the Moment of Conception

Gurdjieff was at pains to show that we as individual essences are not God's handwork, but the results
of heredity and the conditions of our conception. I had never before heard him speak of the importance of the moment of conception. He described the state of the father and mother: how they lie together in bed and experience the sounds and scents coming from the garden, and are happy; and so a human seed is sown that is destined for happiness. But if they are full of passion, angry with one another or with anyone else, or if the father is only thinking of his cheque book and how much the baby will cost—then all these influences filter the seed, and the essence is formed with tendencies to hatred and avarice. GOD is not responsible for this. He made man to be clean: if he is now dirty it is his own fault.

J.G. Bennett - Witness p.270