This is a study on Gurdjieff’s insight on Octaves and the Law
of Seven and Three to understand evolution.
1.
A person is an Octave. An Octave has many
Octaves in it. All Octaves have an action in a larger Octave of the person
which are either ascending or descending.
2.
From Purgatory :
a.
'A new arising from the previously arisen
through the "harnel-miatznel," the process of which is actualized
thus the higher blends with the lower in order together to actualize the
middle, and thus to become either higher for the preceding lower or lower for
the succeeding higher.
b.
But the concept 'materiality' is as relative as
everything else. It we recall how the concept 'man' and all that refers to
him—good, evil, truth, falsehood, and so on—is divided into different
categories ('man number one,' 'man number two,' and so on, it will be easy for
us to understand that the concept 'world,' and everything that refers to the
world, is also divided into different categories. The ray of creation
establishes seven planes in the world, seven worlds one within another.
Everything that refers to the world is also divided into seven categories, one
category within another. The
materiality of the Absolute is a materiality of an order different from that of
'all worlds.' The materiality of 'all worlds' is of an order different from the
materiality of 'all suns.' The materiality of 'all suns' is of an order
different from the materiality of our sun. The materiality of our sun is of an
order different from the materiality of 'all planets.' The materiality of 'all
planets' is of an order different from the materiality of the earth, and the
materiality of the earth is of an order different from the materiality of the moon.
This idea is at first difficult to grasp. People are accustomed to think that
matter is everywhere the same.
c.
We can get an idea of similar interpenetration
of matters of different densities from the penetration of one matter by another
matter of different densities known to us. A piece of wood may be saturated
with water, water may in its turn be filled with gas. Exactly the same relation
between different kinds of matter may be observed in the whole of the universe:
the finer matters permeate the coarser ones.
d.
permeate the coarser ones. "Matter that
possesses characteristics of materiality comprehensible to us is divided for us
into several states according to its density: solid, liquid, gaseous; further
gradations of matter are: radiant
energy, that is, electricity, light, magnetism; and so on. But on every
plane, that is to say, in every order of materiality, similar relations and
divisions of the various states of a given matter may be found; but, as has
been already said, matter of a higher plane is not material at all for the
lower planes. "
e.
Take chemistry, for instance. Ordinary science
does not know of the law of three and it studies matter without taking into
consideration its cosmic properties. But besides ordinary chemistry there
exists another, a special chemistry, or alchemy if you like, which studies
matter taking into consideration its cosmic properties. As has been said
before, the cosmic properties of each substance are determined first by its place, and secondly by the force which is acting through it at the given moment. Even
in the same place the nature of a given substance undergoes a great change
dependent upon the force which is being manifested through it. Each substance
can be the conductor of any one of the three forces and, in accordance with
this, it can be active, passive, or neutralizing. And it can be neither the
first, nor the second, nor the third, if no force is manifesting through it at
the given moment or if it is taken without relation to the manifestation of
forces. In this way every substance appears, as it were, in four different
aspects or states.
f.
The special chemistry of which I speak looks
upon every substance having a separate function, even the most complex, as an
element. In this way only is it possible to study the cosmic properties of
matter, because all complex compounds
have their own cosmic purpose and significance. From this point of view an
atom of a given substance the smallest amount of the given substance which
retains all its chemical, physical, and cosmic properties
g.
"The four aspects or states of every
substance have definite names. "When a substance is the conductor of the
first or the active force, it is called 'carbon,' and, like the carbon of
chemistry, it is designated by the letter C. "When a substance is the
conductor of the second or the passive force, it is called 'oxygen,' and, like
the oxygen of chemistry, it is designated by the letter 0. "When a
substance is the conductor of the third or neutralizing force, it is called
'nitrogen,' and, like the nitrogen of chemistry, it is designated by the letter
N. "When a substance is taken without relation to the force manifesting
itself through it, it is called 'hydrogen,' and, like the hydrogen of
chemistry, it is designated by the letter H. "The active, the passive, and
the neutralizing forces are designated by the figures 1, 2, 3, and the
substances by the letters C, 0, N, and H. These designations must be
understood."
h.
"The first fundamental law of the universe
is the law of three forces, or three principles, or, as it is often called, the
law of three. According to this law every action, every phenomenon in all
worlds without exception, is the result of a simultaneous action of three forces—the positive, the negative, and
the neutralizing. Of this we have already spoken, and in future we will return
to this law with every new line of study. "The next fundamental law of the
universe is the law of seven or the law of octaves. "In order to
understand the meaning of this law it is necessary to regard the universe as
consisting of vibrations. These vibrations proceed in all kinds, aspects, and
densities of the matter which constitutes the universe, from the finest to the
coarsest; they issue from various sources and proceed in various directions,
crossing one another, colliding, strengthening, weakening, arresting one
another, and so on.
3.
