PETER BROOK PAYNG A ROE N E

n LIe IeurL oI GurdjIeII s LeucIIngs Is one word 'IdenLIIIcuLIon.' denLIIIcuLIon Is

someLIIng very puInIuI Ior us Lo recognIze. denLIIIcuLIon meuns LIuL uL LIIs momenL,
sILLIng Iere, LuIkIng Lo you, um LoLuIIy convInced LIuL LIe person speukIng Is my reuI
seII. TIIs Is noL Lrue. um 'gIued.' GIued Lo LIe purL um pIuyIng uL LIIs momenL.
beIIeve LoLuIIy In LIe words LIuL um suyIng becuuse um gIued Lo LIem. or me, LIey
ure my words. beIIeve LIuL LIIs person sILLIng Iere Is un ubsoIuLe reuIILy. um LoLuIIy
IdenLIIIed wILI LIIs Imuge oI 'me.'
eL's compure LIIs wILI LIe sILuuLIon oI un ucLor. An ucLor pIuys u purL. I Ie or sIe Is
reuIIy good, uII oI us wuLcIIng beIIeve LIuL every IIber oI LIuL ImugInury person LIuL we
ure wuLcIIng Is 'LIe cIurucLer.' AcLors, In un exLruordInury mysLerIous wuy udupL LIeIr
nuLuruI body Lo LIe body oI LIe cIurucLer LIey ure pIuyIng. WILI u bud ucLor, we see wIuL
Ie or sIe Is LryIng Lo sIow, we see LIeIr exuggeruLIons, LIeIr cIumsIness. TIe cIurucLer
cunnoL emerge convIncIngIy becuuse LIe ucLor Is noL Iree.
cunnoL gIve you u beLLer exumpIe oI wIuL bud ucLIng Is LIun II Lry Lo preLend LIuL um
LIe mun wIo Is sILLIng besIde me. WuLcI my umuLeur uLLempLs! L's noL convIncIng, noL
reuI. Iook uL LIIs person. Iuve u cIeur Imuge oI IIm In my mInd. Lry Lo udjusL my
body Lo LIIs ImpressIon, buL cunnoL. um unprepured, undeveIoped. 'm gIued Lo
unoLIer Imuge, myseII. um noL Iree. TIe ucLor musL be In LoucI uL eucI momenL wILI
every sIngIe muscIe, wILI IIs LIougIL und IeeIIng, so LIuL IL Is possIbIe Ior LIe enLIre body
Lo become u wIoIe. OnIy LIen wIII LIe purL-In boLI senses oI LIe word-become
compIeLeIy beIIevubIe.
So we come Lo someLIIng LIuL Is uImosL ImpossIbIe Lo uccepL us u concepL. An ucLor
reuIIy ucLIng IIs purL Is boLI so cIose Lo IIs roIe LIuL Ie Is compIeLeIy wILIIn IL und yeL
dIsLunL: InvoIved und noL InvoIved uL LIe sume LIme. SomewIere In LIe orgunIsm LIere Is
spuce. And Irom LIIs Iree spuce oI Ireedom come LIe ImpuIses LIuL brIng LIe cIurucLer Lo
IIIe. WIen we wuLcI u gIove puppeL we see IL IIve, Ior on LIe InsIde, InsepurubIe yeL
sepuruLe, Is u guIdIng Iund. WILIIn LIIs purudox Is Ireedom Irom IdenLIIIcuLIon. TIe
ucLor knows wIuL Is goIng Lo Iuppen, Ie pIuys u purL In u pIuy wIIcI Is uIreudy wrILLen
und Ie cunnoL cIunge IL. L Is LIe cIurucLer, noL LIe ucLor wIo suys wILI ubsoIuLe beIIeI '
Iove you, we'II be LogeLIer Iorever,' knowIng IuII weII LIuL In LIe nexL scene LIere Is u
LerrIbIe quurreI, und In LIe LIIrd scene Ie Is kIIIIng LIe person Lo wIom Ie suId ' wIII
Iove you Ior LIe resL oI my IIIe.' TIIs meuns-IoIIow LIIs very cureIuIIy-noL onIy do LIe
ucLors Iuve Lo enLer wILI everyLIIng LIuL LIey possess InLo LIe uppurenL sIncerILy oI LIe
momenL, buL LIey know LIuL, even II In LIeIr IeurL LIey ure IongIng Ior LIe pIuy Lo
cIunge, LIIs Is ImpossIbIe. NoLIIng cun cIunge. An ucLor pIuyIng OedIpus Ius Lo muke
OedIpus's bIIndness und LIe opLImIsm oI LIe cIurucLer so reuI LIuL even LIe uudIence
wIIIe knowIng LIe end oI LIe sLory, Is brougIL Lo beIIeve LIuL LIIs LIme, someIow, LIe
Lrugedy wIII be uvoIded. As u Iumun beIng, LIe ucLor Iongs Lo cIunge LIe course oI LIe
pIuy. Every IIber In IIm wIsIes Ior LIere Lo be u wuy ouL. BuL yeL LIe ucLor knows LIuL Ie
Ius Lo go on pIuyIng IIs roIe rIgIL Lo LIe end. And uguIn Lomorrow. And uguIn LIe nexL
duy.
GurdjIeII uses LIe ucLor us u meLupIor Lo IeIp us Lo see wIuL u IuIIy deveIoped mun couId
be. TIIs cun eusIIy be mIsundersLood. BeIng un ucLor In IIIe, pIuyIng u roIe In IIIe, muy
seem Lo meun preLendIng Lo be someLIIng dIIIerenL Irom wIuL one reuIIy Is. TIIs Is
ubsurd. AL eucI purLIcuIur momenL, everyLIIng Is us IL Is: IL cunnoL be dIIIerenL. TIe wIsI
Lo cIunge LIe presenL Is u projecLIon InLo LIe IuLure, wIIcI bIocks enLIreIy our cupucILy
Lo IIve IuIIy LIe momenL ILseII, In IucL Lo IIve our IIves. However, II one Is IIke un ucLor-
LIe dIIIerence Is essenLIuI-one Is noL gIued Lo LIe ucLIon, IL unIoIds In Ireedom. n IIIe,
Ieur some LerrIbIe noIse ouLsIde. run Lo LIe wIndow Lo see wIuL IL Is. run compIeLeIy
ubsorbed by LIe sudden movemenL und LIe rusI oI IeeIIngs. s IL possIbIe Lo do LIe sume
LIIng IIke un ucLor? TIuL meuns LIuL LIe person wIo Is sILLIng quIeLIy und IeurIng u cry
Irom ouLsIde runs Lo LIe wIndow wILIouL beIng u compIeLe sIuve Lo reucLIons. n EngIIsI,
Lwo words IeIp Lo muke LIIs cIeur: 'ucL' und 'reucL.' AII LIe LIme, uII our IIves, we ure
reucLIng. Luke LIIs gIuss. TIIs Is noL u decIsIon. L's reucLIng, becuuse LIe boLLIe Ius
remInded me LIuL, u momenL ugo, suId "WouId you IIke some wuLer?" And my
neIgIbour udded "We'II boLI drInk uL LIe sume momenL!" TIuL LIougIL wus un
uuLomuLIc reucLIon. GIuss, LIougIL, Ideu Iud uIreudy become IIxed In me, mukIng LIree
reucLIons. Now LIe gIuss Is In my Iund und Iuve LIe ImpressIon LIuL um my own
musLer. n IucL, um reucLIng Lo IeuL, reucLIng Lo LIIrsL und In LIe wuy oIIer LIe gIuss
um reucLIng Lo my purenLs LeucIIng me good munners, so cunnoL IeIp beIng
condILIoned by u memory LIuL comes Irom sevenLy yeurs ugo. AII our IIves ure reucLIon,
reucLIon, reucLIon. To be ubIe Lo ucL Is u very greuL uIm. L Is LIe sLurL oI u Iong
upprenLIcesIIp. L Is Work.
So wIen GurdjIeII used LIe Imuge oI un ucLor IL wus noL Ior LIe purpose oI mukIng beLLer
LIeuLre. TIe LIeuLre Is jusL u very useIuI IIeId oI InvesLIguLIon. GurdjIeII cuIIed IL u
'reIIecLor oI reuIILy.' And In LIe reIIecLor we cun see cerLuIn processes wIIcI cun IeIp us,
us sLruggIIng Iumun beIngs, Lo undersLund someLIIng more. TIe ImmedIuLe quesLIon Is
oI Inner spuce. OnIy In LIIs spuce cun u Iree cenLruI uxIs exIsL. WIuL cun muke LIIs
possIbIe? um LempLed Lo beIIeve In my wIII-power. BuL decIdIng ' wunL Lo muke u Iree
spuce' InsIde myseII Is noL enougI. Try Ior yourseII. L won'L work. SomeLIIng new Ius Lo
come InLo LIe Iumun orgunIsm-u IIner energy. TIIs Is needed, IL Is essenLIuI Ior IL Lo
enLer LIe IIeId oI oLIer energIes und begIn Lo IurmonIze und buIunce LIeIr IuncLIonIng.
cunnoL suy uny more ubouL LIuL. ExpIunuLIons ure useIess. nner work Is prucLIcuI. L
opens greuL IIvIng quesLIons. TIIs Is LIe sLurLIng poInL oI u seurcI LIuL no one cun
uccompIIsI uIone.
Tcll iten ct the Grotousli Centre Wroclcu, Polcnd zoo(, cnd reproduced here uith
the cuthor's lind permission.

PAU E. ANDERSON OUR TAKS ON " T ME"
TIese LuIks Iuve been Luken Irom Lupe recordIngs oI meeLIngs Ied by PuuI und NuomI
Anderson und were deIIvered Lo u specIIIc uudIence-IndIvIduuIs Immersed In LIe
reudIng, conLempIuLIon, und uppIIcuLIon oI LIe Ideus conLuIned wILIIn BeeIzebub's TuIes
Lo HIs Grundson. TIe IoIIowIng LuIks on "TIme " reIer dIrecLIy Lo LIe LexL conLuIned In
CIupLer 16, "TIe ReIuLIve UndersLundIng oI TIme." |G..R. Ed.|
nLroducLIon
By RusseII HuII
L Is, oI course, ImpossIbIe Lo convey In wrILLen Iorm LIe experIence oI dIrecL
presenLuLIon, uL LIe proper momenL, by u LeucIer. NeverLIeIess, Iere un uLLempL Ius
been mude Lo preserve LIe sLyIIsLIc IIuvor oI Mr. Anderson's LuIks. He Iud u greuL gIIL Ior
communIcuLIon, buL In LIIs Ie dIIIered greuLIy Irom LIe superIIcIuI or IormuLory sLyIes
wIIcI we Iuve been LuugIL Lo ussocIuLe wILI "cIurILy." He Iud ucIIeved LIuL IeveI wIere
speecI becomes LIe brIdge oI presence Irom beIng Lo beIng. HIs LuIks InvurIubIy sunk
deepIy InLo LIe psycIe oI LIe IIsLener, Lo be revILuIIzed IuLer-perIups muny yeurs IuLer-
wILI u sLunnIng ImpucL.
A NoLe on TIme
Conwuy, Muy 1o,1q;
TIme, LIe 'MercIIess Heropuss,' Is meLed ouL Ior us uII. And IL Is so doIed ouL LIuL we
Iuve onIy IImILed umounLs. YeL we ucL us II LIIs were noL so... Our uLLILude ubouL TIme
does noL reIIecL uny oI ILs reuI meunIng und reuI poInL... TIme Is u very ImporLunL LIIng
Ior us Lo undersLund In LIIs Work, und especIuIIy LIe Ideu LIuL IL Is doIed ouL; und LIuL IL
Is connecLed wILI LIe Iuw oI 'TrogouuLoegocruL' und wILI LIe operuLIon oI LIe unIverse us
we conceIve IL Irom our sLundpoInL. AIso, sInce TIme Is meLed ouL Lo us, und sInce LIere
Is u IImIL Lo IL, und sInce we ure In LIe Work, we musL never, never mIss LIe opporLunILy
oI LukIng udvunLuge oI wIuL Is beIore us uL uny momenL ... becuuse IL muy never come
buck uguIn In LIuL wuy, und you muy never Iuve LIe opporLunILy Lo experIence IL, und,
once IuvIng IosL IL, you wIII noL be ubIe Lo geL IL buck.
WIuL um ? WIuL ure we? We cun suy LIuL uII oI our IIIe Is TIme, und LIuL LIe presenL
momenL oI our IIIe Is In LIe AIIness oI our IIIe-u poInL In LIe mugnILude oI our greuLer
exIsLence. We ure our IIIe. A mun Is IIs IIIe, und IIs IIIe Is TIme. And II IIs IIIe Is TIme,
LIen u mun musL muke use oI every momenL so LIuL Ie muy enIurge LIe presenL momenL
Lo cover LIe wIoIe oI IIs IIIe, und In IIs IIIe Ie musL mIss no opporLunILy. How cun Ie
become LIe musLer oI TIme II Ie does noL Iuve LIIs reuIIzuLIon?
TIme: u Very PowerIuI TecInIque In LIe Work
Conwuy, Muy 1,1q;
WIen we cun brIng u sensuLIon oI urgency InLo our Work, "pussIng LIme" begIns Lo
dIsuppeur, becuuse LIIs "pussIng LIme" In ILseII Is one oI our mujor IunLusIes. WILIIn us
LIere cun LIen urIse un uwureness oI Nowness und LIe ImporLunce oI perIormIng eIIorLs
now. TIe urIsIng oI sucI un uwureness meuns LIuL LIere Is no Ionger uny wonderIng
ubouL wIuL Lo do nexL, wIuL Lo suy, Iow Lo excuse oneseII, und, In LIe mIdsL oI ucLIvILy, Lo
be uIreudy IookIng uIeud Lo someLIIng noL yeL done or even vIsuuIIzed. PerIups LIIs muy
IeIp brIng LIe Inner cognILIon LIuL LIIs kInd oI perIormunce, or LIe Iuck oI IL, Is un
exumpIe oI wIuL Is known, wIen consIderIng TIme, us LIe condILIon oI uIwuys becomIng,
never geLLIng Lo wIere you ure goIng-u becomIng wIere noLIIng ever Is, wIere noLIIng
Is ucIIeved, und LIere Is never uny concIusIon. TIIs Is pussIng LIme, wIIcI Is dreum LIme.
NoLIIng cun ever be In pussIng LIme. L Is LIe LIme oI mecIunIcuI und sIeepIng mun.
One cun recognIze LIuL LIere Is sucI u LIIng us Nowness-someLIIng LIuL IIes ouLsIde oI,
or ubove, or wIIcI Is "verLIcuI" Lo wIuL we cuII "pussIng LIme" (LIuL Is, In reIuLIon Lo LIe
LIme LIuL Is uIwuys our dreum sLuLe, buL never reuIILy, becuuse IL Is on LIe IeveI oI
sIeepIng mun). Now Is. As we Iuve suId, Now Is verLIcuI Lo ordInury LIme, buL noL even In
uny wuy IIke IL. TIus, II we speuk oI LIe PresenL MomenL, we musL recognIze LIuL IL Is noL
LIe so-cuIIed momenL oI pussIng LIme, buL LIe Now oI someLIIng ImmeusurubIy greuLer
LIun uny pussIng momenL couId ever be becuuse pussIng momenL Is In ImugInuLIon. n
GurdjIeII s cIupLer on "TIe ReIuLIve UndersLundIng oI TIme" {BeeIzebub's TuIes) Ie
reIers Lo LIe Lwo kInds oI prIncIpIes oI beIng duruLIon, 'ooIusnILumnIun' und 'LokIunos.'
L Is ImporLunL Lo undersLund LIe dIIIerence beLween LIese Lwo kInds oI duruLIon Ior
Iumun beIngs on LIe pIuneL EurLI. And one sIouId noLe uIso LIe subLIe poInL GurdjIeII
brIngs In regurdIng LIeIr dIIIerenL IuncLIonIngs or dIIIerenL ImpucLs on LIe cosmIc
InLercIunge oI subsLunces. n LIIs connecLIon ... muy we noL now poInL ouL LIuL, InsLeud
oI beIng wIere noLIIng ever Is, or ever Iuppens, LIe Work cun creuLe new possIbIIILIes
Ior us II we muke Lrue eIIorLs, und II we cun be presenL In LIe Now. Now conLuIns uII LIe
LIme Ior us. Now does noL meun 'LokIunos,' buL IL meuns 'ooIusnILumnIun' Ior LIose
wIo cun muke exLru eIIorLs persIsLenLIy. Hence we Iuve u meuns Ior dIscrImInuLIng, und
uIso Ior muInLuInIng un uIm Lo sLrIve Ior IIgIer conscIousness, or Ior Lrue seII
conscIousness. TIIs sIouId uIso IndIcuLe Lo you: LIuL IL Is noL LIe decIsIons oI mun on LIe
IeveI oI 'LokIunos' (or wIo IIves by LIIs prIncIpIe) LIuL counL Iere In LIIs Work ... uL uny
LIme or pIuce ... noL In LIe Lusks, nor In LIe perIormunce oI LIe MovemenLs, nor In LIe
sLruggIe Lo Ieurn Iow Lo be ubIe Lo cIunge LIe IeveI oI one's beIng. SucI decIsIons, LIe
decIsIons oI sIeepIng mun, ure mude Irom IIIe In LIme-even LIougI LIey muy be
decIsIons LIuL you consIder Lo be LIe rIgIL LIIngs Lo do, und ubouL Iow Lo perIorm ucLs In
LIe rIgIL wuys-buL LIey ure uIwuys bused on LIe 'dIseuse oI Lomorrow' ... LIuL Is, LIey ure
oI "pussIng LIme." DecIsIons und eIIorLs und ucLIvILIes on LIIs IeveI ure never reuI; LIey
ure noL Irom LIe Work. OnIy LIe Now counLs Iere.
L Is LIe Now LIuL Is concerned wILI LIe LrusLIng oI LIe Work, wILI mukIng LIe eIIorLs
requIred Lo seII-remember, wILI beIng ubove und sLundIng ubove LIe pussIng momenL,
und In sucI eIIorLs LIuL brIng ubouL LIInkIng und IeeIIng und ucLIng In new wuys. Hence
LIey ure uIso ouLsIde LIe mecIunIcuI ussocIuLIons wIIcI exIsL on our pussIve IeveIs oI
neguLIvILy, crysLuIIIzed uLLILudes, IuzIness, und sIeep.
You ure conIronLed Iere wILI un Immense cIuIIenge, wILI un Immense LecInIque wIIcI,
wIen undersLood, meuns LIuL you cun no Ionger go buck Lo your oId wuys, or jusLIIy
LIem In uny wuy; nor cun you conducL your reIuLIonsIIps und ucLIvILIes In LIe oId wuy
becuuse LIey ure meunIngIess. You musL IInd new wuys bused on decIsIons mude Irom
unoLIer purL oI you, und Irom unoLIer purL oI LIe Work. Work vuIues Iuve noLIIng Lo do
wILI LIe IeveI oI pussIng LIme; und you mIx LIem uL your perII.
GurdjIeII cuuLIons you uguInsL soIIIng LIe purILy oI your ImpressIons. TIus we Iuve Lo
sLruggIe uguInsL pussIng LIme und uII ILs ImugInuLIons und IunLusIes, becuuse, Irom TIme
vIewed In LIe Work wuy, we cun never uIIord Lo IeeI guIILy or Lo IeeI seII pILy, or LIuL IL Is
Loo IuLe-uII LIuL nonsense goes wILI 'LokIunos' und LIe 'KundubuIIer.' L meuns, LIougI,
LIuL we cun sLund ouLsIde our ordInury noLIons oI TIme, und LIuL we cun cIunge our
reIuLIon Lo LIe ordInury IeveI oI TIme In order Lo ucIIeve LIe necessury undersLundIng-
und IurLIer, LIuL we cun In LIIs wuy dIscover muny new und presenLIy dormunL
possIbIIILIes Ior IIvIng und workIng. And so, uIso, we cun begIn Lo deveIop Irom LIIs
LIeme u LusLe Ior wIuL Is genuIne und wIuL Is Lo be dIsLInguIsIed Irom wIuL Is noL
genuIne. Our Lrue IIIe now Is noL In Lomorrow. Never. L cun onIy be dIscovered by beIng
uwuke, by mukIng super-eIIorLs, und by 'beIng-purLkdoIg-duLy,' und by prucLIcIng
sIncereIy on wIuLever IeveI we ure ... buL LIuL Is your decIsIon und noL ours.
TIme & DuruLIon
Conwuy, June ;,1q;
One oI LIe very greuLesL "secreLs" oI LIIs Work Is connecLed wILI our experIences wILI
TIme und wILI ILs duruLIons. n LIe cIupLer by GurdjIeII on "TIe ReIuLIve UndersLundIng
oI TIme" BeeIzebub, uILer mukIng compurIsons beLween Iumun beIngs und beIngs In u
drop oI wuLer, und beLween Iumun beIngs on LIe pIuneL EurLI und LIose dweIIIng on LIe
pIuneL KuruLus, LeIIs HusseIn LIuL LIere ure Lwo prIncIpIes oI duruLIon und beIng-
exIsLence uppIIcubIe Lo LIe pIuneL EurLI becuuse oI ILs very sLrunge deveIopmenL ... und
LIere ure currenLs IncIuded oI wIuL Iuppened wIen LIey Iud Lo esLubIIsI LIe orgun
KundubuIIer. TIe uuLIor menLIons LIese occurrences uILer Ie compures LIe IIIe oI u
beIng on EurLI wILI LIuL oI HusseIn, wIo Is Irom KuruLus, und LIen LeIIs IIm LIuL Iumun
duruLIon Is us noLIIng or "uImosL noLIIng" Irom un objecLIve poInL oI vIew... TukIng InLo
uccounL, us BeeIzebub does, LIe muny und vurIed cuuses oI our subjecLIve IIow oI LIme,
LIuL Is oI wIuL we cuII "pussIng LIme" or "momenL Lo momenL LIme" or "pusL Lo IuLure
LIme," we cun never IorgeL LIuL LIe muIn ground Ior uII LIe suId resuILs, und wIuL brIngs
us Lo LIe subjecL LIuL we ure now dIscussIng, conLInues Lo be "LIe ubnormuI condILIons oI
exLernuI ordInury beIng-exIsLence esLubIIsIed by LIem LIemseIves"-LIuL Is, by us
ourseIves.
wIsI Lo puuse Ior u momenL Lo poInL ouL LIuL GurdjIeII, uL LIIs purLIcuIur purL oI IIs
book, und beIore Ie begIns Lo dIscuss worId Iuws und worId creuLIon und uII LIe greuL
quesLIons, Iere Lukes LIme Lo deuI wILI TIme, LIe subjecL oI TIme, becuuse LIIs Is u very
ImporLunL LopIc, und IL does conLuIn muny very greuL eIemenLs oI LIe Work-und even
conLuIns u very greuL secreL wIIcI Is very ImporLunL Ior you Lo progress In LIIs Work.
TIIs Is LIe cIuIIenge LIuL Ie uLLers wIen Ie LuIks ubouL LIe suId resuILs. TIIs Is u dIrecL
cIuIIenge, und IL Is uIso LIe urenu In wIIcI uII LIe ucLIon LIuL concerns us does Luke
pIuce, LIe ucLIon concernIng ourseIves.
TIus, II we exumIne our posILIon now In IIgIL oI LIe Work, IL Is uppurenL LIuL LIe process
oI LIe dImInuLIon oI our exIsLence or, oLIerwIse, LIe speedIng-up oI LIe IIowIng oI our
LIme so LIuL IILLIe, II unyLIIng, remuIns In LIe memory oI pusL evenLs, even ImmedIuLe
pusL evenLs, uII oI LIIs Is un ussocIuLIon LIuL Is In IIux. TIIs Is u IIux In wIIcI LIIngs go up
und down, some ure cIeur, some ure durk, buL never Is LIe wIoIe known, or remembered
by ordInury memory. n LIIs IIux our cenLers exIuusL LIemseIves und perIsI uwuy, und
LIey do IL In purLs, by LIIrds us IL were, someLImes even by Iess, unLII In LIe end LIere Is
noLIIng buL u smuII momenLum remuInIng ... wIIcI uIso dImInIsIes uILer IIs deuLI, wILI
LIe IusL dyIng oI IIs ussocIuLIons. TIIs dyIng uwuy In pIeces or purLs Is un exumpIe oI
wIuL Is meunL by LIe speedIng-up oI "pussIng LIme." TIe more we ure In neguLIve sLuLes,
LIe more IL speeds up; becuuse we cunnoL experIence u momenL, buL ure uIwuys goIng
Irom pusL Lo IuLure ... und we know noL LIe presenL, und so conLInuuIIy upproucI neurer
und neurer Lo noLIIngness us LIe IInuI ussocIuLIons begIn Lo cuLcI up wILI us LIere.
WIuL BeeIzebub Is LryIng Lo LeII us Is no ubsLrucLIon, nor Is LIIs un Ideu wIIcI we cun LuIk
ubouL, or cIuL ubouL, or wIseucre ubouL, IL Is someLIIng very reuI, und IL Is reuIIzubIe Ior
eucI one oI us, II you ure In LIe Work. And, Indeed, mosL oI you Iere Iuve been LIrougI
some Iorm oI LIIs reuIIzuLIon, especIuIIy II you Iuve LrIed Lo be presenL Lo yourseII, or Lo
seII-remember, or II you Iuve LrIed Lo sLudy your mecIunIcuIILy und Iound ouL Iow our
one cenLeredness Is reuIIy u sLuLe oI IuIIucInuLIon. TIIs Is LIuL duruLIon known us
'LokIunos' In GurdjIeIIs LermInoIogy. L Is LIe duruLIon oI exIsLence LypIcuI oI one-
bruIned und Lwo- bruIned beIngs, noL oI LIree-cenLered ones ... und IL Ius been
esLubIIsIed becuuse GreuL NuLure Iud Lo muke compromIses In order Lo keep LIe wIoIe
process oI energy excIunge, und oI Iumun IIIe on LIe pIuneL EurLI, conLInuIng. or
LIree- bruIned beIngs someLIIng uddILIonuI Is demunded, und LIIs uIso comes InLo
GurdjIeIIs IIrsL dIscussIon ubouL TIme.
Once, In speukIng ubouL LIe one-sIded "deveIopmenL" oI mun, GurdjIeII spoke oI LIe
cenLers us "mucIInes." TIe mun In wIom onIy one or Lwo mucIInes IuncLIon cunnoL be
cuIIed u mun, or consIdered us sucI. TIIs "mun" cun be consIdered us u quurLer, or u
LIIrd, or us u dImInIsIIng proporLIon oI wIuL wouId be u mun-und, In GurdjIeIIs words,
sucI "men" ure worLIIess. Now IL Is cIeur LIuL uL LIIs poInL we begIn Lo reuIIze LIuL we ure
no Ionger deuIIng wILI ubsLrucLIon, or speukIng ubouL TIme In order Lo muke pIeusunL
conversuLIon ... und, uIso, LIuL GurdjIeII Is noL doIng LIIs. TIe process oI LIe devoIuLIon
or InversIon oI beIng Is one In wIIcI LIe cenLers ure IILLIe, II ever, uLIIIzed-und, Ience,
wILIouL spIrILuuIIzuLIon. L Is u process oI cenLers dyIng und dImInIsIIng In TIme becuuse
LIey ure noL beIng used, und LIereIore LIere Is noLIIng LIere LIuL you cun cuII vILuI or
meunIngIuI ubouL LIem.
So sLop now. TIInk, reIIecL, IeeI, und Lry Lo experIence LIuL LIe LIeme reIerrIng Lo TIme
Is, Ior you, someLIIng LIuL cun Ieud Lo u very prucLIcuI reuIIzuLIon, very ImporLunL Ior uII
LIose wIo ure In LIe Work und ure serIous ubouL our posILIon, or sLuLes, und ubouL LIe
uIms und meunIng oI our exIsLence ... LIuL purLIcuIur "someLIIng" LIuL Is demunded Irom
us II we ure goIng Lo be LIree-cenLered beIngs. or LIose wIo ure on LIe puLI oI LIe
ourLI Wuy, wIIcI Is LIe puLI oI LIe InLeIIIgenL mun, we musL exumIne ourseIves IIrsL Lo
undersLund LIIs purLIcuIur kInd oI experIence ubouL TIme, ubouL LIe pusL, und LIe IuLure,
und LIe now, us weII us ubouL uII reuIILy wIIcI Is encompussed In LIIs kInd oI
consIderuLIon. So now we Iuve no IIIusIons ubouL ourseIves und our responses ubouL
TIme, pussIng LIme, und Ideus IIke recurrence und eLernILy, und so on, becuuse ubouL
LIese we Iuve onIy IuInL, und very sLrunge, und oILen dIsLorLed Ideus. TIese wIII come In
wIen we undersLund someLIIng oI LIe duruLIon LIuL GurdjIeII cuIIs "ooIusnILumnIun"
duruLIon, LIe second prIncIpIe oI duruLIon LIuL we menLIoned eurIIer.

