In Search of the Miraculous

I was just curious if anyone else has read or listened to this material? To me, it is kind of fascinating and consuming my time and energy.

It appears to be an all-encompassing philosophy on life. Some of it is kind of difficult to absorb and I will probably need to go through the material a few times over, just to create a framework to try and understand.

It is like a message from the old ascended masters and this is just a student, I can’t imagine what the words from the master are like.

Some ideas that I got from the material (very well could be wrong) (most of my remembered terminology is also probably wrong-just trying to hit the general ideas):

-There are 2 aspects to us, the essence and the personality.

-Different philosophies are described and how their practitioners strive towards the way:
1. The way of the fakir.
2. The way of the monk.
3. The way of the yogi.
4. (sorry, I don’t remember at this time)

-Most of us are simple machines that actions are influenced by the world around them.

-There is a set limit or amount to the knowledge of this reality. If everyone has a tiny piece, it is useless but if it is concentrated in a limited amount of people, it becomes useful.

There is also a lot about different atomic elements but I am not sure if they are referenced in a scientific way.

In Search of the Miraculous
Russian philosopher P. D. Ouspensky (student of Gurdjieff or referred to simply as 'G' in the work)

PDF link:
www.gurdjieff.am...



If anyone has gone through this material before, is there any other links you could share along this same philosophy? This also gets lumped into hermetism but it almost seems like a different path, although it does love a little numerology as well, especially the trice. I know G himself has 'Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson' out there. But I was wondering if any other authors or societies/schools/philosophies have traveled this same path.

I found this by listening to an interview between John Anthony West & Graham Hancock. West asked if Hancock started reading this literature and he replied that he is started with Gurdjieff's material directly. West kind of chided him that he needs to start with Ouspensky's work first to build the foundation. After hearing that, I found the miraculous and haven't looked back since (well, it has only been a week so far).

The most impressive was a section of where the student awakens and becomes aware, no longer a machine. This I took that he was living fully in the present and experienced a new type of vibration or energy. I felt like I was floating when listening to this part.

As I go through this it almost feels like my reality is slowly changing. Kind of cool.

a reply to: ClovenSky

Interesting

wiki
But I'm not sure if I like a philosophy that promotes a "flat line" experience of life?

a reply to: Peeple

That was also a thought. That maybe the machine itself is desirable to being awake. That being awake is an emotionless state that would render this reality to no longer be fun.

I am trying to get over that as at one point where the student was able to attain awareness with the help of G, it was described as something wonderful, imo. Not something to be feared where you lose a part of yourself. He could see and witness others that were asleep, daydreaming their way through life, living in a constant state of imagination and not being aware of the present.

There was another thought that we are a machine can never giver our word or promise because there are multiple I's in each of us. When one I makes the promise, when it come to honor that promise, another I could be at the helm of consciousness and has no intention of honoring that promise, much less even remember making that promise. Something along the lines that we don't really even know ourselves.

a reply to: ClovenSky

Define "awake" or "aware"? I've found they mean something different to everybody. In this context I think it means overcoming the splitters of I and unifying them.
The law of seven reminds me of the zero wave? Maybe it means overcoming the ups and downs of the collective experience rather than the individual?

I'm happy to see people are still finding Gurdjieff's material, don't see it pop up too often.

I was involved in a group of one Gurdjieff's pupils (Nyland) for many years. Many people find Gurdjieff's teaching through Ouspensky as his works are much easier to read and digest. Gurdjieff's magnum opus, All & Everything: Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson is a tough read but well worth it. It will either suck you in or bore you to death.

If you have questions, feel free.

Off-hand, the number four on your list of ways is just that, the Fourth Way - it's another name for this teaching. The Work encompasses the three ways into one unified practice.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: ClovenSky

Define "awake" or "aware"? I've found they mean something different to everybody. In this context I think it means overcoming the splitters of I and unifying them.
The law of seven reminds me of the zero wave? Maybe it means overcoming the ups and downs of the collective experience rather than the individual?

