Being and Mind

 The Tibetan View of the Mind

“…channels are subtle pathways extending throughout the body through which the volatile winds move. Since winds and mind are fused in tantric theory, the channels are the pathways not only for winds, but also for the mind that rides on those winds. Therefore, channels are the avenues by which the mind comes to pervade the entire body.”

— Secrets of the Vajra Body: Dngos po'i gnas lugs and the Apotheosis of the Body in the work of Rgyal ba Yang dgon pa (A dissertation by Willa Blythe Miller)

It is important, as a Gurdjieffian, to distinguish between the centers (intellectual, emotional, and moving, etc.) and the actual mind itself. The “organ” or elemental component of “mind” is an aspect within us which allows us to perceive through the senses; and it also works with the centers, or the various parts of centers, mediating so we can access their functioning. The mind not only perceives what the senses take in, but also perceives the various workings of our intellectual and other centers.

However the centers  — when developed — are far superior to mind, the mind being a more reactionary tool, responding to inner or outer stimuli. The centers, one could say, encompass or express our Being and Knowledge. Being and Knowledge are measured on the scale of the Ray of Creation, and involve the development of second, third, and fourth (astral, mental, and divine) bodies.

The characteristics of the physical body are the senses, along with the mind. Being and Knowledge here are at a relatively low point on this scale, at the level of the Earth.

The characteristic of the astral body is that of a highly developed emotional center (specifically the evolution of the middle division of the emotional center). This body manifests higher Being. Emotions, or Being, here are at the level of All Planets.

The characteristic of the mental body is that of a highly developed intellectual center (specifically the evolution of the inner division of the intellectual center). This body manifests higher Knowledge. Knowledge here is at the level of the Sun.

The mind is an organ made up of a specific level of materiality, and is also a component of the so-called subtle body, or energy body, or pranic sheath. The characteristic of the subtle body is a system of channels, through which the mind rides the subtle winds, like a rider and his horse. The subtle body, along with the mind, is a link between both our physical body (and the physical world) and our centers (and our inner world).

THE CREATION OF THE CENTERS

“Right work on oneself begins with the creation of a permanent center of gravity.”

— Gurdjieff 

"The process of evolution, of that evolution which is possible for humanity as a whole, is completely analogous, to the process of evolution possible for the individual man. And it begins with the same thing, namely, a certain group of cells gradually   becomes conscious; then it attracts to itself other cells, subordinates others, and gradually makes the whole organism serve its aims and not merely eat, drink, and sleep. This is evolution and there can be no other kind of evolution. In humanity as in   individual man everything begins with the formation of a conscious nucleus. All the mechanical forces of life fight against the formation of this conscious nucleus in humanity, in just the same way as all mechanical habits, tastes and weaknesses fight   against conscious self-remembering in man."

— Gurdjieff 

The mind does direct the subtle winds, so in that sense the mind is in charge; but “attention” is not necessarily just simply a function of mind. The mind is not all there is of our inner psychic life. Attention can be also an aspect of Being, as well, starting out in our development with the activity of Self-Remembering. Self-Remembering, along with Self Observation, eventually leads to the development of our centers, which can express higher elements of our Being and Knowledge. When the centers have been developed, then attention can work in conjunction with their activity, rather than just as a slave to the mind’s whims.

That is not to say that we have nothing to begin with, no centers at all. Everybody has centers of a sort. All humans have centers — the intellectual, emotional, moving — with their three divisions — outer, middle, and inner. However, these undeveloped centers are neither permanent nor very evolved. The centers in the majority of mankind are simply temporary manifestations of the various energies inhabiting the body; appearing occasionally to carry out some function or other.

The middle and inner divisions of the emotional center are the seat of the sublime, higher emotions. These are not used much by us in daily life. And same with the middle and inner divisions of the intellect — these portions of the intellect are rarely used.

This rarified, celestial, profound feeling and thinking is possible for us, but only on occasion. The goal is to develop these parts of us, along with the higher bodies that go along with them.

The mind travels through the various channels of the body, but there are three main central channels that are important specifically for the higher bodies and their centers. I’m not an accomplished Yogi, but my perception, through reading and self study, is that the central channel — traveling the central axis of the body — has much to do with the higher bodies’ developed centers, otherwise known as chakras.

The three central channels of the “etheric body”. When the attention works with the higher bodies and their developed centers, my feeling is it is traveling through one or another of these three central channels. Otherwise, the attention is a slave to the mind’s whims, and traveling through the side channels, with their less-profound thoughts and desires.

Chakras, as well as centers, are concepts that are seen in a variety of ways. However, generally they are both thought to be completely formed, and needing no development. Rather they are considered to have flaws: Centers might use the wrong energy, or Chakras might have blockages. This whole outlook, to me, is wrong. Centers, chakras, as well as certain other aspects of the subtle body need to be intentionally formed; centers formed using the correct corresponding energies. What we have is fluid, unfixed, and unreliable. What we need is well-developed, reliable, and fixed centers — with their corresponding bodies.

My understanding personally, by the way, is that the theory of “centers” is a better system for achieving self-evolution. Perhaps that’s because I’m Western, and Gurdjieff’s system is Western. But the Gurdjieffian development of centers entails specific knowledge of the energies involved; and also includes the synchronous development of higher, permanent bodies, which go along with the centers.

I do know, however, that for me it is a mistake to assume that each of us has ready-made centers in place. Through experience, I have found that the centers of the higher bodies need to be intentionally formed, using specific energies and a definite process. For details on forming the astral body with its centers, see my previous blog post: https://to-be-able.blogspot.com/2022/ 

But from the perspective of the subtle body, developed centers are the same thing as working chakras. There comes a point, when one starts perceiving the channels, and one has made headway developing the centers, where one realizes the Eastern and Western concepts are the same. Developed centers are the same as working chakras.

The East Indian Philosophy of Samkhya 

The mind, in East Indian Samkhya theory, is classified as being generally on the same level as the senses. The mind is necessary for us in order to utilize the senses, and to perceive the outside world. The Eastern theory goes, that the mind travels between our senses and the object we are perceiving; the mind taking the shape of the object. The intellect (or buddhi) then interprets the object which the mind has perceived. Finally, the buddhi allows the Self, residing in the heart, to witness what the buddhi has apprehended. This is my understanding of the process. Mahat or buddhi (intellect) is the same substance as Gurdjieff’s okidanokh in his Tales, in my opinion. Prakriti is the same as Gurdjieff’s ethernokrilno, in the same text.

— The “evolutes” or different hierarchical elements of the Samkhya system. —

According to Dr. David Frawley, “prana” is an evolute of Rajasa ahankara. 

Mahat is the macrocosmic or universal mode of Intellect. Buddhi is the psychological aspect of Intellect.

Purusha & Prakriti are above manifestation. 

The Sages indicate that the way to moksha and knowledge of Purusha & Prakriti is to establish oneself in Mahat.

