Fourth Way

Follows Gurdjieff's search for pre-sand Egypt beginning with the Sphinx and Great Pyramid, to Thebes and the Temple in Man and Karnak, to the Valley of the Kings, the Temples of Edfu and Abu Simbel, and into Ethiopia where he unexpectedly discovers the origin of the ancient teaching of The Fourth Way.

Having read all of Gurdjieff's works, the new conclusions in this video were a revelation, and yet I understood their rightness. It was shocking to learn about things in his books that I had read but never before noticed or had overlooked-they were right there all along. The perceptions offered in Gurdjieff in Egypt are immense. I also found astonishing the new evidence of the Sphinx's date of carving that goes so far back in antiquity that it took geologists to see and prove it. Such a different picture of these early Egyptians from the usual, such a high civilization. This video brings these ancient peoples, our "spiritual ancestors," and many ideas to life. It's also beautifully done and enjoyable to watch.

—Karata Swahibu

"Patterson draws the viewer into the esoteric meaning of many of the great treasures of the temples of ancient Egypt, decoding the art, architecture, hieroglyphics, and statuary. He brings particular understanding to the relationship between Horus and Set and the essential tension that binds light to dark, the spiritual to the material. He also comes to the astounding conclusion that prehistoric Egypt was Christian in its teachings, principles and ideas, many thousands of years before the actual birth of Christ. Highly recommended for the serious student."

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Shot on site in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Constantinople, London, Fontainebleau-en-Avon, New York and Lascaux, this documentary video—narrated by William Patrick Patterson and based on his book Struggle of the Magicians—retraces Gurdjieff's mission to introduce the teaching to the West. P.D. Ouspensky's and J.G. Bennett's enigmatic relationship with Gurdjieff are explored. Particularly stressed are the "St. Petersburg Conditions" and Gurdjieff's technique of "divine acting." The video vividly demonstrates Gurdjieff's warning to America of the rise and challenge of the East with footage recalling the 9/11 attack and its aftermath. Only available at this site.

"I not only liked it, I admired it. It's a first-rate documentary from a technical and artistic angle, but more importantly it succeeds in vivifying and condensing without distorting what is-of course-a very important story. Moreover, it acts as a useful teaching vehicle; and for some people it may be their first introduction to a few of the ideas discussed, and to the Gurdjieff/de Hartmann music."—Jeffrey Zaleski, Reviews Editor, Publishers Weekly

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"For years now, Patrick Patterson has been the most interesting and substantial of Gurdjieff's biographers. Gurdjieff's Legacy is absolutely gripping, and the best yet."
—Colin Wilson, author, The War Against Sleep

Shot on site in Paris, Avon, Mont. St. Michel, Lascaux, London, New York, and New Haven, the documentary traces Gurdjieff's life from his near-fatal car crash through to his giving meetings during the Nazi-occupation of Paris to his death in 1949. Examined in depth are the writing of his Legominism All and Everything and his relationships with Orage, Ouspensky and Bennett. Also included is the Rope and his final trip to the Caves of Lascaux.

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Introduction To Gurdjieff's Fourth Way: From Selves To Individual Self To The Self is a comprehensive 2.5 hour introduction to the Fourth Way on DVD. It is structured with an Introduction, three seminar lectures with questions and answers, and a film of the Gurdjieff Celebration meal. The Introduction offers a powerful and insightful critique of modern technology and the danger it poses to humanity and our individual development.

This is followed by the first seminar that considers how do we understand our potential vs. being a machine. This talk introduces Gurdjieff and his teachings, and discusses his search for wisdom and initiation into the Egyptian mysteries. It explains how Gurdjieff travelled the world to collect disparate elements of the teachings, and offer them to those who where ready to receive them. The key issue Patterson emphasizes in this seminar is how we need to escape the false personality, the machine, and wake up, experiencing being truly here.

The second seminar examines what Being really means. Such matters are continued in the third seminar and aspects of the teachings covered in each Q & A session. It is not easy to summarise what Patterson covers in this impressive series. He discusses everything from the multiplicity of selves to the states of consciousness, from self-remembering to the problem of being 'asleep'.

Patterson is an excellent communicator and does not pad out his talks with extraneous tales or anecdotes. He is direct and indeed could be said to speak from a "place of Being" rather than from an intellectual approach alone.

