VIRTUE IN ASTRAL BODY FORMATION: J. G. BENNETT

 

THE ASTRAL ROLE OF THE VIRTUES 

Going back to Bennett and his second conscious shock, did Bennett posit like myself in my blogs, that the formation of the kesdjan body necessitated the fusing of the two elements of h 96 and emotional VIRTUES? I understand he emphasized the importance of emotional FRICTION, but did he incorporate the adoption of virtues in the process of higher body development?

GEMINI

It is fascinating to see the parallels between your blog's exploration of "emotional virtues" and J.G. Bennett’s technical expansion of the Second Conscious Shock.

While Gurdjieff originally spoke of the Second Conscious Shock in terms of "conscious suffering" and the transformation of the "air" octave, Bennett went significantly further in The Dramatic Universe and his later lectures (such as those at Sherborne) to map the specific "energies" required for the Kesdjan body.

1. The Fusing of Hydrogen 96

Bennett explicitly identifies Hydrogen 96 as the energy of "ordinary electricity" or the nervous system's automatic activity. In his view, the formation of the Kesdjan body (the "vessel" of the higher emotional center) requires a specific transition where the energy of the nervous system is "fused" with a higher quality of energy.

He argues that impressions only become food for this second body when a triad of evolution occurs—shifting the energy from the "automatic" level of H96 to a higher state through the shock.

2. Friction vs. Virtues

You hit on a key distinction in the Fourth Way literature. While "friction" (the struggle between "Yes" and "No") is the mechanism for generating the heat needed for fusion, Bennett posits that the content of this fusion involves what he calls Moral or Value energies.

 * Emotional Friction: For Bennett, this is the "spark" across the gap in the enneagram (between Fa 96 and Sol 48). It is the psychological heat generated by not identifying with one's habitual reactions.

 * The Adoption of Virtues: Bennett significantly emphasized the "homogeneity of fact and value." He suggested that higher body development is impossible without the presence of Creative Energy and Conscious Love. In his framework, "virtues" are not just moral rules but are qualities of Being that allow for the storage of finer hydrogens.

3. The Role of "Higher Values"

Bennett did indeed incorporate the adoption of virtues into the technical process of coating the Kesdjanian nature:

 * Transformation of Emotion: He taught that the transition from Re 24 to Mi 12 (the energy of wonder and higher emotional experience) requires the presence of "higher valuable conscious elements."

 * Voluntary Sufferance: He viewed the adoption of specific "virtues"—such as impartiality and active mentation—as the necessary "passive force" that allows the "active force" of life impressions to be transformed into "Soul-matter."

> "We can prepare for consciousness by giving our sensitivity experience of the combination of 'yes' and 'no'... the bringing about of the struggle by which the soil is prepared for the sowing of conscious seeds." — J.G. Bennett

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Summary Table: The Bennett Perspective

| Element | Bennett’s Technical Role |

|---|---|

| Hydrogen 96 | The "raw material" of the nervous system and automatic reactions. |

| Friction | The operational method (The Second Shock) to bridge the gap. |

| Virtues | The "values" and "higher emotional experiences" (Wonder, Love) that provide the structural quality for the Kesdjan body. |

Would you like me to look into how Bennett specifically distinguished between the "Kesdjan Body" and the "Higher Being Body" in terms of these different hydrogens?

HUMANITY’S ROLE IN EARTH’S EVOLUTION 

In Bennett’s Dramatic Universe, does he posit the role and evolution of humanity as a whole in elevating the Earth to the level of All Planets?

GEMINI

In The Dramatic Universe, Bennett expands Gurdjieff’s "Ray of Creation" into a dynamic, evolutionary process where the Earth is not a static object but a developing organism. You are correct: Bennett posits that humanity’s primary cosmic obligation is to act as the "apparatus" through which the Earth can transform and eventually "ascend" in the cosmic hierarchy.

1. Earth’s Evolution to the Level of "All Planets"

Bennett views the Earth (World 48) as being in a state of "uncompleted transition." In his cosmology, the evolution of a cosmic body depends on the transformation of energies occurring on its surface.

