An Esoteric/Mystical Critique Part IV, GI Gurdjieff

Fall 2013

Modern Science, Psychology, and the Enduring Mystery of Consciousness: An Esoteric/Mystical Critique Part IV, G.I. Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way James Moffatt

Abstract those properties and faculties that they believe they possess: unity, self-mastery in the sense his article consists of a further exposition of being properly conscious and capable of T of the Fourth Way—with an emphasis on doing, and will. The ability to acquiring these the epistemological assumptions and proposi- faculties must be achieved by practicing sys- tions that distinguish Gurdjieff’s teaching on tematic self-study—in terms of an esoteric consciousness from that of modern psycholo- path of awakening—under the guidance and gy. If it is possible to attain higher states of tutelage of a teacher who has awakened. For consciousness, as the esoteric tradition main- Gurdjieff, then, we possess the possibility of tains, then there must be masters who have awakening consciousness and making it more realized those states. Most psychologists and or less permanent through a process of self- scientists dismiss that possibility a priori. The transformation, but its acquisition demands question of Gurdjieff’s status as “a master” long and difficult commitment, labor, and sac- will be examined—as it is integrally related to rifice. and elucidates various aspects of his teaching. Further, that question serves to crystallize the Gurdjieff’s method of systematic self-study radical differences in the ontological and epis- involves a coordinated effort to understand temological assumptions that underlie esoteri- oneself as a “three-brained being” which func- cism and modern psychology. Esoteric teach- tions intellectually, emotionally, and physical- ings are premised on the idea that the level of ly. By studying and working to overcome the one’s knowledge is dependent upon the level mechanical functioning of these respective of one’s consciousness and being. Gurdjieff’s “centers” of intelligence, it is possible to begin to bring them into much more harmonious and life and work shall be examined in order to 1 consider the relationship between knowledge conscious operation. The pursuit of that aim and being. involves the methods of self-observation and self-remembering. The former involves impar- Systematic Self-Study tially witnessing various psychological and physical functions within oneself; the latter is n the previous article, Part III, the basic ten- an attempt to be present—without being emo- ets of G.I. Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way teaching I tionally identified with whatever one is were presented. Gurdjieff claims that our normal waking consciousness should be under- ______stood to be, typically, a state of waking sleep About the Author and that, as such, we labor under the illusion that we are self-conscious, unified beings who James Moffatt was raised in Ottawa, Ontario, where possess will and the capacity to do. Further, he attended Carleton University and earned degrees Gurdjieff contends that people do not know in both Sociology and Psychology. For the past 35 themselves—they do not understand the essen- years, James has collaborated with Dr. Christopher Holmes in studying, writing, and lecturing about tially fragmented nature of their being and me- consciousness from an esoteric mystical perspec- chanical level of their consciousness—because tive. James resides in Toronto, where he is em- they are asleep. He also asserts, however, that ployed as a law clerk, and also works as a freelance human beings can awaken and acquire all legal and medical writer.

Copyright © The Esoteric Quarterly 17 The Esoteric Quarterly thinking, feeling or doing—and simply sensing self and the world. Gurdjieff explains that the and being aware that “I am here.” results of self-observation: The majority of modern psychologists give no ... upset man’s whole line of thinking and consideration to the idea that systematic self- deprive him of his most pleasant and dear- study might yield important psychological in- est illusions. He sees, first of all, his total sights or that it is essentially an empirical impotence and helplessness in the face of method. They know very little about the prac- literally everything that surrounds him. tice of “self-remembering”—as there is virtual- Everything possesses him, everything rules ly nothing remotely comparable to it within him. He does not possess, does not rule an- modern psychology. In addition, they assume ything. Things attract or repel him. All his that observations of the self are part of the dis- life is nothing but a blind following of those credited, subjective approach which the intro- attractions and repulsions. Further, if he is spectionists undertook in academic psycholo- not afraid of the conclusions, he sees how gy’s infancy and as such, are not to be regard- what he calls his character, tastes and habits ed as legitimate scientific undertakings. Thus, are formed: in a word, how his personality academic psychologists rarely consider self- and individuality are built up. But man’s observation in its esoteric context: that is, as a self-observation, however sincerely and se- method of acquiring self-knowledge through riously it may be carried out, by itself can- the disciplined application of a sophisticated not draw for him an absolutely true picture psychological system. Unfortunately, psy- of his internal mechanism.3 chologists have dismissed what is perhaps the Rather than comprising some soft-headed in- most important and effective method of study- dulgence in “self-examination,” then, Gurd- ing consciousness. jieff’s approach to self-study and the acquisi- In an unsparing assessment of the necessity of tion of self-knowledge is rigorous, unflinching, properly formulating self-observation, Gurd- and empirical. But, as he cautions, self- jieff described the demanding level of com- observation can only lead so far; in order to mitment that his pupils must be willing to as- overcome the more entrenched habits and sume. In addition, he began by cautioning that sources of sleep, a teacher’s special instruction self-observation: and intervention are required. Awakening is such an arduous and demanding process that it ... is not so simple a thing as it may seem at requires a teacher’s higher understanding of first sight. Therefore the teaching puts as the nature of sleep and external vigilance. the foundation stone the study of the principles of right self-observation. But before A “Conscious Actor” passing to the study of these principles a man must make the decision that he will be n the introductory Fourth Way article in this absolutely sincere with himself, will not I series, Part III, the author touched briefly on close his eyes to anything, will not turn the wide and perplexing diversity of opinions aside from any results, wherever they may that have been expressed regarding George lead him, will not fear any deductions, will Ivanovitch Gurdjieff—who has been called not limit himself to any previously erected everything from a charlatan and fraud to a walls. For a man unaccustomed to thinking master and a “Messenger from Above.” In a in this direction, very much courage is re- Time magazine article, Gurdjieff was described quired to accept sincerely the results and as seeming “to have been a remarkable blend conclusions arrived at.2 of P.T. Barnum, Rasputin, Freud, Groucho Marx and everybody’s grandfather.”4 That is a While self-observation demands a singular wonderfully evocative—albeit entirely superfi- level of commitment, the rewards are com- cial—description which succinctly captures the mensurate with the effort involved. For sys- extreme range of impressions that Gurdjieff tematic self-observation can dramatically and generated. But any serious questioning of who irrevocably alter one’s understanding of one- Gurdjieff was and what his mission may have

been confronts one with questions regarding With his appearance in Moscow in 1913, his status as “a master.” That question leads, in Gurdjieff began to disseminate his teaching; turn, to questions regarding the enduring mys- working with select groups of pupils. From the teries posed by the nature of human conscious- time that he met P.D. Ouspensky—his most ness which, in coming full circle, leads to a prominent pupil—in 1915, until his death, in further examination of his teaching. Quite Paris in 1949, Gurdjieff’s work with his pupils simply: examining Gurdjieff informs his teach- was continually changing in terms of its ing; studying his teaching informs one’s ap- presentation and its emphasis. In addition to proach to addressing the many mysteries that lecturing on the psychological and cosmologi- his life and work represent. cal aspects of the Fourth Way, he worked in- tensively with his students to develop physical Any attempt to come to grips with Gurdjieff awareness and consciousness by instructing must begin with an acknowledgment that the them in highly sophisticated movements, “sa- facts surrounding the first forty some years of cred gymnastics,” and Eastern dances. His ex- his life are shrouded in mystery. In addition, pertise with respect to dance and movement those “facts” are largely derived from his own was such that even professional dancers who accounts—most notably from his autobio- studied with him acknowledged that the graphical tale, Meetings with Remarkable movements he was teaching were extremely Men.5 While there are certainly details within sophisticated and both demanded and devel- that work which appear to be factual, it is oped a level of awareness and a state of pres- equally true that there are numerous stories and ence which was quite unique in their experi- claims that are clearly not historically accurate, ence. Indeed, the many public demonstrations nor are they to be understood as such. In my of the dances and movements that Gurdjieff opinion, the book is an allegorical tale, in the taught were greeted with widespread approval guise of autobiography, in which Gurdjieff and fascination amongst audiences in Asia, describes the courage, sacrifice, and commit- Europe, and the United States. In addition to ment involved in seeking after truth. On one the intellectual and physical demands, Gurd- level, it is, then, the story of his search for jieff also superintended various types of prac- truth; on another level, it is a cautionary tale in tical work amongst his pupils and often engi- which he challenges and dispels common as- neered situations that proved to be emotionally sumptions about what seeking truth means and challenging for those involved. All of these what the realization of spiritual fulfillment elements of his work which he had been exper- demands. imenting with during his time in pre- Having stipulated those qualifications, we do revolutionary Russia and his subsequent work know that Gurdjieff was born sometime be- in the Caucasus and Constantinople came to- tween 1866 and 1877 in the Caucasus region gether when he purchased the Prieuré de Bass- of what was, then, Russia and is currently, es Loges, an estate in Fontainebleau on the Armenia. As a boy, he experienced “an irre- outskirts of Paris, and opened his Institute for pressible striving” to know and understand the the Harmonious Development of Man in 1922. purpose of life on Earth and, in particular, that In many ways, Gurdjieff’s story sounds like a of humanity. In pursuing his quest, Gurdjieff mythological tale: a hero’s journey to uncover traveled widely throughout the East in search the key to a great mystery leads to a miracu- of hidden knowledge, over the course of some lous discovery. Empowered by this special 20 years, and seems to have made significant knowledge, he devotes himself selflessly to contact with esoteric schools.6 Eventually, attempting to liberate an imprisoned group or Gurdjieff claimed that he had rediscovered an oppressed population and, in doing so, must ancient esoteric teaching—the Fourth Way— endure untold suffering and sacrifice in order which he reformulated in order to make it to fulfill the obligations that his mission to more accessible to and compatible with the serve imposes. To a certain extent, Gurdjieff modern mind.