~~ "Having
learned to distinguish ascending and descending octaves in life we must learn
to distinguish ascent and descent within
the octaves themselves. Whatever sphere of our life we take we can see that
nothing can ever remain level and constant; everywhere and in everything
proceeds the swinging of the pendulum, everywhere and in everything the waves
rise and fall. Our energy in one or another direction which suddenly increases
and afterwards just as suddenly weakens; our moods which 'become better' or
'become worse' without any visible reason; our feelings, our desires, our
intentions, our decisions—all from time to time pass through periods of ascent
or descent, become stronger or weaker. "And
there are perhaps a hundred pendulums moving here and there in man. These
ascents and descents, these wave-like fluctuations of moods, thought, feelings,
energy, determination, are periods of the development of forces between
'intervals' in the octaves as well as the 'intervals' themselves. "Upon
the law of octaves in its three principal manifestations depend many phenomena both of a psychic nature as well
as those immediately connected with our life. Upon the law of octaves
depends the imperfection and the incompleteness of our knowledge in all spheres
without exception, chiefly because we always begin in one direction and
afterwards without noticing it proceed in another.
4.
"Further
observations show that a right and consistent development of octaves, although
rare, can be observed in all the occasions of life and in the activity of
nature and even in human activity. "The right development of these octaves
is based on what looks an accident. It sometimes happens that octaves going
parallel to the given octave, intersecting or meeting it, in some way or another fill up its 'intervals' and make it possible for
the vibrations of the given octave to develop in freedom and without checks.
Observation of such rightly developing octaves establishes the fact that if at
the necessary moment, that is, at the moment when the given octave passes
through an 'interval,' there enters into it an 'additional shock' which corresponds in force and character,
it will develop further without hindrance along the original direction, neither
losing anything nor changing its nature. "In such cases there is an
essential difference between ascending and descending octaves. "In an
ascending octave the first 'interval'
comes between mi and fa. If corresponding additional energy enters at this
point the octave will develop without hindrance to si, but between si and do it needs a much stronger
'additional shock' for its right development than between mi and fa,
because the vibrations of the octave at this point are of a considerably higher
pitch(too much Will ?) and to
overcome a check in the development of the octave a greater intensity is
needed. "In a descending octave, on
the other hand, the greatest 'interval' occurs at the very beginning of the
octave, immediately after the first do and the material for filling it is
very often found either in do itself or
in the lateral vibrations evoked by do. For this reason a descending octave develops much more easily
than an ascending octave and in passing beyond si it reaches fa without hindrance; here an 'additional shock' is
necessary.
5.
In the big cosmic octave, which reaches us in
the form of the ray of creation, we can see the first complete example of the
law of octaves. The ray of creation begins with the Absolute. The Absolute is
the All. The All, possessing full unity, full will, and full consciousness, creates worlds within itself,
in this way beginning the descending world octave. The Absolute is the do of
this octave. The worlds which the Absolute creates in itself are si. The
'interval' between do and si in this case is filled by the will of the
Absolute. The process of creation is developed further by the force of the
original impulse and an 'additional shock.' Si passes into la which for us is
our star world, the Milky Way. La passes into sol—our sun, the solar system.
Sol passes into fa—the planetary world. And
here between the planetary world as a whole and our earth occurs an 'interval.'
This means that the planetary radiations carrying various influences to the
earth are not able to reach it, or, to speak more correctly, they are not
received, the earth reflects them. In order to fill the 'interval' at this
point of the ray of creation a special apparatus is created for receiving and
transmitting the influences coming from the planets. This apparatus is organic
life on earth. Organic life transmits to
the earth all the influences intended for it and makes possible the further
development and growth of the earth, mi of the cosmic octave, and then of the
moon or re, after which follows another do—Nothing. Between All and Nothing
passes the ray of creation. "
6.
"We must now dwell on the idea of the
'additional shocks' which make it possible for the lines of forces to reach a
projected aim. As I said before, shocks may occur accidentally. Accident is of
course a very uncertain thing. But those lines of development of forces which
are straightened out by accident, and which man can sometimes see, or suppose,
or expect, create in him more than anything else the illusion of straight
lines. That is to say, he thinks that straight lines are the rule and broken
and interrupted lines the exception. This in its turn creates in him the
illusion that it is possible to do; possible to attain a projected aim. In
reality a man can do nothing. If by accident his activity gives a result, even
though it resembles only in appearance or in name the original aim, a man
assures himself and others that he has attained the aim which he set before him.
7.
"The technical part of this is explained by
the law of octaves. Octaves can develop consecutively and continuously in the desired direction if 'additional
shocks' enter them at the moments necessary, that is, at the moments when
vibrations slow down. If 'additional shocks' do not enter at the necessary
moments octaves change their direction. To entertain hopes of accidental
'shocks' coming from somewhere by themselves at the moments necessary is of
course out of the question.
8.
or he can learn to recognize the moments of the
'intervals' in all lines of his activity and
learn to create the 'additional shocks,' in other words, learn to apply to
his own activities the method which cosmic forces make use of in creating
'additional shocks' at the moments necessary.
9.
