Harmony of the Spheres: Difference between revisions

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{{GZ|By certain other methods, of which we shall speak later, man can attain to the point where, through his own inner power, space will not only be illuminated by light, flooded with the light of wisdom, but that space will, as it were, begin to resound. In the old Pythagorean philosophy, as you know, it was spoken of the music of the spheres. By "sphere" is meant the space of the world, the space in which the stars float. This is not an imagined, spun-out image, not a poetic comparison, but it is a reality. When man has practised sufficiently according to the indications of the secret teacher, then he learns to see inwardly not only an illuminated, transilluminated space, which is the expression of wisdom, but he also learns to hear the music of the spheres which floods the space of the world. And when the space begins to resound, then man is said to be in the heavenly world, in the Devachan. It is true that space resounds, but it is not a physical sound, but these are spiritual sounds which do not live in the air, but in a much higher, finer substance, in the Akashic substance. Continually space is filled with such music, and there are certain fundamental tones in this music of the spheres.|101|150}}
{{GZ|By certain other methods, of which we shall speak later, man can attain to the point where, through his own inner power, space will not only be illuminated by light, flooded with the light of wisdom, but that space will, as it were, begin to resound. In the old Pythagorean philosophy, as you know, it was spoken of the music of the spheres. By "sphere" is meant the space of the world, the space in which the stars float. This is not an imagined, spun-out image, not a poetic comparison, but it is a reality. When man has practised sufficiently according to the indications of the secret teacher, then he learns to see inwardly not only an illuminated, transilluminated space, which is the expression of wisdom, but he also learns to hear the music of the spheres which floods the space of the world. And when the space begins to resound, then man is said to be in the heavenly world, in the Devachan. It is true that space resounds, but it is not a physical sound, but these are spiritual sounds which do not live in the air, but in a much higher, finer substance, in the Akashic substance. Continually space is filled with such music, and there are certain fundamental tones in this music of the spheres.|101|150}}


Remarkable and at the same time surprising is the following statement by [[Rudolf Seiner]]:
Remarkable and at the same time surprising is the following statement by [[Rudolf Steiner]]:


{{GZ|You know that the planets move around the sun at very specific speeds. But the sun also moves, and it is this movement, as well as that of the planets, which has been studied in detail by the occult astronomers. Research has shown that the sun moves round a spiritual centre, and that the orbits of the planets are spirals, the guideline of which is the sun's orbit. The speeds with which the individual planets complete their orbits are in quite definite harmonic relationships to one another, and these relationships combine as tones for the listener to form a symphony, which the Pythagoreans called music of the spheres. This sounding together, this music, is therefore an image of cosmic processes, and what the Pythagorean school teaches is nothing sophisticated. The old occult astronomers said to themselves: "The starry sky, which appears to be at rest, is in reality in motion and revolves around the spiritual centre with such speed that it advances by 1° in 100 years. The velocities of the planets relate to each other as follows:
{{GZ|You know that the planets move around the sun at very specific speeds. But the sun also moves, and it is this movement, as well as that of the planets, which has been studied in detail by the occult astronomers. Research has shown that the sun moves round a spiritual centre, and that the orbits of the planets are spirals, the guideline of which is the sun's orbit. The speeds with which the individual planets complete their orbits are in quite definite harmonic relationships to one another, and these relationships combine as tones for the listener to form a symphony, which the Pythagoreans called music of the spheres. This sounding together, this music, is therefore an image of cosmic processes, and what the Pythagorean school teaches is nothing sophisticated. The old occult astronomers said to themselves: "The starry sky, which appears to be at rest, is in reality in motion and revolves around the spiritual centre with such speed that it advances by 1° in 100 years. The velocities of the planets relate to each other as follows:
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</poem>
</poem>


