With All Due Sincerity

Reflections on the Challenge

When you hear a precise, articulate word in casual talk, take a deep breath, note the sensation of clarity it brings, and contemplate its etymology.

• Experiences

  While having a haircut, L said to the stylist that it was an art, and the stylist replied it was a craft. This precise choice of word remindeded L of the challenge, and he later researched it, uncovering its original connotations of strength and power. Another time, at a ceramics exhibition, he learned about chalices from an artist, another precise word. He forgot to do the deep breathing at the exhibition, but later checked the etymology, linking chalice to the Greek 'calyx', or flower.

• Responses

  

  N said craft was related to power, as the German kraft was the same word. He mentioned the Arts and Craft movement of William Morris. He thought of his work in law as a bit of a craft. Part of it was taking pride in one's work and one's professionalism and following values and ethics - it comes with responsibility as well as power. T was surprised it was to do with strength and power, because it had become so diminished in its meaning, and artists did not like to think of themselves as craftsmen any more. She said that craft was the 90% of getting it right. L said that craft was about serving others, whereas art might not be of practical use.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  to equal participation in our international five-o'clocks.

  And indeed such contemporary beings there, namely, such as become representatives of important communities, know nothing of course of the true reasons why, that is, on their planet, beings similar to them, dwelling on one or another part of the surface of their planet or who make up this or the other community, become at times temporarily 'important' or 'great.'...

  And in regard to the third language which these assembled representatives also proposed making the common planetary language, namely, that language which they call Esperanto - ... they themselves, with all the bobtailedness of their reason, immediately reflected that this language could not now in any way be useful for their purpose.

  The inventors of this language must have imagined that a language is like one of their contemporary sciences which can be cooked up at home.

• Discussion

  L noted the capricious nature of science, characteized as bobtailed reasoning. The five-o-clock's reminded him of the large numbers of attendees at climate summits and demonstrations.

• Passage

  it never entered into their heads that every more or less ‘practical’ language can be formed only in the course of many centuries and even then only during the process of more or less normal being-existence...

  In short, this promising beginning of theirs, in this business of establishing one common planetary language, changed nothing there in their ‘height of absurdity’ and everything remained as before down till now, that is, this comparatively petty planet, with a petty ‘half-dead terra firma,’ continues to remain, as again our dear teacher Mullah Nassr Eddin says, ‘a thousand-tongued hydra.’

• Discussion

  N noted the irony in the passage about Esperanto potentially becoming a universal language. English had evolved to be a global lingua franca, mainly due to its role in science, business, and commerce. He mentioned current efforts to reintroduce French into international prominence but expressed skepticism about these attempts, considering English's widespread use, especially in major nations like China and India.

• Passage

  But meanwhile, by this time, as it proved, there had already been almost atrophied in them every kind of data for the arising in their presences of the being-impulse called ‘sincerity.’ And it was atrophied to such a degree that they no longer had the possibility, even if they wished, to be sincere, and not only with other beings but even with their own selves, that is, they already could not with one of their spiritualized parts criticize and judge another part of themselves impartially.

  ...The basis for the atrophying of the first of the mentioned data is derived from the fact of the disturbance of the coordination of their common psyche.

• Discussion

  N spoke of how we often lied to ourselves. We had atrophied that capacity within us to see ourselves with great impartiality, losing the ability to recognize this self-deception. He thought it was necessary to have friends or a group to provide external perspective and challenge our self-perceptions.

  

  L said the tone of the text was almost as if there was no hope of succeeding anyway. It was worth trying but one should not expect too much.

  T said it was the basis of Freudian analysis, that a person needed somebody to help you analyse what you were thinking and believing, and where that came from, and to question at every point.

  L said this was why Gurdjieff's group settings, as already established in psychotherapy, were important for providing collective support and insight.

Greek to Me

Reflections on the Challenge

When you hear an unfamiliar language, try to understand what is being said. Raise an eyebrow and note any changes in how you feel.

