C.S NOTT Part I

Two books by C.S. NOTT are important reads for persons interested in GURDJIEFF and will appeal to certain individuals more than to others, as my discussion(s) of him and his writings may show more clearly as we proceed. The first,'TEACHINGS OF GURDJIEFF' 'THE JOURNAL OF A PUPIL','AN ACCOUNT OF SOME YEARS WITH G. I. GURDJIEFF AND A. R. ORAGE IN NEW YORK AND AT FONTAINEBLEAU-AVON' and the second,'JOURNEY THROUGH THIS WORLD' METINGS WITH GURDJIEFF,ORAGE & OUSPENSKY' contain information of a 'detailed' nature which I had read years ago, but being concerned with certain 'work ideas', had overlooked despite numerous readings and re-readings. For example, I now see some of the dance descriptions have actual names and places associated with them as regards to what NOTT claims to have witnessed when GURDJIEFF came to New York City and which he claims to have seen in his own 'pre-Gurdjieff' trips and travels in the Near East, China, India,etc. But I have not read of anyone verifying any of this,but why would they? How reliable is any dance of song or music from the East that Westerneers all lump together as 'ASIAN', 'EASTERN', RUSSIAN' CHINESE' GYPSY' 'PERSIAN' OR 'HINDU' OR 'JAPANESE' etc. when they hear 'THE EXOTIC STRAINS' OF NOTES AND CHORDS FOREIGN TO THEIR EARS? They also lack precise knowledge or one that is based on actual experience such as, dancing or playing or singing such things, though there are some very wonderfully rare exceptions to this state of affairs and have been over the centuries. There are academic studies and the like to be sure and these can help one at times, but the effort to do so, to experience such for any prolonged term is difficult, if not impossible to sustain for contemporary peoples of 'pop' culture usually. How can you remember 'foreign' names and titles and 'replay' such? That is from your memories of any such listening,hearing, playing, dancing,etc. in the ordinary way one does such? Can you recall any tunes or songs of 'native' bands or groups in far-flung lands and exotic cultures in any 'exact' way? Most of us can't and I am not real exception to this sad state of affairs and I can give many excuses and 'reasons' for such 'deriliction of duty'. I look at music that I can recall and name and of what does this consist? I cannot distinguish between 'ancient funeral dirges','Caucasian Waltzes' or 'Hindu' Ragas or 'Sufi'whirls to any great extent,if at all...My ignorance is overwhelming to me...on all of this....and some might well ask, why make any effort to know or find out or experience such? But one would ahve to SENSE, FEEL and UNDERGO the actual VIBRATIONAL RHYTHMS FROM ACTUAL PERFORMANCE(s). SUCH MUSIC IS NOT MERELY A 'SESSION' OR A 'PERFORMANCE' OR A 'CONCERT' but should be an EXPERIENCE THAT AFFECTS ALL OF THE CENTERS IN MAN.....OBJECTIVE MUSIC, ART, ETC. rather than merely 'subjective' as most of this stuff is in contemporary culture....which blends, indiscrimantly all musical forms and brands and vibrations etc. in a huge tub that anyone and everyone can take a bath......or shower....as the case may be