There is no doubt that there is such a thing as abstract, retrospective or remote self-observation. It can take more than one useful and necessary form provided it does not pass into useless unnecessary retrospective regret and negative brooding. One form is connected with taking time-photographs of oneself. But what I am speaking of here is definite, topical and concrete self-observation. It consists in observing in yourself what definitely irritates you in another person. It is definite, because it is about what you definitely notice in another. It is topical because it has to do with what is going on more or less at the time and it is concrete because it demands that you get down to the concrete job of finding in yourself what you find so irritating in the other person.
We can all admit that there is far too much bland, woolly, insincere self-observation; and too many never observe themselves. They open no roads into themselves and see no reason to do so. All within themselves therefore remains unknown and in darkness and the Work remains a conundrum. But the Work ranks self-observation as a prime necessity. Why? First, how can you change yourself unless you get to know what lies in you? And second, by letting light into inner darkness—that is, the light of consciousness— certain changes take place through its influence. Unpleasant things grow in the absence of light. It is the darkness of unconsciousness that is a danger.
Maurice Nicoll, “Definite, Topical and Concrete Self-Observation” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 5, p. 1598).
Working Note: For Today’s Inner Effort
Orientation: Make self-observation definite, not general.
What to Notice:
A specific irritation toward someone.
Repeating the same criticism inwardly.
Vague self-observation that avoids the exact point.
Not looking for the same thing in yourself.
Turning away when it becomes concrete.
Work Effort for Today:
Take one irritation as it happens.
Name it exactly.
Find the same in yourself at once.
Hold the seeing without explanation.
Remember: Observe exactly what irritates you and find it in yourself.
