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

MR. N. You can't relate it to the outside?MR. O. No, sometimes there are slight differences, but they are very big.MRS. M . In the effort to remember oneself do we work on essence?MR. O. No, one tries to be conscious.MRS. W. You mean physically?MR. O. No, of oneself.MR. N. If you accept the theory of recurrence there is very little onecan do except remember oneself.MR. O. But that's very much. It's not little. It's a big thing.MR. N. But the main events of one's life are still there.MR. O. It may change—if it is necessary. If it stops one's progress—something like that.MISS A . In stopping one's thoughts I have found that my breathingchanges and the blood seems to change.MR. O. Well, if it doesn't produce tension and change the breathing itdoesn't matter.MR. W. I also found that my vision changed.MR. O. I don't think it is good for the eyes! No, it means that youmake some unnecessary physical effort.MRS. M. Do you find it easier at one time of the day than another?MR. O. That depends on the arrangements of the day.MR. N . Does considering come from fear?MR. O. Not fear—they may be some time.MRS. N. I should think that it was the opposite.MR. O. It may. But it is material for observation.MR. W. How can we stop it?MR. O. First you must study it.MRS. W. Is there any identification when you self-remember?MR. O. Self-remembering is one thing, identification is another. It'sone or another. It's opposite things. Self-remembering itself is strugglewith identification.MRS. M. That is very severe. What hope can we have to achieveillumination?MR. O. Illumination is very far from us. But if you work seriouslythere is some difference.MR. R. The trouble is that you go to sleep.MR. O. Sometimes you cannot go on for long. But we must try to dosomething when we can.