"AMERICA IS THE BACKDOOR TO THE EAST"

"America is the 'backdoor' to Asia' is a statement attributed to Mr. Gurdjieff which I came across in a review of a new book which some might think rather 'odd' to make about the United States and especially so if nothing else can elucidate what Mr. Gurdjieff was implying or actually meant....                                             The same book that was reviewed reveals a number of things that many have not known perhaps about THE WORK, THE SYSTEM,etc. and, of course, about Mr. Gurdjieff the man and his family and life. I have yet to read the book but I found enough in the review of it to, as they say, 'wet(whet) my whistle(knife).                                                                           This statement is certainly true today for the United States, as not only more products from Asia are being sold here and more immigrants from there arriving daily and yearly, but also more 'American' going over to Asia and elsewhere for various reasons: from business, exporting jobs there, but also to teach,to learn, to travel, to work, etc.  The globalization of the world as it now exists in its present form(s) indeed has made The United States of American a backdoor to ASIA so much so that one need not leave its shores to join Zen, Yoga, Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu, etc. temples or Islamic Mosques and take up exotic arts such as, dances, music, martial arts, crafts, etc. but do so here without having to spend a lot of money and time in the lands of such things' origins.  As for cuisine, all the foods of Asia are found now in even the smallest villages in Vermont,New Hampshire, Maine, New York,etc. and not just in California as they once were...               Moreover,one can find various Asian cultural centers, and other things, such as, visiting performers from Asian lands, and also learn Asian languages in many ways from Native speakers,etc.                                     The Door to the Mysterious East is now WIDE OPEN via the UNITED STATES....a true back door to the world of ASIA.

FOURTH WAY, LA

This is the name of the group in which I am posting various topics, some of which interest me and also on others than have less interest for me or for my aims,etc.  The members of this interesting and informative group all have made some energetic and exuberant postings, as well as a few that have stirred the pot, added some spice of controversy, and the usual seasonings.........Others invoke the 'PROTOCOL' either to rant for it or rant against it, and others to just keep things on 'an even keel' as they sail up and down, across and back, THE STREAMS & RIVERS that figure in much of the FOURTH WAY imagery......Some postings are erudite and 'scientific' while others appeal to the 'mystical/emotional/religious/etc' 'i's,machine(s), and so on.....Much of the discussion is apt to be, in my estimation, tipped towards the 'theoretical', the 'abstract', and make appeals to reason and rational thinking or special positions and stances and interests that sometimes carry one afield, though most are apt to have special associations that lure one in to the discussions, in a tempting manner.....Some participants lack an obvious sense of humor while others have a great deal of fun in innuendo, satire, irony, and the like......some step on toes and evoke the usual reactions to jabs and kicks and the like.....Great fun, great postings, and a sense of certain things 'GURDJIEFFIAN' if one can get off their 'official' soapboxes' even if they are in the open air of a park,which is,of course, FACE BOOK... This means that THE FOURTH WAY/THE WORK/ THE GURDJIEFF 'LEGACY' FOR MANKIND is now GLOBALIZED, accessible, available, and somewhat 'inexpensive' save for the efforts,energies, etc. one needs to actually work and access such..

GURDJIEFF GROUPS & FACE BOOK POSTINGS

I have recently joined  three FACE BOOK GROUPS that have very interesting and informative postings with some very talented and intelligent persons and I wish to mention that some of  these groups have a certain protocol to be followed that others may not wish to follow for all kinds of reasons...However, if one is serious,honest, and has an AIM these postings will prove stimulating and irritating in many ways and a good way to assess what you are thinking, feeling or trying as you do.

FOURTH WAY,LA

I have recently joined several groups that are discussing the FOURTH WAY, MR. GURDJIEFF, MR, OUSPENKY, and many others...I have posted a number of comments that have garnered interesting and most informative responses, comments, and suggestions, all of which I deeply appreciate, although perhaps some of my comments are a bit 'abrasive' and 'wiseacreing' etc. and occasionally not right on the topic but a sort of meandering of mine, a tendency that many do not tolerate or 'suffer'.                                                                                                                                                                                 Nevertheless, I plan to discuss and comment on certain aspects of THE FOURTH WAY when and if I have time to do so...and perhaps take up items that some do not pay much attention to or discuss or think about....let alone comment upon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Mr. Gurdjieff has made a great influence on many persons, groups, and areas that are not always acknowledged, credited, accepted, or understood and that is to be expected in the contemporary world as it continues to exist and perhaps 'evolve' or is destroyed unless certain things are done by mankind.

The consequences of our actions and sometimes of our beliefs and prejudices are numerous and in our basic 'ignorance' of the laws that Mr. Gurdjieff expounded upon and taught to others, we have yet to understand or employ and so my blog is a very meager attempt to bring some of these things to their attention.

Those who consider themselves in the FOURTH WAY are sometimes mistaken in thinking and assuming they really are, but still we have to start somewhere, from where we are, however limited we are or however ignorant and prejudices we may be, and begin to make an effort to achieve AN AIM
 and to also: ' REMEMBER OURSELVES ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE."

