Product Description

G. I. Gurdjieff taught that we are not really awake, but are entranced automatons, controlled by mechanical habits of thought, perception and behavior. Tart clearly presents the evidence for how deeply asleep we are and its consequences, and then describes methods for becoming more awake, less asleep, more spiritual, less mechanical, allowing us to realize our full potential.

Problems with spiritual teachers and groups along the way are sensitively analyzed and ways given to avoid them, so we can become more intelligent and compassionate, rather than members of some cult.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49015 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 323 pages

Inside Flap Copy
Based on Gurdjieff's notion that most people are automatons controlled by mechanical habits of thought, perception and behavior.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews

a solid presentation of Gurdieff's ideas
I first encountered this book in the mid 80's.
When I first read it, I was inspired but I wasn't ready to hear the message. Now, in my 40's, I am inspired and motivated!
But this is a review, so...

Tart's treatment of Gurdieff's body of work is both simplified and workable. Tart is, first and foremost, a scientist and NOT a gifted communicator so expect sometimes dry, sometimes unimaginative discussions of potentially confusing ideas. For example, Tart discusses, at length, the various defense mechanisms we use in limiting our contact with reality. It is a GOOD outline but... well... academic. Very instructive but uninspiring. (I was looking for a clever illustrative passage to demonstrate the ideas, but no.)

Tart spends most of his time talking about the problems of being unaware/asleep/mechanical in our lives and only really gets to the fundamentals of Waking Up in the last third of the book. He handles these ideas deftly but oh so matter-of-factly. He lists the various external methods (randomly setting an alarm so that you are jolted to attention, thru out the day) and internal tools (the art of self-remembering)but he pulls no punches. There are no magic bullets in his techniques. Be prepared to work hard.

I liked this book.
I also realize that... as self-help books go... this one is not very comforting. Tart makes no big claims for himself. He's no guru. Tart is an instructor who has a wide range of research and experience to draw upon in comprehensively and ably communicating Gurdieff's core ideas.
In this regard, this is not a book to be passed by.
I also recommend his follow-up book "Living the Mindful Life".

A life changing book
Everyone should read this book. You'll be astounded at how "on autopilot" we live our lives. I'd recommend this book to anyone that is wanting to break out of the "robotic shell" and want to truly start living life.

Recommended Introduction to Mindfulness
Tart does an excellent job of introducing Gurdjieffian "waking" for modern, technologically oriented people. I don't mean this book is for computer geeks. If you're reading this, you almost certainly own a computer, a microwave, a TV, and a hundred other gadgets that insulate you from reality.

I generally don't do "self-help" books. This one is different. And you will begin understanding the difference almost immediately upon practicing Tart's techniques.

Of course, once you digest this and Tart's _Living_the_Mindful_Life_, you should probably look into R.A. Wilson's _Prometheus_Rising_ and _Quantum_Psychology_ as a look at the wilder side of Gurdjieff's teachings.