Book Description
With Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson, G. I. Gurdjieff intended to "destroy, mercilessly . . . the beliefs and views about everything existing in the world." This novel beautifully brings to life the visions of humanity for which Gurdjieff has become esteemed. Beelzebub, a man of worldly (and other-worldly) wisdom, shares with his grandson the anecdotes, personal philosophies, and lessons learned from his own life.The reader is given a detailed discussion of all matters physical, natural, and spiritual, from the creation of the cosmos to man's teleological purpose in the universe. This edition of Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson--the first single-volume paperback to appear in English--restores the original, authoritative translation.
Customer Reviews:
Challenging and Thought Provoking - Highly Reccomended........2007-05-10
This philosophical expose` covers ancient history, many truths about man, and what our planet looks like from the perspective of a higher life form. Wars, Diet, the Creation and Maintainence of the Universe are but a few samples of topics covered by G in his 1200 page tome.
The writing style presents a unique challenge to the reader, forcing him to hold consciously the idea presented in his mind, and further to think about it in a way the author had intended. It also minimizes incorrect interpretation, and gives you the pure intent of what the author was trying to say.
A fictituous novel - it holds more truth then any non-fiction book I've yet to read. Granted, much is hidden in allegory, but overall his message is clear and obvious, assuming you can hold you attention on the work and not give up on it.
Overall it forces your mind to work harder, and thus improve itself throughout the course of the work. Highly reccomended reading for anyone who has mental agility, patience and enjoys the challenge of a truly unique read.
out of darkness.......2007-02-24
Gurdjieff reveals candidly in the opening pages of Beelzebub's Tales that this First Series of his writings is for the real consciousness buried within us and is intended to "destroy without mercy" the conceptions and views that have become so firmly rooted because of centuries of people living abnormally. He shows us with compelling exactness our place in the universe, our responsibility as human beings and why, despite the best efforts of sacred messengers sent to us from above, we remain tragically separated from what is most essential to the aim of human existence.
While helping us to see the harsh truth about ourselves, Gurdjieff does not leave us in the lurch. He leads us back out of the darkness and, as a kind grandfather, guides us patiently toward the light, at every step carefully watering seeds of consciousness that lie buried deeply inside us. On the long journey toward discovering Beelzebub's most subtle lessons, we are helped to feel our smallness and our partiality and to see that if we wish for real understanding, the mind alone, no matter how adroit, will never be enough.
Gurdjieff warned us in his introduction not to expect the kind of literature to which we are generally accustomed. As we try our best to penetrate to the core of Beelzebub's Tales, it turns out that we, instead, are being penetrated. The Great Beelzebub, telling stories to his grandson, leads us to rediscover in the depths of ourselves, God's quiet representative.
Anyone who approaches Beelzebub's Tales with an attitude of openness is likely to receive substantial help, though the exact manner in which one is worked on by this remarkable influence may remain something of a mystery. Familiarity with the Gurdjieff work is not necessarily a prerequisite to receiving the book's special gifts. If there is a preparation that may allow one to hear better, perhaps it is only the deep wish to be oneself, the wish to live as a normal human being.
I like the 3-volume paper edition better because..........2006-11-23
I can't really add anything to some of the perspicacious reviews here, and I even appreciate the negative ones which have their own validity. But I just wanted to make some comments about the actual book itself.
Back in the early 1990s a very attractive hardbound edition was released under the Arkana imprint, supposedly carefully edited by people in the Work to more faithfully reflect Gurdjieff's original intentions compared to the original. But for some reason I kept going back to the three-volume paperback edition under the Dutton imprint (which I think is the same text as the original 1950s English version). I have carried these little paperbacks around so much they are falling apart, and I am looking for a nice set to replace them with. I can't really put my finger on why I like this edition better than the (Arkana) one; you might want to look at both and compare them.
With the Dutton set you can carry one of the volumes around with you and dip into it during your downtime...it's too hard to do with that big hardback or one-volume softcover.
One of the most essential books I own, and one of the most provocative I've ever read.
What to think........2006-06-06
Looking over the vast descrepency of reviews on this book (which I have read) I had an interesting thought.
Many people have read this book (obviously,) some of which have no idea whatsoever they are reading (obviously,) and display this in their rather ill-informed reviews.
Thinking about this I had the thought that perhaps Gurdjieff would be rather disappointed at the ammount of people who have given this book 5 stars. In the introduction, Mr. G. muses at the idea of working with publishers to allow a reader to return the book after reading the introduction when they have no doubt found the book to be rubbish.
Now it became clear to me why he thought this. The best way to get a feel for this book through the reviews is to look at the people who have given it 1 or 2 stars. If you can see yourself saying such close minded rubbish after reading a volume of 1,300 or so pages, then this book is not for you.
Also those for whom this book is not for, those who would like an introduction into the fourth way. This book is written almost entirely in allegory. If you want a clear explination of Mr. G.'s ideas, read first "In Search of the Miraculous" by P. D. Ouspensky.
There really is no other book quite like this.......2006-05-11
What is it?
It's a spell. Repeat 3 times as instructed and it will begin it's work.
What is the purpose of the spell?
Simple - to remove all other spells.
Customer Reviews:
For those willing to work.......2006-11-07
For those who have done the "Work" of finding out for themselves and extensively going the extra yard to realize what the truth actually may be. This 6 volume set is facinating,insightful and a first hand eval of the principals of the "Work". This is not an expose or a critcal analasys but a correspondence of ideas and values. Given the current state of disillusionment and the current "spin" and False Personality we are subject to by politicians and media these days this is a welcome read.
Psychology of Inner Work.......2005-09-20
Consisting of nearly 2000 pages of psychological gems these lectures are well worth not only for reading but also for studying.
To combine expert psychological understanding with the ideas of Gurdjieff does give a new angle to both.
Dr. Nicoll's approach is practical and he draws help from suitable images to illustrate the points he is making.
I would say that even just one of the volumes well studied would give ample material for daily practice.
Hi.......2005-08-19
It's been said practice does not come from theory, but theory from practice.
I have from a good source what these big volumes really are - they are *private* notes taken from meetings of people learning a practical system by direct oral transmission. So, what's missing in reading these nice-looking books is the context they depend on: the individuals, their situations, and what they were learning at that time (re: a vast system contained in no book.) Since unfortnately no-one can bridge those three big gaps with pure theorizing, the lone reader may get quite confused by these lectures - almost as a faintly heard conversation one overhears and then tragically misinterprets. At least, don't be too sure! You can see the problem.
In summary, the Commentaries may have less value to readers than certain works like NEW MAN and LIVING TIME or for that matter Ouspensky's NEW MODEL and TERTIUM ORGANUM.
Too many words.......2005-01-04
Probably Mr. Nicoll's love of the written and spoken word kept him from BEING the words. I get the impression that Nicoll, like Orage, were too much in love with talking, and that caused them to lose themselves in their words. Although there is some valuable knowledge in these books, Ouspensky's "In Search" and "The 4th Way" are probably the greatest introductions to this system.
