“The differences in the notes or the differences in the pitch of the notes are called intervals. We see that there are three kinds of intervals in the octave: 9/8, 10/9, and 16/15, which in whole numbers correspond to 405, 400, and 384. The smallest interval 16/15 occurs between MI and fa and between si and do. These are precisely the places of retardation in the octave. Fragments: Seven

“In relation to the musical (seven-tone) scale it is generally considered (theoretically) that there are two seMItones between each two notes, with the exception of the intervals MI-fa and si-do, which have only one seMItone and in which one seMItone is regarded as being left out. Fragments: Seven

“In this manner twenty notes are obtained, eight of which are fundamental: do, re, MI, fa, sol, la, si, do; and twelve intermediate: two between each of the following two notes: do-re re-MI fa-sol sol-la la-si; and one between each of the following two notes: MI-fa si-do. “But in practice, that is, in music, instead of twelve intermediate seMItones only five are taken, that is one seMItone between: do-re re-MI fa-sol sol-la la-si. “Between MI and fa and between si and do the seMItone is not taken at all. Fragments: Seven

“In this way the structure of the musical seven-tone scale gives a scheme of the cosMIc law of ‘intervals,’ or absent seMItones. In this respect when octaves are spoken of in a ‘cosMIc’ or a ‘mechanical’ sense, only those intervals between MI-fa and si-do are called ‘intervals’ Fragments: Seven

“What precisely does happen at the moment of the retardation of vibrations? A deviation from the original direction takes place. The octave begins in the direction shown by the arrow: “But a deviation takes place between MI and fa; the line begun at do changes its direction and through fa, sol, la, and si it descends at an angle to its original direction, shown by the first three notes. Between si and do the second ‘interval’ occurs — a fresh deviation, a further change of direction. Fragments: Seven

“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 and to overcome a check in the development of the octave a greater intensity is needed. Fragments: Seven

“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. Fragments: Seven

“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. Fragments: Seven

“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. Fragments: Seven

“In the present instance sol begins to sound as do. Descending to the level of the planets this new octave passes into si; descending still lower it produces three notes, la, sol, fa, which create and constitute organic life on earth in the form that we know it; MI of this octave blends with MI of the cosMIc octave, that is, with the earth, and re with the re of the cosMIc octave, that is, with the moon.” Fragments: Seven

Then much talk arose about the notes MI, re, of the lateral octave. We could not, of course, define what re was. But it was clearly connected with the idea of food for the moon. Some product of the disintegration of organic life went to the moon; this must be re. In regard to MI it was possible to speak quite definitely. Organic life undoubtedly disappeared in the earth. The role of organic life in the structure of the earth’s surface was indisputable. There was the growth of coral islands and limestone mountains, the formation of coal seams and accumulations of petroleum; the alteration of the soil under the influence of vegetation, the growth of vegetation in lakes, the “formation of rich arable lands by worms,” change of climate due to the draining of swamps and the destruction of forests, and many other things that we know of and do not know of. Fragments: Seven

“Then an interval, and the ‘shock’ filling it, unknown to us but nevertheless inevitably existing, then MI, re. Fragments: Nine

“Then an ‘interval’ and the ‘shock’ of organic life which fills it, then MI and re. The earth: do, an ‘interval,’ si, and then la, sol, fa — radiations going towards the moon; then again an ‘interval,’ a ‘shock’ unknown to us, then MI, re, and the moon, do. 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

“According to the same plan and order the following triad will be constructed: fa, ‘shock,’ MI. ‘Carbon’ which was ‘nitrogen’ in the second triad enters with a density of 4; the ‘nitrogen’ and ‘oxygen’ corresponding to it must have a density of 8 and 12; together they will give ‘hydrogen’ 24 (H24): Fragments: Nine

“The next triad MI, re, do, by the same plan and order will give ‘hydrogen’ 48 (H48): Fragments: Nine

fa, ‘shock,’ MI-‘hydrogen’ 384 (H384): Fragments: Nine

MI, re, do — ‘hydrogen’ 768 (H768): The eighth triad Fragments: Nine

fa, ‘shock,’ MI — ‘hydrogen’ 6144 (H6144): Fragments: Nine

MI, re, do — ‘hydrogen’ 12288 (H12288): The twelfth triad Fragments: Nine

‘Re 384 which becomes ‘oxygen’ in the next triad meets with ‘carbon’ 96 in the organism and together with it produces a new ‘nitrogen’ 192 which is the note MI 192. Fragments: Nine

“As it is known from the law of octaves MI cannot pass independently into fa in an ascending octave; an ‘additional shock’ is necessary. If an ‘additional shock’ is not received the substance MI 192 cannot by itself pass into the full note fa. Fragments: Nine

“At the given place in the organism “where MI 192 ought, apparently, to come to a stop there enters the ‘second food’ — air, in the form of do 192, that is, MI, re, do of the second cosMIc octave of radiations. The note do possesses all the necessary seMItones, that is, all the energy necessary for the transition to the next note, and it gives as it were a part of its energy to the note MI which has the same density as itself. The energy of do gives MI 192 force enough, while uniting with ‘carbon’ 48 already in the organism, to pass into ‘nitrogen’ 96. ‘Nitrogen’ 96 will be the note fa. Fragments: Nine