AguIn, we musL uIso undersLund LIuL we speuk now oI InLernuI experIences, oI LIe
InLerIor IIIe LIuL we Iuve, noL LIe ouLsIde or exLernuI evenLs LIuL we cuII IIIe, or LIme, or
meunIng. We Iuve Lo Ieurn now Iow Lo move InLo LIme LIuL Is Iur dIIIerenL Irom LIe LIme
LIuL we Iuve experIenced In our IIves us yeL, LIuL LIme wIIcI moved Irom pusL Lo IuLure,
LIme wIIcI Is never Iere now, und wIIcI Is uII IIIusory ... prucLIcuIIy, or muInIy In u
dreumIIke memory sLuLe. 'ooIusnILumnIun' duruLIon Is LIuL proper Lo LIe exIsLence oI uII
LIree-bruIned beIngs urIsIng on uny oI LIe pIuneLs oI our greuL unIverse, us GurdjIeII
suys, und Ie goes on Lo LeII us LIuL LIere Is u IundumenLuI uIm und sense oI LIe exIsLence
oI LIese beIngs ... LIuL LIere musL proceed LIrougI LIem u LrunsIormuLIon oI cosmIc
subsLunces ... LIe 'common-cosmIc LrogouuLoegocruLIc-process.' TIIs Is noL LIe cuse Ior
LIose wIo ure In 'LokIunos' duruLIon.
urLIer, wIen KundubuIIer wus removed Irom LIe beIngs on LIe EurLI LIey, IIke uII
oLIers In LIe greuL unIverse, becume obIIged Lo exIsL unLII LIere Is couLed In LIem LIuL
wIIcI Is cuIIed by us LIe 'body Kesdjun' ... LIus LIere Is InLroduced Iere u very greuL
poInL, u dIvIsIon beLween normuI und ubnormuI mun. TIe Iormer IIves under LIe
'ooIusnILumnIun' prIncIpIe, LIe IuLLer under LIe prIncIpIe oI 'LokIunos.' or us, LIIs
meuns LIuL progress In LIe Work Is Lo be judged by our movemenL Irom LIe ubnormuI Lo
LIe normuI. And LIe reuson or cIIeI cuuse Ior LIe exIsLence oI LIese Lwo prIncIpIes Is LIuL
LIere goes on In LIe presences oI some beIngs LIe resuIL oI LIe process oI 'purLkdoIg-
duLy' ... wIIIe In oLIers no sucI process goes on, buL ruLIer one oI non-eIIorL mukIng.
or LIe IIrsL LIere Is un Increuse oI duruLIon, Ior LIe IuLLer u dImInuLIon oI duruLIon. n
LIe IIrsL LIere wus u reuIIzuLIon oI wIuL IL meunL Lo be u LIree-bruIned beIng ... und, In
LIe IuLLer, no reuIIzuLIon ... buL onIy unconscIousness und dwIndIIng non-meunIng.
urLIer, becuuse LIere wus no reuIIzuLIon oI LIe processes oI GreuL NuLure, or oI LIe
ImporLunce oI LIose processes Lo LIe unIverse on LIe purL oI LIe IuLLer, 'LokIunos'
duruLIon peopIe, ... NuLure Iud Lo muke udjusLmenLs In LIe duruLIon und, us wus
menLIoned, Lo do so wILIouL uIIowunce Ior conscIous purLIcIpuLIon on LIe purL oI LIose
peopIe, ... Ience, no conscIousness In LIe process by wIIcI LIey were Iorced Lo gIve LIeIr
sIure or LIeIr supporL Lo LIe IocuI necessILy oI LIe 'LrogouuLoegocruLIc' processes...
or LIose wIo ure In 'ooIusnILumnIun' duruLIon, or IIvIng by LIuL prIncIpIe, LIey Iuve un
obIIguLIon und u IuncLIon In LIe unIverse, u very ImporLunL one, und IL cunnoL be sImpIy
Ignored becuuse Lo do so meuns LIuL we ure IookIng uL TIme In LIe wrong wuy, und do
noL reuIIze LIuL IL Ius un ImperuLIve necessILy Ior us Lo undersLund IL. Hence, LIere Is u
need Ior conscIous men In LIe unIverse...
BuL beIore uII LIIs we musL come IIrsL Lo undersLund LIuL LIere Is u dIIIerence beLween
IILeruI menLuLIon und menLuLIon by meuns oI uIIegorIcuI LIInkIng, or uIIegorIcuI
menLuLIon. To conLInue In LIIs Work, und Lo deveIop u IeeIIng Ior undersLundIng TIme,
Ior LIe reuI experIencIng oI TIme-wIIcI, Ior mosL oI us, Is someLIIng bureIy vIsIbIe on
LIe dIsLunL IorIzon-IL Is necessury Lo use LIe LecInIques IurnIsIed by LIIs Work In order
Lo reuIIze LIuL LIe cenLers In eucI mun ure uII wound up IIke wuLcI sprIngs, ... und, II
mun wIsIes Lo IIve Ionger, or Lo experIence LIme In new dImensIons, Ie musL IIrsL sLudy
Iow noL Lo IeL IIs cenLers "run uwuy"-or, us GurdjIeII puLs IL, "noL Lo gIve oneseII up Lo
LIose oI one's ussocIuLIons resuILIng Irom LIe IuncLIonIng oI onIy one or unoLIer oI one's
bruIns." TIIs Is u IundumenLuI dIrecLIve, u ruIe, u reuson, u wuy Lo guIde one's IIIe. BuL Lo
do LIIs, you musL muke eIIorL. TIese eIIorLs musL be mude In order Lo ucIIeve u
IurmonIous ussocIuLIon, und LIIs cun onIy meun LIuL LIere musL be u reguIuLor Lo govern
uII LIe cenLers so LIuL LIey do noL run oII In uII dIrecLIons, so LIuL LIey cun become
IurmonIous or mude Lo IurmonIze.
TIus, II you wIsI Lo undersLund TIme In uII ILs wonderIuI und reuIIy unbeIIevubIy greuL
dImensIons or vIsLus, ... II you wIsI Lo move ouL oI IIowIng LIme, und Lo be ubIe Lo
experIence LIe Now, LIe eLernuI Now, LIe ever renewIng und creuLIng Now, ... you musL
Ieurn Lo conIronL yourseII, Lo prucLIce Iow Lo work on yourseII, und Iow Lo observe so us
Lo deveIop u possIbIIILy oI IuvIng un ucLIve reguIuLor wIIcI cun onIy come LIrougI LIese
LecInIques und LIrougI LIe sLudy oI your cenLers, knowIng Iow LIey beIuve und
IuncLIon uL uny gIven LIme, und LIe prIncIpuI ureus wIere LIere Is Iurmony umong your
cenLers, ... und one's very reuI purpose Ior beIng u LIree-cenLered beIng In LIIs unIverse.
WIen LIIs mucI Ius been ucIIeved, or uL IeusL wIen we Iuve LrIed Lo ucIIeve IL, we muy
LIen sLudy or reuIIze TIme us u reIuLIonsIIp wIIcI mun Ius wILI uII LIe ucLIvILy, uII LIe
uIms und purposes, uII LIe Iuws und operuLIons In LIIs unIverse.
You cun, II you work on yourseII dIIIgenLIy, reIenLIessIy, mercIIessIy-us GurdjIeII wouId
suy-conscIousIy urrIve uL LIuL pIuce wIere TIme Is no Ionger wIuL we Iuve Luken IL Lo
be, or wIuL we LIInk IL Lo be, buL Ius become someLIIng beyond LIe ordInury IeveI, und
someLIIng In LIe nuLure oI un eLernuI buL ever cIungIng Now, ... IIvIng und eLernuIIy
creuLIve.
eurnIng Lo Ive In LIe Now
Conwuy, June 1q,1q;
TIIs LIeme reIuLes Lo LIe greuLer subjecL oI LIe meunIng oI TIme Ior mun on LIe pIuneL
EurLI. TIere ure seven uspecLs Lo every LIeme connecLed wILI LIIs Work, und uII oI LIese
uspecLs ure InLerconnecLed und ure In LIemseIves purLs oI oLIer ocLuves wIIcI ure uIso
sevenIoId In puLLern. Hence, "IeurnIng Lo IIve In LIe Now," ubouL wIIcI we Iope Lo suy
someLIIng LIIs evenIng, brIngs InLo vIew us weII LIe LIeme oI "LIe nuLure oI TIme Ior
normuI mun"-LIuL Is, TIme Ior mun wIo Is In LIIs Work und LryIng Lo cIunge Irom
ubnormuI Lo normuI.
Every "Now" musL be u IuIIy deIIned LIree-dImensIonuI experIence. TIIs sLuLemenL muy
seem IIke jusL u IoL oI words, buL IL Is someLIIng LIuL one Ius Lo prove by experIence und
by "LusLe." So, ... IIsLen cureIuIIy. One musL be IuIIy uwure LIuL Now Is noL u IIne or u doL
In u IIne oI TIme, buL IL Is un uII compreIensIve experIence wIIcI cIunges every uspecL oI
your IIIe In some creuLIve munner II you ure In IL. WIuL Is meunL by LIree dImensIons oI
TIme? IrsL, ordInury "IIowIng" LIme or "pussIng" LIme Is usuuIIy druwn us u sLruIgIL IIne
wILI un urrow poInLIng Lo LIe rIgIL, und u begInnIng Irom LIe IeIL uL bIrLI und on LIe
rIgIL, deuLI. YeL, us we uII know In LIIs Work, LIere Is more Lo TIme LIun u IIne oI doLs
Irom pusL InLo IuLure, becuuse uL every InsLunL InnumerubIe oLIers ure uIso uIIecLed-noL
onIy LIose In one's IumIIy, buL uIso one's IrIends, neIgIbors, counLry, conLInenL, pIuneL,
und so on. BuL LIe cIIeI LIIng Lo remember Is: umong us IL wIII be LIe Group. Hence we
musL recognIze LIuL InsLeud oI sImpIy u IIne oI TIme, LIere Is u pIune-u surIuce oI TIme
wIIcI Is u kInd oI sImuILuneILy oI experIences IuppenIng Lo muny peopIe uL LIe sume
InsLunL. And Irom LIIs sLundpoInL we cun suy LIuL LIe peopIe comprIsIng LIe wIoIe
popuIuLIon oI LIe pIuneL EurLI ure uIso experIencIng TIme In LIuL wuy even LIougI LIey
ure unconscIous or noL conscIous oI wIuL Is goIng on, und LIereIore do noL reuIIze IL.
So, uIreudy LIe noLIon oI Now Ius un udded dImensIon Ior us-Irom u IIne IL Ius become
u surIuce ureu InvoIvIng uII oLIer Iumun beIngs on LIe pIuneL. BuL LIIs Is noL uII. L musL
be quILe obvIous Lo you In LIe Work LIuL LIere Is u dIrecLIon perpendIcuIur Lo LIme-LIuL
Is, LIere ure severuI IeveIs, or sImuILuneous IeveIs or surIuces, so LIuL TIme, wIen vIewed
Irom LIIs poInL oI vIew, Is more IIke u cube or u soIId oI LIree dImensIons. TIe dIrecLIon
oI TIme perpendIcuIur Lo LIe IIne oI LIme LIuL we usuuIIy druw Is cuIIed ELernILy. We
Iuve Ieurd oI ELernILy, und LIIs Is wIuL IL meuns In LIe LemporuI sense. ELernILy Is
generuIIy consIdered Lo be LIe TIme-cube or "voIume oI TIme." n LIIs voIume we musL
uIso see LIuL LIere Is u spIruI wIIcI muy go upwurd or downwurd; very mucI us In LIe
Ruy oI CreuLIon wIere LIere Is u movemenL downwurds, LIen upwurds, In LIe IIow oI
energIes und densILIes oI vIbruLIons, so LIere Is movemenL In u sImIIur sense In LIe cube
oI TIme. And LIIs vIew oI TIme Lukes InLo uccounL Ideus IIke LIuL oI ELernuI Recurrence,
us weII us vurIous oLIer LIeorIes oI LIe sume kInd, IncIudIng ReIncurnuLIon und so on.
WIuL Is ImporLunL Lo us In LIIs Work, und In LIIs Group, Is LIe reuIIzuLIon LIuL LIere Is u
movemenL upwurds Irom ubsoIuLe noLIIng Lo LIe AII-EmbrucIng AbsoIuLe, or God. TIus
vurIous subjecLIvILIes, eucI oI wIIcI Is IdeuIIy unIqueIy subjecLIve Ior eucI beIng on eucI
IeveI, exIsL-so LIuL GurdjIeIIs sLuLemenL LIuL TIme Is LIe "deuIIy UnIque SubjecLIve" Ius
u very wIde uppIIcuLIon. Now, ... LIIs Ius meunIng Lo you In LIe Work oI u very
IIIumInuLIng brIIIIunce II you consIder LIuL eucI movemenL upwurds requIres LIuL
someone be LIere Lo Luke your pIuce beIore you cun move upwurds. WIo Is goIng Lo Luke
your pIuce In LIIs Work II you move upwurds or wIen you ure reudy Lo move upwurds In
LIe Work? TIere Is u kInd oI IIerurcIy wIIcI you musL recognIze Iere, even II you don'L
wunL Lo see IL, und even II IL does noL seem obvIous Lo you: u cundIduLe becomes u pupII;
LIe pupII InLroduces oLIer cundIduLes; LIe pupII becomes un InsLrucLor; LIe InsLrucLor,
perIups, becomes u LeucIer. TIus LIere Is recreuLed umongsL us, on our IeveI, u modeI oI
reuIILy und un experIence oI LIe voIume oI TIme wIIcI Is uIIve: IL Is IIvIng TIme; und IL Is
TIme wILI meunIng; und IL Is creuLIve TIme becuuse IL cun cIunge everyLIIng.
Progress In evoIuLIon proceeds by un ocLuve, und LIen, Loo, LIere ure InLervuIs In LIe
semILones wIere ouLsIde ussIsLunce muy be necessury, und wIere InLervuI uccumuIuLed
resonunce muy be ucquIred In order Lo puss upwurd InLo unoLIer ocLuve. So, II you
consIder LIIs unuIogy or, perIups beLLer, LIIs uIIegory, IL muy become cIeur Lo you wIuL
"IeurnIng Lo IIve In LIe Now" cun meun Lo us In LIIs Work, und uIso Iow IL reIuLes you Lo
TIme In u wuy LIuL oIIers you u very powerIuI und wonderIuI possIbIIILy or serIes oI
possIbIIILIes. CerLuInIy IL gIves you u very wonderIuI LecInIque.
AL uny gIven InsLunL LIere ure uvuIIubIe muny poLenLIuIILIes or possIbIIILIes Lo uny
IndIvIduuI mun, und LIe more you reuIIze LIese possIbIIILIes, LIe greuLer your experIence
oI TIme und ILs duruLIon Is. To be ubIe Lo undersLund LIIs Irom LIe Work IeveI, und Lo
uppIy IL, you Iuve Lo muke muny specIuI eIIorLs. IrsL, you musL Ieurn noL Lo go wILI one-
cenLeredness In uny sILuuLIon; more, you Iuve Lo Ieurn Lo sLrIve uguInsL InerLIu, uguInsL
Iorces puIIIng you downwurd us Lo neguLIvILy, IuzIness, egoIsm, IuIse personuIILy, dreum
sLuLes, und uIso our reIusuI Lo see reuIILy und Iuce up Lo IL, und Lo seII-conIronL, und so
on. And Ior LIIs purpose LIe musLery oI LIe Work Is necessury.
TIe begInnIng oI uILI In LIe Work Is u very vILuI LIIng. L Is bused on musLery, und Is
dIrecLed Lowurds greuLer conscIousness. Every sIngIe evenL, or uny purL oI LIe Now,
wIereIn you conIronL yourseII In LIe Work und wILI ILs supporL, Is enIurgIng LIuL
Nowness by IeIpIng Lo Increuse your poLenLIuIILy, und uIso, sImuILuneousIy, IL Is ruIsIng
LIe IeveI oI your BeIng. TIIs meuns LIuL, II you IIve conscIousIy In LIe Now, you ure
begInnIng Lo uILer LIe puLLerns LIuL you cuII "LIe pusL," und LIereby becomIng even ubIe
Lo cIunge your own IuLure. TIIs does noL meun LIuL you cun do; IL meuns LIuL you Iuve
LIese possIbIIILIes II you ure In LIe Work, und II you begIn Lo enIurge LIe scope oI your
"coveruge" uccordIngIy.
ncIdenLuIIy, uII oI LIIs brIngs ubouL u reuIIzuLIon LIuL, II "TIme Is breuLI," us GurdjIeII
once suId, LIen, LIe wIder one's reuIIzuLIon oI LIe poLenLIuI, LIe correspondIngIy greuLer
ure LIe IIeId oI possIbIIILIes LIuL ure uvuIIubIe Lo one, und LIereIore LIIe greuLer LIIe
duruLIon or rune wILI'cII Is uvuIIubIe IuI u Iumun wIo conLInues Lo deveIop
conscIousness. So ubove uII, we cun see LIuL Work on LIIs IeveI wIII Ieud Lo LIe mosL,
sIuII we suy, creuLIve undersLundIng oI LIe reIuLIon oI TIme Lo you, oI TIme us IL Is In LIIs
Work, und oI TIme us oIIerIng u dIIIerenL vIew oI LIe ReuIILy In wIIcI we ure uII
Immersed. UILImuLeIy you mIgIL suy LIuL LIIs Work enIurges LIe PresenL MomenL unLII
evenLuuIIy IL cun embruce LIe wIoIe oI LIe Iumun ucLIvILIes LIuL Luke pIuce on LIe pIuneL
EurLI. or LIIs LIere wus once gIven u specIuI exercIse, und IL cun be gIven uguIn.

DR MCHE CONGE THE ROE O EMOT ON
MA BY KEN SAS
"ReuI IeeIIng Is ImpersonuI. L comes Irom very IIgI In LIe scuIe und IL connecLs
everyLIIng LogeLIer. " (p.zq6, JoIn PenLIund, "ExcIunges WILIIn")
Our ordInury IeeIIngs, LIougILs, und sensuLIons ure noL reuI. ReuI ImpressIons, LIuL we
Iud In cIIIdIood, ure bIocked by our educuLIon und udupLuLIon Lo ordInury IIIe.
Ouspensky Is noL udvocuLIng our ordInury emoLIonuIILy, wIIcI Is embIemuLIc oI our
egoIsm or sIeep.
A pupII oI GurdjIeII wrILes,"...IL Is necessury Lo wILIdruw Irom LIe body LIuL wIIcI does
noL nuLuruIIy beIong Lo IL - u cerLuIn InILIuLIve energy - wIIcI, wIen IL bIends unnuLuruIIy
wILI LIe ImpuIses oI LIe body becomes wIuL Is cuIIed pussIon or emoLIon. TIIs pussIon
becomes rooLed In Iumun nuLure LIrougI LIe sysLem oI egoIsm. EgoIsm Is LIe
sysLemuLIc uIIIrmuLIon oI emoLIonuI reucLIon. TIIs sysLem Is IueIed by LIe energy oI
uLLenLIon. TIereIore us Iong us u mun Ius no conLroI over IIs uLLenLIon IIs possIbIIILIes
remuIn ImprIsoned In LIe ego no muLLer wIuL IdeuIs Ie espouses und no muLLer wIuL
eIIorLs Ie expends."
"TIe cenLer oI gruvILy Is neILIer In LIe Ieud nor In LIe emoLIons. L Is In LIuL pIuce wIere
recognIze u IeeIIng oI beIng LIuL uIIows me Lo seurcI. TIIs Is u pIuce wIere become
InLeresLed In begInnIng LIe work oI undersLundIng my sILuuLIon und everyLIIng LIuL Is
wILIIn my cupucILy. OLIerwIse, wIII be IosL, IoIIowIng LIe gume oI emoLIons und
IuncLIons. I LIe musLer Is ubsenL, LIe IuncLIons Luke over....
...WIen u sensuLIon or u IeeIIng uppeurs, IL Is ImporLunL Lo remuIn sLIII, us moLIonIess, us
possIbIe. TIIs wuy, oLIer purLs oI myseII, my oLIer cenLers, cun Ieurn ubouL wIuL Is
LukIng pIuce, und more LIun one cenLer cun purLIcIpuLe. OLIerwIse, one cenLer suys ','
LIe oLIer cenLers suy noLIIng or resIsL, und um IosL...
...We ure ubIe Lo recognIze Lwo Lypes oI emoLIon, LIose LIuL Luke uwuy und Ieud Lo
noLIIng objecLIve, und LIose LIuL sIow me u possIbIIILy, predIsposIng me In u cerLuIn
wuy Lo seurcI."

