Beyond Automation

Beyond Automation

Two weeks ago, 32 practitioners of the Old New Method convened in Rome for a week-long gathering. It has long been our tradition to meet twice each year in different locations around the world, particularly places of historic relevance to our teaching.

Identification

Identification

Identification is one of the most pervasive and limiting features of our psychology. It occurs when we become wholly absorbed in whatever captures our attention, losing ourselves in the process. This abandonment of our sense of self is diametrically opposed to self-remembering. Self-remembering is precisely the attempt to experience both the ‘I’ and the ‘here’ of ‘I am here.’

Gurdjieff’s Enneagram

Gurdjieff’s Enneagram

Join us to explore the connection between celestial bodies and human temperament. This cosmic knowledge originated with ancient Mesopotamian priest-astronomers who first observed planetary movements as divine patterns influencing human affairs. The seven celestial bodies—Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn—were each considered to govern distinct aspects of human character, creating recognizable psychological types. These types are still embedded in our language as “mercurial,” “jovial,” or “saturnine.”

Rome 2025

Rome 2025

Rome reveals itself in layers, like an archaeological excavation of time. The magnificent Baroque and Renaissance monuments that dominate the city’s skyline give way to earlier Christian churches below, which themselves were often built directly on top of Roman temples and civic structures.

Ending 2024

Ending 2024

In December, the farmer brings the year’s harvest to the table for the end-of-year feast, recalling the labors that made this moment possible. Looking back through the seasons at the many efforts invested, some always stand out in bold outline because they were especially joyful, difficult, or both. The same holds true for this past year in our school.

Self-Remembering

Self-Remembering

During this three-day gathering, we will explore both the theoretical foundation and practical application of self-remembering, while examining the internal resistance that naturally arises when we attempt this work.

Using Theater

Using Theater

The great advantage of theater is that it presses knowledge into our entire being. Unlike academic study, which mostly engages our mental function, enactment must involve our emotional and physical functions as well. It is a powerful tool for understanding, and understanding is our most powerful agent for lasting change.

Playing a Role

Playing a Role

Inner farming pursues a radical aim: not mere character refinement, not the elimination of isolated habits, but a fundamental transformation of who we call ‘I’. This metamorphosis demands specific conditions, both internal and external—and among these catalysts, none proves more potent than voluntary suffering.

Esoteric Hinduism I

Esoteric Hinduism I

Towards the end of his life, Ouspensky came to realize that something was missing in the fourth way as he knew it. He felt he had stumbled across something significant in his travels through India before he met Gurdjieff. Following Ouspensky’s cue, we will delve into the rich tapestry of Hindu mythology and philosophy, seeking to discover how its cosmology and practices may be synthesized into a powerful tool for self-remembering.

Breaking the Glass Exercise

Breaking the Glass Exercise

The emotional center distorts our perception of the world by placing ourselves at its center. Misled by this bias, we take everything personally and experience feelings about situations that need not stimulate any feelings whatsoever.

India 2024

India 2024

Karnataka is a treasure trove of architectural marvels spanning centuries of history. The temples of this southern Indian state stand as silent witnesses to the development of religious streams in this region. From the intricate carvings of Hoysala temples to the grand Vijayanagara complexes, these structures showcase the diverse artistic styles that flourished over the ages.

Seekers versus Practitioners

Seekers versus Practitioners

A person in search of self-knowledge is called a Seeker. A seeker who puts self-knowledge into practice is called a Practitioner. Most seekers are reluctant to adopt a definite and grounded approach to their search, which means they continue seeking without ever finding.