"The possibility of artificial, that is,
specially created, 'additional shocks' gives a practical meaning to the study
of the law of octaves and makes this study obligatory and necessary if a man
desires to step out of the role of passive spectator of that which is happening
to him and around him.
10.
"In the study of the law of octaves it must
be remembered that octaves in their relation to each other are divided into fundamental and subordinate. The fundamental
octave can be likened to the trunk of a tree giving off branches of lateral
octaves. The seven fundamental notes of the octave and the two 'intervals,' the bearers of new directions, give altogether nine
links of a chain, three groups of three links each. "The fundamental
octaves are connected with the secondary or subordinate octaves in a certain
definite way. Out of the subordinate octaves of the first order come the subordinate octaves of the second order,
and so on. The construction of octaves can be compared with the
construction of a tree. From the straight basic trunk there come out boughs on
all sides which divide in their turn and pass into branches-becoming smaller
and smaller, and finally are covered with leaves.
11.
According to the number of the notes of the
octave and its 'intervals,' the human body has nine basic measurements
expressed by the numbers of a definite measure. In individuals these numbers of
course differ widely but within certain definite limits. These nine basic
measurements, giving a full octave of the first order, by combining in a
certain definite way pass into measurements of subordinate octaves, which give
rise in their turn to other subordinate octaves, and so on. In this way it is
possible to obtain the measurements of any member or any part of the human body
as they are all in a definite relationship one to another." (Or the human
in relationship with the Cosmos)
12. "In
order better to understand the significance of the law of octaves it is
necessary to have a clear idea of another property of vibrations, namely the
so-called 'inner vibrations.' This means that within vibrations other
vibrations proceed, and that every octave can be resolved into a great number
of inner octaves. "Each note of any
octave can be regarded as an octave on another plane(V. Imp !!!)
13. "Each note of these inner octaves
again contains a whole octave and so on, for some considerable way, but not ad
infinitum, because there is a definite limit to the development of inner
octaves.
14.
"These inner vibrations proceed
simultaneously in 'media' of different density, interpenetrating one another; they
are reflected in one another, give rise to one another; stop, impel, or change
one another.
15.
"Let us imagine vibrations in a substance
or a medium of a certain definite density. Let us suppose this substance or
medium to consist of the comparatively coarse atoms of world 48, each of which
is, so to speak, an agglomeration of forty-eight primordial atoms. The
vibrations which proceed in this medium are divisible into octaves and the
octaves are divisible into notes. Let us imagine that we have taken one octave
of these vibrations for the purpose of some kind of investigation. We must
realize that within the limits of this octave proceed the vibrations of a still
finer substance. The substance of world 48 is saturated with substance of world
24; the vibrations in the substance of world 24 stand in a definite relation to
the vibrations in the substance of world 48; namely, each note of the vibrations in the substance of world 48 contains a
whole octave of vibrations in the substance of world 24. "These are the
inner octaves
16.
.
"The substance of world 24 is, in its turn, permeated with the substance
of world 12. In this substance also there are vibrations and each note of the
vibrations of world 24 contains a whole octave of the vibrations of world 12.
The substance of world 12 is permeated with the substance of world 6. The
substance of world 6 is permeated with the substance of world 3. World 3 is
permeated with the substance of world 1. Corresponding vibrations exist in each
of these worlds and the order remains always the same, namely, each note of the vibrations of a coarser
substance contains a whole octave of the vibrations of a finer substance.
17.
"If we begin with vibrations of world 48,
we can say that one note of the vibrations in this world contains an octave or
seven notes of the vibrations of the planetary world. Each note of the
vibrations of the planetary world contains seven notes of the vibrations of the
world of the sun. Each vibration of the world of the sun will contain seven
notes of the vibrations of the starry world and so on.
18.
"The ray of creation like every other
process which is complete at a given moment can be regarded as an octave. This
would be a descending octave in which do passes into si, si into la and so on.
"The Absolute or All (world 1) will be do; all worlds (world 3)—si; all
suns (world 6)— la; our sun (world 12)—sol; all planets (world 24)—fa; the
earth (world 48)—mi; the moon (world 96)—re. The ray of creation begins with
the Absolute. The Absolute is All. It is—do. "The ray of creation ends in
the moon. Beyond the moon there is nothing. This also is the Absolute—do.
19.
"In
examining the ray of creation or cosmic octave we see that 'intervals' should
come in the development of this octave: the first between do and si, that is
between world 1 and world 3, between the Absolute and 'all worlds,' and the
second between fa and mi, that is, between world 24 and world 48, between 'all
planets' and the earth. But the first 'interval' is filled by the will of the
Absolute. One of the manifestations of
the will of the Absolute consists precisely in the filling of this 'interval'
by means of a conscious manifestation of neutralizing
force which fills up the 'interval' between the active and the passive
forces. With the second 'interval' the situation is more complicated.
Something is missing between the planets and the earth. Planetary influences
cannot pass to the earth consecutively and fully. An 'additional shock' is
indispensable; the creation of some new conditions to insure a proper passage
of forces is indispensable.
