G. I. Gurdjieff

G.I. Gurdjieff (1866-77; - 1949) was a spiritual teacher of Greek-Armenian descent. He was born in Alexandropol (Gyumri) in present-day Armenia. He grew up in Kars in the Caucasus and traveled to many parts of the world (Central Asia, Egypt, Greece) in search of schools of spiritual knowledge. His students included notable figures such as P.D. Ouspensky, Maurice Nicoll, John Bennett, Thomas de Hartmann, and several others. In 1922, he founded the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man in Paris. Although the Institute did not operate for many years, he continued to impart his knowledge until his death in October 1949 in Paris.