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 this podcast, I will continue sharing a dialogue between Russell and one of his students, about remorse of conscience, the amazing results of unification, the I-Am exercise - either said silently - or out loud with a special twist, doing things intentionally, learning how not to hate, and freedom ‘from the moment’ versus identification ‘with the moment.’

Let’s begin:

Student:  Again Russ, thank you for guiding me out of my moment of remorse of conscience that I had this morning. But come to think of it, you should be required to do that. After all, without you, I would not have a conscience that could suffer remorse. That is, when similar things, like what happened this morning, happened in the past, I would have been very proud of myself for standing my ground and putting someone else in their place. 

So, it's your fault Russell. It’s your fault.

All kidding aside, the unification you have helped me achieve is truly remarkable. I mean, if everyone knew how a Troglodyte like me could simply read a book, study a few diagrams, take to heart some good common-sense ideas, and then do a fifteen-minute exercise and awaken their Higher Emotional Center, their Steward, and their conscience, they would truly agree that what you have discovered is beyond amazing.

When I look back at my journey, I am dumbfounded that no one had seen what you see.  

Who would have thought that you could objectively unify your Instinctive, Moving, and Emotional centers, and as such, awaken your Higher Emotional Center and attain a higher state of consciousness, self-consciousness? 

Then after acquiring self-consciousness, you could polish your Intellectual Center, by doing memory work, in order to obtain the Master Exercises and the Double or Nothing Exercises, which cause your polished Intellectual Center and your newly awakened Higher Emotional Center to unite as well. And as such, awaken your Higher Mental Center and attain an even greater state of consciousness, objective consciousness. Which I know to be true, as I am a walking manifestation of both. 

Even though I am capable of still manifesting from identification, like I did this morning, which is why I suppose remorse of conscience is so necessary, in order to remind me when I have.

That being said, with your guidance, I was able to snap out of my moment of identification very quickly. And, I am confident, should that ever happen again, that I will be able to snap out even more quickly.

Russell:  That is great to hear. 

The faster you can bring yourself to inner presence, the faster your remorse of conscience will dissipate. That is, it will get seen, registered, but not dwelt in. 

In the future, in order to bring yourself to inner presence even faster, simply say, “I-Am.”

Student:  To myself? Or out loud?

Russell:  Everybody asks me that. I don’t care. It’s your I Am.

However since you asked, I will break them both down for you.

Firstly, I will explain the tzimus, or essence, of the I-Am exercise, which is described in detail in our second podcast, S1/EP2. 

The I-Am exercise allows you to experience your presence.

You simply say the word “I” silently to yourself as you inhale, and the word “AM” silently to yourself as you exhale. 

Here is the process that I follow.

I pick a breath and silently say “I” on the inhale and “AM” on the exhale.

Then I ask, “How much of me is present?” Was I just saying two words, or did I feel a sense of myself, in myself, after saying them?

I then choose another breath and again say “I” on the inhale and “AM” on the exhale.

My aim is to have the second “I-Am” represent even more of me than the first.

Next, I do a third one, “I” on the inhale and “AM” on the exhale.

Then, a fourth one, with even greater resolve, trying to get more of me involved.

I continue saying “I-Am,” attempting to make each one better than the last. 

Maybe it takes 7 or 8 breaths. Then, on the “8th” breath, I start feeling a change in my body, an assemblage of presence.

After which, I look at my left foot and ask, “Is the “I-Am” taking place in you?” 

And my left foot usually looks back and says, “Me? You want me to do it too?” I say, “Yes, I want the I and Am to be in you as well.” And then, on my next breath, it is! 

Following that, I start looking around at other parts of my body and ask, “OK, how many of you are present as well? Let’s get you all participating.” 

I try to make each “I-Am” bigger and better … with more of me there. 

I continue doing that until I bring as much of myself to a state of presence, as I can.

Our second podcast, S1/EP2, goes much further into the “I-Am” exercise, not only explaining how to get each center involved, but also how to end the exercise and experience the taste of unification. 