These books can easily distract you from awakening by drowning you in words, so tread carefully.
a Work goldmine.......2001-06-03
Writers who expound the Work are not distinguished by the degree that they are original. They are distinguished by the degree of understanding they demonstrate for the ideas and practices and goals of the Work (universal ideas and practices and goals yet presented in a unique, practical language), and by their skill in communicating their understanding. Nicoll scores a solid 9 or 10 in both categories. For people who really catch-on to the Work Nicoll's Commentaries are really indispensable. It's true that most if not all that is in Nicoll's work can be found in Ouspensky's six main Work books (PSYCHOLOGY OF MAN'S POSSIBLE EVOLUTION, IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS, FOURTH WAY, CONSCIENCE, A FURTHER RECORD, RECORD OF MEETINGS), yet Nicoll has a different style of presenting it all that compliments Ouspensky's style. If you get to the point in your STUDY of the Work (which is as necessary as DOING the Work) where you have aquired an overall understanding of the language and the processes and goals and means to achieve the goals (a big accomplishment that Nicoll's Commentaries will help you to achieve), and then you move in to a more particular, in-depth study of individual topics then Nicoll's Commentaries will become a well-worn reference. His style of breaking down the language into topics and really going into each separate idea or practice, sometimes in multi-part essays (which would, by the way, be like finding gold if you were to stumble upon these essays in separate pamphlet form in out-of-the-way bookstores, and here they ALL are in this six-volume work...the goldmine itself available and ready to be easily taken for granted...), and his use of analogy and metaphor can really help you to achieve understanding of particular aspects of the Work that maybe you didn't connect with very deeply after meeting with it in one of Ouspensky's books. (I have to say, though, that Ouspensky's books are the purest spring for the ideas and practices and goals of the Work...) Boris Mouravieff's three-volume GNOSIS would be a good third source for these ideas.
Amazon.com
Right around the turn of the 20th century, G.I. Gurdjieff initiated a group of spiritual adventurers called the "Seekers of Truth." These intrepid intellectuals of every stripe crisscrossed Africa and Asia in search of the hidden mysteries of antiquity. In Meetings with Remarkable Men, Gurdjieff narrates their exploits while drawing portraits of these extraordinary figures (including one woman and a dog). Half travel journal, half autobiography, Meetings with Remarkable Men begins with Gurdieff's childhood, when he finds his book learning at odds with paranormal events that were self-evident but inexplicable through modern science. Later he discovers a map of "pre-sands Egypt" and evidence of the Sarmound Brotherhood, alleged keepers of ancient wisdom dating back four and a half millennia. He climbs the Himalayas, follows the Nile, and is led blindfolded to a mysterious monastery. In his encounters with dervishes, monks, and fakirs, Gurdjieff recovers the wisdom he seeks; by comparison, European understanding, he says, is backwards and barbaric. A controversial figure in his time, Gurdjieff inspired deep love and loyalty in his pupils and ridicule from skeptics. At the bookends of Meetings with Remarkable Men, Gurdjieff suggests the value of blurring the line between allegory and straight reporting. But then what exactly is Meetings with Remarkable Men? You be the judge. --Brian Bruya
Customer Reviews:
Gurdjieff's First and Last Good Book.......2005-10-30
When I was in college in the late 70's, my small circle of friends were philosophers, shaman, and spiritualists... which really means, we liked to discuss amongst ourselves the deep meaning of it all, around bong hits and Budweiser. WARNING: Budweiser is BAD for you, and I no longer drink alcohol!!! One of these friends loaned "Meetings With Remarkable Men" to me, and it made a lasting impression, just as David Carradine did in the TV series "Kung Fu", which kicked off the kung fu - Buddhist - Shaolin - Taoist journey for Americans, more than Bruce Lee was able to accomplish (Bruce Lee was all about martial arts, and didn't have a whole lot to offer the spiritually thirsty. His lack of dimension was his failing). Anyway, we sat around, smoking and drinking, discussing, and watching "Circle of Iron", and formulating the shape of civilization to come.
The other interesting aspect of "Meetings" is that it is an introduction to the trans-Caucasus, a geographic area with a diversity of cultures, religions, and ethnicity as colorful as the plumage of the peacock, which happens to be the embodiment of the Yzidi Lord of the World, Shaitan. One lasting impression was the scene from Gurdjieff's youth, when he witnessed the Yzidi boy being entrapped within a circle that bullying school children had inscribed around him. This event triggered Gurdjieff's quest for answers to life's eternal mysteries.
The book is a story of that quest for answers. It almost doesn't matter if the events actually happened or not. Read this book in the spirit of the late Gary Jennings's adventure fiction (The Journeyer, Spangle, Aztec) and you will have a better appreciation for this book as adventure fiction, if not spiritual revelation. "Meetings" is introductory, and prerequisite, to the Gurdjieff story. I would have to seriously disagree with another reviewer here, who claims that a beginner should first read "Beelzebub's Tales To His Grandson". I see no such obligation, and Beelzebub is something to read when, and if, the desire strikes you. In fact, my opinion of Mr. Gurdjieff was high until I DID read his other works. I also read biographies by J.G. Bennet, and of course, P. Ouspenski. I am sad whenever anyone wastes their own life enthralled by the ego of spiritual salesmen, maybe that is the lone wolf in me, who cannot paddle the length of the River in a single canoe.
Like others here, I am now persuaded that Gurdjieff was a con-man and egotist, and his teachings were probably often harmful and abusive, without consideration for the welfare and ego of those whom he pretended to impart deep wisdom. Compare with Aleister Crowley, who, though regarded as having an abrasive bedside manner and hopelessly self-absorbed, was still a mighty pillar of spiritual intelligence and wisdom (and produced a classic tarot card deck). That not withstanding, this one book is the only one of Gurdjieff's books I truly enjoy. "Beelzebub's Tales" may be a good story, and has some profound concepts, like the "three-brained beings", and what those three brains are within the human animal. Even now, researchers are beginning to query the role of the heart, which is a massive nexus of nerves, as having a role in our decision making processes. Gurdjieff recommended reading "Beelzebub" three times, but I could barely finish it the first time. On the other hand, "Meetings With Remarkable Men" is worth reading three times (although I have only read it twice), because it is as unpretentious as Beelzebub was pretentious.
Gurdjieff had a tough life, and his abilities, ways, cunning, these are what poor folk like myself admire about this book. And, as another reviewer discussed, the end chapter, "The Material Question" is a good case study of how to liberate funds from the wealthy for, well, art! Gurdjieff was an artist, and though enshrouded in esoteric spiritualism, his dance troupe is STILL a dance troupe, and any such artists are at the mercy of the beneficence of art afficionados with means.
Perhaps I'm confused.......2005-04-24
I'm not sure. Maybe it's because I'm not a Gurdjieff follower or studier, but this particular book seemed like it was written by the founder of the Ego Strokers Anonymous Club. Throughout, Gurdjieff doesn't talk as much about other remarkable men as how remarkable he himself is in these meetings with these others.
He consistently portrays himself as a sage, a knowledgeable business man as well as mystic philosopher. He's just good at everything gosh darnit!
Not my cup of tea, but then again, maybe Gurdjieff wrote this book in a manner that it would only appeal to his real followers.
Whatever, in the end I persisted through it and was very disappointed- I found no good messages. In fact I barely underlined a single kernel of mystical, business or any other wisdom. Rather unfortunately, I ended up making notes in the margins to dispute some of his arrogant assumptions and "know-it-all" expressions.
Perhaps I'll find one of his worthwhile works at some other point in my travels, but I doubt I'll ever come back to this one to look for anything.
journey to pursue truth.......2004-01-29
This is the story of Gurdjiefffs journey to pursue truth. His life itself looks like the journey to the truth. He is the mysterious thinker in the twentieth century. But his and his friendsf motivation to pursue something is fundamental interest of human nature and really pure. Mysterious incidents slip into daily life. Most people ignore them or doubt their eyes. But some people stick on and investigate them. They went anywhere to find even just a clue to the mystery. It is like seeking treasury. For them treasury is neither jewel nor money. In the trip they run across various kinds of remarkable people. It is true that gbirds of a feather flock together.h You can enjoy this journey with Gurdjieff deep in Orient and mystery of human being and accumulated wisdom.
