If I observe my neighbor in myself and if I observe myself in my neighbor, do you think I can feel superior to him ? Consider the complete change that would take place in the Emotional Center if this mutual criss-cross, double and interpenetrating consciousness of seeing what is without in your neighbor and within in yourself together were born in you. Contrast this with the shut-in state of the undeveloped and mechanical Emotional Center where only the various forms of self-love and self-interest reign. I remind you here that one of the emphatic objects of this Work is to awaken the Emotional Center.
Have you ever meditated on what this might mean and passed in review the average quality of your everyday emotional states ? What is an awakened Emotional Center ? At least, it cannot mean enjoying still more violent moods and negative emotions. Are you satisfied with such emotions ? If not, then what about ceasing to attribute them to another person, and beginning to attribute them to yourself and finding the causes in yourself? The Work strongly advises us to do this. Yes, I repeat, do it. We are talking about doing the Work. It says that we must become responsible for our negative emotions and ultimately realize that it is always our own fault if we are negative.
Maurice Nicoll, “Commentary on Doing the Work” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 5, p. 1684).
Working Note: For Today’s Inner Effort
Orientation: Take responsibility for negative emotions.
What to Notice:
Attributing negativity entirely to another person.
Feeling inwardly superior.
Enjoying negative emotion mechanically.
Refusing to see the cause in yourself.
Work Effort for Today:
When negativity arises, do not express it immediately.
Say inwardly: this reaction belongs to me.
Look for the self-love beneath the emotion.
Bring attention back to yourself instead of the other person.
Remember: Negative emotion is your own responsibility in the Work.
