An inspiring introduction

I chose this book having come across references to Gurdijeff in a number of books I have read and curiosity got the better of me. Friedman's introduction to the work is well written and easy to digest considering the density of the subject and was just the right balance to prompt me to take the study of "the work" further.

For anyone who is interested in the spiritual aspect of self development but has not found what they are seeking in terms of guidance in mainstream religious settings, this is an interesting route on to the path. This book is just enough to absorb key aspects of the work by way of introduction.

I really enjoyed it and will be returning to it again and again.

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13 people found this helpful

Great introduction to Gurdjieff

Great introduction to Gurdjieff - clear, concise, easily approval, actionable. Not particularly deep, but enough for a long time of inspiration.

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1 person found this helpful

Great listen

Starting my Mr. G journey it helped me to have a better understanding of the ideas. Thank you

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Excellent! Very helpful.

A very helpful introduction to Gurdjieff and The Work. A great place to start. Thank you.

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4 people found this helpful

Lots of good tips

I've just finished my second listen and I'm going back to the beginning.

I've found it very useful.

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A clear overview

This is a clear and accessible introduction to Gurdjieff's system which I really enjoyed listening to. The author manages to explain the main ideas in a straight forward way, and yet still convey their depth and complexity. It seems to be a good springboard and preparation for further reading about Gurdjieff. This book does not delve into anything in depth, but indicates where there is much more to be studied and even recommends ways of doing this, including some more books to read.

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Superb

The best summary of the Work I've ever read, highly recommended even if you've already read the likes of Ouspensky, Gurdjieff, Nicoll, Nott etc. Perhaps my only criticism is that it doesn't really 'sell' the Work as a whole. Gurdjieff's notion of the levels of man is covered along with the overarching concept of raising one's level of being, but there is little if any discussion of why anybody would want to do this. This topic is covered at length in the more detailed accounts (e.g. 'In Search of the Miraculous') but perhaps it could have been touched on here too, so that a reader new to the Work doesn't simply ask, 'So what?' and leave it there.

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4 people found this helpful

First exploration of Gurdjieff

Appreciated the honest and transparent interpretation of Gurdjieff's work. Gil goes to great lengths to emphasise the potential limitations in his understanding. I appreciated his illustrations and personsl accounts, really helpful. An excellent book that encourages me to explore more, including the work of Maurice Nicholl. Thanks to the author.

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Awesome.

I've tried reading Ouspensky before but he just contradicted himself all the time
this makes much more sense

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Ok but just intro without big Work.

good narrator!
good start to G the work.
has to start somewhere.
just start
:-)

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