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In terms of enlightenment, or awakening, there are three well-known methods: the way of the fakir, the way of the monk, and the way of the yogi. The fakir relied on deprivation and suffering to gain enlightenment. Some of the methods employed would be fasting, solitude on a mountain or in the desert, and self-flagellation. The way of the monk also removed one from society into secluded groups. Here one could focus all their energy on the worship and devotion of God and the scriptures. Finally, the way of the yogi is a mastering of the mind. Yogis seek to regulate the activities of the body through mental discipline and clarity. These three "ways" represent the three different aspects of human cognition: Instinct, Emotion, and Intellect, respectively. While entirely different, all three ways, or paths, can lead one to the same place-- enlightenment. In the early to mid 1900's, G.I. Gurdjieff brought a different way to the forefront; although, the knowledge he had was as ancient as any. Gurdjieff taught that one need not abandon anything material in order to awaken. He taught that mental discipline could be practiced in everyday life. Furthermore, he understood that to master oneself truly and wholly, one must understand each aspect of the mind--instinct, emotion, and intellect. This system of study and understanding is known today as the Fourth Way. |
The Burial of Count Orgaz, El Greco Click here for larger view |
Allegory (The Knight's Dream), Raphael |
While the Fourth Way is an excellent system of study towards self-mastery it is important
to remember that it is a tool. The aim is not to become a better human behaviorally. The
aim is to awaken--to ressurrect one's soul from a near perpetual state of dormancy. It is
often said that before one can become free one must first see they are enslaved. This
is where Gurdjieff's system becomes vitally important.
There exists a short, but essential, lineage of students/teachers that follow from Gurdjieff's beginning. First, P.D. Ouspensky who chronicled much of Gurdjieff's work and later formed a school of his own. Also, Maurice Nicoll, a Jungian psychologist, established a strong following in London and an extraordinary collection of written lectures on the Fourth Way. Next, Rodney Collin, a pupil of Ouspensky's, took the fourth way to Mexico and South America. Collin also wrote some of the most advanced and comprehensive works on the subject. Each of these men expanded on the system--the work on oneself. This expansion continues to this day... |
