Discovering Gurdjieff

by Dorothy Phillpotts

This book is very valuable. Today, there are too many books on the Work that are either deliberately impersonal and as a result are just a re-explaining of basic ideas which are already there in Ouspensky. Or else, the purely subjective 'what I felt, what I experienced'. Dorothy strikes a good balance, because the subjective experience in this context is the ground through which precious memories of the Work in its early and soon-to-be forgotten period can be shared. Peter Brook (Author, Film and Theatre Director) "Discovering Gurdjieff" is more than just a memoir, it is an at times painfully honest account of one woman's quest to find answers to the questions that troubled her from an early age, and ultimately to discover a philosophy of life by which she might live. Along the way, she examines various religions, but it is not until her introduction to Gurdjieff's work through the 1941 lectures of J.G. Bennett, the essence of which she reproduces in his original words, that her search is rewarded. However, the unique element of this book is her description of the way meetings with Gurdjieff himself, along with her fervent study of relevant works, gradually enabled her to discover herself.

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2008

Reviews

[Vernon Goddard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew Dorothy Phillpotts as a teacher of/for the Gurdjieff movement or the Fourth Way. I was in the Cardiff group which was led by George & Dorothy Phillpotts. I was in the group for about 8 years until I decided to leave. During that time group members studied various aspects of the Work especially at weekends when we would go to Dorothy's cottages at Wincanton......to work together and to work on ourselves......self remembering.

They were good teachers.

This book gives various insights into the world of Gurdjieff but more importantly represents a more personal recollection of what was involved.

RIP