A man can only attain knowledge with the help of those who possess it. This must be understood from the very beginning. One must learn from him who knows.
George GurdjieffRead
A man is never the same for long. He is continually changing. He seldom remains the same even for half an hour.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the idea that a person's identity and thoughts are in constant flux, suggesting that change is an inherent part of being human.
George Gurdjieff highlights the fluid nature of human existence, emphasizing that individuals are not static beings. Our thoughts, emotions, and identities evolve continuously, indicating that the self is never constant but rather in a state of perpetual change, even within brief periods of time. This perspective encourages acceptance of change as a fundamental aspect of life.
In practice
In a discussion about personal growth, one could use this quote to illustrate how our experiences shape us constantly.
As the cleansing ocean closes over bin Laden's carcass, may the earth lie lightly on the countless graves of those he sentenced without compunction to be burned alive or dismembered in the street.
Physicians think they are doing something for you by labeling what you have as a disease
Every serious-minded person knows that a large part of the effort required in moral discipline consists in the courage needed to acknowledge the unpleasant consequences of one's past and present acts.
It is impossible to encircle the hips of a girl with my right arm and hold her smile in my left hand, then proceed to study the two items separately. Similarly, we can not separate life from living matter, in order to study only living matter and its reactions. Inevitably, studying living matter and its reactions, we study life itself
Personal identity seems like it's just such an American archetype, from Holly Golightly re-inventing herself in 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' to Jay Gatsby in 'The Great Gatsby.' It seems like the sort of archetypal American issue. If you're given the freedom to be anything, or be anyone, what do you do with it?
The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us, and carry out, in our ordinary conduct; the insignficances of daily life are the importances and the tests of eternity, because they prove what really is the spirit that possesses us.
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