Toward Awakening

A systematic introduction to the Fourth Way teaching of G.I. Gurdjieff, written by Jean Vaysse as an accessible restatement of the main ideas for those beginning their study. Drawing on Gurdjieff's own writings and Ouspensky's 'In Search of the Miraculous', the book covers self-observation, the structure of man, centers and functions, essence and personality, and the conditions necessary for genuine inner transformation. Originating as a series of preliminary explanations given to people of different backgrounds who wished to undertake a study of the teaching, the book acknowledges its debt to Jeanne de Salzmann, who preserved and transmitted both the written and practical parts of Gurdjieff's work. It is framed as a contribution toward making first contact with these ideas less difficult, and toward helping readers find in themselves the taste of an attitude that opens toward an unchangeable truth.