importance to truth, not settling for anything less. That's the whole attitude of a great philosopher which he was -- lover of wisdom or lover of truth as he defined it. Yet you get these characters running his foundation. And if you trace how it happened it's quite disturbing. The day Rabindra was "discovered" by Friedrich Grohe he reportedly told a friend of his, every group needs a guru and he's going to rise to the top like creme. At what price? By stepping on what? Now we know. And Jaap is a strange kind of creature -- the list of his screw-ups is long. K would have fired these people in a snap, in my opinion.
KFA's Unwise "Big Boys"
K provides a giant treasure. If only some of the people at his foundation had a clue and would have their eyes on the divine instead of power, politics, psychological security, and delusions of thought. Yes, as the quote you always have at the bottom of your emails states, love is all important, but not at KFA. The big boys don't have the wisdom and intelligence to know they can't throw "firecrackers" on people and just expect them to just walk away and everything is honky dory. So the problem is one of stupidity which like Einstein pointed out is infinite.
Distorting Krishnamurti
- Jaap has no clue of what k was about energetically / presence / mind / etc.
- Distorting K's voice
K talked in the background of crows and birds and background of trees or something calm.
The Foundations have changed him, synthesized his voice, added spacey psychedelic bullshit scenes like from scary movies or someone on drugs, as background. What a disservice to K.
These are the crudest ways of distortions by minds who couldn't grasp K's message. Shame shame shame.
Altered Board Meeting Minutes?
In my opinion, based on direct experience:
Given KFA is tax-exempt, the public can request to see Board meeting minutes which I did and it seemed, it gave me the opinion, that they were washed down as there was no mention about some of the things that were discussed in the minutes. I had the impression that the minutes were improperly altered in the process of satisfying the disclosure rule.
Any Integrity At KFA?
Last line of an email I sent...
"Hey, KFA... any integrity in that neck of woods to come clean and look at me in the eyes and intend to clean up the mess your big boys made? I doubt it. They're too big, too much money supporting them in the background.......... POOR KRISHNAMURTI ........ if you read his history you know his attitude towards money and power....... and how he walked away from it all in favor of truth. Do you see the difference now?"
About KFA Governance & Jaap's Lies
A couple of KFA "trustees" are participating on a panel about K's work tomorrow.
In fact, I recommended both of them, Michael Mendizza & Karen Hesli, to become trustees, but of course I would not have, had I known how weak they are in standing up to likes of Jaap, Rabindra Singh, Mark Lee and a few others dogmatic members of the board. Jaap totally ignored Michael's call, just as he told someone he just ignored emails from trustees. There's a lot more to the story which I will publish but it's not time critical so it will happen when it will happen but my aim is to empty my consciousness off these weasels ASAP.
What I might tell Karen / Michael / Mark / Rabindra / and a few others on the KFA's board is... I wonder if you guys have any clue of K's discussion on importance of truth. If you did, you wouldn't be swayed by the lies fabricated by your big boy(s?) and you'd be strong and stand up and say, wait a minute, you're assuming this and that, let's find out if it's true. Of course that was not done and of course truth becomes secondary when there's an agenda -- but part of K's work was to not compromise truth. But KFA has done just that and that's why it's a hopeless organization, in my opinion.
You're wasting your time and resources of the foundation (which I guess I should call Jaap Mark Rabindra, etc. Foundation) as long as you haven't grasped the importance of truth, and what it means to NOT compromise truth in the way you've done. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You could not reach your sick goal with truth so you had to fabricate lies. Congratulations.
Karen, you out of all people KNEW perfectly well that the lie that "Francesca Michelle Lies" (what a last name!) fabricated was investigated by Jaap and he told you and I together at the same time that it was NOT true. But he takes the same lie and uses it against me as though it's true -- and you stand behind it. What kind of a Board Secretary are you when you know your executive director is lying? Why didn't you put a stop to it ?! Is it because of the reasons you cited for him being the dominant person he is -- Dutch, Big, Man, Authoritarian?!
