What was the cause of Gurdjieff's car accident?

[T.C.]

I've wondered about this before, but I'm currently reading Nott's book Teachings of Gurdjieff and he talks more about it.

Apparently, the day before, Gurdjieff told Mme de Hartmann to have their mechanic closely inspect and check the car for mechanical problems. He also "made his papers over to her and gave her power to act in his name". He then told her to travel to Fontainebleau by train, rather than in the car.

From what people who were close to Gurdjieff have told us about him, I think it's quite troubling that with his 'powers' - for lack of a better word - he could be involved in a near fatal accident like that.

 

[Laura]

From what people who were close to Gurdjieff have told us about him, I think it's quite troubling that with his 'powers' - for lack of a better word - he could be involved in a near fatal accident like that.

Yes, it bugs me too. However, from what the Cs have said, and collecting some data from the Ra communications, it seems that only with a network can any humans hope to "outwit" 4D STS. Gurdjieff had only himself to rely on, mainly, because I doubt that he talked much (if at all) about such things to his students. He took a lot on his shoulders. So maybe the better way of looking at it is: it's even more surprising that he survived as long as he did and as well as he did considering what he was up against?

 

[monotonic]

I imagine it's not really having "powers" that protects you in the end, but whether you are acting in harmony with the universe's intentions. I wonder what the Cs would say if we asked him why he had the accident, why he couldn't prevent it, and why he survived?

 

[Beau]

I remember reading in a number of books by G's pupils that he was a bit of a reckless driver, at least in their eyes. A number of people remarked that he drove very fast and basically made them miserable on car rides due to how he drove. Now, this could have been something G did intentionally to provoke their self-importance (the benefits of which can be debated), but there's also the possibility that his tactics backfired on him that day. But I still lean towards some sort of "interference".

 

[PhoenixToEmber]

I've also wondered about this incident; Gurdjieff actually got into two car accidents. It goes to show even the wisest of us are not immune from mistakes and accidents. Apparently the first crash also served as a shock for Gurdjieff, and if I recall correctly, it's what provoked him to start writing his teachings down.

 

[Z...]

I remember reading in a number of books by G's pupils that he was a bit of a reckless driver, at least in their eyes. A number of people remarked that he drove very fast and basically made them miserable on car rides due to how he drove. Now, this could have been something G did intentionally to provoke their self-importance (the benefits of which can be debated), but there's also the possibility that his tactics backfired on him that day. But I still lean towards some sort of "interference".

So far I have very mixed feelings about G.
The way I see it - even in the Work there is place and time for various "tests" and "exercises'. Driving so recklessly to make someone miserable seems completely pointless and irresponsible if not cruel. Not very wise at least.

I am inclined to think that even "master himself" was often a victim of self-importance which places him under General Law or the Law of Accident just like anyone else.

 

[ROEL]

I imagine it's not really having "powers" that protects you in the end, but whether you are acting in harmony with the universe's intentions. I wonder what the Cs would say if we asked him why he had the accident, why he couldn't prevent it, and why he survived?

YES. Definitely a question for the Cs.

 

[bjorb]

[quote author= Z]The way I see it - even in the Work there is place and time for various "tests" and "exercises'. Driving so recklessly to make someone miserable seems completely pointless and irresponsible if not cruel. Not very wise at least. [/quote]

From the point of someone who never speaks out for him/herself or is always 'nice' I see how it can force someone to go against this program. But there are others ways of provoking this. I also find it really irresponsible and dangerous.


[quote author= PhoenixToEmber]Apparently the first crash also served as a shock for Gurdjieff, and if I recall correctly, it's what provoked him to start writing his teachings down.[/quote]

Considering this, maybe his higher-self did choose this chain of events because of the learning opportunity it could present? Just like it is reported that people choose to ''check out'' (choose to die) whenever their higher selves feel their lessons are better served elsewhere.

 

[gdpetti]

I imagine it's not really having "powers" that protects you in the end, but whether you are acting in harmony with the universe's intentions. I wonder what the Cs would say if we asked him why he had the accident, why he couldn't prevent it, and why he survived?

Reminds me of when the C's were asked about Don and the Ra group.... the questions weren't asked.
So, relative to current understanding of the STS dynamics of this realm, how much did G really understand in terms of 'attack'?
Now, if he liked driving recklessly with others and not just 'fast', then that does speak of other personal issues at work.

