“Two things can get people to make efforts: if people want to get something, or if they want to get rid of something. Only, in ordinary conditions, without knowledge, people do not know what they can get rid of or what they can gain.” PeopleIfsKnowsWantTwoEffortConditionsOrdinaryGainsTwo Things Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“What is the best way to look for one´s chief feature?" someone asked. Simply see yourself. I do not know how to explain it better. It is possible one may find something -- chief feature of the moment. It is imaginary personality; this is the chief feature for everybody."Can one alter one´s chief feature?" asked someone else. First it is necessary to know it. If you know it, much will depend on the quality of your knowing. If you know it well, then it is possible to change it.” IfsKnowsWayFirstsWellsLooksMayMomentsQualityKnow HowKnowingPersonalityDependsBest WayChiefsFeaturesImaginary Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“Begin with the possible: begin with one step. There is always a limit you cannot do more than you can do. If you try to do too much you will do nothing” IfsTryingCan DoStepsToo MuchLimits Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“Man is a machine which reacts blindly to external forces and, this being so, he has no will, and very little control of himself, if any at all. What we have to study, therefore, is not psychology-for that applies only to a developed man-but mechanics. Man is not only a machine but a machine which works very much below the standard it would be capable of maintaining if it were working properly.” IfsMenLittlesWould BeForceStudyPsychologyCapableStandardsMachinesMechanicMaintainingExternal Forces Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“You can understand other people only as much as you understand yourself and only on the level of your own being. This means you can judge other people's knowledge but you cannot judge their being. You can see in them only as much as you have in yourself. But people always make the mistake of thinking they can judge other people's being. In reality, if they wish to meet and understand people of a higher development than themselves they must work with the aim of changing their being.” PeopleIfsThinkingMeanRealitySpiritualWishLevelsMistakeJudgingDevelopmentHigherAim Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“If you want to remember yourself, the best thing is not to think about yourself. As long as you think about yourself, you will not remember yourself.” IfsThinkingWantLongRememberBest ThingsAbout Yourself Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“Think about death. You do not know how much time remains to you. And remember that if you do not become different, everything will be repeated again, all foolish blunders, all silly mistakes, all loss of time and opportunity - everything will be repeated with the exception of the chance you had this time, because chance never comes in the same form.You will have to look for your chance next time. And in order to do this, you will have to remember many things, and how will you remember then if you do not remember anything now?” IfsThinkingKnowsLooksDifferentRememberFormOrderNextOpportunityChanceLossMistakeKnow HowRemainsFoolishSillyExceptionNext TimeBlunders Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“If a man gives way to all his desires, or panders to them, there will be no inner struggle in him, no 'friction,' no fire. But if, for the sake of attaining a definite aim, he struggles with desires that hinder him, he will then create a fire which will gradually transform his inner world into a single whole.” IfsMenWorldWayGivingWholeDesireStruggleFireAimSakePersonal DevelopmentDefiniteHinderFrictionInner WorldInner Struggle Author:P.D. Ouspensky
“Can one alter one´s chief feature?" asked someone else. First it is necessary to know it. If you know it, much will depend on the quality of your knowing. If you know it well, then it is possible to change it.” IfsKnowsFirstsWellsQualityKnowingDependsChiefsFeaturesTao Author:P.D. Ouspensky
