Capítulo 4
The Obstacles to Awakening
Several psychological mechanisms prevent us from seeing our true condition and awakening from our sleep. The most significant is identification-becoming completely absorbed in whatever we're experiencing. When identified with a problem, we lose all perspective, becoming one with the situation. Like an actor who believes he's Jesus offstage, we merge completely with our circumstances, whether financial problems, illness, or relationship issues.
This isn't conscious consideration but automatic, instantaneous obsession that impairs logical thinking. Using Maurice Nicoll's pool table analogy, identification is like falling into one of six pockets, where the rest of the world disappears. We leave the present moment, worrying about past or future, totally absorbed by what we've identified with.
Another obstacle is internal considering-our fixation on how others have wronged us or how we deserve better treatment. This manifests in two ways: feeling wronged (believing we're not treated as we deserve) and plotting revenge. We have imaginary conversations about injustices, developing psychological "songs" we repeat internally and to others. These songs blame others for our condition and prevent growth.
Buffers are psychological mechanisms that prevent us from seeing our contradictions. Like shock absorbers between railroad cars, they protect us from going insane by hiding our internal contradictions. While we easily see others' contradictions, buffers blind us to our own. Not only individuals but also corporations and nations develop buffers that prevent them from seeing the contradictions in their actions.
Negative emotions represent perhaps the most pervasive obstacle. Gurdjieff said negative emotions make the world go round-the world is awash with them, and negativity is highly contagious. When identified with problems, we turn negative, worrying and becoming overwhelmed. This negativity acts as a poison in our psychological bodies, contaminating all thoughts and relationships while creating physical tension that leads to illness.
After experiencing negative emotions, we feel exhausted because we've lost force-our available energy. If we imagine waking with 100 units of force each day, worrying before getting out of bed or having an argument at breakfast can deplete much of this energy before the day properly begins.
Capítulo 5
The Path to Transformation: Self-Observation
The cornerstone of Gurdjieff's method is self-observation-the practice of watching ourselves impartially, without judgment or justification. This isn't mental analysis but pure observation of how we actually behave, think, and feel in real-time. The key requirement is separating into two parts: the observer and the observed. Just as a scientist observes phenomena under a microscope, I must separate myself from "Smith" to watch how this personality behaves in daily situations.
Self-observation serves two crucial functions: it illuminates how we truly are beneath our self-image, and sometimes the mere light of consciousness itself changes things. Since we can't observe ourselves continuously throughout the day, these moments of observation form a "Work memory"-a composite photograph of our true nature, much like how multiple exposures create a complete picture. These snapshots accumulate over time to reveal patterns we wouldn't otherwise notice.
Four major factors prevent effective self-observation: constant mechanical talking (both external and internal chatter), lying to ourselves and others (including small social lies we consider harmless), undirected imagination (especially negative scenarios about the future or past), and negative emotions which distort our perception like a warped mirror. To overcome these obstacles, we must maintain strict objectivity-avoiding criticism, justification, or analysis during observation. This requires a special kind of attention that's both relaxed and alert.
With continued self-observation, we develop an inner "taste" that helps us recognize truth from falsehood in ourselves. After repeatedly observing our actions without judgment, we begin to notice when something feels wrong-like a bad taste that lingers after eating spoiled food. This taste becomes our internal compass, helping us distinguish between true and false actions, authentic and mechanical responses.
The Work emphasizes this may take years; there are no shortcuts or quick fixes. Only through patient, non-critical observation can we obtain an accurate picture of ourselves, which is the essential prerequisite for genuine change. We begin with small, manageable changes where success is possible, rather than attempting big behavioral shifts that will likely disappoint us and reinforce negative self-judgment.
For example, start by observing small daily habits-like frequently misplacing keys or wallets, interrupting others in conversation, or checking your phone compulsively. We can create designated places for items and consciously place them there upon entering home. When we still occasionally misplace them, the Work suggests a four-step approach: first, observe we're in a negative state without trying to change it; second, observe our thoughts (self-blame or blaming others) as they arise; third, notice our emotions and internal taste without getting caught in them; fourth, notice our movements and expressions without self-criticism or trying to correct them.
Through this practice, we gradually build a more objective relationship with ourselves. The goal isn't perfection but awareness-seeing ourselves as we are, not as we imagine or wish ourselves to be. This creates the foundation for authentic transformation, rather than superficial behavioral modifications that don't address our deeper mechanical patterns.
Capítulo 6
The Laws Governing Our Lives
The Work teaches that we're all under the influence of laws, and the lower our level of consciousness, the more laws control us. Like an incarcerated person has less freedom than someone outside, or a private is under more restrictions than a general. As we free ourselves from identification and negative states, we become subject to fewer laws and gain freedom.
