C. S. Nott TEACHINGS OF GURDJIEFF A PUPIL’S JOURNAL An Account of Some Years With G. I. Gurdjieff and A. R. Orage in New York and at Fontainebleau-Avon ARKANA PENGUIN BOOKSnemngnens Sanremo ee ie ater tate ta Pein Boks i Reine Ofc Harman, Mis, and lie by Route pan al 96 by Ans ‘hinged rin apd y Cap Li Ste oni i iti, ak ot ‘tana tr hector oon tng condo tong mpl he an puch CONTENTS NEW YORK AND FONTAINEBLEAU 1923-5 |. NEW YORK AND FONTAINEBLEAU 1925-6 | FONTAINEBLEAU 1928 page ix ns 26 24PREFACE 1118 wow over thirty-five yeas since I first came in touch with the Gutdjiff system. This journal, begun in 1924, ia partial record of my early years of work (1923 to 1928) with G. I. Gurdjieff and A. R. ‘Orage. Ie is not an exposition ofthe system, but a relation of my own, experience of some ofthe acts and sayings ofthese two men, compiled from dates and hundreds of pages of notes, Iie sequential rather than chronological: many talks were repeated, sometimes at long intervals, and from diferent aspects and in differen forms. compiling this journal Ihave had in mind the increasing number of people who are becoming interested inthe ideas of George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff Those who are unaequainted with his teaching may find some of the terms and expresions wed confusing; at the same time there is much that will interest many who are disatised with our present way of existence. Some of them may with to read Gurdjel!'s ‘own Book Beelzebs’s Tales o his Crandon: en Objective Inpatal Ciitciom ofthe Life of Man. ‘When I fst met Gurdjef and Orage I was immature, naive, and restless, with no knowledge of ral ideas; and I can never be grateful ‘enough to Gurdjieff for his infinite patience in those early years, and to the older pupils around him for thei guidance, especially A. R. Orage, Ds Stjoernval, and Thomas de Hartman, who later becatte my close fiends and, a i were, elder brothers. Tam no longer young: in my ‘varied existence Ihave experienced almos all that ordinary life hast ‘offer—both what i aed good and what is called bad. And I can sce now thae whatever Ihave been abe to achieve for my own being and understanding, whatever of realty I have been able so cognize and ‘comprehend, lowe 19 Gurdjeffandhissystem and method. They have igiven me a centre of gravity and a real aim, and with Paul Tcan sy Thanks be to God for his unapeskable gif.