“Do 192 (air) entering the MIddle story of the factory in the character of ‘oxygen’ and giving part of its energy to MI 192 unites in its turn at a certain place with ‘carbon’ 48 present in the organism and passes into re 96. Fragments: Nine

“Re 96 passes into MI 48 with the help of ‘carbon’ 24 and with this the development of the second octave comes to a stop. For the transition of MI into fa, an ‘additional shock’ is necessary, but at this point nature has not prepared any ‘additional shock’ and the second octave, that is, the air octave, cannot develop further and in the ordinary conditions of life it does not develop further. Fragments: Nine

“Do 48 has sufficient energy to pass into the following note but at that place in the organism where do 48 enters, the ‘carbon’ 12 necessary for this is not present. At the same time do 48 does not come into contact with MI 48 so that it can neither itself pass into the next note nor give part of its energy to MI 48. Fragments: Nine

“It has been explained before that in ordinary conditions of life we do not remember ourselves; we do not remember, that is, we do not feel ourselves, are not aware of ourselves at the moment of a perception, of an emotion, of a thought or of an action. If a man understands this and tries to remember himself, every impression he receives while remembering himself will, so to speak, be doubled. In an ordinary psychic state I simply look at a street. But if I remember myself, I do not simply look at the street; I feel that I am looking, as though saying to myself: ‘I am looking.’ Instead of one impression of the street there are two impressions, one of the street and another of myself looking at it. This second impression, produced by the fact of my remembering myself, is the ‘additional shock.’ Moreover, it very often happens that the additional sensation connected with self-remembering brings with it an element of emotion, that is, the work of the machine attracts a certain amount of ‘carbon’ 12 to the place in question. Efforts to remember oneself, observation of oneself at the moment of receiving an impression, observation of one’s impressions at the moment of receiving them, registering, so to speak, the reception of impressions and the simultaneous defining of the impressions received, all this taken together doubles the intensity of the impressions and carries do 48 to re 24. At the same time the effort connected with the transition of one note to another and the passage of 48 itself to 24 enables do 48 of the third octave to come into contact with MI 48 of the second octave and to give this note the requisite amount of energy necessary for the transition of MI to fa. In this way the ‘shock’ given to do 48 extends also to MI 48 and enables the second octave to develop. 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

“The first stage refers to the work of the human organism as it has been created by nature, that is to say, to the life and functions of man number one, number two, and number three. The first octave, that is, the octave of food, develops in a normal way to MI 192. At this point it automatically receives a ‘shock’ from the beginning of the second octave, and its development goes on consecutively to si 12. The second octave, that is, the air octave, begins with do 192 and develops to MI 48 where it stops. The third octave, that is, the octave of impressions, begins with do 48 and stops there. Thus seven notes of the first octave, three notes of the second, and one note of the third octave represent a complete picture of the work of the ‘human factory’ in its first or natural stage. Nature has provided only one ‘shock,’ that is, the ‘shock’ received from the entrance of the second octave which helps MI of the first octave to pass to fa. But nature did not foresee and did not provide for the second ‘shock,’ that is, the ‘shock’ that would help the development of the third octave and thereby enable MI of the second octave to pass to fa. A man must create this ‘shock’ by his own personal efforts if he desires to increase the output of the fine hydrogens in his organism. Fragments: Nine

“The second stage refers to the work of the human organism when a man creates a conscious volitional ‘shock’ at the point do 48. In the first place this volitional ‘shock’ is transMItted to the second octave which develops as far as sol 12, or even further up to la 6 and so on, if the work of the organism is sufficiently intense. The same ‘shock’ also enables the third octave to develop, that is, the octave of impressions which in this event reaches MI 12. Thus in the second stage of the work of the human organism, we see the full development of the second octave and three notes of the third octave. The first octave has stopped at the note si 12, the third at the note MI 12. Neither of these octaves can proceed any further without a fresh ‘shock.’ The nature of this second ‘shock’ cannot be so easily described as the nature of the first volitional ‘shock’ at do 48. In order to understand the nature of this ‘shock’ it is necessary to understand the meaning of si 12 and MI 12. Fragments: Nine

“The effort which creates this ‘shock’ must consist in work on the emotions, in the transformation and transmutation of the emotions. This transmutation of the emotions will then help the transmutation of si 12 in the human organism. No serious growth, that is, no growth of higher bodies within the organism, is possible without this transmutation. The idea of this transmutation was known to many ancient teachings as well as to some comparatively recent ones, such as the alchemy of the Middle Ages. But the alcheMIsts spoke of this transmutation in the allegorical forms of the transformation of base metals into precious ones. In reality, however, they meant the transformation of coarse ‘hydrogens’ into finer ones in the human organism, chiefly of the transformation of MI 12. If this transformation is attained, a man can be said to have ‘achieved what he was striving for, and it can also be said that, until this transformation is attained, all results attained by a man can be lost because they are not fixed in him in any way; moreover, they are attained only in the spheres of thought and emotion. Real, objective results can be obtained only after the transmutation of MI 12 has begun. Fragments: Nine

