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All and Everything #2
Meetings With Remarkable Men
The Armenian-Greek spiritual teacher, G.I. Gurdjieff's autobiographical account of his youth and early travels has become something of a legend since it was first published in 1963. A compulsive read in the tradition of adventure narratives, but suffused with Gurdjieff's unique perspective on life, it is organized around portraits of remarkable men and women who aided Gurdjieff's search for hidden knowledge or accompanied him on his journeys in remote parts of the Near East and Central Asia. A classic work, suffused with a haunting sense of what it means to live fully - with conscience, with purpose and with heart.
303 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
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About the author
G.I. Gurdjieff
119 books746 followersGeorges Ivanovich Gurdjieff (Armenian: Գեորգի Իվանովիչ Գյուրջիև, Georgian: გიორგი გურჯიევი, Greek: Γεώργιος Γεωργιάδης, Russian: Гео́ргий Ива́нович Гюрджи́ев, Georgiy Ivanovich Gyurdzhiev, or Gurdjiev) was an influential Greek-Armenian mystic, spiritual teacher of the early to mid-20th century, and a self-professed 'teacher of dancing'.
He taught that the vast majority of humanity lives their entire lives in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep," but that it was possible to transcend to a higher state of consciousness and achieve full human potential. Gurdjieff developed a method for doing so, calling his discipline "The Work" (connoting "work on oneself") or "the Method." According to his principles and instructions, Gurdjieff's method for awakening one's consciousness is different from that of the fakir, monk or yogi, so his discipline is also called (originally) the "Fourth Way." At one point he described his teaching as being "esoteric Christianity."
At different times in his life, Gurdjieff formed and closed various schools around the world to teach the work. He claimed that the teachings he brought to the West from his own experiences and early travels expressed the truth found in ancient religions and wisdom teachings relating to self-awareness in people's daily lives and humanity's place in the universe. The title of his third series of writings, Life Is Real Only Then, When 'I Am', expresses the essence of his teachings. His complete series of books is entitled All and Everything.
He taught that the vast majority of humanity lives their entire lives in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep," but that it was possible to transcend to a higher state of consciousness and achieve full human potential. Gurdjieff developed a method for doing so, calling his discipline "The Work" (connoting "work on oneself") or "the Method." According to his principles and instructions, Gurdjieff's method for awakening one's consciousness is different from that of the fakir, monk or yogi, so his discipline is also called (originally) the "Fourth Way." At one point he described his teaching as being "esoteric Christianity."
At different times in his life, Gurdjieff formed and closed various schools around the world to teach the work. He claimed that the teachings he brought to the West from his own experiences and early travels expressed the truth found in ancient religions and wisdom teachings relating to self-awareness in people's daily lives and humanity's place in the universe. The title of his third series of writings, Life Is Real Only Then, When 'I Am', expresses the essence of his teachings. His complete series of books is entitled All and Everything.
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March 19, 2026
Want a good tip? Read the great Colin Wilson's book The War on Sleep, a beautiful in-depth study of that mysterious gnome George Gurdjieff!
Whenever I fall asleep, I fall into delusion. Maybe you’re the same.
And I don’t mean physically falling asleep - I mean, as Gurdjeff says, forgetting to remember myself.
The conflicting paranoias, allegiances, and neuroses of people you meet in your daily routine can gall and hurt you if you’re not careful.
That happens when we leave the door to our selves ajar.
How’s that?
Because most of us tend to work on automatic pilot. We don’t pay attention. And thus we lose the thread that can take us back to our authentic selves.
So it’s not about standing our ground in the workplace - that’s what too many people do, and it makes true enemies.
And I think that’s what George Gurdjieff tended to do, and it instantly typecast him as a messiah for misfits.
Misfits, too, are the characters of this book. All of them are quite aggressively square pegs in a round hole: REAL characters, as they say.
I think the problem with Gurdjieff is that he makes a good beginning which he can’t extend out to a harmonious conclusion.
He was too self-consciously a square peg.
The type that needs disciples to sustain his energy. He had quite a few of those, but his thirsty ego was never quenched. So, in compensation, as he makes no bones about telling us here, he drank too much.
But, as I say, he begins well: for there is no way to know life - other than to see it clearly and see it whole, and all that begins with SELF-KNOWLEDGE, as Socrates says.
I think that Gurdjieff was not as wise as Socrates and that his wisdom was stillborn. If you build a Model T replica in your living room, it’s no earthly good to you unless you break down an opening in your wall large enough to TAKE IT OUT ON THE STREET.
If we figure out the way our brain works for us, that’s a good start; but if we can’t put that knowledge to work in constructive dialogue with others, our self-knowledge is useless.
So Gurdjieff spent the rest of his life behind a smokescreen of mystical mumbo-jumbo, instead of returning to his religious roots and finding peace.
Instead of THEN taking his serenity public.
I know what you’re thinking - that’s an impossibly tall order! But Antoine de Saint-Exupery thought otherwise...
For he famously said that love (which many of us find in Faith) doesn’t consist in gazing lovingly into the eyes of the Beloved, but by seeing the world around you WITH the Beloved.
And with the love that comes through faith that’s possible.
Because through faith you KNOW you are loved. You’re no longer aggressively play-acting, like Gurdjieff.
And then the morality tale we’re taught as kids, The Prodigal Son, comes true. Remember it?
It tells us if that if you don’t sooner or later leave your solitary and outré ways - your prodigal life - long enough to return to the crowded, conflicted, boisterous but very plain and simple public life you once lovingly knew -
Your salvation may be less than assured in Eternal Eyes.
Whenever I fall asleep, I fall into delusion. Maybe you’re the same.
And I don’t mean physically falling asleep - I mean, as Gurdjeff says, forgetting to remember myself.
The conflicting paranoias, allegiances, and neuroses of people you meet in your daily routine can gall and hurt you if you’re not careful.
That happens when we leave the door to our selves ajar.
How’s that?
Because most of us tend to work on automatic pilot. We don’t pay attention. And thus we lose the thread that can take us back to our authentic selves.
So it’s not about standing our ground in the workplace - that’s what too many people do, and it makes true enemies.
And I think that’s what George Gurdjieff tended to do, and it instantly typecast him as a messiah for misfits.
Misfits, too, are the characters of this book. All of them are quite aggressively square pegs in a round hole: REAL characters, as they say.
I think the problem with Gurdjieff is that he makes a good beginning which he can’t extend out to a harmonious conclusion.
He was too self-consciously a square peg.
The type that needs disciples to sustain his energy. He had quite a few of those, but his thirsty ego was never quenched. So, in compensation, as he makes no bones about telling us here, he drank too much.
But, as I say, he begins well: for there is no way to know life - other than to see it clearly and see it whole, and all that begins with SELF-KNOWLEDGE, as Socrates says.
I think that Gurdjieff was not as wise as Socrates and that his wisdom was stillborn. If you build a Model T replica in your living room, it’s no earthly good to you unless you break down an opening in your wall large enough to TAKE IT OUT ON THE STREET.
If we figure out the way our brain works for us, that’s a good start; but if we can’t put that knowledge to work in constructive dialogue with others, our self-knowledge is useless.
So Gurdjieff spent the rest of his life behind a smokescreen of mystical mumbo-jumbo, instead of returning to his religious roots and finding peace.
Instead of THEN taking his serenity public.
I know what you’re thinking - that’s an impossibly tall order! But Antoine de Saint-Exupery thought otherwise...
For he famously said that love (which many of us find in Faith) doesn’t consist in gazing lovingly into the eyes of the Beloved, but by seeing the world around you WITH the Beloved.
And with the love that comes through faith that’s possible.
Because through faith you KNOW you are loved. You’re no longer aggressively play-acting, like Gurdjieff.
And then the morality tale we’re taught as kids, The Prodigal Son, comes true. Remember it?
It tells us if that if you don’t sooner or later leave your solitary and outré ways - your prodigal life - long enough to return to the crowded, conflicted, boisterous but very plain and simple public life you once lovingly knew -
Your salvation may be less than assured in Eternal Eyes.
August 28, 2015
Beautiful book. I found this gem in my local library... they had stored this old book in a special section only to be taken out on request. I was privileged.
Gurdjieff is misunderstood by many to be a sham. His life has resonation felt by both knowledgeable and ignorant. He was an enlightened person without any doubt in my heart.
This book is special of all the books he has written because you can feel the love. All other books, you have to dig deep to find the beautiful. However this book, is full of beauty. Gurdjieff describes all the characters in the book that he met during his own travels. All people in the tales actually convey some deep meanings. The best part of this book (unlike rest of his books) is that Gurdjieff is not cryptic in telling tales.
I have read this book once, own this book now and will keep reading this book for all my life.
Gurdjieff is misunderstood by many to be a sham. His life has resonation felt by both knowledgeable and ignorant. He was an enlightened person without any doubt in my heart.
This book is special of all the books he has written because you can feel the love. All other books, you have to dig deep to find the beautiful. However this book, is full of beauty. Gurdjieff describes all the characters in the book that he met during his own travels. All people in the tales actually convey some deep meanings. The best part of this book (unlike rest of his books) is that Gurdjieff is not cryptic in telling tales.
