Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff - Man Riddle: The greatest esoteric of the twentieth century, philosopher, magician, prophet, traveler, composer, dance teacher, writer.

Around the personality of this amazing person is spinning a huge number of the most unimaginable legends and stories, which most of them have no documentary confirmation. It is noteworthy that Gurdjieff himself has contributed to the creation of the atmosphere of mystical mystery, which and soyane envelops his name. Even the appearance of this person is unusual. To understand this, just look at his portrait. Passionate, volitional face, piercing, hypnotic look - from him and does magical mystery.

We are in our story about life George Ivanovich Gurdjieva will try to be objective, as far as it is achievable when it comes to such an unusual person. In fact, we faced the lack of reliable third-party sources of information on the biography of Gurdjieff. Therefore, the main source will be the books of Gurdjieff.

Birth

Accurate documentary information about the date of birth George Ivanovich Gurdjieva was not preserved, according to various sources, he was born: January 14, in 1866 or 1877, or on December 28, 1872 in the passports he used, and also appear different birth dates.

Surname Gurdjieff in Armenianski pronounced Gurjan. Turkic, Turks and Persians called Turkic, and the Persians in the word "Gurdji", and sometimes all the other inhabitants of the Caucasus. This surname is widespread among the Greeks moving from Georgia. Greek diaspora for a long time was the largest in Georgia. In Soviet times, Greek diaspora numbered about 150 thousand people.

The future great esoteric was born in Armenia in a small, but very ancient city of Alexandropol. By the time of birth, George Armenia was part of the Russian Empire. In Alexandropole, the Russian fortress and garrison were located. This name appeared in 1837 - in honor of Nikolai I - Alexandra Fedorovna. Until 1837, the city was called Gyumri, and even earlier - Kumayri, in the Soviet time he was named Leninakan - the place is notorious to millions of people in connection with the terrible Spitaxy earthquake of 1988. After the independence of Armenia in September 1991, the city was once again renamed But returned the historical name - Gyumri. In our time, Gyumri is the second largest city of Armenia.

In the second half of the XIX century. Alexandropol was famous for his poets and Ashugami, he was a recognized center of cradles and arts, and among other things, he was considered the capital of the famous Armenian humor, a certain analogue of Odessa. After some time, the Gurdzhiev family moved to Kars - the center of the newly formed Kars region of the Russian Empire. After the formation of the region, the city began to actively settle Russian migrants in the main milk.

Under Father's sign

Mother George Gurdjieva - was an Armenian from the famous genus of Taurisa Bagratuni. Ivan Gurdjieff's father - on the origin of the Major-Sailant Greek, was a glorious Singer Ashugom, a master of oral legend and a person known in the Caucasus. It was the father who introduced a young George with a legend of the legendary Babylonian hero Gilgamesh. According to Gurdjieff itself, the history of the wanders of Gilgamesh had a serious impact on his entire subsequent life. Gurdjieff told: "... The father was a wise, talented mentor, actions that had aroused his thirst for truth knowledge in me." Several times the father took him with him on the competition of Ashugov. The contests were held in different cities and were a completely unique event. The best place was going to be the best of the best Ashugov, carriers of ancient legends, connoisseurs of millennial traditions, conductors of the eternal memory of their peoples. Talented poets, singers, musicians, dancers, masters of rare art of improvisation. Persons from Persia, Turkey, the Caucasus, Turkestan came to demonstrate to people the oldest art of the legend.

It was then that Gurdjieff began to realize the enormous value of oral sources of knowledge - the wisdom of millennia give us the wisdom. Gurdjieff became one of the very few who appreciated the gigantic potential of this unique channel of the oldest knowledge, considered irretrievably lost in the depths of times. It may very much that already, in early childhood, young Gurdjieva began to occupy the thoughts about the search for lost.

In his famous book dedicated to meetings with wonderful people, among many of the most decent personalities, the first place Gurdjieff gives His Father Ivan Ivanovich Gurdjieff.

In 1917, the Turks committed another armed raid to Alexandropol. Ivan Ivanovich Gurdjieff tried to protect his house from the rings of Turkish soldiers. He got heavy wounds and because of this died at the age of 82. Very remarkable inscription on the gravestone Father Gurdjieff, installed by the students George Ivanovich Gurdjieva: "I am you, you are me, he is our when we are."

From the young age, Ivan Ivanovich killed the Son to physical work, forced early to get up early, to pour cold key water. He tried in every way to temper the character of the son. Much attention paid to the spiritual education of the Son, instilled high ideals, developed a sense of beauty and artistic imagination in the boy. According to Gurdjieff, his father was a good man, but fair, he lived on a clear schedule and forced his son to follow his example. Often, Georgia was rightly punished, for which he was later grateful. Gurdjieff has repeatedly said that it was the right father's education that helped him in the future to carry all the tights and deprivation of distant wanderings. Ivan Ivanovich Gurdjieff possessed the soul of the poet, but the hardness of the warrior, and no difficulties could have thrown him into despondency. At one time, having received a decent inheritance, he engaged in cattle breeding, but he was confused, all his herds were the victim of a massive pad. After that I tried myself in the trade in the forest, in which because of the crystal honesty also did not succeed. But in spite of everything, in the family of Gurdjieva (George had three little sisters) always reigned peace, love and consent.

Father became the owner of a small carpentry workshop, in which Gurdjieff junior was worked after study. In Kars, Gurdjieff began to go to Greek school, but afterwards the father transferred it to the Russian municipal school, from the disciples of which talented children were gained to perform in the Cathedral Church Church. Thanks to a wonderful voice, Gurdjieff falls into the number of chosen children, then his first acquaintance with the father of the Borshist - the abbot of the Karsian cathedral took place.

Mentors

Borshis rector - spiritual authority, a brilliant original, a man of the widest horizon, the generator of many original philosophical and religious ideas, part of which subsequently became the basis of the worldview of the young pupil. Father Borsh was distinguished by a capable boy, helped him with lessons. Once George fell ill trachoma, and Father Borsh accepted the most lively participation in the fate of the boy. He personally brought to the house to Gurdjiyev two ochylist doctors who quickly cured the boy. Then Borsch's abbot get acquainted with the father of Gurdjieff. These seemingly completely different people who occupy an unequal position in society become good friends. There was a sign of two kindred souls, which had the most serious influence on the formation of the personality of the young Gurdjieff. What was just worth the brilliant philosophical dialogues of these two original minds, in which there was a future brilliant esoteric. These conversations helped create fertile spiritual soil, who later gave the most amazing shoots in the personality of Gurdjieff itself. Native Father Ivan Ivanovich Gurdjieff and his spiritual father Abbot Borshawn in the young man the great thirst for knowledge of human life on earth.

After some time, Father Borsh offered to take George from school. He said: "Georgy is a very talented boy, he needs to receive a decent education, and in school he spends precious time." Indeed, the municipal school of that time was arranged absurd. A student who studied at school for 8 years, received a certificate only about primary education corresponding to three classes. Borsh offered training at home, leaving the role of the main mentor, he also took to find the remaining decent teachers. Gurdjieff-senior agrees. Teaching young George passed on a new quality level, a boy with zeal studies various disciplines, he reads a lot, participates in a singing choir. Kars region is a unique geographic location in which many different peoples live. From the early childhood of Gurdjieff (future polyglot, knowledge of about 20 languages) learns to speak in several languages: Armenian, Greek, Georgian, Russian, Turkish.

