Gurdjieff and “The Work”: A Historical Perspective

The Origins of Gurdjieff’s Teachings

I entered the Work of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (1866–1949) in 1980, as a quite young guy and I was enormously impressed by it. It served as a guidance for my entire life. Gurdjieff was a sufi, a mystic and an enlightened master., which remains one of the most enigmatic figures in modern spiritual history. His concept of Self-remembering is most key to understand spirituality. That is why I dedicate a whole chapter to his work.

Born in Alexandropol (modern-day Gyumri, Armenia), Gurdjieff was raised in a culturally diverse environment, steeped in Russian, Greek, Sufi, Gnostic and Armenian influences. This multicultural upbringing shaped his worldview and laid the foundation for what would later become his revolutionary system of spiritual development, often referred to simply as “The Work.”

From an early age, Gurdjieff exhibited an insatiable curiosity about life’s deeper questions, particularly the nature of human existence and consciousness. Dissatisfied with the conventional teachings of religion and philosophy, he embarked on an extraordinary journey across Central Asia, the Middle East, and Northern Africa, seeking esoteric knowledge. He claimed to have encountered secret schools and mystical traditions that profoundly influenced his understanding of the human condition.

The Fundamental Premise of “The Work”

At the heart of Gurdjieff’s teachings lies the assertion that most human beings live in a state of “waking sleep,” going through life mechanically, driven by habitual thoughts, emotions, and actions. According to Gurdjieff, true spiritual awakening requires an intentional effort to overcome this mechanical existence and develop a higher state of consciousness.

“The Work,” as Gurdjieff called his system, was designed to help individuals awaken from this state of unconsciousness. It was not a religion or a philosophy but a practical method—a way of working on oneself to achieve self-realization. The Work emphasized four main principles:

1. Self-Observation: Cultivating awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors without judgment.
2. Self-Remembering: Maintaining a simultaneous awareness of oneself and one’s actions in the present moment.
3. Non-Identification: Learning to separate oneself from reactive emotions and thoughts, thereby gaining freedom from them.
4. Conscious Effort: Intentionally breaking free from mechanical habits and working toward conscious action.

In this video I explain what was for me the essence of Gurdjieff’s teachings.

Establishing “The Work”

In the early 1910s, Gurdjieff began teaching his ideas in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where he attracted a group of devoted students. Among these was the Russian philosopher P.D. Ouspensky (1878–1947), who became one of Gurdjieff’s most prominent disciples and interpreters. Ouspensky’s book In Search of the Miraculous remains one of the most accessible introductions to Gurdjieff’s teachings.

After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Gurdjieff and his followers fled the political turmoil, eventually settling in Tbilisi, Georgia, and later Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). In 1922, Gurdjieff established the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man in Fontainebleau, France. This institute became the central hub for his teachings and experiments in self-development.

Practices and Philosophy

Gurdjieff’s methods were as diverse as they were rigorous. His students engaged in various practices designed to cultivate mindfulness, self-discipline, and inner harmony. Some of the key practices included:

1. Sacred Movements: A series of choreographed dances and physical exercises that combined rhythmic precision with intense focus. These movements were designed to harmonize the body, mind, and emotions.
2. Group Work: Gurdjieff believed that individuals could not achieve self-realization alone. Group interactions served as mirrors, reflecting back unconscious habits and reactions.
3. Music: Gurdjieff collaborated with composer Thomas de Hartmann (1885–1956) to create a body of music intended to evoke higher states of consciousness. This music, performed on piano or harmonium, often accompanied the sacred movements.
4. Inner Work: Students practiced self-observation, self-remembering, and meditation techniques to break free from their mechanical patterns.

Gurdjieff also emphasized the concept of “the enneagram,” a nine-pointed symbol he claimed represented the universal laws governing human behavior and the cosmos. The enneagram became a central tool in The Work, symbolizing the interconnectedness of all aspects of existence.

Challenges and Controversies

Gurdjieff’s unconventional teaching methods and enigmatic personality often sparked controversy. His demands on students were high, sometimes involving grueling physical labor, long hours of study, and intense psychological challenges. Critics accused him of being authoritarian, while others questioned the authenticity of his claims about his mystical experiences. But I have studied these critics and basically it all relates to not understanding what Gurdjieff really tried to do, and did!

Additionally, Gurdjieff’s teachings were sometimes misinterpreted by naive people as esoteric or cult-like. However, his students, including Ouspensky, de Hartmann, and writer Jeanne de Salzmann (1889–1990), attested to the transformative power of The Work. And I do that too. His contribution is amazing and the Work is the best which ever happened to me.

Legacy and Influence

Gurdjieff passed away in 1949 in Paris, but his teachings continued to flourish through his students. Jeanne de Salzmann, in particular, played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating his ideas. She founded the Gurdjieff Foundation, which continues to operate worldwide, offering guidance to those interested in The Work.

