Editing George Gurdjieff (section)

===Self-development teachings===

{{main|Fourth Way}}

Gurdjieff argued that many of the existing forms of religious and spiritual tradition on Earth had lost connection with their original meaning and vitality and so could no longer serve humanity in the way that had been intended at their inception. As a result, humans were failing to realize the truths of ancient teachings and were instead becoming more and more like automatons, susceptible to control from outside and increasingly capable of otherwise unthinkable acts of [[Mass hysteria|mass psychosis]] such as [[World War I]]. At best, the various surviving sects and schools could provide only a one-sided development, which did not result in a fully integrated human being.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

According to Gurdjieff, only one of the three dimensions of a person—namely, either the emotions, or the physical body or the mind—tends to develop in such schools and sects, and generally at the expense of the other faculties or ''[[Centers (Fourth Way)| centres]],'' as Gurdjieff called them. As a result, these ways fail to produce a properly balanced human being. Furthermore, anyone wishing to undertake any of the traditional paths to spiritual knowledge (which Gurdjieff reduced to three—namely the way of the [[Fakir]], the way of the [[Monk]], and the way of the [[Yogi]]) were required to renounce life in the world. But Gurdjieff also described a "Fourth Way"<ref>[[P. D. Ouspensky]] (1949), ''[[In Search of the Miraculous]],'' Chapter 2</ref> which would be amenable to the requirements of contemporary people living in Europe and America. Instead of training the mind, body and emotions separately, Gurdjieff's discipline worked on all three to promote an organic connection between them and a balanced development.

In parallel with other spiritual traditions, Gurdjieff taught that a person must expend considerable effort to effect the [[Spiritual transformation|transformation]] that leads to [[Mystical experience|awakening]]. Gurdjieff referred to it as "The Work" or "Work on oneself".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gurdjieff.org/index.en.htm |title=Gurdjieff International Review |publisher=Gurdjieff.org |access-date=2014-03-02}}</ref>{{fails verification|date=March 2025}} According to Gurdjieff, "Working on oneself is not so difficult as wishing to work, taking the decision."<ref>{{cite book |last=Gurdjieff |first=George |title=Views from the real world |year=1975 |page=[https://archive.org/details/viewsfromrealwor00gurd/page/214 214] |publisher=E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. |isbn=0-525-47408-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/viewsfromrealwor00gurd/page/214 }}</ref>
Though Gurdjieff never put major significance on the term "Fourth Way" and never used the term in his writings, his pupil [[P. D. Ouspensky]] from 1924 to 1947 made the term and its use central to his own interpretation of Gurdjieff's teaching. After Ouspensky's death, his students published a book titled ''The Fourth Way'' based on his lectures.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ouspensky|first=P. D.|title=The Fourth Way|publisher=Vintage Books|year=1971|isbn=0-394-71672-8|location=New York|lccn=57-5659|id="An Arrangement by Subject of Verbatim Extracts from the Records of Ouspensky's Meetings in London and New York, 1921–1946"}}</ref>

Gurdjieff's teaching addressed the question of humanity's place in the universe and the importance of developing its latent potentialities—regarded as our natural endowment as human beings, but which was rarely brought to fruition.  He taught that higher levels of consciousness, higher bodies,<ref>[[P. D. Ouspensky]] (1949). ''[[In Search of the Miraculous]]'' Chapter 2</ref> inner growth and development are real possibilities that nonetheless require conscious work to achieve.<ref name="ReferenceA">[[P. D. Ouspensky]] (1971). ''[[The Fourth Way]],'' Chapter 1</ref> The aim was not to acquire anything new but to recover what we had lost.

In his teaching, Gurdjieff gave a distinct meaning to various ancient texts such as the [[Bible]] and many religious prayers. He believed that such texts possess meanings very different from those commonly attributed to them. "Sleep not"; "Awake, for you know not the hour"; and "The Kingdom of Heaven is Within" are examples of biblical statements which point to teachings whose essence has been forgotten.<ref>{{harvnb|Wellbeloved|2003|p=109}}</ref>

Gurdjieff taught people how to strengthen and focus their attention and energy in various ways so as to minimize daydreaming and absentmindedness. According to his teaching, this inner development of oneself is the beginning of a possible further process of change, the aim of which is to transform people into what Gurdjieff believed they ought to be.<ref>[[P. D. Ouspensky]] (1949). ''[[In Search of the Miraculous]],'' Chapter 9.</ref>

Distrusting "morality", which he describes as varying from culture to culture, often contradictory and hypocritical, Gurdjieff greatly stressed the importance of "[[conscience]]".{{cn|date=March 2025}}

To provide conditions in which inner attention could be exercised more intensively, Gurdjieff also taught his pupils "sacred dances" or "movements", later known as the [[Gurdjieff movements]], which they performed together as a group. He also left a body of music, inspired by what he heard in visits to remote monasteries and other places, written for piano in collaboration with one of his pupils, [[Thomas de Hartmann]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Gurdjieff used various exercises, such as the "Stop" exercise, to prompt self-observation in his students. Other shocks to help awaken his pupils from constant daydreaming were always possible at any moment.{{cn|date=March 2025}}