Walking in Sanen, Switzerland.
(Copyright Mary Zimbalist).

In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist is the direct result of Krishnamurti asking Mary to write about what it was like to be with him. Mary struggled to write this account for more than two decades. I was concerned that, with her frail health and slow progress, she might not complete this task for which she cared so much. To try to help her, I suggested that she and I recount our memories of Krishnamurti to each other, and record them.

We began a series of conversations in 1994 that continued for fourteen years, until 2008, shortly before she died. Mary was happy that we both talk about our memories because I had traveled a bit with Krishnamurti, and worked with him for many years, but especially because I knew many of the places to which they traveled, so I could ask detailed questions; questions that helped stir her memory and bring to life, in her own words, what it was like to be in the presence of Krishnamurti.

These discussions have produced exhaustive documentation (over 100 recordings of 1.5 hours to 2 hours each) through Mary’s reminiscences and her reading of her detailed diaries, and today I am happy to announce the launch of In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist.

Originally presented as an online subscription service, In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist is now free. It presents the transcribed and slightly edited versions of the 100+ sessions of Mary reading her daily diaries and discussing them. Audio clips, where Mary speaks particularly passionately or poignantly, are included. Learn more about the project here.

Money raised from subscriptions to In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist are funding Holistic Education, Inc.’s (a 501(c)3 organization) “Krishnamurti Education Research Project.”

If you would like to learn more about Holistic Education’s “Krishnamurti Education Research Project,” please click here: Krishnamurti Education Research Project .

Ready to read the Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist?

Start at the first Issue of In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist here.

Scott H. Forbes and the “In the Presence of Krishnamurti” team

Holistic Education, Inc.

February 13, 2013

(Mary’s ninety-eighth birthday)

May 18th, 2015

Today we publish the last section, Section 18, of “In the Presence of Krishnamurti: Mary Zimbalist’s Unfinished Book.” This is as far as Mary got with her unfinished book. She completed the last chapter (Chapter 58) in 2007, at the age of 92, and she had been diligently writing this book since soon after Krishnaji died in 1986. She had expressed how physically difficult it had become to write over the years (her eyesight failing, her ailing leg not liking the upright typing chairs), but she was content that all she had wanted to say about her being in Krishnaji’s presence had been expressed in our interviews and her readings of her diaries with me.

This chapter ends the project of In the Presence of Krishnamurti, unknowingly begun in August 1994.

Scott Forbes
Editor, In the Presence of Krishnamurti

Monday January 19th, 2015

Today we have begun publishing the unfinished book that Mary Zimbalist spent over twenty years writing about her time with Krishnamurti. Krishnamurti asked Mary Zimbalist to write a book about what it was like to be with him, a task for which Mary was uniquely suited. Mary started to write this book in 1986, soon after Krishnaji’s death, and she worked diligently at it until about 2007, twenty-one years.

Several chapters of the book (which we are calling “Sections”) are being published weekly, and are available to subscribers of “In the Presence of Krishnamurti” in exactly the same way as Mary’s memoirs have been available.

With best wishes,
Scott Forbes
Editor, In the Presence of Krishnamurti

A note from Editor, Scott H. Forbes

(December 14th, 2014)

Mary Zimbalist & Scott Forbes at the end of their discussions that were the basis for “In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist.”
(Copyright Mary Zimbalist)

Almost two years after beginning publishing this project, I want you to know that we have just published the last issue of  In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Memoirs of Mary Zimbalist. So the total number of issues that come from the discussions she and I had centering on her diaries is 90.

We will be taking a much needed three-week vacation and then, starting Monday January 19th 2015, we will begin publishing the chapters of the book she was writing (but never completed) about Krishnaji. These chapters will come to subscribers in exactly the same way as the memoirs you have been reading, as weekly uploaded issues that you can access with your USERID and PASSWORD. They will be distinguished from the memoirs in some way and our technical staff is figuring out how to make that happen.

We have been thinking of calling this new work In the Presence of Krishnamurti: The Book of Mary Zimbalist because it was her wish to call her work “In the Presence of Krishnamurti.” Mary wrote what she numbered as fifty-seven chapters, many of the chapters only a few pages long. We will probably be releasing them four chapters at a time to give us a chance just to proof them.

Thank you for your continued support of the project. We also hope that everyone has a lovely holiday season. As always please email inthepresenceofk@gmail.com if you have any questions or if you need assistance.

With best wishes,
Scott Forbes
Editor, In the Presence of Krishnamurti