Welcome to a series of talks about objective consciousness, an objective Universe, and an objective way to awaken, expanding upon the works of George I. Gurdjieff and Russell A. Smith.

In today’s podcast, I will share with you a paper, edited by Russell, that was drafted by his wife Pamela, about the “Red Pill” and the “Blue Pill” which were featured in the movie The Matrix. She did a marvelous job of weaving the meaning of the “Red Pill” and the “Blue Pill” into a story about the plight of human beings and their awakening.

Let’s begin:

Premise:  In 1999, the world was wowed by a science fiction action movie called The Matrix. It was a story about an artificial world where everything was created, determined, and ruled by computers; and, a hidden, real world, that only a few people knew about and ventured into to protect. In the movie, there was an option to take the “Red Pill” or the “Blue Pill,” which determined the world in which you lived. 

The “Red Pill” revealed the ‘real’ world. Whereas the “Blue Pill” kept folks in a world of illusions; a world in which they thought they were making decisions, but in reality, everything was being done for them, without them having any inkling at all that they were not a participant in their own lives. 

In our work, The Fourth Way, Russell sometimes connects taking the “Red Pill” to awakening the ‘real’ world in ourselves. 

He uses that reference because it fits the model so well, and oftentimes, students will say that they are glad they no longer live in the “Blue Pill” world. 

Of course, the “Red Pill” and the “Blue Pill” are just metaphors. 

However, unlike the “Red Pill,” awakening is not a metaphor, nor a myth, it is a very real state of consciousness that is available to everyone. 

Our work is determined, and contingent upon us having a true desire to awaken, and making true, earnest efforts to become real human beings. 

Yes, strong, determined, and consistent efforts are necessary, but all things, worthy of having, require real work.

Constatation:  What does it mean for us to be real human beings? We are all humans, but why the detail of us becoming real human beings? 

Response:  Since the dawn of mankind, we have evolved over thousands of years to become miraculous, incredible machines with remarkable capabilities, and as such, have made many discoveries. 

We indeed, are very intelligent beings who have achieved tremendous things in many fields, such as architecture, medicine, technology, music, art, and so forth. 

Early man would be shocked, and perhaps even frightened, at the vast progress we have made. But in spite of all accomplishments, we lost our ability to have attention, and to remember ourselves. Of course, we have had conscious moments, which fortunately proved to us that higher states of consciousness were possible. 

But can we create them at will, stop random thoughts, and make those conscious moments permanent. 

Many esoteric ways have tried to lead us in that direction, but even still, there was no self-remembering, no unity, no oneness, no consciousness, and no permanency in us. 

Whereas, a conscious human will have inner peace, can love his neighbor, has no negative thoughts or feelings, is free from external impacts, is balanced in his centers, never lies, never cheats, never takes advantage of another, has control of his machine, lives the ten commandments without effort, remembers himself, and is capable of self-observation at any moment, which are the very things we ascribe to real human beings, but instead of ascribing them, real human beings actually possess them. 

Impossible you say. No, not really. Being a real human being is extremely easy, as it is the natural order of things. 

Wars, killing, and hate are not the ways of real life, they are the ways of sleep. 

In a right world, common understanding would be at the forefront, peace and harmony would be the foundation, external considering would be constant, and life would be simple and beautiful. 

Constatation:  What does it mean to be asleep? 

Response:  It means the lack of self-remembering and the lack of unity; but mostly, the lack of attention. 

By no fault of our own, we gained the ability to survive without attention. 

Slowly, through the generations, our mechanical parts became capable of maintaining our existence. However, without our higher parts, we were unable to engage our Higher Emotional Center and our Higher Mental Center. 

Unfortunately, our mechanical parts were capable of incredible feats. Sleep was bound to happen, but with right knowledge, and with right understanding, we can regain all that has been lost. 

It is not a foreign entity that comes down from the heavens and mystifies us, it is something that we climb up to achieve; and it is not that hard to do.

It is all there, just waiting for us to take the journey. 

The Blueprint of Consciousness is the roadmap of that journey. 

Constatation:  Why does mankind not know that they are asleep? 

