Gurdjieff Reconsidered: The Life, the Teachings, the Legacy

Lipsey (Hammarskjöld: A Life), an art historian and translator, fails to coherently articulate to the lay reader the philosophy of mystic and spiritual teacher Gurdjieff (1877–1949) in this poorly conceived book. Lipsey concedes that his oblique approach is deliberate, noting that “as a reader, you won’t have missed the fact that I have not much concerned myself with ‘expounding’ the teaching.” Though he explains that this choice is premised on his conviction that “the teaching is evident in every reported exchange, every incident in these pages,” not many will be able (or willing) to make those inferences into Gurdjieff’s thinking. Lipsey approaches Gurdjieff’s ideas and claims that a higher state of consciousness was attainable by way of close readings of his writings and journals, going so far as to analyze a journal entry on making salad. When Lipsey does directly address his subject’s philosophy, his glib formulations create more confusion, as when he notes the aphorism “every stick has two ends” explains “nearly everything.” Lipsey is even admittedly ambivalent about whether Gurjieff’s teachings should “remain secret” to a general audience. This ambivalence results in an odd presentation that leaves a tantalizing spiritualist’s teachings frustratingly obscure. Readers curious about why Gurdjieff continues to attract such a passionate following would be better served by studying Gurdjieff’s own works. (Feb.)