I return to St. Petersburg, in the summer of 1916.
Soon after our group, or "preparatory group," had been formed, G. spoke to us about efforts in connection with the tasks he set before us.
"You must understand," he said, "that ordinary efforts do not count. Only super-efforts count. And so it is always and in everything. Those who do not wish to make super-efforts had better give up everything and take care of their health."
"Can not super-efforts be dangerous?" asked one of the audience who was usually particularly careful about his health.
"Of course they can," said G., "but it is better to die making efforts to awaken than to live in sleep. That's one thing. For another thing it is not so easy to die from efforts. We have much more strength than we think. But we never make use of it. You must understand one feature of the organization of the human machine.
"A very important role in the human machine is played by a certain kind of accumulator. There are two small accumulators near each center filled with the particular substance necessary for the work of the given center.
"In addition, there is in the organism a large accumulator which feeds the small ones. The small accumulators are connected together, and further, each of them is connected with the center next to which it stands, as well as with the large accumulator." G. drew a general diagram of the "human machine" and pointed out the positions of he large and small accumulators and the connections between them.
"Accumulators work in the following way," he said. "Let us suppose that a man is working or is reading a difficult book and trying to understand it, in which case several 'rolls' revolve in the thinking apparatus in his head. Or let us suppose that he is walking up a hill and is getting tired, in which case the 'rolls' revolve in the moving center. "
In the first instance the intellectual center, and in the second the moving center, draw the energy necessary for their work from the small accumulators. When an accumulator is nearly empty a man feels tired. He would like to stop, to sit down if he is walking, to think of something else if he is solving a difficult problem. But quite unexpectedly he feels an inflow of strength, and he is once more able to walk or to work. This means that the center has become connected with the second accumulator and is taking energy from it. Meanwhile the first accumulator is refilling with energy from the large accumulator. The work of the center goes on. The man continues to walk or to work. Sometimes a short rest is required to insure this connection. Sometimes a shock, sometimes an effort. Anyway, the work goes on. After a certain time the store of energy in the second accumulator also becomes exhausted. The man again feels tired. "
Again an external shock, or a short rest, or a cigarette, or an effort, and he is connected with the first accumulator. But it may easily happen that the center has drawn energy from the second accumulator so quickly that the first one has had no time to refill itself from the large accumulator, and has taken only half the energy it can hold; it is only half full. "
Having become reconnected with the first accumulator the center begins to draw energy from it, while the second accumulator becomes connected with and draws energy from the large accumulator. But this time the first accumulator was only half full. The center quickly exhausts its energy, and in the meantime the second accumulator has succeeded in getting only a quarter full. The center becomes
connected with it, swiftly exhausts all its energy, and connects once more with the first accumulator, and so on. After a certain time the organism is brought to such a state that neither of the small accumulators has a drop of energy left. This time the man feels really tired. He almost falls down, he almost drops asleep, or else his organism becomes affected, he starts a headache, palpitations begin, or he feels sick.
"Then suddenly, again a short rest, or an external shock, or an effort, brings a new flow of energy and the man is once more able to think, to walk, or to work.
"This means that the center has become connected directly to the large accumulator. The large accumulator contains an enormous amount of energy. Connected with the large accumulator a man is literally able to perform miracles. But of course, if the 'rolls' continue to turn and energy which is made from air, food, and impressions continues to pour out of the large accumulator faster than it pours in, then there comes a moment when the large accumulator is drained of all energy and the organism dies. But this happens very seldom. Usually the organism automatically stops working long before this. Special conditions are necessary to cause the organism to die exhausted of all its energy. In ordinary conditions a man will fall asleep or he will faint or he will develop some internal complication which will stop the work a long time before the real danger.
"One need not, therefore, be afraid of efforts; the danger of dying from them is not at all great. It is much easier to die from inaction, from laziness, and from the fear of making efforts.
"Our aim, on the contrary, is to learn to connect the necessary center with the large accumulator. So long as we are unable to do this, all our work will be wasted because we shall fall asleep before our efforts can give any kind of results.
"Small accumulators suffice for the ordinary, everyday work of life. But for work on oneself, for inner growth, and for the efforts which are required of a man who enters the way, the energy from these small accumulators is not enough.
"We must learn how to draw energy straight from the large accumulator. "This however is possible only with the help of the emotional center. It is essential that this be understood. The connection with the large accumulator can be effected only through the emotional center. The instinctive, moving, and intellectual centers, by themselves, can feed only on the small accumulators.
"This is precisely what people do not understand. Therefore their aim must be the development of the activity of the emotional center. The emotional center is an apparatus much more subtle than the intellectual center, particularly if we take into consideration the fact that in the whole of the intellectual center the only part that works is the formatory apparatus and that many things are quite inaccessible to the intellectual center. If anyone desires to know and to understand more than he actually knows and understands, he must remember that this new knowledge and this new understanding will come through the emotional center and not through the intellectual center."