There is a lot that can be learned from Gurdjieff.......2002-09-17
Gurdieff is one of those men, who are hard to understand. They are hard to understand because they are different, they shun the very beliefs that are a part of our everyday living.
While there were many instances where I thought "what is he talking about?", this book was a good read.
If you are to read this book, I suggest that you read it like a fantasy travel journal.
Decide for yourself.......2002-07-08
Does G.I. Gurdjieff have anything to offer you? Consider the following quote (which is not atypical) from p. 210 of Meetings with Remarkable Men:
"In my opinion in employing contemporary maps it would be ideally useful to put into practice the sense of a judicious saying which declares, 'If you wish to succeed in anything then ask a woman for advice and do the opposite'."
Book Description
Heart Without Measure is a collection of excerpts from the journals of Ravi Ravindra, giving a glimpse of the extraordinary life and teaching of Madame Jeanne de Salzmann and the Gurdjieff work through the eyes of one of her pupils. Ravindra’s account of his meetings, letters and encounters with Madame de Salzmann is deeply intimate, yet it is not merely personal. His questions, doubts and insights are not unlike our own. In these recollections of a pupil, we hear Madame de Salzmann’s voice; the clarity of her perception and the force of her insight are evident throughout.
Customer Reviews:
Deep Homage.......2006-08-31
Ravi Ravindra's Heart Without Measure, though a small book, is a powerfully felt homage to the great Madame de Salzmann, whose voice and presence, echoing through the text, resonates like a pure and holy bell, calling us all more perfectly to The Work. He describes well the experience of the student faced with the laser-like eye of the teacher who can read hearts and souls, an encounter not easily endured nor understood, and reveals the 'everyman' conflicts of his strivings in a restrained, almost selfless way. Most of all, this book is sprinkled generously with esoteric clues for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. This book indeed is the 'fruit' of the oral tradition that has always existed within the Gurdjieffian canon.
Woman #5.......2005-06-10
I found this book extremely refreshing but I can't help wondering if it is really only for those who do or have done similar practices [Taoist Alchemy, Prayer of the Heart, Gurdjieff's meditations and exercises for opening and harmonizing the 7 centers].
The entire book shows Madame DeSalzmann trying to raise the author from his back and forth states to a man no. 4 - that is someone who has in Gurdjieffean terms acheived balance amongst their body, heart and mind and is thus at square one and truly ready to begin and to try and crystallize something. Similar in intent to the Pentland/Patterson drama in 'Eating the I'
Like 'Eating the I' and 'Voices in the Dark' we are taken inside the inner door to a rather significant degree, but unlike 'Eating the I', this does not try and provide much context or background info. If you have not been in The Work or learned the preliminary relaxation and self-remembering practices, you will understandably be scratching your head through much of it.
However along with Bennett and Pentland the Madame seems to have made it to Man #5. And that is worth experiencing even through the medium of printed words.
I found that the book started 'meditating me' as few books do.
Book Description
A new edition of the groundbreaking spiritual treasure, with a foreword by bestselling author Marianne Williamson .Since its original publication in 1949, In Search of the Miraculous has been hailed as the most valuable and reliable documentation of G. I. Gurdjieff's thoughts and universal view. This historic and influential work is considered by many to be a primer of mystical thought as expressed through the Work, a combination of Eastern philosophies that had for centuries been passed on orally from teacher to student. Gurdjieff's goal, to introduce the Work to the West, attracted many students, among them Ouspensky, an established mathematician, journalist, and, with the publication of In Search of the Miraculous, an eloquent and persuasive proselyte.Ouspensky describes Gurdjieff's teachings in fascinating and accessible detail, providing what has proven to be a stellar introduction to the universal view of both student and teacher. It goes without saying that In Search of the Miraculous has inspired great thinkers and writers of ensuing spiritual movements, including Marianne Williamson, the highly acclaimed author of A Return to Love and Illuminata. In a new and never-before-published foreword, Williamson shares the influence of Ouspensky's book and Gurdjieff's teachings on the New Thought movement and her own life, providing a contemporary look at an already timeless classic.
Customer Reviews:
The most important book on Earth.......2007-10-17
For those of us, who don't only like to search but also to find, this is the most important book on Earth!
A flowing journey.......2007-03-17
I have read this book twice. Once while in college, and then ten years later.
If you are searching for the meaning of your journey - this book will help serve as a guide. However, be ready to question your beliefs and habitual lifestyle. Also, be prepared to read a page, or perhaps a profound paragraph or two - and then feel compelled to set the book down as you experience a visceral shift in the way you think and live your existence. Even though this book emphasizes at various times the need for you to find a "teacher" as a guide to help with your evolution - it is my opinion that this serves as a metaphor for discovering the teacher within. This book is a slow read - and some parts may seem perplexing or confusing, especially the sacred laws of geometry and mathematics (i.e.: The law of seven) - but I recommend you continue with your reading effort; if you do so - you will be rewarded.
Since I am an environmental author and avid reader - I found this book helpful in connecting the dots relative to the lives and writings of some of the world's most profound teachers and scientists.
An Awakening Experience.......2007-02-24
People interact with each other purely in a mechanical way. Most of them prefer this way of "life", going about their business totally asleep. But there are a few who want to wake up, who want to BE. It's not easy. It never is. But if you are one who wants to truly BE, then this book will help you on your first steps to the path; but only if you are willing to "see".
This book tells "how it is", not a bunch of spellbinding fairy tales with rituals and magic spells. This is a book for the true student of Way.
In Search of the Miraculous; Fragments of an Unknown Teaching.......2007-01-24
Of all the attempts made by Gurdjieff's pupils to introduce his evolutionary system of ideas through writing, In Search of the Miraculous arguably stands formost. First published in 1949, the book continues to be a real help to the work. It may be surprising to some that Ouspensky received from Gurdjieff the material organized in this book over a period of only three years, from 1915 to 1918. After his relatively brief but apparently intensive initiation into various aspects of the teaching, Ouspensky separated himself from his teacher for personal reasons while other pupils remained with Gurdjieff to receive advanced instruction for many years until Gurdjieff's death in 1949.
People continue to seek out the Gurdjieff work today under the influence of Ouspensky's extraordinary book. It should be required reading for anyone interested in Gurdjieff. The serious student, by entering into the practical work, which extends the process of learning beyond the intellectual study of ideas, may eventually come to discover what the book's subtitle expresses. Evidently charged with the power to influence in the mind an unprecedented vision of reality, the ideas Ouspensky detailed must be seen as "fragments" of a teaching meant to inform not only the mind but also the feeling, the body and ultimately the whole of oneself.
While the truths Gurdjieff wished for people to receive cannot be assimilated through intellectual study alone, these true ideas, if heard, may strike the first note of an octave of real understanding, the further development of which will require, among other things, a long and patient self-examination conducted under special conditions. The careful study of this book can be increasingly rewarding to the student who has entered into conditions of group work under the guidance of people specially prepared within the lineage of those to whom Gurdjieff left the task of transmitting his teaching.
