Gurdjieff - 48 exercises

Altair

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Recently I have found a pdf file titled "Gurdjieff - 48 exercises". It is a photocopy of some handwritten text. The origin of the document isn't clear. Is anybody familiar with that? The document can be found here: http://esotericonline.net/docs/index.php?dir=L2RvY3MvbGlicmFyeS9Gb3VydGggV2F5L0cuIEkuIEd1cmRqaWVmZg==

Thanks

Altair
 
I'm not sure what G's handwriting looks like but the ideas seem to match. It's a rather interesting document. Maybe someone else with more experience could shed some light. I attended a few meetings with a local Gurdjieff chapter and they did supply some 'restricted' materials but nothing quite like this. Anyway, I enjoyed reading it this morning... Thanks for sharing :-)

[EDIT: changed writing to handwriting]
 
Maybe one of you could transcribe the 48 exercises and post them here?
 
A quick glance makes me think it did not come from Gurdjieff. Kind of theoretical for the most part. A few examples:
- unroll the film
- try to think of the reasonable thing to do or say in any given situation
- try to practice conscious morality
- try to perform consciously instinctive, emotional and intellectual work at the same time.
- practice the mental gymnastics relative to time, space and motion

And then there was this
- cast spells
:huh:
 
I don't think it was written by Gurdjieff's hand, but rather by someone who studied his works (possibly). The handwriting is too "perfect," imo.

The full exercises in question are below:

First and last: self-observation and non-identification.
1. The effort to realize: I have a body.

2. The effort to realize that I descended into and become attached to this organism (this animal) for the purpose of developing it.

3. The attempt to realize the organism's mechanicality:
(a) Its habitual reaction to recurrent situations
(b) The magnetic relationship of the centers

4. Experiment of the part of the driver (intellect), in order that he may learn his business.

5. The formatory apparatus reporting the behavior of the organism to the "I."

6. Formulation of observations concurrent with the act of observation.

7. Formulation of the ideas.

8. The attempt to understand the ideas.

9. The attempt to relate the ideas and understand the relationships.

10. The attempt to define terms in accordance with institute ideas.

11. The attempt to interpret life, human beings, etc., in terms of mechanicality, types, springs, centers, etc.

12. Describe experience; reflect on the ideas

13. Triangulate, that is, have a three-fold purpose for each act.

14. Assemble all you know of a given object at the moment of perceiving it.

15. Constructive imagination:
(a) Image the great octave.
(b) Attempt to realize man's position in the universe.

16. Relate each object to its position in the scale. For instance a cigarette belongs to the vegetable kingdom (mi) of the organic scale. Trees belong to the vegetable kingdom. The gold of a watch to metals (do). Man (si). Etc. The whole natural kingdom is interposed between earth (mi) and planets (fa) of the great octave. Etc.

17. Attempt to realize the fact of six thousand million people.

18. Attempt to realize the fact of death.

19. Be aware of the weight of opinion.

20. Apply the law of the octave to one's own behavior. Attempt to know when any given impulse has reached 'mi.'

21. Peel the onion, that is, make notations of the various attitudes toward life, stripping off the superficial ones in an effort to reach the
fundamental attitude.

22. Note likes and dislikes. Find the essential wish.

23. Find the chief feature.

24. Make gratuitous efforts.

25. Cast a role for oneself.

26. Pursue an impossible task.

27. Go against inclination.

28. Push inclination beyond the limits of its natural desire.

29. If a man force you to go one mile, go with him twain.

30. Determine what it is you really want in any given situation. Deliberately get it, or deliberately oppose the "I" to this wish. AT any event, non-identify with the wish.

31. Practice mental gymnastics relative to time, space and motion.

32. Seek the concrete illustration and examples (in experience) of the ideas.

33. Try to perform, consciously, instructive, emotional, and intellectual work at the same time.

34. Try to keep in mind that at any given moment you are actualizing one of several possibles.

35. Try to keep in mind that when you talk these ideas to someone or to a group, human cells are at that moment instructing a group of monkey cells, within each brain.

36. Try to realize that man, oneself, is a cosmos. That this organism is the planet or globe of this "I." That the organism contains cells
corresponding to the categories of nature.

37. Try to become aware of the operations of the subcenters: the emotional and moving sub-centers of the intellectual, the intellectual and instinctive of the emotional, the intellectual and emotional sub-centers of the instinctive.

