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

MR. O. Leave that for a while. Now I speak of principles.MR. H. Is the permanent 'I' built up by a selection of superior 'I's ordeveloped from one 'I'?MR. O. It may be very different. You may not see the process, but aftera certain time you may feel it in yourself. You will feel after some timethat there is someone in yourself that you can trust. Permanent is reallya relative term. But at least you can find that for a time you can trustsome part of yourself.MR. B. What is the distinction between the emotion one feels inrealizing how small one is, and a feeling of pantheism?MR. O. It may be very similar.But it is extraordinary how many experiences we can have in lifewithout emotion—people can write books, and do everything withoutreally having feeling.MRS. S. How can we get it in emotional centre?MR. O. We can do nothing about emotion, except work towards thedevelopment of consciousness. All we can do is try to become moreconscious.MRS. W. If emotional centre is really in action, I find that all thoughtsstop.MR. O. It may be sometimes, but again it may be quite different.MRS. S. Also by overcoming negative emotion. . . .MR. O. Only by remembering oneself. One may continue to enjoynegative emotions.MRS. B. Why is it that one can succeed in stopping thoughts for wholeparts of several minutes, and yet one cannot remember oneself?MR. O. Don't ask questions. Do more. More questions will be onlytalk.MRS. T. What did you mean to imply, that we must accept intellectuallyand emotionally how small we are in relation to the universe?MR. O. We must think that only by emotion can we get real realizationof an idea. We don't get the real meaning without emotion. The samething applies to B influence. People can read many books aboutphilosophy and religion. But they can mean nothing because they donot feel.MISS R. Does the awakening of conscience help us to reach the higheremotional centre?MR. O. Conscience, yes, very good. The development of conscience