Being awake in Gurdjieff's teaching means developing what we know as the sub-conscious. Making the sub-conscious self our primary waking-consciousness is the goal of this work. What we know as our waking consciousness now is only a reactive biology we have no real control over.

a reply to: Peeple

Now that is an very interesting question. I am still trying to understand what they mean by awake or no longer being a machine influenced by external stimulation, as described by this material.

The teacher also delves into planetary influences just as potent as immediate influences from surrounding life.

But I think at the heart of it is truly knowing yourself. Know what influences are present and act on you individually. Maybe similar to simply being aware in a sense.

I am still trying to absorb and learn myself.

a reply to: Admitted

Hm interesting. That seems to imply you work towards realising underlying emotional and other traumas? The driving force of subconsciosness.

a reply to: Admitted

Daaammmnnn, now I got goosebumps. This is amazing. I will probably take you up on your offer with great enthusiasm. I just need to read/listen a few more times through before I have absorbed enough to even ask the correct questions.

So can a person start at the 4th way and cultivate all senses at once? Are the 3 senses: physical body, Faith or emotion and knowledge or mind. Is there a 4th sense or is it simply the combination of all 3?

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: Admitted

Hm interesting. That seems to imply you work towards realising underlying emotional and other traumas? The driving force of subconsciosness.

That's certainly part of it. But the idea is that as young children this real (sub) consciousness of ours isn't allowed to develop as it should. Our schooling is largely intellectual and one-sided. Not developing as a whole (intellectual, emotional, and moving/instinctual/physical) this real consciousness is forced into the background.

Our attention doesn't develop and grow as it should because we aren't taught it is important or that it is even necessary.

originally posted by: ClovenSky
a reply to: Admitted

Daaammmnnn, now I got goosebumps. This is amazing. I will probably take you up on your offer with great enthusiasm. I just need to read/listen a few more times through before I have absorbed enough to even ask the correct questions.

So can a person start at the 4th way and cultivate all senses at once? Are the 3 senses: physical body, Faith or emotion and knowledge or mind. Is there a 4th sense or is it simply the combination of all 3?

Awareness is the combination of all three. Moving/instinctual, intellectual, and emotional. Awareness and attention are cultivated and grown through various exercises personalized to every person.

a reply to: Admitted

Have you been studying this path long? Can results be achieved through reading and trying to understand the written material or is a teacher definitely needed to progress?

Have you been able to enter the state of awareness as described by Ouspensky towards the end of the literature?

Have you discovered any other writing or philosophical methods that are similar to this teaching?

I liked how he would call meetings without telling anyone. If you showed up, there was message in that alone.

originally posted by: ClovenSky
a reply to: Admitted

Have you been studying this path long? Can results be achieved through reading and trying to understand the written material or is a teacher definitely needed to progress?

Have you been able to enter the state of awareness as described by Ouspensky towards the end of the literature?

Have you discovered any other writing or philosophical methods that are similar to this teaching?

I discovered this teaching about 20 years ago when I was 19 years old. I actively practiced (with guidance) through much of my 20's before life and family became too much and kind of "took over". It's never left me though and has had a definite effect on my life. I hope to return.

The state of awareness described by Ouspensky is the result of a long and dedicated work. This state can be achieved by anyone temporarily (often accidentally). My experience with it is just that; fleeting and accidental. To be able to bring it about by oneself and at will is a great challenge. There are methods of cultivating this awareness, smaller/doable steps to get started.

I have not come across anything similar to this teaching. Similarities can be found in various religious practices, however. Try and compare the way of fakir, monk and yogi to the father, son and holy ghost, for example.

In my experience solely studying the literature and practicing on one's own just leads to a lot of questions. I hit a wall doing this and it created a hunger that led to me seeking out a group. It's impossible to break yourself out of your own prison.

a reply to: Admitted

That is what I was afraid of. The nearest group appears to be in Minnesota but unfortunately the time and effort needed would be beyond what I have to currently give.

