Henry Maurice Dunlop Nicoll 1884 – 1953

Maurice Nicoll, Founding Father of the system of The Fourth Way.

Maurice Nicoll’s work is considered to have produced one of the most complete and organized publications within Fourth Way literature, faithfully representing the teachings of Ouspensky and Gurdjieff.

Maurice Nicoll was a Scottish neurologist, psychiatrist, author, and most importantly, one of the founding fathers of the system of the Fourth Way. Being both a scholar of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, Nicoll can truly be considered the third force in the genesis of the system of The Fourth Way. Before encountering Ouspensky and Gurdjieff and the teaching of the Fourth Way, Nicoll already had a very diverse background, studying science, medicine, psychology, and serving as a ship’s surgeon to and from Buenos Aires in World War I.

Time with Carl Jung

From 1906 to 1910, Nicoll attended St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, qualifying in medicine as a surgeon and neurologist. Upon his return in 1912, he collaborated with Carl Jung on the ideas of dream interpretation and the body-mind connection. Maurice Nicoll developed a close, almost father-son relationship with Carl Jung, even making him the godfather of his only child, Jane, in 1921.

Meeting with Ouspensky

In 1921, Nicoll met P.D. Ouspensky who introduced him to Gurdjieff. Obviously, this encounter with these men and the system they were studying must have made a significant impact on Nicoll, considering that shortly after these encounters he sold his London medical practice, despite being the father of a young daughter. In the fall of that year, Nicoll, together with his wife Catherine and daughter Jane, went to Gurdjieff’s newly founded Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man located in Fontainebleau, just outside of Paris.Nicoll left the institute as it had to close in the summer of 1923 due to financial difficulties. Gurdjieff had ambitious plans for the institute, but the financial strain, coupled with a car accident Gurdjieff was involved in, led to its closure. After that, Nicoll joined Ouspensky’s groups in London. In 1931, Ouspensky saw in him a worthy successor to teaching the system, so on his advice, Nicoll started his own study groups in England. Many of the talks from these groups were recorded verbatim and documented in a six-volume series of texts compiled as his best-known work ‘Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky’.

Maurice Nicolls Contributions To The Fourth Way System

Although Ouspensky and Gurdjieff are widely considered to be the true Founding Fathers of the system of the Fourth Way, Maurice Nicoll was definitely more than just an obedient follower of his teachers. Nicoll brought some very distinct and new perspectives to the conversation about the origin and roots of the system. Nicoll studied a wide variety of texts on Neoplatonism, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Alchemy, Sufism, and Greek philosophy. His research revealed countless references and connections between the system of The Fourth Way and some Gnostic interpretations of Abrahamic religions, biblical stories, and parables, uncovering deeper meanings and links. Nicoll had a particular interest in Neoplatonism and successfully integrated Platonic thought into his teachings. He gave practical understanding to Plato’s theories in the context of Fourth Way notions and used them as analogies for awakening and developing objective knowledge.

Influence Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 – 1772)

Based on firsthand accounts from Beryl Pogson, a student of Maurice Nicoll who subsequently emerged as a central figure in advancing the teachings of the Fourth Way post-Nicoll’s demise, Nicoll was well-acquainted with Emanuel Swedenborg’s writings. Swedenborg, however, encountered fierce criticism, particularly from orthodox Christian factions that saw his assertions regarding spiritual experiences as contradicting the doctrine of divine revelation upheld in Judeo-Christianity.

Esoteric Christianity

All of this does not change the fact that Nicoll’s expansive interest in esoteric teachings and the inner, psychological significance of Christianity contributed to him embracing Gurdjieff’s assertion that the system of The Fourth Way represents a form of Esoteric Christianity, as Nicoll equated Christ with Truth and Jesus with Good.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Maurice Nicoll was a prominent figure in the Fourth Way Tradition and contributed significantly by emphasizing the value of the Work using a more relaxed teaching style, in contrast to Ouspensky’s precision and Gurdjieff’s unconventional methods.

Nicoll’s teachings can be characterized as well-digested and broadly comprehensible syntheses of esoteric thought. They stand out for their clarity and accessibility, focusing on a wide variety of key concepts of the Fourth Way, like self-remembering, the purification of the emotional center, the emphasis on avoiding negative emotions for self-development, and the instantiation of conscious will.

Integration and Understanding

Nicoll embodied the ideal of integrating life through an active engagement with the world and a continuous process of self-renewal and evolution of consciousness. He emphasized the union of Eastern Wisdom and Western Science in the Fourth Way, advocating for working from understanding. He highlighted the superiority of the Fourth Way over other disciplines, as the system starts from the idea that a mechanical man can not do. This assumption, that man can do, is taken for granted in almost all other philosophical and religious disciplines.

Moreover, Nicoll warned against the hypocrisy and sanctimoniousness of the system’s alleged adherents, noting that many are called, but few are willing to put in the sustained effort the system requires, due to mechanical imagination and identification. influential written works were mostly published posthumously or near the end of his life, unfortunately not receiving the public attention that his works deserved. However, that does not diminish the contribution and influence his work has had on the development and promotion of the Fourth Way system. In my personal opinion, Nicoll stands out because of his clear writing style, making complex ideas of the system of The Fourth Way accessible to everyone.