HERBERT D. CROLY 1869-1930

In the book, FOOTPRINTS OF THE PAST,Images of Cornish,New Hampshire & The Cornish Colony by Virginia Reed Colby & James B.Atkinson, which I bought recently in my quest to research on my Grandfather, Frank Jones, and Cornish, while doing some TV projects for Public Access Television, I came across the name of HERBERT D. CROLY, who,in the words of the book,'head b ecome enarmored of the ideas of a mystic religious cult led by Georges I. Gurdjieff'. There is,of course more to this, that what is said in this book,for CROLY and also his father, were interesting persons who had specific views on race,birth control, race, politics, and social ideas which focused on such and reflected somem of the prevalent and progressive notions of the day..and knew Margaret Sanger and also the Eugenics Movement that led to 'sterilization programs of Blacks and Native Americans' and other 'undesirables' such as the feeble-minded..... The Art Colony of Cornish as well as some of the other 'famous' residents in that area, no doubt, played their part in Croly's life and thought, but he began by studying philosopy under William James and is thought to have gone to Paris to study philosophy around 1899. He is,of course, well-known for his being one of the co-founders of the NEW REPUBLIC and that is another story as is his change of political and social and economic viewpoints that drastically changed,somewhat as he neared the end of his life..... Like Orage, another 'literary figure of note, who was also involved in'economic' thoughts and tendencies of specific notions, Croly was apparently drawn to 'higher' thoughts and aspirations, possibly focused on the 'intellectual' center, as were many of Gurdjieff's followers...attracted by the 'ideas' of the system rather than the needed/necessary work on the emotions and body.... I am not sure if anything is existing that might show his concerns and interests in a better light as concerns 'THE FOURTH WAY'...

OUSPENSKY & GURDJIEFF-

GURDJIEFF created THE STRUGGLE OF YES & NO(that of the MAGICIANS) in OUSPENSKY who did not realize that everything he puzzled about was given, was under his very nose, and may well seem apparent to others but not to Ouspensky. GURDJIEFF,knowing OUSPENSKY'S resistance and reluctance to conditions and following things without a goal under immediate obligation and/or commitment, particularly of a 'religious' nature without intellectual discussion and 'knowledge', seemed to emphasize all thse things to arouse, initiate,awaken OUSPENSKY,who could not bridge the gap between mind(thought) and emotion(feelings) nor go to the point of controlling the body, the physcial, so that THREE GAPS in his machine, his existence, his 'being' remained..... GURDJIEFF always seemed to 'mirror' certain traits,types, and characters of his folowers,disciples, students, which many could not stand, admit,accept, or work on beyond a certain point or else they abandoned all efforts. OUSPENSKY kept exerting a sor tof 'stubborn' effort along lines and a direction he considered or claimed was the same a GURDJIEFF'S, at leas originally and also rationalized that he was 'saving the system', keeping it 'pure' etc.ignoring that all he learned about it, such as it was, came from GURDJIEFF. But Ouspensky,like others and myself,also, find an urge, a tendency, even a perversity, to mix other ideas and practices,and beliefs and attenuate the WORK, the SYSTEM, etc. in some way. WE ALWAYS THINK AND FEEL WE KNOW MORE AND CAN DO BETTER OR IMPROVE THE SYSTEM....such is our human weakness....

PRE-SAND EGYPT & GURDJIEFF

After attending a lecture and slide presentation,etc. on 'Sacred Dance(s)' given in Vermont recently, the various Ancient Dances of Egypt,Crete, Greece, and Rome, in particular,seemed more relevant to the Teachings of Gurdjieff and some of his travels in Egypt,Nubi,Abyssinia(Ehtiopia) and Crete as well as Greece....many might wonder why he seeming ignored Rome and Roman dances,etc....well, he might have known of Etruscan, Sicilian, and, of course, the Lascaux Caves /'dances' and 'rituals' etc. which need further discussion but at another time..... The Romans, from what I recently read in a book I shall list when I have time, apparently took the 'mystery' out of religion and replaced it with 'doctrine'......thus,undermining the 'esoteric' basis for religious conformity among other things.... The Ancient Mystery Religions of the Near East dwelt often on the notion of 'sacrifice'and the last ceremonies of such are said to reside in THE LAST SUPPER but not the original one with CHRIST or JESUS....many 'magicians' and 'occultists' of all varieties have considered the MASS,especially the special masses and High Masses, as 'magical ceremonies', magical rites and rituals' that evoke and invoke various 'gods' and 'angels' and other entities,usually descending from Heaven or God,etc..... However,the BLOOD & FLESH of which CHRIST speaks and gives to his disciples at the LAST SUPPER,which some relegate to a simple 'Passover' meal(which commemorates another 'sacrifice of Egyptian firstborn' that many have forgotten as far as Christianity goes),was according to Gurdjieff, as mentioned by Ouspensky, the actual Blood and Flesh of Christ that was consumed by the Disciples at that Supper-an 'initiation' ceremony possibly, but one that was to keep the Presence of Christ within them, through 'magic'....that is, the astral body of Christ would be connected to theirs.....as He knew he was to die and each disciple apparently knew beforehand,especially at this Supper, the Last One, what his role was to be in all the coming events until the Resurrection. Certainly, some psychoanalysts and psychologists and anthropologists, etc. have described the EUCHARIST or the LAST SUPPER AND MASS as 'ritual cannibalism'....and certain 'black magicians' have seemingly adopted some literal aspects of such ceremonies as have some groups in rather wild circumstances or among 'so-clled' primitive and superstitious persons or cultures or tribes, etc. and also some serial killers of note.... As somewhat disturbing for ordinary minds, these considerations do have a mystical/arcane/occult significance and meaning but I shall have to leave all this to another time for practical reasons...