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The Purpose

Self Remembering

First Conscious Shock

Second Conscious Shock

To Take the Pill

Why the Work

[Gurdjieff - THIRD SERIES]

"...To assist the arising, in the mentation and in the feelings of the reader, of a veritable, non-fantastic
representation not of that illusory world which he now perceives, but of the world existing in reality."

The Purpose

The purpose of the Work can be defined from various angles:

To wake up from mechanical sleep...

To awaken buried Conscience...
To build the higher bodies...
To Remember Yourself...
To reach Real 'I'...
To attain Objective Consciousness...
To develop Individual Will...

And more...

Essentially, the Gurdjieff Work, as well as any other type of 'self-development' work, point to
the same thing: - to see yourself as you are and to see reality as it is! To experience the truth
directly, not through colored lenses.

In Work terminology, 'Reality' is all the 'impressions' which we confront in life from both the
'outer world' and the 'inner world'. All the things that come to us from within (e.g. memory) as
well as from without, are 'impressions'.

Ouspensky answers a question [ISOTM chap 9]:

"Question:

Can thought count as impressions?

 Answer:

Yes, but the amount of impressions coming from inside is limited; but

the amount of impressions coming from outside is unlimited."

Since the impressions are everything that composes our reality, then the Work, in fact, teaches
how to receive Reality consciously. How to receive those impressions consciously, from a state
of Self Remembering.

In other words, the way to receive impressions is the way to receive Reality.

Work is conscious digestion of 'impressions', of 'reality'!

So, the question now is, what to do. How to receive impressions, or in Work words, how to
'digest' impressions. We receive impressions all the time. The sound of thunder is an impression
just as a memory of a dream or a TV commercial. Everything that comes to you from your senses
and from your memory is an impression.

The idea is to receive those, and all other impressions CONSCIOUSLY.

There are several Work ideas which refer to the

proper 'digesting' and 'transforming' impressions, but the most practical and comprehensive
are the so called 'First' and 'Second' Conscious shocks...

The First Conscious Shock is 'choosing' or 'catching' an impression.

The Second Conscious Shock is 'digesting' or 'transmuting' that impression.

According to Beelzebub, correct application of the two shocks, builds the higher bodies and
develops Will.

The First and Second Conscious Shocks contain most of the Work ideas.

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Attention and Self-Remembering

The first ability required for Self Remembering is the ability to spread the attention to two
different things. One part is on what you are doing or thinking or feeling, and the other part is,
simultaneously, on yourself doing it. This is illustrated by the famous 'double-arrow' symbol
which Ouspensky elaborates on ("In Search" chapter 7). One side of the arrow is pointing to you,
the other pointing to life . You are able to observe 'you', and the 'machine's functioning in life,
both at the same time.

The second ability required for Self Remembering is to insure that not one of the three centers
is running wild in associations. This sets the horse and the carriage at balance, with the driver
supervising the process. The mind is executing, from memory, the plan to observe the body and
the feelings, and prevents a mechanical run-off of any one of them. It starts with the mind, the
driver.

Developing those two abilities enhances Self Remembering. It is not a simple task, since the
attention has to hold 4 things simultaneously; the three centers and the 'I' who is watching them
and has the Will to continue doing it. The 'I' of the 'double-arrow'. The conscious presence, the
embryo of the master.

The Will of the driver is weak and very short lived. Now the Will of the Master is required and
needs to be active. The driver, who is executing and supervising the effort till this point, is
preparing for the arrival of the Master. The master arrives only after the horse and carriage
have been harmonized. Now the driver settles into his natural place, one of the 3 balanced
centers; The intellectual center.

Once the master appears, he should do 'Something' in order to sustain that initial state of Self-
Remembering. This 'Something' is the First conscious shock. Willful conscious choosing of an
incoming impression, or willful concentration on a previously selected impression (some strong
habit, for example). An act of Will is an act of master.
Driver has enough will only to start the process. Only to calm and take control of the horse
(reins) and tune the carriage. He has weak Will, but has a very good memory, and knows how
to initiate the process a Work plan, and prepare the ground for the master.

'Self Remembering at the point of incoming impressions' is one of the definitions of First
conscious shock. It is a conscious effort, a force of attention guided by real Will. This is the
ability and the responsibility of the master. Here begins the domain of Man number 4.

According to Ouspensky, transforming the impression is the mark of Man number 5.

You should remember yourself at least once every hour... [Gurdjieff].

In Ouspensky's words: [ISOTM Chap7]:

"...in stopping thoughts attention is wholly directed towards the effort of not admitting thoughts,
while in self-remembering attention becomes divided, one part of it is directed towards the same
effort, and the other part to the feeling of self.

This last realization enabled me to come to a certain, possibly a very incomplete, definition of
"self-remembering," which nevertheless proved to be very useful in practice.

I am speaking of the division of attention which is the characteristic feature of self-

remembering. I represented it to myself in the following way: When I observe something, my
attention is directed towards what I observea line with one arrowhead:

I the observed phenomenon.

When at the same time, I try to remember myself, my attention is directed both towards the
object observed and towards myself. A second arrowhead appears on the line:

I the observed phenomenon.

Having defined this I saw that the problem consisted in directing attention on oneself without
weakening or obliterating the attention directed on something else. Moreover this "something
else" could as well be within me as outside me.

The very first attempts at such a division of attention showed me its possibility. At the same time
I saw two things clearly.

In the first place I saw that self-remembering resulting from this method had nothing in
common with "self-feeling," or "self-analysis." It was a new and very interesting state with a
strangely familiar flavor.

And secondly I realized that moments of self-remembering do occur in life, although rarely. Only
the deliberate production of these moments created the sensation of novelty. Actually I had been
familiar with them from early childhood. They came either in new and unexpected surroundings,
in a new place, among new people while traveling, for instance, when suddenly one looks about
one and says: How strange! I and in this place; or in very emotional moments, in moments of
danger, in moments when it is necessary to keep one's head, when one hears one's own voice and
sees and observes oneself from the outside.

Probably the most famous concept of the Work is Self remembering. It is both a process (the
sequence of actions done to attain it) and a state (such as 'balanced centers').

Like a muscle, it gets stronger upon practice, and it is a prerequisit for the more advanced levels
of the Work.

In its most simplistic definition, it means:

seeing what you are doing and at the same time seeing yourself doing it.

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So, what does it really mean to give myself the First Conscious shock?

