What We Are Obliged To Do: Thoughts on the Strivings.

Introduction

Throughout Gurdjieff’s tome, Beelzebub’s Tales to his

Grandson, we are told that the inhabitants of this planet do

not act in ways which are ‘becoming to three-brained

beings.” Humans, rather than fulfilling their lawful role in

the cosmic and universal scheme of Reciprocal Maintenance,

according to Beelzebub, are subject to negative behaviors

such as “cunning, contempt, hate, servility, lying, flattery

and so on.” (pg. 384) How we got this way is described over

and over as the “consequences of the properties of that

maleficent organ, Kundabuffer, which unfortunately their

ancestor possessed.” (pg. 119) Although relieved of this

organ, we still operate in ways which do not recognize our

place in the universe and so have no ‘genuine conscience.’

Gurdjieff postulated a ideal age, called the Ashiatian

Epoch, after his divine messenger, Ashiata Shiemash. During

this time, human organization changed for the better, so

that all the “chiefs, directors and specialists’ “ were

chosen by “objective merits which they personally acquired

and which could be really sensed by all the beings around

them.” (pg. 385) Gurdjieff makes it plain that whatever the

manifestation of this personal work was, it was perceptible

to others. Although not specified there, some examples are

given before and after. For instance, and, of great meaning

to those of us who strive to ‘work’, is the following.

During this more spiritually appropriate era , humans began

to ‘pay respect to each other only according to the merits

personally attained by means of ‘Being Partkdolg-duty,’ that

is by persons of personal conscious labor and intentional

sufferings.” (pg. 384) Also ‘there ceased to exist there the

two chief maleficent forms of their ordinary existence,

namely, their separate independent communities and the

division of themselves in these communities into various

castes or classes” This had the effect that people now

looked upon each other, not as members of separate group

affiliations or ‘Thems” , but as beings ‘bearing in

themselves particles of the emanation of the Sorrow of our

Common Father Creator.” We can extrapolate from this

statement that all the divisions, whether social or

religious are false when one begins to follow the Strivings

with rigor. For instance, Christianity, as well as all other

major religions, including Buddhism, Islam and Judaism has

its separate sects which feel that the others are wrong-

headed and even apostate. In fact, religion itself, by

division into groups which follow this or that ‘divine

messenger’ are themselves out of balance. The Work, too, has

divided itself up into which branch is the ‘real’ work and

holds other branches to be suspect. By following the

Strivings, if Gurdjieff himself is to be believed, we would

not just ameliorate but nullify this tendency to ally

ourselves with the ‘correct’ lineage. To perceive oneself as

part of the whole, if only a small particle, is to stop

comparing one’s worth, through personal interaction or

assumption of superiority due to being in the “right” group

whether large or small, such as nationalism, classism and

all the other divisions that one can name all around in the

world. We can all see the tendency in ourselves, or if not,

in others, to seek to gain ascendancy, whether by having

more money, being of a higher caste, taller, more attractive

sexually, more light-skinned, not this, not that, ad

infinitum. It is all around us, this need to see ourselves

as better or different, smarter or even more accomplished at

being what we all are, human. Even in spiritual pursuit, the

hankering to ‘rank’ oneself, to be a more favored student or

have a ‘better’ teacher of the Way, all fall into the same

malady that occurs when the ego is in control.

I have quoted from a small amount of pages in order to set

up several points about the Strivings that have occurred to

myself and others over a period of study. The first point is

that this Work is for all people. During the Ashiatan epoch,

again, just before the introduction of the Obligolnian

Strivings, Gurdjieff says that “All the beings of the

planet” began to pursue the course of self-study. To keep

the work ‘hidden’ as has been done in the past is obviously

not on point here. On this path, the results of inner work

will appear as “objective attainments, perceptible to

others.” (pg. 386) It is inner work made manifest in one’s

behavior and being, behavior which then was in accordance

with what was “becoming to three-brained beings” and

therefore must, by definition, be overt. Again, the

standard Gurdjieff sets is that the results of inner work is

perceptible to those around us. This is reminiscent of the

Biblical exhortation to ‘let your light so shine before

men., so that they may see your good works and glorify your

Father, which is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) The Work as

source is praised and not the individual. I hope, along this

path, we all have met individuals to whom we are attracted

because of their being, acts, and demeanor. Kinder, more

attentive and accepting, engaged with the world and a beacon

to the sore at heart, these are qualities I have experienced

in individuals who have come some way along this path. These

and other qualities are perceptible, palpable, even to those

who are not seeking.