What kind of leadership is that? You should resign Karen?
<>
So anything you guys do in trying to disseminate K is a waste of time so long as you haven't grasped this K-101 concept of importance of truth and live it. If you did KFA wouldn't need lies to stand on. You've had your chances. But KFA's style under the pathetic leadership of Jaap is to throw bombshells and ignore it. Life doesn't work like that. Another K-101 principle Jaap could ponder if he has time in between his flights and so on is IMPORTANCE OF ORDER. And while you're at it contemplate on K-101 concept of YOU ARE THE WORLD -- if him and those of you who supported him had any clue him and you wouldn't be contributing to the ugliness and tyranny of the world through the same very actions that are ruining the world.
Ya, KFA is everything that K ever dreaded and you are the cause of it. So do K a favor and if you really care for his work, and resign.
~~~
A Trustee called the situation Jaap created by lying through his teeth as "So preposterous. It would be ludicrous if it were not tragic. And profoundly destructive."
~~~
A former Trustee wrote: "Reza has a point in his letter. He was right three years ago, two years ago and last year. I don't think that that it will be a change at the KFA.
~~~
Priscilla: "I have been touched by K's message: "Be a light onto yourself", but have not been well impressed by the Foundations particularly due to lack of transparency. Now I am glad to see some of this surfacing and in the internet! I too once wrote an "Open Letter to the Foundations", and never received an answer. My feeling is they do not question themselves enough, they are happy to represent "the K World", which is clearly a fabrication of thought.
Being interested in K's message means being interested in living in awareness. One discovers everything there, not in books or somebody else's experience, be it K or the Buda!
Thanks for sharing your impressions."
Hi Priscilla. Don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't receive responses or feels that way. "Ignorance is bliss" seems to be the style of some people around this work (vs. K's decades of discourse about attention, resolution, order, etc. -- but all that probably sound Greek to some people -- or is conveniently brushed off because those things threaten the presence of other motives which to some are more important than truth. I have seen some at one of the foundations step on truth for the sake of convenience, yet have the nerve to shamelessly quote K and preach about him!
Can you send me a copy of your open letter to the foundation?
Thanks
Reza
I'm doing a documentary on KFA after coming to the unwanted conclusion that they're hopeless and the worst of all organizations I've ever had to deal with -- and having been in the consulting business for many years I've had clients in many sectors and from private to public to international to non-profit -- and never seen anything as badly run as KFA. It's a catastrophe. And the sad part is K saw it coming.
You're not the only one who's felt that Priscilla -- there is a long list of people who feel they were abused or mistreated or are otherwise upset at the foundation I know -- and there are direct experiences myself which have been tragic -- like dealing with the worst of dogmatic dictatorships who have absolutely no interest in truth.
And on the other hand we have K who spent a lifetime talking about truth and these people at KFA are supposed to be running his organization and DISSEMINATING that great man's work. How can you make up a lie and then go around talking about Krishnamurti? How can you bully people and then preach Krishnamurti? How can you make up false stories to dazzle people and have the nerve to talk K? The list is long...
The lack of response you experienced is not atypical -- at least for KFA -- ignorance is the name of the game -- and even worse: throw fire cracker on someone and then just ignore it and hope they'll just go away. It doesn't work like that.
Your remark about "K-world" is also good. I never liked that term. Of course it was promoted by people who felt they ruled that world (LOL)... the sectarian, polarized thinking in some of these circles is disgusting. KFA was pretty poorly managed by Mark Lee but not as bad as when Jaap Sluijter came on board -- then the gloves were off and K out the window. Dilution, lie, carelessness, ignorance, and worst management I've ever seen -- I'm ashamed to even call it management. I went to graduate school of management and I can't call what's happening at KFA management.
And of course the powers that be think everything is just honky dory. The facts that KFA has tried to ignore and bury and discredit tell a different tale.