whereby the velocity of Saturn is 1200 times greater than that of the whole starry sky, or advances 12° in a year<ref>{{GZ|The result of occult astronomy presented here proves, upon close
whereby the velocity of Saturn is 1200 times greater than that of the whole starry sky, or advances 12° in a year<ref>{{GZ|The result of occult astronomy here presented proves on close examination to be as remarkable as it is surprising. The order of the planets given agrees with the order of their mean distances from the earth. The numerical ratios from Saturn to the Moon agree well with the ratios of the sidereal orbital times 2½ - 5 - 2 - 12 &#61; 300, though not the usual heliocentric ones, but the geocentric ones. That it must be the latter is evident from the fact that Venus and Mercury are equated with the Sun, which agrees with the fact that, seen from the Earth, they can never move far away from the Sun in their course. It is also irrelevant for the round numbers mentioned that these geocentric orbital periods are not given quite unambiguously because of the loop formations. If the 5 were replaced by a 6, 360 would result. Saturn indeed needs about 360 months for its orbit. The surprising thing about this explanation is that we are talking about velocities and not times, i.e. about something which, although it has a connection with ordinary astronomy, must be of a completely different nature. The transition to the mysterious movement of the stars through the number 4 would correspond to the duration of the week. The number 1200 resulting from multiplication by 4 is little greater than the ratio of the highest frequency audible to the human ear to the lowest. (G. A. Baiaster)|101|286}}</ref>.
scrutiny as remarkable as it is surprising. The order given
of the planets agrees with the order of their mean distances from the
the earth. The numerical ratios from Saturn to the Moon agree well
with the ratios of the sidereal orbital times 2½ · 5 · 2 · 12 &#61; 300, but
not with the usual heliocentrics, but with the geocentrics. That it must be
geocentric]]s, it is clear from the fact that Venus and Mercury are equated with the Sun, which is
the sun, which is consistent with the fact that, seen from the earth
seen from the earth, they can never be far away from the sun in their course. It is for the
round numbers mentioned, it is also irrelevant that these geocentric orbital periods
orbital periods are not given quite unambiguously because of the loop formations.
If the 5 were replaced by a 6, 360 would result. Saturn does indeed need
Saturn actually takes about 360 months to complete its orbit. The surprising thing about the design is
is that we are talking about velocities and not times,
which, although it has a connection with ordinary astronomy.
must be of a quite different nature. The transition to the mysterious movement of the stars
through the number 4 would correspond to the duration of the week. The
multiplication by 4 is little greater than the ratio of the highest frequency audible to the human ear.
of the highest frequency audible to the human ear to the lowest. (G. A. Baiaster)|101|286}}</ref>.


When physical musical harmonies arise, it is because, for example, different strings vibrate differently, one faster, the other slower. Depending on the speed with which the individual strings move, a higher or lower tone is sounded, and the sounding together of these different tones sounds as music, produces the harmony. Just as you now receive musical impressions here in the physical from the movements of the strings, so he who has risen to the level of clairaudience in the Devachan hears the movement of the heavenly bodies as music of the spheres. And through the relationship of the different speeds in the movement of the planets, the fundamental tones of the harmony of the spheres arise, which resounds through the whole universe. In the Pythagorean School, therefore, one rightly speaks of a music of the spheres; one can hear it with spiritual ears.
When physical musical harmonies arise, it is because, for example, different strings vibrate differently, one faster, the other slower. Depending on the speed with which the individual strings move, a higher or lower tone is sounded, and the sounding together of these different tones sounds as music, produces the harmony. Just as you now receive musical impressions here in the physical from the movements of the strings, so he who has risen to the level of clairaudience in the Devachan hears the movement of the heavenly bodies as music of the spheres. And through the relationship of the different speeds in the movement of the planets, the fundamental tones of the harmony of the spheres arise, which resounds through the whole universe. In the Pythagorean School, therefore, one rightly speaks of a music of the spheres; one can hear it with spiritual ears.

Revision as of 16:01, 4 August 2021

As harmony of the spheres or music of the spheres, the awakened "inner ear" experiences the actual spiritual world, the so-called Devachan. In his search for this world harmony, Johannes Kepler discovered at the beginning of the 17th century the three Kepler's Laws, now named after him, which describe the fundamental principles of motion of the planetary system and which he explained in detail in his work Harmonices mundi libri V ("Five Books on the Harmonics of the World") published in 1619.

Harmony of the Spheres and Devachan

„Apart from what can be perceived through "spiritual seeing" in this "spirit land", there is something else here which is to be regarded as an experience of "spiritual hearing". As soon as the "clairvoyant" ascends from the soul-land into the spirit-land, the perceived archetypes also become sounding. This "sounding" is a purely spiritual process. It must be imagined without all thought of a physical sound. The observer feels as if he were in a sea of tones. And in these tones, in this spiritual sounding, the entities of the spiritual world express themselves. In their sounding together, their harmonies, rhythms and melodies, the primal laws of their existence, their mutual relationships and affinities are expressed. What the mind perceives in the physical world as a law, as an idea, presents itself to the "spiritual ear" as a spiritual-musical. (The Pythagoreans therefore called this perception of the spiritual world "music of the spheres". To the owner of the "spiritual ear" this "music of the spheres" is not merely something pictorial, allegorical, but a spiritual reality well known to him). If one wants to get a concept of this "spiritual music", one only has to eliminate all ideas of sensual music as it is perceived by the "material ear". We are dealing here with "spiritual perception", i.e. with such a perception that must remain mute for the "sensual ear". In the following descriptions of the "spirit land", the references to this "spiritual music" will be omitted for the sake of simplicity. One only has to imagine that everything that is described as an "image", as a "luminous thing", is at the same time a sounding thing. To every colour, to every perception of light corresponds a spiritual tone, and to every interaction of colours corresponds a harmony, a melody and so on. It must be borne in mind that even where sound prevails, the perception of the "spiritual eye" does not cease. It is just that the sound is added to the luminescence. Where "primal images" are spoken of in the following, the "primal tones" must also be considered. Other perceptions are also added, which can be similarly described as "spiritual tasting" and so on. But we shall not go into these processes here, as it is a question of awakening an idea of the 'spirit land' by means of a few modes of perception picked out from the whole.“ (Lit.:GA 9, p. 124)

