Gurdjieff Movements: Peak of Alertness Both corporeal and reasoning

To know something about Gurdjieff Movements, it is first pertinent to know about Gurdjieff who created them. George Gurdjieff was an enlightened master born in Armenia in 1866. From an early age, he started to inquire the purpose of life, the creation of the universe and other such esoteric topics. At the age of 20, he set out on a journey lasting 20 years to the exotic lands of Central Asia, Egypt, Persia, Afghanistan, Tibet, India and other countries to visit spiritual places and people.

On his return to Russia in 1912, he began giving lectures, attracting admirers and followers and created 'sacred dances' but rather movements in a correct order. He explained them as having a unavoidable meaning underground below the outward form. His pupil and chronicler, P. D. Ouspensky, in his book, 'In quest of the Miraculous' quotes the master as, "There is something like the planets of the solar system in these dances. Each planet is at a unavoidable length from the sun and when the system starts, the spheres begin to move along prescribed paths reproducing the laws which govern the movements of the planets. There is something like this in the rhythm of unavoidable dances."

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You have to be at the peak of your alertness, both bodily and mental, when you take part in Gurdjieff Movements. Seemingly simple, they require an agile body and a hyperactive mind as they are very correct and strictly corollary a fixed sequence. They look easy but are not, as it takes some time to get into the groove to accomplish them accurately. They break all fixed patterns of your body and mind. They originate a space where the body, heart and activity can advance in lightness. As one goes deeper into these movements, one reaches a still, a silent point amid all the activity. In all the activity outside, one reaches the non-action inside at the centre. This touch is called 'Presence.' It is said that Gurdjieff would come to these dances, keep his eyes complete and direct the dancers to turn their movements as he wanted because they were so attuned to him. Even today, it is inherent for some groups to start these movements without music in perfect harmony with each other for over 15 minutes, while totally blindfolded!

A dancer, a dance-teacher, a dance-therapist, a choreographer, Ma Prem Amiyo and Swami Chetan, both Osho disciples, escort workshops on Gurdjieff Movements in many parts of the world for over 30 years now. After finding a film about Gurdjieff called 'Meetings with suited Men', Osho observed that there was nothing suited about the film except the last ten minutes showing these movements. He asked Ma Amiyo to study them for three days. She viewed those ten-minute clips non-stop for three days and then Osho told her to lead a group on Gurdjieff Movements! Since then, she has never looked back and conducts these groups in many parts of the world and opened her school in Alsace, France. For participants, finding stillness amid all this activity is a unique experience.

Gurdjieff Movements: Peak of Alertness Both corporeal and reasoning

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