This is a challenging and thought provoking series of talks which will be of interest not only to those practicing the Fourth Way but to anyone who sees there is something seriously wrong with the modern world and understands change must start with themselves.

—Robert Black, New Dawn Magazine

G.I. Gurdjieff is considered one of the most significant spiritual teachers of the 20th century. He developed a unique system of personal development known as the Fourth Way or the Work. He taught there were the ways of the Fakir, the Monk and the Yogi, and now there was a Fourth Way, that of the "Sly Man", which applied the best aspects of the three other ways and combined them in such a method that true awareness could be achieved.

To get a handle on the Fourth Way is not easy. Gurdjieff's published works are obscure and somewhat of an enigma. His magnum opus Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson is an allegorical work that borders on science fiction and runs to over 1,000 pages in length; for many it remains an enigma, especially to those beginning study of the Fourth Way. There are many introductions but most filter the tradition through the mind of the author, P.D. Ouspensky is considered one of the better interpreters of Gurdjieff's work, particularly in relation to The Fourth Way: A record of Talks and Answers to Questions Based on the Teaching of G.I. Gurdjieff.

William Patrick Patterson is the founder/editor of The Gurdjieff Journal, publisher of many significant works on the Fourth Way, and the producer of an award winning three part video series on the life and work of Gurdjieff called The Life & Significance of George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff (it was seven years in the making and received multiple awards; [these DVDs were reviewed in New Dawn 124]).

Patterson has a clear vision of the Fourth Way and decries distortions of the tradition. In Taking with the Left Hand he denounces the corruption of the Enneagram into a pop personality typing system. In Patterson's earlier books such as Eating the I and Struggle of the Magicians: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationships, to his latest releases, I found a unique clarity and insight not found in other Fourth Way titles. He avoids unnecessary obscuration and writes in such a way that complex subjects are more easily comprehended. This is significant considering the nature of the Fourth Way teaching.

—Robert Black, New Dawn

With this background, Patterson developed a practice called "conscious-body-breath-impressions," and went on to write nine books and found the Gurdjieff Legacy Foundation and The Gurdjieff Journal (est. 1992). He has produced an award-winning documentary film trilogy on The Fourth Way and now oversees his Online Fourth Way School.

This present offering is Patterson's third introductory DVD on The Work and consists of one-hour probe and dialogue portions from three separate days of seminars conducted at La Casa de Maria Center for Spiritual Renewal in Santa Barbara, California.

The format is typical of many Fourth Way work/meeting sessions. Patterson speaks for the first half of each hour and then responds to questions and comments from the audience. It is obvious from the quality and depth of the questions that the students are not new to The Work. They are familiar with Work terminology such as 'Real I', 'Knowledge and Being', 'Self-Remembering', 'Identification', 'Kesdjan Body', 'Triad of Forces', 'Three Brained Beings', 'Intentional Suffering', 'Ray of Creation', and more.

While this DVD contains a great deal of significance to continuing students of The Work, it is still valuable to neophytes because of its very practical teaching. It is, however, recommended that one view the first two videos in this series prior to this one for increased understanding.

Patterson echoes many of Gurdjieff's aphorisms but adds additional insight in a straightforward and lucid manner with his words carefully chosen and exhibiting a mastery of the method. He answers the proverbial nagging question of the meaning of one's life and objectively concludes that organic life on Earth, in general, exists only to perpetuate itself in receiving, transforming, and transmitting energy.

However, human beings alone have the potential to do more-to develop themselves to internally function as a true image of God. This can only be done when they come to the realisation, after difficult and persistent work on themselves, that their ordinary lives have no real significance other than that of the rest of organic life, that they are not born with a soul but must develop one, and they cannot do that if they continue to merely live inside their heads in their imagination, self glorification, and self-ego.

The speaker reminds us that we must begin, first of all, to remember at all times that we reside inside a physical body and observe how it reacts to outside forces. We cannot successfully do this alone from reading or talking with others. We need a real teacher in the "lineage of The Work" and a work group to help us withdraw from our addiction to ideas and words and be present in the moment as we attempt to observe physical reality impartially. When we do that we may eventually come to see we are not one, indivisible 'I' but a multitude of little I's which we have no will to control. Interestingly, these little I's can be identified with the different Animals that Adam names in the Book of Genesis, and they respond differently at different times to outside circumstances. This, then, gives us a hint that biblical stories are not to be taken literally but as internal, psychological teachings.