Fragments indeed.......2007-01-22
This book took very long to say very little. Many Gurdjieff students love it but I found it dissapointing. For every truth you get (self-remembering) you have to shake off a bunch of unnecessary rubish, (people existing to feed the moon to become a planet like earth). Take what u need and dont mistake all of it for truth just cuz some of it resonates.
Book Description
Begun in 1934, this final volume of Gurdjieff's trilogy, All and Everything, is a primary source for Gurdjieff's ideas, methods, and biography. Gurdjieff offers guidance to his "community of seekers," through a selection of talks given in 1930, autobiographical material crucial to understanding his ideas, and the incomplete essay "The Outer and Inner World of Man." Available for the first time in paperback, this is the ultimate piece of Gurdjieff's work that his numerous followers have been waiting for.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing much to discuss.......2006-08-28
This book isn't a book, it represents a means for transferring a higher knowledge. As such, its value for the reader depends on the readers essence, and his ability to use this means. To me, it has great value. For a casual reader it will be incomprehensible.
Good G, Worse Presentation.......2004-08-03
First part of this book is okay - reveals the mystical part of G. Rest is difficult to follow, probably because of the rigid translation. If someone who is familiar with G attempts to translate this book again, that will be a great service to humanity.
I could tastefully swallow G through "Views form the Real World" and "In Search of the Miraculius" than any of his books although "Belzebe" and "Meeting with.." are lot better than this "I am..".
G has a great influence in moulding my spiritual journey and I hate to see a book that's so badly translated and presented.
difficult to understand idea.......2003-03-31
This work takes many hours of self examination and doing what you find uncomfortable then examining your thoughts as to why.
The idea is to see what really is rather than what you automatically think and feel.This work will expand your abilities to look and see things from your individual perspective and react from a intergrated rather than a fractured mental process. The process allows you to see others in their fractured states and without understanding of why they react the way they do as they think from a small universe of habits.Once you become free of habitual thinkings and habits a third force comes into play and enlightens the struggle of your-self opposing nature-this is what is divine essence in this work.Keep in mind nature wants to receate you without your essence but knowing your indivuality fights nature.Using your personality to understand the essence of your indivuality is difficult and much like a search in a dark room but the third element is anchored by way of the sychronicity of events in your life and its time line but your mind must be free of its learned ways to see and be guided.Once your path is established un-natural- things will happen -it is magic!Fight nature and you knock it off balance and the laws of the universe begin to release their hold on your reality -sounds insane but you will be the most sane as you look out and see who has really examined their reality inside out and upside down. Good luck!
Translationus Horrificus.......2002-07-05
I would have to recomend that you skip this installment of the Guirdjeff triology. If you have read Beelzebub or Remarkable Men then there really is no need to waste your time lumbering through what can only be described as disjointed and stuttering translation. Perhaps the worst translation ever - which is saying alot considering Penguin's long lineage of word butchery. If you must read this - learn French and read the original or skip to the last third of the Penguin version. The last third is really the only information worth reading in either language. The first 100 or so pages has Gurdjieff is a rather false humility trying to matter a factly self grandize his life and work. Not the last taste of his remarkable ideas and life that you want on your lips.
Good stuff in the back.......2001-09-05
Gurdjieff was certainly a man ahead of his time and shares with us terrific insights and exercises that could possibly help raise one's consciousness. And I have no doubt that there are many people who have found a path of discovering about Self through his teachings. I can understand why Gurdjieff's teachings are taught directly from teacher to pupil. Be sure to do research about the groups of people around the world who pass on G's teachings. This book does not do justice to those teachings. It is only a glimpse of it.
Whats more, this book makes for difficult reading. Probably because the translation from Russian is not in the most concise and clear manner. In many instances, you will find that the parts of a normal english sentence now come in a very different order, and that one sentence can be full of interjections and are so long as to make one paragraph. I have an easy time conversing with people whose foreign accents and awkward english translation permeate their words. But I didn't have such an easy time of it when reading a translated version from Russian such as this. If you are used to reading books that are written in easy-to-read english, and find dialectic tones difficult to read through, than this book will indeed be a hard read.
If you want to learn a bit more from Gurdjieff's wisdom---his philosophy and cosmology, than try other books by Gurddjieff and/or his pupils. Search the web on his biography to know more about him. Choose your purchase well.
Book Description
The Simplest Path, Step One: Free Your Mind delineates, in one slim volume, a complete system for achieving personal spiritual awakening, along with a straightforward, no-nonsense plan individuals and groups so enlightened can follow to awaken Humanity en masse and positively transform the world. This book contains keys to awakening. Awakening from our personal dream shatters the solid "box" of limitation memes have built around our lives, and frees us to fluidly craft our personalities, environments, relationships, careers, etc. as an artist paints a landscape or a sculptor teases form from formless clay. All of us awakening together from the shared dream of the planet will mark the birth of our species out of our current global nightmare of decline into a limitless future literally beyond our present ability to imagine, even in our "wildest dreams," indeed.
Customer Reviews:
Way Beyond "Socrates Revisited".......2007-08-22
After reading the commentary attached to the one star rating given by the young man from Texas, I feel compelled to step forward in defense of this very fine book. With only one exception, every point made in that negative review is simply wrong. Just not factually correct. The reviewer identifies himself as a young man (... "to my young mind"), and since all of his other Amazon reviews are of TV episodes on DVD, video games and rock music CDs I take him at his word. Well, I am an "old man," closing in on my sixty-third birthday, and I came to Mr. Casspriano's book after six decades of life experience, the last three of those decades a zealous practitioner of Zen Buddhism. I say this not to "brag," but simply to qualify myself as a reviewer before beginning.
I'll start where the one star reviewer closed his argument, with his statement that the simplest path reduces to two Socratic concepts: "Admit that you don't know anything" and "know yourself."
The first part is nominally true (the exception). Like Zen Buddhism, a central tenet of the simplest path is working to release the false notion we all hold that we know ourselves, other people, the world around us. But identifying and releasing our attachments to our illusions is a life's work, not some brash "I don't know nothin'!" as the young Texan seems to imply. Under normal circumstances, we go about our daily lives with no idea we are deluded about anything, as Maya (the illusion of the phenomenal world around and even inside us) is so convincing that most of us never even think to question its validity. Casspriano did not invent the notion of human beings being trapped in illusion, as this truth was known to the timeless authors of the Hindu Vedas and is central to all schools of Buddhism (not just Zen). But his scientific/spiritual exploration of the mechanism by which Maya ensnares our minds and can, with effort, be overcome is among the best "plain English" explanations of this process I have read. There is no "inscrutable mystery" in the simplest path (a criticism that has been accurately leveled toward Zen Buddhism, as a lot of Eastern thought truly does come off as "inscrutable" when translated into English and/or the metaphors of Western culture). Casspriano lays out in no-nonsense American English exactly what our brains are doing when they create the illusion we mistake for reality, then shows the reader in the same clear terms how to train his or her brain to break free of illusion and taste reality as-it-is. In just 216 pages, that is no mean feat. After thirty years of Zen practice and numerous kensho experiences (of varying depths and intensities), I can say from personal experience that Casspriano is correct. Enlightenment comes as the fruit of a long, incremental process of retraining the mind to touch reality in a new way, and the process described in the simplest path is the same as that followed in Zen practice, especially Rienzi Zen koan study (I'll have more to say about this in a later paragraph). Casspriano's approach and language is very different from traditional Zen (more "scientific," and no sitting meditation is required), which I think would appeal to Americans and other Westerners seeking to experience "awakening" without necessarily committing themselves to a religion like Buddhism, but the internal mental/spiritual process and final destination are the same.