Okay, that explains how to silently do the “I-Am” exercise: “I” on the inhale and “Am” on the exhale.

However, if you wish to say it out loud, you will need to say “I” on the first exhale and “Am” on the next exhale, as it is hard to talk when you are inhaling. 

In addition, if you are in public, and do not wish others to see or hear you saying it, I have an easy fix for you. One that will not only grant you your wish, but will make your “out loud” I-Am exercise even more dynamic. 

Here’s how.

Start by saying “I-Am” out loud, in your normal voice. 

Try it, say “I” on the first exhale and “Am” on the next exhale. Go.

Student:  I …… Am.

Russell:  Excellent. Did you notice how your “I” and “Am” were slower, and as such, had more force?

Student:  Yes, I did.

Russell:  Great. 

Okay, say it again, but say it a little bit softer: Say “I” on the first exhale and “Am” on the next. Go.

Student:  I …… Am.

Russell:  Good, that was softer, and probably more powerful.

Student:  Yes, it was.

Russell:  Wonderful. Now, say it again, but this time say it very softly: Say “I” on the first exhale and “Am” on the next. Go.

Student:  I …… Am.

Russell:  Super, that was barely audible. 

Okay, say it one more time, but this time say it so softly that only you and God can hear it. Go.

Student:  I …… Am.

Wow! That was incredible. My body is tingling!

Russell:  Mine too; I felt that one in Sanger. Yee-Haw!

Now, do it one more time like a ventriloquist would do it, where your lips do not move, but that you and God can still hear it. Go.

Student:  I …… Am.

Russell:  There you go. Now you can say it out loud wherever you are, and no one will ever know that you are saying it. That is, except you, and God.

Student:  Wow, Russ. That was awesome. If I had done that this morning, I am sure that God and I would have been able to see it, register it, but not dwell in the moment of my remorse.

Henceforth, I can honestly say, equipped with the above, and with the amazing results of my unification, I dare the devil to ever stand in my path again.

Russell:  That, my friend, is wonderful. Doing things intentionally brings them under your control, not under life’s control. 

Did I tell you about the student I had a few weeks ago?

Student:  The lady from Arizona?

Russell:  Yes. 

While she was here, we talked about maintaining her center of gravity. That is, how women sometimes lose their center of gravity by placing it in their children, and then never get it back. 

When she got home, she started looking around the house, and realized that she too had lost her center of gravity. There was clutter everywhere; most of which were things made by her children, and there were drawings on almost every wall. So, she picked up the clutter, took down the drawings, and threw them all away. 

She said, “Every time I turned around, I would see six more things.” 

Then, last week, when I went to Arizona to work with her and several other students, I had the pleasure of spending my first night at her home, and as such, I got to meet and chat with her daughter, who is a senior in high school. While chatting with her daughter, I asked, “How is your mom doing, since getting back from Texas?” Her daughter looked at me and smiled, saying, “Well, she is very happy. Just look at this place. It used to be a mess. Now, it is all cleaned up.”

Later on that evening a friend came over, and when she walked through the door the first thing she said was, “What have you done?” 

My student smiled and said, “Not much, just trying to get my center of gravity back.” 

To which, I too smiled.

So, we can do things intentionally to regain our center of gravity. Firstly, by getting rid of the clutter, and secondly, by going whole hog, and getting rid of even the drawings on the walls.

Student:  Yep. I got it. I clearly see it. Not to mention the fact that I now know how to say I-Am so softly that only I and God can hear it. 

Russell:  Indeed you do.

On another topic, are you coming out this weekend?

Student:  No, probably not, I have a very busy weekend planned with the kids. I hate that I cannot come out.

Russell:  Oh no, do not say that. Don’t hate anything; just do what is necessary. 

That being said, two stories come to mind. The first is about a man who had an ugly mountain outside his window that he hated. It blocked his view, which greatly upset him. He then read the Bible passage which said, “For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” 

“Ah,” he thought, “A solution to my problem.”

