In Search of the Miraculous

of one cosmos within the other, that is, of a lower cosmos in a higher, of a smaller

cosmos in a greater, such as, for instance, the existence of man in organic life or in

relation to organic life. In this case organic life must inevitably be taken in time.

Existence in time is an extension along the fourth dimension.

"Neither can the earth be regarded as a three-dimensional body. It would be threedimensional if it were stationary. Its motion around its axis makes man a fivedimensional being, whereas its motion around the sun makes the earth itself fourdimensional. The earth is not a sphere but a spiral encircling the sun, and the sun is not a sphere but a kind of spindle inside this spiral. The spiral and the spindle, taken

together, must have a lateral motion in the next cosmos, but what results from this

motion we cannot know, for we know neither the nature nor the direction of the

motion.

"Further, seven cosmoses represent a 'period of dimensions,' but this does not mean

that the chain of cosmoses comes to an end with the Microcosmos. If man is a

Microcosmos, that is, a cosmos in himself, then the microscopic cells composing his

body will stand towards him in about the same relation as he himself stands to organic

life on earth. A microscopic cell which is on the boundary line of microscopic vision

is com-

posed of milliards of molecules comprising the next step, the next cosmos. Going still

further, we can say that the next cosmos will be the electron. Thus we have obtained a

second Microcosmos—the cell; a third Microcosmos—the molecule; and a fourth

Microcosmos—the electron. These divisions and definitions, namely 'cells,'

'molecules,' and 'electrons,' are possibly very imperfect; it may be that with time

science will establish others, but the principle will remain always the same and lower

cosmoses will always be in precisely such relation to the Microcosmos."

It is difficult to reconstruct all the conversations which we had at that time about

cosmoses.

I returned particularly often to G.'s words about the difference of time in different

cosmoses. I felt that here was a riddle which I could and must solve.

Finally having decided to try to put together everything I thought on the subject, I

took man as the Microcosmos. The next cosmos in relation to man I took as "organic

life on earth," which I called "Tritocosmos" although I did not understand this name, because I would have been unable to answer the question why organic life on earth

was the "third" cosmos. But the name is immaterial. After that everything was in accordance with G.'s system. Below man, that is, as the next smaller cosmos, was the

"cell." Not any cell and not a cell under any conditions, but a fairly large cell, such as for instance the embryo-cell of the human organism. As the next cosmos one could

take a small, ultramicroscopic cell. The idea of two cosmoses in the microscopic

world, that is, the idea of two microscopic individuals differing one from the other as

much as does "man" from a "large cell," is perfectly clear in bacteriology.

The next cosmos was the molecule, and the next the electron. Neither "molecule"

nor "electron" appeared to me to be very sound or reliable definitions, but for the lack of others these could be taken.

Such a succession undoubtedly introduced or maintained a complete

incommensurability between the cosmoses, that is, it preserved the ratio of zero to

infinity. And later this system made possible many very interesting constructions.

The idea of cosmoses received a further development only a year after we heard it

for the first time, that is, in the spring of 1917, when I succeeded for the first time in constructing a "table of time in different cosmoses." But I will speak of this table further on. I will only add that G. never explained, as he promised, the names of the

cosmoses and the origin of these names.

Chapter Eleven

"I AM often asked questions in connection with various texts, parables,

and so on, from the Gospels," said G., on one occasion. "In my opinion the time has not yet come for us to speak about the Gospels. This requires much more

knowledge. But from time to time we will take certain Gospel texts as points of

departure for our discussions. This will teach you to treat them in the right way, and,

above all, to realize that in the texts known to us the most essential points are usually missing.

"To begin with, let us take the well-known text about the seed which must die in

order to be born. 'Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but, if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.'

"This text has many different meanings and we shall often return to it. But first of all it is necessary to know the principle contained in this text in its full measure as

applied to man.

"There is a book of aphorisms which has never been published and probably never

will be published. I have mentioned this book before in connection with the question