Boundless ocean

A quote from the book Life is Real only then, when "I am", by Georges I. Gurdjieff:

"It is interesting to note here that the expression often used by contemporary people, of course quite automatically, without any understanding of its hidden sense—'the first liberation of man'— signifies, according to the interpretation of initiates of one school existing presently in Central Asia, just that supposed figurative understanding which I in my writings formulated as the possibility for each drop of water of the prime general river to cross from the stream which is predetermined to disappear into the 'nether regions' into the stream which empties itself into the vast space of the boundless ocean.

"As to the possibility of this crossing for a man who in his responsible age has already entered into the stream of the 'nether region,' although it is given by Great Nature, I must warn you, in order not to provoke in you so to say 'light-hearted illusions' regarding this possibility to cross from one stream to another, that it is not so easy— merely to wish and you cross.

"For this it is indispensable, with a constantly active consciousness, first of all with extremely great intensity to obtain the intentional crystallization in oneself of the data for engendering in one's common presence an unquenchable impulse of desire for such a crossing, and then will follow a long inner struggle, requiring great tension of all the inner forces, with the obvious abnormalities crystallized in one's individuality and evident even to one's own self-reasoning, that is to say, a struggle with the crystallized habits unworthy for man even in his own understanding in a period of repose, which contribute, first, to the arising in us of our inner 'Evil-God' and second, to the supporting and increasing in us of its power and strength always and in everything, namely that 'Evil-God,' the presence of which creates ideal conditions, especially in contemporary people, for enjoying a state of 'immutable peace' —speaking shortly, there will be required all kinds of corresponding, very complicated and difficult preparations...."