Wisdom Through Action: Online Gurdjieff 4th Way School

[webglider]

_http://www.wisdomthroughaction.org/

I am very impressed with a series of videos of 4th Way Teachings, and would like to share them with the forum. To me, they seem like the real deal, but of course I could be wrong - that's why I am reaching out to this network. I have never encountered such a breadth of information presented at one time.

This incredible feast of learning makes me uneasy because, if this is really authentic, it must confirm the work done here on Sott - in that the horror of the situation is so dire that what has been secret must be released to attract those with a magnetic center to The Work.

Now I tend, sometimes, to go overboard in my enthusiasm, and my judgment is not always accurate, so I really really would appreciate feedback

Below are the titles of each teaching:

1. Kay Smith Introduces Gurdjieff and His Search for Awakening

Learn about G. I. Gurdjieff and his Search for Awakening and his legacy.
2. Are You Caught in the Matrix?

Learn how Esoteric Schools have influenced man throughout the ages, attempting to provide an escape from being caught in the Matrix.
3. Gurdjieff’s Sacred Impulse of Conscience

Gurdjieff teaches that there is one, and only one, sacred impulse remaining unspoiled, deep in the human psyche. This is the Sacred Impulse of Conscience, which cannot be destroyed. It is implanted by Divine Grace.
4. Tarot Secrets Revealed

Learn about one of the oldest tools used in Esoteric Schools – the Tarot.
5. Are You Trapped in a Vicious Cycle?

Learn about the role that Esoteric Schools play in man’s quest for awakening and what is keeping us asleep.
6. Wisdom Through Action – Host Kay Smith on Esoteric Schools

Learn about Esotericism Today as taught in a contemporary School and P.D. Ouspensky & Maurice Nicoll, cornerstones of the Fourth Way
7. How is Your Life Affecting Your Soul

Learn about some of the lines of work studied in a Fourth Way School, whether you are a lover of gain, honor or wisdom and how what you are doing is impacting the development of your soul
8. Are you Being True to Your Essence Type?

Nine-tenths of the problems of ordinary psychology, and even more of the plots of literature, poetry, drama and legend depend upon the interplay of human types, that is, the interplay of different types of essence.
9. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’ Astrology of the Planetary Body Types

Learn about Gurdjieff’s Astrology of the Planetary Body Types and influences that impact your essence type.
10. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff's Sacred Dances

Sacred dances and movements in series have always been one of the vital subjects taught in esoteric schools. They have a double aim: to convey a certain kind of knowledge and to be a means for acquiring a harmonious state of being.
11. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Teaching on Immortality
and Man’s Place in the Universe

In many ways, man is analogous to the universe. The same laws operate in him and we can understand some of the laws more easily by studying man and understand other laws by studying the universe. Today’s show explores Gurdjieff’s teaching on man’s immortality and his place in the universe.
12. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Knowledge of the Cards

Learn about one of the most often overlooked areas of psychological study, that is Gurdjieff’s Knowledge of the Cards or centers/functions and the key part they play in our lives
13. Kay Smith Introduces Gurdjieff's Escape from the Law of Accident

Learn about Gurdjieff’s law of accident, ways to escape and how to have some control over all that is impacting your life.
14. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff's Allegory of the Horse Carriage and Driver

Both Gurdjieff and Ouspensky teach that man cannot move, think, or speak of his own accord. He is a marionette pulled here and there by invisible strings. If he understands this, he can learn more about himself, and possibly then things may begin to change for him. Learn how to change your situation.
15. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Law of 3

For good or for ill, life and nature are governed by laws that we can’t change. However, if you begin to understand Gurdjieff’s Law of 3 and its implications, you will see what you can have control over.
16. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Law of Octaves

Have you ever wondered why there are no straight lines in nature? When one studies the Law of Octave and learns to apply it to life, a great change takes place, in both understanding and being.
17. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Food Factory, Part 1

The Work refers to mechanical man as a machine. In order to go from machine to a real man or woman requires a great deal of increase in ones understanding. Watch to learn more about Gurdjieff’s concept of our machine being a food factory.
18. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Food Factory, Part 2

Watch to learn more about Gurdjieff’s teaching that our body or machine can be studied as a food factory and that in order to develop into a conscious man or woman, the introduction of the first conscious shock (self-remembering) and then the second conscious shock (transmutation of negative emotions) are key elements in the process.
19. Kay Smith Presents Gurdjieff’s Table of Hydrogens and 9 Influences Constantly at Play.

Today’s show is going to increase your understanding of Gurdjieff’s Table of Hydrogens as well as the 9 influences that are constantly at play in our lives. We will also be discussing ways to verify and respond to these influences.
20. Kay Smith presents Understanding the Chemistry of the Work of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky

Today’s show will investigate the Chemistry of the Work of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky. The Work teaches us that there are many obstacles to awakening in our life, however they are not insurmountable.
21. "THE FORMATORY APPARATUS"

Today’s show is an in depth examination of one of the most mechanical parts of our being, called by Gurdjieff 'The Formatory Apparatus"
22. Kay Smith Presents the Esoteric Systems of YOGA of antiquity.

With today’s show, you will learn about ancient schools of Yoga, not the Yoga we know now in contemporary countries but the original and esoteric schools of Yoga of the East and of antiquity.

 

[webglider]

I apologize for giving the wrong address for the site of the Gurdjieff talks in a previous post. That address is totally not right. The address I gave before was not what I thought I was posting - it's really new age and ridiculous.

I hope this new link leads to the right material. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92yYEgGqeDE

I've tested it several times and it seems to work.

