Gurdjieff's Alarm Clocks

[T.C.]

"There is also the possibility of being awakened by mechanical means. A man may be awakened by an alarm clock. But the trouble is that a man gets accustomed to the alarm clock far too quickly, he ceases to hear it. Many alarm clocks are necessary and always new ones. Otherwise a man must surround himself with alarm clocks which will prevent him sleeping. But here again there are certain difficulties. Alarm clocks must be wound up; in order to wind them up one must remember about them; in order to remember one must wake up often. But what is still worse, a man gets used to all alarm clocks and after a certain time he only sleeps the better for them. Therefore alarm clocks must be constantly changed, new ones must be continually invented. In the course of time this may help a man to awaken. But there is very little chance of a man doing all the work of winding up, inventing, and changing clocks all by himself, without outside help. It is much more likely that he will begin this work and that it will afterwards pass into sleep, and in sleep he will dream of inventing alarm clocks, of winding them up and changing them, and simply sleep all the sounder for it.

"Therefore, in order to awaken, a combination of efforts is needed. It is necessary that somebody should wake "the man up; it is necessary that somebody should look after the man who wakes him; it is necessary to have alarm clocks and it is also necessary continually to invent new alarm clocks.

I had a lapse last night. I spent the night watching movies into the early hours of the morning, when I had more important things I needed to do instead.

It was only when the last movie finished that I started paying attention to the voice inside me that had been shouting all the while. It was telling me to wake up, and that I was wasting time, and that I had stuff I needed to do. It was asking me, "is this who you are? Is this what you're here to do?"

So I had to invent yet another new alarm clock.

I started trying to invent alarm clocks a few years ago, though I didn't realise that's what I was doing at the time. I was going through a personality disintegration, a soul shattering depression. I was questioning everything about my existence. I was trying to build some principles and ideals that I could use as a motivation to Live. The problem was, all the ideas I came up with were purely intellectual; there was no emotional component - nothing shocking.

I've got the hang of it now. One of my first successes was about using the concept of 'IT'. If I didn't want to do something, I'd say "IT doesn't want to do that T.C. What are you going to do? Are you just going to let It run your life and make your choices for you? It's not you!"

This has a very shocking effect when you actually know it's true, and it motivated me to Live and try to do something.

The last alarm clock I made was based on another shocking idea - that by not doing what I could be doing, and wasting my days here, I'm kinda committing suicide. That if I actually paid attention to the world I live in, then a powerful survival instinct should kick-in and motivate me to help change things. The key concept involved here, is that of mental illness.

It's not nice to feel that you're mentally ill. It's not nice to KNOW that you're mentally ill. If one is stood on the train tracks, and can see the train coming, but "can't be bothered" to move, that is mental illness. So that thought motivated me to work again - to strive to go from being mentally ill, to psychologically healthy.

So after last night, I had to come up with a new alarm clock, because I had more or less CHOSEN to shut my eyes, shut out reality and have a nice snooze.

My new one is the idea that I have incarnated into a war zone. Our planet is a war-zone. There is a battle going on, threats from all sides. I FEEL this, too. This is true for me. This is shocking. So I'm bearing this in mind now. That I wouldn't have intentionally entered a war-zone without a damn good reason. But now I'm here, I'm not fighting, I'm watching movies! So that has woken me up again and I'm using it until I start sleeping through it, at which point, I'll hopefully be able to come up with another.

So I just wanted to share all this, to give others a practical interpretation of what Gurdjieff was talking about. If you're struggling to find a way to look into the light or motivate yourself into action, come up with something about yourself or your situation which is absolutely shocking, but absolutely true. You can use it to wake yourself up a bit and get back to the front-line.

 

[pstott]

My new one is the idea that I have incarnated into a war zone. Our planet is a war-zone. There is a battle going on, threats from all sides. I FEEL this, too. This is true for me. This is shocking.

Yes I feel this too and I sometimes resent having to live in this war zone with all of its psychopaths (although it certainly does offer opportunities for work!).