我在1916年夏天回到圣彼德堡。
在我们的「预备团体」成立之后，葛吉夫告诉我们与他所交代任务有关的努力。
「你们必须了解，普通努力算不上什么，只有超级努力才算数，这道理放诸四海皆准那些不想付出超级努力的人最好赶快放弃，并注意他的身体健康。」
「超级努力不会危险吗？」一个很注意健康的听众问道。
「它们当然危险，」葛吉夫说，「但为了努力清醒而死去总比活在梦里好。话是这么说，从另一方面来看，因为努力而死还不容易呢。我们拥有的力量比我们以为的多太多了，但我们从来没去运用它。你们必须了解人这部机器组织中的一个特性。
「蓄能器在人体机器中扮演一个非常重要的角色，在每一个中心附近都有两个小蓄能器，里面装满了工作所需的特殊物质。（图41）
「此外，人体内还有一个大蓄能器，用来补充小蓄能器的不足。这两个小蓄能器彼此连接，各自又与附近的中心以及这个大蓄能器连接。」
葛吉夫画了一张「人体机器」的略图，然后指出大小蓄能器的位置以及彼此的关连。
「蓄能器以下列方式运作，让我们假想一下一个人正在工作，或正在阅读一本艰涩的书而苦思不已，在这种情况下他的脑中有几个『卷轴』正在理智中心周转。又让我们假想他因为爬山而感到疲倦，那么他有些『卷轴』在运动中心周转。「
第一例中的理智中心和第二例中的运动中心由小蓄能器中汲取工作所需的能。当第一个蓄能器中的能快要用完时，人就感到疲倦，如果他正在走路就会希望止步或坐下；如果他正在解决一个棘手的问题，就希望想想别的。但出乎意料之外他突然感到一股力量注入体内，他又可以走路或工作了。这就表示这个中心与第二个蓄能器连接上了，正从中汲取能量，同时第一个蓄能器正由大蓄能器再注满能量。所以这个中心可以继续工作下去，人可以继续走路或工作。有时片刻的休息是需要的，以确保这连接手续的完成。有时后需要一个冲击，有时则需要努力。不论如何，工作继续下去，过了一阵子第二个蓄能器也耗完存量，人就再度感到疲倦。
「再经过一个冲击、一阵休息、一根香烟或一次努力之后，他又与第一个蓄能器连上线了。但极可能人从第二个蓄能器汲取能量的速度太快，以至于第一个蓄能器只从大蓄能器中注满一半容量而已。
「一旦与第一个蓄能器重新连上线后，这个中心开始从中汲取能量，而第二个蓄能器也开始从大蓄能器中汲取能量。但因为这次第一个蓄能器只装到半满而已，所以很快就耗光了，而第二个蓄能器才装满四分之一而已，这中心立刻与它连上，很快又耗光能量。如此过了一段时间，人体两个蓄能器都耗完了容量，人就会变得非常疲倦，几乎瘫痪，倒头就睡，否则他的有机体会受到感染，开始觉得头痛、心悸或不舒服。
「再经过一阵休息、一个冲击、或一次努力之后，突然间一股新的能量又注入体内，他又能思考、走路或工作了。
「这表示这个中心已经直接连上了大蓄能器。大蓄能器蕴藏极多的能量，一旦连上大蓄能器，人几乎可以表演奇迹。当然，如果诸『卷轴』持续周转，而从空气、食物和印象所产生的能量从大蓄能器中涌出的速度大过涌入的话，大蓄能器终会耗尽所有能量，有机体便会死亡。但这状况很少发生，通常有机体在这之前就会自动停止运作。在某些特殊条件下有机体才会耗尽能量而死，一般状况中人通常会睡着、昏倒或产生一些并发症，使中心早在真正危险发生之前就停止运作。
「所以人不需要害怕努力，因为努力而死的机率小得可怜，反而是静止不动、懒惰以及害怕努力比较容易致死。
「相反的，我们的目标是把中心与大蓄能器连接。如果我们做不到，所下的工夫都会白费，因为在我们的努力能得到任何成果之前，我们又睡着了。
「小蓄能器足够应付一般日常工作，但为了要工作自己，为了内在成长以及进入第四道所需的努力，小蓄能器的能量就不够用了。
「我们必须学会如何从大蓄能器中直接汲取能量，这只有在情感中心的帮助下才能做到。了解这点很重要，只有经由情感中心才能与大蓄能器相连，本能、运动及理智中心本身只能使用小蓄能器的能量。
「这正是人们不了解的地方，所以他们的目标必须放在发展情感中心上。情感中心这装置远比理智中心精细巧妙，尤其是我们考虑到整个理智中心通常只有造型装置在工作，它对许多事物都不得其解。假如任何人想要知道更多，了解更多，他必须记住这些新知识和新了解会由情感中心，而不是理智中心，进入。」
除了有关蓄能器的说明外，葛吉夫还对打呵欠及发笑作了有趣的说明。
「在我们有机体中有两种功能无法从科学观点理解，虽然科学家并不承认它们不可解释，
我在1916年夏天回到圣彼德堡。
