Manchester, Sherman – Sherm’s Orage Notes: 1923 -1929 typescript carbon copy

 

Manchester, Sherman – Sherm’s Orage Notes: 1923 -1929 typescript carbon copy, 163 pages.

 

Sherman Manchester was—along with C. Daly King, Gorham Munson and Wlm Nyland—a key member of Orage’s New York inner circle and Gurdjieff group during the late 1920s while he was editing the English edition of Gurdjieff’s typescript of Beelzebub’s Tales. These notes mostly from 1927+1928 are not in apparent chronological sequence but consistently focus on discussion and interpretation of Beelzebub’s Tales, led by Orage.

 

Page Date                                                        Page Date                 

 

January 10, 1927

106 February 14, 1927

4   April 21, 1928

110 February 21, 1927

11, May 7, 1928

113 March 28, 1927

17 January 1, 1924 (?)

117 February 28, 1927

31 March 29, 1926

120 May 31, 1927

36 April 12, 1926

123 March 7, 1927

39 April 23, 1928

127 May 2, 1927

40 April 15, 1928

130 May 9, 1927

42 April 18, 1927

134 May 16, 1927

46 April 25, 1927

137 May 17, 1927

49 January 10, 1927

141 May 23, 1927

53 January 11, 1927

144 April 2, 1928

65 April 31, 1928

145 April 3, 1928

72 May 27, 1928

147 March 14, 1927

77 January 24, 1927

151 March 21, 1927

84 January 25, 1927

157 December 4, 192?

85 January 31, 1927

157 Jan. 10/Mar. 25, 1923 —

93 January 17, 1926

159 January 10, 1927

99 January 18, 1927

161 January 14, 1929 —

100 February 7, 1927

163 [end page]

 

 

Sherm’s Orage notes. 

 

The process of thought is an attempt to establish a relation, between things.

 

We wish to out off the tail of our observation – we wish to make our observation bank.

 

Now, we won’t QUARREL over the mixing up of awareness and he thought for we are Judging then – not reporting.

 

We hypnotize ourselves into all sorts of deceases –for example the air is coming in through the window at an unusual rate – the suggestion is to say, “I feel a cold draft” etc., and so assign to it a malicious content – and plus hypnotizing ourselves into almost anything.

 

We have three forms of consciousness in us now – mental// thought, and emotional-feeling, and instinctive-sensing. But we wish to discover if there is another process of real experienceable consciousness. Awareness is another, inclusive a mother-sort-of-consciousness.  I am aware of physical symptoms – not of emotions etc. Our feelings don’t matter and our thoughts even less. What does matter is what our miserable carcass does. If we become aware of this last, however, we will then indirectly (Perseus and the Medusa) _ become aware of our genuine thoughts and feelings.

 

     Every fruitful discussion proceeds according to the law of the scale – but at a certain point when it was gone do, re, mi,

 

     So now Miss – asks about her appendix.

 

     Consciousness is exactly comparable to electricity – intellectual – light, emotional – heat, instinctive – power. (The three brains)

 

     The first prime and possibly the only element of consciousness is awareness – So we begin to try to be aware, objectively-impartially- non-critically, of our bodies respectively each of us. We propose to get back to this background of original or primal consciousness, awareness within which are now only successively apprehended in one of three systems.

 

     We establish separability between I and the body, and when the body falls off I will remain. Try to distinguish between the potential and the actual. Compare a seed of a cabbage – by evidence. We know that only e cabbage will grow from it, if anything – not a rabbit! It has definitely characteristic/ potentialities which may be or not be actualized.

 

    We each of us have brought into this room definite characteristic//    potentialities. I am speaking in a voice which is within the potentialities of Orage. If I say I can listen to my voice but that I do not – I designate apotentiality.

 

          I cannot think – the body does 

 

          I cannot feel  – the body does     

                 

          I cannot move  – the body doss       

                

  So I can only look or be aware of them – and only at first should it be possible to be accurately aware of the body a physical machine, registering  .

 

                    I have a body

                     and        

                        I am a soul.

 

    If I, as a person, am conditioned to believe behaviorism or spiritualism or what not – I will believe on the flimsiest pretext of evidence.

 

    Community of consciousness is not possible i.e. awareness of another’s inner state. A man very inflammable politically, was taken into furious political meeting, seated apart with his eyes completely blindfolded and hearing completely muffled. He was not affected but then he was released as to eight and hearing and in five minutes he was a raving lunatic along with the rest of the political meeting.

 

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    As to immortality, we should believe nothing. It is not a foolish question to propose but at the present moment we cannot reach anything other than a foolish answer. We have not the equipment. But we can become aware of gestures, postures, movements, tones on voice and facial expressions – this is new – there is the seed. We ought to know ourselves as well as our neighbors, oughtn’t we?

 

—– One said “But we know our own thoughts – ” ?

 

“NO” – said Orage. “We imagine we are Christian or interested in art or what not, – but suddenly we find that this is not true”. – – The number of perceptions that we are receiving is 30,000 per second – ten Intellec­tual, ten Emotional, tea Instinctive. These determine our content in our three centers – but from birth we have been aware of only a fraction of one perception.

 

   Of what are we certainly usually unconscious  – our physical movements so our first effort will be to bring up from the subconscious and make conscious this bit of unused area in our potential consciousness.

 

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    Bertrand Russell will take one day of our lives – any ordinary day – and from this will interpret us in exactly the same way that Freud will interpret us from a sleeping dream.

 

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   But since there is no significance in mechanical behavior either in a dream or in this existence, there will be no significance in the interpretation. If you tumble out on the floor a box of letter blocks – and it spells the word “pig” – is it significant?

 

      We depend on three forms of food for our life – food, air, and impressions. Stop one of them and our psychic life stops. If you change any one of them feed me different food for a month and I will be a different person – or air or impressions all within the potentialities of Orage.

 

(The peristaltic movement of the physical and visceral systems produces dreams)

 

Laughter is a movement of muscles – a visceral movement. In my solar plexus, which has no senses and can derive impressions only indirectly – i.e. through the spinal and cerebral system which show it (the solar plexus) an image and it reacts mechanically, thus laughter or sobs or whatever your possibilities of reaction necessitates.

 

Enumerating the symptoms of a negative emotional state will -far too quickly for a complete report – dissipate the emotion and then the symptoms, of course.

 

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January 10, 1927

 

At the present moment most of our energy is poured out in the sink of our emotional – i.e. visceral system. It should go to our cerebral and spinal systems – and if we employ this method it is stated that less and less of this energy will be so wasted (poured into the sink) and more and sore will be properly employed. Space and time make it impossible for any two individuals to be alike. You, for instance, are now in another port of the room and your impressions will be inevitably different. Then time for us is different – food, etc.

 

My, Sherman’s, intellectual center wakes first – that is why I do not get up. Then I must use this as a lever.

 

If you have a decision to make that worries you – commence to observe physical manifestations – and by the time you have finished this, you will have have decided the question why in the world you were worrying.

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April 21st, 1928

 

Make “ones self” drunk so that “I” can think, feel, talk, act?

 

Beelzebub, intent on his quest to know the nature of the human species – faces the sixth descent. What profession shall he adopt in order to bring about for him the knowledge of the human species? Physician? Peculiarities of these human beings do not lie in the external and visible manifestations and only are to be discovered in the unconscious. Only with a physician or a priest is a human being frank (i.e. only with a religious or therapeutic motive will one confess himself)  

 

Opium          |                 Medicines administered

castor oil     |                 by priests

quinine        |                

                                                   

 

Termose -father of Moses – i.e. hygienic savior.

 

Especial respect is accorded to priests – especially if they are old.

 

    Moses had very little truck with mysticism and was hygienic law giver.

 

Passed most of his time in some cafe or other where ordinarily no priests are to be found. Eldest son fell ill, had in physician gave him entire contents of bottle – label read only three times each day of the week. But Thermoses said laughing – three kinds of medicine: of first you must be a little careful but bottle always has a skull and crossbones so easily avoided. The other two kinds ore always harmless out of the same barrel. (Skull and crossbones – don’t do?? and the other medicine I “do” – and this can all be lumped together the word Sabbath”. All advice is lumped together and taken on Sunday.

 

Pharmacists are practical psychologists – i.e. transmutes of energies. He came into his shop and went to the back of the place where he was engaged in pounding something in a mortar. The prescription was Dover Powers -but the pharmacists put in no opium. Said it was too expensive (i.e. no priest could put into his advice anything real – (it is too rare)

 

“What about analysis?” “What is analysis? It would cost as such as a whole shop full”

 

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Tyree bodies mental, physical, emotional.

An objective truth not realized in a theory for  us.

 

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What is an analyst? One who guarantees the prescription, – (religious doctrine).

If you have the idea that a doctrine is the same to emotional and intellectual as a doctor is to our physical body.

Priests are chemists for the emotional and intellectual bodies. Philosophers are the analysts. (Germans are the inheritors if the ancient Greeks – are the present analysts.)

Describing now the sort of mind that takes up philosophy.

Pimples are very symbolic – completed education thanks to money of Mann-reads all these German books on Chemistry, compositions.

Sight, taste, and fire. Pragmatism.

Sometimes takes a little experimental work – in a slaughter house.

Tough work.

So one takes a compound to this analyst – who consults a book (the Bible). Copies out the description of Dover Powders varying the figures a little, of course.

 

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Chemist still continues to make fake Dover Powders and says that they are all better because they at any rate contain no harmful ingredients i.e. Christianity has been denatured. The general prescription contains a good deal opium- so if one commenced to take the real prescription and later stopped taking the real opium – he would suffer a good deal.

 

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Hypnotism is that property or quality in the Earth Beings from which all their trouble proceeds. It is this that distinguishes these beings from all the other beings in the universe. If they did not exist this property would not anywhere exist? It is called their suggestibility – – but when accelerated it is called hypnotism.

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There are only three normal forms of consciousness. Sleep (absence of the other two). Self consciousness is a habitual awareness of the fact that we have a body. (Our state of sleep is chemically conditioned because we receive through inhaling atmosphere through our senses.) Kundebuffa has left its properties in the very air we breathe and in our very bodies – and thus we are never essential. Only aware at the back we are not behaving individually. (Have you ever been aware that you have on occasion behaved as if you were hypnotized? Have your friends?)

If you show a man a flea who is in this state and tell him it is a rhinoceros he will believe it. And always will believe it (i.e. a small irritation will appear to be a disaster. And a real rhinoceros i.e. a danger on a large seals will appear to be nothing) (Par Ex. Self Observation is said to be a danger – that you will got to know something of yourself, but this is only a flea) Hypnosis is produced by “stroking” – i.e. idiocy by–

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Two kinds of consciousness on that planet. First their real conscious­ness as beings – biological consciousness, comparable to that of animals. Very natural. Cats have it – i.e. they are not suggestible.

Second not due to nature biological – absolutely foreign to their real being. And even their very behavior is so adapted that it contains two independent regions where all impressions are deposited – one to the enhancement of our social consciousness and the other to our essential consciousness.

The first belongs to real being to their essential beings and the second is only acquired during life. So they have side by side thoughts of their real beings and thoughts that have nothing to do with this. (“He was born a man and died, a sexton, a soldier, an English gentleman.)

It may be marvelous – very admirably – but the person himself may be entirely worthless. He may be unspeakable in his private life.

Shaw’s “Devil’s Disciple” is an example of one who has preserved a portion of essence – i.e. he is devil to our ordinary routine. But his fellow officers almost all of them said he had acted so as to lose casts. He was human humane, essential. Now in ourselves we can find the same thing. I.e. two forms of consciousness – essential and grafted. So we call essential consciousness our “sub-consciousness” and what we call our consciousness is something quite mor­tal – automatically and accidentally accumulated in a special part of our brain and we then identify with it. Manchester was born where parents school – influences – sociological history. (Social History Real – Real essence)- But not my history – i.e. subconscious history. I won’t tell that – what I thought of my mother, sister, teachers, associates etc. NO!!! But that is ray real history.

Watson’s Behaviorism was not approved by Orage, which he considered “some far-fetched knowledge”. And Bernie Shaw was too smart, said Orage. Watson said it is no natter what a child is born if he can control his infantile conditions. He can males one an artist, another thinker, another scientist! But he is right to spy this. Yet only that he can graft onto any stock another chosen stock. Yet this is what has happened to each of us.

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This so called Cause – really only personality chance collection of prejudices segregated in a pseudo part of the brain i.e. – in the formatory front part of the brain, which is entirely separated from the back of the brain – the essential brain. These collected word associations begin to churn and “Thoughts” “opinions” having no contact with essence, and continue to digest and change independently of essence – and can be changed at any chance encounter with external circumstances. I.E. Subjective or not related to essence. Objectivity is invariably connected with biological essence.

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Certain beings there have discovered this and are using it for healing – Coue, Christian Science.

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Anything that exempts a being free essential work is only a superficial cure – and can be uncured by a counter suggestion.

           All the present day Dr. Hypnotists employ one method – i.e. – they all require the patient to concentrate on a bright object. (Coue – or gaze upon so-called ideal – meditation). For there are literally two modes of blood circulation – corresponding to these two modes of consciousness. One where the center of gravity is on one side of the blood vessels and vice-versa. (Where in your brain is the blood pressure greatest in different states of yourself?) (I could spin off by associative means – and without a particle of thought a very good lecture on almost any subject. But it would be of no value to me or anyone). What is important is “What is really the truth about that subject?” Plato said to one of his associates “Aha! You think you are dizzy – but you are only really thinking”.  In one case there is a tendency to go to the back of the head and in the other to the front of the head. Strictly speaking a being is only conscious when trying to ponder.

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When fixedly regarding a bright object – certain muscular tension brings about a change of blood circulation which affects a particular part of the brain. So reading this book sets up a certain muscular tension that makes the bloodstream affect, by conditioning, the word center only of the brain. So if one hears, the book read – one has at least a better chance.

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Beelzebub. I became proficient in hypnotism by stopping the bloodstream in certain habitual channels and so changed their consciousness. (The hysterical cannot observethemselves and a suggestion to do so will produce only a now novel churning – a new doctrine)

Gurdjieff. I began my work in Central Asia (essence) where there was a great need of myservice on account of many pernicious practices there. I collected certain data first and gradually moved towards the West from center to center.

 Questions. What wore the pulls that determined any given situation? (He have plenty of answers, need only questions – chemical formula.)

1. All situations answers. Doyles Emergency theory.

2. Concise, correct formulation is half the answer.

3. What is the difference between imagination and fancy? Knowledge and belief?

4. Suppose we think during the week and formulate questions for verification of our conclusions.

5. Questions should satisfy yourself, the others and Orage

6. We ought not want to formulate a question that we cannot answer   just look the question over and if it looks like a good starting point for a discussion – write it down.

7. Write down questions we wish someone else would ask.         

8. Suppose we write down the three questions that interest us more than any ethers in the world.

9. What can Mr. Orage really do for us except to supply us with questions – or better, when possible, to incite us to formulating our own questions? Being able to answer questions is easy compared to asking them.

10. Do we realize that we are going to die? Does this realization bring forth questions?

Daly King Speaking?

The following statements may be judged for their clarity, truth, and ponderance or weight. From my point of view some are false, some true and some part false and some true.

What is your natural attitude or reaction to them – if any?

1. God created the universe for the benefit of man on earth who is the only and original copy of God.

2. God is Love.

2a. God takes his rest and sleep like any man after a hard day’s work.

3. God is a bearded patriarch, who rules the earth by a system of postmortem reward for good boys and girls and punishment for bad ones in everlasting heaven or hell.

4. Man is an automaton.

5. Man is an animal whose mind and emotions are limited to an apparatus only capable of providing adjustment for himself to varying circumstances.

6. Man is a sheep, the Lord is his shepherd.

7. Man is a natural animal discharging a natural function in the organic kingdom which at the same time has capacity for super-natural development.

8.  Man is evolving into a cosmic butter and egg man.

9.  Man’s development of steam, gas, and electric power and its   application to labor saving devices will give man the time and opportunity to and develop himself to the fullest extent. (Shaw)

10. A non-productive aristocracy should be eliminated from society because its leisure and absence of necessity to work for its living makes it turn to wasteful and individually vicious and degenerate pursuits.

11. The Universe is a rather bad jumble of planets and suns which up to the present time lacks the civilizing influence of Man.

12. The Universe is a perpetual motion machine.

13. The Universe is an evasion of the weak man.

14. Jesus was a fool

Buddha is a word juggler.

Pythagoras a social climber.

Confucius the first Rotarian.

15. Art the science-of evoking emotion.

Life is a gymnasium.

(Before Orage came to Gurdjieff he was involved (with the Shavians) in Shaw and later not proud of it.)

Art is an attempt to convey by another language than a verbal one

something not expressible in words.

   It is preoccupation with Art which makes the attainment of consciousness

on the part of the contemporary artist practically impossible.

16. Art is the outward sign of the shining spirit within man.

17. Art is a result of frustrated desires.

18. Belief is the child of knowledge.

19. Knowledge is the child of belief (God can be known through the heart alone.

20. The intellect is the highest function of man and by concentrating on the (its?) development, man will become godlike.

21. Time is the Fourth Dimension.

22. Time is the source of our existence.

23. Man is more emotional than woman\ Woman is more intell(?) than man. 24. Woman is the slave of man*

25. Man is the slave of woman*

26. Every man is personally responsible for all others on earth.

27. Every man is responsible for himself alone.

28. Marriage is God’s most holy sacrament.

29. Marriage is a device of the devil.

3O. Self Observation requires too much time and takes away my energy from useful and necessary work.

31. If Self Observation requires any time or in any way diverts energy from your activities it is not in fact Self Observation.

32. Self Observation will make one a bigger and better automaton.

33. In order to do this work of Self Observation one must give up all ordinary ambitions, all worldly ties and obligations, and all reliance upon his own experience in life.

34. Non-identification with one’s organism means that one will no longer feel, think or act.

35. This method for development implies identification with one’s organism and the simultaneous development of one’s soul.

(Zaz says these aphorisms put them in separate different categories.)



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May 7, 1928, Sunday afternoon May 27 Rosetta O’Neal Studio

You remember I said that I would attempt the make a review of the ideas for your use. Try to realize how much you have heard and contrast it with what you have understood. Nothing in this world can convert knowledge into understanding i.e. real knowledge. The most illuminating statement in the book is “Man is an organism” for understanding the aim and purpose of his existence. – But we have no passion except, instinctive passion. We are defective in our realization even of “passion”. Not more than one in a million has more than this. We are so 99 % animal that this means for us just the sum of instinctive advantages. Are we well succeeding – pleasantly related to our associate? No, we are not on the plane where these things we spook of here have any meaning. Are we ready to pay the price i.e. by the means of the method so simply prescribed, – to gain a real understanding and knowledge, of the meaning and aim of existence? Very few have made much effort to increase the effort and the field of his awareness.   A conversion of perceptions from a rate of 48 to 24 (?) i.e. an octave of difference is neces­sary. And only can be gained by an increasing objectivity. You will have so much material in the next few weeks and a method guaranteed to enable you to assimilate it, that you will be able to go on for a year, if necessary, and by that time you will find, either in yourself or outside, an impulse that will carry you on.

I have prepared here a list of about a hundred different subjects — and next week I will ask you to suggest headings of subjects I have omitted. I will comment on these briefly.

The word “centers” has for each of us a definite meaning – what does it mean to you? Is it,for me, an exact term?

Have a list such as this for use in “spare time” during which your mind otherwise will rot.

Man

1. (Try to assemble under this word all that you have heard said and set it down very briefly – so that it will be an ? on which/ the statements will be as electrons – i.e. a solar system )

Sex

2. Consciousness (get at your essential understanding of this word – sleep.

3. Waking, cosmic.

The World

(Do you mean planet, solar system, Milky Way?)

The Universe. (Usually means two or three hundred white people.

6. Nature.

7. God.

(If you conceive no God what is your cosmological theory?)

8. The Three Foods.

(Is air for you a food? Can you note changes of rhythm in breathing? Can you tell how you breathy when happy, depressed etc.? Can you not the corresponding changes of breathing in respect to changes in emotional or intellectual states? What do impressions really mean? We are taking them at the rate of 30,000 per second. Can you distinguish the difference in looking at a landscape when aware of yourself or mechanically i.e. unconsciously? If you did you never would need any other stimulant to awareness. Listening to your own voice is more stimulating than any other that you could mechanically. In the absence of the conscious taking in of air and impressions no growth is possible.)

9. The Three Bodies.

(Do you by experience realize that an intellectual faculty is as definite an organ as any physical organ? As a body walking across this room, a mental body should proceed to a conclusion – as rhythmically and as definitely.

Life in the physical body gives us movement, in our emotional body emotion is our? In our mental body, thoughts.

 10. Hypnotism.

(Why are we of all three centered beings hypnotizable?)

 There are two other states of consciousness – self consciousness and cosmic consciousness are impossible because of hypnotism. The three centers – merely focus of attention*

12. The Method.

(Can you produce a clear statement of the Method? What does it consist of? What pseudo methods resemble it? What misunderstandings are liable to occur in the first hearing of this method? What are the various steps of the method?

1      Self Observation.

       Participation.

       Experiment.

  2. Voluntary suffering.

3. Conscious Labor. (It has been said in India that the mind is an octopus

– and to slay this dragon you must give clear answers of essential truth to its questions.)(Watch how your mind shirks giving a clear yes or no.)

13. Religion and Religions (we are all ashamed of being thought religious – why? Why do we disguise from our neighbors that we are profoundly interested in anything- especially in the meaning and aim of existence) Buddha wasn’t a highbrow- Jesus wasn’t a fool – Confusions not just a word thrower – Protagoras not a climber. They were psychological workmen engaged in a eugenic labor.)

14. Art. (What does art really mean? The art of making a complete human being of oneself – The art of converting chemicals into/an during work of art. (Perhaps the various forms of art are valuable in this Art)

15. Science (Engaged in making an anatomy of the Universe – and so far as it goes it is of enormous value. But if you wish to understand life you must approach it from an entirely different angle. )

16. Knowledge and Belief.

(Try to distinguish between the consciousness of knowledge and the consciousness of belief? If so you will generally say “I never will say//”I believe.” It is allowable only to those who really know – then it is a luxury – a plausible opinion.)

The Three Forms of Reason

1. Instinctive

2. Associative – verbal

3. Objective – to be acquired – to be pondered over.

The Law of the Octave.

(It has practically no meaning for us. Par Ex. – I stand in certain relation to another person. I diagnose this. I at once say something a little intriguing to postpone a discussion. This is the note “Do“. (A clear understanding of the facts of the case you have not decided yet to do anything. You are merely acquainted with resonance of the note “Do”. Suppose I have not completed my

realization of the note “Do” – I literally can say nothing.

Then we go on to the note “Re”, which is an attempt to realize wish of the other person. (Do, Re, Mi – then space then Fah)

Then next “Mi” – to see if the practical situation allows of its gratification – within a time allowable. Perhaps it appears that it can never be gratified.

(Say a man and a woman are married – and the woman become ill or goes mad. The marriage should be ended – but perhaps due to children or other reasons this cannot be. Or a daughter with a bedridden mother – she- is tied. Let her try to escape – she will not be able.

Mi then is to decide whether the essential wish can be gratified.

If it can then you may if you will assume the responsibility to advise the person. But no one has the right to advise anyone unless he can take the same advice or something more difficult. And if he does he must stand ready even for years to assist the carrying out of the suggestion.

.This Method is a key for handling situations.

Try to assemble all the regular phases through which a properly orchestrated symphony should pass)

 Laws of Three and Seven.

 Personality and Essence, Individually Consciousness, and Will.

 I and it.

V A

(To this day we subtract from it and give to I. We are not yet sufficient Behaviorists. Watson is still an incomplete behaviorist. (Read Bertrand Russell’s Philosophy) Essence is the field within which behavior occurs.

22. Which Behavior occurs.

23. The Three Yoga’s.

1.  Raja Yoga -Just Instinctive Yogi.

2.   Bhakti Yoga – Emotional saint.

3.   Self or Hatha Yoga – Intellectual ascetic.

k* The Fourth/ Way ho school, no teachers** Gurdjieff » Fourth Way, But you can only arrive at it outside, yet including these, but not by adding them together.

The Wholeness “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is not any of the parts- one, two, :three, but whore is the Four?

The whole of the universe consists of seven hydrogen’s -i.e. – Carbon, Intellectual Center – Oxygen, instinctive center, and nitrogen, emotional center equally blended.

       Man is hydrogen 24 Build around this idea as a nucleus.

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ForceMatterEnergy., Radiation emanation.

All this should be put into two formulations; one what has been told you – second what you yourself have really proved.

Say you have two bowls – into one put all untried theory – into the other all that which you really understand.

Electricity.

Anode and cathode – but also there is a third form – namely the field within which the pros and negative forms are related to each other.

       Any exhibition of electricity means a relationship such as that between the wt(?) and the fulcrum and the lever.

       The emotional center, or essence, or being is the fulcrum in Man.

Knowing is positive, doing is negative, Being is neutralizing.

In the absence of knowing and doing, being does not exist.

The state of being is that which we call feeling.

We can regard Man as an animal. As a collection of chemicals diluted in 2½ buckets of H20.

{Biologically

{chemically

{psychologically

Consider the various uses of man from these points of view. Man is a medium for collecting chemicals from the air too fine for the plants animals, etc. So Gurdjieff calls us manure for the planet Earth.

26. The Bible (and all the other so-called sacred books)

 What did its compilers intend?

27 God and Evil

28. Time – is the unique subjective? Potentiality of experience?

29. Incarnation and Reincarnation. The one thing that the Christian religion can be proud of is that it emphasizes the mystery of incarnation and not re-incarnation.

To become aware of our selves is simply surveying the body into which we are to incarnate. In our case it possible to survey before births the body which will be ours if weare born. Then we practice as if we were in control. Then Experiment wherein we commence to see what we can do with this body by changing its habits. This is the prime doctrine of Christianity. Such a revival or renaissance of the real Christianity would make a bishop of anyone.

We are like children who are given millions of money and we don’t know what to do with it.

Reincarnation is a problem subsequent to incarnation.

Spiritualism. (One or other form of neurosis).

Delirium Tremens (drunks experience this for the purpose of studying snakes and is exactly comparable to spiritualism for the sake of studying ghosts. What do you understand by

      Objective Reason

 Conscience

 Art

                              Science

For Man it is mutton and wool. Try to imagine the experiencing of a black sheep brought up by the daughter of the butcher – he catches glimpses of the real functions of the kindly shepherd and butcher. Try to imagine how he would act and how the other sheep would react when he had grown up and was turned back to the pasture. – We can cheat this object by The Method.

Laws of Association.

Mental, Emotional, and Instinctive are simply the laws of specific gravity our thoughts, emotions and acts have their own specific gravity. As they occur to us they sort out themselves and become grouped by identity of specific weight.

All our thinking-is according to association – so feeling – so instinctive perceptions. Deep answers to deep. So in the Gurdjieff movements each one stirs a corresponding thought and feeling. This interrelation of the three centers is a total, associative psychology of man.

If you encounter this method and those ideas, it is exactly- analogous to putting a match to a pipe of tobacco – unless you huff and puff it will not burn more then an instant.

 

 

 Tuesday, January 1, 1924 (?)(Orage)

 
First you must understand that the story I have to tell you can never be told in the ordinary sense of the word.

 

 “Mysticism, I said – Then you have been in the East?”

 
“Science” he replied, Yes, I have been in the East.

 
There was a long silence. We apparently gave our whole attention to our cigars and our drinks.

 
Science, I mused. Facts, then. Why cannot it be told if it deals with facts?
“Perhaps you have eyes yet ye see not, ye have ears yet ye hear not.
Ah! Religion then? I said.

 
Well, if you could properly call Jesus religious – perhaps. You might employ the words Christian Science as an accurate design nation possibly, I speculated.

 
Christian Science, he said, is our ignorant brother.

 
Oh, I finally murmured. – Another silence.

 
You see it’s – but probably I had best tell you how I got started-on this quest? He looked at me quizzically, smiling that rare and lovely smile which lights up his saturnine features, yet indicates no abandon, being thereby rare and lovely.

 
I melted instantly. Please, I said, asking appropriate gestures with glasses and fresh cigars.

 
It began with a dream. I was spending the summer eight years ago, wasn’t it? At Woodstock. It is a beautiful little village near the Hudson River in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. One night returning from a party in the Maverick, the musician’s colony there, I felt a queer restlessness.

 
It was nearly dawn, so I walked on past my studio, turning up a country road which
Loads to a favorite spot of mine. It is a hill top from which there is a view in all directions. Off one side the distant Hudson was dimply visible through the mist, and beyond, the high hills blue against a pale gold sky. On the other hand there were the Catskills dimly outlined, massive, huge. Between these ranges are valleys, streams, grain fields, houses, roads, stone walls, and always great trees – in groups around the houses, in lines along the roads and streams and lanes, occasionally a giant standing alone.

 
Reaching the summit of the hill, I sat down. There on clear days one can see all manner of men moving about in many means of locomotion. – steamers on the Hudson, automobiles, wagons, horses – even or teams and carts on the roads, men riding horses and men walking idly and or briskly.

 
A girl had been playing strange music on the piano that night. She had said the pieces were accurate transcriptions of temple music, ritualistic dances, dervish dances brought out of the Far East – from Afghanistan, Tibet, the Gobi desert, China, Hindustan.

 
They had affected me strangely. What was it that held me, the music or only another girl, I wondered. I closed my eyes. A queer vivid person this girl. Mysterious, yes, and that is always alluring. A friend and guest of Schlayter (Schweitzer?) famous organist and teacher. She wore a turban, I remembered, of strange color- orange.

 
Here I must have fallen asleep. I saw a strange man come striding up the hill – wearing an identical turban. He came straight to me and sat down crossing, his legs Hindu fashion.
What the devil! I thought and stopped abruptly. For he looked more like the devil than the devil himself. A great head, yet not out of proportion to his great figure. A high wide forehead over heavy black brows deep set black lustrous eyes; prominent cheek bones and strong cleft chin. A thin nose with strong nostrils; a wide mouth, guarded by vertical lines, and a black mustachio sweeping left to right above it.
He spoke.

 
“First there is the Sun” he said. “Then the Earth, the planets, the Moon, the infra-moon, mankind, animal, vertebrates, invertebrate, vegetable, mineral, metal. ”
“Quite comprehensive” I said politely.

 
“Words are really fun, aren’t they?” he said, and smiled so brightly it was like looking into the Sun itself.
Apprehension versus comprehension. Asleep versus awake. Dullness and ecstasy. Apathy and sustained elation. Sickness and health. You and a complete human being. Futility and fulcrum. Three and six. That was my music, he added.

 
It was extraordinary, I said, again quite politely.

 
It might be equally well said that all other varieties of music are extraordinary. Music is held to be the best of the arts, for it expresses in its scales the Cosmic Law.

 
So does the fish, I said very politely.

 
Quite right, he replied, beaming a smile down at me, as though I were a child who had unwittingly said something quite profound. I felt abashed, even a bit fearful.

 
Sorry, please go on with the tale, I said.

 
The fishes or yours, he inquired, they are really much the same, you know.

 
The musical scales please, I spoke very very politely.

 
In the scale we have eight so-called whole notes and five half notes. Do, Re, Mi – then a missing half note – Fa, Sol, La, Si – than a missing half note again. The millennium, so to speak, is just over that half note. All history shows that civilization after civilizations have progressed to a certain level, where a millennium seemed to be the very next step. Then without exception each lapses into a period of retrogression. Do, Re, Mi, Re, Do, Re, Mi, Re, Do etc. This is not to say that mankind may not sometime cross this line and become as far above the men of today as the men of today are above the animals.

 
Certainly not! I exclaimed with polite emphasis.

 
He regarded me with a sort of glowing amusement which made me quite uncomfortable.
Man is the product of two forces – biological and sociological, and react automatically exactly as any other automaton. The Behaviorists have amply demonstrated that from conclusive studies made of animals and infants. But man differ from-animal that he possesses potential power for real thought.

 
The animal is a two-centered biting, instinctive center and emotional center. Man is composed of instinctive, emotional, and intellectual centers. To be sure, the intellectual center in most men is hardly discernible, but every man possesses the possibility of developing a third or lower intellectual center, whereas this is invariably lacking in the animal. These centers may be said to be contained within the instinctive center, though this is not strictly accurate. The body is the physical structure of the instinctive center. It is only through the instinctive center that the emotional and intellectual centers can be manifested. Of course, each man or animal has a different emotional content, deposited at the time of his conception by the planets and determined by their configuration.

 
Of course! I interjected politely. , ‘

 
Though men of the same race may be structurally much the same there never is any essential identity.
Brothers, even twin brothers, possessing practically identical physical structures at birth immediately begin to display essential differences which in maturity have often brought about marked differences both external and internal. For the essence of man is not determined by his ancestry either immediate or remote. Nevertheless, since we are so nearly or always automatons, and since we inherit each one his physical structure, it may be said that the sins of the father or mother may affect the sons or daughters even through the third or fourth generation. By that time it will have been washed out.

 
So that’s a wash out, too, I commented courteously.
Everything in these three centers is a washout eventually.
Eventually? Why not now, I inquired mildly.

 
Because mankind serves a cosmic purpose, of course. Take food. It goes up the scale, solid, liquid, gas, i.e. do, re, mi. Then it is carried by the blood from the stomach to the lungs where it is transacted into life energy by the shock of its contact with air and is distributed through one’s body and runs of itself up the scale – fa, sol, la, si. So we grow and live.

 
In the same way mankind provides the shock which transmutes the sun’s energy into food for the earth, the moon, the infra moon.

 
Exactly: I concurred with exceeding politeness.
How politely you speak, he remarked, eying me obliquely. Except for misunderstandings politeness would never be necessary. For if I understand my friend politeness between us is never necessary, i.e. of course if he understands me. But if we do not agree through a lack of understanding we must be polite to each other or fight. And since few people like to fight and few of these are evenly matched, everyone must be polite to his neighbors. Thus the degree of politeness proper and necessary to employ depends always on the extent of the lack of understanding involved. We are particularly polite to the ladies.
Perhaps you are right, I remarked without emphasis.
Perhaps, he said, and was silent for a while.

