Restoring Essence

Restoring Essence

We are each born with a certain essence, which includes our body type, center of gravity, and certain strengths and weaknesses. These characteristics include physical traits and psychological tendencies through which we experience the world. Essence is a part of the lower centers and certain attributes of essence may become educated, developed and more balanced over time, under certain special circumstances. Through self-remembering and guidance, essence can eventually grow into a tuned-up receiver of finer energy which in turn feeds our higher possibilities.

In order to obtain a connection between the lower and the higher centers, it is necessary to regulate and quicken the work of the lower centers. — P.D. Ouspensky

Ouspensky explains that the development of this innate part is blocked or covered over in childhood, as false personality takes over. False personality, which is everything we acquire from our parents, siblings, relatives, and friends that influences our upbringing, education, and social conditioning, is a mostly random construction or shield that blocks impressions from entering. Unfortunately, this artificial influence of personality blocks both useful and harmful influences.

Useful impressions can reach, effect and educate essence directly once we reduce the grasp of false personality and develop a true personality that can protect essence. In Schools, essence can be restored through self-remembering and by intentionally replacing false personality with an intentional true personality.

In life, essence is smothered by false personality. — The Teacher

To understand the need to uncover essence, it is somewhat like restoring the work of an old master painting to its original state so that the viewer can see more of the details and splendor as it was when it was freshly painted. The artwork has more possibilities of inspiring its viewers when restored. Underneath the aged and tarnished painting is the simplicity of essence.

An excerpt from a poem titled, Restoring Old Paintings by Theodora Goss:

And so the art restorer comesto lift it all away — the grime, the soot, the dirt,repair decay, repaint discolorationswhere a canvas was exposed to sunlightor humidity. It takes a particular eye,an ability to see and sensewhat is time, what is the artist,to restore what was to its (nearly)original splendor. There is something heroicin the endeavor, almost godlike.

There is a kind of arrogancethat drives us to deny the pastand process, a denialof death, even when it is our own,and inevitable. We like to thinkthat we too are precious works of art,that someday a Great Restorer will cometo strip away our old varnish, repairany rips in our canvas, returnus to what we once were,bright and freshas the artist’s vision.

A man's real I, his individuality, can grow only from his essence. — G.I. Gurdjieff

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Art Restoration