The Esoteric Quarterly did frame the story of his search and his work ized Gurdjieff as having attained a unique in such epic terms. Given that no one really “level of existence”; stating that he “gave the knows what he uncovered and what happened indubitable impression that all his responses, to him during his many years of travel and mental, emotional and practical were mutually study, it must be admitted that the truth is be- in balance and … that everyone else was out yond anyone’s grasp.7 Moreover, because we of step, but not this man himself.”9 have only Gurdjieff’s word as to what he expe- As to the reasons why Gurdjieff “acted” and rienced—and it is clear that he frequently em- would not reveal himself, they remain even bellished, distorted, or simply lied about his more mysterious and elusive than the man past—the insurmountable difficulties of at- himself. Within Sufism, there exists a path tempting to come to grips with him as a histor- called “malamat” whereby a master frequently ical figure are apparent. But that task becomes acts in outrageous, unexpected, upsetting, baf- even more complicated if one understands that fling, or otherwise inexplicable ways to chal- Gurdjieff was a “conscious actor” who dis- lenge his pupils’ capacities to exercise discrim- guised himself and played parts for his own ination and self-discipline, as well as to remind unstated purposes. them that they must always remember to sepa- Almost everyone who had any sort of extended rate the teaching from the teacher. It would contact with Gurdjieff commented upon his seem that, in part, Gurdjieff’s frequently unex- “acting.” In his oft-cited account of his initial pected or puzzling behavior and his penchant meeting with Gurdjieff, which took place in a for engaging in exaggerated and bombastic Moscow café, Ouspensky described Gurdjieff displays should be attributed to his assumption, as giving the impression of “a man poorly dis- on some level, of a path of blame. As to why a guised.”8 But Ouspensky soon discovered that, master would assume such a path, it is appar- despite the transparency of Gurdjieff’s “act- ent that Gurdjieff frequently upset or contra- ing,” it conveyed, paradoxically, a sense of dicted others’ expectations, violated norms, strength and integrity; he adds that there was provoked, disturbed, annoyed, and acted out- agreement, within the ranks of Gurdjieff’s pu- rageously in order to provide his pupils with pils, that their teacher would never allow them shocks that would awaken them. A central el- to see beyond the masks he assumed and the ement of his method of instruction involved roles that he played. For his part, Gurdjieff “the principle of irritation”: the creation of cir- maintained that to be what he termed “a con- cumstances in which the pupil would experi- scious actor” represents a very great achieve- ence an inner conflict—a struggle between ment. In order to “act consciously,” he ex- “yes” and “no”—within himself or herself. plained, one must have realized a very high Gurdjieff maintained that the experience of level of consciousness and self-perfection: one such inner struggle was essential to the process must possess the unity of being and the mas- of awakening insofar as it was only under such tery of one’s mental, emotional, and physical circumstances that a pupil could become processes in order to play parts without emo- properly aware of habitual aspects of his or her tionally investing in or attaching oneself to personality and be forced to make a conscious them. From the accounts of so many of those effort to overcome significant sources of sleep. who knew and worked with him, it seems clear Further, only the teacher was capable of diag- that Gurdjieff’s level of self-mastery was evi- nosing and administering the shocks—the ex- dent in the extent to which he played parts ternal provocations—necessary to create the consciously. Certainly, many of those who inner friction which was essential to awaken- worked closely with Gurdjieff believed that he ing. Thus, Gurdjieff spoke of the great value of possessed a unique level of consciousness and “stepping on people’s corns”—jabbing or ap- being. Daly King, an American psychologist, plying pressure to their most sensitive and vul- knew Gurdjieff but refused to become his pu- nerable spots—and not only his willingness to pil; instead, King became a member of a New do so, but his duty as a teacher to do so. There York group which was run by Gurdjieff’s pu- are numerous accounts of Gurdjieff’s uncanny pil, A.R. Orage. Nevertheless, King character- insight into his pupils’ psyches and his brilliant

creativity in devising situations that confronted thinking …”11 Ouspensky added that it was his them with their most essential problems. To do observation that such stories never appeared so, Gurdjieff often engaged in behavior that without the connivance of the supposed mas- was seemingly excessive, bizarre, or incom- ters to whom they referred. prehensible; but, typically, there was eventual- In light of his attitude, Ouspensky’s willing- ly revealed to be a method to his madness. ness to become Gurdjieff’s pupil attests to the Having said that, it also seems clear that, as uniqueness of the latter’s being. Moreover, his Ouspensky noted, sometimes there was too description of “the miracle” which occurred much of Gurdjieff’s acting: that instead of be- when he was part of a group which had ac- ing an expression of strength, it revealed a companied Gurdjieff to a summer house in weakness in him. Finland, in August, 1916, bears particular con- The Mystery of the Master sideration. Ouspensky and two other pupils were in a room with Gurdjieff, who was hen he met Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky demonstrating certain postures and physical W was an accomplished journalist, mathe- movements with what Ouspensky described as matician, and philosopher, as well as being a “an astonishing assurance and precision.”12 prominent Theosophist and student of mysti- Later, as they sat on a wooden floor, Ouspen- cism. He traveled extensively throughout the sky began to hear Gurdjieff’s thoughts. He East attempting to contact a legitimate esoteric writes that: “… I heard his voice inside me as school; something which he firmly believed [if] it were in the chest near the heart.”13 To the existed. Although he had made contact with astonishment of the two other pupils present, many interesting individuals and groups during Ouspensky replied aloud, over the course of a his travels, Ouspensky had returned to his na- half hour, to questions and comments that tive Russia disappointed by what he regarded Gurdjieff communicated to him telepathically! as his failure to fulfill his quest. But, after his After retiring, Ouspensky relates that “a seemingly fortuitous meeting with Gurdjieff, strange excitement again began in me, my he believed that he had met a man who, if not pulse began to beat forcibly and I again heard an emissary of an esoteric school, had clearly G.’s voice in my chest. On this occasion, I not made contact with one and possessed a higher only heard but I replied mentally and G. heard 10 level of knowledge and understanding. While me and answered me.”14 Ouspensky would eventually separate from Gurdjieff for reasons that remain a mystery, he Ouspensky’s recounting of Gurdjieff’s capaci- continued to teach Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way sys- ty to communicate telepathically is an intri- tem after he had relocated to England in the guing indication of the uniqueness of Gurd- 1920s until his death in 1947. jieff’s level of consciousness and being. It is a particularly compelling report because of its Although Ouspensky was a mystic, he also source. As noted, Ouspensky was an uncom- maintained a healthy skepticism towards most promising skeptic and was dismissive of most claims regarding the mystical and the para- of the tall tales of supposed masters who pos- normal. Thus, when he first learned of Gurd- sessed magical powers. He also wrote that jieff and heard of his group in Moscow, he Gurdjieff used to laugh at people who wanted admits that he had little interest, as he had and expected him to do miraculous things and heard such “tales” many times before and dis- to demonstrate “his powers.” But then, missed as “bad fiction” most stories related to Ouspensky was hardly alone in providing an him by people who claimed to have met “Ori- account of Gurdjieff’s seemingly miraculous ental masters who possessed special powers.” capacities. There are numerous other accounts Accordingly, he opined that: “People invent from those who knew Gurdjieff in which they miracles for themselves and invent exactly describe him healing them psychically or what is expected from them. It is a mixture of somehow providing them with some sort of superstition, self-suggestion, and defective enabling energy to overcome some apparently