"Know yourself," on the other hand, is not in this book at all, at least not in the way the young reviewer, or Socrates for that matter, uses the phrase. As in Buddhism, Casspriano takes pains to demonstrate that "self" is as much of an illusion as our misapprehension of the phenomenal world, and is a byproduct of exactly the same mind process that creates outer Maya. A core teaching of Buddhism is that our "self," our personality/ego, is nothing more than an aggregation of outside influences that cluster together in our minds like shiny stones gathered into a pile, and which we mistake not only for something "real," but tragically, for our essential selves. Yet this "pile" has nothing really to do with who we are at all. Buddhism teaches "no-self." Belief in the illusion of a unique and independent "self" is our greatest obstacle to enlightenment. Wasting time and energy getting to "know yourself" in the Western sense is foreign to Eastern thought. Casspriano again does a great job of translating the Buddhist concept of "no-self" into Western scientific/spiritual terminology. He shows the process by which our ego/personality aggregate "piles up," as well as how to take the pile down, stone by stone. Enlightenment is what the pile was covering up, and so it naturally appears as soon as the pile is removed - but oh how we cling to our personal pile of stones! "Self" is what we must trade for enlightenment, what must be surrendered, and Casspriano returns to this truth many times in the simplest path. My point is that the one star reviewer's reduction of the simplest path to "know yourself" has no basis at all in the actual book.
As to the book being "gimmicky": Yes, the words "The Simplest Path" recur frequently throughout the book, but not in reference to the book itself (at least that's not how I took it), but rather to the system of understanding the mind and working toward "awakening" Casspriano is describing - and it is a complete system that deserves to be considered as a whole, on its own. At times the repetition does have a feel of "branding" in the commercial sense, so I understand where the reviewer may have taken his impression. But the simplest path, while resonant with Zen Buddhism (and apparently, according to Casspriano, with the Toltec philosophy espoused by Carlos Castaneda, of which I have no personal knowledge, so I'll have to take the author's word for that) is far enough different that it needs its own "name" to set it apart from other schools of similar but not identical thought. The reviewer's criticism is like saying that every use of the term "Zen" in a book called "Zen Buddhism" should be taken as a reference to the book, and not to the larger practice of Zen Buddhism as a spiritual discipline that the book is describing. Casspriano's point in repeatedly linking The Simplest Path, Zen Buddhism and Toltec Shamanism throughout the book, at least as I understood it, is to highlight these three spiritual practices as related reliable paths through a dark forest of illusion, a forest in which many apparent (and more popular) paths, including most (all?) religious beliefs, actively vie to mislead travelers toward deeper ensnarement in the dream, rather than leading them toward "awakening."
I want to say a word about koan study in Rienzi Zen and how it relates to the simplest path. Koans are those quirky Zen sayings and stories like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "what was your original face before you (or your parents) were born?" that have no rational answer, and which Zen students turn and turn in their minds like the tumblers of a combination lock until their imprisoned psyches "explode" in a "super-rational" experience of reality beyond the illusion ("irrational" would be the wrong term, as that implies "nonsense"). That "super-rational" vision of reality is called "kensho." I have experienced it myself, more than once in my lifetime. I have come to think of Casspriano's "Key Questions" in the second half of the simplest path, especially the later seven of the ten, as "cultural koans" designed to trigger "collective kensho" for the whole human race at once. Like "what is the sound of one hand clapping?", unflinching consideration of the value of human life, of how our beliefs about the future shape the present, of the true origin and destiny of life on Earth, etc., especially as seen through the lens of Casspriano's "Key Question Technique," reveals that none of these questions have rational answers, yet all require our active and immediate response. Successful resolution of these larger riddles that impact everyone will require us all to eventually "explode" into reality, together, in a "super-rational" way. We'll have to break through the illusion and wake up together, as one (which has been the goal of Mahayana Buddhism, of which Zen is a sect, since around 200 BCE). That is the "Planetary Awakening" addressed in this book, and I believe Casspriano's "Key Questions" are a concrete step in that direction. I'm glad I spent my fifteen dollars.
This is my "old man" take on the simplest path, having encountered it after 30 years of Zen Buddhist practice (I'm not veering off my chosen path here, just bowing respectfully in passing toward Casspriano's). From a Buddhist perspective, the simplest path is true Dharma, though I do not get the impression from reading his book that Vincent Casspriano is himself a Buddhist or a follower of any religion. That to my mind makes his book all the more interesting.
True, but gimmicky.......2007-08-09
Casspriano's book is scientifically and philosophically sound as best as my young mind can tell, but I don't recommend this book. Its scattered with numerous pages of advertising about how his "program" works and how it compares to other religions and spiritual movements. Why must this author physically write out "The Simplest Path" in reference to his book every other page, and talk about his second volume? Perhaps because he's not out for pure truth, but for our money.
All this book comes down to after you strip away the nonsense is two things. First, admit that you don't truly know anything. Second, know yourself. Do those two things (they essentially both mean to question EVERYTHING), and you'll have Casspriano's "Planetary Awakening," with 15 bucks still in your pocket. And you'll be following the fundamental truths already said by Socrates.. so do yourself a favor and pick up Plato's "Apology" and read up on the Socratic dialogue on how to live a good life. And don't stop there, because you can't be sure he's right.
And I have 10 bucks that says these other couple of reviews were written by the book publisher. In any case, ignore the hype.
A Unique and Inspiring Wake-up Call.......2007-05-15
This is one of the most clear-headed books I've read in years on the subject of real, nitty gritty, get your hands dirty spiritual development (as opposed to the fru fru New Age variety). So much of what passes for "spirituality" in our time amounts to some author, celebrity, priest, philosopher or self-appointed guru telling us what to "believe," sight unseen, if we want to reach heaven, attain enlightenment, achieve "ascension," etc. Casspriano takes an at times startling opposite approach. For Casspriano, such unquestioned/unquestionable beliefs are not only NOT the path to spiritual awakening, they represent the chief obstacle blocking our realization of higher consciousness. And it's not just religious beliefs ("faith") he's talking about, but all our beliefs about reality, especially those that enclose our thinking in "boxes" that limit our freedom to find solutions to real-world threats like Peak Oil, overpopulation, Global Warming, etc. Though much of the book focuses on individual enlightenment, for Casspriano, these larger planetary issues are "spiritual," as well. Whether the issue is our personal inability to find happiness or Humanity's collective rush toward physical extinction, the cause is the same - our wrong-headed beliefs about what's real. The solution is the same, as well - continuous, deep questioning. Using Richard Dawkins' concept of "memes" as a central metaphor, Casspriano first breaks down the basic process of belief, showing the mechanism in our brains by which beliefs misdirect and control our psyches, then he walks the reader through an exploration of a series of ten "anti-meme questions" aimed at breaking down the walls of our mental "boxes" and setting our minds free. With each question, he supplies an exercise designed to allow the reader to attain a personal taste of reality "beyond the box," especially as flavored by that chapter's "Key Question." For the most part, this formula works very well (with a few rare moments of over-exuberance on the author's part, as already described in other reviews, though as a card carrying vegan environmentalist, I can't say I particularly minded), delivering a cumulative series of death-blows to some of the most basic "pillars" of our present human consensus reality. Beyond the walls those pillars supported lies real reality, where we are all interconnected and interdependent, and, in Casspriano's view, mutually destined for greatness, if we can just wake up and grab the reins of our runaway culture in time. This is not a book for spiritual "feel gooders" seeking soft assurances that they're perfect just they way they are and everything's going to be all right, no matter what. This is a wake up call, a tool kit and a concrete action plan for becoming individually enlightened and collectively saving the world, all rolled up into one. That, I think, is a cause well-worthy of exuberance.
