Online Meeting Groups
Photo credit: B. Orner
As many of you know, the Gurdjieff Work is meant to be practiced in-person, working with a group where the full breadth of forms that constitute this system can be experienced. However, many people who don't have a center nearby are still searching for a community to help them ground their spiritual development.
During the pandemic, the Rochester Gurdjieff Center switched to Zoom groups, and this format continued for several years. During that time we learned how to work together online as people “in the Work,” and even opened up our virtual doors to people outside the Rochester area.
Afterward, we disbanded our Zoom groups in preference for meeting in person once again, practicing sittings, the Gurdjieff Movements, and group work as a more traditional community. What we lost in doing so was a connection to several remote members who, despite our best efforts, ultimately could not locate a nearby center to join. We also lost our ability to say YES to the many people in the world continuing to reach out to us in hopes of exploring the Gurdjieff Work, who had no local Gurdjieff groups.
On May 13, we will be restarting our Zoom group, making it open to anyone interested in learning about the Gurdjieff tradition on a continuing basis. As always, we will first try to help you identify a local group connected with the Gurdjieff Foundation if one exists in your area.
Promoting the development of conscious awareness through the use of attention is a crucial function of this Work. While remote members may not have the benefit of all the innovative forms and practices brought by Gurdjieff, we’ve discovered that remote group Work and a connection to a thriving Work community are indeed possible online. Work in this format still provides the necessary foundation for expanding consciousness and compassion in our lives, which is an aim common to all of us walking this path.
We believe the need to make contact with a like-minded community pursuing the deepest questions about themselves and the nature of the world is as strong today as ever, and we’re grateful we live in an age where we can connect and explore these practices together, no matter where we live.
If you are interested in learning more about an online group, please complete the Contact Us form.