38. Try to keep in mind and realize that we are constantly receiving influences from our entire universe.

39. Try to realize that this organism is, in reality, a mere bubble. That, in fact, the whole material or actualized universe is related the potential universe as shadows is to substance.

40. Give all five points the necessary activity.

41. The attempt to use the formatory apparatus as a muscle, directly and independent of sub-vocalizing (inner talk).

42. The attempt to repeat a poem and a series of numbers simultaneously, using formatory apparatus for the poem, the vocalizing apparatus for the numbers.

43. Unroll the film.

44. Evoke in pictures that the object to which ideas are related.

45. Supply the base, the third force, the neutralizer, in all and every situation. That is, improvise.

46. Cast spells.

47. Try to practice conscious morality.

48. Try to think of the reasonable thing to do or say in any given situation. Each event is potentially a complete circle. But circumstances usually distort it or, at best, supply only a curve. If this much is supplied: (U) try to determine just what is reasonably necessary to complete it. Supply it, thus:
 
17. Attempt to realize the fact of six thousand million people.

Would we take this remark as a marker, it then follows this text has to be pretty recent because according to wikipedia the six billion mark was only reached in 1999.
 
Zadius Sky said:
I don't think it was written by Gurdjieff's hand, but rather by someone who studied his works (possibly). The handwriting is too "perfect," imo.

The full exercises in question are below:

First and last: self-observation and non-identification.
1. The effort to realize: I have a body.

2. The effort to realize that I descended into and become attached to this organism (this animal) for the purpose of developing it.

3. The attempt to realize the organism's mechanicality:
(a) Its habitual reaction to recurrent situations
(b) The magnetic relationship of the centers

4. Experiment of the part of the driver (intellect), in order that he may learn his business.

5. The formatory apparatus reporting the behavior of the organism to the "I."

6. Formulation of observations concurrent with the act of observation.

7. Formulation of the ideas.

8. The attempt to understand the ideas.

9. The attempt to relate the ideas and understand the relationships.

10. The attempt to define terms in accordance with institute ideas.

11. The attempt to interpret life, human beings, etc., in terms of mechanicality, types, springs, centers, etc.

12. Describe experience; reflect on the ideas

13. Triangulate, that is, have a three-fold purpose for each act.

14. Assemble all you know of a given object at the moment of perceiving it.

15. Constructive imagination:
(a) Image the great octave.
(b) Attempt to realize man's position in the universe.

16. Relate each object to its position in the scale. For instance a cigarette belongs to the vegetable kingdom (mi) of the organic scale. Trees belong to the vegetable kingdom. The gold of a watch to metals (do). Man (si). Etc. The whole natural kingdom is interposed between earth (mi) and planets (fa) of the great octave. Etc.

17. Attempt to realize the fact of six thousand million people.

18. Attempt to realize the fact of death.

19. Be aware of the weight of opinion.

20. Apply the law of the octave to one's own behavior. Attempt to know when any given impulse has reached 'mi.'

21. Peel the onion, that is, make notations of the various attitudes toward life, stripping off the superficial ones in an effort to reach the
fundamental attitude.

22. Note likes and dislikes. Find the essential wish.

23. Find the chief feature.

24. Make gratuitous efforts.

25. Cast a role for oneself.

26. Pursue an impossible task.

27. Go against inclination.

28. Push inclination beyond the limits of its natural desire.

29. If a man force you to go one mile, go with him twain.

30. Determine what it is you really want in any given situation. Deliberately get it, or deliberately oppose the "I" to this wish. AT any event, non-identify with the wish.

31. Practice mental gymnastics relative to time, space and motion.

32. Seek the concrete illustration and examples (in experience) of the ideas.

33. Try to perform, consciously, instructive, emotional, and intellectual work at the same time.

34. Try to keep in mind that at any given moment you are actualizing one of several possibles.

35. Try to keep in mind that when you talk these ideas to someone or to a group, human cells are at that moment instructing a group of monkey cells, within each brain.

36. Try to realize that man, oneself, is a cosmos. That this organism is the planet or globe of this "I." That the organism contains cells
corresponding to the categories of nature.

37. Try to become aware of the operations of the subcenters: the emotional and moving sub-centers of the intellectual, the intellectual and instinctive of the emotional, the intellectual and emotional sub-centers of the instinctive.

