In Search of the Miraculous

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."

The law of octaves naturally gave rise to a great many talks in our group and to

much perplexity. G. warned us all the time against too much theorizing.

"You must understand and feel this law in yourselves," he said. "Only then will you see it outside yourselves."

This of course is true. But the difficulty was not only in this. Merely a "technical"

understanding of the law of octaves requires a lot of time. And we returned to it

continually, sometimes making unexpected discoveries, sometimes again losing what

had seemed to us already established.

It is now difficult to convey how at different periods now one and now another idea

became the center of gravity in our work, attracted the greatest attention, gave rise to

most talks. The idea of the law of octaves became in its way a permanent center of

gravity. We returned to it on every occasion; we spoke of it and discussed its various

aspects at every meeting until we began gradually to think of everything from the

point of view of this idea.

In his first talk G. gave only a general outline of the idea and he constantly returned

to it himself, pointing out to us its different aspects and meanings.

At one of the following meetings he gave us a very interesting picture of another

meaning of the law of octaves which went deeply into things.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"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.

"The study of inner octaves, the study of their relation to outer octaves and the

possible influence of the former upon the latter, constitute a very important part of the study of the world and of man."

At the next meeting G. again spoke of the ray of creation, partly repeating and

partly supplementing and developing what he had already said.