Building the Mental Body 

“And so, my boy, in the beginning, as I have already told you, after these cosmic arisings had perfected their Reason to the necessary gradation of the 'Sacred Scale of Reason,' they were taken onto the Sun Absolute, there to fulfill the roles predestined for them by our Creator Endlessness.”

Gurdjieff — Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson, The Holy Planet Purgatory 

As I said in the previous post, the emotional center of the body has three divisions. And so, the body’s intellectual center has three divisions, also. I said that the astral or second body evolves from the middle parts of the centers. The mental or third body however evolves from the inner parts of the centers.

The mental body evolves from the inner division of the intellectual center (as well as the inner division of the emotional center). This intellectual center division works with the energy of impressions: do 48. As Nicoll says above, this part of the intellectual center manifests “Intellectual Construction, Creative Thought, & Discovery”.

The mental body is constructed inside the head, inside the mind, using the third eye — the place between the two brows — as a focal point. The mental body’s construction starts with the formation of a “center”, around which the third body grows. This mental center is formed from several elements: the element of consciousness, the element of buddhi (intellect), the energy of impressions (do 48), the element of mind (manas, which is associated with the breath and with the senses), and finally with an organized structure of mental ideas.

These are the three energies used to build the mental body. 

Do 48 in the head, i.e. the energies of impressions, is fused with mind, consciousness, and intellect (Gurdjieff’s Okidanokh & Samkhya’s Mahat) (see Samkhya chart above) as well as certain ideas to begin making third body.

Do 48 represents energy for the mental body’s intellectual center. Re 24, the energy for the mental body’s emotional center. Mi 12 would be for the mental body’s moving center — carrying out the aims of the intellect and will.

I don’t recommend trying to build a third body until the second body is well established. It is necessary to be able to sense clearly the astral body first.

In preparation, the astral body’s intellectual center should be modified, to begin with. As one has previously formed the astral centers, so in continuing, one uses the same technique for preparation of the astral intellectual center for construction of the mental body’s intellectual center, within it.

The creation of a mental center — the nucleus of the mental body itself — is really a matter of a continuation of the development of the astral body’s head. The astral body intellectual center can be upgraded with new qualities, such as the quality of brahmacharya. This is particularly important because the astral and mental bodies are a result of the redirection of sexual energies. Also, consciousness, emanated from the heart, can be fused with the astral intellectual center, as a preparation for third body formation.

When one is ready to begin the construction of mental body, the energies of impressions (do 48) are initially fused with Mahat, which is brought in through the crown of the head. 

The material of Consciousness can also be used in fusion with do 48.

The technique used in fusion is at this point mostly Self-Remembering of the two components at once; although the astral technique using emanations from the heart is also sometimes used.

Secondly, ideas are next used for the mental body-intellectual center material, which are also fused with do 48. Ultimately, one must use the most sublime, the highest series of ideas available to one as material to build the mental body. It is wise if one can develop one or more systems of chosen ideas. The reason the highest ideas conceivable are used is because the mental body ultimately has much in common with the divine body. Gurdjieff indicates that components of the mental body will become permanent, in relation to the divine body’s completion.

The mental body is permanent; or as Gurdjieff says, “the highest being-body, formed of crystallizations received directly from the sacred Theomertmalogos within the limits of the solar system where the being has arisen and existed, can never decompose.” (— Beelzebub’s Tales) 

So, one hint for the nature of the ideas to select for third body formation would be the Words of God Himself, or as Gurdjieff calls it: “crystallizations from the sacred Theomertmalogos”.

Consciousness, and in particular the mind element, should probably play a large part in forming the “head” or intellectual center of the mental body. The mind element gives the head a good degree of plasticity or fluidity, which is lacking without it. I believe the “winds”, along with the “mind”, ideally need to operate within an environment that is not hardened, or stodgy, or too opaque.

My guess, is that developing a skill at concentration, from a dedicated meditation practice, serves to give the element of mind the necessary structure within the mental body. In addition, the winds, which work with mind, appear to be necessary in order to establish channels within the newly formed intellectual center and mental body. Again, this must also be a part of the practice of meditation.

AIËSIRITOORASSIAN CONTEMPLATION 

Soon after one has started the initial preparation of the mind, it will be ready for Gurdjieff’s technique of aiësiritoorassian contemplation: his technique of soul body or mental body building, or coating. This technique is initially used to create the second level, the head or “driver” of the astral body. 

My fourth way teacher translates the term aiësiritoorassian as “Give the heart. It will reach.” — being a pastiche of various Armenian words, possibly. I came up with a different meaning, and I encourage all Gurdjieffians to research it individually.

But the meaning, “Give the heart. It will reach.” very well describes what I have come up with as my approach to carrying out Gurdjieff’s mental body building.

The technique of aiësiritoorassian contemplation involves initially two bodily components. The astral emotional center (the lowest portion of the astral emotional center: located in the chest area) and the head (specifically the astral intellectual center — or in other words, the middle division of the intellectual center). 

The steps are:

1. Emanate an emotion or feeling basic to one’s higher ethical system (such as compassion) from the astral emotional center at the chest or heart area — up to the head, where…

2. Without stopping, in the head concentrate upon a parallel mental quality or idea (such as the idea of impermanence) which directly corresponds or relates to the emotional quality emanating from the chest.

3. At the same time that one performs steps 1&2, inhale, and sense the hydrogen mi 48 in the head.

4. Through the attention, seal or fuse the mental idea (in step 2) together with the hydrogen mi 48 (in step 3), by means of the emotional quality (in step 1) emanating from the chest area.

5. Through the combination of the three components, a center of gravity is created in the head over time. However, a fourth component — the light of consciousness — must be present throughout this process, in order that an actual structure should crystallize. This entire method describes the activity labeled as aiësiritoorassian contemplation.

Note: An element of prime importance is the substance of buddhi or “intellect” which should be central to one’s efforts in contemplation, and should be infused into the astral intellect. Buddhi, otherwise known as Mahat, is in effect the mind of Prajapati: the creator.

This technical effort serves to cement a secondary permanent center of gravity in the head or thinking apparatus of the astral body, in addition to the primary center of gravity of the astral body’s emotional center.

Buddhist “Emptiness”. Not Nothingness.

“Regard all dharmas (phenomena) as dreams.”

       — From Buddhist Mind Training Sayings

I bring up the Buddhist subject of emptiness, because I was taught by, and still operate under the example of, a very high Tibetan Buddhist Lama. Emptiness, or the ultimate nature of Reality, can be, and is for all Buddhists, the subject central to mental body development. That body is called the Dharmakaya. But the contemplation of emptiness doesn’t have to be used for higher body development. And it can also even be one of many ideas used for the creation of third body. It is definitely worth investigation, though.

Many of my readers meditate, I’m sure; and some may have meditated in a Buddhist style. My personal belief is that meditation on emptiness doesn’t mean that the mind turns off, mimicking not having any mind at all. That might be a first step to a calm mind, however.