Besides the diminution of the tendency to affiliate with

social groups and become identified with such, what other

behaviors could be a manifestation of the acquisition of

genuine conscience? Beelzebub states that one manifestation

was that war ceased in Asia and continued in places only too

distant from the center of the teaching. Also, both the

death rate diminished as did the birth rate, rather

different than on our planet where the death rate is

diminished but the birth rate is rising, out of balance with

the equilibrium of our planet.

More specific items can be extrapolated in accordance with

these dicta with little effort. The statement about

equilibrium of vibration resulting in human balance with the

planet gives rise to the many other ways we are out of

balance. We drive large gas-consuming cars, eat food that is

factory farmed, resulting in air, water and soil pollution.

Our industries pour poison into the seas as do our

biological waste and the detritus of factory fishing

practices. Humans work for money, of which there is never

enough. The Catholic Church long ago recognized (if not

practiced) that there are behaviors that prevent attainment

of conscience and therefore a balanced, becoming, ‘right

life.’ Sloth, greed, wrath, gluttony, lust, envy and pride

are delineated but there are many others that slow or

prohibit becoming behavior based on conscience. Perhaps the

venial sins can include shopping in venues for cheap prices

when we know that the company pays low wages. Even the just

man in Proverbs sins seven times a day. We need a functional

conscience to keep it at that low number.

It has become evident to me is that the practice of the

Obligolnian Strivings, which sit in the middle of

Gurdjieff’s teaching, do not make us ‘special.’ The secrecy,

the identification with lineage, all these issues have given

a ‘esoteric’ edge to the Gurdjieff work, which Gurdjieff

himself did not promote. Gurdjieff was known to talk to

everyone, the common people in his daily life and to

literally pull people off the street to come see Movements

demonstrations. He manifested towards both his students and

the people in his world with great kindness, even when that

kindness took the form of ranting at someone. By undertaking

the practice of the Obligolnian Strivings, and the beginning

of the workings of genuine conscience, we become “normal”

human beings. Remember that the ‘three-brained beings”,

those slugs, are functioning abnormally and are not

fulfilling their role in Reciprocal Maintenance. Application

in the real world of the aspects of the Strivings makes us

as we should be. The tendency to suppose that one is living

a higher spiritual life, one that is deeper or more in touch

with the wishes of ‘Endlessness’ is another function of ego.

All the above points are to predicate the study of the

strivings in context. First, the Strivings are the only way

to genuine conscience, as the other divine impulses, Love,

Faith and Hope, are atrophied in us. The Strivings sit in

the middle of the chapter about an ideal age, when humans

acted according to their role in Reciprocal Maintenance.

Two, we are told that the strivings are for everyone, that

all beings began to work in such a way. Three: the strivings

produced effects that were easily perceived by others and

those individuals were a source of inspiration to all.

Therefore, the fruits of our work (as opposed to the

techniques which are rightfully doled out in their proper

time) should not be secret or hidden, thought of as too

difficult for others to understand but by our actions and

attitudes we produce a change in the world. And Four:

following the strivings as our main practice does not make

us special. We work to be normally human, in equilibrium

with our fellows and the planet.

The Five Being-Obligolnian Strivings

1. The first striving: to have in their ordinary being-

existence everything satisfying and really necessary

for their planetary body.

