Gurdjieff talk from Driscoll

N otes of Talks by G. I. Gurdjieff

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Gurdjieff in his teaching always tried to make us understand that we must use it in our life-work. The struggle between ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ goes on endlessly. We are full of idle wishes—‘it wishes’—and to these we must oppose our ‘I’ wish. If this is done in the right way, a good result follows.

He gave as an example the following: ‘Suppose I very much need some

information, or something, from someone. But this someone has offended me. “It” does

not wish humbly to ask, and I shall have to struggle with my self-love and self-pride,

which would suffer in the case of refusal. If I persist in my struggle against the denying

part and overcome the inertia set up, and go to the person, something in me will be

strengthened and my understanding will have deepened. On the other hand, if I do not

go, though I shall have saved nervous energy and possible unpleasantness, my

understanding will not have increased.’

Later he spoke about initiation. ‘Initiation is usually regarded as an act by which

a man who knows transfers to another man knowledge and power, which become the latter’s inalienable possession with no effort on his part. This, of course, can never be. There is only self-initiation, which is acquired by constant effort. It is impossible to give to a man anything that could become his own without effort on his part. One can only show and direct, but not initiate. One can only give to a man just as much as he is ready to receive.

As I have said, Gurdjieff always followed up a talk on theory with practical work; and I,

with others, found myself being manoeuvred into situations in which I became

conscious of ‘Yes, here is something I ought to do’; ‘No’ from the body, a resistance

accompanied by all kinds of reasonable excuses to make myself not go on with the

struggle. When the effort was made, the neutralizing force came into play, and a feeling

of growing strength was experienced. Sometimes the effort was not made, with a

consequent feeling of weakness in the solar plexus.

While taking part in a certain dance based on what is called the’Enneagram’

something began to work in me, in my feelings; it was occasioned partly by the music, partly by the postures and movements. The music was a simple recurring melody and harmony, but arranged in such a way, and so beautifully, that it pierced the depths of one’s being. It was as if I were understanding something, becoming conscious,

partaking in a ritual. I sensed something of the meaning of the enneagram of the law of eternal recurrence, eternal repetition, and of the possibilities of a way out, and in time the enneagram became for me a living moving symbol that gave me a feeling of joy whenever I looked at it. I could learn something every time I pondered it.”

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