Two fundamental laws govern all manifestation: the Law of Three and the Law of Seven. The Law of Three states that every manifestation in the universe results from three forces: active (initiating), passive (resisting), and neutralizing (connecting). Without all three forces, no event can occur. For example, if someone wants a job (active force) but resists making the necessary efforts (passive force), nothing happens until a third force appears-perhaps financial pressure that compels action.
A practical way to understand these forces is through self-observation, such as when trying to break a habit like smoking. The Work offers a shortcut: "willing what we have to do" reduces resistance and makes tasks easier to complete, though some resistance always remains.
The Law of Seven (also called the Law of Octaves or Scale) explains why our intentions often go astray. Using the musical scale analogy (do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si-do) with its whole and half steps, the Law identifies "gaps" between mi-fa and si-do where things naturally veer off course. This explains why straight lines don't exist in nature-everything moves in circles and spirals. To bridge these gaps requires conscious shocks or extra effort.
The Law of the Pendulum explains that we and nature are governed by cyclical changes. Just as winter follows summer and day follows night, our moods and circumstances swing between opposites. The problem is we often fail to see the connection between these opposite swings, which occur at different lengths and speeds. We become identified with one pole (love, success, enthusiasm) and then with the opposite (hate, failure, dejection), creating lives of constant ups and downs.
The Work teaches that peace exists at the center point of the pendulum's swing-the equilibrium or balance point before it moves in the opposite direction. This middle point represents the Way of Tao, Buddha's middle path, and the place where we remember ourselves.
Capítulo 7
The Fourth Way: Working in Life
Gurdjieff's approach is called the Fourth Way because it differs from the three traditional paths to development: the way of the fakir (working on the physical body), the way of the monk (working on emotions), and the way of the yogi (working on the mind). Each of these paths requires withdrawal from ordinary life into specialized conditions.
The Fourth Way, by contrast, works on all three centers simultaneously while remaining in ordinary life. It uses our everyday experiences as material for development. These everyday experiences aren't interruptions but exactly what we need to work with. This is why it's called "The Way of the Sly Man"-practitioners cleverly work on themselves in any situation, making it a 24/7 practice available anywhere.
Understanding is the principal requirement-we should do nothing we don't understand except as experiments under guidance. This understanding grows with our level of being, revealing deeper meanings in Work ideas over time. The Fourth Way requires personal verification rather than blind faith; we must observe ourselves to confirm teachings like "we are machines."
Such self-observation leads to forgiveness, as we realize no one could have acted differently given their mechanical nature. The "Sly Man's Pill" involves accepting responsibility for one's faults rather than blaming others, and remembering oneself in various circumstances to break identification.
The Work classifies human development into seven levels. The first three levels form the "Circle of Mechanical Humanity": man number one (dominated by Instinctive-Moving Center), man number two (dominated by Emotional Center), and man number three (dominated by Intellectual Center). This circle is characterized by misunderstanding, conflict, and violence.
Man number four forms the "Intermediate Circle"-the balanced man who uses all centers and cannot be thrown off base. Men numbers five, six, and seven form the "Conscious Circle of Humanity" who understand each other, have freed themselves from violence, and can access the Higher Emotional and Mental Centers.
Capítulo 8
Transforming Our Inner World
The Work considers three essential inputs for human life: food through the mouth, air through nose and mouth, and impressions through eyes and ears-with impressions being most important. Food and air undergo natural processing in our bodies, but impressions require our conscious effort to transform them properly.
Without transformation, incoming impressions fall on mechanical parts of our centers, triggering automatic reactions. Unlike food and air processing, we have no natural machinery to transform impressions-we must do it ourselves through conscious effort, which is why the Work is called Psycho-Transformation.
Self-remembering is technically defined as two arrows pointing in opposite directions-simultaneously looking outward at the external world and inward at our thoughts about what we're seeing. This divided attention allows us to transform impressions as they enter us. For example, when we discover our keys are missing, instead of mechanically reacting with anger, we can observe our reaction in that instant and prevent negativity from establishing itself.
This transformation must happen at the moment the impression enters, or the opportunity is lost. Though difficult, practicing divided attention with small daily irritations builds the capacity to transform more significant impressions, gradually raising our level of being.
The Work requires us to sacrifice one thing above all else: our suffering. Everyone has their own particular form of suffering that we cling to and justify-whether it's relationship problems, "if only" regrets, or a sense of failure. We become chained to our suffering, complaining about it while simultaneously making it part of our identity.
A powerful shortcut to relieving suffering is learning to like what we dislike. This applies especially to our illnesses and disabilities, which we often become identified with. According to the Work, these very conditions are the material we need to work on. Susan Jeffers calls this "saying yes to your universe."
