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Fourth Way Sacred Dance
What are the Movements?
They are a series of postures and gestures both unusual and precise, involving; arms, feet displacements, spatial orientation, head positions, words and singing. The overall effect on the organism is to produce a non-habitual situation where it is possible to confront the challenge of seeing oneself in a different way. The aim is to bring about a balanced state of awareness between body, mind and feelings. (JEB 2009)
The Gurdjiefff Movements
(Extract from: It's Up To Ourselves. A Mother, A Daughter and Gurdjieff written by Dushka Howarth 2008)
In the words of Jessmin Howarth (page 106):
"Mr. Gurdjieff gave us a system of ideas. Why did he also put his teaching in the Form of Movements? What did he mean us to learn from them?. Why were the study of ideas and the practice of Movements always treated as complimentary? Do we find that the Movements really are a means towards gaining consciousness?.
It has been said of Mr. Gurdjieff's system that 'it is a system of shocks' And when one first begins in the work, the first shock comes when we are told to verify this statement: 'You are asleep. You are entirely conditioned as a creature of habits. You are a machine. You never live with conscious intention for more than two minutes at a time.'
We don't know ourselves so we don't really accept this. But most of us have found that through the practice of Movements one has direct experiences which lead through the body and feelings to an understanding of the Work ideas, without which the ideas could have remained as theory.
Never forget that the Movements are a means: the Inner Exercises are a means: the Readings are a means: Physical work is a means: and 'Personal tasks' are a means. All are means to the same end. They compliment each other towards an understanding of awareness, directed attention, separation, the meaning of 'I' and 'it' and levels of consciouness.
We realize through Movements that we are rarely awake to our own life - inner or outer. We see that we always react in a habitual and conditioned way; we become aware that our three main centres, - head, body and feeling do not work in harmony. But as we begin to try to move intentionally and not mechanically, we can discover in ourselves unexpected possibilities to be more awake and remain so for longer periods of time.The overall sensation of oneself brings about a quietness of mind, an awareness of the body and an interest in feeling resulting in a more complete state of attentiveness in which the life force can be freed. There is a taste of how life could be lived differently.
Because of this the Movements are Sacred to us and we try to keep them pure and free from distortion and superstition."