The Esoteric Quarterly insurmountable obstacle.15 For his part, Gurd- fully about consciousness and higher dimen- jieff claimed that he had acquired paranormal sions, Gurdjieff was claiming that, in order to capacities in the course of his search but doing understand consciousness and higher dimen- so had precipitated a crisis of conscience sions, Ouspensky would have had to realize which led him to take an oath never to use his the transformation of his own consciousness powers to gratify his and being—thereby own selfish needs or Gurdjieff’s method of system- acquiring the faculties ends. Then too, esoter- atic self-study involves a coor- of the higher emotion- ic literature is replete al and higher intellec- with pupils’ accounts dinated effort to understand tual centers—which of their teachers exhib- oneself as a “three-brained be- would allow him to iting paranormal pow- ing” which functions intellectu- experience and appre- ers. hend them directly. ally, emotionally, and physical- Frankly, as much as From the many ac- such descriptions of ly. By studying and working to counts produced by purported paranormal overcome the mechanical func- Gurdjieff’s pupils, acts might fulfill ex- tioning of these respective “cen- there emerges a con- pectations regarding a sistent portrait of a master’s exceptional ters” of intelligence, it is possi- man whose level of powers, I would sug- ble to begin to bring them into being supported his gest that they represent contentions that the the thin end of the much more harmonious and possibilities for self- wedge with respect to conscious operation. The pur- transformation and the accounts of Gurd- suit of that aim involves the perfection of con- jieff’s unique level of sciousness represent consciousness and be- methods of self-observation and the great secret of hu- ing. During one of self-remembering. man existence. Dr. their early talks, Kenneth Walker, an

Ouspensky asked Gurdjieff about the value of accomplished British surgeon, wrote that eve- reading “mystical” or “occult” literature. Gurd- rything Gurdjieff did “seemed to originate jieff replied that a great deal could be learned within” and that, because of his extraordinary by reading, if one “knew how to read.”16 He economy of effort, he possessed a unique and told Ouspensky that, if he understood every- “immense capacity for work.”17 Adding that thing he read, then he would have already the more he saw of Gurdjieff, the more he was found that which he was seeking. Gurdjieff convinced of his uniqueness, Walker described added that, if Ouspensky truly understood him as a man distinguished by his “profound what he had written in his book, Tertium Or- know-ledge, immense vitality and complete ganum—a work about the nature of conscious- immunity from fear.”188 Margaret Anderson, an ness and higher dimensions which he had re- American editor and writer who became Gurd- cently published to great acclaim—he would jieff’s pupil, also wrote about his unique pres- bow down and beg Ouspensky to be his teach- ence and seemingly incomparable level of be- er. However, Gurdjieff explained, there is a ing. She relates that within the circle of Gurd- significant difference between knowledge and jieff’s pupils he was regarded as being a great understanding, and that the importance of this teacher who was presenting the perennial wis- distinction is almost entirely unrecognized in dom of the East in a terminology which would modern times. For Gurdjieff, understanding not alienate Western thinkers. Anderson added involves the practical apprehension of that: knowledge; it is knowledge which has been ... what philosophers have taught as “wis- transformed from mere “head learning” to dom,” what scholars have taught in texts one’s entire being. Thus, while Ouspensky and tracts, what mystics have taught might be able to write accurately and insight-

through ecstatic revelation, Gurdjieff would “conscious actor”—the consideration it most teach as a science—an exact science of man certainly merits. More importantly, they do not and human behaviour—a supreme science examine the question of what Gurdjieff meant of God, world, man—based on sources out- when he said that “to be a conscious actor rep- side the scope, reach, knowledge or concep- resented a great achievement.” While Taylor tion of modern scientists and psycholo- gives the impression that he is much more in- gists.19 clined to recognize Gurdjieff’s unique level of consciousness and being and appears to tacitly As much as the assessments quoted from endorse the idea that he was “a conscious ac- Walker and Anderson are shared by so many tor,” he does not address that issue or examine of those who worked with and knew Gurdjieff, it in any depth. somehow the succeeding generation of scholars and critics who have written about Gurd- All such attempts to “normalize” Gurdjieff jieff and his work have tended to discount the must be greeted with skepticism, in my opin- importance of his pupils’ consistent assertions ion. Denis Saurat, a writer and professor of regarding his unique presence and demonstra- literature who knew Gurdjieff, argued that bly higher level of consciousness and being. there is a resistance in the West to admitting There have been two major biographies of the idea that there are masters who, having Gurdjieff published in English: James Webb’s gone to schools and perfected themselves, re- The Harmonious Circle and James Moore’s turn to the outside world, and live amongst us. Gurdjieff: Anatomy of a Myth.20 More recently, In the East, Saurat said, the idea—that such Paul Beekman Taylor’s Gurdjieff: A New people do exist and that “the rules of the ordi- Life,21 which draws on previously unavailable nary man do not apply”22 to them—is widely documents, identifies some of the errors in the accepted. In the introduction to Meetings with earlier biographical works and provides a dis- Remarkable Men, Jeanne de Salzmann—who senting opinion regarding some of Webb’s and was Gurdjieff’s longest serving pupil and one Monroe’s interpretations and opinions. While of those charged with the responsibility of con- both the Webb and Moore biographies are tinuing his work after his death—addresses the carefully researched and well-written, provid- difficulty that the concept of the master creates ing valuable information and insights about for Westerners. But she then adds, in unequiv- Gurdjieff and his pupils, I believe that they ocal terms, that it is only by recognizing that share the same failing. While each author read- Gurdjieff was a master that one can grasp the ily acknowledges Gurdjieff’s profound effects meaning of his life and work: on his many students and describes his charis- According to traditional conceptions, the matic presence, neither of them grants serious function of a master is not limited to the consideration to the idea that Gurdjieff was a teaching doctrines, but implies an actual in- master who had attained a higher level of con- carnation of knowledge, thanks to which he sciousness and being. Furthermore, both Webb can awaken other men, and help them in and Moore seem to believe that providing an their search simply by his presence. He is “impartial portrait” of their subject demands there to create conditions for an experience that they “balance” their accounts and interpre- through which knowledge can be lived as tations of him and his work by reciting stories fully as possible. This is the real key to the of his puzzling decisions and courses of action, life of Gurdjieff.23 [emphasis added] his eccentric behavior, and his madcap antics. But in doing so, I would suggest that their fail- Strangely, both James Webb and James Moore ure to understand that these external manifesta- seemed to have been unwilling and/or unable to tions were parts that Gurdjieff was playing for take Mme de Salzmann’s assessment seriously. I his own purposes leads them to reduce their would submit that their refusal to do so consti- interpretations of him and his actions to famil- tutes the fatal flaw which their respective works iar terms and normal understanding. As such, share. they never grant the idea—that Gurdjieff was a