38. Try to keep in mind and realize that we are constantly receiving influences from our entire universe.

39. Try to realize that this organism is, in reality, a mere bubble. That, in fact, the whole material or actualized universe is related the potential universe as shadows is to substance.

40. Give all five points the necessary activity.

41. The attempt to use the formatory apparatus as a muscle, directly and independent of sub-vocalizing (inner talk).

42. The attempt to repeat a poem and a series of numbers simultaneously, using formatory apparatus for the poem, the vocalizing apparatus for the numbers.

43. Unroll the film.

44. Evoke in pictures that the object to which ideas are related.

45. Supply the base, the third force, the neutralizer, in all and every situation. That is, improvise.

46. Cast spells.

47. Try to practice conscious morality.

48. Try to think of the reasonable thing to do or say in any given situation. Each event is potentially a complete circle. But circumstances usually distort it or, at best, supply only a curve. If this much is supplied: (U) try to determine just what is reasonably necessary to complete it. Supply it, thus:

My transcription is somewhat different

48 Exercises attributed to Gurdjieff (author is unverified)
Transcribing note: On the left margin of each page it reads the following,
PRESERVATION PHOTOCOPY: ORIGINAL MATERIAL RESTRICTED
Also note: the number 21 is repeated so there are actually 49 Exercises.
Additionally, I have tried to keep original words and punctuation intact as best I could.
Here it is…
_________________________________________________________________________________
Exercises
First and last: self-observation and non-identification.
1. The effort to realize: I have a body.
2. The effort to realize that I descended into and became attached to this organism (this animal) for the purpose of developing it.
3. The attempt to realize the organism’s mechanicality.
a. Its habitual reactions to recurrent situations.
b. The magnetic relationship of the centers.
4. Experiment on the part of the driver, in order that he may learn his business.
5. The formulatory center reporting the behavior of the organism to the “I.”
6. Formulation of observations concurrent with the act of observation.
7. Formulation of the ideas.
8. The attempt to understand the ideas.
9. The attempt to relate the ideas and understand the relationships.
10. The attempt to define terms in accordance with tristitate ideas.
11. The attempt to interpret life, human beings etc., in terms of mechanicality, types, springs, centers, etc.
12. Describe experience; reflect on the ideas.
13. Triangulate, that is, have a three-fold purpose for each act.
14. Assemble all you know of a given object at the moment of perceiving it.
15. Constructive imagination.
a. Image the great octave
b. Attempt to realize man’s position in the universe.
16. Relate each object to its position in the scale. For instance, a cigarette belongs to the vegetable kingdom (mi) of the organic scale. Trees belong to the vegetable kingdom. The gold of a watch to metals (do). Man (si). Etc. The whole natural kingdom is interposed between earth(mi) and planter (fa) of the great octave. Etc.
17. Attempt to realize the fact of two thousand million people.
18. Attempt to realize the fact of death.
19. Be aware of the weight of opinion.
20. Apply the law of the octave to one’s own behavior. Attempt to know when any given impulse has reached mi.
21. Peel the onion, that is, make notations of the various attitudes towards life, stripping off the superficial ones in an effort to reach the fundamental attitude.
21. Note likes and dislikes.
22. Find the essential wish.
23. Find the chief feature.
24. Make gratuitous efforts.
25. Cast a role for oneself.
26. Pursue an impossible task.
27. Go against inclination.
28. Push inclination beyond the limits of its natural desire.
29. If a man force you to go one mile, go with him twain.
30. Determine what it is you really want in any given situation. Deliberately get it, or deliberately oppose the “I” to this wish. Ata ny event, non-identify with the wish.
31. Practice mental gymnastics relative to time, space, and motion.
32. Seek for concrete illustrations and examples (in experience) of the ideas.
33. Try to perform, consciously, instinctive, emotional, and intellectual work at the same time.
34. Try to keep in mind that at any given moment you are actualizing one of several possibles.
35. Try to keep in mind that when you talk these ideas to someone or to a group, human cells are at that moment instruction a group of monkey cells, - within each brain.
36. Try to realize that man, oneself, is a cosmos. That this organism is the planet or globe of this “I.” That it (the organism) contains cells corresponding to the categories of nature.
37. Try to become aware of the observations of sub-centers: the emotional and moving sub-centers of the intellectual, the intellectual and instinctive of the emotional, the intellectual and emotional sub-centers of the instinctive.
38. Try to keep in mind and realize that we are constantly receiving influences from our entire universe.
39. Try to realize that this organism is, in reality, a mere bubble. That, in fact, the whole material or actualized universe is related the potential universe as shadow is to substance.
40. Give all five points the necessary activity.
41. The attempt to use the formulatory center as a muscle, directly and independent of sub-vocalizing.
42. The attempt to repeat a poem and a series of numbers, simultaneously, using the formulatory center for the poem, the vocalizing apparatus for the numbers.
43. Unroll the film.
44. Evoke in pictures the objects to which ideas are related.
45. Supply the base, the third force, the neutralizer, in all and every situation. That is, improvise.
46. Cast spells.
47. Try to practice conscious morality.
48. Try to think of the reasonable thing to do or say in any given situation.
Each event is potentially a complete circle. But circumstances usually distort it or, at best, supply only a curve. If thus much is supplied: try to determine just what is reasonably necessity to complete it. Supply it, thus:
 

