What is Conscious Influence?

What is Conscious Influence?

In the Fourth Way tradition, George Gurdjieff, Peter Ouspensky and Rodney Collin use the term C Influence – Conscious Influence – to explain the concept of higher mind as a guiding force that arranges the fate of seekers.

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. — Shakespeare

At the time of their teachings and writings, Gurdjieff, Ouspensky and Collin were products of the industrial revolution. It was an era of scientific discovery, rapid technological and social change, and the introduction of mass production where machines began to replace the human workforce. What had been explained by beliefs of the past was now shifting toward mechanical or scientific explanation. The comparison of humans as a machine – a sleeping machine – and terms such as C Influence were used to give voice and clarity to the new language of the time.

What does “Influence C” mean but angels? It is a word designed for our scientific age. — The Teacher

Other names of C Influence – some still in common usage today – are angels, gods, conscious beings, deities, spirits, supernatural beings, divinities, etc. In the Fourth Way, the terms Conscious Influence, C Influence, Celestial Influence, and Higher Forces are essentially synonyms. These terms are designed to escape formatory mind and to bypass previous connotations and preconceived notions in their faith-based counterparts, such as angels and gods.

A man must be considered as the tool of a higher world-order, a vessel found worthy to receive divine influence. — Johann von Goethe

At the top of the Ray of Creation is unity – the Absolute or God. The Absolute’s direct influence does not reach us except by indirect way of Conscious Influence – C Influence. I understand C Influence as a conscious intercessor between humans and the Absolute (God). My Teacher reiterates that awakening is impossible to achieve without Influence C – without sacred celestial influence. This conscious influence is for people who wish to awaken fully.

No achievement of ours is as great as establishing a connection with Influence C. Compared to Influence C, our strength is hardly that of a sparrow. — The Teacher

Through self-remembering, self-observation and awareness, and the conscious influence of the Teacher, students verify C Influence. When circumstances, coincidences, synchronicities, and inexplicable twists of fate have occurred in my life so numerously that I cannot dismiss them to chance, it signals being guided by my “better angel” and a higher force is guiding my “play.” It gives me a jolt to be present and pay attention, and it is a verification of an invisible conscious influence helping me to awaken.

Various religious traditions emphasize awakening from sleep. The following quote is from the Christian tradition.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. —1 Corinthians

One of the beauties of the Fourth Way tradition is that it makes sense of all religions. The Fourth Way knowledge united with conscious influence has enhanced my understanding of my machine, my Self, and the spiritual tradition of my childhood as well as opening me to make sense of all religions of the world that were originally begun from a conscious source – C Influence. A conscious teacher began and guided every primary religion.

A teacher is an interpreter of Influence C. His duty is to do it as purely as possible. Follow Influence C every day to presence. — The Teacher

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Sun Temple, Modhera, Rajasthan