September 1973 - Michael Teachings Transcripts

February 27, 1974

Present: NA, CC, JH and JH, RC and SC, RH and AH and CH, PJ, ET, MJ.

CH: Does the next Overleaf have to do with outlooks?

WE ARE HERE WITH YOU. THAT IS CLOSE, BUT WAS NOT THE ONE WE WOULD GIVE NEXT. WE WOULD TELL YOU TONIGHT THAT THERE ARE PRIMARILY SEVEN NEGATIVE OUTLOOKS, OR WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN CALLING “CHIEF FEATURES”. ALL VARIATIONS ARE MERELY PERMUTATIONS OF THESE.

FIRST, WE WOULD SAY THAT WHEN ALL OF THE OVERLEAVES HAVE BEEN GIVEN, WE INTEND TO TAKE PERSONALITIES FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY AND COMPARE. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE FELT THE DRIVE TO TAKE UP THE STUDY OF HISTORY AT THIS LATE DATE.

RH: I feel that history is a deviation from the search for consciousness in the here and now. People from the past are dead, so I cannot feel them. They seem hypothetical.

CH: May we have the next Overleaves?

THESE CHIEF FEATURES CAN BE STATED AS: IMPATIENCE, ARROGANCE, GREED, STUBBORNNESS — WHICH INCLUDES TENACITY — SELF-DEPRECATION, MARTYRDOM, [and] SELF-DESTRUCTION.

CC: Half are outwards and half are inwards.

AH: Can these be changed in our lifetime? Can you get rid of them?

YOU MUST GROW TO EXTINGUISH THIS.

In other words, we must go through our Chief Features to arrive at agape.

YOU MUST GROW TO THE POINT WHERE THIS [Chief Feature] IS NO LONGER A BARRIER TO AGAPE. THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL SOUL CAN BE USED AS A GUIDE FOR “CONSCIOUSNESS”, AT LEAST, SUBJECTIVELY SO. OBJECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS CAN BE COMPARED TO THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE INFINITE SOUL. [The concepts of “subjective and objective consciousness” came from the Gurdjieff teaching.}

RH: Things in personality are keeping me from my essence. Anything subjective can be called personal agenda, and needs to be worked with.

BY PERSONAL AGENDAS, WE REFER TO THE IRRELEVANT THOUGHTS FLITTING THROUGH THE MIND AND PREVENTING A FOCUS UPON THE TEACHING — THE PROJECTIONS INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD AND THE MOVIE YOU SAW THREE YEARS AGO; AN UNPAID BILL — THESE ARE THE ITEMS TO WHICH WE REFER.

RH: I must bring the teaching to my job, as Michael is not going to bring me a suitcase full of money in order to meet my bills.

YOU CANNOT EVEN HOPE TO BECOME SUBJECTIVELY CONSCIOUS UNTIL YOU HAVE MASTERED THIS FINE ART OF CONCENTRATION.

Must one work out the Monads with his own Fragments [of his Entity]?

NO, YOU CAN WORK THEM OUT WITH ANY OTHER FRAGMENT. THERE ARE SPECIFIC MONADS WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED AT EACH LEVEL BEFORE THE PERCEPTIONS CHANGE.

RC: Are there 120 Monads? That’s what I got in meditation.

NO, MANY MORE.

RC: Is there a specific number?

YES. THE NUMBER IS A FINITE ONE.

RH: Why not wait until you are on the astral level to study it objectively? Why study while on the subjective, life level? If you are dispassionate, you are in no position to do anything.

ET: You are not creating karmic ribbons this way.

RH: Why start while you’re here?

MANY SOULS CHOOSE THIS AS A METHOD OF ACCELERATING [their spiritual evolution].

AH: We have to experience living while on the physical plane, don’t we?

THAT IS VALID. DURING THE ASTRAL INTERVAL, THE STUDY IS RETROSPECTIVE AND UNCHANGEABLE. HERE YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE RIGHT UP UNTIL THE LAST BREATH IS DRAWN.

RH: The concept smacks of Christian forgiveness of sins — it has the same flavor.

THERE MUST BE A PERCEPTION BEHIND THE WORDS. HOWEVER, THE WORDS HAVE BEEN MUTTERED MANY TIMES IN MEANINGLESS CONTEXT BECAUSE THEY WERE LITERALLY BLOWING IN THE WIND AND ADDRESSED TO FORCES COMPLETELY DETACHED AND UNABLE TO EVEN ANSWER. IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS CONCEPT MADE VALID, THE SITUATION MUST BE APPREHENDED AND THE PLEA ADDRESSED TO THE CORRECT SOURCE.

