Fortean Times Review (February, 2005)
In Search of P. D. Ouspensky
by Gary Lachman

At 33, Russian occultist P. D. Ouspensky, a man of "gentle, poetic radiance," was on his way to being regarded as a visionary influence on the thinkers of the Russian avant garde. Three decades later, he was living in New York giving lectures to a few "joyless" souls while fighting health problems, alcohol and a sense of failure. What happened?

Ouspensky is primarily known as a student of the philosophies of G. I. Gurdjieff, developer of the Fourth Way, an esoteric system aimed at awakening man from his mechanical nature. Ouspensky taught, lectured, and wrote about Gurdjieff's techniques for awakening, producing In Search of the Miraculous, arguably the most prominent volume pertaining to Gurdjieff's system. In Search of the Miraculous was published posthumously, after Ouspensky parted ways with Gurdjieff, abandoned his methods, and vowed it would never be published.

Gary Lachman paints a more detailed picture of Ouspensky, whose ideas outside the realm of the Fourth Way are not well known. He also recounts the quarrel between Ouspensky and his teacher, viewing such events from Ouspensky's standpoint. Lachman reveals a man more complex than Gurdjieff's famous assessment: a "very nice man to talk to and drink vodka with, but he is a weak man."

Despite his literary success and influence, Ouspensky's life was by no means perfect before meeting Gurdjieff. His early life can be seen as act after act of rebellion; against science, academia, and the trap of ordinary existence. What would become a lifelong passion for miraculous experience led him to Theosophy, drugs, and a journey to India. Ouspensky did not find what he needed and returned to Russia convinced that he needed someone who had become truly enlightened to show him the path. At exactly this time of deep spiritual need, Ouspensky met Gurdjieff.

After discussing Ouspensky's early life and ideas, Lachman spends much of his book recounting the turbulent relationship of the two occult thinkers. Ouspensky worked diligently within Gurdjieff's system to become awakened and did experience some fantastic breakthroughs. Unfortunately, Gurdjieff's relentless demands and bizarre behaviour began to take its toll on his pupil.

Ouspensky abandoned his writing and many of his earlier ideas. The thinkers argued over control of pupils and approaches to the work. Ouspensky became convinced that Gurdjieff had fallen out of touch with his original vision. Although Ouspensky continued to teach Gurdjieff's ideas, they eventually parted ways for good. Shortly before his death Ouspensky renounced the Fourth Way teaching to which he had dedicated most of his life. Gurdjieff later stated that Ouspensky "died like a dog."

At first glance, Ouspensky's promising beginnings and eventual failure is a depressing case of wasted potential. The author's approach to his subject redeems many of Ouspensky's shortcomings and presents him as a flawed but noble man. Ouspensky's rejection of the Fourth Way and his actions during his final days are courageous. Ouspensky may have wasted much of his life on a system that did not work for him, but in the end he proved to be honest with his followers and himself. If this biography does nothing else, it will cause Ouspensky's legacy to be reconsidered.

Lachman fits an impressive amount of information into less than 300 pages, including background on Gurdjieff's life and ideas. His research and writing are outstanding.

In Search of P. D. Ouspensky is an important book. The lives of Ouspensky, Gurdjieff, and others mentioned by Lachman are a delight to read about. But beyond the biographical intrigues lies an archetypal struggle of two powerful magicians, and although it would be impossible to call one "bad" and the other "good," Lachman places Ouspensky under a somewhat more favourable light than he does Gurdjieff. This perspective may not win over too many of Gurdjieff's current devotees, but it is convincing and definitely overdue. This is a book of potential, disappointment and redemption that will not fail to captivate.

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