Transforming Art
Gurdjieff’s comments on art and Movements
"You cannot do it; however, it cannot be done without you."
-Mme. de Salzmann-
Question: What is the role of art and creative work in your teaching?
Answer: "Nowadays, art is not necessarily creative. But for us it is not an end but a vehicle. Ancient art has inner content. In the past, art contributed to the same purpose as books do today – the purpose of preserving and transmitting certain knowledge. In ancient times, books were not written, knowledge was expressed through works of art. We would find many ideas in ancient art that could reach us, provided we knew how to read. In those days art was so, even music. And people then regarded art in this way.
You have seen our Movements and Dances. But everything you have seen is the external form, beauty, technique. But I do not like the outer form that you see. For me, art is a means used for harmonious development. The idea behind everything we do is to do what cannot be done automatically and without thought.
Gymnastics and common dances are mechanical. If our goal is the harmonious development of man, then for us the Dances and Movements are a way of combining mind and feeling with the movements of the body, manifesting them together. Through everything, we aim to develop something that cannot be developed directly or mechanically and which interprets the whole being: mind, body and feeling.
SECTIONS
GEORGE GURDJIEFF
Living the Oral Tradition
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Transformation
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Work on Oneself
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Sensation of Onself
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Origins
George Ivanovitch Gurdjieff (1866-1949) left a legacy of unique diversity and the expression of an organic and coherent thought form. Besides his three books, which present an original vision of God,…
Music & Dance
“I have known for a long time that our inner world is the land in which the seeds of art take root. Without this seed, where the magical side of…
The movements
Sacred Dances have been considered an essential subject of study in all esoteric schools of the East, as much in ancient times as nowadays, preserving their deep religious and scientific meaning…
The work
“The true intention of our society seems to be to separate people from the responsibility of their lives and actions. The path of transformation must be exactly the opposite of…
Dances for the mind
“The dances are for the mind. They give nothing to the soul; the soul does not need anything. A dance has a certain meaning; every movement has a certain content.”…
Transforming Art
Gurdjieff’s comments on art and Movements “You cannot do it; however, it cannot be done without you.” -Mme. de Salzmann- Question: What is the role of art and creative work in…
MEDITATION
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