Quotes by Gurdjieff
This is a compilation of aphorisms about the Fourth Way. The compilation contains quotes from G. I. Gurdjieff himself as well as those from his students. The sayings are a source of inspiration and encourage to think about one’s own being and actions.
Many students have recorded Gurdjieff’s aphorisms in their books and manuscripts. This was done without exception by subsequently writing down what was said by him during the many meetings, public speeches and during Movements classes. Gurdjieff’s words impress with their directness, insight and immense depth.
Gurdjieff quotes on the Fourth Way
„Wenn unser Ziel eine harmonische Entwicklung des Menschen ist, so sind uns Tänze und Bewegungen ein Mittel, um Gedanken und Gefühle mit den Bewegungen des Körpers zu verbinden und diese gemeinsam zu manifestieren. In allen Dingen streben wir danach, etwas zu entwickeln, was nicht direkt oder auf mechanische Weise entwickelt werden kann.“
G. I. Gurdjieff
Quotes by Gurdjieff
This is a compilation of aphorisms about the Fourth Way. The compilation contains quotes from G. I. Gurdjieff himself as well as those from his students. The sayings are a source of inspiration and encourage to think about one’s own being and actions.
Many students have recorded Gurdjieff’s aphorisms in their books and manuscripts. This was done without exception by subsequently writing down what was said by him during the many meetings, public speeches and during Movements classes. Gurdjieff’s words impress with their directness, insight and immense depth.
Gurdjieff quotes on the Fourth Way
Obligolnian Strivings
All the beings of this planet then began to work in order to have in their consciousness this Divine function of genuine conscience, and for this purpose, as everywhere in the Universe, they transubstantiated in themselves what are called the ‘being-obligolnian-strivings’ which consist of the following five, namely:
The first Striving
to have in their ordinary being existence everything satisfying and really necessary for their planetary body.
The second Striving
to have a constant and unflagging instinctive need for self-perfection in the sense of being.
The third Striving
the conscious striving to know ever more and more concerning the laws of World-creation and World-maintenance.
The fourth Striving
the striving from the beginning of their existence to pay for their arising and their individuality as quickly as possible, in order afterwards to be free to lighten as much as possible the Sorrow of our COMMON FATHER.
The fifth Striving
the striving always to assist the most rapid perfecting of other beings, both those similar to oneself and those of other forms, up to the degree of the sacred ‘Martfotai,’ that is, up to the degree of self individuality.
(G. I. Gurdjieff: Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson – The Organization for Man’s Existence Created by the Very Saintly Ashiata Shiemash)
Gurdjieff’s aphorisms were calligraphed on the walls of the Prieuré study house in characters designed by Alexander de Salzmann. The phonetic letters werde derived from the persian alphabet.
Prieuré Walls
G. I. Gurdjieff founded his “Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man” in the Prieuré des Basses Loges in 1922. The following aphorisms were written on the walls of the study house, intended to remember the students of the aim and purpose of their stay in the Prieuré:
- 1
Like what “it” does not like.
- 2
The highest that a man can attain is to be able to do.
- 3The worse the conditions of life the more productive the Work, always provided you remember the Work.
- 4
Remember yourself always and everywhere.
- 5
Remember you come here having already understood the necessity of struggling with yourself—only with yourself. Therefore thank everyone who gives you the opportunity.
- 6
Here we can only direct and create conditions, but not help.
- 7
Know that this house can be useful only to those who have recognized their nothingness and who believe in the possibility of changing.
- 8
If you already know it is bad and do it, you commit a sin difficult to redress.
- 9
The chief means of happiness in this life is the ability to consider externally always, internally never.
- 10
Do not love art with your feelings.
- 11
A true sign of a good man is if he loves his father and mother.
- 12
Judge others by yourself and you will rarely be mistaken.
- 13
Only help him who is not an idler.
- 14
Respect every religion.
- 15
I love him who loves work.
- 16
We can only strive to be able to be Christians.
- 17
Don’t judge a man by the tales of others.
- 18
Consider what people think of you—not what they say.
- 19
Take the understanding of the East and the knowledge of the West—and then seek.
- 20
Only he who can take care of what belongs to others may have his own.
- 21
Only conscious suffering has any sense.
- 22
It is better to be temporarily an egoist than never to be just.
- 23
Practice love first on animals, they are more sensitive.
- 24
By teaching others you will learn yourself.
- 25
Remember that here work is not for work’s sake but is only a means.