 
Presently he motioned toward the next hilltop where a flock of sheep were grazing and from which the cheep bells occasionally sounded. But still he said nothing. At last “Sheep?” I queried idiotically. “Ye Sheep” he said.
Suppose those sheep were to discuss their purpose and their relation to the cosmos. Such a speculation would no doubt arouse most of them to fear and wrath by its impious tendency.
“How can you ask such a question!” they would bleat angrily. “Isn’t the evidence sufficient for you? Don’t the men-gods give us a warm shelter in the winter, good food from their stock when the earth is covered with snow, sheep our heavy coats in the Spring when otherwise we should be too unbearably hot| and constantly take the righteous away into the promised land?”

 
And no doubt they would ostracize and even gutt and kick suxh questioners. Yet if these agnostics persisted and upon investigation determined that men kept them closely for mutton and wool that would be regarded as a cruel and impossible conclusion. Yet it is the low of life that every living thing must live by the death of other living beings. You yourself as a man cannot live without going through the same process. Why then should you suppose that you do not yourself further the life purpose?

 
It is so, I admitted.
Perhaps, he said, Yet there is this purpose, I remarked. The life of a sheep is without purpose and utterly futile. Whereas men are constantly improving themselves and their environment.
Oh, are they really? He asked with great politeness. Hm, you do not understand it that way, I perceive by your manner. He smiled, and despite my valiant effort I was pleased, thrilled and stimulated by that smile.
You happen to be living, shall, we say, in a state of society that is just, now approaching its zenith. The war was represented the first signs of the wave breaking, just as the white crest of the wave appears when it nears the shore. Presently it will tough the beach, its limit, and come tumbling crashing down – as it always has done in the past. Even in your conception of history you can sec this. Various so-called civilizations have a done a high point of development, only to lapse into a retrogression which took term down to the lowest point from which they had risen. From that point there would be an upward turn and so on over and over. Even this has only the appearance of upward or downward trend since all things are in constant wane. From this maelstrom of futility then, I said, my only escape would be self annihilation?
Suicide is sometimes possible, he replied, but self annihilation is not.
Then I live forever? I queried? And must live forever?
Can a fire extinguish itself? Yet it does not burn forever. The life of a piece of radium is estimated to be fifteen thousand years. Your span of individual life may be fifteen thousand years or centuries but unless it is replenished and sustained by your own successful efforts and by the addition of outside accidents, such as my talk with you this morning – your being at the Maverick last night – your accidental equipment resulting in your reaction to my music etc.

 
Even with these factors given you will probably eventually reach the vanishing point and vanish. Though you cannot by choice either vanish or not vanish. But how – I interjected. By hearing me, he continued.
Choice is not possible to three-centered or four centered me. For every one of your thoughts, feelings, and acts are predictable in any circumstances. The fact that you are unable to predict them and that you have never met anyone able to product them does not mean that they are not definitely and actually predictable.
But look here I interrupted angrily, thrusting out my arm.
Undisturbed he continued.

 
Obviously you either will or will not, he remarked. What will be the cause of your extending your arm, if you do? Obviously the act will have been motivated by your reaction to the idea of automatism. It will be apparent to you that you could not act except as the act is the result of your own limitations. Unless of course you perchance become a complete human being.

 
A complete human being! I exclaimed, silencing me with a glare.
The cosmic man, he continued, differs from the world man in that he has developed his three higher centers. For as you know food is transformed into life energy through processes that are gratuitously provided for the World Man.

 
However every man has three higher canters – higher instinctive, higher emotional, and higher intellectual- e.g. potentially. Also there is food for the growth of the higher centers available but it is rarely or never absorbed.
But how know I stammered angrily. He continued serenely.
The harmonious development of men – that is the nectar and ambrosia of life.

 
First one must realize that he knows only one or two things actually example that there are two thousand million people on this earth and that all of them will die. Second that man is the only interesting object of study, and that you can only really know one man – yourself. To learn about yourself first you must establish your identity in the higher intellectual center and from this point of view observe your behavior. Not with disapproval nor with nor with approval. Simply observe. You must be simultaneously aware of your complete state of mind, emotions, and body. You must be aware of them but not identified with them. This is not impossible.

 
You can by an effort of real imagination conceive of yourself coming up the hill now toward our two figures seated here. You can from that point of view perceive/certain aspects of Sherman Grath (?), whom you have always mistakenly considered to be yourself. He is only one possible phase of yourself.

 
You will most easily observe at first five things about him – the posture of his body, the expression of his face, the tone of his voice, the gestures of his hands, arms, or other members of his body, and his carriage as he moves though life. Those are the external things about a man which others can see. But one must be simultaneously aware- of them and of a score more of internal aspects which are only to be known by yourself.
Then your emotions must be observed – not directly for this is not possible. But one can and must observe the physical evidences of one’s emotional states. Then one must add to this an awareness of one’s intellectual processes.

 
All of these observations will narrow down eventually to the study of your habits. Gradually it will become possible to vary one’s behavior by changing one’s behavior by changing one’s physical states or by placing one’s self in new circumstances or by supplying a new stimulus by means of mood (?).How the key if there be one, particularly at the beginning, will be the realization of simultaneous awareness of as many as are possible.
The memory film must be rolled back – first for an hour, then a day, – a week, a year until it may be possible to go back to one’s virgin state and discover one’s real essence. For it will be increasingly evident that we are more pseudo in actions, feelings, and thoughts, than we have supposed.

 
An immoral act, thought, feeling or life is one that fails to produce simultaneously profit, pleasure, and understanding. The difference between right and wrong is determined by whether or not, whatever it may be is agreeable to you. This means if it really agrees with you, in the sense that some foods happen to agree with one person and perhaps not with another.

 
When you were an infant you could not use your hand for any of the useful things you now do so deftly and easily. Suppose you could use your whole equipment, mind, emotions, and body as deftly and easily ad you now use your hands? This you can do if you can establish your identity in your higher intellectual center and develop the potential powers in your higher emotional and instinctive centers. There is food incessantly available for anyone under all conditions. You will find that it is easier to observe yourself whim you are doing something you do not automatically wish to do or when you are engaged in gratuitous effort.

 
Still, I objected, such a course would seem to make one obnoxiously self-conscious?
No. Not if one says “I am not that man – I will observe this mechanism, but not with approval, but externally with an impartial unprejudiced attitude, nor with disapproval.

 
Silence. Since this man is entirely automatic and merely a product. Of -say- two forces biology and sociology, and nevertheless is one phase of the real I, then I will observe him and all his actions and reactions. I shall study him because man is the only mystery in the world and since I have a specimen I am content. Absorbing experience in the process which will provide food for the higher centers. I must go.
The sun pooping over the rim of the horizon seemed to kindle hundred fires in his lusterful black eyes.
It will here become apparent to the real I that the behavior of your organism is absolutely automatic, and that it is most undesirable to be at the mercy of the chaos produced by the almost constant warring of the three centered among themselves. They constantly fight, agitate, and trick each other, to their equal discomfiture.
But damnation I shouted, will you listen?

 
Yes? He said pleasantly. But I had forgotten what it was I wanted to say. After a short silence, he proceeded.
Take your own case for example, and let us discuss your organism between us. The real “I” in your organism and myself. At the moment your instinctive center is weary and it is tired of reclining against that rock and it “is hungry and thirsty.

 
These states are known to the emotional center which is agitated by then. The intellectual center is however able and willing a participant in this conver­ sation and resolutely ignores the other centers, endeavoring to give its whole attention to our ideas. It is not strong enough as you can see and is caught by the emotions and made to turn to angry shouts. Meaningless, dangerous, and actually injurious.

 
It will be evident to you, i.e. to the real I in you that this is an inevitable and undesirable state, which nevertheless cannot be changed by an effort of will. Thus we say a world man has no free will or power to choose, and that he never will and never can have.
Unless? I said.
Unless you observe and study your organism without identifying yourself with its three centers.
It is possible and necessary however to make real, to realize, every thought, feeling, and action. To accomplish this kind of fire is necessary.
This fire will be present whenever you are, so to speak, awake. That is whenever the real I is conscious and aware of, though entirely void of identity with your thoughts, feelings, and actions simultaneously.
The effort necessary may now be made for you have heard the truth. It will be difficult if not impossible, for all your organism is so such dead weight.

 
And every current and phase of life as you have hither to known life and will present itself to you in future, will be counter to these ideas. But are there no absolute moral values? I asked.
Thoughts and emotions were seething within me so that I was powerless to formulate oven one question. I finally stammered pat “For the love of God don’t go! For the love of God I go, “he answered.
His expression seemed to me to be a divine blending of truth, beauty, love and laughter.
He rose, faced the rising sun for an instant, and then strode away down the hill. His figure moved swiftly and gracefully but instead of diminishing with distance seemed to take on greater dimensions, though its outlines were less and loss instinct. I did not exactly lose sight of him, but I could no longer discern details. He seemed to have merged with the hills and streams, the mist and sunlight, the gold and blue of the sky and the green and brown of the earth.

 
I rose; my body was cramped and cold but I was nevertheless glowing with the warmth of a celestial ecstasy.
Orage ceased speaking and sat regarding the embers of the fire with a curious absence of concentration that was the exact opposite of dreaming. He seemed extraordinarily at ease yet completely alert and alive in a way hardly comprehensible to me.

 
“Have you met that man since?” I asked. “Oh, yes,” he replied.
“In a dream?” I demanded.
“In a recurrent dream”, he replied. “Life”.
There are twelve physical types – but essence is not the same in the same types.
Behavior is the result usually if not always, of biology and sociology. Do not commit yourself to any wish or ambition of today. It almost surely will not last. A pianist went to the Institute, – became and is now a farmer in New Zealand.
Do, Re, Mi of the emotional center is related to emotions, impressions, Sex of the instinctive – So la si of the astral or emotional center is related to do, re, mi of the intellectual.
See if in your actual experience you have had an emotional experience of greater intensity than sex – i.e. so, la, si, of the emotional scale.

Fa is earth in E (emotional?) scale,
do, re, mi is moon
so, la, si is sun.

So every time my “Fa”, i.e. “I” falls into do, re, mi it is contributing something to Moon – and when by an effort “I” goes into so, la, si (of the emotional? it is contributing something to the Sun. If I comes to have a separate existence, responses will be so, la, si, (of the Emotions) but the organism always has the reaction do, re, mi (of the Emotion).
Suppose you find yourself in a negative emotional state (hither to we have said “observe etc,” now you can turn your mind to one of these ideas –
Order of the Cosmos.
Relation of Sun and Moon.
Cosmic scale.
Enneagram.
Any cosmic ideas, i.e. to think in terms of cosmos.
Objective Morality.
The fact is we can have no higher emotions in the presence of negative emotions.
We do not hold these ideas “in suspense” – that is a passive attitude. We are experimenting with these ideas – a positive attitude.

 

Words are difficult to employ. We must take words and find out what they really mean, out of our present experience.
Higher Emotion – what does this mean? The organism can never experience a higher emotion.

 

Appetites are not wishes. Appetites are in the emotional sub-center of the instinctive center.
Wishes only come from the emotional canter.
I am not hungry yet I wish to eat. This is from the emotional center. Will is the power to change attitudes.
We have a choice at the present moment of choosing another image than the one now held in the cerebral system which now determines attitude. (I.e. Emotional fest.) Same result achieved by contemplating something purely reasonable. – – Taking a walk is retreating into the instinctive center.
First shock is self observation, Second, contemplating the rational of the universe or of existence.
If you can nonidentity with all organisms – you do not have an emotional approach to mankind (i.e. how terrible everyone’s life is etc.) you will take an intellectual attitude. You will study your, own organism and that of others. But you must not expose this attitude to others. You have to behave “as if” you were a reasonable being. But if you become a reasonable being you have to play a role again – this time “as if” you wore not reasonable being.

 
Emotions are always responsive to ideas, but these ideas are not compatible with the emotions common to man.
To do more and more and better and better and to think less and less of it (i.e. in the sense of estimate) will be the result. (i.e. to be less and less satisfied by the results).
Unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees you shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

 
We must know ourselves (1) and the world (2) and (3) our station in the world.
We wish to know in order to be in order to do. In groups we can learn to know – in life we can learn to be – then we can learn to do.

 
Three tests – thinkable, feel able, sensible.
If I can co-ordinate my three centers – thinking, feeling, and doing, perhaps I can do something.
Self-observation, participation and experiment will develop this ability.
Try to imagine a circle of chairs one for each year of your life. Try to imagine yourself in the first choir for one year. Then in the second for the second year. The same person out in a different forts. Then in each chair the same person but in different forms. The same person is at any given time all those things he has been and all those things he will become. Call these chairs birthdays.
Those figures that we see in passing around this succession of chairs must be regarded as the inevitable result of potentialities. What is it that passes around through those successive molds or figures? I. Bat I am identified, with each figure at that given moment. When I am at any given point it is, so to speak, illuminated. Last year is only, memory. To me there seems to exist only the present instant. At present doomed to recur, i.e. actualize the same things over and over, again, from birth to death. There is also an I potential attached so to speak to animals (re), vegetables (do), Man (mi). No suggestion from anyone in the circle, is of any value to I.
The tricks of getting out of this circle or maize is self observation, participation, and experiment. Unfolding the pentagon, Realizing the enneagram I is the actualizing principle relative to itself. Essence is the source of all possible bodies. The physical body, the astral body, and the mental bodies are essence.
Simultaneity is the second dimension of time. The first is succession, the third recurrence, then eternity.
The first center of I is individuality. The second consciousness, the third Will.
The order of development of centers is number one, then a piece of number two, then the completion do, re, mi, of number two.

 
To non-identify would be to be indifferent to any form actualized. Buddha (it is supposed) passed from the state of human being as we know it to all degrees of actuality in the universe.
The etheric body, composed of what we call magnetism principally, can after death be sometimes materialized by some varieties of incense.
But “this body is not part of but part of the organism.
The difference between being stimulated or drained is due to the types if etheric bodies of two individuals in contact.

 
If a positive etheric body contacts in conversation or other association with a negative etheric body – naturally the positive body will be drained, unless he knows how to protect himself.
The actual home of I is in the sixth dimension. It lives (or should live) in do, re, mi and fa so la si but I is not now able to be conscious in do,re,mi. In one second after death, before recurrence, I see his past and future lives.
Except for prejudice or habit we could see our whole past lives at glance.
Plato said our aim is to learn how to die every day. i.e. to see back and foresee at a glance the whole of one’s lives.

 
Potentialities.

 
Are imperceptible, but determine the form of the result of positive and negative elements. “We see the positive and negative elements, but see only the result – not the significance.
As far as we are concerned neutralizing force is always psychological – i.e., not susceptible of sense perception.
There is no phenomena a without significance but we can seldom know or realize it.
We exercise all three forces, positive, negative and neutralizing. When we exercise consciously only positive and negative forces we are in the world of phenomena only. It is our work to realize the significance of the world of phenomena.

 
The neutralizing force is always the silent partner of positive and negative forces.
Sigrossa says – how is it that the neutralizing force in going up and down the scale is always different?
Orage – the neutralizing force going down is of the negative absolute – in going up of the positive absolute.
Be aware plus questioning attitude as to significance, expectant of a meaning to appear.
Try to make every little episode in your daily life meaningful. Always have a reason. If you are walking on one side of a street and someone should tap you on your shoulder and ask why you are walking on the side of the street, you should be able to give a reason for it.

 
Self Observation – trying to be aware of all your phenomena with non-identification.
Participation is observing and acting purposively, still with non-identification, i.e. as if one were choosing to go.
Experiment an awareness of phenomena plus participation plus having a reason, will with non-identification.
We wish to identify significance in its cosmos relation.
We wish to regard our organisms as being a cosmic machine for the transmutation of energies to which energies to which I is attached.

 
Children act more essentially than grown-ups. But children are unfortunately very corruptible.
We wish to become incorruptible children having known sin and rejected it. Chief Feature is a pretence that you have now the development that you wish to have.
Chief Feature is the relation between essence and personality. The idea is ultimately to detach I from personality. -An ulterior motive in this work is one identified with the organism held for its welfare against that of I.

 
All lower emotions are those we share with animals – all these peculiar to Man are higher emotions.
Lower emotions come from response of the organism to external world.
Higher emotions come from response of I to the organism.
There are negative higher emotions, for example Remorse.
This method is directed toward regularizing what has occasionally already occurred; higher emotions for example have occurred. We wish to regularize them – to evolve a science of living.
Orage said Jesus Christ used this method; perhaps Saint specialized.
The conversion of water into wine means we now run on water – but by this method we run on wine.
The miracle of the loaves etc. means the scientific use of all the energies of food and of all foods.
Do = God, Ci (Si) = the sum of all Milky Way’s – i.e. all possibilities.
Three forms of reason dealing with objects.
Dealing with concepts of objects.
Dealing with potentialities.
Objective Reason sees what must be if it ever actualizes.


 

March 29, 1926

 

The first form of reason based entirely on examples from our experience. Similarity of concepts accidentally acquired.

The second presupposed an ability to see an idea of form apart from its contents.

The third form = objective reason only possible to I – and has to do with the nature of things. The epitome of this is the enneagram. The triangle is I end the surrounding circle is it. I is under the law of three while organic is under the law of seven Only when I can begin to think of the whole organism under the law of seven. In the law of seven there are three points – begin at do – then between Mi and Fa, then from Ci to Do.

Try to think of the triangle as the main spring of the whole, without its activity nothing will happen. There are three “hands” -one has completed its circle as far as it can go (that is to Ci) – one has gone Do, Re, Mi – and the third has only just started at Do.

If we are alert at the note Mi, we shall know when to intervene. Never try to create art or to observe art with fooling. (This is one of the things on the wall of the Institute in a script not to be read without the key.) An instance of the way – – nations – – specie of music – destroyed.

The story of the bees sorely mechanical – failed, got no cosmic consciousness, therefore they were reduced in size – and lived happily after. A long time for us will be required to learn to know – much longer than to learn to be – much longer to learn to do.

This means from an objective standpoint.

Orage said regarding writing that he no longer cared at all to write – objectively – but has now a glimpse of what objective writing would be. In the matter of writing it is possible to write such sentences that they will have, if read, a definite for seen effect no matter what the state of the roader happened to be. Those were called “matrices” (?) or magic sentences.

If read with the ear the rhythm affects you – if read with the eye the arrangement of the letters affect you – if read with the understanding the meaning will affect you.

There is expected of each of you a certain work. That work we do not yet understand and of course still less are we able to undertake this work at this stage. Every I that has some possibility of self realization has as its duty to carry the organic kingdom over the note Ci, i.e. 2000 million organisms waiting through numberless recurrences for a shock to carry them over the missing half-steps.

When you have established the super ability of I so that you can non-identify at will – a different sort of instruction will be available. When I is born, then there will be someone to care for it – just any new form. It is not best to make the way of the prenatal growth smooth and too easy, lest I shall be born a weakling. Despair is a divine fire that purifies – burns up impurities.

Nobody who brings to birth I, will be left.

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“As if” you were a reasonable person deputed to act as a reasonable person would act. Situations in which we find ourselves from which we cannot escape. Take it as if you were placed in that situation to find out what a reasonable person would do in that situation. Then “as if” you had to proscribe what is best to be done every changing moment. Then the aspect of one state is real. We are only ghosts, really. These illusions are caused by sense imaginations. Try to see what your organism has been from conception to the present and then see the whole of your life. Imagination based on sense impressions produces negative emotions in which state it is not possible to act reasonably. But real perception will enable you to think and act reasonably.

A mother crying over (to us) a repulsive criminal is enslaved by an earlier actualization. But we are enslaved with the present actualization.

Ceasing to hate a person who arouses negative emotions is one step – learning to love such a person would be another generally speaking any negative state can be used for self observation, then participation, then experiment. These are exercises for I.

Ceasing to hate no longer wasting energy. Learning to love is developing positive emotions. But to do this we must have a positive reason for so doing – i.e. a neutralizing force (What would one be?)

If you would say to yourself “I have a body” and realize it you would have arrived at our object if self consciousness, self realization with non- identification, by the direct method.

We must discover that there is finally and forever I and it. We will then be at do the intellectual. “So long as my relations with Orage are very friendly so long will I be identified with it

The case of the Russian – cliff, boulder, rope = do, i.e. self realization (“easy my”.)

One loses all fear of death. Fear is merely an elementary crude form of clairvoyance.

Are you desperate? “I am a desperate man” (in a certain tone of voice the man means it.) (Essence is always calm.)

As I understand it, one can only be or do reasonably by doing.

————————————————————–

Recite dialogue re objective morality – maintenance and improvement – with regard to experiment and being indifferent to results.

  Orage said, “Common sense is always king”.

When the intellectual is a function of the emotional, this is rationalizing.

When the emotional is a function of the intellectual, this is reason.

In this work we sacrifice the lesser for the better. Emotions do-re<-mi -equanimity but no La, So, Ci - active.

If you go to sleep observing yourself with non-identification you will find that you resume upon awakening -“Hello! it is waking up!”

Each of the centers is dreaming all time Dreaming is on absolutely continuous process. (Reverie is emotional center.)

In Roget’s Thesaurus you can take all the states between thinking and feeling and classify them according to center.

It is probably that never before has anyone of us observed out selves therefore we probably will never recur to this identical recurrence. We will leave a shell to which perhaps someone may be “promoted” from a lower note in the scale. If we discover the pattern we have discovered a “new line” and it will be easier in a subsequent next recurrence to step out of the present line. To the extent of our power to observe with non-identification we have power to step out of our present line.

Three Degrees of development of I – Individuality (l) consciousness (2) and will (3)

Ahoum – widest possible to closed lips – not a consonant, must be thought – positive absolute and negative absolute. A to M. The consonants are points on the circle. I is, or may be rather, eternal. The emotional center of I is a certain part of the heart.

When the Method is really commenced a change in the magnetic currents will probably take place. Try to stand it, if it is disagreeable. It is nothing serious. If you will to continue to observe the symptoms, nothing else matters. Your feelings don’t matter.

The myth of the Medusa, the hero could look at her only in a mirror so you can only look upon emotions in the physical symptoms. Try to comprehend that this method is only to observe and to understand the mechanism and all of its behaviors, continuously and simultaneously.

Nothing else matters. Literally and absolutely – nothing else matters. A complete knowledge and acceptance of the theory would be of absolutely no value. Only proving it counts. Proving rests on a state of being. And that state of being rests on a new and peculiar doing – this Method. A new faculty will be developed to be aware of oneself continuously and simultaneously.

One night ask as the old lady did in a lecture she attended in London – “What is this Einstein theory of mathematics?” Of course, since she knew hardly any elementary mathematics, it was impossible to explain it to her.

One should have a professional attitude toward this work.

Edna Kenton asked “Do you mean “as if?” No, he roared. But an attitude comparable to that held toward your writing.

Sphinx

Lion – no fear

Bull – strength

Woman – love

Wings – aspiration

Mr. Gurdjieff said that we are full of fears of things it is absurd to fear – and of no fears of the things we should fear. Intellectual state

Emotional attitude

Instinctive behavior.

The emotional center is the natural engine for controlling behavior.

Emotional attitude is determined by images held in the intellectual center. The emotions sit in a dark cave. But through the images we see, and through the unconscious images which the emotions see and we don’t, the emotions are dictated.

“I do not like thee Dr. Fell. The reason why I cannot tell”. The emotions see far more than we consciously see.

 

Orage said that in the Institute he said often to himself – “My God, I awake in a lunatic asylum! I must get out!” And so when I had found this happening again and again I wrote a declaration. “I have been logically convinced that self observation and non-identification are the methods, therefore lose no time in this attitude but get to work.” So perhaps at three o’clock that lay I would be wholly back to the task.

Sin – remorse

Forgiveness – restitution.

Sin is that we should he still identified purely with mechanism.

Chief feature is in I’s relation to the body. Its discovery will induce shame.

Chief feature has no relation to higher emotions.

The lowest form of animal life lives for say three seconds.

But in that organism sight has lived what to us might ho sixty years – been young, adolescent, nature, old, aged.

   We have never lived before – yet we have lived many, many times.

 

Rourth Dimension.

There are whole scales psychically, between/center. (This is your experience (Zaza’s) of leaving the body.

Observation that does not carry with it the idea that all of behavior is the behavior of it (the organism) will tie us even more closely to it.

Keep saying it, it, it, it. I am not it. I am not Orage. I will observe the behavior of it – Orage.

But self identification without non-identification is not futile. It is a step. The next step will be non-identification.

You could completely realize that I am not it, intellectually, but you have not let go emotionally.

I know that I am not familiar with myself. I do not even know in the sense of being aware even of my bodies activities – muscular, movements even. I am ignorant of it and its behavior. I certainly with too know about it – therefore –

moon, Do, Re, Mi, — going down

sun   So, La, Ci – up

Two streams, up and down – there is a bridge – effort within the

Method.

All emotional attitudes of one hold toward this work are of no account. The Gospels tell us nothing of what happened to Jesus between the ages of twelve and thirty. And then after a blank of 18 years he reappears and in the role of teacher lives three years.

During these 18 years he was put in school that is he went out into and became a man of – the world.

The claim was that he started like any one of us – that he broke down the middle wall – that he then recovered the consciousness his mission – and performed it.

The Prodigal Son went into a far country. He found himself living on husks (passive impressions) and feeding swine (moons!!}, Then he went back to his father and received the robe of loveliness – i.e. mental body.

 

Tests.

Can one say I have a body = observation. “I do not care what its activities or experiences may happen to be. I will observe them scientifically-i.e. without either approval or disapproval.

 

 

 

 April l2, 1926

The interval between Mi and Sol requires an outside aid or shock, but between Si and Do a shock is required but this  an  supplied by oneself from inside.

There are in nature only three notes Do, Re, Mi, for Sol “sounds” like a new do when fa is struck.

This formula was originally a physical and chemical formula but later was adopted as the musical scale.

At six we now have passive impressions – but these may become active impressions.

 

Ordinary food 768 i.e. has the rate of 384 action of 768 192 air – 192 passive impressions = 24

These would be, if air were fully digested, a double 24 and a double 12 – relatively higher and lower emotions and high and low sex.

 

And then eventually a third 24 and a third twelve.

In the case of sex there may or can be positive and negative and neutralizing. When do begins to be active the first experience is higher emotions.

Sex power of the three times sort is creative not procreative.

All drugs (hasheesh) tend to throw out the magnetic currents. Gurdjieff said no one should be allowed to commence work in these groups who had taken drugs. They apparent; become insane – during a rearrangement of magnetic currents, – they will be out of balance.

 

Insanity is complete identification with fantasy (perhaps a role), Perhaps half criminal, half monstrous.

(Note, Jessie talked a great deal, chiefly about insanity.)

Movement is circular from top to bottom, and the reverse. Our desires determine our movement, i.e. up or down.

Try to play a role superior to ourselves – up playing a role superior to ourselves = down consciously playing any role = up.

 

Some people develop an unisexual amount of magnetism, (animal

magnetism)

 

Powers of sexual attraction

Powers of persuasion

Powers of “getting things over”

 

Gurdjieff when over here were offered to produce any phenomena ever produced before. Orage personally made this offer at Harvard, but they said that they would attend but would not supply the materials or the means.

Tricks, half-tricks and phenomena. Science has arrived at Mi.

In playing roles one will find the resistance in himself (mechanism) against playing certain roles.

Essence in recurrences will act in each in accordance with the experiences in former recurrences.

People are shells.

Jessie asked – Is our interest in this work due to an accumulation of active impressions?

 

(a)Essence depends on what elements following conception affect us. Mother has a great effect on us because essence is so near the surface. So in prenatal and for a short time afterward essence is easily affected. But soon a layer of impressions is accumulated and afterward because of the layer of convention (passive impressions etc.)(b) it is difficult, almost impossible, to get an impression through then to essence.

If we can observe our behavior, it will change from opaque to transparent and we can then observe essence.

Oriental education is directed to the development of essence but only in the emotional. Occidental education is directed toward personalities. In the East they like the development of types – here of infirmity. Even guilds of robbers. Even at the expense of the fabric of society they prefer the development of types.

Watson admits the existence of many potentialities never yet actualized.

The idea is to begin to exercise potentialities not brought into play by our environment.

Jessie re-stated her question. C- Science (facts so called) are from every ordinary thing in life. (Have certain weight.)

B. (Moonshine) certain diluted occult knowledge – theosophy, fairy stories, religion etc.

 

A impressions are and oust be received only from a person who is capable of orientating b impressions. A impressions are/of pure and direct esoteric nature.

 

No one who has not had (b) can contact successfully with (a)

Easterners have (b) but no (c).

Sherm has no C (Sherm said this himself!)

In science there is no interest in significance – only in mechanics.

The Oriental tries to satisfy his emotions, the Occidental tries to satisfy his mind.

a recognizes other as and bs, and cs.

b recognizes other bs and cs (always b thinks as are bs and perhaps thinks another b is an a).

c recognizes only other cs

Tell the story of Geomancy (?)a (to?) b person – Order of the Golden Dog – which degree? “I’m in number seven”. – “Oh” I said, “I’ve passed that long ago. Tell me one thing please – what does (Pee Bee Pee mean? OH “I said straight off the bat” “that means really means a very high degree”. “Yes” he said “but what does it really mean?

. “Pro Bono Publico” I whispered.

“Oh” he said, “that puts me on the scent”

b receiving another b.

An a .only occasionally comes into the world. His fishing, so to speak, is always among bs. It is accident if we are bs and again accident if we contact with an a. A always comes into the world for some specific reason – chivalry, a new religion, science, an institute or the like. (Gothic Cathedral.)

Bs really helping as will become as.

 

Motives.

c (individual advantage, spiritual, psychological, etc.)

b something related to? the welfare of group related with.

a The idea for whish the whole thing exists. In this case it is the establishment exists. In this case it is the establishment of an institute – the respect us of which only exists at present. And will never be actualized unless there are enough bs to accomplish this.

  

 April 23, 1928

 

(B) Do you happen to know anything about the planet “Remorse of Conscience” Yes, I know that it is remote and called the cursed planet and there all processes proceed backward or reversely” Orage. “Hare, for example, things proceed on certain occasions according to rhythmic, developmental run of what we call co-incidence. But on Karatas, for example, such a sequence of “Providential” occurrences would be always in evidence, and would in all cases proceed as life would in a good school.

 

The work of the Institute is to make such a change in oneself that nothing can occur that does not agree with one’s own qualities. The three means of tasking substances into ourselves are food, air, and impressions. Now it must be realized that our experiences in life are determined by the food, air, and impressions which we take in – or are taken in. So with air, we can incur psychic indigestion, blood poisoning or what else.

 

So with perceptions. If I go along Fifth Ave., and look with envy at the things I see, one day I shall walk into a store to buy, for no apparent reason, something I by no means want.

Take a cashier who absconds. He has with complete (as he thought) innocence looked covetously on money not his, until one day he absconds. So a series of unobserved perceptions may result in any sort of unexpected acts.

Or it can only be undone after a long period of remorse. Or, by a short cut, he may reduce the time – conscious observations.

By the way – this planet called Earth is all these planets. A planet is a state of chemistry.

There are on planet “Remorse of Conscience” thirty-nine souls and one Macarean. The laws that govern our bodies are exactly the same as the laws that govern our Universe. There is in each of us a corresponding item, element, Milky Way, planet, sun, stars.

 

Gurdjieff speaks of a neutralizing force – and he speaks of it as a force. But there is no evidence of this third force. Take a hydrogen atom i.e. – one proton and one electron, which is to say positive and negative forces, but something holds them together. What is this? Good and evil are not ever outside one self.

Positive is descending or “good”, arising from the center.

Negative is repelling or “evil” force since it is a limiting force acting on the positive force.

Men are small cosmoses in which there is always on this planet a disproportionally quantity of three sorts of

substances. Thus we have all our behavior explained whether criminal or not. Dreams were until recently regarded as being sent – a sort or visualization. We still speak of externally caused experience. But it is as subjective as a nocturnal dream.

 

Assumption of responsibility for “external” behavior and experience is the first symptom that one has reached his

majority.

Karatasians are beings like ourselves who have realized that all experience we now know is a subjective as a nocturnal dream.

We have three bodies but we are only objectively conscious of our physical bodies. But our astral and mental bodies should be as objective, and we should be able to use them as objectively as our physical body.

At present it is almost possible to regard the possibilities of the emotional and intellectual bodies as being in the control of one’s physical body.

The ruler of Mars – where as on all planets he was selected from among the peacemakers- i.e. one who harmonizes his three centers. A doctor is merely a tranquilizer, if anything.

It might be that one would have a great wish to think clearly, but if lacking in a substance necessary for active intellection, he cannot. I took the ship “Occasion” to the planet Saturn, there to await the interstellar ship “Omnipresent”. There I asked Gonar-Har-Harharck why the period (?) on the planet Mars, during which it is not possible to engage in active intellection, was increasing. (On Saturn the beings are in the form of Ravens.)

Electricity is the source of all biology – three forms – so men are composed of three forms of electricity. There is not an infinite amount of electricity available. During an electric age neurosis, witlessness, inability to engage in impartial intellection, etc., will increase.

 

April 15, 1928

 

There is a certain grammar of associations.

A verbal thought is nothing more than a word pattern.

Formal thought can be reproduced in a suggestive way only in words.

Formal thought is “thinking something”, not “thinking about something”.

 

Three Modes of Speech.

1. Expression of subjective state shaker is in. It is instinctive speech.

2. Emotion (ex motion, i.e. – motion outward.)

3. Evoke (ox voce – i.e. – voice outward). To produce or evoke in the is/the mind of the hearer or reader a form which become a for him a real experience.

 

The fluidity necessary for formal thought requires an emotional heat to attain formal thinking.

If I had known what I now know I would have saved myself many years devoted to the study of the peculiar psyche of the earth beings. Brain is out Sun Absolute. Cells move up through emotions.