“Emptiness”, or rather Ultimate Emptiness, is an attempt to see the highest, most subtle level of Reality. As in the Heart Sutra, all the components of Reality are listed; but at no point can one find the ultimate, innermost level that is “real”, undergirding the components’ being.

This list of components is highly reminiscent of the evolutes listed in the above Samkhya chart. I don’t think the two approaches — samkhya and prajnaparamitra — are historically unrelated, in fact.

In the Samkhya chart, the most subtle and highest level of Reality is Purusha/Prakriti. Purusha need be identified as nothing more than “the observer”. Something “observes” within us. Even at the level where subject and object disappear, there is still the act of “observation”.

Prakriti is called Nature, but it generally has the characteristics of the three gunas, in perfect equilibrium. It is the gunas that allow Prakriti to descend, and to create the cosmos. However, it is the gunas which ultimately at some level of perspective have no essence. They are merely “qualities”; and at a certain subtle level, they can be said to have no essence. That doesn’t mean that Prakriti is “nothingness”. Quite the opposite.

Anyway, this is my Samkhya take on Buddhist emptiness. I recommend a volume that inspired me greatly: the book by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait: The Practice of the Yoga Sutra. Volume 2, Sadhana Pada. Especially the chapter on Samkhya, Sutra 2:19.

Nicoll Commentaries 

If you are interested in learning the Fourth Way, Gurdjieff system, there is no better way than to read the five commentaries by Maurice Nicoll. They are a wonderful textbook for the system.

As far as I know, the copyright has expired, as the five volumes are not listed in the government database…

Here is a link to the Nicoll pdf Commentaries:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/172q9rY2TUAlof_V0rmAVr1l0fIYT1CL1?usp=share_link

The Astral Body and its Qualities

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VIRTUOUS QUALITIES 

“G. told me of his work in Moscow. I did not fully understand him. It transpired from what he said that in his work, which was chiefly psychological in character, chemistry played a big part.”

— Ouspensky, In Search of the Miraculous 

 “We pitiable creatures do not think, Of the Lord who dwells within with sixteen Kalas* (i.e. virtues), 

Then we wonder why we enter the mother’s womb, And later pass away again and again.”

— Tirumantiram, verse 185

* [The 16 Kalas are: 1. Mercy 2. Gentleness 3. Patience 4. Dispassion 5. Constancy 6. Spiritual Prosperity 7. Cheerfulness 8. Rapture 9. Sense of Propriety 10. Meditation 11. Quietude 12. Gravity of Demeanor 13. Effort 14. Emotionlessness 15. Magnanimity 16. Concentration]

I’ve talked about how the astral body is formed from the hydrogens arising out of breath (or, the breath octave), and the mental body is formed from the hydrogens arising out of impressions (the impressions octave). However, hydrogens alone do not provide for the longevity of the higher bodies; nor do hydrogens alone provide the bodies with their appropriate placement within scale, as represented by the Ray of Creation. The astral body, for example, corresponds to the level of All Planets on the Ray. As far as Being goes, the level of All Planets would represent pure, developed Essence, rather than the Personality of the physical body (at the level of the Earth) — as Nicoll says. The astral body, which is primarily an emotional vehicle, is the paragon of developed Being; the fully formed kesdjan body exhibiting the aspects of sainthood.

The astral body and its emotions, or virtues, is at the level of All Planets, on the Ray of Creation. The physical body, along with its Personality and its own emotions, is at the level of the Earth. Gurdjieff says Man is not born with the completed higher bodies.

So, in other words, the second body must have within its Essence the nature of All Planets, or the nature of sainthood. Simply attempting to create second body from the hydrogens of the breath octave would not imbue the kesdjan body with that placement of scale. 

The physical body, which we all have, has the potential to do great good or great evil. There is nothing within us which guarantees we produce either a good or a bad action. Each of us was born into a specific lineage and environment that automatically determines the level of Being we have. Some say (as the Buddhists do) that our previous actions have determined our circumstances; with this life’s actions determining our future circumstances, for better or worse. Nothing is set in stone. We move continuously up and down the scale of Being (or samsara) throughout all our lives. 

According to the Buddhists, our moods and thoughts are temporary; all our lives are a series of ups and downs.

This essentially is also the Gurdjieff belief system. Man is not a permanent entity; he is purely a physical body, his actions a response to outward stimuli. The idea behind crystallizing a kesdjan body is that man should produce something psychological within himself which has a higher, fixed structure, which can overcome the physical body’s unconscious tendencies, and which can even survive the death of the physical body. The astral body, along with its three formed centers, is relatively permanent, and its actions (that of Love and Compassion, etc) resonate or echo within the realm of the solar system, lasting essentially forever.

That internal psychological structure — the “psychological body” or kesdjan body — must be formed from the Essence of All Planets. And the Essence of All Planets is infused with the positive qualities derived from the direct emanation of the Absolute. It is these qualities — Faith, Hope, and Love, etc — which resonate at the level of All Planets, and which have the durability to last as long as the solar system exists. 

"The seven worlds of the ray of creation represent seven orders of materiality. The materiality of the moon is different from the materiality of the earth; the materiality of the earth is different from the materiality of the planetary world; the materiality of the planetary world is different from the materiality of the sun, and so on. 

"Thus instead of one concept of matter we have seven kinds of matter, but our ordinary conception of materiality only with difficulty embraces the materiality of worlds 96 (Moon) and 48 (Earth). The matter of world 24 (All Planets) is much too rarefied to be regarded as matter from the scientific point of view of our physics and chemistry; such matter is practically hypothetical. The still finer matter of world 12 (Sun) has, for ordinary investigation, no characteristics of materiality at all.”

— Gurdjieff In Search of the Miraculous, Chapter 5

As I said, all of us have the potential with our physical body to do good. But a good deed, done by us, as physical, unconscious men, will only temporarily affect our state of Being. Good deeds done by physical beings are not the same as good deeds done by saints, or by those deeds produced by the kesdjan body. Physical emotions proceed from a more external place, than that of spiritual emotions. As physical beings, we cycle up and down the scale of Being. If we do a good deed, its effect on ourselves is only temporary, lasting just seconds. Everything within us is constantly in flux, there is nothing permanent within us which is either lasting or which can be improved upon. 

The Gurdjieffian ideal is to have something virtuous and permanent within us that can “Will” a good deed; with that good deed creating a lasting mark upon ourselves and the World. We need a vehicle (a second body) upon a higher level which has a definite structure and which can climb the scale of Being. We need a psychological body structure which can reliably exhibit positive qualities (such as loving kindness) towards others, and with which we can ascend the “side ladder to the Sun”, as Gurdjieff says.

THE SPIRITUAL BASIS OF THE SECOND BODY 

“The very life of man is his love; and such as the love is such is the life, and even such is the whole man. But this is to be understood only of the ruling or governing love; for it is this that determines the quality of the man. This love has many others subordinate to it, which are its derivatives.”