While this first striving may seem the most straightforward,

it is anything but. One tends to see these words in a

context such as Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’, but what

indeed is satisfying about just food, shelter and warmth? In

the West, most of us have achieved such, even if our

financial issues may be fraught. There are other

necessities, exercise, impressions and community, that act

to be satisfying in a psychological sense. Do these qualify

as part of the planetary body? I believe so, since the brain

is a physical structure and is subject to pressures that are

psychological as well as physical. We say in the Work that

worry is a negative emotion, yet it has impact. We can stay

awake worrying and so lose necessary sleep. So psychological

health is as important as physical needs.

Impressions, have a huge impact. There are qualitative

differences in impressions of even simple items. High

quality food, well-prepared with attention and intention,

for instance, imparts a different impression than eating

frozen corn-dogs or fast food. Wearing natural fibers as

opposed to polyester or nylon also affects our being. We can

make choices, not out of specialness, but because the

attention implicit in the act of choosing and the effects on

the greater environment that is shared by all. In Ayurvedic

medicine, certain substances are considered to impart more

favorable impressions, including gold, silver, ivory and

more. Art and beauty also could be said to be necessary for

the planetary body and its impressions. There are many more

aspects that one individually could choose but it enough to

know that it is not just animal needs that are indicated in

the first striving.

1. The second striving: to have a constant and unflagging

instinctive need for self-perfecting in the sense of

being.

No one feels that they have achieved a ‘constant and

unflagging instinctive need” to be self-evolving beings.

This is one of the barriers that I find people encounter

and, feeling not ‘cooked’ enough, put themselves back into

the crucible of sittings, movements, super-efforts in

practical work and all the other techniques they have been

shown or developed in order to achieve this aim. However, it

is time to note that all the strivings are just that,

efforts that we come back to again and again. What keeps us

coming back could be seen as instinct, a small pricking of

the conscience that Gurdjieff says happens to us. Unflagging

is more difficult as we all find our efforts are sometimes

superseded by impatience, anger, sleep and all the other

ills that the flesh is heir to. However, my experience is

that one keeps coming back to the taste of the real. If one

makes efforts, one does have feedback, experience energies

that are not normally available to oneself, especially in

group work. Perhaps this ‘coming back’ to the practice, even

if one takes a hiatus, that can be said to be unflagging.

Unflagging does not necessarily mean always active but in

one’s awareness.

The definition of (large B) Being itself is hard to

determine. As noted elsewhere, Madame Ouspensky defined

Being as ‘what one can bear.’ Of course, we all know about

‘bearing the manifestations of others unpleasing to oneself’

or sometimes written ‘the unpleasant manifestations of

others.’ These two phrases have different implications. The

first one says that the psychological repugnance lies in

oneself, a problem of intolerance in ourselves. The

behaviors may have no or little effect on others but we find

that person and his or her manifestations unpleasant. I

usually find that it is because some aspect of myself that I

have repressed is mirrored in that person and so, as well as

denying that such exists in me, I actively dislike it in

others. The second phrase implies that the behavior of a

person is objectively unpleasant and yet that behavior may

arise out of problems that the individual is unable to deal

with effectively. It is our work, in this case, to bear the

behavior, even if it is unpleasant because of the

opportunity to work. A person like this serves our own inner

work tremendously and, as Gurdjieff reminds us, we should

thank them. Bearing their unpleasant manifestations is a

golden opportunity. There is a further issue here also, that

by being borne, the individual or situation has an

opportunity to perceive a better way to be and so, without

resistance, can change more easily. Putting negative energy

into an already unpleasant situation or person compounds

rather than soothes the moment. It is in the moment that we

have an opportunity to change the energy to one of greater

possibilities and pleasing outcomes.

With our group’s work with this second striving, there

appeared a common theme. Most all of the observations about

working on our own being is in relationship to others. I

have come to believe that one can sit in meditation for

years, work diligently on the study of self, and acquire

huge powers in effort, counting, inwardly reciting the

Kyrie, zikr or the Lord’s Prayer and still be without being.

Being is both acquired and manifested in our treatment of

others, both those like ourselves and ones of other forms.