Georgy Gurdjieff was a sociable, fondant man, quickly converged with people, had many friends and good acquaintances. During this period, Gurdjieff meets with many new, interesting people. One of these people was the Bogajevsky (future father of Eurissions). It was a completely young man who recently arrived in Kars. Goyarevsky just graduated from the spiritual seminary and served as a deacon in the Karsian Cathedral, a little later, he became one of the teachers George. Thanks to the youth of both, they had warm, friendly relations. Goyarevsky was an interesting, charming, easy in communication with a person, thanks to which he quickly fell in love with many people in the city. A circle of young Russian intellectuals was formed around him: Military Engineer All Volsk, artillery officer Kuzmin and others. In the evenings, young people gathered together. They discussed many interesting topics, sometimes hot disputes arose. Young Gurdjieff, as a student of God, was a free listener of these fascinating conversations, often the subject of discussions and disputes was the theme of spiritualism.

Mystical episodes

At that time, Spiritis was incredibly popular in the aristocracy and intelligentsia. It was very often practiced, the so-called journey - the disclosure of spirits. As a rule, the purpose of such sessions was to obtain secret information from otherworldly forces. One of these sessions took place in the circle of God, Gurdjieff was a witness. Young people rushed around the wooden table, putting their hands in a special way, they began to ask the spirits of various questions that received clear answers. This incomprehensible action made an indelible impression on Gurdjieff. In it, he woke up serious interest in such phenomena. His new friends have a boy able to get some books on this topic.

At the same period, another strange mystical episode occurred, brightly remembered George. It happened in Alexandropol, when the boy was visiting his uncle. Gurdjieff stood next to the uncle of the house, a hundred boys was quite nearby. Suddenly, he heard a writhing children's cry. Alarmed George, thinking that the misfortune happened, immediately ran up to the crowd of the guys and saw a strange spectacle. In front of him in a circle, outlined on Earth, a stranger boy was crying and cried. His movements were very strange, he somehow unnaturally twitched, it seemed that he would like to break out beyond the boundaries of the circle, but some unexplanting force does not give it to do. Gurdjieff style part of the circle, after that, the poor baby was immediately able to escape from the circle, he immediately ran under the simulatory boy. It turned out that this child belonged to the sect of the ozidov. Yezidi - Kurdish Nature, confessing a special religion. Many people considered them representatives of the Satanist sect. The main reason for such an opinion was the extreme closure of this strange people. George was extremely puzzled seen, but none of his acquaintances could not explain the nature of this phenomenon. Subsequently, during his practice, he conducted a similar experiment with a woman from the people of Jides. The effect was the same: he could not pull a fragile woman from the circle.

Travel and expeditions

Wanting to devote their lives to the study of supernatural phenomena, the search for secret ancient knowledge, Gurdjieff, however, it was necessary to make a living. In the younger years he had to master many different professions. For whom he was not: the joiner, the translator, the collector of the filters, the guide, the railwayman, the seller of carpets, and even sparrow, painted under Canaries. He was the owner of petroleum wells, the owner of fishing vessels. But all he earned, spent on travel and expeditions.

In search of answers to those who occupy his questions, Gurdjieff makes pilgrimages into many holy places in the Caucasus. He communicates a lot with Christian priests. During the pilgrimage, he again sees all sorts of miracles, inexplicable official science: the cure of hopelessly sick people, rain caused by a miracle of universal prayer.

At about the same time, Gurdjieff meets Sarkis Pogosyan - a young theologian who has recently graduated from the seminary and secretly disappointed in Ethics of Clear. This young man, like Gurdjieff, was eager to go in search of ancient knowledge. Friends decided to search for a secluded and quiet place in Alexandropole, where it would be possible to quietly go to the study of ancient texts and books. The ruins of the city of Ani (the ancient capital of Armenia), which were quite not far from Alexandropol, more than suitable for this purpose. There they settled in a small hut built by their own hands. In the ruins of Ani there was a mass of underground strokes, which were undergoing a thorough study of Gurdjieva and Pogosyan. What was the admiration of friends, when one day, making his way to one of these moves, they came across the abandoned monastic cell, where they discovered the whole stack of ancient parchments. They managed to decipher some of the texts. In one of them there were information about a certain Babylonian esoteric school "Sarmung", which existed 2500 years BC This striking find was an additional incentive for the start of Gurdzhiev wanderings.

At 22, Gurdjieff creates a famous society that united the "truth seekers." The main goal of society was the search for lost ancient knowledge in various manifestations: old texts, oral legends, spiritual traditions, practitioners of closed religious communities, occult sciences. Of interest caused everything that could be the key to ancient secret knowledge. Gurdjieff and comrades visited many countries of Asia and Africa. Professional scientists were both in society. Often, travels became the most real expeditions, even archaeological excavations were taken. Afghanistan, Turkestan, India, Egypt, Turkey, the countries of the Middle East and, finally, Tibet is the indispensable geography of Gurdzhiev wanderings.

It is known that while traveling, famous esoteric repeatedly received bullet injuries, since it often turned out to be in the fighting areas. But no danger could stop it. The main goal is to produce esoteric knowledge touched on the "inner circle of mankind." Gradually, moving farther and farther on a heavy, thorny path, - the paths, full dangers and traps, Gurdjieff absorbs the wisdom of millennia. He studies the spiritual traditions of Sufism, Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Eastern Christianity, the practice of Siberian shamans. Collects unique ethnographic material: folk dances, music, legends. Communicates with representatives of various religious directions and philosophical concepts. Over the years, Gurdjiyev sends many psychological and physical techniques, among them - hypnosis, yoga system, as well as the art of Eastern fakirov, invariably producing Furore in the European crowd.

Subsequently, on the basis of these knowledge, Gurdjieff will create its own concept system, develops a technique of unique practices. This work will be known to the world called the "fourth way".

In search of this truth, years and years of wanderings were held. There were days of heavy lesions, the sorrowful loss of the expensive heart of friends, but the main thing was victory, victory over themselves. It's time to learn favorites.

Work in Russia

In 1912, Gurdjieff appeared in two capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg. It is worth noting that the Russian capital society of that time was very susceptible to new philosophical and religious ideas. In Russia, the Romanov family in Russia filed the most worthy example to this. The fashionable passion for spiriticism and mysticism flourished. Many representatives of the intelligentsia were fond of esoteric in its various manifestations. All this happened against the background of serious social and political shifts. The premonition of future giant cataclysms, as in all previous times, heated the interest of society to the whole supernatural.

At first, the appearance of Gurdjieva did not cause any serious interest among the spoiled exalted metropolitan public. However, this situation begins to change quickly after the acquaintance of Gurdjieva with Peter Demyanovich Asspensky. Peter Demyanovich Uspensky - Esoteric, Philosopher Mystic, traveler, journalist, author of many books. The person is very famous and respected in both metropolitan societies. Acquaintance with Gurdjieff produced an indelible, awesome impression on Assumption. A mastted journalist was captured by the extraordinary power of the personality of Gurdjieff, admired the depth of his esoteric knowledge and was fascinated by his unique ideas. Assumption, remembering the first meeting with Gurdjieff, wrote that he made a strange and even frightening the impression of man, deliberately unsuccessful. The appearance of this man confused because it was clear that he was not at all for whom he was trying to give himself. But you had to communicate with him and wonder how you would not notice it. In the shortest possible time after this sign meeting, the Uspensky becomes one of the first students of the "cunning sage" (so sometimes called Gurdjieff). Uspensky became the most jealistic and most successful distributor of "Gurdzhiev work".

