. . . it is indispensable first to learn to divide one's entire attention in three approximately equal parts, and to concentrate each separate part simultaneously for a definite time on three diverse inner or outer 'objects'.

Attention Exercises

All the Gurdjieff exercises, all exercises from any tradition, require Attention and in the course of doing the exercises, the Attention and Concentration are developed as a matter of course. In the beginning, before ones tries to develop divided attention, it is good to practice focusing all of ones attention on one thing. As one gets more proficient, one needs to work on developing divided or global attention.

These are only a suggested starting point and Seekers are encouraged to discover and add new categories and specific situations relevant to their personal situation.

Focused Attention Exercises

• One of the classic attention exercises is to watch the flame of a candle.
• Ouspensky suggested watching the second hand of a clock.
• One can pay attention to the sensations in one part of the body.
• One can attend to a particular sight, sound, taste or smell.
• One can attend to ones thoughts, or emotions.
• One can attend to ones breath

Global Attention Exercises

• On entering a room, one can attend to the placement of all objects in the room. When re-entering the same room one can attend to all the changes that have occurred since last in the room.
• One can attend to all of the sights, sounds, and smells in ones immediate environment.
• One can attend to all of ones thoughts, emotions and sensations.

Impartial or Neutral Attention Exercises

These are associated with assimilating Third Being Food. They can be practiced sequentially or simultaneously.

• Sensing - One can attend to all the sensations in the body, taking in all sensations without identifying or labeling the impressions as pleasant or unpleasant.
• Sightless Gaze - one attends to ones total visual field as one panoramic field of light, taking in everything without identifying or labeling the impressions as things or actions, good or bad.
• Soundless Sound - one attends to ones total aural field as one panoramic field of sound, taking in everything without identifying or labeling the impressions as things or actions, good or bad.
• Smelless Smell - one attends to all odors taking in every odor without identifying or labeling the impressions as things or actions, good or bad.
• Tasteless Taste  - one attends to all taste impressions, taking in everything without identifying or labeling the impressions as things or actions, good or bad.

Gurdjieff's Attention Exercises

• Soil Preparing Exercise #4
  (LIROTWIA 120)
  
  First, all one's attention must be divided approximately into three equal parts; each of these parts must be concentrated on one of the three fingers of the right or the left hand, for instance the forefinger, the third and the fourth, constating in one finger—the result proceeding in it of the organic process called "sensing," in another—the result of the process called "feeling," and with the third—making any rhythmical movement and at the same time automatically conducting with the flowing of mental association a sequential or varied manner of counting.
  For this fourth preparatory exercise explained by me today, first of all it is necessary to learn with what exists in you now only as a substitute, so to say "fulfilling the obligation" of what should, in real man, be "self-willed attention" and in you is merely a "self-tenseness," simultaneously to observe three heterogeneous results proceeding in you, each coming from different sources of the general functioning of your whole presence: namely, one part of this attention of yours should be occupied with the constatation of the proceeding-in-one-finger process of "sensing," another with the constatation of the proceeding-in-another-finger process of "feeling," and the third part should follow the counting of the automatic movement of the third finger.

 

• Second Assisting Exercise
  (LIROTWIA 145)
  
  Well then, I am now sitting among you, as you see, and although I am looking at Mr. L. yet I am intentionally directing all my attention, which you are not able to see, on my foot, and consequently any manifestation Mr. L. produces within my field of vision I see only automatically—my attention, which at the present moment is one whole, being in another place.
  This whole attention of mine, I now intentionally divide into two equal parts.
  The first half I consciously direct to the uninterrupted constatation and continuous sensing of the process proceeding in me of my breathing.
  By means of this part of my attention I definitely feel that something takes place in me with the air I breathe.
  I first clearly feel that, when I breathe in the air, the greater part, passing through my lungs, goes out again, and the lesser part remains and as it were settles there, and then I feel that this settled part is gradually penetrating inward and is as it were spreading through my whole organism.
  In consequence of the fact that only a part of my attention is occupied with the observation of the process of breathing proceeding in me, all the mental, feeling and reflex associations automatically flowing in my common presence still continue to be noticed by the free part of my attention, and hinder that first part of my attention intentionally directed upon a definite object, but already to a much lesser extent.
  Now I direct the second half of my attention to my head brain for the purpose of observing and possibly constating any process proceeding in it.
  And already I am beginning to feel in it, from the totality of automatically flowing associations, the arising of something very fine, almost imperceptible to me.
  I do not know just what this is nor do I wish to know, but I definitely constate, feel and sense that this is some definite "something" arising from the process automatically proceeding in my head brain of associations of previously consciously perceived impressions.
  While this second half of my attention is occupied with the aforesaid, the first half continues all the time uninterruptedly to watch, with so to say "concentrated interest," the result proceeding from the process of my breathing.
  I now consciously direct this second half of my attention and, uninterruptedly "remembering the whole of myself," I aid this something arising in my head brain to flow directly into my solar plexus. I feel how it flows. I no longer notice any automatic associations proceeding in me.

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The Attention Exercises from Gurdjieff's "Life is Real" are discussed in the following article. 

Possible Foundations Of Inner Exercises

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Pondering on Attention

• What types of attention do we have?
• What captures my attention at various times?
• What captures my attention in social situations?
• Where does attention go during sleep?
• Who pays attention? Who attends?
• What do I avoid Attending to?

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