GURDJIEFF and Ian Phillips Lawrence
A personal message from Ian
"I encountered Gurdjieff's ideas as the natural extension of a quest for ever more effective methods by which my top management clients could achieve higher personal power. After five years of casting about I found a group of old Gurdjieffians - who had all been with the 'great man' during the 1920's and 30's. Some time later these people encouraged me to start a preparatory group.
This was in 1980, and because of the wide publicity generated by the marketing I did for this group, many people wrote to me from other parts of the UK and America asking how they could receive training in Gurdjieffs methods. In response - and remembering my own five years of seeking - I created a correspondence course. In the Institute we already had a correspondence course running and it was not difficult to administer a second - although in this case I had to be the sole tutor. This University level course moves into its 25th year in 2009. You can see the brochure for this course by clicking 'Gurdjieff email Course' to the left of you. As far as I know this remains the only way in which individuals - far from other like minded people - can become a member of a group - an interactive 'International Group'.
During the ensuing years the lack of a comprehensive preparatory book - one that contained all of Gurdjieff's main ideas - became apparent. Using part of the correspondence course material I created 'Gurdjieff : Meditation and Colouring Book'. This remains the only comprehensive book on Gurdjieff's ideas which incorporates the extensions of his most important followers - and Gurdjieff's own 'Beelzebubs Tales to his Grandson'. You can see details by clicking 'Books' on the main home page menu..
Despite my best efforts, only a few people in my groups really grasped and worked with Gurdjieff's ideas. I found out why this was so and wrote 'Gurdjieff : The Good Obyvatal', to prepare people to receive the practicality of the teaching. The method of 'character assimilation' explained in this book is also the manual for the Institute's GO Training courses for top management. You can see details by clicking 'Books' on the main home page menu.
The final book in my trilogy on Gurdjieff's ideas is in preparation and will be an advanced tutorial for those who have already achieved 'objectivity'. As you will have noticed everything which I do - in regard to Gurdjieff - is to help people achieve the most rapid and certain understanding of his ideas - with the aim of increasing personal power - and eventually secure immortality. From the start I have seen Gurdjieff as a 'means' - the most powerful means available to achieve personal aims.
Most people do not understand - although we are warned enough times by Gurdjieff - that no progress can be made in The Fourth Way unless you 'see objectively'. This is an elevated level of being - which only occurs when a person has taken a suitable profession to a high level - where they can see the patterns behind their work. The Institute has chosen three professions as the most productive entry into the 'objective thinking state' - The Way of the Craftsman - the Way of the Merchant and the Way of the Leader. Manuals - for the achievement of each of these 'ways' have been available in my Institute for some time, but they will be generally available when the time is right.
Everyone has their own methods to learn and then put into practice new methods of work. I find it best to constantly update my thinking by Lecturing. You can see a schedule of my current lectures by clicking the Lectures button on your left.
Lectures for 2009 - under the heading of "The Psychology of the Inner Spiritual Life"
Lectures start 1.30pm, venue - 35 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9DZ
