Philosophers : Meetings with Remarkable Men: Meetings with Remarkable Men 2nd Series (Arkana)

Meetings with Remarkable Men: Meetings with Remarkable Men 2nd Series (Arkana)

EUR 7,16


Right around the turn of the 20th century, G.I. Gurdjieff initiated a group of spiritual adventurers called the Seekers of Truth. These intrepid intellectuals of every stripe criss-crossed Africa and Asia in search of the hidden mysteries of antiquity. In Meetings with Remarkable Men, Gurdjieff narrates their exploits while drawing portraits of these extraordinary figures (including one woman and a dog). Half travel journal, half autobiography, Meetings with Remarkable Men begins with Gurdieff s childhood, when he finds his book learning at odds with paranormal events that were self-evidently real but inexplicable through modern science. Later he discovers a map of pre-sands Egypt and evidence of the Sarmound Brotherhood, alleged keepers of ancient wisdom dating back four-and-a-half millennia. He climbs the Himalayas, follows the Nile, and is led blindfolded to a mysterious monastery. In his encounters with dervishes, monks and fakirs, Gurdjieff recovers the wisdom he seeks, by comparison with which European understanding, he says, is backwards and barbaric. A controversial figure in his time, Gurdjieff inspired deep love and loyalty in his pupils and ridicule from sceptics. At the bookends of Meetings with Remarkable Men, Gurdjieff suggests the value of blurring the line between allegory and straight reporting. But then what exactly is Meetings with Remarkable Men? You be the judge. --Brian Bruya

Change Your Life - This book changed my life, or at least the way in which I thought about my life. I first read this book when I was in my late twenties (25 years ago). I didn t know what I wanted to do and had great lack of confidence that I could ever achieve much of anything. I was a mess. This book gave me the courage to go forward and not worry about failure. I got that my mind was inherently capable of figuring it out and overcoming obstacles to achieving goals that I set for myself. So far so good. I m basically a one-handed person who has accomplished my dream of creating beautiful art -- as a jeweler! Go figger! Needless to say, there were a few obstacles on my path.Read it, you ll like it. At the very least, it s a good adventure story.

Don t Read This Book - If you haven t read Beelzebub s Tales to his Grandson, or you haven t looked into Search for the Miraculous by Ouspensky, then please don t read this book. As evidenced by some of the other reviews here, you re not likely to understand it. Gurdjieff had a particular purpose in writing this book. It is second in a series. And lots of people think, Hey, it s shorter than 1,000 pages and it s sort of an autobiography, so I ll start here. That s like running from home plate to second base when you hit the ball. You ll still be thrown out at first. If you want to learn how to think, feel, and walk for yourself, then start with Beelzebub. It will take a while, but every journey is a single step. Then delve into this land. If you really have to experience this first, go find Weir s film of this work, it will satisify your curiosity without harming your being. Of course many people will ignore this advice. G. was a self proclaimed teacher of dancing. Dance on.

if you believe one word of.... - ....what this salesman says, then you probably deserve to. After boasting about his clever ways of fooling people (strictly in the service of the enlightenment of mankind), Gurdjieff then has the nerve to claim that he found a secret brotherhood up in the mountains somewhere and learned some of their teachings. Sure, sure.

A tutorial for becoming a remarkable man - A book that without doubt has the potential to inspire the reader to live consciously and purposefully. The stories of Gurdjieff s life is put forward in a very simple manner and yet allowing a powerful pattern of encouragement to emerge. Each chapter stands independently able to enlighten and entertain. Gurdjieff shows that the path to an ultimate aim is not straight but rather filled with al kinds of obstacles and delays. While emphasising the struggle to achieve, the seeker of truth provides also the answer on how to overcome obstacles. The teacher shows that sometimes survival requires ingenious solutions and at other times shrewd and calculated plans. Attainment requires the influence of resourceful people with inner qualities rather than external presentation. Gurdjieff demonstrates the inner qualities of people who know how to be restrained in the manifestations that proceed from their nature while conducting themselves justly and tolerantly towards weaknesses of others. The ultimate aim is to enlighten the reader of the inner qualities that constitute remarkable men. Gurdjieff succeeds to develop in his readers the desire to become remarkable men themselves. Men that will on their turn influence the rest of the lives of all they interact with. Ultimately the book aims to transfer an experiential understanding of what Gurdjieff, as a teacher, expect from his pupils as a result of his teaching.

Parakeet Philosophy - Gurdjieff is the ultimate Levantine flim-flam man, as he reveals in this book. Much as I like his whimsical philosophy of life, readers should question whether it isn t presented in the same spirit as his clipping the wings and painting of sparrows and selling them as American parakeets in Baku.




Meetings with Remarkable Men: Meetings with Remarkable Men 2nd Series (Arkana)