But, in order to achieve that solution, he had to acquire the faith of a grain of mustard seed. So, he worked on himself for years, until he did just that. However, the moment he acquired the faith of a grain of mustard seed, was the moment he realized that he was the guy who put the mountain there in the first place, so there the mountain stayed. 

The second is a Zen proverb, which says: Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water; after enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. 

As such, you can make exceptional efforts, even with your children, and not do anything differently. Just stay present in the moment, and realize that you are the guy who put the mountain there in the first place.

Two other principles are worth noting. 

The first one is: the moment that you pass judgment on something, is the moment that you find other things about it, on which to pass judgement. 

And the second one is: the more that you work on yourself, and the better you become, the more disappointed you will be when you make a mistake.  

Student:  Yep, I agree. I know those both very well.

Russell:  Good. 

So, don’t worry about results, just make efforts. And quit suffering remorse of conscience for what you did not consciously do. 

That is, somebody died in Bosnia today. Why are you not taking blame for that? Well, because, you know that you did not do that. Which means that you should stop taking the blame for the events that took place this morning, because you did not do those either.

Do you get it?

Student:  Yes sir, I really do.

Russell:  Good. 

By realizing that things just happen, you will start to become independent of things that take place outside yourself, and instead, will be able to recognize them for what they are. For example: look at your children, at their innocence, and just love them. Look at your wife, at her caring for your family, and just love her. 

Gather the good moments; relive the joy. That is what I do; I gather the good moments and discard the rest.

Student:  I can say that, I have had many moments, which should have caused me to become identified, but they did not. 

Russell:  Well, why did you not gather those moments together, instead of the ones that caused you remorse? 

Student:  I don't know.

Russell:  Well, I do. Unfortunately, survival depends on animals remembering the bad things that happen to them, more so than the good. Which works great for staying alive, but not so much for esoteric development.  

Student:  Ah, yes. That is definitely true. We remember jumping off the roof and hurting ourselves, much more than the freedom we felt riding our bikes.

Russell:  There you go. 

Freedom ‘from the moment' is less remembered, than identification ‘with the moment’. 

Student:  I had something like that happen to me the other day. I had to take some papers over to my wife to have her sign. When I got there, they were not in the package. However, instead of getting angry, I just got back into my car and drove to my office and retrieved them. That was freedom.

Russell:  Yes, it was. It most certainly was … that was indeed freedom. Congratulations.

Student:  I guess I should have checked to see if the papers were in the package before I left, but I didn’t, which was kind of stupid of me.

Russell:  Well, perhaps it was. But instead, when you discovered that they were not in the package, you responded like a conscious being should respond, and simply went back to your office and retrieved them. 

Besides, it is foolish to place blame on things that just happen; placing blame on things that just happen, won't make them happen differently.

Student:  Indeed.

Russell:  It could have been, you went to talk to your wife, and while there, decided that she needed to sign some papers, and as such, you drove over to your office and got them. 

So, it doesn’t matter ‘why it came about,’ or ‘how it came about;’ but that ‘it did come about.’ It was just a series of events. Events that caused you to go here and then there. Do you see what I am saying?

Student:  Yes, I do. I most certainly do.

Russell:  That’s terrific.

Student:  I noticed my kids were fussy when I got home today, but I have no idea as to why. Perhaps they were sensing my identification of the morning, or … just had a bad day at school.

Russell:  Well, I certainly do not know. Perhaps they were sensing your identification of the morning, had a bad day at school, or were experiencing the emanations coming from some comet that just passed by the Earth. Let’s blame the comet! Afterall, some comets do discombobulate everything. Especially the ones that emit those special comet rays, which affect those children whose last name begins with “H,” just like yours!

Student:  [Laughing] Yea, it could have been that. 

I think I am getting the point. If you want to place blame, it doesn’t matter “who” or “what” you place blame on, just blame them quickly, so you can get back to your aim of furthering your awakening.

Russell:  Yes sir. There you go. Furthering your awakening. That is definitely the key.

Student:  Indeed it is. 

Okay, I have another question. Going back to Gurdjieff’s I-Am, versus I-Wish, versus I-Can, would it be appropriate for me to try to get the Emotional Center to say I-Wish?