Dr. MIcIeI Conge


RENE DAUMA - REEDOM W THOUT HOPE
OnIy one LIIng muLLers, suys LIe mun wIo Ius urrIved uL u cerLuIn poInL, und LIuL Is-
Inner peuce. He LIInks Ie wIII geL IL by some LensIon oI IIs wIII LIuL reIuses Lo purLIcIpuLe
In Iumun IIIe. BuL noLIIng cun come Lo enrIcI LIe souI In sucI un exIIe; IL wIII onIy IuII
buck upon ILseII; In ILs ubsLrucL prIson, IL Is sepuruLed us Iur Irom Ieuven us Irom eurLI.
Heuvy boredom und dryness, wILI LIeIr processIons oI LempLuLIons, wIII muke IL IeeI ILs
ImmobIIILy und ILs sIeep.
One evenIng, u mun Ieuns ouL oI IIs wIndow und Iooks uL LIe counLrysIde. PuIe, creepIng
LIIngs, mIsLs or specLres, rIse ouL oI LIe LIIIed IIeIds und sIILIer Lowurd LIe Iouses; u cuL
ImILuLes LIe deuLI cry oI u cIIId beIng sLrungIed, und dogs In LIe moonIIgIL on LIe
sLeppe. TIe mun uL IIs wIndow IeeIs u suvuge unImuI desIre growIng monsLrousIy In
IImseII, Lo go ouL Loo, und Lo IowI und dunce In LIe moonIIgIL, Lo run sIIverIng under
LIe Icy IIgIL und Lo creep up Lo LIe Iouses und spy on LIe sIumber oI LIe peopIe und
perIups curry oII u sIeepIng cIIId. An unImuI, u woII, comes Lo IIIe In IIm und, IuIIy
grown, sweIIs In IIs LIrouL und IIs IeurL. He Is goIng Lo IowI! No! He Is sLrong! WILI un
ubrupL movemenL, Ie sprIngs buckwurd, cIoses LIe wIndow, und LrIes Lo convInce
IImseII LIuL Ie wus onIy dreumIng. However, someLIIng LIgILens In LIe pIL oI IIs
sLomucI us IL used Lo Iong ugo In IIs cIIIdIood, wIen Ie LIougIL ubouL deuLI. He Is
uIruId. BuL LIuL Is unworLIy oI IIm; Isn'L Ie proLecLed uguInsL LIuL? He LrIes Lo suy,
"WIuL do cure?" BuL uII LIe sume Ie doubLs. He goes Lo bed; buL II Ie LrIes Lo resIsL IIs
ugony, Ie wIII noL be ubIe Lo sIeep. ILLIe by IILLIe, Ie Ioses conIIdence In IImseII; Ie gIves
In Lo IIs sIeepIness und uL once LIe demons muke LIeIr wuy In; Ie wIII Iuve Ior
bedIeIIows u Ieprous succubus wILIouL u nose, u Irog-mun LIuL smeIIs oIIIsI, und u
dIsgusLIng Ieud swoIIen wILI vIoIeL bIood percIed on u duck's IeeL. TIe worId Ie scorned
Lukes ILs revenge on IIs LIgILened LIrouL, on IIs unsLeudy, quuverIng IeurL und on IIs
sLomucI wIere monsLers ure dIggIng In LIeIr cIuws. n LIe mornIng Ie IInds IIs IuILI In
IImseII sIuken.
TempLuLIons oI suIIerIng, Ieur or boredom wIIcI summon IIs souI eILIer Lo surmounL
LIem or IeL ILseII be crusIed, Iuppy Is Ie wIo receIves LIese In sucI u wuy LIuL Ie
recognIzes IIs mIsLuke. AbsLrucL soIuLIons soIve noLIIng; mun cun onIy be suved us u
compIeLe wIoIe; undersLundIng uIone Is cupubIe oI dIvIdIng IIm up InLo body und spIrIL,
Ior undersLundIng knows, und sepuruLes meLIodIcuIIy Lo provIde un objecL Ior ILseII. An
ubsLrucL soIuLIon Is oI no use In socIeLy eILIer; LIe sume mecIunIsm oI repressIon
operuLes LIere. We see nuLIons LIuL uppeur Lo be weII-poIIced, buL In wIIcI, uII LIe sume,
LIere Is onIy u repressIon oI InsLIncL, wIIcI under LIe vIoIenL consLruInLs oI u rIgId poIIce
sysLem, Iuve LroubIe In munIIesLIng, buL IInd Iree pIuy umong LIose wIo cun mosL IreeIy
escupe consLruInL, Ior exumpIe, umong poIIce ugenLs. TIese men become LIe
InsLrumenLs oI LIe bruLIsI crueILy wIIcI Is uroused; In LIe poIIce sLuLIons, LIese
deIenders oI order LIe up un urresLed mun wILI rope pubIIcIy under wIuLever preLexL,
crusIIng IIs eyes, LeurIng oII IIs eurs wILI IIsL bIows or grIIIIng LIe soIes oI IIs IeeL, unLII
Ie udmILs wIuL LIey wunL IIm Lo udmIL. SucI sIgns poInL Lo LIe IucL LIuL our socIeLy does
noL know Iow Lo conLroI LIe pussIons wIIcI deveIop In ILs mIdsL, und LIIs Is cerLuInIy
becuuse IL wIsIes Lo resoIve LIe probIem oI jusLIce by uppIyIng Lo Iumun reIuLIons
soIuLIons proposed Irom Iur uwuy by cerLuIn experLs. L Is u wurnIng Lo socIeLy LIuL IL Is uL
LIe mercy oI LIe IeusL weukness; IL wIII Indeed be u Iuppy LIIng II socIeLy cun recognIze
LIese sIgns. JusL LIe sume Ior LIe IndIvIduuI; uILer LIese reveIuLIons Ie musL IInd LIe
IuILI LIuL Ie Iud LIougIL Ie Iud.
AL LIe rooL oI LIIs IuugILy dIsduIn oI LIe worId wus un Immense prIde. Mun wIsIes Lo
uIIIrm IIs beIng us upurL Irom uII IumunILy, und Ie cIuIns IImseII up In LIIs wuy, noL
onIy by LIe prIde wIIcI congeuIs IIs spIrIL InLo u unIque uIIIrmuLIon oI seII, buL uIso by
LIe power oI LIe worId wIIcI Ie wunLed Lo scorn. TIe onIy IIberuLIon Is Lo gIve oI IImseII
compIeLeIy In eucI ucLIon, InsLeud oI preLendIng Lo uccepL Lo be u mun. AIIow LIe body Lo
gIIde umong oLIer bodIes uccordIng Lo LIe puLI wIIcI Is desLIned Ior IL, IeL mun move
umong men IoIIowIng LIe Iuws oI IIs nuLure. TIe body musL be gIven Lo nuLure, LIe
pussIons und LIe desIres Lo LIe unImuI, LIe LIougILs und LIe IeeIIngs Lo LIe mun.
TIrougI LIIs gIvIng, everyLIIng LIuL mukes up LIe Iorm oI un IndIvIduuI Is gIven buck Lo
LIe unILy oI exIsLence; und LIe souI, wIIcI ceuseIessIy surpusses uII Iorm und Is onIy u
souI uL LIIs prIce, Is gIven buck Lo LIe unILy oI LIe dIvIne essence by LIe sume sImpIe ucL
oI ubneguLIon. TIIs unILy, wIIcI Is redIscovered under Lwo uspecLs und In u sIngIe ucL
wIIcI brIngs LIem LogeLIer, Is wIuL cuII God, God In LIree persons.
TIe essence oI renuncIuLIon Is Lo uccepL uII wIIIe denyIng uII. NoLIIng wIIcI Ius uny
Iorm Is me; buL LIe cIoIces mude by my IndIvIduuIILy ure LIrown buck InLo LIe worId.
AILer LIe revoIL wIIcI seeks Ireedom In LIe possIbIe cIoIce beLween severuI ucLIons, mun
musL gIve up wunLIng Lo do someLIIng In LIe worId. reedom is not jree uill but
liberction, IL Is LIe denIuI oI IndIvIduuI uuLonomy. TIe souI reIuses Lo IusIIon ILseII In
LIe Imuge oI LIe body, LIe desIres, LIe reusonIngs; ucLIons become nuLuruI pIenomenu
und mun ucLs IIke IIgILnIng sLrIkes. n LIe Iorm In wIIcI dIscover myseII, musL reud: J
cm not thct. TIrougI LIIs denIuI LIrow uII Iorm buck InLo creuLed nuLure, und muke IL
uppeur us objecL; wIsI Lo Ieuve uII LIuL wIIcI Lends Lo IImIL me, body, LemperumenL,
desIres, beIIeIs, memorIes, In LIe surroundIng worId, und uL LIe sume LIme Lo LIe pusL,
becuuse LIIs ucL oI neguLIon Is LIe creuLor oI conscIousness und oI LIe presenL, u unIque
und eLernuI ucL oI LIe presenL momenL. ConscIousness Is perpeLuuI suIcIde. Even II IL Is
known In duruLIon, neverLIeIess IL Is onIy oj the present moment, LIuL Is Lo suy, u sImpIe,
ImmedIuLe ucL ouLsIde oI LIme.
Spuce Is LIe Iorm common Lo uII objecLs; un objecL Is LIuL wIIcI Is noL me; spcce is the
uniterscl tomb, not the imce oj m jreedom. WIen LIe IorIzon Is no Ionger LIe
IIeeLIng Imuge oI Ireedom, buL Ius become noLIIng more LIun u IIne In IronL oI LIe eyes,
und wIen mun IeeIs IImseII Ied by LIe Iunds oI spuce, Ie wIII begIn Lo know wIuL IL
meuns Lo be Iree. TIere Is no pIuce umong bodIes Ior Ireedom. L Is wIen mun sLops
IookIng Ior Ireedom LIuL Ie IIberuLes IImseII. True uccepLunce Is LIuL oI someone wIo In
u sIngIe ucL gIves IImseII Lo God, body und souI.
BuL Lo speuk oI uccepLunce Is noL some mugIc wIIcI enubIes one suddenIy Lo IInd peuce
und IuppIness; very oILen, peopIe wIo beIIeve LIey Iuve uLLuIned Inner cuIm ure noL
resIgned buL IeebIe. TIey repeuL IIke IdIoLIc cIurms LIe Iew ruIes oI conducL LIey Iuve
been LuugIL, und IIve LIus In ubjecL LrunquIIILy. TIey uccepL everyLIIng, buL deny
noLIIng, und by LIIs consenL wunL Lo IIve noLIIng more LIun LIIs IIIe, decoruLed wILI
unreucIubIe Iopes wIIcI LILIIIuLe LIeIr IuzIness. AccepLunce cun onIy be LIe voIunLury
ubundonIng oI u possIbIe revoIL. TIe resIgned person musL be reudy uL eucI InsLunL Lo
revoIL; II noL, peuce wIII become IIxed In IIs IIIe und Ie wIII IuII usIeep by uguIn begInnIng
Lo consenL Lo everyLIIng. TIe ucL oI renuncIuLIon Is noL done once und Ior uII buL Is u
perpeLuuI sucrIIIce oI revoIL.
TIuL Is wIy IL's dungerous Lo preucI IumIIILy Lo IeebIe souIs; IL Lukes LIem sLIII IurLIer
Irom LIemseIves. An IndIvIduuI, congeuIed und Lurned buck on IImseII, cun noL be
conscIous oI IIs IoL excepL In revoIL. L Is LIe sume Ior u socIeLy. JusL us LIe IndIvIduuI
sIuLs IImseII In order Lo sIeep IIke u cowurd beIInd rumpurLs oI Iopes und vows, so
socIeLy puLs IImILs Lo ILseII wILIIn LIe wuIIs oI InsLILuLIons; LIe IndIvIduuIIsL Iooks Ior
peuce by encIosIng IImseII wILIIn cIeur und soIId IImILs; LIe nuLIonuIIsL sLuLe uIso.
NeILIer LIe one nor LIe oLIer cun IInd LIe Lrue wuy, wIere IL cun udvunce IreeIy, excepL
In u revoIL wIIcI breuks LIese IImILs.
BoLI mun und socIeLy need Lo be on LIe verge oI bursLIng uL every momenL, renouncIng
IL uL every momenL und reIusIng uII LIe LIme Lo sLuy wILIIn u deIInILe Iorm. reedom Is Lo
gIve oneseII up Lo LIe necessILy oI nuLure, und LIe Lrue wIII Is onIy In un ucLIon wIIcI
ucLuuIIy Lukes pIuce. $uch cn ccceptcnce, the contrcr oj selj cbcsement, is pouer itselj,
Ior us soon us IL Is pIuced uguIn In LIe worId LIe body purLIcIpuLes wILI uII oI nuLure. TIe
nitcheto oI LIe RussIuns mukes LIe success oI MurxIsm In RussIu undersLundubIe. - "L
doesn'L muLLer," LIuL Is Lo suy: none oI wIuL Is LuggIng uL me Lo ucL Is me. And LIe eIIorL
oI wIII Is noL Lo wIsI Lo uccompIIsI un ucLIon, buL Lo IeL IL be done In conLInuous
deLucImenL. AccepLIng IIsLorIcuI muLerIuIIsm wus Ior LIe RussIun revoIuLIonurIes LIe
dIscovery oI Ireedom.
Mun musL puss LIrougI LIree sLuges beIore ucIIevIng renuncIuLIon; IIrsL, u cruss
uccepLunce oI uII LIe ruIes und uII LIe convenLIons wIIcI procure cuIm Ior IIm; LIen,
revoIL, wIuLever Iorm IL Lukes, LIe sLruggIe wILI socIeLy, wILI seII-pILy, wILI IIIgIL InLo
LIe deserL, scepLIcIsm; und, IInuIIy, un uccepLunce wIIcI never ceuses Lo keep In mInd
LIe consLunL possIbIIILy oI revoIL.
RenuncIuLIon Is LIe conLInuous desLrucLIon oI uII LIe sIeIIs In wIIcI un IndIvIduuI LrIes
Lo encIose IImseII; wIen exIuusLed by LIese Iubors LIuL ure Iurder LIun revoIL, u mun
IuIIs usIeep In eusy LrunquIIILy, LIe sIeII Iurdens und IL Lukes vIoIence Lo desLroy IL. To
rejecL wILIouL ceusIng uII LIe bIundIsImenLs oI Iopes, Lo breuk uII LIe IIxed creuLIons oI
opInIons, Lo sLruggIe consLunLIy wILI IIs desIres wILIouL ever beIng ussured oI vIcLory.
SucI Is LIe Iurd und cerLuIn roud Lowurds renuncIuLIon.
WIuL Is necessury Is LIuL men become so desperuLe LIuL LIey LIrow LIeIr IumunILy InLo
LIe vusL Lomb oI nuLure und so, In IeuvIng LIeIr Iumun beIng Lo ILs own Iuws, LIey go
beyond IL.


Beyond Beauty: an Interview with Paul Reynard

Material Ior Thought: In everyday liIe we Iind ourselves so bombarded with artistic imagery,
Irom the merely decorative to the intentionally oIIensive, that it's no wonder, I suppose, that
we are so rarely moved by it. We seem to have lost an understanding oI what art can bring to
our lives. As an artist who has worked and exhibited both in the United States and abroad,
and who is also in touch with young artists through teaching, how do you see the place oI art
in contemporary liIe?
Paul Reynard: This is a complex question, since the word "art" is used nowadays to denote a
myriad oI creative activities requiring varying degrees oI skill. To add to the conIusion, there
is a tremendous diIIerence in attitude between the Western world and other cultures or
traditions in which the notion oI art as we understand it today has no meaning at all. On the
other hand, this creative activity has taken place since the beginning oI humanity. It seems to
respond to a speciIically human need that Iinds its source in the Ieelings.
In a way, your question could as well be Iormulated as "What is the place oI love in our
society?"
The Iinal purpose oI a work oI art is not entertainment, but the transmission oI, or an opening
to, an inner mystery that the painter, the composer, or the sculptor Ieels compelled to explore
through his own craIt. Something is then expressed in a language without words that speaks
directly to your heart, and you Ieel yourselI "in question," as so many people have Ielt when
looking at the Lascaux paintings or the Mona Lisa.
MFT: You mentioned love. How do you see the relationship between love and art?
PR: One is contained within the other, you might say. When viewing a great work oI art, you
respond to the call oI a concealed, invisible vibration which is beyond the notion oI beauty.
You Ieel invited to share this vision, even to participate in a process where the center oI
gravity is in the Ieelings. It is very much like being in love.
MFT: When you say you Ieel yourselI "in question" in Iront oI the Mona Lisa, what do you
mean?
PR: It is not a question Ior the mind. It is a state. I am struck by what Andre Malraux had to
say. He deIined a work oI art as something that has "a present." The Mona Lisa was painted
centuries ago, and yet one recognizes that something is still present. In contemplating this
very old painting, you meet something that was present at the time it was painted and is still
present the moment you see it. What is behind it that Iinds an echo in me now? How can such
a piece oI art pass through centuries without losing its power?
MFT: Would you say that the great work oI art acts to change one's state?
PR: Sometimes, yes, iI I am sensitive enough, I may receive an impression oI a sort oI
timelessness.
MFT: Nature also gives us impressions oI beauty and timelessness. What is the diIIerence
between a leaI on a plant and a masterpiece oI art? Where does nature diIIer Irom art? Is the
artist a little version oI God, or is there something particularly human in art?
PR: The purpose oI art, I believe, is to reveal the existence oI a diIIerent level oI reality, a
reality that is beyond Iorm. At the same time it inevitably ends with a Iorm, be it a painting, a
poem, a song. Maybe it is this ability to perceive two diIIerent realities at the same time that
is speciIically human. Do you know the extraordinary painting by Mu Ch'i, a Chinese master
oI the thirteenth century, called "Six Persimmons"? It is just a still liIe, six persimmons, but
something else maniIests itselI through the perIection oI the craIt, and you are drawn beyond
any sense oI beauty or aesthetics. It is like a timeless meditation.
MFT: So would you say that the whole question oI beauty is a secondary one?
PR: We inherited the notion oI beauty as an end in itselI Irom the Greeks. The Iact that beauty
sometimes comes as a result does not imply that it is the purpose. In any case, "beauty"
remains a highly subjective notion.
MFT: II it is not beauty, then what do we need Irom art?
PR: Our modern civilization does not provide Iood Ior our Ieelings. Most Western education
is a striking example. The mind is developed, sometimes the body is taken into consideration,
but the Ieeling is almost never attended to. Feeling needs to develop as well. It may be that
the primary role oI art is to IulIill this need. Art is a way oI acquiring -- through Ieeling --
knowledge that is in relation to the inner meaning oI liIe. I've always remembered a certain
quote by Levi-Strauss, whom nobody would accuse oI being a mystic. In The Savage Mind,
he says, "Art lies halI-way between scientiIic knowledge and mythical thought. By his
craItsmanship the artist constructs a material object that is also an object oI knowledge."
MFT: How do you understand knowledge in art? I think that it is related to the idea oI
question you spoke about earlier. It is not the same kind oI question one Ieels when looking at
a leaI, Ior instance.
PR: No, because a leaI is complete in itselI. A work oI art is oI necessity incomplete. It is a
way oI learning. What may appear, ultimately, is a new understanding oI the artist about
himselI.
MFT: The Mona Lisa is not Iinished, then?
PR: Something was leIt open.
MFT: Is this unIinished aspect a very subjective experience Ior the artist, or is there a real
certainty behind this experience?
PR: There is something very real, which has to do with your engagement in the work; you
experience a Ieeling oI a very speciIic quality that gives meaning to what you do. But usually
this connection cannot be sustained Ior very long; unconsciously you are driven toward
resolution and completion. The thread is broken. You had better accept the result, incomplete
as it is, because what might be added would bring nothing new and might distort or even
destroy what has been reached beIore. You wish to express something and try to do so
through a medium -- oil, paint, canvas -- knowing that there is a limit to what the medium can
convey.
MFT: You say you wish to express something. Is there a sense, then, oI whom you are
painting Ior when you work?
PR: Not really. Painting is a kind oI necessity, acting as a mirror.
MFT: But oI course you do sell the paintings; you do oIIer them to the world. In some sense,
through your paintings, there is communication.
PR: One oI the big diIIerences between our culture and cultures oI the past is our Irenzy Ior
communication. Even the telephone is becoming obsolete. No more need to hear a voice. We
have Iax, e-mail, and the Internet. An extraordinary amount oI inIormation is communicated
through the world every second, but exchange has become very scarce. Art does not try to
communicate; it calls Ior communion.
MFT: Is all art, then, religious?
PR: Actually, a lot oI what is called "religious art" is nothing but propaganda. But the answer
to your quesiton is "yes," iI by religious you mean the evocation oI an Unknown.
MFT: Can the development oI art also be experienced as the development oI a relationship
between a deeper and a more external part oI myselI?
PR: Yes, any expression oI quality is the result oI this relationship between two opposite
worlds, between two levels oI reality. A direction is Iollowed. And, as the years go on, it
deepens or changes. It is in accordance with what one wishes to express that the technique
also changes. Even Irom one painting to another, something may need to be enlivened again.
The sensitivity is deepening, the Ieeling is becoming, so to say, more exact, and the technique
needs to correspond, to be reIined, attuned, in the same way a musical instrument needs to be
attuned in accord with what is going to be played. What remains recognizable Irom one piece
oI work to another represents what is essential in the artist; it is his signature, his own voice.
There is another aspect I would like to touch upon. When I see that the painting is not going
to go any Iurther, there is a split. What I did does not belong to me any more; it is no longer
my child. It becomes like a message sealed in a bottle thrown into the sea. Perhaps someday
someone will Iind it and will read the message. But Ior me it already belongs to the past. A
kind oI death has taken place which Irees me Irom identiIication with my own work.
MFT: At the moment is there a recognition oI the distinction between the subjective and the
less subjective?
PR: One recognizes the diIIerence between personal images oI individual Iantasy and the
trace leIt by an experience received Irom a diIIerent level oI reality. Our museums display the
Iull spectrum, Irom pieces hanging on the walls like corpses that were dead long beIore they
were signed, to small bits oI stone oI unknown origin which are nevertheless still charged
with energy even today, and able to reach us and to open our hearts. Even though we may not
understand their hidden content, we Ieel the invitiation to stand in Iront oI their mystery. It is
like another creation within the creation, revealing, in a way, our own immediacy and the real
signiIicance oI a true representation. ~

This interview Iirst appeared in issue 15 oI the publication Material For Thought. It is
reproduced here with the kind permission oI Far West Editions.