Challenge Consensus Reality!.......2007-05-10
This is a thoughtful book that addresses how we may go about developing a process to question our everyday consensus reality. I suppose if I have learned anything in 49 years of life, it is that all personal and social problems stem from our fundamental views on the nature of reality itself. Vincent Casspriano uses the concept of a "meme" as a fundamental unit of ideas, assumptions, etc. that often block our understanding of reality itself. One such meme, for example, may be that we have to "fight for our freedom" or the world's a "fearful" place and hence, we have to be ready to kill to protect ourselves. I suppose you could also use the word "paradigm" here as well, but the essential point of this book is that we "unconsciously" function in our life with many limited points of view that block our ability to solve problems on both a personal and a social basis.
While Vince Casspriano is to be congradulated for producing a book that presents both a methodology and a motivation for personal transformation, there are a few pitfalls here that the potential reader should be aware of before tackling this material. The author has some rather strong views on fossil fuel consumption, meet consumption, and the role of humans in the cycle of procreation. While I generally agree with his analysis on fossil fuel consumtion and meat consumption (as I have viewed large tracks of deforrested grazing land in developing countries), these viewpoints can distract the reader from the essential point here which is to rigourously question consensus reality. Since I am single, and have no motivation to have children, I definitely disagree with his views on the necessity of human procreation on this planet, but here again, it is important to extract the essential meaning rather than get caught in the specific political/social debates that these issues may spawn.
If you are serious about personal transformation with the potential for changing our global consciousness, than this book can be an invaluable tool. I do agree with the Author that a world population of "high functioning" people can resolve every planetary problem we face today. As we systematically question our consensus reality, we will see our problems in new ways, and with this new perspective, problems can often be quickly resolved or transcended.
A Simple Cure For What's "Eating Us".......2006-11-13
I considered titling this review, "Stop Whining, Wake Up and Get Busy Saving the World," but decided "Eating Us" would be more attention-grabbing - which matters because I believe Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" is an important book, and I want to do whatever I can to draw your attention to it. Pick the title you like best. Both very fittingly describe what you will find within the pages of this remarkable new release from New Paradigm Press.
I have selected three short quotations to explore in this review that I think best summarize Casspriano's overall message:
From Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":
"Right now, this very moment, you are asleep... Even if you are reading these words in broad daylight - sitting at your desk or beside the kitchen table, your feet firmly planted on the floor, eyes open, senses alert, feeling the weight of this book in your hands as sounds of life rise and fall rhythmically around you - you are deeply asleep, and dreaming furiously"
Now, the idea that Humans are sleeping, and must therefore "awaken," is by no means unique to Casspriano's "Simplest Path" spiritual system, being the root observation underlying pretty much all Eastern religion, and a lot of Western Occultism and New Age metaphysics, as well. In fairness, Casspriano makes no claim to this as an original insight, openly supporting his assessment of the human predicament with quotations taken from Animism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. He then flows seamlessly into a list of complementary illustrations from the secular realms of Quantum Physics, brain/consciousness research, and most to-the-point, the study of memes and memetics, ala Evolutionary Biologist and world's best-known cheerleader for scientific atheism, Richard Dawkins.
If you've never heard of memes or memetics, a quick Google of those terms will reveal hundreds of serious, information-rich websites devoted to this now thirty-year old science. In a nutshell, a "meme" is a sort of contagious thought-form that spreads between people by way of imitation. Obvious memes in our environment include advertising jingles, fads and fashions, etc. Casspriano somewhat radically extends the concept to include just about everything that makes up the contents of our individual brains and shared human culture. While he resists redefining the word "meme" wholesale, he decidedly expands its definition to make memes and "memeplexes" (what you get when a number of memes band together into an organic, relational unit, like a religion or cultural or political movement) the basic, fundamental building blocks of everything we habitually label "real..."
And then he demonstrates, in at times excruciating detail, the complete emptiness of the "apparent-reality" that is a byproduct of memetic activity in our brains. What we call "real" is not real at all. It's an illusion spun up by our memes. And our memes are not original to us. They are "viral invaders" assailing our minds from without. Worse - and, while even this thought is not wholly unique to Casspriano, he certainly gives it his own very effective spin - memes are by no means mere passive beliefs or simple "harmless ideas." They are, Casspriano believes, actively predatory psychic parasites whose survival depends on our buying into the illusions they create in our minds. Think of illusion (Samsara, Maya, etc.) as a web we're caught in. Memes are the spider. We are the fly. Gotcha.
One thing I like very much about Casspriano's book is that he never asks us to take anything on faith, least of all this rather ugly depiction of the human psychic/spiritual condition. He not only challenges readers to test his hypothesis firsthand in order to experience what is real and true for ourselves, he spends a large chunk of the book outlining specific exercises anyone can do to escape memetic interference and personally experience reality as-it-is. The exercises in Part II of the book are powerful medicine... But this is a digression, so let me return to the point.
Memes are the spider, and we are the fly. A better metaphor might be that memes are the farmer, and we are the cow. Domesticated and docile, we allow memes to milk us daily, to extract from our minds the potent human psychic energy which, if reclaimed by us and put to proper human use, would quickly and positively transform our lives and our world. This transformation is awakening, ascension, enlightenment, metanoia, the Buddha-like change of consciousness most religions and spiritual systems on Earth hint at, but few ever actually deliver to followers. In this analysis, Casspriano's "Simplest Path" is very much in line with Gurdjieff's "Fourth Way," Carlos Castaneda's Toltec sorcery, and a few other well known spiritual practices inhabiting a somewhat darker, though perhaps more realistic corner of the New Age. But unlike most of those other systems, Casspriano's prescription for escaping illusion and awakening to reality is remarkably, well... simple.
From Chapter Three, "Waking Up":
"The simple truth is that we are sleeping because we lack sufficient energy to wake up."
And later in the same chapter:
"The real work that brings about awakening, rather than merely granting the external appearance of "being spiritual," while actually embroiling us ever more deeply in the dream, is a rigorous, daily commitment to the identification and elimination of every self-serving belief from which our personal dream-lives are constructed."
For "belief" in the quotation above, read "meme/memeplex." Casspriano certainly does, treating the terms as largely interchangeable. In the end, this genuinely simple - at least in the sense of being uncomplicated and pragmatic - spiritual practice amounts to discovering reality as-it-actually-is less by searching for a glimpse beyond the illusion, than by systematically withdrawing our participation in, and identification with, the dream. When we disentangle our psyches from memetic illusion, only reality remains. We don't have to chase it; to a meme-free mind, reality just appears. This is "Satori" in Zen Buddhism. This is "stopping the world" in the Toltec sorcery of Castaneda and others. Casspriano's genius lies in his talent for exposing the core mechanism behind such complex and often inscrutable spiritual systems, and for putting into plain language clear instructions for unraveling the dream and achieving personal awakening. The virus-like process by which memes take over and control our human minds, as described by Casspriano is, to my mind, very complicated (but well worth struggling through). What is genuinely simple about "The Simplest Path," however, is Casspriano's prescription for breaking those bonds, once you've made the effort to understand how they are created and maintained. For Casspriano, remaining a victim of spiritual sleep and energetic exploitation by memes is a complex activity in which we unconsciously invest enormous amounts of psychic energy every day of our lives. Awakening is the product of a simple act of withdrawing that investment, which automatically re-energizes of our minds and lives. Or as Casspriano cleverly phrases it when closing Chapter Three, "Waking Up":
"Unweave the tapestry of the dream, and awakening happens."
