Gurdjieff Movements: Peak of Alertness Both Physical and Mental

 

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

 

On his return to Russia in 1912, he began giving lectures, attracting admirers and followers and created 'sacred dances' but rather movements during a precise order. He explained them as having a particular meaning hidden beneath the outward form. His pupil and chronicler, P. D. Ouspensky, in his book, 'In Search of the Miraculous' quotes the master as, "There are some things just like the planets of the system in these dances. Each planet is at a particular distance from the sun and when the system starts, the spheres begin to maneuver along prescribed paths reproducing the laws which govern the movements of the planets. there's something like this within the rhythm of certain dances."

 

You have to be at the height of your alertness, both physical and mental, once you participate in Gurdjieff Movements. Seemingly simple, they require an agile body and a hyperactive mind as they're very precise and strictly follow a hard and fast sequence. they appear easy but aren't , because it takes a while to urge into the groove to perform them accurately. They break all fixed patterns of your body and mind. They create an area where the body, heart and action can expand in lightness. together goes deeper into these movements, one reaches a still, a silent point amid all the activity. altogether the action outside, one reaches the non-action inside at the centre. This experience is named 'Presence.' it's said that Gurdjieff would come to those dances, keep his eyes closed and direct the dancers to vary their movements as he wanted because they were so attuned to him. Even today, it's possible for a few groups to start out these movements without music in completeharmony with one another for over quarter-hour , while totally blindfolded!

 

A dancer, a dance-teacher, a dance-therapist, a choreographer, Ma Prem Amiyo and Swami Chetan, both Osho disciples, conduct workshops on Gurdjieff Movements in many parts of the planet for over 30 years now. After seeing a movie about Gurdjieff called 'Meetings with Remarkable Men', Osho observed that there was nothing remarkable about the film except the last ten minutes showing these movements. He asked Ma Amiyo to review them for 3 days. She viewed those ten-minute clips non-stop for 3 days then Osho told her to steer a gaggle on Gurdjieff Movements! Since then, she has never looked back and conducts these groups in many parts of the planet and opened her school in Alsace, France. For participants, finding stillness amid all this activity may be a unique experience.