Givers and takers

People who are interested in receiving or taking go to those places where they receive physical, emotional, and mental elements. But when they are saturated, they withdraw because they think there is nothing more to take.

These kinds of people go from group to group, from one ideology to another to receive. But their ability to receive is limited by their mental or spiritual capacity. Once they reach the water mark of their evolution, no group or ideology is able to give them anything they search for. From this stage on they isolate themselves and live for their pleasures or for their worldly plans.

The secret is that they live as parasites, and their whole urge is to receive, not give. Those who do not give cannot grow and expand their consciousness. When they stop giving, they reject other sources of wisdom, because it does not make sense to them.

We often see that such people become members of a group until they are saturated. Then they stop being members of that group. Their relationship with the group deepens if they change the direction of their consciousness from receiving to giving.

Real spiritual growth starts the moment when people join a group to give rather than to receive. What they may give is their

-physical service
-labor
-emotional support
-enthusiasm
-knowledge
-experience
-wisdom
-money

The more they give, the more they expand their consciousness, and the more they see the importance of group labor, group discipline.

Those who quit their group feel that they have nothing to give to the group. Actually they do not know about their feeling. It is subjective and unconscious. This feeling creates in them rejection and indifference toward the group, because they have reached a state of crystallization in which they have nothing to contribute. If they analyze their attitude – their crystalized or saturated level says to them that they no longer need the group.

All progress is based on givingness. Join a group. Be a friend to someone. Meet people ONLY as an opportunity to serve, to sacrifice, and to give. Then that group or person becomes a source of everlasting interest for you. To whatever you give, that becomes the object of your interest.

It is known that all those who create problems in a group, quit the group, or slander the group are those people who came to the group for their own personal interest or profit, on any form or level.

That is why in all mystery schools there was a rule not to admit those who were characterized as self-seekers, full of ego, selfish receivers – but to admit those who give and give on all possible levels, even themselves. Such people eventually transform their whole life.

One day my Teacher was talking with a new student. His questions to him were:

“Did you help your father, mother, or brothers and sisters in any way? Tell me all your stories about how, and when?”

“Did you help any man or woman in anyway, anywhere? Tell me stories.”

“Is there anyone who is very grateful to you?”

“Or anyone who owes things to you?”

“Did you give anything to anyone which was dear to you?”

“Did you share something with someone? What, how, where, how much?”

I was surprised at such questions, but my heart was in joy. Later, I approached my Teacher and asked, “Were these questions important?”

“Yes, yes,” he said. “The nature of man can be known by such questions. We do not need those who are parasites, but those who are givers. Givers can walk the path. Receivers misuse the path. They become sources of troubles. The path is nothing else but giving.”


-Torkom Saraydarian
Leadership vol.5