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

Friday. July 11th 1941. (New York.)[Written questions]MRS. S. On page 477 of the New Model, it is said, 'Death is really areturn to the beginning'This means that if a man was born in 1877 and died in 1912, thenhaving died, he finds himself again in 1877 and must live the same lifeall over again. . . . He is born again in the same town, in the samestreet, of the same parents, in the same year and on the same day 'How can this be if his parents are alive on the day of his death andare old people?MR. O. Logically it looks absurd, and you can't find a way to rectify it.At any rate, in order to think about it, take longer periods of time.***[Further questions: Are we dealing here with parallel lines of time? Inwhat kind of time are our mistakes rectified?]***MRS. P. When is a person in a more positive state of mind: whenentirely relaxed and at ease? When highly elated and joyful throughemotional or religious fervour?MR O. I think both cases are the same. One is laziness, the otheridentification. Subjective feelings don't change anything.MRS P . In proportion as our consciousness expands and we begin toacquire power over ourselves, must we bear in mind that the soul maydevelop at the expense of our spirit, or should we forget it altogether?MR O. You have to wait until we mention them. They weren't mentionedin lectures.MRS P One reads frequently about semi-intelligent forces called 'ele­mentals', which are said to be dangerous. Why are they dangerous?Are these forces felt as sensations or seen as images? Will you pleasetell me just what they are supposed to be?MR. O. Again, quite a new idea for me I can speak only in thelanguage I know.