The Process of Struggle
In one of the Paris meetings in World War II, which was noted down and translated, Gurdjieff was asked, “I don’t see exactly what path to follow and what aim to have in view.” I will take the liberty of extracting his answer to that question, or parts of it, because it is quite long.
He said, “A path is not necessary. It is only necessary that you obtain results in yourself. Collect, accumulate the results of struggle. You will need them for continuing. This substance can only be accumulated by struggle. Therefore, create a struggle between your head and your animal… I advise you, now that I know you better, do not stop. Continue your struggle but without waiting for results. Accumulate the results of the process of struggle. When we struggle interiorly with thought, feeling and body, that gives a substance in the place where it belongs. We have no interest today in knowing where that place is. Accumulate. It is this that is lacking in you…continue the struggle accidentally begun. So that if you say you are satisfied that proves you are on the right road. But you must not stop. You had as a plan to go to the Etoile. The Etoile is still far. On Boulevard Carreo there are twenty lamp posts. Twenty stations. What means shall you employ? That is not important. Struggle. You know better than I what struggle. For example, whatever your body likes, whatever you have the habit of giving it, don’t give it any more. The important thing is to have a continued process of struggle because you need the substance that struggle will give you.”
(John Pentland w/G.I. Gurdjieff in quotes; “Introducing the Ideas of G.I. Gurdjieff: September 4, 1977”; p 9)
In one of the Paris meetings in World War II, which was noted down and translated, Gurdjieff was asked, “I don’t see exactly what path to follow and what aim to have in view.” I will take the liberty of extracting his answer to that question, or parts of it, because it is quite long.
He said, “A path is not necessary. It is only necessary that you obtain results in yourself. Collect, accumulate the results of struggle. You will need them for continuing. This substance can only be accumulated by struggle. Therefore, create a struggle between your head and your animal… I advise you, now that I know you better, do not stop. Continue your struggle but without waiting for results. Accumulate the results of the process of struggle. When we struggle interiorly with thought, feeling and body, that gives a substance in the place where it belongs. We have no interest today in knowing where that place is. Accumulate. It is this that is lacking in you…continue the struggle accidentally begun. So that if you say you are satisfied that proves you are on the right road. But you must not stop. You had as a plan to go to the Etoile. The Etoile is still far. On Boulevard Carreo there are twenty lamp posts. Twenty stations. What means shall you employ? That is not important. Struggle. You know better than I what struggle. For example, whatever your body likes, whatever you have the habit of giving it, don’t give it any more. The important thing is to have a continued process of struggle because you need the substance that struggle will give you.”
(John Pentland w/G.I. Gurdjieff in quotes; “Introducing the Ideas of G.I. Gurdjieff: September 4, 1977”; p 9)