And I'm afraid I have developed a passive-aggressive attitude about it that surfaces from time to time, when I will refuse to engage with the world for awhile - and deliberately escape into novels and entertainments for distraction - the anti-alarm clock.

Mod's note: Edited to fix the quotation boxes

 

[luke wilson]

But now I'm here, I'm not fighting, I'm watching movies! So that has woken me up again and I'm using it until I start sleeping through it, at which point, I'll hopefully be able to come up with another.

I wanted to bring your attention to the idea of an opportunity cost. It is an economic concept, atleast that is where I first heard of the term...

The notion of opportunity cost plays a crucial part in ensuring that scarce resources are used efficiently. [...] For example, a person who desires to watch each of two television programs being broadcast simultaneously, and does not have the means to make a recording of one, can watch only one of the desired programs. Therefore, the opportunity cost of watching Dallas could be not enjoying the other program (e.g. Dynasty). Of course, if an individual records one program while watching the other, the opportunity cost will be the time that the individual spends watching one program versus the other. In a restaurant situation, the opportunity cost of eating steak could be trying the salmon.

Now that the economics is on the side, can I ask what you gave up by watching those movies? Apart from valuable sleep offcourse. Maybe if you can formulate this answer, then you can come up with the missing emotional content. It can be, and I am not saying it is, that what you gave up was another form of 'cultural' substitute but one which holds more 'cultural' value, thus 'programmed' value than watching a movie and that is why you are feeling bad with yourself, like a sort of mechanical reaction for being a 'bad boy.' This is just speculation on my part, for example, maybe instead of a movie, maybe you wanted to 'take a shower' or 'read news stories' or 'run to the shops' etc. It could just be, that what is called for, is better time management and planning.


Also, thanks for expanding on the idea of alarm clocks.

 

[HiThere]

Thank you from me as well, I'll put those clocks in with the others!

 

[dannybananny]

This is one I found useful, just change nuclear nightmare with comet nightmare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR_midwZ2f0

We often forget how this world could be changed into ashes for few seconds and live a comfortable life forgetting cold reality here, that was case with me recently. But also I found it useful to put yourself in the situation of hungry children in Africa, people of Palestine, Iraq and to be grateful for what I have and remember that they life is an every day struggle, every second is struggle, how dark this world is because people are not interested in what happens there, just at their country, people tend to forget how this can easily change and that makes people cold machines, but those people there dying got all the shocks they need to see in what world we live, shocks we won't probably get and most people until it's too late . In my earlier life there was more suffering but because of that there was greater desire to resolve it and to work, now is harder but that's the challenge in a way. I think some movies are good, those that are realistic that are today rare, but now there are more apocalyptic movies that is good sign to see what's ahead and to wake yourself up. But movies can be a distraction to not work when you don't fell like it, when you are depressed, but those moments are most important because they built will, but they don't last forever, after storm there is always sun, you have to only hold on somehow, even with your teeth if necessary. Mouravieff also gave good example to imagine you body being dead, this was to see yourself separate from your body and predator mind but also to see that death isn't somewhere far but round the corner. But C's were right when they said it's all about faith in yourself and your abilities.

 

[Approaching Infinity]

There's another aspect to alarm clocks that I've been trying to put in practice. No matter how many you have, if you forget, they're useless. It's like telling yourself, "I'm going to do my laundry today" and then waking up the next morning thinking, "Darn, I forgot!" One thing Gurdjieff suggested was basically to use everyday events to "tie together" the various I's of our experience. So every time you take the first bite of food at meal, go to the bathroom, brush your teeth, enter a room, etc. etc. you try to remember yourself. Try to keep your attention constant through all the ordinary events that would otherwise divert or steal your attention. E.g., do you remember walking to your desk, where you are this instant, to sit down? I barely do! I can remember, but looking back I realize I did so completely unconsciously. When we can "keep ourselves together" for longer periods of time, we can remember our aim, our alarm clock or shock, better.