I have read this book once, own this book now and will keep reading this book for all my life.
January 30, 2021
I realize that almost no one reading this will agree with me. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to have my say. Acquiescing to what is written in the book and what others have said about it would simply be dishonesty on my part.
I began making copious notes as I was reading, my attempt to field some of the more outrageous statements made by these “sages” but after a while, it just became overwhelming; I would have ended up writing a book of my own about it and no one would want to read that (not even I myself!) A small sample:
He denigrates all forms of “modern” literature: sweeping generalizations regarding applied science; prejudice regarding novels, claiming the absence of truth, morality or philosophic substance; errors of fact, claiming that descriptive works such as travel, anthropology etc. are written by people who have never seen what they describe. As for his mutterings about style, beauty of expression, verse and the uselessness of grammar? Nonsense!
He offers an anecdote claiming the inadequacy of language, simply because there are not always exactly equivalent words! Any competent translator would laugh at this. He often uses anecdotes in a vain attempt to prove his point (his story about the sparrows’ loss of prosperity due to the departure of horse-drawn transport is amusing but pointless).
In his attack on journalism, he’s flogging the wrong horse; whatever is wrong with that sector is surely the fault of corporate greed and corruption of our institutions. Journalism is the victim, not the perpetrator.
His argument in favor of arranged marriages really goes off the deep end, based on some cockeyed notion of “corresponding types” that are supposed to render a man complete; in truth, the purpose of arranged marriages has always been to advance the family business or kingdom.
Bogachevsky’s references to the Essenes, an ancient Jewish sect, is at best confusing. Their descendants still exist today (look up “Tree of Life Foundation”). How he manages to transform that clan into a Christian brotherhood led by Orthodox priests??
And on it goes.
I searched at length for something of substance, an insight, some spark of wisdom or at least common sense to make reading it worthwhile. It was a difficult search. Finally, on page 115 I came upon the following, quoted from Yelov, one of Gurdjieff’s “remarkable men”:
It is not a question of to whom a man prays, but a question of his faith. Faith is conscience, the foundation of which is laid in childhood. If a man changes his religion, he loses his conscience, and conscience is the most valuable thing in a man. I respect his conscience, and since his conscience is sustained by his faith and his faith by his religion, therefore I respect his religion; and for me it would be a great sin if I should begin to judge his religion or to disillusion him about it, and thus destroy his conscience which can only be acquired in childhood.
Hardly an exceptional discovery but thankfully a reasoned challenge against proselytizing. (And a bit more coherent than most of the drivel some of those “wise” men offer.) Whether Yelov (or Gurdjieff for that matter) would have been prepared to extend that degree of tolerance to someone who abjures religion altogether? Doubtful.
Simply put, in my opinion, if it was Gurdjieff’s intention to validate or explain his philosophy, he has failed utterly. I cannot say whether Gurdjieff’s “Fourth Way” has any substance or any merit; far wiser men than I have endorsed it. Regardless, there’s nothing in this book to substantiate any such teachings and the book itself is little more than an account of his meetings with a number of supposedly knowledgeable men. He recounts some interesting travel adventures and finishes with a “pitch” for his “Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man”, an organization devoted to promoting his teachings (none of which are explained in this book). The whole thing strikes me as a huckster’s spiel, the kind we often encounter that always invites you to order the next installment, when "all the mysteries will be revealed!". The routine never ends. Don’t hold your breath waiting for the punch line, you’ll suffocate.
Altogether, whatever it is he’s selling, I ain’t buying it.
I began making copious notes as I was reading, my attempt to field some of the more outrageous statements made by these “sages” but after a while, it just became overwhelming; I would have ended up writing a book of my own about it and no one would want to read that (not even I myself!) A small sample:
He denigrates all forms of “modern” literature: sweeping generalizations regarding applied science; prejudice regarding novels, claiming the absence of truth, morality or philosophic substance; errors of fact, claiming that descriptive works such as travel, anthropology etc. are written by people who have never seen what they describe. As for his mutterings about style, beauty of expression, verse and the uselessness of grammar? Nonsense!
He offers an anecdote claiming the inadequacy of language, simply because there are not always exactly equivalent words! Any competent translator would laugh at this. He often uses anecdotes in a vain attempt to prove his point (his story about the sparrows’ loss of prosperity due to the departure of horse-drawn transport is amusing but pointless).
In his attack on journalism, he’s flogging the wrong horse; whatever is wrong with that sector is surely the fault of corporate greed and corruption of our institutions. Journalism is the victim, not the perpetrator.
His argument in favor of arranged marriages really goes off the deep end, based on some cockeyed notion of “corresponding types” that are supposed to render a man complete; in truth, the purpose of arranged marriages has always been to advance the family business or kingdom.
Bogachevsky’s references to the Essenes, an ancient Jewish sect, is at best confusing. Their descendants still exist today (look up “Tree of Life Foundation”). How he manages to transform that clan into a Christian brotherhood led by Orthodox priests??
And on it goes.
I searched at length for something of substance, an insight, some spark of wisdom or at least common sense to make reading it worthwhile. It was a difficult search. Finally, on page 115 I came upon the following, quoted from Yelov, one of Gurdjieff’s “remarkable men”:
It is not a question of to whom a man prays, but a question of his faith. Faith is conscience, the foundation of which is laid in childhood. If a man changes his religion, he loses his conscience, and conscience is the most valuable thing in a man. I respect his conscience, and since his conscience is sustained by his faith and his faith by his religion, therefore I respect his religion; and for me it would be a great sin if I should begin to judge his religion or to disillusion him about it, and thus destroy his conscience which can only be acquired in childhood.
Hardly an exceptional discovery but thankfully a reasoned challenge against proselytizing. (And a bit more coherent than most of the drivel some of those “wise” men offer.) Whether Yelov (or Gurdjieff for that matter) would have been prepared to extend that degree of tolerance to someone who abjures religion altogether? Doubtful.
Simply put, in my opinion, if it was Gurdjieff’s intention to validate or explain his philosophy, he has failed utterly. I cannot say whether Gurdjieff’s “Fourth Way” has any substance or any merit; far wiser men than I have endorsed it. Regardless, there’s nothing in this book to substantiate any such teachings and the book itself is little more than an account of his meetings with a number of supposedly knowledgeable men. He recounts some interesting travel adventures and finishes with a “pitch” for his “Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man”, an organization devoted to promoting his teachings (none of which are explained in this book). The whole thing strikes me as a huckster’s spiel, the kind we often encounter that always invites you to order the next installment, when "all the mysteries will be revealed!". The routine never ends. Don’t hold your breath waiting for the punch line, you’ll suffocate.
Altogether, whatever it is he’s selling, I ain’t buying it.
December 24, 2012
Favorite quotes:
... Yelov had a very original view about mental work. He once said:
It's all the same. our thoughts work day and night. instead of allowing them to think about caps of invisibility or the riches of Aladdin, rather let them be occupied with something useful. In giving direction to thought, of course a certain amount of energy is spent, but no more is needed for this purpose in a while day than for the digestion of one meal. I therefore decided to study languages—not only to prevent my thoughts from idling but also not to allow them to hinder my other functions with their idiotic dreams and childish phantasies. Besides, the knowledge of languages can in itself sometimes be useful.
— page 117 — Tags: interesting
They sat down at the foot of the pyramid and I sat down not far away, so that I could distinctly hear all they were saying, and began to eat my chourek.
The gentleman who had met us, and who turned out to be a prince, asked the professor among other things:
"Are you really still disturbing the remains of people who died long ago, and collecting the utterly worthless rubbish supposedly once used in their stupid lives?"
"What would you?" answered the professor. "This is at least something real and tangible, and not as ephemeral as that to which you have devoted your life, a life which you as a man of health and wealth could have used to the full. You are looking for truth invented once upon a time by some crazy idler; but if what I do contributes nothing to the satisfaction of curiosity, at least, if one wishes, it contributes to the pocket."
— page 120 — Tags: funny
Soloviev continued to drink and, having squandered what was left of his money, got some job with the railway, where he had been working for three months before I met him—drinking incessantly all the while.
Soloviev's frank story touched me deeply. At that time I already knew a great deal about hypnotism and, after bringing a man into a certain state, could influence him by suggestion to forget any undesirable habit. I therefore proposed to Soloviev that I should help him, if he really wished to get rid of this pernicious habit of drinking vodka, and explained to him how I would do it. He agreed, and the next day and each day thereafter I brought him into the hypnotic state and made the necessary suggestions. He gradually came to feel such an aversion to vodka that he could not even bear to look at this "poison", as he called it.
— page 147 — Tags: interesting
... being highly honourable and honest, my father could never consciously build his own welfare on the misfortune of his neighbour. But most of those round him, being typical contemporary people, took advantage of his honesty and deliberately tried to cheat him, thus unconsciously belittling the significance of that trait in his psyche which conditions the whole of Our Common Father's commandments for man.