• Experiences

  Even out of London, most conversations L overheard were not in English. When people were speaking in English, it sometimes sounded like a foreign language. Some exchanges sounded sharp and unpolished, and some felt warm and loving. On one occasion, L was on a station platform and heard someone in the background, on the phone. L sensed agitation in the caller, but no change in himself. Usually it was conversations on the phone, as if people were speaking to themselves, usually quite agitated, but the previous day there had been a couple talking at a restaurant table. L raised his eyebrow, which was the physical part of the challenge. On the way out, they held hands, which felt like a continuation of the conversation.

  T observed various conversations during her daily activities. She noticed animated one-sided conversations, where individuals seemed deeply engaged in their own thoughts, often while walking or standing together. In other instances, she witnessed dialogues where one person was attempting to convince another, either in personal or professional contexts. One particular conversation that stood out to her involved two workmen on the street, discussing how to fit or repair something. This conversation was grounded in a physical object and task, with both men actively engaged in trying to work something out. Their language was distinct and closely connected to their task, illustrating a practical application of language in physical reality. While passing these workmen, T caught a foreign language, prompting her to raise an eyebrow, a part of the challenge. She found this action somewhat challenging, noticing a difference in ease between both sides of her face. This physical act led her to become more aware of the qualitative difference in the workmen's conversation, particularly in comparison to other conversations she had observed. It was only upon reflecting and noting down her experience that T fully recognized the distinct tone and quality in the language of the workmen, connected to movement and a physical task, differing from other more abstract conversations.

  N frequently encountered French, particularly at bus stops. At work he had been involved in a significant matter where another language posed a challenge. Despite not speaking it, he had navigated lengthy meetings facilitated by colleagues who did. These meetings, which were intended to last about an hour, often stretched to three hours due to continuous translations. The conversations sometimes became heated, highlighting the difficulties in achieving accurate communication with non-English speakers. N found it difficult to keep the discussion focused, as it often veered off-topic. These extended meetings, filled with translations, were exhausting and demonstrated the potential for misunderstandings and the importance of cultural sensitivity.

• Responses

  Responding to N, L noted that drifting away from the main point of a discussion was a common issue, both in meetings and in the context of the Gurdjieff Work. T observed that N was needed for his English. The client had to trust the translator to convey N's thoughts accurately, and in turn N had to trust that what he heard was a true representation of the client's words.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  The first of the said three languages ... arose from a small group of Asiatic fishermen ...

  From the beings of this community, that is from these said ancient Greeks, not only many different sciences but likewise their language reached contemporary beings.

  But the second language which they proposed to make a common planetary language, namely, ‘Latin,’ was the language spoken by the beings of that ancient solid community formed, as I have also told you, from a small group of Asiatic shepherds, ...

• Discussion

  T said Gurdjieff might be poking fun at the high regard in which these languages are held in esteemed educational institutions. She lamented the decline in teaching Latin and Ancient Greek in contemporary education, contrasting this with their historical significance. She regretted not learning Latin, as it can help so much in understanding English.

Sundown

Reflections on the Challenge

When you encounter an ideological perspective in media or conversation that emotionally affects you, consider the claims, biases, and underlying assumptions. Move your eyes left and right as if being hypnotised.

• Experiences

  T had focused on observing ideologies, exemplified by Oliver Dowden's impassioned speech at the UN on AI regulation, which elicited mixed emotions in her - fear, pity, embarrassment, and a lack of enthusiasm - leading her to ponder the relative weakness of political power against multinational tech corporations that are competing with each other. She questioned the ethical integrity of AI development, wondering if decisions were genuinely made for the "greater good." Her reflections extended to AI's potential long-term impact on organic life, contrasting its potential sustainability with the fragility of the human ecosystem.