RH: According to Gurdjieff, only with a conscious teacher can one “do” anything. Most people plea when anything goes drastically wrong, “God help me!”. At EST we learned that only “I” am responsible for the mess “I’m” in. We have to look inward and not put the blame on something outside ourselves.

THAT IS, OF COURSE, VALID. WITHOUT A TEACHER, YOU CAN DO NOTHING; YOU ARE BLIND AND DEAF — ”ASLEEP”.

ET: Could Michael comment on “man cannot do”, as in [the Gospel of] John [in the Bible, where Jesus said , “I can do nothing of myself, but the Father in me doeth it”].

E.T., THIS IS TRUE. YOU CANNOT DO THIS ON YOUR OWN. THE ENTIRE PLANET WOULD IF THIS WERE POSSIBLE.

ET: When we look inward, we have our teacher there.

RH: Most people, when they look inward, do not find the spot.

THAT IS TRUE, R.H., BUT IF YOU ARE IN CONTACT WITH A TEACHER, THIS CAN BE DIRECTED.

RH: Things I cannot deal with are subconscious, say a guilt feeling. I have no idea where its source is. The thing that triggers the guilt feeling does not seem bad. Ordinarily morality is bullshit. In all cases, the guilt emotions are from lower Centers, as the higher Centers are not operating.

ANGER IS ANOTHER REACTION THAT IS SELF-PROGRAMMED BY PERSONALITY AS A BARRIER.

ET: The body throws up a shield to keep essence from coming through. First we have to start by seeing our Chief Feature.

We discussed phobias such as fears of staircases, cats, heights, and wondered if they could be carry overs from past lives. Someone added that we should not resist evil, that we should face the fear and experience it out. The little evils are barriers to experiencing life.

Someone asked about leaving a marriage.

THAT DEPENDS ON THE INITIAL CONTRACT AND THE METHOD BY WHICH IT IS BROKEN. REMEMBER THAT WE GAVE ABANDONMENT AS A SOURCE OF KARMA . MOST COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS STUDY HARD TO LEARN THEIR TRADE. IT TAKES YOU TAKES YOU MANY YEARS TO PROGRAM THE BIOCOMPUTER THOROUGHLY.

ET: What function does Chief Feature have and what role does it play?

WE WOULD SAY AN ENORMOUS PART. OFTEN IT ALONE PREVENTS THE SOUL FROM OPERATING OUT OF THE ROLE IN ESSENCE.

ET: How does it come to be in our lives? Do we choose it?

IT IS CHOSEN, YES, AS IS EVERYTHING.

ET: It was said my Chief Feature was vanity. Is this so?

VANITY IS A PART OF ARROGANCE; WE AGREE WITH THAT. SELF-PITY IS A PART OF SELF-DEPRECATION.

RH: Is that my Chief Feature, as was said by RB?

WE SEE IN YOU A GREAT DEAL OF IMPATIENCE.

RH: Is that typical of those in Growth?

YES.

PJ: What is my Chief Feature? (Martyrdom was suggested by group members.)

WE AGREE WITH THAT.

Is there a “sub” [secondary] feature?

SELF-EFFACEMENT. (Part of martyrdom.)

What is CH’s chief feature?

SELF-DEPRECATION.

Is her subfeature self-effacement — taking a back seat, lacking in self confidence.

C.H. HAS A TENDENCY TO FADE AWAY IN CROWDS; ALSO HAS MANY NEGATIVE REACTIONS TO RATHER AMBIVALENT STATEMENTS ABOUT YOUNG SOULS. WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST?

Nonexistence (self-effacement).

THERE ARE MANY REMNANTS IN C.H., BUT SHE IS CLOSE TO EXTINGUISHMENT [of the Chief Feature]. THAT IS VALID.

AH: Are all Overleaves in Essence?

NO: [they are all] IN PERSONALITY.

AH: Are they chosen on the basis of karma?

