September 1973 - Michael Teachings Transcripts

February 3, 1974

Does Michael have any comments on us having a small executive committee for the purpose of steering?

YES. WE AGREE THAT THIS IS BECOMING MORE ESSENTIAL NOW THAT THE GROUP IS GROWING SO LARGE. YOU MUST ALSO LEARN TO BE FIRMING YOUR RESOLUTION ONCE THE POLICIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED, BUT LEAVING ROOM FOR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES. WE AGREE THAT A TRIP TO THE LIBRARY CAN BE ARRANGED SO AS NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE TEACHING, AND THAT THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF ABSENCES THAT SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED. INCIDENTALLY, WE ONCE WARNED YOU ALL THAT YOUR ACTIVITIES WOULD BECOME SUSPECT, AND THAT YOU WOULD COME TO BE REGARDED AS ECCENTRIC. ONCE YOU ELECTED TO PURSUE THIS, YOU VOLUNTARILY PLACED YOURSELF OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CULTURE. YOU MUST BE PREPARED FOR THE RESULTS OF THIS ACTION, WHICH WILL INCLUDE MORE ADVERSE PUBLICITY AND BREAKS IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE WHO CANNOT UNDERSTAND AND ARE FRIGHTENED OF THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY.

Should we be secretive about it?

YOUR INSISTENCE ON SECRECY WILL DEPEND IN THE LONG RUN ON YOUR OWN DESIRES TO WEAR THE CLOAK OF DIGNITY, AND WE DO FEEL THAT THIS IS ADVISABLE.

The need for secrecy won’t be that great, as we will know how to handle this.

SOFT PEDALING THE ACTIVITY WILL SERVE TO TONE DOWN ANY SENSATIONALISM AND THE DANGER OF LURING IN FALSE STUDENTS WITH GLAMOUR.

We discussed new people and eliminating them before they came to a meeting.

THE EXCLUSION PROCESS SHOULD NEVER STOP SHORT OF AT LEAST ONE SESSION WITH OLDER STUDENTS. WE WOULD ADVISE TRANSMITTING THE INFORMATION IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER, VERBALLY.

One of the first criteria for a new student is whether they can accept that there are planes above the physical.

THIS SHOULD ALMOST BE YOUR FIRST QUESTION TO NEW STUDENTS. (Next,) WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE NECESSARY DISCIPLINE NEEDED TO GROW SPIRITUALLY. ALSO IT WOULD HELP TO KNOW WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM SUCH A GROUP EXPERIENCE, AND THEIR DEFINITION OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

There could be check points, and people would be able to make a decision whether to go on or not.

They might also need to know that this is an intellectual teaching of discipline.

What is meant by “intellectual teaching”?

To translate what you have learned intellectually as knowledge into what you do — “being” [a Gurdjieff term]. [To use a Biblical reference:] It is “turning water into wine”.

THIS IS, OF COURSE, OUR TEACHING ALSO. THE DISCIPLINE, OF COURSE, INCLUDES GOING TOWARD BALANCE THROUGH CONCENTRATION, MEDITATION, AND OTHER CONSCIOUS[ness] RAISING TECHNIQUES; ALSO THE UNDERSTANDING AND ULTIMATE COMPLETE ACCEPTANCE OF ALL OTHERS, LEADING TO THE SPIRITUAL AGAPE WHICH IS THE DOORWAY TO TRUE CONSCIOUSNESS.

In the Gurjieff group the leader’s emphasis was on being more silent. In Gurdjieff’s system, it was stated that everything you said was a lie, and so we had to be very careful with words.

WE AGREE THAT MUCH WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE BY ALL OF YOU HERE PRESENT TOWARD ELIMINATING ALL NONESSENTIAL DIALOGUE. THIS, OF COURSE, MAY EVENTUALLY RESULT IN YOUR BEING ACUTELY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN YOU ARE NOT WITH OTHERS IN THE TEACHING. THIS IS ONLY ONE OF THE MYRIAD REASONS FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES SUCH AS WE HAVE SUGGESTED. SILENCE COMES MUCH MORE EASILY TO THOSE WHO ARE SECURE IN THE LOVE OF THOSE AROUND THEM.

Comment: We have to experience the truth-lying Monad as part of everything. We should not be afraid to speak up. In order to learn in this area, we need feedback. If you are silent, you never expose yourself.

If we were more silent, would this help us in working on false personality?

THAT IS VALID.

Could you comment on the statement that everything is true, no matter who says it and when they say it?

THAT IS A VALID EXERCISE (to say “That is true” for everything that is said, no matter how untrue it feels to you at the time) FOR EXORCISING NEGATIVITY.

I would like to ask about the “witch hunt” at work. What is the purpose of their doing this and talking so awful? I can’t separate.

THIS TEACHING SHOULD ENABLE YOU TO DISSOCIATE FROM THIS DESTRUCTIVE LIFE GAME. IT IS PLAYED ALL OVER.

The game is, “I’m right and you’re wrong”.

THE GAME IS ALSO: I AM SO WELL AND YOU ARE SO SICK.

I remain aloof, but it affects me.

IF YOU DO NOT DISSOCIATE, YOU RUN THE RISK OF BECOMING A LEADING PLAYER — AND A LOSING ONE AT THAT.

I would like to ask what the source and validity of Stanford’s book, Spirit Unto the Churches.

THE SOURCE IS COSMIC. THE VALIDITY IS GOOD.

In the Gurdjieff group, the leader did not call his school a religion; it was a school of “consciousness”. Ours is a teaching also, and not a religion, isn’t it?

THE ONLY DIFFICULTY IN THAT WORD IS THAT IT TIES INTO DOGMA, AND THAT IS NOT RELIGION. WE WISH TO TEACH A JOYOUS RELIGION WITHOUT DOGMA, AND SO DECLINE TO LABEL IT. JESUS DID NOT CALL HIS TEACHING ”CHRISTIANITY”.

It should also be a pleasant shock when it all comes together.

MORE AND MORE YOU WILL FIND YOURSELVES IMMERSED IN THE PLANNING STAGES.

We just got through with planning for the Town Meeting.

THIS IS PLANNING OF A VERY DIFFERENT SORT, BUT ALL THE RULES ARE APPLICABLE. SINCE THIS IS A PLANNING STAGE, THIS MEANS THAT DECISIONS WILL BE MADE, AND YOU WILL BE LEFT TO START THE IMPLEMENTATION OCTAVE WITH A DEDICATED CORE.

Is it our task to provide the spiritual base for the Oregon community?

WE FEEL THAT THAT WOULD BE IN MANY RESPECTS THE IDEAL START. WE FEEL THAT WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU MUST HAVE ADEQUATE FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE TRANSIENTS WHO SEEK YOU. WE ARE INTERESTED IN CENTRALIZING THIS TEACHING AND ELIMINATING THE MOST DISTRACTING DUPLICATIONS THAT NOW OCCUR, PREVENTING MOST OF YOU FROM SERVING TO THE LIMITS OF YOUR ABILITY.

Are there many who are alive in the physical today who are in The Brotherhood?

MANY ARE NOW ON THE PHYSICAL PLANE. MANY WATCH FROM OTHER PLANES.

Are they gathering because of the “new coming”? Is our source transcendental?

THE TRANSCENDENTAL SOUL IS ONLY SUCH WHEN IT MANIFESTS ON THE PHYSICAL PLANE. NOW WE ARE PART OF THE MID CAUSAL BODY.

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