Now I open this letter: it begins like this: “I have been in the Work for over a year and I feel that I am making no headway.” Here, of course, we are dealing with those negative ‘I’s that have hitherto controlled this man or this woman. They act nicely. They suggest that you send a letter to the effect: “Am I any good ?” Or “Is it any good ?” or “I don’t think I . . .”, etc. Very clever, isn’t it? But it is what you have to observe. How many collapse under this simply negative hypnotism—such as: “I don’t think I am making any progress.”
Now, let me tell you a very small secret. What, then, is your work on yourself? Not to go with these ‘I’s—not to believe them—not to identify with them—not to listen to them—not to argue with them. Perhaps you will see, some of you, where work on yourself lies in such a minor crisis. Why do these ‘I’s suggest such subtle things? Simply to keep their power over you. We are most easily discouraged, most easily depressed, all very weak inside. But this Work can give great strength by influx into you. But the ‘I’s that hate you hate your development. And do you yet understand that you have ‘I’s in you that wish only to destroy your happiness by making you negative? I say that these ‘I’s that hate you and your possible inner development are not outside people, but are in you, just as the Kingdom of Heaven is within you.
Maurice Nicoll, “Further Commentary on Different I’s in Oneself” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 4, p. 1274)
For your reflection: Are there thoughts today that quietly undermine your effort by sounding humble or reasonable—and can you simply see them without going with them?