“AlcheMIsts who spoke of this transmutation began directly with it. They knew nothing, or at least they said nothing, about the nature of the first volitional ‘shock.’ It is upon this, however, that the whole thing depends. The second volitional ‘shock’ and transmutation become physically possible only after long practice on the first volitional ‘shock,’ which consists in self-remembering, and in observing the impressions received. On the way of the monk and on the way of the fakir work on the second ‘shock’ begins before work on the first ‘shock,’ but as MI 12 is created only as a result of the first ‘shock,’ work, in the absence of other material, has of necessity to be concentrated on si 12, and it very often gives quite wrong results. Right development on the fourth way must begin with the first volitional ‘shock’ and then pass on to the second ‘shock’ at MI 12. Fragments: Nine

“The third stage in the work of the human organism begins when man creates in himself a conscious second volitional ‘shock’ at the point MI 12, when the transformation or transmutation of these ‘hydrogens’ into higher ‘hydrogens’ begins in him. The second stage and the beginning of the third stage refer to the life and functions of man number four. A fairly considerable period of. transmutation and crystallization is needed for the transition of man number four to the level of man number five. Fragments: Nine

“We have spoken earlier of the law of octaves, of the fact that every process, no matter upon what scale it takes place, is completely deterMIned in its gradual development by the law of the structure of the seven-tone scale. In connection with this it has been pointed out that every note, every tone, if taken on another scale is again a whole octave. The ‘intervals’ between MI and fa and between si and do which cannot be filled by the intensity of the energy of the process in operation, and which require an outside ‘shock,’ outside help so to speak, connect by this very fact one process with other processes. From this it follows that the law of octaves connects all processes of the universe and, to one who knows the scales of the passage and the laws of the structure of the octave, it presents the possibility of an exact cognition of everything and every phenomenon in its essential nature and of all its interrelations with phenomena and things connected with it. Fragments: Fourteen

“The octave possesses seven tones and the eighth is a repetition of the first. Together with the two ‘additional shocks’ which fill the ‘intervals’ MI-fa and si­do, there are nine elements. Fragments: Fourteen

“At this point in our reasoning it would be entirely right to raise the question: Why is one of the ‘intervals’ which is designated by the number 3 found in its right place between the notes MI and fa, and the other, which is designated by the number 6, found between sol and la, when its right place is between si and do. Fragments: Fourteen

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

“As we pointed out before, man takes in three kinds of food. Each one of them is the beginning of a new octave. The second octave, that is, the air octave, joins up with the first, that is, the octave of food and drink, at the point where the first octave comes to a stop in its development at the note MI. And the third octave joins up with the second at the point where the second octave comes to a stop in its development at the note MI. Fragments: Fourteen

“Where, in the cosMIc octaves of radiation, the place of the interval fa-MI appears, in the diagram are marked the ‘machines’ which are found there in the same way as in the human body. Fragments: Fourteen

“The process of the transition fa-MI can be represented in the most schematic way thus: the cosMIc fa enters this machine like the food of the lower story and begins its cycle of changes. Therefore in the beginning it sounds in the machine as do. The substance sol of the cosMIc octave serves as the substance which enters the MIddle story like the air in breathing, which helps the note fa inside the machine to pass into the note MI. This sol on entering the machine also sounds as do. The matter which has now been obtained is joined in the upper story by the substance of the cosMIc la, which enters the upper story of the machine, also as do. Fragments: Fourteen

“Now if we recall the law of octaves we shall see that a balanced process proceeding in a certain way cannot be changed at any moment it is desired. It can be changed and set on a new path only at certain ‘cross-roads.’ In between the ‘crossroads’ nothing can be done. At the same time if a process passes by a ‘crossroad’ and nothing happens, nothing is done, then nothing can be done afterwards and the process will continue and develop according to mechanical laws; and even if people taking part in this process foresee the inevitable destruction of everything, they will be unable to do anything. I repeat that something can be done only at certain moments which I have just called ‘crossroads’ and which in octaves we have called the ‘intervals’ MI-fa and si­do. Fragments: Fifteen

The point 3, or the “interval” MI-fa, was the place where the “shock” came in which gave do 192 of the second octave. When I added the beginning of this octave to the enneagram I saw that the point 6 came at the “interval” MI­fa of the second octave and the “shock” in the form of the third octave do 48 which begins at this point. The completed drawing of the octaves came out as follows: 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

“Mi 48 passes to fa 24; fa 24 passes to sol 12; sol 12 passes to la 6. La 6 is the highest matter produced by the organism from air, that is, from the second kind of food. This however is obtained only by making a conscious effort at the moment an impression is received. “It is necessary to understand what this means. We all breathe the same air. Apart from the elements known to our science the air contains a great number of substances unknown to science, indefinable for it and inaccessible to its observation. But exact analysis is possible both of the air inhaled and of the air exhaled. This exact analysis shows that although Fragments: Nine