title: In Search of Being: The Fourth Way to Consciousness
author: G. I. Gurdjieff
description: G. I. Gurdjieff (18661949) created an original system of self-transformation that reconciled the great mystical traditions, known as the "Fourth Way" or "the Work." He initially gathered pupils in Moscow and in 1915 organized a study group in St. Petersburg that included P. D. Ouspensky, a leading figure in the spread of the teachings. Amid revolutionary turmoil in Russia, in 1917 he moved to the Caucasus and in 1922 established an institute for his work in France. The sources of the present book stem from this early period.
zlib_text: ABOUT	THE	BOOK
  Are	we	able	to	say	that	life	is	governed	by	a	group	of	conscious	people?
  Where	 are	 they?	 Who	 are	 they?	 We	 see	 exactly	 the	 opposite:	 that	 life	 is
  governed	 by	 those	 who	 are	 the	 least	 conscious,	 by	 those	 who	 are	 most
  asleep.
  Provocative	ideas	such	as	these	have	attracted	generations	of	thoughtful
  people	to	the	methods	of	self-study	and	inner	work	devised	by	Gurdjieff,
  one	 of	 the	 most	 radical	 spiritual	 teachers	 of	 modern	 times.	 According	 to
  Gurdjieff,	 the	 wars	 raging	 at	 this	 very	 moment	 are	 nothing	 more	 than
  millions	of	sleeping	people	trying	to	annihilate	millions	of	other	sleeping
  people.	Contrary	to	popular	belief,	there	is	no	such	as	thing	as	progress	and
  evolution	as	long	as	humanity	remains	asleep.
  Two	 hundred	 conscious	 people	 could	 change	 the	 whole	 of	 life	 on	 the
  earth,	 Gurdjieff	 says.	 If	 we	 want	 to	 become	 those	 conscious	 people,	 we
  must	learn	how	to	change	ourselves.	With	the	help	of	self-knowledge	