Then there's "noticing". We can only choose to do something if we NOTICE that something needs doing. Take the laundry, again. I might forget about the laundry because my attention was directed towards something else for the whole day after. My tiny aim wasn't strong enough for me to remember, and I didn't notice any of the signs around me that could've caused me to remember. Of course, this is a result mainly of "the disease of tomorrow". I noticed once, decided to put it off until "later", and lost the opportunity. Sometimes another one is offered, and I remember, and take it. Other times, I'm not so lucky. So lately I've been trying my best to do whatever I notice, that very moment. If I notice a dish that needs washing, I wash it; a typo that needs correcting, I correct it; a piece of garbage that is in the middle of the floor, I pick it up; etc. These are all "small" things, but as far as I can tell, they're a great exercise. I end up getting much more done than I usually would in the same amount of time, and it gives me a good feeling. It's really amazing what a view just paying attention can give of oneself: my laziness, forgetfulness, sleep-walking, etc. But then, that "look" itself can then serve as a reminder to get cracking!

 

[luke wilson]

Try to keep your attention constant through all the ordinary events that would otherwise divert or steal your attention. E.g., do you remember walking to your desk, where you are this instant, to sit down? I barely do! I can remember, but looking back I realize I did so completely unconsciously. When we can "keep ourselves together" for longer periods of time, we can remember our aim, our alarm clock or shock, better.

Can I ask you something?

Do you think this is possible?

I find the problem with remembering is you have to do it all the time, if there is a gap and you forget, THAT IS IT, it is a throw of the dice when you'll next remember. My problem is, once you get to that stage of having 'forgotten' how do I initiate remembering. The things that I find is, the tiniest things are the worst:
Like for example, we build our days around routine, you do pretty much the same thing in the same order during the week, but usually things happens to disrupt this order and this is where all hell breaks lose.

EDIT: Cut for brevity.

But also I found it useful to put yourself in the situation of hungry children in Africa, people of Palestine, Iraq and to be grateful for what I have and remember that they life is an every day struggle, every second is struggle, how dark this world is because people are not interested in what happens there, just at their country, people tend to forget how this can easily change and that makes people cold machines, but those people there dying got all the shocks they need to see in what world we live, shocks we won't probably get and most people until it's too late .

Just to correct a possible error in perception. You desription of people in africa, palestine and iraq is from your point of view - it is interesting you pick this locations as well, only goes to show the media is doing a very good job. People see themselves differently than you see them. You take it they suffer, I agree but I think it is important to note they suffer in a different way than you think. There suffering is remarkably similar to your suffering, eg, parents treating them bad, kids bullying them etc. The rest, for example a child living in palestine, the occupation is all they know and thus as a result it is no longer a shock to them, the way it is to you! They adapt, they live. This is one thing the media does and people dont acknowledge, the media makes it appear worse than it actually is - it messes around with perceptions. It makes you feel like, 'OMG, WHAT A SORRY STATE OF AFFAIRS.' It might be, but that is what they know so for them that is that.

EDIT: Cut for brevity.

I think a huge part of suffering, comes from perception, this vs that, here vs there etc. If you take that away, what are you left with? People who are pretty much the same facing the same problems but maybe in different ways, in different contexts. OSIT.

It is also important to realise, that after awhile, a shock stops becoming a shock. OSIT.

 

[anart]

luke, could you please condense this latest post of yours to the main points - cut out at least 3/4 of it. Since you don't seem to be understanding our point on your lack of brevity, despite repeated suggestions - here is a start - your post could have just read:

Can I ask you something?

Do you think this is possible?

I find the problem with remembering is you have to do it all the time, if there is a gap and you forget, THAT IS IT, it is a throw of the dice when you'll next remember. My problem is, once you get to that stage of having 'forgotten' how do I initiate remembering. The things that I find is, the tiniest things are the worst:
Like for example, we build our days around routine, you do pretty much the same thing in the same order during the week, but usually things happens to disrupt this order and this is where all hell breaks lose.

That would have been enough. Do you understand?

