Origins & Early Life

George Ivanovich Gurdjieff (c. 1866–1877 – 29 October 1949) was a philosopher, mystic, spiritual teacher, composer, and movements teacher. Gurdjieff taught that people are not conscious of themselves and thus live their lives in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep", but that it is possible to awaken to a higher state of consciousness to "remember ourselves" and serve our purpose as human beings. The aim of his teaching is that people should become aware of the meaning of their presence on earth and of their place in the scale of being.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His student P. D. Ouspensky referred to Gurdjieff's teachings as the "Fourth Way". Gurdjieff's teaching has inspired the formation of many groups around the world. After his death in 1949, the Gurdjieff Foundation in Paris was established and led by his close pupil Jeanne de Salzmann in cooperation with other direct pupils of Gurdjieff, until her death in 1990; and then by her son Michel de Salzmann, until his death in 2001.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The International Association of the Gurdjieff Foundations comprises the Institut Gurdjieff in France; The Gurdjieff Foundation in the USA; The Gurdjieff Society in the UK; and the Gurdjieff Foundation in Venezuela.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Beatrix Potter — Contemporary (Born in 1866) (1866): Pioneering author and illustrator celebrated for natural history and children's literature.
• Benedetto Croce — Contemporary (Born in 1866) (1866): Italian idealist philosopher, historian, and political liberal.
• Bernhard Riemann — Contemporary (Died in 1866) (1866): Pioneering mathematician whose work shaped modern analysis, geometry, and number theory.
• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Contemporary (Born in 1949) (1949): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances.
• Alan Menken — Contemporary (Born in 1949) (1949): Award-winning American composer celebrated for Disney film scores and Broadway musicals.
• Amadeo Giannini — Contemporary (Died in 1949) (1949): Pioneering American banker who founded the Bank of Italy and influenced modern finance.
• Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo — Shared historical date (01-13 · Died) (2000): Prominent South African politician and long-serving ANC leader.
• Chaïm Soutine — Shared historical date (01-13 · Born) (1893): Belarusian-Jewish Expressionist painter of the School of Paris, known for raw emotional texture.
• A. J. Ayer — Shared historical date (10-29 · Born) (1910): Influential English philosopher known for logical positivism and emotivism.
• Dominick Dunne — Shared historical date (10-29 · Born) (1925): American writer and journalist known for high society crime fiction.
• 1866 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1866
• January 13 (01-13) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 13
• 1949 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1949
• October 29 (10-29) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 29