THE TYRANT WITHIN An Effort to Serve Creation
194 pages, paperback euro 20.00 Available Now
The Tyrant Within
An effort to serve creation
The Tyrant Within chronicles what are claimed
to be the main observable, self-confirmable facts
behind one of life’s great mysteries. These revelations
indicate that an influence emanating from the dark side
of our psyche governs our every thought, feeling and act,
every decision, every reaction – but never in our best
interest.
It may be difficult at first to accept that this invisible element is an ineradicable
weakness in our – that is, everyone’s – nature that subconsciously we will do
anything to keep secret, even from our ‘conscious’ selves. Soon, however,
the reports of people’s observations of their inner life are likely to render
plausible such an obstacle to our, not only happiness, but even normality.
We are told that if we could separate from this harmful power our lives would
improve dramatically. But how to tackle an invisible force? Paradoxically, the Tyrant
itself makes this possible. Fourth Way founder Georgii Gurdjieff taught that this hidden,
powerful ‘weakness’ devises a deceptive alter ego as its public face – though this
persona is not as apparent to the person concerned as to his or her fellows.
However, persistent self-observation can disclose personal idiosyncrasies produced
by this alter ego that can be traced to the ruling influence. Gurdjieff termed the
false persona Chief Feature, and revealed how it could be recognised.
The poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe demonstrates in his masterpiece, Faust, an intuitive understanding of Chief Feature, sometimes regarded as a devil. When Faust asks
Mephistopheles who he is, the tempter sets him a riddle:
‘Part of a power that would/ Alone work evil, but engenders good.’
The Lord explains that, since ‘Man’s efforts sink below his proper level,’
‘I send this fellow, who must goad and tease/ And toil to serve creation, though a devil.’
This book reports Fourth Way teachers’ techniques of working on Chief Feature
so as to serve creation and, personally, to attain a proper level of Being.
Bookcover: Faust (right) and Mephistopheles on a 19th century engraving.
The Tyrant Within