- 26
Only he can be just who is able to put himself in the position of others.
- 27
If you have not by nature a critical mind your staying here is useless.
- 28
He who has freed himself of the disease of “tomorrow” has a chance to attain what he came here for.
- 29
Blessed is he who has a soul, blessed is he who has none, but woe and grief to him who has it in embryo.
- 30
Rest comes not from the quantity but from the quality of sleep.
- 31
Sleep little without regret.
- 32
The energy spent on active inner work is then and there transformed into a fresh supply, but that spent on passive work is lost for ever.
- 33
One of the best means for arousing the wish to work on yourself is to realize that you may die at any moment. But first you must learn how to keep it in mind.
- 34
Conscious love evokes the same in response. Emotional love evokes the opposite. Physical love depends on type and polarity.
- 35
Conscious faith is freedom. Emotional faith is slavery. Mechanical faith is foolishness.
- 36
Hope, when bold, is strength. Hope, with doubt, is cowardice. Hope, with fear, is weakness.
- 37
Man is given a definite number of experiences—economizing them, he prolongs his life.
- 38
Here there are neither Russians nor English, Jews nor Christians, but only those who pursue one aim—to be able to be.
Gurdjieff’s aphorisms were calligraphed on the walls of the Prieuré study house in characters designed by Alexander de Salzmann. The phonetic letters werde derived from the persian alphabet.
Prieuré Walls
G. I. Gurdjieff founded his “Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man” in the Prieuré des Basses Loges in 1922. The following aphorisms were written on the walls of the study house, intended to remember the students of the aim and purpose of their stay in the Prieuré:
- 1
Like what “it” does not like.
- 2
The highest that a man can attain is to be able to do.
- 3The worse the conditions of life the more productive the Work, always provided you remember the Work.
- 4
Remember yourself always and everywhere.
- 5
Remember you come here having already understood the necessity of struggling with yourself—only with yourself. Therefore thank everyone who gives you the opportunity.
- 6
Here we can only direct and create conditions, but not help.
- 7
Know that this house can be useful only to those who have recognized their nothingness and who believe in the possibility of changing.
- 8
If you already know it is bad and do it, you commit a sin difficult to redress.
- 9
The chief means of happiness in this life is the ability to consider externally always, internally never.
- 10
Do not love art with your feelings.
- 11
A true sign of a good man is if he loves his father and mother.
- 12
Judge others by yourself and you will rarely be mistaken.
- 13
Only help him who is not an idler.
- 14
Respect every religion.
- 15
I love him who loves work.
- 16
We can only strive to be able to be Christians.
- 17
Don’t judge a man by the tales of others.
- 18
Consider what people think of you—not what they say.
- 19
Take the understanding of the East and the knowledge of the West—and then seek.
- 20
Only he who can take care of what belongs to others may have his own.
- 21
Only conscious suffering has any sense.
- 22
It is better to be temporarily an egoist than never to be just.
- 23
Practice love first on animals, they are more sensitive.
- 24
By teaching others you will learn yourself.
- 25
Remember that here work is not for work’s sake but is only a means.
- 26
Only he can be just who is able to put himself in the position of others.
- 27
If you have not by nature a critical mind your staying here is useless.
- 28
He who has freed himself of the disease of “tomorrow” has a chance to attain what he came here for.
- 29
Blessed is he who has a soul, blessed is he who has none, but woe and grief to him who has it in embryo.
- 30
Rest comes not from the quantity but from the quality of sleep.
- 31
Sleep little without regret.
- 32
The energy spent on active inner work is then and there transformed into a fresh supply, but that spent on passive work is lost for ever.
- 33
One of the best means for arousing the wish to work on yourself is to realize that you may die at any moment. But first you must learn how to keep it in mind.
- 34
Conscious love evokes the same in response. Emotional love evokes the opposite. Physical love depends on type and polarity.
- 35
Conscious faith is freedom. Emotional faith is slavery. Mechanical faith is foolishness.
- 36
Hope, when bold, is strength. Hope, with doubt, is cowardice. Hope, with fear, is weakness.
- 37
Man is given a definite number of experiences—economizing them, he prolongs his life.
- 38
Here there are neither Russians nor English, Jews nor Christians, but only those who pursue one aim—to be able to be.
Prieuré Walls
G. I. Gurdjieff founded his “Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man” in the Prieuré des Basses Loges in 1922. The following aphorisms were written on the walls of the study house, intended to remember the students of the aim and purpose of their stay in the Prieuré:
- 1
Like what “it” does not like.
