Acharya Prashant describes Gurdjieff's teachings and methods as being very practical and precise, centered on the observation that man is a programmed machine. He explains that Gurdjieff focused on exposing the hidden mechanics of human functioning, which are often obscured by the belief in consciousness. By making this programming obvious, Gurdjieff believed something new could happen, though he was more concerned with the exposure itself than defining that new state. Acharya Prashant notes that Gurdjieff devised various ways, some quite crude, to help individuals witness their own mechanical nature. Acharya Prashant highlights Gurdjieff's extreme methods, such as conducting esoteric experiments on his own body, including deliberately crashing his car to see if he could remain centered while witnessing his own physical injuries. These actions required deep faith and a willingness to risk physical harm to test the limits of awareness. Gurdjieff was also known for being very selective with his students, often putting them through rigorous tests of endurance and patience to filter out those who were not truly committed. As a pattern breaker, he would intentionally provoke people to act against their self-images, such as forcing an abstinent person to consume alcohol or making a calm person angry, to reveal their underlying programming.