— page 48 Tags:
By this time Pogossian and I had come to the definite conclusion that there really was 'a certain something' which people formerly knew, but that now this knowledge was quite forgotten.
— page 87 — Tags: interesting
In former times the word 'shepherd' did not have the same meaning as it has now. Formerly a shepherd himself was the owner of the flocks he grazed; and shepherds were considered among the richest people of the country; some of them even possessing several flocks and herds.
— page 88 — Tags: interesting
What struck us most was the word Sarmoung, which we had come across several times in the book called Merkhavat. This word is the name of a famous esoteric school which, according to tradition, was founded in Babylon as far back as 2500 B.C., and which was known to have existed somewhere in Mesopotamia up to the sixth or seventh century A.D.; but about its further existence one could not obtain anywhere the least information.
The school was said to have possessed great knowledge, containing the key to many secret mysteries.
Many times had Pogossian and I talked of this school and dreamed of finding out something authentic about it, and now suddenly we found it mentioned in this parchment! We were greatly excited.
— page 90 — Tags: interesting
The priest went to a chest and took out a roll of parchment. When he unrolled it I could not at first make out what it was, but when I looked at it more closely... My God! What I experienced at that moment! I shall never forget it.
I was seized with violent trembling, which was all the more violent because I was inwardly trying to restrain myself and not show my excitement. What I saw—was it not precisely what I had spent long months of sleepless nights thinking about!
It was a map of what is called 'pre-sand Egypt'.
— page 99 — Tags: interesting
As for the Armenians, on the other hand, they are called salted because they have a custom of salting a child at its birth.
I must add, by the way, that in my opinion this custom is not without its use. My special observations have shown me that the new-born children of other races suffer from a skin rash in the places where one usually applies some kind of powder to prevent inflammation, but with rare exceptions Armenian children, born in the same regions, do not suffer from this rash, although they have all the other children's diseases. This fact I ascribe to the custom of salting.
— pages 114-115 — Tags: interesting
Besides being a phenomenon in the knowledge of books and authors, Yelov later on became a phenomenon in the knowledge of languages. I, who then spoke eighteen languages, felt a green-horn in comparison with him. Before I knew a single word of any European language, he already spoke almost all of them so perfectly that it was hard to tell that the language he was speaking was not his own.
— pages 116-117 — Tags: interesting
"This old man", continued Bogga-Eddin, "is a member of a brotherhood, known among the dervishes by the name of Sarmoung, of which the chief monastery is somewhere in the heart of Asia."
...
I had several long conversations with this old man. In the last one he advised me to go to his monastery and stay there for a time.
...
He added that if I wished to go there, he would be willing to help me, and would find the necessary guides, on condition that I would take a solemn oath never to tell anyone where the monastery was situated.
...
Throughout the whole our journey, we strictly and conscientiously kept our oath not to look and not to try and find out where we were going and through what places we were passing. When we halted for the night, and occasionally by day when we ate in some secluded place, our bashliks were removed. But while on the way we were only twice permitted to uncover our eyes. The first time was on the eighth day, when we were about to cross a swinging bridge which one could neither cross on horseback nor walk over two abreast, but only in single file, and this it was impossible to do with eyes covered.
...
On the way we changed horses and asses several times, and sometimes went on foot. More than once we had to swim rivers and cross mountains, and by our sensations of heat and cold it was evident that we sometimes descended into deep valleys or climbed very high. At last, when at the end of the twelfth day our eyes were uncovered, we found ourselves in a narrow gorge through which flowed a small stream whose banks were covered with a rich vegetation.
...
As we came nearer we were able to make out something like a fortress such as one finds on a smaller scale on the banks of the Amu Darya or the Pyandzh. The buildings were encircled by a high unbroken wall.
— pages 148-152 — Tags: Gault's Gulch, interesting
So it continued for about two weeks, until one day we were called into the third court, to the sheikh of the monastery, who spoke to us through an interpreter. He appointed as our guide one of the oldest monks, an aged man who looked like an icon and was said by the other brethren to be two hundred and seventy-five years old.
— pages 160-161 — Tags: interesting
Pogossian and I were calmly walking along. He was humming some march and swinging his stick. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a dog appeared, then another, and another, and still another—in all about fifteen sheep-dogs, who began barking at us. Pogossian imprudently flung a stone at them and they immediately sprang at us.
They were Kurd sheep-dogs, very vicious, and in another moment they would have torn us to pieces if I had not instinctively pulled Pogossian down and made him sit beside me on the road. Just because we sat down the dogs stopped barking and springing at us; surrounding us, they also sat down.
Some time passed before we came to ourselves; and when we were able to take stock of the situation we burst out laughing. As long as we remained sitting the dogs also sat, peacably and still, and when we threw them bread from our knapsacks, they ate it with great pleasure, some of them even wagging their tails in gratitude. But when, reassured by their friendliness, we tried to stand up, then, 'Oh no, you don't'!—for they instantly jumped up and, baring their teeth, made ready to spring at us; so we were compelled to sit down once more. When we again tried to get up, the dogs showed themselves so viciously hostile that we did not risk trying a third time.
In this situation we remained sitting for about three hours. I did not know how much longer we would have had to sit there if a young Kurd girl had not chanced to appear in the distance with an ass, gathering keesiak in the fields.
Making various signs to her, we finally managed to attract her attention, and when she came closer and saw what the trouble was, she went off to fetch the shepherds to whom the dogs belonged, who were not far away behind a hill. The shepherds came and called off the dogs, but only when they were at some distance did we risk standing up; and all the time they were moving away the rascals kept an eye on us.
— pages 94-95
... Yelov had a very original view about mental work. He once said:
It's all the same. our thoughts work day and night. instead of allowing them to think about caps of invisibility or the riches of Aladdin, rather let them be occupied with something useful. In giving direction to thought, of course a certain amount of energy is spent, but no more is needed for this purpose in a while day than for the digestion of one meal. I therefore decided to study languages—not only to prevent my thoughts from idling but also not to allow them to hinder my other functions with their idiotic dreams and childish phantasies. Besides, the knowledge of languages can in itself sometimes be useful.
— page 117 — Tags: interesting
They sat down at the foot of the pyramid and I sat down not far away, so that I could distinctly hear all they were saying, and began to eat my chourek.
The gentleman who had met us, and who turned out to be a prince, asked the professor among other things:
"Are you really still disturbing the remains of people who died long ago, and collecting the utterly worthless rubbish supposedly once used in their stupid lives?"
"What would you?" answered the professor. "This is at least something real and tangible, and not as ephemeral as that to which you have devoted your life, a life which you as a man of health and wealth could have used to the full. You are looking for truth invented once upon a time by some crazy idler; but if what I do contributes nothing to the satisfaction of curiosity, at least, if one wishes, it contributes to the pocket."
— page 120 — Tags: funny
Soloviev continued to drink and, having squandered what was left of his money, got some job with the railway, where he had been working for three months before I met him—drinking incessantly all the while.
Soloviev's frank story touched me deeply. At that time I already knew a great deal about hypnotism and, after bringing a man into a certain state, could influence him by suggestion to forget any undesirable habit. I therefore proposed to Soloviev that I should help him, if he really wished to get rid of this pernicious habit of drinking vodka, and explained to him how I would do it. He agreed, and the next day and each day thereafter I brought him into the hypnotic state and made the necessary suggestions. He gradually came to feel such an aversion to vodka that he could not even bear to look at this "poison", as he called it.
— page 147 — Tags: interesting
... being highly honourable and honest, my father could never consciously build his own welfare on the misfortune of his neighbour. But most of those round him, being typical contemporary people, took advantage of his honesty and deliberately tried to cheat him, thus unconsciously belittling the significance of that trait in his psyche which conditions the whole of Our Common Father's commandments for man.
— page 48 Tags:
By this time Pogossian and I had come to the definite conclusion that there really was 'a certain something' which people formerly knew, but that now this knowledge was quite forgotten.
— page 87 — Tags: interesting
In former times the word 'shepherd' did not have the same meaning as it has now. Formerly a shepherd himself was the owner of the flocks he grazed; and shepherds were considered among the richest people of the country; some of them even possessing several flocks and herds.
— page 88 — Tags: interesting
What struck us most was the word Sarmoung, which we had come across several times in the book called Merkhavat. This word is the name of a famous esoteric school which, according to tradition, was founded in Babylon as far back as 2500 B.C., and which was known to have existed somewhere in Mesopotamia up to the sixth or seventh century A.D.; but about its further existence one could not obtain anywhere the least information.
The school was said to have possessed great knowledge, containing the key to many secret mysteries.
Many times had Pogossian and I talked of this school and dreamed of finding out something authentic about it, and now suddenly we found it mentioned in this parchment! We were greatly excited.
— page 90 — Tags: interesting
The priest went to a chest and took out a roll of parchment. When he unrolled it I could not at first make out what it was, but when I looked at it more closely... My God! What I experienced at that moment! I shall never forget it.
