Knocking at the Open Door: My Years with J. Krishnamurti

By R. E. Mark Lee

An insightful, revelatory and heartfelt narrative that bring out various unknown facets of the ‘world teacher’– J. Krishnamurti – and highlights his distinctive vision for education worldwide…

This volume presents an eyewitness account of the practical and everyday relations of the Mark Lee with Krishnamurti (1895–1986) who was a prolific author as well as a renowned and respected educator, and speaker. Such relations reveal warmth and closeness, leading to a deep understanding of some of the unexplained mysteries surrounding the man and his teachings.

Mark Lee was first introduced to Krishnamurti’s teachings as a teenager in 1955 and to Krishnamurti himself in 1965. For the next 45 years he worked in the Krishnamurti foundations as teacher, principal, director, and trustee in succession. It was Krishnamurti’s compelling and engaging admonition to ‘be a light unto yourself’ that kept Lee associated with the work of the foundations — a serious challenge — that called for inner discipline, austerity in thinking and living, and rigorous self-awareness.

Krishnamurti was associated with several schools in India, England, and the USA from the late 1920s onwards. Five nonprofit foundations were established by him and continue to preserve and disseminate his teachings globally. For students of Krishnamurti’s teachings, Lee’s experiences can serve an informative and useful source of further learning and education.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Dec 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9789384544188

R. E. Mark Lee

R. E. Mark Lee grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and received a master’s degree in education from the University of California in 1977. Most of his professional career was spent in schools in India and America. He was principal of the Rishi Valley Junior School from 1965 to 1972 and founding director of the Oak Grove School in Ojai, California, from 1975 to 1985. He served as executive director of the Krishnamurti Foundation of America for twenty years and was director of Krishnamurti Publications for five years. He was the chief editor of the seventeen volumes The Collected Works of J. Krishnamurti, The Book of Life, and The Little Book on Living. From 1995 to 2010, Lee was the owner-publisher of Edwin House Publishing, which specialized in memoirs of Krishnamurti’s associates. His interests include architecture, gardening, travel, and reading. For the past forty years, he has lived with his wife and daughters in Ojai.