But as for a solution? I've given up all hope. The place is doomed -- just like K dreaded -- and it has the characteristics that both according to ancient philosophers as well as modern management science are indicators of disaster.
I will tell my story and the story of some of the others who've decided to join me in speaking their voice -- and hand the facts about what I believe to be a terrible, ugly, pathetic organization known as KFA to history.
K called KFA idiotic at some point. With Mark Lee & Jaap Sluijter & some of their board members, they have made sure that assessment has come true -- but "idiotic" is way too polite -- the problem is far deeper and rooted in stupidity, cunningness, selfishness, laziness, and egocentric activity.
Yes as you indicated there's (a ray of) hope in social media. But for now they've got K hostage. They're sitting on a big property and lots of money and none of the other foundations has the guts insight determination energy or urgency to do anything about it.
I know several past trustees including real close friends of K who want to have nothing to do with the idiotic foundation KFA.
On Facebook someone posted on this thread questioning whether the foundations are even needed. If these folks are living K's teachings they should be asking that question to themselves. Something is needed. But not an entity that lies and dilutes K run by people who have no clue about that vast intelligence that K embodied -- take Mark Lee for example and his latest book which misleads people with regards to at least one important concept related to K.
Sincerely,
~~~
K went out of his way not to be esoteric. He also had no interest whatsoever to impress people. He didn't wear flashy robes, didn't vomit golden eggs, didn't pull ash out of the air using ash balls hidden in his hand, didn't teach exotic techniques, etc etc etc
The sad part is K saw this coming and repeatedly warned about it. He also said at the core of dissemination is living it. If a person understands and lives the pointers and challenges K puts forth, he would not be interesting in dazzling exotic nonsense that Mark feeds his audience in his talks and distortions in his book -- he's projecting his lack of understanding onto millions of others. Truly a sad case of misleading people, idolizing K, and by the same token, shooting him down by his ridiculous claims of K getting absorbed in traditions -- but all this puts KFA's utter recklessness in better perspective -- and that's not to mention another nightmare there called Jaap Sluijter. More details on all this coming up in a documentary I'm making.
Be well
Reza
Money Diverted to Yoga Pavilion?
"I'm not a great fan of Jaap. He refuses to install an accessible entrance to the Oak Grove from Besant Road".
"I asked Jaap several times about installing an accessible gate and he made it clear he's not interested. The money went to build a yoga pavilion."
"going on that bumpy [Besant] road knocked me out - and no gate to the Oak Grove. I feel like I'm being shut out".
She saw person shouting on cell phone going through the Oak Grove.
"It's a sacred place" she remarked, disappointed at how it is neglected by the Foundation (Jaap).
Education Professor: "these guys got it wrong!"
I met a senior education professor who had attended an education seminar at KFA. She had a good grasp of K's work and was very insightful about K and his views on education. She said about the people running the seminar: "these guys got it wrong!"
Former Oak Grove Staff About KFA's Disregard For Truth
I met an old friend who used to teach at the Oak Grove School. He said he doesn't want to have anything to do with KFA "because they disregard the truth - they lie".
DISGRUNTLED FORMER SUPPORTERS OF KFA
Unfortunately I’ve become yet another person among others who’ve KFA alienated over the years due to a number of reasons which are very clear to me – K spent a lifetime talking about it and it doesn’t appear to me as though some key people in this organization have risen to those important challenges K poses.
Another factor of course is management and people skills in general – and all these have one thing in common: love. And love can’t be defined positively – there seems to be an abundance of what’s not love in the minds of some of the people there, which pretty much kills it, and translates into viciousness, egotism, lack of inquiry, and even disregard for truth which I’ve witnessed and experienced in dealing with this terrible organization. It’s really too bad because this place could be flourishing. Every marketer knows, it costs a lot more to get new supporters than to keep existing ones. I have run into people who don’t want to have anything to do with organization, time and again. I don’t even look for it. They just show up! A real pity! Because one of the essences of K’s work was relationship.