Response:  Because they use the word I for everything; thinking that their last I is a deliberate I, when in reality, they have many I’s that change constantly. 

Before continuing, it may be of benefit to review the terminology about us being a machine; a Gurdjieff’s term that accurately describes several attributes of us taking the “Blue Pill.”

On page 12 in The Psychology of Man’s Possible Evolution, it states:

“What does it mean that man is a machine? It means that he has no independent movements, inside or outside of himself. He is a machine which is brought into motion by external influences and external impacts. All his movements, actions, words, ideas, emotions, moods, and thoughts are produced by external influences. By himself, he is just an automaton with a certain store of memories of previous experiences, and a certain amount of reserve energy.”

Additionally, on page 13, it says: 

“Man is a machine, but a very peculiar machine. He is a machine which, in right circumstances, and with right treatment, can know that he is a machine, and, having fully realized this, he may find the ways to cease to be a machine.”

Also, on page 8 of The Fourth Way, it says:

“Certainly our future aim must be to come to oneness instead of being many, as we are now, because in order to do anything rightly, to know anything rightly, to arrive anywhere, we must become one.”

That being said, as a machine, we have these phases, these stages:

1) Multiplicity: refers to our ever-changing I’s that are oblivious to higher things.

2) Magnetic Center: describes a group of I’s that causes us to turn in the direction of those higher things.

3) Deputy Steward: are I’s which form within our Magnetic Center that have more control, are the seed of our conscience, and are capable of rallying the troops.

4) Steward: refers to the presence of conscience that appears in beings after they awaken.

5) Master: possesses true reason and impartiality.

If you are listening to this podcast, you surely have experienced one or more of those stages, otherwise you would not be interested. However, as you are listening, I will tell you that The Blueprint of Consciousness is the “Red Pill” that leads to awakening. 

After which, we must purge the wrong data from our machines, the inexactitudes, the years of congested information that lurks within us. 

If we ever had a garden, or worked in the yard, or had a piece of land and wished to clear it of debris. We first cleared the most obvious things. Then, we moved on to the things that were less obvious; the things that were not noticed until after we completed the first clearing. 

In that process, we found that some plants that looked sturdy, had small and fragile roots, surprisingly so, and we may have discovered that some foliage that looked gentle and delicate, had tremendous roots, and as such, was very hard to remove. 

That land or garden is likened to our machine, which, if we systematically clear it, will become structured, refined, and streamlined, with only the things that are necessary.

Constatation:  What is struggle? Struggle is a word that does not sound inviting. What kind of struggle, how much struggle, and what is this ‘purging’ that you speak of, this ‘cleaning of the machine?’ 

Response:  Well, unfortunately, when mankind fell asleep, they encompassed data that was either misplaced in definition, misaligned in truth, or lost altogether. After which, the word ‘truth’ was only used to define ‘make believe’ ideas. 

Because of that, we lost the simplest of attributes … ‘attention.’ 

In fact, it is our loss of attention that mostly contributed to our downfall. 

However, if we knew that we could experience inner peace in spite of external circumstances, could generate focus on demand, and could have total control of our machine, would it really be a struggle to make the efforts necessary to attain that end? I think not. 

Being awake is not supposed to be alien. It is supposed to take place when we reach maturity. 

Nature indeed, has a grand design; one that has been very successful. We, as human beings, have actually evolved to the height of being able to discuss the Universe, its laws, and even contemplate our spiritual possibilities. 

However, for some, there will be no ascension, as they enjoy the attributes of taking the “Blue Pill.” 

Whereas, for others, there will be ascension, as they will choose to take the “Red Pill.” 

Perhaps in time, a revelation will occur, where all human beings will become interested in higher thoughts, emotions, and reality. 

Russell may be able to leave behind a book that everyone can read which will lead them to a higher place, but he cannot read it for them. 

For myself, I can only be certain of my own efforts. 

On my deathbed, I want my last thoughts to be ones of pride, not of regret. So, I will continue to work on myself; that is all I can do. Let the ripples play out, overlap, gather, and ascend with time. 

