Gurdjieff, A Beginner's Guide: How Changing the Way We React to Misplacing Our Keys Can Transform Our Lives
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Author Description
The idea behind Gurdjieff's Work is that our first birth is our physical body, which is all we need to get through life. But we are capable of developing into something higher, just as an acorn can stay an acorn and die or develop into an Oak Tree, we can develop into something higher. And whereas other methods often require the student to go to a monastery, sanctuary, or to retreats to separate from ordinary life, the Work uses our ordinary experiences in life as the material we work on for our development. These ordinary experiences are not some interruption to our lives, but exactly the material we need to work with.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book explores the Gurdjieff Work, a spiritual discipline focused on personal transformation through ordinary life experiences. The core idea is that humans, like acorns developing into oak trees, possess the potential for higher development beyond their physical existence. Unlike other spiritual paths that require withdrawal from daily life, the Work utilizes everyday occurrences as the essential material for this growth, positing that these experiences are not hindrances but the very substance of development.
THE SCOPE MAP
- An introduction to the fundamental principles of Gurdjieff's Work.
- The concept of 'births' and the potential for higher development.
- The use of ordinary life experiences as the primary material for spiritual growth.
- A contrast with traditional spiritual practices requiring seclusion.
- Practical application of the Work in daily life.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
The book presents Gurdjieff's Work as a path to personal transformation accessible within the context of everyday life. It emphasizes that ordinary experiences are not obstacles but the essential tools for spiritual development, contrasting this with methods that necessitate withdrawal from the world. The approach suggests a practical, grounded method for achieving higher states of being. The material implies a focus on self-observation and conscious engagement with daily events.
Page Count:
185
Publication Date:
2003-03-01
Publisher:
Yara Press
ISBN-10:
0913038253
ISBN-13:
9780913038253
Non-Fiction
Philosophy
Spirituality
Self-help
Community Tags
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