Man has no permanent and unchangeable I. Every thought, every mood, every desire, every sensation, says 'I'.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The self is not permanent; every mental event claims 'I'.
- In plain terms
- There is no fixed self; each thought, mood, desire, or sensation says 'I'.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize the fluidity of identity.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What feels constant about me?
- How does this view affect my relationships?
Another view
A core sense of self can provide stability.
More from G. I. Gurdjieff
One of man's important mistakes, one which must be remembered, is his illusion in regard to his I. Man such as we know him, the 'man-machine,' the man who cann…
Permalink to quote #21 Man has no individual I. But there are, instead, hundreds and thousands of separate small 'I's, very often entirely unknown to one another, never coming into c…
Permalink to quote #23 In speaking of evolution it is necessary to understand from the outset that no mechanical evolution is possible. The evolution of man is the evolution of his c…
Permalink to quote #20
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