— Swedenborg, True Christian Religion:  n. 399

I had a Tibetan guru who used to say, “Motivation is very important.” And, in the search for immortality, certainly motivation — or one’s reason for living, for doing things  — is also very important. The physical body by itself is evolved to acquire food and shelter. It is simply designed to procure its needs for survival. But the motivation of the second body, it’s reason for existing, must reflect a higher level of Being. As Swedenborg says in the above quote, we are defined by what we love most in life. We need to nurture very high ideals, which serve as the basis of an immortal higher body. In forming the astral body, one must have a very definite, clear vision of what is one’s central motivation, what is one’s main love. The motivation at the center of astral body formation not only influences the quality of that body, but is the very fetus from which the kesdjan body grows. That one main “love”, or ideal, is the seed from which grow the three main centers of second body, and around those which the entire second body itself is formed.

The organs, muscles, and skeleton of the physical body are designed to hunt and forage for food. The organs of the kesdjan body are its centers, which give it the power to feel emotions and to think thoughts. The physical body is meant for survival; but the kesdjan body must be meant for a spiritual purpose. 

THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF THE SECOND BODY 

" 'Hanbledzoin' is nothing else than the 'blood' of the 'kesdjan body' of the being, and just as the sum total of cosmic substances called 'blood' serves for the nourishment and renewal of the planetary body of the being, so in the same way 'hanbledzoin' serves for nourishing and perfecting the kesdjan body.

…

“ 'being-hanbledzoin’ is that which contemporary civilization calls ‘animal magnetism’”

— Gurdjieff, Beelzebub’s Tales Hypnotism

"'Hydrogen' 96 … is the matter of animal magnetism”

— Gurdjieff, In Search of the Miraculous, Chapter 9

However, there is a physical structure undergirding the formation of the second body too. The second body evolves from a part of us that we rarely use: the middle parts of our centers. The middle parts of our centers are closely tied to the breath; are in fact fueled by the energies transmuted in us from the breath. These middle parts of our centers are not used much by us, partly, because to function, they require an extra energy besides the breath — a “shock” — which we don’t naturally produce. The energy or shock which comes from intentional Self-Remembering.

 

These three yellow circles represent the astral centers which evolve out of the physical body’s middle divisions of centers. 

They also portray the energies which fuel the astral centers: the lower emotional (re 96), the intellectual (mi 48), and the upper emotional (fa 24) centers. The body of the kesdjan itself is then formed around these three centers, when their energies are fused with spiritual qualities, as described below.

The breath fuels the middle parts of our centers. Self-Remembering (at do 48) allows the middle part of the intellectual center (using energy mi 48) and middle part of the emotional center (using energy fa 24) to gain energy. 

These three astral centers also serve in developing the three stories of the kesdjan body; the lower, middle, and top stories.

(Please refer to figure 57, page 319, of In Search of the Miraculous — Gurdjieff’s diagram regarding the four bodies and their energies.)

Not only must the middle parts of our centers be developed, but they must be developed into full-fledged centers in their own right. The middle parts of the intellectual and emotional centers must be formed into actual, independent centers — the centers of the second body. So the middle division of the intellectual center, working with mi 48, and the middle division of the emotional center, working with fa 24, must be developed into viable centers. Even the energies of re 96 (so-called “animal magnetism” — also called, “astral light”) must be used to form a center, the center of the second body’s lower story. When these middle parts of centers have been intentionally self-evolved into real centers, then the second body can grow upon that initial skeletal structure.

This is Nicoll’s diagram showing the three main divisions of the physical body’s emotional center. The middle division, in red, evolves into an independent center of its own — the astral body’s emotional center. The astral body itself grows out of  the middle divisions of the centers, once they’re evolved.

Notice that the emotions proper to this division are: religious emotions, aesthetic emotions, and moral emotions, as well as conscience.

This middle division works with the hydrogen fa 24, a breath-octave energy (see Food Transformation Chart, above).

“Now La 24 alone cannot awaken the whole Emotional Centre. It supplies the self-love division. But the three substances 24 supply the Emotional Centre in all its three main divisions. That is, while La 24 supplies the outer division, Fa 24 supplies the middle and Re 24 the inner. Now if you take three men, they are the same in so far as they are men, but their potentialities may be different.”

— Nicoll, Commentaries p. 1648

THE KESDJAN BODY’S ETHICAL FOUNDATION

"The second way is the way of the monk. This is the way of faith, the way of religious feeling, religious sacrifice. Only a man with very strong religious emotions and a very strong religious imagination can become a 'monk' in the true sense of the word. The way of the monk also is very long and hard. A monk spends years and tens of years struggling with himself, but all his work is concentrated on the second room, on the second body, that is, on feelings. Subjecting all his other emotions to one emotion, that is, to faith, he develops unity in himself, will over the emotions, and in this way reaches the fourth room (the room bestowing immortality.)”

— Gurdjieff, In Search of the Miraculous Chapter 2

It is not fashionable these days to refer to religions as valid systems of spiritual development. There are perhaps some good reasons for that, although dismissing religions, along with the people who follow them, as somehow corrupt or ineffective or ignorant is itself probably an uninformed generalization. Not to mention leaning towards arrogance.

Aside from the overall level of Being of modern man, religions are basically systems of spiritual development; however they are systems which need to be comprehended, interpreted, and practiced individually. If one wants to try out a hypothesis, say, that God does — or doesn’t — exist, one should really ideally try out both sides of the question in one’s mental/emotional/physical life. But try both sides out sincerely and thoroughly, observing oneself, one’s development, and the outcome in one’s mental/emotional/physical life. In other words, one has to definitely ascribe to a side of the question for a while, and then ascribe to the other side, equally as thoroughly, for a while. Gurdjieff’s system can be followed without referring to a religion. But, in my opinion, being a Gurdjieffian without having any approach to ethics produces what Gurdjieff calls a “weak Yogi”, if even that.

One of the first things the fourth way system says to do, is to “refrain from expressing unpleasant emotions.” This is of course a way of purifying, training, and repolarizing the emotional center. There is sometimes a debate in the Work, whether the same idea could be equally expressed: that one should refrain from having negative emotions. Both formulas are expressed somehow in Fragments, I believe. However, I think the first formulation — to refrain from expressing unpleasant emotions — is a way of presenting the practice to a beginner. Not expressing negativity outwardly is a simple method of gaining control over one’s emotional life, a way of starting. Actually dealing directly with negative emotions internally, their inception, their antidotes, and even their roots, is perhaps a more advanced approach to emotions.