• Responses

  Responding to T, N acknowledged the significance of considering organic life within ethical debates, particularly concerning technological advancements like AI. He supported T's apprehensions about the limited scope of contemporary ethical dialogues, particularly when powerful corporations primarily drove these discussions. He emphasised that humanity acted as "trustees" of Earth and questioned whether existing ethical frameworks adequately accounted for this broader perspective, especially in the development and application of AI. He further speculated on the potentially destructive choices AI systems might make based on an objective analysis of human impact on the universe.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  Just at the beginning of this sixth personal sojourn of mine I soon categorically made clear ... that most of the causes of the strangeness of their psyche are found not in that usual consciousness of theirs, ... but in that consciousness of theirs which, thanks to their abnormal ordinary being-existence, was gradually driven within their common presence and which although it should have been their real consciousness, yet remains in them in its primitive state and is called their ‘subconsciousness.’

  ... in that part of their psyche there are not yet atrophied the data for the fourth sacred impulse which is named ‘Objective-Conscience.’

• Discussion

  T elaborated on the notion of "Objective-Conscience," stating the text meant that the values that should be at the forefront of our minds are not there; they have shifted into our subconscious.

  N added that these values haven't been lost; they have just moved into the subconscious, reinforcing the idea that objective values exist in the subconscious, and work is needed to bring them to the forefront of our consciousness.

• Passage

  if one of the inhabitants of any locality of this planet by chance finds himself in another place of the same planet, he has no possibility whatever of intercourse with the beings there similar to himself, unless he learns their language.

  ... in the common presences of these unfortunate beings the data in general for instinctive perception were long ago atrophied - becomes absolutely helpless and can neither ask for what he really needs, nor understand a word of what is said to him.

• Discussion

  L said this was suggesting that at some point, human beings were more instinctively able to communicate, than at present.

Recalcitrant Facts

Reflections on the Challenge

When you become aware of a conflict, whether locally or in the news, pause and analyse its cause. Reflect on your emotional response, and bring your hands together in the prayer gesture.

• Experiences

  T had found herself faced with multiple conflicts over the course of the month, some of which she had recognised in real-time and others only in retrospect. On one occasion, she had been torn between adhering to a regular routine for meals and painting in natural light. She had brought her hands together in the prayer gesture, aware of her internal conflict and its relevance to the challenge. Her resolution had been to prioritise eating on schedule over painting in natural light. This decision had been motivated by a concern for her well-being, as she had realised that eating late would adversely affect her sleep and, subsequently, her overall health. In making this choice, she had safeguarded her physical health in both the present and the future. Additionally, she had found a way to practice her art in artificial light, thereby maintaining a sustainable routine. Another instance of conflict had involved a direct conversation with a neighbour displaying antisocial behaviour, which had been necessary for maintaining her usual quality of life.

  L noted that conflicts often result from people not recognising the truth of the matter. During a holiday trip in his electric car, he experienced contention for spots at charging stations. Although there was a general camaraderie among the people vying to charge their cars, he thought that ideology was a hindrance to the widespread adoption of the technology. He felt that if market forces were allowed to operate freely, electric cars would have been adopted more readily, like mobile phones. The expression of the ideology was extremely prevalent. For example although August had been one of the coldest ever, that morning's paper was reporting that it had been warmer than usual.

  N had encountered conflicts with clients who displayed aggressive and manipulative tendencies. Being mindful of the complexities and underlying motives, he initially maintained his composure during interactions. As he navigated through the engagements, he recognized the emotional tactics being deployed. It was like children squabbling over sweets. Throughout, he discerned the root causes of the conflicts and maintained emotional equilibrium.

• Responses

  L drew a parallel between N's account and the Gurdjieff Work. The clients he described were like life's distractions that try to divert one from understanding what is truly occurring. It was important to maintain balance and detachment, like Beelzebub observing Earth from a distance through his teskooano.

  N responded to T, saying there was a learning process involved, in prioritising between eating times and capturing natural light for painting. Such conflicts provide opportunities to make judgement calls on what holds primary importance. T advocated a balanced approach to pursuing one's calling. She emphasised that maintaining physical well-being was a prerequisite for any other activity. Especially in the context of aging, health could no longer be taken for granted, making her more aware of its significance. L said what T described was not necessarily a conflict, but perhaps a confluence of natural events like the earth's rotation and the human digestive system. In his view, these were not conflicts arising from human actions but coincidences shaped by natural truths.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  He begins from a natural feeling of self-preservation to strive with all his Being to destroy as many as possible of the existences of the beings of the enemy side in order to have the greater chance of saving his own existence. And gradually progressing in this feeling of self-preservation of theirs, they then reach the state, as they themselves say, of ‘bestiality.’