AN NTERVEW W TH W AM SEGA
In Light oI Meuning
n Intertieu uith Willicm $ecl
Dctid ppelbcum
TIere wus u quesLIon on my mInd wIen wenL Lo see WIIIIum SeguI: wIy Is IL LIuL
Iunguuge IeIps us Lo concenLruLe on ourseIves?
DuvId AppeIbuum: WIuL beckons you Lo sLudy Iumun speecI?
WIIIIum SeguI: or me LIere ure Lwo uspecLs wIIcI ure mosL InLeresLIng. TIe IIrsL Is LIe
power oI LIe word wIen IL Is bused on u specIuI und mysLerIous energy wIIcI InILIuIIy
guve rIse Lo LIe word. One suys someLIIng, und, dependIng on LIe energy beIInd IL, LIe
word or senLence urouses or IuIIs Lo evoke u correspondIng energy In LIe IIsLener. We uII
know LIuL LIe sume Ideu In LIe sume words expressed by dIIIerenL peopIe cun Iuve quILe
dIIIerenL ImpucL. SeurcIIng Ior LIe key Lo LIIs, IL seems LIuL LIe mosL ImporLunL
InIIuence beIInd Iunguuge Is InvIsIbIe, un InvIsIbIe energy. rom LIuL poInL oI vIew, u
word or u senLence, wIen spoken wILI uLLenLIon, Is cIurged wILI u specIuI energy.
Energy IoIIows uLLenLIon-wIere puL my uLLenLIon LIere IoIIows u IIow oI Iorce-und
wIere LIere's un Inner presence uccompunyIng wIuL Is expressed, power Is udded Lo
wIuLever Is spoken.
TIe oLIer uspecL wIIcI Is InLeresLIng Is LIe unIque Iumun cupucILy Lo poeLIze Iunguuge.
WIy does one combInuLIon oI words muke ImpucL, sLIr InLeresL or movemenL, wIIIe LIe
sume words In dIIIerenL combInuLIon IuII IIuL? PoeLry pIuys wILI words, mukes LIem
reverberuLe.
TIuL cupucILy Is wIuL InLeresLs me: wIen IeeI LIe IIIe oI Iunguuge und In IeeIIng LIuL,
IeeI my own IIIe uguIn. How does one come Lo LIIs cupucILy? s IL u gIIL, or Is IL u muLLer oI
prucLIce?
Some peopIe Iuve LIIs exLruordInury gIIL: LIeIr words und combInuLIons oI words Iuve
un eIIecL LIuL Is greuLer LIun LIe uveruge person's. Some ure ubIe Lo deveIop IL. CerLuInIy
IL musL be IIke uny oLIer urL or cruIL: prucLIce und sLudy und knowIedge brIng u
IeIgILened cupucILy Lo muke words sIng. OLIer peopIe come Lo LIuL pIuce wIere LIeIr
words rIng Lrue, Iuve reuI meunIng becuuse oI wIo LIey ure. L comes buck Lo wIuL suId
beIore-LIere musL be un Inner energy beIInd IL, un Inner emoLIonuI or InLeIIecLuuI
quuIILy. L Is Lrue, Loo, LIuL peopIe ure gIILed In dIIIerenL degrees In IIIumInuLIng
Iunguuge, jusL us LIey ure gIILed In dIIIerenL degrees In reIuLIon Lo puInLIng or curpenLry
or musIc.
SomeLImes IL seems LIuL Iunguuge, uImosL on ILs own, Ius LIIs power oI suddenIy
LIrowIng open LIe doors Lo u reuIILy LIuL's IIdden. s LIuL u IorgoLLen uspecL oI Iunguuge?
How wouId you undersLund LIuL?
TIere ure very Iew occusIons wIere we speuk Irom LIe reuIILy oI LIe momenL. I spoke
Irom LIIs momenL, LIere wouId be u concenLruLIon oI energy LIuL wouId muke LIe
momenL uIIve. EucI word wouId be underIIned und wouId convey someLIIng Lo you.
And, dependIng on my cupucILy Lo IeeI us weII us Lo brIng LIougIL Lo LIe words
LIemseIves, our communIcuLIng wouId Iuve exLru quuIILy. OI course, LIe order oI LIe
words, LIe rIgIL words uL LIe rIgIL LIme, ure weIgILIer LIun Iunguuge used In uny oId
wuy.
WIuL Is LIere In Iunguuge ILseII LIuL uIIows me Lo speuk or Lry Lo speuk Irom LIe reuIILy oI
LIIs momenL?
TIere ure momenLs wIen we wIsI Lo reIuLe Lo one unoLIer Irom LIe core oI our beIng.
JusL LuIkIng, jusL excIungIng commenLs Is noL enougI. SLIII, Iunguuge Is our Iumun
mode, LIe mujor mode oI expressIon. BuL Iunguuge Is u Lwo-edged sword-IL cun serve
reuIILy or IIde IL. Tuke words IIke puLrIoLIsm, Iove, duLy. . . cun ruIse my Iund und
convey someLIIng Lo you LIrougI u gesLure. Or cun suy "Aum," und LIuL sound muy
meun someLIIng Lo you. BuL Lo expIuIn or deveIop u senLImenL or u LIougIL, need
suILubIe und expressIve words, und LIe wuy one pIuces LIe words, LIe cIoIce oI words-
LIeIr noveILy or unexpecLedness-IeIp Lo cuLcI your InLeresL. Your InLeresL uroused,
you're u IILLIe more uwuke Lo wIuL's beIng suId. TIuL meuns LIere's more uLLenLIon beIng
puId on your purL us weII us mIne-more purLIcIpuLIon oI more purLs oI ourseIves-und us
InLeresL deveIops, Imuges In one's Ieud begIn Lo buIId IurLIer Imuges; uddILIonuI sources
oI energy deveIop. A conLInuuI energy creuLIon Is goIng on.
So LIere's someLIIng In Iunguuge LIuL, Ior InsLunce, now IeIps you und me reIuLe In LIIs
very subLIe kInd oI connecLIon. IeeI In some wuys LIe words ure un essenLIuI purL oI my
expIorIng Iow Lo remuIn reIuLed Lo oLIers.
unguuge, IIke musIc, Is one more key Lo unIock ureus In LIe Iumun psycIe LIuL wouId
oLIerwIse remuIn sIuL. I wIuL suy InLeresLs you, you begIn Lo open up dIIIerenL purLs
oI you LIuL ure ordInurIIy cIosed. One purL beIng opened Is u key Lo unoLIer purL beIng
opened. So u Iew words, u Iew pIruses spoken, unIockIng u cenLer In yourseII, gIve rIse Lo
u wIoIe serIes oI door openIngs. One dIscovers someLIIng LIuL Ius been In IIdIng. AII
LIIs mukes Ior new reIuLIonsIIps. We reIuLe Lo eucI oLIer LIrougI LIe wuy we express
ourseIves und Iunguuge Is u quInLessenLIuI mode oI expressIon.

L seems us LIougI muny oI my dIscoverIes ubouL myseII, ubouL LIe worId, ure
dIscoverIes In Iunguuge: "TIIs Is wIuL LIIs meuns." s Iunguuge someLIIng uIIve,
someLIIng LIuL expunds us my uwureness deveIops?
DependIng on Iow IL Is used, Iunguuge Is more or Iess uIIve. Compure deud Iunguuge
IuIIIng on deuI eurs Lo Iunguuge LIuL LoucIes LIe LIougIL, opens up LIe LIInkIng und
IeeIIng purL. Words cun LoucI IeeIIngs, und cun even LoucI our senses by rIcIness oI
LexLure. n LIe Iunds oI u wrILer or poeL, Iunguuge reucIes one or more purLs oI LIe
mInd-body conIIguruLIon. DependIng on LIe word ILseII, dependIng on Iow IL Is spoken,
ILs sound, IL cun open up more or Iewer pussuges . . . cun brIng un unexpecLed IIowIng-
ouLwurd or emergence oI energy wIIcI ordInurIIy Is ubsenL. I we speuk onIy In cIIcIes,
us we do mosL oI LIe LIme, IL's noL very InLeresLIng. BuL someLImes one speuks LIe rIgIL
word uL LIe rIgIL LIme und evokes u correspondIng openIng or InLeresL, wIIcI sLurLs LIe
IIow oI energy LIuL mukes IIIe InLeresLIng.
BuL cun Iunguuge-someLIIng LIuL you suy or LIuL reud-brIng me buck Lo un unknown
purL oI myseII LIuL Is cIungeIess?
Some Imuges open LIe mInd und LIe IeeIIngs so LIuL we begIn Lo gIImpse unsuspecLed
IeveIs In ourseIves. Over-used, IumIIIur words Iuve IILLIe eIIecL, reIuLIveIy smuII power Lo
uwuken. TIe unexpecLed word or pIruse, LIe IIuId combInuLIon or LIe combInuLIon
wIIcI currIes u unIque or dIIIerenL LIougIL, Is more evocuLIve LIun LIe ordInury cIIcIe.
Some words, IIke some pIruses In musIc or coIor pussuges In u puInLIng, Iuve more
eIIecL LIun oLIers. nLervuIs, LIe spucIng beLween LIe words, or LIe rIyLIms, LIe
cudences, LIe reIuLIonsIIp-LIey uII pIuy LIeIr purL.
TIe Lempo, LIe LImIng. Even LIe prInLed puge wIen IL's reud Is reud In LIme.
|QuoLIng Irom u IourLeenLI-cenLury LuIIun poem LrunsIuLed by WIIIIum Juy SmILI| "OuL
Irom ILs IIyIng cuge IIIes LIe nIgILInguIe." An ordInury wrILer mIgIL Iuve suId, "TIe
nIgILInguIe IIew ouL oI ILs IIyIng cuge." WIuL u dIIIerence! |He goes on| "And In Leurs Ie
suId, wIo opened ILs doors?" |empIusIs on LIe "o" sounds| TIe sound gIves un exLru
dImensIon Lo LIe words LIemseIves. So IL musL be LIuL u Lrue, wIoIe urL Is one wIIcI
LoucIes more LIun one purL, more LIun LIe InLeIIecLuuI purL. One Is noL ubIe Lo
InLeIIecLuuIIze poeLry.
Do you LIInk LIIs urL wus once known by LIe poeLs oI uII cuILures?
L's sLIII known In LIe sense LIuL rIyLIms In musIc cun be LrunsIuLed InLo words, und
LIere ure rIyLIms wIIcI enubIe one Lo conLroI, Lo uIIecL, Lo IeuI, Lo desLroy. n IILeruLure,
Ior InsLunce, LIere Is CoIerIdge's, "n Xunudu dId KubIu KIun u sLuLeIy pJeosure dome
decree," |empIusIs on beuLs| or LIe sonneLs oI SIukespeure. n our cuILure words Iuve
been so bundIed ubouL, so reudIIy uvuIIubIe, we IuII Lo upprecIuLe LIem. We don'L IIve IIke
LIe poeLs LIuL we ure. LIInk LIuL In u more poeLIc uge, wouId reIuLe Lo you dIIIerenLIy,
und we wouId LuIk In more poeLIcuI Lerms. We're surrounded by prInLed words, TV
words, everybody LuIks Loo mucI (IncIudIng myseII, oI course), und so we don'L Lreusure
LIIs murveIous InsLrumenL oI Iunguuge.
TIIs InLeresLs me very mucI, LIe openIng, expundIng IuncLIon oI Iunguuge, us weII us LIe
purL LIuL we know uII Loo weII-LIe deud Iunguuge. BuL In LIIs openIng, Is LIere u kInd oI
InLenLIon? You've spoken oI uLLenLIon, buL Is LIere u kInd oI InLenLIon LIuL Is needed In
order Ior me Lo speuk In sucI u wuy LIuL InvILe you Lo open?
TIere musL be u LIresIoId II Iunguuge Is Lo enLer LIe Iumun psycIe. TIe LIresIoId mIgIL
be LIe spuce LIuL precedes LIe uLLerIng oI LIe word. TIere cun be u kInd oI cuIcuIuLed
LImIng. BuL LIIs Ius LIe dunger oI beIng u LrIck. A skIIIed ucLor, u uwrence OIIvIer, uses
IIs wIoIe body us Iunguuge, IIs wIoIe beurIng, us weII us IIs IInes. SLIII, InsIncerILy und
munIpuIuLIon rureIy deceIve us.
You menLIoned EckIurL uL LIe very begInnIng. WIen reud EckIurL, or wIen Ieur oI
"LIuL wIIcI Is no LIIng," LIuL seems Lo be u use oI Iunguuge wIIcI boLI suys und unsuys
uL LIe sume momenL. TIe Lrup oI Iunguuge seems Lo be LIuL IL Ieuves u kInd oI permunenL
Lruce-LIose words recorded In LexL-und LIe Lrup Is LIuL LIe IIuIdILy, LIe movemenL Is
IosL. n un upproucI Lo LIuL wIIcI LruIy Is unsuyubIe, Iow do you see LIe pIuce oI
Iunguuge?
We cun'L geL uwuy Irom LIe IucL LIuL Iunguuge represenLs our LIougILs und IeeIIngs. I
LIe LIougIL Is u nobIe one or unusuuI, II LIe IeeIIng Is genuIne, IL wIII IInd upproprIuLe
expressIon.
And II you were sLruck by u sudden InsIgIL InLo reuIILy, wouId LIere be words?
LIInk LIuL LIere wouId be u gusp, one wouId jusL suy, "OI," or sImpIy un uIIIrmuLIon:
"Yes." SomeLIIng very sImpIe. nsIgILs InLo reuIILy ure IurdIy expressIbIe LIrougI LuIk.
Words wouId seem urLIIIcIuI und Loo cumbersome. Words, us wonderIuI us LIey ure, ure
neILIer subLIe nor swIIL enougI Lo express very sLrong emoLIons. n IucL, wouIdn'L u
LremendousIy sLrong emoLIon puruIyze speecI?
WouId you suy LIe sume Is Lrue oI deeper sLuLes oI conscIousness?
No, becuuse conscIousness does noL precIude uwureness. TIere wouId be uwureness In
LIe sense oI IeIgILened cognILIon. TIe eIemenL oI uwureness ILseII ImpIIes more
sensILIve percepLIon-u kInd oI cuImness, u cooIness. n emoLIonuI sLuLes equIIIbrIum Is
IosL. n u more conscIous sLuLe uIso LIere wouId be un eIemenL oI Iurmony or buIunce
wIIcI couId Iook uL LIe sILuuLIon wILIouL LIppIng In one dIrecLIon or unoLIer.
n LIuL condILIon oI buIunce, Is LIere u specIuI IuncLIon Ior Iunguuge? Does Iunguuge Iuve
u pIuce?
AguIn, 1 wouId LIInk LIuL In u rure momenL oI IeIgILened conscIousness, speecI wouId
Iuve Lo gIve wuy Lo sLIIIness, sIIence. SIIence Is deeper LIun LIe word. "n LIe begInnIng
wus LIe word" Is noL enLIreIy correcL, becuuse LIe voId wus prIor Lo LIe word, und LIe
sIIence precedes speecI. MeIsLer EckIurL suId LIuL prIor Lo God Is LIe ground oI God.
WIIIe LIe wIII oI LIe AbsoIuLe Is supposed Lo Iuve creuLed everyLIIng, LIe IucL LIuL
umong uII creuLures, LIere ure Iumun beIngs wILI Iunguuge und words Is sLIII un
"ImprobubIe proposILIon." My IrIend, PeyLon HousLon, wroLe:
TIe soIILury person deuIs wILI u perpeLuuI unInLeIIIgIbIIILy In words wILIouL u Iunguuge.
SpeukIng oI creuLIon, Iow ubouL PeyLon's vIsIon:
How deILIy sIe moved
wIen IIrsL Irom God's Iund:
IIs HeurL IeId Len LIousund IummIngbIrds;
LuII sky, sun.
He wouId reucI Lo IL, Lo uII oI IL, Lo Ier, speuk words Lo Ier.
SIe LuugIL IIm LIe Iunguuge oI IIs words: beLween LIem wus LIe coIerenL noLIon.
s LIere u secreL uLLrIbuLe oI Iunguuge LIuL mukes IL come uIIve so suddenIy?
WeII, "uIIve" purLukes oI orIgInuIILy und Iumor Loo. TIe poeL PuuI Reps wroLe oI
"cucumbers cucumberIng." SucI orIgInuIILy LoucIes our sense oI Iumor, wukes us up,
sLurLs IresI IIows oI energy. Ike cIIIdren, we wunL surprIse, LIe unexpecLed. Some
peopIe Iuve u gIIL Ior LIuL.
You've menLIoned "gIIL" u IoL, LIIs uImosL orgunIc knowIedge oI Inner InLervuIs und
Lempos und so IorLI. L Is Lrue LIuL LIe genIus Is born wILI LIe gIIL. GoeLIe suys LIuL LIe
gIIL oI uLLenLIon Is LIe onIy LIIng LIuL dIIIerenLIuLes LIe genIus Irom LIe Iumun beIng. s
LIere u wuy In wIIcI couId prucLIce deveIopIng LIe sensIbIIILy und LIe sensILIvILy Lo
speuk wILI LIe kInd oI IresIness wIIcI now Is mIssIng?
L's us II LIere Is u cenLer LIuL cun vIvIIy uII purLs oI LIe cIrcumIerence-u cenLer LIuL
IIIumInuLes. WIen we speuk und IIsLen Irom LIIs cenLer, u reIuLIonsIIp Is seL up wIere
words Iuve more meunIng. A IILIerLo unused energy Is udded. MosL peopIe speuk, us LIe
expressIon goes, Irom LIe Lop oI LIeIr Ieuds, so LIe words Issue mecIunIcuIIy-deud
words. A sLop, u momenL oI puuse, brIngs unsuspecLed energIes. TIere Is u cIunge, LIe
quuIILy oI energy LIuL's LrunsIerred Is quILe dIIIerenL. L's IresI. BuL LIuL Is noL so eusy.
L's eusIer Lo speuk Irom our knowIedge, Irom uccumuIuLed experIence, Irom ImILuLIon oI
oLIers.
s LIere u courugeous sLunce Lowurds LIe unknown LIuL Is requIred?
TIere's u rIsk. AL LIe begInnIng, wIen one speuks Irom LIIs cenLer, one IeeIs uwkwurd, us
II one Ius IosL LIe supporL oI LIe known. To remuIn reIuLed Lo LIe unknown, uL LIe sume
LIme keepIng In LoucI wILI LIe knowIedge LIuL one Ius uccumuIuLed LIrougI experIence
und educuLIon, Is noL so eusy. SLIII, II one IIved more Irom one's cenLer, one wouId speuk
wILI more sIncerILy, wouId IInd unexpecLed resources wILIIn oneseII. One mIgIL even
open In oneseII conduILs oI expressIon und oI muLerIuI wIIcI ure preLLy weII cIosed In us.
One wouId Lup muLerIuI wIIcI Is now dormunL. CombInuLIons oI ImpressIons wouId
come LogeLIer Lo produce more orIgInuI, more eIIecLIve Iunguuge.
So we need Lo move ouL oI LIe wuy und uIIow LIe speukIng Lo come on ILs own?
SpeukIng Irom LIe cenLer wouId be IIke LIuL. L InvoIves u kInd oI uII-embrucIng
uLLenLIon. One wouId, wIIIe speukIng, be quILe uwure, uL eucI momenL, oI u cenLer
wIIcI, wIIIe doIng noLIIng, uIIecLs uII LIIngs. L muy be IIkened Lo LIe reuIILy seII-
cIungeIess, IL moves uII LIIngs. Cun one be uwure oI LIIs eIemenL oI conscIousness wIIIe
speukIng, IIsLenIng? uncLIonIng Irom sucI u cenLer wouId resuIL In more genuIne, more
eIIecLIve expressIon oI LIougILs und IeeIIngs. IvIng Irom LIIs cenLer wIII noL muke u
poeL ouL oI one, buL IL wouId muxImIze possIbIIILIes us u Iumun beIng. RememberIng
LIuL LIere Is u conscIous eIemenL In oneseII Is beLLer LIun noL rememberIng.

MART N ASS NTENT ONA SUERNG-AN
EXPOS T ON

As NuLure Ius orgunIzed IL, my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm Ius been desIgned IIrsL und IoremosL
Lo seek survIvuI, securILy, suIeLy, comIorL, und pIeusure. WIen um ruIed by LIIs
uuLomuLIc orgunIsm-wIen Iuve no unIIIed , no reuI WIII, und body, mInd, und
emoLIons ure reIuLIveIy dIsconnecLed Irom eucI oLIer, eucI IIvIng LIeIr sepuruLe IIves-
Lend Lo uvoId unyLIIng LIuL LIIs uuLomuLon perceIves us u LIreuL Lo LIese core vuIues.

TIIs In ILseII Is noL u bud LIIng; IL serves NuLure; IL serves cosmIc Iorces oI wIIcI `m
usuuIIy unuwure.
BuL uL u cerLuIn poInL, us u resuIL oI unseen und unquunLIIIubIe InIIuences, wIIcI ure uIso
purL oI NuLure, buL oI u IIgIer order, u IIgIer poLenLIuI, u IIgIer IuncLIon-cuII LIese B
InIIuences, perIups, und LIe gruduuI IormuLIon oI u mugneLIc cenLer wILIIn me-
someLIIng In me uwukens u IILLIe. geL u gIImpse ouL oI LIe corner oI my eye, so Lo speuk,
un InkIIng, perIups, wIIcI, over LIme, Iorms ILseII InLo LIe begInnIngs oI u quesLIon.

TIe quesLIon cun Luke muny Iorms, buL, Ior u very Iong LIme, IL remuIns more oI u IeeIIng
LIun u LIougIL-u kInd oI IongIng. SomeLIIng Is mIssIng In me, In my IIIe-someLIIng
beyond jusL LIe LIIngs LIuL my uuLomuLIsm cruves, needs, und pursues reIenLIessIy In ILs
own wuy. SomeLIIng Is uwry, noL rIgIL, ouL oI pIuce. n some wuys, begIn Lo IeeI IIke un
ouLsIder, u IIsI ouL oI wuLer, u squure peg, LIe odd mun ouL, u mun dIspIuced Irom IIs
Iome und now u reIugee In u worId LIuL seems uII Loo comIorLubIe und IumIIIur, buL
someIow uIIen uL LIe sume LIme.
Over LIme, II don`L sImpIy go buck Lo sIeep, IuIIed by LIe IumIIIurILy, comIorL, und
seemIng cerLuInLy oI weII-esLubIIsIed uuLomuLIc mecIunIsms und by LIe conLInuous yeL
LrunsIenL IIow oI perceIved creuLure comIorLs, LIIs IongIng Iorms ILseII InLo u quesLIon.
As suId, LIe quesLIon cun Luke muny Iorms, dependIng on my Lype und my
cIrcumsLunces. s LIIs uII LIere Is Lo IIIe? sn`L LIere someLIIng more? SomeLIIng
deeper? SomeLIIng more reuI? WIo um ? WIy um Iere? WIere um goIng? And so
IorLI.

TIe oId cIoLIes, musks, roIes, und IdenLILIes don`L seem Lo IIL unymore. `m
uncomIorLubIe In my own skIn, buL don`L know wIy.
AL LIIs poInL, `m reudy Lo meeL someLIIng dIIIerenL, someLIIng IIgIer-perIups u
LeucIIng, perIups u LeucIer-wIIcI cun begIn Lo IeIp me unswer LIese quesLIons.
unswer LIIs InexpIIcubIe IongIng LIuL sILs In my guL IIke u knoL.
L`s uII very weII Lo meeL u LeucIIng undJor LeucIer und be exposed Lo IIgIer deus und Lo
be gIven prucLIcuI Work. BuL II LIIs becomes jusL unoLIer wuy Lo IIII u voId In me-u wuy
oI suLIsIyIng LIe core vuIues oI my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm us orduIned by NuLure or u wuy
oI escupIng Irom myseII-LIen uII wIII come Lo nuugIL. SomeLIIng eIse Is requIred II LIIs
LeucIIng undJor LeucIer Is goIng Lo LoucI me In u dIIIerenL wuy und II someLIIng deeper,
IIgIer, und more reuI Is Lo be uLLuIned.
n sIorL, musL remuIn In conLucL wILI LIuL wIIcI brougIL me Iere Lo begIn wILI. musL
remember wIy cume. musL remuIn In conLucL wILI my InILIuI IongIng und wILI LIe
quesLIons LIuL urose ouL oI LIIs IongIng.
TIIs In ILseII Is uIreudy u kInd oI InLenLIonuI suIIerIng. L`s puInIuI Lo ucknowIedge LIuL
IeeI ouL oI pIuce, uncomIorLubIe In my own skIn, IIke un uIIen In un uIIen worId,
dIsconnecLed Irom someLIIng LIuL cunnoL yeL even nume. SomeLIIng In me jusL wunLs
Lo run uwuy Irom LIIs, Lo pusI IL buck down, Lo IIde Irom IL, or Lo sImpIy deny IL.

YeL, uL LIe sume LIme, LIIs Is, purudoxIcuIIy, my IIIe bIood, my IIIe suver, my LIreud oI
connecLIon Lo someLIIng deeper, IIgIer, und more reuI, even beIore cun puL LIIs InLo
uny kInd oI words or concepLIon.
L`s Iur eusIer Lo sImpIy pusI IL uwuy, Lo sIde-sLep IL, Lo bury myseII In LIe perceIved
comIorLs und pIeusures oI LIe uuLomuLIc orgunIsm, und Lo IeL LIe wInd curry me wIere IL
wIII. L`s Iur eusIer Lo uIIow my uuLomuLIc mInd Lo go oII on ILs IIIgILs oI Iuncy, ILs
duydreums und ImugInIngs, ILs IormuLory expIunuLIons, ruLIonuIIzuLIons, jusLIIIcuLIons,
excuses, und reusonIngs. L`s Iur eusIer Lo uIIow my emoLIonuI nuLure Lo curry me on ILs
currenLs, enLIcIng me Lo expIode LIIs wuy, Lo uLLucI LIuL wuy, Lo veer unoLIer wuy, und Lo
generuIIy consume my duIIy uIIoLmenL oI energy In uuLomuLIc wuys. L`s Iur eusIer Lo
IoIIow my body-ILs uuLomuLIc momenLum, ILs needs, desIres, und cruvIngs.

L`s Iur eusIer Lo IeL NuLure proLecL me Irom perceIved LIreuLs Lo my uuLomuLIc
orgunIsm`s core vuIues. Moreover, Ior survIvuI reusons, LIIs proLecLIon Is vuIId und
necessury.

BuL LIere`s u conLrudIcLIon Iere, becuuse, In LIIs cuse, NuLure Is one-eyed. And, II
IdenLIIy onIy wILI LIe uuLomuLIc orgunIsm LIuL NuLure Ius gIven me, , Loo, become one-
eyed. NuLure und my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm ure consLunLIy sLrIvIng Ior some kInd oI IuLure
perceIved LIme und pIuce wIere LIere wIII be more comIorL LIun dIscomIorL, more euse
LIun dIs-euse, more pIeusure LIun puIn, more suIeLy LIun dunger, und so IorLI.