FIRST OF ALL, THE LOCALE, THE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, THE PARENTS YOU CHOSE — ALL ARE FORMATIVE IN PROGRAMMING THE BIOCOMPUTER. THESE OVERLEAVES ARE CHOSEN BY THE SOUL TO BE ACTED OUT IN LIFE, INDEPENDENT MOST OF THE TIME OF THE WISHES OF THE ESSENCE. THE SOUL CHOSE THEM TO COMPLETE THE SPECIFIC TASK. THE SOUL DESIRES SIMPLICITY AND FREEDOM, MAKING A SPLIT BETWEEN SOUL AND ESSENCE.

We don’t take the personality with us when we die. Do we leave it here?

THAT IS CORRECT. THE SOUL ON THE ASTRAL PLANE IS DEVOID OF FALSE PERSONALITY.

RH: Why do we choose such things as [the Goal of] Rejection, [the Chief Feature of] Self-destruction, and so forth and so on?

THE SOUL, SANS BODY, TENDS TO FORGET THE INTENSITY OF THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PAIN. THIS IS YOUR OBJECTIVE: DETACHED REVIEW, R.H. WE WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU ALL THAT YOU BEGIN TO THINK OF GOALS IN TERMS OF LANDINGS ON THE INFINITE STAIRCASE, AND THAT YOU FIXATE, IF YOU MUST, ON AN INTERMEDIATE GOAL RATHER THAN THE “ULTIMATE GOAL”. WE [Michael] ARE NOT [even] IN SIGHT OF THAT ONE YET.

RH: Georges Gurdjieff said that the only way to consciousness was through the Moving Center. When Peter Ouspensky was nearing his death he had premonitions of it, and revisited old places, and he advised everyone to abandon the system and start a new system based on what you want. Are there any comments?

THE MAN GEORGES WAS ACCURATE IN ASSESSING THE NEEDS OF MOST STUDENTS. YES, THIS [Moving Centered approach] CAN BE A WAY TOWARD BALANCE. THE MAN PETER GLIMPSED THE TRUTH IN THE NEED FOR A LIVING TEACHER WHO CAN RENDER THE TEACHING DYNAMIC. HE SAW CHANGE IN THE ATTITUDES AND THE “WANTS” OF HIS STUDENTS. THIS WAS AN INTELLECTUALLY CENTERED TEACHER WITH MOSTLY EMOTIONALLY CENTERED STUDENTS. THE MAN GEORGES WAS MOVING CENTERED IN THE BEGINNING, AND HAD MOSTLY INTELLECTUALLY CENTERED DISCIPLES. THIS HELPED HIM TO VERIFY THE NEED FOR BALANCE. HE AND PETER BOTH HAD A TENDENCY TO DEPRECATE EMOTIONAL CENTER, AND THE MAN PETER WENT EVEN FURTHER AND REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VERY REAL NEED TO GROW TO THE POINT WHERE SEXUALITY CAN BE EXPRESSED THROUGH THE SEXUAL CENTER. THIS WAS DUE, FOR THE MOST PART, TO GUILTY INHIBITIONS. THE MAN GEORGES DID NOT HAVE THIS HANDICAP, BUT DID NOT GIVE EMOTIONAL CENTER QUITE THE STATUS IT DESERVED. BALANCE IS JUST THAT — A BALANCE OF ALL CENTERS. BUT, YES, MOST OF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM PHYSICAL INERTIA.

RH: Can people be trapped in sub groups of Centers, as symbolized in the deck of cards, illustrated by HW?

THIS IS VALID. A.H. IS TRAPPED IN THE EMOTIONAL PART OF INTELLECTUAL CENTER. C.H. WAS IN TOUCH WITH THE MOVING PART OF EMOTIONAL CENTER; IS NOW MOVING TOWARD BALANCE; NEEDS TO CONTACT THE EMOTIONAL PART OF EMOTIONAL CENTER, THE EMOTIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL PARTS OF INTELLECTUAL CENTER, ALSO THE MOVING PART OF MOVING CENTER. THE TENNIS HELPS IN THIS; ALSO THE READING. WE HAVE OTHER BOOKS FOR C.H. WHEN SHE FINISHES THE ONE SHE HAS NOW.

NA: Is my Chief Feature Self-deprecation?

THAT IS VALID. THE ERHARD SENSITIVITY (SEMINAR) TRAINING HELPED ENORMOUSLY.

JH: Are false humility and false modesty features of Arrogance?

THAT IS VALID; PRIDE ALSO.

Is it combined with self effacement in JH?