Gandhi once said that the measure or moral progress of any

civilization is how they treat animals. A quick look at

American factory farming will be instructive in our national

level of being. As is said in the Tales, real being is

perceptible to others. Perhaps another Biblical quote (since

Gurdjieff referred to his system as esoteric Christianity)

can show us the meaning. In Paul’s letter to the

Corinthians, he says about our relationship to others, “If I

speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not

love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.”

Love in this case is translated as caritas or charity. If we

cannot hold charity in our heart towards our fellow beings,

of similar or other forms, then all the spiritual practices

in the world will not avail. We are empty of the one of the

most, or according to St. Paul, THE most necessary aspect of

being, charity.

1. The third: the conscious striving to know ever more and

more concerning the laws of World-creation and World-

maintenance.

Why should this be? The laws as presented by Gurdjieff

frequently sound arcane and inaccurate according to high

school science books and to emotional or body-centered types

pose obstacles to pursuing them deeply. Other types,

especially those predisposed to the intellect do nothing but

study the laws. I have found this to be the case in much of

the Work, which seems to attract those with a taste for the

esoteric detail in which study and individual effort in

techniques replaces the emotional experience of insight and

sacrifice. Along with this tendency to ‘hide one’s light

under a bushel’, I view such as a flight from the messiness

of humanity, those ‘sleepers’ who are not part of the hidden

world of the spiritual cognoscenti. Indeed, I have

experienced many times, those with compendium knowledge of

the text use such as a way of putting others down and thus

support ego. Obviously, the striving exists for a much more

serious and practical reason than ‘angels on a pin’

arguments. The questions are universal and should stun us

all with their impact.

Where do I belong in the universe? What is my role as a

human species member? Can I, as a person who takes these

Strivings seriously, use them to behave becomingly? For

instance, when one reads of Reciprocal Maintenance, and

takes the time to study a simple ecosystem on earth, one can

see interconnectedness. So to take such a concept further is

not a huge step but to SEE how one personally can act in

ways which are a benefit and not a negative, both act upon

but with the right attitude and experience how the

atmosphere changes. One can begin to extrapolate from

experience upward and downward, to see how one thing impacts

another, both physically and in ‘atmosphere’ or energy.

Many people today are beginning to understand that their

impact on the earth is far more than what they give. The

‘debt of our existence” is huge. In the soil beneath our

feet are micro-organisms who are also ‘feeding and breeding’

on the planet Earth. These organism, in their processes,

enrich the soil in a variety of ways. Working with

sunlight, water and mineral earth, which has been formed by

geological processes, microorganisms break down the organic

materials available to them, dead plants and animals,

creating humus, which holds minerals together to form soil.

The greater the number of organisms, the richer the soil

formation and the more fertile the land is to grow grasses,

forests and shrubs, which in their turn, transform carbon

dioxide into oxygen. . These in turn are eaten by

herbivores, which then become prey to carnivores or complete

their existence and die, returning to the soil via the same

microorganisms, beetles, worms etc. This transformational

cycle enhances the planetary life-carrying ability and

serves all species.

Man has broken the cycle. Although he partakes of the

abundance provided by the cyclic transformation and in some

instances, enhances it, through good husbandry, more often,

he is a drag on the earth, taking more than he provides.

Even by being cremated, he denies worms their food, as

Gurdjieff said, was proper. We deny to these ‘primary

producers’ their due. If, indeed, we have to pay our debt

quickly, in order to fulfill our purpose, how can we begin?

Many people ascribe to certain behaviors, recycling,

composting, vegetarianism and more in order to lessen their

consumption. Perhaps they have given up their vehicle, or

choose an electric hybrid car, use pubic transport or ride

share. All these behaviors lessen our impact but do not put

a positive movement towards our debt. It is like a loan that

we struggle to cover the interest but the balloon payment

awaits, at the moment of our death. What is this pay now or

pay later debt? And how can it be discharged? It is only but

finding our purpose, in the Kirkegardean sense of making a

meaningful decision about one’s use in the world and

discharging it. It is not that all the above small efforts,

which require a conscientious approach, are not without

value but they are preparatory, a keeping of that debt

before us. They are indeed practices that we choose but

insufficient in themselves. We need to do more.

