The Harmonious Circle: The Lives and Work of G. I. Gurdjieff, P.D. Ouspensky, and Their Followers

by James Webb

Discusses the work of G.I. Gurdjieff and his establishment of the Institute for the Harmonious Development of man, and examines the contributions of Gurdjieff's two major disciples, P.D. Ouspensky and A.R. Orage

Genres: Religion, Occult, Nonfiction, Spirituality, History

608 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 1987

About the author

James Webb, from Perthshire, Scotland, was schooled at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a ghost-writer, television producer-trainee, and schoolmaster before turning fulltime to writing in 1969. He specializes in all aspects of the irrational, especially in Celtic areas. He is a member of the American Society for Psychical Research, and has contributed to Man, Myth and Magic, and The Encyclopaedia of the Unexplained.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has been awhile since I read this book, but what I most remember about it is that Webb is a bit of a sensationalist. When dealing with someone like the sloe-eyed Gurdjieff, and a Prieure full of incredibly talented, illustrous followers, it is not hard to fall into the tabloid reporting trap. Others resisted and wrote more balanced works.

[Walter]

This is a massive intellectual history of George Ivanovitch GURDJIEFF and of his followers, such as P.D. Ouspensky. James Webb is (or was) the most intellectual author of the history of occultism in Germany, Russia, England, France, etc, etc. His vast and comprehensive approach could not have been accomplished if Mr. Webb was not thoroughly fluent in German, Russian and French. Originally a professor at either Cambridge or Oxford, James Webb is seriously skeptical regarding the supernatural origin of psychic phenomena. This does not detract him at all in his spectacular analysis of the profound philosophies of the greatest Masters of Occultism of recent times. He knows in detail the works of Aleister Crowley, H.P.Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner, Gurdjieff and other big figures in the occult constellation. He also has a fantastic British sense of humour. Of course, he is (or was) an Englishman. One could compare him only to the other Isaac Asimov of the occult: Colin Wilson.
To study Gurjieff would occupy an entire lifetime. Mr. Webb has lived several times this record. He also wrote two other masterpieces of the history of turn-of-the-century magical revival, namely, "The Occult Underground" and "The Occult Establishment". This last book is a detailed analysis of the occult influences that preponderated in the minds of such giants as Adolf Hitler and of Heinrich Himmler. Mr. Webb's style is dense, scholarly, but extremely interesting. It is very strange indeed that he chose to terminate his own life after a revelation was given to him that he was trapped in Nietzsche's concept of The Eternal Return. He could not believe that he had already done the same thing previously in a former life. This is a Buddhist concept: eternal recurrence; and I cannot conceive how James Webb was not immune to it. Thus, despite his extremely unusual death (he committed suicide at the peak of his career), he is the most authoritative expert on the history of the practice, form and authorship of Occultism.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great references for further study. Read the first half carefully, the second a carefull skimming, I would like to revisit this book, however, something in it the type or the size of the type font presents a difficulty in reading? I am not sure of this perhaps it is because I do not read many biographies. Still very worthwhile if you are studying "The Work" or "The System".

[Cypress Butane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, great multiple-subject biography. Tons of information and well written, very well rounded.