A Record of Meetings held by P.D. Ouspensky - HolyBooks.com

the end to the first rule. In this way you can remember rules, but intrying to learn them in the ordinary way, you will always forget them.Then, I never said anything about 'earlier group'. I said people mustnot talk to those who left the work. Then I spoke about the rule made in1924 after I broke relationship with G. I see that even now it immediatelyproduces questions that cannot be answered. This shows why I said thatpeople must not talk about the reasons of my separation from G. amongthemselves. About 'major' rules—all rules are major, they are all the same.MR. C. I think when questions were asked about rules we were referredto those who introduced us into the work.MR. O. Quite right. It is their business to supply you with all thematerial to study rules, but not with a catalogue.MR. P . Would it be possible to be reminded of what all the rules are?MR. O. It will not help. Understanding is necessary, otherwise it immediatelybecomes formatory.MISS G. Did Mr. O. not say that if people spoke about the work, thatwas stealing; and he said that the people must pay for these ideas?MR. O. When I spoke of 'stealing' I meant more in writing than intalking. But even in talking one must say where these ideas come from.About payment—I meant potential payment, and that becomes possibleonly if people know where the ideas come from. Payment is necessarynot for us, but before anything else for those people. Without payingthey will not get anything. It is magical, not simple. If you wantsomeone to get something, he must pay for it.MRS. E. Don't you think we fail to connect rules with the system as awhole? We are inclined to take it in an arbitrary way, that we must nottalk, etc., whereas if one takes them as a means of understanding thesystem one can perhaps look upon them differently. These ideasdemand a much higher level of understanding than we are capable of,and perhaps rules are a link between ourselves as we are now and ahigher level of understanding which is demanded of us if we are tounderstand these ideas?MR. O. Quite right. Rules are connected with the idea of conduct.When we become No. 5 our conduct will be perfect in relation to whatwe are now. But we are not No. 5, so we must have rules. If weremember rules, understand and follow them, our conduct will beconnected and leading in a definite direction; not erratic like conductof men 1, 2 and 3.