Russell:  Yes, it would.

Student:  And the Intellectual Center to say I-Am?

Russell:  Yes, that would be fine also. Just remember that the power is in the horse.

Student:  Okay, I will. What would be the I-Can; the Instinctive and Moving centers?

Russell:  Yep. 

The body provides the ability, the mind provides the knowledge, and the meaning provides the power.

Student:  Where is the emotional center located in the body?

Russell:  The emotional center is dispersed throughout the body. However, it is concentrated in the solar plexus and represents our sympathetic nervous system.  

Student:  I got it.

I was contemplating something else the other day. 

When my mind sees something, it just compares it to something else it has seen, but when my emotions see something, they feel it. Is that correct?

Russell:  Yes, it is.

Student:  That puts a whole different slant on things.

Russell:  Yes. It does.

Student:  Of course for the most part, we just mechanically label things, and then react to those labels. I get that.

Russell:  Yes, unfortunately, that is what we do.

Student:  Indeed it is. In fact, I have noticed that my children are beginning to label things. 

Russell:  Well, perhaps you should do something about that. That is, if they are going to label things, teach them to label them with more than just one label; to not see a tree as just a tree, but instead, to see it as a seed, as a twig, as a sapling, and as what is in the walls of your house.

Student:  I think I follow you, at least, I do on some level.

Russell:  That’s terrific.

Student:  I might not understand everything yet, but I do try to understand more each day. In addition, I am also doing more exercises, as well as, reading and re-reading your book. So, all-in-all, I am doing pretty well.

Russell:  It sounds to me like you are doing very well, which is wonderful. 

Student:  I think I am too. 

I know I was kind of moaning and groaning about ‘my moment of identification this morning,’ but now that you have enlightened me, as to how to put identification in its proper place, that should never happen again.

God, this work is so easy. 

With correct understanding, it is just like learning how to walk; it’s just what you do. Well, okay, I might trip over a few curbs along the way, but that is to be expected. And, after digesting the objective truths you have been sharing with me, I’m confident that soon I will be able to see all the curbs as well. Which is very exciting. After which, I will no doubt be running!   

Russell:  That means that you are doing very well, sir

Student:  You think so?

Russell:  Oh, yes. I myself have noticed that you do not like to be asleep, and as such, are striving every day to be more and more awake. So, congratulations - Whoo hoo. That’s the only way to ever get anything. 

However, when I hear about you being asleep, it is my job to simply remind you to open your eyes and keep them open, which you are discovering, is not that hard to do. 

Student:  And you know what else Russ, I am starting to have a real sense of Chapter 5, “THE WAY UP WAS THE WAY DOWN.”

Russell:  Fantastic. That is a very powerful chapter. Yee-Haw for you!

Student:  Well, I am not there yet, but I know that I am headed in the right direction.

Russell:  I have no doubts.

Student:  I think I have a measurable start.

Russell:  I think so too. I have no complaints.

When you first emailed me, after completing my book and doing The Objective Exercise, it was evident to me that you had, indeed, awakened, and as such, had a permanent passenger in your carriage, which was a pretty good indicator of the efforts you had been making.

Student:  I try Russ. Every day, I really try.

Russell:  That is wonderful.

Student:  Are you going to be around next week?

Russell:  I sure am.

Student:  Super, I want to come up and visit you. What is a good day for you?

Russell:  Any day that ends in the letter ‘y.’ 

Student:  Okay; will do. I know about the other kind of ‘why’ days.

Russell:  Indeed you do sir. You have been sharing one of those ‘why’ days with me, during this call. That is, ‘why’ did you allow yourself to become identified. 

However, now that you know how easy it is not to remain identified, I am confident that your ‘why’ days will soon be a thing of the past.

Student:  Yep, all I have to do is say I-Am.

Russell:  Indeed.

Student:  Alright. I’ll see you next week.

Russell:  Very good. Good night.

Student:  Good night and thank you Russ. I love you.

That completes today’s podcast.

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.