The Russian Years

While he was in Russia (1911/1912–1919), Gurdjieff taught many ideas and some practices that would come to play significant roles in the development of his methods of Transformed-contemplation. These include his reference to the Ego Exercise of Mount Athos, his exercises for relaxation and sensing, and the Stop Exercise. This chapter examines the early critique of contemplation and meditation made by Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, and shows that his reticence about contemplative exercises was probably due chiefly to their monastic origin, and his desire to bring a method that would be used not in monasteries but in daily social life.