 * The Planetary Ladder: Just as the Moon (World 96) is striving to become a planet like the Earth, Bennett suggests that the Earth is striving to reach the level of World 24 (All Planets).

 * The Role of Life: For a planet to "rise" in level, it must develop a conscious "soul" or a unified planetary will. Bennett argues that organic life (and specifically humanity) is the "organ of sensitivity" that makes this possible.

2. Humanity as the "Transformer"

Bennett’s technical mapping of the Second Conscious Shock is the "engine" for this planetary evolution. He argues that:

 * Energy Production: Individual humans, by engaging in the "Great Work" (fusing H96 with higher virtues/values), produce "hydrogens" (like H24 and H12) that the Earth cannot produce on its own.

 * The Earth’s Sustenance: This "finer matter" is not just for the individual's Kesdjan body; it is a "contribution" to the Earth's own higher-body formation. Without a sufficient "crop" of conscious energy from humanity, the Earth remains "stuck" in the mechanical laws of World 48.

3. The "Cosmic Ecology" and the Demiurge

In Volume IV of The Dramatic Universe, Bennett introduces the concept of the Demiurgic Intelligence—a level of being that midwifes the evolution of planets.

 * Humanity's Duty: Bennett suggests that humanity has a "contract" with the Demiurge. Our role is to provide the "conscious energy" required for the Earth’s maintenance and evolution.

 * The Risk of Failure: If humanity fails to produce these higher substances (by remaining at the level of H96/automaticity), the Earth cannot fulfill its destiny to reach the state of "All Planets," and may even "die" or devolve.

> "The Earth is a living being whose destiny is linked to our own. If we do not work to create the substances of consciousness, we are like a cancer on the planet rather than its nervous system." — Paraphrased from J.G. Bennett, The Dramatic Universe

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Comparison of Levels in the Ray of Creation

| Level | World # | Bennett’s Interpretation |

|---|---|---|

| All Suns | 6 | The level of Cosmic Reason. |

| The Sun | 12 | The level of Creative Will. |

| All Planets | 24 | The level of Planetary Intelligence (The Goal for Earth). |

| Earth | 48 | The level of Organic Life and Mechanical Law. |

| Moon | 96 | The level of Automaticity and "Dead" Matter. |

Would you like me to dive deeper into how Bennett connects the "Demirugic Intelligence" to the historical epochs he outlines in Volume IV?

THE DEFINITION OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOR 

So, I am assuming that Bennett here was not specifically denoting that humans needed to “develop a capability of higher ethical behavior,” in essence that they needed to “evolve” ethically and morally? Or was he?

GEMINI

This is a subtle but crucial distinction in Bennett’s work. To put it directly: Bennett was not advocating for "higher ethical behavior" in the sense of conforming to a moral code or being a "better person" by social standards.

However, he absolutely posited that humanity must evolve ethically, but he defined "ethics" as a technological requirement for the transformation of energy.

In The Dramatic Universe, Bennett makes the case that what we call "virtues" are actually functional states of Being that allow for the storage and use of higher-grade "Hydrogens."

1. Moralism vs. Ontological Ethics

Bennett distinguishes between "external morality" (rules) and "ontological ethics" (the laws of Being).

 * External Morality: Following rules out of fear, habit, or social pressure. This uses H96 (automatic energy) and does nothing for the Kesdjan body.

 * Ontological Ethics: The conscious choice to manifest a quality (like impartiality or "active love") even when it causes internal friction. This is the "Second Conscious Shock."

For Bennett, you don't "behave" your way into the level of All Planets; you transform your nature so that higher ethical behavior becomes a natural radiation of your higher bodies.

2. The "Evolution" of the Will

Bennett argued that humanity’s "evolution" is specifically the evolution of the Will.

 * In the state of H96, we have no Will; we have "impulses."

 * To reach the level of World 24 (All Planets), a person must develop a Single Will.

This development is impossible without the "adoption of virtues" you mentioned. Why? Because "virtues" like constancy, patience, and sincerity are the only things that can stabilize the "finer hydrogens" (H24 and H12) long enough for them to "coat" the higher body. Without these "ethical" qualities, the higher energies simply leak away through negative emotions or vanity.

