TEACHING

Why?

Gurdjieff's work has many aspects but his teaching is always a call. It calls because of the suffering that is caused by the inner chaos, in which we are living. It calls to open our eyes. He is asking us why are we here, what do we want and what kind of forces are we obedient to? Mainly he is asking do we actually understand what we are? Being aware of this, he wants  to awaken us  to the fact that the evolution of “man” doesn’t come by itself. After a certain point knowledge, direction and work is needed. And this teaching gives the necessary help.

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TEACHING

How?

What are the practical methods of Gurdjieff’s teaching? The practice is made up of many complementary parts.

-Meditation, that is regularly dedicating time to come back to oneself in silence. 

-Realizing the teaching in life. For example through exercises of “self-remembering”. A harmonious development requires a balance between meditation and working in the centre of our busy lives. G. attributed great importance to this.

-The study of objective ideas. This concerns the acquisition of special knowledge about the inner world of man and of the universe, given through G’s writings, words and deeds. 

- The movement exercises (or ”sacred dances”) which Gurdjieff discovered during his travels in Asia and then developed with the help of Madame de Salzmann.

-The music composed by Gurdjieff that accompanies different ways of teaching in different forms.

Thus, for example as an integral part of movement exercises.

-The group work. The formation of a group plays an important role whereby members share their daily lives or experiences during different practices and can benefit from the guidance of responsible individuals with greater inner knowledge.

 

These practices taken together can gradually lead to lasting, harmonious inner development.