I was seized with violent trembling, which was all the more violent because I was inwardly trying to restrain myself and not show my excitement. What I saw—was it not precisely what I had spent long months of sleepless nights thinking about!
It was a map of what is called 'pre-sand Egypt'.
— page 99 — Tags: interesting
As for the Armenians, on the other hand, they are called salted because they have a custom of salting a child at its birth.
I must add, by the way, that in my opinion this custom is not without its use. My special observations have shown me that the new-born children of other races suffer from a skin rash in the places where one usually applies some kind of powder to prevent inflammation, but with rare exceptions Armenian children, born in the same regions, do not suffer from this rash, although they have all the other children's diseases. This fact I ascribe to the custom of salting.
— pages 114-115 — Tags: interesting
Besides being a phenomenon in the knowledge of books and authors, Yelov later on became a phenomenon in the knowledge of languages. I, who then spoke eighteen languages, felt a green-horn in comparison with him. Before I knew a single word of any European language, he already spoke almost all of them so perfectly that it was hard to tell that the language he was speaking was not his own.
— pages 116-117 — Tags: interesting
"This old man", continued Bogga-Eddin, "is a member of a brotherhood, known among the dervishes by the name of Sarmoung, of which the chief monastery is somewhere in the heart of Asia."
...
I had several long conversations with this old man. In the last one he advised me to go to his monastery and stay there for a time.
...
He added that if I wished to go there, he would be willing to help me, and would find the necessary guides, on condition that I would take a solemn oath never to tell anyone where the monastery was situated.
...
Throughout the whole our journey, we strictly and conscientiously kept our oath not to look and not to try and find out where we were going and through what places we were passing. When we halted for the night, and occasionally by day when we ate in some secluded place, our bashliks were removed. But while on the way we were only twice permitted to uncover our eyes. The first time was on the eighth day, when we were about to cross a swinging bridge which one could neither cross on horseback nor walk over two abreast, but only in single file, and this it was impossible to do with eyes covered.
...
On the way we changed horses and asses several times, and sometimes went on foot. More than once we had to swim rivers and cross mountains, and by our sensations of heat and cold it was evident that we sometimes descended into deep valleys or climbed very high. At last, when at the end of the twelfth day our eyes were uncovered, we found ourselves in a narrow gorge through which flowed a small stream whose banks were covered with a rich vegetation.
...
As we came nearer we were able to make out something like a fortress such as one finds on a smaller scale on the banks of the Amu Darya or the Pyandzh. The buildings were encircled by a high unbroken wall.
— pages 148-152 — Tags: Gault's Gulch, interesting
So it continued for about two weeks, until one day we were called into the third court, to the sheikh of the monastery, who spoke to us through an interpreter. He appointed as our guide one of the oldest monks, an aged man who looked like an icon and was said by the other brethren to be two hundred and seventy-five years old.
— pages 160-161 — Tags: interesting
Pogossian and I were calmly walking along. He was humming some march and swinging his stick. Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a dog appeared, then another, and another, and still another—in all about fifteen sheep-dogs, who began barking at us. Pogossian imprudently flung a stone at them and they immediately sprang at us.
They were Kurd sheep-dogs, very vicious, and in another moment they would have torn us to pieces if I had not instinctively pulled Pogossian down and made him sit beside me on the road. Just because we sat down the dogs stopped barking and springing at us; surrounding us, they also sat down.
Some time passed before we came to ourselves; and when we were able to take stock of the situation we burst out laughing. As long as we remained sitting the dogs also sat, peacably and still, and when we threw them bread from our knapsacks, they ate it with great pleasure, some of them even wagging their tails in gratitude. But when, reassured by their friendliness, we tried to stand up, then, 'Oh no, you don't'!—for they instantly jumped up and, baring their teeth, made ready to spring at us; so we were compelled to sit down once more. When we again tried to get up, the dogs showed themselves so viciously hostile that we did not risk trying a third time.
In this situation we remained sitting for about three hours. I did not know how much longer we would have had to sit there if a young Kurd girl had not chanced to appear in the distance with an ass, gathering keesiak in the fields.
Making various signs to her, we finally managed to attract her attention, and when she came closer and saw what the trouble was, she went off to fetch the shepherds to whom the dogs belonged, who were not far away behind a hill. The shepherds came and called off the dogs, but only when they were at some distance did we risk standing up; and all the time they were moving away the rascals kept an eye on us.
— pages 94-95
December 29, 2019
Gurdjieff is a monolith peering up in these odd times; an anachronism and a relief. This book shows a person how to live: fill your life with adventure and discovery; or die trying. What a sweeping story. It all is very different from modern life; many colors and missing pieces coming together in quite unmodal fashion like octaves of an ancient (oglalic) past being completed in one’s subconscious presence; yet in near times to us once again - as he re collected his re markable way through this life.
Nothing since the poetry of the Epic of Gilgamesh - minus Rilke or some REM lyric - has there been so multi-valently a symbolic and dense set of “tales” as one hears in this. Everything means another thing and then two as well as it’s own as one reads warily with raised eyebrow this clever - only because incommensurably reasonable - fellow, cue after cue.
And what is fiction and what fact of this autobiography of his life he wrote; of times among his group the Seekers of Truth going out into the Gobi Desert and Luxor, Transval and Rome?
I contend *most* of it “ver true” as he would say. Life has a funny way of being stranger than fiction when man, as Alexander the Great said, “is most alone when with the Myths.” But how to convey this?
...I would argue [ahh here comes my traditional hat tip to Bowie in most my reviews] the whole verse about “sailors fighting in the dance halls” on “Is There Life on Mars?” was lifted near verbatim from a passage in this book. Certainly “Man Who Sold the World” was taken from Ouspensky’s description he received from a man he met who was on a train O. saw Gurdjieff hop on to and who had a conversation with “this” G. - thinking him a man who sold energy, fuel, non-reccurent billings, what have you...(see Glimpses of the Truth).
What his group spent a lifetime uncovering together concerning man’s primordial past, he reveals everywhere, only loosely tucked away in this book, somewhat lucidly actually - and definitely in high story telling adventure - here. I highly recommend it as the easiest and most fun of all his writings.
Nothing since the poetry of the Epic of Gilgamesh - minus Rilke or some REM lyric - has there been so multi-valently a symbolic and dense set of “tales” as one hears in this. Everything means another thing and then two as well as it’s own as one reads warily with raised eyebrow this clever - only because incommensurably reasonable - fellow, cue after cue.
And what is fiction and what fact of this autobiography of his life he wrote; of times among his group the Seekers of Truth going out into the Gobi Desert and Luxor, Transval and Rome?
I contend *most* of it “ver true” as he would say. Life has a funny way of being stranger than fiction when man, as Alexander the Great said, “is most alone when with the Myths.” But how to convey this?
...I would argue [ahh here comes my traditional hat tip to Bowie in most my reviews] the whole verse about “sailors fighting in the dance halls” on “Is There Life on Mars?” was lifted near verbatim from a passage in this book. Certainly “Man Who Sold the World” was taken from Ouspensky’s description he received from a man he met who was on a train O. saw Gurdjieff hop on to and who had a conversation with “this” G. - thinking him a man who sold energy, fuel, non-reccurent billings, what have you...(see Glimpses of the Truth).
What his group spent a lifetime uncovering together concerning man’s primordial past, he reveals everywhere, only loosely tucked away in this book, somewhat lucidly actually - and definitely in high story telling adventure - here. I highly recommend it as the easiest and most fun of all his writings.
May 23, 2022
I feel Gurdjieff said a lot in this book but left even more unsaid: this book is rather a lengthy adventure novel slash travel guide than a book on his philosophy or spiritual teaching. It can also be seen as an ode to these remarkable men (and one woman and dog) Gurdjieff met and shaped his ideas during the course of his life - even though it is not sure whether these people and one dog truly existed or were made up by Gurdjieff.
The reason for calling the book lengthy is because it mostly consists of descriptions of places and people he met, not ideas. Whenever the stories go into the direction of what these remarkable men truly taught him, Gurdjieff states he will explain this more in detail in a soon-to-be-written work. To be fair, the first chapters devoted to his father, first tutor and substitution teacher state quite clearly how these men shaped Gurdjieff. Gurdjieff uses direct quotes and lists to explain his father's subjective sayings, his tutor's ideas on sexual desire and his teacher's outlook on objective and subjective morality. However, from the fifth chapter onwards, the chapters get longer and seem to lose the clarity and precision of taught life lessons that are present in the first chapters and introduction. Still, the book gave me a proper first insight into Gurdjieff's life and I'm interested in reading more about and from him.
The reason for calling the book lengthy is because it mostly consists of descriptions of places and people he met, not ideas. Whenever the stories go into the direction of what these remarkable men truly taught him, Gurdjieff states he will explain this more in detail in a soon-to-be-written work. To be fair, the first chapters devoted to his father, first tutor and substitution teacher state quite clearly how these men shaped Gurdjieff. Gurdjieff uses direct quotes and lists to explain his father's subjective sayings, his tutor's ideas on sexual desire and his teacher's outlook on objective and subjective morality. However, from the fifth chapter onwards, the chapters get longer and seem to lose the clarity and precision of taught life lessons that are present in the first chapters and introduction. Still, the book gave me a proper first insight into Gurdjieff's life and I'm interested in reading more about and from him.