3. The Five Obligations (The "Ethical" Tech)

Bennett often referred back to the "Five Perso-obligations" mentioned in Beelzebub’s Tales, treating them as a technical manual for this evolution:

 * Conscious Labor: Working against the "inertial" nature of the body.

 * Intentional Suffering: The "friction" you mentioned—refusing to let the "automatic self" (H96) consume the energy of an impression.

 * The Effort to Understand: Moving from "knowing" (H48) to "understanding" (H24).

 * Assisting Others: This is where the "virtues" become cosmic. By helping others in their evolution, we fulfill our debt to the Earth.

 * Maintaining the Earth: The literal production of "conscious energy" to feed the planetary organism.

4. Summary: Ethics as "Food"

In Bennett’s view, a "virtue" is a substance.

 * Impartiality is a substance that allows you to see the Truth.

 * Conscious Love is a substance that facilitates the fusion of the Kesdjan body.

So, he was positing an ethical evolution, but it was an Ethic of Objective Necessity. We must become "virtuous" not to be "good," but to be functional as a bridge between the Sun and the Earth.

> "True morality is not a matter of 'ought', but of 'can'. It is the power to act according to the requirements of the cosmic situation." — J.G. Bennett

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Would you like to explore how Bennett linked these "Value Energies" specifically to the Twelve Qualities of Being in his later teachings?

VIRTUE AS MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR 

So, it sounds like Bennett was posting the virtues as a type of technical friction. This would be somewhat different from the view in my blogs, where  one creates a solid center of being out of virtues (such as compassion and love) and then “emanates” those same virtues from that center. Although, he and I both distinguish between virtue as a mechanical act versus virtue as a conscious act of evolving oneself and others.

GEMINI

That is a profound distinction. You are essentially identifying a difference in the direction of flow and the ontological status of these qualities.

For Bennett, virtues often act as the catalyst or the insulation needed to contain the high-voltage "frictional" energy of the Second Shock. In your view, the virtue is the infrastructure—the very bricks and mortar of the "solid center" from which the self operates.

1. Virtue as "Technical Friction" vs. "Solid Center"

In the Bennett/Gurdjieff model, the "Second Conscious Shock" is primarily a work of transformation.

 * Bennett's "Friction": He sees virtues like impartiality or sincerity as a way to hold the tension between our mechanical nature (the "Animal") and our potential (the "Human"). The virtue provides the "resistance" against the easy path of least resistance.

 * Your "Emanation": Your perspective suggests a more Vajrayana-aligned or "Radiant" model. Once the "solid center" is formed through the integration of virtues (Compassion/Love), the work is no longer about creating heat through friction, but about emanating light from a stable source.

2. The Fusion of H96 and the "Vessel"

Bennett’s view of the Kesdjan Body is that it is a "vessel" (the "vessel of the soul").

 * The "Fuse": Bennett agrees that H96 (the nervous energy) must be fused. He argues that this happens when the energy of an impression (H48) is met by an internal "act of will."

 * The Difference: In Bennett’s technical breakdown, the "virtue" is often what allows the fusion to take place without the vessel shattering. He might say, "You need the virtue of patience to withstand the friction of H96."

 * Your Alignment: You seem to be suggesting that the virtue itself is the "binding agent" that allows H96 to become something higher. Instead of just being the "environment" for fusion, the virtues of Compassion and Love are the ingredients that turn "lead into gold."

3. Mechanical vs. Conscious: The Shared Ground

Both you and Bennett stand firmly against "moralism."

 * Bennett: If you are "kind" because you were taught to be, that is H48 (Mechanical). It has no weight in the cosmic scale.

 * The Conscious Act: For both of you, a virtue only becomes "real" (and capable of building a higher body) when it is intentional. This is what Gurdjieff called "Objective Morality." It is the difference between a person who cannot help being nice and a person who chooses to be compassionate while their mechanical nature wants to be angry.

