"THERE DO EXIST ENQUIRING MINDS, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of things and phenomena and to penetrate into themselves. If a man reasons and thinks soundly, no matter which path he follows in solving these problems, he must inevitably arrive back at himself, and begin with the solution of the problem of what he is himself and what his place is in the world around him. For without this knowledge, he will have no focal point in his search. Socrates’ words, “Know thyself” remain for all those who seek true knowledge and being."
VIEWS FROM THE REAL WORLD, BY by G.I. Gurdjieff, p 43
05 August 2011
FORGETFULNESS
In the ordinary scheme of our every days we forget so much. Why?
We forget what we want, who we are, what we just said, our good intentions - why? No one seems to be "home". We are constantly distracted, bombarded every second of every day with thousands of outer 'things' vying for and catching our attention. Even if I am not actually looking at something, even if it is only in my peripheral field of vision it influences me in some way - bids for my attention. Things outside of my direct and peripheral fields of vision bid for my attention as well - exerting influence on me. My organism senses them, knows they are there.
Automatically attaching themselves to each of these things are myriads of associations that string together and attach other groups of associations morning noon and night. To deal with all of this as well as those influences we receive on the psychic level, we walk around with mental and emotional blinders on, train our bodies to act accordingly. We are in a somnambulative state a majority of the time - it's "easier" that way. We become automatons - automatically selective - believing any random thought or story in the head, what we "like" and do not like, what we "want" and do not want. Automatically formed images or groups of images of what we imagine we and others are rule our actions. We rarely see who and what we really are. It's "too hard". It is uncomfortable to see ourselves in reality - without the blinders on.
No, it is better to forget and go with the false 'i's", the "stories" in the head, the status quo than to find and free the true self. "The price of inner freedom is too great!" is the war cry of the automatic machine. Thus we stay in our little prisons of dream and forgetfulness.
We forget what we want, who we are, what we just said, our good intentions - why? No one seems to be "home". We are constantly distracted, bombarded every second of every day with thousands of outer 'things' vying for and catching our attention. Even if I am not actually looking at something, even if it is only in my peripheral field of vision it influences me in some way - bids for my attention. Things outside of my direct and peripheral fields of vision bid for my attention as well - exerting influence on me. My organism senses them, knows they are there.
Automatically attaching themselves to each of these things are myriads of associations that string together and attach other groups of associations morning noon and night. To deal with all of this as well as those influences we receive on the psychic level, we walk around with mental and emotional blinders on, train our bodies to act accordingly. We are in a somnambulative state a majority of the time - it's "easier" that way. We become automatons - automatically selective - believing any random thought or story in the head, what we "like" and do not like, what we "want" and do not want. Automatically formed images or groups of images of what we imagine we and others are rule our actions. We rarely see who and what we really are. It's "too hard". It is uncomfortable to see ourselves in reality - without the blinders on.
No, it is better to forget and go with the false 'i's", the "stories" in the head, the status quo than to find and free the true self. "The price of inner freedom is too great!" is the war cry of the automatic machine. Thus we stay in our little prisons of dream and forgetfulness.
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