Impressions: Words Matter

Impressions: Words Matter

“Learn to separate the fine from the coarse.”─ Hermes Trismegistus

In the life and maintenance of our biological existence, the lower self is almost exclusively concerned with the process of physical, ordinary food to nurture the human organism; and yet, no amount of this food could sustain us without the air we breathe. One might say ordinary food and air are the “coarser” substances that the human organism needs for existence, and the “factory” of the lower self is absorbed in sustaining itself from these two foods. A third, finer level of food which the Fourth Way refers to as “impressions” is also necessary, and this is especially vital for feeding and awakening higher centers.

“All the fine substances necessary for the growth and feeding of the higher bodies must be produced within the physical organism, and the physical organism is able to produce them provided the human factory is working properly and economically.” ─ P.D. Ouspensky

In my daily life, I regularly feed myself ordinary foods which are important for sustaining and maintaining my physical health. Once my “factory is working properly and economically,” I must make additional efforts to feed myself fine impressions from nature, art, music, inspiring words of poetry, philosophy, etc., in order to feed higher centers. Without this further endeavor and finer food, I am not able to fuel my budding higher centers.

“There is, however, a possibility of increasing the output [by] a certain kind of effort made at the moment of receiving an impression. If a man tries to remember himself, every impression he receives while remembering himself, will, so to speak, be doubled. Efforts to remember oneself, observation of oneself at the moment of receiving an impression, all this taken together doubles the intensity of the impressions … This however is obtained only by making a conscious effort at the moment an impression is received.” ─ P.D. Ouspensky

I read a description of viewing one of Rembrandt’s self-portraits which left an “impression” on me. The author of the article “Being Seen By Rembrandt,” Gerald Grow, described:

“You start by looking at the portrait. You end with the portrait showing you who you are by what you bring out from the painting – as if Rembrandt were painting your portrait. As you immerse yourself in this painting, it becomes a dual self-portrait – not only of Rembrandt, but also of you. It then offers you one of the great experiences of art – the experience of being seen by Rembrandt.”

Rembrandt’s self-portraits are examples of conscious higher influences being transported through time from the painter to the viewer. Self-remembering doubles the intensity of the experience and feeds higher centers and Mr. Grow’s description suggests that his experience was transcendent for him, too.

Being present to impressions such as nature, art, dance, and music are not complicated to grasp. My current personal focus is in trying to self-remember while reading and speaking, and observing how language and assembling words together can be an impression for myself and to those with whom I’m speaking. I am currently reading a book written by Douglas Hofstadter, who explores the idea of words as symbols in our brain. He describes these symbols as dormant most of the time, but that “every symbol in our brain’s repertoire is potentially triggerable at any time.” Trying to remember myself while speaking reminds me to use meaningful words that might have the effect of triggering myself and the listener to think in new ways, in new parts of our minds or simply raise the conversation to a higher level. Poetry is a very good example. The words are intentionally chosen with potency to deliver to the reader an emotional energy that the poet had in mind. In this way, poetry not only conveys meaning, but triggers an emotional response which has a powerful effect on its audience and is doubled in intensity by self-remembering, “by making a conscious effort at the moment” we read, speak, or hear it.

“Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence.”― Pythagoras

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Illuminated Human Alphabet from the Heures de Charles d'Angoulême , 15th Century