BuL sucI u LIme und pIuce do noL exIsL, reuIIze over LIme. IIve In u worId oI duuIILy-u
worId oI opposILes wIere every sIngIe LIIng Ius ILs compIemenLury und equuI opposILe.
don`L see LIIs Lo begIn wILI; my uuLomuLIsm doesn`L see LIIs. So JIL keeps LryIng Lo IInd
LIIs ImugIned uLopIu onIy Lo IInd LIuL, wIen IInuIIy urrIve, comIorL once uguIn Lurns
Lo dIscomIorL, euse Lurns Lo dIs-euse, pIeusure Lurns Lo puIn, wIuL wus cerLuIn Ior u
momenL becomes uncerLuIn In LIe nexL, und so on und so IorLI.
BuL In my Ignorunce und sIeep, conLInue Lo cIuse LIe curroL, orduIned by greuL NuLure.
TIIs Is wIuL Is meunL by mecIunIcuI suIIerIng.
NuLure und my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm seek Lo proLecL me, Ior LIe suke oI survIvuI und weII-
beIng oI LIe specIes. BuL LIere`s unoLIer sIde Lo proLecLIon. ApurL Irom proLecLIng me In
LIIs wuy, my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm uIso proLecLs me Irom unoLIer kInd oI suIIerIng-
Irom unoLIer kInd oI puIn. TIIs oLIer kInd oI suIIerIngJpuIn Is oI u dIIIerenL order und oI
u dIIIerenL orIgIn, us Is LIe proLecLIon.
As sIowIy wuke Irom my sIumber-Irom my sLupor- gruduuIIy reuIIze LIuL IIve In un
upsIde-down, InsIde-ouL sLuLe. und In un upsIde-down, InsIde-ouL worId. L`s noL jusL
ubouL NuLure und Ier pIuns Ior me; IL`s Iur worse LIun LIIs. TIe cuuses oI my Lopsy-Lurvy
sLuLe ure unknown Lo me uL IIrsL. muy be LoId LIe cuuses by u LeucIIng or LeucIer-e.g.
orgun kundubuIIer und TIe Terror oI LIe SILuuLIon, eLc-buL LIese meun noLIIng Lo me
uL IIrsL. I `m IonesL wILI myseII, uII know Is my InnermosL IongIng und ILs ussocIuLed
quesLIons. BuL In LIIs, uIso reuIIze LIuL someLIIng Is noL rIgIL, noL onIy In me, buL uIso
In LIe worId uround me.
TIIs oLIer kInd oI proLecLIon Is, uILImuLeIy, u buIIer uguInsL LIe onsIuugIL oI LIe
upsIde-down, InsIde-ouL worId us wus growIng up. L`s u proLecLIon Ior essence,
uILImuLeIy. BuL IL`s uIso u ruLIer LwIsLed proLecLIon, wIIcI Ius uIso been cuIIed IuIse
personuIILy.

As u buby und smuII cIIId, essence Is nuked, open, und ImmuLure, even LIougI IL sees
LIe worId mucI more cIeurIy und dIrecLIy LIun do us un uduIL. As sucI, wIen Iuced wILI
LIe upsIde-down, InsIde-ouL InIIuences comIng In Irom oLIer Iumuns, IndIvIduuIIy und
coIIecLIveIy-LIe coIIecLIve SIeep-essence suIIers muny IurLs und mIspercepLIons
IoIIowed by Ieur, IoIIowed by u kInd oI sIuLLIng oII und sIuLLIng down, undJor IoIIowed
by ouLwurd projecLIon. oI neguLIve emoLIons und InsIde-ouL, upsIde-down noLIons. n
LIe Iuce oI LIese InIIuences, Ior proLecLIon, IuIse personuIILy Is Iormed.
PuL sImpIy, us u buby und u cIIId, IL`s Loo puInIuI Ior me Lo beur LIese InIIuences mucI
Iess deuI wILI LIem. So, In un unIoIy uIIIunce beLween my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm, gIven by
NuLure, und IuIse personuIILy, wIIcI Is LIe resuIL oI u Lopsy-Lurvy sILuuLIon In LIe worId
Loduy, gruduuIIy Iose conLucL und connecLIon Lo my essence.
TIIs Is LIe prImury source oI my IongIng. TIIs Is wIuL cuIIs Lo me Irom wILIIn wIen
suIIIcIenL IIgIer muLerIuI (B InIIuences) Ius been uccumuIuLed In me-suIIIcIenL Lo begIn
Lo wILIsLund LIe suIIerIng, LIe IurL, LIuL IIes burIed deep wILIIn und Lo Ieur,
ucknowIedge, und IInuIIy begIn Lo Ieed LIIs Inner voIce.
AL LIIs poInL-LIe poInL uL wIIcI LIe Work begIns-LIrougI eIIorLs In seII-observuLIon
combIned wILI vurIous oLIer prucLIcuI eIIorLs, IndIcuLIons oI wIIcI ure gIven by LIe
LeucIIng undJor by u LeucIer, IopeIuIIy In conjuncLIon wILI group Work, begIn Lo see
my compIeLe uuLomuLIsm. begIn Lo see Iow LIIngs go us LIey`ve uIwuys gone, despILe
my besL InLenLIons, uIms, und desIres. begIn Lo see Iow Iuve up unLII now
ruLIonuIIzed, jusLIIIed, excused, und expIuIned uwuy LIIs IucL In order Lo muInLuIn LIe
IIIusIons oI my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm und oI my IuIse personuIILy.

Moreover, begIn Lo see LIuL, conLrury Lo LIe IIIusIon LIuL my IIIe Is geLLIng beLLer,
IuppIer, more IuIIIIIed, und LIuL `m someIow ImprovIng, evoIvIng, IeurnIng,
und so IorLI, In LruLI, uII Is buL vexuLIon und gnusIIng oI LeeLI. TIere`s noLIIng new
under LIe Sun. n sIorL, see Iow suIIer mecIunIcuIIy, every duy oI my uuLomuLIc
exIsLence. begIn Lo see my noLIIngness.
n conLrusL Lo LIIs, us LIe uwureness oI my uuLomuLIsm, ILs IIIusIons, und ILs ImpoLence
grows, und II do noL pusI LIIs LruLI uwuy, do noL ImugIne cun cIunge unyLIIng, und
do noL opL Lo reenLer my Iormer soporIIIc sLuLe, so Loo does my IongIng grow. EvenLuuIIy,
IL grows InLo u WIsI-u WIsI Ior u dIIIerenL wuy oI BeIng. u WIsI Ior u more reuI
exIsLence.

TIe IrIcLIon beLween, on LIe one Iund, wIuL see oI myseII und my uuLomuLIc orgunIsm
und IuIse personuIILy proLecLIon mecIunIsms und, on LIe oLIer Iund, my InnermosL
IongIng, quesLIon, und WIsI Is wIuL creuLes LIe IeuL Ior my gruduuI LrunsIormuLIon.

And LIIs Is LIe reuI begInnIng oI InLenLIonuI suIIerIng.
nLenLIonuI suIIerIng meuns beurIng LIe LruLI ubouL myseII-ubouL my uuLomuLIsm,
ubouL my dIsconnecLIon Irom essence, ubouL my IIIusIons, Ignorunce, und noLIIngness.
L meuns sLundIng beLween wIuL um-wIIcI Is ucLuuIIy noL wIo um buL more wIuL
und Iow um-und wIuL WIsI Lo Be.
nLenLIonuI suIIerIng meuns sLundIng In LIe Iuce oI wIuLever IInd In myseII LIrougI my
conscIous Iubors-LIrougI my eIIorLs Lo observe myseII, Lo sense myseII, Lo remember
myseII, und mucI more-wILIouL judgmenL, wILIouL unuIysIs, wILIouL IormuLory
wIseucreIng, wILIouL IIIncIIng, wILIouL LurnIng uwuy, wILIouL runnIng uwuy, wILIouL
projecLIng IL ouLwurd, und wILIouL pusIIng IL buck down InLo LIe durkness.

nLenLIonuI suIIerIng meuns deIIberuLeIy sIInIng u IIgIL wILIIn me-LIe IIgIL oI sensIng,
IIrsL und IoremosL-seekIng Lo IIIumInuLe every durkesL corner und crevIce, seekIng Lo
IIIumInuLe LIe mecIunIsms oI LIe proLecLIve sIeII oI IuIse personuIILy, seekIng Lo
IIIumInuLe NuLure`s survIvuI mecIunIsms, und, uILImuLeIy, seekIng Lo uncover und IIve
once more Irom my essence.
WIuL cun moLIvuLe me Lo suIIer InLenLIonuIIy In LIIs wuy? TIe usuuI curroLs sImpIy don`L
work. TIe usuuI curroLs onIy promIse IuppIness, comIorL, pIeusure, guIn, seII-
ImprovemenL, seII-deveIopmenL, und so IorLI. And LIey brIng onIy Lemporury
suLIsIucLIon, uILer wIIcI um soon wunLIng uguIn In un eLernuI cIuse-my-LuII gume.

n LIe begInnIng, LIe onIy LIIng LIuL cun moLIvuLe me Lo suIIer InLenLIonuIIy In LIe wuy
descrIbed-Lo deIve InLo LIe LruLI ubouL myseII und Lo sLund wILness Lo everyLIIng LIuL
um, wurLs und uII-Is Lo remember wIy cume Iere. L`s Lo conLInuuIIy uccess und
connecL wILI my InnermosL IongIng. L`s Lo remember my quesLIon. And IL`s Lo consLunLIy
Iun LIe IIume oI my WIsI Ior u dIIIerenL wuy oI BeIng.
How cun grow my cupucILy Lo suIIer InLenLIonuIIy? nLenLIonuI suIIerIng Is LIe IrIcLIon
LIuL`s necessury Lo produce LIe uIcIemIcuI LrunsIormuLIon oI my BeIng-Lo reconnecL me
wILI wIo AM, us opposed Lo wIuL und Iow um In uny gIven momenL, LIe IuLLer oI
wIIcI cIunges wILI LIe sIIgILesL breeze. AguIn, Iow cun grow my cupucILy Lo suIIer
InLenLIonuIIy?

L`s u drop by drop process. sLurL wILI smuII LIIngs. sLurL wILI wIuL`s IIrsL gIven Lo me,
wIIcI Is LIe suggesLIon Lo Lry Lo observe myseII und Lo do some kInd oI sensIng exercIse
(oI wIIcI vurIous versIons were gIven by Mr. GurdjIeII, Iuce Lo Iuce, oruIIy, und wIIcI
were pussed down Irom LIere, LeucIer Lo sLudenL).
`m LoId, LIougI, LIuL, In LIe begInnIng, cunnoL ucLuuIIy observe myseII. WIuL Iuppens
Is LIuL one Iooks uL unoLIer (or group oI `s) und LIen LIInks IL Is observIng
someLIIng. L remuIns u prImurIIy menLuI process, wIIcI, by ILseII, cun brIng no
worLIwIIIe resuILs. BuL `m InsLrucLed Lo conLInue Lo Lry, wIIIe uIso conLInuIng my
sensIng exercIses. L`s suggesLed LIuL conLInue Lo sLrIve Lo become uwure oI my body
und oI my beIng In my body. OnIy wIen cun uncIor myseII In sensuLIon cun begIn Lo
observe myseII In u dIIIerenL und more reuI wuy.
TIese Lwo InILIuI conscIous Iubors (umong oLIers)-seII-observuLIon und sensIng-Iuve u
cumuIuLIve eIIecL. Drop by drop, someLIIng grows In me und, In beLween mInd und
body-beLween uLLenLIon und sensuLIon-someLIIng gruduuIIy uppeurs LIuL mIgIL be
cuIIed IeeIIng, wIIcI Is quILe dIIIerenL Irom my usuuI neguLIve emoLIons.
As IeeIIng uppeurs-LIe growIng uwureness oI my emoLIonuI nuLureJbody-und us
nurLure LIIs IeeIIng by uLLendIng Lo breuLI (umong oLIer LIIngs) (wILIouL cIungIng
unyLIIng ubouL LIe breuLIIng ILseII), LIIs Ius LIe cupucILy Lo connecL wILI und sLrengLIen
my IongIng und my WIsI, wIIcI, In Lurn, grows my cupucILy Lo InLenLIonuIIy suIIer Lo
sIIne LIe IIgIL oI seII-observuLIon und seII-rememberIng ever brIgILer.
TIIs sLrengLIenIng Is necessury, becuuse, us conLInue Lo Work In LIIs wuy, muny LIIngs
wIII emerge Irom LIe durkness wILIIn me-muny LIIngs LIuL dId noL see beIore, us weII
us muny LIIngs LIuL Iud IorgoLLen Iong ugo-wIIcI wIII be puInIuI uL LImes und dIIIIcuIL
Lo beur. SeeIng und remuInIng In LIe Iuce oI my IuIse personuIILy munIIesLuLIons und
proLecLIon puLLerns, wIIcI essenLIuIIy keep me usIeep, Is suIIerIng enougI. BuL Lo beur
LIe InnermosL IurLs und Ieurs oI my essence Is yeL unoLIer degree oI depLI oI InLenLIonuI
suIIerIng.

musL prepure myseII Ior LIIs. Every smuIIesL Work eIIorL muke-II remember wIy
cume Iere und II Iuve u WIsI Lo LruIy Be, us opposed Lo mereIy IuvIng u desIre Lo
escupe Irom myseII or Lo suLIsIy LIe uuLomuLon orgunIsm`s core vuIues-uccumuIuLes,
drop by drop.
Even In LIe eurIy duys oI sucI eIIorLs, In my IIrsL smuIIesL sLeps-us uccumuIuLe LIe
subsLunces, LIe Iorce, LIe conscIousness Lo beur LIe greuLer LruLI ubouL myseII-my
eIIorLs ure puId In kInd. PerIups don`L see ImmedIuLe resuILs In LIe ordInury wuy;
LIuL`s noL wIuL my Work Is ubouL. BuL, over LIme, sporudIcuIIy, sponLuneousIy, und
IncreusIngIy, IInd myseII gruced wILI momenLs-momenLs oI, sIuII we suy, u
dIIIerenLness oI BeIng. A subLIe someLIIng grows In me-someLIIng LIuL corresponds Lo
wIuL perIups evenLuuIIy wIII cuII Hope, Joy, reedom, und even ove.
TIese InkIIngs oI posILIve emoLIons wIII uIso IeIp me Lo grow my cupucILy Lo
InLenLIonuIIy suIIer. L IIgILens my burden wIIIe IncreusIng my cupucILy Lo beur u greuLer
burden.

n LIe mecIunIcuI worId, IuppIness und sudness, IIke uII oLIer poIurILIes oI emoLIon und
LIougIL, ure equuI, consLunLIy LIck-LockIng Irom one Lo LIe oLIer. Toduy, um Iuppy;
Lomorrow, um sud. Toduy, beIIeve one LIIng; Lomorrow, beIIeve LIe opposILe. IIve
In LIe IIIusIon LIuL cun cIunge LIIngs-cIunge myseII-und Iuve more IuppIness LIun
sudness or Iuve more oI uny posILIve sIde oI u gIven duuIILy. n LruLI, Ior every ucLIon
In LIe ordInury worId under LIe Sun, LIere Is un equuI und opposILe reucLIon. SucI Is
mecIunIcuI suIIerIng.
n conLrusL, In LIe conscIous worId, IuppIness und sudness und uII oLIer poIurILIes oI
emoLIon und LIougIL ure uIso equuI, buL LIey co-exIsL, merged InLo u greuLer wIoIe. (L Is
suId LIuL LIe IIgIer emoLIonuI und IIgIer InLeIIecLuuI cenLers Iuve no neguLIve sIde-
no dIvIsIon InLo Lwo opposILe sIdes.)
WIen sLund beLween my opposILes, my conLrudIcLIons, my poIurILIes, my duuIILIes,
IucIng wIuL um und wIuL WIsI Lo Be, brIngIng uII LIese opposILes InLo LIe crucIbIe oI
Iocused uLLenLIon, In sLIIIness und sIIence oI mInd, body, und IeeIIng, InLenLIonuIIy
suIIerIng LIe IrIcLIon beLween LIese LIIngs-denyIng und uIIIrmIng Iorces-uIcIemy
Lukes pIuce. nLenLIonuI suIIerIng, connecLed Lo my IeeIIng, Is LIe reconcIIIng Iorce, LIe
uIcIemIcuI cuLuIysL.
WIen Lwo becomes LIree, LIree becomes one, und LIere Is u movemenL oI conscIousness,
buck up LIe ocLuve, buck Lowurd HIs EndIessness, us Mr. GurdjIeII puLs IL In AII und
EveryLIIng. Moreover, InLenLIonuI suIIerIng, wIen connecLed Lo my IeeIIng, Is reIuLed Lo
Remorse und Ius LIe cupucILy, over LIme, Lo LrunsIorm InLo LIe posILIve emoLIons oI
ConscIence und CompussIon. BuL LIuL`s unoLIer dIscussIon.
Moreover, IL Is LIIs uIcIemy oI InLenLIonuI suIIerIng LIuL burns uwuy LIe sIeII oI IuIse
personuIILy, so Lo speuk, one uLom uL u LIme-uII LIose proLecLIve mecIunIsms, boLI
InLernuIIzed In seII-neguLIon (oI essence) und exLernuIIzed In neguLIon projecLed ouLwurd
us IuLred, unger, und oLIer neguLIve emoLIons. WIen LIere ure suIIIcIenL crucks In LIIs
sIeII-wIen my cupucILy Lo InLenLIonuIIy suIIer everyLIIng LIuL um Ius grown enougI-
LIIs sIeII cun IuII uwuy compIeLeIy, IeuvIng onIy essence.
Essence, once reveuIed uguIn, Is sLIII ImmuLure, open, ruw, vuInerubIe, buL cun now
recommence ILs growLI, supporLed, nurLured, und proLecLed by LIuL wIIcI Ius Iormed
LIrougI my Inner Work-LIrougI LIe uIcIemy oI InLenLIonuI suIIerIng-und wIIcI
mIgIL be cuIIed SLewurd (GurdjIeII) or PersonuI WILness (EgypLIun).
nLenLIonuI suIIerIng LIus conLInues. suIIer Lo remuIn In LIIs vuInerubIe spuce oI
essence, uIIowIng IL Lo breuLIe once uguIn und Lo experIence LIe worId In LIe IIrsL person
uguIn, dIrecLIy, uwuke, und LruIy uIIve.
As persIsL, consLunLIy rememberIng wIy cume Iere Lo begIn wILI-consLunLIy
rememberIng myseII, meunIng my essenLIuI seII-my BeIng grows. And my experIence oI
myseII, oI IIIe, oI oLIers, und oI LIe worId uround me, even In LIe mIdsL oI my InLenLIonuI
suIIerIng, Is IncreusIngIy suIIused wILI Hope, Joy, reedom, und ove. WIy? Becuuse
essence, us my Inner cIIId, Is LIe doorwuy Lo IIgIer cenLers-LIe doorwuy Lo my Inner
suge, so Lo speuk. L`s uIso LIe door Home, Lo LIe greuLer TruLI oI my exIsLence us u
purLIcIe oI HIs EndIessness.