The language of many books written in the future Gurdjieff will be extremely difficult to perceive the ordinary reader. The greatest merit of Assumption is that he managed to state the teenagers of the teacher available to the alignment of the language. Subsequently, Petr Demyanovich Uspensky in his famous book "In search of a wonderful" systematizes the teachings of Gurdjieff.

Among the most interesting students of Ezoteric, it is also worth noting the talented Russian composer of Thomas (foma) de Gartman (author of the music to the ballet "Scarlet flower"). Later, together with Gurdjiev, he will write music for famous sacral dances. "Sacred Movements" will be the main instrument of training on the famous "Gurdzhiev practitioners". A total of about 150 musical works for piano will be created. Music themes will be based on the melodies of Asia and the Middle East. Here, in Russia, together with the students, work was launched on the ballet "Fighting Mages", in the future this work will be continued in emigration. However, due to the incompleteness of the ballet, it was not submitted to the public.

In large cities, the so-called "Gurdjiev Group" appear, the disciples are more and more, their number is growing steadily. 1917 came.

Work in emigration

The atmosphere that reigned in the former Russian Empire after the October Revolution of 1917 was at all at all promoted the implementation of Gurdjieff planes. Together with the group of students, he leaves from Russia. In 1919, Gurdjieff goes to Tiflis (Tbilisi), where he is trying to create a "institution of harmonious human development", but for various reasons fails. The next attempt to create a similar institution - Fiasco also ends in Constantinople. From Turkey Gurdjieff goes to Berlin. In Germany, relations with local authorities were categorically not found. Next, after Uspensky, he leaves to England, and finally, France - Paris. In fact, he triggers the standard path of millions of unfortunate Russian emigrants.

France became his second homeland, a long-standing dream of Gurdjieff was carried out on her land. There was a unique, the only one in his own "Institute of Human Harmonic Development". The institute was located in one of the suburbs of Paris in the suburb of Fontainebleau. The castle in the estate of Priere was bought for donations to the students of Gurdjieff, his doors were discovered in 1922. Evenings were held in Priere, which included public lectures, as well as a demonstration of "sacred movements" - a system of dance exercises developed by Gurdjieff based on Sufi religious practices. Such ideas enjoyed a rather great success in a tender to the originality of the Paris public. Many of the students Gurdjieva lived and worked at the Institute. Also at the Institute also studied children. The system of training and education in Priere represented a certain complex of unique actions. It was a certain symbiosis from constant physical work, multiplied by diverse individual tasks, which were appointed to each student personally by Gurdjieff. According to many students, Gurdjieff demanded the unquestioning fulfillment of all its instructions. There were those who left the walls of the institute disappointed as the teacher themselves and methods of his training.

In 1923, an irrevocable gap with Peter Demyanovich Asspensky took place. There is a version that the cause of the gap was the fundamental differences in views on the development methods of the Gurdzhievskaya teaching. After the time of time, the Uspensky released his famous book "In Search of Wonderful". According to Gurdjieva, the book was almost exact retelling of his teachings, as it was given before the revolution of 1917. All subsequent years, Assumption was seriously worried about the gap with the teacher. He died in 1947

The teachings of Gurdjieff, called the "fourth way", is becoming more and more popular, the students group appear in many major cities of the world. Several times Gurdjieffs together with the disciples visited the United States. In America, he read a cycle of lectures, and also organized theatrical ideas, as a rule, free, in New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. The opinions of the American spectators were divided: someone considered the performances of the riding of non-professionalism, and others, on the contrary, immensely admired Gurdzhiev robots dancers. The public has always amazed the final part of these ideas. The actors got silence, waiting for the team of philosopher. Gurdjieva sat on the side of the scene and slowly smoked a cigar. It raised a taking voltage, and suddenly on the sign imperceptible to the public the sign of about fifty artists began to escape to the edge of the scene. Moments and here they are already cut off from the scene, and only at this moment the famous Gurdzhievsky retaining "Stop!" Is heard. Dancing actors, frozen in flight, as if Barley and fell down - to the orchestral pit and a visual hall. The public freezes from horror, but coming to herself, the buzzles of applause explodes. It is curious that dancers have never led to the injuries of actors and spectators. Who then was only not called: "Dance teacher," "Dancing provocateur", "Sunny Sage."

In July 1924, Gurdjieff fell into a car accident. He gets injuries that are practically incompatible with life, but thanks to the Iron Will, and perhaps something else (?) Gurdjieff does not die. He slowly goes on amendment. During this period, Georgy Ivanovich began writing books: "Meetings with wonderful people"; "Everything and all, or the stories velzevulu," a grandson "; "Life is real only when" I am ". The institute in Priere existed until 1932. However, after its closure, Gurdjieff does not give up working with students. Periodically, he arranged meeting at home. After the war, Gurdjieff continued to live and work in Paris.

October 29, 1949 George Ivanovich Gurdjieva did not. He died in the American hospital of Neu-sur-Sen. An important fact: the philosopher was buried on the Christian Orthodox rite.

Main paths of man in Gurdjieff:

• The first way. A man to know the world agrees to sacrifice natural needs: it is in the same position, refuses food and carry Verigi. He kits the flesh, but hesitates God. (Fakiir path);
• The second way. Man is trying to curb heart and emotion. (Monk path);
• Third way. A person is subjected to harsh disciplinary restrictions its mind. (Yogin path);
• Fourth way. Using a person's advantages of the first three directions.

A comparison of all directions shows that the teachings of Gurdjieva contained as many of the classical ideas of an esoteric nature and a number of its own, original ideas. The "fourth way" combines elements of Christianity, Sufism, Buddhism, Kablia and Yoga teachings. Although the latter denies the divine nature of the soul in humans, nevertheless, Gurdjieff believed that the man did not receive a soul from birth, and he himself acquires it, developing his own individualized consciousness and achieving some significant level.

Heritage

Gurdjieff left many well-known students: Esoteric Petr Demyanovich's philosopher; Uspensky; Mathematician and philosopher John G. Bennett (writing "Dramatic Universe"); The author of the famous book on the adventures of Mary Poppins - Pamela Travers, poet Rene Domal (France), writer Catherine Mansfield (England), artist Paul Reynard (USA).

Shortly before the death of Gurdjieff ordered to publish his books "Meetings with wonderful people" and "All and All", as well as the book of P. D. Asspensky "In Search of Wonderful".

After the death of the great esoteric of his student Zhanna de Salzmann, who Gurdjieff visited the spread of his teaching, made an attempt to unite Gurdzhiev groups scattered around the globe. This attempt initiated the creation of a famous organization called "Gurdjieva Foundation". The name in the USA - Gurdjieff Foundation ("Gurdjieva Foundation"), the same organization in Europe - Gurdjieff Society (Gurdjieff Society). In addition to Zhanna de Salzmann, already mentioned John G. Bennett, as well as students and P. D. Uspensky - Rodney Colin and Maurice Nikol, were engaged in the active promotion of the ideas of the Great Esoteric. And in our time in many cities of the world continue to act and develop many groups of followers of "Gurdjieff's teachings".