I remember myself somewhat, my body is relaxed, I sense its relaxation, I try to feel, to touch an
objective sense of conscience, or at least some honesty, and to a certain degree I am aware of my
emotions and my body simultaneously. Am I Man #4 now? Is this how to crystallize the Higher
bodies? The Kesdjan body? Shouldn't I now, at least, feel the higher Emotional center? a little
bit?

Well, Beelzebub explains that it is not just a matter of guiding the attention properly. It is a
matter of actual material. A bio-chemical process. Work is the collecting and accumulating of
actual material, but of a 'finer' grade. That's more then just deepening the attention.

In Gurdjieff's words:

"...Men of Knowledge know how to retain the fine matters in themselves and accumulate
them. Only a large accumulation of these fine matters enables a second and lighter body to be
formed within man....To build this body inside man is the aim of all religions and all schools;
every religion has its own special way, but the aim is always the same."... [ VRW]

So, how do I build this higher body?

It is explained that simultaneously with the observation of myself, I must also have the ability to
keep a part of my attention on sensing the absorption of 'fine particles' from the air, through the
breathing, and do this with the understanding that it is a digestion of the second food, the food of
the kesdjan body. Now, if at the same time I keep a part of my attention on the reception of an
impression and its impact on each center separately, then I am, in fact, taking in the 3rd food
(impression) consciously. This is a unique state whereby the attention is on 5 things
simultaneously; Master, driver, horse, carriage and impression; Will, mind, feelings, body and
impression.

From an octave viewpoint, if I take the breathing as my impression, then I must be conscious of
my intake of this 2nd food long enough to reach the note Mi in the 2nd food, air octave, and in a
way that my attention would not lose the awareness of my breathing, as well as of my
threecenters. This process is Self remembering at the point of incoming impressions - the First
Conscious Shock.

Now if all this is sustained uninterruptedly, which requires continuous conscious effort in
keeping the attention focused on this whole process, the First conscious shock takes place and
helps the evolution of the impression's octave (3rd food) from Do48 to Mi12, preparing for the
Second conscious shock, the digestion of the impression. This produces more 'Fine' matter,
which is needed for the Higher bodies, and needed to help the air octave reach Sol12, and the 1st
food octave reach Si12. This state is necessary before the Second conscious shock can be given.

In order to digest this third food, I need to involve emotions. They are the neutralizing force to
the active mental process and the passivebody.Self remembering while assimilating an
impression (the first conscious shock) is connected to transformation of emotions.

Beelzebub explains this in the 1931 Edition of the book:

The beings of the continent Atlantis called the second food Abrustdonis and the third
Helkdonis. Regarding these two foods as very important and the productive feeding on them as
their most important duty, the evolution of substances of Exioehary in most of them began to
proceed as it proceeds in almost all the three-centre beings on all the planets of our great
Megalocosmos."...
And Ouspensky quotes Gurdjieff:

"The effort which creates this 'shock' must consist in work on the emotions, in the transformation
and transmutation of the emotions. This transmutation of the emotions will then help the
transmutation of si 12 in the human organism. No serious growth, that is, no growth of higher
bodies within the organism, is possible without this transmutation. The idea of this transmutation
was known to many ancient teachings as well as to some comparatively recent ones, such as the
alchemy of the Middle Ages. But the alchemists spoke of this transmutation in the allegorical
forms of the transformation of base metals into precious ones." (ISOTM, Chapter 9)

From this it follows that to build higher bodies, Abrustdonis needs to be extracted from the 2nd
food (air), and Helkdonis from the 3rd food (impressions). In other words, Abrustdonis has to
be absorbed from the breathing and Helkdonis from the impressions. TheAbrustdonis strengthens
the Kesdjan body and Helkdonis strengthens the Soul body.

It is easier to do that when in a calm and focused state (meditation), because the harmony of the
three centers, which tend to run off in habitual reactions to impressions, can be more easily
managed.

Those are the three abilities needed to build the Higher bodies. The building of Higher bodies
depends on the successful simultaneous application of those abilities. The longer the process
lasts before identifying begins, the more it crystallizes the Higher bodies.

If successful, it means that First conscious shock has been given and Second conscious shock
is beginning. A Self remembered moment of receiving an impression on 3 centers, while
consciously taking second food via the breathing. 'Fine matter' is now in production and some
transformation of emotions should take place. The method is not only in refining the observation,
but rather in separating Abtrosdonis and Helkdonis directly in the body. One from the Air, the
other from Impressions.

The First Conscious Shock - the shock of 'Self-remembering', is a conscious action, where the
'aware' self selects an impression while maintaining his state of Self remembering.

The next stage is to 'transmute' that impression, by means of the Second Conscious Shock.

Ouspensky on First Conscious Shock:

MR. D.

I am not clear about the relationship between first and second conscious shock. Is a high level of
self-remembering necessary before second conscious shock becomes a practical possibility?

MR. O.

Yes, and not only self-remembering. Self-remembering must produce results, must produce a
quite different quality of material in the body. Only then comes the possibility of Second
conscious shock.

The transformation of mi 12 into fa 6 means producing positive emotions. This is only possible
for man No. 5, so you see we are very far from it. At present our work consists in the struggle
with identification. This leads towards it, but we cannot think at present of producing it in its full
form.

MRS. B.

If one finds oneself slacking can one give themselves a shock?

MR. O.

If one knows how. But generally shocks must be arranged beforehand.

The Alchemy of First Conscious Shock

In Alchemical terms, by breathing consciously, the Air octave (second food) can reach Mi48,
but needs an external 'shock' in order to cross its Mi48-Fa24 interval. This required shock can
come from the Do48 of the Impressions octave (third food), and this is done by choosing
deliberately a specific 'impression'.

Thus the first food octave continues towards its Si12 and the second food octave (the Air
octave), cross its Mi48-Fa24 interval and can potentially reach its Sol12 stopinder, together with
the third frood octave (impressions octave) reaching its Mi12 interval.
In order to complete the requirement for developing a higher body, namely, completing the first
food octave, one more 12 level element is needed to enable sufficient energy to enable crossing
the interval Si-Do (the last interval of the first food octave).

Mi12 of the Impressions octave provides the active part of this, Si12 of the first food octave
being the passive part, and Sol12 of the second food octave (air octave), which is especially
connected to the emotions, being the third, neutralizing part.

Now another shock is needed in order to cross the interval Mi12-Fa6 of the Impression octave,
thereby allowing the completion of the First food octave. At this point the three octaves are
lined up in such a way that the first food octave is at its Si12 interval, the second food octave
(air) is in its Sol12 interval, and the third food octave (impressions) is in its Mi12 interval.

