G.I.Gurdjieff has left an important mark on humanity in our late history. Very few people understood his mission, but many admired him and were guided by him.
Is there a starting place for him that you recommend? Think about a further introduction to his work, digestible to someone new, so maybe a secondary source.
Yeah, I previously wrote about "what is our work?" that I think captures more of his expansive definition, that the real work is much more beyond what we today define strictly related to being productive.
To be near a living Master exerts a kind of pressure on one, calling us up from where we are, encouraging us to go deeper and reach higher...
One either embraces and is embraced by this pressure and surrenders to it, or denies, rejects and tries to resist the pressure and is 'spit out' by it.
This is, what I surmise, what it was like to be near Gurdjief when he was alive and certainly what it is like to be near a functioning Orthodox Christian Monastery today.
rekindled something i started many decades ago...thank you.
is there any 'syncretic' <?> work that maps Gurdjieff against other traditions -
the three of the holy trinity (inter alia), the intricate 'dance' movements of aikido, the 3-fold structure of reality according to Wolfgang Smith (space/time, just time, and totality), etc.
Has some researcher such as, e.g., Wilber explicated this?
He tried to create a secular version of Orthodox Christianity, (mixed together with a few other traditions…) because he foresaw that the people infected with ‘Western Civilization’ would no longer be able to comprehend Traditional forms of religion.
Unfortunately, it didn't really work out. Once he was gone and without the force of his personality behind it. He has left a lineage of sincere spiritual seekers who are unable to accomplish what he was teaching or much of anything else.
It may not be so visible, but it has had an impact as many people have received food for thought, a wake-up call and several of them have gone further.
This is excellent, thanks for sharing.
Is there a starting place for him that you recommend? Think about a further introduction to his work, digestible to someone new, so maybe a secondary source.
On further reflection, it is interesting that you are writing about work. Gurdjieff called the teaching he brought 'the Work':)
I will therefore send you a starting point that might serve your purpose well. Please share your e.g. email address, so I can send you a pdf file.
Yeah, I previously wrote about "what is our work?" that I think captures more of his expansive definition, that the real work is much more beyond what we today define strictly related to being productive.
The "Hard Work" Delusion: https://newsletter.thewayofwork.com/p/hard-work
Thank you!
Yes, you might find it helpful to begin with P. D. Ouspensky's piece, "The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution." (1950)
Amazing work! My recent interview with The Fourth Way really opened my eyes to GIG. Dude was really onto something.
Thank you! Indeed, he was an extraordinary teacher and a conveyer of a valuable life view. He brought something special.
Thanks for your research and insights!
https://substack.com/@stevenberger/note/c-110629062
To be near a living Master exerts a kind of pressure on one, calling us up from where we are, encouraging us to go deeper and reach higher...
One either embraces and is embraced by this pressure and surrenders to it, or denies, rejects and tries to resist the pressure and is 'spit out' by it.
This is, what I surmise, what it was like to be near Gurdjief when he was alive and certainly what it is like to be near a functioning Orthodox Christian Monastery today.
Indeed, a kind of pressure is created that has an aim to help the seeker to reach further and higher
rekindled something i started many decades ago...thank you.
is there any 'syncretic' <?> work that maps Gurdjieff against other traditions -
the three of the holy trinity (inter alia), the intricate 'dance' movements of aikido, the 3-fold structure of reality according to Wolfgang Smith (space/time, just time, and totality), etc.
Has some researcher such as, e.g., Wilber explicated this?
Thank you for your comment!
The above analysis highlights the connection between hylozoism and the Fourth Way.
He tried to create a secular version of Orthodox Christianity, (mixed together with a few other traditions…) because he foresaw that the people infected with ‘Western Civilization’ would no longer be able to comprehend Traditional forms of religion.
Unfortunately, it didn't really work out. Once he was gone and without the force of his personality behind it. He has left a lineage of sincere spiritual seekers who are unable to accomplish what he was teaching or much of anything else.
For those who have eyes, let them see:
https://substack.com/@stevenberger/note/c-116785573
As far as can be seen, he brought something larger than any specific religion.
But it didn't work. There is no lineage, to speak of, that has accomplished much of anything.
Even his closest disciples were still running off of his steam.
It may not be so visible, but it has had an impact as many people have received food for thought, a wake-up call and several of them have gone further.
Perhaps he buried the bone a bit too deeply?
https://substack.com/@stevenberger/note/c-46163955