“In order to study these radiations let us take the ‘ray of creation’ in an abridged form: Absolute-sun-earth-moon, or in other words let us imagine the ‘ray of creation’ in the form of THREE OCTAVES of radiations: the first octave between the Absolute and the sun, the second octave between the sun and the earth, and the third octave between the earth and the moon; and let us examine the passage of radiations between these four fundamental points of the universe. Fragments: Nine

“We have to find our place and understand our functions in this universe, which is taken in the form of THREE OCTAVES of radiations between four points. Fragments: Nine

“These THREE OCTAVES of radiations, in which form we shall now imagine the universe, will enable us to explain the relation of matters and forces of different planes of the world to our own life. Fragments: Nine

“It must be observed that, although there are six ‘intervals’ in these THREE OCTAVES, only three of them actually require to be supplemented from outside. The first ‘interval’ between do and si is filled by the will of the Absolute. The second ‘interval’ do-si is filled by the influence of the sun’s mass upon radiations passing through it. And the third ‘interval’ do-si is filled by the action of the earth’s mass upon radiations passing through it. Only the ‘intervals’ between fa and mi have to be filled by ‘additional shocks.’ These ‘additional shocks’ can come either from other octaves which pass across the given point or from parallel octaves which start from higher points. We know nothing about the nature of the ‘shock’ between mi-fa in the first octaoctave Absolute-Sun. But the ‘shock’ in the octave Sun-Earth is organic life on earth, that is, the three notes la, sol, fa of the octave which starts in the sun. The nature of the ‘shock’ between mi and fa in the octave Earth-Moon is unknown to us. Fragments: Nine

“If we now examine the first of these THREE OCTAVES of radiations, that is, the octave Absolute-Sun, from the point of view of the law of three, we shall see that the note do will be the conductor of the active force, designated by the number 1, while the matter in which this force acts will be ‘carbon’ (C). The ‘active’ force which creates the note do in the Absolute represents the maximum frequency of vibrations or the greatest density of vibrations. Fragments: Nine

I ought to say at this point that the “THREE OCTAVES of radiations” and the “table of hydrogens” derived from them were a stumbling block to us for a long time. The fundamental and the most essential principle of the transition of the triads and the structure of matter I understood only later, and I will speak of it in its proper place. Fragments: Nine

“We have followed the development of two octaves. The third octave, that is, the octave of impressions, begins through a conscious effort. Do 48 passes to re 24; re 24 passes to mi 12. At this point the development of the octave comes to a stop. “Now if we examine the result of the development of these THREE OCTAVES, we shall see that the first octave has reached si 12, the second la 6, and the third mi 12. Thus the first and third octaves stop at notes which are unable to pass to the following notes. “For the two octaves to develop further, a second conscious shock is needed at a certain point in the machine, a new conscious effort is necessary which will enable the two octaves to continue their development. The nature of this effort demands special study. From the point of view of the general work of the machine it can be said in general that this effort is connected with the emotional life, that it is a special kind of influence over one’s emotions. But what this kind of influence really is, and how it has to be produced, can be explained only in connection with a general description of the work of the human factory or the human machine. Fragments: Nine

“In order to understand the analogy between man, the human organism, and the universe, let us take the world as we did before in the form of THREE OCTAVES from the Absolute to the sun, from the sun to the earth, and from the earth to the moon. Each of these THREE OCTAVES lacks a semitone between fa and mi and in each octave the place of this missing semitone is taken by a certain kind of ‘shock’ which is created artificially at the given point. If we now begin to look for an analogy between the three-story factory and the THREE OCTAVES of the universe, we ought to realize that the three ‘additional shocks’ in the THREE OCTAVES of the universe correspond to the three kinds of food entering the human organism. The ‘shock’ in the lower octave corresponds to physical food; this ‘shock’ is do 768 of the cosmic three-story factory. The ‘shock’ in the middle octave corresponds to air. It is do 192 of the cosmic factory. The ‘shock’ in the upper octave corresponds to impressions; it is do 48 of the cosmic factory. In the inner work of this cosmic three-story factory all three kinds of food undergo the same transformation as in the human factory, on the same plan and in accordance with the same laws. A further study of the analogy between man and the universe is possible only after an exact study of the human machine and after the respective ‘places’ of each of the ‘hydrogens’ in our organism has been established exactly. This means that to proceed with any further study we must find the exact purpose of each ‘hydrogen,’ that is to say, each ‘hydrogen’ must be defined chemically, psychologically, physiologically, and anatomically, in other words, its functions, its place in the human organism, and, if possible, the peculiar sensations connected with it must be defined. Fragments: Nine

