I would like to speak briefly once more about pictures. When a man or a woman has a strong picture of themselves they are liable to be vexed by life. A picture of oneself is a fixed form of imagination about oneself. We have to accept the opposite side of ourselves, or the dark side, which simply means the side that we are not properly conscious of and do not accept.

A great deal of work has to be done for many years just exactly on this point. This is a very useful place to work on because it brings into the light of consciousness, through self-observation, knowledge of yourself that contradicts the pictures of yourself that have hitherto had power over you.

It is well worth while in the great discipline of self-observation to notice very carefully what vexes you, what destroys such happiness as you are capable of experiencing. When you have made a good observation, try to find out whether it is due to a picture of yourself that was not satisfied by the behavior of someone, or a role that you turned on that met with no praise, or an attitude that was completely useless.

Maurice Nicoll, “Note on Second Body” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 3, p. 929-930). Condensed quote.