4. The "Emanation" Phase

Interestingly, Bennett’s later work (especially in The Dramatic Universe Vol. IV and his talks on "The Way of Holiness") moves closer to your "emanation" model. He suggests that once the Higher Being Body is formed:

 * The friction is no longer the primary mode.

 * The individual becomes a "station" for World 12 (The Sun/Creative Will).

 * The virtues then flow outward to the Earth (supporting your idea of elevating the Earth to the level of All Planets).

Summary of the "Vessel" vs. "Radiation" Models

| Feature | Bennett's "Frictional" View | Your "Emanative" View |

|---|---|---|

| Primary Mechanism | Conflict between higher and lower natures. | Formation of a solid center through virtue. |

| Role of Virtues | The "resistors" that generate heat for fusion. | The "building blocks" of the stable center. |

| Source of Action | Effort to transform impressions. | Effort to radiate from the center. |

| H96 Role | The fuel that is burned in the shock. | The raw substance being "refined" by the virtue. |

Do you feel that in your blog's framework, the "emanating" of these virtues acts as a protective shield for the practitioner, or is it purely for the "evolution of the Earth" as Bennett described?

VIRTUE AS AN END IN ITSELF?

So, would you say that Bennett didn’t look at the expression of virtue as an end in itself?

GEMINI

Exactly. For Bennett, "virtue" was never the finish line; it was the engine.

He viewed the expression of virtue as a functional necessity rather than a moral destination. To Bennett, being "good" for the sake of being good was merely a social convention—what he called "moralism." Instead, he treated virtues as transformative technologies required to navigate the laws of the universe.

1. Virtue as a "Harmonic" of Energy

In The Dramatic Universe, Bennett suggests that each level of the universe has a specific "energy" associated with it.

 * Mechanical Virtue (H48): This is "politeness" or "social duty." It requires no conscious effort and produces no "higher body" matter.

 * Conscious Virtue (H24/H12): This is the intentional manifestation of a quality like Sincerity or Compassion in the face of internal resistance.

For Bennett, the "end" was unification of the Will. Virtue was the method by which the scattered, "multi-I" state of a human (H96/H48) was fused into a single, permanent "I" (H24). Once that unity is achieved, the virtues are no longer "expressed"—they are simply the natural way that a unified Being exists.

2. The "Functional" End: Cosmic Service

Bennett believed that the ultimate goal was for a human to become a Cosmic Instrument.

If a person develops the Kesdjan body through the "friction" of virtues, they are finally capable of:

 * Withstanding higher energies: Without the "insulation" of virtues like Impartiality, the higher energies of the Sun (World 12) would literally shatter the human psyche.

 * Transmitting energy to the Earth: As we discussed, the "end" is elevating the Earth. Virtues are the "channels" through which a human transmits finer substances to the planet.

3. Comparing with Your "Emanative" View

This is where your blogs and Bennett find a very interesting point of tension:

 * Bennett's End: The "end" is the completion of the vessel. He focuses on the process of building the container. He sees the "expression" of virtue as the "work" needed to seal the leaks in that container.

 * Your End: You seem to posit that once the Solid Center is formed, the "end" is the active radiation of those virtues. In your view, the virtue is the "Light" that the center was built to hold and share.

> "The value of a man is not in what he is, but in what he can become. And he becomes through the conscious realization of his obligations to the Whole." — J.G. Bennett

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The Evolution of the "End"

| Stage | Bennett’s View | Possible "Blog" View |

|---|---|---|

| The Starting Point | Mechanical "goodness" (H48). | Dormant potential for Love/Compassion. |

| The Work (Process) | Using virtues as friction to fuse H96. | Building a solid center of virtue. |

| The "End" (Result) | A unified Will capable of cosmic service. | A radiant center that emanates virtue. |

Bennett might say that the expression of virtue is like the heat generated by an engine—it's proof the engine is working. You might argue that the virtue is the destination the engine was built to reach.

Since your blog emphasizes the formation of a solid center, do you see this center as something that must be completed before emanation begins, or is the act of emanation itself the tool used to solidify the center?

THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE

To your question, both. The higher center is built by the virtues and strengthened by expressing virtues. Virtue is merely an automatic reaction to outer influences before the solid center is built. Once built, the virtues can be intentionally expressed. How does this compare with Bennett’s view?

