Sam Harris and J. Krishnamurti - some commonality.

 

I've been using the Waking Up app recently, and am enjoying it for its approach to meditation, nonduality, and mindfulness. Sam Harris is a great speaker and gets his points across in simple, easy-to-understand language that can make a difference to someone's day in terms of how they perceive things and approach living a more examined life.

I noticed quite a few similarities between his approach and J. Krishnamurti's approach. Some of the language also crosses over, such as 'choiceless awareness', and espousing a kind of mindfulness that involves less effort and more on the natural happenings in the moment.

Of course, there's some differences. JK was against all structure and training (which isn't very helpful for beginners), while SH delivers a structured approach and philosophy that deconstructs itself as one progresses (similar to how Buddhism approaches things, in particular the nondual Buddhist paths).

Here's a few points from G:

You are spot on in noticing the connection. There is a significant philosophical overlap between Sam Harris and J. Krishnamurti, and Harris has explicitly engaged with Krishnamurti’s work, though he doesn't typically cite him as his primary teacher.

Here is the breakdown of the link between the two and the extent to which Harris "studied" him.

1. The Link: Shared Core Philosophy

The reason you see so much commonality is that both men are proponents of secular non-duality. They both argue that you can access profound self-transcendence without buying into religious dogma, mythology, or rituals.

• The Illusion of the Self: This is the strongest link. Krishnamurti famously taught that the "thinker is the thought"—that there is no separate entity controlling the mind.¹ Sam Harris focuses heavily on this same concept (anatta), often using the phrase "the self is an illusion" and pointing out that there is no "rider in the head."

• Choiceless Awareness vs. Mindfulness: Krishnamurti spoke of "choiceless awareness"—observing the mind without judgment or the desire to change it. This is very similar to the "open monitoring" or "non-dual mindfulness" (Dzogchen/Mahamudra) that Harris teaches in his Waking Up app.

• Rejection of Authority: Krishnamurti famously dissolved the Order of the Star, claiming truth is a pathless land, and cannot be reached through organizations. ³ Harris similarly rejects religious institutions and gurus (despite having had teachers himself), advocating for a rational, empirical approach to spirituality.⁴

2. Did Sam Harris study Krishnamurti?

Sam Harris has almost certainly "studied" Krishnamurti in the sense of reading him and analyzing his talks, but he was not a direct student in the way he was with his primary Dzogchen teachers (like Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche).

• Curatorial Endorsement: Harris considers Krishnamurti's teachings valuable enough that he featured a collection of Krishnamurti’s talks on his Waking Up app. This is a major endorsement, implying he views Krishnamurti as a valid pointer toward the truth of non-duality.

• Discussion with Jack Kornfield: Harris has discussed Krishnamurti with meditation teacher Jack Kornfield.⁵ In these contexts, they often analyze Krishnamurti’s approach—specifically noting that while Krishnamurti was brilliant, he could sometimes be frustratingly intellectual or abstract for beginners, lacking a "method" (which Krishnamurti did on purpose).

Summary

While Harris’s primary spiritual lineage comes from Dzogchen (Tibetan Buddhism) and Advaita Vedanta (specifically H.W.L. Poonja), Krishnamurti is a close philosophical cousin.

If you enjoy the intersection of these two, you are essentially picking up on the "Direct Path" teachings. The idea that freedom is available now in the nature of awareness, rather than something you earn after years of practice.

Noting and Labelling with "I Am": A Subtle Yet Powerful Approach

Noting and Labelling with "I Am": A Subtle Yet Powerful Approach

In the realm of mindfulness and self-inquiry, noting and labeling are powerful techniques used to cultivate awareness and clarity. Typically, these methods are applied to sensory experiences—thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations—but they can also be directed toward deeper layers of consciousness. One particularly potent subtle object for practice is the phrase "I am."

By breaking this phrase down into its two components—“I” and “am”—we open up different avenues of investigation, each leading to unique insights about the nature of self and existence. This approach can be an efficient method for engaging with Nisargadatta Maharaj’s "I Am" practice, where the ultimate goal is to rest in the sense of presence prior to identification with form and concept.

Noting "I" vs. Noting "Am"

When using noting and labelling with the phrase “I am,” we can explore it in two distinct ways:

1. Noting "I"

   • When the emphasis is placed on "I," awareness naturally inclines toward the sense of personal identity.

   • Noting "I" repeatedly reveals the habitual self-referencing structure of the mind—associations, personal narratives, and the feeling of an individual entity navigating experience.

   • This can lead to deeper insights into attachment, ego formation, and how the mind constructs a sense of separate self.

2. Noting "Am"

   • When the emphasis shifts to "am," the focus moves toward pure beingness—existence itself without attachment to form.

   • Noting "am" can dissolve conceptual layers, leading to an experience of presence beyond identity.

   • This shift often brings about a direct taste of stillness, simplicity, and the formless awareness that Nisargadatta refers to as the doorway to the Absolute.

Efficiency in the "I Am" Practice

Nisargadatta Maharaj’s primary instruction was to abide in the sense of “I Am” without adding any conceptual layers to it. While simple in description, many practitioners find it challenging to avoid intellectualizing or drifting into subtle mental elaborations.

By employing noting and labeling, we create a structured way to refine attention:

• If distractions arise, simply note “thinking” or “distracted” and return to the felt sense of “I Am.”

• If identification strengthens, noting “I” can illuminate where grasping occurs.

• If presence deepens, noting “Am” allows attention to stabilize in pure beingness.

This method minimizes unconscious wandering and keeps practice on track, making the inquiry both rigorous and accessible.

Beyond Noting: Resting in the Unlabelled

While noting is an efficient way to sharpen awareness, the ultimate goal of the "I Am" practice is to abide in pure presence without interference. Once clarity stabilizes, the need for labeling naturally falls away. At this stage, resting in the silent knowing of “I Am” without effort becomes possible.

By using noting as a stepping stone, practitioners can move beyond words into direct experience—where the simple recognition of existence unfolds into the profound realization that Nisargadatta so often pointed to.

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This refined approach offers a bridge between mindfulness techniques and deep self-inquiry, making it a practical yet profound method for those on the path of awakening. Whether one is exploring the nature of self or dissolving into pure being, noting and labeling provide a valuable toolset for navigating the subtleties of "I Am."