Patterson concludes his third session on the video with the admonition that the various Gurdjieff groups have tended over the years to ignore the Master's definition of The Work as "Esoteric Christianity." He laments the fact that they have lost the realisation that real Christian teaching originated in pre-sand Egypt long before the ancient Egyptian society of our history books. He reminds us that if, indeed, there was a historical Jesus, he existed to reinsert into our consciousness the meaning and the value of "conscience" as a mechanism to actuate the same functioning in ourselves that operates in God and the universe as a whole. In acknowledging that The Fourth Way is a kind of religion in the broadest and fullest interpretation of the word, we are then in a position to appreciate the hidden esoteric meaning of the line in the New Testament that John the Baptist was sent to "prepare The Way" for the coming of the Lord.

A note of caution to the viewer of this video: As is typical with all meetings of authentic Gurdjieff groups, the three sessions included in the DVD are intense and loaded with valuable insights. For full benefit and impact, it is highly recommended they be watched on three separate days and not together at one sitting.

—Alan Glassman, New Dawn

Owing to the circumstances of my life not dependent on me, I have not personally seen the grave where the body of my dear father lies. . . . I therefore, bid any of my sons, whether by blood or in spirit, to seek out, when he has the possibility, this solitary grave.

     —G. I. Gurdjieff
         Meetings with Remarkable Men

William Patrick Patterson undertook a 21-day pilgrimage to visit Mr. Gurdjieff's father's grave in Gyumri, Armenia. Travelling backward in time, he revisited Gurdjieff's life:

• Gurdjieff's grave and the Prieuré in Avon, France
• Kumbaraci and Yemenici streets in Istanbul, where Gurdjieff and his students lived
• Prinkipo Island on the Sea of Marmara, where Gurdjieff often visited P. D. Uspenskii
• Tiflis, where Gurdjieff opened his Institute at 22 Nikolas Street and first named it the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man
• Kars, Gurdjieff's home in the medieval quarter and the Kars Military Cathedral where he sang in the choir
• Ani, the ancient city where the Sarmoung manuscript was discovered
• Sanahin Monastery, Armenia, where Gurdjieff served as an acolyte
• Gyumri, Armenia, where Gurdjieff was born in the Greek Quarter at 222 Matnishyan Street
• Gyumri's Old Cemetery and Mr. Gurdjieff's father's grave

Gurdjieff was about finding and living a vow—one's sacred obligation. His intended purpose was to merge the teachings of East and West and to bring them to modernity, and to account for the "sense and significance of organic life, and human life in particular." He sought to use the scientific "methods" of the west to elucidate and crystallize the mysteries of the east. And he paid a heavy price.

In his own book, Meetings with Remarkable Men, Gurdjieff wrote: "Owing to the circumstances of my life not dependent on me, I have not personally seen the grave where the body of my dear father lies....I therefore, bid any of my sons, whether by blood or in spirit, to seek out, when he has the possibility, this solitary grave."

So that William Patrick Patterson's DVD follows his 21-day pilgrimage to visit Mr. Gurdjieff's father's grave in Gyumri, Armenia. Travelling backward in time, he revisited Gurdjieff's life and, without "spoiling" the climax, he honors and restores the grave site of Gurdjieff's father.

In this way Patterson demonstrates a deeply held conviction and dedication not only to his teacher, and fellow pupils, but he actually weaves a thread that modern seekers and students can follow to get a taste of traditions and ways of being that are threatened with extinction. The film covers:

• Gurdjieff's grave and the Prieuré in Avon, France
• Kumbaraci and Yemenici streets in Istanbul, where Gurdjieff and his students lived
• Prinkipo Island on the Sea of Marmara, where Gurdjieff often visited P. D. Uspenskii (Ouspensky)
• Tiflis, where Gurdjieff opened his Institute at 22 Nikolas Street and first named it the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man
• Kars, Gurdjieff's home in the medieval quarter and the Kars Military Cathedral where he sang in the choir
• Ani, the ancient city where the Sarmoung manuscript was discovered
• Sanahin Monastery, Armenia, where Gurdjieff served as an acolyte
• Gyumri, Armenia, where Gurdjieff was born in the Greek Quarter at 222 Matnishyan Street
• Gyumri's Old Cemetery and Mr. Gurdjieff's father's grave

This DVD is not a light and "positive" story; rather it is a heartfelt and deeply passionate tribute to an entire career and teaching, undertaken as lived experience. Watching it provides a brief and tiny glimmer into a sense of tradition, honour, and sacred obligation that is difficult to find in modern times.

