Inevitability of wrinkles

[Mark M]

Machine translation from
SESSION 925, 27 OCTOBER 1980

"If you believe that the body ages -- that the body inevitably slows down as it ages -- then it will do so. If you don't believe in this particular idea, your body will function as well as ever.

"Of course, that doesn't mean that you won't die or that your skin will or should always look like that of a 16-year-old. The body has its own seasons, and it is the feeling of the accumulation of time, the accumulation of years, that is extremely important -- the accumulation of experiences. The way in which these experiences are accumulated is important because they can either serve as a resource for the body or be detrimental to it.

"On the one hand, you are taught that survival is important. On the other hand, you are told that it is a shame to age. This puts people in a problematic psychological and physical situation. The body itself delights in its collection of experiences, and in the dream state these are passed on to the younger generation, and this has always been the case. In a sense, death represents the final accumulation of life's wisdom, the sum total of a lifetime's experiences, the bank account that you have paid into for years and that is now finally fully yours."