But I was unable to grasp the principle on the basis of which it would be possible to determine exactly when to make use of such a scale. P. showed me a table made up to the fifth scale and relating to parallel levels in different worlds. But I got nothing from it. I began to think whether it was not possible to unite all these various scales with the various cosmoses. And having dwelt on this thought I went in an absolutely wrong direction because the cosmoses of course had no relation whatever to the division of the scale. It seemed to me at the same time that I had in general ceased to understand anything in the “THREE OCTAVES of radiations” from which the first scale of “hydrogens” was deduced. The principal stumbling block here was the relation of the three forces 1, 2, 3 and 1, 3, 2 and the relations between “carbon,” “oxygen,” and “nitrogen.” Fragments: Thirteen

I began to draw the diagram on the board. It was the diagram of radiations in THREE OCTAVES: Absolute-sun-earth-moon. We were already accustomed to this terminology and to G.’s form of exposition. But I did not know at all what I would say beyond what they knew already. Fragments: Thirteen

that is, in one case x between mi and fa, and in the other between sol and la, where it is not necessary. “The apparent placing of the interval in its wrong place itself shows to those who are able to read the symbol what kind of ‘shock’ is required for the passage of si to do. “In order to understand this, it is essential to recollect what was said about the role of ‘shocks’ in the processes proceeding in man and in the universe. “When we examined the application of the law of octaves to the cosmos then the step ‘sun-earth’ was represented in this way: “In relation to the THREE OCTAVES of radiation it was pointed out that the passage of do to si, the filling of the interval, takes place within the organism of the sun. It was pointed out in the cosmic octave in relation to the ‘interval’ do-si that this passage is accomplished by the will of the Absolute. The passage fa-mi in the cosmic octave is accomplished mechanically with the help of a special machine which makes it possible for fa, which enters it, to acquire by a series of inner processes the characteristics of sol standing above it, without changing its note, that is, to accumulate, as it were, the inner energy for passing independently into the next note, into mi. Fragments: Fourteen

“The final substance in the process of the food octave is the substance si (‘hydrogen’ 12 in the third scale), which needs an ‘additional shock* in order to pass into a new do. But as THREE OCTAVES have taken part in the production of this substance their influence is also reflected in the final result by determining its quality. The quality and quantity can be regulated by regulating the three kinds of food received by the organism. Only in the presence of a full and harmonious conformity between all three kinds of food, by a strengthening or weakening of the different parts of the process, is the required result obtained. Fragments: Fourteen

“The cosmic octave ‘Absolute-moon’ has, according to the law of three, been broken into three subordinate octaves. In these THREE OCTAVES the cosmos is like man; the same ‘three stories,’ the same three shocks. Fragments: Fourteen

which came into the enneagram at the interval sol-la. Then I turned my attention to what the Moscow notes, in connection with commentaries on the enneagram, said about the influences of the THREE OCTAVES on one another in the “food diagram.” I drew the enneagram as it had been given to us and I saw that it represented up to a certain point the “food diagram.” Fragments: Eighteen

This signified that there was no wrong place for a “shock” at all. Point 6 showed the entry of the “shock” in the second octave and the “shock” was the do which began the third octave. All THREE OCTAVES reached Hi 2. In one it was si, in the second sol, and in the third mi. The second octave which ended at 12 in the enneagram ought to have gone on further. But si 12 and mi 12 required an “additional shock.” I thought a great deal about the nature of these “shocks” at that time but I will speak of them later. Fragments: Eighteen