  But as regards that means of the destruction of the existence of other beings similar to themselves which I then saw, it was now impossible to apply to it this logical confrontation at which I had just arrived, simply because I then clearly saw that the enemy sides stood fairly far apart, that all warring beings were among their own, and that in these semifavorable conditions, they quietly and absolutely cold-bloodedly, out of boredom as it were, did something with the help of a ‘something’ and thereby destroyed the existence of other beings similar to themselves.

• Discussion

  N said technology had significantly altered the nature of conflict. Where battles once occurred in close quarters, modern weaponry allowed for life-taking at a great distance, often detached from any personal engagement or understanding of the enemy.

  T emphasised how bureaucracy and technology abstract individuals from the immediate consequences of their actions.

  L raised the ethical questions tied to technological warfare, saying that people knowingly chose to engage in developing and using these systems.

Looking-Glass World

Reflections on the Challenge

When you notice you are walking uphill, lengthen your stride. When you get home, immerse yourself in a piece of DaVinci's work. Consider how it resonates with your feelings and experiences. Using mirror writing, make a note of your reflections.

• Experiences

  N had accomplished the three parts of the challenge. Living uphill, he took the opportunity to quicken his pace during his regular walks, making it a rigorous exercise. Once home, he delved into the study of Leonardo Da Vinci's art, focusing on two specific pieces: 'The Last Supper' and 'The Vitruvian Man'. Throughout the month, he explored various materials about Da Vinci, including a significant portion of a particular book. An intriguing element caught his attention in 'The Last Supper', the details of which he decided to reveal later. The final part of the challenge, mirror writing, proved difficult at first, but with practice, he began to find it a bit easier, though it didn't come naturally to him.

  T had found that the act of lengthening her stride while walking uphill changed her usual resentment about exerting more energy into a feeling of victory. This had made her reflect on why she typically resents using extra energy. When she explored DaVinci's works, she was surprised by how much she didn't know about him, despite her art college background. She specifically compared the colour sensitivity of DaVinci's "Virgin of the Rocks" in the Louvre to the one in London, finding the former superior.

  

  Da Vinci - Virgin of the Rocks (Louvre)

  L had been walking uphill, where he took the opportunity to lengthen his stride. The effort invigorated him, making him feel more alive. Upon returning home, he expanded his exploration beyond DaVinci's art to include writings and inventions. He found the Codex Arundel, but noted the challenge of locating an English translation from the Italian original, particularly given its mirror writing. L tried his hand at mirror writing and found it difficult but insightful. His research into DaVinci supported his own interest in multiple arts, as he composed music and engaged in life drawing.

• Responses

  J asked T about the differences in colour between Leonardo da Vinci's painting in London and the one in the Louvre, questioning if this discrepancy held significance. T replied that the variance in vibrancy and energy between the two paintings possibly had to do with the motivation behind their creation. She speculated that the commission-driven creation of the London painting might have affected its quality, but also the Louvre painting had been sensitively restored.

  T asked L about his comment on multiple arts. L said this was because da Vinci did so many things, including painting and writing. T resonated with Leonardo da Vinci's multidisciplinary approach, lamenting the lack of such breadth in modern education. L added that today's educational systems would have forced a da Vinci to choose between art and science. N emphasized the extraordinary cultural climate of da Vinci's time, highlighting how he saw connections between seemingly disparate fields.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  My dear and beloved Grandfather… be kind as always and tell me something more about the three-centred beings breeding on that planet which is called Earth ...

  He began thus: I was on that planet for the sixth time just before I received my full pardon and permission to leave that most remote solar system situated even almost beyond the reach of the immediate emanations of the Omni Most Holy Sun Absolute, that is, just before my return here to the centre of the Universe to the place of my arising, to the immediate bosom of our COMMON UNI-BEING-ENDLESSNESS.

