The other controllable elephant is the moving center, over which we have will if we direct attention to it. We can relax muscles and so on. As you know, in the directions given in the Work about relaxing, it is said first that the small muscles must be relaxed—the small muscles of the face, the muscles of expression, particularly. This includes the eye-muscles, the muscles round the mouth and chin, the tongue and throat and scalp muscles, and so on. To return to the question: what is worrying? Since it is a form of identifying, it means that it brings about a continual loss of force.
People who worry a great deal exhaust themselves, drain themselves of force. If you will notice yourself when you are worrying, you will see that it really is like tearing and twisting and strangling oneself inside, corresponding with the outer muscular movements which have already been described. There is no center of gravity. There is no direction, no clear aim; everything is in disorder; everything is, as it were, running about in oneself in every direction. It is as if all the different ‘I’s in oneself got up and rushed about wringing their hands and saying anything that the negative imagination, which dominates the scene, suggests to them. I am not saying that it is possible never to worry.
Maurice Nicoll, “Psychological Talk” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 1, p. 135-136).
Working Note
When worry begins to scatter you inwardly, bring attention to the moving center and relax the small muscles through which the state is expressing itself.
Today’s Aim
Use directed attention to relax the bodily expression of worry.
Notice
Tension around the eyes.
Tightness around the mouth and chin.
The tongue or throat contracting.
Tension in the scalp and face.
The feeling of being pulled inwardly in several directions.
Force draining away as worry continues.
Practice
When you catch yourself worrying, direct attention first to the small muscles of the face.
Relax the eyes, mouth, chin, tongue, throat, and scalp as far as you can.
Stay with the relaxation briefly, without trying to settle everything else.
Remember
When everything inside begins rushing about, put attention where you still have some will.
The Weekly Aim
“I will observe irritation in my body before it enters my voice.”