November 28, 2017
da fan di battiato e robert fripp mi ero imbattuto più volte in riferimenti a gurdjieff, ed era da tempo che volevo leggere qualcosa del filosofo/guru/gran maestro di vita e virtù che ad un certo punto della loro esistenza cambiò la loro vita e -a quanto sembra- influenzò le loro opere.
e quindi mi sono buttato su questa "autobiografia" con spirito assolutamente aperto: se ha influenzato gente così chissà cosa scriverà d'incredibile.
beh, l'inizio è tipo il vostro nonno brontolone, che si lamenta che la cultura moderna fa schifo e il giornalismo è una mafietta e si stava meglio quando si stava peggio. vabbè.
poi porta con la sua vita e i suoi incontri, vita che possiamo riassumere nella pratica formula
"a quel punto ho dovuto fare X in cui sono naturalmente esperto/diventato subito bravissimo/mi è venuto facile grazie alla mia esperienza"
con X=qualsiasi campo dello scibile umano, dalle lingue al commercio (legale e truffaldino), dall'alpinismo alle arti marziali, dalle riparazioni (di cosa? di tutto, ovviamente) ai tappeti.
giuro, 400 pagine di autoincensazione continua, roba da lanciare il libro contro il muro mentre si ride allegramente.
ah, quando non bastassero le sue capacità, ecco giungere gli "uomini straordinari" del titolo, tutti incredibilmente intelligenti e preparati, capaci di cambiar vita per andar dietro alle avventure del nostro oppure grandi maestri che aspettavano solo il suo arrivo per sciorinare grandi verità (quali? il dunque è tutto nel libro prossimo, qui al massimo qualche pillola di saggezza spicciola).
oh, trova pure la mappa dell'egitto prima delle sabbie (si allega documentazione: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5aBg... ) ma sul più bello non se ne sa più nulla.
intendiamoci, magari ste storie raccontate da gurdjieff medesimo dovevano suonare affascinanti, ma lette così non convincono affatto.
e cosa resta?
resta un romanzo (chiamiamolo così, suvvia) di viaggi matti tra armenia, medio oriente, russia e altri posti ancora, ed è un bel viaggiare con la mente e immaginarseli come dovevano essere allora.
poco per convincermi a seguire il suo pensiero, ma per qualche ora di letture può bastare.
basta così, però.
e quindi mi sono buttato su questa "autobiografia" con spirito assolutamente aperto: se ha influenzato gente così chissà cosa scriverà d'incredibile.
beh, l'inizio è tipo il vostro nonno brontolone, che si lamenta che la cultura moderna fa schifo e il giornalismo è una mafietta e si stava meglio quando si stava peggio. vabbè.
poi porta con la sua vita e i suoi incontri, vita che possiamo riassumere nella pratica formula
"a quel punto ho dovuto fare X in cui sono naturalmente esperto/diventato subito bravissimo/mi è venuto facile grazie alla mia esperienza"
con X=qualsiasi campo dello scibile umano, dalle lingue al commercio (legale e truffaldino), dall'alpinismo alle arti marziali, dalle riparazioni (di cosa? di tutto, ovviamente) ai tappeti.
giuro, 400 pagine di autoincensazione continua, roba da lanciare il libro contro il muro mentre si ride allegramente.
ah, quando non bastassero le sue capacità, ecco giungere gli "uomini straordinari" del titolo, tutti incredibilmente intelligenti e preparati, capaci di cambiar vita per andar dietro alle avventure del nostro oppure grandi maestri che aspettavano solo il suo arrivo per sciorinare grandi verità (quali? il dunque è tutto nel libro prossimo, qui al massimo qualche pillola di saggezza spicciola).
oh, trova pure la mappa dell'egitto prima delle sabbie (si allega documentazione: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5aBg... ) ma sul più bello non se ne sa più nulla.
intendiamoci, magari ste storie raccontate da gurdjieff medesimo dovevano suonare affascinanti, ma lette così non convincono affatto.
e cosa resta?
resta un romanzo (chiamiamolo così, suvvia) di viaggi matti tra armenia, medio oriente, russia e altri posti ancora, ed è un bel viaggiare con la mente e immaginarseli come dovevano essere allora.
poco per convincermi a seguire il suo pensiero, ma per qualche ora di letture può bastare.
basta così, però.
March 25, 2023
This is a book that I have read several times over the last thirty years. It defies characterization. You can call it autobiography, but much is symbolic or allegorical and not "factual." Much, but not all, is about travel. The organizing principle is by individuals (the remarkable men, although one remarkable woman, Vivitskaia, is given a subsection). These are overlapping circles, with people popping up in more than one, and events are not in chronological sequence. Sometimes it is like Billy Pilgrim being unstuck in time. In the course of it, Mr. G provides a lot of examples of what he considers proper education and the right way to live. I am not going to say more about content; if you want to know, read it.
The Peter Brook film is good, but sacrifices fidelity to the book in order to have a more coherent narrative; if that is what Mr. G wanted, I am sure he would have written it that way.
The Peter Brook film is good, but sacrifices fidelity to the book in order to have a more coherent narrative; if that is what Mr. G wanted, I am sure he would have written it that way.
April 20, 2009
if you've been looking for a book about feeding sand to livestock, this is your lucky day! you may also learn how to escape sandstorms using stilts.
February 10, 2022
Un pazzo, nel senso positivo del termine. Uno di quelli che piace a me.
January 18, 2011
Look, I don't know much about Gurdjieff except that my library apparently subscribes to the newsletter, but this book was pretty good. I don't know if it was the eye-opening wisdom tome Greg may have subconsciously suggested it was, but there were some good stories in there. Even if they were inconveniently told. For instance, this is more or less how the "Pre-Sands Egypt" story goes:
Chapter 1. Oh man! We found this rockin' map. WE ARE EXCITED TO GO ADVENTURING.
Chapter 2. Here's a story about a dog.
Chapter 3. Here's a story about a dude.
Chapter 4. Here's a story about a prince.
Chapter 4a. Here's a story about a lady.
Chapter 5. Yeah. Pre-sand Egypt was pretty awesome. You totally missed it.
Chapter 6. Here's a story about another dude.
Greg says Gurdfieff does this on purpose to get me to think or whatever. I'm just impressed by clever people going out in the world and making it on their good sense. Something I am tragically terrible at.
Chapter 1. Oh man! We found this rockin' map. WE ARE EXCITED TO GO ADVENTURING.
Chapter 2. Here's a story about a dog.
Chapter 3. Here's a story about a dude.
Chapter 4. Here's a story about a prince.
Chapter 4a. Here's a story about a lady.
Chapter 5. Yeah. Pre-sand Egypt was pretty awesome. You totally missed it.
Chapter 6. Here's a story about another dude.
Greg says Gurdfieff does this on purpose to get me to think or whatever. I'm just impressed by clever people going out in the world and making it on their good sense. Something I am tragically terrible at.
March 19, 2021
I dunno, I expected the men to be more remarkable.
In the final chapter Gurdjieff reveals himself to be a prolific shyster, consciously ripping people off on a grand scale, rationalizing that the people he cheats deserve it because they are "stupid".
In the final chapter Gurdjieff reveals himself to be a prolific shyster, consciously ripping people off on a grand scale, rationalizing that the people he cheats deserve it because they are "stupid".
August 21, 2019
"Encuentros con Hombres Notables" no se trata exactamente de un libro de enseñanzas, conceptos o lecciones de vida. Se trata mas bien de un libro de aventuras, vivencias y experiencias de una vida plena, llena de muchos contrastes, de retos, dificultades, emociones, planes, logros, con un común denominador: “La búsqueda de la verdad”. Quizá la propia vida de Gurdjieff, narrada en este libro de una manera amena, divertida, entretenida, sea en sí misma la enseñanza.
¿Cuál era entonces el propósito de escribir un libro así?.
Como ocurre a menudo con las enseñanzas de Gurdieff, justamente se trata de no experimentar los sucesos y experiencias de acuerdo a lo “esperado”, de manera mecánica. Mi descubrimiento con este libro, fue, que precisamente “la búsqueda de la verdad” se encuentra a lo largo de toda la vida en cada experiencia cotidiana. Las personas que uno encuentra en la vida, pueden resultar algunos “notables”, para el propio desarrollo de la conciencia. En la narrativa de Gurdieff, se aprecia un “hilo conductor” de la historia en el que se muestra el desarrollo progresivo del nivel de conciencia, siempre y cuando se esté en la disposición de “la búsqueda de la verdad”.
Me queda claro que Gurdieff no pretendía que este libro fuera explícitamente didáctico, sino que como usualmente lo hacía, el código o secreto del mismo, estaba oculto para quien no estuviera listo para descubrirlo y manifiesto para el que si estuviera listo para descubrirlo. Y no solo como información o conocimiento, sino como experiencia de vida vivida, que lleva a la comprensión directa en conciencia.