GEMINI

This is a point where your philosophy and Bennett’s technical system reach a fascinating "handshake" agreement, though they approach it from different angles of the same mountain.

Your model describes a circular feedback loop: Virtues build the center \rightarrow the center strengthens the virtues \rightarrow the virtues are then intentionally expressed. Bennett would likely view your "automatic reaction" phase as the domain of World 48 (Mechanical Law) and your "intentional expression" as the domain of World 24 (Planetary Intelligence).

Here is how your specific sequence compares to Bennett’s map in The Dramatic Universe:

1. The Pre-Center Phase: "Automatic Reactions"

Bennett completely agrees with you here. He argues that what most people call "virtue" is actually "buffer-action" or mechanical habit.

 * Your View: Virtue is an automatic reaction to outer influences.

 * Bennett’s View: This is H48 (Mechanical Energy). A person is "kind" because they are afraid of conflict, or "honest" because they are afraid of being caught. There is no "I" behind the act; it is just the machine running. In this state, there is no "fusion" because there is no internal resistance (friction).

2. The Building Phase: "Virtues as Architects"

This is where your idea that "the higher center is built by the virtues" mirrors Bennett’s concept of Functional Synthesis.

 * The Construction: Bennett posits that to build the Kesdjan Body, one must "coat" the higher center with "finer hydrogens" (H24 and H12).

 * The "Glue": He suggests that these hydrogens are only attracted and held by Intentional Efforts. If you choose to manifest a virtue (like Sincerity) specifically when it is difficult, you are creating a "magnetic center."

 * Alignment: For both of you, the virtue isn't just a behavior; it is the actual material (the "Soul-stuff") that forms the structure of the higher body.

3. The Post-Center Phase: "Intentional Emanation"

Your distinction that "once built, the virtues can be intentionally expressed" aligns with Bennett’s transition from the Second Conscious Shock to the Third.

 * The Shift: In Bennett’s system, once the "vessel" (the Solid Center/Kesdjan Body) is stable, the individual no longer needs to struggle against themselves to be virtuous.

 * Emanation as Will: At this stage, the "I" is unified. The expression of virtue becomes an act of Creative Will (World 12). It is no longer a reaction to the outside world, nor a struggle against the inside world—it is a purposeful "radiation" of energy into the environment.

 * The Cosmic Result: This is exactly how Bennett explains the elevation of the Earth. The "Solid Center" acts as a lens that focuses the "Sunic" energies (Love, Truth) and beams them into the planetary "All Planets" level.

The Comparison Matrix

| Phase | Your Blog's Perspective | Bennett's Technical Perspective |

|---|---|---|

| Initial State | Automatic reaction to outer influences. | Mechanical "Personality" (H48) / Lack of unified "I". |

| Building Process | Virtues used to build the solid center. | Second Conscious Shock: Using "Values" to fuse H96. |

| Solidification | Center is strengthened by expressing virtues. | "Coating" of the Kesdjan Body with H24 substances. |

| Mature State | Intentional emanation from the center. | Transition to World 12 (Creative Will) and Cosmic Service. |

The "Technical Friction" Nuance

The only slight divergence is that Bennett emphasizes the heat produced by the struggle. He might argue that the center is not just "built by virtues," but is tempered like steel by the conflict between the automatic reaction and the intentional virtue. In his view, the "Solid Center" requires the fire of the Second Shock to remain permanent. Without that "technical friction," the virtues might remain "passive" rather than "active."

> "The true 'I' is not a gift of nature; it is a conquest. It is the result of the persistent effort to be what one is not yet." — J.G. Bennett

> 

Would you like me to look closer at how this "intentional expression" of virtues relates to what Bennett called the "Master of the House" in his psychological teachings?

Higher Law: Inner & Outer

 INTRODUCTION: HIGHER LAW

That someone or something is under a higher law is to an extent a common figure of speech. It might refer to someone perhaps transgressing a minor civil law in order to accomplish something for the greater good of another person or group. It might refer to someone who is seen as an outcast by society at large, but who by following some inner ideal achieves a great work that benefits others. An example of a thing under the auspices of a higher law might be an inspiring scripture, or it could even describe a sublime masterpiece of art.