The Work teaches that we have a right not to be negative-not that we have no right to be negative, but that we possess the freedom to choose non-negativity. Victor Frankl demonstrated this in concentration camps, observing that while everything can be taken from a person, the freedom to choose one's attitude remains.
Capítulo 9
The Vehicle of Transformation
Gurdjieff used a profound parable of a horse-drawn carriage to illustrate man's complex inner state: the driver (representing the mind) is drunk on imagination inside a bar, lost in fantasies and false beliefs; the carriage (symbolizing the physical body) is deteriorating and poorly maintained; the horse (embodying emotional energy) is underfed and weak; and the reins connecting all these elements are worn and frayed, representing the broken connections between thought, feeling, and action.
The first crucial task is for the driver to awaken and leave the bar-a metaphor for abandoning our illusions about our capabilities and current state. This requires a significant shock to transition from our mechanical, basement-level existence to genuine conscious awareness. Many people live their entire lives in this mechanical state, believing they are awake when they are actually sleepwalking through life. To "get up to the box" and take the reins, we must firmly give ourselves the command "I will drive." However, this seemingly simple act requires sustained effort over many years, with countless attempts and setbacks along the way.
Even when we finally become ready to drive, we need precise direction from the master (our Real 'I'), who appears in the carriage. This master's appearance follows a specific developmental sequence: it begins with the Observing 'I', which develops the capacity for self-observation without judgment. This evolves into the Deputy Steward, who manages and coordinates the various 'I's that are committed to the Work. The Deputy Steward then develops into the Steward, who maintains overall control of our internal and external affairs. Finally, the Master or Real 'I' emerges. This progression isn't linear but involves cycles of advancement and retreat.
According to the Work's teachings, humans have the potential to develop four distinct bodies. The first body (physical/carnal) is represented by the carriage in the parable and is sufficient for ordinary life but remains completely subject to external influences. In this state, happiness and suffering are entirely dependent on external events and circumstances, leaving us vulnerable to life's ups and downs.
The second body (symbolized by the Horse) relates to our emotional center and encompasses our feelings, desires, and higher emotional functions. When developed, it provides emotional stability and the capacity for finer feelings. The third body emerges when our second body becomes stabilized and takes on new properties-we achieve more consistent self-remembering, experience fewer internal contradictions, and maintain our aim with greater precision. The fourth body (the divine or causal body) represents the highest level of development, where these qualities become permanent and unshakeable. This is the seat of true immortality, where the Master 'I' operates with full consciousness.
A person who begins developing a second body undergoes a fundamental shift from being outer-directed to inner-directed. They come to recognize that life's events, even difficult ones, aren't obstacles to happiness but rather essential material needed for applying Work principles. This represents a complete reversal of ordinary thinking, where we see challenges as opportunities for inner development rather than as problems to be avoided.
Capítulo 10
Practical Methods for Working on Oneself
The Work offers numerous practical methods for awakening. Regular group meetings provide essential support, as Gurdjieff and Ouspensky believed the Work couldn't be done alone. Regular attendance is like drops filling a bucket; sporadic attendance allows evaporation, leaving us starting from scratch.
Reading Work texts aloud transforms the experience of studying this material. We miss much when reading silently, especially with dense material like Ouspensky's writings. Reading aloud engages multiple senses-eyes, ears, and even touch when following along with a finger-creating a more complete absorption of the material.
Physical practices are also essential. Gurdjieff taught that we must observe and release muscular tension daily, focusing especially on small muscles in the face, hands, and toes. This tension causes many illnesses. Even brief practice like hanging hands over a chair and relaxing wrist muscles can yield significant results.
Exercise is crucial to combat the body's growing rigidity that begins around age twenty-five. Walking is the "king of exercise," requiring no special equipment and providing psychological benefits when done without time pressure. Dancing, yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates all help maintain bodily fluidity.
The Work depends entirely on our understanding and application to our lives. Gurdjieff compared the process to peeling an onion-removing layers of personality to reach our Real 'I' (essence). For being to change, essence must grow active while personality becomes passive, like a butterfly breaking through its cocoon.
Each moment of self-remembering connects us with essence and eternity, while personality keeps us in constant identification with life's problems. No one can do the Work for us. We must cleanse ourselves of ourselves through self-observation. Teachers can provide ideas, but without application, these remain mere facts. The Work aims not to change the world but ourselves.
As Spinoza concluded in his Ethics: "If salvation lay ready to hand and could be discovered without great labor, how could it be possible it should be neglected almost by everybody? But all noble things are as difficult as they are rare."
