DISCIPLINE
The Portrait of the Work We Have in Our Hands
ON HIS WAY he found thorns, oceans, rocks, mountains to cut through and jump over, rivers to bridge and swamps to bank up. But he did not stop, he kept on moving to the direction to which a voice was calling him to come and another voice was pushing him from inside. When facing an obstacle, he did not ask about why it was there, but searched for what it was and how he could overcome it. And, as long as he heard that each one of the voices was the echo of the other, he knew that he was on his road. On the road that has a goal, where the two voices will become one. Where his self is waiting for him. And when he got to know this self of his, he made it his leader on his way and he kept discipline as his companion.
A great mind. He knows how to choose companions.
He understood that man is never separated from his shadow, a tone from its timbre, the mirror from our reflection, space from time, the limited from the infinite. He knows that we are tied to the road we take.
But, behold! the road becomes short. The goal is near. He rushes and embraces it. The two voices become one. One voice that does not command, does not push, but only sings, the song of joy, of light, of freedom. His heart has become free, his eyes have been opened. He sees. But what does he see?
A shiver of terror at first sight. Rocks, thorns, mountains and oceans suddenly reappeared before him.
What was I doing all this time? he wondered...
Oh, what an inexpressible leap of joy!
He, whose mind is now outmatched by his eyes in power and quickness, sees that all these obstacles were inside him and the road he was paving was his self. Voice, echo and road were one thing and once united, they became an enchanted song which flew away.
And he became a flexible and well worked out material. He became the clean paper, which, by the hand of the wise and the rapscallion, steals the traces of the heart and of the mind. It steals the traces of the mountain and of the bottom of the sea, just as water and wind do.
- And now that he has stolen them, what is he going to do with them?
- He traces a path on them, so that you can cross the sea without sinking, and the mountain will not stand as an obstacle before you, nor the whiteness of paper would make you afraid to darken it with your pen.
This is how the laws were written.
- But by whom were they written? What you are saying does not happen in our times. I have not seen men having thorns and rocks inside them. Nor men who become wind and paper. Or men who hear enchanted songs.
- How could you see them? They are lost. They have been strangled and their blood was drunk in order to give strength. So, don't you know their story?
They lived far away in the land of the giants and each one of them had three heads. These were called student, teacher and nobleman. All three of them lived in order to raise the little one which was in the middle. He ate of their flesh and bones until they were finished and it remained alone. Then they came to our land to serve as slaves. And we, the masters, asked that they only serve us laughter, joys and nothing else. That they carry our feet on their shoulders and carry us wherever each one's heart desired to go. And they all lived happily.
But, one day, the masters desired to learn about the roads. They learned about them, and we have seen how this was done. But how could they walk them alone? Where could they find the strength to raise their feet?
- We will give you also this strength, the slaves said. And learn its name first. It is called discipline. Blessed is the one who possesses it. It carries a saving power. Listen well to what we will tell you. Discipline saves the wise ones*.
- And where is this power?
- It flows in the blood of the giants, it is their strength.
- The giants? Who are these giants?
- They are us, your slaves.
When they heard this, they rushed to strangle them and drank their blood.
- And were not they afraid to deal with giants, who have great strength?
- Stupid one, who would be afraid of the rock, when the hand of a giant is holding it? Be afraid of it, when it is found in the hand of a dwarf.
By drinking this blood, they heard the first and last words of discipline and they heard from her mouth who she is and what she does.
- I am the one, who leads you to happiness; I am the one, who installs it inside you and opens your arms so that you can spread it around. I am the richest one on earth.
I am the mother of prosperity**.
* Sophocles, Antigone 676.
** Aeschylus, Seven at Thebes, 224.
October 26, 1932
According to Elli's words,
this is
the core
of all
her work.