STRANGE E O VAN OSOK N COMMENTARY BY JOHN
PENTAND
AILIougI so deepIy commILLed Lo wrILIng LIuL Ie oILen suId, noL uILogeLIer jokIngIy, LIuL
IL wus ucLuuIIy u purL oI IIs nuLure, P. D. Ouspensky wus noL u proIIIIc uuLIor.
OnIy IIve mujor works exIsL und oI LIese TerLIum Orgunum (Ior muny yeurs u besL-seIIer
In AmerIcu) und A New ModeI oI LIe UnIverse were wrILLen und pubIIsIed In RussIu
beIore Ouspensky meL GurdjIeII In Moscow In 1q1. AII LIe oLIers represenLed IIs
sLuLemenLs oI GurdjIeII`s LeucIIng, und were pubIIsIed posLIumousIy. WILI LIe
excepLIon oI n SeurcI oI LIe MIrucuIous, wIIcI Ie worked over cureIuIIy und wIIcI wus
pubIIsIed under LIe uuLIorILy oI GurdjIeII IImseII, LIese IuLer books were never
InLended by Ouspensky Ior pubIIc cIrcuIuLIon. n spILe oI LIe InvuIuubIe conLrIbuLIon
LIey muke Lo GurdjIeII s LeucIIng, LIey do Iess LIun jusLIce Lo Ouspensky us u wrILer.
SLrunge IIe oI vun OsokIn Is un eurIy work. OrIgInuIIy u noveI buL IuLer recIrIsLened
"CInemudrumu" In LIe eurIy duys oI IIIms, Ouspensky IImseII seL consIderubIe sLore by
IL, perIups becuuse IL wus LIe onIy pureIy ImugInuLIve work by u mInd LIuL wus
rIgorousIy IonesL In IucIng up Lo LIe usuuI ubuses oI Iumun ImugInuLIon.
n LIe oLIer books, Ouspensky IeIL IIs personuI IIIe und opInIons compIeLeIy In LIe
buckground. OnIy uL LIe end oI n SeurcI oI LIe MIrucuIous, wIen Ie wus movIng uwuy
Irom GurdjIeII, does LIe uuLIor IImseII uppeur. BuL In OsokIn, und Ior LIe sume purpose
oI servIng un Ideu, Ie LeIIs u good deuI ubouL IIs own IIIe, uL IeusL us u boy. n descrIbIng
OsokIn's meunIngIess punIsImenLs uL scIooI, IIs unresoIved IeeIIngs us u young mun,
IIs uIoneness und LIe IuII-reuI dreums ubouL wIuL IIs IIIe wIII become und LIe women
Ie wIII meeL, Ouspensky Is obvIousIy wrILIng ubouL IImseII.
AL LIe sume LIme, LIe sLupId scIooI wILI ILs obsLInuLe, sLupId musLers Ius u wIder
meunIng. L Is LIe duII reuIILy oI IIIe ILseII, LIuL IIIe wIIcI OsokIn Ius noL LIe puLIence Lo
undersLund und onIy reuIIzes Ie Ius been Iond oI wIen Ie Is beIng expeIIed Ior u sIIIy
prunk und Is beIng Luken Iome by IIs moLIer.
AguIn und uguIn, ouL oI boredom more oILen LIun unyLIIng eIse, OsokIn wuLcIes IImseII
beIuve In u wuy LIuL IImILs und evenLuuIIy ruIns IIs IuLure, conLrudIcLIng IIs own
percepLIons oI InLeIIIgenL ucLIon. He noLIces LIuL Ie Is InLeresLed In everyLIIng excepL
wIuL ucLuuIIy concerns IIm. He doesn'L wunL unyLIIng good Ior IImseII. EvenLs Iuppen
uround IIm buL noL Lo IIm, us II IIIe wus u dreum In wIIcI Ie dId noL reuIIy exIsL. AguIn
und uguIn, LIIs sensuLIon oI IndIIIerence Lo IImseII cIeurs up und Ie sees Iow IIs IIIe cun
Luke u sensIbIe dIrecLIon, buL us eucI new LurnIng-poInL uppeurs LIe opporLunILy Is
mIssed. He even becomes uIruId Lo LIInk. He begIns Lo reud Loo mucI, becuuse reudIng Is
LIe onIy wuy Lo escupe Irom IIs LIougILs. rom u dIsLunce, Ie cun remember LIe wIoIe
puLLern buL us evenLs come cIose Ie cun see onIy LIe sepuruLe deLuIIs so LIuL noL uII uL
once, buL IILLIe by IILLIe, LIe Lrup cuIIed IIIe cIoses In on IIm.
As IILeruLure, OsokIn mukes no cIuIm Lo be u mujor work. Ls ucIIevemenL IIes Iess In
wIuL IL conLuIns LIun In wIuL Is uII LIe LIme beIng IeIL ouL In order Lo brIng reuders
wILIIn reucI oI ILs cenLruI psycIoIogIcuI Ideu.
TIe pIoL Is noL specIuIIy orIgInuI. n IucL, IL Ius u curIousIy duLed und borrowed IIuvor.
ProbubIy IL reIIecLs LIe enormous ImpressIon mude on Ouspensky us u cIIId oI sIx by
ermonLov's A Hero oI Our TIme und Turgenev's A SporLsmun's SkeLcIes, beIore Ie
Lurned Lo poeLry und nuLuruI scIence. n LIIs respecL, Ie wus quILe conLenL Lo IeL IIs
LIougIL sLund us "IL Iud been Iormed In LIe eurIy yeurs oI IIs exIsLence."
ExcepL Ior OsokIn, LIe cIurucLers ure sLIII und very sImpIy skeLcIed In. TIere Is no
"beuuLy" Lo dIsLrucL us, no LILIIIuLIng deLuIIs ubouL Iow LIe romunce Iooked Irom
ZInuIdu's sIde. Even In LIe cuse oI OsokIn, no uLLempL wIuLever Is mude Lo expIuIn or
gIve psycIoIogIcuI coIor Lo LIe processes oI Ieur, suggesLIon und so on wIIcI ucL on IIm
LIrougIouL LIe sLory und wIIcI Ouspensky undersLood und descrIbed wILI sucI subLIeLy
In IIs oLIer books. L Is onIy In LIe openIng und cIosIng scenes LIuL Ie permILs IImseII
some IIberLy. Here, uguInsL u buckground pIcLured wILI u weuILI oI deLuII, OsokIn's
Iopes oI IIndIng someone wILI wIom Ie cun Iuve u reuI excIunge ure uL IusL IuIIIIIed In
LIe mugIcIun, wIo Is ubIe Lo speuk LIe LruLI by IInLIng uL IL IIke u rIddIe und wIose
peneLruLIng gIunce Ius LIe Ionged-Ior dImensIon oI Irony - "noL un unsympuLIeLIc
Irony, buL one IuII oI undersLundIng, oI compussIon und pILy, us LIougI Ie wouId IIke Lo
IeIp buL cunnoL."
WIuL, LIen, Is LIe book's cenLruI Ideu? WIuL Is LIe specIuI Iope IL conveys? TIIs Is
someLIIng eucI IndIvIduuI reuder wIII Iuve Lo muke up IIs own mInd ubouL, becuuse
Ouspensky Is reucIIng Ior u puzzIe LIuL In mosL oI us Is deepIy burIed.
TIuL uII IILerury embeIIIsImenLs were sucrIIIced Lo IL does noL ensure LIuL IL Is eusIIy
grusped. TIe LIeme oI eLernuI recurrence, by wIIcI u mun Is born uguIn und uguIn InLo
LIe sume cIrcumsLunces, mukIng exucLIy LIe sume mIsLukes und rememberIng IIs pusL
exIsLence Iess IrequenLIy und wILI Iess und Iess remorse us Ie geLs oIder, wus u IuvorILe
LIeory oI Ouspensky's. L wus more LIun u LIeory Ior IIm. L sLood LIe LesL oI GurdjIeII s
prucLIcuI LeucIIng und, us Rodney CoIIIn Ius recounLed |In IIs TIe TIeory oI ELernuI
IIe, VIncenL SLuurL, ondon, 1q6, pp. 1o1-1oz|, Ie IIved IL wILI superIumun convIcLIon
In LIe IusL monLIs oI IIs IIIe. BuL IL wouId be superIIcIuI Lo suy LIuL LIIs Is wIuL OsokIn Is
ubouL.
Nor, oI course, Is IL prImurIIy InLended us u book - Ior uduILs und cIIIdren-ubouL
growIng up, In LIe sense oI u wIIIIngness Lo Lurn uwuy Irom IrresponsIbIe cIIIdIood
dreums Lo LIe reuIILy oI u Iumdrum IIIe. AII LIe sume, LIe pIuIn sensILIvILy wILI wIIcI
OsokIn's udoIescence Is descrIbed wIII uwuken Iong-IorgoLLen IeeIIngs In muny reuders
und u new InLeresL In wuLcIIng young peopIe. EvIdenLIy, Ouspensky wus observIng
IImseII Iong beIore Ie Ieurd oI seII-observuLIon Irom GurdjIeII, jusL us In TerLIum
Orgunum Ie Iud uIreudy "unconscIousIy" unLIcIpuLed so muny oLIer oI LIe Ideus Ie IuLer
receIved Irom IIm. BuL Lo Luke OsokIn onIy us u guIde Lo seII educuLIon wouId be Lo
reduce LIe mugIcIun scene Lo IuIry-LuIe. L Is exucLIy LIese scenes, wIIcI Ouspensky - by
descrIbIng LIem mInuLeIy -InLends sIouId be Luken us IucL und even us LIe mosL
ImporLunL IucL In LIe book.
OsokIn Is un urLIsL. He does noL wIsI Lo gIve up IIs dreums uILogeLIer becuuse LIey ure
by Iur LIe mosL creuLIve und LIereIore suLIsIyIng expressIons oI IIs psycIe. NoL onIy LIuL.
HIs dreums revoIve uround u deep LruLI-IIs prevIous exIsLence-wIIcI Ie knows buL
Ius IorgoLLen so oILen LIuL IL Ius ceused Lo ucL on IIm. OsokIn's LroubIe Is noL LIe wIde
scope oI IIs ImugInuLIon buL u sorL oI wIsIIuI LIInkIng wIIcI IurdIy ever sLops und Is
prucLIcuIIy u denIuI oI wIuL Is Lrue In IIs dreum. L Is us II CuIIIornIuns were Lo dreum oI
LIe IorLIcomIng eurLIquuke wILI 1oo Lo zoo LIousund cusuuILIes LIuL scIence so
conIIdenLIy predIcLs, und even Lo guess LIe duLe und IocuIILy, Lo dIscuss IL und wrILe
counLIess books ubouL IL, buL sLIII be LoLuIIy unubIe Lo ucL on LIeIr knowIedge.
PeopIe wIo IeeI LIIs Lo be LIeIr ucLuuI condILIon muy Iuve "guessed u cerLuIn secreL." BuL
LIe mugIcIun uppeurs onIy wIen OsokIn Is broken -uL u momenL wIen LIe useIess
round oI IIs wIsIIuI LIInkIng Ius come compIeLeIy Lo un end, und Ie Is ubIe Lo usk quILe
sImpIy Ior LIe mugIcIun's IeIp.
n one oI IIs eurIy conversuLIons wILI GurdjIeII In n SeurcI oI LIe MIrucuIous,
Ouspensky remurks LIuL Ie uIwuys Iound IL IumIIIuLIng noL Lo know Iow mucI LIme Ie
Iud und LIuL Lo know LIe IuLure wus IIs uIm. Here, LIe Ideu Is sLIII deeper. OsokIn, In u
cerLuIn sense, uIreudy knows LIe IuLure. L wIII be LIe sume us LIe pusL. BuL Ie Is unubIe
Lo ucL InLeIIIgenLIy In LIe IIgIL oI IIs knowIedge, becuuse uL crucIuI momenLs Ie IorgeLs,
Ie cunnoL remember, Ie cunnoL IoIIow. L Is neILIer IIs percepLIons nor IIs InLeIIIgence
wIIcI need specIuI uLLenLIon, IL Is LIeIr Iuck oI reIuLIon wILI IIs everyduy beIuvIor und
ucLIons. n u word, Ie needs Lo Ieurn Lo "IIve."
Ouspensky suId LIuL us u young mun Ie IeIL LIuL boLI convenLIonuI reIIgIon und modern
scIence were u deud wuII. ProIessors were kIIIIng scIence jusL us prIesLs were kIIIIng
reIIgIon, In LIe EusL us weII us In LIe WesL. L Is IurdIy surprIsIng, LIereIore, LIuL IIs
mugIcIun Is u benL, oId mun Irom LIe Durk Ages.
As mIgIL be expecLed, LIIs mugIcIun Is gruveIy mysLerIous ubouL LIe work oI IIs scIooI -
LIe reuI scIooI LIuL every normuI boy vugueIy ImugInes und soon IorgeLs Lo Iook Ior -
excepL LIuL Lo enLer IL sucrIIIce Is needed. n IucL, Lo become u pupII OsokIn Ius Lo
undersLund LIere Is onIy one wuy-Lo gIve IIs IIIe enLIreIy Lo LIe mugIcIun, uL IeusL Ior Len
or IIILeen yeurs. And LIIs sucrIIIce Ius Lo be u voIunLury decIsIon.
WIuL OsokIn decIdes Lo do Is un Inner evenL on unoLIer scuIe, wIIcI no ouLsIde observer
sucI us LIe reuder cun know. BuL In spILe oI LIe economy prucLIced In oLIer purLs oI LIe
book, Ouspensky, wIo doubLIess wuLcIed muny OsokIns reucI LIIs momenL oI cIoIce,
does noL IuII Lo end LIe sLory wILI u deLuIIed uccounL oI Iow OsokIn's LIougILs uguIn
begun Lo cIrcIe wIIIe Ie pondered IIs IInuI dIIemmu-und Iow LIIs LIme someLIIng oI
LIe mugIcIun's InIIuence enLered und ucLed In IIm.
More LIun IuII u cenLury ugo, Ouspensky suw LIuL u Lrue, more objecLIve reIuLIonsIIp
wILI LIeIr own IIIe Is onIy reuIIzed by mosL Iumun beIngs uL cerLuIn quILe uccIdenLuI
momenLs, und LIuL cInemu Is unIqueIy IILLed Lo reproduce LIe reuI IIsLory oI u mun
LIrougI sIowIng u serIes oI LIese deep ImpressIons (noL peuk experIences) und LIe
sLrunge sense oI "noL exIsLIng" wIIcI connecLs LIem LogeLIer. TIuL no IIIm versIon oI
"CInemudrumu" yeL exIsLs- LoucI wood - muy perIups be LIe greuLesL LrIbuLe Lo
OsokIn. TIere ure Iew unLIdy ends und IIuws In LIe book, by wIIcI u movIe promoLer
wILI IIs IIuIr Ior compromIse und ussocIuLIve reusonIng cun enLer LIe sLory.
This commentcr ucs jirst published in Mctericl jor Thouht (:p;z) $cn rcncisco.
A COECT ON O QUOTES O GURDJE WORDS,
WR TTEN OR SPOKEN, ROM VAR OUS SOURCES MADE
BY R TZ PETERS CRCA 1qq
%he Sphinx:

TIe SpIInx represenLs Iow Lo become conscIous:
Body oI u buII meuns mIgILy Iubours.
egs oI u IIon, LIe mIgIL necessury Ior deveIopmenL.
WIngs oI un eugIe Ior ponderIng.
BreusL oI u vIrgIn Ior Iove - uIwuys.
TIe Ieud, IIxed wILI umber Lo LIe neck, Ior
mpurLIuI Iove.
(Amber Is one oI seven pIuneLury IormuLIons In LIe urIsIng oI wIIcI uII oI ILs LIree
sepuruLe IndependenL und sucred purLs ure In equuI proporLIons).

Impressions Octuve:
SI: ndIvIduuIILy
u: UnIversuIIILy
SoI: EIevuLIon
u: RoIes
MI: ExperImenL
Re: PurLIcIpuLIon
Do: nLenLIonuI SuIIerIng

BENG EORT:
TIe onIy connecLIon our emoLIons Iuve wILI our body Is LIrougI LIe bIood, und LIe
emoLIons cun onIy be connecLed wILI LIe mInd by LIe HunbIedzoIn - LIuL subsLunce
wIIcI urIses Irom beIng-eIIorLs. How unbecomIng Is LIe sLuLe oI mun! He cunnoL by IIs
mInd conLroI un emoLIon. WIuL wus IIIe und deuLI Ior IIm IusL yeur, LIIs yeur Is IurdIy
remembered.
MEMORY:
Memory Is LIe repeLILIon oI prevIousIy-perceIved ImpressIons engenderIng wIuL Is cuIIed
ussocIuLIon, und LIe purLs oI LIIs repeLILIon enLerIng LIe IIeId oI mun`s uLLenLIon - LIuL
condILIon Is cuIIed memory.
We Iuve q personuIILIes:
1. AII uuLomuLIc IuncLIonIngs IncIudIng menLuLIon (so-cuIIed) oI mun.
z. TIe LoLuIILy oI LIe IIxed duLu receIved Irom LIe 6 receIvIng orguns - receIvers oI LIe
vurIed quuIILy vIbruLIons dependIng on IeredILy und condILIons In prepuruLory yeurs oI
IormuLIon.
. TIe IundumenLuI IuncLIonIng oI LIe orgunIsm und uIso LIe moLor-reIIex-recIprocuIIy-
uIIecLIng munIIesLuLIons.
q. TIe IIrsL LIree uII LogeLIer, wIIcI LoLuI Is cuIIed LIe .

RUES OR YOUTH:
1. ove your IuLIer und moLIer.
z. Be cIusLe.
. Be courLeous Lo everyone, be Ie power-possessIng or u sIuve, wIIIe keepIng your Inner
seII Iree.
q. ove work Ior ILs own suke, noL Ior LIe rewurds IL brIngs.

G`s deIInILIon oI u greuL mun (In LIe ordInury sense oI LIe word):
One wIo Is resourceIuI In IIIe, wIo Is resLruIned In IIs munIIesLuLIons (LIuL come Irom
IIs personuIILy) und wIo Is InduIgenL oI LIe weuknesses oI IIs IeIIow:
Do someLIIng or do noLIIng - don`L be AmerIcun.
HUMAN NATURE:
You gIve someone someLIIng. TIe IIrsL LIme Ie prosLruLes IImseII. TIe second LIme Ie
kIsses your Iund. TIe LIIrd LIme Ie geLs IumIIIur. TIe IourLI LIme Ie onIy nods. TIe IIILI
LIme Ie InsuILs you becuuse you don`L gIve IIm enougI.
TIe sIxLI LIme Ie sues you.
CONSCENCE Is someLImes cuIIed LIe represenLuLIve oI LIe CreuLor In us.
SUGGESTBTY Is u muIeIIcenL properLy oI our psycIe.
Every reuI IuppIness Ior mun cun urIse excIusIveIy onIy Irom some unIuppIness, uIso
reuI, wIIcI Ie Ius uIreudy experIenced.
ATH Is desIrubIe. OwIng Lo IuILI uIone uppeurs In u beIng LIe seII-conscIousness
necessury Ior IIm und uIso LIe vuIuuLIon oI PersonuI BeIng us oI u purLIcIe oI everyLIIng
exIsLIng In LIe unIverse.
WIen everyLIIng Is usIes In your Iunds, LIen LIere Is cIeurer IeeIIng.
W Is u cerLuIn combInuLIon obLuIned Irom LIe resuILs oI cerLuIn properLIes especIuIIy
eIuboruLed In LIemseIves by peopIe wIo cun do. (A reeI mun - mun wILIouL quoLuLIon
murks.)
s mun u resuIL oI evoIuLIon Irom unImuIs? No, mun Is u dIIIerenL IormuIu.
Mun Ius never seen ungeIs In LIe worId, onIy devIIs, und LIe more good Ie LIInks Ie Is,
LIe more devIIs Ie cun see. (TIe onIy devII Is SE-CAMNG.)
TIe LIree kInds oI onunIsm: PIysIcuI onunIsm, PIuLoIsm, SocruLIsm. (Mun osL IIs LuII
becuuse oI LILIIIuLIon In LIree cenLres.)
A noLe In u scuIe Is u cenLer oI gruvILy. TIe noLe soI Is LIe cenLer oI gruvILy oI LIe ocLuve.
TIe sensIng oI LIe IIow-oI-LIme Is dIrecLIy proporLIonuI Lo LIe quuIILy und quunLILy oI LIe
IIow-oI-LIougILs.
MOTHER Is very ImporLunL becuuse you geL IIre Irom moLIer.
(Lo SoIILu) No correspondence beLween your Inner und ouLer IIIe. TIe reuson: Bud
IeredILy und educuLIon.
To LIe YogI-engIIsI-vegeLurIun IrIend oI Gordon: You noL undersLund wIuL suy? You
noL even IIsLen. dId noL Ieur LIe IusL purL oI wIuL you suId. NoL even IIrsL purL. No
InLeIIIgenL on Iuce. Even wIen mun noL undersLund Ie cun Iuve IIveIy Iook Ior LryIng.
MAN HAS TWO WORDS: OuLer: AII ImpressIons seen und IeIL; nner: LIe uuLomuLIc
IuncLIonIng oI uII orguns. Mun cun Iuve u LIIrd worId - LIe souI - wIIcI uncIenLs cuII LIe
WorId oI Mun. nLenLIonuI conLucL musL be esLubIIsIed beLween LIe IIrsL und second
worId; LIen cun begIn LIe LIIrd worId.
ATTENTON: Depends on LIe degree oI LIe gruduLIon oI LIe sLuLe oI beIng. TIe
uncIenLs spoke oI LIe STRENGT O THE EMBRACE O ATTENTON. DeIInILIon oI
uLLenLIon uccordIng Lo uncIenL scIence: TIe degree oI bIendIng Ior sumeness beLween
LIe ImpuIses oI observuLIon und consLuLIon by LIe processes oI one LoLuIILy wILI LIe
process In oLIer LoLuIILIes.
VBRATONS: TIe bIendIng oI vIbruLIons. TIe specLrum-puInLIng. EucI one oI mun`s
LIree bruIns Ius ILs sepuruLe rudIuLIons.
One LIIng uL u LIme:
WIen do you do u LIIng do IL wILI uII seII. One LIIng uL u LIme. Now sIL Iere und euL.
or me noLIIng exIsL In u worId excepL LIIs Iood, LIIs LubIe. euL wILI wIoIe uLLenLIon. So
you musL do In everyLIIng. WIen you wrILe IeLLer do noL uL sume LIme LIInk wIuL cosL
IuunderIng oI LIuL sIIrL - wIen you compuLe IuunderIng cosL do noL LIInk ubouL LIe
IeLLer you musL wrILe. EveryLIIng Ius ILs LIme. To be ABE Lo do ONE THNG AT A
TME - LIIs Is properLy oI Mun - noL mun In quoLuLIon murks.
You usk ubouL usIeep, you Iuve ImpuIse Ior sIeep wILI new medIcIne. s besL noL Lry IIgIL
wIsI Ior sIeep. NuLure knows more LIun 1oo docLors. s uII rIgIL II you sIeep, noL IuII
sIeep, IuII dreum. SIeep wILI wIoIe seII - one LIIng uL u LIme. Muybe you wIsI sIeep
becuuse some uccumuIuLor In you Is run ouL perIups some specIuI purL oI you. Some
specIuI pIuce, Iuve no energy. TIIs cun be uccumuIuLed In you onIy wIen In ubsoIuLe
pussIve sLuLe - In sIeep.
G suys: (uILer drIvIng Irom Rouen): So LIred IusL nIgIL noL sIeep, LruIns puss, Loduy Iong
drIve. BuL In one wuy Is good LIIng be so LIred. Cun IeeI now wIuL non-enLILy Is body.
Cun Iook LIrougI IL und SEE Is merde. Cun Iook und IInd In mIddIe u peurI - LIe
smuII eurned ucLIve purL - your . TIIs gIves u Iuppy IeeIIng, Is good purL oI beIng so
LIred - Lo Iook LIrougI und IInd LIIs peurI - your eurned purL.
s properLy oI mun LIuL Ie cun never do wIuL Ie pIun u week ugo, un Iour ugo.
THE VE STRVNGS (or duIIy eIIorL)
1. SuLIsIy LIe needs oI LIe body
z. ConsLunL unIIuggIng InsLIncLIve need Ior seII-perIecLIon In LIe sense oI BeIng.
. Know more und more concernIng LIe Iuws oI worId creuLIon und worId muInLenunce.
q. Puy Ior your urIsIng und IndIvIduuIILy us quIckIy us possIbIe In order Lo IIgILen LIe
sorrow oI LIe CreuLor.
. AssIsL LIe mosL rupId perIecLIng oI oLIer beIngs.

M CHE DE SAZMANN HOW TO VE S MPY?
The jollouin comments b Michel de $clzmcnn uere mcde ct c meetin in rcnce in
1une, zoo: cnd uere lcter recclled cnd edited b members oj the Philcdelphic
Gurdjiejj oundction roup uho uere in cttendcnce.
How Lo IIve sImpIy? L Is u bIg quesLIon. eL LIe unswer come InLo LIe empLy spuce LIuL
one musL creuLe In oneseII. TryIng Lo IIve sImpIy Is noL LIe wuy-we don'L know Iow.
TryIng Lo IIx IL Is IIIIIng LIe spuce wILI ucLIvILy, wIen wIuL Is needed Is Lo empLy oneseII
und uIIow un unswer Lo uppeur.
To work, need Lo be cuImer-noL so unxIous. You don'L own your IeeIIngs, LIey ure
gIven Lo you-IIke your body. L pIsses wIen IL wunLs Lo, euLs wIen IL wunLs Lo, und so on.
TIese experIences ure gIven Lo you. You ure noL In cIurge oI your body, nor oI your
IeeIIngs-you do noL know wIuL LIey meun. So Iow cun you judge wIuL Is rIgIL or wrong
Ior you uL u cerLuIn momenL? Some IeeIIngs muy be needed Lo proLecL yourseII.
You do noL know. So IeL IL compIeLeIy be. JusL ucknowIedge wIuL Is- uII sorLs oI
movemenLs und energIes goIng on, LIe body pussIve, LIe mInd uLLenLIve. Awure oI body
und mInd und oI LIuL wIIcI Is uIwuys LIere, ubove. rom LIere, order uppeurs In LIe
psycIe und In LIe body, LIrougI LIe IIgIL LIuL unImuLes LIem. n LIuL reIuLIon, jusL be.
WIuL comes Irom LIuL Is noL Ior me. L Is u CIoud oI UnknowIng, sIorn oI LIe nurrowIy
CIrIsLIun LrImmIngs oI LIuL greuL book.
To be presenL Is noL LIuL Iurd-II you wIsI. I you eurnesLIy wIsI Lo do someLIIng-
pooI-IL's done! So In momenLs oI wIsIIng we couId be presenL, uII we need Is u more
pressIng wIsI.
um puL In quesLIon by LIe IucL oI Lwo IeveIs, Lwo nuLures. um LIuL purudox.
experIence IL buL cunnoL reconcIIe LIe Lwo wILI my mInd. Puy uLLenLIon Lo LIe
reIuLIonsIIp beLween IIgIer und Iower, beLween quIeL und dIsLrucLed.
WIen um In quesLIon, see LIuL cunnoL reIy on my memory oI Work expIunuLIons.
TIen IorgeL uII you know ubouL LIe Work. Ls Lerms ure un obsLucIe Ior you now. AvoId
LIIs oId reducLIonIsm. Be new. OnIy LIen cun you wIsI wILI reuI IeeIIng, wILI Iove. TIuL
Is wIuL you need. NoL u LecInIque, noL u progrum oI work, buL un InLense pussIon Lo
uwuken.