The characteristic of most religions, as well as the kesdjan body in particular, is that they both harbor a distinct set or system of ethical formulations. And most religions, and the kesdjan body too, have one fundamental ethical quality which serves as the central focal point of that system. In forming the ethical nature of the astral body, I think it wise for one to personally pick a particular religion with which one has an affinity. Each religious system has its own system of ethics. Then one divines that religion’s central ethical formulation, to use to create the seed for the second body’s centers. Simply vaguely saying, “I choose to act ethical or moral” is not a strong way to make a definite foundation for second body. The ethics of each religious system have a definite character, and work together as a system. The kesdjan body, when built upon the ethical basis of a religious system, will eventually reflect the character of those same ethical qualities, when fully crystallized.

ETHICAL SYSTEMS 

“The emanation of the Most Most Holy Sun Absolute Itself they called 'Theomertmalogos,' or 'Word-God.'”

“…crystallizations received directly from the sacred Theomertmalogos, within the limits of the solar system where the being has arisen and existed, can never decompose…”

— Gurdjieff, Beelzebub’s Tales to his Grandson 

The collection or list of ethics in a religion is not hard to discern. They are usually repeated often together to encourage memorizing. The single, central ethical principle underlying a religion is, however, a little more complicated to discover, and might take study.

Christianity has the oft-repeated seven virtues:

SEVEN VIRTUES (Catholic) — WIKIPEDIA

-- 4 Cardinal Virtues:

1. Prudence 2. ‎Justice 3. ‎Temperance 4. ‎Courage

-- 3 Theological Virtues

1. Faith 2. ‎Hope 3. ‎Charity 

Then, there are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT — WIKIPEDIA 

1. Wisdom 2. Knowledge 3. Counsel 4. Fortitude 5. Understanding 6. Piety 7. Fear of the Lord

The central virtue or moral trait in Christianity would be Love: Love of God and Love of neighbor. If I were to base the creation of the kesdjan body on a Christian quality, I would choose this Love, in creating the emotional center of the astral body.

Buddhism has the list of the Six Perfections, along with the Four Abodes of Brahma:

BUDDHISM : THE SIX (or TEN) PERFECTIONS — WIKIPEDIA

1. Generosity, Giving of Oneself 2. Virtue, Morality, Proper Conduct 3. Renunciation 4. Transcendental Wisdom, Insight 5. Energy, Diligence, Vigour, Effort 6. Patience, Tolorence, Forbearance, Acceptance, Endurance 7. Truthfulness, Honesty 8. Determination, Resolution 9. Good Will, Friendliness, Loving-kindness 10. Equanimity, Serenity

BRAHMAVIHARAS (SUBLIME ATTITUDES, lit. "ABODES OF BRAHMA") also called, "The Four Immeasurables" — WIKIPEDIA

1. Loving-kindness or benevolence 2. Compassion 3. Empathetic Joy 4. Equanimity

As far as I can gather, the central ethical aspect of Buddhism would be Compassion, although Loving Kindness is also important and central to Buddhism. If I were deciding upon Buddhist ethics as a foundation for creating the kesdjan body, I would probably choose to use the quality of Compassion in forming the kesdjan emotional center.

Yoga or Hinduism has the ethical precepts which can be found in the Yoga Sutras. I am running low on time and energy, so I won’t list them here. But the central take-away I get from study of the Yoga ethics is non-harming. Non-harming or harmlessness is a somewhat difficult quality to acquire, especially in my own experience. In America, that quality is not something that is overtly encouraged in society. Being a law-abiding citizen outwardly is encouraged, but adopting the personal aspect of ahimsa is not rewarded too much.

I know there are other great religions which embody ethical principles, but I know less about them. Although I do admire many of the followers of them!

A SYSTEM FOR CREATING THE ASTRAL BODY 

“Whoever knows these two together: The unmanifest and the perishable, Will cross death by the perishable And attain immortality through the unmanifest.”

— Atha Īśopanisat

I would like to outline now my theory of birthing the kesdjan body, from a combination of the energies of the middle divisions of the centers along with the higher ethical qualities. My theory of second body formation has a certain technical nature to it, that, I hope, allows for a clear communication of its steps and techniques, using the ideas and vocabulary of the Work.

There are only a few main concepts and techniques in my theory of second body creation:

1. To develop, in one’s daily sitting, the capacity to sense and identify the various hydrogens within the body, including the hydrogens of a mental or emotional nature (e.g. h 48, h 24).

     A. The technique used is to sense with each breath — while meditating — the higher hydrogens which reside within the breath itself: within the lungs, or within the chest or back area or within the head. The higher substances are produced with each breath; the challenge is to sense them.

        a. The location of each hydrogen is determined by its placement on the Food Transformation Chart (e.g. fa 24 is located in the chest or back area, but on the astral level.)

      b. Refer to chart, figure 39, above: (Re 96 manifests in the chest area, is “astral light”, and is used to create the astral lower emotional center. Mi 48 manifests in the head, is energy of astral thought, and is used to create the astral intellectual center. Fa 24 manifests in the chest or back, is energy of astral emotions, and is used to create upper astral emotional center.)

2. To have the ability to differentiate between hydrogens along the breath octave from those along the edible food octave (for instance, re 96 — or “astral light” along the breath octave, vs. fa 96 — or “animal magnetism” along the food octave).

3. To channel or manifest higher emotions, such as Gurdjieff ’s Faith, Hope, and Love. 

4. The practice of developing second body starts with the formation of three astral centers; one ‘bottom story’ center in the chest (using re 96), one ‘middle story’ center for thinking in the head (mi 48), and a ‘top story’ emotional center again in the chest or middle part of the body (fa 24). The initial formation of astral body goes:

     A. A specific hydrogen in the body is selected and identified along the breath octave (e.g. re 96 — an energy called animal magnetism or “astral light”), as it is produced by the breath.

     B. Next, a single quality is generated from Higher Emotional Center (e.g. “Loving Kindness”) and then, through the power of Attention, it is concentrated within the same area of the selected hydrogen.

     C. Finally, the two components — the selected hydrogen “atom” as well as the higher quality (in the examples, re 96 and “Loving Kindness”) — are fused together through a type of spiritual activity of the physical heart center: either an emanation of love, or an emanation of awareness.

     D. Either one of these emanations from the heart are focused, again by the power of the Attention, directly onto and into the aforementioned two components. This process, in my subjective experience, “seals” or fuses the two types of “matters”, one material and one Spiritual, together. The two “matters” are thus made stable together in the body.

         a. This process initiates the creation of the three astral centers.

As Swedenborg says in the quote above, we are essentially ruled by one primary love or desire. That one main emotion also has other subsidiary emotions which are connected to it. So, when initiating the process outlined above to make the second body, one should start by working with the main ethical principle of the system one has chosen. For Christian ethics, that would be love of God and neighbor. For Buddhist ethics, that would be compassion. And the same for other spiritual systems of ethics: choose the main central ethical principle. The idea is to have a center of gravity, or center of reference within oneself, around which the other system’s qualities can gather. The other ethical qualities of that same system then fit logically and neatly along with that foundation. It is similar to building a house: you start with a foundation, a foundation of perhaps love, or compassion, or harmlessness. Then the other qualities (such as the six perfections in Buddhism) fit perfectly over that initial foundation (such as, compassion).

