The Reality of Being: The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff

by Jeanne de Salzmann

Based on notebooks kept by G.I. Gurdjieff's closest follower, this book offers new insight on his spiritual teachings—a way of gnosis or "knowledge of being" passed on from remote antiquity. It is a complete and uniquely authoritative guide to the great teacher's ideas and to his methods for liberating ourselves from the state of "waking sleep" in which most of us live our lives.

Gurdjieff respected traditional religious practices, which he regarded as falling into three general categories or "ways": the Way of the Fakir, related to mastery of the physical body; the Way of the Monk, based on faith and feeling; and the Way of the Yogi, which focuses on development of the mind. He presented his teaching as a Fourth Way that integrated these three aspects into a single path of self-knowledge. Progress in the Fourth Way comes through conscious effort toward a quality of thinking and feeling that brings a new capacity to see clearly and to love.

Genres: Philosophy, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Mysticism, Esoterica

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jeanne de Salzmann was born in 1889 in Reims, France and raised in Geneva, Switzerland. She married Alexandre de Salzmann, a well-known Russian painter, in 1912 and returned to his home in Tiflis in the Caucasus mountain region of southern Russia. She met Gurdjieff in 1919 in Tiflis, became committed to his work, and remained close to him until his death in Paris thirty years later.

Before he died Gurdjieff charged Mme. de Salzmann to live to be "over 100" in order to establish his teaching. He left her all his rights with respect to his writings and dance exercises called the "Movements."

During the next forty years she arranged for publication of his books and preservation of the Movements, and established Gurdjieff centers to practice the teaching in Paris, New York, and London, as well as Caracas, Venezuela.

Mme. de Salzmann died at the age of 101 in Paris in 1990.

{taken from realityofbeing.org/about}

Reviews

[Dean Paradiso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm giving this book three stars. I was hoping for more from this book, probably due to the write-ups and recommendations (mainly by Foundation followers and Fourth Wayers). I really wanted to enjoy the book, and took time reading it. As others have commented, it is a 'hard slog' to get though. Mainly because it is composed of the author's personal diary entries, and in no particular plan or aim. The book is largely impractical (again to my disappointment), and in some parts drones on about one's inability to 'do', to focus, to gather attention, to unify the centres, to become more conscious etc. Most of the ideas have been done before (and better) in Gurdjieff's own books, or Ouspensky's.
The positives (and why I will keep the book) relate to how the author writes from her own perspective, and in that the book could easily be read aloud, with some effect happening in the reader. Her experiences are universal, and the sufferings detailed are all of our sufferings.
There are a couple of unique practices (but very few) given, mainly in gathering attention (such as in focusing on body parts and intoning 'I am' etc.). Some nice work is written about self-observation and self-remembering (and the need for it). However, unlike Ouspensky's work, the actual detail in performing this is left out, and rather the author's subjective thoughts about how difficult it is etc. etc. are written (again in diary style).
There's a bit of a departure from Gurdjieff's standard set of teachings here, and the book drifts into Nondual/Buddhist/Advaita type philosophy in more than a few spots. Some of Gurdjieff's ideas about needing to form a 'soul', or voluntary suffering, sneak in here and there, but there's also the idea given here that there is a Presence available now, from the start (which clearly goes against what Gurdjieff taught in a few places). There are more examples of where she has gone off into her own philosophy throughout the book, which is fine, though probably needs to be acknowledged by some of her students (rather than the usual story of how the author was the 'appointed heir and custodian' of Gurdjieff's work).
Overally, a good read for those familiar with the "Work", though don't expect anything earth-shattering here that can't be found elsewhere.

[David Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because of a friend, and because of the work of Jacob Needleman, I've become interested in the GurdIjieff work, which was one of the "new religions" of the 20th century. I really think these folks just discover the old truths and then try to re-invent the wheel, when they could easily just go back to the existing traditions. Gurdjieff as far as I can tell was just trying to teach presence, and he could have done what the Zen teachers did and just have people sit and stare at the wall. Jeanne de Salzmann was one of his leading disciples, and apparently had his child, which is taking discipleship to a whole new level. A number of people—including Needleman—think she was a realized person. This book was created from the notebooks she kept, and it isn’t clear that she ever intended them to be published. She seems to be trying to describe what one learns from awareness practice, so the book is extremely abstract, though interesting. I read it in small doses. At one point she more or less gives the instructions for zazen, including the way we hold the cosmic mudra. I did find her book quite interesting, and well written, but she’s essentially trying to describe something that is ineffable, and that ain’t easy.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Reality ... this is by far the best book gurdijeff i have ever read. no doubt it was by his secretary.
Find out who you are. find out who " i am" is
there is something gentile and profound about this book
for 4 weeks i held unto it carefully exploring each sentence like a labyrinth. it was mind blowing to say the least and i have read a LOT of books on gurdijeff . next to the fourth way and the man himself this is a highly recommended book

[Beklan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is beyond!