Our machines are likened to computers that need reprogramming, which at first, may seem daunting, but struggle is not really hard when one is equipped with truth and aided by Steward.

Constatation:  What does it mean ‘to die’? 

Response:  It does not mean to die in the physical sense, it simply means to die to one’s false beliefs, to where they no longer have control over us, and as such, can no longer choose our direction. 

All of what we are, will always be within us, as we can’t destroy our characteristics; BUT we can certainly put our false beliefs in their proper place by realizing that they are not real, and therefore, can weaken them to the point where they no longer influence our lives. 

Once they know their proper stance, they will no longer rear their ugly heads, and therefore, so to speak, will die. 

Of course, they will always be buried in the background; and if ever there comes a time when they are needed, albeit that will be rare, they will be at our beck and call. 

I reiterate, when we are asleep, we replace one false belief structure with another. Whereas, when we are awake, we get rid of them. 

I find it fantastic that we are capable of providing stability to our machine, of actually cleaning it; that we can live in harmony without damaging clutter or ugly undergrowth in our garden, and can have both conscience and consciousness, and actually BE. 

Being is the secret ingredient.

After awakening, serious-being-efforts may be necessary, as we will be starkly confronted by our inexactitudes. That is, with the false and harmful I’s that must be reckoned with, whereas, before awakening, we blindly lived in the illusionary world, and as such, were unable to even see them, which was “Blue Pill” living. 

Later on, only minimal efforts will be required in order to maintain the right working of our machine; not efforts in the sense of struggle, but more along the lines of daily delight, knowing that we are working correctly. 

Being able to find our inexactitudes is a blessing. Fortunately, with Steward, we will have an extra set of eyes to see them with, and an extra set of ears to hear them with, and as such, we will have a great advantage over them. 

Steward is the key; he is a strong, higher, essential ally that will leave no stone unturned. One who is capable of seeing what our ordinary eyes cannot see. 

Steward will seem bountiful at first, like anything new. After which, Steward will seem to diminish, but he will still be there. He will not be needed most of the time; that is, once we get our machine in order. As such, he will be in the corner or in the back of the room just waiting to be called upon. 

Of course, exercises will enhance his presence. Primarily because this work is practical work. 

When we first awaken and realize how dirty our machine is, we will undergo a journey of both discovery and change. Whereafter, we will become ‘normal’ human beings who can awaken our Master, and perhaps something even higher. 

However, with Steward, we will have an internal dialogue of guidance. One that brings intention, directs, and creates conditions, which will make us more present in everything we do. 

We currently can do all sorts of things, but the key word is to be present while we are doing them. When we are present, we are able to weed out unimportant things and grasp important things. 

We may make some mistakes and sometimes be mechanical. But, with the eyes of Steward to guide us, we will be able to see them when they occur, and as such, will be able to diminish their occurrence. 

With Steward in our carriage, we will not be easily swayed or duped, as our foundation will not be one that is built on sand, and if we see parts of ourselves that are not useful, we will begin whacking away at them until they are gone. 

We will see our anger, hear our inappropriate comments, and know if we do something unnecessary, and if such things happen, we will not be ashamed, nor doubtful, nor disappointed, instead, we will see it as an opportunity to rejoice, because, as our eyes have seen the destination, we know that it is no longer a question of “if” but only a question of “when.” 

Eventually our garden will be in such great shape that our Master will wish to visit. 

Sometimes, we may come upon something inside ourselves that we truly do not want to get rid of, as we have deemed it to be important, or are afraid of letting it go because we do not know what to replace it with. 

However, we can always replace it with peace. 

Peace may seem awkward at first to those who have chosen the “Red Pill.” But as they clear their garden, peace will become their norm: slowing down life, experiencing quiet, not having the need to be doing something, like not needing to keep up, not needing to be lavish, not needing to have the best, not needing to win, not needing to ‘anything.’ The key word here is “needing.” We can have all of those things and much more, but not needing to have them, in order to be complete, is the key. That is, we will be complete on the inside, and thus the outside will only be the mechanics of our life. Peace will be our new standard, and as such, will supply us with everything that we need.

