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.

Continuing our talks on Work questions and answers, in this podcast I will narrate a dialogue between Russell and several of his students, about Hasnamussess, Lunatics, self-calming, drawn attention, doing what you always avoid doing, the 7th-Day-Rest Exercise, the differences between creation and maintenance, and how to wipe out remorse of conscience. 

Let’s begin:

Student:  Ouspensky said that there is not much we can do about the Hasnamusses in the world. Is that correct?

Russell:  Yes. Other than avoiding them, there is not much we can do.

Besides, even if we hatched a plan to hunt them down and kill them, we would find that what they represent is very hard to kill, because by killing them they would become martyrs, and as such, their beliefs would likely spread. 

Student:  Is there a conscious effort on the part of a society to stimulate Hasnamussian I’s?

Russell:  A conscious effort on the part of society to stimulate them?

Student:  What I mean is, in some societies, such as terrorist organizations, Hasnamusssian I’s are encouraged.

Russell:  Well, in that sense, they are. Those societies feed on the weaknesses of people and try to inculcate certain ideas in them. That is, they prey on their lunatic I’s and try to turn them into Hasnamussian I’s.

Student:  When Ouspensky talked about our lunatic “I’s,” he associated them with our formatory thinking, that is, that everything is either black or white. Is that correct?

Russell:  Yes. Lunatic “I's” most likely contain only two points of view. Why? Well, because, in order to survive, they have to. Most models stay safe if they only contain two things. If you bring more things in, the models get defused, and as such, the stark contradiction between there only being “us” and “not us” is lessened. Thus, their lunatic ways are much harder to support. 

Student:  Thank you for that. 

Student:  Earlier, we were discussing negative emotions, and talking about self-calming. If I observe a negative emotion, and use a self-calming method like overeating, it is hard for me to figure out how that is useless.

Russell:  Well, perhaps it is not. If eating calms you, then go ahead and eat. But, as soon as you become calm, stop eating, and try to see what it was that disturbed you in the first place. If you can discover that, you might be able to work against it. 

Afterall, Ouspensky said, it is much easier to learn to swim when the water is calm, than when there is a storm. 

So, if you need to count to 10 in order to calm yourself, or to have a beer, or to eat a big ol’ piece of chocolate cake, do so, and then eliminate the cause. 

Student:  Okay, thank you.

Student:  I had a few moments to sit and do nothing the other night, and while I was sitting on the balcony looking at the beauty of the city; the lights and cars and such, I understood what it meant to have drawn attention. But, tell me again, why eyesight is drawn attention, and why it is a function of the Queen and not the Jack.

Russell:  Sure. The model we get from Ouspensky is that the emotional part of our Instinctive Center, our five senses, interact with the outside world via drawn attention. That is, we only notice things when they either move, make a sound, or exude a smell, etc., which draws our attention to them. The rest of the time, we hear, but we do not listen, we see, but we do not watch, and we taste, but we do not savor. For example: if we are sitting in our living room, deep in thought, and something moves across the floor, we would notice it; our attention would be drawn to it. 

Student:  Thank you. 

It seems that in life, there is no distinction between listening and hearing. I mean, I hear noises all the time. However, I now realize, when I hear a new noise, I suddenly start to listen to it, which means my attention has been drawn, and in some cases, more than drawn; controlled.

Russell:  That is a great observation.

The Jack functions without attention, so it is always hearing, but the Queen listens. The same is true with our other senses. Many things go on in us without attention: we pump blood, we breathe, we make bone marrow, etc., and we don’t have to do anything at all for those to be done; they are done automatically. That is, we hear no one saying, “Breathe,” and we hear no one saying, “Digest.” But we often hear our five senses saying, “What is that sound, what is that smell, and what is that crawling on my arm.” 

Student:  Thank you, Russ. That is very clear.

Russell:  Also, let me throw in one more thing. We notice new things because they are different from the norm. But, if they remain for a while, they become the norm, and when they do, we cease to notice them. Just like awakening. When we first awoke, there was this new state, and we said, “Wow, this is different, look at me.” But, after a while we ceased to notice it, because it became the norm. 

Student:  Yes, I understand that very well. 

