Awakening Through Anti-Mechanical Aim

Here are some suggestions of aim: Anything anti-mechanical is a temporary aim and helps us to awaken. All making of effort against mechanicalness is aim. Efforts made when you are tired are useful, if you yourself make them—not otherwise.

Aim must be made by everyone about wrong talking, negative talking, scandal, gossiping, which destroys the force of the Work in you. It is a form of lying—and lying can destroy essence itself. Try to notice what you say. If you cannot at the time, go through it afterwards. Try to see what you are like in your talking and think about this.

Maurice Nicoll, “Personal Aim” in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 1, p. 176)