Expert: Clint - 10/31/2009

Question
I was introduced to the teachings (and a handful of followers) of Gurdjieff in the middle seventies.  During that time, over a period of perhaps seven years, I was doing quite a bit of reading regarding mysticism (from the Teachings of Don Juan to the Bible) and was particularly intrigued by Gurdjieff the man.  I read everything I could find by and about him, but never came across an outsider's view.    Who was Gurdjieff REALLY?  Where do his teachings fall in the scheme of things? What did he borrow from?  Perhaps you could not only shed some light but point me to a source where I could find out for myself, as well.

Thank you.

Answer
I myself have not studied G.I. Gurdjieff's beliefs or teachings until you just mentioned him but from what I can tell he found a marketing niche in the spiritual deep thought sector borrowing from other conscientious type studies and writings he found around him (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Way). Frankly he hadn't introduce anything new but rather repackaged and expanded on previous hypothesis about life and existence, things about which we don't know but anyone can fathom a theory about which can not be disproved. It's fairly easy to think up explanations for which you don't have to provide proof or evidence, let alone have any measurable or tangible backing. If anything, followers may receive some comfort or clarity in their life with an increased positive self image, a fresh perspective, and focused goals. It's a psychological religion and the inner demons it deals with are simply people's inability to get a grip on their place in the Universe and to understand that we don't really have to understand it at all, life itself is meaningless to the cosmos as a whole. The Universe is about energy and matter of which we are nothing but an accidental byproduct on a scale so small that we may as well not exist at all. It's only due to our ability to think that we think we are something special to begin with, we are only special to ourselves and it's only the size of our consciousness that can compare to the size of the Universe making some of us think we can be masters of it. In conclusion, I may not answer your questions as I'm sure you know more about him than I do but, I'd say that he was a deep thinker who happened to be in the right place at the right time and knew the right people. I myself have many theories about life and consciousness but will probably not be so lucky to convince others to follow me as he did, but I doubt he had any better intentions or education and understanding than I do, just more obsessed and focused. Not trying to be negative but your asking an atheist who doesn't believe in mysteries untouchable by science, logic, or reason, and beyond the natural world. As a "religious" leader he is a fraud in my opinion but I'm sure he's quite an intelligent deep thinking philosopher who has contributed positively to our need to think we know more.