JAAP SLUIJTER & RABINDRA SINGH (WITH PICTURES)
Friedrich Grohe's Gang (as he calls them) found their way to the top of Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA). When Grohe had "discovered" Rabindra Singh, Rabindra reportedly told a friend he will rise to the top, and he did (contrast that to Krishnamurti's teachings about ambition etc.). After Mary Zimbalist's death the Grohe Gang got strength (her presence was keeping them in check -- she was a close ally of Dr. Scott Forbes and the two of them were the closest people to Krishnamurti who trusted both of them fully. Mary Zimbalist kept the Grohe Gang at check and Friedrich at arm's length. Dr. Scott Forbes and Friedrich Grohe had a fall out in Brockwood Park when Friedrich was the "new kid in town" who showed up with a ton of money. His gang eventually engaged in influence mongering which I have documented in detail, culminating in the disastrous collapse of Inwoods School which our detailed investigation pointed to the Grohe Gang influence. i.e., Raman Patel, as a key figure, and Nasser Shamim and Mina Masoumian who were brought by Grohe/Patel and made all powerful, as some of the key forces behind the gross mismanagement at KFT / Brockwood Park.
The Grohe Gang influence mongering at KFA was done by Rabindra Singh becoming a Trustee, after Mary Zimbalist passed away -- and bringing of Jaap Sleuijter as Executive Director, which was the worst thing that happened to K's work since Rajagopal, in our opinion. Jaap became all powerful because of the backing of Rabindra Singh / Friedrich Grohe. Just as Nasser and Mina became all powerful at KFT because of the Raman Patel / Friedrich Grohe backing. The rest is history.
Rabindra Singh (employee of Friedrich Grohe) and their appointee Jaap Sluijter whom as an Executive Director took KFA to a new low.
JAAP SLUIJTER'S MISMANAGEMENT OF THE OAK GROVE (WITH PICTURES)
JAAP SLUIJTER NEGLECTED THE MAJESTIC OAK GROVE where Krishnamurti spoke in for decades. After decades of being cared for, it became a party place for drug and alcohol use, and filthy with dog shit and trash which could have absolutely been avoided if the place did not look like it was deserted, neglected, ignored, which it really was. That appears to be because of Jaap Sleuijter's mismanagement of the property and neglecting it.
After these pictures were published, and attention was raised to the Board of Trustees whom I view as useless and under Jaap's thumb (Jaap is on record for saying the Board will do anything he wants) -- another wrong another wrong action was taken, and instead of putting up some signs and educating and instructing the public, they drew an ugly prison-like fence around the entire areas -- a reflection of the psychological wall and fences of egotistic, divisive, separating, isolationist thinking, in my opinion, of this horrible mismanagement of the property of a non-profit tax-exempt entity which is accountable to People of California.
ANOTHER FICTION BY MARK LEE?
Mark Lee reportedly said K wanted a fence. I don't believe it - have not seen any reference for it - and it coming from Mark Lee makes me particularly disbelieve it given he's promoted total fiction as fact before. I asked a close friend of Krishnamurti who was personal friends and hung out with K like going to cinema together -- unlike Mark Lee who was in the background and made himself Mr. Everything Krishnamurti after K died.
The close friend of K wrote:
"K wanted the Oak Grove to be cared for but I don't recall him ever saying he wanted a fence around it or OGS. Last time I saw the Oak Grove, some years ago, it was in deplorable condition. You are right to be suspicious of Mark's comments about what K may have said."
DEPLORABLE STATE OF OAK GROVE BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT BY JAAP SLUIJTER / KFA (WITH PICTURES)
“I am, of course, saddened by the state of the foundation, mirrored as it is in the neglect of the Grove. I take no joy in stating that I could see this coming as far back as 15 years ago. That the foundation has fallen into a fiefdom of personal ambition is most distressing.” One of J. Krishnamurti’s closest friends
Oak Grove where Krishnamurti spoke for 60+ years turned into a cemetery of trees and filthy party place of drinkers and druggies after Jaap Sluijter became Executive Director, appointed by Friedrich Grohe and Gang / his employee Rabindra Singh who's a trustee of KFA too and property and/or business associate of Jaap in Hawaii.
