A Field Guide To Gurdjieff's Buried Dog

Gurdjieff said: "Blessed is he that hath a soul; blessed also is he that hath none; but grief and sorrow are to him that hath in himself the conception."C. S. Nott said: "In the book one is constantly reminded of the idea that if a man, by conscious effort or by accident, has acquired the conception of a soul he must, willy nilly, become coated again and again with a planetary body until the soul becomes perfected, or it will suffer and languish eternally. This teaching is to help these un-fortunates, people like us. This work is for those who have in themselves the conception or beginning of a soul, of the immortal spark, and it provides a practical method."You, a student of Gurdjieff's writings, already know that he made many remarkable discoveries; but he made one special discovery that stands above all the rest. He discovered an ancient dance-like ritual exercise, many thousands of years old, which he calls the “chief exercise”. This sacred ritual exercise combines a special breathing exercise, with certain prescribed movements, and an internal exercise, the goal of which is to feed, to grow, and to develop Kesdjan and higher bodies. This is what he buried so very deeply. In fact, the chief exercise 'is' his buried dog; they are one and the same.In "Life is real" Gurdjieff gives a few "assisting exercises", ostensibly to help prepare us for the chief exercise; but the assisting exercises are much more than just that. They contain "hidden" information that will help us to finally identify the chief exercise, and actually put a 'name' to it.But why, one might wonder, did he not just tell us the name of the exercise and where to find it? That is because unless one is well prepared, it will give little to no results. The preparations required include what you have already been doing, possibly for a very long time, which is the intense study of Gurdjieff's books. That study, along with a few additional preparations which are "spelled out" in his third series, will bring you to a level of 'being' that will enable you to identify the exercise for yourself. That is the purpose of this book.With help offered by the elders (Patriarch Nott, Frank Pinder, and the 'new' Orage) we will find Gurdjieff's Buried dog and put it to work to gain what he calls "Imperishable Being." The elders provide everything needed to first understand, then identify, and finally to begin practice of this sacred exercise. But why must we understand?You may recall Gurdjieff's remark, "The more a man understands what he is doing, the greater will be the benefit". With a good understanding of what you are doing, the benefits of the exercise will be great, seemingly miraculous. However, the converse of his remark is also true: "The less a man understands what he is doing, the less will be the benefit. With little understanding, there will be little benefit. We must first understand, then identify, and only then begin our performance of the chief exercise.This book, filled with guidance from our elders, will show the path to the exercise. They show the way, but we must do the work. When you have discovered the identity of the exercise, still being taught in certain "serious schools" even today, you will then be able to learn the exercise and apply it in your life to gain for yourself what Gurdjieff calls "Imperishable Being".Imperishable Being is Gurdjieff's goal for us, for "these unfortunates"; it is the elders' goal for us, and it is my goal for you. If you share the goal of Imperishable Being, then, with Gurdjieff's and the elders' help, this book has been written entirely, and especially, for you.