AWAKEN TO THE QUESTON BY M CHE DE SAZMANN
We Iuve, uII oI us, someLIIng In common-LogeLIer wILI LIe IucL LIuL we jusL exIsL now:
IL Is LIuL Lo everyone presenL Iere, wIeLIer Ie recognIzes IL or noL, LIe mosL ImporLunL
LIIng, LIe LIIng LIuL reuIIy muLLers Lo IIm, Is himselj. um noL reIerrIng now Lo some
specIIIc ego IeuLures sucI us seIIIsIness, seII-Iove, or seII-ImporLunce, buL Lo someLIIng
very sImpIe, IucLuuI, quILe unuvoIdubIe. Am noL exLremeIy ImporLunL sInce everyLIIng
LIuL exIsLs exIsLs becuuse um? And II LIInk LIe opposILe, Is IL noL uguIn wIo LIInk IL?
EveryLIIng pusses LIrougI me. um LIe onIy one wIo cun experIence or IIve my IIIe. L Is
noL usecondIund IIIe, uILIougI unIorLunuLeIy mosL oI LIe LIme we seem Lo IorgeL LIuL.
TIIs IucL brIngs us ImmedIuLeIy Lo LIe mosL dIIIIcuIL quesLIon. WIuL Is myseII?
eL us Lry Lo consIder LIuL, uvoIdIng us Iur us possIbIe our "reudy-mude" puLLerns oI
LIougIL. We ure oI course ImmedIuLeIy LempLed Lo reIer Lo u pIIIosopIIcuI poInL oI vIew,
or Lo recuII LIe BuddIIsL or HIndu concepLIon oI LIe seII, or Lo upproucI LIe probIem In
Lerms oI depLI psycIoIogy, beIuvIorIsm, or uny oLIer oI our personuI "IdIosyncrusIes."
eL us Lry Lo Iuce LIe quesLIon In u more provocuLIve wuy, wouId suy In u nuIve wuy. So
come buck Lo myseII. WIuL Is IL? Do Iuve unyLIIng oI my own?
My IIIe? muy suy, n u wuy IL wus gIven Lo me. Iuve done noLIIng Ior LIuL. L Is now
gIven Lo me us un exIsLenLIuI IucL. cun become uwure oI IL. L operuLes LIrougI my body.
TIIs body gIven Lo me works by ILseII uccordIng Lo deIInILe Iuws. L Is LIe sILe oI myrIuds
oI processes und oI consLunL excIunges wILI LIe ouLer worId. VurIous deLermInIng
InIIuences Iuve gIven IL ILs pecuIIurILIes: ruce, IeredILy, cIImuLe, Iood; und uIso more
dIsLunL InIIuences: usLroIogIcuI, cosmIc, eLc., oI wIIcI we know very IILLIe. AnyIow, IL
works, und mosL oI LIe LIme um unconscIous oI IL. L Is IIke un unImuI. An unImuI In
ILseII Is u greuL LIIng, us LIe eLymoIogy remInds us: "unImu," IIke "spIrILus," reIers Lo LIe
breuLI, Lo LIe mysLerIous "unImuLIon" oI LIe body. TIus unImuLed, LIe body goes und
comes, euLs, sIeeps, evucuuLes, Ius sex uIIuIrs und someLImes cuIIs on me Lo be
recognIzed, Lo be Luken cure oI; buL IL usuuIIy works us weII wILIouL me. n LIe besL
momenLs oI uwureness IL uppeurs Lo me us un InLegruLed purL oI u greuLer wIoIe, Irom
wIIcI IL Is InsepurubIe. Mude oI muLLer, my body obeys LIe cuusuIILy oI wIuL we cuII LIe
pIysIcuI worId.
Now LIere Is unoLIer, greuLer wIoIe oI wIIcI um u purL, Lo wIIcI beIong, In wIIcI
buLIe. TIuL Is cuILure or socIeLy. muy someLImes reuIIze LIuL everyLIIng Iuve, uII my
LIougILs, my words, uII my IeeIIngs, my body's Ieurned wuys oI beIuvIor-uII LIe conLenLs
us weII us mosL oI LIe dynumIcs oI wIuL Is cuIIed my psycIoIogIcuI IIIe-Iuve been
"InpuLLed" InLo me.
My onIy orIgInuIILy seems Lo IIe In LIe wuy IL Is puL LogeLIer. Everyone Ius u sLyIe, some
cIurucLerIsLIc IubILs und ussocIuLIons; buL so IL Is In u compuLer uIso. TIe wuy uII LIIs Ius
been puL LogeLIer Ius mereIy Iuppened. L cume ubouL LIrougI conLIngency-LIrougI
uccIdenLuI evenLs-und deveIoped quILe unconscIousIy. My compuLer deuIs wILI new
InpuLs uccordIng Lo ILs own condILIoned progrum. NoLIIng compIeLeIy new cun ever
come ouL oI IL. None oI us, Ior InsLunce, wouId be ubIe Lo druw un enLIreIy new unImuI.
Known eIemenLs or IeuLures wouId InevILubIy be mude use oI. muy suy, rougIIy, und
provocuLIveIy, LIuL everyLIIng, IncIudIng my cIurucLer und equIpmenL, Ius been gIven Lo
me. My psycIIc IIIe, even LIougI IL obeys LIe cuusuIILy oI InLenLIonuIILy, Is uIso gIven Lo
me und Is busIcuIIy condILIoned or moLIvuLed by ILs cuILuruI worId.
AL IeusL someLIIng seems Lo remuIn undoubLedIy my own, someLIIng LIuL gIves me LIe
sense oI my IdenLILy: 1, myseII, LIe one wIo preLends Lo be uwure oI uII LIuL. BuL Iere
uguIn, Is IL noL one oI LIose deepIy rooLed ussumpLIons LIuL we never puL InLo quesLIon?
Our "ego" ucLuuIIy Lurns ouL Lo be jusL us mucI oI u gIIL, muybe u poIsonous gIIL, buL
neverLIeIess, u grund gIIL Irom our cuILure.
We ure noL jusL sImpIy born InLo Iumun exIsLence. As exIsLenLIuIIsLs wouId suy: Iumun
exIsLence Is InILIuIIy ego-conscIousness. And LIIs onIy uppeurs In u cIIId born und reured
In u Iumun socIeLy, usuuIIy uILer LIe uge oI Lwo, wIen LIe neuroIogIcuI sysLem Ius
compIeLeIy muLured. Ego conscIousness uppeurs LIen, uILogeLIer, us uIIIrmuLIon oI
oneseII us -ego, us dIscrImInuLIon oI oneseII Irom wIuL Is noL -LIe oLIer; und us u IucL
presenLed Lo oneseII und recognIzed by LIe ego. mmedIuLeIy dIssocIuLIon urIses In LIe
ego: LIe ego In ego -conscIousness beIng sImuILuneousIy ego us subjecL und ego us
objecL. n spILe oI uII ILs drumuLIc uLLempLs Lo escupe LIIs condILIoned subjecLIvILy, LIe
ego seems never ubIe Lo be u subjecL wILIouL un objecL ... unIess, wILI some IeIp, IL cun
go down Lo LIe very rooL oI ILs IundumenLuI conLrudIcLIon.
SIouId concIude LIuL um jusL u specIIIc conjuncLIon oI ouLer InIIuences, u sorL oI
meLuboIIc IInk wILIIn LIe cosmos? SomeLIIng remuIns evIdenLIy IrreducIbIe Lo sucI u
perspecLIve. However deepIy reuIIze LIuL wIuL um Is uILogeLIer "ImporLed,"
condILIoned, und dIvIded, sLIII beIIeve In u mysLerIous und compeIIIng vocuLIon: LIuL oI
beIng myseII. Ike sIs desperuLeIy LryIng Lo guLIer LIe dIspersed members oI OsIrIs LIe
ego Is ever In quesL oI u unIIIed, meunIngIuI IdenLILy.
n IucL wILI ego- conscIousness und ILs provocuLIve umbIguILy LIere Ius been uwukened
In us u sLrunge und ImmedIuLe sense oI responsIbIIILy. TIIs brIngs me mucI neurer Lo
wIuL cun recognIze us my own. EspecIuIIy II recuII LIuL Lo be responsIbIe meuns
properIy Lo respond, Lo unswer. AII cun possIbIy do, us u muLLer oI IucL uII um doIng, Is
respondIng, respondIng Lo my exIsLence. WIuL reuIIy deIInes und sIows us u mun Is IIs
response. I LIere Is Ior me LIe sIIgILesL possIbIe cIoIce In LIe mIdsL oI operuLIng Iuws,
wIeLIer Irom Iuzurd or necessILy, Is IL noL In LIe wuy respond-LIuL Is, In LIe quuIILy oI
my purLIcIpuLIon In uII LIuL Is gIven Lo me LIrougI LIe ImmedIuLe experIence oI my IIIe?
IeL us be cIeur LIuL my genuIne responsIveness Is noL Lo be Iound In uny oI LIe IormuI
responses LIuL my progrummed compuLer never IuIIs Lo produce. L Ius Lo be sougIL
beyond LIuL. L Is un InLenLIonuI ucL oI knowIng, wIIcI Ius u sInguIur cupucILy Ior
Ireedom sInce IL cun exIsL beyond my "IormuI" condILIonIng. TIIs prImury, Iree response
Is my uLLenLIon. My uLLenLIon Is my own und IundumenLuI unswer Lo my exIsLence. L Is
boLI my response und wIuL cun be responsIbIe Ior. An openIng us weII us un
engugemenL, IL Is my becomIng presenL Lo wIuL Is, IL Is hic et nunc my purLIcIpuLIng In
LIe ucLuuIILy oI beIng. ArIsIng us u busIc ucL oI knowIng LIrougI ucLuuI beIng, my
uLLenLIon Is sImuILuneousIy uwukenIng Lo myseII und Lo LIe worId. AII LIe resL, meun uII
LIe oLIer responses wIIcI ure IormuI, uII my ucLIng ouL, uII my ouLwurd munIIesLuLIons
proceed, so Lo suy, by LIemseIves, dependIng In LIeIr quuIILy on LIe quuIILy oI my
uLLenLIon.
TIe Ideu oI quuIILy oI uLLenLIon Is noL IumIIIur Lo us, nor Is LIe Ideu oI dIIIerenL possIbIe
IeveIs oI uLLenLIon. BuL LIIs wouId need un eIuboruLIon we cunnoL muke Iere. eL us jusL
suy LIuL our uLLenLIon Is mucI more LIun we generuIIy LIInk. L Is mucI more LIun u
sImpIe menLuI or cerebruI mecIunIsm. L concerns our wIoIe beIng. I ILs poLenLIuIILIes
ure Iur Irom beIng IuIIy ucLuuIIzed In our usuuI IIIe, muybe IL Is precIseIy becuuse IL Is noL
recognIzed us u muILIdImensIonuI keybourd und us LIe unIIyIng prIncIpIe oI our beIng.
PurudoxIcuIIy LIIs busIc ucL oI knowIng, wIIcI Is uLLenLIon, Is onIy ucLuuIIzed wIen we
don`L know-LIuL Is, wIen LIere Is u quesLIon. Ls IeveI und, so Lo suy, ILs degree oI
"LoLuIIzuLIon" ure proporLIonuI Lo our quesLIonIng. You Iuve sureIy noLIced LIuL wIen u
quesLIon Is vILuI-wIen IL Lukes us In LIe guLs, us you suy-IL suspends uII unnecessury
movemenLs, emoLIonuI und pIysIcuI us weII us menLuI. L cIeurs LIe wuy Ior reuI
uwureness und sensILIvILy, wIIcI ure componenLs oI my LoLuI power oI uLLenLIon. L Is
onIy beLween my noL knowIng und my urge Lo know LIuL IInd myseII presenL,
mobIIIzed, open, new-LIuL Is Lo suy, uLLenLIve.
ALLenLIon In ILs ucLIve Iorm Is LIereIore InsepurubIe Irom InLerroguLIon; IL Is essenLIuIIy,
In ILs purILy, un ucL oI quesLIonIng. TIIs ucL Is LIe prIvIIege oI our Iumun exIsLence. An
unImuI conLenLs ILseII wILI beIng. TIe responsIbIIILy oI mun Is Lo quesLIon IImseII on LIe
meunIng oI IIs beIng.
n our socIeLy, muInIy concerned wILI producLIon und eIIIcIency, LIe drumu Is LIuL our
cupucILy Ior quesLIonIng, sLIII so vIvId In eurIy cIIIdIood, Is very quIckIy erudIcuLed or
pusIed usIde Ior LIe beneIIL oI our cupucILy Ior unswerIng. WIen u cIIId Ius u reuI
quesLIon, mosL oI LIe LIme Ie Is ImmedIuLeIy gIven u sLupId unswer. n LIe besL cuses LIe
educuLor goes Lo LIe dIcLIonury Lo be sure IIs unswer Is uccuruLe. BuL unyIow,
unconscIousIy, II noL proudIy, Ie cIoses LIe quesLIon. rom scIooI Lo LIe end oI our IIIe IL
Is uIwuys necessury Lo unswer. We ure compeIIed Lo Ieurn Iow Lo unswer. I we don`L
know Iow Lo unswer, we ure jusL no good. So IILLIe by IILLIe we become some kInd oI
modeI mucIIne ubIe-Lo-unswer-uII-sILuuLIons wILI uII LIe necessury bIIndness us regurds
ILs own conLrudIcLIons. TIuL kInd oI unswerIng, wIose degree oI sopIIsLIcuLIon muy
someLImes IIde Irom us ILs condILIoned cIurucLer, Is requIred by our IIIe. BuL under ILs
domInuLIng necessILy, Is IL possIbIe Lo keep uIIve In ourseIves our mosL uuLIenLIc und
precIous cupucILy, wIIcI Is quesLIonIng?
TIIs Is LIe wIoIe probIem conIronLIng us, ucLuuIIy. BuL ure we sLrong enougI, Iree
enougI, concerned enougI, Lo reuIIy quesLIon ourseIves wIIIe unswerIng? TIe cIuIIenge
Is jusL us dIIIIcuIL us IucIng u Zen koun. WIIIe pIuyIng our purL, wIIIe beIng enguged
wILIouL cIeuLIng In LIe sILuuLIon LIuL cuIIs us, cun we uL LIe sume LIme neILIer uIIIrm nor
deny, neILIer resIsL nor IoIIow, ussume LIuL we neILIer know nor don'L know, LIuL we ure
ubIe or unubIe? Cun we be ucuLeIy presenL Lo wIuL Is, wILIouL judgmenL or IndIIIerence,
wILIouL uny soIuLIon or escupe? L wouId meun beIng uwure on uII IronLs, renouncIng LIe
known Ior LIe unknown, wILI sLundIng LIe InevILubIe prIncIpIe oI repeLILIon, sLuyIng sLIII
wILIIn our movemenL.
ToLuI quesLIonIng In our IIvIng Is LIe key Lo beIng, buL wIoever venLures unprepured InLo
LIe experIence wIII meeL u wuII oI resIsLunce In IImseII, II noL sImpIy Ieur LIuL Ie Is
sLupId, IncupubIe, und so on. OnIy excepLIonuIIy moLIvuLed seurcIers wIII Luke LIe rIsk
und Ieuve room Ior quesLIonIng-und geL beyond LIe pIunLusms oI InsecurILy. MosL oI us,
ure so busy wILI successIuI unswerIng und so IdenLIIIed wILI our own Imuge LIuL we need
severe sIocks sucI us deuLI, suIIerIng, IIIness, deep IrusLruLIon, or "supergruLIIIcuLIon"
Lo uwuken Lo LIe quesLIon.
TIe quesLIon Is Iere, wuILIng Ior us, IoIIowIng us everywIere, sInce we ourseIves ure LIuL
very quesLIon. Iuve sLurLed wILI IL, uskIng, "WIuL um ?" buL LIIs upproucI Ius kepL me
un ouLsIder, u mere on-Iooker oI myseII. WIen born In LIe mInd, LIe quesLIon cuIIs IorLI
un unswer LIrougI LIe mInd und keeps me dIvIded under my compuIsIon Ior
expIunuLIon und Ior power over my objecL worId. UndersLundIng needs more. L needs
experIencIng-LIuL Is, Lo be puL Lo LIe LesL und Lo puss LIrougI. Iuve Lo enguge myseII,
Lo respond LoLuIIy In LIe ucL oI knowIng myseII. ArIsIng Irom beIng, LIe quesLIon IInds un
unswer LIrougI beIng. Our quesLIon Ius LIus sIIILed Irom u ruLIocenLrIc poInL oI vIew Lo
un onLocenLrIc poInL oI vIew und Ius become "WIo um 1?"
BeIInd LIe mIsIeudIng screen oI uII our oLIer quesLIons IL Is LIe quesLIon oI eucI one oI
us In our Iumun exIsLence. L Is IumunILy's IIrsL und IusL quesLIon. L Is Loduy us IL wus
cenLurIes ugo. TIrougIouL Iumun IIsLory, dIm, brIgIL, or enIIgILenIng IIgILs Iuve
repeuLedIy reucLIvuLed LIuL quesLIon. L Is LIe uxIs uround wIIcI moves In u spIruI LIe
eLernuI revoIuLIon oI Iumun cuILure.

ExcerpLed Irom "Mun`s Ever New und ELernuI CIuIIenge", In n the Wc to $elj
Knoulede, edILed by Jucob NeedIemun und DennIs ewIs (New York: AIIred A. KnopI,
1q;6), pp.q-6o.

THE WORK N E BY MAURCE DESSEE AND HENR
TRACO
The jollouin comments uere mcde b Mcurice Desselle cnd Henri Trccol on 1une ,
:p( in Pcris ct c ueell meetin jor studin the Gurdjiejj idecs. The uere
trcnslcted jrom rench notes b Dorothec Doolin cnd Pctt de Llosc.
Muorice esselle: TIe subjecL LIuL brIngs us LogeLIer LonIgIL Is "TIe Work In IIe."
'd IIke Lo exumIne IL In u very sImpIe wuy und, uL LIe sume LIme, In u very broud wuy, Lo
Lry Lo undersLund LIe IInk LIuL exIsLs beLween my work und my IIIe. And InverseIy, LIe
IInk beLween my IIIe und my work. 'm Iorced Lo Iuce LIIs Ideu, wIIcI presenLs un
ongoIng quesLIon, becuuse LIe very Ideu oI un eIIorL und u seurcI sprIngs Irom my IIIe,
ouL oI my IIIe.
speuk noL onIy Ior myseII becuuse we Iuve uII upproucIed LIe possIbIIILy oI work In LIIs
wuy. n LIIs IIIe-mude up oI un uccumuIuLIon oI InIormuLIon ubouL IucLs, evenLs, cIunce
IuppenIngs-wIIcI Is gIven Lo us one duy und wIII be Luken uwuy Irom us on unoLIer (we
don'L know wIen), u momenL uIwuys comes wIen IL seems IncompreIensIbIe Lo us, even
ubsurd.
L Is uL LIIs very momenL LIuL LIe Ideu oI u seurcI uppeurs und un uLLempL Lo undersLund
our presence Iere begIns. So LIe connecLIon Is obvIous. We cunnoL reIuse LIIs IIIe. L Is
wILIIn LIIs very IIIe LIuL our seurcI musL be esLubIIsIed und pursued.
And yeL, Irom LIe momenL LIIs Is undersLood, und wIen perIups u IorLunuLe meeLIng
puLs us In conLucL wILI u work, wILI u wuy-Irom LIe momenL our IIrsL eIIorLs ure mude,
LIe sume quesLIon uppeurs: wIuL Is LIe IInk, LIe Lrue IInk, beLween LIIs everyduy IIIe und
LIe eIIorLs we ure mukIng Lo undersLund beLLer wIuL we ure? Becuuse LIIs connecLIon Is
noL so cIeur. And uILIougI IL muy seem purudoxIcuI, LIInk IL corresponds Lo everyone's
experIence LIuL LIe more we LIInk we Iuve undersLood, LIe more we beIIeve we Iuve
dIscovered someLIIng LIuL muy muke sense, LIe IurLIer uwuy our IIIe seems Irom our
work. TIere Is u kInd oI conLrudIcLIon wIIcI Is dIIIIcuIL Lo see und, ubove uII, dIIIIcuIL Lo
resoIve, becuuse II my IIIe und my work ure noL ucLuuIIy opposed, LIere Is cerLuInIy u
necessury dIsLIncLIon beLween LIem. know very weII LIuL my work Is one LIIng und my
IIIe unoLIer.
uced wILI LIIs uppurenL conLrudIcLIon, LIere ure Lwo Lrups cun IuII InLo. TIe IIrsL
comes II reIuse Lo see LIuL someLIIng- don'L wunL Lo use LIe word "opposed"-buL
someLIIng doesn'L go rIgIL beLween my IIIe und my work. Up Lo u cerLuIn poInL wIuL my
IIIe usks oI me, LIe dIverse und oILen dIvergenL InLeresLs IL uwukens In me, seem Lo be noL
exucLIy enemIes, buL more IIke sLrungers Lo LIIs need Ior u verLIcuI IuIIIIImenL wIIcI LIe
work Ius pIunLed In me.
TIe IIrsL oI LIe Lwo Lrups IuII InLo (und 'm noL sure won'L IuII InLo IL uguIn), Is noL
LukIng LIIs dIIIerence InLo uccounL Irom LIe very begInnIng: on LIe one Iund my IIIe, on
LIe oLIer Iund my work, eucI IgnorunL oI LIe oLIer.
My work cun uppeur Lo me us u sorL oI reIuge, us cerLuIn prIvIIeged momenLs wIen Iuve
un undenIubIe conLucL wILI someLIIng IIgIer In myseII, buL IuvIng no ucLIon, no
resonunce upon my IIIe. Or uguIn, mIgIL Lry Lo cIunge my IIIe, Lo muke IL conIorm more
Lo u work wIose uIm um noL sure undersLund. TIIs LempLuLIon, currIed Lo un exLreme,
Ieuds Lo reLIremenL Irom LIe worId. L Is u LempLuLIon we ure IumIIIur wILI. Or eIse Lry
Lo Iorce my work InLo my IIIe, uLLempLIng Lo prucLIce Ideus wIIcI Iuve bureIy
experIenced, und wIIcI Iuve neILIer undersLood nor dIgesLed.
So eILIer reIuse Lo Iook Ior u connecLIon, or eIse IInd LIe connecLIon onIy In LIe
mIxLure, wIIcI Is doubLIess sLIII worse. YeL um sLIII Iuce Lo Iuce wILI LIe sume dIIemmu.
'm noL unuwure LIuL LIIs need Ior eIIorL, LIIs need Lo undersLund, Lo Iook Ior LIe
meunIng oI my IIIe und LIe meunIng oI my presence In LIIs IIIe, orIgInuLes In my IIIe. My
IIIe remuIns uL LIuL poInL, wILI uII ILs dIssuLIsIucLIons und non-undersLundIngs, und IL
musL necessurIIy connecL ILseII wILI LIIs eIIorL, connecL ILseII wILI my own work. AL LIe
sume LIme, my work musL be connecLed wILI my IIIe. WIuL LIen Is LIe IInk?
ILLIe by IILLIe reuIIze LIuL um LIe IInk; LIuL LIe uppurenL conLrudIcLIon Isn'L beLween
my IIIe und wIuL cuII my work. L Is In myseII. AL cerLuIn momenLs cun muke LIIs
necessury dIsLIncLIon beLween Lwo wuys oI beIng, Lwo sLuLes oI beIng; or ruLIer, Lo cIurIIy
IurLIer, Lwo IeveIs oI beIng. PerIups LIen begIn Lo undersLund wIere LIIs uppurenL
conLrudIcLIon comes Irom, und Iow by beIng presenL Lo myseII, , myseII, couId perIups
reconcIIe IL. AL LIe sume LIme undersLund Lwo suyIngs Irom LIe GospeI wIIcI Iuve
uIwuys sLruck me very mucI, becuuse LIey seem conLrudIcLory: "We cunnoL serve boLI
God und mummon" yeL we musL "render unLo Cuesur LIe LIIngs LIuL ure Cuesur's, und
unLo God LIe LIIngs LIuL ure God's." I conIronL LIIs uppurenL purudox, suddenIy
reuIIze wIuL my IIIe couId be In LIe IIgIL oI my work. L couId become LIe necessury
ground Ior my experIence. L Is onIy In IIIe, wILIouL cIungIng IL uL uII, uccepLIng IL us IL Is
und myseII us um, LIuL wIII IInd LIe ground LIuL Is IndIspensubIe Ior LIe
undersLundIng Lo wIIcI uspIre.
Now LIe IInk begIns Lo IuncLIon. Now u cerLuIn reconcIIIuLIon cun begIn Lo Luke pIuce In
me. However, Iere's wIere musL rId myseII oI un IIIusIon. TIIs reconcIIIuLIon, LIIs IInk,
Is momenLury. NoL onIy momenLury, buL In movemenL. TruIy. My work wIII noL be In my
IIIe excepL uL LIe momenL or momenLs wIen Lry Lo undersLund LIuL beIong Lo Lwo
musLers beLween wIom um never ubIe Lo cIoose. wIII undersLund LIIs IInk onIy Lo LIe
degree In wIIcI, uL LIose momenLs, um ubIe Lo perceIve u cerLuIn possIbIe order In
myseII, und reLurn Irom LIIs possIbIe order Lo my IubILuuI dIsorder, LryIng Lo keep my
eyes open us wIde us cun.
TIere, see u connecLIon. And LIe IInk uIso uppeurs In LIe opposILe movemenL oI LryIng
Lo ruIse myseII Lo u possIbIe order, In LIose momenLs wIen um ubIe Lo wuke up Lo my
dIsorder In LIIs IIIe, noL wunLIng Lo cIunge unyLIIng. n LIuL InsLunL wuke up Irom my
condILIonIng Lo u bud InLerIor sLuLe oI beIng (noL un ouLer sLuLe), Lo Lry Lo undersLund
beLLer und perIups, II possIbIe, obey u reuI musLer.
LIInk cun suy LIuL In LIe momenLs oI wIIcI 'm speukIng my IIIe enLers InLo my work
und perIups, uL LImes, my IIIe Is uL LIe servIce oI my work. L Is LIen LIuL cun
undersLund un Ideu we LuIked ubouL IusL LIme: LIe Ideu oI LIe Lusk. L Is wIoIIy IInked
wILI LIe one we ure speukIng ubouL LonIgIL.
I undersLund LIuL Ior me LIIs IIIe Is u Lusk, even wIen don'L undersLund LIe Lusk. And
II sLrIve, In LIose InsLunLs spoke ubouL jusL now, Lo undersLund wIuL my Lusk Is, Lo
wIuL um cuIIed, und II keep reLurnIng Lo LIe eIIorL oI undersLundIng LIuL someLIIng Is
usked oI me In LIIs IIIe-someLIIng don'L undersLund buL IeeI LIe necessILy oI-LIen uL
LIose momenLs uIso cun suy LIuL my work Is In my IIIe, und LIuL boLI ure necessury Lo
my Inner growLI.
enri %rucol: wouId IIke Lo reLurn Lo un Ideu wIIcI seems worLI goIng InLo IurLIer,
und wIIcI wus puL Iorwurd eurIIer. On LIe IungIng suspended ubove LIe sLudenLs' Ieuds
In LIe SLudy House (uL LIe nsLILuLe), Mr. GurdjIeII Iud wrILLen LIIs upIorIsm, umong
oLIers: "AIwuys remember LIuL Iere LIe work Is u meuns, und noL un end." To encouruge
u IuIse mysLIque oI LIe work In myseII und In oLIers does Injury Lo LIe very essence oI
our seurcI. L subsLILuLes u menLuI or emoLIonuI Imuge wIIcI Is, uL LIe very IeusL,
suspecL. don'L know Iow you IeeI ubouL IL, buL LIInk IL's u dunger LIuL IIes In wuIL Ior
us uII. One oI ILs cIIeI cIurucLerIsLIcs Is Lo Lurn us uwuy Irom IIIe, Lo InvILe us Lo LreuL IIIe
wILI conLempL, Lo consIder IL LIe beusL we musL vunquIsI or LIe enemy we musL
overcome. As II LIe work couId be In uny wuy uguInsL IIIe! TIuL wouId meun IorgeLLIng,
umong oLIer LIIngs, wIy LIe duy cume wIen we Lurned Lowurds LIIs LeucIIng. WIuLever
Iorm our dIssuLIsIucLIons und Iopes Look, we cume Lo LIe work uskIng, ubove uII, Ior IeIp
Lo IIve LIIs IIIe, IeIp Lo recover u more reuI, more convIncIng, meunIng Ior IL. And LIuL's
wIuL we dIscurd wIen we gIve wuy Lo un Imuge born oI experIences LIuL ure sLIII
IrugmenLury und Iopes LIuL ure noL yeL IegILImuLe.
WIen we uLLempL Lo cover IIIe wILI un ubsLrucL dIugrum oI wIuL IL ougIL Lo be, und Lry Lo
Impose on IL u Iorm Irom LIe ouLsIde wIIcI consLruIns IL, we dIsLorL LIe reuI dIrecLIon oI
our eIIorLs, wIIcI Is ruLIer Lo undersLund LIIs IIIe beLLer by purLIcIpuLIng In IL more. or
IL Is by knowIng IL beLLer, uIwuys Irom more ungIes und uspecLs, by undersLundIng LIe
Iorces LIuL unImuLe us, LIuL LIe LrunsIormuLIon oI beIng Lo wIIcI we uspIre wIII begIn Lo
Luke pIuce.
Work uccordIng Lo LIe ourLI Wuy cunnoL be ouLsIde oI IIIe. L Is uL LIe very IeurL oI IIIe,
und IL cuIIs us Lo us IuII un expressIon us possIbIe, In LIe mIdsL oI IIIe, oI uII LIe Iorces
LIrougI wIIcI we cun become reInLegruLed wILI reuI beIng; Iorces Irom wIIcI we ure cuL
oII by u wuy oI IIvIng wIIcI Is reveuIed by LIe IuIse Ideu LIuL LIe work Is on IIIe's murgIn.
To pIuy u roIe-II pIuyIng u roIe Is our InLenLIon-Is noL Lo spIIL oneseII up, IL Is even Iess
Lo pIuy LIe comedy oI work Lo oneseII und Lo oLIers. To pIuy u roIe Is Lo pIuy IL sLruIgIL, Lo
Luke u rIsk, LruIy Lo expose oneseII und Lo uccepL Lo IInd oneseII In u sILuuLIon wIere once
uguIn one Is uL LIe very cenLer oI LIIs conIIIcL oI LendencIes wIere LIe Lrue beIng oI mun
deIInes ILseII.
LIInk LIIs Is LIe onIy possIbIe wuy Lo undersLund LIe udvIce so oILen repeuLed by Mr.
GurdjIeII: "OuLwurdIy pIuy u roIe, InwurdIy don'L IdenLIIy."