 

[Bar Kochba]

I like to keep it simple at this point, keep to the basics. I try to remember two of Gurdjieff's suggestions: 1.Like what your machine doesn't like and 2.Only super efforts count. These two have been my "alarm clocks" for the past year and they still work!

 

[luke wilson]

luke, could you please condense this latest post of yours to the main points - cut out at least 3/4 of it. Since you don't seem to be understanding our point on your lack of brevity, despite repeated suggestions - here is a start - your post could have just read:

Can I ask you something?

Do you think this is possible?

I find the problem with remembering is you have to do it all the time, if there is a gap and you forget, THAT IS IT, it is a throw of the dice when you'll next remember. My problem is, once you get to that stage of having 'forgotten' how do I initiate remembering. The things that I find is, the tiniest things are the worst:
Like for example, we build our days around routine, you do pretty much the same thing in the same order during the week, but usually things happens to disrupt this order and this is where all hell breaks lose.

That would have been enough. Do you understand?

I do understand your point of brevity.... I thought that was a short post... I think I now know how it gets that my posts are to long after your example. If what you posted is enough, then that means I should cut out all the examples.

So I have the aim that I am going to remember myself, hell to remember to self-observe myself during my day. But then, lets say you bump into an old friend, you get all excited, they get all excited before you know it, you're having coffee and talking about the good old days, at this point you are so immersed in this, taken by surprise by the sheer spontaneity of your meeting that you forget everything else. You even forget to self-observe, at this point you are simply riding on that wave of euphoria... Bam! Connection broken, now you discover you are abit late to a class or meeting, you get immersed in that and from then on it is one thing after another...

I mean, can you remember yourself typing the last 4 words? Is your remembering that sharp that nothing escapes you? One would need a trillion alarm clocks to keep one awake in every moment and in every changing situation.

Ok I get it. I'll cut out examples and explanations. Only reason I do this is I suppose I want to expand on my question so the reader can understand where I am coming from.

 

[Stevie Argyl]

It can be useful to stop when one recognises and remembers ones wish to be more conscious and to take a moment to connect back to the place from which the wish arises.
From where does this wish arise and how am i connected to it? This may open up emotion/conscience related to the work.

If I hurry straight into 'I must do', 'I must self remember' then I can be running straight into a thought pattern or attitude that is already partially habitual and ironically one that will lead me straight back into sleep. If one reconnects back to the place in oneself where waking up comes from then becoming conscious of breathing '2nd being food' then consciously taking in the impressions of the external world then perhaps i can maintain an internal -> external connection which might be an experience of a different quality to relying on external clocks.

There is also work with sensation, which isn't much mentioned in ISOTM, and it has always puzzled me why it is not. Gurdjieff gave many exercises using sensation. Bennet who studied in Ouspensky's group for 20 odd years writes in his autobiography 'Witness' that when he returned to Gurdjieff after the war that G gave him sensing exercises to practice which helped his self remembering in a very short time. Our body is constantly there, how often are we aware of its subtle sensations? What position is my body in now? am i aware of the heat/tension/relaxation of different parts? the depth of my breathing etc?

Also I think Anarts reply in the External consideration thread http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=22751.0 can give food for work and self remembering. Internal consideration is more than likely habitual self forgetting and running on auto. If at night before sleeping you review the day and see where you failed to externally consider you can set 10 minutes aside first thing next morning to go through likely happenings in the day ahead and reaffirm your wish to externally consider in situations that you have difficulty then perhaps that can engendar a remininding factor over time?

 

[Keit]

I had a lapse last night. I spent the night watching movies into the early hours of the morning, when I had more important things I needed to do instead.

It was only when the last movie finished that I started paying attention to the voice inside me that had been shouting all the while. It was telling me to wake up, and that I was wasting time, and that I had stuff I needed to do. It was asking me, "is this who you are? Is this what you're here to do?"

So I just wanted to share all this, to give others a practical interpretation of what Gurdjieff was talking about. If you're struggling to find a way to look into the light or motivate yourself into action, come up with something about yourself or your situation which is absolutely shocking, but absolutely true. You can use it to wake yourself up a bit and get back to the front-line.