Understanding the Laws allow us the chance to take up our

position as co-creators of this world, as Gurdjieff himself

saw the work. J.G. Bennett called his introductory book

“Gurdjieff: Making a New World.” We indeed, as the people in

the Ashiatan Age, need to make this world new by our

manifestations. Our understanding of the Laws allow us to

see our place in that task.

4. The fourth: the striving from the beginning of their

existence to pay for their arising and their individuality

as quickly as possible, in order afterwards to be free to

lighten as much as possible the Sorrow of our COMMON FATHER.

The fourth striving has several demanding aspects that I

shall attempt to parse. Perhaps the first note should be to

speculate on what it means ‘from the beginning of their

existence.” We, of course, exist from birth in this world

and could not have taken up the work at that moment. Nor can

we be blamed as schoolchildren of having shirked this

exhortation. (although we could speak about how we ‘educate’

our children and to what real end). However, there is a hint

in Gurdjieff’s book title, Life is Real, Only Then, When I

Am. Gurdjieff marks the beginning of ‘real’ life when one

has gotten a taste of “I Am”. This is the beginning of real

existence and where we become responsible beings. Now it up

to us to work on ourselves, ‘as quickly as possible’ in

order to move to our real purpose. There is a certain

pressure here not to immerse oneself in one’s own interests;

there is a greater task awaiting us. This does not imply

that we need to be done with the work of transformation, to

be enlightened or wise or to have finished paying for our

arising and individuality, only that there should come a

time-quite early in our Work, where the focus must shift

from ourselves and our personal transformation to our lawful

and intended purpose, being-Partkdolg Duty, conscious labor

and intentional suffering, service and sacrifice.

Take a moment to contemplate the frank ‘before and after’

construction of this striving. It tells us that we have done

the beginning work of the first, second and third strivings

and that “afterwards” comes a pivotal moment of focus. The

strivings are constructed in an order, using ordinal numbers

that openly delineate sequential movements and the fourth

striving gives us not just a feeling of accumulation of

effort but also direction. Direction is aim. Nothing happens

without aim. The aim is genuine Conscience. Conscience

allows us to function becomingly, and act according to our

purpose in World-Creation and World-Maintenance . Becoming

behavior also lightens the ‘Sorrows of our Common Father’,

however you choose to define such and parenthetically

creates a better world for all of us.

Does this mean that one can only work on one striving at a

time and only in sequence? Of course not, however, some

issues apply. It is very hard to work, for instance, if one

is without life necessities, food, shelter and safety.

Gurdjieff spoke of the role of the “obyvatel,” the good

householder as a beginning place for work. A Czech word,

meaning peasant or inhabitant, the obyvatel, according to

Gurdjieff, is one who can ‘support twenty.’ Perhaps this

may be objective, but consider, in our family and community,

how many you, yourself, support. We pay taxes that support

those less fortunate and help our elders to appointments and

social interactions. Supporting twenty is not really that

hard, even if one is not deeply invested in volunteerism or

has a large family. Beginning with the first striving, we

can work toward not just satisfying our own needs but

support the needs of others. Such behavior opens the door to

the second striving as does practice in sittings, movements

and practical work in groups. Experiencing the different

energy produced by these practices gives rise to the desire

to study how the world of energies and our role in them

functions. Indeed, the first three, coupled with the drive

to reach a higher level of understanding for oneself,

dovetail nicely.