  This time, circumstances unexpectedly so came about that I had to exist there among these peculiar beings a fairly long time, namely, a little less than a year of our time, or, by the time calculation there, more than three hundred years...

  I observed them particularly attentively at those periods when there proceeded among them their chief particularity, namely, their processes of ‘reciprocal destruction.’

  And I observed so attentively at these periods because I wished to make unquestionably clear to myself the causes

• Discussion

  T contrasted human "reciprocal destruction" with the concept of art, highlighting its current relevance by mentioning the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

  L said Earth's distance from the universe's centre might influence human behaviour and briefly touched upon the symbolic meaning of Beelzebub's six visits.

  N focused on the relativity of time, discussing how Beelzebub's year equated to over 300 Earth years and what this implied for the perception of human achievements, using Leonardo Da Vinci as an example.

  J talked about the objectivity of time, stating that regardless of how time is experienced, the essence of conveying ideas remained consistent across different realms.

• Passage

  Well, my boy, once while watching as usual this process of theirs ... I saw this time that, without moving from their place, they did with a certain thing something which resulted in a tiny puff of smoke, whereupon a being from the opposite side immediately fell down either totally destroyed or with one or other part of his planetary body mutilated or destroyed forever.

• Discussion

  T focused on the advancement of weaponry described in the passage, noting how a "tiny puff of smoke" could result in a person far away falling to the ground. She highlighted the impersonal nature of modern warfare as a central point.

  N likened the observational approach in the passage to an anthropological viewpoint. It is satirical in the manner of Gulliver's Travels. He emphasized how the narrative critiques the increasingly disconnected nature of warfare, where in the present day combatants are reduced to mere dots on a computer screen.

  C argued that the passage portrays destruction as a reciprocal act— if someone tries to destroy you, you must destroy them in self-defence. She saw this as a key factor in understanding the violence observed in the text.

Arty-Farty

Reflections on the Challenge

When you observe art which seems ideological, shrug and do not be disturbed. Make notes about how and why it happened. Do some objective art yourself later.

• Experiences

  L remembered the challenge when he switched on his Microsoft Surface laptop the next morning. A message in the corner informed him: "Surface is committed to protecting our planet! Learn how to reduce your impact on the environment by adjusting your PC settings." He then started reading a newspaper online. There was an article about a popular TV show called Casualty, about a young woman in the story line who wanted to become a man, to the unaninimous admiration of the other cast members. He then opened his email. There was an invitation to a concert, recommending he attend an event called "Meditation on the Future of our Planet with Ensemble Variances", Throughout the month, virtually every instance of art he encountered in the media was ideological.

  T participated in a virtual exhibition of a German artist known for his vivid portrayals of devastation and decay. The intense imagery initially struck her as horrifying. However, she consciously shrugged off the instinctual reaction and, in doing so, experienced a shift. She perceived the artwork's magnitude reducing and its impact lessening. and considered the artist's history, born in 1945 and having grown up in the aftermath of the war. She recognized the potential influence of his personal and national history on his art. Despite the artist's explanation of the work, she felt drawn into his despair and desolation, which she found more personal than political.

  N had been to Weiwei's exhibition at the Design Museum. He hadn't expected to like it at first, as it was featuring modernist works, but Weiwei had done it in a very clever way. For example, one was a memorial to the children lost in an earthquake, represented by red seals typically found on Chinese paintings, with one seal per child. This artwork gave N some hope about modernist art. However, the highlight of his experience was when he entered an Oxfam shop, and there was a record playing of the Goldberg Variations, and it was just beautiful, and lifted him to a totally different world. He said to the person, he was sorry to interrupt the record, because he was going to buy it. He bought the record, and had been listening to it a lot. Somehow it was like fresh water. It was so cleansing and good for the spirit.