Karatas is a brain capable of impartial thinking: i.e. free from Kundebuffa. Purgatory is heart. Such is the nature of our atmosphere that all things including sciences, ideas, knowledge, gold, etc., etc. will “rust” – as Plato put it.

One does not get rid of chief feature, only, segregated from influences and influencing.

Do you believe in astrology?

There is a certain implement for the manipulation of one’s self. “AS if”, Seneca said “Even virtue.

It is almost certain that questions of the moment aroused – incited – by .what Mr. Orage says will be subversive rather than helpful. Considered questions are always stimulating.

 

Whence, Why. Whither.

 

Have I lived before this life? Why am I here? Where may I go?

How is it that we know very well how to behave, yet we often behave quite contrarily to our common sense?

What is the difference between satisfaction and happiness?

If you accept behaviorist data, what do you say can be accomplished that will be extra behaviorist?

What is harmonious development of man?

 

Questions need not be, and probably should not be questions which you are not yourself able to answer. Certainly, from my point of view, the best question proposed last week was – “Why are we here?” It was the question I referred to when I said to Mr. Orage that there was in the lot one ideal question. But I could have given the answer to that question three years ago – as everyone can verify by referring to an article I wrote which was published in England in January of 1925. We want to get at the root of the subject we discuss here. We want to propose, seriously, questions, simply phrased which are near to the real final question of – how will you phrase it?


 

April 18. 1927

 

I should be extremely interested to know how many have been able to retain the thread or the discussion in mind from last week. The efforts of a reformer – first to prepare himself.

 

He decided that all his impressions from infancy were subjectively formed – i.e. conditioned.

 

So having gained an attitude of impartiality did he permit himself to consider his conclusions as of any value?

 

He then concluded that there was in the essence of all human beings an untainted, native quality – named Objective Conscience.

 

He thereafter set about his task by first of all selecting a number of beings (three A) chosen chiefly from the monasteries of his neighborhood – not buildings but lone thinkers, – whose essence was a little nearer the surface than usual.

 

First he instructed them in certain cosmic truth –

(l) True pattern of man – his relation to the cosmos – the law of the octave including introduction, influence, necessity of the introduction of the semitone.

 

(2) Self Observation – increasing awareness.

 

(3) He taught them to formulate these truths so that they could each persuade 100 other beings in such a way that each of the hundred could and would be able to persuade and convince 100 additional, by their emotions and their reason. Then these each was called “priest”. Then these when able to persuade 100 others were called “initiate”. So in ten years all the intellectual, instinctive, and emotional outlook of all the intellectuals in and about Babylon was changed.

 

For 300 years this civilization prospered – racial differences, caste differences, national differences disappeared.

This was the Golden Age lasting 300 years. It was put an end to by a sort of counter revolution lead by Tentrohamops (Lenin- Trotsky).

The form of government that eventuated from the propaganda disseminated by Ashiati Shiemash.

We must make a parallel between psychological and psychological development.

The first thing to realize by self-ex amination, is that which appeals to our hope, love, faith will be regarded by us as a little sentimental, as a little under suspicion – due to our education. We say – Prove this.

Buddha appealed to logic, subtlety, and reason, but though he was a master of dialectic – in one generation his teachings were perverted.

Now our reason is just as unreliable in its usual a state as our emotions.

Ashiati Shiesmash knew that every reformer had and would fail if the subjective of mankind were not taken into account. He proposed to appeal to something in us that we have not yet rationalized.

I propose to speak of this now, though we have not – most of us – experienced it. I will speak of the objective conscience of the whole of the animal kingdom.

Why does a dog always obey the obligation laid upon him to be what he should be? It is a matter of indifference to dogs whether their kind disappears from the earth or not – whether they are going up or down the evolutionary scale. They cannot do what is wrong for they obey the law of their being.

But man, psychologically, is “capable” of being any animal which produces in him a state of doubt which makes a choice possible. Because he is the not Ci in the biological scale. Man is not a fixed note but may proceed up or down the scale. Animals being a fixed note do fill an their requirements.

 

But man is capable of first, a simple awareness of possibilities. It is possible that man is a free agent, i.e., has the possibility in him of either proceeding up or down the scale, actualizing either the lower or higher series of possibility. It is a matter of difference to nature which man actualizes.

 

Not right or wrong – but “something that ought to be”. This introduces God as the final determinant which decrees that a being with choice must actualize the higher series. So man has an objective conscience which may make him consciously determine to cooperate with the design of God.

 

So Ashiati Shiesmash created thirty six beings as his sons, not slaves but conscious beings.

 

In every human being there is this criteria of values, – you may have felt that there is something that you will not do – come what may.

 

The alternative of death by torture or giving the life of one you love.(?) In such a case you may find you are pushed against a will beyond which you cannot go – God, devil, or man notwithstanding. This would be objective conscience. But the truth is that in all circumstances this consciousness would operate. A vivid sense of right and wrong would operate.

 

Consciousness of our Cosmic Duty is Objective Conscience. Trees act in accord with their own Objective Conscience, – certain emanations of the Sun are conveyed into the atmosphere and chemical constitution of this planet. Humans were proceeded by vegetable and animal kingdoms necessarily for the substances to form a human body were by then transmuted into earth material.

 

So we in turn have three transforming instruments which transform solar energies into terrestrial substances.

 

But in addition we have the possibility of simultaneously attaining by conscious effort

 

Individuality

Consciousness, and

Understanding or Will.

 

What is the difference between normal and average it is the difference between standard and statistical, – what ought to be and what is. What is the aim of existence?

 

1. Maintenance in a state of readiness the planetary body which we happen to have inherited – the idea of health plus readiness, excluding the idea of habits or specialized skill – should be potentially capable of any accomplishment that might be required.

 

Gurdjieff had familiarized himself with fifty or 60 crafts in order to keep himself in a state of readiness, elasticity for any effort directed by an intelligence. This is the first aim dictated by Objective Conscience. (So we feel a little contemptuous of a highly socialized development in a man – a gymnast for example.)

 

2. The aim always to have an undiminished curiosity hunger and thirsty for improving oneself in Being. Always to have the wish to be more and always to know more, and so more.

 

Usually-the more knowledge a man has the less we find him to be when we meet him. The same with one who has done much.

Although there are no institutions to help us, we all feel that unless we become something more we shall have failed in our lives.

 

3. A Conscious Aim to know more and more is not at all in the nature of an answer. Not merely a parlor question, but a state in which everything including our owns behavior will present itself as a possible clue to the solution of this one problem. But I am tonight for the first time – no second time – in a state or attitude where the statements seem not quite defensible. I am in a horrible state of subjective lack of confidence. I came to you in the hope that this may be the result of chief feature, i.e., chief defect rather. Certainly I shall – So help me – continue to attend these groups. For I cannot reasonably do otherwise.

 

4. The aim, to pay off as quickly as possible the debt we have incurred in the process of becoming conscious responsible beings.

This introduces a sort of terror. We are here as biological beings and at the same time we are conscious, i.e. individuals, in order thereafter to be able to lighten so much as possible the burden of our common father.

 

5. To aim always to help the speediest development up to the scale of reason, – to the sacred degree of self individuality, all other beings.

 

These are the conscious objectives. You will understand as a usual of being on earth today, how far from realizing these normal obligations of a being – of man, we are.

There occurred a split by virtue of which our total planet became separated into something essential and something artificial – so that we human beings owe to this the fact that we have both an essential conscience and an artificial one. So we are producing sociological values at the expense of essential values.

This is an effect of Kundabuffa and during the time of its presence it was not possible to attain consciousness, self individuality or will. Or certainly cosmic consciousness. And on account of traditions imposed during this period we now find it almost im-possible in the absence of that org and to do so. Due to our civilization which is a product of that period, we still fail to develope, or perceive the possibility of developing.

t N

The criticism of Gurdjieff of indicting man for egoism – putting self above cosmic good is cockeyed.

It is exactly to say that one cannot fight his own kind but that he can engage in a cosmic war. And the noble thing, he infers, may well be to sacrifice himself to that cause. What difference between that and international war, – nobly undertaken, as we say?

 

Selfishness plus cunning

1. rulers

2. professionals

3. – laborers.

 

Gurdjieff criticizes God and man – negatively.

What is cosmic service? Never says –

Why?

Where do we age from?

Where do we go from here?

What is beauty? Love?

Certainly he has suggested a valuable method, i.e. to include, first of all oneself in all observation of phenomena.

It looks to me as though I-were to find myself down among the swine feeding on husks soon. Well, so be it, if it must be so.

 

April 25, 1927

 

Now I would like to go on with the narrative with the sequence unbroken. First thing to realize is the possibility of contact with a case of split (or multiple) personality.

Mrs. Piper had been subject from time to time to attacks of amnesia – loss of identity. Became a seamstress, shopkeeper, domestic servant etc. – under the influence of drink, drugs, etc. We may act in a way that will be both forgotten and, to us, also inexplicable.

Diagnosis of man is that he is suffering from split personality.

Say a friend of yours is suffering from an attack of this sort of amnesia – he has forgotten his identity. What should you do?

What is the meaning of existence? What is my mission, if any?

The problem of how to revive your friend’s memory of himself is exactly that of the religious reformer who desires to perform this service for Man.

The Cry of an Indian child in the womb is “Let me remember who and what I an after birth.” After birth “I have forgotten the meaning and aim of my being”. So all men. Fairy stories are the first food for the magnetic center of children. Sleeping Princess (or royalty or divinity) – the Prodigal Son, refer to more elaborate myths than in the Bible – Meades, “Hymn of the Robe of Blory.”

Have, you ever undertaken a commission and become an involved with and absorbed in some personalities that you suddenly exclaim I forgot my I.

How would you try to arouse your friend? You would commence to talk of factor things – also to take him to familiar places – to talk to him with the reason which he has acquired since the attack of amnesia – or again if the role he had fallen into was lower than formerly you would perhaps violently reproach him in the hope that you could arouse him.

So Ashiati Shiesmash when proposing to treat mankind for the affliction of split personality employed exactly the same means – with talking to thirty six.- i.e., three centered beings with the potentiality of six centers – i.e. specimens of split psyche.

He began to instruct them about cosmic truths – their place in the cosmos, the responsibilities and duties laid upon men. (Nothing abnormal in being perfectly familiar with the meaning and aim of our existence on the contrary.) Continued association with these ideas will reawaken in themselves ideas now lost, in their buried subconscious – plus an additional method for reawakening (Ouspensky uses the phrase “self remembering”) to recall to oneself ones self – self observation, self participation, and self experiment. All so that one can non-identify with the planetary body and recover a real knowledge of one’s being, aim, etc.

By reviewing one’s past life one can non-identify so as to review even the current days happenings to one’s planetary body.

So to awaken a feeling of shame, the fulcrum of objective conscience.

Not conventional shame due to being discovered is social dereliction – but the shame of the Prodigal Son to find himself competing with the swine for the husks in the light of what he should have become. But a thrill of objective conscience das not carry with it development of objective reason. Not one of us will ever un- stand the cosmos until we feel the shame of not understanding the aim of our existence can we ever cogence the achievement of Objective Reason.

1. To maintain the planetary body in a state of readiness for the attainment of reason readiness to understand.

2. To be always striving to have more and more consciousness Individuality and Will.

3. Always having at the back of your mind that every act, circumstance, happening may throw light on the meaning of existence.

4. To treat all those beings with whom we come into contact justly with complete tolerance.

5. To aid all other beings in these four ways.

At present all our consciousness is in our instinctive center the other two centers are to be brought up to the same degree of consciousness, Ashiati Shiemash tried to do this.

There have been great things done in the world – the establishment of chivalry, – of Knights Templar – of Masonry.

Is there enough material among us – the 50 or 60 of us here to establish anything comparable? Could we undertake to build Gothic Cathedrals, so to speak? Take the Cathedral of Ely which I am very familiar with. It is located in a swamp – no stone there. Here came a certain small group under the name of Christians – swamp drained tons of stone dumped in it, masons trained, got money from barons. These beings oust have attained an extraordinary degree of conscious.

But Ashiati Shiemash did more, he proposed an un educational system, then a reeducational system. Than through these, a religious reformation by purely psychological means was undertaken. So at one time for say 150 or 250 years there was a world culture. Then began to come to an end by means, of a certain kind of Lentrohamops- a species of psychology that is comparatively simply based. For with objective conscience, objective reason does not spring alive and so suffering results.

You remember, with a pang, that you have a mission which had been forgotten. Then when we begin looking about for the means to even formulate, not to say understand, we find ourselves helplessness.

Narcotics are religion, service to others, etc.

Lentrohamops the state of being unwilling to entertain a state of being aware of objective conscience without possession of objective reason.

So Lentrohamops selected these beings and began to work on thorn just as Ashiati Shiemash had done.

He said the only thing for us in life is the pursuit of happiness, that is freedom – absence of the obligation to do anything one does not like.

(But one did not make his essence and if our essence demands the service of God his creator then we must follow this.) But Lentrohamops said the state of being under moral obligations was undignified and proposed that man repudiate such an idea. Why if we escape from the use of mutton and wool again surrender to a further demand. (I hope you will see that there was nothing diabolical in the attack of Lentrohamops on the work of Ashiati Shiemash. If it is the fact that only from an urge of a realized obligation is the attainment of objective reason possible then tills means that it is barred for some of us forever. But we must not fail to accord to God a sort of subtlety – God is no fool God himself would be the first to admit this – that God has the highest reason in our universe today. Certain emotional states are necessary to the understanding of certain truths. The attainment of Cosmic Consciousness is impossible in advance of the sense of an objective conscience. So Lentrohamops was rationally right but in fact wrong.

So he started a movement which resulted in our spiritual forefathers, the Greeks and the Romans. We date from Ancient Greece which dates from Lentrohamops. To our misfortune and perhaps to our ruin so far as this life is concerned. Rationalism without any higher urge. We are the inheritors of Lentrohamops rational successful revolt on the spiritual plane.

Monasteries in little Tibets in our subconscious.

Cosmopolitanism to egoism. Instincts titillating. We cannot formulate a true theory of life if it is not favorable to us. Nietzsche said “I look always for the motive my philosopher had in formulating it.” Schopenhauer’s idea was companion.

Nietzsche – superman. 99 exist for the happiness of one. – Napoleonic complex.

The individual (or the opposite) exists only for the good of society. What does it matter is I perish if society benefits, (socialism and sociology.)

The pursuit of science through successive generations keeps on accumulating facts for the use of future generations. I believe that each generation will continue to suffer from the disease of tomorrow – and will continue to accumulate facts not to use them but for some future realization.

There is the supposition that God is our Father – the “father complex”.

(Heine said that God is a witty fellow – why? because Heine’s father was a witty fellow.)

(The world is a school in which there is no teaching – only learning.) But some will tell you that he is a teacher and that every event so his life was carefully designed by God, the teacher to instruct him.

Annette Herter asked “Why couldn’t the activity of a scientist be the result of objective conscience and a resulting search for objective understanding?”

Orage said, “Because the emotional urge from such a motive would be as strong that he could not be content with an activity which may have a result a hundred years hence.”

We are prepared to make any sacrifice for instinctive good but what are we prepared to do for the development of reason? The Price of objective reason and Objective Conscience is not to be attained through any instinctive emotion.

I say to you who are saying to yourselves – how fanciful. I say that these ideas are manly and intelligent. And all the time we are speculating that facts are facts.

God is what He is. Human obligation is what it is. The objective fact that the world has a meaning and that we have a relation to it remains whatever our subjective interpretation of it is.

Ashiati Shiemash says there is a method for understanding and Lentrohamops says he has/a method for adjusting oneself to it. (April 25, 1927 begun)

 

 

January 10 1927

 

It goes without saying after the discussions you have heard last year that the sponsor of these ideas in European terminology is not naive. So in this book there is not anything naive. But it is a device to induce a sort of thinking that is a little unusual.

Plato went from dialectical – to myth, but the myth was obscure. “Imaginatively logical”(this is the book).

There is in existence in the human mind a potential logic that is different from ordinary logic as memory differs from mathematical.

The proper reading of this book requires kind of reading of which none of us at present is at all capable, for we lack a form of logic necessary. The exact sequence of ideas – even words is necessary, – as they appear in the book.

The preface is to the book as the introduction is to an opera. Though frankly I did not understand it at all, you cannot afford to miss it.

All the book is a parable – and a series of parables. “The sower etc;” in the Bible obviously does not refer to agriculture.

I will ask for adjectives at the end of the reading — what will you say – satirical? plain? or what?

We must later discuss the author, i.e. – to say Beelzebub, for we have in each of us – Beelzebub.

Warning? Why? Why not preface?

It may strike you as a piece of impertinence; it is that, but not only that.

It should put you on your guard that it is not easily to be understood. You must be prepared to read with emotion and intellectual.

You must try to understand and at the same time to feel. (Note the large quotes mean (from the book).

When beginning a new venture it is usual, always and everywhere, to commence with these words: – In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, known only to priests and to some scholars.

(This is as if we went into a squalid village and said – Before dinner it is customary to say Grace.

But they would say – “No, we do not know such a custom” But here is introduced a custom from the Great World – not on earth. We live in a squalid village – Earth. This book is written in the name of the Holy Ghost.)

Every enterprise of the nature of the book must be legions – in this spirit. (Obviously not customary here.)

And having pronounced those words I have begun according to all the rules and probably my new business now will proceed with good fortune.

I place my hand on my heart (here is a diagram – hand on solar plexus. -An indication to the reader that we must look other place for our hearts.)

I can say candidly that I have no wish to write.

(Here we must distinguish between “wish”, solar plexus, and “Will”, heart. One can do a number of times as much by “will” as by “wish”. That is by being concerned only with the process.

God, the Father – Intellect.

God, the Son, Instinctive

God, the Holy Ghost – Emotions.

We have no Holy Ghost, – only a solar plexus. It is obviously proud to write this book from the heart.

He (Gurdjieff?) avows in this invocation “I have no wish” but proposes to write from the heart – from will.

Very important consideration impel me to write // – a book, but what a book is we will come to later.

(It may be a definite thought form may continue to exist even though the printing or writing may be destroyed. It may be only a talisman by means of which we can see what his (Gurdjieff’s) thought is. He (Gurdjieff) has spent many hours over each part of this book.)

Many pathological writings are really only writing of “books that exist” as thought forms.

If it is regarded as a sort of telescope the book will be understood. He proposes as far as possible to use the conventional forms.) But as I have always all my life tone not as others I shall begin with “Warning”.

(Art consists of conscious variations from ordinary rules. All the art we see ordinarily in the world is just reproduction of nature as we see it. The nightingale etc.

–Michael Angelo and Shakespeare are only nothing gales.

Uniqueness is no merit. Consciously unique is uniqueness according to art – not according to nature.

We must make in art something more beautiful than nature. Conscious uniqueness will evoke conscious uniqueness.

I will so begin my mission here but with a very great politeness.

My dear honored and doubtless very patient Sirs.

(So you should address yourselves to your personality – “My dear honorable and doubtless patient Orage, you are – “So if you can pitch the tone of your observation thus, you will have the spirit that is necessary and proper.)

And my dear, adorable, kind and impartial ladies.

(Not “I’m a lady but as above, a woman should pitch her attitude).

(So, if you can pitch your own observation in the key -very good.)

With God’s help and of course with the permission of the local planetary authorities.

(Whenever the word “local” appears it means conventional earth.) Although I have been taught the language of intelligentsia (mode of thought) I have always refused to use it.”

I shall not write this book in the language of the grammarians (Not ordinary grander but he means modes of thought in use on this planet.)

Mechanical thought – we have an intellectual life based on accidental associations and on chance impressions.

He will use words that (may-will, but should not destroy the mood or meaning.

Rude words – but we must definitely break up our present associations. “what is the aim of this book?” I asked Gurdjieff.

“To make free thought possible” he said, , i.e., thought without planetary accidental associations. If this were done, further breaking or freeing would still be necessary.)

It seems that I have not decided in what language to write. I cannot write very long in Russian (admixture of personality and essence.) I have begun in the Russian language but as I intend to write upon philosophical subjects I cannot go very far with Russian.

(This book is also a history of the Institute – or of this group – of etc,

Russian, (Gurdjieff says in effect) is an excellent language but only for smoking room anecdotes.)

Russian in this respect is like English. It is and for discussing Australian mutton, the Indian question and smoking room anecdotes.

(What is the English attitude? If he is drunk he is religious for a moment – if angry he becomes philosophical – for a moment or two.

How shall he, the English, enter into the Kingdom of a higher understanding?

Italians are biological descendants of the Ancient Romans.

The English are psychological descendants of Romans.

The Germans are ” ” of the Ancient Greeks.

The Greeks are biological descendants of the Greeks.

The English and Russian languages are like “solyanka” – Russian soup- into which everything goes but you and me. (i.e. no English nor Russian ever discusses himself)

Morris Frank asked “Don’t the English say it is immodest? Orage – “Yes, a defense.”. Frank then asked “Well – what do the Russians think?” Orage”- “Oh (in disgust) they don’t think!”

 

English – personality.

Russian – half, half essence.

Armenian – essence.

 

 

 

Tuesday! January 11, 1927- a “New Group”.

 

Certain statements—Imade in last week’s meeting no doubt rankled. What have you to say or ask? What effect have these statements had? (no answer).

There is no one who ever thinks or does or says or feels anything except mechanically.

How have these statements digested? What would you say if you had the courage? (no answer)

We begin by saying all the things we already know but never realize – for instance “in one hundred years everyone here will be dead.

In my early youth I used to be very fond of Armenian for it had nothing in common with the neighbors i.e. it had a psychology of its own. As children we spoke essentially.

// I observe that during the past thirty or forty years this language has become just an admixture of neighboring tongues. (Gurdjieff is Greek). We must recur to Greek – a first form of speech – gesture, posture, facial expression, etc. – the language of infancy.

The behavior of a conscious being is as much a language as any other can be.

It is all (i.e. behavior) Greek to us, and will remain so until we recall the language of ancient Greece. A native language i.e. behavior, Gurdjieff refers to his own “native language” i.e. Greek.

But suppose you should take modern behavior to an ancient Greek who understood the language of behavior he would not understand a line or word of it.

AS LIKE A REQUIEM AS A NAIL.

So many I have gotten over difficulties that it has become quite a habit with me and I remain full of hope.

Orage “He never uses the word “life” – only existence.

Orage – “Voluntarily overcoming difficulties created in life.”

Someway I will find a way out of these difficulties. (If my hand aches I quit for a time for fear it will go out of – commission. I only quit for thirty seconds though!)

In literature there are quite specifically “conservative styles” – “cancer styles” – “Syphilitic styles” (etc. styles).

The last named – brilliant, disintegrated, etc.

Every form of art is indicative of a state – usually pathological.

In the case of this book there is no such indicative – it is from “will” not “wish.” This book cannot be psycho-analyzed. When I say “pathological” I mean indicative of a certain state, but not necessarily a bad state.

I do not know why I have always disliked the language of the intelligentsia but I have. Perhaps because from childhood I have always been a black sheep. (Which is whenever you start Self-Observation and Non-identification.) That is each of us is from that moment (of commencing self-observing and non-identification) “black sheep.”

That is the sheep who knows or suspects “mutton and wool”. We transfer up and down, chemical substances.

From the very bone and sinew of my right side and little by little in my mind. I hated the language of the intelligentsia and began to discover the law of association, i.e. mechanical intellection. Since the time when I was a teacher of dancing i.e. from the time when I began to try to change my habits of walking etc. – experimenting. I very clearly realized that human beings have two modes of thought –

l) words – and(2) (common to human beings and animals ) personal experience.

Orage – Sublimity, awe, etc. meant nothing to me – except sound. “Front trenches” means to me a man who has been through something very different from that which means to the man who stayed home and wrote about it.

Every time you use a word denoting an actual experience you return and in some measure go through that experience again.

How can you discriminate between a writer whose words are full from those whose words are empty?

But Gurdjieff says he is not going to write in either (1) or (2). Since all art is from accidental personal experience we cannot produce art.

“An objective criticism of the life of man as it exists” is the subtitle of the book.

Your writing will be from your personal experiences – chance – accidental.

Namely, to write, in a manner appropriate to a small teacher of dancing (“I warn you – i.e. to say the warning – that the cacophonous character of this book may put you off your appetite. (i.e. the young in this work always avoid that ——and bitterness of failure – i.e. eating negative emotions.)

(He says in effect that he is not young in this work for he has eaten dog, and the young always avoid that in this work, but not to avoid nor endure them but to eat them.

(Wishes to obtain or to avoid are simply a petty form of necessity. Gurdjieff says that not because of this is he writing this book.)

(Gurdjieff warns that anyone really reading this is warned that he may get shocks. A writer, for example, may realize that he may (shall) never become the great writer. “The ultimate conclusion is that nothing I can do is any good – and therefore I will do my best.”)

(There are certain members of the London groups who attended two or three meetings who picked up enough new ideas (by-products), – very valuable – to be an entertaining dinner guest, a more successful psychologist, playwrite, etc. But if you go further, you will perhaps.

“But if you go only a little way you will get your money back.”

One line means not accurate but from the book.

I remember the story of the men from a little village who went to town – saw a beautiful fruit – bit into it and found it was a pepper! -all the same he continued to eat it. A man came along and said “What are you doing?! Stop that all (so your friends say “stop, you fool, bad!”) etc. The man said “haven’t I spent my last groti? I shall continue to eat though my soul should depart from my body”

(People taste this method, – find pepper – say “ptou”! and go get their money back.)

A” good appetite and with my whole soul I hope that you may digest all that you read, not only for your own health but for that of all those near you.

It will be hot like that pepper (i.e. to our inertias.)

A whole hog including the postage (you know the story.)

(There may be purely extraneous difficulties in connection with Self- Observation – which may be regarded as “postage” (If you are drunk you’ll pay.)

My grandmother said “Never do as others do – go to school or just do nothing, but not the same” Grandmother is chief Feature, I suggest.) i.e. have a reason for doing anything – not doing anything just because others do it.)

I take for the theme of my book events that occur on earth but I do not propose to cramp myself only to this planetary existence (i.e. to man’s planetary existence i.e., to man’s planetary existence or “it” i.e. Adam Cadman’s body of 2000 million cells. The mechanical part of us will certainly be written about only in that proportion that “it” really deserves).

(The mood attitude of I when observing “it” is the Beelzebub attitude.)

I (Consciousness)

Beelzebub (Individuality)

has developed (Will)

Beelzebub, a developed I, is speaking to a little I (Hassein) attempting to grow.

(The book may be a mediator between I developed and undeveloped.)

You must not joke if you undertake a vow, otherwise you will pay ten years rent for a house only occupied three months.

/Seriously – I was called in youth “Black Greek” in middle age “Tiger of Turkestan”; later Monsieur Gurdjieff; finally simply “teacher of dancing” (i.e. teacher of motion – i.e. how to manage the three streams of forces running through us. cannot dance – so we cannot make “it” dance. How to become in control of oneself.)

“All the world is nonsense always provided that Mulla Nassr Eddin, the cross-eyed bobtailed dog of the President of the U.S.A. and Prince are all right (but they don’t exist therefore cannot be alright.)

(There are three forms of foods food air – and impressions. Impressions is the form of food that alone will make possible further development of the second food – air.

Stir water until it is thick stir it until you make of hope a thick and nourishing soup.)

(Divine reason – impartial intellection – objective reason Gurdjieff uses various terms for the same thing.)

(Try to sell these ideas to a hundred people – you will have a psychological problem. And for very shame you could not talk about these ideas unless you used them.)

(This preface is to create if only for a moment or two the attitude of the observer, I)

The next chapter is called “Why Beelzebub was on this solar system”

End of Meeting – 12:00 midnight.

S.A.M.

If anyone realized this every moment of his time would be occupied. Hot one of us can guarantee that he will be alive tomorrow. We know it but we never realize. But the realization of this we cannot achieve by ourselves.

We are taking part in events about which we know but cannot realize. We behave mechanically – i.e., without realizing what we know. Although we exist somnambulistically we cannot wake ourselves up and there is unfortunately no one to wake us up. If you continue to attend these groups you will not only be told how to wake up – but you will receive as occasional shake.

What we know about ourselves or rather about others, for we do not or rarely apply this knowledge to ourselves – is that we are the result of heredity and environment. How can we realize this? Only by doing something to which we are not ordinarily accustomed. But there is a shorter way i.e., the beginning of this method. Just watch yourself. When you get up in the morning – watch the habitual way of your behaviour.

The way of catching rabbits, those of you who have lived in the country know, they always run in a field in the same runs – place a trap there – alors.

We invite you to prove that all our external behavior is determined by outward circumstances – and cannot be changed. You think perhaps that you can think or feel what you choose – you cannot, any more than you can change your physical habits and behavior. Observer yourselves – watch your own behavior and if you cannot perceive anything else than automatic behavior, as I am sure you will, and then you will realize what you know.

It is possible to induce a change by another means than by any of our habitual means. He constantly reasserts that he has repeated or “as I said last time” – or “as I think I have told you”.

Convicts familiar in convict settlements in Australia through generations concealed from themselves and their descendant that they were convicts.

In the same way over a period of thousands of years, we have become mechanical. If you realize your state, you will at once say “I must have a way out of this terrible state.”

We are not even “higher animals” – we are only more complicated animals. We are in this state because our forefathers concealed the fact that they were deteriorating.

By the time of the Greeks, people were almost mechanical. They only had myths of real life – but once men in Egypt, or Atlantis, were free men.

If this realization comes then this method will carry you fast and far.

But just a wish to improve will accomplish little. However if done from a sense of shame then much will be accomplished.

I cannot have told you things that are disgraceful – “you are only a tree – a vegetable” – without you’re having been insulted.

(Sherm said this to Sherm – I have within me a cell corresponding to each man being on earth – observe them and myself simultaneously.)

(For instance – six puppies – one is given to a hunter – another to a circus.) So, a business man can talk intelligently to an artist. We are an abnormal sort of monster developed into something so disgraceful that a realization would shame us into doing something about it.

“But” asked a lady – why should we be ashamed of something over which have no control?”

Orage. “If my father died a disgraceful drunken death, I am ashamed, though I have no control over this.

“But you should not be” she said.

Orage. “I am not saying that you should be, only that we are so constituted that we are ashamed of certain things over which we have no control.

We propose to utilize the only means that exists in us. We act only from our feelings – and there is a certain element in our feelings which we can use.

We are capable of sensation and movement. We can feel pleasure wish from these states to do certain things.

Where in your body do you feel disgust, fear, and anger?

You say “it made you sick to your stomach” – solar plexus.

Which center makes us move.

This center!

My hand has no likes nor dislikes, – it has only sensations. But I like and dislike – this I don’t know why – and my body must do “what I like”.

Orage. “I thought and I came to only the conclusions to do this” -“But my dear fellow” we say, “You would have done that without thinking, for you were already disposed to do it by your likes and dislikes.”

Method

Ashamed or disgusted with – this is negative. Neutralizing but he did not say of this aspire toward growth is positive.

If we can take a wish not to be as we are plus a will to be something else and attach it to a proper method we will have the strongest possible arrangement for growth. Then the program will go Individuality will consciousness.

Abnormal – 3

2

1

The whole method to develop (4,5,6,) and at the same time to make normal (1,2,3)

There is at the back of the head an area that is never used. Actually it is there now. So at the back of our trunk there is an organ about which we know even talk about – we say “I feel with my heart” but it is not so.

Certain poets have had real emotions – has any of moderns had an experience of “awe” – Milton did when he had a vision of Paradise.

(Sherm’s interjection – I find in myself certain smugness of attitude, dear fellow).

At the base of the spine a – six is sex. The real function of sex is not procreation – but something associated with the highest concept you can attach to the word “will”. This method is a true use of sex. It can only be brought about though Individuality, Consciousness, and Will.

It is the finale if the development of a complete human being.

Well I could go into interesting – from our point of view as detailed as to why evolution goes on in this way

why first instinctive

second emotion

third thoughts

Why nature takes by these steps so far and cannot take us further.

Why we can ourselves by this method take ourselves further.

You are a walking figure, an incarnation of the figure.

You should begin to feel as you walk about this world

“Is a lifetime enough?”

We say a week is long though – a day – .

I say, quite truth gully, that you can develop thus in a week. If you can for one week be continuously aware of your physical movements of your body, you will or then an individual with consciousness and will.

It is not concentration – we cannot use any word we have ever used before at any rate in its present meaning. – So – If you introduce the word concentrate you introduce its association.

What does a camera do – when it registers light waves – concentrate? NO, we say -it simply registers. This is simply a psychological registration – we call this – AWARENess.

Be aware of yourself speaking, moving, tone of your voice, etc.

You see me walking now, but I am aware I am not ordinarily aware of what my body is doing.

But if for one week you can be aware of this you will have completed third development.

Heteroconsciousnenss is what we ordinarily call “self – consciousness”, But this method will entirely cure “self consciousness” as we ordinarily use that term.

Nothing we have ever done will have the slightest effect upon our ability to do this work. For if it did, obviously, it could not be a new function.

Take a plane – we might say if we extend the plane far enough we will reach another dimension – but it won’t, will it?

Question – “How does this differ from observing others?”

Orage – “Try it?”

Questioner – ” I have – no difference.”

Orage “But there is. Try listening to the tones of your voice, etc,” “the difference is as great psychologically as the difference actually between running and sitting. If I listen to the tone of your voice it is as easy as sitting. But I have to run to keep up with hearing the tone of my own voice, There is really as great a psychological difference. Now there is an iron filing falling between magnets – – etc.

Orage -“He is thinking of absolute freedom, (i.e. of something that cannot be thought of.) There is no such thing. There is only possible a greater choice of potentialities.

This dot is let us say a being call it what you like. When you reach a crisis you are in fact in certain chemical state – we call it a state of doubt.

Say you can go to Europe – you have the money etc. But you have an invitation to go to California…. And your business is in a certain state. Your family is likewise. –Your brother needs a vacation but if you go he cannot, etc. The pulls varied, but not determining. Finally something happens and you say “That decided me” – and indeed it did Chemically. But sooner or later you find yourself in Paris.