The next movement within the octaves would cause the first food octave to end and gives birth to
a new octave of higher consciousness, and the beginning of formation of a Higher body.

This is what the Second conscious shock is all about. That is the 'digestion' or transmutation of
the impression which was at the core of the process.

Ouspensky said that this 'transmutation' of the impression has to do with the ability to convert
negative emotions to positive emotion.

A simplified view of this process is to see First conscious shock as balancing the driver-horse-
carriage and while sustaining the balanced state' to simultaneously focus on a specific
impression. The Second conscious shock would be the continuous holding of that impression,
from that balanced state, untill transformation begins.

So it all seems like a formula, and it is, in a sense, but it should be kept in mind that although
Higher bodies may be attained via the conscious shocks, that is not enough. Without the
crystallization of 'Objective conscience' and Objective consciousness, all the abilities of the
individual are still at a level of a Hasnamuss. It is not enough to buy a ticket and understand the
path to the Holy planet Purgatory. You must actualy get there.

By means of the two conscious shocks, 'Fine matters' are produced, absorbed and accumulated in
the body and gradually crystallize permanent and stable Higher bodies.
Both Higher bodies can be developrd together, in a harmony similar to the harmony that should
exist among the three lower centers. Not identifying with one of the centers while ignoring the
other two, and a harmonious conscious simultaneous awareness of them together, is a prerequisit
to Man #4, the balanced Man, the man who now has the ability to make more and more
materials for the Higher bodies via the conscious shocks.

From Nicoll, Quaremead, Ugley, August 3, 1946

A SHORT NOTE ON DIFFERENT WAYS OF SELF-REMEMBERING

It has been said that Self-Remembering gives a shock to the whole being and actually provides
better food for the cells of the body. But we do not give this shock to ourselves ordinarily and for
that reason it is called the First Conscious Shock, because it has to be done deliberately. It is not
done in nature. The natural shock that is given to the body is the act of breathing. The act of
breathing gives a shock to the Food Octave starting at 768 and transforming itself successively
until it reaches Si12. This is a mechanical shock. Now the First Conscious Shock is what was
always emphasized in the earlier part of the teaching as the most important and the most practical
thing that we can do.

We must learn what it means to remember ourselves and practise it every day at least more than
once. Since it is so important it is always a good thing to remind ourselves about it and once
more to study it. There are many different ways of remembering oneself but in every case it
means not identifying with something and so separating from something by feeling one is
different from it. There is no mechanical way of Self-Remembering. It is, speaking on a lower
scale, like saying there is no mechanical way of self-observation. Both acts require intelligence
and consciousness and vision. A monk may mutter prayers all day long and miss the mark
completely. It might indeed be very much better for him if he took in impressions at a particular
moment and did not mutter mechanical prayers...

The First 'tool' for Conscious Shock

The ability to apply the First Conscious Shock is what elevates Man #1-3 to the ability level of
Man #4, the so called 'Balanced man'.

The first 'tool' to help achieve this 'balance' is an internal 'regulator' which exists in everyone and
helps to observe and stop the inclination of any one center to run-off to mechanical associations .
The associations of a rogue center steals and wastes the energy of the other two centers as well as
its own.With that 'tool', the 'wild' center can be 'awared', and then, if the attention is unbroken, be
brought into relation and harmony with the other two centers. Otherwise, a balanced state can not
be reached.In time, a harmonious connection between the three centers is achieved. This is the
mark of Man#4, the man whose 3 centers are 'balanced'. This state of Self Remembering is lost
very quickly, and unless more energy is consciously absorbed from the higher foods, it may be
lost. It usually lasts only seconds. In order to 'hook' it, an impression should be taken, either by
'catching' one or by choosingone deliberately and beforehand. This would give enough energy to
the Air octave (2nd food) to cross the interval Mi-48 to Fa-24, which in turn would help the
Impressions octave (3rd food) reach its first interval at Mi-12. The aim is to bring the three food
octaves to line up at Si-12 (1st food), Sol-12 (2nd food) and Mi-12 (3rd food), by the sustained
effort of holding and observing ('digesting') the impression. This is the procedure of the First
conscious shock. Choosing the impression (3rd food) should happen quickly, since it is still a
weak state which can not maintain conscious concentration for long. This state is easily lost and
needs focused attention to remain continuous.By sustaining this state, the impression begins to
be 'transformed'. This is the beginning of theSecond Conscious Shock. An act of Will. A
conscious 'eating' of the impression. A certain higher emotional activity. A transformation of the
'coarse' to the 'fine', and the emergence of new positive emotion. Now exists the possibility of
ending the octave and starting a new, more conscious octave

Gurdjieff explains the first 'tool':

In the common presence of every being existing merely on the basis of Itoklanoz, something
similar to the regulator in a mechanical watch is present and is called Iransamkeep; this
something means: not-to-give-oneself-up-to-those-of-ones-associations-resulting-from the-
functioning-of-only-one-or-another-of-ones-brains.

But even if they should understand such a simple secret it will be all just the same; they still
would not make the necessary being-effort, quite accessible even to the contemporary beings and
thanks to which, by the foresight of Nature, beings in general acquire the possibility of what is
called harmonious association, by virtue of which alone energy is created for active being-
existence in the presence of every three-brained being and consequently in them themselves. But
at the present time, this energy can be elaborated in the presences of your favorites only during
their quite unconscious state, that is to say during what they call sleep." [bzb chap 29]

When catching a 'rogue' center, the attention can and should be spread to include the other two centers, insuring
they are all in proper relation. This process, so far, is done entirely by the mind, the 'Driver', and that 'supervision'
harmonizes the 3 centers. An act of Self Remembering. The old habit of slipping to and thereafter identifying with
associations of one of the centers, is what ends Self Remembering.

When we are conscious of the body and at the same time conscious of taking the second food, sensing the fine
matter from the air feeding the Kesdjan body, touching the higher emotions, and with the mind not associating but
continuously supervising that process, we are ready to spread the attention to another element, an impression, and
thereby giving ourselves the First Conscious Shock.

Nicoll explains:

The First Conscious Shock is what was always emphasized in the earlier part of the teaching as
the most important and the most practical thing that we can do.

This Work teaches that the only place where we can interfere with our machine in a right way is
to give it the First Conscious Shock, or the shock of Self-Remembering. That is why aim must
connect with Self-Remembering. To try to carry out aim without any state of Self-
Remembering accompanying it is to try to do from the wrong place, from the machine itself.