I have also noticed that when things become the norm, like doing exercises, they somewhat lose their sense of excitement, and therefore, I am not as motivated to do them as I first was. Thus, I become lazy. 

Russ, can you advise me, as to how to once again engender that excitement and motivation?

Russell:  Sure, no problem. Here is how you do it. It is very simple. Do the exercises that you do not normally do. Like the 7th-Day-Rest Exercise.

Student:  Yes, I think you are spot on with that one. I follow a daily routine that only includes certain exercises: I read daily, and when I come out of my house and walk to the car, I always Pick a Center, and in addition, there are 3 or 4 other exercises that I frequently do, but you are right, I often skip the rest. And the 7th-Day-Rest Exercise is one of them. So, I guess I will start doing that, as well as the others.

Russell:  That is terrific. That way, there will always be a new thing to do, which should rekindle your excitement and motivation. 

Besides, the 7th-Day-Rest Exercise is a very profitable exercise. Afterall, it is your day off, and as such, you have the choice of doing whatever you would like to do. That is, if you decide that you want to pick a center, then, pick a center; but not because you have to pick a center, but because you want to pick a center.

The premise of the 7th-Day-Rest Exercise is simple. God rested on the 7th day, which says, we can’t always push. There has to be a time of rest, that is, a time with no planned force. 

So, I want you to take at least one day a week, or maybe one day every two weeks, and make that day your day of no intention.

Take the day off. You don’t have to read anything. You don’t have to do the Threefold Attention exercise. You don’t have to do the Third Response exercise. You don’t have to do anything. You can, if you want to – but you do not have to.

On that day, make no conception of plan: You do not have to occupy the place, follow some work agenda, or do any exercises, etc. You get to do whatever you want to do. That is, if you decide to dig in the garden, then go out and dig in the garden. However, when you get there, if you decide that you no longer want to dig in the garden, then don't dig in the garden. There are no penalties. Live each moment with no conception of plan. Just be present in the moment, and live that moment with no agenda.

That does not mean you are forbidden to read and to do exercises, but you are not planning to read and do exercises. 

You may get halfway through your day and start thinking about some work concept; and, as a result, you find yourself reading. That’s okay. 7th-Day-Rest does not mean that you cannot do something, it just means that you are under no obligation to do something.

It is quite funny. Often, students do more work on their day of 7th-Day-Rest day, then they would have done had they followed some agenda, because, by not being under any force to do something, they are liberated to make force on the things which interest them … and as such, they do more work on themselves. 

So, that is the proper way of doing the 7th-Day-Rest Exercise. 

Take at least one day a week, or one day every two weeks, and live that day with no conception of plan.

Student:  I can say right now, I am not sure I will be able to stop the idea of picking a center when I leave my house and walk to the car.

Russell:  Again, you do not have to.

Student:  I do not have to? 

Russell:  No, you can still Pick a Center. Only on that day, do it because you choose to do it, not because you are under some prescribed agenda. 

You have to remember one thing about the Laws of World Creation and World Maintenance. Which is, certain things are needed for creation, and certain things are needed for maintenance, and as long as you are able to satisfy the maintenance, you will stay in a very good place. 

Those who have performed The Objective Exercise know what it is like to experience creation. That is, they have experienced the high that comes when one awakens and something new appears. After which, they just have to do enough to maintain it, and we have 48 exercises to help them do just that. 

You have often heard me say that many students write the exercises on little slips of paper, put them all in a bowl, and then draw one every day, so they all get worked on. 

And, of course, many students have their favorites as well, which they also do every day; but, by drawing one, the uncertainty of not knowing which one they are going to draw adds excitement. 

I hope that answers your question.

Student:  Yes sir, it totally does. 

Okay, I don’t think we have any more questions for you this week. Is there anything you would like to add?

Russell:  Nope. Other than try to do something new everyday, so that you will experience the excitement and motivation, which new things bring.

Student:  Okay, we will do that. We love you Russ. And, thank you for being here.

Student from another group:  Good evening. How are you today?

Russell:  I am terrific, how about yourself?

Student:  Not that good, but pretty good.

Russell:  What do you mean: not that good, but pretty good?