And again a number a number – a definitely limited number – not an infinite number of potentialities appear – again etc. until you reach death.

But suppose you had developed Individuality, Consciousness and Will, i.e. you were free – then the line would be though it might involve exactly the name movements – New York – Paris — Italy – N.Y. – etc. Yet they would all bear on your ultimate objective, and so you would be free.

A conscious man – He will through all the same exterior behavior as the business man, for example, he will be undiscoverable. Yet he is not doing it as a businessman will – for money power etc.

Suppose when you are dead you find yourself exactly as you are – but without a body – you will know exactly what to have observed.

Here I stopped taking notes the I itched to continue many times.

How to produce a substantial and permanent change in the character of the human species. He prepared himself to be able to be impartial.

He then set about formulating the existing conditions. The human race had gone too far in subjectivity to be able to appeal, to any genuine feeling of either faith, hope, or love.

So he chose something either deeper or more Accessible – objective conscience the representative of God in the Essence. Not dead, only dormant.

Objective Conscience would serve an individual as an infallible? guide for himself – so that he will voluntarily participate in the function of the Universe proper to him. Slave to Son.

He gave them teaching exercises – the three-fold form of Self Observation to realize one’s place in the Universe and what is necessary for one to do.

Objective Morality –

1.The satisfaction of the planetary body. (Satisfy, not gratify. Fulfill the needs of the planetary body just as one would have to do for a dog one was training.)

Not overeating or underrating – overdrinking or underdrinking. A maximum if fitness – i.e. health.

A trogovegoetocratic body occupied by a young soul. So our sole (soul) means of love.

2.To improve one’s being. (A dog has being – it cannot be defined in terms of understanding or of ability or of planetary body. Essential Being is the kernel if the nut – i.e. what we are. Have you any fear of being alone? Would you fear to go to China on a secret mission? Have you any “gut”? Are you manly or womanly enough? Not one who shirks or loses his head? A good person to go tiger shooting with? This state of being is the only part of us that ever changes.

One’s inside is independent of the organism. All that St. Paul affirmed of love can be equally affirmed of being. What sort of being have I? Pigeon-hearted or strength?

Being effort is the only method of developing. You are aware when you have made effort – when you have done something that you are aware required effort. Every successful effort adds – every failure subtracts.

An effort that involves ample reward is no good. It must be gratuitous. – St. Paul said always to be running in the great race. Gurdjieff says “always be in a huff.” Every effort creates energy and at the same time intrinsic strength

1. = attainment of health

2. = attainment of strength.

3. The aim always to know more and more of the world and the laws of its creation and maintenance.

(This is the formal aim of philosophy – the understanding of life. This is one of the functions of a normal human being. The dignity of man does not require that he arrive at conclusions – but just that he be so occupied. Curiously questioning one’s experiences.)

4 = the attainment of understanding and wisdom.

Everything develops by exercise.

Pondering exercises the whole mind.

There are many areas of knowledge that must be eliminated from the field of wisdom. By pondering on “God created the Universe as a defense against Time” – you may never understand this, yet by so pondering you may understand many other things.

You work physically until you drop – then beyond this you are using being effort.

Every one lives on his “first wind” – create or find the conditions where in you voluntarily proceed to your second wind, (Gertrude first wind only except in the Movements.

Try to discover when you have reached the second wind, then within the realms of common sense repeat this.

4) To pay one’s debt in order to be free to serve. The Western conception of the word “duty” – the stern sister of the voice of God – the recognition of performance of justice. We must pay for our birthright and our favorable environment – but most of us are content to childishly enjoy them. i.e. earring your living can be done by gratuitous effort. Or by the obligation to spend $1000 with strictest?

From the standpoint of Nature’s bookkeeping men are debits. – No being – no real accomplishments resulting from their own efforts.

5. The attainment of and performance of duty.

6. Helping others to attain individuality. (By gratifying instead of satisfying pleasing instead of serving – we serve only Kundebuffa.)

Ouspensky never gave an exercise which he did not perform – or do something more difficult.

What is instrumental to the end of the first four is service – that which is not instrumental is either nothing or a disservice.

These five functions comprise the reason of a normal man. “Huff”- is a passionate wish without heat.

You can reach a point where I(anyone) cannot let you down – and I (anyone)where, I (anyone) would not.

A leaf surrenders back to the tree sap – life, recurrence – but seed takes life with it. The leaf is “recoated” – recurrence. Seeds do not recur. Men become men and gods. Extract from the Universe this substance Prana and chrystallize within – then can reincarnate.

We are recurrent leaves – but can become recurrent seed. Detached.

Planet – tree we – leaves etc.

Voluntary Suffering.

When a being makes himself able to endure the manifestations of other beings when these are disagreeable. But Buddha’s disciples soon for seek this procedure, by retiring to remote places out of touch with other beings – monasteries etc. The foundation of the all embracing is to be found in various coatings for different beings on various coatings for different beings on various planets. Three centered beings are able to obtain for themselves, by means of the holy Prana, the conscious use in themselves of the laws of three and seven. But unless, at the time when crystallizations of the most sacred Prana begin, a being by Voluntary Suffering and Conscious Labor continues to perfect in himself the laws of three and seven to the sacred degree required, he will appear and re-appear in great travail in successive coatings – and —.

Automatic elaboration of energy proceeded in jungle animals during the night and not as in three centered beings during the day. We kept fires burning of which these jungle beings are afraid. Therefore fore we travelled during the day – and camped and guarded ourselves at night, when these animals were abroad and ferocious.

These monks inured in boxes could not have recurred Prana because it was very far from where they lived and the pass to this spot was already almost impossible to manipulate.

(“His Conformity” the archangel Louisas.) The Ship (Beelzebub’s ) “Occasion”).

Beings on the planet Mars use for their first food only vegetables. (One brain in the spinal column.)

“The Descent of Man”?

The Cause of every anomaly can found in woman.

1. Science of studying astronomy.

2. Mathematics and algebra.

3. All manifestations of

4. (three centered?) beings.

5. All manifestations of three centered and other beings on the planet Earth.

“The ill s/arred planet” Earth.

Conscience (allegorical)

1. head – virgin breasts of female (pure love)attracted by amber – non id.

2 . Trunk of bull – indefatigable labor without fear.

3. Legs of the lion (without fear)?

4. Wings of Eagle (Must contemplate only those matters that do not include Being work)

Must for release of properties of Kundebuffa possess these qualities. On Mars were erected tubes outside the observatory instead of a telescope in center of the pyramid. (Pyramid =three centered organism.)

 

April 31st, 1928

 

Make “oneself” drunk so that “I” can think, feel, talk, and act?

Be intent on his quest to know the nature of the human species – fa ci Sixth descent.

What profession shall he adopt in order to bring about for him knowledge of the human species? Physician Peculiarities of these human beings do not lie in the external and visible manifestations – only are to be discovered in the unconscious.

Only with a physician or a priest is a human being frank, (i.e. only with a religious or therapeutic motive will one confess himself.)

Opium (medicines

Castor 0il administered

Quinine by

Termose = Father Moses priests)

i.e. hygienic-savior

Especial respect is accorded to priests if they are old.

Moses had very little truck with mysticism – he was a hygienic lawgiver,

are to be found. His eldest son fell ill – Moses called in a physician who gave are to be found. He passed, lost of his time in some café or other where ordinarily no priests are him the entire contents of the bottle the label read only “three times each day of the week.” But Termoses said laughing – three kinds of medicine, of which 1st you must be a little careful – but always bottle has a skull and crossbones, so easily avoided.

The other two kinds are harmless and always out of the same barrel, (Skull and crossbones = “don’t do”? and the other medicine is “do”) – and this can all be lumped together and taken on Sunday.

Pharmacists are practical psychologists – i.e. transmutes of energies.

He came into his shop and went to the back of the place where the pharmacist was engaged in pounding something in a mortar. The prescription was Dover Powders but the pharmacist put in no opium. Said it was too expensive. (i.e. no priest could just put into his advice anything real – it is too rare.)

“What about analysis?”

“What is analysis? It would cost as much as a whole shop full.” “What is an analyst?”

“One who guarantees the prescription”(religious doctrine).

If you have the idea that a doctrine is the same to emotional and intellectual is to our physical body- –

(Three bodies. AN OBJECTIVE TRUTH NOT realized is a theory for us.)

If you have the idea that a doctrine is the same to emotional and intellectual is to our physical body.

Priests are chemists for the emotional and intellectual bodies. Philosophers are the analysts. (Germans are the inheritors of the ancient Greeks – they are the present analysts.).

Describing now the sort of mind that takes up philosophy – – Pimples are very symbolic – It completes education thanks to money of mamma – and the student reads all these German books on chemical compositions.

Sight, taste, and fire – Pragmatisms.

Sometimes takes a little experimental work – in a slaughter house – tough work.

So one takes a compound to this analyst – who consults a book. (the Bible) Copies out the description of Dovers Powders, varying the figures a little of course.

So chemist still continues to make fake Dovers Powders and says that they are all better because they at any rate contain no harmful ingredients, -i.e.

Christianity has been denatured. The genuine prescription contains a food deal of opium – so if lie commenced to take the real prescription and later stopped taking the real opium – would suffer a good deal.

Hypnotism is that property or quality in the Earth beings from which all their trouble proceeds. It is this that distinguishes these beings from all other beings in the Universe. If they did not exist this property would not anywhere exist.

It is called their suggestibility – but when accelerated it is called hypnotism.

There are only three normal forms of consciousness. Sleep (= the absence of the other two.) Self consciousness is an habitual awareness of the fact that we have a body. (Our state of sleep is chemically conditioned because we receive through inhaling atmosphere and though our senses.) (Kundabuffer has left its properties in the very air we breathe and in our very bodies – and thus we are never essential. Dimly aware at the back that we are not behaving individually.)

(Have you ever been aware that you have on occasion behaved as if you were hypnotized? Have your friends?)

If you show a man a flea, who is in this state and tell him it is a rhinoceros he will believe it. And always will believe it. (i.e. a small irritation will appear to be a disaster. And a real rhinoceros – i.e. a danger on a large scale will appear to be nothing.) (Par ex. – Self Observation 16 said to be a danger – that you will get to know something of yourself – but this is only a flea.)

Hypnosis is produced by “stroking” – i.e. idiocy by

Two kinds of consciousness on that planet. First their real consciousness as beings biological consciousness, comparable to that of animals. Very natural. Cats have it – i.e. they are not suggestible.

Second not due to biological nature – not due to functions – not natural – absolutely foreign to their real being. And even their brain is so adapted that it contains two independent regions where in all impressions are deposited- one to enhancement of our social consciousness, and the other to our essential consciousness.

The first belongs to real being, to their essential being and the second is only acquired during their life. So they have side by side thoughts of heir real being and thoughts that have nothing to do with this. “He was born – a man and died a sexton, a soldier, an English gentleman. It may be marvelous, very admirable – but the person himself may be entirely worthless. He may be unspeakable in his private life.

Shaw’s “Devil’s Disciple” is an example of one who has preserved a portion of essence – i.e. he is devil to our ordinary routine.

But his fellow officers almost all of them said he had acted so as to lose caste (or not to lose?) He was humane, human, essential.

Now in ourselves we can find the same thing – i.e. two forms of consciousness – essential and grafted. So we call essential consciousness out “sub consciousness” and what we call tour consciousness is something quite mortal – called automatically and accidentally accumulated in a special part of our brain and we then identify with it. Manchester was born – where – – parents – school – influences – social call history. But not my history – i.e. subconscious history. I won’t till that – what I thought of my mother, later, teacher, associates etc. No!!! But that is my real history.

Watson’s Behaviorism was not approved by Orage. Some knowledge, Orage said but farfetched. Bernie Shaw was too smart. (Reel social history Real history is Essence.) Watson says it is no matter what a child is born with if he can control his infantile conditions. He can make an artist, a thinker, a scientist. But Watson is right to say this. Yet only that he (the child) can graft onto any stock another stock. Yet this is what has happened to each of us.

This is called Cause – really only personality- chance collection of prejudices segregated in a pseudo part of the brain – i.e. in the formatory front part of the brain, which is entirely separated from the back of the brain – the essential brain. These collected word associations begin to churn and “thought” “opinions” having no contact with essence, and continue to digest and change independent of essence – and can be changed at any chance encounter with external circumstance.

I.E. Subjective or not related to essence. Objectivity is invariably connected with biological essence.

Certain beings there have discovered this and are using it for healing – Coue, Christian Science, etc. “Every day in every way I am getting better and better.”

Anything which exempts a being from essential work is only a superficial cure – and can be uncured by a counter suggestion.

All the present day Dr. Hypnotists employ one method – i.e. they all require the patient to concentrate on a bright object. (Coue – or gaze upon a so-called ideal – meditation.) For there are literally two modes of blood circulation – corresponding to these two modes of consciousness. One where the center of gravity is on one side if the blood vessels and vice versa. (Where is your brain is the pressure greatest in different states of yourself?) (I could spin off by association means – and without a particle of thought – a very good lecture on almost any subject. But it would be of no value to me or to anyone.)

(What is important; is “What is really the truth about that subject?” Plato said to one of his associates -“Aha! You think you are dizzy – but your are only really thinking”. In one case there is a tendency to go to the back of the head and in the other to the front of the head. Strictly speaking a being is only conscious when trying to ponder.

When fixedly regarding a bright object a certain muscular tension brings about a change of blood circulation which affects a particular part of the brain. So reading this book sets up a certain muscular tension that makes one’s blood stream affect, by conditioning, the word center only of the brain. So if one hears the book read – one has at least a better chance.

Beelzebub speaking. I became proficient in hypnosis by stepping the blood stream in certain habitual channels and so changed their consciousness. (The hysterical ones cannot observe themselves and a suggestion to do so will produce only a new novel churning – a new doctrine.)

Gurdjieff: – I began my work in Central Asia (essence) where there was a great need of my services on account of many pernicious practices there* I collected certain data first and gradually moved towards the West from center to center.

Questions: What were the pulls that determined any given situation? We have plenty of answers, need only questions – chemical formulas.

1. All situations are answers. Doyle’s Emergence theory.

2. A concise, correct formulation if half the answer.

3. What is the difference between imagination and fancy? Knowledge and belief?

4. Suppose we think during the week and formulate questions for verification of our conclusion.

5. Questions should satisfy yourself, the others, and Orage. 6. We ought not to formulate a question that we cannot answer – just look the question over and if it looks like a good starting; point for a discussion – write it down.

7. Suppose we write down questions we wish someone else would ask.

8. Suppose we write down the three questions that interest us more than any others would.

9. What can Mr. Orage really do for us except to supply us with questions – or better, when possible, to incite us to formulating our own questions? Being able to answer questions is easy compared to asking them.

10. Do we realize that we are going to die? Does this realization bring forth questions?

(Speaking Daly King?)

The following statements may be judged for their clarity, truth and ponderance or not. From my point of view some are false, some true and some true and part false and part true.

What is your natural attitude or reaction to them – if any?

1. God created the Universe for the benefit of man on Earth, who is the only and original copy of God.

2. God is Love.

2-a. God takes his rest and sleep, like any god-man after a hard day’s work.

3. God is omnipotent, never needing help all loving, all wise.

3-a. God is a bearded patriarch who rules the earth by a system of postmortem reward for good boys and girls and punishment for bad ones in everlasting hell.

4 Man is an automaton.

5. Man is an animal whose mind and emotions are limited to an apparatus only capable of providing adjustment for himself to varying circumstances.

6. Man is a sheep, the Lord is his shepherd.

7. Man is a natural animal discharging a natural function in the organic kingdom which at the same time has capacity for supernatural development.

8. Man is evolving into a cosmic butter-and-egg man.

9. Man’s development of steam, gas, and electric power and its application to labor saving devices will give man the time and opportunity to develope himself to the fullest extent. (Shaw)

10. A non-productive aristocracy should be eliminated from society because its leisure and absence of necessity to work for its living makes it turn to wasteful and individually vicious and degenerate pursuits.

11. The Universe is a rather bad jumble of planets and suns which up to the present lacks the civilizing influence of Man. – Life is a gymnasium.

Before Orage came to Gurdjieff he was involved in Shaw (with Shavians) and later not proud of it. Up to the present time the Universe lacks the civilizing influence of Man.

12. The Universe is a perpetual motion machine.

13. Religion is an evasion of the weak man.

l4. Pythagoras was a social climber.

Jesus was a fool.

Buddha a word juggler. Confucius the first Rotarian.

15. Art is the science of evoking emotion.

Art is an attempt to convey by another language than a verbal one something not expressible in words. It is preoccupation with Art which makes the attainment of consciousness on the part of the contemporary artist practically impossible.

16. Art is the outward sign of the shilling spirit within man.

17. Art is a result of frustrated desires.

18. Belief is the child of knowledge.

19. Knowledge is the child of belief. God can be known through the heart alone.

20. The intellect in the highest function of man and by concentrating on its development, man will become godlike.

21. Time is the fourth dimension.

22. Time is the source of our existence.

23. Man is more emotional than woman. Woman is more intelligent than man.

24. Woman is the slave of man.

25. Man is the slave of woman.

26. Every man is personally for all others on earth.

27. Every man is responsible for himself alone.

28. Marriage is God’s most holy sacrament.

29. Marriage is a device of the devil.

30. Self Observation requires too much time and takes away my Energy from useful work.

31. If Self Observation requires any time or in any way diverts energy from other activities it is not in fact Self Observation.

32. Self Observation will make one a bigger and better automaton.

33. In order to do this work of Self Observation one must give up all ordinary ambitions, all worldly ties and obligations, and all reliance upon his own experience in life.

34. Non-identification with one’s organism means that one will no longer feel, think, or act.

35. This method for development implies identification with one’s organism and the simultaneous development of one’s soul.

(Saz says these Aphorisms put these separately in a different category.)

 

 

Rosetta O’Neal Studio, Sunday afternoon/May 27, 1928

 

 

You remember that I said I would attempt to make a review of the ideas for your use. Try to realize how much you have heard and contrast it with what you have understood. Nothing in this world can convert knowledge into understanding, i.e. real knowledge. Host illuminating statement in the book is “Man is a passion for understanding the aim of his existence.” But we have no passion except instinctive passion. We are defective in our realization even of “passion”. Not more than one is a million has more than this. We are so 99% animal that this means for us just the sum of instinctive advantages. Are we – well – succeeding — pleasantly related to our associates? No, we are not on the plane where these things we speak of here have any meaning. Are we ready to pay the price, i.e. by the means of the method so simply prescribed, – to gain a real understanding and knowledge of the meaning and aim of existence. Very few have made much effort to increase the effort and the field of his awareness. A conversion of perceptions from a rate of 48 to 24 i.e. an octave of difference is necessary. And only can be gained by an increasing objectivity. You will have so much material in the next few weeks and a method guaranteed to enable you to assimilate it, that you will be able to go on for a year, if necessary, and by that time you will find, either in yourself or outside , an impulse that will carry you on.

I have prepared a list of about a hundred different subjects – and next week I will ask you to suggest Readings of subjects I have omitted. I will comment on these briefly.

The word “centers” has for each of us a definite meaning – what does it mean to you? Is it, for us an exact term?

Have a list such us this for use in “spare time” during which your mind otherwise will rot.

1. Man. – – Try to assemble under the word all that you have heard said and set it down very briefly – so that it will be an ? Around which the statements will be electrons – i.e. a solar system.

2. Sex. Consciousness (get at your essential understanding of this word – sleep, waking, cosmic,)

3. The World.

(Do you mean planet, solar system, milky Way – )

4. The Universe. (Usually means two or three hundred white people.)

5. Nature.

6. God.

(If you conceive he God what is your cosmological theory?)

7. The three Foods. (Is air for you a food? Can you note changes of rhythm in breathing? Can you tell how you breathe when happy, depressed, etc?)

Can you not the corresponding changes of breathing in respect to changes in emotional or intellectual states?

What do impressions really mean? We are taking them at the rate of 30000 per second. Can you distinguish the difference in looking at a landscape when aware of yourself or mechanically, i.e. consciously? If you did, you never would need any other stimulant to awareness. Listening to your own voice is more stimulating than any other that you could mechanically take. In the absence of the conscious taking in of air and impressions no growth is possible).

8. The three bodies.

(Do you by experience realize that an intellectual faculty is as definite an organ as any physical organ? As a body walking across the room, a mental body should proceed to a conclusion – as rhythmically and as definitely.

Life is physical body gives us movement in our emotional body, emotions in our mental body thoughts.)

9. Hypnotism.

(Why are we of all three-centered beings hypnotizable? There are two other states of consciousness – self and cosmic consciousness are impossible because of hypnotism (merely focus of attention) The three center.

10. ?

11. The Method.

Can you produce a clear statement of the Method? What does it consist of? What pseudo methods resemble it? What misunderstandings are liable to occur in the first hearing of this Method? What are the various steps of the Method?

1. Self Observation

Participation,

Experiment.

2. Voluntary suffering

3. Conscious labor.

(It has been said in India that the mind is an octopus – and to slay this dragon you must give clear answers of essential truth to its questions.)

(Watch how your mind shirks giving a clear yes or no.)

12. Religion and Religions (we are all seamed of being thought religious – why?

Why do we disguise from our neighbors that we are profoundly interested in the meaning especially and aim of existence?) (Buddha was not a highbrow – Jesus was not a fool – Confucius not just a word thrower – Pythagoras not a climber- They were psychological workmen engaged in a eugenic labor.)

13.Art.

What does art really mean? The art of making a complete human being of oneself the art of converting chemicals into an enduring work of art. (Perhaps the various forms of art are valuable in this Art.)

Science.

“Engaged in making an anatomy of the Universe – and so far as it goes is of enormous value. But if you wish to understand life you must approach it from an entirely different angle.)

Knowledge and Belief.

(Try to distinguish between consciousness of knowledge and the consciousness of belief. If you will say generally – I never will say “I belief”. It is allowable only to those who really know then it is a luxury – a plausible opinion.)

The Three Forms of Reason.

1. Instinctive – animal.

2. Associative – verbal.

3. Objective = to be acquired – to be pondered over.

(It has practically no meaning for us. Par ex. – I should stand in a certain relation to another person. I diagnose this. I at once say something a little intriguing to postpone a discussion. This is the note “Do”. (A clear understanding of the facts of the case you have not yet decided to do anything. You are merely acquainted with the resonance of the note “Do” I literally can say nothing. Then we go on to the note “Re”, which is an attempt to realize the essential wish of the other person.

The next “Mi” – to see if the practical situation allows of its gratification, with in a time allowable. Perhaps it appears that it can never be gratified. (Say a man and woman are married – and the woman becomes ill or goes mad. The marriage should be ended – but perhaps due to children o other reason this cannot be. To a daughter with a bedridden mother – she is tied. Let her try to escape -she will not be able.

Mi then is decide whether the essential wish can be gratified.

If it can, then you may if you will assume the responsibility to advise the person. But no one has the right to advise anyone unless he can take the same advice or something more difficult. And if he does he must stand ready even for years to assist the carring out of the suggestions.

This method is a key for handling situations.

Try to assemble all the regular phases through which a properly orchestrated symphony should pass. The laws of Three and seven, Personality and Essence, INDVIDUALITY, Consciousness and Will. I and it.

(To this day we subtract from it and give to I. We are not yet sufficiently behaviorists. Watson is still an incomplete behaviorist. Read Bertrand Russell’s Philosophy,). Essence is the field within which behavior occurs.

23. The Three Yogas.

1. Raja Yoga Instinctive (just) yogi.

2. Bacta yoga – Emotional saint.

3. Hatha yoga – Intellectual ascetic.

4. The Way – No school, no teachers.

Gurdjieff’s = ~ Forth Way. But you can only arrive at it outside yet including these but not adding them together.

The wholeness “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” is not any of the parts 1,2,3, but where is the four?

The whole of the Universe consists of seven hydrogen’s – i.e.

Carbon, (Intellectual Center) – Oxygen (instinctive center and nitrogen equally blended).

Man is hydrogen 24. Build around this idea as a nucleus.

Forces. matter, energy, radiation, emanation.

(All this should be put into two formulations one what has been told you – two what you yourself have really proved.

Say you have two bowls – into one put all untried theory – into the other what has been told you second what you yourself have really proved.

Say you have two bowls into one put all untried theory – into the other all that which you really understand. Into another all that you really understand.

Electricity.

Anode and Cathode but also there is a third form namely the field within which the pros and negative forms are related to each other.

Any exhibition of electricity means a relationship such as that between the weight and the fulcrum of the lever.

The emotional center, or essence, or being is the fulcrum in Man.

Knowing is positive, doing is negative. Being is neutralizing.

In the absence of knowing and doing , being does not exist.

The State of being is that which we call feeling. One can regard man as an animal. As a collection of chemicals. A few punches of chemicals diluted in 21/2buckets of H20, Biologically, Psychologically, chemically – consider the various uses of man from these points of view. Man is a medium for collecting chemicals from the air too fine for the plants, animals, etc. So Gurdjieff calls it manure for the planet Earth.

24. The Bible. (and all the sacred books.)What did its compilers intend?

25. Good and Evil.

26. Time.

Time is the unique subjective – ? Potentiality of experience?

27. Incarnation and Reincarnation.

The one thing that the Christian religion can be proud of is that it emphasizes the mystery of incarnation, and not reincarnation. To become aware of ourselves is simply surveying the body into which we are to incarnate. In our case it is possible to survey before birth the body which will be ours if we are born. Then we practice as if we were in control. Then experiment wherein we commence to see what we can do with the body by changing its habits. This is the prime doctrine of Christianity. Such a revival or Renaissance of the real Christianity would make a bishop of anyone.

We are like children who are given millions of money and we do not know what to do with it.

Reincarnation is a problem subsequent to incarnation.

Spiritualism. (One or other form of neurosis. Delirium Tremens = drunk experience, D.T, for the purpose of studying snakes is exactly comparable to spiritualism for the sake of studying ghosts.

What do you understand by Objective Reason? For Man it is mutton and wool. Try to imagine the experiencing of a black sheep brought up by the daughter of the butcher.

What do you understand by Objective Reason

“Conscience”

“Art”

“Science”

(The black sheep (above) catches glimpses of the real functions of the kindly shepherd and butcher. Try to imagine how he would act and how the other sheep would react when he had grown up and was turned back into the pasture.

We can cheat this object by this method.

Laws of Association.

Mental and Emotional and Instinctive are simply the laws of specific gravity. As they occur to us they sort themselves out and become grouped by. All our thoughts, Emotions and Acts and have their own specific gravity and weight. All our thinking is according to associative perceptions, so feeling and so instinctive. Deep answers to deep. So in the Gurdjieff movement’s each one stirred a corresponding thought and feeling. This interrelation of the three centers is the total associative psychology of Man.

If you encounter this method and these ideas, it is exactly analogous to putting a match to a pipe of tobacco – unless you huff and puff it will not burn more than an instant.

  

January 25th, 1925

 
Try to resist normal reactions. For example turning the other cheek. The normal reaction is to return the blow or get out of the way of the next blow. Not even the habit of non-resistance is permitted. It is most difficult to return an unexpected expression. Whereas in our present state anyone can, if he pulls the right lever, make us do anything he wants us to do.

 
Generally speaking our first difficulty is that we react in a mechanical way. It is a miserable day say – “What a beautiful day!” or vice versa. So long as a man reacts in a mechanical way so long he will remain a slave of circumstances. There is no fundamental difference in our mechanicallity only a difference in our shift.

 
A great pantaloon – another Donald Whitcomb in a deep voice suddenly said “Orage means Thunder doesn’t it?” Orage said “In french it actually means a storm accompanied by lightning and thunder. Like most people – I and partly French, Scotch, and…

 

 

January 17, 1926

 
Orage: “Why Beelzebub was on this solar system”
I won’t cross examine you on last week but say that the purpose of preface was to describe the attitude which in the new form of thought would be possible.

 
Two modes of thought
Two modes of consciousness

So Gurdjieff by way of preface to a third mode of thought consciousness
Three forms of food.
Three forms of bodies.

 

1. Instinctive body
2. Spirited body (rather than the hackneyed spiritual body)
3. Mental body.
Thus you see our physical body is complete. And there is a beginning of a Spirited (spiritual, but I prefer to avoid the old term.) body.
If the air we take in were completely digested, we should have a second body which we would have the right to call our Astral Body.
There are necessary shocks in the course of food digestion. One can be given from outside but the other sort can only be given by ourselves – by an act of will. The particular act is the positive taking in of impressions. So that every time you observe yourself you are taking one little spoonful of food that will enable you to grow.
Observation is mental food. A complete air body means self consciousness and this means a possibility of cosmic consciousness.
Last year no exact exercises were imposed.

 
When you observed, you observed with something “not yet I.”

 
1. Observation. 2. Exercises, “as if —-” 3. Real experiment – playing roles.
You probably think you can do more with these than you have done, but you cannot. You have done all you can – without another shock – which is precisely this “an effort at a new kind of thought.” For example: l. Try to set down in black and white what you really think others would write about you. 2. Pondering The Book. 3. Pondering “Lady Into Fox.”
(Morris Frank talks all the time. He asked, “Is not humility necessary?”
Orage: “NO!” Frank, “But ” Orage, “NO. Neither humility nor pride.”
Orage: “This new kind of thought is not verbal.
“Orage: The ability to think in form – say of a play – is the highest form of thought now possible. But we cannot now define the next form of thought for it has nothing to do with words or form.
How do you imagine yourself in another form – cat, camel, etc.? Define this. How do you define your attitude when someone else is speaking of you? This form of thought requires a process which we cannot describe.
King (Daly) asked, “How does this differ from ordinary imagination?”
Orage “How does ordinary imagination differ from the attempt to imagine how someone else feels about you?”
(M. Frank blurbs again “Pfa” — He is drunk again.)
When you find that you can go no further in the method there remains the possibility of a shock. In this case it is precisely – “An attempt to understand the reasonability of all things in life.”

