He was what you’d call a modern day mystic – an unconventional spiritual teacher who was committed to waking up as many people as possible.
Waking up?
George I. Gurdjieff’s mission was to guide people living in the U.S. and Europe to higher consciousness, believing that humans exist in a state of “waking sleep” – essentially held captive by the unruly emotions that control them.
Born in the late 1800s in what is now Armenia, Gurdjieff spent his life traveling through Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, absorbing Eastern spiritual traditions – from Sufi whirling practices to Tibetan meditation – and weaving them into a unique, and often controversial, philosophy of transformation. You’ll find his work linked to everything from Indian yoga and Zoroastrianism to Eastern Orthodox mysticism.
1866-1949
Gurdjieff’s abrasive approach: intentional suffering
One of Gurdjieff’s core principles was that adversity, especially emotional turmoil, can be a portal to higher consciousness. He believed that suffering through life, if met with awareness, could actually help us “wake up.”
To inspire growth and a higher level of spiritual development, Gurdjieff would intentionally create friction and evoke strong emotional reactions among his students, alternating between offering them praise and throwing insults at them. Some students were driven to anger and outrage, in others, he fueled their arrogance and ambition. But Gurdjieff believed that this abrasive technique catalyzed his students to reflect on their own emotions, reactions, and motivations, which ultimately allowed them to become more conscious and authentic human beings.
He told his students that instead of being resentful, they should be grateful that he was arousing their negative emotions as “healing medicine.” Some people were intimidated and left, but even more people stayed, agreeing that they felt better with this esoteric “healing medicine.”
As an emotions therapist, these accounts of Gurdjieff’s approaches were jaw-dropping to me, as I would never deliberately say or do anything annoying to provoke or trigger somebody.
Gurdjieff was on to something – although a little harsh for my liking
It may sound hard to believe, but summoning your difficult emotions – in a safe and careful way – will help you lighten the load of whatever’s knocking loudest on your head. I lean heavily on Eastern wisdom as well, combining ancient teachings with modern practices that open windows into deeper states of consciousness where real healing can happen.
We use a range of tools, drawing from Eastern practices, active breathwork meditation, and modern neuroscience research, to support inner healing. This powerful combination is amplified with the intentional use of sacred plant medicines (always optional). These tools work together to widen your emotional window, help you access insights, and allow you to release long-held patterns.
Curious to Explore This Work for Yourself?
If this approach resonates with you, I invite you to join me for my upcoming Cannabis Elevation Ceremony, a live virtual gathering I’ll be holding in late July / early August.
This is a guided experience designed to help you safely explore your inner world, release emotional blocks, and reconnect with your inner self – supported by breath, movement, and the (always optional) intentional use of cannabis as a sacred plant ally.
Whether you’re new to this kind of work or returning for another round, it’s an opportunity to lighten the emotional load you’ve been carrying.
Join the interest list here to be the first to know when registration opens.
With love,
Becca
Very interesting. A lot of people are forced to wake up through their trauma and suffering. I am reminded of the book LSD and the Mind of the Universe, which I finished recently. In one of the last LSD sessions, Bache had a vision of the future of humanity. He saw that our self-inflicted suffering, including environmental devastation, can propel the human race as a whole towards awakening. He calls it “birth of the future human.”
Vivian, thanks for this additional resource!
Suffering appears to be the esoteric wake-up call most people never ask for but end up answering anyway. The book you mention, LSD and the Mind of the Universe, clearly lines up with Gurdjieff’s take: pain can shake us out of autopilot and push us toward something deeper.
The “future human” idea is wild – being dragged into growth kicking and screaming, thanks to the mess we were birthed into, which, as it turns out, may be a blessing in disguise. I know for myself, I was driven by my trauma to find answers.
What Lies Beneath? What does it take to reveal it? What do we do when we find it? What a journey! Thanks for the cool article, Becca. What a different time to have been alive. Wouldn’t it be great if the younger generation found their way to these stories and teachings?
Brock, I’d settle for a few more people in our age range to know about this 😆