The Esoteric Quarterly

In keeping with Denis Saurat’s perspective, I psychological and cosmological reality, one believe that those who have attempted to re- apprehends the unique authority and integrity duce Gurdjieff to familiar categories by treat- of Gurdjieff’s life and work. ing him strictly as a historical figure—one who Although I do not believe, literally, in Gurd- can be evaluated and understood in terms of jieff’s otherworldly origins, I would argue that normal psychology—have completely mis- he should be regarded as an alien intelligence: judged and underestimated the man. In my one whose level of consciousness and being book, ‘An Alien Intelligence,’24 I adopt the per- differs to the point of incompatibility with our spective which Northrop Frye, the great liter- normal understanding of what it means to be ary critic, argued must be applied when inter- human. In the same way, my thirty-five years preting the life of Jesus as it appears in the of study of the Fourth Way have led me to Gospels. As Frye explained, Jesus is represent- share Ouspensky’s opinion that the more one ed as a mythical, rather than a historical figure becomes involved with the teaching, the more in the Gospels. Therefore, he must be under- one forms the impression of being in contact stood to be “a figure who drops into history with a living entity—something organic and from another dimension of reality, and thereby vital—rather than simply a set of ideas. In oth- shows what the limitations of the historical er words: an alien intelligence. Finally, my perspective are.”25 [emphasis added] While I work to study myself and to develop the am certainly not equating Gurdjieff with Jesus, dormant faculties of consciousness and being I am suggesting that he was a man who had has led me to conclude that the cultivation and acquired a higher level of consciousness and the nourishment of self-knowledge involves being. Therefore, I believe that Frye’s charac- the birthing of an alien intelligence from with- terization of “a figure who drops into history in oneself. from another dimension of reality” succeeds— in a way which has completely eluded his bi- There is one other aspect of the master’s life ographers—in capturing the quantum disconti- and work which is rarely discussed—even by nuity of Gurdjieff’s level of consciousness and those who do acknowledge the existence of being from that with which we are familiar. such evolved beings—but which is essential in Accordingly, I am suggesting that Gurdjieff weighing any discussion of the subject. A low- should be approached as a figure who reveals er level of consciousness cannot understand a the limits of not only the historical but the higher level of consciousness. As much as conventional psychological perspective. Fur- scholars, biographers, and pupils may wish to thermore, I would suggest that the more one examine, probe, dissect, analyze, and pontifi- works on oneself in terms of the Fourth Way— cate on the mysteries of Gurdjieff’s existence which progressively reveals the depth and the and his mission, this indisputable reality— coherence of the teaching—the more one is which is tacitly assumed by those who believe inclined to regard Gurdjieff as having been a that Gurdjieff was a master—should temper master. While critics and skeptics assume that any and all commentaries and conclusions. For Gurdjieff’s pupils were too close to him and example, consider the following reply by the too invested in his work to provide unbiased great Sufi sage, Hazarat Inayat Khan, to a assessments of him, it must be acknowledged question about the perplexing variability in that they were afforded privileged perspectives audiences’ responses to his lectures: by virtue of their direct contact with him. “Did you think that my whole work con- Most importantly, Gurdjieff’s pupils and all sists of giving lectures?” … “Those lectures those of succeeding generations who have ac- are no more than a screen; my real task lies tively worked to study and know themselves in in the higher spheres. If I had to judge the terms of his teaching subscribe to a psycholog- results of all I do from the attendance of ical system which posits the existence of hu- this handful of people, I should feel very man beings who have acquired higher levels of discouraged indeed. … One of the most consciousness and being. To the extent that the important tasks that I have to fulfil is the hierarchical nature of consciousness becomes a tuning of the inner spheres in the different

countries I visit, to a higher pitch of vibra- Continuing, Gurdjieff states that, if knowledge tion. That is why I have to travel so is overdeveloped at the expense of being, it much.”26 [emphasis added] becomes too theoretical, too abstract, and can actually be harmful because it begins to com- H.I. Khan’s reply is remarkably revealing and plicate an individual’s life, creating “new trou- should serve as a caveat to all those who com- bles and calamities.” He explains that the rea- ment on the meaning of any master’s work. son for this unforeseen and unrecognized prob- That is not at all to suggest that the lives and lem is that: work of alleged masters should not be approached critically and skeptically. Neverthe- …knowledge which is not in accordance less, it does serve as a reminder that the mas- with being cannot be large enough for, or ters may well be functioning and working on sufficiently suited to, man’s real needs. It not only the levels of meaning with which pu- will always be a knowledge of one thing pils are conversant, but on higher levels and in together with ignorance of another thing; a terms of meaning that are completely alien to knowledge of the detail without a those who have not awakened and perfected knowledge of the whole; a knowledge of themselves. The latter constituency includes the form without a knowledge of the es- most, if not all, psychologists and scientists. sence.28 Knowledge and Being According to Gurdjieff, not only is knowledge determined by being, but he also maintains ll esoteric knowledge is premised on the that: A idea that the realization of higher knowledge is dependent upon the attainment of … at any given level of being the possibili- higher levels of being. Gurdjieff states that, ties of knowledge are limited and finite. while we recognize differences in levels of Within the limits of a given being the quali- knowledge, we fail to understand that being ty of knowledge cannot be changed, and the can also be of different levels. Normally, peo- accumulation of information of one and the ple equate the term “being” with existence and same nature, within already known limits, define it in terms of its opposite of non- alone is possible. A change in the nature of knowledge is possible only with a change in existence. But, for Gurdjieff, being may be of 29 different levels and categories. Thus, he asserts the nature of being. [emphasis added] that the being of a plant and a mineral is dif- Gurdjieff insists that, generally speaking, the ferent, as is that of a mineral and an animal. being of modern man is “of very inferior quali- But he also claims that: ty” due to an overemphasis on the line of … the being of two people can differ from knowledge. He adds that realizing a balance one another more than the being of a min- between knowledge and being is more im- eral and an animal. This is exactly what portant than the development of one line at the people do not understand. And they do not expense of the other. When knowledge out- understand that knowledge depends on be- weighs being, Gurdjieff states that a man “knows but has no power to do. It is useless ing. … in Western culture it is considered 30 that a man may possess great knowledge, knowledge.” He characterizes an individual for example, he may be an able scientist, who has pursued the line of knowledge, with- make discoveries, advance science, and at out pursuing the line of being as producing “a weak yogi”; “a man who knows a great deal the same time he may be, and has the right 31 to be, a petty, egoistic, caviling, mean, en- but … does not understand.” However, when vious, vain, naïve, and absent-minded man. the development of being outweighs It seems to be considered here that a profes- knowledge, “a man has the power to do, but does not know …he can do something but he sor must always forget his umbrella every- 32 where.27 does not know what to do.” In such cases, the

The Esoteric Quarterly individual is what Gurdjieff terms “a stupid itual progress may be furthered simply by en- saint”; if he does something, he follows his tering into the darshan of a sanctified individ- feelings which may lead him astray or to do ual. In Islam, a spiritual transformation can be the very opposite of his intentions. effected by simple contact, sohbat, with an evolved spiritual teacher. I believe that the various testimonies about Gurdjieff’s status as a master are based not Of course, this idea—that masters are capable only on his extraordinary knowledge and be- of transmitting subtle, spiritually enabling en- ing, but also the demonstrable balance that ex- ergies—is almost entirely alien to modern isted within him between the two. As such, it thought and would be perfunctorily dismissed was not only the unique nature of his teaching by most scientists and psychologists as being which appealed to Gurdjieff’s pupils, but also utterly fanciful (not to mention scientifically his singular presence, which conveyed an un- unverifiable) and, hence, unreal. By contrast, deniable authority and transmitted much more Gurdjieff not only subscribed to its reality, but to them than they could identify or explain. claimed that his pupils could draw on what he C.S. Nott wrote that “when Gurdjieff said termed his “hanbledzoin”—the energy of the something to you, it registered not only in the “kesdjan” (“vessel of the soul”) or astral mind but in the feelings, in such a way that you body—in order to help them work on them- could not help but think seriously about it.”33 selves to awaken. He claimed that, by virtue of He added that simply sitting with Gurdjieff— his own spiritual development, he possessed whom he described as “blazing with energy”— more of this subtle energy than he required was a unique experience which left one feeling and, thus, he was capable of transmitting it to revitalized. Noting that an electrical motor his pupils. Again, many of Gurdjieff’s pupils could be charged simply by being close to a stated that they did feel he provided them with more powerful one, Nott said that “so a person an enabling energy which they could not iden- could be magnetized by being near Gurdjieff, tify, but which they did not doubt was real. by his force and ‘being.”34 While not as spectacular as Ouspensky’s “miracle,” such accounts are further indications that There are numerous accounts from both Gurd- Gurdjieff had attained a higher level of con- jieff’s pupils and others who knew him that are sciousness and being and had attained the sta- consistent with Nott’s comments about the dis- tus of being “a master.” tinct and palpable force of Gurdjieff’s being. But the attribution of such qualities is not re- The relationship of knowledge to being, which stricted to Gurdjieff; they recur repeatedly in Gurdjieff puts forth, is precisely what is either pupils’ descriptions of various esoteric mas- unrecognized or denied within post- ters’ presence. Indeed, as J.G. Bennett points technological cultures. Modern science, psy- out in his book, Gurdjieff: Making a New chology, and education are premised on the World, the idea of a master transmitting subtle epistemological and ontological assumptions energy to a pupil exists within various esoteric that being is, as Gurdjieff says, simply a term spiritual traditions.355 For example, within Su- to denote existence and as such, is irrelevant to fism, the murshid or master furthers the seek- knowledge. There is very little, if any recogni- er’s spiritual development by transmitting tion that there exists a scale of being, just as baraka, an “enabling energy.” In Christianity, there is almost no recognition of higher states the term, “transfer of merits,” refers to the idea of consciousness. Consequently, the concept of that an individual who has attained a certain the master exists outside the assumptive level of spiritual development may help those framework of modern psychology. That posi- who are less spiritually developed and incapa- tion is a direct result of what Ken Wilber ble of helping themselves. Thus, a monk or termed “the disaster of modernity”: in which nun might help sinners to repent—even with- the traditional Great Nest of Being—a hierar- out their knowledge or desire—by transferring chy of human and universal consciousness— “effectual grace.” Bennett notes that similar collapsed into the flatland of matter, wherein ideas occur in Buddhism, wherein one’s spir- all interior qualities, including experience,