 

[Menna]

Did G crash into a parked car or a tree? If there are other people on the road no matter how aware you are you are limited to the movings and speed of the vehicle, your forward, side vision and human reaction time. Other people can make mistakes and you do nothing "wrong" Did the accident involve two moving cars? If so was the other person drunk? was that persons car not working properly was the sun in their eyes, did a spider crawl on their leg many variables other than it being all on G.

 

[Approaching Infinity]

Did G crash into a parked car or a tree? If there are other people on the road no matter how aware you are you are limited to the movings and speed of the vehicle, your forward, side vision and human reaction time. Other people can make mistakes and you do nothing "wrong" Did the accident involve two moving cars? If so was the other person drunk? was that persons car not working properly was the sun in their eyes, did a spider crawl on their leg many variables other than it being all on G.

Going from memory here, but I'm pretty sure he ran into a tree. He was driving alone, so no one really knows what happened. (He told contradictory accounts of it that seemed more like allegories than factual accounts.) Some think he swerved to avoid another car. Interestingly, for being such a 'reckless' driver, he never got in an accident when anyone else was in the car with him.

 

[mkrnhr]

Apparently Gurdjieff was alone when he had the car accident. The control of the car is lost, it goes off road and stops against a tree.

Edit: the attached file is an extract from W. P. Petterson's book "Georgi Ivanovitch Gurdjieff" about the accident of 1924.

 

[Gaby]

Apparently Gurdjieff was alone when he had the car accident. The control of the car is lost, it goes off road and stops against a tree.

Edit: the attached file is an extract from W. P. Petterson's book "Georgi Ivanovitch Gurdjieff" about the accident of 1924.

From the chronology of that book, it seemed to me that there was a direct link with the accident and one of Gurdjieff's top student's (Orage) relationship with a woman (Jessie) in what seemed to be an attack in the dynamic of the group there due to blind spots. On the previous pages (p174) it says:

29 June 1924. Prieuré. Jessie Dwight arrives. Orage has assured her he will come in September and told her, "You see, I am dedicated to this. I have given up everything for this. You must go now without me." She is given the best room in the best part of the château. Then she is taken to see Gurdjieff who tells her, "Very good, miss, you come." [...]

Later it is described how Jessie plans to go to Paris and Gurdjieff offers her a ride. Jessie declares that she is going with a friend and Gurdjieff responds "You balda (damn fool). "You spoil everything." Later, Gurdjieff discovers her reading letters from Orage and orders that all mail must first be given to him.

Later in the chronology, on July 8th 1924, Olga has recently received a psychic reading from a fortune teller who has been accurate in the past. The fortune teller declares "I will tell you nothing. Here heaven and earth fight, and I don't wish to be harmed".

Then the scanned pages that mkrnhr posted come in the chronology. Notice how it says in page 177: "All the talk at the Prieuré is of the motor accident. But for Gurdjieff it is no accident at all. That, he says, is "their usual superficial understanding."

 

[clerck de bonk]

Wow! He was really "flooring it" if those figures are correct. 1924 and 71 mph with a "sitikka", I'm impressed! Reckless driving indeed, taking into account the condition of the roads back then... Fortunately they obviously didn't have deep ditches (if any). The end result seems rather timid though, compared to the speed. Hints to a skilled driver with a "need for speed"...

 

[T.C.]

A lot of you guys are making comments about how Gurdjieff was a reckless driver and about how crazy it is that he drove so fast all the time.

I've read before myself about how in the city his passengers would be holding onto their seats as Gurdjieff at full speed would be zipping in and out of traffic between cars and into spaces that weren't there before he went for them, pushing the car to the limits of its manoeuvrability and often driving it at its maximum speed.

When I was talking about Gurdjieff's 'powers', what I was mostly referring to were his powers of awareness, control, causes, effects, environment, etc.

Think about it: If G. had charged himself with the mission of waking people up and making a difference on the planet; if he'd gone to such lengths to care for his students while crossing the Caucasus during the war, etc., do you really think that at any point he would needlessly and recklessly risk his life and the life of his students during the mundane act of driving around?

I don't. I believe that his control of himself and his knowledge of others and of cause and effect etc., meant that he was always in control of the car. That's why I started this thread.