Levels of Being

In our last meeting we spoke about levels of being. This teaching from Gurdjieff suggests that being, or essence, develops capacities and strength as a result of inner work. 

The principle idea is that humans are variable beings with the capacity to evolve, not in the conventional sense of mechanical adaptation, but in the sense of refining the work of the living alchemical instrument toward greater harmony, intelligence, and inner strength. Plants and animals have a fixed nature -- a tree is always a tree and a horse is always a horse. Human beings may live at the level of a worm or at a vibration greater than what we might call angels. 

The work for transformation of being is the inherent aim of birth in human form. Gurdjieff suggested that there are seven levels and that the first three are all at the same level. They are the types which tend to be imbalanced toward the physical, emotional, and intellectual aspects of our nature. The first aim of our work is to observe and verify this imbalance in ourselves, and then begin the work of the fourth level of being, which is to say toward balance and harmony, and a greater unity. 

The work of balancing the centers is the work of presence-- a balanced presence in the media of the three intelligences-- or sensation, feeling, and thought. With this balanced presence comes a sense of wholeness and well-being that no corrective measure can afford.

This week we are working with an aim. This is something we find for ourselves in response to what we have seen and observed about our particular state of imbalance.  Given what we have learned so far, what being-effort do I see as my next step?

We continue our morning exercise of Collected State and periodically return to renew this balanced presence during the day.