The evolution of man is the evolution of his consciousness, and 'consciousness' cannot evolve unconsciously. The evolution of man is the evolution of his will, and 'will' cannot evolve involuntarily.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
Try to understand what I am saying: everything is dependent on everything else, everything is connected, nothing is separate. Therefore everything is going in the only way it can go. If people were different everything would be different. They are what they are, so everything is as it is.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and how the state of existence is shaped by relationships and dependencies.
G. I. Gurdjieff's quote reflects the philosophical idea that everything in the universe is interconnected and that the current state of events is a result of these complex interdependencies. He suggests that if individuals were different, the world would also be different, implying that our existence and the world around us are not isolated but rather a web of relationships that influence one another.
Themes
InterconnectednessExistenceDependenceChangePhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on environmental issues, one might say, 'As Gurdjieff points out, everything is connected, so our actions impact not just the local community but the entire planet.'
More from G. I. Gurdjieff
All quotes →Conscious faith is freedom. Emotional faith is slavery. Mechanical faith is foolishness.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
Remember you come here having already understood the necessity of struggling with yourself — only with yourself. Therefore thank everyone who gives you the opportunity.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
It is the greatest mistake to think that man is always one and the same. A man is never the same for long. He is continually changing. He seldom remains the same even for half an hour.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
Laughter relieves us of superfluous energy, which, if it remained unused, might become negative, that is, poison. Laughter is the antidote.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
If a man could understand all the horror of the lives of ordinary people who are turning around in a circle of insignificant interests and insignificant aims, if he could understand what they are losing, he would understand that there can only be one thing that is serious for him - to escape from the general law, to be free. What can be serious for a man in prison who is condemned to death? Only one thing: How to save himself, how to escape: nothing else is serious.
G. I. GurdjieffRead
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