Let me start by saying that this may be the most important and mind-broadening book I've ever encountered in my entire life. This statement may be deemed too far-fetched by some and yet it is crystal-clear to me. The content of this teaching, paradoxically, is far less easy to grasp.
The author presents a system, a new way of living based on the teachings of an ancient esoteric school available for the selected few. By all means, the present book offers just some glimpses of the totality of hidden knowledge. It consists of verbatim records of Mr. Ouspensky's lectures delivered in 1921-1946.
One of the central themes is self-remembering and waking up being the basis of all development of a person who in his/ her current state is just a machine which performs all actions mechanically and consequently has no will. He explains how to accumulate energy and create a magnetic centre. Moreover, he speaks about the structure of the universe, its laws, the planets, about the place of the Earth and its inhabitants in this structure.
Actually, the book is so multi-faceted and deep that it makes no sense to continue enumerating the fascinating areas it covers. It is unfathomable that this type of literature is widely available nowadays. However, as is commonly known, the best place to hide something is in plain sight.
Years ago, attracted by a whiff of mystery, I saw Meetings with Remarkable Men, but I remember it left me at a loss of words. (In those times you just couldn't find information easily, as is the case nowadays.) I think Gurdieff was Ouspensky's mentor, although I read now they parted ways at a certain point /https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079542/
Even before meeting Gurdjieff Ouspensky carried out experiments on his own and searched for the miraculous (hence the name of his other book) by travelling widely. He was a mathematician in the first place and then he got interested in esotericism. Gurdjieff is a whole different story, though he indeed became Ouspensky's mentor at some point (in my view, being a very sly man, Gurdjieff used Ouspensky for his purposes). I tried reading Gurdjieff and failed to finish the book (it seemed chaotic and incomprehensible), while I have read and re-read all major books by P. Ouspensky. The two of them indeed parted ways which is no wonder. The separation was initiated by Ouspensky. It is hard to imagine two more incompatible people. Thus, it would be a pity not to read Ouspensky because of his temporary association with Gurdjieff.
I didn't know Ouspensky was a mathematician. I'll take a look, thanks. I think both their names were frequently mentioned in the 80s--at least it was back then when I first heard about them. I think that the movie probably was a sign of the interest their works were eliciting in those years