The evolution of man is the evolution of his consciousness, and 'consciousness' cannot evolve unconsciously. The evolution of man is the evolution of his will, and 'will' cannot evolve involuntarily.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
A miracle is not the breaking of physical laws, but rather represents laws which are incomprehensible to us.
Interpretation
Miracles are not violations of nature, but rather events beyond our understanding of natural laws.
G. I. Gurdjieff's quote suggests that miracles should not be viewed as supernatural occurrences that defy the laws of physics, but rather as phenomena that operate under principles and laws we have yet to comprehend. This perspective invites us to expand our understanding of reality and acknowledge that there is much more to existence than what we currently grasp.
In practice
In a discussion about the unexplained events in life during a philosophical seminar.
The evolution of man is the evolution of his consciousness, and 'consciousness' cannot evolve unconsciously. The evolution of man is the evolution of his will, and 'will' cannot evolve involuntarily.
Conscious faith is freedom. Emotional faith is slavery. Mechanical faith is foolishness.
Remember you come here having already understood the necessity of struggling with yourself β only with yourself. Therefore thank everyone who gives you the opportunity.
It is the greatest mistake to think that man is always one and the same. A man is never the same for long. He is continually changing. He seldom remains the same even for half an hour.
Laughter relieves us of superfluous energy, which, if it remained unused, might become negative, that is, poison. Laughter is the antidote.
If a man could understand all the horror of the lives of ordinary people who are turning around in a circle of insignificant interests and insignificant aims, if he could understand what they are losing, he would understand that there can only be one thing that is serious for him - to escape from the general law, to be free. What can be serious for a man in prison who is condemned to death? Only one thing: How to save himself, how to escape: nothing else is serious.
The movement of search can only be from the known to the known, and all that the mind can do is to be aware that this movement will never uncover the unknown. Any movement on the part of the known is still within the field of the known.
FREEBOOTER, n. A conqueror in a small way of business, whose annexations lack of the sanctifying merit of magnitude.
The starting-point of critical elaboration is the consciousness of what one really is, and is 'knowing thyself'as a product of the historical processes to date, which has deposited in you an infinity of traces, without leaving an inventory.
Perhaps passing through the gates of death is like passing quietly through the gate in a pasture fence. On the other side, you keep walking, without the need to look back. No shock, no drama, just the lifting of a plank or two in a simple wooden gate in a clearing. Neither pain, nor floods of light, nor great voices, but just the silent crossing of a meadow.
Then I grew up, and the beauty of succulent illusions fell away from me.
To think and to be fully alive are the same.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.