Ouspensky's Strange life of Ivan Osokin

[Vladimir]

Hi all,

As some of you probably know, this is Ouspensky's novel about first part of his life writen before his first meeting with G.(see also: Mouravieff B.,Gurdjieff, Ouspensky and Fragments, Praxis Institute Press (1997)) Here he is describing his life in general, relations with hismother and to his love - Zinaida. I'm wondering is this Zinaida Serebriakova, Russian painter.
(_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinaida_Serebriakova ) or Zinaida Hippus (_http://www.library.uiuc.edu/archives/ead/ua/1520021/1520021series4.html). In comparison with Zinaida from the book, both of them might be The Zinaida. I didn't find more information about this. Anyone have some idea?

His talks with The Magician (in this case this is archetype of his own "higher Self") are very interesting. It basically sounds like G. had said to him the same things.

from chapter 27: Magician speaks.

...."That is not so certain. You may want to come, but you may not be able to. There are many sides to these problems which you do not know yet. You may meet quite unexpected difficulties. One thing only I can say for certain. Circumstances may change, but there is not the slightest possibility of doubt that you yourself will arrive at the same decision. In that there can be no difference and no change.".....

....."That is your affair. You have to decide for yourself. But remember one thing, if you go back as blind as you are now, you will do the same things again and a repetition of all that happened before is inevitable. You will not escape from the wheel; everything will go on as before. You ask me what you are to do. I answer: live. It is your only chance. "If you think carefully, you will find in my words all that you need. But if you still want to go back and begin again I will send you back even to the day of your birth, if you like. But I warn you that you will come here again—if you can. Now decide."....

(consider the nature of this entity:)

...."But why did you not tell me before?"
"Because you never asked. You accepted it as a fact and came to me with a ready-made decision. I cannot argue against ready-made decisions."....

"G" parts:

...."This question is very characteristic of you. Like everyone else, you think that you can know everything, when in fact you cannot know anything and cannot understand anything. How can I tell you what it is if it does not exist for you?"....

...."Then, what is required to make things begin to change?" he asks. And he expects the magician to answer with one of those probably very clever but, for him, almost meaningless phrases, such as: when you are different, everything else will be different. But the magician says something that Osokin has not anticipated.
"You must realize," says the magician, "that you yourself can change nothing and that you must seek help. And it must be a very deep realization, because to realize to-day and forget to-morrow is not sufficient. One must live with this realization.".......

....."Now the question of what to sacrifice and how to sacrifice. You say you have nothing. Not quite. You have your life. So you can sacrifice your life. It is a very small price to pay since you meant to throw it away in any case. Instead of that, give me your life and I will see what can be made of you. I will even make it easier for you. I shall not require the whole of your life. Twenty, even fifteen years will be sufficient. But during these years you must belong to me—I mean, you must do everything I tell you without evasions and excuses. If you keep your side of the bargain, I shall keep mine. When this time is over you will be able to use your knowledge for yourself. It is your good luck that you can be useful to me just now—not at once, certainly, but I can wait if there is anything to wait for. So now you know what you have to sacrifice".....

I think that Ouspenky has partially foreseen his life. And he failed as we know, to get reed of his own "life", and to give his "individuality" to Gurdjieff.
Well, I hope he got another chance...

Your thoughts?

:)