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Palinurus said:
17. Attempt to realize the fact of six thousand million people.

Would we take this remark as a marker, it then follows this text has to be pretty recent because according to wikipedia the six billion mark was only reached in 1999.
My copy reads two thousand million

[EDIT: Per Wikipedia the 2 billion mark was achieved around 1927, so that would be a bit closer time wise.]
 
sbeaudry said:
Palinurus said:
17. Attempt to realize the fact of six thousand million people.

Would we take this remark as a marker, it then follows this text has to be pretty recent because according to wikipedia the six billion mark was only reached in 1999.
My copy reads two thousand million

[EDIT: Per Wikipedia the 2 billion mark was achieved around 1927, so that would be a bit closer time wise.]

I went back to the link in the OP to check the PDF and found out the handwriting states two thousand million. Which means, the probable time frame could indeed be around 1927.

So now the question arises how did Zadius Sky came to write six thousand million? :huh:
 
Palinurus said:
sbeaudry said:
Palinurus said:
17. Attempt to realize the fact of six thousand million people.

Would we take this remark as a marker, it then follows this text has to be pretty recent because according to wikipedia the six billion mark was only reached in 1999.
My copy reads two thousand million

[EDIT: Per Wikipedia the 2 billion mark was achieved around 1927, so that would be a bit closer time wise.]

I went back to the link in the OP to check the PDF and found out the handwriting states two thousand million. Which means, the probable time frame could indeed be around 1927.

So now the question arises how did Zadius Sky came to write six thousand million? :huh:
Well, I don't suppose mine is perfect as some of the handwriting is difficult to read. Another difference would be line 10. Where Zadius Sky read institute and I tristitate (with help from CERogers on checking the Latin - as well as reading the whole thing for errors and omissions before posting; much thanks). Another I am unsure about is 16. which to my eyes reads planter but could possibly be planets as Zadius Sky posted. Instinctive v. instructive in line/exercise 33. There are other minor issues where I tried my best to write the words I saw on the page rather than to correct the grammar. My thoughts are that some of the issues in the original handwritten text could be due to the document being written by someone who used English as an additional language rather than a first.
 
I didn't transcribed it. I meant to include the link to where I got it and pasted it here. My apologies.

_http://redkie.blogspot.com/2009/11/gigurdjieff-48-exercises.html
 
sbeaudry said:
Well, I don't suppose mine is perfect as some of the handwriting is difficult to read. Another difference would be line 10. Where Zadius Sky read institute and I tristitate (with help from CERogers on checking the Latin - as well as reading the whole thing for errors and omissions before posting; much thanks). Another I am unsure about is 16. which to my eyes reads planter but could possibly be planets as Zadius Sky posted. Instinctive v. instructive in line/exercise 33. There are other minor issues where I tried my best to write the words I saw on the page rather than to correct the grammar. My thoughts are that some of the issues in the original handwritten text could be due to the document being written by someone who used English as an additional language rather than a first.

In #10 I read Institute in stead of your tristitate (which seems to mean sad btw) because Institute could be a reference to the Paris undertaking and sad doesn't appear to fit in here. But I concede in advance it's a troublesome spot and my attribution may be doubtful or even plain wrong.

in #16 I read plantes (French spelling) in stead of your planter but definitely not planets as per Zadius Sky.