Over the decades, Gurdjieff’s influence has extended beyond spiritual circles. His teachings have resonated with writers like Aldous Huxley and William S. Burroughs, psychologists like Carl Jung, and even contemporary mindfulness practitioners. The emphasis on self-awareness, intentional living, and transcending the ego has found parallels in modern psychology, Buddhism, and other spiritual traditions.

The Essence of “The Work”

Gurdjieff’s teachings remain profoundly relevant in today’s fast-paced, distracted world. At its core, The Work is a call to awaken—to live consciously, authentically, and in harmony with oneself and the universe. It challenges individuals to question their assumptions, confront their limitations, and strive for a higher state of being.

As Gurdjieff once said, “Man’s possibilities are very great. You cannot even conceive a shadow of what man is capable of achieving.” The Work provides the tools to explore and realize these possibilities, offering a path toward greater freedom, purpose, and self-awareness.

---

The Principle of Self-Remembering According to Gurdjieff: A Beginner’s Guide

G.I. Gurdjieff introduced the concept of self-remembering as a cornerstone of his teachings. It’s a practice that encourages us to rise above the mechanical, unconscious habits that dominate our lives and awaken to the deeper, unified self. Self-remembering is both profoundly simple and extraordinarily challenging: it asks us to observe ourselves as we are, while simultaneously holding an awareness of our existence and inner being.

What Is Self-Remembering?

At its core, self-remembering is the act of dividing attention between the outer world and your inner presence. Instead of being entirely lost in your thoughts, emotions, or the task at hand, self-remembering involves being conscious of the fact that you are here, now, as a living presence.

Gurdjieff explained that most of us live in a state of waking sleep. Our thoughts wander, we react without awareness, and we forget our own existence. Self-remembering is a technique to break free from this mechanical existence by awakening to the moment, including our own presence in it.

For example, if you are walking, you don’t just focus on your destination or your surroundings; you also remain aware that you are the one walking. This dual awareness—of both the activity and the self—is the essence of self-remembering. Being aware in the timeless now!

How to Practice Self-Remembering

1. Pause and Observe: At various moments during the day, pause and ask yourself: Who am I? What am I doing right now? This simple question pulls you out of your automatic patterns and brings awareness to the present moment.
2. Engage the Senses: Ground yourself by noticing your sensory experience—the feel of your body, the air around you, the sounds, smells, or sights in your environment. Simultaneously, sense the awareness behind these perceptions—your own presence.
3. Include Yourself in the Moment: Most of the time, we are absorbed in what we are doing, forgetting that we are the ones doing it. Self-remembering involves including the awareness of yourself in any action, such as eating, walking, or speaking.

Gurdjieff’s Perspective: The Missing Element

Gurdjieff emphasized that self-remembering is not the same as self-observation alone. While self-observation is essential for understanding your unconscious patterns, self-remembering adds a deeper dimension: awareness of your own being. This awareness is transformative because it connects you to something higher than the fragmented parts of your personality—it connects you to the essence of your true self with the moment. It enable you to fully be present in the present.

---

Context from Other Enlightened Masters

To understand the universality of self-remembering, let’s explore how other masters have conveyed similar ideas:

1. Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950): Self-Inquiry (“Who Am I?”): Ramana Maharshi’s method of self-inquiry aligns closely with Gurdjieff’s self-remembering. He taught that the question Who am I? can dissolve the layers of ego and bring us to the awareness of the true self, which is pure consciousness. While Gurdjieff’s method emphasizes dual awareness, Ramana focuses on tracing the “I” thought back to its source, leading to non-dual realization.
2. Eckhart Tolle (b. 1948): The Power of Now: Eckhart Tolle’s teachings emphasize the importance of being fully present in the moment, free from identification with the mind. Like self-remembering, Tolle’s practice of presence involves stepping out of the stream of compulsive thinking and into the awareness of being—the state where you are fully conscious of yourself as the eternal observer.
3. Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895–1986): Choiceless Awareness: Krishnamurti spoke about observing oneself without judgment or choice, simply seeing what is. This observation leads to a natural awareness of the observer. For Krishnamurti, this choiceless awareness dissolves the ego and reveals the unity between the observer and the observed—a realization akin to self-remembering.
4. Thich Nhat Hanh (1926–2022): Mindfulness of Presence: The Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh spoke about mindfulness as the art of being fully present in your actions. His famous exercise of saying silently, Breathing in, I know I am breathing in; breathing out, I know I am breathing out, mirrors the spirit of self-remembering by anchoring awareness in the present while acknowledging your presence in it.

---

The Essence of Self-Remembering: A Bridge to Consciousness

What all these teachings share with Gurdjieff’s self-remembering is the recognition that our usual state of being is fragmented, reactive, and unconscious. Self-remembering offers a bridge to a higher state of consciousness by:

• Unifying the fragmented parts of our mind.
• Anchoring us in the present moment.
• Connecting us to a deeper sense of “I,” beyond the ego.