Student:  Well, currently, I am not so good, but overall, I am pretty good.

Russell:  What happened that made you not so good?

Student:  Well, this morning I lost my temper and yelled at a guy at work; a very unbecoming manifestation. And everytime I think about it, I get really identified.

Russell:  Okay, listen up, pay close attention, and I will teach you something very valuable, which is: how not to become identified.

Are you listening? And will you try to learn it as fast as you can?

Student:  Yes, I am. And, I will try.

Russell:  Okay, good. I have a question for you. 

If you were upset about yesterday’s dinner, would being upset allow you to change yesterday’s dinner?

Student:  No, of course not

Russell:  Alright then. If you cannot change yesterday’s dinner, then why are you still upset about it? Similarly, why are you still upset about losing your temper this morning, when you can’t change that either. 

Remember, if you could have done things differently, you would have done things differently. 

Just see that you didn’t, and make efforts to learn how to not make that same mistake again. That is, quit taking credit or blame for things that happen: You got identified, so what? You were cruel, so what? You raised your voice, so what? You said something that you shouldn’t have said, so what? 

Why so what? Well, because you didn’t do any of those things consciously, they all just happened. 

What’s important is that if you exist right now, you might be able to do something against those things so that they will never happen again. 

But you cannot undo what has already been done. You cannot change yesterday’s dinner. But right now, you can say “I-Am.” Right now, you can gather yourself, regardless of what has happened before or what may happen beyond. The “right now” is the only thing that you can change.  

So, take in air, put your attention on saying “I-Am,” and keep doing it until you feel it. 

Maybe it will take you 5 minutes. Maybe it will take you 10 minutes. Maybe you will say it mechanically for 5 minutes and then recognize that you are saying it mechanically, and start saying it for real; and, when you do, you will sense it, you will feel it, and all of a sudden, you will be in higher place than you were when you lost your temper this morning. That is, you will see things objectively, and will say, “I get it, I understand it. I now see that if I could have acted differently, I would have acted differently.” 

It is just like yesterday’s dinner, and since you cannot change your tirade of this morning, it has no right occupying the place now. 

Yee-Haw, you can therefore, let it go, and learn from it, so that you won’t lose your temper tomorrow morning. Not to mention the fact that you have no right to be identified with things that you did not consciously do. 

Are we there yet?

Student:  Almost. You always bring me back to the here and now.

Russell:  Yes sir, I try. 

Okay. You got it? 

Imbed it! You can’t undo yesterday’s dinner, and you can’t undo your anger of this morning.

Student:  But I can learn from it.

Russell:  Yes, of course. But I will not allow you to take credit or blame for what you did not do consciously. So, just see that it happened, and say, “Whoa, I see I was asleep, I see I was a machine, and I see how things got put into motion by external events, which means that I am just like a typewriter, whooo hooo.” 

And, if you see that and wish not to be a typewriter. Then you can not be a typewriter, if you put your attention on the next step of the journey, instead of on the step you took this morning, because that one cannot be different. 

Besides, it is good to have remorse of conscience, because without remorse of conscience, we would not change. 

My advice: use remorse of conscience to change the future, not to dwell on the past. Afterall, we cannot change the past, but we can change the now. Knowing that, will give us strength. 

Okay, let me hear you laugh at the past.

Student:  [Laughing]

Russell:  Louder …. Let me hear you laugh at the past.

Student:  [Laughing louder, harder, and longer] Is that better?

Russell:  Yes. That is better. 

Student:  I don’t want to digress on the subject, but doesn’t one have to take some blame, once in a while?  

Russell:  What a great question. The answer is very simple. Take no blame for what you did not do consciously, which frees you. Or, if you would prefer to free everyone, take the blame for everything that was done either by yourself or by others, and then it’s done. That is, there is no blame to place. 

Student:  Wow! What a great concept. Let me see if I got that straight. Take no blame if I didn't do it consciously, which frees me. Or take the blame for everything that was done by everyone, which frees me and everyone else.

Russell:  Correct. 

Student:  Or, perhaps, to address it on a different level, why identify with having become identified.

Russell:  Precisely.

Student:  And, all this mechanical remorse, agony, and worry is just identification.