Dmitry Ratov

"Remember yourself," said Mr. Gurdjieff, "come back to myself." This, he argued, essentially, otherwise, our movements, thoughts, emotions are mainly the result of our conditional: family, social, educational, religious. "A person is a prison" - said Gurdjieff. In a way, there is a challenge for a human being - to develop consciousness in order to exit the animal condition and conditionality. Our only opportunity in the quest: The search for yourself with sincerity, with passion and humor. And we need help. Not just intellectual knowledge, but also something that involves the physical and emotional part of our being.

We can all see that we are able to drive a car, smoking a cigarette, cook food, think, feel, talk, move, work, not realizing this. Forgets forgets themselves strong. Particularly powerful temptation "be passive". It's comfortable. We are so easily allowing yourself to be scattered, manipulated, sleepy. All in the work of G.Gurdzhiev is very practical; He clearly proclaimed the importance of body and physical work in the transfer of his teachings. And he gave this importance to dance, with a specific approach, such as the movements of Gurdjieff.
It is possible to grow to the highest and more balanced state of consciousness and to feel the presence and feeling of being. The method is described quite simple: moving, dancing, remember yourself.

Psychologist, philosopher, scientist, traveler, choreographer Teacher and Mystic, founder of the teachings about the "fourth way" of the internal implementation of man. Russia, Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff was born on November 28, 1877 in Alexandropol (since 1924 - Leninakan) in Armenia in a mixed Armenian-Greek family. Children's years spent in Kars, was a student of the rector of the Russian Cathedral, who had a great influence on Gurdjieff. Although he did not receive a systematic secondary education, he knew several languages \u200b\u200bsince childhood.
The search for answers to the "Eternal Questions" has led him to the creation of a "fourth path" of the internal implementation of a person. A kind of universities G.I. Gurdzhiyeva became travel and wanderings (1896-1922) first as part of a small group of "seekers of truth", then as a wanderer, teacher and an emigrant. During this period G.I. Gurdzhiev visited Central Asia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Tibet, India, Assyria, Palestine, Russia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Turkey, Crete, Greece, Italy, Germany, England and France.

The search for esoteric knowledge, the "inner circle" of mankind led him to the secret Sufi fraternity of Gindunkush and in Buddhist monasteries of Tibet. In 1915-1917, Gurdjieff creates groups of their students in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Revolutionary events forced him to emigrate to the Caucasus, then to Turkey, Germany and France. In 1922, Georgy Gurdjieff near Paris in Fontaineblo recreated his institution of harmonious human development, which existed until 1933. During this period G.I. Gurdzhiev conducted practical classes with students, self-obstinate trainings, yoga, meditation, worked on the manuscripts of his books.

Miraculously, surviving three books, Gurdjieff wrote three books: "All and all", "meetings with wonderful people", "Life - Truth, only when I am", and in 1933 I wrote another book - "Bulletin of the Coming Good ". In the same year, he closed the institute and resumed his travels in Europe and the United States, spoke with lectures. Georgy Gurdjieff died on October 29, 1949 in Paris.

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff (January 14, in other sources 1874, January 14 or December 28, Alexandropol, Russian Empire - October 29, Nyui-sur-Sene, France) - Philosopher -Mistik, Occultist, Composer and Traveler (Father - Greek, Mother - Armenian The first half of the XX century.

Gurji or Gurdji - so Persians called Georgians, and the rest of the Islamic world and still calls Georgians, and therefore the name Gurdjieff can be translated as Georgian or Georgians. The name of Gurdzhiev or Gurjian wear many Armenians who moved from Georgia and other areas on the other side of the Caucasus Mountains to the territory of Armenia. To this day there is an extensive colony of the Greeks in the area of \u200b\u200bLake Valka (South of Georgia). According to Gurdjieff, his native father and his spiritual father - the abbot of the cathedral - gave it thirst for knowledge of the vital process on earth, and in particular the goal of human life. His work was devoted to the self-development of a person, the growth of his consciousness and being in everyday life. Also paid great attention to the physical development of a person, which was why it was nicknamed, and in recent years of life, "dance teacher". At one time characterized his doctrine as "esoteric Christianity"

After World War II

Ideas

Heritage

After the death of Gurdjieva, His student Zhanna de Salzmann, who he confessed the spread of his "work", tried to unite students of various groups, which marked the beginning of an organization known as Gurdjieff Foundation (Gurdjieff Foundation - Name in the United States, actually - Association of Gurdzhiev Group in various cities, In Europe, the same organization is known as Gurdjieff Society, Gurdjieff Society). John G. Bennett and some other former disciples P. D. Uspensky were also engaged in the active spread of the ideas of Gurdjieff: Maurice Nikall, Rodney Colleen and Lord Pantland. Lord Pantland became president of the Gurdzhiev Foundation, founded in 1953 in New York, and headed him until his death in 1984.

Among the famous students of Gurdjieff were: Pamela Travers, author of the children's book about Mary Poppins, French poet Rene Domal, English writer Catherine Mansfield and American artist Paul Reynard, Jane Hip - American Publisher, an active participant of modernism. Already after the death of Gurdjieff, his students studied well-known musicians Keith Jarrett and Robert Fripp.

Currently, Gurdzhiev Groups (related to the Gurdjieff Foundation, Bennett Line or Independent Pupils of Gurdjieff, as well as their independently organized by his teachings) operate in many cities of the world.

Gurdjieva-Uspensky's doctrine compare [ who?] With many traditional teachings, among them - Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, the eastern branches of Christianity. In addition, note [ who?] Communication with mystical traditions of interfluid and Egypt. Metaphysics and ontology of this teaching tried to associate with many spiritual traditions, in particular, with Christianity (B. Muravyov) and with Sufism (Idris Shah). Even professional scientists - ethnographers did not bypass him; In the modern "philosophical dictionary" they talk about a mixture of yoga elements, tantricism, Zen Buddhism and Sufism.

The leitmotif of the ideas of Gurdjieff: essential degradation of a person, especially over the past few centuries; And in this, he, completely coinciding with many mystical teachings, sounds very peculiar, sometimes even unnecessary. And this is one of many reasons, it is the claim for "esoteric Christianity", according to which the Russian Orthodox Church refers Gurdjieff to the "occult magicians" and wore his adherents from studying his work.

Gurdjieff itself never hidden that it was impossible to understand his doctrine to the end, and none of his close adherents claimed it. The main idea of \u200b\u200bthe teacher is to wake up the sleeping thought and a sense of true reality in man. Fearing that followers will quickly drown in abstractions instead of real practices, he decided to make a bet on art (magic dances) and the creation of "communes", where like-minded people could help each other to realize themselves. A brief material of passages of his lectures to his "students" testifies to the simplicity of its language, which will most likely be treated with a wedding or Esopa. The most clear statement of early Gurdzhiev ideas can be found in the book of P. D. Uspensky "in search of a wonderful", where the author systematizes its cosmological, alchemical, energy and other concepts. Later, in his books, Gurdjieff elected the letter of writing more suitable for his ideas, leaning towards the narrative, metaphor and personal access to the reader, whom he often "leads for his nose", so that the reader has fed the Scripture not by logic, like Uspensky, but intuition. In the last, unaccepting, the book "Life is real only when I am" Gurdjieff expresses disappointment about the failures of his mission and emphasizes that the main secrets and secrets will take it with him.

see also

Works

• Stories Velzevullah His grandson (original version)

Literature

• Shishkin O.A. Twilight magicians. Georgy Gurdjieff and others. - m .: Eksmo, Yauza, 2005. - 352 p. - ISBN 5-699-12864-6
• B. M. Nosk. Russian secrets of Paris (alert) St. Petersburg. Eksmo 2003 p.145-162.

