⥫ Gurdjieff Oskiano ⥭

Session 1: August 24th 2023 (@12.00pm CST)

The Language of The Work

Our need to relearn our language

Robin Bloor

When you encounter The Work you soon appreciate that you have much to learn. This is not only in respect of the fundamental ideas and theories. There is also the problem of the language we speak. Ouspensky writes:

… the place or the conditions where we are is called the place of confusion of tongues, because we all speak different languages. For this reason in a right school you first of all learn the language in which you can speak with other people in the school and then, using this language—if you use it in the right way —you will understand one another. That is why a new language is necessary. If you do not learn this language, or if the language is wrong, you will never understand one another.

Many people read these words but fail to understand what is meant. The truth is that a new language is indeed necessary. But what is that language? This talk seeks to provide and answer to this question. It discusses the following:

• The nature of human language and mentation.
• How we learn words – consonance.
• Language structures (Onotologies).
• Mentation by thought and mentation by form.
• The grammar of associations.
• The linguistic/grammatical structure of Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson.
• Allegory as a route to meaning.
• Words and Symbols
• How to change.

The aim of the talk is to help attendees understand their language limitations and how to change their primary mechanisms of understanding – the formatory apparatus.

The session will be in two parts, a talk which will last maybe 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A and open discussion. Sessions be recorded, and transcripts of the talk will be posted to the website for attendees to view at their leisure.