Naivety and Denying Force

Cat & Dragon Tatoo - Credit to Whoever credit is due

 

I have been studying denying force for many years in my own life because early in the work I realized that a feature of naivety prevents me mechanically from seeing denying force (for example ‘reading the room,’ seeing other peoples reactions, pausing, not just blundering on ahead blissfully ignorant). Mechanically we can try to map out something—for example if I do A then B or C will happen. But if we cannot see our own mechanics, our part in the play from the position of ‘the observer’ or ‘the witness,’ then we are under the law of our own actions and their effects. I try to introduce intentional awareness into daily life. In the past many problems occurred, making self remembering and staying in the present moment difficult as there were many surprising, unexpected, and difficult events. One memorable photograph from Mervyn was a short conversation we had that I remember years later.
Mervyn: “Beth, you think everyone can self-remember don’t you.”
It was a statement not a question.
Beth: “Oh yes Mervyn, of course I do.”

By understanding our mechanical reactions it's often a very individual process. Some denying force is natural for all.

Reducing denying force can reduce inner considering, imagination, fear, and mechanical tendencies that cause identification and loss of presence.

Everyone has their own personal denying forces that can be thought about and planned for in advance. So knowledge of the mechanics can be important to reduce and allow for denying forces, increasing the likelihood of keeping presence in the moment. The Buddha was quoted to have said “When you eat, eat. When you sleep, sleep. When you walk, walk." In presence, moment by moment.

We often clearly see what is denying force for others, and they see it in us, but seeing the denying force we create in ourselves is more difficult. This is where photographs offered by other students can help. Maybe not at the time, but later a friendly text, email, or phone call may come. They give us a great gift when they feel able to pass on a photograph that will be received with gratitude.

 

Exerpts from Chatzy Sunday Global Meeting Feb 2026 by MK 

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I Think...

Roy Lichtenstein

I think we can think of identification 

in terms of strength, frequency, 

and duration of the identification. 

If I don't make efforts 

to divide my attention throughout the day, 

all those will be long and breaking away from them, 

very difficult. 

Being a good householder: 

making efforts to divide our attention, 

to feed our soul, 

will make it easy to walk away 

from a moment of identification.

~T

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Identifying...

 

Rene Magritte

"Identifying or "identification" is a curious state 

in which man passes more than half of his life. 

He identifies with everything: 

with what he says, what he feels, what he believes, 

what he does not believe, what he wishes, 

what he does not wish, what attracts him, 

what repels him. Everything absorbs him, 

and he cannot separate himself from the idea, 

the feeling, or the object that absorbed him. 

This means that in the state of identification 

man is incapable of looking impartially 

on the object of his identification. 

It is difficult to find the smallest thing 

with which man is unable to "identify". 

At the same time, 

in a state of identification 

man has less control over his mechanical reaction 

than at any other time. 

Such manifestations as lying, imagination, 

the expression of negative emotions, 

and constant talking need identification. 

They cannot exist without identification. 

If man could get rid of identification, 

he could get rid of many useless and foolish manifestations."

~P.D. Ouspensky

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The Tempest

The Tempest - John William Waterhouse, 1916

O! I have suffered. With those that I saw suffer! 

- Miranda- William Shakespeare

Do not pray for strength 

Pray to be pierced 

Pray to be opened 

And willingly offer your pain 

In exchange for the birth of your Soul. 

No quarter must be given.

Mervyn Brady

"When we suffer, it is as though we are on a stormy ship at sea. 

In an ordinary state of mind, it is hell, the waves are relentless. 

Men are thrown overboard, the ship threatens to sink. 

Hopelessness sets in. Feelings of doom. 

No one can help. We withdraw into tears of sadness, 

wanting to be left alone in a pool of pity.

Surrender and yield to the natural flow of your life. 

Stop resisting.

Your pain arrives like a dark cloud, resting as a 

heavy weight on your chest. Take a moment. 

Breathe in the crisp air of suffering. Let it fill your lungs. 

Allow it to infuse every cell of your body. 

The philosopher knows he or she cannot do much against nature. 

This is the Tempest, the dark night of your soul."

(...)

"You begin to realize that you are here and present. 

Feelings of hope awaken within...Like the weather, 

life in the creature world is ever changing. One day soon, 

the clouds will dissipate; rays of sunlight begin to peer through. 

Eventually the storm quiets, silence sets in. The calm after the storm.

Tears of joy fill your eyes. Your heart fills with love of 

God and mankind. You have nothing left, yet you 

have everything. You are blessed to be alive. 