Notes

Links

• Books Gurdjieff and his students - J. Bennetta, P. D. Uspensky, K. S. Notta, M. Nikolla, and others.

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• Personalia alphabetic
• Born in Gyumri
• Dead October 29th
• Dead in 1949
• Dead in Nyui-sur-Saint
• Personalia: New Age
• Philosophers of Russia
• Occultists
• Composers of Russia
• Authors of neakademic studies
• Buried in France

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Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff (January 9, Alexandropol, Russian Empire - October 29, Nyui-sur-Sen, France) - philosopher and mystic, composer, traveler of the Greco-Armenian origin of the first half of the 20th century. His work was devoted to the self-development of a person, the growth of his consciousness and being in everyday life. Also paid great attention to the physical development of a person, which was why it was nicknamed, and in recent years of life, "dance teacher".

Priest organized public lectures and demonstrations of "sacred movements" - dancing and exercises developed by Gurdjieff, on the basis of the folk and temple dances, which he studied during his travels in Asia. These evenings were well known to the French Exalted Public. Most of the students of Gurdjieff (not free of charge) remained to live and work in Berer. Although some of them (mostly emigrated from Russia) Gurdjieff still supported financially. Several times he came with visits to the groups of his students in the United States, also organizing public lectures and presentations of "movements" there.

Heritage

After the death of Gurdjieva, His student Zhanna de Salzmann, who he confessed the spread of his "work", tried to unite students of various groups, which marked the beginning of an organization known as Gurdjieff Foundation (Gurdjieff Foundation - Name in the United States, actually - Association of Gurdzhiev Group in various cities, In Europe, the same organization is known as Gurdjieff Society, Gurdjieff Society). John G. Bennett and some other former disciples P. D. Uspensky were also engaged in the active spread of the ideas of Gurdjieff: Maurice Nikall, Rodney Colleen and Lord Pantland. Lord Pantland became president of the Gurdzhiev Foundation, founded in 1953 in New York, and headed him until his death in 1984.

Among the famous students of Gurdjieff were: Pamela Travers, author of the children's book about Mary Poppins, French poet Rene Domal, English writer Catherine Mansfield and American artist Paul Reynard, Jane Hip - American Publisher, an active participant of modernism. Already after the death of Gurdjieff, his students studied well-known musicians Kate Jarrett and Robert Fripp.

Currently, Gurdzhiev Groups (related to the Gurdjieff Foundation, Bennett Line or Independent Pupils of Gurdjieff, as well as their independently organized by his teachings) operate in many cities of the world.

The teachings of Gurdjieva-Uspensky compare with many traditional teachings - among them Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, the eastern branches of Christianity. In addition, there are connections with mystical traditions of interfluve and Egypt. Metaphysics and ontology of this teaching tried to associate with many spiritual traditions, in particular, with Christianity (B.Muravyov) and Sufism (Idris Shah). Even official scientists - ethnographers did not bypass him; In the modern "philosophical dictionary" they talk about a mixture of yoga elements, tantricism, Zen Buddhism and Sufism. But what it was in fact - so far and remains a mystery. .

The leitmotif of the ideas of Gurdjieff: essential degradation of a person, especially over the past few centuries; And in this, he, completely coinciding with many mystical teachings, sounds very peculiar, sometimes even unnecessary. And it can be precisely because of the complaints about "Esoteric Christianity", the Russian Orthodox Church refers Gudzhiev to the "occult magicians" and wore his adherents from studying his works.

see also

Notes

Works

• Stories Velzevullah His grandson (original version)

Links

• Books Gurdjieff and his students - J. Bennetta, P. D. Uspensky, K. S. Notta, M. Nikolla, and others.
• Site about Gurdjieva and the fourth way, in the "Library" section - t. N. "Russian Original" (not a translation) "All and all", as well as the transfer of Gurdjieff's unnecessary conversations in Russia with students of the Parisian period.
• All and Everything (eng.).
• Gurdjieff and Uspensky (book).
• Sacred dances and movements of Gurdjieff Weekly classes.

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Watch what is "Gurdjieff" in other dictionaries:

Georgy Ivanovich (1872/1873/1877 1949) Russian thinker. In his youth, an interest in abnormal phenomena appears. In search of "true knowledge", many countries of Central Asia and the Middle East visited, spent the rest of the life in Europe and America. IN … The newest Philosophical Dictionary

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff Georgy Ivanovich Gurdzhiev Philosopher Mystic Date of birth: January 9 (?) 1879 (?) ... Wikipedia

Article investigation

Part 2:
Georgy Gurdjieff

Egor Karopa

History Enneagramma

Article investigation

Part 2:
Georgy Gurdjieff

Online magazine ATANOR continues to travel to the origins of Enneagram. It was devoted to the latest history of the enneagram, as well as two founding fathers - Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranho. Today we make the next step. The main character of this part is a person whose contribution to the development of enneagram cannot be overestimated.

Georgy Gurdjieff

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff is one of the most mysterious and conflicting figures of the XX century. Some consider him a great mystic and spiritual teacher, others - a hoax and charlatan. His name is surrounded by hundreds of myths and incredible stories, and in his biography of white spots more than on the medieval map of the world.

However, one knows about Gurdjieva exactly - it was he who first introduced the Western world with an enneagram. Gurdjieff argued that this knowledge for a long time was hidden from strangers, and he is the first one who had the honor to open his general public. He never called himself the author of Enneagram, moreover, repeatedly emphasized that he received this knowledge of a certain ancient and mysterious source. The transcript is preserved by one of the Paris lectures, in which Gurdjieff says: "This symbol cannot be found, exploring the occultism, or in books, nor oral tradition. He was attached to such a great importance to those who knew him that he had never been published and was not completely transmitted. "

However, the enneagram Gurdjieff is not the psychological model, which in a few decades will teach their students Ichazo. This is not typology. Gurdjieff never talked about motivation, did not correlate an enneagram with mortal sins, did not point out its connection with the types of personality.

First of all, the enneagram for Gurdjieff is a sacred universal symbol in which great space laws are encrypted, controlling the universe. The drawing in which all phenomena and processes in the universe are built. The source of wisdom capable of explaining everything and the whole who will be able to read it.

Gurdjieff himself said: "For a person who knows how to use the enneagram, the books and libraries are not needed at all ... Every time, looking at her, he will be able to learn something new, for which he has not paid attention before." From this point of view, psychological enneagram is a private application of a universal model to a specific area - human psychology and personalities.

