Prof. Avrom Altman

Author of Flowers of Emptiness: Imaginal Haiku, is a student and teacher of the Gurdjieff Work and Gurdjieff Movements since 1972. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Gurdjieff Heritage Society. He is a student of J.G. Bennett and Pierre Elliot, both students of Gurdjieff, and lived at Claymont, an intentional community started by Bennett, where he was head gardener, taught Gurdjieff Movements, led groups, planned and directed all aspects of three, four, and ten-month Residential Courses, and served as President of the Claymont Society for Continuous Education. Avrom attended Gurdjieff Movements classes weekly at the New York Foundation, taught by Andre Enard and another by Jim Wycoff, and attended group meetings led by Jim Wycoff and another by Dr. William and Louise Welch. Avrom was a student of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, studied Theravada Buddhism with Bhante Dharmawara Mahathera, and became a Mevlevi semazen participating in Sema under the guidance of sheiks Suleiman Dede and Jelaluddin Loras. Avrom is Professor Emeritus at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he served as Director of Research and Academic Senate President, and received the Pacifica Graduate Institute Distinguished Service Award and the Award for Extraordinary Accomplishments as Soul Tender in the World. Avrom is the founder and administrator of the activist group Rise Up for Justice and is a member of the CIVIQ Society. He and Rachel have been married for over 50 years. They have one daughter, Rebekah, and two granddaughters, Alia and Iris. For additional information and links to audiotaped and videotaped talks related to the Gurdjieff Work, Flowers of Emptiness: Imaging Haiku, and Rise Up for Justice.