Todos los encuentros son muy interesantes, pero en particular a mi me agradaron mucho el encuentro con “mi padre”, “mi primer maestro” y “el profesor Skridlov”. Quizá la parte que contiene más enseñanzas de manera más explícita es justamente el encuentro con “el profesor Skridlov”. Pero todos los encuentros son muy interesantes, divertidos y con temas para la reflexión.
Como bien dice Gurdieff, este libro es consecuencia de haber leído el primero de la serie “Relatos de Belcebú a su nieto o crítica imparcial de la vida de los hombres”. Y si se logra la duda sobre sí mismos, entonces “Encuentros con hombres notables”, es el paso siguiente para prepararse en una re-edificación de sí mismos.
¿Cuál era entonces el propósito de escribir un libro así?.
Como ocurre a menudo con las enseñanzas de Gurdieff, justamente se trata de no experimentar los sucesos y experiencias de acuerdo a lo “esperado”, de manera mecánica. Mi descubrimiento con este libro, fue, que precisamente “la búsqueda de la verdad” se encuentra a lo largo de toda la vida en cada experiencia cotidiana. Las personas que uno encuentra en la vida, pueden resultar algunos “notables”, para el propio desarrollo de la conciencia. En la narrativa de Gurdieff, se aprecia un “hilo conductor” de la historia en el que se muestra el desarrollo progresivo del nivel de conciencia, siempre y cuando se esté en la disposición de “la búsqueda de la verdad”.
Me queda claro que Gurdieff no pretendía que este libro fuera explícitamente didáctico, sino que como usualmente lo hacía, el código o secreto del mismo, estaba oculto para quien no estuviera listo para descubrirlo y manifiesto para el que si estuviera listo para descubrirlo. Y no solo como información o conocimiento, sino como experiencia de vida vivida, que lleva a la comprensión directa en conciencia.
Todos los encuentros son muy interesantes, pero en particular a mi me agradaron mucho el encuentro con “mi padre”, “mi primer maestro” y “el profesor Skridlov”. Quizá la parte que contiene más enseñanzas de manera más explícita es justamente el encuentro con “el profesor Skridlov”. Pero todos los encuentros son muy interesantes, divertidos y con temas para la reflexión.
Como bien dice Gurdieff, este libro es consecuencia de haber leído el primero de la serie “Relatos de Belcebú a su nieto o crítica imparcial de la vida de los hombres”. Y si se logra la duda sobre sí mismos, entonces “Encuentros con hombres notables”, es el paso siguiente para prepararse en una re-edificación de sí mismos.
September 22, 2019
Πράγματι πρόκειται για μια εκπληκτική αφήγηση, μια μορφή αυτοβιογραφίας, αλλά η ανταπόκρισή της προς την πραγματικότητα είναι αμφιλεγόμενη. Ο συγγραφέας της κάνει ό,τι μπορεί για να μας πείσει για την αλήθεια της αφήγησής του. Θα μπορώ να αποφανθώ σχετικά με το εάν αυτές οι εμπειρίες και τα συμβάντα είναι αληθινά ή απλές φαντασιοκοπίες, μετά τη μελέτη της σχετικής ακαδημαϊκής βιβλιογραφίας.
Έως τότε δεν μπορώ να αποφανθώ μετά βεβαιότητας ή να κρίνω. Μπορώ μόνο να θαυμάσω τον δαιμόνιο Ρωσοπόντιο για την επινοητικότητα, την οξύνοια, την ευρύτητα του πνεύματός του, τον χαρακτήρα του, τον ασίγαστο πόθο του νου του να φθάσει ψηλότερα.
Βασικά ανάμεσα στα επιτεύγματα και τα προτερήματά του, όπως τα περιγράφει στο βιβλίο του, είναι κυρίως το πως εξοικονομούσε χρήματα με διάφορους επιχειρηματικούς και άλλους τρόπους, το πως έπειθε τους ανθρώπους να τον εμπιστεύονται, η απίστευτη ενεργητικότητά του -που συνάντησε τα όριά της μετά το ατύχημά του στη Γαλλία με αυτοκίνητο-, η ανθεκτικότητά του στις κακουχίες, και κυρίως η εμμονή με το υπερφυσικό.
Το βιβλίο αυτό είναι μια μορφή εισαγωγής στο Έργο και στο όραμα του Γ. Γεωργιάδη.
Για περαιτέρω έρευνα, σύμφωνα με την ερευνήτρια Carole Cusack, όσον αφορά τη ζωή του Gurdjieff, ας ανατρέξει κανείς στα εξής έγκυρα συγγράμματα:
James Webb’s The Harmonious Circle: The Lives and Work of G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky and Their Followers (1980);
James Moore’s Gurdjieff: The Anatomy of a Myth (1991);
and Paul Beekman Taylor’s G. I. Gurdjieff: A New Life (2008).
Δείτε ενημερώσεις της στο ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/project/...
Έως τότε δεν μπορώ να αποφανθώ μετά βεβαιότητας ή να κρίνω. Μπορώ μόνο να θαυμάσω τον δαιμόνιο Ρωσοπόντιο για την επινοητικότητα, την οξύνοια, την ευρύτητα του πνεύματός του, τον χαρακτήρα του, τον ασίγαστο πόθο του νου του να φθάσει ψηλότερα.
Βασικά ανάμεσα στα επιτεύγματα και τα προτερήματά του, όπως τα περιγράφει στο βιβλίο του, είναι κυρίως το πως εξοικονομούσε χρήματα με διάφορους επιχειρηματικούς και άλλους τρόπους, το πως έπειθε τους ανθρώπους να τον εμπιστεύονται, η απίστευτη ενεργητικότητά του -που συνάντησε τα όριά της μετά το ατύχημά του στη Γαλλία με αυτοκίνητο-, η ανθεκτικότητά του στις κακουχίες, και κυρίως η εμμονή με το υπερφυσικό.
Το βιβλίο αυτό είναι μια μορφή εισαγωγής στο Έργο και στο όραμα του Γ. Γεωργιάδη.
Για περαιτέρω έρευνα, σύμφωνα με την ερευνήτρια Carole Cusack, όσον αφορά τη ζωή του Gurdjieff, ας ανατρέξει κανείς στα εξής έγκυρα συγγράμματα:
James Webb’s The Harmonious Circle: The Lives and Work of G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky and Their Followers (1980);
James Moore’s Gurdjieff: The Anatomy of a Myth (1991);
and Paul Beekman Taylor’s G. I. Gurdjieff: A New Life (2008).
Δείτε ενημερώσεις της στο ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/project/...
May 14, 2017
Loved reading this 1974 paperback edition ;) Excellent stories of spirituality and adventure travel. Could've earned 4 stars but for this: "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.' "
And also this: "In general, during the last two or three years, my inability to control the automatic manifestations of my subconscious and my instinct is such that I have become almost like an hysterical woman."
That said, I greatly enjoy reading and learning about all things Gurdjieff.
And also this: "In general, during the last two or three years, my inability to control the automatic manifestations of my subconscious and my instinct is such that I have become almost like an hysterical woman."
That said, I greatly enjoy reading and learning about all things Gurdjieff.
April 18, 2020
An extraordinary memoir told through the vehicle of encounters with influential mentors and teachers. At one point in my life I was very drawn to Gurdjieff and reading widely of his life, work and influence (Montreal remains the home of many of his students and their descendants). If I wrote a book such as this, Gurdjieff would certainly merit his own chapter. But I would never be able to write such a sweeping, insightful, and ultimately educational and inspirational autobiography.
I love this cover from 1969.
I love this cover from 1969.
November 12, 2020
Ένα βιβλίο-εισαγωγή στον τρόπο σκέψης και στην φιλοσοφία του Γκουρτζίεφ. Μια τύπου-αυτοβιογραφία γεμάτη συμβολισμούς που αποκαλυπτονται ορμητικα στα υποψιασμενα μυαλά μέσα από κάθε σχεδόν σελίδα. Το πνεύμα του μεγάλου Γκουρτζίεφ αποδεικνύει πως ένα ενσυνείδητο ον μπορεί να επιβιώσει μέσα από δύσκολες και τραγικές καταστάσεις της ζωής του και ταυτόχρονα να συνεχίσει να οδεύει προς την πνευματική τελειότητα. Ένα βιβλίο που -αν είναι το πρώτο σας σχετικά με το έργο του σπουδαίου αυτού Ρωσοπόντιου- σίγουρα δε θα είναι το τελευταίο σας.
October 28, 2019
È ormai proverbiale l’amore di Gurdjeff per la propria persona, che certamente ha contribuito a costruire la sua figura letteraria e come “santone”.
Ovviamente il libro, più che una raccolta di Incontri con uomini straordinari, è una autobiografia, che giustamente filtra i personaggi con la lente della loro incidenza nella vita personale di Gurdjeff, condita con alcune sporadiche notizie ai limiti della ciarlataneria.
La scrittura è però molto piacevole, il vero punto forte del libro, che scorre in maniera piana.