I once emphasized to you that the Driver must climb up on to the boxthat is, he must be on a
higher level before he can control the horse and carriage. Remember yourself and then remember
your aim.

O. said more definitely about Sly Man's pill that it was different kinds of Self-Remembering.
He said: "You must find it out for yourselves gradually. It has to do with different influences, one
kind for one person, one kind for another person, and so different for each person. At different
hours of the day it is different for each person." This means that we must learn to remember
ourselves in different ways. It is one and the same thing only in the sense that it means that you
separate from and cease to identify with something that is getting hold of you. Only in that
respect it is always the same. It is always the same because it is a lifting of oneself above the
level of ordinary 'I's, above the stream of thoughts, pre-occupations and moods, but the direction
that it takes will be different.

Self-Remembering always means a fuller state of consciousness, but you do not get a fuller state
of consciousness by always looking at things in the same way, because that will either miss the
mark or lead to mechanicalness. If one always looks through an easternwindow, one will not see
the sun all day. If you are in a bad state you remember yourself in one way, and when in a good
state you have to remember yourself in another way and it is often more difficult. But in every
case you do not give full belief to your state but to something you could be and indeed once were
something you have forgotten.In the act of Self-Remembering you distinguish yourself from
the person you have become in life. And you distinguish yourself from your present thought and
mood. Slowly it is given you to see that all this is not 'I'. Otherwise one simply remains one's
random foolish thoughts and useless statesa kaleidoscopeand this is being asleep in
mechanical states, in typical faults. Then we are at the mercy of every set of negative 'I's that
seek to destroy usand of these we have enough. Do you realize that everyone is being eaten all
the time by bad states, bad 'I's, by useless identification, and so feeds the Moon? In a state of
Self-Remembering this is impossible. The influences of the Moon do not penetrate to the 3rd
State of Consciousness. When we understand this we know we must fight to remember
ourselves. We simply must remember ourselves and stop considering. Struggle not to believe
your statesonly the state of Self-Remembering.

G. once said: "A man should be able to turn round in himself."

Now this means that he is stuck to nothing in himself. When we identify we stick to things and
so cannot get free and cannot turn round. It is true things matter. But non-identifying matters
most. Things both matter and do not matter. It is a double feeling. Things are serious and not
serious. People pestered Mr. O. to explain exactly what the pill of the Sly Man is. They were not
content with having to study it for themselves and with the hint that it was different forms of
Self-Remembering at different times. He answered: "If you would not identify with the idea of
slyness, then you might understand better what is meant." He sometimes said: "A man may pass
into a relative state of Self-Remembering without any direct effort. All that he notices is that he
is in an unusual state and that he is not identified with anything. The whole of life and its cares is
dropped away and yet he sees everything very clearly."

More by Ouspensky on First Conscious Shock

1. The effort must begin from mi 12, so we must understand what mi 12 is psychologically. We
can call it our ordinary emotions, that is to say, all strong emotions that we may have. When our
emotions reach a certain degree of intensity, there is mi 12 in them. But in our present state only
our unpleasant emotions actually reach mi 12; our ordinary pleasant emotions usually remain 24.
It is not that our intense unpleasant emotions actually are mi 12, but they are based on it and need
it in order to be produced. So the beginning of this second effort and preparation for it is work on
negative emotions... The first shock is in the nature of self-remembering, and then it produces
struggle with negative emotions... [T4W]

2. Shocks connected with the Food Diagram must come from youit is your own action. It is
necessary to know the moment and remember to give shocks. And theymust be very carefully
given, for only the right kind of shock will help in those particular octaves, otherwise they will
branch off. [T4W]
3. it must be given in exactly the way we have been speaking aboutby transforming negative
emotions into positive, produced by nonidentification... The first conscious shock prepares for
the second and the second prepares for the first. It is all simultaneous, you do not finish one and
pass to the other. [T4W]

4. The second shock brings the three octaves to si 12, mi 12 and sol 12. Si 12 and mi 12 cannot
develop further. Sol 12 develops into la 6, but it is a very small la because it comes from air. But
mi and si which are very powerful, stop here. A special effort is needed to transform theminto fa
6 and do 6. The nature of these efforts we began to study fromthe first day. The first is self-
remembering and self-observation. The second is struggle with negative emotions.This is our
inner alchemy, the transmutation of base metals into precious metals. But all this alchemy is
inside us, not outside. [Further record]

5. ...every moment one has to overcome laziness, inertia, wanting to stop. If one goes into the
shade and sleeps, there is nothing to overcome. If you work at anything you have always to
overcome your desire to stop work. MR. R. Are there two kinds of shocks, conscious and
accidental? MR. O. Accidental does not count. Things happen. People find money in the street,
but cannot rely upon it! When we speak about this 'giving shocks', we speak about conscious
shocks. Or things can be arranged in a certain way to produce shocks. For instance, three lines of
workone line gives shocks to another line. A certain arrangement is created to give shocks.
[Further record]

6. MISS D. Mr. O. told us last week that we must think for ourselves about the conscious shocks
in the organic interval. I have been doingso and trying to find out what I can. It seems to me that
one shock might be connected with the need of constant effort to use higher partsof centres so
that energy otherwise wasted in negative emotions might be consciously used to stir up and make
use of organs now dormant. MR. O. How can you use higher centres? Shocks were more or less
described psychologically; self-remembering will produce the first shock and the struggle with
negative emotions is the beginning of the formation of the second shock. That is all you have to
know. Any kind of contact with higher centres will be the result of work, not the work itself.

7. ...air enters here and gives this shock. But the second shock must be produced intentionally,
consciously, by knowledge. So, where air enters it is called the mechanical shock. The next
shock is called the first conscious shock. Then, if we know the nature, we can produce a second
conscious shock, on mi 12 and si 12. Then we can produce two more notesfa 6 and do 6. But
that comes only after the second conscious shock. This is just the general diagram of nutrition, or
simply the Food Diagram. [Further record]
8. MR. D. I am not clear about the relationship between first and second conscious shock. Is a
high level of self-remembering necessary before second conscious shock becomes a practical
possibility? [Further record]MR. O. Yes, and not only self-remembering. Self-remembering must
produce results, must produce a quite different quality of material in the body. Only then comes
the possibility of second conscious shock. The transformation of mi 12 into fa 6 means
producing positive emotions. This is only possible for man No. 5, so you see we are very far
from it. At present our work consists in the struggle with identification. This leads towards it, but
we cannot think at present of producing it in its full form. [Further record]

9. MISS H . Is it effort to self-remember which produces first consciousshock?MR, O. Yes, but

only if it is well made. It must be a good effort. MISS H. Do we produce energy that way? Is that
impression la 24? MR. O. No, that theoretical terminology will not help. Self-remembering, if it
is successfulthat is, if one continues regularlymay produce second conscious shock. But this
is not a question of accidental effort. It must be permanent effort.