However, we cannot assert that Gurdjieff himself was not familiar with the psychological dimension of Ennegram, at least partly. According to the memoirs of students, he argued that every person has a special, key character trait that is his main obstacle to awakening, and that the detection of this feature and systematic work is capable of bringing the seeker to the truth.

Gurdjieff with students. 1920s

Gurdjieff with students. 1920s

Himself Gurdjieff never gave an exhaustive list of such key features, but hinted his disciples over what quality should each of them work first. Also Gurdjieff spoke about three centers, and very detailed. It is known that a significant part of his "fourth way" was built on the restoration of the proper operation of the centers. Human he called a "three-volume creature", allocated mental, emotional and body centers, described in detail the mechanics of their work, distortion, the highest aspects of the centers, etc. That is, some connection between what Gurdjieff rely on work, and the theory of psychological enneagram, all same trace. But were these information taken by Oscar Ichazo in Gurdjieff, or both have learned them from the same source independently of each other?

Unfortunately, Gurdjieff, like Ichazo, never directly told about exactly where he received his knowledge. In books and conversations with students, he is content with hints, metaphors, allegories and tips. In his stories, fiction is almost impossible to separate from real facts, and it is also difficult to restore the full picture of his life, how to collect a large mosaic cloth from a thousand scattered fragments.

However, despite the complexity and scale of the task, this is what we will try to do. In our investigation, first of all, we will be interested in when and where Gurdjieff was devoted to the secret of Enneagram? And most importantly - who?

We will analyze existing information and versions and, as always, provide the reader the right to decide what to believe.

Dance teacher

1913 year. St. Petersburg. From the front-rate income houses carries old boots, kerosene and shot. In Nevsky, scaring horses and dogs, the first self-deviating crews rumble. The camps are swearing, barefied and spit over the shoulder. The city has a magnificent celebration in honor of the 300th anniversary of the reasons of Romanov, however, the Bolshevik newspaper "True", with the departures of Ulyanova-Lenin, are already transferred from hand to hand and read at the underground meetings - a semi-selection, shuddering from the fear of gendarmes. Before the beginning of the First World War, few months remain.

Against the background of these historical scenery in the capital, a mysterious man of bright Caucasian appearance is declared - high, pretty, black-eyed and completely bald. He wears a burku and dad, sells expensive Persian carpets and calls himself "Prince of Ozay", and sometimes just - "Dance Teacher". He also claims as if owning animals of magnetism and is dedicated to the secret teachings of the East, which are present, especially ladies, willingly believe.

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff

This man is Georgy Gurdjieff. He quickly becomes a famous figure in the occult circles of St. Petersburg, he is invited to the salons and on the souls of the evenings, and a small group of followers is being formed soon around him, a kind of core of the future school. Gurdjieff conquers with his charisma, unexpected bold ideas, wonderful practitioners and authentic oriental flavor. Petr Asspensky, the nearest student of Gurdjieff, describes his first meeting with the teacher: "I saw a man of oriental type, elderly, with black mustache and insightful eyes. It was a man with the face of Indian Raja or Arab Sheikh. He spoke Russian wrong, with a strong Caucasian accent. "

I. and E. Karop near the house in which Gurdjieff was born, in Gyumri. For 150 years, the first floor is in the ground and became a semisal. Today it is still an ordinary residential building.

Georgy Ivanovich Gurdjieff was born in the city of Gyumri, Armenia (at that time the city was called Alexandropol). Date of birth he himself called 1866. His father was Ashugom - a folk response and a singer. From Him, the boy inherited love for music and ancient legends, and also first heard the legend about the fraternity of the Imaastunov - the ancient Order of the Wise men who survived the flood and retained the knowledge of the Great Civilization existing in dopation times. Already in the mature age, Gurdjieff will repeatedly emphasize that it is these legends that heard them in childhood from his father awakened a passion for the spiritual search.

I. and E. Karop near the house in which Gurdjieff was born, in Gyumri. For 150 years, the first floor is in the ground and became a semisal. Today it is still an ordinary residential building.

At the age of 18, the young man goes on a long journey, which runs along the Tiflis-Constantinople coya route. In the way, he visits Orthodox monasteries and Sufi communities, talking with priests and dervis. On the road, he meets the young man by the name of Pogosyan, as a seeker, as he himself. In 1886, after traveling for a total of 2 years, they return back to Gyumri. Here with friends there is an amazing incident, in many respects identifying all subsequent events. However, let Gurdjiyev himself tell about him:

Disappointed in modern scientific literature and not finding answers to many questions, we sent all our attention to the ancient literature. We decided to go to Alexandropol and find a quiet secluded place where they could completely devote themselves to reading ancient books. We chose the ruins of the city of Ani (an ancient destroyed city, currently located in Turkey - ed.), Located in thirty miles from Alexandropol, and settled here, among the ruins, building a hut and buying food in the nearest alah and in shepherds.

Living among the ruins of this ancient city and spending all the time reading and discussing read, we sometimes spent excavations in the hope of finding anything interesting, as among the ruins Ani there were many underground moves. One day, I'm sick, digging in one of these dungeons, detected a place where the nature of the soil changed, and, breaking through the light, opened a narrow pass, the end of which was littered with stones. After breaking this challenge, we saw a small room with arches, bent from time. It was the monastery cell, almost empty, with a floor, covered with a simple clay dishes and wood trough, undoubtedly the remains of a wooden finish.

Ruins of the cities of Ani, our time

Not immediately in some kind of niches, we found piles of ancient parchments. Some of them completely turned into dust, others are more or less preserved. With utter care, we took them to our hut and tried to read. It turned out that they were filled with inscriptions in the language, which first seemed to us by Armenian, but nevertheless we could not read anything. I owned Armenian perfectly, like Poghosyan, and yet, our attempts to understand these inscriptions were unsuccessful, as it was an ancient Armenian, having little in common with modern Armenian.

Parchments are so interested us that we hurried returned to Alexandropol, capturing them with you, and spent many days and nights for their decoding. Finally, the price of tremendous effort, constantly consulting with the connoisseurs of the ancient and the Armenian language, we managed to achieve something. It turned out that these are writing sent by one monk to another, someone's father Areu. We were particularly interested in one of them, which was mysterious. Unfortunately, this parchment was significantly damaged and some words were absolutely impossible to read, but we achieved considerable success in deciphering the letter. Starting in a regular long greeting, it ended with the wishes of happiness and prosperous life. One message at the end of the letter particularly attracted our attention. Here it is:

"Our Honorable Father Telvant finally found out the truth about the Sarmung Brotherhood. Their monastery really existed near the city of Siranusha fifty years ago, and during the resettlement of the peoples they also migrated and settled in the Valley of Izrumin in three days of the way from Nivi."

In search of the Sarmung Brotherhood

By the time of the find a scroll, the word "Sarmung" is already familiar to Gurdjieff - he knows that, according to legend, the secret order of wise men, founded in Babylon at least 4500 years ago, was called. "Sarmun" translated from the ancient Persidian - "Bee". The fraternity wears such a name, because his members accepted the vow to collect and maintain true knowledge, just like bees collect and preserve the precious honey inside the hive.