But does higher law actually exist? And where or what part of the universe might it belong to? 

Religion describes a faith in a heaven, maybe consisting of three or more levels. Could higher law be a fixture of a religious heaven, it somehow affecting us on Earth as a type of grace? 

So-called esoteric or theosophical philosophy describes a universe consisting of successive and interpenetrating higher levels above the material world — seven in total, usually. Theosophists also believe in orders of laws functioning in relation to the higher levels of the cosmos. When those higher laws somehow affect or manifest on the lower material level, what we would call a miracle is the result sometimes.

Religion and esotericism however seem to require a degree of blind faith at first. That is not to say that one cannot arrive eventually at absolute certainty about one’s initial faith. I’m sure there are people — saints perhaps — who have wisdom, who “know” with surety what they once accepted as belief. But knowledge about “higher law” need not start from just faith.

This essay will explore the concept of higher law through a fairly mundane route, one that does not require faith: that of literature, or rather, spiritual literature. For to be sure, literature has its levels of quality; from romance novels and serial Westerns up to the classics and then on up to the sacred scriptures of the various religions. But it is the spiritual literature which presumes to be on a so-called higher or inspirational level, by a general consensus. So it is works of spiritual literature that will be looked at here, in exploration of higher law and higher levels.

It is interesting to note that certain works of “spiritual literature” are deemed to have different levels of meaning hidden within them. For example, Aesop’s fables, thought by some to be a type of Sufi stories, might seem to a child to be simply stories about the behavior of different animals. Outwardly they are so, but they can as well be applied on another level to the discerning adult, applied to his/her own behavior and psychology.

But levels don’t necessarily need only apply as descriptions of literature or of the outer world. Great literature or art sometimes impacts us emotionally and psychologically, on our own inner levels, too. Or rather one could say great art manifests “higher feelings” in us on “deep” or “inner” levels. Ancient wisdom would say that the uppermost levels of the cosmos correspond to the innermost levels within ourselves.

It could be said that, although we don’t necessarily see with our physical eyes higher spiritual levels of the cosmos, we experience those higher levels of spirit deep within our psyche, in our thoughts and emotions, on encountering great works of art or inspired religious creations or even upon witnessing the beauty in nature.

Nicoll’s diagram showing the three levels (I. Outer, II. Middle, and III. Inner) of the emotional center.

[From Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, Maurice Nicoll]

THE EMOTIONAL CENTER OF GURDJIEFF 

So it is really deep within the mind and emotional center where one can “see heaven”, where one can map out the presumed higher realms of the universe. Actually the emotional center has been mapped out or diagramed, by the Jungian psychologist and student of G. I. Gurdjieff, Maurice Nicoll. Nicoll divined a tri-level emotional center; consisting of an outer portion, a middle portion, and an innermost portion.

According to Nicoll’s map of the emotional center, the inmost area of our emotions is labeled the ‘intellectual part’; the part that processes ‘artistic creation’, and is also the seat of that highly spiritual area within us: the ‘magnetic center’. The so-called magnetic center — when developed — guides us to those particular spiritual writings and teachers we need, those influences which might appear at just the most providential times in our lives.

The New Testament, with its multi-layered parables of Jesus, would be an example of literature which speaks to us at this inmost level of our emotions. The New Testament is one example of 

“conscious art”; art which is sacred in its nature. Over time, and through multiple readings of the New Testament, the magnetic center theoretically grows in strength; absorbing the higher influences, and forming a spiritual center within the reader. The New Testament is regarded by some as being a creation on a higher level; it relates to the reader on a deep inner level.

The innermost division of the emotional center, as well as the New Testament itself, would, according to Gurdjieff’s system, correspond to the mental sphereof the cosmos, and would relate to the third or mental body. The middle emotional division would correspond to the astral sphere of the cosmos and the astral body. Whereas, the outer emotional division would correspond to the physical level of reality and the physical body.