Have the same problem of sliding into a state of dissociating into movies or anything else that is not related to my immediate or most urgent aim. Reasons for it can be various, and specific to each situation. Perhaps a combination of several factors, like inflammation that causes laziness and lethargy, or there is so much inner noise that isn't being dealt with properly or being integrated, and it takes up all the available energy that could be used for something else. Once read about it elsewhere, that when it happens, it is beneficial to try and discover the real reasons for the relapse and be honest about it. Tried it for awhile, but noticed that in my particular case dwelling on possible reasons (which are pretty much the same) isn't helping to snap out of, but making an actual effort, no matter how hard, is. Amazing how much will power is sometimes required to just get up off the chair! Talking about super efforts and how they can be applied to specific situations!

So here are several things that help me to regroup and gradually build the consistency muscle. One is, as you remarked, consistently asking the question "Is this who you are? Is this what you're here to do?", or "This is your life, so how do you want it to be?." Seeing one's life, that is running in loops, with perhaps different scenarios, but pretty much the same, can be quite sobering and shocking. But when there are still wounds, the energy of the shock can be largely dissipated during dissociative activities, self pity, etc. And so it goes on, as it was before.

Laziness is a nasty habit, and while having many alarm clocks, or being aware of what's happening helped me to keep the aim in the front of my mind, it still turned out to be almost useless unless it was coupled with an actual "moving center" effort. And the first step out of the loop is usually very unpleasant (doing what it doesn't like!), it is only later, after such repeated moves, it is possible to see how beneficial and liberating it was. In many cases, the first move means to pay attention to the thought that something is wrong, stop on tracks, stop the activity and physically get up or move toward something that has to be done.

Other ideas that helped me with building the momentum were that "the most serious sin that man can commit is to waste his talent." We all have something to offer, to contribute, and each time this creative energy is wasted on passive and detrimental to self activities, we are sinning against that part that can flourish if only we would work on cultivating it. But it isn't easy, and it not supposed to be. Sometimes I think that I would prefer to dig trenches in a hot sun instead of constantly struggling with overcoming my own laziness when it comes to things that would help me to change my life for the better! At least, it is clear what is the source of this thought, eh? ;)

 

[Tigersoap]

So lately I've been trying my best to do whatever I notice, that very moment. If I notice a dish that needs washing, I wash it; a typo that needs correcting, I correct it; a piece of garbage that is in the middle of the floor, I pick it up; etc.

I usually try to do the small tasks when I think of it, immediately, pushing against the thought that "I can do it later" because if I let myself micro-procrastinating, I might forget to do it entirely as well.
It's incredible the amount of resistance I can have to something like cleaning up a plate or putting the garbage out for example so I try to push against it and most of the time "it" does not struggle that much after all. At least for small tasks.
It has a distinct feeling of "being annoyed", like there is always something more important to do, which is not the case of course.

I think that what Laura said in this post can be of use as well to wake yourself up :

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=22751.msg246288#msg246288

Trying to remove "yourself" from the equation and do it for others without any expectations.

 

[RedFox]

Amazing how much will power is sometimes required to just get up off the chair! Talking about super efforts and how they can be applied to specific situations!

A quick question for you T.C. are you doing pipe breathing and POTS every night? One of the points behind it is to strengthen will power....and to constantly 'ask' to see/hear/know (be in a state self observation and learning).

Keit's mention of inflammation is also really important I think. Whenever I am inflamed I can tell because I spend all my time disassociating into.....anything and everything. When I am not so inflamed I am able to self remember better and can override the 'do it later' programs etc.

 

[anart]

Ok I get it. I'll cut out examples and explanations. Only reason I do this is I suppose I want to expand on my question so the reader can understand where I am coming from.

'Okay I get it' would have been enough. Stop underestimating your reader and overestimating the value of your own words. If someone needs more explanation from you on any point you are trying to make, they will ask. Also, note the number of threads that have gone off topic having to explain this very simple concept to you for months on end. Enough is enough, luke - time to either show you can do this or for you to stop posting.