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The Next Attention

Here’s a book I’ve just ordered for some “light” summer reading. This is from the introduction:

For many summers in the Swiss alpine village of Chandolin, Dr. Michel de Salzmann met with people interested in the Gurdjieff Work, a teaching for awakening in the midst of everyday life. Evident even in these recollected fragments of his talks (1993-2000) is Dr. de Salzmann’s unique ability to speak in a way that opens the listener to “the inexhaustible dimension of attention.” To help one understand what it means to wake up, Dr. de Salzmann draws a distinction between something one does with one’s attention and something one receives. He speaks of a subtle energy that is both sacred and accessible. In the moment one recognizes this energy and consciously receives this finer attention, one awakens and begins to be. “We are in a process to come under another influence,” he tells us. “There is ‘my’ attention, secondary attention, that runs up the mountain, sees obstacles, does this or that…. “If it is ‘my’ attention, it is not this other Attention, which transforms.” In these notes his voice calls us to this next Attention.

Excerpts from the book:

“Perhaps there is no inclination to turn inward. Let it be. Just watch. The power of attention more and more can fill the body. Everything we need is here in us. Everything for fuller being. There is a kind of sacred descent of attention that can bring this about. Seeing the obstacles, thoughts, feelings, yes, perhaps a pressure that keeps me from it. But if I can relax inside, just allow the pure attention to flow in, be in that. Very natural. It is what we are. Attention: a sacred energy coming into me. Be sensitive to it. Recognize again and again that it is there. When the attention is with this other energy permeating me, very concentrated yet very light, free, wishing nothing, needing nothing, everything opens to this: the head, the heart. The only discovery is this energy. When this energy is there and I am sure of it, aware of it moment by moment, I begin to be.”

***

“Once you have a taste of the relation with this energy, you begin to see what is unnecessary and let it go. Not to let the mind go here and there, now, out of respect for this energy, for attending to it. It is your fundamental activity. If the mind starts to think about this or that–not necessary now–let it go. Out of respect for this energy, you come back. You are attracted there. In this work, first it is necessary to become balanced in all parts. Sensing the body … and the feelings join … and the mind. Balanced for a moment, the force equally in all parts. This is normal man.

And then, one can become conscious of one’s functions. It is a training. Our functions are our companions. They need to be educated. The mind is like a dog–always chewing on a bone–very short thoughts, one after the other. But it can be trained, so that you can come back to this axis in you, this centeredness, so you can be. And the feelings, too. So there is a reaction. I allow it to be but at the same time come back to this centeredness. What is this reaction? Is it important? And perhaps I see that it is nothing–fear of this or wishing for that. But the primary thing is this relation with an energy, to become a channel for it.”

— Michel de Salzmann, from the book by Fran Shaw, Ph.D, “Notes on The Next Attention.” New York, Indications Press. 2010

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  2. reclusland reblogged this from crashinglybeautiful and added:
    Excellent stuff.
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