With radiance from your heart and soul you desire 

to share your joy with others."

~Lauren - excepts from a hand written note

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There Is A Phase...

 

There is a phase 

when one has to go away from external knowledge, 

and find everything in oneself. 

~ Rodney Collin, Theory of Conscious Harmony

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Aligning with Higher Energies

AI Gemini Generated Image

How to align with higher energies?

For me this is a key:

Every day I wake up, and the question is 

what is my main third force? 

Is it to achieve what my life desires for that day? 

Or is it to remember myself? 

If it is the latter I can look on denying 

force and setbacks in terms of life goals 

as a reminder of how changeable life is and 

that my main desire [is] to remember myself. 

To remember how life is like the moon, 

always changing. 

~J

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In The Inner Stillness...

 

“In the inner stillness where meditation leads, 

the Spirit secretly anoints the soul 

and heals our deepest wounds.”

~St. John of the Cross

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Recently I Have Observed...

 

Dave Gray

Recently I have observed that some "I” 

comes from a combination of our features 

and center of gravity.  

Then when one finds out they weren't real, 

it can come as quite a surprise. 

I remember Mervyn 

used to have a little cartoon cut of himself, 

attached to his computer, 

with a note that said “my I’s aren't real 

therefore I am.”

~J

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Love Under All Conditions

There are people who wish to enjoy God

and his highest manifestation, Love, 

but often only in one way and not in another.

They only wish to possess God or Love through

one sense of devotion but not another.

Whoever wants to receive God or Love

must receive them equally in all ways,

under all conditions, in tears as in joy.

Always and Everywhere. 

To presume otherwise would be for the creature

to dictate to the creator, the source of all things 

higher and lower.

Our roles are to the bring the Creator

and the Creature together and to everyone

who introduces his mother to his future mother in law.

The enormous difficulty of this must be obvious.

C influence works on us from within and evokes the Soul.

People work on us from without and evoke mechanics.

Mervyn Brady - Undated

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The Moments...

 

AI Image

"The moments of real suffering are very short, 

but we do sometimes have a sudden vision 

of what we are really like 

and that is great suffering, 

but there is a curious thing about it: 

it can turn to a kind of BLISS…

after the suffering you have bliss. 

There are not so many moments, 

but they are precious and they stand out." 

~Maurice Nicoll

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Being Metamorphosis

Gemini Ai Generated

Recently, I had an experience where I saw

a familiar scenario unfolding, and then

suddenly it was as if I used the "stop" exercise,

and everything rearranged itself into a

different view, a new meaning.

And I could make the choice to act in a

different way, responding to a better level

of understanding. And in a few words,

I was able to diffuse a possible argument

I might have had, and give a deeper more

compassionate response, which went in a

very productive direction.

An example, perhaps, of new being?

Born of long observation, perhaps?

All of a sudden the pieces of the kaleidoscope

fell into a lovely pattern of understanding,

and the possible struggle was released into a

new realm of action through this new understanding.

Maurice Nicoll would say that the new

understanding (metanoia) gave birth to

being (metamorphosis.)

~J

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EXTERNAL CONSIDERING

“EXTERNAL CONSIDERING" I have taken it

as a phrase for so long but actually became 

so excited to see it really happening in real 

present time! 

I am remembering something that happened 

the other day with someone in life and 

it was a lovely photograph. As I opened 

to this person that was complaining bitterly 

about a few things, my personality became 

invisible, and a sense of BEING, my truer self, 

surrounded me like an invisible circle and 

then I felt it go towards that person and 

include them in it.

It really felt as if just this gift of presence 

was releasing them and freeing them from 

their I'S and allowing a flow of 'inclusivity" 

of warmness. 

As often is the case, I didn’t see it then in the moment. 

I did feel it though. It was later as I reflected 

on this situation that the realization occurred 

by being silent within, maybe smiling or nodding, 

not looking or seeming like I’m "intriguing or different". 

I am allowing and giving space for that person to 

"ADJUST" THEMSELVES.

~C

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For Me...

 

For me, 

the body is the aspect of myself 

that only comes slowly into focus, 

unless I am making conscious efforts. 

I tend to pay attention to my body 

only when it calls out to me in pain, 

or tiredness, or hunger. 

I focus first of all on my mind, 

my plans, my wishes for the day. 

Then I begin to see the beauty around me, 

and my emotional connections to those I love. 

This is so beautiful. 