Anyone can do this. Spiritual awakening, in Casspriano's view, may be hard work, but it is not complicated work. The path to enlightenment is really rather shockingly simple. Fall out of love with the dream. Reclaim your psychic energy. Wake up to reality.
The ten "Key Questions" Casspriano explores in the second section of the book are designed to put the theory laid out in Part I to practical and immediate use. Essentially, I think Casspriano sees these ten issues - why we treat enlightenment as an "airy-fairy" ideal instead of a measurable transformation of brain functioning, the excuses we make for avoiding personal responsibility and integrity along the lines of Castaneda's "impeccability," the fallacy of belief in a "separate self," etc. - as pillars of both our personal and collective human dreams. They are by no means an exhaustive listing of the memes twisting our minds. But they are primary keystones on which layers upon layers of the grand illusion are built. Topple these ten baseline pillars and the larger structure crumbles.
Casspriano explores some "Keys" more successfully than others. One downside to the book is that, especially in the "Keys," Casspriano's own memetic prejudices shine at times rather glaringly through, as when, in his discussion of the American "What Would Jesus Do?" religious fad, he characterizes the Evangelical Christian purveyors of WWJD as, "ultra-conservative, right wing ideologues." Even should the reader personally agree with such pronouncements, its hard to resist thinking, "Hey Vince! Your memes are showing!" But where he nails his point, Casspriano's prose can be downright inspiring, as with the "Key" cosmological study "Is Earth the Center of the Universe?," which explores the gap between what we know, scientifically, about the Universe and what our daily choices and behavior says we really believe, about the cosmos and about ourselves. His closing "Key" "Are We Alone?" so poetically frames the true stakes of our global human predicament - species survival VS extinction - that its hard to imagine anyone keeping their gaze glued squarely to their own self-involved navel in the wake of reading it. Of course we are not alone. There are six and a half billion of us on Planet Earth, and whether we awaken to what's best in us or follow our darkest drives over History's cliff into oblivion, we do so as one. One planet, one fate.
This notion of "oneness" and of a common, intertwined human spiritual and biological destiny is a core theme in The Simplest Path, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND that sets it apart from any spiritual book in recent memory. My final quotation from the book returns us to the opening lines of Chapter One, "The Boxes We Dream In":
"We are all aware of the challenges facing us as we enter together into the 21st Century:
· World oil supplies are running out.
· Global warming is transforming the Earth into a steamy greenhouse.
· Even as our technology connects the world, ideological extremism, terrorism and militarism divide us as never before.
· Headlines bombard us with news of war, famine, pestilence and death until we feel overwhelmed and unable to respond.
· Time is running out..."
Vincent Casspriano, Jr.'s "The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Transformation, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND" does not offer easy escape from these very pressing real-world human ills, but rather, a down to Earth, workable prescription for their cure. Yes, we must awaken as individuals, and, rest assured, "The Simplest Path" shows spiritual seekers exactly how to do that. But a prime message of "The Simplest Path" is that, for personal awakening to have meaning, it must occur within the context of a complete re-visioning of global culture, and a mass wrenching away of the wheel of History from the control of viral memes, that we might create a common cosmic human destiny worthy of our highest potential as a species.
Now that's a meme worth feeding.
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- Profound advice for peace and enlightment.
- Objective self-knowledge is the key
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Basic Self-Knowledge
Harry Benjamin
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ASIN: 0877281629 |
Customer Reviews:
Profound advice for peace and enlightment........2006-01-24
That title sounds like some hippy, new-age mumbo jumbo in some ways. It's not. I'm a pragmatic guy, but this book is great. Reducing "self-talk", the static that keeps our minds in turmoil all day, every day, is a great way to reduce suffering that is associated with painful mind-states. Read this book. It's profound.
Objective self-knowledge is the key.......2001-04-21
This book is a good introduction to the basic terminology of the Fourth Way tradition. What is most essential to understand is the irreplacable and unavoidable necessity of objective self-observation; the ability to see ourselves as we really are, not as we THINK we are. Unfortunately, self-observation and self-remembering are grossly misunderstood these days and the Fourth Way is rapidly degenerating; but this text can be helpful for the serious student who is willing to genuinely seek self-knowledge, not mere book knowledge. We must be on guard moment to moment, in clear observation of the mind, the false sense of self, and be remembering ourselves, our consciousness, by being fully present, rather than being identified with thoughts, feelings and sensations. This text can help the reader understand what this means. For more information on how this is done, feel free to contact christianart@hotmail.com.
Book Description
Of all relationships, that between teacher and student is the most mysterious, most rewarding. That between Gurdjieff and Uspenskii (P. D. Ouspensky), two of the seminal spiritual figures of the twentieth century, was titanic, archetypal. By closely observing their interaction, we come to understand the pattern of discoveries, resistances, and rebellions - the deep inner and outer struggle that marks every teacher-student relationship, whatever the path.
How and why a student of Uspenskii's caliber broke with his teacher, his slow descent, but ultimate breakthrough, offers a deep and profound study that reveals the defining moments and trigger events intrinsic to the process of transformation. The material in this book, much of it new and drawn from original sources, published and unpublished, along with the author's insights and original reading of documents, provides a new and revolutionary dimension to the understanding of Gurdjieff, Uspenskii, and the Fourth Way work.
Gurdjieff came to the West because, as he said, "Unless the `wisdom' of the East and the `energy' of the West meet and are used harmoniously, the world will destroy itself". He came to establish an ancient teaching, newly formulated for our time, one specifically calibrated to the stress and uncertainties of the technological world, Unlike the traditional three ways which focus on the body, emotions, or the mind, the Fourth Way uses the ordinary world to work. A rational and scientific approach - shorn of all "religiosity" and presented in an objective language - the Fourth Way uses the shocks, negativity and suffering of ordinary life to come to real Life.
Customer Reviews:
Struggle clearly written from the 'Orthodox' camp.......2005-06-10
Patterson [whose 'eating the I' is really quite valuable - for guys at least ;-)] here does some interesting work w/ the chronology of G's Work and that of his major [male] students.
Apparently Pentland was P's primary source and LP and Bennett had something of a major fallout, so everything Patterson has to say re: JG Bennett is rather jaded. As is somewhat common amongst the 'orthodox' camp of Gurdjieff students Ouspensky is seen as really having gotten something at the end of his life, whereas Bennett's
rather obvious transformation in his last decade which did not just 'abandon the system' as did O. instead flowered and produced some of the most genuine and valuable 4thway books extant [Deeper Man, A Spiritual Psychology, Energies and the Sevenfold Work].
Patterson is something a Gurdjieffean Fundamentalist [even going so far as splitting off from the 'foundation', in true Protestant fashion] as far as I can tell from his several books I have read.
As regards the critique of Ouspensky, it seems to me from the evidence scattered around that P. tells it like it is in that regard, and adds a few genuine insights, but ironically enough, in Eating the I, we see patterson losing his own 'struggle w/ the magician' Pentalnd and suprise, suprise, he has now set up 'Prieure West'...
I would have given it ***1/2 but the 1/2 star option seems to be gone.
