Ed Thank you for your post, very accurate. I would add this, Gurdjieff did see Ouspensky's writings before he died, and approved of his In Search of the Miraculous by his comments, "very accurate." I think this is the moment of healing between the two Magicians -- Ouspensky and Gurdjieff.
But you are right, Fourth Way was not used as a term by Gurdjieff as a term, he used other references to express The Work. I rather like the term, The Work, and people at the Gurdjieff Foundation use the term, The Work as a primary way to explain. In addition, I have found that it is along the lines represented by Sufi and Esoteric Schools peppered throughout Central Asia, Middle East, India, China and Tibet. Most likely in the wandering traditions of Central Asia (staretz/dervish) that puts great emphasis on "being in the world but not of the world," that The Work that is the most beneficial to society as well as the individual would be the spiritual life offered and lived in public. Perhaps you can also see this in the realm of "seclusion" in Chinese culture, that a recluse is anything but a denier of the world, but one who denies the world (public life) cause he can, not because he can't. So, it is plain view, but hidden, The Work. It comes and goes of its own accord . . . it has an energy, "the Way" -- Sufi Baraka, Grace -- etc best wishes DenZervish Kirk --- In [email protected], "ED" <seacrofter001@...> wrote: > > > > > "The Fourth Way refers to a concept used by G.I. Gurdjieff to describe > his approach to self-development.[1] <#cite_note-ReferenceA-0> > Gurdjieff believed that his method combined what he saw as the three > established ways, or schools: that of the body, the emotions and the > mind. > > Gurdjieff referred to the concept as "The Work," or "Work on oneself, or > "The System" but never used the term "The Fourth Way" in his writings; > his pupil P.D. Ouspensky used the term in his lectures and writings. > After Ouspensky's death, his students published a book entitled Fourth > Way, based on his lectures. > > According to Gurdjieff, the chief difference between the three > traditional ways and the fourth way is that "they are permanent forms > which have survived throughout history mostly unchanged, and are based > on religion. Where schools of yogis, monks or fakirs exit, they are > barely distinguishable from religious schools. > > The fourth way differs in that it is not a permanent way. It has no > specific forms or institutions and comes and goes controlled by some > particular laws of its own."" > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Way > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Way> > > > > Kirk, > > The "Fight Club" Way appears to a rather intense"Fourth Way" which gives > full reign to body, mind and emotions. > > --ED > > > > --- In [email protected], "salik888" <kirkminor@> wrote: > > > > Gasho > > > > In John Shirley's book on Gurdjieff, he makes reference to Gurdjieff > Fourth Way and quite a few movies, Fight Club being one of them. Also > listed are Matrix, Vanilla Sky, American Beauty and The Truman Show to > list a few. > > > > Best wishes to all > > > > The way of Zen-Dervish > > > > peace > > > > Kirk > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