 
1. The world is an intelligible phenomena.
2. Human beings have a certain place in the great game of Life – that is being played.
3. Trying to understand the mind of a Creator.
If the individual will undertake to become reasonable, he will come into contact with the reason of the Universe.
Why Beelzebub was on our Solar System.
It was in the year 223 objective time after the creation of the world. (What do we mean by objective time? Our time is measured by our rotation about the Sun – but if on our sun a year would be measured by the duration of its rotation about another Sun.
But such a rotation might conceivably be called “a year.” Say it takes four million of our years for one rotation – spring would be a million years long, etc. On the moon “a year” is a month here so every week is for them a season. So as every epic opens with a statement of ——
Through the space of the Solar System flew the ship Karnak. (“somewhere in space) this is the spot from which an impartial observation can be made. How remote are you when you observe? In the case of Beelzebub who is doing for the universe what we must do for ourselves, he is in space – a ship with an observer on board.
Ship was flying from Karitas toward the Pole Star solar system. Beelzebub with his kinsmen on his way to a planet for a conference at the request of some old friends, (for all I know Beelzebub may be one of your unrealized I’s.)
Man has the potentiality of developing into a being that would cooperate with the reason of the Great World – to develop from mutton and wool to Shepherds – to Buddha – to regulators of food material. Reluctantly from the fact that he had returned to his own planet Karatas (an old being) from which he had sprung. (Gurdjieff is an old being now.) The book is perhaps the last great work he can do on Earth. If he could have now his youth what could not he do.) Lucifer is our present power of reason – cannot except by enormous effort recover its original state. He (Gurdjieff) proposes in the book to show the steps by which he has recovered his own reason.) Experiences had made him different. Had in his youth been taken into the service of the Lord God on the Sun Absolute. (Remember how these ideas first struck you?) If we had been able to remain in that state – but we immediately re-identified ourselves with emotional center – instinctive center, etc. – but we had been on Sun Absolute but couldn’t stay there.
Owing to his youthful intellection, he Beelzebub found what seemed to be some irrational aspects and interfered with what was not for the moment his business. (So we observe and then attempt to interfere – to correct something we think wrong.) So His Endlessness had to banish him to a remote solar system. (So we are identified with our solar plexus.) (Can an Englishman do without his head? Certainly. But the one part none of us could do without is the solar plexus.) (The whole man is I – but we identify ourselves with the solar plexus. The arrangement of nerves in the Solar Plexus would correspond in an interesting way to the planets, sun, etc. in our solar system.)
Beelzebub was therefore exiled and assigned to Planet Mars. (Each of the planets is an emotional mood-in us our normal, mood is that of Earth — and determined by Earth considerations. Beelzebub was however identified chiefly with the mood of Mars – “will to overcome.” Others nay have the mood of Venus – Mercury, etc.)
Among the people who were exiled along with Beelzebub were associates and all their goods and chattels.
(I last year spoke of magnetic center – mechanically imposed by fairy tales- by occult knowledge, etc.- it is isolated it formed a little tract where these ideas could more easily be received. (So in us.)
(Chemical composition of Mars is different than that of Earth. Mars is the agent of wars but not the author. Certain rays from the Sun pass more readily through Mars than through Earth.)
Although this Solar System was totally neglected and in a remote corner of the universe (who are we to think that our solar system is either totally neglected or the center of the universe?) during the Allowing year either voluntarily or in response to needs of a general public character, they adapted themselves on Mars, and some came to the planet Earth. (Why was the continent of America populated? – partly voluntarily and partly needs of a general public character.)
Beelzebub remained on Mars and amused himself with an observatory which afterwards became always and everywhere famous. – so that all points of the universe became, through this, visible. Although this solar system had been hitherto neglected (our solar system is body). (Hugh! do you see how we were last year at Lindsay’s hearing the book? – -Just deaf, dumb and blind, that’s all. S.)
It was to one of these planets, Earth, that Jesus Christ was assigned and Beelzebub performed a necessary part of his work. (The “assumie” trained Jesus Christ in Egypt.) (Beelzebub furnished a method for Christianity – this method is not anti- Christian. “Take no thought for yourself” (love) – but Beelzebub says take thought of yourself (Knowledge) – so called diabolical.)
When Jesus Christ had completed his mission and realized the service Beelzebub had rendered him – he pleaded with His Endlessness for the forgiveness of Beelzebub. (He begged for the readmission of Beelzebub into reason.) Taking into account Jesus Christ request and the modest and co nascent life (a coined word meaning “living for understanding.”) His Endlessness pardoned Beelzebub.
Christ = love; Beelzebub = understanding(and wisdom is both) – hence it is that Beelzebub once more finds himself in the center of the universe (i.e. center of gravity) Whatever mistakes you make in the pursuit of the method – if you continue to pursue the method further will be found to be very valuable. So he (Beelzebub) returns “enriched” by the experiences he has had on solar system Ors)
It was in consequence of this that his friends had invited him to the conference. There is a very -?- chapter later that shows how much further he might have gotten if only he could have found and observatory already constructed. He (Gurdjieff) went to the monasteries, endured untold hardships and labor, etc., etc., he checked up on Madame Blavatsky – went to all sorts of countries and found there was nothing in it. She wrote many things (sleep writing) that were true – but also many untrue things. He later became assistant to the great lama – later lecturer on Buddha (i.e. to priests) etc., and came to the conclusion that the method itself has never been adequately set down. Gurdjieff said “I would gladly spare any human being the fruitless efforts that I have gone through. The passengers on ship, Beelzebub’s kinsmen, crew, etc. all were engaged in various being activities, (being activities are the sum of what we can simultaneously think, feel and do.) All the people on the ship were true beings. Amongst all those passengers on the ship Karnack (Armenian word meaning “our body as it is put into the grave”) a very handsome boy stood out – Hassein, son of Beelzebub’s favorite son, Tuluth.
(Hassein is that part of you that is open to the suggestions of another part of you, not yet actualized.)
(The “stop exercise” shows one cannot himself stop himself in an unusual posture – for one would inevitably stop himself in an habitual posture. But Gurdjieff could not stop you. You hear and transmit yourself the command. The whole book is composed of words that can be appropriated to oneself and by that magnetic center (Hassein) given to oneself so as to enable one to become reasonable.)
(Hassein) – more radiant than the Sun, purer than the snow, subtler than the ether is the self, the spirit within the heart. I am that self. That self am I.
(Hugh – Orage gave this as a sort of mantrum for repeating to oneself. That’s beauty.)
So Beelzebub undertook the education of Hassein (i.e. – I undertake the education of that part of myself that is worthy and eager.) and Hassein on his side was always with him and eagerly devoured everything that he was told (so when you were a child – constant interest, search on part of whatever is interested in this work is Hassein.)
(Psychological interest is also a chemical process that brings about a change in what we call our under spending.)
Hassein is always on hand accumulating material and heating it in crucible – i.e. “pondering.”
Beelzebub with Hassein and Ahun, an old servant who accompanies him everywhere (that is, Ahun was his body) spoke of Tuluth, father of Hassein. (Tuluth, Beelzebub’s favorite son, was Gurdjieff in the case of Orage, and it follows, of course, Orage is Tuluth to you and me.) They were seated on topmost deck underneath the dome (name denoting – “through which can be seen the heavens” – i.e. the intellectual center.) From there they could survey the boundless cosmic panorama (i.e. never forget that you can survey the great cosmic plan….through yourself.) He was speaking of the planet Venus very characteristic of us)
(The word “philosophy” means wither “Love of wisdom” or “Wisdom of Love”)
Captain come in – asks Beelzebub’s advice – I foresee that in the line of our progress a comet has passed. If we pursue our line of progress we will run into its path and into the gas left there which is always injurious to our bodies. That is, the captain always common sense) says if this discussion goes on (about Venus) it will injure Hassein. So Beelzebub ways we can either stop or detour. But if we take the detour it will mean wear on the ship. So we will stop and think and instruct Hassein. You go and give necessary orders and come back. I wish to know from you about ship, i.e. – that means a communication between centers, methods and vehicles for psychological changes. There is a third Sort of ship between solar systems – i.e. between self and cosmic consciousness.
I might say for instance that trans solar ships, in my youth., spent nearly half this energy in carrying supplies and fuel. (i.e. monks etc. in Gurdjieff’s youth spent their energy in locomotion.) (The type of ship that Buddha designed was immediately superseded by an inferior ship.) whereas this ship is so simple and that we might think we were on one of the planets (i.e. behaviorism, for example, might appear to be similar to this method – i.e. it might be mistaken for a planetary method – a mood – religion or what have you.)
Beelzebub says to Hassein ask me anything you like (what would you ask?)
Hassein says you have told me so much about that solar system upon which you were once that I am very curious. Tell me, are there beings there?
Beelzebub – yes, there are beings who have the potentiality of possessing or becoming souls. Of course the external form differs on the various planets, (i.e. evolution has determined our particular form – there is certain chemistry on this planet not on another planet and therefore we differ. If you were on a different planet you might find yourself in a really different form. I mean planet quite realistically.
Hassein is looking at map of himself but Beelzebub is looking at cosmic map. So when Beelzebub says “solar system and planets” Hassein think of “solar plexus and moods”. For instance – on Mars beings are coated (note) in form of corona, i.e. large trunk, two large wings, two legs – eyes so bright that they can light up the dark and wings so strong that they can take them even beyond the atmosphere of their own planet. Wings – imagination Eyes – to see – understanding.
To incarnate – a neutralizing form supplied by mother is coated on three centered essence. There is also a small planet on this Solar System called Moon – of second order. I watched it from my observatory. (What is moon in yourself?) The beings there have very strong spirit and very weak bodies. Air so cold that breath is immediately congealed and next day so hot that you can cook eggs on a rock. Immediately behind it is its (?) planet called Earth. On this planet there sure also being called men closely resembling our own selves only their skin is a little slimier. They have no tail – no horns – no hooves but have invented boots but no good (i.e. no horns – will no tail – consciousness no hooves – individuality. But we invented shoes, boots = personality. Our individuality is touchy, shows tenderness.) If their exterior is so unattractive you can imagine their psychological condition. This is due to external conditions existing only there. Nowhere else in the whole universe are the conditions so miserable as on this planet Earth.
(next meeting – 24 E. 4Oth – second floor)

 

January 18, 1927

 
Orage: Everyone of us uses the word “I”. If a prize were offered to ascribe to that word I some quality that cannot be found in any other – could you win that prize? When we say I we mean “it,” And we can talk about “it.”

 
All talk about oneself falls into two classes – one about “I” and one about “it”. But talk about I is nothing for it cannot be checked. But if you say I am ten feet tall, we say – Oh! well, now you are talking. We can check that.
I is a potentiality resident in us, the development of which will entitle us to say I.

 
Each of us in an organism with a particular form, speech, thought, way of waiting, etc. – and all have both social and biological history.

 
(Definition of and adult is an individual I who wishes to become distinguishable from “it.”)
This body yields us sensations.

 
Wim was wrong in saying that we ought never to regret not having observed during a day. Orage says, if you don’t treat yourself roughly you won’t get anywhere. If you say at the end of the day in which you have decided to observe your tones of voice -“Orage, dear me, I did not observe today. Hi, ho.” No! If you fail in a vow, stay up all night – don’t give yourself that treat, you had planned. Fine yourself. Set up a box at home and on those days when you fall in your vow, put in a dollar or a nickel or a hundred dollars. At the end of the month give the money to the Institute. We shall anticipate receiving some money, but with all our hearts hope that you adopt this suggestion and that vno money at all from this. (All the boys and girls squirmed.)

 

 

January 20, 1927

 
Hugh, he carried on an imagination conversation with an egg. Orage: If you will submit to a process of incubation and make an effort, i.e. peck your shell, you can become a chicken.
Egg: Oh, I’ve heard of chickens but I don’t believe in them.
Orage: Well, pick at your shell (that is, observe, etc.)
Egg: Show me a chicken, first.
Orage: I can’t until you get out of that egg.
Egg: Well, what proof can you give?
Orage: Pick at it!
Egg: How do I know it isn’t too thick?
Orage: Peck at it. It’s very easy.
Egg: Show me someone who has succeeded then.
Orage: I can’t: Not until you come out of that egg
Egg: But I’ve never seen a chicken.
Orage: Well, pick at your shell and you can.
Egg: But how do I know I’ll not be worse off? – jump into a frying pan or something and become a poached egg?
(I have written it badly but write your own dialogue. Very amusing,) Later on Wednesday…..
Love just had dinner with Ilonka and Wym and Gertrude. Afterward Ilonka had a class in drawing. Why don’t you join when you come back. Then Wym and I walked down Broadway, sat in a billiard room talking until 10:15…this is on a 10:30 train.
I may wire you tomorrow about a job for an advertising concern, J.P.Muller Co. that is handling the Roxy theater copy.

 

January 25th 1927

 
Try to resist normal reaction, i.e. turning the other cheek. Normal reaction is to return the blow or get out of the way of the next blow. Not even the habit of non-resistance is permitted. It is most difficult to return unexpected expression. Whereas in our present state anyone can, if he pulls the right lever, make us do anything he wants us to. Generally speaking our first difficulty is that we react in a mechanical way. If it is a miserable day, say “What a beautiful day” or vice versa. So long as a man reacts in a mechanical way so long he will remain a slave of circumstances. There is no fundamental difference in our mechanicallity only a different gearshift.
First heresy of Buddhism and of Pythagoreans is “How can I observe my moods?”
Second heresy is – criticism and an attempt at interference with moods even after observing physical manifestations.
But all these extraneous heretical forms of behavior can be cut off. How? By turning your attention with redoubled effort to come other physical form of behavior.
John Riordon said, “But you are attempting to observe memory – i.e. tabulating your various gestures, movements, etc.”
Orage – “No. Because we don’t care what your particular gestures may be. The tabulation is so that you can determine afterward if you have been purely observing.”
Someone said, “But if I observe my walk, it slows down.”
Orage: “No. But it seems to do so. And you at that point are ready for the second step. Not that this means all others present are ready, however it will do you no harm to learn the second step in this method.
1st – Self-awareness.
2nd – Participation
I can hold this piece of chalk. I can observe myself holding this piece of chalk. But I can also psychologically “hold the chalk with myself” – as if I were in possession of the organism – though I am not. And the third step is “Experiment for the sake of observation.” In walking I will vary my usual gait – not with a view to improving ray manner of walking, but only vary my usual procedure in order to observe it more carefully. Try this in all six forms of observable behavior. Try looking, par ex, fierce – if that is not habitual with you.
Steinberg said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t see why the second step is not implied or actually implicit in the first step.”
Orage: “The second step has an entirely different psychological sense or touch or taste, – when you react as if you were acting-purposive reaction.”
Someone said “On a pleasant day I feel as if I were entirely consciously participating in all my physical movements.”
Orage, “Well, but before that you were aware. It is not that you observe from a point outside, but as if you were outside yourself. Thank God I’ve never been, or felt that I’ve been outside myself. That would be simply pathological.” At one time we discussed if it would not be better to use another word than “awareness” – so a hunter – in a wood – hears a rustle – he tries by an effort to “ascertain” what it is. So this effort of awareness for the purpose of ascertaining what you have observed. “Come to grips with it.” Not, “Ah” this is a comfortable posture!” But – “Just what is this posture with regard to muscles – long or short breath – heart is beating – foot is being moved – everything – sensations – weight – touch – taut or relaxed muscles”.
I cannot emphasize too much the necessity for making every effort to make every form of observation VIVID! A man who had a habit of getting himself into violent rages – afterward he was so exhausted, out of sorts whatnot, that he had to go home and go to sleep.
I suggested that he observe the symptoms. So he tried to catch himself – but it was elusive. Finally, however, it occurred and he found himself in a taxi on the way home. He immediately set about putting down symptoms. He became so interested and detached that his rage disappeared and he had the taxi man turn around and take him back to his office. You will discover eventually that everybody’s “I” is different – so in observing voice some find it easier than others. There are not two individuals the same.

  

January 31, 1927

 
Perhaps I can recall one or two of the cartoons from the screen of your imagination. Epic parable is that Beelzebub and Hassein and their kinsmen are on the interstellar ship Karnak. Beelzebub possessing full consciousness, will and individuality. Beelzebub and Hassein are engaged in a discussion of the mechanics of the Universe (Ships) – and all he says is applicable on a smaller scale to ourselves. Try to discover relation of macrocosmos to microcosmos.. …. begins by a description of the manner in which beings on various planets coat themselves. Try to accustom yourselves to a psyche in a different form from that on this planet. If you succeed you will find yourself with a genuine psychology.
Beelzebub is discussing also the difference in psyche on planets – says here on Earth in their very psyche the beings are odd. Not only different from other planets in their solar system but different from all other planets in Universe. So Hassein being piqued by this asservation will inevitably ask re Earth beings.
Then Captain cones in and interruption occurs during which ships – say religions are discussed. This discussion is above Hassein’s head but it gives him a new idea. It is as if a child awoke to hear his parents talking of means to procure toys and food and so forth – assuming that the child had a spark of something, he would have some things to think about before going back to sleep. Something of the adult world into which he had been for a moment admitted – though not an adult.
Title of chapter – The Coming Aware of Genuine Duty (i.e. the morality of obvious function.) We are accustomed to the idea of the organism being mechanical – i.e. chemicals biologically assembled. Its use should be determined by its construction. (as an auto, boat or plow) Their morality consists in their being used for the functions for which they are obviously constructed and intended.
In contrast to animals, vegetables, minerals and metals – it appears that our machine has a use that is not only of immediate value but is also for potential future use. So a savage might use a limousine for a hut but it would be immoral by neglecting its obvious function for which it was constructed. So the man in each machine calling himself “I” has a further duty not to be paid to himself not due to another person.
The use of such a machine will become the criteria for judging the Objective Morality of a man. So the word “genuine” was selected to indicate objective.
Suppose we have three brains but use only one – all three must be used and all three must be fed or supplied with fuel.
When the captain had gone – Beelzebub asked Hassein what he was thinking of so seriously. Looking sadly at Beelzebub, he said – Your talk with the captain has given me some very serious thoughts for I had never imagined that things in the Universe of His Endlessness have not always existed as they now do – i.e. as I find them.
It seems now to me that beings must have suffered and labored and some even suffered more than they need have (voluntary suffering) – that they might give us they conveniences and possessions that we now have. I, for example, have existed for a long time – yet until now I have never realized the truth that these things available to me are not gratuitously provided.
And now with the whole of ray being I desire to understand why I have deserved all these lessons and I wish much to know what it is that I must do in return for all this in my existence.
In the absence of this attitude there can be no meaning to one’s life or morality. But assuming that we are machines created for a specific object and that we owe some duty or obligation to repay, then we can proceed.
(M. Frank talks a lot about fuel. Orage says why don’t we burn all the fuel? – because we need a greater draft or ashes should be raked out.) So every being has this question at least once occur to him. Solon says either we are a machine or we have a machine. Orage, “But, Israel (Solon) I have asked that you make an effort to determine that – for a long time past. Everyone who has made this effort and failed either has passed the possibility of realizing this or has not yet reached the possibility.”
(Someone else actually asks “is the duty of the machine or of “I”?)
The book is presumably written for those who have reached the point of saying “I have a machine – what shall I do with it? I am prepared to put my machine to its designed use – but in the absence of knowing the latter, what can I do?”
Why are we alive? What is the job I would impose upon my machine if I had made it myself? (Hugh – this will please you ——) The beings on this earth had the hardest deal in all the Universe, – in that they cannot by themselves follow the natural course of development.
Beelzebub – you must not think or worry about this just at present. You are still young (though the magnetic center is at moments stimulated – we cannot as yet do anything about it..) And the time is not yet come for you to pay for your existence – there is only the morality for us of the pupil. That is the morality of trying – of effort – of learning. So a good pupil might be a bad master. We have only the duty of learning the duty. You must not think of doing, for as Beelzebub says “There’s plenty of time later for that.” In the meantime, preparation only. Let the energy in you move among the energy in it. Impress upon yourself every morning that he who is too lazy to learn everything will not be able to pay for his existence as he will wish to. Imagine your state if you needed a technique and could recall a time when you could have acquired it – though then it is too late. That is the end of that phase of Beelzebub’s reply and it should reassure you of the truth that you need not hasten too greatly. It may be that each of us will sometime realize that there exists in some part of his being not now realized that there remains the memory of the mission upon which he consciously embarked. So, the Prodigal Son – it was only when he found himself eating husks – that is mechanically – that he then remembered his inherited mission.
Beelzebub says I am glad for your future from the fact that you have said these things – that you take it this way.
This word “glad” I might perhaps never have been able to use had I existed only on the planet Karatas at home – but I have by chance existed on very foreign and strange planets – and so a second nature began to be formed and because of this I am able to be glad.
For because if one of us were to be regarded by his father – the father would have no reason to be proud – for we are not different from others on this planet – but only mechanical. It may be that on certain planets or planes evolution proceeds without the gap that occurs here on earth – and without any effort so that such a being could only be happy – not glad. For if a state were mechanical one could not be glad.
But on this planet hundreds of beings (Rousseau) have had the idea of a world in which the evolution of beings would proceed mechanically. But Beelzebub says here that the beings on the planet Earth have a better possible existence than all others. Man is God’s Mind. Man comprises the thoughts of God. God only commenced to think upon the creation of man.
(Man can be both unhappy and glad at the same time.)
Cherubim, Seraphim, Angels and Arch angels constitute his higher emotional center. Man (or Mannas) is the Mind of God.
Hassein is only to ponder these things but not yet to assume the duties of an adult. In fact the whole of this planet is in an octave where effort is required at mi-fa and at ci-do. But – (here I am passing on a bit of cosmic gossip) there are planets where cruelty does not exist – where in the ordinary course of life the growth of the being proceeds evenly by nature. But here for one thing the life of beings is on short. If an old man, with illusions gone, could than begin his work, he could go far, but he has not the strength.
Try in the meantime not to think of things that it is too early to consider. In the meantime before the captain comes back I will, if you like, tell you some other things.
There is no religion. There is only one God. There is no evil, there is only failure to achieve the good. God without man would be powerless. One of the purposes of the book is to destroy the idea of evil. Good is the use of means and there is only failure of use of means.
Nietzsche said “Not any longer good and evil – but only good and bad”
Beelzebub later explains the problem of creation. The use of certain numbers is the mathematical problem which God set himself in creation — 3 & 7. – There is only the difficulty of the problem.
So Beelzebub invites Hassein to formulate a question. First question: Hassein asks what am I to do? Beelzebub says – good, but wait. Then Hassein’s second questions: Tell me anything for I will listen with delight to everything that you will be so kind as to say.
But Beelzebub was not to be taken in by such flattery – he had conducted too many group meetings- so he says — something to the effect that Hassein must formulate a definite question.
So Hassein asks “about those slugs” – Beelzebub, “What slugs?” Of course Beelzebub is not surprised, but has known that this question must be asked by Hassein. Hassein – “Those beings on a planet who are rather like us but slimier.”
Beelzebub – “Ah – the beings on planet Earth called men?”
Hassein – Yes, very interested.
Beelzebub – I could tell you a great deal about them. They are very very peculiar. Many of the things about them are unique in the universe and only to be found there.
Orage: This planet then, it appears, is a little different from all the other planets in the universe. This planet is called the Ridiculous Planet- on the ground that the beings here cut such ridiculous capers. Shaw inherited a flavor of such an idea from – – ? – – to Aristophanes.
Whole of section of Book Of Job in Bible wherein occurs conversation between creator and Job is a “mystery.” Read it»
I saw their rise – I saw almost the formation of the planet. I will first tell you of the event which caused the trouble there. For when I arrived on Mars there was not even any vegetation on Earth.
Beelzebub – kinsmen on Mars were developed in objective reason but defective in emotion.
Beelzebub – Soon after we arrived on the planet Mars and began to settle down (i.e. accommodate themselves to a new mood.) On one of our busiest days a great shaking occurred and a terrible odor. And – it was only possible after this odor had disappeared that we could discover what had happened. It seemed that a comet had collided with this same planet Earth and had split off a part. So because Solar System Ors was new – this tended to disrupt the rhythm and mutual attractions. (This is obvious even in our ordinary ideas of astronomy. And a planet should be regarded also as a being – a man.)
The Earth came into collision with the planet Condor (or Kunda) and two pieces split off. This happened before it was possible for our atmosphere to arrange its formation as a buffer. His Endlessness soon received reports of it.
(Orage, said Solon, “does this mean that the time element enters into God’s cognizance of happenings?” Orage: “Yes.”)
A commission composed of specialists was immediately dispatched to inquire into the nature of the happening.
So in the body – nerves convey message to the executive brain — blood calls immediately are dispatched – so the element of time enters here. When we come to “time spheres” – But put it aside for the moment and let us consider this commission.
This commission arrived on the planet Mars as the nearest planet to Earth and conducted their investigations from there.
(Those of you who have attempted to read the future will get a hint here that an event can be apprehended on a superior planet (plane) before it descends to the next plane.)
(Algi = algebra. Matant = mathematics)
Arch Angel Algimatant is the engineer of the corporeal structure of the megalocosmos.)
Arch Angel Algimatant told us that the split off parts lost their momentum before they crossed the line of limit of attraction.
(You will remember that the center of each planet is the foci or intersection of certain forces.)
With the result that they began to fall toward Earth. But the planet was moving and so they fell into the “law of catching up”. (Now both these laws “of falling and catching up” are present in us. And it is necessary that our center of gravity should always move fast enough to prevent “I” from falling entirely upon it. By pondering you can perhaps find this relativity.)
Glory be that it has fallen out so. For it will always be so that the moon will always be both falling and catching up, but it will never catch up and fall upon it. (I is separated from it by accidental contact with this method.)
The archangel concluded that though these fragments could for the present keep their places, yet there might later eventually occur a catastrophe.
(One of the dangers of hearing this method and understanding it is precisely this danger.)
And it proved upon investigation that the fundamental piece should supply to the smaller fragments a certain sacred vibration and the commission decided to petition his Endlessness for permission to make certain arrangements.
(One of the dangers of hearing this method and understanding it is precisely this danger.)
And it proved upon investigation that the fundamental piece should supply to the smaller fragments a certain sacred vibration and the commission decided to petition His Endlessness for permission to make certain arrangements (voluntary suffering and conscious labor.) (So the moon receives not only direct from the sun but also from the earth through its organic kingdom certain necessary substances or vibrations. In other words a special kind of organic kingdom is needed on this planet only. In order to keep the “I” from falling back once it is split off from “it”, certain conscious labor and voluntary suffering is necessary.
The Archangel Psycharchy decided in view of this foreseen necessity to set off to secure permission from His Endlessness. He blessed it, the project, and gave His permission. (So “I” does not create but His oversight, consent and blessing are necessary.)
Of the two fragments wrenched from this planet, one originally was called Lundapeertzo and now is called noon and the second is called Annulias.
The beings of Atlantis knew of the second fragment and called it- Annulias though occasionally they called it Kynespies, meaning one who does not allow the sleep in peace.
(I wish you were familiar with a certain writing of Meredith’s in which a court attendant was called the Discourager of Hesitancy. His duty was when he saw someone not performing his duty, to cut off his head. I invite you to remember moments just before you have gone to sleep during which for an instant you were troubled by the thought of bow little you had done that day.)
But the principal reason why the second moonlet is never seen is that their grandmother never told them of such a little noon.
If one of them should see it through the telescope, he would pay no attention to it…;he would say it was just an aeriolite. (If anyone should find in himself remorse – ache for perfection – he would reduce it to something speculative.)
None of the beings are ever likely even to see it. For we are fallen upon a time when remorse, aspiration etc. – because of psychoanalysis, behaviorism, etc. – no longer granted meaning. There is a second satellite of the Earth, invisible but nevertheless exercising a real effect upon us and upon the Earth. So when the eclipse recently was a few seconds late, it was suggested that the other side of the moon which we never see nay bulge and throw out in this was the calculations of the astronomers. But Labor and Suffer we must. That is our fate. But this necessary labor and suffering can be compensated for by rendering a being here a “mannas” – which is greater than an angel.
Why “Men” are not men.
(Moon in us is not personality. But we are slaves of or food for the moon. Yet it is possible to predigest that food and extract for ourselves certain advantages. In London, Ouspensky was asked, “What, in fact, is man for?” He calmly replied, “To feed the moon.” This sounded so crazy to them that it halted their imagination for some time. So some one of us may undertake a conscious labor and voluntary suffering that will relieve the beings here of an enormous amount of otherwise necessary labor and suffering. So the search for the Golden Fleece – Perseus – etc. (Herbert Wolmer – “You said last year that if a great many people practiced this method fully it might be disastrous.” 0 “Yes, if a great many people commenced to feed the sun it might cause a cosmic disaster – but this is not possible practically. Another function of man is to cease feeding the moon and only feed the sun – but then again that is conditioned on the quantity of the necessary substance available – and it is limited. It is not possible for very many people to even begin to practice the first three steps of this method – Self-Observation, Participation and Experimentation – to say nothing of Conscious Labor and Voluntary Suffering. So the possibility of this work is always limited say as the quantity of radium is limited. (This certainly relieves my emotions of worry over my fellow being.) But, practically, no one need fear that there will not be enough of the necessary chemicals available for his own use»
Well, my boy, So the Archangel Psycharchy presented the plan to His Endlessness Who blessed it and said Be it So. Then the work of the organic kingdom began. So the Archangels arranged the laws of three and seven – so that they could work independently on that planet. Among the biped beings there was a being called man.
(Eptaparabarshihok means only – 7 making one. Triamasikanok means – 3 making 1. On this planet only the law of seven – i.e. the law of evolution proceeded independently of as well as concurrently with the law of 3(law of psychology) though on other planets these only proceed interdependently – while here independently but concurrently. But psychically speaking due to this, we have a different existence here. Do you remember a diagram called the enneagram? If you take each point of that triangle as do and as place for shock, you will find fa is OK but Ci shock is not just right. This indicates that whatever the Ci shock is necessary we must hurry in order to make it come in at the right place.

  

February 2, 1927 — On 12:30 train home –

 
Dear Hugh (Ferries) – I have spent this evening around the big table at 27 West 67th St., with Ilonka, Wim, and Getrude, going over together our notes of the 24th Meeting (shown above). It is, of all things, the most stimulating. To find three active minds working with great seriousness and purpose on these ideas. Several times we were “stepped” by a sentence one of us had read.
You know what I mean? A mingled emotion of joy, reverence, delight, awe, etc.? And shared !!!?! That’s what increases the emotion in a mathematical progression. You are, of course, missing all this – and must be to some extent regretting it. I am not just trying to “rub it in” – but by this to (God willing) perhaps enable you to redouble your efforts to accomplish the first three stages of the Method.
There are three or four drunks in at the end of this car – God bless us, how terrible they look. One is obviously pugnacious as I am when drunk, – though of course he seems cruel and different from my concept of myself. One is very amiable and friendly.
Hugh, what do the seven major planets denote in moods –
Venus – Love ?
Saturn –
Neptune. –
Mercury – Will for Service?
Earth – Lust?
Jupiter – will to search?
Mars – will to overcome. – (Sagittarius – The Hunter).
This effort makes me remember that I must study Roget’s Thesaurus.
I must go find Ilse on the grain to get her notes of the Orage group I did not at tend to night.
Sherm.

 

February 7, 1927

 
Orage: I tried an experiment last week in order to see how long it is possible for some of you to retain your attention on a subject which has no material counterpart. Those who lasted through 1 hr. – ? 2hrs. – good, 3hrs. – good pupil further – good. In understanding, as I have been able with the help of Gurdjieff, an occasional sentence in the book, I later found it difficult and often impossible to get any meaning from it for it needed exact context and continuity of the ideas in the book for full comprehension.
The book is an epic dialogue – the characters are of a certain elevation (- perhaps a little above humans, i.e. they are ourselves as we may be for an instant or longer, – but these beings are able to maintain themselves…in such a state. Beelzebub is a fully actualized human being. Beelzebub begins in a position of complete isolation not merely from his physical body – but he attempted to observe the whole material universe i.e. – God’s body. So Beelzebub discriminates between I and it as well as between Beelzebub and the universe. So as he is able to pass at will through the cosmos we should be able to pass from planet to planet, etc. And in his replies there is always implied a certain attitude in the fact that he speaks of the whole universe having a purpose and he more or less understanding it. And beings are an “agency”. In fact, the whole material universe has a logical design for the purpose of fulfilling a perfectly reasonable objective. This purpose is intelligible and not irrational. And in so far as this universe fulfills this purpose, it is thereby food or bad – not evil.
And we have a material body. The first thing that one can truly say is – “I have a body” – then afterward “what purpose have I for it?”
But we differ from Beelzebub in that he can look over the cosmos and say, “These things have a use for me.” — but you (we) do not know why the creature bearing your name exists. What value has your body for you? What each of us has of value to extract from our universe will become clear to us. It has a potential value of the extraction of a particular value which is objective reason – Divine Reason from the experience of this (your) body. So Beelzebub makes this survey of the body for Hassein for the purpose of aiding him to establish a school for the education of souls. To understand what the game is, what the obligation of God is to keep the universe in existence. Only those who reach an understanding of what the game is can be called Souls.
There are other planets and solar systems – God is not staking everything on the results on this planet. But Hassein discovers that perhaps this planet is in some ways unique.
So the planet Earth was prematurely delivered of its satellite, – Moon and an unusual method of feeding and caring for the earth child had to be arranged. So Suns “have” planets and planets “have” Moons,
So the “book of Genesis” was not written by dumb fools – but was written by some people confronted by the same facts that we are now confronted with. We know that every time we survey our behavior for one day, we must admit that we have acted like poltroons, cowards, stupid fools – but somehow we do not apply to ourselves such an impartial estimate or judgment. So we go quite comfortably to sleep every night.
We know that for thousands of years men have been on earth – in Egypt – art and science, in Greece — philosophy, in China – personal intercourse, i.e., society. But why has none of this come down to us? Why are we not heirs of all the ages? Instead of as we are – a people who have climbed up from practically a blank, (After each civilization a barbarous sponge wipes clean the slate on which the solution appeared.) Or taking it that we are human beings of at least 6,000 years of existence, we should be, so to speak, on the shoulders of our fore bearers — but cannot ourselves succeed – that someone can?
If I am a politician, why do I think – knowing that I cannot in the smallest respect reform myself – that I can by a League of Nations reform the world?
Orage: I have begged you to make a survey of men on this planet as they really are – for example, there are five main races, five main continents, 150 nations, 2,000 different languages on the Earth. Now take these sorts of things – make a survey – call the beings, not men, – but camels or kangaroos or anything – Note that all of them are mechanical – and perhaps becoming more so, (More so, if possible.) If you do this and do it successfully you will begin to understand the point of view of Beelzebub. It is necessary to understand this – why men are not men. In only one respect do we differ from animals – that we possess reason including the use of words. But a man should be one who understands why he is alive. So sheep do not understand that they live for mutton and wool. Suppose I say to a sheep “You are to provide mutton and wool.” But the sheep says, “I don’t understand.” So Beelzebub says, “You are food for the sun and the moon.” But you reply, “I don’t understand.”
“One who plays the game of life intelligibly.” What would you think of a man who sat down to play chess and played according to the rules of bridge or ping pong.
So at birth we receive a set of cards and we say “play.” But not one of us knows “how to play them. We don’t know the game.
Sheep, at least, see the shepherd but we do not see even any superior beings — never have seen an archangel or – at least I never have. We have no superiors but we are not ourselves superior.
So in the book of Genesis they tried to explain the fall of man. But we don’t even try to explain it for now it never occurs to us that any explanation is necessary.
But in the book of Genesis it says that men succumbed to their instinctive bodies – that they decided they could gain knowledge and understanding without effort. So they ceased effort and soon found themselves outside Paradise. We are not discharging human functions.
But how to make self observation important? Only by making the necessity for effort to get out of a most undesirable and poignant situation, most obvious and apparent. So the book was written.
The Myth says that but for the accident of the Comet Kondor colliding with this planet we should not be different. And in breaking it into three pieces, two were split off, – so extra effort is necessary now on this planet. Why did such a catastrophe occur? Because this planet is of such a nature that this catastrophe will always recur and every being on this planet will always be affected by it and in just this way. They will repeat the same catastrophe that occurred to this earliest progenitor – Earth.
So two parte were struck off from us – Self—consciousness and Cosmic consciousness – I.E. consciousness of our bodies and of the world we live in. So a sort of feeding is necessary of the moon (Self-consciousness and Anulias (Cosmic-conscious)
Whether the myth is true of Earth — Moon Anulias, it is apparently and obviously true of I – body – Self-consciousness and Cosmic consciousness.
So Beelzebub has by effort attained a consciousness that even Angels who have n never had to go through such an experience never can possess — a dual being. So we can become not just angel-beings but very sophisticated beings. Beelzebub knows the feeling of gladness – not only happiness.
Those of you who know anything of psycho-analysis will here see an analogy in regard to heredity – i.e. in Psycho-analysis you start with the premise that thetas is a conscious and a subconscious.
Why Men are not Men….we are the planet Earth with two satellites unactualized (why men are beings with two potentialities – which have names but no actuality)
The fact is that among those biped beings whom you call slugs (why slugs? – because only instinctive is developed) and since they had three brains and due to / favorable circumstances there began to be formed in them mechanical reason (for instance it is possible to understand that we are automatic. Behaviorism is a very ancient knowledge.)
When the commission under Archangel Psycharchy descended to Earth again to make certain measurements, they noticed the formation of this mechanical reason – and decided to take steps. So if men will not by voluntary labor and voluntary suffering try to gain for themselves Objective Season and Genuine Will — then they must be made to suffer involuntarily.
So these beings might by mechanical reason discover their state and also the possibility of higher states of consciousness and they would then revolt and cause us, (the Archangels) a great deal of trouble. (So if we could really feel what we now know that we are in every possible way the result of inheritance and environment – we should at once commit suicide or go mad or become–)
So Behaviorism will undoubtedly soon affect the young men of this country so that they will in increasing numbers commit suicide and murder and engage in ruthless warfare.
So if these beings realized (i.e. emotionally) their state. But the Commission attached an organ which reversed everything in their estimation and also made them engage in certain forms of illusory pursuit of pleasure. It sounds ridiculous to say that there was put at one time into the atmosphere of this planet a certain chemical that would so affect the beings on this planet. “Well, it is just that which happened. Suppose we created on this Earth more radium, what would be the effect?
Electricity is matter and just as the air might be denuded of its valuable nitrogen by a certain action of plant life – it is possible to denude the Earth of electricity – and every one of our movements requires electricity among other energies. (Carl Zigrosse says that Gurdjieff said the ancient Greeks knew of electricity but chose not to use it.) We pay for all of our mechanical contrivances (so-called improvements.) So if there be used too much electricity on the surface of the Earth, it will effect us for every one of our present movements of body is electric. So the Arch Angel Psycharchy used his chemical knowledge to accomplish something that we are now unconsciously accomplishing by the ridiculous misuse of electricity.
You have heard of the separation of centers by ether, being knocked insensible, etc…and you can in an extreme state of intoxication be doing something of which you are utterly unaware. Why then does this state seem incomprehensible to us? All our centers are at present separated, very, very carefully separated, from two centers – one of these things is the emotional center’s realization of things we know and the second is the understanding of why we are alive.
We all know we are going to die. Why do we not emotionally realize it? Suppose you were in charge of the animal kingdom and had to decide whether or not they were to have the knowledge that they must die. What would you do about it? No one could possibly decide to give it to them.
So Louisas decided to put our realization, i.e. – emotionally, into an airtight compartment and consequently we can never “realize” our state.
So too we engage in illusory pleasures, because we do not understand why we live. We know our bodies must perish – but we live for them at least 99% of the time. But we have a hope that the reasonable part of our being may perhaps continue to exist – therefore, common sense should tell us to live for this part of ourselves. But we don’t live that way, do we? Never!!!
When we overhear men talking, imagine animals meeting and conversing. “Jolly good hunting over there – the deer there are excellent — such taste I’ve never before encountered. And as for my bed, you should see it – and my den – oh, it’s great! Always dry and warm. Have you tried this new food that’s come out? Rabbits, I believe they call it. By the way, have you ever seen my whelps? Say! – and my old lady? She’s as young look in as the day —— etc.”
So Louisas corresponds to the planet Saturn which is the mystery planet that is both good and bad. So Louisas is also both good and bad. So with the help of the Arch Angel Louisas there was made to grow in the human species the organ Kundabuffer. (We are perfectly sane beings but doped.) – at the base of the spine which inverted their sense of values.
That is, we take for our higher values only instinctive values, etc. And then Arch Angel Louisas took his departure well satisfied that the organ would do its work well. (Remember that Hassein has not been yet invited to make a survey of man, and so Beelzebub tells him of these things.)
So on Mars we set up an observatory. (We are often asked if this is true how is it that you can bear to let the world go on as it is? And the reply must be, “What, considering the state of the beings here can we do? Much better to retire to an emotional attitude outside Earth since we can do nothing, i.e. to an observatory – – -Observation – Participation – Experiment, etc.
(Those of us who are on Saturn – are the rare ones who understand the first law of life – “Love all that breathes” – i.e. all who share God’s emotions – and so Beelzebub says on Saturn the beings understood this.)
Tolstoy – Beelzebub was on this planet until 1921, And he was struck with this, that Tolstoy, with no more knowledge than you and I – nevertheless got himself passed off as one of the writers of a contemporary writer of religion. He was, so Gurdjieff says, who knew him, a perfectly silly man. Why do we give our credence to such or any people when we have nothing by which to judge them?
Though on this planet they have criteria they never think of applying them to anything of any importance. (Why do we send our children to school? conducted as we know by fools! Why, since war has always been, do we expect it to vanish? We are reasonable beings tinder insane suggestions. Those of us who have met a number of literary geniuses know what a lot of utter dumb fools that they are. For example, I heard an intelligent Chinaman within the past 24 hours say -“You know that book of H.G.Wells on China is something to be considered!” Why, even Wells knows better than that! Why have I written books – not because I can delude my­self that I can affect more than a small entourage. How? Because Beings themselves, though they know a certain degree of actual reality, never apply their actual knowledge to circumstances in which they may find themselves. Well, these beings called men now breed almost everywhere on that planet – – – differ in color and form of body – race and type – races are not superior and inferior.
(There are seven main conditions by which the seven features of ones face are determined.)
At the same time their psyche is the same everywhere – and in particular, namely, they are all possessed in a high degree of suggestibility – everywhere illustrated by a universal phenomena called war.
So, every civilization has Suffered death at the hands of man. And that is why we do not inherit the benefits of preceding civilizations…Because of this suggestibility. And you can do what you like mechanically – form as many leagues of nations as you like – or anything else – but it is not certain that the very hardest workers for such a thing as the League of Nations will not be affected by the war fever and tear down all he has attempted to build up.
As you know, amongst us a hero is one who voluntarily undertakes some labor for the advantage of all creation. (So Gurdjieff went to the East and suffered every form of yogi training and discipline and diet, etc. – and is in a way a hero.)
But on that planet the word hero exists and those are called hero who during one of those stages called war, quickest and most vigorously engage in this war. How can this be? Why from childhood they have been told that he who kills and enemy – i.e. one who has been – due to their suggestibility denoted as an enemy. So by catching being young they are so filled up by way of suggestibility that this apparently becomes their customary state.
Next chapter – Beelzebub First Descent –
It is made to Atlanta – whether it ever existed or not is to me a matter of absolutely no-consequence. To those who are interested in such subjects, ethnology, etc., and to such others as may be interested – we will read this chapter next week.