WE DO NOT SEE THIS. J.H. IS QUITE SELF-CONFIDENT, BUT HER ACCEPTANCE GOAL DEMANDS THAT SHE MASKS THIS.

AH: I would like to know if my Self-deprecation is part of my Chief Feature? Have I made any changes?

WE STILL SEE A.H. ACTING OUT IN SELF-DEPRECATION.

AH: Is there a “sub [secondary Chief] Feature” in me?

NONE MARKED.

JH: Is mine Impatience?

WE ALREADY INFORMED YOU THIS.

RH: Is [my daughter] KH’s [Chief Feature] Arrogance (false modesty)?

YES.

RH: Is KH a Realist?

YES.

RC: Where am I trapped?

YOU ARE TRAPPED IN THE EMOTIONAL PART OF MOVING CENTER. BOTH J.H. AND S.C. ARE TRAPPED IN THE INTELLECTUAL PART OF MOVING CENTER.

RH: Is PJ in the Intellectual part of Intellectual Center?

MOVING PART OF INTELLECTUAL CENTER.

JH: Where am I trapped?

EMOTIONAL PART OF INTELLECTUAL CENTER. N. IS WITH P.J.: EMOTIONAL PART OF INTELLECTUAL [Center].

RH.: Where am I trapped?

EMOTIONAL PART OF INTELLECTUAL CENTER.

RH: Is DC in the Emotional part of Intellectual Center?

R.H. IS CORRECT.

What good is knowing this information?

IT SHOULD GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF WHERE THE WORK IS. E.T. IS NOW IN CONTACT WITH THE MOVING CENTER AND EMOTIONAL PARTS OF INTELLECTUAL CENTER, THE MOVING AND INTELLECTUAL PARTS OF EMOTIONAL CENTER, AND THE INTELLECTUAL PART OF MOVING CENTER.

NA: Would EST help a mid cycle Young Sage in Growth?

IT CANNOT HARM HER. THE DANGER IN THIS CYCLE IS ALWAYS THE ONE OF MISGUIDED ENTHUSIASM AND AGGRESSIVE PROSELYTIZING.

JH: It was said that astrology would be valid if we knew the time of our conception. Why?

BECAUSE OF THE CONJUNCTION OF THE HEAVENLY BODIES; AND ALSO THE SUNSPOT ACTIVITY AT THE TIME OF BIRTH. (At JH’s conception) THE CONSTELLATION LEO WAS ASCENDING; THE MOON WAS IN PISCES.

PJ: I have noticed that some people are the same no matter who they are with, and others change to meet different situations. Could Michael comment?

YES, WE WILL COMMENT. THE CLOSER THE SOUL COMES TO ESSENCE IN LIFE, THE LESS HE WILL CHANGE TO MEET THE SITUATION. THE FALSE PERSONALITY IS LIKE A CHAMELEON. THE GOAL WILL, TO A GREAT EXTENT, DETERMINE THE FACE YOU PRESENT IN UNPLEASANT SITUATIONS. GLOOMINESS IS ONE OF THESE FACES.

PJ: Should you then change to please others?

WE DID NOT SAY THIS, BUT WHY SHOULD YOU CHANGE TO PLEASE OTHERS?

Comment: That is what Gurdjieff called “inner considering” — when you are wondering what the other person is thinking of you for saying what you did, or whatever.

NA: Is my son, M, in Dominance and a Young soul?

THIS IS A FIFTH LEVEL YOUNG WARRIOR, NOT IN REJECTION: IN GROWTH. THIS CHILD IS STILL BEING BOMBARDED BY THE ADOLESCENT HORMONAL STORM. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO READ HIM. HE IS TRAPPED IN THE INTELLECTUAL PART OF MOVING CENTER.

NA: What is the SRGA of my twelve year old son, JA.

THE CHILD IS A SIXTH LEVEL YOUNG SAGE IN ACCEPTANCE.

NA: What is the SRGA of my fifteen year old son, CA?

THIS CHILD IS A FIFTH LEVEL MATURE SCHOLAR IN SUBMISSION, MOSTLY SATURN, SOME LUNAR.

AH: What level and role is SE?

THIS IS A YOUNG SAGE IN DOMINANCE, AND IDEALIST.

AH: What is R?

THIS IS A FIFTH LEVEL YOUNG WARRIOR IN GROWTH.

AH: Is L a young priest?

THIS IS A THIRD LEVEL YOUNG PRIEST IN DOMINANCE.

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