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Hindustan Times/ Meditations
November 22, 2003

A Laboratory for Human Transformation
Swami Chaitanya Keerti
 
Most people who are progressing on a spiritual path are aware of a unique Russian mystic , G.I.Gurdjieff. He had a meditation center, a sort of commune, on the outskirts of Paris. Many mystics have tried to create communes, as in ancient times, our sages used to have ashrams. A commune or ashram functions as a human laboratory for the transformation of an individual, a seeker of truth. Gurdjieff also had such a commune, in which a Russian man Anton also lived. He was older and not much liked by the other members, because his lifestyle was a bit clumsy and irritating to others. The other members of the commune started treating him as an outcast.

Once Gurdjieff had gone abroad. In his absence, Anton decided to leave the commune with an intention of never returning again. His fellow commune members celebrated his departure as good riddance. Gurdjieff returned and was unhappy to know that Anton had left. He inquired from the members about where to find Anton and went to the city to look for him. After riding around for a while in the streets of Paris, he found him sitting somewhere. 

Gurdjieff invited Anton to come and live in the commune once again. Anton refused even though he had no pace to stay. The other members living in the commune were paying for their stay while Anton did not have any money to pay. But for a master or a mystic like Gurdjieff, money was not the criteria. Mystics don't look at life this way and their attitude is not utilitarian. For them the individual is more important than money.

Gurdjieff looked into the eyes of Anton with compassion and invited him to come back and live in the commune for free. He had magnetic eyes with a piercing look. Anton could not say no to the master. When the other commune members saw Anton coming back with the master, they could not hide their dislike for him. They felt jealous that they had to pay for their stay while this dirty man was getting everything free. But Gurdjieff was a stubborn master who told the members not to judge Anton this way, but look at him as a mirror. A human being can function as a mirror to other human beings - to see their own faces. They can see their beauty or ugliness, jealousy or generosity, cruelty or compassion, love or hate. Anton was very valuable this way.

This exactly is the role of the commune or the purpose of living together in a commune. Then the commune becomes a place of real transformation. The same is possible in our work situations and we can really benefit from all our relationships if we let them function as mirrors. We can examine ourselves and grow to be responsible human beings. Osho talks about responsibility, which really means the ability to respond.