—Tom Bunzel, Collective Evolution

"William Patrick Patterson's books become more profound and exciting as time goes on. Spiritual Survival is one of the best so far, full of wonderful insights."
—Colin Wilson, author, War Against Sleep

"Readers of Patterson's Eating the 'I', or any of his other books, would be aware of his brilliance as an author. Patterson, a student of the late Lord John Pentland—whom the spiritual teacher G.I. Gurdjieff personally appointed to lead the 'Work' in America—is the founder/director of The Gurdjieff Studies Program.

"Spiritual Survival is Patterson's seventh book on Gurdjieff's Fourth Way teachings, and, he confesses, is likely to be his last. While his previous six books dealt primarily with either the "introduction or establishment of the Fourth Way in the West... or [with] the arrogations and distortions of the teaching," Spiritual Survival "is on the teaching itself, as it has been practiced, experienced and understood."

"Patterson explains in the book's introduction that we live in a radically changing world-time, and are becoming increasingly dependent on technology, to the point where we are "in danger of losing our freedom to machines."

"But, rather than pointing the finger at technology itself—which he describes as a reflection of humanity—the real cause of danger is the "part of us that so identifies with technology that we allow our purpose and meaning as human beings to be defined and limited in this rational part's image so that, unwillingly, we will only want to become better machines."

"What Patterson's saying, in a nutshell, is that by becoming slaves to technology, we are giving more power to the mechanical side of ourselves, thereby hindering our spiritual growth (what Gurdjieff would refer to as a 'descending octave'). This is an important and timely message.

"Any thinking person would agree that humanity's dependence on technology is worrying—as can easily be observed by traveling on public transport, for example, with the majority of commuters listening to iPods or playing games on their mobile phones, completely oblivious to themselves and their environment.

"No wonder Gurdjieff remarked, "Man's slavery grows and increases. Man is becoming a Willing slave . . . He begins to grow fond of his slavery, to be proud of it."

"As an ardent follower of The Fourth Way, Patterson shares Gurdjieff's philosophy that man is a machine (more correctly, a bioplasmic machine), "working solely under the power of external influences." We believe ourselves to be conscious when in fact we are asleep.

"We also delude ourselves into thinking that we have a single, permanent, indivisible 'I', and are in complete control of our lives. In reality, taught Gurdjieff, we are not one 'I', but an assemblage of 'I's. In his own words: "[Man's] I changes as quickly as his thoughts, feelings, and moods, and he makes a profound mistake in considering himself always one and the same person; in reality, he is always a different person, not the one he was a moment ago."

"Students of The Fourth Way aim to develop real 'I', to become one, to live in essence not in false personality, gradually emerging from the state of sleep in which we live our lives. To achieve this, to cease being a machine, a number of practices are followed, the main one being 'self remembering', which is a meditative exercise that involves dividing one's attention between one's body (the subject) and one's external environment (the object).

"Patterson gives a brief explanation of the theory behind this practice. However, since this is not a 'how-to' book on the practices of The Fourth Way, but a 'taste' of what the teaching is about, the book is composed primarily of exchanges between Patterson and his students during Fourth Way meetings.

"Most of these exchanges, which are really questions and answers, relate to the very fundamentals of the teaching, and concern observations of the body and mind. To be honest, my initial reaction to this material was one of indifference. Gradually, though, my interest increased, and I began to grasp the true value of this information, even applying it to my own life.

"The questions asked by Patterson's students, although seemingly mundane, are extremely important since they concern issues of interest to everyone. Equally important and often profound are the answers Patterson gives to these questions.

"One student mentions, for example, that they often find themselves "caught up in negative imagination about what may befall me and my family." Patterson responds: "Why the negativity? We must be getting something from it? If you observe, you'll see, strange as it may sound, we take pleasure in being negative."

"Another student asks: "If I'm asleep, then how do I live my life?" Patterson replies: "You don't live it, it lives you. Picture yourself in a sail boat asleep at the helm. Instead of being steered, the boat is taken by the currents and winds." One of the things I admire most about this book is its practical, no-nonsense approach to spiritual matters.