10. MR. O. No. Even for the first conscious shock, all material comes from C influenceand
your own desire. Second conscious shock is very far. C influence means school teaching.[Further
record]

Questions: [in Search chap 9]

.."Q: Is this special effort the general training in the system?

Answer:

The first conscious shock is self-remembering, together with all you are advised to do from the
beginning, that is, self-observation, non-identifying and so on. It is all part of this effort...

Can the effort to control attention act as the first conscious shock, and does it bring
... Q:
Carbon 12 to do 48?

Answer:
No, it is not enough. There must be self-remembering: actually, self-remembering connected
with self-observationtwo activities. This is what makes consciousness. One tries to be more
conscious of oneself and of one's surroundingsof everything.

"The First Conscious Shock is what was always emphasized in the earlier part of the teaching as
the most important and the most practical thing that we can do.

This Work teaches that the only place where we can interfere with our machine in a right way is
to give it the First Conscious Shock, or the shock of Self-Remembering. [Nicoll 3 p925]

[Nicoll book 3]:

"... It has been said that Self-Remembering gives a shock to the whole Being and actually provides better food for the cells of the
body. But we do not give this shock to ourselves ordinarily and for that reason it is called the First Conscious Shock, because it
has to be done deliberately."

[Nicoll book 3]:

"... Now we know that this Work teaches that the only place where we can interfere with our machine in a right way is to give it
the First Conscious Shock, or the shock of Self-Remembering."
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The Purpose

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Second Conscious Shock

To Take the Pill

Glossary

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 2013 by planetsense.wix.com/1cse

The Second Conscious Shock - An act of Will!

An act of Will is an act of the Master.

The mind (the Driver), has weak Will, but very good memory.

Second Conscious Shock is experiencing a selected impression -- consciously!

Q. What is the second conscious shock which changes the character of the factory?

A. [Ouspensky] If you like, I can tell you what it is, but it will not help, because it is precisely
what we cannot do. It is the transformation of negative emotions into positive emotions. It is
possible only with long work on self-remembering, when you can be conscious for along time,
and when higher emotional centre begins to work. This is what brings us to the state of man No.
5, so it is very far from where we are now. Mi 12, combined with a special effort, can
producepositive emotion. [T4W]

Second Conscious Shock

Involving The Emotions

The Second Conscious Shock is a 'special case' of the first conscious shock. It is in the same
3rd food octave, the Impressions octave.
In the 1st CS, the Do note of the Impressions octave (Do48), is helping the 2nd food octave
cross the Mi-Fa interval, and at the same time helping the 1st food octave reach Si12, ready for
transition to a higher, more conscious octave, with the help of the 2nd CS.

The 2nd CS occurs when Mi note of that 3rd food octave (Mi12), merges with Sol12 of the 2nd
food octave (air) and Si12 of the 1st food octave.

As a result of the 2nd CS, the first food octave gains enough energy to crosses its Si-Do interval,
thereby beginning a new Do of a new octave, an octave of a higher conscious state.

The 2nd CS has to do with a 'transformation' of the impression which was taken by the 1st CS.
This means that the attention effort of the 1st CS, which is already spread over 5 different things,
has to be sustained long enough to allow for the impression to transform.That 'transformation' is
connected to the higher centers and is the digestion of the high foods, abrustdonis and
helkdonis.

Ouspensky explains:

"For the two octaves to develop further, a second conscious shock is needed at a certain point in
the machine, a new conscious effort is necessary which will enable the two octaves to continue
their development.

The nature of this effort demands special study. From the point of view of the general work of
the machine it can be said in general that this effort is connected with the emotional life, that it is
a special kind of influence over one's emotions. But what this kind of influence really is, and
how it has to be produced, can be explained only in connection with a general description of the
work of the human factory or the human machine.

"The practice of not expressing unpleasant emotions, of not 'identifying,' of not'considering

inwardly,' is the preparation for the second effort. "

If we now take the work of the human factory as a whole, we shall be able to see at the moments
when the production of fine substances is arrested by what means we can increase the
productivity of the factory. We see that, under ordinary conditions and working with one
mechanical 'shock' the factory produces a very small quantity of the fine substances, in fact only
si 12. Working with one mechanical and one conscious 'shock' the factory now produces a much
greater quantity of the fine substances. Working with two conscious 'shocks' the factory will
produce a quantity of the fine substances such as, in the course of time, will completely change
the character of the factory itself. The three-story factory represents the universe in miniature and
is constructed according to the same laws and on the same plan as the whole universe." [In Search,
Chap 9]...

"It is the transformation of negative emotions into positive emotions. It is possible only with
long work on self-remembering, when you can be conscious for a long time, and when higher
emotional center begins to work." (T4W 228)

Alan's Explanation

Alan Rudner, a great teacher of the Work, may his soul rest in peace, explains the First and
Second Conscious Shocks in his booklet 'A Life for a Life' in the following logical steps:

1. Negativity, however it was triggered, has to do with 'how something is being taken'.

2. In order to really 'throw the switch', cut off the lower level with all its noise, that poison of
mechanicality - you have to have the means that allows you to exist outside of it.

3. The moment you are aware of the 'struggle' relative to 'how you're taking something', then you
are inevitably also aware of all the mechanicalitythat's got you... Just in that realization, within
the negativity there is an element of Self-remembering.

4. And the more often you Remember, the more that real Self grows within you.

5. Now how can you maintain the Self-remembering, when the 'shock' has worn off? ...A most
special place to be in. Then after a while 'life' takes over. It can take over very quickly. What's
missing? Maybe... Second Cnscious Shock.

6. We have to establish a 'hook' in the Real - 'Master', within sustained Self Remembering, where
Real 'I' can no longer be 'defeated'.

7. For Real 'I' to maintain-Itself, Second Cnscious Shock would be that 'hook' from which
nothing could 'slip'.

8. The 'hook' established by Second Cnscious Shock is that new stage itself. IT is THAT which
maintains ITSELF.
9. Master is now in the house - but how can he be SECURED there?