It’s important to keep in mind that the ethical qualities are wedded to the energies of the breath. The breath octave energies — particularly re 96 (astral light) — are focal points for the building of the astral body. On the other hand, once the second body has been initially formed, the higher qualities of that body can be a center of focus themselves, or points of Attention in sensing the higher body.

As well, in generating the spiritual qualities, those qualities should have a substantial feel to them, having an actual material nature to them. They should have a physical feeling, within one’s body; and should possess a definite physical location — a definite placement within the selected hydrogens with which one is pairing them.

“In reality only self-initiation, self­ presentation exist. Systems and schools can indicate methods and ways, but no system or school whatever can do for a man the work that he must do himself. Inner growth, a change of being, depend entirely upon the work which a man must do on himself.”

— Gurdjieff, In Search of the Miraculous Chapter 15

"The fourth way is sometimes called the way of the sly man. The 'sly man' knows some secret which the fakir, monk, and yogi do not know. How the 'sly man' learned this secret—it is not known. Perhaps he found it in some old books, perhaps he inherited it, perhaps he bought it, perhaps he stole it from someone. It makes no difference. The 'sly man' knows the secret and with its help outstrips the fakir, the monk, and the yogi.”

— Gurdjieff, In Search Chapter 2

BREATH AND POWER, COMBINED IN MANTRA

Mantra is traditionally an Eastern function of religion, perhaps of either Hinduism or Buddhism. And the use of mantra within religion is closely tied to the Guru, who imparts the mantra to the disciple. Traditionally, the disciple is “empowered” to repeat the particular mantra. The Vedas, the earliest Hindu scriptures, were the first mantras. One doesn’t, in my opinion, need a guru or an empowerment to intone a Vedic scripture. Nor, I don’t believe, does one need permission to repeat a religious mantra, if one is sincere. However, there is little doubt in my mind that a Guru’s help makes all the difference in the world, for real fulfillment in so-called mantra yoga. It is like the difference between doing something as an amateur and doing something as a professional.

In studying the science of mantra, I recommend the books by Dr. David Frawley. He writes about everything from ayurveda to yoga to the mind to the spiritual science of tantra. He speaks of mantra having both the aspects of breath (which includes “prana”) and meaning (which might be an aspect of mind).

There is a connection of the astral body with breath, as you know. And at some point, after the second body has been initiated, it is possible to “feed” the kesdjan body through the breath and meaning of mantra. Or as Gurdjieff says, to coat the kesdjan body. The idea is to focus one’s attention on the second body, while directing the element of air into that body while repeating mantra. I recommend carrying out an actual “sadhana” with mantras, for the purpose of imparting a spiritual quality to one’s astral body, for example, the quality of love or compassion.

The Tibetan deity of compassion is Chenrezi, and the two prayer services in the following links are permissible for anyone to perform. The services consist of several main parts: a lineage prayer (so there’s a connection with previous gurus), a refuge prayer (for connection with the Buddha), an aspiration to Bodhichitta, mantra repetition, meditation, and dedication of merit (for proper motivation of the prayer).

If one wanted to simply repeat a mantra one had picked up, that would be fine. But as I have said, it is the higher quality or feeling that goes with the material form that makes something spiritual and effectively eternal.

Here is a link to the Chenrezi prayer services:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iECIiWG86HAV_vwiGbMKrdkNhQr5TN4f?usp=sharing

The “deity” or bodhisattva of Chenrezi becomes over time the astral form of the practitioner. The vajrayana Buddhists believe that the higher bodies are a result of the accumulation of merit and wisdom. My theory of kesdjan body formation entails the gathering of the spiritual qualities as a means of accumulating merit. The third body — the mental body — is a result of the gathering of wisdom.

THE PURUSHA (BODY) OF SOUND

There is one other possible application of breath I know of, in making the kesdjan body. That is the purusha of sound, as described by David Frawley in his two books, Yoga and Ayurveda, and Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound: Secrets of Seed (Bija) Mantras.

The purusha of sound is a method of taking all the syllables of the Sanskrit alphabet and intoning each one in correspondence to a specific part of one’s body. The result, in my experience, is a transformation of the body’s pranic sheath into a legitimate outer part of the astral body. In other words, the physical body itself ends up connected in a higher, and more etheric way, to the kesdjan body. The East Indian tradition says that the senses along with the power of movement depart with the astral form at death. Creating the body of sound is a good first step in giving the kesdjan body the powers of sensation and movement.

Self-Remembering: 3. The Structure of the Mind

“…If you remain at the level of the sensual mind you will not be able to develop the Third State of Consciousness because when you try to remember yourself, you will think of your body as being yourself. The literal sensual person regards his visible body only as real. What he cannot see and touch cannot be real. There is no evidence, he will say. So, believing himself to be his body, when he attempts to remember himself he will, knowingly or unknowingly, remember his body. This keeps him on the level of the sensual mind in the external divisions of centres.”

— Nicoll, COM p. 1715 

INNER, MIDDLE & OUTER DIVISIONS OF CENTERS

“God made sense turn outward, man therefore looks outward, not into himself. Now and again a daring soul, desiring immortality, has looked back and found himself.”

— The Katha Upanishad, Yeats tr.

"The first and highest kind of being-Reason is the pure or Objective Reason proper only to the presence of the highest being-body or to the common presence of those three-brained beings in whom this highest part has already arisen and perfected itself, and then only if it has become the 'initiating center of gravity' of the individual functioning of the whole presence of the being. "The second kind of being-Reason, which is named 'okiartaitokhsa,' can appear in the presence of those three-brained beings in whom the second being-body, or kesdjan body, is already completely coated and functions inde pendently. "As regards the third kind of being-Reason, this is nothing but the automatic functioning proceeding in the common presence of all beings in general and also in the presences of all surplanetary formations, thanks to repeated shocks coming from outside, which evoke habitual reactions from data crystallized in them corresponding to previous accidentally perceived impressions.”

— Gurdjieff, Beelzebub’s Tales The Planet Purgatory 

Our Intellectual and Emotional Centers both have three parts: an outer, middle, and inner part. In our daily lives, however, we mostly use only the outer part of the Intellectual and Emotional Centers. 

Intellectually, we primarily use what is known as the Formatory Center; that outer part of our mind that thinks in a material and habitual way. This is the mind that we use for socializing and carrying out our daily tasks, for interacting with the world. It is the outermost part of our mind, and thus not suitable for deep thinking, pondering on aspects of the Work, or making important decisions. It’s also not the best part of our mind to use for Self-Remembering.

