In this Work, we begin with the idea of impersonal self-study—that is, we begin with the idea that we have to obtain knowledge of our Being. This can only begin obviously by means of turning round and looking into ourselves consciously, noticing how we speak and behave and so on. This is a movement inwards. Only in this way can a person begin to separate themselves from themselves. One part of this practice of conscious self-study is to observe our attitudes. When we reach the point of being able to observe attitudes to a small extent this actually starts something going in us which may lead to something strange, to new thoughts and feelings. So it is said that this Work begins with self-observation. We none of us know that we have attitudes.
In general, we all take ourselves for granted just as we are and so never see that this is what we are—that is, that our state of Being attracts what happens to us the whole time. How many of you have ever realized that things are your fault? This is quite an easy thought if you take it sentimentally and pathetically. We surely all know this spurious form of self-blame, but what I mean is: how many of you have ever seen in a stark naked way without any self-justifying that something was entirely your fault and that in so many words: “Thou art the man?” Because we have this peculiar illusion about ourselves which is called hypnotic sleep in the Work we do not imagine that we have any particular attitudes. Now, as was said, our attitudes are practically always negative attitudes by means of which we distinguish ourselves from other people and so stimulate this false conception of ourselves called False Personality. Mr. Ouspensky once said: “We must get to observe and know all our negative attitudes. We may in a sense observe our negative attitudes but we take them as being perfectly right.”
Maurice Nicoll, “Commentary on Attitudes” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 3, p. 888)
For your reflection: “We none of us know that we have attitudes.” What is one attitude you have noticed in yourself — perhaps irritation, superiority, or the need to be right? What happens when you see it clearly and impersonally?
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