None of these, however, in my opinion, are what is the aim

and the direction of the strivings. Wanting enlightenment or

personal control over emotions or a kesdjan body are still

about self. The fourth strivings calls us to turn away from

our own self-interest to what is our real function in the

cosmos. It is only in doing so, this whole-hearted volte-

face, that anything further can be reached for us. In fact,

sacrifice of spiritual ambition is the ONLY things that

allows us to progress beyond a certain point. We may sit, do

movements, attend meetings, make efforts but until the

hoped-for result of such is truly sacrificed, we will go no

further. Verily, our reward will be being good at movements

or able to sit for long periods, leading to false self-

regard and soi-disant ‘puffery.’ One is even in danger of

becoming an ‘Enlightened Idiot,” an unenviable position.

1. And the fifth: the striving always to assist the most

rapid perfecting of other beings, both those similar to

oneself and those of other forms, up to the degree of

the sacred ‘Marfotai’, that is up to the degree of

self-individuality.

This striving, the fifth and last, holds danger even as we

contemplate it. Helping can become a disease very easily and

ego can take root as one does “good.” I remember, many years

ago when I was studying the Alexander Technique in London,

being given a book entitled, The Zen of Helping, by Andrew

Bein. The problem with any therapist, body worker, social

worker or charity person is that they may fall into a

pernicious form of self-congratulations. Yet we are enjoined

to do just that, assist others on their way. How can be we

work at this striving while being aware of the devil

tempting us to vanity and self-love?

To me, the answer lies in the fourth striving, the sacrifice

of personal fulfillment in the Work that we do. I am

reminded here of what J.G. Bennett referred to as the Master

Parable, that of the Sower and the Seed. He points out in

this lecture how the sower is neither the reaper nor the

eater of the products of his labor, another word for Work.

Indeed, not only is the results of his labor in the future

but he demonstrates indifference to the result, casting

everywhere. We cannot know what influence we have in these

instances and so must not attribute virtue to ourselves by

dint of what we do.

Probably the most common interpretation of this striving is

that one moves up to being a group leader, perhaps giving

lectures about the Work. Indeed, in my time with the

Gurdjieff Work, I have met many who wish to see themselves

as ‘teachers of the Work.” Most of these individuals, sadly,

have come to some sort of hopefully reversible disaster in

their Work. Here, too, the need or wish to be helpful needs

mitigation with at least a ‘practice’ of being a sower,

indifferent to outcome but sowing because he or she must. It

is in indifferent imperative that we can find the narrow

path. Then one is faced with the second temptation of

gratitude, and must be also well-prepared for it.

But there are other manifestations of Work that can be seen

as ‘assistance.’ I have mentioned a few, for instance,

bearing the manifestations of others unpleasing to oneself.

In fact, in every moment, we have the opportunity to

manifest in ways that bring help into the world as we

function as conduits from the unseen world of values into

this physical one. One can think of such systems of Karma

Yoga, from the Bhagavad-gita, where one’s actions, when in

tune with one’s Work, to surrender to what is conscionable

without expectation of outcome, good or bad. We all can

ascribe to such values as love, peace, patience, attention,

kindness, and charity and yet find ourselves manifesting

their opposite. It is in the present moment that we can

assist others, both those like ourselves and those of other

forms, by being true to those values we know are becoming to

us.

Again, I will beg your attention for a short recap. As I

have come to experience the strivings, and I am not done

yet, if ever, these are tentative conclusions I have reached

with the help of others.

1. This Work is for everyone. We can no longer be secret.

That doesn’t mean that all is revealed to everyone. The

Work has a functioning system of groups but many are

confined in their activities to those ‘similar to

themselves.’ The Work needs to be inclusive, both of

other paths and those whose life work lies in other

areas.

2. This work does not make us special in any way. We begin

as being abnormal and strive, through this teaching, to

become as we should be, participators in the cosmic

order; in many ways, co-creators of our world.

3. The strivings, while not entirely sequential, do have a

pivotal moment in the fourth that is a profoundly

necessary sacrifice, in order to proceed. There is no

doubt in my mind that we need to give up all hope for

personal spiritual attainment to actually reach such.

4. The Strivings are at the center of the teaching, the one

guide, and everything else is very similar to Hillel’s

quote, “All else is commentary.”

5. And as the title suggests, the strivings are our human

obligations.