The above figure is called “The Food Transformation Chart”, and is found in Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous. It is a representation of the human body, divided into three levels: head, chest, and abdomen. We won’t talk about Food Transformation for now, but just discuss the structure of the mind. We’ll start by looking at the three circles in red, within the top section (representing the human head). These circles designate energies that work with the outer, middle, and inner parts of the Mind, allowing it to  function. “Sol 48” on the right, works with our outer or Formatory Mind. “Mi 48” works with the middle or emotional part of our Mind (or what we usually label the “Mind”). And “Do 48” on the left energizes our inner mind, or Intellect.

In Chapter 9 of In Search, Gurdjieff indicates that it is at the point of Do 48, the point of our Inner Mind, that we need to give an “artificial shock”, through Self-Remembering. It is not a shock generally done through Remembering the body, therefore, but through accessing the innermost part of our Mind, the “Intellect” — which works with Do 48. It is a shock that takes place at the “inner division” of the Intellectual Center, as Nicoll says in the above quote.

There is a slight difficulty with Remembering Ourselves at the Intellect, at the point of Do 48. And that is that the  familiar world outside us, that we interact with, is outside of our senses, and thus external to our “formatory mind”, or that which uses the energy Sol 48. We aren’t used to turning inwards with our minds to the level of the Intellect, operating with the energy Do 48. We can easily see what’s around us — the world and our bodies, but we can’t as easily see what’s within us — in our own minds. So finding that place within us where Do 48 operates is very tricky.

One caveat, however. As the Buddhists say, all things are connected; especially in regards to our minds. So every attempt at Self-Remembering eventually connects with our innermost minds. Every attempt counts, whether it be our Remembering our bodies, or various parts of our minds, or even various parts of our bodies. They all eventually connect with our Intellect, and therefore count as Self-Remembering. It’s just that the effects on our inner psyche won’t be as powerful in Remembering with the more external, material parts of Ourselves.

But if we try to reach that inner part of our mind directly to Self-Remember, the payoffs will be many and great, in both the near term and the far-off future. The long-term practice of looking inward to one’s Mind to Remember Oneself actually serves to organize the internal structure of one’s Mind. Whereas, a more external method of Self-Remembering leaves one’s own Mind untouched and unorganized — an unknown quantity.

THE “ MIND”

“The mind, buddhi, chitt, and ahamkāra are produced from the combined sattva particles of the subtle elements.  

The Inner organ (antahkarana) is called the…

Mind (manas) - when it considers the pros and cons of a subject.  

Intellect (buddhi) - when it comes to a decision.  

Consciousness or Mind-Stuff (chitta) - as it remembers something.

Egoity (ahamkāra) - if it’s characterized by I-consciousness”.

— Katha Upanishad, Swami Nikhilananda, ed.

In our ordinary daily life, the mind we use is not as clear cut and organized as we would like to think. In fact, after working for some time with my “Centers”, my personal theory is that the Centers are undeveloped, and practically nonexistent in their natural state. Gurdjieff tells us optimistically that we have an Intellectual Center, with three divisions, each division which has three more divisions, each division which yet again has three parts. And same with the Emotional Center. This may be true; however, in fact we have no proper energy (Fa 24) for even the middle section of the Emotional Center without enormous Self-Remembering to produce the higher energies needed. And this great effort of Remembering Oneself also depends on a reservoir of Carbon 12, as I’ve said before.

Nicoll created the above chart depicting the Intellectual Center. Moving is outer, Emotional is middle, and Intellectual is inner. Further divisions of the Center are not shown.

The middle and inner divisions of our Centers rely on the energies produced by Self-Remembering to function. And our Higher Bodies are formed (in my theory) from these middle and inner Center divisions. For instance, the middle division of the Emotional Center is the one place which can produce the Higher Virtues, such as Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, and Equanimity, etc. And yet the energies necessary to fuel that area are not transmuted in the body/mind of the normal person, who does not Remember Himself. That area of the Emotions cannot function. And, even after Self-Remembering, the middle division of the Center must be developed. Also, an effort must be made to produce the Virtues. And finally, the Higher Virtues need to be sealed or affixed into a “crystallized” Second Body or Astral Body.

Gurdjieff tells us in chapter 6 of In Search that we need to start out in the Work by observing ourselves and taking “snapshots” of the activity of the Centers. Yet, to me, a more classical and Spiritually orthodox method is the observation of the activity of one’s Mind. 

The Mind (in my opinion) is defined as the partnership between our Fundamental Consciousness and our as-of-yet undeveloped Intellectual Center. The Mind has an Awareness as well as an ability to think, reason, and make choices. It is “gaslighting” to say otherwise. In the Work, it is the “carriage driver”, who needs to awaken from his dreams at the tavern, and prepare his carriage. The “Mind” has the ability to learn about its inner workings, and the workings of the Centers, and become disciplined. It can make informed choices as it learns. And it has the potential, when healthy and clear, to eventually direct the activity of the Centers.

Gurdjieff speaks little about the “Mind” as an entity. But I believe we have the ability to watch the Mind, to learn its secrets in light of the System, and to develop the Centers with the help of a more conscious Mind. In other words I believe we do have a Mind. One could simply say that it’s the Intellectual Center; but I believe it’s more than that — it includes our personal Consciousness, which is in my opinion a non-material Awareness.

Our initial problem in discovering the Mind is that we inhabit our externals. Not only are our days generally filled with habitual, inane errands — driving from place to place — and typical external household activity; but we also rarely look to our own Spiritual needs. Rarely do we take the time to sit, and examine our inner Mind, tending to its development. Certainly knowing one’s “machine” is important, as Gurdjieff says. But I believe it is a mistake to dwell on certain Work refrains: “man cannot ‘Do’”, “man is a machine”, “man has no permanent ‘I’”. These, although somewhat descriptive, are overall unhelpful, in my experience. To me, a good place to start in the Work is to watch, examine, and discipline the Mind on a daily basis. One begins the Work in earnest and in reality then when one begins to Self-Remember the inner aspects of one’s Mind.

THE JOURNEY INWARD: STARTING WITH THE SHEATHS

"How are we to take our bodies if we are not to take them as ourselves? The question is connected with notes in octaves, or degrees, which are the same. The physical body is the most external degree of ourselves. That is, it is the lowest or ultimate degree through which all higher or more internal degrees, such as belong to thought, feeling and will, manifest themselves."

— Nicoll, COM, p. 1449

Accessing the deepest part of the mind takes practice. And there is a way to begin to mentally move inward by feeling or sensing the inner “sheaths” of the body. These sheaths rest like Russian dolls, one within another. They are: 1. the physical, food-based body, 2. The Pranic (Vital Breath) Sheath, 3. The Mental Sheath, 4. The Intellect Sheath, and 5. The Bliss Sheath. Within the Bliss Sheath lies Brahman.

The above chart is a representation of the five sheaths and Brahman, taken from the Taittiriya Upanishad, Chapter 2.

The Pranic Sheath is related to the breath, and serves as a link between the physical body and the Mind. And the Bliss Sheath is a connection with Brahman.