Not without work, Gurdjieva and Pogosyan manages to find out that the city of Nhivsi, mentioned in Parchment, is the modern city of Mosul, located in the territory of Iraq in Kurdistan. Having gathered, friends are sent to search for the Valley of the Izrumin. On the way with them there is another happy chance - they meet the Orthodox Armenian priest, who shows them a certain ancient map. This is how Gurdjieff himself tells:

The priest brought parchment to church. Deploying it, I first could not disassemble what was depicted on it, but, looking better, I almost screamed from delight. Lord! I will never forget what I felt at that moment. Trying to hide your excitement, I kept in my hands an an ancient map of the place that I was looking for as many months about which I was dreaming for long sleepless nights

The map was the ancient monastery of the Sarmung Brotherhood. Gurdjieff secretly redraws the card and friends continue their way. However, by the will of fate, they have to make a huge hook, in length in several years and thousands of kilometers - fate throws them into Egypt. Gurdjieff visits Cairo, Fivi, Mecca, Sudan. Over time, their paths with Pogosyan diverge, and in Iraq Gurdjieff only in 1889. It does not give accurate information, however, it seems, the Iraqi trace does not withdraw him to Sarmuni. Perhaps instead of the active monastery hidden from the unnecessary eye, he finds only the ancient and long-abandoned ruins, or does not find anything at all.

Caravan. Middle Asia. End of the XIX century

Over the next ten years, Gurdjieff continues to search. He will cross all Turkey and Central Asia, will visit Russia, Switzerland, Italy, Greece and many other areas, including Siberia. Everywhere in his path, he learns and accepts dedications to spiritual traditions.

1898th is decisive. While in Bukhara, Gurdjieff again comes to the trail of Sarmuni. More precisely, they themselves go to it. Dervish one of the Sufi orders is associated with him, tells him the password and calls the place in which it is necessary to appear. However, we will provide Gurdjieff the opportunity to tell the continuation of this incredible story:

At the agreed day of the Solovyov and I found yourself near the ruins of the ancient fortress, where they met with four kirdysses sent for us. By exchanging the password, we dismounted and at their request swore to keep all that we learn in this expedition. Then we tried on the road, and the bumps were shrinkled to our eyes.

All the way we kept this word, not trying to raise the Bashol to determine where our caravan is. We were allowed to shoot them only during the prival when we stayed to relax and eat. But during the movement of the Bolsheki with us only twice. For the first time it happened on the eighth day of the way, when our cavalcade had to overcome the mountain gorge on the suspended bridge. He was so narrow that it was possible to go through him only by the Guska, holding horses.

By the nature of the area, we suggested that we are somewhere in Pyanja Valley or Zeravshan, since the flow width was rather significant, and the bridge reminded us of the hanging bridges that we have already seen on these rivers.

Modern attached bridge over r. Zeravshan

The second time we allowed us to free yourself from our Bolshekov when approaching some opposite caravan, obviously, not wanting us to attract the attention to our strange view and caused people with different suspicions.

On our way, structures were periodically emerged, very typical for Turkestan. Without these mysterious monuments, travelers would not have the opportunity to independently navigate in this area devoid of normal roads. They are usually located at a high location, so they can be seen from afar, often for a lot of miles. These structures are single stone blocks or just high pillars covered in the ground.

On the road, we changed our horses and donkeys several times, we had to drain and lead the animals several times. Not once we swapped through fast mountain rivers and moved through high mountains. The heat was replaced by cool, from this we concluded that we go down to the valley, then we climb high in the mountains. In the end, in the twelve days of the journey, we allowed us to go with open eyes, and we saw that we were in a deep gorge, along the bottom of which a rapid, but nonsense flow, and the slopes were covered with thick vegetation.

As it turned out, it was our last hat. Having robbed, we sat down again on the horses and went on with open eyes. After moving through the mountain river, we were still half an hour, and then the valley opened before us, surrounded by the mountains from all sides, whose vertices were covered with snow caps. Soon we saw several buildings similar to those we saw on the banks of the Amudarya and Pyanja rivers. These buildings resembling the fortress were surrounded by a solid high wall. At the gate, we were met by the old woman, with which our guards spoke about something, after which they disappeared at the gate. The woman left with us leisurely took us to the guests intended for guests, similar to the monastery cells, and, pointing out on wooden beds, which stood there, gone.

Soon, an elderly man came, who was very friendly spoken with us, as if we were known for a long time, and I didn't ask us about it, I said that in the first days I would come here. He also advised us to relax after a long road, but added that if we were not tired, we can go out and see the surroundings, and gave us to understand what we can do everything we want.

A few days later they are invited to the abode.

Gurdjieff is a very scoop tells about the customs of the monastery and about those knowledge with which he meets there. "I will not describe in the details all that I happened here to see, maybe at one time I will dedicate this separate book," that's all the explanation. More or less clearly he tells only about the sacred dances practiced in the monastery - it seems that the most who later turn into famous movements.

According to Gurdjieff, inside he finds his old friend Prince Lovesky, who managed to find the Order much earlier. The prince is sick with a deadly disease and after three months the monastery leaves, going on to spend the time remaining time in Tibet.

This episode at first glance seems very fantastic. However, some historians admit that the prince of Lovesky is a fictional character, metaphorical. His departure from the monastery symbolizes that deep inner change, which is happening here with Gurdjiyev - the symbolic death of the personality, farewell to the same.

The abode of Gurdjieff holds, by different estimates, from year to two. Then he continues his journey again, visits Baku, Ashgabat, Tibet, including Lhasa, but, apparently, no connection with the brotherhood no longer loses. On the pages of his book "Meetings with wonderful people", he mentions the second monastery, in which he was opened. The abode is located in Kafiristan, at the origins of Amudarya. Justice for the sake of chagrin that Gurdjieff gives such a utopian description of the monastery that it is more like a metaphor of the peaceful coexistence of various spiritual flows, combined around the common grain of truth, rather than on the real monastery:

"We realized that anyone can become a member of the Brotherhood, regardless of his race or former religion. As we have established subsequently, among the local monks were former Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Lamaists, and even one former shaman. All of them united faith in the Lord of the Unified and Almighty. "

However, in this metaphor Gurdjieff mentions the four main centers of the fraternity, the member of which he became. These centers are: the first - in Kafyristan (the area in the northeast of Afghanistan), the second - in the Valley of the Pamir, the third - in Tibet, the fourth - in India.

After a short description of the morals and lifestyle in the Gurdjieff monastery, says:

We lived here for six months and left this monastery due to the fact that they were overcrowded to the edges with new thoughts and impressions, so it seemed like a little more, and our mind would not stand. We learned so much new and unexpected, received such exhaustive and convincing answers to questions that many years did not give us peace, which seemed to us no longer need to seek anything and nothing to strive for. Out of our journey, we returned to Russia with Professor to Russia in the same way that they got here.

In 1913, after traveling for a total of about 20 years, Gurdjieff is declared in St. Petersburg. To him for 40. He is not at all similar to that romantic young man who once went to his first wanderings. He is charismatic, self-confident. He is ready to share knowledge and experience with all who will be able to hear him and understand. He dreams of creating a institute in Russia, in which his disciples could engage in the inner work under his mentoring and leadership.

