I suppose you know that each center hypnotizes the other centers. Supposing a person in their Moving Center invariably adopts a depressed muscular posture and the small muscles of the face express gloom of some kind—do you think that such a one will be able to have pleasant emotions or interesting thoughts? Certainly not. That person is chained by their muscular posture. You all know that depressed states make us look depressed in posture. If one is intelligent enough in the Work one will alter one’s posture if one is trying to separate from the negative emotion that has got hold of one, because each negative emotion will produce its own muscular posture.
A person comes into the room, bent, drooping, gloomy-faced, and you know at once that they are in a negative state, which may be habitual, unless they alter their muscular posture. In the same way, to return to the question of the small muscles of the face alone, if a person always has a drooped mouth, a weary or troubled or anxious look, you know quite well that this person is in a bad state and that unless you can make this person smile or stand more upright they may remain hypnotized by their posture. Understand please that posture is not merely a question of the big muscles of the body but of the small muscles as well.
Maurice Nicoll, “A Note on Relaxation” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 3, p. 807).
Working Note
When a negative state takes hold, include the posture in your observation and alter what the moving center is continuing to express.
Today’s Aim
Notice and change the muscular posture belonging to a negative emotion.
Notice
The mouth drooping or tightening.
The eyes taking on a troubled expression.
The face becoming fixed.
The shoulders sinking.
The body bending or drawing inward.
The posture continuing after you have noticed the state.
Practice
When you notice a negative emotion, observe the posture that goes with it.
Relax the small muscles of the face, then alter the larger posture: stand or sit a little more upright.
Notice whether the inner state continues to hold you in quite the same way.
Remember
Do not let the posture keep you chained to the state.
The Weekly Aim
“I will observe irritation in my body before it enters my voice.”
