IN HIS TRAVELS GURDJIEFF visited many monasteries, some of which were Sufi. He also spoke with many learned beings, some of whom were Sufi. He had a great respect for the Sufis and it would seem likely that he may have been initiated into several of their orders. A selection of the music he introduced was Sufi in origin. This, however, does not mean he was a Sufi. He had already found the principles and ideas of a Christianity before Christ and was only looking for elements of this prehistoric esoteric teaching that had migrated northward over time. The Fourth Way teaching predating all teachings and religions, it is not surprising that there would be similarities to Sufism, as well as other approaches. For a discussion of Sufism as it relates to The Fourth Way, see The Gurdjieff Journal, Volume 6, Issue 4, "Neo-Sufism: The Case of Idries Shah."
