Dear readers and friends, This week’s post is a jubilant announcement that my Memoir is out! Real People: At the Pinnacle with Irmis Popoff and the Second Basic Course with J.G. Bennett, A Memoir, is now available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Real-People-Pinnacle-Sherborne-Bennett/dp/1954744706 Real People Synopsis In today’s world of political and climate instability, Real People tells the story of … Read more
What does Gurdjieff mean when he talks about becoming a “real” human being? One of Bennett’s goals for students at Sherborne House was to learn how to work at becoming such a person. My wish to meet “real people” and be “real” myself drew me in part to Bennett’s ten-month residential course at Sherborne. But … Read more
Gurdjieff presents as yet another old white man whose language, culture and message are woefully out of date in today’s world. Say it ain’t so, Joe! Well, from where I sit it is and it isn’t. First, Gurdjieff’s dad was Armenian, and his mom was Greek. He grew up in the Caucasus, so he certainly … Read more
How do I even approach paying the debt of my existence as Gurdjieff exhorts us to do? I’ve never been clear on how to see my way there. Recently, I sense that space between being aware of myself and losing awareness is the chasm to work within. It doesn’t matter how far apart or close … Read more
Law of Three Why is Denying Force holy? Gurdjieff teaches about the Law of Three, sometimes referring to it as Holy Affirming, Holy Denying, Holy Reconciling. Bennett, in Deeper Man, digs into the law as triads, breaking down and reconfiguring the interactions between Active, Passive (or receptive) and Reconciling forces. I’ve studied triads, experienced moments … Read more
How do I pay the debt of my existence? Gurdjieff clearly puts the need to do this in front of us in All and Everything. But what does it mean and how am I to do it and how will I know if I’ve done it? I’ve wondered about this for years, thinking it must … Read more
This little light of mine, I’m gonna make it shine… The other day I caught myself wondering what earthly good my little inner-work efforts are, anyway? I see the suffering from war in Ukraine. I’m aware of the interwoven cultural-historical relationship between Russian and Ukraine, an obvious cause for anguish with many international families. Close … Read more
What do I mean, juicy? In last week’s post, I spoke of wanting to be “a juicy tidbit” as food for the universe. Or whatever it is that is higher and “eats” me. What do I mean by that? I noticed that the food on my plate nourishes something in me just by looking fresh, … Read more
The reality of trying to line myself up on the fly to remember a specific inner task is this: It didn’t work but it gave an insight. Last week I wrote a high falutin’ blog piece about Feeling I; Sensing Am. Contemplating this post during my morning’s jog, I remembered the task I’d recently suggested, … Read more
“I” is a feeling, “Am” is a sensation in the I Am exercise as I’ve newly rediscovered. On our course at Sherborne I was introduced to stops during practical work. We would pause from our physical labor, be it gardening or construction or cutting wood, breath in “I” and exhale “Am.” I remember breathing in, centering … Read more