• Responses

  Responding to N and T, L said the art they had witnessed was like a chess beginner writing about a master game in terms of the colours daubed on the pieces. He questioned the necessity of imposing environmental or ideological themes onto artistic creations. Objective art did not need to be accompanied by explanations or justifications. N had not required an explanation to appreciate the mathematical beauty of Bach's Goldberg Variations. Similarly, classical paintings did not require reasons or explanations. L suggested that art was like solving complex puzzles of shade, perspective, harmony or counterpoint. It operated on its own terms, transcending extraneous narratives.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  For instance, at the beginning of the contemporary European civilization one of these beings, a certain monk named Ignatius, who had formerly been an architect, attained even to the possibility of deciphering the hidden knowledge and useful information in the productions of almost all the branches of what was already called ‘ancient’ art, which had reached him from the Babylonian epoch.

  ...when he reached the age of a responsible being, ... he left for the continent of Africa. And just he it was who entered as a monk into the ‘brotherhood’ which existed on that continent Africa, under the name of the ‘Truth Seekers’; and afterwards, when this brotherhood migrated to the continent Europe and increased, and when its brethren began to be called ‘Benedictines,’ he himself was already an ‘All-the-Rights-Possessing-Brother’ of this said brotherhood...

• Discussion

  L commented on the parallel between the journey of Ignatius and the legend of Ulysses, who both undertook long journerys and returned changed.

• Passage

  Hence it is that at the present time there exists among these contemporary professions a great many ‘new movements’ of painting which have arisen in this way and which have nothing in common among themselves. These new movements of painting are known there by the names of ‘cubism,’ ‘futurism,’ ‘synthesism,’ ‘imagism,’ ‘impressionism,’ ‘colorism,’ ‘formalism,’ ‘surrealism,’ and many other similar movements, whose names also end in ‘ism.’

  At this place in Beelzebub’s tale the hoofs of all the passengers of the transspace ship Karnak suddenly, as it were, radiated from themselves something phosphorescent.

  This meant that the ship Karnak was nearing the place of her destination, that is the planet Revozvradendr. Hence, a bustling movement began among the passengers preparing to descend from the ship.

  ...The phosphorescent gleaming of the hoofs was obtained because, concentrated in a particular proportion, there were directed from the engine room to that part of the ship the holy parts of the sacred Omnipresent Okidanokh.

• Discussion

  N mentioned that movements such as Cubism and Futurism were significant during the 1930s when Gurdjieff was penning his writings, and that we are still ensnared in the artistic deterioration described in the book.

  T said the phosphorescent sparks emanating from the hooves were a reminder of Beelzebub's devilish character.

Strokes and Folks

Reflections on the Challenge

When you spot something around you that seems not exactly right, consider what the reason might be, observing your emotions as you do so. Then stroke your arm.

• Experiences

  N had been to the Rosetti exhibition at the Tate. He looked round the pictures, and read the poetry. thought it was all very nice, but a bit false. It was medeivalism carried to the extreme. The colours weren't real. He would much rather look at Renaissance paintings than look at these which were almost like the kind of illustrations you see in children's books, which are overly colourful, but you would not see colours like that in the real world. Some of the poetry was the same, and he left the exhibition feeling a little bit disappointed.

  T had booked accommodation for a trip in the summer, and she had recently received a message that it was no longer available due to a family crisis. She had felt very disappointed - it was like a line of falling dominoes, with the actions of one individual setting off a chain reaction. It felt small on one level, but it was only after writing it down, which helped her process the experience, that she remembered to stroke her arm, and she realised that the gesture was comforting.

  With L it was usually noticing things happening in the worldL Firstly, a tourist boat had capsized in Kerala, India. It didn't seem right to him that such a thing should happen, and he had to consider what the reasons might be. He thought the reason was human action. The boat was carrying twice the permitted number of passengers, which L attributed to greed, and possibly a lack of courage to enforce the rules due to competition. His emotional reaction was sadness. Another incident was a bus accident in South America, where a bus went off the road, crashed into beehives, and the survivors were attacked by bees. Most casualties were from bee stings. L again attributed human actions to this, such as careless driving and irresponsible bee breeding practices.

