Exploring the Teachings of Gurdjieff: Am I asleep?

One of the recurrent themes of spirituality in all eras and places is sleep and awakening. Heraclitus, the sixth-century BCE Greek philosopher, expressed it memorably: “"The waking have one common world, but the sleeping turn aside each into a world of his own." In the Gospels (Matthew 25:13), who can forget the admonition: “Watch, for you know not the day nor the hour. . . .” The call to awaken is ancient.

It is a most important element in the Gurdjieff teaching, where it becomes a practical matter, not just a lofty truth but a theme for exploratory work on oneself. Gurdjieff tells us that we are asleep, not only at night, but in our waking life; and we do not sleep an ordinary sleep, but hypnotic sleep, deeply unaware of what we are, of our actions, and our motivations. We are here—living, moving, thinking, feeling human beings—without vividly knowing that we are here.

What is this sleep? What hypnotizes us and takes us away from the clarity of seeing things as they are, seeing myself as I am? I live an existence of rampant stimuli, stray thoughts, unprocessed feelings, and compelling bodily urges, all pulling at me at once. Can I see at any given moment that forces “I” do not control are driving my attention? Am I content to let all these largely unseen forces steer my life?

If not, how then can we awaken? Can we find a quiet place within from which to begin observing all this, without shutting it out?

In this exchange, we will discuss the reality of sleep in our lives. Seeing our sleep is the indispensable beginning of awakening.

Please join us for this first meeting of our 2025-26 series of Exchanges. Let us know you plan to attend by responding here.