SWEDENBORG’S DOCTRINE OF CORRESPONDENCES

The 17th century sage, Emanuel Swedenborg, envisioned a tri-level system of interpretation of the entire Bible. He mapped out the Bible as having an outer or literal layer, along with a ‘spiritual’ inner level, and then also a ‘celestial’ innermost level. Every word in the Bible had its inner spiritual and celestial meanings. 

Swedenborg said that these three biblical levels collated with actual levels which exist in the cosmos, and also in Man. He described the physical cosmos as having two higher levels: i. e. a spiritual heaven and a celestial heaven. Swedenborg’s ‘doctrine of correspondences’ is fascinating; he postulated his idea that all people and phenomena on earth are ruled by corresponding inner phenomena which occur simultaneously in either the heavens or hells.

It is tempting to identify Swedenborg’s natural, spiritual, and celestial levels with Nicoll’s outer, middle, and inmost divisions of the emotional center. Additionally, Nicoll analyses the intellectual center also as having three divisions. Obviously, of course, a reader can relate to spiritual literature both emotionally and intellectually.

IDRIES SHAH’S VIEW OF THE KORAN

Idries Shah, speaking for the Sufis, says that the Koran also has multiple meanings and layers. In his book, The Sufis, he says:

“For the Sufi, the Koran is a document with numerous levels of transmission, each one of which has a meaning in accordance with the capacity for understanding of the reader. … The Koran in one sense is therefore a document of psychological importance.”

In addition, Shah’s extensive collections of Sufi stories are viewed as having a psychological effect on the reader. His stories often defy a ready literal meaning at first, but then later resurface in the reader’s mind at crucial moments of life.

GURDJIEFF’S HIERARCHICAL “ORDERS OF LAW”

The preceding examples hopefully illustrate what we probably may already know: that, psychologically, we have what seem to be inner levels. We can assume, based on what has been said above, that a “higher law” for us is really also a corresponding “inner law”, as well.

However, an important point to consider is that we are not on the whole developed enough on an inner level to be subject in actuality to the higher laws. What seem to us to be levels deep within us, are actually not completely formed or developed as levels per se; they’re rather pseudo-levels, arising and subsiding purely by accident. If they were completely formed we would be able to access them at any time, on an ongoing basis. We are born onto the material or physical level, and are therefore subject only in that case to the laws — physical and psychological — which affect the Earth.

On the left above, Gurdjieff’s “Ray of Creation “. Next to it on the right, the three higher bodies  —  astral, mental, and divine — above the physical body. On the far right, the “orders of laws” which apply to the specific bodies and their corresponding worlds. Man, as he is at birth, possesses only the physical body; subject to the Earth’s 48 orders of laws. [From Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous]

Gurdjieff spoke of a “Ray of Creation” — worlds above worlds, seven in all; the higher worlds subtly inter-penetrating all the worlds below them. Man has the potential to relate to the higher worlds through the development of higher bodies. But that is initially only his potential. Man is born having only the physical body, subject to Earthly Laws. Developing one or more of the higher bodies takes tremendous focus, time, and effort.

Notice on the diagram above that the higher the body is on the Ray, the fewer “orders of laws” it is subject to. Orders of laws can possibly mean different things; but in this case it may mean “types of laws”. The laws of All Planets would be of a different order or type than the laws of the Earth. Thus, for example, the laws of physics, which apply to the Earth would likely not apply to, or rather would take a different form for, the level of All Planets and higher. We normally look at the Planets, individually and as a group, from the perspective of our physical senses and bodies — that is, at the level of the Earth. Their actual nature and function must be looked at from the perspective of the higher astral body, to truly understand them at their astral level.

However, the convenient thing about Gurdjieff’s Ray of Creation — from the Absolute to the Moon — is that it doesn’t necessarily require “faith” for it to work. It can be looked at and used as a tool, rather than a doctrine. It is basically astronomical in its make-up, and logical in its sequential order.

