What Does It Mean to Know?

Occultism, Spiritual Science, and the Essential Teaching of the Kogi

I feel we have reversed — or at least mangled — the proper relationship between Knowledge and Being. 

According to G.I. Gurdjieff: In modern society, we believe knowledge to be separate from one’s level of being. In societies with an esoteric core, they understood that knowledge was connected to being — to your level of self-development or consciousness / spiritual development. When you attain a different level of Being, what you know — the type of knowledge you have access to — also changes. 

I find this a fascinating idea, and I agree with Gurdjieff that this is the case. For these cultures, exterior knowledge — for example the knowledge amassed by a scientist, academic, or engineer — is only of one kind, and the lowest kind. Knowledge that enhances one’s spiritual or soul capacities is a higher type of knowledge. For instance, the embodied knowing that allows a Taoist master to project Qi, or a shaman’s skill in navigating the other worlds. 

Gurdjieff himself apparently developed some psychic powers or Siddhis. Ouspensky describes these in In Search of the Miraculous. As is well known, these powers have dangers also. They can become traps (very common with shamans and with postmodern neo-shamans also).  

Eight or nine years ago, I helped organize two retreats with the Kogi and Aruak in Colombia. In their trademark white outfits and conical hats, they walked thirty hours down from their mountain villages to meet with us for ten days. The Kogi don’t allow people from our world to visit their home. They made an exception for one film crew who produced two excellent documentaries, From the Heart of the World: Elder Brother’s Warning to Humanity and Aluna (free to watch on Youtube). 

The Kogi call themselves the Elder Brother. They say they are an older, pre-Incan civilization. Centuries ago, they withdrew up into the mountains to escape Colonialism. I tried to understand why they bothered or cared to work with us. Apparently, they feel compelled to try to help us, the younger brother, because we are destroying the balance of the world, even though interacting with us is painful for them. 

By the way, I am in no way saying that the Kogi and Aruak are a “perfect” society or romanticizing them. There are aspects of their cultures that we wouldn’t want to emulate. They are hierarchical and patriarchal in many ways. But their culture possesses an incredible metaphysical and mytho-poetic depth. This becomes tangible when you spend time with certain of their teachers. 

For a week, I struggled to comprehend the core or the essential idea the Kogi and Aruak wanted to share with us. Finally, I felt I understood it. I asked them if I was correct. They agreed, expressing great relief.