JAAP SLUIJTER'S MISMANAGEMENT OF THE TREES (WITH PICTURES)
JAAP SLUIJTER NEGLECTED THE OAK GROVE. AN EXPERT ARBORIST SAID IF THEY HAD PAID A LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE TREES, THEY COULD HAVE SAVED MANY TREES EVEN DURING THE DROUGHT, BUT THAT THEY WERE APPARENTLY JUST IGNORED. IT SEEMS THAT JAAP JUST IGNORED THE TREES AND BLAMED THEIR MASSIVE DEATH TO THE DROUGHT. WHAT A SHAME FOR A MAJESTIC GROVE WHERE KRISHNAMURTI SPOKE IN FOR DECADES, AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO ATTENDED HIS TALKS THERE AND SENSED THE MYSTERY, THE OTHERNESS, THE SACRED TIMELESS MOVEMENT, AND THOSE TREES WERE VERY MUCH A PART OF THAT.
The Oak Grove has turned into a park. It used to be full of trees but now it's full of empty spaces left by many trees that died, apparently because of neglect as explained above.
Arborist said trees get stressed – a little care helps them survive. X said several specialists said many trees could have been saved at the Oak Grohe. But the trees did not get the care they deserved and many many died.
LETTER TO SOME TRUSTEES ABOUT OAK GROVE AND BESANT ROAD
1 Oct 2014
To: Some Trustees of various K foundations
Dear All:
I am not including KFA trustees because I have more than sufficient reasons to believe KFA is a dogmatic and hopeless organization.
<pictures>
Some of you saw K in Ojai. He spoke for several decades at the Oak Grove. Under Jaap's management or ignorance I should say (see below quote by him), the Oak Grove in a sad state. These pictures will speak for themselves.
Besant Road which leads up to the Oak Grove is in a pathetic shape. A recent letter to the neigbours by Ojai Retreat indicates that KFA's Jaap Sluijter has taken responsibility for a 17 month delay in resuming talks with neighbors about fixing the road. This resumption I believe is because of the pressure from Ojai Retreat as the road hurts its business and is unsafe. Some time ago Jaap Sluijter was asked by a credible source when he would fix the road. Jaap's answer was "never", saying, he couldn't care less even if Besant Road turned into gravel because he never goes up there!
But he did come up finally, recently, after another tree died. An expert estimates there are about 50 Oak Trees in K's Oak Grove which are dead or dying. A credible source indicates KFA was warned over a year ago after a tree expert indicated if proper watering (not too much, not too little) and care is instituted the trees could be saved.
Recently another tree died. It was a tragedy. The once great Oak Grove is losing its big Oak Trees. Even the two trees where K spoke under are in danger.
And the rest of the Oak Grove is in a sad state. Cigarette butts, trash, broken beer bottle, dog poop, etc. -- it's become a party spot for some people.
Jaap has said he never goes up there -- well apparently unless another tree dies like recently which blocks the way and tree service has to be called. So he must not see the trash -- ignorance is bliss. But the least KFA can do is to put up a sign -- maybe dog litter bags -- it can't cost much -- far cheaper than building a yoga gazebo -- a sign or two to ask for respect, that there is some history to this place -- the ancestors of those birds, and those trees, have witnessed a great man, who spoke of supreme intelligence -- something that I believe is not that present at KFA.
This is a small sign of a bigger problem which I'll exhibit more deeply soon.
Please let me know what you think of the state of Oak Grove. Do you see something disgraceful to K's legacy? He said care for the land. Is KFA caring for the land? Unfortunately, there are very disturbing signs of dogma in KFA and dogma blinds. I have given up on them.
