GURDJIEFF MOVEMENTS – One-Week Process

A global process for grounding and awakening

The learning process of the Gurdjieff Sacred Movements is a unique and powerful awakening method that helps one to become more present and more conscious.
The movements raise one’s energetic potential, while keeping one’s feet well grounded on the earth.
While practicing the movements the attention is constantly brought back to the direct experience of who you are in the very moment – how you learn, how you move, how you find your place in the group, how you answer to the challenge of a new body language which involves body, emotion and mind issues.
It’s much more than simple rhythmic movements; a multidimensional state of presence progressively takes place as the process evolves and eventually opens onto a sacred dimension: the experience of the self.

Inspired by sacred dances and rituals from the Middle-East, Georges Gurdjieff developed this approach in the western world as the basis of a huge awareness workout, which he started at the beginning of the last century.
An adventure of exploration that honors the human potential for developing all the dimensions linked to great universal forces.

In this workshop, the goal is not the dance in itself
The goal is the development of the person.
In this way you are the target and the goal.
It is a very individual experience where every participant walks his own path while melting into the group. It’s about being alone together.
It allows a new light to shine in your life and lighten the obstacles, the pain and the habits that cut you off from your true essence.
It is a rigorous approach that demands personal commitment, but this doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! Quite the contrary, the profound happiness of true presence and harmony, the shared efforts with the group, the growing awareness and the flow of energy emerging as the experience evolves…is an amazingly rich and unique journey!

Men and women
This approach is for everyone whether or not you have good rhythm, coordination or grace. This is what will develop, as body and mind reconnect and find their natural harmony, either forgotten or broken along the way.
There are no prerequisites, except for a sincere desire to dive in the experience. Every participant finds what he or she is looking for, searching for the soul through the body.

The process will support you in many ways
– Every morning begins with a practice of Qi Gong – a stimulating and relaxing Taoist method based on breathing exercises to stretch and wake up, and a meditation.

– Grounding and focusing exercises through internal gymnastics and centering games to stimulate the body/mind connection and to develop the ‘divided attention’ – an essential preparation to learn the movements.

– Special musical pieces have been created by Gurdjieff and Thomas de Hartman to accompany every movement – a precious support in the practice.
* You will get a CD with the music of the movements we will learn during the week.

– Besides learning different movements we will take moments for sharing, discussion, shared readings, DVD watching, music and silence, to allow for better integration during the process.

– Daily resting times where you can swim in a nice lake, take a walk (around the beautiful property or on trails in the forest), have a siesta or enjoy doing nothing.

* The group being open to people of different cultures will be led in French with eventual English /Spanish translation according to the need of the participants.

What to bring
. Dancing or Tai Chi shoes (or any kind of soft shoes)
. Enough comfortable clothes to be able change often (be ready for all kinds of temperature)
. Note book and a pen
. Protection for the knees if you wish – some movements occasionally require kneeling down.
. A swimming suit
* A set of black clothes