In Gurdjieff’s system, this practice not only helps us awaken to ourselves but also connects us to the larger, universal consciousness—what he called the “higher centers.” These centers are always active, but our mechanical minds cannot perceive them unless we awaken through self-remembering.

---

Practical Benefits of Self-Remembering

• Inner Stability: By observing yourself and remaining aware of your inner being, you are less likely to be overwhelmed by external events or emotions.
• Clarity of Purpose: Self-remembering helps you break free from automatic behaviors, allowing you to act with intention and authenticity.
• Connection to the Sacred: This practice reveals the sacredness of the present moment, transforming ordinary life into an extraordinary experience.

---

Final Thoughts: Self-Remembering as a Spiritual Compass

Gurdjieff’s practice of self-remembering is a profound yet practical tool for awakening. It aligns with the teachings of other enlightened masters, all of whom encourage us to step out of the mechanical patterns of life and into the living awareness of the present moment.

To begin your journey with self-remembering, start small. Pause throughout your day, breathe, and feel your presence. Remember that you are here, now. As you deepen this practice, you may discover that the one remembering—the true self—has been waiting all along to be noticed. This realization is the heart of awakening, the essence of self-remembering, and the bridge to living fully and consciously. Shunyam Adhibhu

Books of the Master himself

1. Gurdjieff, G. I. (1933). The Herald of Coming Good. Paris: Author’s Publication.
2. Gurdjieff, G. I. (1950). All and Everything: Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson (1st Series). New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company.
3. Gurdjieff, G. I. (1961). Meetings with Remarkable Men (2nd Series). New York: E. P. Dutton.
4. Gurdjieff, G. I. (1973). Life is Real Only Then, When ‘I Am’ (3rd Series). New York: E. P. Dutton.
5. Gurdjieff, G. I. (1975). Views from the Real World: Early Talks of Gurdjieff as Recollected by His Pupils. New York: E. P. Dutton.

Secondary Sources List on Gurdjieff and His Teachings (APA Style)

1. Bennett, J. G. (1964). Gurdjieff: Making a New World. New York: Harper & Row.
2. Bennett, J. G. (1976). Witness: The Story of a Search. London: Turnstone Press.
3. Bennett, J. G. (1977). The Masters of Wisdom. London: Turnstone Press.
4. de Salzmann, J. (2010). The Reality of Being: The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff. Boston: Shambhala Publications.
5. Hartmann, F. (1964). Our Life with Mr. Gurdjieff. New York: Harper & Row.
6. Lipsey, R. (2009). Gurdjieff Reconsidered: The Life, the Teachings, the Legacy. Boston: Shambhala Publications.
7. Moore, J. (1991). Gurdjieff: The Anatomy of a Myth. Shaftesbury: Element Books.
8. Moore, J. (1987). Gurdjieff and Mansfield. Shaftesbury: Element Books.
9. Nott, C. S. (1961). Teachings of Gurdjieff: A Pupil’s Journal. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
10. Nott, C. S. (1969). Further Teachings of Gurdjieff: Journey through This World. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
11. Ouspensky, P. D. (1949). In Search of the Miraculous: Fragments of an Unknown Teaching. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World.
12. Patterson, W. (1999). Struggle of the Magicians: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationship. Fairfax, CA: Arete Publications.
13. Patterson, W. (2008). Ladies of the Rope: Gurdjieff’s Special Left Bank Women’s Group. Fairfax, CA: Arete Publications.
14. Peters, F. (1976). Boyhood with Gurdjieff. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
15. Speeth, K. R. (1989). The Gurdjieff Work. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher.
16. Shah, I. (1973). The Sufis. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books. (Includes connections to Gurdjieff’s teachings.)
17. Taylor, P. (2008). Gurdjieff and Orage: Brothers in Elysium. Weiser Books.
18. Webb, J. (1980). The Harmonious Circle: The Lives and Work of G.I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, and Their Followers. Boston: Shambhala Publications.
19. Wellbeloved, S. (2003). Gurdjieff: The Key Concepts. London: Routledge.
20. Wilberg, P. (2003). The Human Gospel of Gurdjieff: A Guide to His Spiritual Teaching and Philosophy. London: New Gnosis Publications.
21. de Hartmann, T., & de Hartmann, O. (1983). Our Life with Mr. Gurdjieff. New York: Harper & Row.
22. Needleman, J. (1996). Lost Christianity: A Journey of Rediscovery to the Center of Religious Experience. New York: Crossroad.
23. Needleman, J., & Baker, G. (1998). Gurdjieff: Essays and Reflections on the Man and His Teachings. New York: Continuum.
24. Basarab, N. (1991). Gurdjieff: A New Life. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
25. Hitchens, C. (1997). The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice. New York: Verso. (Contains critical discussions on broader themes Gurdjieff addressed.)
26. Lachman, G. (2014). In Search of P.D. Ouspensky: The Genius in the Shadow of Gurdjieff. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books.