were devalued or denied significance. From an A small child, Gurdjieff says, lives in her Es- esoteric perspective, materialists’ blindness to sence. All her desires, tastes, likes and dislikes the existence of the scale of consciousness rep- are her own. They directly express her being. resents the essential failing in modern psy- However, as the child matures, Personality chology and science. For self-trans- begins to develop and is basically established formation—through the acquisition of esoteric by five or six years of age—through the influ- self-knowledge—unveils both the hidden di- ence of others, by imitation, and by condition- mensions and hierarchy of personal and uni- ing. Ideally, Personality and Essence would versal consciousness. And in doing so, it fur- develop together in a harmonious balance, but ther reveals our cosmic connections: as given this very rarely happens. Due to the myriad by the integral relationship between psycholo- sources of imitation and suggestion—family, gy and cosmology. The efforts of those who school, friends, grown-ups—the child’s Per- have developed methods of self-transformation sonality grows rapidly and she is filled with have created an esoteric science of being and ideas, feelings, and sensations that are not her consciousness. Its existence and its claims re- own, but simply that which she has been con- fute the alleged superiority of the Galilean rev- ditioned and socialized to accept and believe. olution in defining science: wherein only that In this way, Personality grows over Essence which could be quantified and measured was like a crust or shell. Essence becomes less and deemed to be real. Moreover, the existence of less frequently manifest, and is more and more esoteric masters, throughout the ages, attests to feeble when it does so. Therefore, Essence is the reality of the Great Nest of Being, and the deprived of contact with the world and cannot impossibility of arriving at any comprehensive grow. Personality grows at its expense— account of human beings or the Universe assuming a disproportionate influence—and which does not recognize its existence. The becomes dominant in one’s interactions and study of those masters—who, by attaining commerce with the world. higher levels of consciousness and being, em- It is important to understand that Gurdjieff is body what Gurdjieff termed “finished not stating that Personality is bad and Essence worlds”—may allow us glimpses and intima- is good. Each is necessary and each must grow tions of the profound significance of the rela- if one’s being is to develop properly. Certainly, tionship between being and knowing. there are many things that must be learned and Personality and Essence acquired through Personality’s interactions in the world. As Gurdjieff says, Personality may n part, Gurdjieff attributes the impoverished even be underdeveloped in those uneducated, I quality of man’s being to the differential simple people who live close to Nature and in development of “Personality” and “Essence.” whom Essence is relatively strong. But more This distinction is unrecognized by modern typically, Personality’s dominance arrests the psychologists. Yet, it is another critical con- growth of Essence at a very early age. As a cept in the Fourth Way account of the pro- result, Gurdjieff maintains, it is not unusual to found differences between what humans are, find that a sophisticated, cultured person has and what they can and should be. In broad the Essence of a child. terms, a person’s Essence consists of that which is his own; Personality is what is not his Of course, the term “Personality” refers, not to own. Essence is that with which one is born: one thing, but rather to all the personas one one’s heredity, nature, physical features, apti- assumes or the masks that one wears in various tudes, disposition, proclivities, and the like. rounds of life. These personas or masks— Personality is all that which comes from out- acquired involuntarily by the chances of one’s side oneself: that which one acquires or is im- conditioning and contact with sleeping peo- posed on one through the chance and circum- ple—appear and disappear according to equal- stances of one’s upbringing, surroundings, cul- ly involuntary and accidental dictates. Thus, ture, education, and life experiences. Personality is asleep. The problem, according

The Esoteric Quarterly to Gurdjieff, is that Personality wants to be pened when he wanted to introduce some of hypnotized and remain asleep. Essence, on the his Moscow friends to Gurdjieff. Only one, other hand, is asleep, but it can be awakened. V.A.A., produced the impression of “being To do so, however, demands that Personality sufficiently alive” to be considered. When his be changed consciously, such that it becomes friend expressed an eagerness to meet Gurd- more passive. Without such conscious direc- jieff, he was invited to have lunch with him. tion, Personality remains superficial and is Gurdjieff seated Ouspensky’s friend next to subject to constant unconscious changes. One him and was the perfect host. However, as set of experiences drives out another, which Ouspensky belatedly realized, Gurdjieff was are, in turn, driven out by another. One aspect testing his friend: of Personality says: “I want” or “I like” or “I ... The fact was that everyone kept silence. do not like,” and then gives way to another set A. held out for five minutes. Then he began of different appetites and desires. Consequent- to talk. He spoke of the war, of all our allies ly, people go through life existing as multiple, and enemies together and separately; he frequently antagonistic personages. In such communicated the opinions of all the public circumstances—the life of the sleepwalker in men of Moscow and St. Petersburg upon all the sleeping world—there is no control or real possible subjects; then he talked about the will. Everything happens and will continue to dessication of vegetables for the army ... happen unless Essence is awakened. Only particularly the dessication of onions, then when Essence begins to experience and grow about artificial manures, agricultural chem- can its proper balance with Personality be re- istry, and chemistry in general; about “me- stored, and the possibility of developing being lioration”; about spiritism, “the materializa- and real “Will” be realized. tion of hands,” and about what else I do not A.R. Orage, a celebrated literary critic who remember now.37 was one of Gurdjieff’s most prominent pupils, Ouspensky goes on to describe how his friend underlines the importance of developing one’s was so carried away with his own talk and his Essence by distinguishing it from Personality need to express his attitudes, opinions, and in these stark terms: beliefs that he was essentially oblivious to Essence is truth about oneself in contrast to everything and everyone around him. He was social and expected opinions of oneself. Es- completely unaware that no one else had said sence is truth irrespective of time, place, a word. As such, his friend was revealed to be and the feelings of anyone. It is what one a fool. Gurdjieff used him to prove a point to would dare to avow if no consequences his pupils. After A. had thanked Gurdjieff for were to follow on a statement of the truth. It a “very interesting conversation” and had de- is truth before God. Personality is truth be- parted, Gurdjieff laughed slyly and said: fore men—before the world, conditioned by There, you see .... He is called a clever “What will people think?36 man. But he would not have noticed it even Ouspensky recounts a story which is most in- if I had taken his trousers off him. Only let structive in considering some of these claims him talk. He wants nothing else. And eve- about levels of being, Personality and Essence, rybody is like that. This one was much bet- and knowledge and understanding. He de- ter than many others. He told no lies. And scribes how it was a practice of Gurdjieff’s he really knew what he talked about, in his pupils who met in Moscow, during the World own way of course. But think, what use is War I years, “to keep silence”—that is, to he? He is no longer young. And perhaps avoid unnecessary talking—when they gath- this was the one time in his life when there ered at their teacher’s apartment. Unnecessary was an opportunity of hearing the truth. talking is one of Personality’s most automatic And he talked himself all the time.38 and common activities and, hence, an im- It is very difficult to read this account without portant habit to oppose by trying to make it laughing at A.’s behavior—but the laughter is more passive. Ouspensky relates what hap-