• Responses

  Responding to L, T said the signiifcance of human error was often overlooked. She suggested it was a matter of 'criminal carelessness', quoting the phrase from Beelzebub's Tales. She mentioned the Buddhist concept of 'Right Action and Wrong Action', indicating the fundamental importance of making correct decisions to prevent such unfortunate events.

  She also said that Cezanne had written about sensory inaccuracies in painting, and drew parallels with N's experience at the Rosetti exhibition. She thought that the perceived inexactitude in art, such as the overly idealized portrayal by the Pre-Raphaelites or the work of Cezanne and Morandi, might be a deliberate attempt to awaken the viewer.

Beelzebub’s Tales, Chapter 30 cont.

With acknowledgements to Harold Good

• Passage

  Every kind of conscious production of the beings of the Babylonian period was gradually destroyed, partly owing to decay from time and partly owing to the processes of ‘reciprocal destruction,’ that is to say, to that degree of that psychosis of theirs called the ‘destruction-of-everything-existing-within-the-sphere-of-the-perception-of-visibility.’

  Thanks chiefly to these two causes, almost all the consciously actualized results of the learned beings of the Babylonian epoch gradually disappeared from the surface of that ill-fated planet and at such a tempo that after three of their centuries scarcely any of them were left...

• Discussion

  What stood out for L wa that the destruction was only of things that could be seen, whereas things that were not visible might be overlooked. When T first read it, she was thinking of the first or second world war where everything was destroyed, and the same was happening now in Ukraine. Considering visual modern art, the term was coined about a hundred years ago, and we revered those people, but now it had gone too far from its roots and there was no longer anything being communicated.

• Passage

  This branch which reached beings of contemporary times is called there ‘sacred dances.’

  And thanks to this branch alone, which survived from the period of the Babylonian learned beings, a very limited number of three-brained beings there now have the possibility, by means of certain conscious labors, to decipher and learn the information hidden in it and useful for their own Being.

  And the second mentioned branch which recently ceased to exist was that branch of the knowledge of the Babylonian learned beings which they called the ‘combination-of-different-tonalities-of-color’ and which the contemporary beings now call ‘painting.’...

• Discussion

  L said the discussion was specifically about the "sacred dances." N added that Gurdjieff, having studied dancers from around the world, understood dance as a language; these dances were akin to an alphabet. L said that when a modern choreographer created a dance with a narrative, possibly ideological, it could miss the essence of dance from Gurdjieff's perspective, which focused on transmission and fostering conscious change in the performers. T said modern dance seemed to have lost its connection to the grassroots traditions of folk and tribal dances.

• Passage

  It must also be noticed that in spite of all this, not a few of the still surviving productions of the Babylonian times reached the beings of the contemporary civilization, chiefly the beings breeding on the continent Europe. But these productions which reached the beings of this contemporary civilization—and not originals but only half-decayed copies made by their recent ancestors who had not become entirely what are called ‘plagiarists’—they simply, without suspecting the ‘well-of-wisdom’ concealed in them and without taking corresponding practicable measures, stuffed into what are called ‘museums’ where these old copies are gradually either totally destroyed or partially mutilated by frequent copyings from them, made by means of various eroding and oxidizing compositions as, for instance, ‘alabaster,’ ‘fish glue’ and so on, only so that the copyists might swagger before their friends or cheat their teachers, or achieve some other Hasnamussian aim.

• Discussion

  L commented on the point in the passage about items being stuffed into museums. He said there was a movement to return such items to their countries of origin, comparing this to disputes over the relics of saints. T added that these items, once removed from their cultural and community context, merely decay in the museum. L wondered whether this was perhaps the natural course of things, given the passage of time. T said the act of moving such items to museums was also a way of honouring them, even as it disconnected them from their original context. N agreed that the motive was preservation. N talked about his personal experience visiting Palmyra before it was destroyed and noted the cultural destruction that could happen under extremist regimes. T pointed out the primal, tribal instinct to destroy anything that is perceived as a threat to one's own identity or existence.