Tomberg criticizes Gurdjieff’s aims in Meditations on the Tarot as being without grace, and aimed at building a resurrection body apart from Initiation-from-above, although he freely admits the possibility of doing such, tacitly. In Ouspensky’s The Fourth Way, we are given a more detailed, in depth treatment of Gurdjieff’s views, which Ouspensky turned into a “system” (as he called it). Ouspensky makes especial reference to “esoteric Christianity”, which Gurdjieff once famously called his system, “if you like” or “if you prefer”. Here is a relevant article by/on Gurdjieff over giving up unconscious suffering, in reference to Biblical teaching. More of his ideas in relation to Christianity are found here.
Ouspensky is more direct than Gurdjieff; in answer to questions about a “personal God” (rather than the Absolute of the “System”, which operates by increasingly less mechanical Laws the higher one is), he admits that the System may allow for the grace and personalism of God, since, in the Ray of Creation, the last two notes of Si and Do we have no actual spiritual experience of, but rather experience merely the mechanical operations of earlier notes, which mechanically create the bio-film on Earth and “feed the Moon”. This is a rather startling admission: I am not quite certain what to make of it. Although it sounds like “God of the Gaps”, I suppose it also reminds me of Godel’s incompleteness theorem.
In any case, this is a moment of humility and meditation from Ouspensky, who otherwise is adamant about what is “known”, certainly, and how it is utterly separate from “faith”.
Ouspensky says the “system” teaches knowledge, never faith. However, this “knowledge” begins with a complete deconstruction of the spiritual “I” and false personality or “general feature”. The reason we don’t make progress is because “we” or even “I” don’t exist. There are multiple I beings which compete, and seamlessly masquerade as “One”. There is not even a “magnetic center” of dominant I beings which are in concord and can direct as “deputy steward”, the rest of the useless, neutral, or rebellious I beings (Religion is a vehicle to create “magnetic center”, in happy circumstances, in those of faith). This center will then begin to “act” (as it can) in response to the B (higher) influences which exist throughout the world of mechanical A influence (which continually eats up B influence). Possibilities are enlarged, but growth remains slow. C influence will manifest for those with magnetic personality, typically only once. (This is a huge point for him to make: what it means is that the Tradition you are born with has a very strong possibility of being “your train out of town”). Those who follow C influence in a “school” can actually begin to become Man Type 5,6, or even 7. This, however, comes much, much later: first, the “Self” has to be ruthlessly torn apart and deconstructed by the “Self”. This allows one to “know thyself” – there is no need of faith, when one “knows”.
We know from the journey with Peter and Clement that a “Gnostic” named Anubion actually came to Peter’s defense, and was not an antagonist of the apostle. Part of the mission of Gornahoor has been stated as “preparation for initiation”. In the Fourth Way “system”, this is known (variously) as remembering one’s self, paying attention, attaining consciousness, or awakening from sleep. At first, one can “do” nothing – except give up false suffering – that is, one can only remember that one does not remember (this of course links esoteric work with the classical Western tradition of Socrates, who “knows only that he does not know”).
What is important to realize is that whether one comes by way of a “Semitic sense of sin”, or whether one realizes that the “I” is a fake I, one begins by being able to “do” almost nothing, other than reject one’s false states of being. Power comes after desolation. This is an important point – all Tradition is in agreement here on man’s estate [with the exception of the “mystery of the just” (which Tomberg refers to)].
What justification, then, for Tradition and “group work”, for working on the culture, for any collective political action? Ouspensky has an answer for this – if one “works” solely on one’s self, apart from “group work”, the spiritual laws which govern the universe will guarantee that at a certain point in the musical progression of energetic notes (the Ray of Creation, which Mouravieff also discusses), there are two natural “gaps”. One can be filled “naturally” (although not really so), but the other one has to be filled from outside – the “lone ranger” cannot accomplish it. However, if one has begun self work, and if one works in groups, and also “for the system”, there are three lines of progress; when one falters, the energy from the other fills the “gap”, and work continues. This sounds a lot like what “Church” or “the Faith” should be.
And this, by the way, is the missing justification that all New Age groups overlook for “Traditional” metaphysics/politics/ecclesiology. For if we apply this principle to Christianity, one can see immediately why a Traditional political arrangement, a Traditional ecclesiology, and a Traditional culture are desirable. They represent (and in old Christian Europe did represent) the “third path” which can sustain the naked individual when the inevitable deviation on individual lines occurs. They do not create righteousness – quite right – but they impel the individual in a trajectory towards it, and provide the missing nudge that is built into the laws of Creation.
There is even a beautiful illustration of this in the Psalms. Asaph has been studying the world, and he realizes that God’s truth is garbage : the good always goes under, the wicked triumph, the righteous die like dogs, etc., etc. He is in a bad spiritual state that will become permanent, and must become so, because he has no reserve to fill in the energetic gap that has faltered in his “journey of faith”. In Psalm 73, we are given the “answer”; he goes into the tabernacle. What happens? Asaph has the decency not to speak of his inner revelations to the faithful – he does what he can, but that is all, and it is not enough to save his faith. However, because he is silent in the cathedral, God saves him through the “culture” around him. Like Job, he sees the beauty of God.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
Asaph saw something which explained everything, but it came from outside himself (or the impulse/energy originated there, awakening something he could not awake “himself”).
This explains why TS Eliot’s work on culture was important, for instance, or why Cologero has recommended taking steps to assist “the work” here.
There are many other startling insights in The Fourth Way, which is recommended. In the beginning, one starts at an incredibly “low level” : everything to “do” is miniscule – maybe just trying to “stop thoughts” 3 times a day – observing yourself and categorizing your inner states – refusing to express (rather than suppressing) negative emotion (this plugs energy leaks). This is “payment” and gains energy – with enough effort (or preparation), moments of being more awake occur. If one responds rightly when one is awake for a short time, more energy is gained – the seeker advances. But group and system work can start in parallel with this inner work, although it can never replace it (one cannot mix categories).
Esoteric Christianity, which comes from Noah, Enoch, and Adam, and which existed in Egypt (for “out of Egypt have I called my son), which was embodied later in the Tarot tradition called Hermeticism, could discipline itself and utilize “the Fourth Way” for some of its initiates for which it is suited. It has unique advantages for the modern age, and appears to have maintained its traditional purity, albeit in an understated form, which could be made more explicit in useful ways.
There is a lot of promising material in this work.
Perhaps Gurdjieff’s choice of phrase (“if you like”) was an invitation to Christians to utilize the System to attain the kingdom of heaven.
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