G. I. Gurdjieff
Saurat: You
do not belong to any school?
Gurdjieff: No, we are a group of friends.
About 30 years ago a dozen of us spent several years in central Asia, and we
reconstructed the doctrine from the remains of oral traditions, from the study
of ancient customs, folk songs and even from certain books. The doctrine has
always existed, but the tradition has often been interrupted. In ancient times
certain groups and castes knew it, but it was incomplete. The ancients went in
too much for metaphysics. The doctrine was too abstract.
Saurat: Are
you still in touch with friends who have reconstituted the
doctrine?
Gurdjieff: I see three or four of them
still.
Saurat: What are they doing?
Gurdjieff: They are
practicing different ordinary professions.
Saurat: Are they
teaching?
Gurdjieff: No. I am the only one who teaches: that is my
profession.