Naming

Naming

Naming our 'I's is a very useful method for separating from our identification with them.

Our tendency is to take every passing thought, emotion, and sensation as 'I', that is, our identity is lost in the 'I' of the moment. When we begin to observe ourselves according to the criteria of the Fourth Way system, we have already begun to separate; the seed of an observing principle has been planted. The Fourth Way gives us objective categories into which we can place any 'I' or group of 'I's that we observe in ourselves.

Instead of 'I am offended', we can say 'this is inner considering'. Instead of 'I am worried', 'this is fear feature'. 'I know what the government ought to do' becomes 'this is lying' (imagining that I know something I cannot).

Gurdjieff said that if we could truly see ourselves, there would be no need to go to the cinema. This is very practical. As we become accustomed to watching ourselves, we can indeed begin to experience our 'I's as characters in a show. These characters become very familiar, with recognizable and reliable habits and traits. Further 'naming' becomes possible.

For example, I often find myself having imaginary conversations in my head. I have seen a few characters in these inner dialogues. Sometimes, 'The Expert' is explaining things. Other times, 'Mr. Doom' is fretting about the state of the world. 'The Critic' carries on about all the things that everyone is doing wrong. 'The Preacher' tirelessly works to convince others of the right way of seeing things.

None of these characters is 'I'. By giving them names, 'I' am able to see them, to experience them as something separate and outside of my 'self'.

This can actually become a spatial experience. I noticed a group of 'I's that reliably arose every time I entered the front door of my house. One day, I happened to notice that those 'I's were not with me in the car on my way home. I concluded with a shock that they must actually be waiting for me at home, ready to pop out from behind the door as I walked in.

This produced a very profound sense of separation and, while I do not have a specific name for that particular group of 'I's, I can say with certainty that I can no longer call them 'I'.

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