S2/EP12: Why we fell asleep and how we can begin to awaken – Part 2 of 3

Hi, I’m Gary

Welcome to a series of podcasts on how to achieve an awakened state through practising various intellectual, emotional and physical exercises, and through the gaining of understanding into the laws of world creation and world maintenance, specifically as described within the works of George Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way

Each episode in this series focuses upon a particular element of this teaching and aims to bring simple understanding to what was frequently hidden in plain sight within the various subject areas of the Fourth Way.

PICKING UP FROM WHERE WE LEFT OFF IN OUR LAST PODCAST…

We were discussing why we fell asleep in the first place, and how we can awaken, and about the concept of  “spillage” and how this aids evolution, eventually leading to reason and impartiality.

In this podcast we will continue with a story, as told by the fellow in Texas, on how reason possibly began.

The fellow in Texas likes to tell this story to help people understand spillage, that is, to understand how reason began. His story for the beginning of reason is… that some ape somewhere, after a big rain, walked out of his cave, and there, in a bowl-shaped rock, a curved rock, was water. In the past, when he came out of his cave and saw that there was water in a bowl-shaped rock, he went over and drank it. When the water was gone, it was gone. But today, of all days, he has the first moment of reason, the spillage; and, he looks at that curved rock and yells, “The rock holds water. The rock holds water!”

Therefore, after he drinks the water, he can pick up the rock, carry it down to the river and get more water. With his new understanding – that the rock holds water, he is able to carefully carry the water back to his cave without spilling it. He now has water to drink later that day, and especially that evening, which is a great advantage for survival, because after dark, when the other apes go down to the river to get a drink and run the risk of being attacked and eaten by tigers… he remains safe in his cave, drinking his water. By the way, that made him very popular with the females of his troop. Afterall, he could now say, “Hey baby, come to my cave tonight. I have water in a rock.”

The very first moment of reason might have been the ape who realized that a curved rock holds water. In addition, since he is able to get the water back to his cave, he is probably very successful at the art of surviving… and at the art of duplicating. Thus, the duplicating principal gets enhanced.

Do you understand?

The other apes in his troop are incapable of understanding that the rock holds water, as they do not have his reason; but, since they are able to watch him, they are able to “ape” him. That is, they too can take the rock down to the river, dunk it into the water, just like they saw him do; but, since they do not understand that the rock holds water, the water gets spilled out as they walk back to the cave. I can imagine that the next time they walked back to the cave… the ape with reason growled at them.

“RAR-RAR-RAR-RAR.”

This frightened them, so they stopped in their tracks, “Why is he growling at us?” Then, when they started to take another step, he growled again.

“RAR-RAR-RAR-RAR.”

Thus, the other apes were forced to walk back really gingerly… because every time they took a step, he would growl at them. Because of his actions, the other apes were finally able to get the water back to the cave without spilling it. I repeat, because he growled at them, even though they did not have his reason, they were able to, successfully, get the water back to the cave.

OK, this first ape of reason probably had a lot of children. After all, he was a pretty powerful guy. When he growled… everybody stopped; and, he had water in his cave, which attracted many females.

Then, somewhere down the line he died. When he did, the rest of the apes may have appointed another ape to be the “Designated Growler.” Someone that growled at them when they performed the “Ritual of the water and the rock;” otherwise they would never be able get the water back to the cave. Eventually, one of his descendants is born with the same gene, which gave them the reason “of the water and the rock.”  They, too, saw a curved rock and realized that it held water. They, probably, even understood why the other apes had appointed a Designated Growler.

They said, “I understand that the rock holds water, and I know why we have the ritual of the designated growler, but I cannot explain it to anyone else. Well, at least, I don’t have to be the one that growls every time they perform the ritual of the water and the rock.” 

Maybe the ape of reason realized that a footprint in clay also held water; and, that clay was malleable and could be fashioned into a bowl… a bowl with a small mouth. If the apes had water in a bowl with a small mouth, even the ones, who walk goofily, may not spill much water. Then the troop could get rid of the designated growler, because they would not need him any longer. Later on, another ape with reason might have made a bowl with an even smaller mouth, and then created a tree-bark plug… so that everyone would be able to successfully carry water back to the cave without spilling it.

Thus, the evolution of reason began. After that, it entered the Moving Center. A future ape said, “I can throw with accuracy. I can hit that coconut with a rock. I do not have to climb the tree. I can aim, target, and hit it with this rock.” The other apes might have been able to throw things, but without reason they could not target. Eventually, this emerging reason worked its way into the other centers as well.

This is a great scenario of how the evolution of reason might have begun.

Do you see the model?

Well, if that is the model, then why do we not all have reason, and why are we not all impartial? What the heck happened? 

The answer is… you cannot be shoved higher than LA. You cannot make oranges; you can only make blossoms! 

So, God said, “It is okay if reason mechanically starts in the Universe, even by spillage, because reason, will by nature, destroy itself. Therefore, any reason created by spillage won’t last long. However, sooner or later someone will come along and understand how to acquire it legitimately, but until that happens, no foul.” 