10. Now it's the issue of ENERGY... Maintaining Energy at the required HIGHER LEVEL.

11. There are three kinds of food... -all destined to be transformed into Energy. The food of
impressions is highly 'enhanced' through External Considering, much of which involves
absorbing negative energy (mechanicality for the most part).

12. Within the air, it's said, are energies... The 'hook', if that's a good expression, requires a much
fuller degree of that food. It is also impossible to maintain the level of Self-Remembering
without the 'right' balance between the three foods.

13. So, what is Second Conscious Shock? Nicol said it's on the background of a lot of External
Considering.

14. With External Considering you're inevitably eating a lot of 'shit'.

15. We're trying to say something about the 'hook' - where Real 'I' becomes 'Naster', and never
again can be stolen by past identifications.

16. Now it's vital that people relate to each other in the 'right way' for the sake of the Whole.

17. In a word, what must be done now at the transcendent level of Self Remembering - is to
LISTEN. To 'listen' is to be sensitive and connected to 'your' environment, close by, and as wide
as possible.

18. ...to come to a perfect understanding of what imagination is. The fullness of External
Considering is the prerequisite. Seeing mainly the 'mess'. 19. No matter who you are dealing
with, you are 'eating' their identification to some degree. It's negative energy for the most part -
people active in personality, still trying to be 'somebody'.

20. In order to Remember yourself, you have to start with some degree of Self. Even when you
feel you 'can't do anything'...

21. To BE in 'GOOD CONSCIENCE' - you must remind yourself that you are in good
conscience.

22. Only from that place of Good Conscience can you breathe normally,taking in that most vital
food.

23. The food, the 'shit', of most of the impressions from External Considering, has tremendous
energy in it. It's the fertilizer that can transform.

24. The 'shit' is fertilizer for the seeds of truth within you.

25. You can't transform confused energy with 'logic' - only through ATTENTION.
26. Unbalanced vibrations get stuck in various corners of the body - causing an over-all sense of
Anxiety.

27. You must acknowledge your deepest Truth - that you are in this world only for the Good.
with faith in the Good, the Light rather then the the Darkness.

28. With that remembered Good Conscience you can then breath, thereby gaining the energy for
attention needed to transform those vibrations that we call Anxiety.

29. In the end there is what's called 'Crystalization'...

30. NOW it's really NOW OR NEVER

Ouspensky:

"...Q. Can you give a practical example?

A. Practical examples are in the Food Diagram. You must try to find analogous things in
your own actions.

The first shock is provided by nature where air comes in. But at the second interval no shock is
provided by

nature and it must be provided by self-remembering. Also at the third interval no shock is
provided and it must be given in exactly the way we have been speaking aboutby transforming
negative emotions into positive, produced by nonidentification.

The first conscious shock prepares for the second and the second prepares for the first. It is all
simultaneous, you do not finish one and pass to the other."...

...Q. It seems to me that to produce any useful results in the direction of being moreawake it is
necessary for both the conscious shocks to be working?

Ans: Yes, to produce complete results certainly both shocks must be given, but when the first
shock is sufficiently strong it already produces certain results. But, as a matter offact, they
generally work together, because from the very beginning we must learn not to express negative
emotions, and this is already work on the second conscious shock.

The first shock is in the nature of self-remembering, and then it produces struggle with
negative emotions, so after some time one actually works on both. The more result you get in
one, the more you have to work on the other. This explains another principle we meet with in the
systemthat the more one does, the more is expected of one. It is the same in the Food Diagram
 the more one tries to work on self-remembering, the more one must be able to control
negative emotions, with the idea of being able in the future to transform negative emotions into
positive emotions.

But this is very far,because one has to have a great deal of material created for self-
remembering. All the same, the two shocks are connected and, in a way, the one cannot work
without theother.

[J. De Salzmann]:

"The relation between the centers is the shock necessary to pass the interval, which will never be passed without it... In
proceeding further with the octave the question of the Second ConsciousShock can appear only when I have been consciously
present for a sufficiently long time..."

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The Purpose

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To Take the Pill

 Glossary

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Taking the 'Pill'

'Taking the pill', by definition is a short, quick action which is different each time. A self-
induced, instant remembrance of oneself. An instant action which the 'sly man' can take at any
moment, anywhere, and under any inner and outer. circumstances,

The reason it is called 'pill' is precisely because it is like taking a pill; a simple immediate action
which is different each time, depending on the inner state and outer circumstances of the
moment.

It is different for different people, and different each time. It is not mechanical, it is not formula-
driven, and not repetitive. A snapshot of conscious awareness of the Self. A direct Self-
remembering act at whatever level it happens.
From Nicol:

Quaremead, Ugley, August 3, 1946

"...On one occasion, when Mr. O. was asked:

"What is this pill that Sly Man makes and swallows?"

He said that one meaning was that a Sly Man remembers himself in different ways under
different conditions. I will quote his words.

He was asked the question: "What is it that the fakir suffers years to get and the monk weeks and
the yogi days?"

He answered: "Understanding."

He was then asked: "What is the pill that Sly Man takes?"

He said: "It is composed of many things. One must self remember to be able to take the pill."

He was then asked in some connection that I have forgotten bearing on the same subject:

"What is the difference between desire and will?"

He answered: "We can do what we desire but if we do what we do not desire this shews Will."

He then added that all Self-Remembering must have an element of Will control. It is an act of
doingthe only one we can make.

Now we know that this Work teaches that the only place where we can interfere with our
machine in a right way is to give it the First Conscious Shock, or the shock of Self-
Remembering.

That is why aim must connect with Self-Remembering. To try to carry out aim without any state
of Self-Remembering accompanying it is to try to do from the wrong place, from the machine
itself.
I once emphasized to you that the Driver must climb up on to the boxthat is, he must be on a
higher level before he can control the horse and carriage. Remember yourself and then remember
your aim.

Ouspensky said more definitely about Sly Man's pill that it was different kinds of Self-
Remembering. He said: "You must find it out for yourselves gradually. It has to do with
different influences, one kind for one person, one kind for another person, and so different
for each person. At different hours of the day it is different for each person."

This means that we must learn to remember ourselves in different ways. It is one and the same
thing only in the sense that it means that you separate from and cease to identify with something
that is getting hold of you. Only in that respect it is always the same. It is always the same
because it is a lifting of oneself above the level of ordinary 'I's, above the stream of thoughts,
pre-occupations and moods, but the direction that it takes will be different.