在我们的「预备团体」成立之后，葛吉夫告诉我们与他所交代任务有关的努力。
「你们必须了解，普通努力算不上什么，只有超级努力才算数，这道理放诸四海皆准那些不想付出超级努力的人最好赶快放弃，并注意他的身体健康。」
「超级努力不会危险吗？」一个很注意健康的听众问道。
「它们当然危险，」葛吉夫说，「但为了努力清醒而死去总比活在梦里好。话是这么说，从另一方面来看，因为努力而死还不容易呢。我们拥有的力量比我们以为的多太多了，但我们从来没去运用它。你们必须了解人这部机器组织中的一个特性。
「蓄能器在人体机器中扮演一个非常重要的角色，在每一个中心附近都有两个小蓄能器，里面装满了工作所需的特殊物质。（图41）
「此外，人体内还有一个大蓄能器，用来补充小蓄能器的不足。这两个小蓄能器彼此连接，各自又与附近的中心以及这个大蓄能器连接。」
葛吉夫画了一张「人体机器」的略图，然后指出大小蓄能器的位置以及彼此的关连。
「蓄能器以下列方式运作，让我们假想一下一个人正在工作，或正在阅读一本艰涩的书而苦思不已，在这种情况下他的脑中有几个『卷轴』正在理智中心周转。又让我们假想他因为爬山而感到疲倦，那么他有些『卷轴』在运动中心周转。「
第一例中的理智中心和第二例中的运动中心由小蓄能器中汲取工作所需的能。当第一个蓄能器中的能快要用完时，人就感到疲倦，如果他正在走路就会希望止步或坐下；如果他正在解决一个棘手的问题，就希望想想别的。但出乎意料之外他突然感到一股力量注入体内，他又可以走路或工作了。这就表示这个中心与第二个蓄能器连接上了，正从中汲取能量，同时第一个蓄能器正由大蓄能器再注满能量。所以这个中心可以继续工作下去，人可以继续走路或工作。有时片刻的休息是需要的，以确保这连接手续的完成。有时后需要一个冲击，有时则需要努力。不论如何，工作继续下去，过了一阵子第二个蓄能器也耗完存量，人就再度感到疲倦。
「再经过一个冲击、一阵休息、一根香烟或一次努力之后，他又与第一个蓄能器连上线了。但极可能人从第二个蓄能器汲取能量的速度太快，以至于第一个蓄能器只从大蓄能器中注满一半容量而已。
「一旦与第一个蓄能器重新连上线后，这个中心开始从中汲取能量，而第二个蓄能器也开始从大蓄能器中汲取能量。但因为这次第一个蓄能器只装到半满而已，所以很快就耗光了，而第二个蓄能器才装满四分之一而已，这中心立刻与它连上，很快又耗光能量。如此过了一段时间，人体两个蓄能器都耗完了容量，人就会变得非常疲倦，几乎瘫痪，倒头就睡，否则他的有机体会受到感染，开始觉得头痛、心悸或不舒服。
「再经过一阵休息、一个冲击、或一次努力之后，突然间一股新的能量又注入体内，他又能思考、走路或工作了。
「这表示这个中心已经直接连上了大蓄能器。大蓄能器蕴藏极多的能量，一旦连上大蓄能器，人几乎可以表演奇迹。当然，如果诸『卷轴』持续周转，而从空气、食物和印象所产生的能量从大蓄能器中涌出的速度大过涌入的话，大蓄能器终会耗尽所有能量，有机体便会死亡。但这状况很少发生，通常有机体在这之前就会自动停止运作。在某些特殊条件下有机体才会耗尽能量而死，一般状况中人通常会睡着、昏倒或产生一些并发症，使中心早在真正危险发生之前就停止运作。
「所以人不需要害怕努力，因为努力而死的机率小得可怜，反而是静止不动、懒惰以及害怕努力比较容易致死。
「相反的，我们的目标是把中心与大蓄能器连接。如果我们做不到，所下的工夫都会白费，因为在我们的努力能得到任何成果之前，我们又睡着了。
「小蓄能器足够应付一般日常工作，但为了要工作自己，为了内在成长以及进入第四道所需的努力，小蓄能器的能量就不够用了。
「我们必须学会如何从大蓄能器中直接汲取能量，这只有在情感中心的帮助下才能做到。了解这点很重要，只有经由情感中心才能与大蓄能器相连，本能、运动及理智中心本身只能使用小蓄能器的能量。
「这正是人们不了解的地方，所以他们的目标必须放在发展情感中心上。情感中心这装置远比理智中心精细巧妙，尤其是我们考虑到整个理智中心通常只有造型装置在工作，它对许多事物都不得其解。假如任何人想要知道更多，了解更多，他必须记住这些新知识和新了解会由情感中心，而不是理智中心，进入。」
除了有关蓄能器的说明外，葛吉夫还对打呵欠及发笑作了有趣的说明。
「在我们有机体中有两种功能无法从科学观点理解，虽然科学家并不承认它们不可解释，
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