The Fourth Way (book)

The Fourth Way

First edition
Author P.D. Ouspensky
Country United States
Language English
Subject Fourth Way
Genre Philosophy
Spiritual
Self-help
Publisher Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
 1957
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 480 (paperback edition)
ISBN 0-394-71672-8 (2000)
OCLC 10441619
Preceded by In Search of the Miraculous
For the system based on the teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff see Fourth Way.

The Fourth Way (1957) is a book about the Fourth Way system of self-development as introduced by Greek-Armenian philosopher G.I. Gurdjieff and is a compilation of the lectures of P. D. Ouspensky at London and New York City, 1921–1946, published posthumously by his students in 1957.[1][2]

The term "The Fourth Way" has also come to be used as a general descriptive term for the body of ideas and teachings which Gurdjieff brought to the west from his study of eastern schools.[3]

Ouspensky was given the task of bringing these ideas to a wider audience in an unadulterated form by Gurdjieff. The Fourth Way is considered to be the most comprehensive statement of Gurdjieff's ideas as taught by Ouspensky.

The book consists of adaptations of Ouspensky's lectures, and the accompanying question and answer sessions.

The Fourth Way

The 'Fourth Way' to which the title refers is a method of inner development - "the way of the sly man," as Gurdjieff described it. This way is to be followed under the ordinary conditions of everyday life, as opposed from the three traditional ways that call for retirement from the world: those of the fakir, the monk, and the yogi, which Gurdjieff maintained could only result in partial, unbalanced development of man's potential.

References

  1. ↑ The Fourth Way: A Record of Talks and Answers to Questions Based on the Teaching of G. I. Gurdjieff (Prepared under the general supervision of Sophia Ouspensky). New York: Knopf, 1957; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1957.
  2. ↑ P. D. Ouspensky - A Brief Bibliography gurdjieff.org.
  3. ↑ The Fourth Way, P.D, Ouspensky, Alfred A. Knopf 1957, chapter 1

Further reading


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