Self-Remembering always means a fuller state of consciousness, but you do not get a fuller state
of consciousness by always looking at things in the same way, because that will either miss the
mark or lead to mechanicalness. If one always looks through an eastern window, one will not see
the sun all day. If you are in a bad state you remember yourself in one way, and when in a good
state you have to remember yourself in another way and it is often more difficult. But in every
case you do not give full belief to your state but to something you could be and indeed once were
something you have forgotten. In the act of Self-Remembering you distinguish yourself from
the person you have become in life. And you distinguish yourself from your present thought and
mood. Slowly it is given you to see that all this is not 'I'. Otherwise one simply remains one's
random foolish thoughts and useless statesa kaleidoscopeand this is being asleep in
mechanical states, in typical faults. Then we are at the mercy of every set of negative 'I's that
seek to destroy usand of these we have enough. Do you realize that everyone is being eaten all
the time by bad states, bad 'I's, by useless identification, and so feeds the Moon? In a state of
Self-Remembering this is impossible. The influences of the Moon do not penetrate to the 3rd
State of Consciousness. When we understand this we know we must fight to remember
ourselves. We simply must remember ourselves and stop considering. Struggle not to believe
your statesonly the state of Self-Remembering.

G. once said: "A man should be able to turn round in himself."

Now this means that he is stuck to nothing in himself. When we identify we stick to things and
so cannot get free and cannot turn round. It is true things matter. But non-identifying matters
most. Things both matter and do not matter. It is a double feeling. Things are serious and not
serious. People pestered Mr. O. to explain exactly what the pill of the Sly Man is. They were not
content with having to study it for themselves and with the hint that it was different forms of
Self-Remembering at different times. He answered: "If you would not identify with the idea of
slyness, then you might understand better what is meant."
He sometimes said: "A man may pass into a relative state of Self-Remembering without any
direct effort. All that he notices is that he is in an unusual state and that he is not identified
with anything. The whole of life and its cares is dropped away and yet he sees everything
very clearly."

Now when we practise Self-Remembering we can have what we want. We can have what we
want as long as we do not identify with it, because to identify is to cease to remember. "What
have I to do?" was the constant cry in the early years of this Work. And the answer was always
the same: "All you have to do is to remember yourself."

Now if you think that this is a giving up of yourself you are quite wrong. It is finding yourself
and losing what you took as yourselfall this mess one is. If we can get as far in this Work as to
know Self-Remembering and to realize when we are not remembering ourselves, we have gone
along way and reached a goal. For in this state of Self-Remembering, in the 3rd State of
Consciousness, influences can reach us which cannot reach us otherwisein fact, help can reach
us. We are taught internally. Once we know or witness this help as a personal experience we
understand the Work because its knowledge has led us to this point of perceiving truth. We see
what the Work means, without words, because it shews itself.

So I remind you again: "Try to remember yourself, do not merely think about it or discuss it, but
try to do it privately, intimately; and if you can as yet do nothing better, try to stop your thoughts,
try to separate from your inner state as it is at this moment and regard it as being of no
consequence and not you. This may open something, may lift something up to the level of the
3rd State of Consciousness. Something at a higher level will then recognize you, become aware
of you, as if you have stepped through a door."

Great Amwell House, September 21, 1946

FURTHER NOTE ON SELF-REMEMBERING

In a recent paper reference was made to the Sly Man in the 4th Way, who knows how to make a
pill and swallow it, instead of making all kinds of painful, prolonged efforts such as the Fakir or
Monk makes.

People can make all sorts of useless and unintelligent efforts to attain a higher level of Being, by
asceticism, by torturing their bodies, keeping vows of silence, starving themselves, denying
themselves all pleasure, elaborate rituals, repeating prayers mechanically, constantly doing
unpleasant or unreasonable things, and so on. All this is not intelligent.

The Sly Man sees what is wrong with him at the moment by self observation and acknowledges
itthat is, swallows itand thereafter remembers himself in connection with it. He works
personally on himself.
Making the pill is only possible through seeing oneself by direct self-observationthat is, by
personal work and formulating what one sees. In this way, one sees what effort is needed for
oneself at a particular time in order to keep awake. What is needed by one person at a given time
may be quite different from what is needed by another. For example, the Lord's Prayer can be
seen as the Prayer of "Sly Man". Notice it is said first that it is useless to pray by vain repetitions:
"In praying use not vain repetitions as the Gentiles do: for they think they shall be heard for their
much speaking." (Matt. VI 7.) What is meant is not directly saidnamely, that prayer must be
conscious and notmechanical. It must be conceived by the mind and its meaning seen internally
in relation to one's state of Being. Every word must be said consciously with full meaning. In this
prayer (which we gabble in Church uselessly) we ask for daily bread: "Give us this day our daily
bread." But in the Greek it does not mean daily but "what is needful." It also has the meaning of
"trans-substantial bread" or "what is beyond ourselves." Bread does not mean literal bread, but
"bread from heaven"that is, psychological bread, psychological insight, mental nourishment,
coming from a higher level, and so shewing us what is wrong and violent in our level of
ourselves.

To paraphrase the section: "Give us this day our daily bread" means "May we be given vision
and insight and new meaning to-day so that we know what to do and how to work on ourselves
to-day." So in one sense the pill is this "heavenly painful bread" that we have to swallow. It is
the same as the mannain the desert. It is just as if we prayed to be able directly and sincerely to
observe ourselves in the light of the Work and so through its mental illumination see what it is
necessary to work on, and what has to be not identified with, etc.and accept this flash of given
insight or lighttake it inwards and not argue about it or self-justify, but accept, acknowledge its
truth.

But most people argue about any true internal or external criticism of themselves and so do not
swallow itthat is, accept it, and see it as truth about themselves.

(pg 941 pdf) When we are shewn something about our state of Being, whether by inner
perception or by an outward suggestion or hint, we do not make a pill of itthat is, formulate it
nor swallow itthat is, accept itas truth. But if we did, this would lead to direct and
intelligent effort based on understanding. This is the way of Sly Manthat is, intelligent Man
and it is incommensurably superior to breathing exercises, ritual, starvings, torturings of the
body, following mechanical disciplines, and so on. The 4th Way is based on understanding. The
Work is the 4th Waythat is, it is not the Way of Fakir or the Way of Monk, or the Way of Yogi.
In this Work understanding is the most powerful thing you can develop. Therefore it is necessary
to begin to try to understand what this Work teaches and see for oneself why it teaches it.