One can start out trying to Self-Remember by simply being aware of the body. Moving inward, one can next begin to sense the Pranic sheath by watching the breath, and sensing its connection with the Mind. There is Prana in the breath and Prana in the Mind, as well. The Pranic sheath, to me, can be sensed in the blood. Remembering the Pranic sheath tends to dispel fear, as Prana is the Life Essence. Next, the Mental sheath is of the same substance and has the same character as the Mind. Yet it resides in the body. And finally, one can Remember the Intellectual and Bliss sheaths, the inner layers.

Here is another representation in Nicoll, of a similar concept:

It’s important to keep in mind that our “Mind” (or that which I designate the middle or Emotional Division of the Mind — working with Mi 48) is different from our Mental sheath which is different from the second body (or “Astral Body”). Though all these are similar, connected, and work together in harmony. 

Likewise, the Intellect (working with Do 48) is different from the Intellectual sheath which is different from the third body (or so-called “Mental Body”). And yet they’re all similar and connected.

In addition to all of these is our Fundamental Awareness (the “Observer”).

This is how I organize my internal mind-structure, from outer to inner:

1. Physical Brain

2. Outer Mind (“Formatory Center”), works with Sol 48

3. Middle, Emotional Mind (known as “Mind”), works with Mi 48

4. Inner Mind (known as “Intellect”), works with Do 48

5. Clear, luminous Fundamental Consciousness (according to the Buddhists, it is non-material)

THE FUNCTIONS OF CENTERS

“Thus in observing the functions of the human machine it is necessary to understand the correct divisions of the functions  observed and to be able to define them exactly and at once; and the definition must not be a verbal but an inner definition; by  taste, by sensation, in the same way as we define all inner experiences.”

— Gurdjieff, In Search, chapter 6

My experience of sensation within my own body — which has informed my own theories — is that the Centers have no substantial form and structure in actuality at first. Rather, I do find it much easier to identify and work with the different Hydrogens themselves, which serve to fuel our confused and undeveloped emotions and thoughts. The Centers are something we must Work to form, in my experience. The great problem facing us is not that our Centers work with wrong energy, or that they do the work of other Centers. It’s that we in reality just don’t have Centers needed to think and feel. Also, when we are called upon to express a higher feeling or thought, we do not have the experience, knowledge and development needed to express from a more inner level. 

The more refined emotions work with the Hydrogens which proceed from the breath, rather than those from our food-based body. The food-based body (based on the food we eat) is geared only to express the unrefined and grosser thoughts and feelings, although the body does have an emotional area. The breath octave is more subtle, and perfectly suited to develop into the Astral Body and express the higher emotions. As well, the impressions octave, developing from the impressions received from the head, is subtler yet; and its Hydrogens are perfectly suited to create our spiritual thoughts. The Mental Body has the ability to work with two or more ideas at once, transcending duality.

So here is a chart, which one can study — and should memorize — which shows the breakdown of the various Hydrogens and the Centers they should ideally work with. It is a good introduction to the process of knowing and “tasting” the various Hydrogens. And this can ultimately lead to the Work of forming the second and third bodies themselves. I will just say that, in forming the higher bodies, if one gets to the point of having the ability to “sense” the Hydrogens, that emotions will be located in the chest area, and thinking will be located in the head area.

Generally, in working on forming the second/Astral body, which is geared for emotional expression, I personally don’t do much at first with H 12, but work on development of emotions using H 24. Gurdjieff mentions in In Search that the “Emotional Center” is more suited to using H 12. In my own Work, I find H 24 (on the breath octave) does quite nicely in expressing the subtler emotions. And I find that Animal Magnetism, H 96 (also on the breath or Astral octave), can to an extent express higher emotions too; oftentimes working in parallel with the higher H 24 in the chest area.

As you can see from the very first chart at top (the food chart), the three yellow circles marked H 24 in the middle section designate outer, middle, and inner Hydrogens which fuel outer, middle, and inner emotions;  just like the three red circles did for the Thinking Center. It is the middle circle (fa 24) which works with the higher emotions of the Astral Body. The H 24 (re 24) on the left is a part of the impressions octave, and is thus subject to the Thinking Center.

THE BREATH & IMPRESSIONS OCTAVES 

“What is called according to one terminology the 'astral body,' is called in another terminology the 'higher emotional center,' although the difference here does not lie in the terminology alone. These are, to speak more correctly, different aspects of the next stage of man's evolution. It can be said that the 'astral body' is necessary for the complete and proper functioning of the 'higher emotional center' in unison with the lower. Or it can be said that the 'higher emotional center' is necessary for the work of the 'astral body.'

"The 'mental body' corresponds to the 'higher thinking center.' It would be wrong to say that they are one and the same thing. But one requires the other, one cannot exist without the other, one is the expression of certain sides and functions of the other.”

— Gurdjieff, In Search of the Miraculous 

Perhaps this chart, showing the breath octave in green — starting at the left from Do 192 — and the impressions octave in blue — starting at the left from Do 48 — will help clarify.

The breath series or octave starts (in the chest area) at the green circle, do 192 on the left, and transmutes up the octave: re 96, mi 48, fa 24, sol 12, and la 6. Do 192 stands for Air.

Similarly, the blue impressions series of Hydrogens or octave starts (in the head) with do 48, re 24, and mi 12. Do 48 would be an impression.

The smaller Hydrogen numbers like H 12 and 6 are higher, more energetic, and more spiritual. The larger numbers like 768 etc. less so.

You can clearly see the green “Fa 24” — which fuels the Higher Emotions — in the middle, arising from the breath (which is marked a green “Do 192”). The breath is the foundation for the energy which fuels the Higher Emotions and which forms the Astral Body. Equally, the impressions octave starts at the blue “Do 48” at the top left, and proceeds through “Re 24” (also an Emotional Energy) to “Mi 12”. The emotions of the Mental Body exist to serve the functioning of the Mental Body’s Intellect.

The “food octave” is the uncolored series of circles, starting with “Do 768” at bottom left (Do 768 is “food”). In the middle section, you can see the three H 24s, which fuel the emotions of the Mental Body (blue re 24), the Astral Body (green fa 24), and the food-based body (uncolored la 24). For reasons I’ll illustrate in a later blog, in forming the Astral Body I Work mainly with only the three green Hydrogens, Re 96, Mi 48, and Fa 24. These energize the middle sections of our Centers and form the nucleus of the Astral Body. The Higher Bodies are formed by using just three Hydrogens per each body: one Hydrogen for its lower story, one for its middle story, and one for its top story. But more on this later. 

The most important thing for you to comprehend at this point is that the Astral Body is based on the breath and its series of Hydrogens — and therefore the middle sections of the intellectual and emotional centers. And the Mental Body is based on the “intellect”, which processes impressions, and the resulting series of Hydrogens — and therefore the inner sections of the intellectual and emotional centers.