A Bridge to Reality - An Introduction to the Gurdjieff Teachings by George Jeffery

A book for the 21st Century. Refreshingly contemporary commentaries distilled from talks given by George Jeffery as an introduction to the fundamental ideas of the Gurdjieff teaching. Many regard it as the clearest introduction to what is referred to as the 'Work' or the 'Fourth Way'. A Bridge to Reality not only explains Gurdjieff's ideas, it also gives an idea of what it entails to be in a Gurdjieff group and what is required to follow the teaching.

At the end of each chapter questions and answers selected from various meetings cover common queries about the teaching and its practice. A central tenet of the teaching is highlighted - that it is for each person to confirm the fundamental truth of the teaching for themselves. It is certainly not presented as a 'doctrine' to be followed without question. Indeed it could be said that active questioning is central to the practice.

Covering all key topics, it serves both as introduction and an invaluable reference for the experienced. This is a book that the reader will turn to again and again should they choose to pursue the Fourth Way.

Subjects covered include:

Knowledge, Being and Understanding, the concept of Truth

Essence, Conditioning, Personality, False Personality

The Seven Centres: our different centres of intelligence

Multiplicity of I's

The Idea of Conscience and the Four Levels of Consciousness

The Laws of Three and Seven

The Ray of Creation

The Food Octaves within the human system

Cause and Effect

Detrimental Functions

The Four Bodies