Respectfully,
Reza Ganjavi
Main posting and comments by Reza Ganjavi
Vedic Chant at KFA: Jaap Sluijter, Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA) vs. Krishnamurti
J. Krishnamurti said: don't mix me with other things... how would he feel about what Krishnamurti Foundation America (KFA) has been doing, i.e., diluting him in a number of ways, the latest being, hosting a Vedic Chanting / Healing Voice workshop!
It's held at the "pavilion" which Jaap Sluijter built with the excuse that the place somehow needed a yoga pavilion. Sponsoring yoga classes there is a whole different story, especially the way it was marketed which was very contrary to Krishnamurti's idea that he did the exercises for physical health only and not to reach any elevated states or for spiritual enrichment and enlightenment and realization...
And these yoga classes had very few participants and there was ample space there already. Ok, so a yoga pavilion was built. I don't know if and how many orange trees were cut in order to build the pavilion. What I do know is that KFA was very irresponsible in how it managed the land -- at the oak grove -- it was trashed last time I was there -- there are very disturbing pictures of it -- and the neglected road is another story which Jaap said he will never fix because he doesn't go there (LOL)!! And the oak trees are a different story.
Anybody who went there to hear Krishnamurti would be shocked to see the place now which made me cry last time I was there at seeing the number of cut and dead trees... Anyway this is a long story and it will all be documented for the sake of history ... but for now, it was interesting that Jaap's yoga pavilion has magically transformed into an events center and God only knows what they will be hosting next. Now we have healing voice... next? Kali Puja?
The event is publicized by one of the KFA insiders: their yoga teacher!
If Jaap had the idea of turning KFA into a yoga center, he should have done a lot more marketing research. Ojai is brimming with yoga centers and yoga teachers. Who needs another yoga center? Certainly not Krishnamurti (LOL)... and meanwhile most people in Ojai have never heard of Krishnmurti and at some points Krishnamurti Foundation AMERICA's executive director, Jaap Sluijter was doing meetings in Korea and Taiwan (LOL) ... not to mention the China Tour (not the book fair). It0's certainly an upside down world we live in. Given Krishnamurti's dignity, wisdom, and all that he said for many decades about the perils of organizations, it's particularly sad to see this in motion. And this is only a small part of the story. There's a lot more to these guys and their bad, wrong decisions, and some very disturbing facts which will be published.
~~~
COMMENTS BY REZA GANJAVI (only Reza's comments are posted here, due to copyright law)
Indeed Nathan. It's a disgrace in my opinion. Krishnamurti made it very clear to close friends that he didn't want to be mixed with other things. There are other terrible things about this hopeless organization too. And the painful part is K saw all this coming and warned about it. If he were a guru or some kind of cult leader you'd just expect this to happen!
~~~
See my videos on the subject:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yza0e98peEU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYY55YDhEE
~~~
True Gigs -- even the pranayamas, Mary Z told me, and it's documented, he strictly did them for health benefits -- of course they have other benefits but that can also be a trap people get caught in and turn it into a cult.
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Waldo wrote : "K was so against organizations it makes sense that his legacy will not be one. " -- I agree Waldo -- the way you put it is interesting -- it reads: his legacy will not be an organization :-) -- yes, perhaps -- and it's important that these foundations question their own existence and charter regularly. KFA's gone astray in my opinion and going further. I don't want to know what's next... and this is just 30 years past K's death -- imagine the crap that's going to be going on there under Krishnamurti's name in 50 years if this trend continues. And he'll be sucked right into tradition the way some of the idiots predicted -- a self fulfilling prophecy! And don't forget before his death, K said to a close friend he's surrounded by people who don't have the foggiest idea what he's talking about -- and 3 of his closest friends went to K asking: what should be done with a guy who turned out to be involved, later, in some nasty stuff, including losing millions in foundation's funds by acting against K's express will on the matter.
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Not everything posted here is supposed to "help us in our self inquiry" ;-) -- there is a role for written history.
