Source Text
This teaching based upon becoming conscious, of developing oneself with lucidity and honesty became my way of life.
And it is my duty, in this foreword, to warn readers about several things they should be aware of in order to clearly understand the difference between authentic and honest Work, in contrast to its opposite, or to imagination.
Hidden behind my assertive character, and passionate nature, made up of various inherited influences, was another part of myself, what was left of the child who had never been allowed to be a child, naïve and timid, which it seemed only G.Gurdjieff saw and understood, giving this child in me a feeling of trust.
This teaching does not require a retreat from life; it must be carried out whilst remaining in life, and, little by little to become completely present in all one’s life.
When asked about his practice of spiritual exercises, the brother simply replied, “Everything I do, I do in the Presence of God, all my activities, all day long. For me God is always Present.” The Father Superior came to realise that this brother had a deep humility and spirituality.
He alone gave me a deep feeling of security and trust, which no one else ever gave me. Through his quality of listening, I could be myself, and express myself. He summoned up and aroused my abilities, put them to the test, making me conscious of them, and enabling me to trust them; which is what I most needed. He both confirmed and guided my searching, my feelings and my intuition. My life took on a more precise meaning in a path that I was already following but only groping around in the fog, reading everything, questioning, wanting to know and understand everything.
He was a good, strict teacher, never unjust, whose ever wakeful attention never missed anything that was happening. There was no solemnity in his manner of being and speaking. He was always very simple, direct, going for the essential, without idle talk: his words were concise and precise.
He did not always reply directly to a question; he either asked another question, or he made an observation that opened up a new perspective for us.
I can see him now putting a big pat of butter on some meat roasting on the coal-fired stove, where five or six big stewing pans were simmering gently for hours at a time. He himself always cooked for the groups, for guests, or for just one person, with great care, with a deep feeling of reverential hospitality, close, I felt, to a communion, without the guests being fully aware of it.
It was there that G. ‘caught’ people in their ‘chief feature’. I say ‘caught’ – like a fisherman catching a fish, or a hunter shooting game. He pierced to the quick an attitude, a word, a way of being or way of presenting oneself.
AI Summary
Becoming Conscious With G.I.Gurdjieff by Solange Claustres presents key insights from the Gurdjieff tradition. The 10 passages above capture the essential teachings.
Core Themes:
- [To be expanded]
Key Passages: Highlights 1, 3, and 10 are particularly representative.
This entry was generated from Readwise highlights. Expand with additional context as appropriate.