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

MR. B. The transition from one cosmos to another means the additionof one dimension, so on passing from one cosmos to a higher cosmosyou see ordinary movements as stationary or quite different. How doesthe movement we call light seem to higher cosmoses?MR. O. Light is the most difficult thing to speak about. You see it isjust a word, a label. Science does not know what it is.MR. B. Are physicists right in thinking it is very fast movement?MR. O. Yes, but movement of what? Science does not know of what.Leave out light for the time being and speak about something surer.MR. H. Is it true that scientists can photograph the electron?MR. O. No, do not believe it—it is imagination.MR. B. Is it only that they see the effect produced by the movement ofelectrons?MR. O. Some effects produced by something. That is what is photo ­graphed.Q . Did you say we could associate instinctive centre with cell andorganic life?MR. O. No, that is too formatory. You can associate the speed ofinstinctive centre with the time of organic life, not with organic life.The analogy is not complete, and it is dangerous to continue analogies.MR. F. On the scale of the electron, is there any difference betweenorganic and inorganic life?MR. O. From the ordinary point of view, yes; from the point of viewof the system, no. Because from the point of view of the system thereis no dead matter. Dead matter would not exist. Matter in which allmovement ceased would disappear.MR. C. It seems there must be some kind of life in decomposition.MR. O. Decomposition is relative. It means a passing from one state toanother. But matter remains alive.At the same time, the ordinary distinction between organic andinorganic is quite good and must be accepted. We can take differentstates of matter. Protoplasmic structure, cellular structure is one thing.Then molecular structure we know. Electronic structure, like light, weknow very little about, but it is definitely different from molecular andcellular structure.MR. M. Do you remember saying that one microscopic cell has morepower than a volcano?