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I agree with the latter part of your post -- but don't think there's competition as you mention or if some people feel that way it's silly -- at least I never think of it that way. And as far as protection, did Buddha's work really survive ? I don't think so -- a lot of garbage is also published as Buddha's work that we have no historical evidence that it is. And the same with other great people. And the distortion is not just at that level - it's about interpreters. Look at how much is considered Islam which the Prophet would not agree with, didn't say, and is not in the Koran, and that's a book which is well preserved given it is not so old (relatively).
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Dear Alex, this is a complex subject... I am not expecting the foundations to be K clones smile emoticon. Yes I also always thought he had taken "stern stance" as you put it to get some points across which otherwise the power of conditioning was too strong for it to come across -- just my personal impression -- but that doesn't reduce the depth and importance of those stances. Ultimately what he stood for is of secondary importance to my or your life. K was merely a set of pointers and challenges. But, he made some things very clear -- like not wanting to be mixed with other things by his foundations and KFA is going against that -- and importance of truth ... ok let's not go there presently! I disagree with your choice of words that he tried to show a path -- because he absolutely didn't -- because the word "path" has a specific meaning in my mind - you may not mean the same by it - it's fixed - and it leads to a fixed spot. Truth is dynamic.
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Folks, let's be clear that when we're talking about Krishnamurti, one of many great philosophers, one thing that he made VERY CLEAR was that he was NOT offering a new path or new religion or new sect or new system and he made it VERY CLEAR that he did NOT want to be followed -- and wanted to be doubted, like any great pointer!! Please let's not turn this into a discussion on organized religions because that's a political matter these days and very sensitive.
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I have wondered about this question of pathlessness. I don't think we can say one who doesn't follow a path is on a path of pathlessness smile emoticon -- I have also wondered if K positioned himself as indeed a path of pathlessness (vs. his contemporaries, Rajneesh, Maharishi, Yogananda, etc. who all offered paths)!
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Kiran, indeed that SHOULD be the case -- but what is dogma? when you think something may not be true but you still believe it to be true and don't even want to examine it. What is dishonesty? When you know something is false yet you portray is as truth because convenience is more important than truth. When dealing with a "cunning animal" to quote K there is no room for debate or dialogue -- dialogue is for those who have an interest in truth. I personally think most problems in life can be solved through understanding them. Now let's talk about KFA. K called them an "idiotic foundation". He knew what he was talking about. There are some very intelligent and good people there but also people like Jaap Sluijter, Mark Lee, Rabindra Singh, and a couple of others whom I can't stand for very good reasons. And don't think I haven't tried to reason with that place -- have you ever talked to a rock? How about a dogmatic rock? Have you ever studied dictatorships and their values? And trust me I am not the only one who is alienated by this pathetic hopeless organization. I know it's difficult to know exactly why but I've published a fraction of the reasons already (linked above) and much more to come.
But there's absolutely no hatred. I am unable to hate. Couldn't even hate George W. Bush who ruined the world or other idiotic dictators. Last week I was in Netherlands and heard the Dutch accent which reminded me of Jaap and I even felt love for him -- a person whom I can't stand and want to have nothing to do with -- in my opinion, the worst leader KFA has had in all the years I've known them, and the worst executive of all the public, private, non profit, international, government, and other organizations I've had to deal with.
Same with Mark Lee -- I just got fed up with the nonsense and now what appears to be fictions that he's promoting around K -- and his involvement in some things in KFA which is nasty to say the least, and so on.
So love is independent of that. You can even love scum but not want to go near it.
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The only difference I see between any other organization and an organization around a great man like K who happened to dread organizations and didn't want any around him as much as possible, is remotely applying what he stood for -- you know, some basic things...
K went around the world for some 65 years talking about certain things, like "you are the world and the world is you", the problems of dogma, about supreme intelligence. the perils of image making, etc etc. If you find a trace of that among some of the people who are running KFA, please let me know wink emoticon
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We can argue that a company that is well run by a highly competent management team is for sake of reward (their bonuses, etc.) and avoidance of punishment (getting fired) but also it may be for love. There are many companies that are started based on a passion and desire to help humanity or purely love of something and not just reward and punishment. But the subject of accountability is very vital in this case because non profits are a whole different ball game.
