George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff (1866-1949) left a legacy of unique diversity and the expression of an organic and coherent thought form. Besides his three books, which present an original vision of God, the universe and mankind, he also composed 200 musical pieces and created an intriguing set of dances and physical exercises called "Movements".
"The true intention of our society seems to be to separate people from the responsibility of their lives and actions. The path of transformation must be exactly the opposite of this; it must make us free, responsible individuals who are able to direct their own lives in accordance with a higher aim."
-J. G. Bennett-
Gurdjieff calls his teaching method "the Work" because it requires from us a real effort that we can do in an invisible and internal way. We are speaking of internal psychological work, a work that requires not only to know the ideas but also to apply them and to experience them in ourselves. This practical application leads us to a personal change that opens us to a new level of knowledge that some have called "knowledge through Being".
Gurdjieff said that after 20 years of exploring Central Asia and the Middle East, he brought back three things: first of all, a system of esoteric knowledge; second, a set of Sacred Dances and exercises; and lastly, musical pieces, many of which he considered objective art. People who worked closely with him for a number of years said that Gurdjieff considered these three things equally important as vehicles for his teaching. It is not possible to speak of Sacred Dances without making reference to the music that accompanies them and the knowledge that they embody.