- 2
The highest that a man can attain is to be able to do.
- 3The worse the conditions of life the more productive the Work, always provided you remember the Work.
- 4
Remember yourself always and everywhere.
- 5
Remember you come here having already understood the necessity of struggling with yourself—only with yourself. Therefore thank everyone who gives you the opportunity.
- 6
Here we can only direct and create conditions, but not help.
- 7
Know that this house can be useful only to those who have recognized their nothingness and who believe in the possibility of changing.
- 8
If you already know it is bad and do it, you commit a sin difficult to redress.
- 9
The chief means of happiness in this life is the ability to consider externally always, internally never.
- 10
Do not love art with your feelings.
- 11
A true sign of a good man is if he loves his father and mother.
- 12
Judge others by yourself and you will rarely be mistaken.
- 13
Only help him who is not an idler.
- 14
Respect every religion.
- 15
I love him who loves work.
- 16
We can only strive to be able to be Christians.
- 17
Don’t judge a man by the tales of others.
- 18
Consider what people think of you—not what they say.
- 19
Take the understanding of the East and the knowledge of the West—and then seek.
- 20
Only he who can take care of what belongs to others may have his own.
- 21
Only conscious suffering has any sense.
- 22
It is better to be temporarily an egoist than never to be just.
- 23
Practice love first on animals, they are more sensitive.
- 24
By teaching others you will learn yourself.
- 25
Remember that here work is not for work’s sake but is only a means.
- 26
Only he can be just who is able to put himself in the position of others.
- 27
If you have not by nature a critical mind your staying here is useless.
- 28
He who has freed himself of the disease of “tomorrow” has a chance to attain what he came here for.
- 29
Blessed is he who has a soul, blessed is he who has none, but woe and grief to him who has it in embryo.
- 30
Rest comes not from the quantity but from the quality of sleep.
- 31
Sleep little without regret.
- 32
The energy spent on active inner work is then and there transformed into a fresh supply, but that spent on passive work is lost for ever.
- 33
One of the best means for arousing the wish to work on yourself is to realize that you may die at any moment. But first you must learn how to keep it in mind.
- 34
Conscious love evokes the same in response. Emotional love evokes the opposite. Physical love depends on type and polarity.
- 35
Conscious faith is freedom. Emotional faith is slavery. Mechanical faith is foolishness.
- 36
Hope, when bold, is strength. Hope, with doubt, is cowardice. Hope, with fear, is weakness.
- 37
Man is given a definite number of experiences—economizing them, he prolongs his life.
- 38
Here there are neither Russians nor English, Jews nor Christians, but only those who pursue one aim—to be able to be.
This is a compilation of aphorisms about the Fourth Way. The compilation contains quotes from G. I. Gurdjieff himself as well as those from his students. The sayings are a source of inspiration and encourage to think about one’s own being and actions.
Many students have recorded Gurdjieff’s aphorisms in their books and manuscripts. This was done without exception by subsequently writing down what was said by him during the many meetings, public speeches and during Movements classes. Gurdjieff’s words impress with their directness, insight and immense depth.
Gurdjieff quotes on the Fourth Way
Gurdjieff
Movements Seminars
Our weekend seminars offer an insight into the characteristics of the Gurdjieff Work. No prior knowledge of this discipline or other spiritual paths is required.
Participating in the Gurdjieff Movements is an extremely intense experience, especially for beginners. The dancers are confronted with their illusions in a complex way and learn to face and accept them honestly.
Registration
If you are interested in participating, please contact us using the form below.
Gurdjieff
Movements Seminars
Our weekend seminars offer an insight into the characteristics of the Gurdjieff Work. No prior knowledge of this discipline or other spiritual paths is required.
Participating in the Gurdjieff Movements is an extremely intense experience, especially for beginners. The dancers are confronted with their illusions in a complex way and learn to face and accept them honestly.
Registration
If you are interested in participating, please contact us using the form below.
Gurdjieff
Movements Seminars
Our weekend seminars offer an insight into the characteristics of the Gurdjieff Work. No prior knowledge of this discipline or other spiritual paths is required.
Registration
If you are interested in participating, please contact us using the form below.
Participating in the Gurdjieff Movements is an extremely intense experience, especially for beginners. The dancers are confronted with their illusions in a complex way and learn to face and accept them honestly.