The Currency of Conscious Work

Now in this Work, as it was once taught, we learn that before we can have something we must earn the cash to pay for it. In this Work we pay beforehand. How? By working on the Three Lines of Work—work on yourself, work in connection with others, and work for the Work itself. What is work on yourself? It is, in my case, work to make Dr. Nicoll passive. What is work with others ? It is exactly the magic power of external considering. What is work for the Work itself? It is to see, to understand, what we are trying to do, what direction is being given, what will help the Work itself.

Now some serve the Third Line of Work without being able to serve the First Line. Or again, some can serve the Second Line rather than the First and Third Lines. In any case, everyone in the Work can always serve one or the other. For instance, suppose you can serve the First Line—work on yourself privately—and it becomes stale, then think of how you might serve the Second Line—that is, not being hostile and negative to others in the Work.

Maurice Nicoll, "The Work-Teaching About Man as a Self-Developing Organism" in Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Vol. 4, p. 1260)