We vs. I

[pstott]

Yes, and I remember sometime in my readings of things Gurdjieffian (not sure of which publication as this was 30 years ago), that he said that the energy of the sex centre was the highest possible evolution of energy taken in through food, air and impressions.

He also said that this energy could be used for further development if one knows how, but that otherwise if not used it would tend to degrade and cause damage.

Does anyone know of any writings on the proper use of sexual energy?

 

[go2]

I walked for thirty two days across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago this spring. The body was wet, tired, and the feet blistered. I would not stop walking 25k, day after day, with single minded purpose. There was much complaint (from the little ‘I’s) and body which like comfort and pleasure. I often repeated the Gurdjieff quote below to the body and (little ‘l’s), ”I wish the result of this suffering, to become my own for Being.” Many of (the little I’s) became silent after it became clear I would not stop. I experienced a strange joy and strength from this effort. Is this what you are describing, anart?

The emotional center preaches Christianity, abstinence, asceticism, or the
fear and horror of sin, hell, the torment of sinners, eternal fire, all this
with the energy of the sex center. ...

Or on the other hand it works up revolutions, robs, bums, kills, again with
the same energy.

The moving center occupies itself with sport, creates various records,
climbs mountains, jumps, fences, wrestles, fights, and so on.

In all these instances, that is, in the work of the thinking center as well
as in the work of the emotional and the moving centers, when they work with
the energy of the sex center, there is always one general characteristic and
this is a certain particular vehemence and, together with it, the
uselessness of the work in question.

Neither the thinking nor the emotional nor the moving centers can ever
create anything useful with the energy of the sex center. This is an example
of the 'abuse of sex.

No, not necessarily, though not knowing the details of 'the purpose', it is difficult to know for sure. It might benefit you to develop a deep understanding of the misuse of centers; most especially the sex center. That might sound odd, but there is a reason I bring it up, which is in bold below. Everyone, as they begin the Work experiences the misuse of centers - the energy of the emotional center is usurped to run the intellect (very common), the energy of the sex center is usurped to run the intellect/motor center. Working to reinstate the natural operation of all centers is what's often called 'Cleaning the machine' - and involves conscious suffering and, always, intense self-observation, employed within a network which can provide objective input (no one can do this alone).

Have you read In Search of the Miraculous by Ouspensky?

I'm not saying that this is definitely the mechanism at play here, it is just a possibility, considering your input thus far - fwiw.

I went on the above mentioned pilgrimage with the intent to recapitulate the “film” of my life and “domesticate the wolf” as Gurdjieff puts it. I uncovered much hidden in the memory banks, and affection for the body as it learns its desires no longer runs the show, all the time. I do not want these efforts to come to nothing.

I have observed the vehemence for some time after I was nicknamed “Crusader Bob” several years ago in another circle. While, I have observed this phenomenon of the argumentative running of the mouth, so to speak, the cleaning of the connections is very slow. I am travelling with Mouravieff’s Gnosis I and Gnosis II which devote many pages to these very issues. I will study them and the threads on the sexual center and its abuse. I have read In Search of the Miraculous years ago, without sustained attention. I noticed your emphasis on the necessity of a network to do this work. Anart, you see much from very little, and it has the ring of truth.

 

[Beau]

Does anyone know of any writings on the proper use of sexual energy?

Gurdjieff talks about it in In Search Of the Miraculous. I don't have the book on file to quote from but their are a few spots that would be relevant.

 

[go2]

He also said that this energy could be used for further development if one knows how, but that otherwise if not used it would tend to degrade and cause damage.

Does anyone know of any writings on the proper use of sexual energy?

There are chapters in Boris Mouravieff’s books Gnosis I and Gnosis II on these subjects. I have been reading them repeatedly, and today from Anart’s observation of this phenomenon in myself, I have more understanding of Mouravieff’s words. The descriptions of our deformed Personality are only words, until I see it in myself. It is a shock to see the unvarnished truth. I have paid for a little more understanding. The Mouravieff books are dense, but precise. Here is a little of what Mouravieff says about the centres and what should be done to remedy the “abuse of sex”.

In the majority of cultured men our times the positive part of the emotional centre is practically paralysed after the highly intensive development of an intellectual culture: feelings too easily give way to calculation.

As for the motor centre, in the case that concerns us this works at full capacity. Responsible for the natural instinctive and motor functions that ensure the life of the organism and the movements of the body, it has always been the object of special training: military, sporting, artistic etc. But in addition, because of the state of lethargy of the positive part of the emotional centre in contemporary man, for good or ill the motor centre also replaces it in its functions.

The motor centre replaces the positive tenderness of affection, which the dormant emotional centre is incapable of providing, by the passionate tenderness of sensations dominated by a spirit of possession. In this domain too, the life of man’s psyche is then lowered to the level of that of an animal.

All this allows us to better understand the structure of man’s Personality, which is then practically reduced to bicentrism, the very characteristic of the chimera: a lion’s head to represent intelligence and an animal’s body with the tail of a dragon to symbolize passions deprived of all feeling. The fire and flames vomited from its mouth are the fire of discord and the flame of intellectualized passions stimulated by usurped sexual energy.

To put a final point to this, we have only to answer the question that confronts those who wish to pass from words to acts; how can we awaken the emotional centre and then develop it? The answer is simple: by mastering negative emotions and transmuting them into positive emotions.