 

February 14, 1927

 
I find it a little difficult until I find what your experiences have been during the week. I tried last week to inculcate in you an emotional intellectual attitude that would admit the acceptance of these ideas. I am trying to compare a similar act in observing and non—identifying with the organism and a being who non identifies from the whole human race – but he can maintain that attitude. All the phenomena that occur in the universe on a smaller scale but do occur in this organism – oneself. The difficulty is that the knowledge we really all have is not organized. We cannot generalize on the human species.
Generalize – make a survey of the five races – give the characteristics of each – without further reading – each has had a history – represents an anthology of certain characteristics. What in your opinion are the general characteristics of the nature of the human species?
The book goes further – not only supposing that we can do this – but that we can specify the defects under which we all labor. The Breed of Man has certain defects and can be specified by any ordinary man.
Beelzebub says in order to explain why we are and are not this and that – that a comet Kondor collided with and split the Earth and at the same time brought about a split in being of the breed of man.
I ask everyone to examine himself for these qualities. 1. Self-love – (thinking oneself entitled to certain things – certain discriminatory treatment from some superior being.) 2. Vanity – (we entertain the belief that we have in us certain elements of which we are rightly proud. Even in the face of behaviorism we think this.) 3. Touchiness, or sensitiveness (we take offense if a statement touches us – either true or false) 4. Hatred – (we hate those whose vibrations are out of harmony with those we happen to have) 5. Egoism – (we believe that the I we happen to identity ourselves with is a better one than others. So each thinks he can be of peculiar service in certain circumstances which no one else could perform.) We claim these things, though they are universal among men. We see our faults but can do nothing to remedy them. Why? – because we are the human species product of an abnormal planet – i.e. – abnormal now even in normal circumstances. In actual fact the whole human species begins its existence in an abnormal state.
Now let us suppose that it is possible to hear a messenger from God, or a reform. There are two kinds of reform – local and universal. If a reform occurred in America it would be local. A religious teacher sets out to establish a change in the psyche of man. Such a change could be a lasting change. So Beelzebub is not intent on changing any number less than the whole number. All lesser reforms run down the scale again. The interval at which a religious teacher attempts to bring about such a change is Ci-Do. In the first descent he comes on account of a certain kinsman who has prematurely undertaken a religious mission… critique of religious values. Why are people people? Why are they so hard torn move – so inaccessible to ideas – why do reforms so soon disappear? The practical mission of any religious teacher is to bring about a change in the whole human psyche. Can we judge from the results what has been the result of each religion and without blasphemy what were the Mistakes of each.
A being from Karitas will see, as you should all eventually see – the pitiable state into which the men on this earth have fallen. Taxation without representation.
So the kinsman of Beelzebub undertakes upon seeing this state of things, but fails and has to call upon Beelzebub who has remained upon Mars for help.
Beelzebub is still speaking to Hassein perhaps because he expects one of these days to incarnate upon this planet. He would wish to know something of the planet before coming here. So Beelzebub tries to put Hassein on guard against the influences of these men – they have two natures – one external which looks OK – but inside they are abnormal monstrosities.
I descended several times to tie Planet Earth – and I had to descend there to side a kinsman who, by associating with one of the beings on the planet Earth, had gotten himself in a very serious state.
Beelzebub – objective reason.
When they had told me all I saw that it might be disagreeable to all our kinsmen and to the whole of our tribe.
When we come to the chapter on Christ you will see that since it was founded on Love it should have succeeded – but did not for lack of a certain subtlety. At any rate it has become discredited – and one of the reasons for casting these principles in a rather repellent form is that a negative reaction is almost always introduced by the attempt to relate knowledge and love. Why?!!! Since to understand Truth, Love is absolutely necessary.
So you will find that sooner or later you will find that you too must take these same steps.
So Beelzebub descends after appropriate preparations to the planet Earth on the ship Occasion, after finding that observation would not do. (He intervenes at an opportune moment – but we are seized by an occasion – – – – Mars -permanent moods of emotional self-consciousness.)
So we landed on Atlantis, a continent which later sank and disappeared, Atlantis is essence or that part of us which knows what we are. An essential act is one which we would say was exactly what we should always do – and say it wholeheartedly. The whole of the subsequent parable applies to us from the moment we begin to practice this method. I.E. the essence begins to reappear as does Atlantis in this history. Today the dominant characteristics or center of gravity is in the Intellectual sub center of the instinctive center. (When you hear the word “capital” it always refers to the center of gravity of the time or locality.)
The young kinsman had got himself into trouble through the king of that country, Appolis. I learned that this young kinsman had become friendly with the king and was frequently in his house (that is he became friendly and identified with his organism.) So if by this method I had thought it might be that I could no longer write or maintain a certain pseudo intellectual grandeur – would I have taken it up? So it says that the king Appolis needed a great deal of money and a great deal of labor was necessary. So now we need to do all sorts of things and be with all sorts of things that essentially we don’t want by any means really to do.
Is it true that beings do nothing in general with undertakings voluntarily assumed? Certainly it is true in my own case. I need to have a spur in the shape of some disagreeable consequences or I find my voluntary resolution extremely difficult to carry out.
I make a resolve to review the happenings of each day. Unless I tell someone who will snub me in case I fail – I can hardly manage, if at all, to carry out my resolve. So it is recommended that you make your vows public for the present.
So Appolis was very conscientious about his ideas for the public.
We are quite capable of a similar state – say an ambition to become a great artist. Appolis had to employ all sorts of means to induce his subjects to do the necessary things, even to menaces.
The subjects added to Appolis title of king – that of “The Arch Dodger,” So everyone uses little tricks to keep himself at a task. I, for example, edited a paper for 15 years every week by promising “it” vacations, trips around the world, riches, position, etc, I was then the “Arch Dodger.”
Well, ray boy, the measures used by the King Appolis, the young kinsman felt were very unjust, about the limit…And be expressed his views one day very frankly. But Appolis did not become angry as in the custom on earth, but they talked it over and agreed on paper signed by their blood (essential assent) and therein my kinsman agreed to furnish all the money that the subjects failed to provide if the present methods were abandoned.
I undertook that there would be no immediate reduction in personal efficiency. But this cannot be guaranteed – though it could be guaranteed that there will be not any permanent diminution of efficiency – but on the contrary. The organism will benefit eventually but not necessarily in each case immediately. If you fail in regard to an oath consciously taken the consequences will be 30,000 times as great as in respect to a mechanical oath.
So when the kinsman failed and could not carry out his vows, even exhausting the treasury on Mars. I could not help from Mars, but descended to Earth. Impartial friends, I personally am very sorry for what has been brought about – but I am personally helpless to do anything about it. The fact is that the machinery of my government has been changed and now cannot be reasserted without great dissention and perhaps revolt upon – – – –
(So any interference with regard to habits will bring about serious psychological consequences. But it cannot be, once done, easily changed back.)
I bitterly repent in the presence of you all that these things have occurred. For I ought not to have made such a pact with a being who, although higher than I in reason, is nevertheless much less experienced than I am personally.
So I advise each one of you here to retain Common Sense as king until I have really grown up. There are people here who have done such absurd things on the theory that the young I was capable. Never undertake experiments against common sense. Those of us who do undertake some mad experiments will have to admit later that they were mad.
Once more I beg you all and your reverence in particular to forgive me and to help me to return to that form of government which formerly though mechanical functioned in my kingdom.
We decided that the kinsmen should decide. And we decided to recommend that King Appolis resume the earlier form of government.
So think of the liberal forms of government wherein love is to be substituted for fear. They won’t work. Though human beings are essentially just. But essence does not prevail in us. So Beelzebub and his kinsmen advised reverting from democracy to tyranny. (Think here of selling life insurance. The fools won’t buy it. They don’t know and don’t realize that they may die tomorrow.)
Not from ourselves con we extract the energy to increase our rates of Self- Observation on the conviction that this will improve our state, but if we have a conviction of punishment in case of failure we may do so. Try to impose penalties – no breakfast or tobacco or — — for failure. Every time you cease to exert effort toward S.0. etc., you will have to make a tremendous effort to resume.
Every organ has its own clock or time program. So when S.O. is begun it is exactly comparable to the beginning of the development of a seed. This does not mean that water must be given to the seed exactly at a certain moment – but that within so many hours it must have water. So with S.O. a new psychological function begins and goes through a series of phases, each with a time limit. So nobody knows what the consequences may be of introducing.

 

February 21, 1927
You will remember the idea that the book provides at the same time a description and an exercise – the mind in which you approach this is called Objective Reason – that attitude of reasonable consciousness with which it is possible to survey mankind, including oneself, as one may lower species – dogs, etc. To this is added Divine Reason – so that one may in addition survey the human species with discrimination as to each entity’s use – duty, And so with every standard, assuming that we know the purpose for which a man was created – we can judge as to a man’s being right or wrong.
Making such a survey, as every founder of a religion and every philosophic thinker we shall decide man is: religious – sin; thinker – stupid; biological – defects in environment.
It may be that our planet has ceased to provide those maximum conditions that made us flourish as a race in ages past.
By Self- Observation and objectively making a review of one’s own past – every one of us is bound to condemn himself for a series of foolish and from this point of view semi-criminal acts. But if we, then we can certainly say the entire race as well? But then reason condemns man. And the philosopher comes to the conclusion – “Man is uncivilized and uncivilizable.”
Last week we reviewed the various ways that have been employed by various religions in the past for regenerating. So if you can see how each founder of a religion has surveyed, diagnosed and prescribed, you have reached a certain degree of Objective Reason. Man’s first purpose is to attain Objective Reason. So every human must spend much time in pondering on how he shall live in greatest accord with reason. And it will be decided from these criteria – how much will it contribute to my realization, appreciation, and understanding of why I and the world, etc., sire created.
Last week I pointed out that we might begin too early to try to correct our defects – and any effort, before ascertaining sufficient about oneself is just as likely to affect one adversely as not. So every effort at self perfecting should be postponed until the proper time.
Question – Define self-perfecting.
Man straddles the gap between do, re, mi – and so, la, ci. Self improvement is to improve the status already evolutionarily obtained. Self perfection would be to actualize the three higher centers potential in man but not now actualized.
Beelzebub’s kinsmen were not engaged in self improvement but, perhaps by objective art or something similar, in attempting to raise the rate of vibration.
Scientists are now engaged in repeating the discovery of such things as electricity. These things have not come down to us as knowledge but only as fairy tales, myths, legends, etc.
(Gurdjieff is quite explicit that) there have been at least two civilizations that formerly existed on this earth wherein the development of such things as electricity have been carried much further than we have done. Below the ancient city of Troy there were found, by archeological investigations, several cities layer beneath layer. Thirty years ago an archeologist who thought that History might extend back of Egypt would have been thought crazy.
Madame Blavatsky told of beings – Lemurians – who, though in human form, were not three centered beings. The Emotional had not even gone do – re – mi.
It is improbable that the Pythagorean School of mathematics was inferior to our present mathematics, but it did not take the mechanical turn. So we have no birthright from higher civilization and yet our lives are much shorter than tradition says the average lifetime of man was in earlier ages.
So if you have measured your progress and determined that it will take about a thousand years to attain the degree of objective reason that we can even now apprehend. Well then, we have only a few years! We have fallen on days when the life of man is very contracted. Why is it that we-the people in this room – have not a life of four or five hundred years? We are a kind of clock wound on three springs – instinctive – emotional – intellectual – and each of our 3 springs are wound up differently. But each – even the least of these windings is sufficient for a life of at least 200 years. Wound up by nature.
Now what is it that will determine how long a clock will go on a winding? A regulator. And in exactly the same way our springs, wound up to go 4-5 hundred years, would do so only that the regulator in us is loosened. And the new regulator is called “The Effort to Become Self-Conscious.”
If at birth we commenced this effort – we should live several centuries. So, Self-Consciousness is the “regulator.” Time is the duration of the running down of any one of our three springs.
Try to recall an actual occurrence in your own life such as I will suggest in order to achieve a state wherein you can absorb the very difficult ideas of objective time in this chapter.
Think of a dream – you may have “lived” in your dream hours in minutes. Try to ponder the nature of time in a dream.
Another day you are working very intensely and you look up to find that the days have flown. Try to ponder the relation between intense experience and time. Also recall the five minutes you have perhaps waited for some doctor – fullness of time is short, emptiness of time is long. You go down the street and the clocks are all different – you are confused. Suppose under your eyes an acorn becomes an oak tree fully grown.
The period up to maturity passes normally.
In these periods or seasons – 1. Infancy; 2. Childhood; 3. Adolescence; 4. Youth.
All these are relatively normal states. So we think of a child reaching adolescence a little early as a bit monstrous.
Beyond these stages, in manhood or womanhood, we can quickly pass down from back through youth to adolescence to childhood to infantilism.
There is no normal stage of growth beyond youth. The sequence of our experiences at this point becomes disorderly – because the growth of cur three centers begins to proceed not regularly – i.e. by and according to a regulator but haphazardly. We have a regulator that acts only up to 17 or 18.
Relative Understanding of Time.
(Much of our waste energy is brought about by the unnecessary conjunction of effort in two centers when only one is being used. For example, one contracts his brows and often other muscles, etc., when thinking.) The period of growth is the period of winding up. Then comes the period of running down…
In children the magnetic tie between the three centers is developing with the centers. So we can no longer after youth be free as we have been. The tie between centers is no longer detachable. But it is possible to regain this power, i.e. of detaching at will the centers one from the other.
We have not at present the use of a certain organ or muscle with which we can control the use of glands. The back of the head contains an organ which is in control of the glandular system. But since we are not in control of this organ we are not in control of anything. And it is the exercise of this particular organ that is necessarily our object.
If this room in which we are sitting were to get smaller and smaller and we should in exact proportions shrink with it, we should not be aware of any change. (Hugh “I don’t believe that.)
Time-is the potentiality of exp (experience)…duration of time is the period or sequence of that particular exp (experience.)
Objective time is the number of experiences potentially contained within the center in question. These experiences can be made successive and with intervals the centers can be run down sequentially or simultaneously and rapidly or slowly.
At 18 we have a capacity of say 3-4 hundred years if we live under a regulator. But we are cast into unfortunate circumstances and they are run off Objective time is a purely Individual thing.
If I have $100 to spend and you have S1000, if I spend my 100 and you your 1000 purposely and reasonably – I will have had as much as you. So though the “years” of a being may be quite different every being has the potentiality equal to that of every other if conscious. Motion is life, space, time.
There is a normal way of experiencing but there is for us now only an abnormal way. If we were in control of our three springs we should experience only when we choose. And this is that which is called the proper use of time.
So in octaves each note is an octave and vice versa and so there is no end either to macrocosmos or microcosmos, so no limit to numbers but we can talk about particular numbers. Time is the unique subjective (subjective is the potentiality of experience.)
Time whose works are wonderful manifested this world and may manifest many more. Time God of Gods. Instinctive center has potentiality of movement. But not an infinite number of movements. Still even this is not “determined.”…for something may happen. But it will not go beyond the unwinding of it.
We are crammed with food eating as we do, but the same quantity of food…..
Next chapter deals with light and heat. And we, who are entitled to know what this game of life is, are ignorant as animals. All alone

 

 March 28, 1927

 

May I make one announcement? Numbers of people have expressed a desire to hear the book read again. On Thursday there will be a reading on that evening at 21.00.

You will remember that last week considered the second and third descent and this week the fourth descent. You remember the reason of the second and third descent to put at an end the sacrifice of animals or two centered beings.

Fourth descent – “Descent of apes” Discussion turns on one center to two – need a parallel thinking – 3 – positive, passive, neutralizing.

He was engaged in completing his observatory on Mars (a method by which unperceived aspects of bodies within ourselves – heavenly bodies – may become perceived.)

It occurs to him that on Planet Saturn there was a being who v/as an expert on Observatories (say a being in Tibet who is familiar with Self Observation, etc.)

Gunnar Har Harnak. It is now easy to define objective thought – simultaneity of thought – casting and displaying roles can share in a degree the attitude of a being like Beelzebub. Can describe actualizable ideals not yet attainable.

Beelzebub undertook to return to Earth and capture a certain number of apes and carry them back to Saturn for examination and experiment.

Came an interruption – sailor brings in message – Beelzebub turns to Hassein and says at just this moment, There is a great “to do” on Earth regarding the origin of man, particularly in America. Very strange about this, for many generations – two classes of speculation – 1. Man from ape. 2. Ape from man. Neither is true.

Tichlandia, 8,000 years ago, had theory that man was descended from apes – but now conversely. But both wrong. Cherchez la femme, i.e. inquire of feminine principle. I.E. after sinking of Atlantis, beings found themselves segregated so that in many sections there were only females and in another only males. Males contented themselves with homosexuality. But females took male animals and there for the apes. (Apes are describable as female in their hysterical moods.) He is referring to philosophers and priests. There are two classes of beings – Philosopher – speculator who deals in words. Priest – not even in words but in symbols to which he has entirely lost the meaning.

Sinking of Atlantis = disappearance of essence and sex. Instinctive education is one – Emotional education is another – Intellectual education is still, another. E is left above the water. Each of these is so separate that it is possible for a person to be highly developed in one – rudimentarily in a second – and not at all or dead in a third.

So Gurdjieff says even after birth we continue to repeat embryologicallyImmediately after birth the history of this planet – Intellectual – positive male; Instinctive – negative, passive female; Neutral – Emotional – child.

Philosopher – yogi type – one perfectly willing to remain separate from the instinctive – therefore what occurs in him is attempt to put words to the function of breeding. So Metaphysics is self indulgence in which the cerebral center merely engages with itself in the hope of producing offspring.

Mere intellectualism produces nothing but words.

But the instinctive center by itself can produce nothing and since positive has become concerned with itself only. The instinctive must mate with a lower center. The outcome is something- something in the emotional center but it is only pseudo human or apish or bestial – so all those activities we customarily call Great – but which lack the positive element of reason are apish. Apes are those active beings among us who are active but whose activity is not directed by intelligence. An attempt to see whether, when method is promulgated, active apes like ourselves can become human.

Alights in Africa on Red Sea. Africa was occupied in three centers (parts). Egypt – scene of building of extraordinary observatory. South Africa…..

So stayed in Egypt to study observatory and came to city of Thebes and not far was Cairo – and within that a campus devoted to buildings holding observatories. But before that,” Beelzebub says, “I will tell you of certain experiments there (i.e. the first promulgation of this method.) First – put myself into certain trance form…..under which certain thought forms were apparent.

“Sight on Path” (Mabel Collins wrote this down who afterwards became maniac.)

There were in Atlantis beings who had attained the power of making thought molds. Which would exist practically as long as the atmosphere. So Beelzebub put himself into a certain state of intellectual contemplation wherein these thoughts could be read.

Man – Belkotasie in negative state began to seriously review his life and came to the conclusion that the particular event had been only usually stupid but that therein the result had been particularly disastrous.

(The fact that an event doesn’t have to result in disaster doesn’t change it from folly.)

What he did was not in accord with his feelings or thoughts. (We can be relatively objective with regard to people to whom we are indifferent.)

Belkotasie said to himself, “I must be a singular fool. Other beings surely are not thus. So he invited other beings to consult with him over his own deficiencies but they, attracted to candour by his own sincerity and candour soon admitted that they were in the same fix. So formed the society of Kaldeans – to determine the aim and sense of existence – the meaning of existence. There is not one society on earth today that knows this.

We began to meet and discuss and to compare notes – and kept a diary of all observations. 1st. – detailed review;| 2nd. – current self observation; 3rd. – to formulate our conclusions in order to put them before the group for criticism. But decided to divide into 5 groups with special work for each group. 1st. group – examined those phenomena that occurred outside their planet, (external observation of oneself and others posture, facial expression, etc., to determine type, etc. Each one of us knows at least 500 people and without going beyond these, one could find ample material for dividing humans into the types to which they belong, physiological and physionomical.) 2nd. Group concerned with mathematics and algebra. (Psychological exercise – thoughts vary in weight and rapidity…. feelings in intensity – muscular actions in stresses. Can you turn your attention to the qualities as above – i.e. to employ a measure to weigh thought, to determine intensity of feeling, to determine degree of energy – stress-in actions.

Time is the unique subjective, time is the father of space. (S, Alexander) In a sense – “I am Time.” 3rd. Group – to observe perceptions and manifestations of beings. We are mechanical beings operated by perceptions and thereupon manifesting behavior. Try to think of yourself as a 3 fold will(?) always receiving and manifesting perceptions, 1 – verbal – opinion; 2 – emotional – negative feeling; 3 – physical – turning away.

Group to physics and chemistry – (i.e. proceeded to examine what changes take place in us by (or resulting from) the impressions (perceptions) we receive, at the rate of 10 per second. Therefore no guilt in actions or manifestations. For they can only be stopped by one means – by changing the rates of vibrations of the per­ceptions we receive. Behavior is a reflex – including opinions, emotional states, and all behavior in action.

5th Group – study those phenomena that occur owing to fact they only have three centers, (par ex reading newspaper, lips move. Why? Because so closely related.

Or we see another in an emotional state. The cause does not interest you, me, but I receive from them certain images which arouse, due to an analogue, emotions in me. I.e. study human psychology.

But – they discovered then that further knowledge was necessary. So the Alhadean society sent certain of their members to various parts of the world….. South Africa, amongst other places and they came into the center of Africa – I.E. the personality began. Asia is fully developed Personality. 5 tubes by mirrors concentrated observations in the pyramids of Egypt into a single complete image, (i.e. one’s own organism) (i.e. observe 5 forms of behavior and resolve simultaneously into complete and accurate image.) But Egyptians had focus tinder- ground, Beelzebub adopted method of Egyptians but produced resultant focused awareness above ground and outside (i.e. objective, not subjective) This was possible only to a few – the intelligentsia – the hierarchy. Was not taught popularly in Egypt.

Another accomplishment went toward charting winds and controlling climate; climates – moods; winds – currents of emotions. By observation can change negative to positive emotions.

At entrance to Campus certain symbolic figure – deliberately faulty copy of figure seen by Beelzebub before on Atlantis. Atlantean figure was – 1. head was that of the bust of a virgin…connected with main bogy by a piece of amber. 2. legs of a lion; 3. body of a bull wings of an eagle; Amber insulates Ockidarnoch – makes impossible transference from 3d center to 4th. Meaning of figure is that in order to recover to normal state there is necessity to obviate consequences of organ Kundebuffa.

1. Body of bull – laboriousness, self-indefatigability

2. Self confidence arises from knowledge that nothing can destroy him – lion.

3. Aspiration – wings; labor and fearlessness alone are useless.

4. head – love – not to be associated with any of the function of the trunk – or three centers.

So Egyptian figure had no wings – called the Sphinx – i.e. question Original figure was called Conscience.

Returns to Mars with number of apes. Finds he must attend ceremony of child born of hermaphrodite, as godfather. – three sorts of planets having one sex – two sexes and three sexes. This refers to 2 centers producing a third, one a second – or three producing a fourth.

Angels have at first already three bodies and although they have all 3 potentialities of development it is not in sequence. On planet where angels are born there are three sexes-Positive, Negative and Neutralizing, but each is truly a sexual being. When there comes the necessity of the creation of a new body for a being there takes place a process called immaculate conception during which each thinks only of the Messiah or Christ, During this time the three beings become one.

Method of Conscious Labor and Voluntary Suffering are peculiar to this planet.

Protagoras (Bel-Cultassi) was in Babylon, Egypt, etc., before setting up his school or institute in Sicily. So Napoleon and his critics and the futility of criticism by us.

 

February 28. 1927.

 
During the reading of this chapter, I shall make comparatively little explanation because the reading itself is the most important yet read in my estimation until we reach the chapter Purgatory. Unless you can, from the point of mankind, establish some gulf of objectivity nothing can have than a literary value in this book. This chapter defines the nature of a normal man. Heretofore there have been described diseased animals who have failed to strike the note intended – or at least to maintain it.
In contrast to this we ask what is the type of human being which none of us has ever been able to define outside the terms of our usual environment. What should he do and what should he know?
Even time for us flows abnormally – the springs are released in an abnormal way so that we literally realize only an uncertain small percentage of our experiences. Out time is defined as a series of experiences which can be felt and utilized at the rate at which they pass.
We are becoming more mechanical – and Beelzebub here deplores this fact. Hitherto Beelzebub has been a very cold critic but here shows city.
“The Arch Absurd” (title of chapter)
Our sun gives neither light nor heat.
Later when I relate the facts re the existence of three centered beings you will understand that, for the causes of that Babel that exists on Earth are not becoming to three centered beings.
(We can make a survey of conditions as if we were dead and perhaps intending to reincarnate.)
There has tended to disappear any sensation of cosmic phenomena proper to a three-centered being. (We ought to know the function of the moon – planets – sun. We have not inherited the knowledge of our whole environment as we should have, being what we are.)
None of them, i.e. beings on the planet Earth, have any being sensation of the cosmos, (“being” as an adjective always means “personal” as opposed to “hearsay.”)
(I personally would not be a penny on any of the atomic theories extant – even when they work.) (Do you know the difference between the city and the country? Of course you do – no one could convince you that you don’t. So you should have just as accurately knowledge of the difference between moon, planets and sun. Something has been interposed in our psyche which prevents us from having a “being sense” of our true environment.
Indians – mirrors.
The method of Gurdjieff introduces the possibility of a self re-education…. return to essence.
Many situations become less intolerable when we know that the cause of the difficulties present have ceased. So now, it is well to bear always in mind that the causes of our condition have disappeared. But we “inherit” the results and we in turn pass them on to our children.
Daylight and dark, heat and cold – we understand how heat in this room is produced – or light. But what do we know about it?
These beings are persuaded that heat and light all come from the sun. The genuine causes of these phenomena never even occur to them.
Fairy legends – troubadours were the messengers of a certain occult group and undertook to purvey the knowledge they possessed in spite of laws of church and government. So many of the fairy stories still contain certain tones and vibrations of a higher quality.
Light and heat as we know them are peculiarities of certain planets – so the vegetable and animal kingdom probably do not feel light and heat as we feel them. Laws of world creation and maintenance are chief cosmic laws.
The whole of our great universe depends on one low called “trogoaftoegokrat.”
trogo—eat—–observe
afto—myself—it
ego — I ——- E
crat — government by
“I eat myself.” This is true, isn’t it? Every particle of oneself has been eaten. So this universe is a comparable being which eats to live and lives to eat.
(Note that Gurdjieff never uses the word “live” – always “existence” – that state of being that is capable of being manifested. The primary fact of existence is “istence”. “I” do not depend on existence…but Orage does. That does not mean that I cannot continue in being.)
So in the book we are speaking of the creation of “its.” Processes of involution and evolution, Every particle of your body (including the food you have recently taken) is in a state of conflux – moving up or down their octaves.) These processes proceed in accordance with two fundamental laws – the chief laws of the universe – – trimasikanoon, meaning three making one and eptaparabarshitok meaning seven mailing one.
These interblend and gradually form – – – –
The whole of “it” falls under the law of seven but “I” falls under the law of three – but never can the manifestations of “I” be observed – yet always we have the three(individuality, consciousness and will) observing the seven (“it” and the universe.) Law of three maintains law world of noumena.
Law of seven maintains world of phenomena. This table can only stand because of seven reciprocal thrusts, I can only sit or stand not both simultaneously on account of the law of seven.
Every being has it within his power to remain alive forever – by gaining the power to renew one’s body.
A conscious being could use the law of seven as it now exists in our universe to create bodies, flowers, anything – real works of art. Thus we have the Resurrection – and the legend of the great resurrection – opening of graves and walking, etc.
Boat is sinking – storm coming up – man leaning over edge with a microscope – “What are you doing!”
“I’m engaged in scientific investigation,” he replies,
“For what purpose are you doing this?” I yelled.
“I am a devotee of pure science,” he loftily replied.
God understands the laws of seven and three so well that he can guarantee himself and immortality against time.
Beelzebub always has a little contempt for His Endlessness for he wonders religiously if one can exist eternally contented without change. But remember however blasphemous any statements about God may appear there is always God behind a God behind a God –
After the meeting I asked Orage if Beelzebub’s criticism of God was that he had stopped after perfecting himself in Consciousness, Will and Individuality, Orage said, “No, it is that he has stopped far short of that. He has not perfected himself. He has established himself securely against Time and rests there contented.”
I said “Is it as it would be with a man who has amassed enough money to make himself secure financially and thereafter relapses into complacency – i.e. in his instinctive world consciousness he is immortal beyond the reach of instinctive want?”
Orage, “yes, exactly,”
(Dear me!!!)