"Making up more than a third of the book's content are a collection of Fourth Way probes and essays. (Probes are spontaneous talks on various aspects of the teaching.) The latter were originally published in The Gurdjieff Journal, of which Patterson is the founder/editor.

"Topics discussed include 'Who is Mr. Gurdjieff?', 'The Question of Rebirth', and 'The Redeemed Beelzebub'. Those who already have a basic understanding of the teaching will find much food for thought in these essays.

"As is typical of Patterson, he writes with great intelligence and clarity, displaying a deep understanding of The Fourth Way.

"Those who would like to know more about the practical side of The Fourth Way, such as what is discussed during Fourth Way meetings, and what it means to apply the teaching to one's life, would be doing themselves a favor by reading this wonderful book.

"Of course, as Patterson explains, "One cannot practice the Fourth Way alone; it is absolutely necessary to have a teacher, and be involved in a group with other students. He reminds us repeatedly this is only an introduction to the teaching, "a taste of the possibility of self-transformation and transcendence."

"I have no doubt that Spiritual Survival will, just as Patterson intended, "serve as a bridge for a seeker wishing to become a candidate to enter The Fourth Way, an ancient living teaching, the teaching for our time."
—Louis Proud, New Dawn Magazine, September-October 2010

No softcover will be published.

"Explores the seminal teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff's Fourth Way in great and original depth through a detailed introduction, illustrative meetings and probes and essays of key esoteric ideas and practices of how to self-awaken in this radically changing world-time. In this seventh and final book on Gurdjieff's teaching, William Patrick Patterson warns that unless we learn to control Technology, it will control us. We will lose our spiritual heritage and simply become machine-like worker ants. Patterson holds that Technology is not different from us—it is simply our rational part developed to an extraordinary binary degree. To understand it, we must first understand ourselves and our potential which is the focus of the teaching."
—Arizona Networking News

"G. I. Gurdjieff's Fourth Way is an ancient spiritual teaching for modern times which directly confronts technology and its potential for damaging spirituality. Spiritual Survival in a Radically Changing World-Time is a teaching guide presenting not just the concepts, but how to actually apply them in our ordinary lives. Case history examples pack a survey of philosophical and psychological ideas to complete a context that lets us know where we are, how we got there and what to do about it."
—Diane C. Cox, Editor, The Bookwatch

"Although inclined to skepticism about Castaneda, I found myself reading The Life & Teachings of Carlos Castaneda with total fascination. As it tells just about everything, I imagine this will be the definitive book on Castaneda."
—Colin Wilson, author, The Outsider and The Occult

"Patterson brings original insight into the forces and influences that formed Castaneda's sorceric adventure. Particularly interesting are the role of Anaïs Nin and the revelation of the source of many of Castaneda's supposedly sorceric ideas."
—Mary Ellen Korman, author, A Woman's Work: The Life of Ethel Merston

"A must read for anyone who has followed Carlos on his extraordinary journey. The way William Patrick Patterson expounds on Carlos' teachings is astounding!"
—Margaret Runyan, author, A Magical Journey with Carlos Castaneda

"This is the most brilliant and insightful rendering to date of the 'Ultimate Impeccable Warrior,' Carlos Castaneda, my father."
—C.J. Castaneda

"A lucid and compelling account of conflict and charlatanism surrounding one of the most important alternative spiritual movements of our day. Indeed, one sees the crisis unfold before one's eyes, for the author does not hesitate to charge those he finds responsible for debasement of the message of George Gurdjieff with opportunism and self-inflation. This book is important as a 'white paper' for those concerned about the broader Gurdjieff movement, and as a case study for all students of contemporary spiritual movements."
—Robert S. Ellwood, Chairman, Dept. of Religion, University of Southern California.

"William Patrick Patterson's Taking With the Left Hand deals with esoteric teachings in a modern context. In this collection of three essays about various aspects of the legacy of the influential spiritual teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff, the author tackles the enneagram craze, the teachings of Boris Mouravieff and a Gurdjieff splinter group, expanding his discussion of these relatively parochial issues to raise more universal questions about the nature and transmission of spiritual truth."

—Publishers Weekly

"Taking With the Left Hand is quite remarkable. I have read it with great pleasure. Patterson always writes absorbingly, and there is no one in the field of Gurdjieff/Oupensky studies that I respect more, or regard as having more authority."

—Colin Wilson, author, From Atlantis to the Sphinx