Opening of the Way

So reading this Tobias Churton book about Georges Gurdjieff.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620556383/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6

Churton is a prolific writer.  I cannot imagine how he can read how many books as he must.

This discussion of Gurdjieff does follow on from his discussion of turn of the century Paris.

Some books and people are introduced.

A highly influential thinker and writer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Fabre_d%27Olivet

Antoine Fabre d'Olivet (December 8, 1767, Ganges, Hérault – March 25, 1825, Paris)

 French author, poet and composer whose Biblical and philosophical hermeneutics influenced many occultists, such as Eliphas Lévi, Gérard Encausse - Papus and Édouard Schuré.

Alexandre Saint-Yves d'Alveydre 
 (26 March 1842 – 5 February 1909) was a French occultist who adapted the works of Fabre d'Olivet (1767–1825) and, in turn, had his ideas adapted by Gérard Encausse alias Papus. His work on "L'Archéomètre" deeply influenced the young René Guénon. He developed the term Synarchy—the association of everyone with everyone else—into a political philosophy, and his ideas about this type of government proved influential in politics and the occult.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandre_Saint-Yves_d%27Alveydre

And then Papus.

And then especially
Édouard Schuré
Eduard (Édouard) Schuré (January 21, 1841 in Strasbourg – April 7, 1929 in Paris) was a French philosopher, poet, playwright, novelist, music critic, and publicist of esoteric literature.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89douard_Schur%C3%A9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89douard_Schur%C3%A9


And his book is in academic libraries

The great initiates : a study of the secret history of religions / translated from the French by Gloria Rasberry. Introd. by Paul M. Allen.

Gurdjieff was very aggressive about educating himself too.  Have to admire that.

And then talk about Jules Doniel, as he founded the Gnostic Church.