Repairing the Past
G. I. Gurdjieff
Y
ou know, ‘Justice’ is a great word; it is a great thing in the world. Objective things are not small things like microbes; they proceed according to law, just as the law has accustomed them to proceed. Among other things, remember what I said: you reap what you sow. This applies not only to individuals but also to families and nations. Often, what happens on Earth comes from something that was done by the father or the grandfather. The results fall on you, and it is up to you to put them right.
This is not an injustice; it is a very great honor for you. This will be a factor that will allow you to repair the past of your grandfather, your father, your great-grandfather. So, if you had misfortunes like that when you were young, it’s because someone sowed them, and that is why you must reap them. He is dead, and it is another on Earth who reaps.
Do not look at yourself only egotistically; you are a link in the chain of your bloodline. You must not look at this egotistically. You can look at this egotistically, but as your blood, not as your little life. Be proud of this; it is an honor to be this link. The more you are obliged to repair the past, the more you will have remorse of conscience. You will do this by remembering all the things that you have not done as you should have in your past. The things you did that were contrary to justice mortified your grandfather.
In this way, you can have ten times more remorse of conscience and your worth goes up accordingly. You are not ‘the tail of a dog.’ You have responsibilities, a family. Don’t forget it. Think about it. Search to have remorse of conscience. And next time you will tell me if you’ve found it. Your whole family, past and future, depends on you. Your entire family depends on how you repair your past.
If you repair for everyone, it’s good. If you do not repair for everyone, it’s bad. You see what situation you are in. Logically, do you understand what Justice is? Justice is not interested in our small concerns. Justice deals only with big things. It’s idiotic to believe that God thinks about small things. It is the same with Justice. Justice has nothing to do with all that, and at the same time, nothing on earth is done without it. That is Justice. Look for the reasons. You are obligated to have a responsible position in your bloodline. You must work more to repair the past. □
G. I. Gurdjieff, Paris Meetings 1943 (2017) Toronto: Dolmen Meadow Editions, pp. 111–112.