This book is a Must for underestanding certain process in the conscience development. It clarified a wide rank of phenomena that is real hard to attach by oneself without propper gidance and goes further in the topics explained in "Deeper Man" by Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet is not merely a follower of Mr. Gurdjieff teaching, but he develops it in order to be of real help for the cientific and logical mind. This book is a clear and concise descriptions of the energy levels in wich everything is inmersed. Of course there is no way to prove "objectivelly" some of the points exposed here, but, as a person who has been for over 10 years working with the ideas of the 4th way, I have found very clarifying ideas over certain topics of the WORK; it sets crucial reference points to underestanding the Work Ideas and procedures.

This is not by any means a "beginners book", I would reccomend to read before "Psichology of man's possible evolution", "The Fourth Way" by P. Ouspensky and "Theory of celestial influence" by Rodney Collin.

This one tells us much about Gurdjieff, and by the way, much about the kind of student he attracted, people like Bennett--who might be one of the most gullible men who ever lived (he was later duped out of his estate by some other even more phony guru, as documented in Madam Blavatsky's Baboon). For all his brilliance, even in old age G. was very crafty, manipulative and superstitious, as revealed here (he thought the caves at Lascaux were painted by Atlanteans!). Also, the quality of the Bennetts' writing really sets this apart from some other books in the genre; it is compulsively readable.

This is one powerful book -- one of John Bennett's best, I think, having read several of them carefully. Bennett is much better known for his sudies in Sufism, Subud, and the philosophies of Gurdjieff & Ouspensky. But this one is written with perhaps more humility than any of his others. I don't see how one could read even a few pages, without wanting to make some changes in one's life -- the book makes the ancient Hindu scriptures come alive for the modern Western reader, without necessitating belief in anything traditional -- it establishes practices that can be integrated into modern life without pre-supposing group work or work with a teacher -- it explains clearly where & why you might need a teacher, a group, or a religion for that matter. Many books that "tell you what to do" don't simultaneously leave you room to direct your own path according to your own intelligence and discrimination. This book is amazingly different and thus singularly profound.

One can wish that we knew more about Govinda's meetings with people all over the world during and after his pilgrimage, but as he himself is quoted, roughly: "I am not important; this teaching is important."

Anyone interested in comparative mysticism from a practical standpoint (i.e. with the hope of applying a book as a teaching, to one's own life)can only be very thankful that Dawn Horse took it upon itself to republish this story and methodology almost 10 years after Bennett had died -- and 20 years after the original edition. However, if you are the type who judges a book by its preface, the Dawn Horse preface can be disregarded. Written by Georg Feuerstein, apparently a devotee of Master Da Free John, the preface is an almost hilarious non sequitor to the book itself. Mr. Feuerstein presumes to be able to pigeonhole both the level of soul-evolution of the Shivapuri Baba and the method he taught, according to a system of levels defined by an ad hoc terminology atributed to Da Free John.

Such an attempt at categorization is indeed ludicrous in the face of a story like this: After reaching the age of 18, the Baba spent 25 years alone in the forest as an adult, came out sane enough to spend another 50 or so years travelling the world, mostly on foot, meeting Queen Victoria and many other world leaders. Bennett, who was no dilletante at comparative religion himself, was amazed at how at home the Shivapuri Baba was in several religious traditions -- as if he belonged to each, completely. And Bennett did not travel to meet the Baba at his home in Nepal until the man was over 135 years old! I have heard a couple of tapes of their conversations, and it is remarkable to hear the Baba answer any question put by Bennett, instantly, with no hesitation, and with complete relevance. Introduce me to someone like that -- and over 100 years old! Bennett, in his introduction, gives some sense of what it must have been like to meet so rare a person. But again, it was the teaching of "Right Life" or Swadharma that the Baba emphasized, over and above any interest in his person, in spite of the awesome authority with which he spoke.

Taken from the diaries of John Godolphin Bennett, a former student of Gurdjieff's. Documenting his travels through the middle east in the 50s. Visiting holy sites and searching for genuine dervish teachers. Bennett doesn't reach the quality and depth of writing evident in his autobiography 'Witness'. However there are some interesting comments on Islam and it's role in 50s society. Bennett does find a genuine dervish, in the form of Emin Chikhou; who evidences undoubted spiritual qualities, fixed within an orthodox islamic worldview. The way in which Bennett comes to terms with the dichotomy of Chikhou's sometimes inflexible religious beliefs eg. his belief that Islam, Christianity and Judaism are the only true religions, with Islam the superior of the three and his genuine selflessness form the core of the book.
The descriptions of the people and places of the middle east are competently described and hold the readers interest. Also Chikhou's teaching stories, which he relates to Bennett are interesting, reminiscent of Idries shah's storytelling.

Nobody was more able to write so clearly about the Gurdjieff work and about spiritual work in general than Bennett! In this book he really shows, how he took on the task to apply the "Work"
and he shows a very interesting insight into the islamic world.

Bennett's "road journals" of trips to Turkey, Syria, and elsewhere in the '50's make for an interesting observation of the man (these episodes are recounted in a more abbreviated form in his autobiography "Witness"), but also raise repeatedly the question of "times and seasons" as Bennett, hungry for spiritual guidance, is in turn inspired and exasperated by men of real wisdom who nevertheless remain very biased by traditional, even sectarian, perspectives. Those who puzzle over the current vogue of opposing religion and spirituality will find much for reflection here, as will those fascinated by Sufism and its place within the larger framework of Islam.

Astonishing to think that about thirty years ago so many young people in The West were moved to engage with people such as Mr Bennett. Definitely something in the air at that time.
Allen Roth conjures up the spirit of those years in a book which will bring back memories of early spiritual endeavours for some, and will encourage the latest generation to follow its instincts. The like of Mr Bennett doesn't seem to be around at the moment but "Sherborne" will give the reader a yardstick by which to measure "teachers".

Spiritual ferver was alive and many young people were travelling and seeking at the beginning of the '70's. J. G. Bennett, a student of Ouspensky and Gurdjieff, felt the energy of the time at the Isle of Wight festival and established a spiritual school in Sherborne, England, that offered six 10-month "courses" before his death. Allen Roth has done an admirable job of capturing the energy of this time. Well worth reading for anyone interested in the Fourth Way.

there are many personal anecdotes of Bennett's encounters with Gurdjieff and Subud here, but I personally found them less interesting than his accounts of his encounters with Sufism and dervishes. Anyone interested in the Mevlevi ceremonies should not miss his account of witnessing the ceremonies in Konya in the 1920s. Throughout the book he is running into dervishes of one sort or another, who reveal much personal spiritual experience to him, of a way of life that is now no more. alas.