A great deal of mystery surrounds G.I. Gurdjieff and The Work. Today,
many on the path of selfexploration find themselves drawn to the
symbolism of the enneagram, and to Gurdjieff's other teachings.
Gurdjieff was undeniably charismatic many famous and influential people
lived in his shadow, accepting his guidance while changing and
transforming their lives. Shadows of Heaven focuses on the
relationship between Gurdjieff and the poetnovelist Nathan Jean Toomer,
from 1924 until Gurdjieff's death in 1949, as well as each man's
relationship with Edith Annesley Taylor and her son Paul, the author of
this book.
Caught in the middle of this tense triad of interests was the English
criticpublisher A.R. Orage, who was close to all three parties, and
whose wife, Jessie, was Edith's best friend. Paul Taylor's unique life
experience has made it possible for him to combine his mother's memoir's
conversations between Toomer and Gurdjieff, and entries from Jessie
Orage's diary into this fascinating book. It is probably the first to
reveal something of Gurdjieff's love life with the mothers of his
children. Several new descriptions of Gurdjieff's voyages with his
pupils reveal aspects of Gurdjieff's character not documented elsewhere.
Excerpts from Jessie Orage's diaries testify to the magnetic attraction
Gurdjieff exercised over those he felt were viral to the dissemination
of his ideas. With 16 pages of neverbefore published photographs, this
book presents a fresh new picture of Gurdjieff and his teaching, adding
to his legend a tangible humanity to which we can all relate.