But man, I can't imagine great harm in trying independently. The only thing that was kind of startling was G's description of getting stuck in-between different stages of enlightenment. The thirst is too strong to stop now.

maybe in the future, life will show a way

Thank you very much for your time.


to underwerks:

It was suggested that he made it somewhat difficult, because anything worthwhile will be a challenge. Anything that comes easily isn't worth very much to the discoverer.

just wait until you get to the part of the student and master talking to each other without speaking. Maybe I am a fool, but this also clicked with the sound of truth for some reason.

Like feeling another person's strong emotions, but a lot more precise.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: ClovenSky

Define "awake" or "aware"? I've found they mean something different to everybody. In this context I think it means overcoming the splitters of I and unifying them.
The law of seven reminds me of the zero wave? Maybe it means overcoming the ups and downs of the collective experience rather than the individual?

Awake and aware to me is the emergence of self. Where I am guide my thoughts understandings based on my own process of self discovery rather than relying on the input of others.

ClovenSky
The most impressive was a section of where the student awakens and becomes aware, no longer a machine. This I took that he was living fully in the present and experienced a new type of vibration or energy. I felt like I was floating when listening to this part.

As stated above this rely's heavily on the emergence of the real or true self.

-Most of us are simple machines that actions are influenced by the world around them.

See above.

-There is a set limit or amount to the knowledge of this reality. If everyone has a tiny piece, it is useless but if it is concentrated in a limited amount of people, it becomes useful.

I disagree. To me this infers a zero sum game of information/ intelligence which I've pondered in the past.

This philosophy was discussed by the Heremes in the Hermetica with the concept of god being the all. Essentially the all is everything and everything is the all meaning all information contains the information of the whole.

How else do you think we would be able to detect parts of the universe that are essentially infinite distances?

The key here is the increase of awareness through skepticism which is discussed by Immanuel Kant with his doctrines on reason and skepticism and how to achieve the emergence of self.

See, what you want to do is to make yourself more aware by becoming more present. Many philosophers have taken different paths to achieving this increased awareness such as Eckhart Tolle.

I would recommend Hermes and the Hermetica over G.

a reply to: ClovenSky

There is a small Nyland group in Minneapolis, yes. When I first started I corresponded long distance with a group leader and received tapes (yes cassette tapes - they've digitized now) of meetings. Then discussed and questioned via email, phone, and even written letters. This was a great help and very useful, still not a replacement for group work.

Getting stuck in-between is a danger and I feel is where I am. I know there is more and I'm not doing the work required to achieve it. It's called the Work for a reason and great efforts are required.

“Blessed is he who has a soul, blessed is he who has none, but woe and grief to him who has it in embryo.”

And I wanted to add about that awareness experience you asked of, it is also possible to be brought to this place by another person. It's a way to give an individual a "taste" of what is possible and motivation to work on oneself. It's a type of hypnotism though and not the real deal.

If you keep your desire for more alive in yourself, life will most definitly find a way to show you your way. Best of luck!

a reply to: toysforadults

That is about the only part I am struggling with, that knowledge is finite. Well, the only part I disagree with that is. I am struggling with a lot of it, simply trying to understand and commit the information to memory. To build a foundation of understanding so I can go directly to G's words and learn further.

I have came across the reference to hermes very often through reading other works. Especially works about our true history.

There has to be some explanation how the dogon gained their knowledge of the cosmos. They indicate it was aliens. Ah, the search of frequencies and vibrations. They could be right next to us but at a different vibration so we will never recognize them.

a reply to: ClovenSky

Well, they probably used psychedelics #1. But think of this. The universe we experience exist as a mental construct or within the mind or all or god.

So if the universe is thought/ projection of the mind than aliens are a creation of the mind.

The big mystery really is, what is the mind? Thought = frequency, matter (matter what and how it exist is up for debate)

I would definitely dig into the Hermetica.

a reply to: ClovenSky

When I was a youngster in my early twenties running around Greenwich Village I ran into a street vendor selling old books and one of them was the Search for the miraculous.

I brought the book on his recommendation and immensely enjoyed it and I think still have it somewhere.


Check out the works of this guy John G. Bennett
and you may find the sources of Gurdjieff'sdjieffs work


I loved his philosophy referring to humans as broken machines