 

 May 31, 1927

The body we have is simply a creation of nature – we have no quarrel whatever with modern psychologists, physiologists, physicists, embryologists, etc. We can hand over the body to them. We wish to see that all this time we have been associated with this body we might have learned through it, done something in it actually and really have grown through it. Biologically how this body was created by the planet or nature is no concern of ours.

We have one word only to remind us that we are not just body – “I”. But I have had no experiences. Every hair of my head I have eaten – yet I have not transmuted the food. Nature has done this. But cut of this aftoegocratic process which necessarily goes on it is simultaneously possible for an individual to get something out of the process truly for oneself (for I).

I am an immortal being capable of all experiences – of Individuality, Consciousness and Will. But the body is capable of only a limited short existence. Even thinking takes place as inevitably and automatically in us as it does in a cat. We have no more control over our day dreams than we have over our night dreams.

What can I do then?

One thing. The truth is we are souls and have bodies – but there is current a lie to the effect that we are bodies and have souls.

Now we can do one thing. Observe this body with non-identification as I. After several years of effort at listening to the tones of my voice – without wishing to change it – without approval – merely attempting a purely recording act of I. Yet after all these years of such effort it is no easier to do. The only difference is that with equal effort I can hear this voice longer at one time and at more frequent intervals. There are only five forms of physical behavior to observe under this method. There are forms of behavior that one must not, in truth, attempt to observe. (We must not observe emotions, though it is dangerous for that to be said, for you will, tomorrow morning, if act sooner, have lost the “not” and say “Oh, I remember. He said to observe my emotions.”) The result of observing the five forms of physical behavior one thing will be accomplished – you can some time realize the meaning of “I have a body.”

In the Pythagorean School the pupil was put under a vow of silence regarding this method for a period of seven years. Not because he was jealous of this knowledge being disseminated but because of the effect upon the pupil himself. The first danger is that you transfer merely into words the energy around in the emotional center and in tie practical center. And second, if you merely talk to someone and do not at the same time guarantee to yourself to do ten times as much work as you can properly expect from the people you talk to.

A white elephant is no more creditable than another one. If we are tall, strong, beautiful – this is an accident. So we guarantee to take the pride out of anyone – not by humiliating him – but by setting him this task and letting him prove to himself that he cannot do it. A human being is an animal in the possession of a soul, i.e. all start with a sleeping soul and awaking body. It is not more difficult for one of us than for another. The quantity of effort is dependent on ourselves. If one of us could put the same energy into this work that you could easily put into arranging your affairs to go to some desirable spot in France or elsewhere – for one month – you would have trans- rutted the psychological condition from a most squalid state to one of comparative paradise.

Well then, how shall we begin to prepare for this journey? You know a savage can count to four – one, two, three, four, but more than four is “many.” A hen can distinguish between one and two but not between two and three or more. Well – how to observe these five forms of physical behavior?

Well, which is most important to begin with? None. They are exactly of equal importance. Don’t spend a second on determining which to begin with – just begin at once on the one at hand. Say – posture, facial expression, gesture, movement, tone of voice – it does not matter which. Take one of them and determine that you will finish that job. Know every gesture all day long.

Don’t make excuses. I’ve make then all. But the difference is that I have made then all and can’t bear repeating any one of them. Tell me a new excuse and I’ll use it, at least for one night – and I won’t make that day the nightly review. What is “nightly review?” It consists of going over the behavior of your body in a series of pictures – what would have appeared on a three dimensional screen, not as shadows but as figures. Recall before the ‘rind’s eye in a series of three dimensional pictures the panorama of your body’s behavior during the day. If you do this you will acquire a real imagination with power.

“What can one do to eliminate worry over past events and fear of future ones since we are not to observe emotions?”

Answer: Observe the physical symptoms. My hands are cold – ray eyes are welling full of tears – my knees are shaky, etc. Enumerate then all. But perhaps you cannot finish all such symptoms before the grief has – unfortunately – quite disappeared.

Suppose the state is a happy one. I observe a good sterling manly tone of voice – a disposition to jump or run or whatnot – eyes sparkle, etc. How what happens? This positive emotional state is surprisingly intensified.

“To work is to pray” was meant in this sense. Of course it was very soon turned to the so-called advantage of slave owners or drivers.

Next, participation. Well that simply means “taking part in.” Taking part in these five forms of behavior. When you ore speaking – say I will speak a little more clearly than usual. Though the larynx will still be doing the same work you will be running alongside so to speak.

Or in a posture – say to body – “No! don’t move from that posture. It may not be comfortable but I put it there and I will participate in that posture.” There are two blood circulations – one keeps the body going and the second is your own private property and with it you can participate in the activities of your body.

      3rd Experiment

Experiment for the sake of seeing if you can change. How I see at once all of the thousand and one notions of self improvement coming down upon us; “I don’t like that facial expression – I’ll change it. I don’t like this or that so I’ll change it. Etc., etc. So this surely means I put myself to school to improve myself. Don’t believe it! Wring the neck of any impulse to improve yourself. Be sure you are as a body utterly beyond hope of improvement. No! Experiment only for the sake of seeing if you can change. Experiment only in matters of complete indifference – let all matters in which you are con- corned go without interference.

When you awake in the morning open only one eye at first – get out of bed in an unhabitual way – don’t look at the clock for a moment – just for the sake of varying your behavior. In this case you send energy through a smaller pipe and it is thus a means of saving energy. It will surprise you to find how fresh you feel as such a day goes by.

These experiments are part and parcel of this ancient and occult method that is so simple that it confuses most of us very greatly.

Five minutes of practice is worth a thousand years of just listening. There is a deadly opinion prevalent to the effect that one can be changed by just listening.

So here, if those of you who listen, are intellectually interested but who have done little, do not do something, it may become unnecessary to bring one here who will deal with these very differently.

Voluntary suffering is suffering the unpleasant manifestations of other beings. A snake, mouse, spider – will produce a sharp emotional state in many of us. So some people will affect some of us. And voluntary suffering consists in controlling your facial expressions and other forms of behavior or in concealing them – or in changing them, A man enrages me – I want to strike him… But voluntary suffering requires that you respond as if he pleased you, etc.

Conscious labor. Make a vow and keep it. To dress for a week in a different way from usual. To clear up the indebtedness you may have within a certain period. To write all the letters you owe. To do twice as much as you ever have in one week on some definite work. You are to meet a friend – have a number of topics you will discuss that are interesting to him and to yourself. Be and exist purposively. Man is placed on this planet and put into the occupation of a body to develop Individuality, Will and Consciousness.

Individuality – by separating I and it.

Consciousness – by manifesting differently Mechanical negative reactions.

Will – by always living purposively – always with an object, a purpose. You know the object, the means and you know that no one will help you in this world. Conscious effort is continuity in having always a purpose.

 

 

March 7, 1927

 

Perhaps you remember the title of the chapter –

Let me say that when we’ve gotten over this chapter we ah all have passed over the most difficult part of the book for us to comprehend. Later on, with Hassein also, bits will be remembered and will take their places. It is certainly presumptuous on the part of anyone including the writer of this book to make comments on the nature of the universe and meaning of life.

Renan said, “It is not disgraceful not to know the nature of man and the meaning of life but it is disgraceful not to be interested in these questions. And the writer of this book, you will recall, constantly reiterated that it is the duty of a human being to understand himself and the universe. Can you cast your eye over nature and make some real observations on the nature of this biological being called man?

What does it “feel like” to be a human being? One should be a scientific spectator who is also an experimenter. Men have certain characteristics. We are in a in a position to make some real objective statements about men. Make a critical survey.

Men are degenerate – have become less and less actual and have less and less desire to actualize their potentialities. This is abnormal but so gradually has it come about that his abnormal state is regarded as normal.

Men have no proper regard for their children, no proper regard for their intellectual development and so on.

Without an objective standard of what a human being really should be, we cannot determine whether we (that is, men) are declining or progressing.

There are some records of ancient times that show men were once very different. It is the birthright of normal beings to understand that the solar system is our natural realm. In early times it was “felt” that planets were neighbors but now we have for that only superstition.

We will proceed to find here further qualities which ought to be the normal qualities of beings on this planet, but for which we have only names now.

Gurdjieff in this chapter passes from the universal to the particular and vice versa.

Three centers in the universe – and three in man.

We are what we have eaten – and so the whole physical universe is just the same. “God was on the Sun Absolute.” Can you make the distinction between I and “it?” – God existed before and apart from the physical world.

In the same way I must have existed before and apart from “it.” If I am by nature a threefold being then what I make will be threefold. So three in one – the trinity – three making one – triamasiknoon. The Word of God.

The nature of man was inherent in things before creation. An original 3 fold force that inspired creation was bound to manifest itself in three characteristic forms. What the meaning of the universe is we cannot yet know and we must apprehend it as threefold. Animals would apprehend it as twofold.

Time is the potential of all potentials – the source of all actualities. We come here to the question of why 3 brain beings produce a particular sort of being. Imagining – sensation – emotion ——man has.

Animals have sensations and emotions but no third force enabling them to possess images. It can be speculated as to whether animals may sometimes possess reason and vegetables emotions – but this is because threefoldness is inherent in them. So as in the scales, tones flow into each other, yet there are specific restorial notes and it is hardly possible in certain cases to distinguish between metal and mineral or animal and vegetable, etc.

Now I must try to correctly represent to you what the ideas of the school at Fontainbleu are – not what I know or believe – but faithfully transmitting.

Light manifests itself owing to the invariable presence of a certain chemical substance In the atmosphere of all planets. This element is called.

Gudarnoch – or electricity.

The three forces of the world are assembled in only one element – Archdarnok – or electricity. We are mainly products of electricity. These forces in us are called

1. positive – image making – affirming; 2. negative – sensation – denying;

3. neutralizing – emotion – reconciling.

These three systems in ourselves are the origin, cause and conditions of our being as we are.

There takes place on the entry of these three forces a process called ache for evolvement – envy – remorse (of the elements) – ache for perfection. Any rate of vibration in the presence of a higher rate strains to achieve the higher rate itself. I.E. a shock being present, elements will strive in addition to the mechanical desire to raise their rate of vibration.

Proton and electron are held in relation by a third force. Man, woman, child but father and mother are not altered by the child. What makes the relation of father – mother? Child.

Third force blind. We cannot see a group – we cannot see other than a large number of individual people – never a crowd.

1. Proton – 2, Electron – 3. Relation between them – 4. and the atom Aristotle commenced a chapter called metaphysics in which he intended to deal with: Space, Time, Form and Force.

Lower notes aspire to higher notes – what is there in the nature of things to produce such an aspiration?

The one active element in which are contained the three forces.

Take I and “it”. You owe it to the one fact, – that you have a body, – I that you have any experience whatever. If light affects it, it is thanks to the fact that it is impressionable in that way.

Circumstances pass us and as they pass they play upon us as a series of players may play upon a piano. Of course they are limited to the number of notes. The whole external world consists of no objects – only of conglomerate manifested vibrations. The universe is a constant flux of 3 forces.

Moon is lower vibration – Anulias is higher.

Positive – Anulias – Intellectual

Negative – Moon – Instinctive

Neutralizing – Earth – Emotions

Youth – Idealists – will adopt all sorts of forms of sex indulgences – become cynical – become pathological in some way – commit suicide.

It may be that the increasing use of electricity will bring about a very serious, possibly disastrous, situation for human beings. Until it will become impossible to grow even to the age of 18 as now.

The emanations from the Sun and suns when it encounters this substance, electricity, in our atmosphere it sets up among other substances “remorse” which exhibits itself to us as light.

So in a certain state of emotion you can understand certain ideas. Under S.0. & N.Ld certain tendency in the elements of our bodies will become active – “remorse”.

In any being the three functions tend to become coating or they tend to have a corresponding system built up around them – but from the continuation of this there are built up three bodies – planetary – instinctive reason; spirit – essential reason; mind or soul – objective reason.

Objective reason is capable of understanding why things are as they are.

Being reason can understand the formulations and enunciation of scientists, i.e. the “what” of the World. Objective reason is capable of understanding the “why” of the World.

Planetary body – see external objects

2nd body – insight

3rd body – foresight and “hindsight”

These three forms of bodies will give us when completely developed a complete understanding of ourselves and the universe.

According to Gurdjieff, these are represented in us by three brains – 1. highly developed instinctive brain; 2. visual or emotional brain only partially developed; 3. intellectual brain hardly developed at all.

96% of our experiences are instinctive. 3% of our experiences are emotional and 1% are of the intellectual.

As should be – Intellectual – positive; Emotional – neutralizing; Instinctive – negative; but we are: instinctive – positive; Emotional – neutralizing;

Intellectual – negative; so we are standing on our heads.

There is nothing evil in the “instinctive” center – only except habit in the largest sense of the word. Instinctive offers its only rule – its tendency to repeat “its” experiences. But as soon as habits are commenced to be broken – reason will commence to exercise itself. Put in contrast initiative, originality and repeatedly habit. This tendency is instinctive.

The brain is in general merely one of the means for transposition of material- but it is possible for an individual to also at the same time to utilize the experiences, i.e. the trogoaftoegocrat machine for the development of consciousness. The brain is collection of results of impulses, reactions and responses as the three springs are unwound. We live by their impulses and grow by their records. So brains are sources of experience and at the same time records.

The development of an individual is always possible and depends upon the development of these three brains. 1st Commandment; love all that breathes. 2nd Commandment; during ordinary existence to avoid all those experiences that will tend to impair the maintenance of these three brains.

What do we fear more than death? Insanity – to become insane. Why? because of this 2nd command which is laid upon us even though we do not know it. Even the cynic prides himself on reason.

It is only possible for 3 centered beings to be conscious of the possibility of achieving divine or objective reason.

But on earth owing to the conditions – abnormal, monstrous as they are – that place has become a nasty sore on the cosmos. We have in us a variety of contrary wishes instead of will. “I” is those potentials yet unactualized.

 

 

May 2, 1927

 

I’ll read first of all a particular chapter on Greeks and Romans.

“How the Greeks and Romans civilization arose” In terms of individual psychology Greek – reason; Roman – instinct or body.

In Europe then – 2 brained-quadruped; 1 brained – reptiles. . .a few 3 brained beings engaged in destroying the quadrupeds and reptiles. One group – maritime, sea fishing. 2nd in cattle raising, land. Latinique – shepherds. In Latinique more and more prolific because earth was needing vibrations – especially quantity vibrations arising from the death of 3 brained beings. This is always true when 3 brained beings fail in conscious suffering and voluntary labor. The other group migrated wither to the western shores of Asia or to the straights (straits?) dividing Asia from Europe, called Heleniquie – Greeks – fishermen, etc.

One of the chief features why the reason of I beings has become mechanical (because of Greeks) and being shame has become atrophied is due to the maleficense (i.e. because of Latins) of these beings, (“being”- native or specific shame prohibiting them from doing that which is not do that species.)

So the fishermen during bad weather retreated into caves, etc., and invented games – chiefly “the game of pouring from the empty into the empty.” In all ventures, at the beginning, there will be bad weather – do not retreat or the consequences will be serious. Little by little these plausible answers to non­sensical questions became what they now call science.

Romans – guilty from fact that “being shame” became atrophied. From bad weather, the shepherds retreated with flocks for shelter – and having talked out everything, one of their number proposed to the others a game called “chinque-contra – you know.” Invented devices for their own depravity.

Greeks borrowed the finesse of the Romans and composed “Athenian Nights.” Romans borrowed from the Greeks their form of depraved mechanical reason and composed the Roman law.

When the Greeks and Romans made a conquest of Asia, there remained in the Asiatic essence non- resistance, due to command of Ashiati Shiemash “never kill even when your own life is in danger.”

So war swept away all the results of the labor of that conscious essence living sacred and well-wishing being Ashiati Shiemash and can never occur again for the reappearance of such a messenger of His Endlessness on Earth again is almost impossible it is so unlikely.

There is a sort of shame common among the Earth beings now but not at all like that of beings on other planets – but they are ashamed only when their un­conventional behavior is observed or may be observed by some other strange being.

The diagnosis of human species is that it is a species of split or multiple personalities.

Take the war – public opinion approved, but 99 out of every hundred privately had exactly the opposite opinion. This is characteristic of the race everywhere.

Occurred by collision which split the planet and psyche on the planet. But it became possible for this split to be cemented yet customs continued even in the presence of a fundamental essence which is sane, whole and sound and normal.

There is in us the possibility of objective reason and of objective morality. Emotional center is objective conscience. Instinctive center is objective morality.

Objective reason _   ——–  objective conscience

Objective morality   ——–

Right and wrong for organism is to be determined biologically. Criteria of behavior is native behavior determined by objective conscience native to essence. We have instead an acquired conventional morality and a conventional conscience which makes us ashamed unconventional behavior.

We have no innate criteria of values in the absence of objective conscience – so our reason depends on what we have learned from education, etc, and behavior also. Philosophical speculations are pouring – nothing from nothing into nothing. But we could use the word “law” instead.

Law or justice. Our conception of justice is always colored by law or what we call law. But in fact there is no more relation between legal law and justice than there is between truth and our present reason.

Roman law depends upon the maintenance of the welfare of a community of physical bodies and has no basis upon objective conscience – (i.e. the mutual aid of souls.) based upon physical values and physical welfare. So shame in regard to our neighbor. But shame in regard to God would result in justice. Our law should be creature to justice creator (God) but is creature to creature.

“I am a body but I have a soul.” This is sin to identify with one of our centers. Truth is “I am a soul and I have a body,” It would pay to repeat these two statements a few thousand times and then examine law and philosophy.

But 1\2 hour after I will find myself thinking – “perhaps there may be something in some of these philosophic theories or possibly justice in a law court.

Sex – 1st purpose continuation of the race

2 – creation of a being self-conscious and objectively developed in point of reason. This power (sex) has these two natural objects. Amoral use of this power would be already dictated by its confinement to these two functions. The Latins used this force in chinque. – you no – i.e. either single or double (mutual) masturbation. But degeneracy occurs in rational intellectual center or instinctive Cen­ter. (Words or physical comforts – altruism)

Lentrohamops is idealized consciousness that imagines the truth can be arrived at by rational process without feeling or emotion.

Hasnamas lives according to reason without any emotional obligation.

                 Intellectual = degree of 3

Development of   Emotional    = degree of 1

                 Instinctive  = degree of 3

Germany has carried on this 3-1-3 development. Craze for imaginary sciences. Experts in inventing every possible imaginary science. Heirs of Greeks. Also spoil bodies of men as well as their reason.

Human being is mechanical laboratory for transmutation of chemicals. They undergo in us by a process of metabolism – either raising or lowering rates of vibrations of materials taken into body.

Germans invented various chemicals – satcaine, analine, cocaine, atropine and aliserine. Satcaine – something that makes you “croak.” What German philosopher really makes you croak? (Keyserling is one – recent book.) Steiner, Freud, Phychoanalysis is voodooism with obscene rites and human sacrifices. Dr. Peterson, assoc. of Freud and Jung.

Thinking is a chemical of high vibrations and can destroy mind, psyche and body, Satcaine is a highly rarified gas and when concentrated can be released into the atmosphere thereafter at will.

Analine is chemical color for dyeing but substances so colored exist for only a short period. Previously vegetable dyes were used and articles lasted centuries.

Quick means of education, schools, universities, dyes human psyche so for a period will appear to be brightly colored but at age of thirty years they fade. Not fast colors.

Even genuine pieces of ancient art are destroyed by this analine. So we find it dangerous to look on old ideas, when true, for the colors we have acquired destroy them.

Cocaine is equivalent to Kundabuffer . Idealism. It makes us believe that things are as they are not. The theory that without effort on our part further real development will occur is “cocaine.” It induces fantastic potentialities – i.e. preposterous imaginary potentialities – not real.

Atrophine put into eyes makes them dark – i.e. to Earth beings-kindly and agreeable. Getting ourselves liked. But as judgments in others are all mechanical, we try mechanically to make ourselves mechanically agreeable. Affectation of universal amiability after age 45 goes.

Alaserine is chiefly employed by confectioners who prepare the essential food for the beings of that planet.

Propagandist puts forward his theory or whatnot as attractively as possible. The human chemical laboratory is aided by these chemicals to degrade chemicals to a horrid degree.

 

 

May 9, 1927

 

We were engaged in considering the purpose of the fifth descent. For the purpose of objective reason generally – but specifically to determine why the duration of man’s life is decreasing. But if we study statistics, we find it in­creasing. It may be that the effort required to inquire into – to guess – is one of the necessary (efforts) to the development of intuition and reason. Say – divination, reading between the lines.

It is obvious from my view that he is not referring to physical life – birth to death live but to existence as three centered beings. Not the life period of men but of humans. Hen cease “thinking originally” at 35 years, women at 40 yrs. Majority of people over 40 are 1/3 to 2/3 dead and merely survive thanks to circumstances over which they have no control. His object in this 6th descent is to observe the totality of three centered functions. What is this prematurity of old age in regard to one or two centers? He attributes it to the absence of a certain emotional crystallization that can be called objective conscience. (Hereafter Objective II means objective conscience – Objective III means objective consciousness)

We were torn to know why we were torn. To know what it is “becoming to three centered beings.” In this sense what is proper and what is improper for us as three centered beings. If that should have developed in us we should have had an infallible individual compass. We should have an emotion to propriety and have been impelled to an appropriate behavior. These were the natural circumstances in which we should have been brought up. But this catastrophe occurred. What if it had not?

We should have this innate sense of objective conscience. We should have aimed at the development of Will, Individuality and Consciousness – i.e. Objective Reason – Divine Reason – an understanding of the mechanics of the universe.

Every one of us would have been consciously aiming at the development of the 2nd and 3rd bodies and to understand the meaning and purpose of world creation and world maintenance. We have lost our birthright of wholeness.

What is the absence of these things? Do we do or can we do? We must find substitutes for all these things. So we have all things by name only. We seek substitutes because we have to. Being shadows we pursue shadows.

We have a compass but the needle points at any and all points. How shall we direct the ship? One way is as good as another. Think of Columbus on the open sea – lost – compass in this state. In the absence of this instrument we have no sense of what direction is life. Yet we are compelled to move — to act – we must decide. So we agree to take that course which is agreed upon by those people with whom we are associated. This is Pragmatism. Since we have only subjective criteria and no objective criteria – we are dependent upon suggestion. So we fall into every variety of sophistry.

Criteria of value is adaptation to environment. Whole modern concept of solution rests on this, despite the known fact that many species have disappeared while pursuing just this course. Jung’s whole system is based on so silly a basis that it won’t bear one moment’s objective consideration. Mechanical adaptation to an accidental set of circumstances for comfort.

Substitution of means for end. Means tend to be overvalued just to the degree to which the end is lost sight of.

Philosophy is certainly search for truth. But we read Spengler and we admire his processes – his style – his whatnot. We admire the means and pay no attention to the end. What is the end of law? Justice. But now we are all legalists – we regard the substitute – end – of law and the substitute end of legality instead of justice.

Take our spiritual forefathers the Romans – what is natural function of sex for three centered beings. One for procreation, 2nd for self-creation. That is for creation of bodies. Procreation of bodies and self creation of emotional and intellectual bodies.

We have substituted the pleasure of the pursuit of sex for the satisfaction of its proper end. Masturbation or playing with forces. – All the result of split personality.

If we have the approval of those we associate with we cannot easily form an impartial estimate of ourselves. We depend upon a social psychological criteria.

So in the absence of this spring (Individuality) we exist mechanically. We are dependent upon three springs wound from without and which run down independently. We have a fourth which is self-winding but it is not usable is us at present.

Here are the elements that wind our springs) Intellectual, by the intellectual circumstances we encounter; Emotional – same – emotional experiences; Instinctive – health, etc,

1st – heredity in general – our biologically ancestry.

2nd – conditions and environment at moment of conception – planetary conditions and local circumstances. The local terrestrial conditions as well as the astrological planetary conditions affect us.

3rd – Life of our parents and particularly of our mother during the period of gestation.

4th – Being manifestations of parents of the child coming of age – during the period to majority. Essential behavior as a totality during this period.

5th – correspondent being manifestation or essential behavior of other beings with the child comes in contact during the period of minority.

6th – The good wishes of beings of the same blood or tribe – an old wives tale. Yet it is real and important. Birthday’s, etc. Sending good wishes.

7th – Character of effort made by the growing child to understand why he is alive. Wonder. Sometimes these questions take embarrassing forms – “How did I come into this world?” Not that they want sexual account, but really want to know. A true answer would be telling a sort of fairy story with an implicit attempt to explain life. Not explicit. We now “live out” our lives – but we should “live up.”

So children were introduced in ancient times into the presence of sages and certain vivid persons so that after majority they should have the potentiality of certain intellectual and emotional experiences.

Let us consider what is experience. It is the release by an external agency of a spring in ourselves that gives consciousness of thought or of feeling or action. Every one of us has capacity for a certain quantity of emotional experience, thanks to an accident it has been ticked off slowly – but an accident might tick it off in almost no time at all. Shell shock is an example of this. The spring has been run down. Such a one has the capacity still to act as if emotion were present but it is like a watch in which the main spring is broken – it will……? reading to excess, phantasm fancy – curiosity without end – following our interest flirting with one’s reason – thinking without end.

Art is another way to run down one’s emotional spring. To pursue art. A curator is the most cynical of beings – yet no one can go into a gallery and encounter works of art without response. It is equally true that no one can cont incessantly to encounter them without inevitably losing all capacity to respond. This is true of all mechanical responses.

Modern art is an offspring of “the aged.” Socrates warned someone that though there were all the signs of pregnancy, it might be merely a “wind aim.”

Greeks substituted the pleasure of reason for the pursuit of truth.

Romans were responsible for sex depravity and for sinking of Objective conscience.

England is responsible for the introduction of sports and games. We say to seduce a person into doing something we wish, “Oh, be a sport!” Why is this phrase charged with black magic? Why would a sensible person sun away faster from this phrase than he would from an inverted cross?

The phrase “play the game” or “play cricket” in England. One says of a politician – thus and so – yet “he plays cricket.”

Effort without object. Effort will be made, but effort not voluntarily made runs down the spring. The indictment against sports or games is that it involves effort with no object.

Reason is for the discovery of truth if not so used……

Art is for the discovery of beauty – i.e. the discovery of and performance of objective functioning. The ability to make effort is given us as a means for the development of will. Effort for its own sake is titillation – so in sport, effort is directed toward the pleasure of effort.

Every one of us started with the power to achieve Will, Individuality, and Consciousness, but this power is being ticked off mechanically. Recurrence for the vast majority of us is a mere repetition because we have ourselves used none of this potential power.

The possibility for us is to cease to be victimized by external stimuli. The analogy in a clock. If there is no regulator or if it is loosened it will not go 24 hours – but one hour – six » or a very short time. In us there is a regulator and it can be tightened so as to extend almost indefinitely the running down of our three springs. We have to resist the mechanical running down.

1. – The introduction of the function of Self-Observation into physical functions during this activity, it will wind another spring. This is the secret of the maintenance of your age. Not merely therapeutic. Why live longer? Because a short life is absolutely hostile to the end of developing Objective reason. This is the terror of our situation, 90 years would be necessary for development of the second and third body.

2. – Eironsamkeek – We have 3 centers wound up to Majority and ticked off sine to a certain degree – leaving certain parts of them unwound. “I keep myself.”

Not giving oneself up to the (circumstances) associations arising from the associations of any one center only. Not to be “absorbed” in the associations of any one center at a time.

In the associations of an intellectual reaction alone – Yogi. Not to be wholly absorbed in any of these! Art, Love, Beauty, Religion, Physical center – health, sport, adventure, holidays and travel. Absorption is one center is to be avoided.

Be aware of your physical behavior and you cannot be wholly absorbed in any one center. It prevents it.

Always to be doing two different things at the same time. Ignore the advice of society which says to become proficient you must concentrate. It is true you will become proficient – but you will arrive also at a sad state of within yourself.

If you are engaged in art – reason. If in reason – do something with your hands.

 

 May 17, 1927

 

Chief Feature.

What is essence?

Well, I observe you have brought your bodies – that you have no control over their height, behavior, type, history, pre-natal life, circumstance of our embryonic life – not to age three. But at that time the major part of our physical bodies were already determined at age three. You don’t need a messiah from Sinnia to tell you what you already know.

We are brought into a world at birth containing other people. At that time we begin to receive direct contacts hitherto only indirectly through our mothers.

We are essential up to birth and social afterward. Essence and personality.

We were not born to speak English – we weren’t carried by our mothers to speak English – language is not an essential thing. We are sitting in chairs instead of squatting on the floor – by accident. Before birth we were beings – not fully developed of course – but not forced by sociology.

Essentially that is in accordance with our heredity and influences at conception. We are 9/lOths social or personality imposed by environment.

Lion or tiger cubs, however highly trained, will become ferocious if pushed beyond a certain point – i.e. they will become biological.

I remember a group of people who flattered themselves that they were naturally polite to each other. Russian aristocrats – all excellent friends. Gurdjieff offered to reduce them to such a state that he would need a revolver to keep order.

So 1st. meal there were only 11 plates – they all fought politely to be the one to drop out. Next meal only ten plates; 3rd. – nine plates – not quite so polite; 4th. – eight plates; 5th. – seven plates – drew lots; 6th. – 6 plates, same; 7 – five plates – then arranged that dinner bell be rung at an unexpected hour. Then all ran and those who could run faster grabbed a plate. 8th. – only four plates and there were two people tripped up. 9th – only 3 plates – fights.

One person only who never rushed, pushed, fought and Gurdjieff said he was only one with natural human or humane essence. (Hubbard has it.)

The reason none of us ever know each other, because we never encounter each other in moments of desperation – where perhaps life and death may be at stake. Shipwrecks, for instance, among a party of friends is a horrible affair. Of course you may find that you are the natural superior of all the cultured people you know or the opposite.

The two systems of education in the world today are Eastern and Western. Occidental aims at development of personality. Oriental aims at production of essential values – not at uniformity.

Will street man may adhere to conventional business practices but eventually he may be a shark. But education has done nothing for him. In the East you will find all essential types fully developed.

Saints, story-tellers, liars, murderers, yogis, bandit – (tiger). There he won’t be appearing in a dress suit but will be a member of a bandit guild.

The East is wrong because it doesn’t realize the value of personality – the West is wrong because conversely it does not realize the value of essence.

Where is the school or where are the teachers who can teach as simultaneously both values – essence and personality. Each is by itself a monstrosity. A thing that is neither East nor West yet it may be both.

1st. aim of this method is to undo our Occidental personality training – to become essential. At moment of birth all of us started on a Western career. We must get back to the point when our Occidental training commenced – i.e. moment of birth. Then we must begin a simultaneously development of essence and personality. Occidental will say, “Nothing is ever true.” We have therefore two sets of half baked idiots. The only way we can ever understand them is to consciously unlearn our Occidental – – -? How? I can prescribe the means but I cannot give you the energy to carry on the method prescribed.

Why do we stress this principle of self-observation? Unless you employ your­self to the fullest extent observing your physical behavior – and not at all be­cause of any value in knowing your gestures, and so forth – attendance at these groups for 1000 years won’t do more than give you one or two more ideas to rub together. But constant effort at this fundamentally uninteresting task will give you the energy and power to do anything you may want to do. Problem to increase the light in this room – – –

So there are a set of people who say – study – another says go to church or engage in the arts – a third who says exercise, diet, etc.

So a man who goes out of the door to the main wire and turns more current from the main is called a mystic —– And the professors say, “See! We have produced more light by our splendid work!” But the artists cry, “No! We did this!” And the ascetics call them both liars and claim for himself the credit.

But the electrician worked out consequences by working on causes. So if you do the work of Self-observation you will find that the light you are will increase.

Can you sustain meditation for a half an hour? Cam you think of three things at once? Cam you look at a picture for three seconds and draw every line? Can you memorize 100 lines of poetry in a half an hour?

Well, observe every day as much as you can quite honestly — for a month. Then try anything of this sort again. I will guarantee that you will find you can do perceptively more and better.

Man can lift 150 lbs. – two weeks of observations – can lift 175 lbs. But the degree to which we observe ourselves usually won’t make a very perceptible difference. If you want to know how awake essence is in you it can he determined by the number of times you can observe yourself. Divide your day into sixteen hours – if you can observe l/l6 of this time you are rather good. If you can observe one quarter the time each day you can depend rather definitely on how you will react in a crisis. Self Observation will develop essence. But it is equally unknown in the East and in the West. People are sometimes reduced to essence by shock – but usually leave them insane and so forth. Shell shock for example – Social/Racial/ Caste/Clique/Profession/ = Prejudice -will be stripped off by Self Observation.

Essence stripped bare of personality by shell shock, hysteria, pathological conditions will speak without any regard for the effect. But essence reached by Self Observation will not act like that. Essence knows why we are alive, what we wish to be and do.

Wall Street man and Greenwich Village are both ghosts. The man in Greenwich Village merely is open to too many winds and will be blown about in all directions. The Wall St. man merely happens to have his sales set so that only one wind can perfect him. We are at present all sailing vessels.

Some are blown into very good harbors – others into Lapland, very bleak, etc…

All sailing is called luck, fate, etc. – but it is due to the set of our sails and the prevailing winds in our neighborhood. But we can pass to the age of steam. That is to the age of will. (The Indians regarded steam vessels as being possessed of the devil)

By means of the same force generated by self observation, light, heat and power – not only will you know what you really want to do but you will have the power to do it.

1. Light – “thought”

2. heat – “feeling”

3. power – physical energy

1. – self understanding. 2. – wish to do something. 3. – ability to do it.

I understand what I wish to do and can do it. – NOW. I do not understand what I wish to do – I wish to do what I cannot do – I do not approve of what I wish and can do. A ghost in hell. We are torn in three – not in two. Perhaps we are in hell – and lost and damned and served up hot to God.

Suggestibility = (I did not want that damned drink; it has given me a headache.)

Nothing will satisfy us but success in all three centers. Specializing in on center activity will not satisfy us. First thing we must do in Self Observation and first thing it will do is produce heat – arouse a wish to do something for oneself. Ignore your psychological state just observe your physical

Be aware of what you are doing. Not a proposal to assemble data – merely an exercise. When you speak as I, you speak as owner of your body. But when you speak of what you think you will be, speaking of what your body is thinking.