Constatation:  What is the ‘congested information’ that makes up our machine? 

Response:  Our machine is full of data that started to be imprinted in us from the very moment of our birth, some impressions even got in before we were born. Then, after we are born, the impressions continue until we take our last breath. Without impressions we would physically die. 

Gurdjieff likened our physical state, our persona, to that of being a machine, which made for perfect sense. 

We are machines, and complicated ones at that. Machines that have been programmed with so much data, some real and some false, that there is great uncertainty as to which is which. 

That is why we need to have the eyes of our Steward. The false data needs to be torn down, which he will spot in an instant. Things like conspiracy theories, which make no sense at all, or information that was twisted in order to support someone else’s agenda, which creates only moments of dismay and hatred, or elevates those who only wish for power, and false data like the sky is blue because the ocean is blue, or that crystals will heal people, or that someone can read someone else’s mind, or how psychics can foretell the future, or how other-worldly aliens have come to Earth in order to make circles in the corn. All of which is hogwash. 

By the way, those cartoon creatures who have extra-large eyes, can in no way be real, because they do not adhere to the Fibonacci numbers. 

Our Universe is Fibonacci, as described and explained in the book The Power of Limits by Gyorgy Doczi, it is the formula of the celebrated golden section, a uniquely reciprocal relationship between two unequal parts of a whole, in which the small part stands in the same proportion to the large part as the large part stands to the whole, which, in equation form, is A:B = B:(A+B), or A is to B, as B is to A plus B. 

All nature follows the Fibonacci ratios: flowers, seashells, pineapples, leaves, DNA’s double helix, bugs, amphibians, snowflakes, spiral galaxies, and so forth. 

That is why forensic scientists can recreate a person’s physical dimensions from only a single digit. So, aliens cannot have super large cartoon eyes, because such eyes are not Fibonacci. That is, if it does not follow the Fibonacci formula, it is not from this Universe. 

There was a time when true and accurate knowledge was passed down. That is, when the oral tradition was still alive and exact retransmittal was of utmost importance. But, after years of laziness and cutting corners due to the fast-pace of life, that no longer was the norm. 

Technology became the hero, and through the simplicity of pushing buttons, and allowing the television to think for us, the oral tradition disappeared, and as such, being and higher ideas got lost in the quagmire of modernism. 

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad about gadgets, electronics, computers, and styles; those are all great things, really great things; but we have to remember to think for ourselves and remember ourselves in spite of inventions. 

I spoke with someone the other day who believed that video games were evil and ruined people’s lives. I thought, “It is not the video games that are the problem, it is the people who play the video games that are the problem; the ones who have not become disciplined in themselves, nor in their responsibilities.” 

We have to be responsible to our own obligations, and as such, not blame the outside world for our incompetence. 

In summary, we are human-being-machines, ones who have the ability to attain higher states of consciousness, which in turn, can provide us with higher being-bodies that can withstand the shock of death, whereupon, after leaving the physical body, they can continue to live in the spiritual realm, perhaps … for eternity.

So, which earthly world would you like to reside in? 

The conscious world of inner peace and awareness, or the illusory world wherein, you are just an automaton, and as such, have no real existence at all.

I chose the former.

That concludes today’s podcast. 

Thank you for listening.

If you would like to take the “Red Pill,” simply visit our website thedogteachings.com and acquire Mr. Smith’s book The Blueprint of Consciousness, a 520-page hardback, which is also available as a PDF download.

That’s thedogteachings.com.

There, you will be able to listen to other talks, obtain diagrams, animations, supporting videos, and much, much more.

But most importantly, you will have real time access to the materials we are discussing.

We also have two ZOOM classes on Saturday; one, for purchasers of the book, and the other, for those who have received the Master Exercises.

That’s  T H E   D O G   T E A   C H I   N G S  Dot Com.

In addition, you can also find us on Instagram and Facebook under THEDOG Teachings.

Thanks again for listening.

If you have any questions that you would like answered, please send them to [email protected], and we will endeavor to answer them, and perhaps, even include them in a future podcast. 

Goodbye, until next time.