Why Fourth Way Homeschool? What are we doing anyway? Who are these papers meant for?

There is a definite problem with what passes for "studying Fourth Way." The ideas in Gurdjieff's system are esoteric but they were never meant to be kept secret. They are not ammunition for projected authority at high class cocktail parties nor an opportunity to extort $1,000 fees for a weekend retreat complete with false promises of consciousness--once the check clears, that is. With this in mind, we have made the cost intentionally low.

These papers are for the 45 year old machinist in Boise, Idaho who has just a little suspicion that there's something not quite right. They are for the middle aged mother of two who's read all the books but needs more. Suspicion in hand, it falls to the question, "What now?" They have no one to talk to about the things they have read. These papers are available because of them. All sorts of people are interested in the SUBSTANCE of the teaching, yet find themselves derailed by elitist credentialists. The disintegration of exciting Fourth Way teaching to dull bantering about Type A issues ("Did you read the latest book about the next to the latest book?" "Did you agree?") is an expected calamity once those who claim to lead have chosen to sleep. In fact, if there are still actual schools (actively presenting Fourth Way), they have, once again, slipped into invisibility. We have every sympathy for such choices.

Gurdjieff's idea about Harmonious Development of Man was never more immediately relevant than now.

The arrangement that we offer is not perfect, but even that idea is suspect.