External considering means putting yourself in another person’s position and realizing his or her difficulties. It is one way of transforming life. So now become the person you think has treated you badly or the person you are jealous of, etc. Try to do this sincerely. It requires a conscious effort. Visualize yourself as the person and reverse the position—that is, you become the person you dislike or hate or criticize, and you are now looking at another person, called yourself. As a rule this will cure you very quickly, if you can do it.
But if you are in an evil state of negative emotion—as we all are at times—nothing will help you save realizing what you yourself are like—that is, what evil you have in you and what you are really like. This is painful. But we cannot change without pain. The Work is a mirror and everyone in it can help you to see your own self in that mirror. But you will not understand this unless you see yourself in others or others in yourself. External considering is the main way to deal with negative emotions. But it is necessary to understand what it means. It depends on visualization. External considering takes some time. It is difficult to do sincerely—that is, lightly. It requires always a very great effort to do it.
Maurice Nicoll, “Commentary on Effort” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 1, p. 94).
Working Note: For Today’s Inner Effort
Orientation: Practise external considering against negative emotion.
What to Notice:
The fixed picture of another person being wrong.
Inner refusal to take the other person’s position.
Mechanical certainty about yourself.
The heaviness of negative emotion.
Work Effort for Today:
When negative emotion appears, reverse the position inwardly.
Become the other person for a moment.
Look at yourself through their eyes.
Allow the reaction to soften without expression.
Remember: See the other person inwardly before believing the reaction.
