Let us suppose you have always compared yourself very favorably with other people and perhaps even are sure that none of the unpleasant things you notice in others exists in yourself. It will be very surprising, then, to have the revelation that you are unjust and that you expect others in the Work to do what you would not dream of doing yourself. It is always painful to realize that there is really anything wrong with oneself. As was said in an earlier paper, you may often say that you are to blame for something, but if someone agrees with you, it is startling and you feel offended. Yes, we easily pretend we are wrong. But to see it, direct and unmistakable, in oneself, is pain.
This is real and so, useful, suffering, for all real suffering purifies the emotions. It only lasts a brief time as real suffering and then gets infected by false personality and changes into some complicated negative state, some sort of unpleasant self-pity or endless self-justifying, which is useless suffering.
Maurice Nicoll, “Internal Considering and External Considering” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 1, p. 266).
Working Note: For Today’s Inner Effort
Orientation: Bear one small unpleasant truth about yourself without justification.
What to Notice:
A fault seen clearly for a moment.
The immediate wish to explain or defend it.
Self-pity following self-observation.
Inner talking that turns observation into justification.
Work Effort for Today:
When a mechanical trait is seen, remain with the fact.
Do not excuse it.
Do not condemn it.
Observe it quietly and remember the Work.
Remember: See it, bear it, and do not justify it.