Poster inviting to the open lecture G.I. Gurdjieva

Poster inviting to the open lecture G.I. Gurdjieva

However, the dream is not destined to come true - the war began and the revolution force him again to move from place in place and, ultimately, emigrate from Russia. Gurdjieffs with students spend some time in Istanbul, Berlin, London, Paris, and then in 1922, justified in the most famous of Gurdzhievsky seats - the estate of Priere under Paris. In the next 10 years, the Institute for Human Harmonic Development will be here. The followers of the "fourth way" will create a kind of commune here, to which almost anyone can join. In the thirties and the forties of Gurdjieff actively writes, seeking to present the foundations of his teaching on paper. With his lectures, he visits the United States several times, finding many interested followers there. However, the Second World War again destroys his plans. The work of the institute is suspended. Everything that was created for many years of work seems to be designed.

After the war, Gurdjieff with inexhaustible perseverance will understand the restoration of the institute, but age and health will no longer allow him to work as before. He documented in the Paris suburb of Nei-sur-Sen surrounded by the most devoted students in 1949.

It was this year that the young Oscar Ichazo will receive an invitation from his new elderly familiar to join meetings of a closed theosophical group in Buenos Aires.

Teachers Gurdjieva

Since the death of Gurdjieff, almost 70 years have passed, and the riddles left to them still continue to worry his followers, biographers and historians. There is no doubt that the foundations of their "fourth way" the Gurdjieff did not come up with independently, but received in a certain source, or sources. But what kind of sources? And what place among them are Sarmuni?

All versions on this account are grouped around three main options:

1. Brotherhood of Sarmuni - Metaphor. Gurdjieff invented him to give his teaching more mystery and persuasiveness. In other words, the fraternity of Sarmuni does not exist.

2. The Brotherhood of Sarmuni is a really existing Sufi Order with one or several centers. In this version, it is often assumed that this is a branch from the tradition of Nokkbadi, in which, as is known, Gurdjieff was dedicated. In other words, the Brotherhood of Sarmuni exists, but it is just one of the many Sufi orders.

3. The Brotherhood of Sarmuni is the ancient Order of the Guardians of Wisdom. He is older Sufism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and all other religions combined. It was the messengers of this order that the majority of world spiritual trends and revelations were standing. And Gurdjieff was one of his emissaries.

Let's try to analyze each of the versions.

The first version, of course, is not excluded, but it is no doubt that until 1913 Gurdjieff traveled a lot and was dedicated to various spiritual schools and practices. All his doctrine is based on the principles whose echoes we find in a variety of traditions, including very ancients. Also, according to the memoirs of the nearest students, until the very end of his life supported the connection with his teachers, and before the key life decisions, it happened, leaving for long trips to the east. All this brings to the idea that some sources, the connection with whom Gurdjieff retained all his life still existed.

After the death of Gurdjieff, many seekers tried to pass by Gurdjieff. In history, the names at least three people are known, who claim that they succeeded, and they found the Brotherhood of Sarmuni, following the prompts left by Gurdjiyev.

The first person who claimed that he managed to find Gurdjieff teachers, call Rafael Leffort. In 1966, he published a book that was so called: "Gurdjieff teachers." In it, he describes his journey through Malaya and Central Asia. Having done a long path and having met a lot of teachers, in the finals of the book he finds one of the masters of the tradition of the tradition, from which the Gurdzhiev teaching originates, but he tells him to return to Europe, because the Center of the Tradition is now there. "I returned to Europe and locked the center in which I was sent. He was ten miles from my house! " - writes Lefort. A certain story of an alchemist who returned to where he started his way, just told 30 years old to Celo.

The second name is Michael Berk. His book "among the dervish" was published in England in 1973. In this book, he also describes his travels in Central Asia. Somewhere in the middle of the book there is a curious fragment:

"Kafiristan, according to Sufi, was the center of an esoteric school, called Sarmun, the occult branch of the Bukhara Order N Naxband. It was a school that had previously branches throughout the Muslim world ... My friend (whom I will call here Isat Khan) was even at the Pagmansky Range of Hindukusch and attended the secret meetings of Sarmun School, but I could not tell you about their secrets. "

Leave behind the brackets a long and complete adventure journey described in the book. Berk argues that in the end he managed to get to the origins of AMU-Darya and find the community of the Brotherhood of Sarmuni, in which he spent about 4 weeks. "In many ways, the time spent at the community of Amudarya was the most interesting for all my life," Berk writes. However, he does not meet any special wonders there, although it emphasizes that the practices and spirit of the community are unusual for most Sufi traditions. And not a word about ancient wisdom, secret knowledge, etc.

In short, our journey to the origins of Ennegram continues.

To be continued...

Idris Shah (1924-1996) - Writer, Teacher in Sufi
tradition, popularizer Sufism

It is difficult to treat both serious sources to both books, and not only because they are written in a light fictional manner. First, there are no real traces of people who would call Michael Berk and Rafael Leffort. They are also not written and no longer has been published. All researchers converge in the opinion that these are pseudonyms. Moreover, it is necessary for them, most likely, the same person - Idris Shah. The leaving from a notable Afghan family, he lived in the UK most of his life and used all possible ways to popularize Sufism in the Western world in the 60s-70s. (It is worth remembering that Idris Shah was one of the first teachers of Naranho, to whom he came for the answers, however, according to Naranho, he did not manage to learn any outstanding).

We also find a mention of the monastery of the Sarmun Brotherhood in the book "The source of yoga dervish - healer techniques of Dervysh" Idris Laura (founder of the French Institute "Samadeva", including those specializing in the teaching of Enneagram and Gurdzhiev practitioners). In this book, Laura argues that during his stay in Afghanistan managed to find the abode of the Brotherhood of Sarman and become a student of the master named Pir Kedjtep Ankari, who taught him "In addition to other things, the healing techniques of Dervish." "I was and still remain the only Western man who received a dedication from him," says Laura. With all due respect to the author, an excerpt dedicated to the practices of the Sarthhian monastery, it looks even less convincing than in previous sources, and more like a beautiful metaphor.

Supporters of the third version, according to which Sarmuni is an ancient Order, standing above all spiritual currents, were many of the nearest students of Gurdjieff. They sincerely believed in the real existence of the forces behind Gurdjieff - whether because they were fascinated by charisma and convincing their teacher, or something inaccessible to the rest was known - the fact that Gurdjieff was disclined only the closest one.

It is known, for example, that Uspensky was expected to surrender to the very death in 1947 that the Sarmun Brotherhood will come to contact him, as it has once happened to the Gurdjieff. John Benett, one of the nearest students and followers of Gurdjieff, in his unfinished work "Teachers of Wisdom" gives a large-scale picture of how great world religions and spiritual flows have been inspired by the entire history of mankind, which directed and maintained the spread of knowledge. The encyclopedicist of the book, as well as the wealth of historical and religious material set forth in it, is impressive. However, do not draw the conclusions and the suggestions of the author more justified for an unbiased reader.

However, if Bennet is right, and the Brotherhood of Sarmuni, who devoted Gurdjieff into the doctrine of three centers and an enneagram, really exists and is the most ancient spiritual order on the planet, then we will find traces of initial knowledge in a variety of religious and mystical traditions. It is only necessary to look carefully. And who knows, perhaps, we are lucky just like Oscar Ichazo, who managed to find the mysterious "chaldean print" in one of the medieval books?

Collecting material for article. At a meeting with Arthur Nikogosyan, a historian who has dedicated to the study of Gurdjieff's biography for more than 25 years. Gyumri, Armenia. May 2016