that of self-recognition. Most people are much tional faculties. Because the moving, instinc- more like Ouspensky’s friend than we realize tive, and sexual centers typically comprise a or would care to admit. In our lives, Personali- human being’s organic intelligence, Gurdjieff ty runs amok with unfailing dependability, describes humans as “three-brained beings” such that, like this man, we are oblivious to its that function intellectually, emotionally, and automatic manifestations. If this account physically. In order to facilitate more con- seems far-fetched or contrived, one need only scious functioning of each of the centers, observe what happens when one maintains Gurdjieff states that it is necessary to under- silence or speaks only when necessary in a stand the various classes of “wrong work” social context. So much of what passes for which are instrumental in keeping a center conversation, the exchange of ideas, and rep- working at its lowest, most mechanical level of artee—even of the most clever and entertain- consciousness and precluding it from working ing variety—simply happens. In a state of properly and in harmony with the other cen- sleep, people talk mechanically. And one can ters. While these classes of wrong work are not prove that to oneself beyond doubt simply by recognized in modern psychology, the process struggling to oppose this activity. It would of self-study reveals that they are common and seem that nothing could be so simple, but that that they frequently dominate and debilitate a conceit merely reflects the extent to which so center’s functioning. much of our experience and behavior is auto- Self-study reveals that Gurdjieff’s claim—that matically elicited and how we fail to under- there exist three independent minds at work stand its mechanical nature. within us—provides, at the very least, an inter- As Gurdjieff says, A. is what is called a clever esting interpretative framework within which man. He is a man in whom Personality is very one’s experience and behavior may be ana- well developed—he knows a lot about a lot of lyzed. Further, it becomes apparent that, as he things—but what good is it? Placed in a situa- says, each of the centers works with varying tion in which a seemingly innocuous contriv- degrees of consciousness, and that they are ance—people not talking—creates an unbeara- intimately linked with one another. Gurdjieff ble friction in him, his Personality cannot re- was most emphatic in asserting that we do not main still. And so he talks until he is so en- understand the extent to which our mental, grossed in talking and being clever ... that he is emotional, and physical functions are in con- not only unaware of what is happening but is stant reciprocal action: how they inform one literally deluded. Can such a man be con- another, how they depend upon one another, scious? Does he understand things, or is he how they result from one another. One cannot more like a clever parrot who can name change without the others changing as he ex- things? Is he a free man choosing to act from plains: the essence of his being? Or is he an automa- The attitude of your body corresponds to ton—a clever machine—being controlled and your sentiments and to your thoughts. A moved by forces he neither suspects nor would change in your emotions will inevitably recognize if he was told of them? produce the corresponding change in your The Centers’ Wrong Work mental attitude and in your physical pose. A change of thought will start another current n the previous article, Part III, Gurdjieff’s of emotional energy, which will naturally I concept of the seven centers of intelligence change the physical posture. So that, if we or brains—each of which has its own way of want to alter our ways of feeling and our knowing, speed of operation, memory, and forms of thinking, we must first change our energies—was outlined. There are five centers moving postures, and at the same time, responsible for humans’ functioning in normal without changing our emotional and mental waking consciousness, and two centers that postures, it is impossible for us to acquire feature humans’ higher intellectual and emo-

The Esoteric Quarterly

new moving postures. We cannot change sensitivity, care, and attention. Consequently, one without changing the other.39 we are often absorbed in thinking about what others think about us or in conducting imagi- This “connectedness” of the centers and the nary conversations wherein we express our fact that psychologists do not study themselves feelings about the injustice of being slighted or systematically accounts, to a certain extent, for wronged. Self-indulgent fantasizing about re- their failure to recognize the importance of actions to such affronts, both real and imag- understanding humans as multi-brained beings. ined, comprises internal considering. Imagina- It also explains the limited utility of thinking in tion, in Gurdjieff’s terminology, refers to being new ways a means of developing conscious- lost in aimless and self-indulgent daydreaming ness. Thought can only awaken one to a certain and fantasizing. Such wasteful activity can extent, before habitual postures and feelings assume the form of both self-aggrandizing and interfere and mechanically evoke equally ha- egoistic flights of fancy and descents into bitual and mechanical thoughts. In essence, the bouts of catastrophizing and torturous self- subtleties and the strengths of the centres’ con- loathing, and everything fanciful and unrealis- nectedness and wrong work demands the guid- tic in between those extremes. ance and the careful monitoring that only a teacher can provide. For only an informed and The emotional center’s wrong work consists of vigilant external intelligence can keep proper “identification,” “self-love,” “vanity,” and watch over a sleepwalker and provide the nec- “negative emotions.” In the previous article in essary shocks or interventions to awaken him this series, the subtle pervasiveness of identifi- or her. cation was discussed, as well as its singular role as the most important obstacle to self- In the intellectual center, “lying,” “internal remembering. Quite simply, as long as one is considering,” and “imagination” are categories emotionally attached or invested in any aspect of wrong work that must be identified and op- of one’s experience or behavior, one cannot posed. Lying refers to our tendency to speak remember oneself by being fully present. Self- about that which we know as if we did. This love and vanity are special types of identifica- pervasive tendency to inflate our self- tion. They are expressions of our absorption in importance with pretensions to knowledge is our False Personalities: Gurdjieff’s term for instilled and exacerbated by innumerable dubi- the complexes of imaginary beliefs, images, ous sources of imitation, conditioning, educa- and histories we develop about who and what tion, and socialization. In addition, our lying is we are. Our self-love and vanity involve our exacerbated by our tendency to believe that, devotion to and nurturing of this fictional, nar- because we can name something, we under- cissistic sense of self which becomes the center stand it. While we readily admit the difference of gravity for our interactions with others and in practical affairs between “knowing” and as such, the source of the spell of illusions and “knowing how,” we fail to recognize that the self-deceit by which we are unknowingly hyp- same standard should be applied to knowing notized and imprisoned. and understanding. We may know something factually or conceptually, but understanding Studying the final category of the emotional involves translating and applying our center’s wrong work—negative emotions—is a knowledge to being: that is, by digesting con- most illuminating and shocking process. The cepts and ideas in such a way that we are ca- sheer number of terms for negative emotions— pable of integrating them into a more compre- anger, disgust, jealously, hatred, despair, de- hensive and inclusive framework. To under- spondency, distaste, irritability, envy, distrust, stand is to apprehend things not only intellec- annoyance, rage, bitterness, disillusionment, tually, but also by sensing and emotionally fear, loathing, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera—is incorporating them. but the first indication of how pervasive they are and what a powerful role they play in most Internal considering describes the process by people’s lives. Not only are negative emotions which we are preoccupied by our feelings that useless and unjustified, according to Gurdjieff, others fail to value or treat us with sufficient

but they are also extremely debilitating. They breathe, he was extremely critical of those who deprive one of energy—as is obvious in the provided generic descriptions of breathing ex- case of depression—but, more importantly, ercises. He asserted that it was necessary to they feed and strengthen one’s identifications study each pupil individually in order to under- and False Personality. Because we live in a stand how one’s breathing could be brought world which is domi- into harmony with nated by and glorifies From an esoteric perspective, one’s postures and negative emotions, it is materialists’ blindness to the movements. very difficult to recog- The sex center, Gurd- nize how they origi- existence of the scale of con- jieff claimed, is typi- nate within us and ex- sciousness represents the essen- cally engaged in press our patholo- tial failing in modern psycholo- wrong work. In fact, it gies—rather than be- is the misuse of the ing appropriate and gy and science. For self- sexual center’s energy necessary reactions to transformation—through the by the other centers others’ outrages and and the other center’s excesses. acquisition of esoteric self- knowledge—unveils both the energies in the sex There are several clas- center that is “the ses of the moving- hidden dimensions and hierar- principal motive force instinctual center’s chy of personal and universal of all mechanical- wrong work: processes ness”40 and is respon- that restrict the body’s consciousness. And in doing so, sible for the rule of capacity to work it further reveals our cosmic waking sleep. Because properly. We all have connections: as given by the in- the sex center’s ener- chronic patterns of gies are the most re- unnecessary muscular tegral relationship between fined, they easily pass tension that constrict psychology and cosmology. over into the other our physical awareness centers and are ex- and bind our energy. In addition, we all display pressed through them. In all such cases, “the unconscious habitual postures, gestures, misuse of sexual energy” is indicated by a par- movements, and vocal intonations: all of which ticular vehemence or fervor which an activity are linked with equally habitual and uncon- or interest does not demand. Thus, the intellec- scious emotional and intellectual postures and tual center does not simply write books; in- processes. Although there is very little written stead, it is always angrily and indignantly material describing Gurdjieff’s analysis of the fighting, disputing, and criticizing. The emo- moving-instinctual center’s wrong work, that tional center preaches Christianity … but it does not indicate a lack of emphasis, in his does so by invoking fire and brimstone, instil- work, regarding the importance of developing ling fear of eternal damnation, raging against consciousness of the body. On the contrary, sinners or threatening the torments of Hell. Gurdjieff emphasized that self-remembering The moving center is obsessed with sport, begins with self-sensing: that is, with increased climbs mountains, wrestles, fights, and tries to consciousness and awareness of one’s physical create records. In each center, Gurdjieff claims state of presence. But because Gurdjieff that the common denominator which indicates worked directly with his pupils—taking each the misuse of sexual energy is: “a particular one’s type and unique problems into account— vehemence and, together with it, the useless- he did not leave detailed written commentaries ness of the work in question.”41 None of the upon or accounts of his methods. Thus, while other centers can ever create anything useful he emphasized the importance of learning to with the sex center’s energy.

