Gurdjieff’s Last Exercises

Abstract The chapter takes two exercises given by Gurdjieff to various people as their last exercise from him. The first, from Solange Claustres, is a discipline for being more conscious as one goes through one’s daily activities by relating them to one’s conscious aim and efforts to remember oneself. The second, given to Helen Adie, harks back to Gurdjieff’s First Assisting Exercise in Life Is Real, Only Then, When “I Am.” The chapter also concludes, as to the form and purpose of Gurdjieff’s contemplative exercises, why he is much misunderstood. Finally, it summarizes what has been said about his sources for his Transformed-contemplation, and the importance of these exercises, and Gurdjieff’s contribution to mysticism. It concludes that what was specific to Gurdjieff’s Transformed-contemplation was the need to consciously sense one’s body in a relaxed state; while having some awareness of one’s feeling; with all this being directed by an undistracted intellect. This aims to maintain a unified calm in one’s common presence; so that higher hydrogens can be received and digested; and the higher being bodies coated, which allow the higher and the lower centers to work together in unison; leading to the exercitants’ achieving their own real “I,” with powers of consciousness, will, expressive of their own individuality, and able to hear and support their conscience.