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

MRS. A . I understood Mr. O. to say that he would give us some notesabout conduct. Could we hear about this? About the importance ofour thoughts in relation to conduct?MR. O. This I have answered.MRS. S. Is there any way by which we can remember more clearly whatwe have understood when we were in a better state?MR. O. It is a very important thing, but I don't know of a special method.These moments must be connected. Look backwards, try to compare.This is particularly important in relation to some definite question. Youmay understand something that you did not understand half an hour ago.But perhaps before there have been moments when you also understoodsomething in this connection. Try to remember them and connect them.MISS W. Mr. O. said that as a rule he did not like exercises. May wehear more why he does not like them?MR. O. The ordinary idea of exercises is useless—mechanical. Mechani­cal help plays a very small part in this system. There are certainexercises, however, like the 'stop' exercise, which are used in thissystem, but they need special supervision.MR. C. If, when one is making attempts at self-remembering instead ofusing the word 'I', one is trying to recognize which personality isuppermost at the time—is that right? It is the only method I know.MR. O. It is right because it includes the realization that one is not one.In that sense it is right.MRS. C. Last week someone asked how these meetings could becomemore real, more useful: I notice that they are not what they might be,but I do not see how they could be made better.MR. O. They are what they are because you are not what you might be.There is a certain definite principle in the work—time is counted. Forevery person certain demands are made in the first month. Nextmonths demands grow. If a person does not meet these demands, thebill becomes very big in the end. If a person considers he has the rightto be on the level of the first month after he has been some years in thework, he cannot pay his bill. Payment means first of all being able tomeet demands. If you are behind your time, if you cannot meet thedemands, then nothing can be done, and for you things will lookbelow level, because you are below level.MR. B. How many types are there? And are there only definite types orintermediate ones?