G.I. Gurdjieff: Know Thyself

George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff was born around 1872 in Alexandropol, in the Caucasus Mountains, the crossroads between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. At an early age, he was exposed to many different cultures, religions, and beliefs. His youthful passion of searching for universal truth attracted others. Calling themselves “Seekers of the Truth,” this small company traveled together throughout central Asia, the Middle East, and Egypt, looking for clues that might show them the meaning of human life.

Gurdjieff was eventually led to a monastery which exposed him to an esoteric system. This teaching enabled him to transform the knowledge he had been gathering into an understanding of human possibility and the difficulties of developing real being. He devoted the remainder of his life to living the principles of this system and imparting the teaching to others.

For more information about this phase of Gurdjieff’s life, we recommend reading his book, Meetings With Remarkable Men. The director Peter Brook, in conjunction with Jeanne de Salzmann, made a film of the book (with the same title), which is available on DVD.

In 1912, Gurdjieff started small groups in Moscow and St. Petersburg which attracted various people, including the mathematician and philosopher P. D. Ouspensky, and the composer Thomas de Hartmann. When the Revolution threatened to make continued work in Russia impossible, Gurdjieff, Ouspensky, the de Hartmanns, and others made a perilous journey from Russia over the Caucasus Mountains to Tbilisi (Tiflis), Georgia. It was here that Alexandre and Jeanne de Salzmann joined the group. The story of the journey and subsequent events is chronicled in Our Life With Mr. Gurdjieff, by Thomas and Olga de Hartmann, while P. D. Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous gives an excellent account of Gurdjieff’s teaching, as well as strong impressions of life during this period and later.

From Tiflis, Gurdjieff and his followers journeyed to Istanbul (Constantinople, as it was then called) and across Europe to France, where, in 1922, Gurdjieff purchased a property known as “The Prieuré” in Fontainebleau-Avon, south of Paris. Here, practical and esoteric work continued under the auspices of “The Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man.” In 1924, Gurdjieff traveled to America and gave a series of talks in New York and Chicago. Shortly after his return, he barely survived an auto accident, and in August of that year, he closed the Institute.

All but his closest and most senior students dispersed, and Gurdjieff committed himself to writing his magnum opus, All and Everything. This massive work comprises three parts, or “series”: Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson; Meetings With Remarkable Men; and Life is Real Only Then, When “I Am.” All three books, together with Views From the Real World, containing talks given by Gurdjieff in France, Germany, England, and America, are available in print and are very worth reading.

Through the 1930s and 1940s (even during the Nazi occupation of Paris), Gurdjieff continued to hold meetings and to work with his students in their inner search. Gurdjieff died in Paris on October 29, 1949, having passed leadership of the Work to his closest pupil, Jeanne de Salzmann. He is buried in the cemetery at Fontainebleau-Avon.

[AEN]

Channels like these are hidden jewels… incredible stuff

[geraldinehughes]

I appreciate your recitation of G. I. Gurdjieff, meaningful and necessary to hear today. Thank you Sir, Geraldine

[Tyrell_Corp]

Fantastic. Alan Watts made many endearing comments about the great teacher that Gurdjieff was. Been looking for a listenable source for those quick naps. I finally found it here. Well done.

[bogieviews]

Good to hear these reminders. Well done, thanks.

[sointeresting]

Thank you for putting together this video.

[NobOdy-szkp]

With the exception of the artificial and abstract thinker in you, you are pure Nature.

[neirinski]

I came here for Matteo Lane and left with illumination

[valdirbergamobergamo]

Thanks a lot. All the ideas published here are vital ones, when we refer to Gurdjieff. Excellent. I have a question - from position 12:57 to 13:27 Gurdjieff talks to a small man, outside the car. Who is that man, Ouspensky ? I asked it to many people, they cannot recognize or " define" him. Possibly some unknown student, but he looked like very close to Gurdjieff. As a conclusion - wonderful video, great job !

[InjaLaufke]

3.31 the nature of the forces that keep you asleep and so on, anyone knows more about this?

[twobalcain]

Privacy is as strong as time with God.

[GiorgioKakh]

Thank you. Do you have btw, the tranacript ofbthese quotes? Or subtitles? Highly appreciated❤

[ghahandi]

Wonderful video. A real Jewel. Peter Ouspenky's book (In Search of the Miraculous) is usually recommended to those interested learning about the Gurdjieff "Fourth Way" Teaching. I recommend new people to read Kathryn Hulme's "UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY" and perhaps, "The Teaching of Gurdjieff" by C.S.Nott. Both were students of Gurdjieff at different periods. I believe they provide a better introduction to the Gurdjieff ideas and teaching than delving into Ouspensky's book, which is a daunting & complex read. I recommend Ouspensky, but if you want some easier biographical narratives, Kathryn's book is wonderful and gets into the ideas adequately as an introduction. Nott gives you more insight into the earlier life of the Gurdjieff students at the Institute as well as the ideas. eBay always has both of those books available used. The Hulme book is out of print, The Nott books should still be available in paperback. Peace & love. namaste'

[GodGurdjieff]

1:52 this isn't mentioned in either of gurdjieff's books nor in ouspensky's main 2 books

EVOLUTION FROM MAN TO GOD :
if u read ouspensky's InSearchOfTheMiraculous, u'll know