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

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

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You will see later that there is nothing new in it. It is a differentclassification <strong>of</strong> well known facts.MISS C. Wars and revolutions are caused <strong>by</strong> the influence <strong>of</strong> theplanets; what is the effect <strong>of</strong> the moon?MR. O. The moon is in control <strong>of</strong> movements. If I move my arm, thisis moon's influence. The moon is like the weight on old-fashionedclocks. All the mechanism works because <strong>of</strong> this weight. The weightdrags and the mechanism revolves.MISS C. Why is it that the planets can affect man in masses and notindividually?MR. O. That part <strong>of</strong> man which can be affected <strong>by</strong> the planets—essence—is either small, undeveloped or mixed with personality. Personalityis not affected, it reflects these influences. Because <strong>of</strong> this, man livesunder the Law <strong>of</strong> Accident. If man lived in his essence, he would beunder the law <strong>of</strong> planetary influences, under the law <strong>of</strong> fate. Whetherthis would be an advantage or not, that is a question.Essence is hidden in personality. The rays <strong>of</strong> planetary influencecannot penetrate because personality is accidental, it may be in onestate or in another. In masses, people are affected only in certain parts<strong>of</strong> themselves, parts which are always there. So planetary influencescan affect masses <strong>of</strong> people but in normal cases seldom affect individuals.MISS C. Does a crowd have essence and personality?MR. O. A crowd is rather a different thing. The majority <strong>of</strong> people areNo. 1, men with instinctive and moving centre predominating, andtheir chief motive powers are imagination and imitation. Being in thepower <strong>of</strong> imagination and imitation they very easily accept some kind<strong>of</strong> mechanical influence, which is immediately exaggerated <strong>by</strong> imagination,and begin to copy one another.MR. S. If more people were conscious would there be no wars andrevolutions?MR. O. We must speak about things as they are.MRS. C. If our aim is to develop ourselves, shall we <strong>com</strong>e individuallyunder the influence <strong>of</strong> the planets? Isn't that a bad thing?MR. O. Bad can only be mechanical. We must forget these words, goodand bad. They can mean only one thing.Individually, the influence will be different according to type, notuniform. Individual man will be influenced according to essence,

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