Even if you are turned off by this one, his Voices in the Dark is obligatory for all students of the work as it has priceless transcripts of G's wartime meetings.
Teacher-Student Relationship.......2004-05-18
Patterson shows the teacher-pupil relationship in the fullest relief with three of Gurdjieff's leading pupils: first with P. D. Uspenskii, then A. R. Orage and finally John Bennett. Each of these men living in their own time and space was attracted to the Work. Uspenskii was `in search of the miraculous;' A. R. Orage was trying to find God; and Bennett was interested in hypnotism, the occult, and the fifth dimension. Each man had talents of persuasion and knowledge and each was approached by Gurdjieff at specific times to help spread the teaching. All failed for reasons outlined in the book because, ultimately, they could not give everything.
Uspenskii halved the `ideas' from the man, Gurdjieff, who embodied and brought the teaching to the West. He was unable to separate the `conditions' that Gurdjieff demanded from his own `conditioning.' Orage was unable to discriminate the vastness and seriousness of Gurdjieff's mission and Bennett seemed unable to `stay on track.' None of them seemed to fully sense or realize the urgency and what Gurdjieff called the `terror of the situation.'
The format is a time line where each person, each situation speaks; the author's notes are in footnotes. A brilliant book if one considers just the teacher-pupil relationship, but there is also an ordering of the situation, a sorting out. Patterson asks the reader to allow "the available material to build up sequentially, hopefully allowing it to be pondered in a wider context."
A study of the Teacher and the Student.......2004-05-09
Drawn to the ideas of G. I. Gurdjieff some years ago, my real introduction was through "In Search of the Miraculous" by P. D. Ouspensky. As I read and reread that book, I could not understand how Mr. Ouspensky could choose to break with the source of what he clearly regarded as a remarkable teaching. William Patrick Patterson brings both a scholar's rigorousness and a deep background in the Gurdjieff tradition to the study of the question of Mr. Ousepensky's "break." He begins by exploring the relationship between Ouspensky and Gurdjieff, from development to apparent conclusion. The sub-text of all this is the relationship between teacher and student (also directly examined in two essays added to the second edition). The creation of a connection between the teacher/transmitter and the student/receiver inevitably will create a struggle within the receiver, between those aspects seeking transformation and those opposed to any change. When a student is of the high caliber of Mr. Ouspensky, the struggle becomes truly mythic.
Mr. Patterson also looks at the roles played by A. R. Orage and J. G. Bennett. They too were men, and students, of high caliber who offered great potential for stepping down and transmitting the teaching.
I found the historical presentation to be very interesting; the exegesis of the struggle to be illuminating, thought provoking, and moving.
Seeing the struggle of others.......2004-05-09
This is a wonderful gathering together of information from so many sources - including unpublished ones - that gives a detailed description of Gurdjieff's relationships with Ouspensky, Orage and Bennett. In reading about the interactions between these men, I feel that I gained a better understanding of the struggle of the teacher-student relationship. It is much easier to see the struggle when it is not your own that is being described.
I found it interesting to read Part I, which covers Ouspensky's years in Russia with Gurdjieff, in tandem with reading In Search of the Miraculous. Struggle provides descriptions from other students of these early years with Gurdjieff, which sometimes left me with a different impression from what I had received in Ouspensky's Search. Also, Patterson provides a picture of the political, social and economic situation of Russia in those war years. This gave me a better understanding of the "societal madness" in which the teaching was being given. If you then read Patterson's Voices in the Dark, which chronicles Gurdjieff's teaching during WW II, you see the tremendous obstacles that Gurdjieff had to overcome due to the phenomenon of man's "reciprocal destruction."
Struggle of the Magicians.......2004-05-06
I read Struggle Of The Magicians quickly absorbed in the atmosphere of the lives of these fascinating people who studied with Gurdjieff. This book gave a perspective, an insight into how Gurdjieff worked with Uspenskii, Orage, and Bennett. Their relations with the teacher were all uniquely individual yet relatable to anyone that has worked on themselves. What happens when a student comes up to an "off-limits" experience within? That is a central question in this book. How much pressure can someone take before reacting, perhaps not knowing or believing that that is what they are doing? This is the kind of book that would be interesting to read at the beginning of starting towards the path and say 10, 20, or more years later. Highly recommended.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent complement to "In Search of the Miraculous".......2007-09-18
This book is an authentic collection of talks given by Gurdjieff. Being an unorganized collection on a number of different subjects, it should be read after "In Search of the Miraculous" by Ouspensky. Together, the two books give much insight into the real teachings of Gurdjieff and how his method should be practiced. These authentic accounts are all the more important now that there are many purported Forth Way groups that significantly deviate from what the Forth Way really is.
Some talks in this book also serve as a good source of shocks. They remind us of how mechanical we are, how difficult to wake up and how easy it is to fall back to sleep again while dreaming that we are awake. They should be read every once in a while for that purpose.
In short, an excellent reading for any Forth Way student.
Review of "Views from the Real World" G.I. Gurdjieff.......2006-08-31
Essential Reading for those interested in Gurdjieff as he actually is, rather than through Ouspensky's or Maurice Nichol's
eyes; most of Gurdjieff's oeuvre would be largely incomprensible to a new reader- Beelzebubs Tales, The Herald of Coming Good, Life is Real only then, when I am- whereas this book is clear and presents
G's extraordinarily different viewpoint on Man and Reality in a direct Q & A format
Q&A.......2004-03-27
This book is a transliteration of G. speaking to an audience and answering their various questions. Moving, succinct, and of course, different from his other books.
The Authentic Voice.......2003-05-13
There is no doubt that "In Search of the Miraculous" by Ouspensky is presenting Gurdjieff's ideas very much like they were delivered mainly in Russia in 1915-1918. However, the talks in "Views from the Real World" have for me even a more authentic tone, although the presentation is not systematic.
Many of the talks in the "Views" are delivered in du Prieuré, Paris or New York in 1922-1924 and only one after his accident in 1924 (1930 in New York). The book has also over 30 pages of the article called "Glimpses of Truth" that Ouspensky was listening to when he was first introduced to Gurdjieff and the aphorisms that decorated the Study House in du Prieuré.
A sample of what I mean by 'even a more authentic tone' is the way Gurdjieff explains in a talk called "Now I am sitting here..." the process of self-remembering, the technique used to access the state of consciousness, which he defines as 'self-consciousness', in which we are more awake than in our normal 'waking state'.
He explains first how we can differenciate between sensations and feelings giving examples of sensations of the body, like warmth, posture and eating and the feelings resulting from memory of his mother and other similar feelings.
On p. 239 he says:
"For primary exercises in self-remembering the participation of all three centers is necessary, and we began to speak of the difference between feelings and sensations because it is necessary to have simultaneously both feeling and sensation.
We can come to this exercise only with the participation of thought. The first thing is thought.... At the beginning all three need to be evoked aritificially.... I repeat: artificial things are necessary only in the beginning."
My view of Views.......2003-03-20
This book is one of the books that should be read by all who are seriously interested in the work of attaining self knowledge. I can personally say that John Pentland (who was instrumental in publishing this book) was a man in the real sense of the word, free from dependance on any one's teachings. I knew Lord (John) Pentland and he was one of the great humans I have been fortunate enough to meet in my life. While he understood the teachings of Gurdjieff he had his own way of working and did not in any way or form practice or engage in any sort of cultism. Quite possibly Lord Pentland was present at some of the meetings from which this book is sourced.
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Books Index
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The Fourth Way
