I have been waiting for an appropriate time to start this area, and now looks good. I want to introduce a lot of ideas and stories from Gurdjieff, as for us who have been influenced by CC's books, Gurdjieff is one of the most similar characters I know.
Just as a background, Gurdjieff came from the Armenia area of Southern Caucasus, and he travelled widely with the sole intent of acquiring knowledge. He was caught up in the political struggles in old Russia, at one time being put forward as a challenger to Rasputin. he of course had his own agenda and wanted none of that, although the story of his political involvements is untold as far as I know - considering he was into everything and anything, it wouldn't surprise me if there is a story there.
He began teaching in Russia, in two separate towns, with two separate groups, with two completely separate approaches, at the same time. One was more intellectual than the other. When the war became critical, he escorted a group of his people out of Russia over the mountains, through many dangerous adventures, till they eventually ended up in Turkey (I think, or close to around there), where he met a famous dancer and took over her classes to teach his Sufi dance methods.
Eventually he settled in France at his now renown Fontainebleau, where he attempted to set up a dynamic of learning, that would operate as a high level energy machine to affect the course of humanity. He failed at this much to his disappointment, and astonishment at the forces that arose to thwart him - I gather he was considerably disturbed by that, although he did succeed partially.
The noticeable thing about Gurdjieff is that he gave only pieces of information to everyone, so that it was only later people put some of those pieces together. Each piece on its own was not fully useful without the pieces he gave to others. This meant that much that you read and hear is partial, and that one day, you come across a snippet that makes some other part you heard, completely change meaning.
We know of him through his books, the books of those who knew and worked with him, plus an ongoing group of people who have a direct link back, and to whom a wholy different set of knowledge was imparted, esp his dance. I have had no experience with that organisation, although I did hear one principle person in Australia speak on the radio once, and I was very impressed indeed - and that does not often happen.
My knowledge of him and his work comes from his own written material, his music, and a wide selection of books by others who were affected by him. There is such a wide and varied array of people who knew him, and were affected by him, and each of their stories is so different. Also I am aware of large volumes of transcripts from his workshops at Fontainebleau, but I haven't studied those either, although someone in my town does have them.
I want to relate teaching stories from or about him, and to bring his considerable force for absolute dedication to spiritual advancement, into this forum, as I have been more impressed with him than almost any other except DJ. But he was a trickster of the highest order, so you have to keep digging to get the bone - that was his whole philosophy, if you don't make effort, you gain nothing.
