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Objective knowledge, the idea of unity included, belongs to objective consciousness. The forms which express this knowledge when perceived by subjective consciousness are inevitably distorted and, instead of truth, they create more and more delusions. With objective consciousness it is possible to see and feel the unity of everything. But for subjective consciousness the world is split up into millions of separate and unconnected phenomena. Attempts to connect these phenomena into some sort of system in a scientific or philosophical way lead to nothing because man cannot reconstruct the idea of the whole starting from separate facts and they cannot divine the principles of the division of the whole without knowing the laws upon which this division is based.

G. I. Gurdjieff#26

ConsciousnessPhilosophySystemsUnity

About this quote

What does it mean?
Objective consciousness perceives unity, while subjective consciousness fragments reality, leading to delusion.
In plain terms
Seeing the whole requires objective awareness; personal views split reality into pieces.
What can you take from it?
Strive for objective awareness to grasp unity.

Where it applies

  • scientific research
  • spiritual practice

Putting it to work

  • meditate on oneness
  • study systems thinking

Questions to consider

  • How can I balance subjective and objective views?
  • What methods help reveal unity?

Another view

Complete objectivity may be unattainable.

More from G. I. Gurdjieff

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  3. The being of two people can differ from one another more than the being of a mineral and of an animal. This is exactly what people do not understand. And they …

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