Videos

"For years now, Patrick Patterson has been the most interesting and substantial of Gurdjieff's biographers. Gurdjieff's Legacy is absolutely gripping, and the best yet."—Colin Wilson

Shot on site in Paris, Avon, Mont. St. Michel, Lascaux, London, New York, and New Haven, the documentary traces Gurdjieff's life from his near-fatal car crash through to his giving meetings during the Nazi-occupation of Paris to his death in 1949. Examined in depth are the writing of his Legominism All and Everything and his relationships with Orage, Ouspensky and Bennett. Also included is the Rope and his final trip to the Caves of Lascaux.

Shot on site in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Constantinople, London, Fontainebleau-en-Avon, New York and Lascaux, this documentary video—narrated by William Patrick Patterson and based on his book Struggle of the Magicians—retraces Gurdjieff's mission to introduce the teaching to the West. P.D. Ouspensky's and J.G. Bennett's enigmatic relationship with Gurdjieff are explored. Particularly stressed are the "St. Petersburg Conditions" and Gurdjieff's technique of "divine acting." The video vividly demonstrates Gurdjieff's warning to America of the rise and challenge of the East with footage recalling the 9/11 attack and its aftermath. Only available at this site.

"I not only liked it, I admired it. It's a first-rate documentary from a technical and artistic angle, but more importantly it succeeds in vivifying and condensing without distorting what is-of course-a very important story. Moreover, it acts as a useful teaching vehicle; and for some people it may be their first introduction to a few of the ideas discussed, and to the Gurdjieff/de Hartmann music."—Jeffrey Zaleski, Reviews Editor, Publishers Weekly

Follows Gurdjieff's search for pre-sand Egypt beginning with the Sphinx and Great Pyramid, to Thebes and the Temple in Man and Karnak, to the Valley of the Kings, the Temples of Edfu and Abu Simbel, and into Ethiopia where he unexpectedly discovers the origin of the ancient teaching of The Fourth Way.

"GURDJIEFF IN EGYPT IS ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL VIDEOS
I—or the other Convergence staff—have ever seen. I have watched it at least four times and could probably watch it as many times more, learning something new with each viewing. The narrator, William Patrick Patterson, follows the track of G.I. Gurdjieff to the origin of ancient teachings, the basis of the esoteric teachings behind the perennial wisdom, to ancient, pre-sand Egypt.

"Patterson draws the viewer into the esoteric meaning of many of the great treasures of the temples of ancient Egypt, decoding the art, architecture, hieroglyphics, and statuary. He brings particular understanding to the relationship between Horus and Set and the essential tension that binds light to dark, the spiritual to the material. He also comes to the astounding conclusion that prehistoric Egypt was Christian in its teachings, principles and ideas, many thousands of years before the actual birth of Christ. Highly recommended for the serious student."—Virginia K. Slayton, Editor, Convergence Magazine