What does that mean? It means in brief that you must understand for yourself why negative
emotions must go, understand why self-justifying must go, why lying and deceit must go, why
internal considering and grievances and making internal accounts must go. (Notice the Lord's
Prayer says: "Forgive us as we forgive others.") You must understand for yourself why egotistical
phantasies must go, why self-pity and sad regrets must go, why hating must go, why the state of
inner sleep must go, why ignorance must go, why buffers and attitudes and pictures of yourself
must go, why False Personality, with its two giants walking in front of you, Pride and Vanity,
must go, why ignorance of oneself must be replaced by real uncritical self-knowledge through
observation, why external considering is always necessary, and finally you must understand and
see why Self-Remembering is utterly and totally necessary for you at all times if you want to
awaken from the great sleep-inducing power of nature and the increasing mass hypnotism of
external life. All this is the Work and what it teachesnamely, what it is we have to do in order
to awaken from the state of sleep in which we live.

Now if you see by uncritical self-observation something, let us say, arising solely out of False
Personality, out of vanity and self-love, and so out of wrong self-memory, controlling you and
speaking out of you and directing all your emotions and thoughts and facial expressions and
movements, and if you see it clearly and formulate itthen you make a pill. Yes, but can you
roll it between your fingers? Is it so clear, so definite, so objective yet? No, but it can become so,
as understanding of what the Work is about becomes stronger and as you become more
responsible for it. You have then to swallow the pill--accept itthat is, see it is something in you
and that you are wholly to blame because you have been identifying and saying 'I' to this thing in
you up to now, which has been probably making you miserable and everyone connected with you
even more miserable. I will not say that the swallowing of the pill is easy.

Now a person has no power of right self-observation save through the force of the Work. So in
the case of a person who is secretly insincere in attitude to the Work you always find a curious
inability to self-observe. Such have no light to see themselves. There can be no question of
making a pill or of swallowing it in such cases. Considerwhat has been so often said. You cannot
understand the Work unless you feel itthat is, value it. To understand in the Work-sense
requires to begin with the co-operation of two centresthe Intellectual Centre and the
Emotional Centre.

Great Amwell House, February 8, 1947

A NOTE ON SELF-JUSTIFYING

One of the many definite things we are told by this Work to observe in ourselves, and
specifically to work against, is self-justifying.

What does self-justifying mean? It means always putting yourself in the right. To justify one's
action, for example, is to vindicate oneself, to shew to others that whatever one did, it was
reasonable, right, proper and just.

When you justify yourself, you start from the picture of yourself as always good, honourable,
just, upright. To justify oneself is to exonerate oneself, to explain to people how one was not to
blame, how one was misunderstood, how one acted from the best motives, and so on.

If you have begun to observe self-justifying, you will realize what a prodigious quantity of
psychic energy is used every moment by the human race in this useless activity. The man or
woman can never be wrong. People feel themselves always right, whatever they do or say.
Nothing penetrates them. Nothing can rouse them from the deep sleep in which they prefer to
exist.

This becomes a serious matter, however, if a person wishes to awaken.

Now it is useless to speak of self-justifying to people unless they have tried to observe it in
themselves. Suppose a person is suddenly asked why he is so negative? Probably he will either
indignantly deny that he is negative or say that he has good reason to be. In both cases, he
justifies himselfthat is, he justifies his negative emotions.

You can justify yourself by denial, or by finding an excuse such as blaming others. But the root
of the matter lies in this picture of always being right and so never being actually in the wrong.
Here a very powerful force is at work to keep us asleep in illusions about ourselves. As a
consequence, we are then never at peace internally. On the contrary,we are at warwith
ourselves. For there is that in us that knows we are in the wrong and that in us that refuses to
admit it.

Here the two Giants, Pride and Vanity, come in, but it seems to me that it is chiefly Pride. But
that is a matter for personal observation. Vanity may make pictures of oneself and Pride defend
them. But whatever the case is, the fact remains that some very powerful force lies behind the act
of self-justifying and that this force does not give us any inner stability and so no inner peace.

A man or woman may, say, not sleep all night simply because of something they will not admit
and accept, and instead they justify themselves. Yet one real act of uncritical, sincere self-
observation, one search through their inner rooms for the missing piece of silverthat is, the
missing truthwill clear everything up. The tension relaxes. A real act of self-observation has
been made. Something not admitted and so not properly conscious has been allowed to become
fully conscious. All inner strain and tightness suddenly vanishes. Why? Because instead of the
crowding voices of self-justifyingand here it is oneself justifying oneself to oneself
observation, acknowledgement and 999 acceptance have been carried out.

In other words, an act of real work has been done. The pill has been swallowed.

Let me talk once more of this pill that Sly Man makes and swallows in the 4th Way.

Sly Man does not sit on his haunches for years with his arms outstretched. He does not starve for
weeks or deep-breathe for days. He observes himself and sees what he has to do with himself
now to change his machineryhis present Being. He is cleverlike the wise virgins in the
parable. (In the Greek the word translated as "wise" means "clever".) He works on what it is
immediately necessary to acknowledge and accept in himself without Pride or Vanity. So he is
sly, clever, intelligent. He makes a pill and swallows it.
Now if he always justifies himself, how can he make this pill and swallow it? The Sly Man does
not strive to keep up with himself as he imagines he is. He notices distinctly that he lies, for
example. He observes it over a period and does not seek to disguise it to himself, to justify
himself. He notices it, sees it, acknowledges it, accepts it, and so swallows this particular pill.
Then he must digest it. It tastes bitter in the mouth. But once digested it becomes sweet.

When we justify ourselves nothing comes home to us. We keep, as it were, a half of ourselves
from entering consciousness. We live on oneside. This is due to those extraordinarily difficult
things to observe called in the Work buffers. The more buffers, the more self-justifying. But
once the other side of a buffer is observed, acknowledged andaccepted, the buffer can never re-
form itself. We lose a particular idea of ourselves. We gain a broadening of consciousness.
Thereby we reach a higher level of Being. This seems paradoxical. It seems paradoxical to say
that if you will accept what you disapprove of you reach a higher level.

People imagine that by increasing their sense of self-merit and virtue, they get higher. On the
contrary, they descend. This is worth thinking about.

The Work is also called 'The Way of the Sly Man'. Why 'sly'? because of the faster and more
effective application of a conscious action than is done by other methods of self development.
This 'fast' thing, this fast work effort that the sly man can do, is called in Work
terminology, 'taking the pill'.

Essentially, taking the pill is a instantaneous, snap 'self remembering'. An immediate , non-
formula act of remembering oneself.