W AM WECH STAYNG W TH EMPT NESS
The jollouin exchcne uith Dr. Willicm Welch is excerpted jrom the trcnscript oj c
roup meetin on Mc , :pp in Neu Yorl.
QuesLIon: WIen Lurn Lo myseII und IInd empLIness, never geL uny IurLIer. LIInk
someLIIng sIouId be LIere becuuse Lurned Lo Iook. BuL Iow does one Lry? How does
one knock on LIe door und LIen conLInue Lo sLuy LIere even II IL doesn'L open?
Dr. WeIcI: WIere Is LIe Inner percepLIon LIuL cun uwuken In me wIen 'm noL In LoucI
wILI myseII? NoLIIng uwukens. And know LIe dIIIerence, buL 'm dIsLrucLed by my duIIy
IIIe. nsLeud oI sLuyIng wILI LIe empLIness, Lurn uwuy becuuse LIere's noLIIng LIere.
don'L sLuy LIere becuuse IL's dIIIIcuIL Lo beur or IL's borIng or IL's muny LIIngs. TIere's no
uwukenIng becuuse don'L sLuy LIere. And cun'L suy LIuL see my empLIness. RuLIer,
Immerse myseII In IL.
You usk, "How cun one Lry?" so uIreudy you Iuve judged IL. "OI weII, LIere um, empLy.
musL be somebody very noLIIng." YeL IL Ius been suggesLed LIuL noLIIngness Is un
experIence couId underLuke Lo be In LoucI wILI, wILIouL cIusLIsIng myseII, In LIe sume
wuy LIuL cun be In LoucI wILI 'noL knowIng.'
How Lo experIence LIe Ireedom LIuL cun come Irom beIng Iree oI LIese LIIngs ' know?'
muy suy know my empLIness, buL don'L know IL uL uII. Iuve uIreudy judged IL und puL
IL uwuy und gone ubouL doIng someLIIng eIse.
L's been suggesLed LIuL noL be morbId ubouL LIIs buL we Lend Lo IIIrL wILI IL. n comes u
IILLIe seII-pILy, und In comes "OI, wIuL u sIume. once knew someLIIng gIorIous und
now don'L Iuve LIe Iorce requIred Lo IIIL myseII Lo u pIuce know perIecLIy weII."
remember IL's been suId LIuL "In order Lo geL LIere you Iuve Lo be LIere" und, "TIere Isn'L
uny wuy Irom Iere Lo LIere buL onIy Irom LIere Lo Iere."
We uII know LIese sIy, cIrcuILous wuys oI LIreudIng everyLIIng LIrougI LIe Ieud ruLIer
LIun underLukIng, Irom wIerever um, Lo come InLo conLucL wILI myseII LIrougI LIe
onIy renL In LIe LenL LIuL GurdjIeII ucknowIedges.
You cun'L Iuve u very cIose, objecLIve experIence oI your IeeIIngs, und unybody wIo suys
Ie cun observe IIs mInd und LIe IIow oI LIougILs Ius u IoL oI expIuInIng Lo do. However,
IL's possIbIe Lo remInd ourseIves ubouL uLLenLIon-one oI LIe greuL mysLerIes. cun Ieur
Mudume de SuIzmunn suyIng, "TIe work Is noL sensIng your IeIL Ieg." TIe work oI
sensIng Is Lo Ieurn Lo uncIor your uLLenLIon; Lo Ieurn ubouL unoLIer quuIILy oI uLLenLIon
und Lo exercIse IL.
You und know LIe possIbIe InLensILy oI LIe sensuLIon oI oneseII wIIcI, In spILe oI
oneseII, brIngs ubouL, noL necessurIIy u connecLIon beLween IIgIer mInd und LIe body,
buL wIuLever connecLIon Iuve uL LIuL momenL wILI my Ieud und my body. AnoLIer
reIuLIonsIIp Is LIere, dIIIerenL Irom wIen wus conLempIuLIng my empLIness.
WIuL need Iere Is noL some spIrILuuI InspIruLIon. need some InLeresL In LIe
recognILIon LIuL don'L know very mucI ubouL LIIs. don'L cure Iow muny LImes Lry IL,
In wIuL soIemn ussembIIes underLuke IL. know, InsIde, LIuL IL's very dIIIIcuIL Lo geL
uwuy Irom my ego, Irom wIuL 've been LoId, Irom IIndIng wIuL LIey suId wouId IInd,
und Irom IILeruI-mIndedness.
BuL LIuL's LIe wuy IL Is. dIdn'L expecL Lo Lurn InLo un Ange] And remember GurdjIeII
suId you cun'L LrusL your Ange, you cun onIy LrusL your devII. Becuuse your Ange Is IIke
you, Ie's buckIng Lo be un ArcIunge.
Sume QuesLIoner: WIen Mudume de SuIzmunn used Lo suy, "Very good Is noL enougI," Is
LIuL reIuLed?
Dr. WeIcI: Yes. TIere's u pIuce wIere cun come In LoucI wILI noL-knowIng, wILI LIuL
sLrunger LIougIL knew buL wus never quIeL enougI Lo conLucL In unoLIer wuy. So you
Lry Lo muke LIIs eIIorL und LIe kIds IoIIer und kIck you In LIe sIIns. A pIpe bursLs.
SomeLIIng burns on LIe sLove. TIe LeIepIone rIngs. You suy "AugI" or you suy "WeII,
LrIed." You gIve yourseII u IILLIe 'A' Ior eIIorL und go ubouL scrumbIIng eggs Ior IuncI.
Sume QuesLIoner: L's noL LIe IeeIIng oI noL knowIng, IL's LIe IeeIIng oI non-beIng.
Dr. WeIcI: WeII, you cun'L Iuve non-beIng. BeIng Is noL Lrunscendence. BeIng Is Iow we
ure: dIsLrucLed, conIused, mIIdIy mIserubIe, more or Iess conLenL wILI LIe dIIeLLunLe's
IIIe. We LIInk LIuL Lomorrow IL wIII be dIIIerenL, IL wIII be more possIbIe Lo Luke
udvunLuge oI wIuL reuIIy know preLLy weII unywuy, becuuse " um In LIe Work."
You know, jusL becuuse LIe cundIe spuLLers someLImes, doesn'L meun IL's goIng ouL. n
sLrong wInds und In IIgIL ruIn IL cun be dumpened u IILLIe, buL IL cun be re-IIgILed. don'L
LIInk Ior u momenL LIuL your experIence Is IuLuI, permunenL, or necessurIIy uII LIuL
ImporLunL. One oI LIe LIIngs ubouL GurdjIeII s worIdvIew Is LIuL once you geL vuccInuLed
you Iuve u Iurd LIme cuLcIIng unyLIIng eIse.
We geL so soIemn. L's Loo bud. L's purL oI LIe journey, dry perIods und momenLs oI
dIsencIunLmenL, mIsInLerpreLuLIons, IuIIures Lo see, uII oI wIIcI ure consIdered so neur
Lo wIuL um speukIng ubouL LIuL everybody knows LIem.
BuL seeIng Is noL so eusy. SeeIng Is very dIIIerenL Irom beIng IosL In noL-seeIng.

rencI Ior AngeI.

RENE DAUMA THE ROE O MOVEMENT N THE
COMPETE EDUCAT ON O MAN
SomeLImes one oI IIIe's uccIdenLs - mIsIorLune, u deepIy movIng encounLer - ruLLIes LIe
reIuLIveIy IucLILIous und soIId edIIIce LIuL u Iumun beIng Ius buIIL up Ior LIe comIorL oI
IIs exIsLence. SIuken Lo wIuL Ie beIIeves Lo be IIs rooLs, Ie Is burned Ior un InsLunL by
LIe IIre oI u quesLIon, u doubL: wIo um ? wIy um IIvIng? wIere um goIng? AL LIIs
momenL oI reuIILy, Ie LIInks. BuL sucI momenLs ure uImosL uIwuys excepLIonuI und
uccIdenLuI, purLIcuIurIy Ior LIe specIuIIzed men-condILIoned by socIuI uLLILudes,
wILIdruwn InLo vIcIous cIrcIes In LIe sIudows oI LIeIr conscIousness - LIuL our modern
cIvIIIzuLIon produces In ubundunce. BuL LIe edIIIce's sembIunce oI buIunce Is rureIy
compromIsed In u serIous wuy. or LIe quesLIon "wIo um ," cIvII sLuLus, IIrsL numes, IusL
numes, posILIons, proIessIons, LILIes, runks, socIuI cIrcIes, mIrrors, umbILIons, vunILIes
und IuzIness ure LIere Lo gIve LIe preLense oI un unswer. I LIe person Is oI u sIIgILIy
specuIuLIve nuLure, IIs IILLIe InLernuI pIIIosopIy uIso keeps unswers Lo LIese ruLLIIng
quesLIons - brIIIIunL, consoIIng or upproxImuLIve unswers - In reserve. And mun, LIuL
pIunLom vesseI, seLs oII uguIn under IIs IIIusory rIggIng on LIe wuves oI LIIs worId
wIere, uL LImes, u reuI vesseI Ieuves ILs wuke. Moreover, Iow wouId Ie Iuve resoIved
LIese quesLIons? Even IookIng uL LIem sLruIgIL on - us In Jucob's LIme men conIronLed
bIuzIng ungeIs on mounLuInLops und sLruggIed wILI LIem, burnIng LIeIr IImbs - wIuL
couId Ie do? WIere Lo begIn? L Is dIIIIcuIL Lo sLurL quesLIonIng everyLIIng II one Ius noL
seen or uL very IeusL Ieurd oI un open wuy, no muLLer Iow Iurd or nurrow IL mIgIL be, In
LIe seurcI Ior u reuI unswer. BuL In LIe mIrucuIous IogIc oI IIIe, IL seems LIuL every Lrue
seurcI wIII IInd LIe exLernuI IeIp, LIe roud-sIgns IL needs: noL u veIIcIe wIIcI wouId
LrunsporL mun eIIorLIessIy, In wIIcI Ie couId resL und IeL IImseII be drIven, buL u precIse
IInger wIIcI uIwuys sIows LIe mosL dIrecL, und LIe IursIesL, puLI, In un ureu wIere eucI
one, Lo go Iorwurd, cun onIy counL on IIs own eIIorL.
WIuL Lo do, wIere Lo begIn Ior LIose wIom doubL Ius sIuken, Ior LIose wIo Iuve noL
IosL LIe cIIIdIood desIre Lo seek LIemseIves, Lo experIence LIemseIves, Lo buIId
LIemseIves? And wIuL Lo do Lo spure LIe cIIId experIences wIIcI ure oILen Iong und
puInIuI, Lo guIde IIm uIong u puLI oI normuI Iumun deveIopmenL ( do noL meun
conIormIng Lo exLernuI und urbILrury ruIes, buL IoIIowIng LIe reuI und compIeLe
evoIuLIon oI LIe conscIousness InvesLed In u Iumun IndIvIduuI)? TIere Is no Iuck oI
educuLors or supposed InsLrucLors wIo beIIeve or muke beIIeve LIuL LIey Iuve Iound LIe
key, LIe IdeuI sysLem. n reuIILy, LIese sysLems uImosL uIwuys cenLer on un Ideu or
observuLIon LIuL Is Lrue, buL purLIuI. or one, LIe perIecL educuLIon wIII be LIe IuIIy
nuLuruI, unImuI deveIopmenL oI LIe Iumun beusL; Ior unoLIer, LIe cuILIvuLIon oI
sponLuneILy und sensILIvILy ubove uII; Ior u LIIrd, LIe meLIodIc exercIse oI InLeIIecLuuI
IucuILIes. AImosL uIwuys, LIey wIII pIuce LIe uccenL on u purLIcuIur dIscIpIIne deur Lo
LIem: pIysIcuI cuILure, sporLs, cumpIng, puInLIng, musIc, pIIIosopIy or nuLuruI IIsLory.
AImosL uIwuys, LIey ure men wILI IeurLs IuII oI good InLenLIons; und some oI LIem ure
emInenLIy dungerous becuuse LIey unIIormIy Impose LIeIr good InLenLIons, LIeIr IImILed
concepLs, LIeIr munIus or even LIeIr LIcs on LIe sLudenLs conIIded Lo LIem, wILIouL
reuIIzIng LIuL u gIven educuLIonuI meLIod, exceIIenL Ior one, wIII muke LIe oLIer u
menLuI crIppIe.
I Iuve spoken oI u mIrucuIous IogIc oI IIIe, IL Is becuuse uL u LIme wIen LIe need Ior IL
In uII oI us Is so greuL, Iuve seen In ucLIon u meLIod oI educuLIon, In LIe exucL meunIng
oI LIe word, cupubIe oI IndIcuLIng Lo eucI one, cIIId or uduIL, LIe LruesL dIrecLIon In
wIIcI Lo seurcI Ior IImseII. NoL onIy oI IndIcuLIng, buL, by un IncessunL cuII Lo LIe
conscIousness und presence oI LIe LoLuI IndIvIduuI, by exercIses, condILIons und
experImenLs upproprIuLe Lo eucI one, oI IncILIng eucI one Lo wuIk, bIossom und rIpen In
LIIs puLI on wIIcI eucI one goes uIone, In LIe soIILude oI u sIngIe presence wIIcI Is
noneLIeIess LIe pIuce wIere we cun uII communIcuLe.
TIe IucL Is LIuL LIere exIsLs u LeucIIng Iounded on LIIs knowIedge, wIIcI cun uddress
every Iumun beIng becuuse IL uddresses every uspecL oI LIe Iumun beIng. NoL by
compIIIng vurIous meLIods und LeucIIngs, us do mosL currenL "educuLIonuI" InsLILuLIons,
wIIcI beIIeve LIey cun deveIop LIe wIoIe beIng by uddIng LogeLIer one Iour oI
muLIemuLIcs, one Iour oI druwIng und one Iour oI gymnusLIcs, LIus cuLLIng LIe
IndIvIduuI InLo IILLIe sIIces, wIose cenLer oI cenLers, dIspersed, Is IosL; buL ruLIer, by IIrsL
uskIng eucI one Lo be presenL us Ie Is, uL LIuL very momenL, wILI uII Ie possesses In
orguns, IucuILIes und ucquIsILIons, Irom Ieud Lo IooL vIu LIe IeurL. And LIe onIy Iorm oI
exIsLence common Lo LIe dIverse uspecLs oI LIe IndIvIduuI beIng, wIIcI wIII LIus be LIe
meuns, LIe grounds oI LIIs LeucIIng, Is movemenL. I someone suys, LIe sume us oI LIe
movIng body, LIuL one Is "emoLIonuIIy moved," LIuL "LIougIL ruces," LIese meLupIors
ure noL sImpIy rIeLorIcuI IIgures. AII oI LIIs Is movemenL. And uII movemenL Is subjecL Lo
u speed (u Lempo), u cudence und u rIyLIm. TIe scIence-noL onIy LIeoreLIcuI, buL
IIved-oI speeds, cudences und rIyLIms wIII LIus be u cIoIce meuns Ior u genuIne
educuLIon. TIIs prucLIcuI scIence Ius severuI uspecLs. Two oI LIe muIn ones ure or were
known under LIe numes oI dunce und musIc: urLs, noL us LIe dIgesLIve, emoLIonuI or
InLeIIecLuuI gruLIIIcuLIons we usuuIIy know, buL us u superIor know- Iow, u knowIng-
Iow-Lo-muke-oneseII, In LIe sense LIuL MusIc Ior LIe Greeks enveIoped uII cuILure; In LIe
sense LIuL PoeLry Is creuLIon, edIIIcuLIon oI LIe seII.
BuL sLIII Ieur, by LIIs LIeoreLIcuI dIspIuy, LIuL um veerIng uwuy Irom LIe cenLruI IucL.
wouId IIke Lo muke you uLLend one oI LIese "Iessons," or ruLIer one oI LIese IIIe-
concenLruLes. BuL no, IL wouId noL be enougI Ior you Lo see und Ieur; even repeuLed over
und over, LIe sIgIL wouId uIwuys Iuve someLIIng new, you wouId IeeI LIuL work wus
beIng done, LIuL someLIIng wus on LIe move, buL IL wouId sLIII be un exLernuI sIgIL.
A wIoIe oLIer Iundscupe, wIIcI opens In LIe seII, uppeurs Lo IIm wIo Lukes purL (II onIy
once) In LIese "Iessons." IrsL, LIere Is un InLernuI cIuos, u proIound conIusIon;
everyLIIng Is puL buck InLo quesLIon. TIey usk you Lo muke very sImpIe gesLures: your
body no Ionger obeys us soon us you sLep sIIgILIy uwuy Irom your oId IubILs. TIey usk
you Lo express u very sImpIe IeeIIng und you remuIn expressIonIess, or wILI
InupproprIuLe expressIons, us soon us you ure sLrIpped oI your Ieurned uLLILudes und
convenLIonuI musks. TIey usk you Lo muke u very sImpIe eIIorL oI memory, reIIecLIon,
cuIcuIuLIon, und your InLeIIIgence works onIy wILI greuL puIn us soon us your ussocIuLIve
mecIunIsms, your seL expressIons und your cIIcIes Iuve IuIIen In coId usIes on your
bruIns und Longues. TIIs experIence, wILI wIIcI IIIe Is sLIngy, Is oIIered you uL every
momenL. Every mInuLe, you see u bIL more cIeurIy uII LIuL Is mecIunIsm, deuLI, sIeep,
cowurdIce, pose, vunILy, cIuLLer, In LIe vurIous IormuLIons oI your beIng. BuL you wIII noL
be crusIed by despuIr, Ior you wIII see un open puLI, u wuy Lo seLLIe InLo LIe IIIckerIng,
poor und nuked gIImmer wIIcI, wILI ecIIpses, gIows In you. You wIII see u wuy Lo revIve
LIIs IILLIe IIume, Lo Ieed IL, Lo muke IL grow und IusL und rusI onLo LIe Iree puLI LIuL IL
musL IIgIL. TIen you wIII undersLund LIuL wIen LIe pupII wIo Iud sucI dIIIIcuILy wILI
LIe sImpIe ucL oI wuIkIng suddenIy IIgILs up wILI joy und euse, IL Is becuuse LIIs joy Is LIe
sIgn LIuL, IInuIIy, Ie Ius reuIIy perIormed LIe ucLIon oI wuIkIng uL u gIven puce -noL
mude LIe pIysIcuI preLense oI wuIkIng, buL Ius conscIousIy wuIked uL LIIs puce,
IurmonIzIng IIs Lorso wILI IIs Iegs, IIs Ieud wILI IIs IeurL, und IIs IeurL wILI IIs IeeL.
You wIII know wIuL LIIs joy cun meun Irom reuI conLucL wILI yourseII, wIen IL rIses up In
you, wIen noL onIy u sImpIe puce buL un enLIre rIyLIm comes Lo IIIe In your body. n
your IeurL, you wIII dIscover Lreusures und munure Ieups. You wIII see your bruIn
workIng, your bIuLunL LIeorIes, LIe mouIdy IIbrurIes LIuL encumber LIe room upsLuIrs.
And perIups, uL LIuL momenL, un eye wIII open InsIde your skuII, und wIII sIoo ouL IIocks
oI cIuLLerIng purroLs. You wIII see wIuL LIose wIo sLood sLock-sLIII suw: wIuL jungIes,
wIuL uvIurIes, wIuL menugerIes IuII oI crIes, murmurs, growIs, wIuL u reuIm oI wIIcI
you ure kIng, und wIuL dIsorder LIe counLry Ius IuIIen InLo becuuse LIe prInce wus
sIeepIng or dreumIng oI dIsLunL nuLIons. And LIme wIII seem very sIorL Indeed. TIere Is
so mucI cIeurIng ouL Lo do, so mucI order Lo esLubIIsI und so muny orders Lo gIve.
SomeLImes, LIe voIce LIuL exLernuIIy dIrecLs you wIII poInL ouL LIuL u gIven muscIe In
your body Is Loo Lense, or noL Lense enougI; LIuL u gIven nerve Is useIessIy IrrILuLed; or
LIuL your mInd Is wunderIng InLo oLIer Iunds. You wIII know LIuL LIIs wus Lrue, you wIII
puII yourseII LogeLIer. ILLIe by IILLIe u proIound operuLIon, wIose onIy vIsIbIe sIgn Is u
joy, u reIuxuLIon, u sudden euse In your enLIre body, wIII be uccompIIsIed In you. And
IILLIe by IILLIe, you wIII begIn Lo seek, In LIe ucLs oI your IIIe, LIuL conscIousness oI beIng
Iere. More cIurILy, more jusLIce und judIcIousness wIII deveIop In your gesLures, your
works, your resL und your duIIy reIuLIons. Or someLImes LIuL voIce wIII speuk u IILLIe
Ionger, und ILs words wIII IuII on you us onLo weII-pIougIed eurLI, wIereus Ior unoLIer
LIey wouId Iuve InspIred onIy sLerIIe curIosILy.
SInce we musL gIve everyLIIng u nume, wIen someone usks Mme. de S. wIuL Ier
"courses" consIsL oI, sIe generuIIy unswers LIuL LIey consIsL oI movemenL. TIe word Ius
LIe doubIe udvunLuge oI beIng exucL, provIded one Lukes IL In ILs compIeLe sense, und oI
beIng suIe Irom IubeI-sLIckers oI every cuLegory, Irom every someLIIng-Ism. By
upproprIuLe movemenLs oI uII kInds (IncIudIng LIe ucLIve und conscIous ImmobIIILy
wIIcI Is un ubsoIuLe mode oI movemenL), by suggesLIng speeds, puces und rIyLIms Lo un
IndIvIduuI's dIverse ucLIvILIes, sucI u meLIod guIdes IIm uIong puLIs uL wIose bends Ie
InevILubIy meeLs un oILen unexpecLed sIde oI IImseII. Mun cun LIus, sLep by sLep,
munuge Lo weIgI wIuL Ie Is worLI, wIuL Ie Is cupubIe oI; Lo commund wILI upproprIuLe
economy, Ior LIe besL possIbIe reLurn, LIe resources, reserves, LrunsIormuLIons und uses
oI IIs energy - In uII LIe uspecLs In wIIcI IL munIIesLs ILseII; Lo move body, IeeIIngs und
LIougIL In muLuuI buIunce Lowurd IIs gouI; Lo know wIuL Ie wunLs Lo do und Lo do IL, Lo
Iove doIng IL, Lo wunL wIuL Ie does.
1qq
TrunsIuLed by Murk PoIIzzoLLI Irom LIe unLIoIogy Ie edILed, TIe Powers oI LIe Word:
SeIecLed Essuys und NoLes oI Rene DuumuI, 1qz;-1qq, Sun runcIsco, 1qq1.