But often it stops there. 

The body gets left behind, I am incomplete. 

Now I see t

hat I need to change the order of my attentions, 

switch the triad. 

~J

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Let Nothing Disturb Thee...

 

Mervyn Brady & Dhyan Pavitra Carilú Navarro 

Let Nothing disturb thee;

Let Nothing dismay thee;

All things pass;

God never changes.

Patience attains all that it 

strives for.

He who has God finds he

lacks nothing:

God alone suffices.

~ St. Teresa of Avila

https://youtu.be/ek2Tg5hN52Y

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Emptying our Cup

Image Source: PixaBay - Artist: educadormarcossv

At a recent meeting a student made a lovely 

invitation to empty our cup using our own words, 

reducing the need for quotes. At first, perhaps, 

our words might not resonate as deep and beautiful 

as quotes written by conscious Beings and 

edited each time a new book was published. 

But it will provide a venue for our souls to empty 

their cup. Hence, here is my attempt at 

emptying my cup in my own words:

Oh Lord, how can I reach Thee?

As it feels like all the psalms have already been written and 

all the prayers have already been spoken,

What can I contribute to Thee?

Can I share that the willow grows in my backyard,

and that a moment of sunset was shared 

between a hawk, my dog, and I?

Or tell you that at times I lose myself trying to find you

in the immense garden of your teachings?

and yet you respond, empty your cup,

share an observation in a prayer, 

empty your cup to find me, 

I live and rest within you

~T

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I Have To See...

 

AI generated image

“I have to see that the thought “I” 

is the greatest obstacle 

to consciousness of myself. 

Everything I know through my senses has a name. 

I am encumbered by names, 

which become more important 

than the things themselves. 

I name myself “I,” 

and in doing it as if I knew myself, 

I am accepting a thought 

that keeps me in ignorance. 

If I learn to separate myself from names, 

from thoughts, 

little by little I will come to know 

the nature of the mind 

and lift the veil it casts over me.”

~ Jeanne De Salzmann, The Reality of Being: The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff

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As I Awake...

 

Rene Magritte

 As I awake to my precious day 

how do I connect? 

Bring meaning?

Often it begins 

with a separating from lower functions, 

just observing without judgement. 

I feed the cat, get coffee, 

stretch and feel my physical body. 

Today I sat for a moment in the garden, 

and I see the sun rising in the East. 

I remember the feeling of going to bed last night 

and looking at the stars and the moon, 

the coolness of the air now replaced by gradual heat. 

Then, if those efforts go on, 

my emotional center develops a picture 

and a greater connection, 

I can go above myself 

and see that I am part of a whole. 

My soul is in a field each day digging, 

planting, pulling up weeds, 

connecting and realizing I am not alone in this field - 

my body my life is totally dependent 

on all that is connected, all impressions, 

all forces acting on me, 

on every center in my being.

I see the faces of students 

bobbing up amongst flowers and grasses, 

and emotionally this helps me to know 

that there is a cultivation happening, 

an aim to work together and be like "Accumulators" 

or special forces for one another. 

This picture helps my emotional center 

to open further to presence 

and a quieter state of acceptance of "What just is" 

in this day in my life. 

When I have an "Aim" 

to be more emotional and connect, 

I notice the small "I's" disappear.

~C

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Germinating and Blooming!

 

Pixabay Image modified using Gemini AI

One of the central things Mervyn taught,

and still teaches us, is the importance of

taking in impressions in a conscious way—

staying with them long enough to invite the

experience of higher worlds. ~J

“I see now that my childhood was magical 

and beautiful. When I was sitting in the 

park, in St. Stephen's Green, God was with me. 

Sitting on the grass, looking at the 

Divine arrangement of flowers and the 

diverse assortment of people in all their 

craziness, I was observing a replica of the 

universe. The smells and fragrances 

represented molecular matter. I imagined 

that they had been like me, blossoming, 

coming into being, in darkness. Like the roses, 

unaware of my possibilities, I only saw darkness. 

But I had actually been germinating, 

preparing to spring forward into life.

How could a rose bush possibly expect 

the arrival of a rose? Yet one day, it blooms, 

an explosion of life and color bursting from 

its dark twig interior. The stem must be staggered 

by its own beauty. Then an unimaginable, 

glorious scent emerges - the Soul. Its molecular 

form rises towards heaven, leaving the 

earthbound shrub staring agape at its own 

incomprehensible beauty."

Mervyn Brady - Smelling the Roses

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