I repeat, if you get reason mechanically, you cannot keep it. If you get reason intentionally, it cannot be taken from you.

What do you mean that Reason will, by nature, destroy itself?

To understand how reason acquired by spillage will destroy itself, let’s take a look at the Higher Emotional Center. The Higher Emotional Center is the precursor to the attainment of reason; without the Higher Emotional Center there can be no Higher Mental Center; and, without the Higher Mental Center there can be no reason. The Higher Emotional Center is made up of a mechanical part, an emotional part, and an intellectual part… all working together, as one center; like cells that have become tissues.

What you do not know, and what we will explain in detail, and prove in a future podcast, is the fact that the Higher Emotional Center will awaken if the three lower centers, the Instinct, Moving, and Emotional centers function in a state of unity, like when cells become tissues.  On that, you will have to take our word. Why?  Well, it requires a lot of math to see the truth of this, and we have not, as of yet, figured out the best way of showing you that math and the resulting diagrams, which makes seeing and understanding the makeup of our higher centers almost child’s play.  Just know, that all of the Universe is about unification: Atoms unify and become molecules, molecules unify and become amino acids, amino acids unify and become cells, cells unify and become tissues, tissues unify and become organs, organs unify and become organisms, and organisms can contain Instinctive, Moving, Emotional, and Intellectual functions. Therefore, it is not too much of a stretch to see that the Instinctive, Moving, and Emotional Centers can unify and become the Higher Emotional Center, and that the Intellectual Center and the Higher Emotional Center can unify and become the Higher Mental Center.  So, for now, just take that as truth… but, I promise, we shall, unequivocally, prove it to you later.  

OK, back to the story. The first human beings to acquire reason, got it from spillage. Which meant, their Higher Emotional Centers were fully functioning; and, because of that, something spilled into the Higher Mental Center and gave them reason. Thus, the first requirement is to have a fully functioning Higher Emotional Center; and, to keep it fully functioning.

“How do we acquire a fully functioning Higher Emotional Center?” you ask, “And how do we keep it fully functioning.”

That is a good question. Perhaps a better question be, “Do we really need a fully functioning Higher Emotional Center… or just an adequately functioning one?” I mean, nature never seems to require ‘all things to be working’ for things to work, but… ‘just enough things to be working.’ for things to work. So, if there are nine parts-of-parts in the three parts of the Higher Emotional Center (the parts-of-parts being the Higher Emotional Center’s smallest parts), how many of these smallest parts would need to function, for a human being to claim the function of their Higher Emotional Center?

All nine would do it… but would it work with eight? How about seven? Six? Five? etc. Kind of like asking, “If a fruit tree, optimally, needed 30 gallons of water per year… then, during a drought, how many gallons of water would it need to still produce fruit? Or, if a cow’s normal rate of grass consumption was 30 pounds per month… then, during lean times, how many pounds of grass would it have to eat to still produce milk? Or, if you scored 100% when you went down to take the driver’s license test… you would, of course, pass the test. But, how low could you score and still pass the test?”

Considering all the possibilities; and, again, looking to the structure for the answer, the fellow in Texas formulated what he calls, “The Rule of Two-Thirds.” Back in an earlier podcast we talked about the three forces and about triads… we had the fire, we had the plywood, and we had the air.

And, we learned that there were different ways of orienting the three forces… sometimes the plywood smothered the fire, and sometimes the air ignited it. The model was: if you had two forces working together, the two forces would win… even if the third force was resisting. 

This is the fellow in Texas’ rule of two-thirds.

Two forces working together will carry the day. Thus, if two-thirds is the rule, you will need 66%.

If the air and the fire work together, the plywood is going to burn. If the plywood and the air work together, the fire is going to go out. 

Thus, the tree will need 20 gallons of water, the cow will need 20 pounds of grass, and you will need to score at least 66% to pass that damn driver’s license test.

So, based on the ‘rule of two-thirds,’ if the Higher Emotional Center has nine parts-of-parts, how many of them will need to function for the Higher Emotional Center to function?  If you said six, you are correct.

If you want to wake up, you will need to acquire and maintain six parts-of-parts of the Higher Emotional Center.

The first men started with more than six parts-of-parts but, at some point, they dropped below that, and fell asleep. That is, they lost the function of their Higher Emotional Centers; and, subsequently, they lost the function of reason. Why? Because they did not understand what reason was for, nor how it was attained. They acquired it from spillage and did not earn it. To them, it was just another tool for survival. So, they used it to make life safer for their children. Because of that, reason ended up destroying itself.

Here’s how… the fellow in Texas tells this story: Let’s imagine that you are one of the first guys on the cusp of reason. Your Higher Emotional Center is fully functioning. You are living in a cave with your wife and your children. You wake up in the morning and must go outside, into a dangerous world, to find food.

Before you go outside into that dangerous world, how do you approach the mouth of your cave?  If you said, “very carefully,” you are correct.

You are smelling every smell.

