There do exist enquiring minds, which long for the truth of the heart, seek it, strive to solve the problems set by life, try to penetrate to the essence of things and phenomena and to penetrate into themselves. If a man reasons and thinks soundly, no matter which path he follows in solving these problems, he must inevitably arrive back at himself, and begin with the solution of the problem of what he is himself and what his place is in the world around him.
To possess the right to the name of ‘man’, one must be one. And to be such, one must first of all, with an indefatigable persistence and an unquenchable impulse of desire, issuing from all the separate independent parts constituting one’s entire common presence, that is to say, with a desire issuing simultaneously from thought, feeling, and organic instinct, work on an all-round knowledge of oneself—at the same time struggling unceasingly with one’s subjective weaknesses—and then afterwards, taking one’s stand upon the results thus obtained by one’s consciousness alone, concerning the defects in one’s established subjectivity as well as the elucidated means for the possibility of combatting them, strive for their eradication without mercy towards oneself.
G. I. Gurdjieff: Beelzebub’s Tales, p. 1209
The sole means now for the saving of the beings of the planet Earth would be to implant again into their presences a new organ… of such properties that every one of these unfortunates during the process of existence should constantly sense and be cognisant of the inevitability of his own death as well as the death of everyone upon whom his eyes or attention rests. Only such a sensation and such a cognisance can now destroy the egoism completely crystallized in them.
G. I. Gurdjieff. Although the actual year and date of his birth is debatable, Gurdjieff’s birthday is traditionally celebrated today, January 13th. (Thank you to reclusland and stillnessinthestorm for providing the quotation.)
In order to know the future it is necessary first to know the present in all its details, as well as to know the past. Today is what it is because yesterday was what it was. And if today is like yesterday, tomorrow will be like today. If you want tomorrow to be different, you must make today different.
G. I. Gurdjieff
A man can keep silence in such a ways that no one will even notice it. The whole point is that we say a good deal too much.
G. I. Gurdjieff (I just noticed this one now. Another amazing quote via nihilnoetia)
Awakening begins when a man realizes that he is going nowhere and does not know where to go.
