Are you living your life in a state of semi-hypnotic waking sleep?
In short: George Gurdjieff argued that most humans are born, live, and die in a state of deep sleep, merely imagining they are awake. His system, the Fourth Way, offers a path to break this automatism, develop a soul, and finally become the human being one was meant to be.
The Fourth Way, often called The Work, emerged from the teachings of George Gurdjieff, who claimed to have gathered his esoteric knowledge during extensive travels between 1890 and 1912. Unlike traditional spiritual paths—which Gurdjieff categorized as the ways of the Fakir, the Monk, and the Yogi—the Fourth Way is not a permanent institution. It lacks fixed forms, appearing and disappearing as needed to facilitate specific inner development. Gurdjieff taught that humanity is fragmented into many contradictory 'I's, leaving individuals trapped in a cycle of daydreaming and absent-mindedness.
Central to this system is the distinction between 'Essence'—the natural, evolving part of a person—and 'Personality,' the artificial traits acquired through life. To awaken, one must engage in 'conscious labour' and 'intentional suffering,' the latter defined as struggling against automatic habits, such as enduring the displeasing behavior of others. Gurdjieff utilized symbols like the Enneagram and the Ray of Creation to explain cosmic laws, specifically the Law of Three, which governs the structure of phenomena, and the Law of Seven, which explains why processes rarely move in a straight line without the introduction of specific 'shocks.'
Gurdjieff’s influence spread through his Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man, established in France in 1922, and through the writings of his pupil P. D. Ouspensky. Following Gurdjieff's death in 1949, his work continued through organizations like the Gurdjieff Foundation, founded in 1953. While some scholars suggest influences from Tibetan Buddhism, the system remains a distinct, self-supporting approach to consciousness. It posits that without consistent, prolonged effort, the potential for a soul remains dormant, leaving the individual to exist in a state of sleep until death.
The practice emphasizes self-observation, where one monitors thoughts and sensations without judgment. By focusing attention and energy, followers aim to minimize the 'waking sleep' of ordinary consciousness. Whether through the physical discipline of Gurdjieff movements or the intellectual rigor of his writings, the ultimate goal remains the transformation of the individual into a truly conscious human being.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Fourth Way
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