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as no number beyond that。
the difficulty arises for us because we have numbers beyond twenty…five。
for him； beyond twenty…five was the infinite； the numberless。
age exists because of our calculations based on calendars； dates； days。
age is a byproduct of all these。
if you look within there is no age。
you wont know how old i am by looking inside me； because age is purely an external measure。
but this outer measurement bees fixed on the inner consciousness …… it sticks there like a nail。
you go on driving nails in your consciousness； saying； 〃now i am fifty； now i am fifty…one； now i am fifty…two
〃 if these nails bee too much set； it will be difficult to go back into the memories。
one who is very serious cannot return to his childhood memories。
the serious people are sick people。
actually； seriousness is a psychological disease。
those who are very serious always suffer from illness。
its very difficult for them to regress。
those who are simple and light…hearted； who can play and laugh with children； for them it will be easy to go back into the past memories。
so try to break the fixations of your external life。
dont be conscious of your age all the time。
never say to your son； 〃i know； because my age is such and such。
〃 age has nothing to do with knowing。
dont behave with children as if there exists a gap of fifty years between you and them。
instead； be a friend to them。
a seventy…year…old woman has written a book。
its a small book containing the story of her experiment of befriending a five…year…old child。
its a difficult thing to do； not a simple matter。
it is easy to be a father； a mother； a brother； a guru of a five…year…old child； to be a friend is very difficult。
no mother； no father is ever able to be friends with their children。
we will have transformed the entire world the day parents bee friends of their children。
it will be altogether a different world； it will no longer be so hideous and ugly。
but they dont extend that hand of friendship。
so this woman of seventy really carried out an amazing experiment。
she befriended the child when he was three。
for the next two years she maintained her friendship with him in every possible way。
it would be good to understand her attitude toward this friendship。
it will be easy for such a woman to return to her past memories。
this woman of seventy would go to the sea…shore with that child who happens to be her friend。
the child would run； pick up stones and pebbles； and the woman would do the same。
how else could she have broken the tremendous age barrier between her and the child？ her picking up the stones and pebbles along with the child was not just to advance her friendship with him。
she really tried to see the stones and pebbles with the same joy and delight as the child。
she would look into the childs eyes； and watch her own eyes too。
she would look at his hands picking up a shining pebble； and she would look at her own hands doing the same act。
she would watch how thrilled the child was； how he was looking at those pebbles with such wonder and excitement in his eyes。
she tried to look the same way …… being a child too。
she ran with him to catch the foam as the waves lapped on the shore。
the child would run after butterflies； and she would run with him too。
the child once came up to her in the middle of the night and said； 〃lets go out。
the crickets chirping sound so beautiful。
〃 she did not say； 〃go to sleep now。
this is no time to go out。
〃 she immediately went along with him。
the child walked； step by step； softly so as not to disturb the crickets。
the woman followed him exactly the same way。
two years of this friendship brought exceptional results。
the woman writes； 〃i forgot i was seventy years old。
what i did not know at the age of five； i came to know at the age of seventy by being a five…year…old child。
the whole world turned into a wonderland； a fairyland for me。
i indeed ran； picked up rocks； chased butterflies。
all the differences of age between the child and me disappeared。
he talked to me as he would talk to any other child。
i also talked to him the same way a child talks to another child。
〃
she has recounted all her experiences of these two years in a book called the sense of wonder。
she says with great conviction that she once again found a sense of wonder； that even the greatest of all saints could never have achieved more than what she did。
when jesus was asked what kind of people will enter his kingdom of heaven； he replied； 〃those who are like children。
〃 perhaps children do live in a kind of big heaven。
we take their heaven away by schooling and tutoring them。
but it is necessary that the paradise be taken away； because when it is found again the feeling is rare。
very few people are able to regain this paradise； however。
people generally live in the state of 〃paradise lost〃； the situation of 〃paradise regained〃 es in the lives of very few。
we all lose our paradise； of course； but we never find it again。
if one can bee again like a child before his death； the paradise returns to him。
if an old man can see the world with a childs eye； the kind of peace； the kind of joy and bliss that will shower upon him is beyond prehension。
so those who wish to return to their past memories will have to break their fixation with age。
once in a while hold a childs hand and run along with him forgetting how old you are。
and the funny thing is； that age exists just as a thought； a memory。
its merely an idea which has taken hold of us very strongly。
break your fixation with age in living the outer life； and in your inner life； when you sit in meditation； move back year by year。
let each birthday e alive one by one； go back slowly。
then it would not be difficult to reach to the point of your birth。
the same technique works in returning to the past lives。
however； i cant tell you the sutra for moving from one life to another。
there is a reason for it： if one experiments with it just out of curiosity he can go mad； because in doing so； if the