SURE-ing
Doing with faith in order to understand
A re-posting that looks at an unusual comment of Gurdjieff’s - aiding reflections on the relationship between understanding, faith and doing.
These articles assume background knowledge of Gurdjieff's writings and the secondary literature. Please see Introduction and Bibliography for guidance, and for full citations of abbreviated references.
On explaining something about attention to Kathryn Hulme, Solita Solano, and the other members of “the Rope,” while reviewing an exercise he has given them, Gurdjieff says,
“But must NOT philosophize – very dangerous philosophize. Be simple like monk, a monk given a task. You do with Faith, not try Knowing (with head) but SURE-ing.” (touches his Solar plexus region).1
In trying to understand the ins and outs of Gurdjieff’s teaching and his language, especially here, with the focus on the mechanics, physiology, psychology and therapeutics that may be gleaned (and wrestled with), this seems worth keenly bearing in mind. His injunction not to philosophise, not to try to know with the head, but with “sure-ing,” is a difficult, but I feel necessary, balancing act together with this search for understanding. A theoretical basis is needed, of which Gurdjieff gives a partial and often seemingly contradictory exposition, not to mention that of his direct pupils. Repeatedly chewing this material in order to digest it, digging, pondering, gathering, are required persistent activities of the seeker of the sense of Gurdjieff’s teaching. But the head must not go off on its own.
Sometimes, Gurdjieff’s advice seems to be, first understand and then do.2 Elsewhere, we learn that “To understand, it is necessary to do – to have experience.”3