Russell:  Yee-Haw.

Student:  So, drop it all and get back to work.

Russell:  By jove, I think you’ve got it. 

Student:  Yes. I think I do too. Thank you so much for your persistence in guiding me through that. 

Russell:  You are most welcome.

One more thing, just to make sure the point is driven home. 

I heard that your son has strep-throat.

Student:  Yes, he does.

Russell:  Question: Are you still searching for the person who gave it to him?  

Student:  [chuckling] No. That would be ridiculous.

Russell:  Then it is ridiculous to also search for the guy who lost his temper this morning, isn’t it?

Student:  Yep.

Russell:  Great. So in the future just see that you got identified and say, “Okay, there are still some I’s in me that are capable of becoming identified.” And then drop it.  

Student:  I will. 

After what you just told me, that should be very easy to do. 

Russell:  Terrific. 

Lastly, when asked by a student if the remorse of conscience he was suffering, after having to evict two squatters from his property, was simply the proper functioning of his newly emerging conscience? I replied, it is: in the sense that after you awaken, you begin to experience the world from someone else's point of view and to empathize with them, and as such, you are able to walk in their shoes. 

Perhaps before when evicting squatters, you did not have a strong enough conscience and thus suffered no remorse, but now that you do, you do. 

So, the question is now that you have a strong enough conscience, where do you go from here? That is, how do you direct your day and reconcile the potential remorse of conscience you might inadvertently experience in the future?

My advice: try what I do.

Gurdjieff called Remorse of Conscience, "AIEIOIUOA." 

For me, in order to experience what 'AIEIOIUOA' was, I would not pronounce it, I would spell it.

A - I - E - I - O - I - U - O - A. 

And I would spell it out loud with a cry in my voice, inflecting and assigning the following meaning to the sounds that were uttered.

The first “A” would be me asking the Universe to listen-up because I was about to tell it something of grave importance (almost like me wailing “Hey,” in order to grab its attention).

The "I" was a forceful I, meaning me.

The “E” was likened to someone crying at the wailing wall, acknowledging the painful displeasure of an unavoidable reality. 

The "I" again was me, and represented the continuation of the previous I, which was inadvertently interrupted by the sound of the “E” of great discomfort.

The “O” was the word owe, in the context of me owing something, and by uttering it I was acknowledging my participation and responsibility in what had either consciously or unconsciously occurred.

The “I” again was a continuation of me, as it was me who was suffering because of my role in the event.

The “U” was me acknowledging those who also got swept up by it.

The "O" was an "oh" that expressed the sadness I was feeling for being placed in that circumstance. 

And the last "A" was the questioning-confirmation of me letting the Universe know that I actually got it; that I actually understood the reality of the situation, and as such, was experiencing it from both sides (kind of like me saying "eh," in the sense of "yes," meaning that I see and understand all things involved).

That being said, from this day forward you do that. That is, you direct your own day with your conscience proudly in tow. 

And should you once again experience remorse of conscience, just spell AIEIOIUOA like I do; and when you do it, express it with feeling. Then smile, and rejoice, because you know now, as Jesus proclaimed, that you indeed have eyes to see, and ears to hear.”

Student:  Wow, Russ, what a perfect response.

Russell:  Well, thank you.

So, my friend, you do that too. Go out and direct your day with your conscience proudly in tow.

Student:  I will, I most certainly will.

Russell:  Terrific. 

Okay, how is your inner world now?

Student:  Very good sir, very good. You have a way of explaining things in such a way that they always make perfect sense, and thus, are always transformative. So, thank you Russell.

I will finish this conversation between Russell and his student next week. See you then.

That completes the question-and-answer session for this week.

Thank you 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.  

Or if you would like to purchase Russell Smith’s book The Blueprint of Consciousness, a 520 page hardback, which is also available for PDF download, or learn more about the subjects and exercises we have been exploring, you can do so by going to thedogteachings.com.

That’s T H E D O G teachings DOT COM.

There, you will be able to listen to other talks, obtain diagrams, models, animations, and videos, as well as learn all the mathematics that supports them, and much, much more.

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

That’s thedogteachings.com

Goodbye until next time.