In #33 I read instinctive just as you do.

As to the numbering issue (double 21): in the Zadius Sky version they have conjoined two exercises as follows :

21. Note likes and dislikes. }
} 22. Note likes and dislikes. Find the essential wish.
22. Find the essential wish. }


I spent considerable time searching for anything about the handwriting or about a reference to the possible origin of this text or for whatever else that might come up, but ended with empty hands.

I'm not quite convinced this writing is from someone who wouldn't be well versed in the English language. There are almost no spelling mistakes.
As I myself am not a native speaker, I definitely am in no position to make the final call about that; so fwiw.

As a curiosity I reluctantly submit a specimen of the handwriting of Madame de Salzmann in French (the only thing relevant I could find) to compare with these notes:

de-salzmann_notebook_large.jpg


According to this website (scroll down considerably) it's a page from one of her notebooks.

I think there are some resemblances but one would need a skilled graphologist to maybe make sure either way.

That's all I could find. Hope this helps a bit. :/
 
Palinurus said:
sbeaudry said:
Well, I don't suppose mine is perfect as some of the handwriting is difficult to read. Another difference would be line 10. Where Zadius Sky read institute and I tristitate (with help from CERogers on checking the Latin - as well as reading the whole thing for errors and omissions before posting; much thanks). Another I am unsure about is 16. which to my eyes reads planter but could possibly be planets as Zadius Sky posted. Instinctive v. instructive in line/exercise 33. There are other minor issues where I tried my best to write the words I saw on the page rather than to correct the grammar. My thoughts are that some of the issues in the original handwritten text could be due to the document being written by someone who used English as an additional language rather than a first.

In #10 I read Institute in stead of your tristitate (which seems to mean sad btw) because Institute could be a reference to the Paris undertaking and sad doesn't appear to fit in here. But I concede in advance it's a troublesome spot and my attribution may be doubtful or even plain wrong.

in #16 I read plantes (French spelling) in stead of your planter but definitely not planets as per Zadius Sky.

In #33 I read instinctive just as you do.

As to the numbering issue (double 21): in the Zadius Sky version they have conjoined two exercises as follows :

21. Note likes and dislikes. }
} 22. Note likes and dislikes. Find the essential wish.
22. Find the essential wish. }


I spent considerable time searching for anything about the handwriting or about a reference to the possible origin of this text or for whatever else that might come up, but ended with empty hands.

I'm not quite convinced this writing is from someone who wouldn't be well versed in the English language. There are almost no spelling mistakes.
As I myself am not a native speaker, I definitely am in no position to make the final call about that; so fwiw.

As a curiosity I reluctantly submit a specimen of the handwriting of Madame de Salzmann in French (the only thing relevant I could find) to compare with these notes:

de-salzmann_notebook_large.jpg


According to this website (scroll down considerably) it's a page from one of her notebooks.

I think there are some resemblances but one would need a skilled graphologist to maybe make sure either way.

That's all I could find. Hope this helps a bit. :/
Yes, I suppose it could be Institute, capitalized, but that word threw me... As for the notebook piece, thanks for digging that up! Also, your English is quite good! At any rate, it's an interesting handwriting sample you've found. :) I was searching all over for something by Madame de Salzmann and found nothing, so it's a neat find. That being said, I'm no expert in handwriting, but this certainly seems closer to our mystery text than the only handwriting I found of G (his signature). Though one's signature and handwriting can often be quite different, so... Assuming it was her not him, it's interesting to note the 't's in the sample and in the exercises both cross downward... there are also interesting accent marks all over which seems to fit... some of the letters seem to match, though I can't really good a grasp and tell either way... Interesting... It might have been easy for her to use plantes instead of plants as a French speaker... How could we confirm if it was written by her? I don't suppose the Gurdjieff Society or another member of the International Association of Gurdjieff Foundations would be helpful if they had intended for this to be restricted, or would they?
 
23. Find the chief feature.

My understanding from reading ISOTM is that chief feature can never be "found", but that it must be pointed out. It's something that one can never see in themselves and, even after being told, one is often incredulous that this is in fact their chief feature. I remember in ISOTM Ouspensky saying that, after telling them their chief feature, one of the pupils told G that he was wrong and that he knew his chief feature and it was much worse than what G had told him.

This and the reference to "casting spells" makes me doubt the legitimacy of this document.

FWIW
 
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