Evolution of Consciusness (34)-Conflict & Gurjeff Self-Remembering

CONFLICT & Gurdjieff's Self-Remembering

Conflict is normally perceived as a problem due to difference of opinions or views.

Conflicts can be at global, national, institutional or individual’s level.

But the common factor is disagreement over ideas, opinions etc.

Conflict resolution at global or institutional level is elaborate, complex and will persist

as long as conflict at individual level exists.

So, what is important is conflict that exists in an individual because it is the individuals

who collectively make the bigger entities.

Disagreement is inevitable.

It is obvious; no one can be right about everything every time.

But, why disagreement should create conflict.

Let us bring it down to simple form to understand its structure.

There are two kinds of opinions one come across- Objective and Subjective.

Regarding external entities (Car, House, Business, Decease etc…), one can have

Objective opinion based on one’s knowledge.

Regarding internal psychological entities (People, Religion, Culture etc…), one can have

Subjective opinion based on One’s Ego or the ‘Me’. 

In other words

One can have objective opinion in the physical plane and Subjective opinion in the Psychological plane.

Say for instance,

If one has a objective technical opinion about a Car, he is ready to change or give up the

opinion, if an expert in the field says it is not correct.

So, there is no conflict or antagonism in the mind over disagreement.

(Even here, if one has a ‘Self-Image’ (Psychological) that he is ‘Knowledgeable’, he may

accept the expert opinion, but feel down as if his ‘Ignorance’ is exposed and ‘Reputation’

is damaged.)

But generally one knows that his knowledge is limited and ready to change his Objective

opinion in the physical plane.

Now,

In the psychological plane, one’s opinion is subjective.

Opinion is based on the Ego or ‘Me’, rather created by it.

As we know,

The content of the ‘Me’ is acquired or learned from the society, and it includes everything

from background, brought up, culture, values, prejudices, past experiences etc.

All subjective opinions are dependent on this ‘Me’.

The problem is,

Though the content of the ‘Me’ or ‘Ego-Self’ is psychological ‘Knowledge’,

It manifests itself as a persona in our day to day engagements.

 (We have already seen this aspect in the earlier posts).

So,

If some one disagrees with a subjective opinion, it will be perceived as a personal challenge 

and the other will be looked upon as an antagonist.

‘Disagreement’ is not over the Opinion but with the ‘Me’ or ‘Ego’ – The Persona.

This false perception makes the ‘Disagreement’ into conflict leading to antagonism.

Say for instance,

If some one disagrees with one’s religious belief

This is perceived as a challenge to the person him self.

Religious belief is not looked upon as ‘knowledge’ but as identity of the Person.

So, the disagreement is not about an ‘opinion’ but the about the ‘identity’.

This transforms the disagreement into a conflict and to antagonism between individuals.

(This antagonism collectively leads to enmity between population groups.

The chaos we witness today has its origin here and one can also logically see that the

solution do not exist in the plane of ‘Belief’. )

How to deal with the situation (at individual level)

Now,

If one remember one self (Self-Remembering) during the episode of ‘disagreement’,

That is if one stays with the situation, without going beyond the situation

–        To the past for justification, to the future to end the conflict.

Initially the mind may stagger urging one to react and end the conflict by going beyond the present.

But, if one persists, the staggering mind will become quite and one can see the false

Personality and its motives with its roots in the ‘Belief’.

(It is false personality because a ‘Belief’ is an idea not actual or realized truth)

And also see the cause behind the attitude of antagonism.

That is,

 If ‘Disagreement’ is acknowledged,  the very existence of this false personality is at stake.

So it tries to defend itself by taking a hostile stance.

The moment one become conscious of this process, the mind stops the mechanical impulsive reaction

 and become stable and balanced.

One may not give up his belief, but hostility ceases.

Because, one can actually see that the ‘Self’ is not at stake over the issue.

By becoming conscious through Self-remembering, one is not immediately eliminating the identity, 

but  one gains control and depth in awareness.

This in turn reduces mechanical reaction and increases conscious response.

In general,

Not only beliefs but also images such as ‘Wife’ or ‘Husband’ can give rise to conflict,

If a ‘Woman’ or ‘Man’ do not fit into the ‘Image’ – which is a social construct.

If one becomes conscious of Images or Identities and their potential for mischief, one can

handle them rationally, without bias and avoid escalating a ‘disagreement’ in to a ‘Conflict’.

Now the larger picture,

If this is applied to all identities and images of one-self and others,

One can approach life not as a ‘conflict’ but as a journey (Pleasant or Otherwise)

 towards the True-Self.