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split, the person becomes two persons -- and the phenomenon of schizophrenia or split personality happens. If the bridge is broken -- and the bridge is very fragile -- then you become two, you behave like two persons. In the morning you are very loving, very beautiful; in the evening you are very angry, absolutely different. You don't remember your morning... how can you remember? Another mind was functioning -- and the person becomes two persons. If this bridge is strengthened so much that the two minds disappear as two and become one, then integration, then crystallization, arises. What George Gurdjieff used to call the crystallization of being is nothing but these two minds becoming one, the meeting of the male and the female within, the meeting of yin and yang, the meeting of the left and right, the meeting of logic and illogic, the meeting of Plato and Aristotle.
If you can understand this basic bifurcation in your tree of then you can understand all the conflict that goes on around and inside you.
Let me tell you an anecdote.
Among the Germans, Berlin is considered to be the very epitome of Prussian brusqueness and efficiency, while Vienna is the essence of Austrian charm and slipshoddery.
There is the tale of a Berliner visiting Vienna who was lost and in need of directions. What would such a Berliner do? He grabbed at the lapel of the first passing Viennese and barked out, 'The Post Office. Where is it?'
The startled Viennese carefully detached the other's fist, smoothed his lapel and said in a gentle manner,
'Sir, would it not have been more delicate of you to have approached me politely and to have said. "Sir, if you have a moment and happen to know, could you direct me to the Post Office?"'
The Berliner stared in astonishment for a moment, then growled, 'I would rather be lost!' and stomped away.
That very same Viennese was visiting Berlin too that year and it turned out that now it was he who had to search for the Post Office. Approaching a Berliner he said politely, 'Sir, if you have a moment and happen to know, could you please direct me to the Post Office?'
With machine-like rapidity the
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