Do not believe any of the comments you see here. Get a sample of this book and read it yourself and then decide if it is for you or not..Never seen such a book that tells the difficulties of awakening so eloquently..
This book has given me so much happiness! Thank you!

[Luis José Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

He leído y votado "El cuarto camino de Gurdjieff" escrito por Jorge Blaschke. No está en la base de datos de Goodreads así que he buscado uno lo más parecido posible. Es una pena que hayan quitado la opción de añadir libros a Goodreads.

[Lina Slavova · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I read this book is because I am trying to understand Pamela L. Travers's life time fascination with the Gurdjieff's teachings. It took me forever to finish this book written by Gurdjieff's most fervent student and follower Jeanne de Salzmann.

There was nothing enjoyable about the book. Do not waste time reading it.

Although, I now have an idea about what might have motivated Pamela L. Travers to join the ranks of Gurdjieff's followers but that I will explore in a future post on the marypoppinseffect.com blog.

Again stay away from this book. Total nonsense, an amalgamation of different eastern spiritual teachings with some extravagant twists, presented in a negative an unsupportive of the self way.

[Mark Esping · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this rather slowly. It has a framework which presents the information in many various parts or segments of a system. It gives several exercises, one of which was quite revealing for me. Train the attention to notice sensation. I will now go back and reread a reading per week. Interesting guidance.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entirely decent companion to Gurdjieff's writings. My only complaint is that De Salzmann is, at times, slightly less interesting to read than Gurdjieff himself; I found myself picking up his writings at times instead of paying attention to reading hers.

[Andrea Avalon]

An amazon reviewer said that Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now is a good primer. This is the the advanced course. " I'm definitely interested in reading this book.

[Kees Voorhoeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

See Reality of Being: http://www.realityofbeing.org/
See excerpts: http://www.realityofbeing.org/excerpt...

[Averill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This reminds me allot of krishnamurti's works. I guess all swami talk sounds the same... Absolve ego, ascend self,stop thinking, repeat lol. All jokes aside it was an ok book, repetitive but ok.

[Aktanin Khair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best for inner journey

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was like a very dry theoretical lecture in the Work. She gives very little to the reader, if indeed it is her writing.

[Anamigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing to say
It's amazing...❤

[Fred Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to review this; it is not what I expected from the title. It is certainly not a presentation of Gurdjieff, although his influence permeates much of it. You can find references to the Law of Three and the Law of Seven, etc. But much of it has the flavor of Zen, some of Dzogchen. There are better places to learn about that, and from actual teachers in those lineages. If you are interested primarily in the teachings of Gurdjieff, you are well advised to stick to the works of Mr. G himself and Mr. Ouspensky.

I would be surprised if Madame de Salzmann would have published the book in this form herself. It is mostly excerpts from personal journals, much about her own experiences in using Eastern meditation techniques, edited by anonymous persons. There is some good content, but it is a disappointment.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like a spiritual test. It's a very dense read with many pearls of wisdom throughout and yet, it feels largely directionless. Part of me thinks that the meandering labyrinth of ideas creates a purposeful energetic barrier that keeps the wrong people from reading it. The other part of me thinks there has to be a better way to present these ideas for those uninterested in going on an aimless labyrinthian journey. And another higher part of my consciousness thinks that my experience of this book is based largely on a projection of my own insecurity of needing to get to the point as soon as possible or everyone will be bored and irritated.
Anyway, four stars because I still think this is a valuable read.

[Chad Warren · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you want to read in 258 pages what could be said in one, this is the book for you. Have you ever meditated? (Sitting still for awhile while doing as little as possible.) Not good enough for you? Ok, then listen to someone strain and not achieve anything but frustration attempting to balance the body, emotions, sensations and feelings in order to find the true self who was a disciple of Gurdjieff work on this book he didn't finish.

[orez reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es uno de los mejores libros para quienes llevan a la práctica las ideas G.I. Gurdjieff.
El nivel de descripción y detalle de experiencias que brinda la Sra. de Salzmann es algo que no se encuentra en otra parte.
No se trata de una lectura fácil, debido a la intensidad que de cada párrafo y la atención que requiere del lector.

[Anthony O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good book, but just a book

There are a lot of extraordinary claims. Some of it if taken literally is obviously nonsense. But who knows some of it might even be true. In which case the book, any book, is but a flutter of a suggestion.

[Donatella Zabetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best book about Gurdjieff.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult reading for a person that does not have experience with Jeanne De Salzmann.

[Harry Roedersheimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inner insights

One of the inner circle details her understandings. There are instructions to be uncovered. The Work is clear in her writing.

[Pin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one makes you dream of a dancing practice

[Eugenia Montiel Aceti · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that I've read; elucidates the workings of the mind, and the many struggles to calm it to remain in a neutral state - to elucidate yourself.

[Sonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transformative wisdom that is mostly way too advanced for me.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

esoteric but helpful