a publication of Fellowship of Friends

Prolonging Presence

Self-remembering is possible in any moment that we remember to divide attention and be present. Yet, to actualize the full potential of self-remembering, we have to do more than try to be present occasionally. We need to prolong presence with the aim of making it more and more continuous.

As Mr. Ouspensky said, “Continuity is the main thing. Glimpses might happen, but continuity needs effort. If we want to have more prolonged periods of self-consciousness and not merely glimpses, we must understand that they cannot come by themselves, they need will action.” He was referring to the effort made by work ‘I’s to sustain self-remembering and prolong presence.

We often need only one work ‘I’ such as, “Divide attention” to bring us back to the present. But one is usually not enough to keep us there. To prolong presence, we need a series of work ‘I’s that together can overcome the momentum of imagination and mechanical ‘I’s. For example, we might generate a series of work ‘I’s such as, “Be present. Divide attention. Avoid imagination. Do not identify. Be where you are. See what is in front of you. Do not hurry past this moment.”

Work ‘I’s are not complicated or frantic. They are calm, clear, and steady. They patiently promote and prolong presence in the best way possible for the given circumstances. It is also important to understand that work ‘I’s themselves are not the state of presence they promote. In system language, work ‘I’s are intentional thoughts produced by intellectual parts of centers in an attempt to promote the wordless presence of higher centers.

Robert Earl Burton explains that the “Wheel of Fortune” card (X) in the tarot deck illustrates how mechanical ‘I’s turn in us and displace presence. He also says that work ‘I’s do just the opposite: they ‘turn’ in the other direction, not for their own sake but for the sake of promoting and prolonging presence. However, this never happens by itself. As soon as we stop making a conscious effort to generate work ‘I’s and be present, imagination immediately swings back in a mechanical direction and displaces presence.

While speaking about this recently, Mr. Burton quoted Hafiz who said, “Someone will steal you away if you do not stay near the Beloved.” Mr. Burton added, “When you are not promoting presence, you follow each ‘I’, each subject of imagination. Everything comes down to staying out of imagination moment to moment.”

Being present in one moment is surprisingly simple, yet prolonging presence moment to moment is very difficult, as it is supposed to be. This is what Rodney Collin meant when he wrote: “When one begins to see that one can only remember oneself for seconds at a time, it seems negligible. But what one must understand is that it is difficult exactly because it is the beginning of a new state for us, the key to a new world. If it were easy and if results came more quickly it could not have the importance which it has.”

The way we discover the importance of this ‘new world’ is to return again and again to self-remembering and then prolong presence as long as possible. Ibn Arabi said, “My heart clings to the door of the Divine Presence, waiting mindfully for what comes when the door is opened.”

   English        Deutsch      Español      Français

   Italiano       Magyar       Português     Russian

1— The foundation of the Fourth Way
• Self-remembering · divided attention · consciousness
• Man as a machine · the many ‘I’s
• Barriers to self-remembering · working in a school

2— The theory of centers (requires lecture 1)
• The 4 lower centers
• The sex center
• Higher centers
• The soul, the spirit

Forward this issue
Please forward the newsletter to anyone who may have an interest in learning more about the Fourth Way and the Fellowship of Friends.

Subscribe
Go to our sign up form.

Send us your comments
Is this newsletter helpful? Let us know on our response form.

See back issues

Unsubscribe
Use the ‘safely unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of the newsletter.