The First Series

A comparison of the 1931 and 1950 versions of Beelzebub’s Tales to his Grandson, brings into focus the development of Gurdjieff’s contemplation-like exercises. In the latter edition, he coins a compound word (Aiëssirittoorassnian-contemplation), and sets out the terms of one exercise: his Genuine Being Duty Exercise. This is the earliest truly contemplative exercise which can safely be attributed to Gurdjieff, and it bears some but not all of the marks of his later exercises. A comparison of the 1939 exercise “Make Strong! Not Easy Thing” with what Gurdjieff says about Aiëssirittoorassnian-contemplation shows that what he means by the latter is exemplified in the 1939 exercise. Gurdjieff’s insistence on the importance of consciously inhaling and digesting the higher-substances in the air, and having a cognised (clear) intention is noted.