Some think that the basic practical work, beginning with life-long observation in oneself of False Personality, negative states, inner considering, different ‘I’s, fixed conventional attitudes, inner contradictions, special self-imaginations, vanity and pride—those two Giants, as Gurdjieff called them, that walk in front of us and arrange our lives beforehand—as well as the gradual seeing of buffers, pictures, the realization of one’s mechanicalness, noticing how you behave and the impression it makes on others—in short, all the Work teaches that one must observe in oneself—I say, some seem to think that all this is elementary.
They could not be greater fools. This personal work of self-observation is for all one’s life. Out of it comes the dawning of real aim, which is in its greatest formulation the desire to awaken. In my case I seek to awaken from Dr. Nicoll—and so in each of your cases the greatest aim is to awaken from what you have hitherto called yourself. This is only possible through self-observation. Then people find, specifically, what particular features in themselves keep them identified with themselves and so prevent any awakening from taking place.
Maurice Nicoll, “Commentary on Aim” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 3, p. 1098)
Working Note: For Today’s Inner Effort
Orientation: Treat self-observation as lifelong, not as something finished.
What to Notice:
Thinking “I already know this” about the Work.
Overlooking small reactions as unimportant.
Vanity or pride appearing before action.
Inner considering in ordinary interactions.
Mechanical behaviour and its effect on others.
Moments of identifying completely with what you call “I”.
Work Effort for Today:
Observe one mechanical reaction as if for the first time.
Do not name or conclude—just see it.
Notice how you take it as “I”.
Return to this observation again.
Remember: I must observe what I call “myself” again and again.