Please don't this site by my own ineptitude in not knowing how to navigate it. It seems to be carried on a site called The Spiritual Broadcast Network. which may be what is causing the confusion. From what I can tell, the ad for the Spiritual Broadcast Network is to the left of where the Gurdjieff videos narrated by Kay Smith are.

 

[sarek]

This site is also on my own personal 4th way resources list. Perhaps some of the more advanced members can weigh in here and let us know whether the information within is valid enough to be useful.

 

[Gawan]

Unfortunately I cannot watch the videos right now, though it is difficult to say anything about the information presented. Nonethless it is almost impossible to find something about Kay Smith and who she is and what the school is about, so personally I'm a bit suspicious about it and it seems you contact them and then you maybe attend a class. It could be both dangerous for both the presenter (Kay Smith) and the attendees imo and in view of pathologicals, not to say she is, but something to keep in mind.

And you (both) wrote that you liked the work that was done. Is it close to the truth that Ouspensky presented for example in you opinion? Does she give sources in the videos? I'm not sure about some videos about hydrogens for example and if Gurdjieff did ever make it clear what it means or if it was mainly from Ouspenskys work or if it is generally difficult to create a Gurdjieff school when many sources are from pupils and pupils pupil so to speak. Well, these are my two cents :).

 

[denekin]

Watching the Law of 3 video. Seems to be voices reading Gurdjieff and Ouspensky with deHartmann music in the background and "nice" visuals.

 

[Minas Tirith]

The presentation on Gurdjieffs "Knowledge of the Cards" is given in a format that reminded me of that by the Fellowship of Friends (a fake Fourth Way group also discussed in this forum). It is too similar to be a coincidence. The "Caught in the Matrix" video about esoteric Schools through the centuries also has a certain FoF ring about it ...

They also have a Facebook page and here ... again ... traces of the FoF in presenting photos of flowers and beautiful "impressions" with quotes from Rumi, Goethe and others.

Having been a member of the FoF, I find it hard to believe that they would be connected with a site like this one ... so maybe former members formed this group after leaving?

Nonethless it is almost impossible to find something about Kay Smith and who she is and what the school is about, so personally I'm a bit suspicious about it and it seems you contact them and then you maybe attend a class.

Yes, there is absolutely nothing on her except for this website. If you want to phone, I would definitely ask about any connection to the FoF.

M.T.

 

[Donald V]

I too am a former FoF member. I have read that FoF has created a number of different 'satellite' organizations and they like to hide their relationship to the FoF because so many people are, by now, becoming wary of them. There is no doubt that some of the information in these videos came from FoF (or their publications) but that doesn't necessarily make them part of FoF. There are a few simple ways one can determine if an organization is a cult like the FoF. A big one is whether the leader, teacher, or guru lives off of their students contributions. In the case of FoF that is definitely true. You start off by donating 10% of your income but before long that amount grows considerably because of many other required donations. Also when I was in FoF there were no Gurdjieff movements or forms of meditation taught, but I see there is at least one video showing a movements performance. Good luck on your search and be sure to ask about the school's lineage. That was literally the first thing I was told by my current group leader! Write the names down if you are not familiar with them and then google each name.

 

[Menna]

During my time with the FoF they had rituals for example when you would toast with your wine glass you would look the other person in the left eye as this is the eye of essence or soul. I was in the group for about 10 months during that time I developed a trance like state where I was heavily in my head. Intellectual center it was very tough to break but after time away I eventually evened out. The card diagram representing the different centers were shown to me during the first early meeting with the group. I believe the "headquarters" of the group in in northern california they have a place built on a big lot of land. Everyone in the group said that "this guy" their guru would love to see me and I should fly out there. I never did but they seemed to look up to this person and many FoF members lived in the headquarters working for essentially this man or the property of the foundation. There was one story where at dinner at their place in California this guy threw a plate across the room and it shattered and everyone stopped and he said the word presence. They acted like throwing a plate and people stopping because something out of the norm happened was amazing. There are accusations that this guy is a child abuser along with other things I don't know just saying what I have read online and heard. They arent a bad group per say but I didn't like the state I developed when I was with them it didn't go well with my being. The G society of MA and of CA and meeting up with people of the forum have kept me grounded in a better place and yes I believe I was required to donate 50-100 dollars a month to be part of the group however it was a tax deduction

 

[SocietyoftheSpectacle]

I think you will find Kay Smith is a teacher of the 9
Personality types.
A quick search and many forums appear.
http://personalitycafe.com/type-9-forum-peacemaker/
It doesnt take long to see how misguided these things are.

As for Kay Smith, The story if memory serves correct ,
was that a student of Rodney Collin studied for a Month ,
then took off for the USA,
Then, not understanding the nature of the enneagram,
started teaching about 9 types of personality,
instead of the more correct 7.

 

[Meg]

I think you will find Kay Smith is a teacher of the 9
Personality types.
A quick search and many forums appear.
http://personalitycafe.com/type-9-forum-peacemaker/
It doesnt take long to see how misguided these things are.

As for Kay Smith, The story if memory serves correct ,
was that a student of Rodney Collin studied for a Month ,
then took off for the USA,
Then, not understanding the nature of the enneagram,
started teaching about 9 types of personality,
instead of the more correct 7.

Hi SocietyoftheSpectacle,

Since this is your first post on the forum, we would appreciate it if you would post a brief intro about yourself in the Newbies section, telling us how you found this forum, how long you've been reading it and/or the SOTT page, whether or not you've read any of Laura's books yet, etc. You can find examples in that section. Welcome aboard :)