Self Observation: The Awakening of Conscience: An Owner's Manual

This book is short, but chock full of great ideas and instruction. Red Hawk has clearly studied a broad array of wisdom traditions, but manages to make fresh (sometimes surprising) observations.I especially enjoyed the poetry interspersed with each chapter. His metaphors are excellent, and the humor did a good job of shocking my mind into a state where I could start to perceive the full impact of the concepts discussed.I would recommend this book to anyone who (like me) is beginning the journey of Self Observation.

I discovered this book, "Self Observation-The Awakening Of Conscience-An Owners Manual" AFTER I had wrestled my way through Maurice Nicolls, "Commentaries". Mr Nicolls books are "Work Classics", and I love them, but THIS book really put "The Work" in layman's terms for me, and for that, I can't thank Red Hawk enough!I belong to a "spiritual/earthy/crunchy/hippy" church that I love! We have a book group that picks a spiritual book, and meets once a week to read and discuss it. We picked "Self Observation", as our new book! The discussions birthed from this book have been creating amazing energy, and the seats have been full to overflowing! I sent Red Hawk a photo of our group holding up his book, and asked if he had any words of encouragement for us......The book group members were so excited because he personally wrote us back a very kind, caring, uplifting email! This was evidence to me that besides knowing how to "write" about "The Work", Red Hawk endeavors to truly "LIVE" The Work!I love this book and am really looking forward to his next book on Self Remembering!

I have a love-hate relationship with the traditional 4th way. Although I think that its absolutely genius, it is also too inside to be accessible to the general public. There are some aspects of G's teachings that never set well with me either. Such as the convoluted esoteric numbers things, and the like.So finding a book like this is a great thing. It's short, practical, to the point. Unlike any other esoteric book, it doesn't go into spiritual goblody gook. It is directly how to work on and understand oneself. If only more people knew that contemplative practice doesn't have to be passive meditation or escapism from the world.You could judge this book many ways if you're looking for this or that type of spiritual teaching. This book delivers its point directly: how to develop a practice of self observation for you everyday life!

Outstanding Workbook! Highly recommended for those students of the 4th Way or for that matter, any discipline where one wants to know oneself objectively. True to objectivity, non-judgementality, consciousness, attention, aim, conscience, impartiality, and will. Identification is profoundly understood with its mechanism of capturing attention and consuming it with judgement. Explores blind spots and buffers in an amazing manner. Red Hawk discusses his candid discoveries thru years of practice and mentorship from illustrious teachers. Easy to read but probably the best written, in depth description of this necessary practice to be found anywhere. Will reread.

These over the top glowing reviews set an expectation that the book does not live up to. It is not "a brilliant, ultimate, methodical, step by step guide to the Work with no spiritual goblygok" Hardly. Authors on this subject seem to have a hard time presenting this material clearly. It's not really that complicated but someone interested is forced to plow through a ton of reading and digest it for themselves. Each author has a different way of explaining the concepts. Each uses their own terminology! Reading widely deepens understanding. This book is very helpful. Red Hawk does have a gift for explaining Work concepts. But if someone thinks they are getting the Ultimate Step by Step Guide they will be disappointed. You must have previous exposure to similar material to get the most out of it. I find his sloppy, repetitive style of writing irritating. It seems unorganized and unedited. If you can get past that there are plenty of gems. Add it to your collection.

An exceptional introduction and explanation which makes so much more sense and brings truth to actual experiences lived through. Thank you Red Hawk

This short book covers the basics of the ideas taught by G. I. Gurdjieff to students from Russia, Europe, and the americas during the first half of the 20th century. Books by his students include most notably Ouspensky's In Search of the Miraculous, and Nicoll's 3 volume Psychological Commentaries on these teachings, among many others. Red Hawk's treatment of the basics, using the original English terminology, has an immediacy and freshness that even indispensable writers on the "Work" such as E.J. Gold have not achieved. The brief chapters are punctuated by his poems, many of which are wonderfully humorous or riveting in their import. For those who are already acquainted with Gudjieff's ideas as well as those who are only now discovering them, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.

I loved this book. I had read Gurdjief and ouspensky 30 years ago and did some 4th way work then. Since then many other paths. Buddhism , 12 step work , yoga ... this book really brought it all together for me. Loved it and recommend it highly .

Muy buen libro. Lo recomiendo

Un fil qui se déroule et qui ramène toujours au centre, à la Source. La lecture en anglais m'a permis une certaine lenteur bienvenue!

Perfect as expected !

Anthropology & Quantum Physics have shown that observation changes everything, especially behavior. The mind is a quantum world and observing it changes it. This is a neat little guide to something which ought to be obvious and yet isn't and it covers the reasons why and many pitfalls and difficulties one can experience without guidance. It mainly follows the Gurdieff 'Fourth Way' and highlights this methodology. The chapters are short and succinct making it easy to read, plus each is beautifully 'bookended' by a quotation and one of Red Hawks' poems which are beautiful & thought provoking. The language isn't the easiest to follow at times, as I believe Red Hawk is a Native American and I can imagine him talking this way. I'm not marking the rating stars down for this as on another level it adds to the beauty of the book as he is gently talking to us through it. A highly recommended read for any one interested in working on their mind. If you want to seriously upgrade your quantum world read this and Anthony Peake's 'The Illusion of Time' at the same time. With both & trusting your unconscious, your conscious mind may well want to resist but it will change. Enjoy the journey, it's quite a ride!

I was somewhat obsessed with Gurdjieff when I was younger and read everything I could get my hands on by him or about him. Ultimately I found it impossible to access his teachings through any of the written material available at the time and have since wandered off into other teachings that have the benefit of a living teacher.Recently I stumbled across this book and gave it a try and was astounded to find that it belongs with a tiny, tiny minority of books on spirituality: it is genuinely useful.The chapters present not so much a practice as an attitude towards practice, which is simple, clear, honest and realistic. Right from the start the author makes it clear that serious work of this kind comes at huge personal cost. This is a refreshing change from the vast majority of 'spiritual' books that only tout the benefits of spiritual practice in order to sell their books.Each chapter is accompanied by a poem by the author. As poetry these put me in mind of the works of Charles Bukowski: not particularly impressive in terms of language craft, but valuable for their powerful impact.