Le storie hanno un approccio molto pragmatico, sono dei dettagliati resoconti di viaggio, dei diari, con qualche semplicissima ma significativa riflessione morale qua e là.
Alla fine ciò che passa è che la straordinarietà, la grandezza degli uomini e la loro statura morale, risiede nelle piccole cose; certamente mi aspettavo qualcosa di più straordinario da questi uomini, che mi figuravo come degli esseri lunari fuori dalla realtà, e invece sono semplicemente un novero di persone che per pura contingenza hanno ricoperto un ruolo importante nella vita di Gurdjeff. Capire la grandezza di questa casualità, che costruisce ad arte delle persone rare che si adattano a noi, significa arrivare al nocciolo della questione, del resto la misura dello straordinario è la soggettività stessa. Per quanto straordinari, nessun uomo presente nei libri di storia potrà mai essere davvero significativo come le poche persone importanti incontrate durante la nostra esistenza.
Data quindi l’estrema soggettività nella scelta, è difficile andare oltre l’enorme ego di Gurdjeff e apprezzare personaggi la cui rilevanza per il lettore è molto modesta; l’unica cosa che si può fare è tentare di proiettarli su persone appartenenti alla nostra vita (il padre, il maestro, l’amico di sempre ecc...), ma il risultato è solo uno statico derivato.
Ovviamente il libro, più che una raccolta di Incontri con uomini straordinari, è una autobiografia, che giustamente filtra i personaggi con la lente della loro incidenza nella vita personale di Gurdjeff, condita con alcune sporadiche notizie ai limiti della ciarlataneria.
La scrittura è però molto piacevole, il vero punto forte del libro, che scorre in maniera piana.
Le storie hanno un approccio molto pragmatico, sono dei dettagliati resoconti di viaggio, dei diari, con qualche semplicissima ma significativa riflessione morale qua e là.
Alla fine ciò che passa è che la straordinarietà, la grandezza degli uomini e la loro statura morale, risiede nelle piccole cose; certamente mi aspettavo qualcosa di più straordinario da questi uomini, che mi figuravo come degli esseri lunari fuori dalla realtà, e invece sono semplicemente un novero di persone che per pura contingenza hanno ricoperto un ruolo importante nella vita di Gurdjeff. Capire la grandezza di questa casualità, che costruisce ad arte delle persone rare che si adattano a noi, significa arrivare al nocciolo della questione, del resto la misura dello straordinario è la soggettività stessa. Per quanto straordinari, nessun uomo presente nei libri di storia potrà mai essere davvero significativo come le poche persone importanti incontrate durante la nostra esistenza.
Data quindi l’estrema soggettività nella scelta, è difficile andare oltre l’enorme ego di Gurdjeff e apprezzare personaggi la cui rilevanza per il lettore è molto modesta; l’unica cosa che si può fare è tentare di proiettarli su persone appartenenti alla nostra vita (il padre, il maestro, l’amico di sempre ecc...), ma il risultato è solo uno statico derivato.
October 22, 2022
An autobiography written around the various people that Gurdjieff met that made a large impact on him, mostly before he began teaching his theories in Russia. He seemed to really have two major driving forces within him: to lie/cheat/steal whenever possible and to search for higher truths. The amount of deception he displayed by his own account makes one question the sincerity of his different schools. Were all of these just another grifting scheme.
He gives one anecdote where he worked for a railroad that was expanding the tracks. He would go to the towns where the railroad already planned to be built through and take bribes to “make sure” the railroad went through the town. Another example was when he and an injured friend were staying with a priest until his friend recovered. The priest had an ancient map but would not sell or allow a copy to be made. Gurdjieff broke into his room and made a copy without the priest knowing. For one who would claim a method for higher consciousness and morality, he really appeared to not care much about people that couldn’t be of use to him.
That being said, the adventures he relates across Europe and Asia are very entertaining. I know there is heavy debate as to the truth of the stories. I would lean toward the book being at least partly fictional. He doesn’t make many direct statements on his methods and theories, sticking mostly with a narrative structure.
He gives one anecdote where he worked for a railroad that was expanding the tracks. He would go to the towns where the railroad already planned to be built through and take bribes to “make sure” the railroad went through the town. Another example was when he and an injured friend were staying with a priest until his friend recovered. The priest had an ancient map but would not sell or allow a copy to be made. Gurdjieff broke into his room and made a copy without the priest knowing. For one who would claim a method for higher consciousness and morality, he really appeared to not care much about people that couldn’t be of use to him.
That being said, the adventures he relates across Europe and Asia are very entertaining. I know there is heavy debate as to the truth of the stories. I would lean toward the book being at least partly fictional. He doesn’t make many direct statements on his methods and theories, sticking mostly with a narrative structure.
March 19, 2026
Da ricerca spirituale a romanzo picaresco
Il libro racconta la formazione di Gurdjieff: come da giovane curioso e inquieto, iniziò a cercare verità antiche e conoscenze spirituali perdute.
La sua vita diventa quindi una ricerca iniziatica, fatta di viaggi, incontri e insegnamenti ricevuti da personaggi straordinari.
Il titolo si riferisce proprio a queste figure che lo influenzano profondamente.
Proseguendo nella lettura, però, il tono cambia radicalmente. Il racconto si trasforma in una sequenza di avventure straordinarie, tra viaggi esotici, confraternite misteriose e esplorazioni ai limiti delle possibilità umane.
Cambierei il titolo in: Le avventure (improbabili) di Gurdjieff.
Il problema non è tanto la materia, quanto la sensazione crescente che queste storie siano più costruite che vissute, più leggendarie che reali.
Più che un difetto, questa ambiguità potrebbe essere intenzionale: egli sembra costruire deliberatamente un personaggio sfuggente, mitizzato, a metà tra maestro e pícaro.
Molti lettori e studiosi sostengono che le storie esagerate o improbabili non sono un difetto, ma un modo per destabilizzare il lettore.
L’idea è che tu non debba capire “cosa è vero”, ma iniziare a dubitare dei tuoi automatismi di giudizio.
Io non lo so, ma resta il fatto che, come lettura, questo rende il libro più dispersivo che illuminante.
Invece i primi capitoli “Mio padre” e “Il mio primo maestro” sono i più riusciti. Qui emerge un Gurdjieff più autentico, riflessivo, quasi filosofico. Il tema della tradizione orale, della ricerca della verità e della formazione personale è trattato con una profondità che lascia intravedere un libro ben più interessante di quello che poi diventerà.
Infatti il padre di Gurdjieff incarna un’idea quasi “antimoderna” di ricchezza: non materiale, ma interiore.
La povertà e le difficoltà non vengono negate, ma trasformate attraverso uno sguardo poetico che permette di dare senso anche alla sofferenza. È proprio questa capacità a creare quell’atmosfera di armonia familiare: non le condizioni esterne, ma l’atteggiamento verso di esse.
Ecco un altro passaggio significativo, che fa capire come l'autore guardasse il mondo.
Quasi sempre infatti gli anedotti riportati nei racconti hanno una conclusione diversa rispetto al senso comune.
In questo caso il monaco che parla in maniera più brillante in realtà è quello che propone concetti più vuoti.
La distinzione tra i due monaci non riguarda tanto l’eloquenza, quanto il livello da cui nasce la parola. Frate Seze colpisce subito perché parla bene, ma resta in superficie: agisce sull’intelletto e quindi l’effetto svanisce. Frate Akhel, al contrario, non impressiona, ma lascia un segno duraturo perché ciò che dice proviene da una dimensione più profonda, esistenziale.
È una critica implicita alla retorica e alla conoscenza puramente teorica: ciò che è solo pensato può affascinare, ma non trasforma. Solo ciò che è vissuto e incarnato ha il potere di modificare davvero chi ascolta.
Tuttavia come accennavo all'inizio della recensione Gurdjieff si presenta – più o meno esplicitamente – come una sorta di pícaro:
un protagonista che si muove tra situazioni diverse, si adatta, si arrangia, osserva il mondo con distacco e spesso con ironia, vivendo di espedienti e intelligenza pratica.
Non si dipinge come una guida spirituale, un santone, un Dalai Lama, ma semplicemente come un uomo pratico alla ricerca della verità.
Questo aspetto emerge ancora più chiaramente nell’ultimo capitolo, “Il problema economico”. Qui il libro abbandona quasi del tutto la dimensione spirituale per raccontare le imprese economiche dell’autore, incluso il modo in cui è riuscito a fregare dei ricchi e a costruire il proprio successo. Più che un maestro spirituale, Gurdjieff appare come un abile opportunista, perfettamente a suo agio nel muoversi tra affari e stratagemmi.
Il libro racconta la formazione di Gurdjieff: come da giovane curioso e inquieto, iniziò a cercare verità antiche e conoscenze spirituali perdute.
La sua vita diventa quindi una ricerca iniziatica, fatta di viaggi, incontri e insegnamenti ricevuti da personaggi straordinari.
Il titolo si riferisce proprio a queste figure che lo influenzano profondamente.
