From Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ to the work on Essence At the very beginning of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we find a definition that forms and is the essence of the yogic practice: Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ. Yoga is the cessation of the movements of the mind. This sūtra is often quoted, translated, and explained, yet its radical … Continue reading Yoga, Impressions, and the Return of the Seer
gurdjieff
Here we will present the Gurdjieff work through the long experience of Madame Jeanne de Salzmann and the writer himself
Impressions as Food for Essence Part 5
In the book The Reality of Being Jeanne de Salzmann brings an important clarification around how we can and should perceive 'impressions' in order to grow. The decisive point of inner work The moment of impression In the Gurdjieff Work, the word impression refers to a precise and critical moment: the instant at which reality … Continue reading Impressions as Food for Essence Part 5
A call to consciousness, the many I’s and the search for presence Part 4
The section 'A call to consciousness' unfolds over twelve chapters and gradually sharpens the reader’s capacity to observe themselves without illusion. In the next chapter of this section, Jeanne de Salzmann turns attention toward what feels most familiar and at the same time most unstable, the sense of I. We speak of ourselves as if … Continue reading A call to consciousness, the many I’s and the search for presence Part 4
A call to consciousness, the moment life enters Part 3
In the secton of the book 'A call to consciousness', Jeanne de Salzmann (1889, 1990) turns from the general observation I am asleep to something very precise, the moment an impression enters. This moment, she suggests, is decisive. It is where consciousness is either lost again, or has a chance to appear. An impression is … Continue reading A call to consciousness, the moment life enters Part 3
A call to consciousness, the first honest step Part 2
The opening chapters of The Reality of Being are part of a larger section of 12 short chapters, 'A call to consciousness'. This framing is essential. Jeanne de Salzmann (1889, 1990) is not presenting a theory, nor a gradual self improvement program. She is calling the reader into a direct confrontation with the fact of … Continue reading A call to consciousness, the first honest step Part 2
The Reality of Being: Entering the Work of Gurdjieff Part 1
This section is dedicated to the system of Gurdjieff and the Work The Reality of Being, entering the work of Gurdjieff George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (c. 1866, 1949) is one of the most important and at the same time most misunderstood spiritual masters of the twentieth century. Like Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895, 1986) and Osho (1931, 1990), … Continue reading The Reality of Being: Entering the Work of Gurdjieff Part 1
Context of Life is Real Only Then, When “I Am”
Gurdjieff's so called 'third series'. Life is Real Only Then, When "I Am", the third and final book in G.I. Gurdjieff's All and Everything trilogy, represents one of his most personal and enigmatic works. Written primarily in Russian and Armenian between 1930 and 1934, this text was intended to be a culmination of Gurdjieff’s teachings. … Continue reading Context of Life is Real Only Then, When “I Am”
The Work and Self-Remembering According to Gurdjieff
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 … Continue reading The Work and Self-Remembering According to Gurdjieff
Confrontation: I hit Hard – George Gurdjieff’s method – A Story told by Osho
The Sleeping Students and the Difficult Man: A Story of Transformation Osho once shared a powerful story about the teachings of Gurdjieff, the enigmatic master of spiritual awakening. It is a story of discomfort, ego, and the unconventional wisdom that often accompanies the path to self-realization. Gurdjieff gathered a group of students from diverse backgrounds, … Continue reading Confrontation: I hit Hard – George Gurdjieff’s method – A Story told by Osho
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