George Ivanovich Gurdjieff was an early 20th century mystic and philosopher who pioneered an ideology called The Work based on elements of eastern Christianity, dervish mysticism, yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, and parts of Zoroastrianism. It relies on inward reflection and the principle that one needs to “wake up” and see past the veils of modern society. Seymour Ginsburg, a member of the Gurdjieff Foundation, distills his teaching into a slim volume to help the reader through the bulk of The Work.

Truthfully, I had a hard time getting through this mumbo-jumbo. I was with it when Ginsburg talks about understanding your inner self and walking the reader through some guided meditation lessons. But once they get into renaming things, such as the obligolnian strivings, the martfotai, and the tetartocosmos, I’m out. If you can’t use the existing words at our disposal (there’s over a million to choose from), then “the masses” aren’t going to come into your fold.

Most of this book reads like a catalogue of mystical philosophy. There are the seven brains, the seven worlds each with an order of laws, the aforementioned strivings, the sacred forces (or triamazikamno), so on and so forth. It’s all a big mess. I’m sure there are quite a few people practicing this system, and to them I say, carry on. I won’t get in your way. Just don’t make me read this book again. ( )