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There is one other general category of “wrong by contemplation, but simply by daydream- work” which consists of the habitual working ing or by imagination.43 of one center for another. Although this pro- It is safe to say that almost every reader must cess describes “the abuse of sex,” it is also ap- have experienced equivalent unconscious read- parent in the attempts of the intellectual center ing or unconscious driving or unconscious to feel … or of the emotional center to think … work of various kinds. In such instances, one is or of the moving center to think or feel. Gurd- on “automatic pilot” and, only after one has jieff maintains that this substitution of one cen- come to and awakened briefly, does it become ter for another is much more prevalent than apparent that one has been reading or driving one might imagine. He cites numerous exam- or working quite automatically. Gurdjieff’s ples of the deleterious results that occur when model of the centers and their wrong work one center attempts to do the work which provides a framework for understanding this should properly be performed by another cen- process which is much more sophisticated and ter. For example, the emotional center’s at- revealing, I would suggest, than modern psy- tempt to think creates unnecessary nervousness chologists simply labeling this phenomenon as and haste in situations demanding calm delib- “automatization.” Indeed, given his contention eration and careful judgment. On the other that our normal waking consciousness is a hand, the intellectual center’s attempts to do waking sleep, Gurdjieff’s analysis identifies a the emotional center’s work results in exces- critical aspect of the dynamics of how our in- sive deliberation where quick reactions are tellectual, emotional, and physical processes necessary or, sometimes, an inability to make happen mechanically and automatically. For discriminations that the emotional center Fourth Way pupils, efforts to self-observe re- would recognize, but which the thinking center peatedly reveal that the substitution of one cen- cannot distinguish. As Gurdjieff explains: ter for another occurs routinely and results in “The mind cannot understand shades of feel- unconscious mechanical operation of the phys- ing. ... A full man does not understand a hun- ical, emotional, and intellectual brains. gry one.”422 Similarly, Gurdjieff explains that the intellectual center can neither appreciate A New Language sensations nor properly perform the moving center’s functions. As he says, it is impossible n order to study oneself systematically, with to drive a car or even to type by using one’s I the aim of consciously evolving, Gurdjieff mind to direct and control such complex motor insisted that his pupils must learn a new lan- activities because the intellectual center cannot guage which they would apply to themselves function at the moving center’s speed. On the and the world. People hold a very firm convic- other hand, the results of the moving center tion that, because they speak the same lan- attempting to do the intellectual center’s work guage, they understand one another. However, are equally ineffective, as Gurdjieff explains: Gurdjieff asserted that this is simply a further expression of the illusions that characterize life Moving center working for thinking center in the sleeping world. Our normal subjective produces, for example, mechanical reading language, he explained, is: or mechanical listening, as when a man reads or listens to nothing but words and is … full of wrong concepts, wrong classifica- utterly unconscious of what he is reading or tions, wrong associations. … owing to the hearing. This generally happens when at- essential characteristics of ordinary think- tention, that is, the direction of the thinking ing, that is to say, to its vagueness and in- center’s activity, is occupied with some- accuracy, every word can have thousands thing else and when the moving center is of different meanings according to the ma- trying to replace the absent thinking center; terial that the speaker has at his disposal but this very easily becomes a habit, be- and the complex of associations at work in cause the thinking center is generally dis- him at the moment. People do not clearly tracted not by useful work, by thought, or realize to what a degree their language is

subjective, that is, what different things will have as many meanings as there are peo- each of them says while using the same ple involved in the conversation. By contrast, words.44 he explains that, within his system, there exist seven words to denote “man”: man number Gurdjieff contends that, while people are able one through man number seven. Within the to communicate information of a practical Fourth Way, there exist three fundamental character effectively, the limits of normal lan- “types” of man who are ruled by sleep: man guage become evident when they attempt to number one, man number two, and man num- convey more abstract or complex ideas. In ber three. Man number one refers to those in such instances, he says, people mistakenly as- whom the psychic center of gravity lies in the sume that they are using words in the same moving center; the moving and instinctual way and that they understand one another. In functions predominate over the intellectual and order to overcome the confusion created by emotional functions. In man number two, the subjective language, Gurdjieff states an “exact center of gravity lies in the emotional center language is needed.” He states that systems of and, thus, feelings and emotions typically out- ancient knowledge begin: weigh intellectual and physical functions. For …with the study of a language which will man number three, it is the intellect which make it possible to establish at once exactly characteristically dominates the emotional and what is being said, from what point of view, physical functions. and in what connection. This new language In Gurdjieff’s classification, the most fully contains hardly any new terms or new no- evolved level of being which a human may real- menclature, but it bases the construction of ize is that of man number seven. Man number speech upon a new principle, namely, the seven possesses everything a human being can principle of relativity; that is to say, it intro- attain: consciousness, individual I, will, and duces relativity into all concepts and thus immortality, as well as many other properties makes possible an accurate determination of that, in our state of psychological illusions, we the angle of thought—for what precisely or- erroneously attribute to ourselves. Man number dinary language lacks are expressions of rela- six is very close to man number seven; he is an tivity.45 evolved being, except that all of his properties Recall, from the previous article in this series, are not permanent. Man number five has con- Gurdjieff maintains that the Universe consists sciously evolved to the point of realizing unity. of seven world orders and that everything in it Gurdjieff states that man number four repre- is either evolving or involving as part of as- sents a transitional level of being and that he cending or descending octaves, respectively. cannot attain this level accidentally but, rather, The application of the principle of relativity he is always the “product of school work.” Fur- within his system is based upon “the indication ther, he stands on a higher level than man num- of the object under examination to the evolu- ber one, two, and three by virtue of the fact that tion possible for it; upon the indication of its he has acquired “a permanent center of gravity place in the evolutionary ladder.”46 Gurdjieff which consists in his ideas, in his valuation of maintains that, once one has mastered this lan- the work, and in his relation to the school.”48 guage by being able to grasp its application in His centers have begun to become balanced and terms of his system of thought, then it becomes he has begun to know himself and to acquire possible to communicate “a great deal of real aims. Man number four was born as a man knowledge and information which cannot be number one, two, or three, but he has trans- transmitted in ordinary language even by using formed himself by working to awaken and to all possible scientific and philosophical consciously evolve through the systematic study terms.”47 of himself. Gurdjieff states that, in normal language, a Gurdjieff asserts that the division of man into conversation in which the word “man” is used seven categories—the application of the prin-

The Esoteric Quarterly ciple of relativity—“explains thousands of While Gurdjieff’s claim that there exist not things which otherwise cannot be under- only seven categories of man, but seven cate- stood.”49 In accordance with this division, gories of virtually all of man’s inner and outer Gurdjieff explains that the principle of relativi- manifestations, it is impossible for anyone to ty may be further elaborated as “all the inner simply hear that idea and make a meaningful and all the outer manifestations of man, all that judgment about its veracity. As a result of belongs to man, and all that is created by him, years of study, I have come to subscribe to that is also divided into seven categories.”50 Ac- perspective—while acknowledging that my cordingly, it is possible to speak of seven cate- knowledge and understanding of it is limited gories of knowledge, being, religion, science, by my level of consciousness and being. art, psychology, and so on. For example, with Whether or not one accepts Gurdjieff’s classi- respect to “knowledge,” Gurdjieff states that fication of the three categories of sleeping the knowledge of man number one is the man, the inclusion of the higher men— knowledge of that which is acquired by imita- numbers 4 through 7—restores not only the tion and conditioning, learned by rote. The scale of consciousness within the Great Nest of knowledge of man number two is the Being, but establishes the importance of rela- knowledge of his likes and his appetites; “what tivity in discussing any topic of significance. he does not like he does not know.”51 The By adopting that framework, consideration of knowledge of man number three is knowledge all and everything becomes, paradoxically, “based on subjectively logical thinking, words, much more complex and precise. From this upon literal understanding. It is the knowledge perspective, for example, the supposed conflict of bookworms, of scholastics.”52 The know- between “science” and “religion” is revealed to ledge of man number four is that which he has be grossly oversimplified. I would argue that received from man number 5, who has re- there is no “science” and there is no “religion”; ceived it from man number 6, and 7. Although instead each of the seven levels of man has his man number four assimilates this knowledge or her own “science” and “religion.” Similarly, according to the level of his being, he possess- almost all discussions of “consciousness” es knowledge of an entirely different quality amongst modern psychologists are bound to from that which man number one, two, and and determined by the simplistic framework of three have. He has begun to free himself from meaning that dominates the flatland of materi- subjective knowledge and move toward the alism. All experiences which cannot be rudely acquisition of objective knowledge. reduced to material “causes” and squeezed into interpretive schemes for which they are clearly The knowledge of man number five is nearer unfit are deemed to be unreal and of no signifi- to objective knowledge than that of man num- cance. The existence of figures such as Gurd- ber four, as it both expresses and is dependent jieff—and some of his contemporaries such as upon the distinct nature of his higher level of H.I. Khan, Paramahansa Yogananda, and being. Gurdjieff explains that it: Krishnamurti—constitute compelling eviden- … is whole, indivisible knowledge. He now tiary challenges to that position. In accordance has one indivisible I and all his knowledge with Gurdjieff’s claims about the relationship belongs to this I. He cannot have one I that between knowledge and being, I believe that knows something which another does not the knowledge of these more realized and per- know. What he knows, the whole of him fected human beings is more objective than knows.53 that which even the most brilliant sleepwalkers The knowledge of man number six is the most have apprehended. complete and objective knowledge possible for Conclusion man to acquire; but Gurdjieff maintains that it can be lost and, therefore, it is not permanent. urdjieff’s observation—that a proper un- The knowledge of man number seven cannot G derstanding of the idea of sleep depends be lost: “it is the objective and completely upon awakening a little or trying to awaken— practical knowledge of All.”54 identifies the most critical aspect in the study