I am asleep and if awake I will only observe the external behavior of my body. As the you were in a car – and if it jogs over a bump you don’t say “My God I just had an inhibition” But if you were asleep you would dream something of the sort. If you were awake you would say “went over a bump, jogged the car”. Will you try to be currently – along the stream of – aware of these five things.

Room without sunlight but good soil we dig it up, get some manure, drain it or moisten it. It grows a little something. But 1st. in sunlight and it will commence to grow what from our point of view is much more desirable. Silly, magic etc. but it happens like that – not criticism nor gardening. Room may become an open space.

 

Movements merely illustrate in bodily posture and movements what ought to be our psychological work. It is an enormous aid to have some sense of physical coordination for psychological exercises; before you can begin to think you must have something to think about – before you can feel you must be aware of feeling – before you do either you must be aware of stimuli.

So we must first increase our awareness. Mental processes presupposes awareness. Pretension is Whiteheads word-, for that which occurs before it becomes locomotive – is felt or thought about. Intuition is an accidental working of thought and feeling. We are looking for another kind of intuition.

 

 

May 23, 1927

 

The drama, life and crucifixion of Christ.

It is possible that this event was the final outcome of the Babylon schools. Jesus trained his disciples in dancing, playing of roles and other things, taught by the Babylonians. Judas would have been the most difficult role. Playing roles implies a knowledge of our own manifestations — I wish to know my manifestations – not to “change them for the better”. We run the risk of substituting sociological approval for objective approval. We must try to see our manifestations with “Divinely”. The first class in such a drama school would be playing roles – the second would be a knowledge of types. These types will gall into groups naturally thru impartial study. Then you would learn how to act as a type. The third class would be in pantomime. You would be required to convey without words to an audience your interior state. A test would be to try to deceive an intelligent audience. Such a trained audience would acquire a genuine clairvoyance. You would acquire the ability to change your role at will either for the purpose of developing consciousness or for some real purpose.

Gurdjieff gave a dinner – told stories – first his guests had attitude he was kidding them – later the Archbishop became convinced that he really liked such stories, so he told one himself. Then another etc. – finally Gurdjieff yawned and stopped them. Said “see he is not just priest inside.” He was adopted by a priest – brought up to go into church – has not any real Priest-lines in him.”

Modern theatre exists for two reasons – pleasure and propaganda (Shaw) None are used as a “mystery” because there are no audiences for it. Gurdjieff says every actor today acts from without not from within. He says the spectator is never challenged by any unexpected manifestation of an actor in character. The drama today is not an experience but a re-experience, Gurdjieff calls it titillation because there is no new influx into ones centers but only associations. It procreates but does not create. It induces but does not produce states.

Phosphorous in the atmosphere noted on the ship Karnack – has ap­proached its own planet. Conversation ceases. Book One ends.

Responsibilities – Possibilities

Soul is actor – body is medium through which it acts.

Planetary body – three brains. Drama of life is use to which body can be put by the soul. Every soul can become an actor – first acquiring knowledge and control of its medium, learning to manipulate it in any form of expression. Second – a soul must have knowledge and understanding of types of beings he is likely to encounter – the number of types is limited (27) and so experience and understanding of types would enable one to deal with them and to handle them. Third thing – necessary to soul as actor is some conception of role he must play in relation to object for which he exists, i.e. must have a degree of objective conscience and of objective reason. In ancient schools of occultism, drama was employed as a series of exercises for playing roles in life. Teachers had to be familiar with nature of man. Man is three centered being, acting un-simultaneously.

We vary in behavior of centers according to degrees of experience we have had in each center. Every stimulus varies according to experience we have had in that center.

Over intellectualizing is impossible – means under emotionalizing and so with other centers. We are irregular triangles. Always one center in us is more developed than the other two. This makes melodrama our sole experience. Thanks to our education this pre decision to take a non-dramatic, non-whole view of life has become a pseudo non-essential. Ancient drama induced 3 fold harmonization. It is possible to evoke discordant responses from same individual when same spectacle is presented.

The number of people you have met if you recall them pictorially will illustrate all types. Can characterize them 3-1-3, 3-1-2, etc. Other method – as miser, Don Juan, Hamlet, Falstaff, Micawber, etc. There are only 27 of these. This is framework for knowledge of mankind. “There but for the grace of God…,”

Sociology is the only reason our type is apt to be concealed. By playing roles in drama you become familiar with types.

A being is one who experiences. At any moment something is happening to us psychologically. There are psychic counterparts to our physical states. This is experiencing. Imagine you to be seated in a room being unaware that you’re experiencing are being made manifest on a cartoon. Experiencings = manifestations. Manifestations are the only means by which spectators becomes aware of one’s experiencings.

Art of drama – to be able to produce effect of manifestation as if there were the result of experiencings.

Inability to control manifestations is real sincerity. One who being unable to control manner of his manifestations, selects from his experiences one element, then claims he is sincere. Actor is first aware of manifestations, then adapts them to his means.

Never do we act in one center at a time. It should be possible to act in three centers simultaneously. This would make it possible to respond to all types- to adapt to every individual.

Mimicry – fine game of childhood which we squelch. Guessing of children is simply gree(?) blade which would evolve into intuition with certainty if it were not discouraged. We are suffering from defect of scientific which discourages guessing, lying or mimicry of children. Mimicry of children if trained would develop into power of controlling manifestations. We have to work to recover what should have been our birthright.

Critical audience in front – pupil on stage – directed to engage in self interrogation in regard to his first impulse. Can he do this? What does he or you feel impelled to do? Pupil’s first idea might be “I’d like to give that policeman a piece of my mind!” He therefore looks into the wings. Would say – “Hey! What you doing? Can’t you see these people over here quarreling?” Then play is begun. Fellow addressed must behave as a policeman – must carry illusion – next soldier and then cobbler – etc. He had to be able to respond with any technique. This was basis of the old Greek plays. Dramatic school of those days was training for universal life. It’s possible that groups here in America might do likewise.

Enneagram. Whole of our body is under the law of seven. Psyche under law of three. In octave there are two semitones. Mechanical law of seven will be perfectly fulfilled only when the law of three necessitates intervention at certain critical points.

Every one of us is a channel through which two streams are passing – experiencing – (law of three) and manifesting – (law of seven). Experiencing – think, feel, do. These are not under our control now. If we could control them our manifestations would indicate conscious acts, (and Conscious Art.) Actors had to pass test of acting according to any type, before being allowed to pass to mystery.

Mystery differed from ordinary play by introduction of semitones into ordinary octave. This was done so …. Policeman aforementioned would occasionally manifest his ability to regulate his conduct on occasion by introducing act determined by his own soul and not by the role or any imitation.

The design for the spectator was to induce expectation of normal and then for actor to change from acting role to acting as a conscious being. This required terrific degree of perception by spectator and questioning.

Ones soul had already all this knowledge but is inaccessible. But if we ponder the material already given us we will gradually begin to see light.

 

 

April 2, 1928

Last year I received a number of criticisms to the effect that, interesting as my comment on tests extracted from the book may be, it was not the book – so this year.

Mountain Pass of Impartial Intellection

(It is a cartoon – a realistic ceremony – out of our reach – on a level just out of our ordinary understanding. We may perhaps have a slight emotional understanding – wonder.)

The whole region lit up with a pale blue light and the speed of the ship diminished. One of the four great Egolianopti in the universe was approaching. An Egolianopti is an omnipresent moving platform – i.e. ability to be anywhere at any time. There are only four – each under one of the four all quarters maintainers. Presently all on the ship began to assemble – each carrying in one hand myrtle and in the other a devgelcishcho. (Orage – I know not the meaning of either.) A procession began to enter through the side of the ship which had been slide aside… each carrying a palm. An old archangel lead followed by two cherubim carrying a casket emanating an orange color. Beelzebub led his people. When these two parties of different race had met they joined in singing a Te Deum to his Endlessness, which is always everywhere sung at such times. “By banishing the terrible Heropass – thou hast given us the opportunity to perfect ourselves to the degree of the Holy Anclad.” Heropass – passing of time. Time is that force that puts a limit on the forces in substance. Science confidently predicts that because of this the universe will one day run down and vanish – but here it is said that by a process of reciprocal feeding their one only problem has been solved by his Endlessness.

When this Hymn had been sung – the old archangel approached Beelzebub and said that he Has empowered and directed to restore to Beelzebub his horns.

Horns – Will, Hoofs – individuality, Tail – consciousness (on account of his conascent (?) – life spent in learning to know.)

Having said this old Archangel – -turned and reverently took from the casket the rod. Turning again to Beelzebub he spoke to the members of the same kind as Beelzebub and himself….

The captain of the ship took charge – i.e. he determined the length of time each one should hold the rod by his hand.

The Holy Anclad is the highest order of any existing created being. It is third in order from the beginning of His Endlessness.

Cherubim and seraphim pre-existed creation – and their degree of reason cannot be reached by anything created. A son cannot whatever he does become older than his father. One of the laws of objective reality is that all reasonable beings shall respect those of a higher degree of reason – and vice versa. Cashia in masonry is a symbol of everlasting life. “Myrtle” symbolizes love. Laurel – fame.

These were contributed by various cock-eyed verbalizes.

Orage: This chapter is the last part of the book. The whole book is a climb and one who passes this will find himself, so to speak, in a new country. What motive could those who surrendered part of their own will, consciousness and individuality have had?

Duliotherapy = therapy by slavery, i.e. treatment voluntarily taken by putting yourself into the position of slave.

Gurdjieff took a position under a Russian Greek Duke on a two month voyage – had to carry his food to him and most times it was thrown in his face. When he was through he could serve anyone. Incidentally, he was very anxious to make the trip for he wanted to get to Cairo.

The hymns imply an emotional understanding. Could you engage in such a procedure?

Horns = executive power according to his being.

Suggested, – re appearance of sacrificing something or really sacrificing, – that he might for example, spit in Larry’s face and say, “Now you dirty little cur! Don’t you dare interrupt again.” Then call someone else to wipe his face and say, “You have no reason or being worthy of anyone’s consideration – everyone knows this, yet you constantly put in these blithering interruptions.”

 

 

April 3, 1928

 

We have no language to communicate feelings. Yet we have no difficulty for ourselves in distinguishing between an emotion and a thought. We don’t confuse twelve by twelve with a feeling. And we have another form of experience, – called movement. So, we have three primary colors which, when mixed produce a variety of colors. In any individual these will tend to mix in certain proportions. In women the element of thought is overlaid by a predominance of feeling and a man vice versa.

We have various combinations of motor center, emotional center and intellectual center.

The problem of life is the problem of energy. Few of us have enough to become an outstanding success in either physical, emotional or intellectual field. None but geniuses who are invariably pathological, can succeed in one field. To succeed in two fields of life would be miraculous. Success in three fields has in the history of the world almost never, if ever, occurred.

The measure of our life is the amount of energy entoto at our disposal. It is quite possible to grow old in one system while remaining young in the others. One may and usually does reach senility at the age of twenty or twenty-one. Due to our education, one’s brains are beaten into a state of rigid sterility that should never have been reached before a great age. In another case, one’s physical center may become old and the brain and feelings remain young.

Shaw’s first book on Ibsen contains every idea you can find in every subsequent book he has written. This is a little unfair; because it happens that he has some new ideas. But he will not write them for publication. At least not before his death, will they ever be published. We are all approaching death in these three forms, and tomorrow one of my centers may be dead – though, unless it is my physical center, it won’t be apparent to me.

There is only one thing to be done that will prolong my life. A secret.

“Well,” you will say, “if you can give me such a recipe, I’ll pay-.”

“All right, here you are.”

But you are by this time so tired and no doubt so sound asleep that you never will be able to undertake to understand what I say.

First – how does it occur that one center can deteriorate before the others or —. We live by food. But it is not the quantity and quality of food absorbed but it is the quantity and quality assimilated that will determine the form and quantity and quality of energy we have.

We don’t care at all what food is used. Eat any or all foods you like – but be sure you like it. If you are depressed, don’t eat much for you won’t be able to assimilate it. If you are elated, eat as much as you like – dine well.

Well, people grow old – not by use of energy – but by waste of energy. Every moment ticks off the life of each center.

My posture, for example, requires a certain number of muscles, – but when I examine my body I find a number of muscles tensed and using energy uselessly, i.e. thereby wasting energy. So we live two days in one, i.e. use two days energy in one.

Every emotion about anything not of the present, we are pouring our emotional life blood into the sand. Either past or to come, or absent things should never bleed you emotionally. Never worry, never regret. But how? If you are aware simultaneously of your five forms of physical external behavior, you cannot either worry or regret. Your cup is full.

Intellectual waste occurs most of all in reading and in education and in “day dreaming.” “Day dreaming” is thinking at the suggestion of outside stimuli.

You get onto a bus, and because you have given yourself no definite problem – you react. “Not so many busses today – pretty girl – hm… he almost got run over – who’s that getting on? – I think I know him – no I don’t – is it going to rain? – nice enough now – good shop window – gee! I’ll be late! – well, I’ll guess I’ll read—

Well, give yourself any purposive problem.

 

March 14, 1927

 

Beelzebub’s 2nd descent to the planet – but before embarking I remind you of a number of the stages through which he has passed.

1. Place, time and personnel – Protagonist is Beelzebub – to be conceived as a being like ourselves but with all our potentiality actualized.

His function on this planet has ceased – he having had all possible human experiences. And his critique of man is one that any impartial being might or rather surely would arrive at. This is to help Hassein so that he will not have to go through all the difficult phases of experiences Beelzebub has boon forced to undergo.

Exiled for sortie defect in reason – but uses his exile.

Life on the planet is conditioned on their access to certain radiations from the Sun Absolute.

Captain enters to discuss certain difficulties of navigation.

Talk of ships – i.e. techniques of religion for developing Self or Super Consciousness.

Peculiarities of the earth are of a special kind due to peculiar conditions encountered here.

Especially in reason – Why do I think that the majority of people I meet are fools – and why do the majority of people I meet think I am a fool? And why are all of us correct in this? Senseless or mechanical are we.

In the light of plain logic I should act in a certain way – but do I? Never. Why not?

We encounter the “law of falling” i.e. psychological gravity – the tendency of a vibration to fall to the next lower one.

The space between two notes in music is not measureable but is nevertheless space.

Certain recent works by Alexander are worth reading. “Space is the mother of time,” he says.

Then perpetual motion was discussed, i.e. immortality of the soul. Then the possibility of developing; such a body as will live forever.

The discussion of ships, etc., awakes in Hassein “the Becoming Aware of Genuine Duty”. Suppose we were to be born in a labor colony – upon coming of age or before we might become aware of certain duty laid upon the community as a whole.

I am here on this planet amongst 2 billion other people with many pleasures, etc. – what does it cost to keep it going -? Are you glad that you are alive? Do you appreciate that nature, etc., have provided for you circumstances of existence and being? Hassein becomes aware that nothing springs into existence or being without effort. And that he reasonably may expect to find it his duty to repay for his life. Who inspires mother for that love that protects her children? Nature. And sooner or later we must repay Nature.

Beelzebub says to Hassein for the time being it is impossible to begin. You must understand first how much you owe and how to repay. Only one obligation – that of a pupil, i.e. to understand.

How in return for this real feeling of Hassein – Beelzebub offers to explain anything.

Hassein asks Beelzebub about those “slugs”. (But slugs have only one center and in that way are innocent. We are obligated to develop three bodies from three centers. Beelzebub goes on to explain but must go back some time in order to explain why we are what we are. History – at least in the form of myth. But the myth herein described is of a much more modern character.

Planet while peacefully developing encounters a comet and two pieces were struck off and a similar catastrophe would then occur to every biological being on this planet. For we are just the outcome of the influence of the sun on this planet. We and all of Mature are about the same as the skin on our bodies. Nature is like a sensitive skin to this planet and we the microbes on that skin.

A commission was sent to inquire into the procedure to be set up to restore equilibrium in this solar system and other solar systems as well.

Psycharchy was dispatched with a commission to see what should be done. They discover that these two fragments have not gone entirely out of the influence of the Earth – but, though always falling and catching up, can never fall upon the Earth. But these fragments must be supplied with a certain radiation from the earth due to effort and labor on the part of beings on this planet. So even when leisure is possible, men promptly engage in wars.

So, a substance is derived, Astrokin, – or sweat. (so “slimy”)

Can be done either mechanically or consciously – but if done consciously and voluntarily the same substance is yielded but the individual himself benefits tremendously. So Plato said God’s curses are opportunities, Psycharchy under —— took to “farm” beings that would provide this substance.

And so arranged that the laws of three and seven operate independently and not interdependently or reciprocally. So the body is under the law of seven as also is food, color, sound. But my consciousness is under the law of three with the result that our bodies do not help us. Why is not our body immediately responsive and reflective of our thoughts? Thanks to this arrangement of Psycharchy.

In the various states of consciousness, asleep, waking, Self-Consciousness and Cosmic Consciousness, there are three phases of Consciousness.

Why Men are not Men. So many difficulties are put into our way that we are not to blame for our state. All these were the result of an arrangement that would guarantee this necessary suffering and the resultant substance.

When we refer to an accident we refer to an event not within our possible calculation. But it is not outside the possible calculation of all beings. Since this Accident occurred to the Earth before the evolution of man, it was an accident from our point of view. But a curse or mischance is also an advantage. If you encounter misfortune in life personally, you can either say I will accept this experimentally, or you can say “I’m the Jonah man – I am picked on, etc.” But if accepted in the first way, you will eventually thank your fate for having met such circumstances.

Beelzebub represents mind, and perhaps a certain form of understanding is only possible to beings who have had certain experiences.

A certain state of being implies certain effort to understand what one knows.

Then Kundebuffa was attached. So if one has intestinal disorder, he will be irascible, moody and irresponsible. We are afflicted according to this book, with a spinal disorder – and – are as we are.

99% of our mistakes are made with all necessary knowledge to have acted correctly.

At the base of the spine there is an inactive organ that, used to keep us insane. And now we could be sane except for the contact with our elders through education.

Education is the enemy. (Sherm’s interpretation.)

Beelzebub, by inventing an observatory and telescope – i.e. Self – Observation – was able to see beings straight. Through this he observed beings on this planet and they behaved as other beings except for certain peculiarities.

So if one saw someone disemboweling himself, he -would be horrified. But in war we cannot feel this because we are dopes. No being of any other planet would consent to come to this planet of lunatic shambles.

And it is not to be wondered at that we have not yet had on this planet the pick of Divine Messengers.

(Orage suggested ((“If you are interested as I am emphatically not”)) seances in the presence of fresh human blood to be obtained from a hospital – and the room became suddenly intensely quiet.)

These phenomena do not occur occasionally but men are especially trained from childhood, – and put into a trance state, – for war. Fakirs who hang by sinews of their calves all their lives are so crazy because they are conditioned to it.

Beelzebub made his first descent to the planet Atlantis on a certain mission. One there felt that people would, if permitted to, act as they would, act righteously. That they would follow the good, the true and the beautiful. But we know from self- observation how true or false this is. So came the disillusionment of the premature reformer. Unrestrained benevolence.

We are up against a universal problem and only a universal understanding will permit us to do anything about it.

Time is the essence of all that we call “I’. The potentiality of all experience- the unique subjective.

Experience – transmitting medium of the mechanism which receives it. This is all we have.

Alexander says Time is the subjective which actualizes itself in space.

Write an article on space in dreams.

Our time limit is contained in the experiences which we are capable of in our three centers. So those who live longest who note, register their experiences. Hence it is desirable to note every possible experience possible.

The Arch Absurd. Self-observation produces no direct effect but only a consequential effect. The Sun is cold, yet it produces our heat, light and life….by emanations. An emanation is the effect produced (not by radiation or any substance) by any object, form or being upon another object, form or being. The mere presence of a table will exert an influence upon us. So the planets exert an influence, in two ways – by radiation and by emanation. The sun though cold and dark induces in certain elements in our atmosphere a certain shiver. So in our atmosphere a substance called archidonis (electricity in three forms) is effected by the emanations of the sun producing “remorse”, or an ache to grow, or an aspiration toward a higher rate of vibration.

So if you succeed in thinking a thing out you “see the light” – but if you fail you are in an emotional state – i.e. heat. Heat is the “the light that failed.”

(The image of the word remorse is derived from the image of a serpent so enraged that it is biting its own tale.)

Then we were introduced into…

Every hair in my head was once food on my plate. But who am I that does it? “I” stand apart from this spectacle of trogoatoegocratic process – i.e. I eat myself -watching. Acorn – Oak tree, I – the universe – microcosm – macrocosm.

We can only understand the world in proportion to the amount we contact with it. The laws in us we can see – three and seven. Can we see these in the universe. Everything that breathes tends to become three centered…but exists under the law of seven.

What is the difference between matter, electricity and energy? Say in an atom – proton (matter), electron (electricity) and movement (energy) of electron around the proton. These are the three aspects of the original emanation – positive, negative and neutralizing. Substance is named here “ethernocronone”. Primordial prime source substance.

Self-observation – is what you call “I”. Who dreams? Who makes the form in dreams? Of what substance

“We are such stuff as dreams are made of” – i.e. “ethernocronone”. In dreams substances take shape directly from thought. The substances of this life are of a lower vibration than those used by us in dreams. Nevertheless, in dreams there are these three forms of electricity – the same primordial threefoldness. Thus we develop three brains, positive, negative and neutralizing.

cerebral – positive – yes

spinal – negative – no

visceral (emotional) – neutralizing – reconciliation

1. reason – plan                                FAILURE of reason

2. habit – cannot                               to expert sufficient

3. emotion – despair                             positive energy

So man inverted – King Solomon’s seal represents both man upright and inverted. Substitution of one for the other is only sin.

Corresponding to the three brains are possibilities of development of three bodies – we have one and the beginning of the other two.

the how – sight – practical understanding

the what – insight – (scientist, understanding of principles)

the why – through sight – seeing the reason of things.

These three forms of reason imply the development of these three bodies.

1. We (and even animals) understand “the how”

2. We understand a little of the what.

3. We don’t understand at all the why.

Nature does not help human development and the reason is that we are quite unconsciously performing the functions of nature. But from this we do not benefit. Aimless pleasures squander forces that could be used in conscious suffering and voluntary labor.

 

 

March 21, 1927

 

Last week -we spent the whole of the time on a review leaving this week for the reading of the book.

Herein he describes the first group that used this method.

Second descent.

First descent – Atlantis. Five centuries have passed. Hot sure whether Karatas or Ors. 389 times longer one year on Karat as than here. Narrative continues in form of stories to Hassein,

“We return from Dimickfargo” – (special form of food taken on ship with them – special form of impressions.)

In interval, Atlantis has disappeared. Not submerged, but engulfed in the Earth, due to special cause – after the collision which left the earth busy – i.e., until new center of gravity was firmly established.

“Thanks to the fact that the circumstances on earth resulting wore particularly favorable, three now centers of culture were by that time established. We were corn with a potentiality for a certain amount of experiences in the three centers, but we have become, thanks to the circumstances of our environment, either -what we might have been, or, conditioned by these circumstances, not what our essence biologically would have indicated,

“These three centers of culture were “Picklandia or Sahara, Gobi and Karakorum desert” – Goblandia. (Maraplaces)

(Not only one city below a city in Goblandia but cities below cities.)

Genchenia (India)

“The reason for my going to the planet Earth was a commission given me through an etheragram received on the Planet Mars.”..(So message was received not by reading but by hearing.) “…that a certain commission was being sent from the Sun Absolute- to earth to investigate the consequences of the sinking of Atlantis. It consisted of that sinister Archangel Psycharchy (Louisas) and other angels (or incarnate powers) and the commission decided that the consequences were not so catastrophic. At the same time, the Angel Louisas invited me to undertake a mission to earth regarding blood sacrifices. For these so affected the biological character of beings on the planet that on the Moon they commenced to take monstrous forms.” (It may be that certain monstrous forms that have come down to us in myths say have resulted from conditions on other planets. It is amusing to think that biological forms are derived from a series of stations through which the forces must travel.) So he alit on the Caspian Sea and traveled up a river to Ticklandia. There he visited the cafes (as he also did on subsequent visits. So later you will see that he indicates the importance he attaches to commencing observation from a certain center of the community.) So after a month of observations he decided to employ certain superstitions to aid his work.” (His work was to preserve the fate of the Moon. So Jesus may have had a much larger end in view than the benefit of the men here – say the stability of the Universe.) “So all that Beelzebub had to suggest was that the beings sacrificed themselves. He found very soon that the idea he proposed rapidly spread.” (The use of veils when insects were in the air lest they should swallow and kill one. Their refusal to walk abroad during certain hours of the day, lest they step on and kill certain insects. But why? Since there was no sense to them.)

“One of the influential pulpiteer said – “In view of the fact that God wishes on this earth the self creation of a certain number of rational souls, the whole of the rest of creation has been created.” (All creation up to Man presupposes the evolution of man, and man presupposes the development of objective reason.) “And the rest of the material is for this purpose and if you use it so, for this object – you are acting ethically, and vice versa.”

And there exists a certain life force Prana or essence that is substantial (“and that this substance may be discovered soon) and which exhibits itself in number of forms – so you will see that the life force that manifests itself in vegetable and animal does not differ from that which is in us except in maturity – age quantity of experience. Its essence is less developed, to less experience (The purpose for which man exists is to develop a certain form or power or degree of reason. God is at the same time the Creator and the Evolving Being and is engaged just as we are – in developing brain cells in the totality of His or our being.) (“G.B.Shaw – The darling necessity of evolution is the development of objective reason by an individual.”) (So those of you who would be three!!! times more brilliant than Shaw spend one month on pondering that the darling necessity of man’s evolution is the development of three brains – not one.) (The true search of science is to discover a principle around about which all our knowledge will arrange itself.)

“So Beelzebub said why has God endowed you with these faculties? They were politically designed to produce this faculty of objective reason.” (For what do I hear? For what do I feel, taste- etc. – experience? What!!? So the French regiment who were so overcome by the esthetic effect of the bugle sounding the charge that they all sat down and called for an encore. So Beelzebub could scarcely refrain from laughing at the extremes to which these beings sentimentalized their reverence for animals.)

“So the priests started a counter propaganda, denouncing this priest, and secured his death. So Beelzebub took pity on this priest and took his body back to Mars and there saw to the education of his soul.” He was recalled a little early by an etheragram saying that a party would shortly arrive on Mars among which would be that woman who was to be his wife – one who was assigned to him as his wife – the lady whom the start had sent him.

Tuluf and Tulam were the two sons born to him – and Hassein was the son of Tuluff, his favorite son.

(Whenever we follow our inclinations we are travelling downstream (not evolving) When we go against our inclinations – i.e. upstream – we are using real will.)

Third Descent

He landed on Gobi desert and followed a river upstream as usual. (So we follow vice versa “an incline” – downstream) by an arrangement of rafts (temporary structure – equivalent to Self-Observation, participation and Experiment – always opposed to “natural” methods – artificial.) Finally reaches capital where inhabitants have an opium habit – or chewing poppy seed.

Now the king of Goblandia was grandson of a conscious being – and he tried to institute a legal prohibition with fines, etc. – with result that the curiosity of many was to taste it. (So in U.S.A. we have prohibition. What is poppy seed here now?) It distorted values – made it impossible for people to take their personal experience as a guide and it made it necessary for them to take another experience as their guide. Say advertisement— suggestible – the whole art of modern publicity – salesmanship – our parents catch us young and so we fall victims of these black arts later in life.)

“The result was that they mistook kindly men and serviceable words as deadly insults – et au contraire.” “And a crow was regarded bus a peacock.” (So many people- _H.G.Wells – Hinton books now reprinted very greatly influenced him, Hinton was a bad writer but an original thinker. Wells took ideas, etc.

Swift said original intelligence “seeing things in the bud.”

Gurdjieff said – only – “Time is the unique subjective.”

Ouspensky was interrogating Gurdjieff on the different apprehensions of time – Gurdjieff finally said “Well think about it – Time is breath!”

Every civilization has its own particular form of poppy seed.

“From there he passed to Hindustan. (Buddhism and monasteries – ) (dream figures remaining in room after actually waking – our life is a dream in relation to a Self Conscious life – so as Freud has taught the world to interpret dreams, but not only on the sex – – -? There is where Freud failed…mixed motives. Freudian method correct. Bertrand Russell showed that a day’s events could reveal exactly as a dream an objective interpretation of our psychic conditions. So whatever we encounter is equally subjective – hypnopompic imagination. In a dream we don’t doubt that the dream is valid. We have no criterion but in our waking state we have another criterion and can say in relation to the dream we can say this is real- but in relation to another state this is real.

Beelzebub joined an expedition in search of pearls (real philosophy – a conscious effort to reach this) they passed over places of enormous elevation, very unusual, devoid even of possibility of vegetation, (an attempt from one form of idealism to inform of realism. – I spent many years in attempting to get some life or meaning into Eastern terms – but could not. And the vast majority of those who attempt this die en route – as I did.) (But this expedition succeeded.)

Gurdjieff’s personal history happens to conform to this – at age 21 he encountered Madame Blavatsky’s works and he took it seriously and he went to every place she mentioned in the Secret Doctrine – and he reports that 9 out of 10 of her references were entirely false. This cost him years of terrible effort and suffering – with only negative results. He was at one time engaged as collector of monastic dues for the Dehli Lama (Dalai Lama?) and it gave him access to every monastery in Tibet – and he says I will truthfully say that it is true I discovered extraordinary developments.

I did not discover one single being with universal development – only monsters. A particular variety of monstrosity – but no attainment of objective reason – no more than in the West – only different. “The expedition arrived at India – at its center of development.

Ticklandia – instinctive – blood sacrifice.

Boblandia – emotional – poppy seed.

India – intellectual – Buddhism.

The tradition of the Buddha in India is that the Gautama Buddha was the 7th of a series of occurrences of the Buddha.

What had been Buddha’s aim? He realized that the whole of mankind suffered from a disease – Kundabuffer – meaning a reflection or that they saw things upside down.

Buddha told them exactly these things – planet, collision, lopsided, recovered its balance (i.e. that its Kundabuffer was removed – that there was no natural reason for continuing as before – for beings are now born quite naturally normally – but socially the consequences still persist. So he said I will show you a method for returning to your normal state. And this method was Self-observation, Self- participation and Self experiment.

Conscious effort – 3 sections: 1. to observe yourself (The Only Way”)

2. Participation; 3. Changing reactions; 4. Conscious suffering- but was really the suffering that we all undergo if you resist the inclination to react mechanically and further to force oneself to react contrary to the inclination. It involves a conscious refraining from the mechanical reaction and the conscious actualizing of a different reaction.

Refrain from hating your enemy and love your enemy. Turn the other cheek. Converting a poison – a negative reaction to a positive one.

By these two means your own development will naturally ensue. Take two bricks off a plant, no further effort is necessary. All we have to do is take the bricks off. Not by trying to improve yourself for thus you will fail.

Conscious suffering: 1. resisting mechanical reactions; 2. reacting consciously differently.

“So they set up an institute of the 1st series of groups after those under Buddha himself, immediately set out to scale heights – Tibet.”

There are in America a number of quite competent yogi instructors who will undertake to instruct one in extraordinary occult powers – but their followers are going to Tibet. They will be lost en route or still more hopelessly when they arrive in Tibet. The more sincere the modern followers of Buddha, the more hopelessly wrong – the more monstrous.

Every time you do something wholly instinctive or emotional or intellectual you are performing the blood sacrifice of the other two centers. Every “man of action” artist or intellectual. So Beelzebub speaks of the reduction of the sacrifice of two centered beings – animals – he means just this.

2nd Kundabuffer.

Tried to recall to them original doctrine of Prana or life principle. Its natural fruition would be in animals, natural reason, and in men objective reason. So I persuaded them that every time they killed an animal they killed a certain center in themselves and that they would so inevitably suffer. So their attitude changed and they became absurdly changed. And he left them to stew in their own juice.

Then Beelzebub went back by way of Tibet. Came upon the sect “The Self Tamers” they came to the conclusion that they had in themselves a jungle of wild beasts – (i.e. mechanical reactions.) Our passage was greatly hindered by the necessity of guarding against the attacks of wild beasts (negative emotions) that never appeared in the day due to the presence of the sacred substance A-o-r-o-u or aspirations – but at night it was necessary to set up around the camp a ring of fire.

(A significant dead silence while Orage tells of priests who voluntarily immured themselves in a kind of sentry box – etc.)

(No angel of normal development can ever experience the kind of pity that Beelzebub felt on seeing these marvelously admirable but incredibly stupid performances. For on these peaks which they thus reached there is no possibility of growth. So no residential institute or monastery or such is….

This work must be practical without change of scene and among normal people.

Now Louisas sent an etheragram (and it is interesting to hear Gurdjieff say that Louisas is even now preparing to come here again.) saying that Louisas was again about to appeal-. The peaks of the Himalayas are growing, rising and the rotundity of the planet is becoming a little uneven and is beginning to affect the planets surrounding it – so something might become necessary – say by the use of electric currents from the sun – resulting in earth tremors.

So Beelzebub returned to Mars -where certain canals were being constructed for on one side of Mars there is only dry land and on the other only water…so canals and drainage.

 

 

December 4, 192?

 

The seed shares the fate of the plant – i.e. if the plant dies before the seed is separated from the plant, the seed will die, too. “I” is like the seed in that it will share the fate of yourself – if yourself dies before “I” is separable.

Dual consciousness, i.e. through yourself, you are conscious of other things while also conscious of yourself, -i.e. your body (or a skin full of chemicals.) It is disgraceful that no one can say what he really wishes….that he grows prematurely old, not only in the body but in emotional ability and intellectual – and he cannot perform the one human function – that of keeping in one’s consciousness both the behavior of the external world and of oneself.

Never become absorbed in any external object. While regarding this room also be aware of your posture, gestures, facial expression and movement. Any esthetic emotion you may derive from a work of art will be ten times as great if you are simultaneously aware of your own five forms of external behavior.

 


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