The Strange Life of Ivan Osokin.

In this short novel by PD Ouspensky Ivan Osokin is the lazy indolent student who walks the streets in abject misery. One day he meets a magician who grants him the power to go back in time and rectify his mistakes. But Ivan makes the exact same mistakes the second time over, seeing in perfect clarity the repetition of his slovenly ways. Ivan comes to see the essentially mechanical nature of human existence and realizes that the only way to change is to follow a school of knowledge or religion and develop insight into the ways in which people can step out of conditioned living and emerge into the light of understanding as to the inner workings of creative being.

The novel is heavily influenced by Nietzsche's concept of eternal recurrence, which hypothesizes that if we were doomed to repeat our lives over throughout eternity we would radically change our habits and aspirations, in order to escape the drudgery and torment of living useless unexamined lives. Ouspensky's novel is a wake up call, suggesting that each new day is an opportunity and unique chance to live life afresh and make the most of what we have, to redirect the currents of happenstance and capricious nature. In a word; don't be sorry, just don't do it again.

 

Today I met the magician.

 

The programme, as I see it, requires constant self-remembering. I am attempting to eradicate all traces of lies, deceit and malice of forethought from my daily existence. Each new day is like landing on an alien planet whereupon we must make optimum use of the things we find. The magician gives you the tools which is knowledge but the seeker of personal salvation must do the work themself.

 

I remember reading this thread before and having the same thought of "I've got to get that book!"

But THIS time I will write it on my shopping list ready for pay day. I have not doomed myself to the same mistake of forgetting about it.

 

It's probably not available in most regular bookshops. Amazon has it if you or someone you know has Amazon.

 

I can't remember the last time I went in a regular bookshop. That might be sad, but it's the world we've created.

 

Whenever I'm in the West End of London I always go to Foyles. It's huge. I can spend a good hour or so in there just looking around. I usually buy a book too.