of esoteric teachings: that they take on an entirely new dimension of meaning if, rather than 1 For an overview of Gurdjieff’s concept of the simple processing or attempting to take them centers, see the previous article, Part III, in in intellectually, one makes the special effort this series. to practice their methods and observe their dis- 2 Views from the Real World: Early Talks of ciplines. Doing so provides significant evi- Gurdjieff as Recollected by his Pupils (New dence for Gurdjieff’s contention that humans York: E.P. Dutton & Co. Inc., 1973), 72. should be regarded as multi-brained beings in 3 Ibid., 72. 4 which three distinct minds are responsible for Time, Review of Kenneth Walker’s Venture with Ideas, January 28, 1952. psychological functioning in the normal wak- 5 ing state of consciousness. Further, sustained G.I. Gurdjieff, Meetings with Remarkable Men (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, systematic self-study also reveals the subtle 1963) relationships between knowledge and being. 6 Evidence from numerous sources suggests As such, the idea—that one’s state of con- that Gurdjieff had been a monk in Tibet. He sciousness is integrally related to and limits was clearly well-informed about Tibetan Bud- one’s knowledge—becomes plausible. In that dhist teachings—including dances and mu- context, the question of whether or not Gurd- sic—and made references, on more than one jieff was a master is of immense practical and occasion, to having studied Tibetan medicine. spiritual significance. If Gurdjieff was a man Clearly, Gurdjieff had also spent significant who had attained a higher level of conscious- time and effort studying Sufism, and he incor- ness and being and embodied higher porated many Sufi disciplines and practices into his teaching. He was also intimately acknowledge—as many of his pupils main- quainted with Sufi music and dances. tained—then his teaching assumes a singular 7 Any attempt to trace or reconstruct Gurdjieff’s level of authority and integrity. His teaching journeys is, for the most part, a futile under- begins with human beings as they are, but re- taking. Both the passage of time and the inac- veals what they are potentially able to become cessibility of many of the places to which through a process of conscious evolution. It is Gurdjieff may have traveled preclude any rea- a method of self-transformation, premised on sonable expectation of uncovering anything of an understanding of the nature of being and import regarding his search; the trail went knowing, which conceptualizes the existence cold long ago. Nevertheless, a book by Kath- of a hierarchy of consciousness: the Great Nest leen Speeth and Ira Frielander—Gurdjieff: Seeker of the Truth (New York: Harper Col- of Being. That perennial psychological and phon Books, 1980)—provides an interesting cosmological hierarchy is almost entirely at overview of Gurdjieff’s search for ancient odds with modern psychology: in which all wisdom. levels of the Great Nest have collapsed into the 8 P.D. Ouspensky, In Search of the Miraculous flatland of matter, wherein there exist no high- (New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, er levels of being, consciousness, or know- 1949, 1977) 7. ledge. 9 Daly King, The States of Human Conscious- The next proposed article in this series will ness (New York: University Books, 1963), 100. consist of an examination of the consistent de- 10 scriptions and equations of consciousness with After he had become G.’s pupil, Ouspensky learned that G. and his pupils had been read- Light within esoteric and mystical teachings. ing articles that Ouspensky had been writing An examination of the esoteric conceptualiza- about his travels in the Far East. Clearly, tion of consciousness as being, paradoxically, Gurdjieff had targeted Ouspensky as a future some thing and nothing will be undertaken— pupil and there was nothing fortuitous about with reference to the burgeoning body of re- their meeting. See William Patrick Patterson, search documenting the intriguing Near Death Struggle of The Magicians: Exploring the Experience.

The Esoteric Quarterly

Teacher-Student Relationship, (Fairfax, CA: 25 Northrop Frye, The Double Vision (Toronto: Arete Communications, 1996), 14. University of Toronto Press, 1991), 16. 11 In Search of the Miraculous, 7. 26 Sirkar van Stolk with Daphne Dunlop, Memo- 12 Ibid., 261. ries of a Sufi Sage (The Hague: East-West 13 Ibid., 262. Publications Fonds B.V., 1967), 62. Given 14 Ibid., 263. that Gurdjieff and H.I. Khan were not only 15 Gurdjieff’s expertise in treating alcoholics and contemporaries, but traveled to many of the drug addicts was well established and, while same cities in Europe and the United States running his institute, he raised money in Paris during the 1920s, Khan’s comment about the by doing so. In Gurdjieff: A New Life, Paul significance of his travels in terms of “tuning Beekman Taylor tells the story of G.’s cure, in the inner spheres” in the countries he visited is 1939, of Anna Stefanna (“Anci”) who had particularly intriguing. To my knowledge, no been experiencing intense intestinal pain, one has ever asked, let alone examined, the which was diagnosed as being caused by an question as to whether or not Gurdjieff was inoperable tumour adjacent to her liver. She fulfilling a similar aim during his travels. was referred to Gurdjieff, who “felt about her 27 In Search of the Miraculous, 65. abdominal and thoracic regions and then held 28 Ibid., 65. the palm of his right hand over the tumour.” 29 Ibid., 65-66. He told her that, if the pain persisted for more 30 Ibid., 66. than 24 hours, she was to return to him. 31 Ibid., 66. “Within a day, the pain and signs of the tu- 32 Ibid., 65. mour were gone.” 208. 33 C.S. Nott, Teachings of Gurdjieff (New York: 16 In Search of the Miraculous, 20. Samuel Weiser Inc., 196), 49. 17 Kenneth Walker, Venture with Ideas (Oxford: 34 Ibid., 61. The Alden Press, 1951), 153. 35 J.G. Bennett, Gurdjieff: Making a New World, 18 Ibid., 162. 76. 19 Margaret Anderson, The Unknowable Gurd- 36 C.S. Nott, Teachings of Gurdjieff (New York: jieff (New York: Samuel Weiser Inc., 1970), Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1974), 168. 78-79. 37 In Search of the Miraculous, 273. 20 James Webb, The Harmonious Circle: An 38 Ibid., 273. Exploration of the Lives and Work of G.I. 39 J.G. Bennett, Gurdjieff: Making A New World, Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky and Others (Lon- 228. don: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1980); James 40 In Search of the Miraculous, 254. Moore, Gurdjieff: The Anatomy of a Myth 41 Ibid., 258. (Rockport, MA: Element Inc., 1991). 42 Ibid., 110. 21 G.I. Gurdjieff: A New Life. 43 Ibid., 110. 22 The quotation from Professor Dennis Saurat 44 Ibid., 68. appears in C.S. Nott, Journey Through this 45 Ibid., 70. World: Meetings with Gurdjieff Orage and 46 Ibid., 71. Ouspensky (New York: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 47 Ibid., 70. 1969), 47. 48 Ibid., 72. 23 Meetings with Remarkable Men, x. 49 Ibid., 72. 24 James Moffatt, ‘An Alien Intelligence’: G.I. 50 Ibid., 72. Gurdjieff, The Fourth Way, & ‘The Three- 51 Ibid., 72. Brained Beings Of The Planet Earth’ (Kars, 52 Ibid., 72. ON: Zero.Point Publications, 2003). This 53 Ibid., 73. book is currently unavailable. I am in the pro- 54 Ibid., 73. cess of revising and issuing an update edition.