You are tasting the air with your tongue.

You are looking with your eyes for the slightest movement.

You are listening with your ears for any sound.

That is, you are using all of your Instinctive Center.

Your Instinctive Center is working with full-blown attention. All three parts are fully functioning! Attention is in every part. “All present and accounted for, sir.” 

Maybe you stand at the mouth of your cave for half an hour: smelling, listening, watching, and tasting. Then, finally, you decide that it is safe to go outside, so you step out.  Now, you must go find food. You know where there is a fruit tree. It is growing on the side of a hill about a half-mile away. So, you must now travel from your cave to the side of that hill.

As you make the journey, you add your moving center. That is, you will not only be doing great sensing, but your Moving Center will have joined in. 

You will be walking very carefully. Not even stepping on a stick, which could make a snapping sound. Instead, you are walking with stealth, walking slowly; and, if you see a predator, you will freeze… knowing that he may not notice you if you stand still. 

And, you are probably capable of standing perfectly still, without even twitching or scratching… for a half hour or so; and, if he does see you, I bet that you are prepared to run, jump, and climb a tree.

You have incredible control over your Moving Center. All three parts are functioning with full-blown attention. Red Alert! Everybody on deck! 

That is how you travel from your cave to the tree. 

Your Instinctive Center never stops smelling, never stops tasting, never stops listening, never stops watching, and never stops sensing. And, your Moving Center is also fully engaged… all of your Moving Center is fully functioning; and, together, they got you safely to the tree. 

When you got there, you climbed the tree, grabbed a handful of fruit, and started the journey back to your cave. 

And, as you made your way back to your cave, your Instinctive and Moving Centers were still fully engaged. 

Then, when you reached the cave where your wife and children were, and saw that a wolf was about to enter. Did you say, “Oh sorry, too bad?” 

Of course not.

You attacked!

You dropped your food, let out a blood-curdling scream, ran toward the wolf, and attacked it “tooth and claw,” desperately trying to save your family. Your own life was insignificant. You were prepared to fight to the death. Your Emotional Center was also fully functioning. All three parts were functioning with full attention.

Do you understand?

Your Higher Emotional Center was at 100%, because your Instinctive, Moving, and Emotional centers were at 100%. You were using all of your Instinctive Center, all of your Moving Center, and all of your Emotional Center. You had all nine of their parts at DEFCON 1… I repeat, the mechanical, emotional, and intellectual parts of your Instinctive, Moving, and Emotional Centers were all functioning with full attention.

Do you see that?

As a result, reason emerged. 

But you do not understand how you got it… all you know is that it is a very good tool for survival. 

Question: So, how did men lose their Higher Centers? 

Answer: From lack of use!

I’ll explain. If we look down the road a few generations, to their children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s children’s child, and ask…

…how did they walk out of the cave in the morning?  If you said, “Blasé,” you are correct.

Why? Because their great-great-great-great-great-Granddaddy killed all the wolves, and their great-great-great-great-Granny put up a fence to keep the other predators out.

Thus, they did not need to stand at the mouth of the cave and smell, and taste, and watch, and listen.

Because of that, they started to lose the higher parts of their Instinctive Center, as they no longer functioned with full attention. 

And, the tree with the fruit that was growing on a hill a half-mile away…

…where do you think it is growing now? If you said, “Right out in front of the cave,” you are correct.

Their ancestors threw their fruit-cores out of the cave, and, eventually, fruit trees started to grow. Wow, fruit trees were growing right outside the cave… inside the fenced-in area that great-great-great-great-Granny built. Thus, all the kids had to do was just walk out of the cave and pick a piece of fruit off the tree.

They no longer needed to use the higher parts of their Moving Center, because their forefathers used their reason to tame the Earth. 

That is, their forefathers killed all the dangerous animals, pulled up all the thorny plants, and fenced the yards; not realizing that by doing so, their descendants would stop paying attention… would stop using the higher parts of their centers, and would fall asleep! 

This loss of the higher parts began their demise. 

And, the final killing blow happened when the kids went out in the morning to get a piece of fruit and their siblings said, “Would you bring me back a piece of fruit?”

How do you think they answered?  Right. They said, “Get off your lazy butt and get your own.”

The kids lost the higher parts of his Emotional Center (the caring), they lost the higher parts of their Moving Center (the survival skills), and they lost the higher parts of their Instinctive Center (their sensing). And, at some point, they fell below six parts and “Atlantis” sank. That is, they fell asleep, and lost their conscience.

I repeat! Man cannot be shoved up to reason. He must claim it for himself.

That ends this podcast.

In the next podcast we will finish the story of how man fell asleep, how he can awaken, and take a survey to see if you, yourself, qualify.

Thank you for listening, and, if you’d like to know more about the subjects and exercises we’ve been covering in these podcasts, including the book and guide that underpins all of this, and how we work with it, you can find us at The Dog Publishing, at the website The Dog Pub Dot Com. That’s T H E D O G P U B DOT COM

Hope you find it useful

Goodbye until next time.