Proseguendo nella lettura, però, il tono cambia radicalmente. Il racconto si trasforma in una sequenza di avventure straordinarie, tra viaggi esotici, confraternite misteriose e esplorazioni ai limiti delle possibilità umane.
Cambierei il titolo in: Le avventure (improbabili) di Gurdjieff.
Il problema non è tanto la materia, quanto la sensazione crescente che queste storie siano più costruite che vissute, più leggendarie che reali.
Più che un difetto, questa ambiguità potrebbe essere intenzionale: egli sembra costruire deliberatamente un personaggio sfuggente, mitizzato, a metà tra maestro e pícaro.
Molti lettori e studiosi sostengono che le storie esagerate o improbabili non sono un difetto, ma un modo per destabilizzare il lettore.
L’idea è che tu non debba capire “cosa è vero”, ma iniziare a dubitare dei tuoi automatismi di giudizio.
Io non lo so, ma resta il fatto che, come lettura, questo rende il libro più dispersivo che illuminante.
Invece i primi capitoli “Mio padre” e “Il mio primo maestro” sono i più riusciti. Qui emerge un Gurdjieff più autentico, riflessivo, quasi filosofico. Il tema della tradizione orale, della ricerca della verità e della formazione personale è trattato con una profondità che lascia intravedere un libro ben più interessante di quello che poi diventerà.
Infatti il padre di Gurdjieff incarna un’idea quasi “antimoderna” di ricchezza: non materiale, ma interiore.
La povertà e le difficoltà non vengono negate, ma trasformate attraverso uno sguardo poetico che permette di dare senso anche alla sofferenza. È proprio questa capacità a creare quell’atmosfera di armonia familiare: non le condizioni esterne, ma l’atteggiamento verso di esse.
Adesso posso affermarlo con tutta certezza: nonostante la lotta accanita che conduceva contro le disgrazie che si rovesciavano su di lui come da una cornucopia, egli conservò lo stesso, in tutte le circostanze difficili della sua vita, l'anima di un vero poeta.
Tale è, a mio avviso, il motivo per cui regnava nella nostra famiglia, anche quando mancavamo di tutto, una straordinaria atmosfera di concordia, di amore e di desiderio di aiutarci a vicenda.
Grazie alla sua innata facoltà di trarre ispirazione dai minimi particolari della vita, egli era per noi tutti, fin nei momenti più angosciosi della nostra esistenza comune, una fonte di coraggio e, nel comunicarci la sua libera spensieratezza, suscitava in noi quell'impulso di felicità al quale alludevo.
Ecco un altro passaggio significativo, che fa capire come l'autore guardasse il mondo.
Quasi sempre infatti gli anedotti riportati nei racconti hanno una conclusione diversa rispetto al senso comune.
In questo caso il monaco che parla in maniera più brillante in realtà è quello che propone concetti più vuoti.
La distinzione tra i due monaci non riguarda tanto l’eloquenza, quanto il livello da cui nasce la parola. Frate Seze colpisce subito perché parla bene, ma resta in superficie: agisce sull’intelletto e quindi l’effetto svanisce. Frate Akhel, al contrario, non impressiona, ma lascia un segno duraturo perché ciò che dice proviene da una dimensione più profonda, esistenziale.
È una critica implicita alla retorica e alla conoscenza puramente teorica: ciò che è solo pensato può affascinare, ma non trasforma. Solo ciò che è vissuto e incarnato ha il potere di modificare davvero chi ascolta.
La sua parola scorre come il mormorio di un fiume e non si desidera più nulla nella vita se non sentire la voce di frate Seze.
"Quando predica frate Akhel, la sua parola fa l'effetto quasi opposto. Egli parla male, con voce indistinta, probabilmente per via della vecchiaia. Nessuno conosce la sua età. Anche frate Seze è molto anziano; dicono che abbia trecento anni. Ma è un vecchio ancora vigoroso, mentre frate Akhel porta i segni evidenti dell'età avanzata.
"Se i sermoni di frate Seze producono immediatamente una forte impressione, alla lunga tale impressione invece scompare e, alla fine, non ne rimane assolutamente nulla. Quanto alla parola di frate Akhel, in un primo momento essa non produce quasi nessun effetto. Ma, col tempo, l'essenza stessa del suo discorso acquista di giorno in giorno una forma più definita e penetra interamente nel cuore dove rimane per sempre.
"Colpiti da questa constatazione, ci mettemmo tutti a cercare perché ciò accadeva, e giungemmo alla conclusione unanime che i sermoni di frate Seze provenivano soltanto dal suo intelletto, e non agivano, di conseguenza, che sul nostro intelletto, mentre quelli di frate Akhel provenivano dal suo essere e agivano sul nostro essere.
Tuttavia come accennavo all'inizio della recensione Gurdjieff si presenta – più o meno esplicitamente – come una sorta di pícaro:
un protagonista che si muove tra situazioni diverse, si adatta, si arrangia, osserva il mondo con distacco e spesso con ironia, vivendo di espedienti e intelligenza pratica.
Non si dipinge come una guida spirituale, un santone, un Dalai Lama, ma semplicemente come un uomo pratico alla ricerca della verità.
Questo aspetto emerge ancora più chiaramente nell’ultimo capitolo, “Il problema economico”. Qui il libro abbandona quasi del tutto la dimensione spirituale per raccontare le imprese economiche dell’autore, incluso il modo in cui è riuscito a fregare dei ricchi e a costruire il proprio successo. Più che un maestro spirituale, Gurdjieff appare come un abile opportunista, perfettamente a suo agio nel muoversi tra affari e stratagemmi.
February 8, 2014
Spirituality, adventure, wisdom, exotic places, grand ideas, wonderfully fresh worldviews... there are so many things I enjoyed about this book.
" [...] I had always and everywhere, in all conditions and circumstances, to "remember myself" and to remember the task I had set myself, by the fulfillment of which I wished and still wish to justify the sense and aim of my life." - pg 301
I relate to his need to wander, explore, learn, and overcome challenges. I don't think every human is born with this hunger to do more and see more but I certainly think I share this quality with him.
" [...] I had always and everywhere, in all conditions and circumstances, to "remember myself" and to remember the task I had set myself, by the fulfillment of which I wished and still wish to justify the sense and aim of my life." - pg 301
I relate to his need to wander, explore, learn, and overcome challenges. I don't think every human is born with this hunger to do more and see more but I certainly think I share this quality with him.
October 16, 2025
- Los Ashokhs nos reunimos en este lugar para probar el poder de nuestro arte. Este valle es un escenario tan único que un sólo sonido emitido con la precisión y afán necesarios puede hacer que estas rocas resuenen. Aquel capaz de emitir tal sonido será el vencedor
- ¿Y cómo aprende a tocar un Ashokh?
- De su padre
- ¿Y su Padre cómo aprende?
- De su padre y así hacia atrás en las generaciones
- ¿Hasta dónde?
- Hasta Dios
- ¿Y cómo aprende a tocar un Ashokh?
- De su padre
- ¿Y su Padre cómo aprende?
- De su padre y así hacia atrás en las generaciones
- ¿Hasta dónde?
- Hasta Dios
January 4, 2019
Bla bla bla
only 10 pages all-in-all of some substance
Most intriguing fact the continuous demonstration of unethical means used, to gain money from 'idiots', in order to fulfil a thirst to find the highest (ethical) teachers ... !!
only 10 pages all-in-all of some substance
Most intriguing fact the continuous demonstration of unethical means used, to gain money from 'idiots', in order to fulfil a thirst to find the highest (ethical) teachers ... !!
October 26, 2009
wisdom is out there - seek it!
October 15, 2015
I was reminded again about a book I read years ago in my teens. What a bloody remarkable man he was too!
May 6, 2020
no wonder gurdjieff himself was quite remarkable
April 6, 2024
Gurdjieff seems to command polarising views. I don't know why; he comes across as a total fraud. A man whose literary style goes from A to B by way of Z, and whose great philosophical revelation basically comes down to 'be as much of an asshole as you want.' Cosmic...
Throughout his meetings with remarkable men, Gurdjieff encounters seemingly supernatural phenomena at which the people around him scoff with perfectly rational explanations. He can't accept this, however, and chooses to believe in pure hokum, as if doing so is some kind of 'looking beyond the Matrix' move. The tacit prompt that the reader should do the same has all the hallmarks of a grifter who wants his acolytes to swallow effluent while he picks their pockets.
Throughout his meetings with remarkable men, Gurdjieff encounters seemingly supernatural phenomena at which the people around him scoff with perfectly rational explanations. He can't accept this, however, and chooses to believe in pure hokum, as if doing so is some kind of 'looking beyond the Matrix' move. The tacit prompt that the reader should do the same has all the hallmarks of a grifter who wants his acolytes to swallow effluent while he picks their pockets.
April 21, 2018
Review to follow.
December 20, 2020
This is a collection of some of the most esoteric autobiographical notes I’ve ever come across so far. Some passages are pure gold in every sense.
Off to the third!
Off to the third!
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