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Evelyne Blau is probably the only one who was put on the board by K. Last I heard she had not been that active on the board due to her husband's illness. He passed away last year: https://variety.com/2014/film/obituaries-people-news/louis-c-blau-entertainment-attorney-who-represented-stanley-kubrick-dies-at-99-1201207399/
I met him at Evelyne's house.
As for availability of the teachings, you're talking about preservation part of the charter of the foundation . There's more to it.
"These people did not act differently while K was alive."
Well, since there's probably only one on the board who was put there by K I think your statement is not applicable. If you're talking about the rest, I believe K would have fired the whole board and shut the place down if he saw some of the things they did - like he tried to shut down KFI.
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He says if X has no thought of himself and he realizes that theoretically Y doesn't either (while in this example Y does) and that Y is just a mind stream then... the rest. But that IF is a false proposition because in this example Y does have a self -- he walks around thinking what does she think of me, etc etc etc
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I don't usually use those terms "dream ego" but can go along with that. Psychological self is a fictitious entity made from thinking.
If there's awareness of image making process then it comes to an end dynamically (or rather finds its right place). Still what "Bright Mountain" says makes no sense for the reason I explained above.
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Scott is not and has never been on KFA board. I am not sure if Mark Lee was on the board when K was alive. I have to double check. I do know that 3 of K's closest friends went to K before he dies and asked him what they should do with Mark.
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Yes I go along with that. We can say the self is "confused thought" because it's entering where it doesn't belong and making an entity which is like a bubble... and giving it permanency and wanting to give it continuity through variety of sometimes neurotic means.
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Anybody who studies history sees that. But can it be prevented? What we have before our eyes at Krishnamurti Foundation America is a tragedy, in my opinion, especially in light of Krishnamurti's repeated warning's about perils of organizations. I have thought a number of times, have they read history? Forget about history... I have also wondered at times if some of the leadership have even read and lived with even just one book of the founder. Keep in mind criteria for bringing in trustees has been pretty strange in itself and the repercussion of it has been painful to witness.
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Madan wrote: "All of us here are searching the way to pathless land." -- I am not. And many other people here are not either smile emoticon so that's a false statement smile emoticon ... in general it's hard to talk about "we" ...
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K went out of his way to make sure his teachings are not esoteric. There's a comment about that from one of the people who works in one of his foundations in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYY55YDhEE
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I posted this bit of "creative writing" today on Harshad's thread: "I think it's difficult to talk about K Foundations in general. They're quite different. Huge difference between KFT & KFA for example ... well, KFA has to be at the bottom of the pile ... I have yet to see a worse organization, anywhere, and I've worked with a lot. The interesting point is that K saw this coming... perhaps things will be better in 50 years once some of the people K said haven't got a clue what he's talking about (and they insist that they do) are gone, but that's if there's anything left and in the case of KFA it hasn't turned into some new age yoga / vedanta center with Jaap choking up golden eggs and pulling ash out of the air (LOL)."
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There's a huge difference. K went out of his way to make sure his work is not esoteric.
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NO dear Kiran! We can't say psychology is esoteric b/c it talks about the inner world! This is the proper meaning: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esoteric
Reza Ganjavi's dialogue with Tom Heggestad. Despite a life-long service to KFA, and having cancer all over his body, Jaap Sluijter still made him because of Jaap's stupid, crude, insensitive, compromised attitude and shortage of love, wisdom, intelligence that Krishnamurti talks about, and because Jaap is clueless about Krishnamurti's work otherwise he would live some of those teachings.
Critique of Ravi Ravindra (& Mark Lee, Jaap Sluijter. KFA Krishnamurti Foundation America Hypocrisy)