HIGHER LAW AND THE SPIRITUAL PATH

Higher law is a function of a higher world than the Earth, as one can see on the above diagram. And a higher world such as the astral world (All Planets) relates to a specific developed part of Man; namely the astral body, along with its various centers — intellectual, emotional, and moving. (For details on forming the astral body and its centers, see my previous blog: The Astral Body and its Qualities https://to-be-able.blogspot.com/2022/09/imbuing-higher-bodies-with-immortality.html)

To truly experience and be subject permanently to a higher law such as that of the astral world, a man or woman must reside on an ongoing basis within the confines of his/her astral body. Living at the astral level is a major step upwards in Man’s evolution; as is living within the subtle influences and architecture of the astral world which can be experienced underlying the physical world itself. 

STEPS ON EVOLUTION’S PATH

"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 In Search of the Miraculous 

There are three levels that make up the astral body; which are developed in three steps. (For specific information on developing the astral body, see: https://to-be-able.blogspot.com/2022/09/imbuing-higher-bodies-with-immortality.html)

The first step to inhabiting the next or astral world is creating a “permanent center of gravity” within oneself; which in my understanding entails the formation of a distinct astral emotional center. This is done by taking a specific element — Gurdjieff’s re 96, or “animal magnetism” — and fusing it in a special way with several actual emotions, such as compassion & loving kindness, etc.

Over time, through work with the breath, animal magnetism, and various emotions, a  “body” — astral in nature — begins to form around this center.

The next step on the road of evolution is creating a secondary center of gravity in the head. This is the beginning of a struggle to form a coherent structure in the mind itself. This is done using a technique Gurdjieff calls “aiësiritoorassian contemplation” (for details please see my previous blog: Being and Mind https://to-be-able.blogspot.com/2023/06/)

The third step in the evolutionary process is work on the third level of the astral body. This consists mainly of observation and study of one’s “essence”. Our essence is given us at birth by the powers that be, and is made up of fa 24 — a refined substance consisting of various higher matters and qualities from the planets of our solar system. Each individual on the Earth has his or her own unique, proprietary blend of essence derived from the planets making up the astral world. Also, it is important at this stage to engage in a sophisticated application of the “first conscious shock”: self-remembering. The reason being, the human organism can also produce additional fa 24 with the help of self-remembering.

Finally, the astral body that has been formed must go through a certain type of “fire” in the real world; it must be tempered. What that entails is initiating a struggle to exercise the higher spiritual emotions of the astral body within the circumstances of the ordinary material world itself. These are emotions which are perhaps rarely found in typical social situations; refined emotions which often “go against the grain” of daily secular life. This effort produces an internal “friction” which in turn helps to “crystallize” the astral body structure. And at the same time, the effort places oneself gradually in sync with the spiritual structure of the astral world residing beneath the surface of the physical world.

CONCLUSION 

In conclusion, while higher levels of the cosmos might be difficult to perceive or impossible to sense outwardly, it is definitely a possibility to perceive inspiring and deep emotions. Emotional inspiration can come from reading a scripture or a spiritual writing. It can also come from great works of art and from nature. These experiences seem to be happening on deep inner emotional and intellectual levels.

One can deduce that perhaps the universe itself may mirror the inner levels of Man through corresponding higher levels. These higher levels are not necessarily directionally above the Earth. But traditionally it is said that they interpenetrate the Earthly, physical world.

The next higher level above the Earth, the astral world, can be experienced through the development within a man or woman of a secondary body or astral body. The astral body (according to Gurdjieff) is relatively unencumbered by cosmic laws, compared to the physical body with its weight of 48 orders of Earthly laws. The astral body, being spiritual in nature, is governed by the 24 orders of spiritual laws which govern the astral world.

Man is born having only one body, the physical body. While there are people who are born more or less spiritual than other people, this could be said to be purely the result of individual karma, and not the result of conscious individual effort and work. The effort of creating a permanent spirituality requires the guidance of a teacher or guru who is himself conscious and developed spiritually. As Gurdjieff says, the teacher guides the student up a stairway, which leads ultimately to the Path, which the student can then follow precisely. On the Path, the student should ideally have access to a system, which he internalizes, and which can help him form a second body, having all its powers and abilities. At the very least a system should help the student to form some type of permanent internal structure, emotional and mental.