Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way

An Esoteric Legacy

De: Stephen A. Grant

Narrado por: Peter Aronson

A profound new look at Gurdjieff’s life, teachings, and role as a spiritual leader through the lens of esotericism.

Gurdjieff warned against taking anything literally or on faith and advised accepting only experience that could be lived oneself. He also said that one has to find out “how to know” and that understanding knowledge of being depends on the “level of being.” The aim of the Fourth Way is toward a change of being—from the level of man number one, two, and three to that of man number four. Stephen Grant offers a profound reassessment of Gurdjieff’s role as a spiritual leader and the Fourth Way in terms of esoteric theory.

The book outlines Gurdjieff’s early life and view of ancient history, followed by the itinerant course of his teaching from Russia in 1915 to his death in Paris in 1949. The discussion then focuses on his esoteric mission—to bring the Fourth Way to the West—and its three major stages: (1) introducing the system of ideas to and through Ouspensky; (2) writing his own theory of the teaching, principally in Beelzebub’s Tales; and (3) passing on the practical teaching toward consciousness to and through Jeanne de Salzmann. The last five chapters deal with Gurdjieff’s relationship with his closest pupils, his system of ideas, his hidden doctrine in Beelzebub’s Tales, and the practical knowledge revealed by Mme. de Salzmann. Those interested in Gurdjieff will come away with a rich new perspective on his teachings and legacy.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2024 Stephen A. Grant (P)2024 Shambhala Publications

Don't waste your money

I recently finished reading Gurdjieff and the Fourth Way, and I must say, it was a frustrating experience. The first 2 hours and 40 minutes are consumed by the author detailing meaningless events and introducing characters that serve no purpose to the plot. It felt like wading through molasses— hours of dragging on with unnecessary descriptions and trivial interactions that could have easily been summarized in a fraction of the time.
What’s worse, there’s no practical application or takeaway from the book. I kept hoping for a moment of insight or a compelling narrative twist, but it never came. Instead, I was left with a sense of wasted time and effort. If you're looking for a book that offers depth or relevance, I suggest steering clear of this one. It’s a classic example of style over substance, leaving readers feeling utterly unfulfilled. The sample they offer you to listen to before your purchase was MUCH more fulfilling than the book itself.