Unlike the sensually audible sounds, the sphere sounds do not live in the air as a carrier medium, but in the much finer Akasha material, in which "thought can express itself directly" (Lit.:GA 53, p. 230) and which is also the carrier of the world memory.

„By certain other methods, of which we shall speak later, man can attain to the point where, through his own inner power, space will not only be illuminated by light, flooded with the light of wisdom, but that space will, as it were, begin to resound. In the old Pythagorean philosophy, as you know, it was spoken of the music of the spheres. By "sphere" is meant the space of the world, the space in which the stars float. This is not an imagined, spun-out image, not a poetic comparison, but it is a reality. When man has practised sufficiently according to the indications of the secret teacher, then he learns to see inwardly not only an illuminated, transilluminated space, which is the expression of wisdom, but he also learns to hear the music of the spheres which floods the space of the world. And when the space begins to resound, then man is said to be in the heavenly world, in the Devachan. It is true that space resounds, but it is not a physical sound, but these are spiritual sounds which do not live in the air, but in a much higher, finer substance, in the Akashic substance. Continually space is filled with such music, and there are certain fundamental tones in this music of the spheres.“ (Lit.:GA 101, p. 150)

Remarkable and at the same time surprising is the following statement by Rudolf Steiner:

„You know that the planets move around the sun at very specific speeds. But the sun also moves, and it is this movement, as well as that of the planets, which has been studied in detail by the occult astronomers. Research has shown that the sun moves round a spiritual centre, and that the orbits of the planets are spirals, the guideline of which is the sun's orbit. The speeds with which the individual planets complete their orbits are in quite definite harmonic relationships to one another, and these relationships combine as tones for the listener to form a symphony, which the Pythagoreans called music of the spheres. This sounding together, this music, is therefore an image of cosmic processes, and what the Pythagorean school teaches is nothing sophisticated. The old occult astronomers said to themselves: "The starry sky, which appears to be at rest, is in reality in motion and revolves around the spiritual centre with such speed that it advances by 1° in 100 years. The velocities of the planets relate to each other as follows:

The speed of Saturn = 2 1/2 times that of Jupiter
of Jupiter = 5 times that of Mars
of Mars = 2 times that of the Sun, Mercury and Venus
of the Sun = 12 times that of the Moon

whereby the velocity of Saturn is 1200 times greater than that of the whole starry sky, or advances 12° in a year[1].

When physical musical harmonies arise, it is because, for example, different strings vibrate differently, one faster, the other slower. Depending on the speed with which the individual strings move, a higher or lower tone is sounded, and the sounding together of these different tones sounds as music, produces the harmony. Just as you now receive musical impressions here in the physical from the movements of the strings, so he who has risen to the level of clairaudience in the Devachan hears the movement of the heavenly bodies as music of the spheres. And through the relationship of the different speeds in the movement of the planets, the fundamental tones of the harmony of the spheres arise, which resounds through the whole universe. In the Pythagorean School, therefore, one rightly speaks of a music of the spheres; one can hear it with spiritual ears.

We can point to another phenomenon in these reflections. If you take a thin brass plate, sprinkle it as evenly as possible with fine dust and stroke this plate with a fiddle bow, then not only will a tone be audible, but the dust particles will arrange themselves in quite definite lines. All kinds of figures are formed, corresponding to the tone. The sound causes a distribution of the matter, of the substance. These are the well-known Chladnian sound figures. When the spiritual tone resounded through the universe, it arranged the planets in their relations to each other into a harmony of the spheres. What you see spread out in the space of the world was arranged by this creative tone of the Godhead. Through the fact that this tone sounded into the space of the world, matter was formed into a system, the solar and planetary system. Thus the expression 'harmony of the spheres' is not a witty comparison; it is reality.“ (Lit.:GA 101, p. 151ff)

Literature
References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated.
Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com.
Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books
A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works
Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English.
Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold
steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA)
Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.
  1. ↑

    „The result of occult astronomy here presented proves on close examination to be as remarkable as it is surprising. The order of the planets given agrees with the order of their mean distances from the earth. The numerical ratios from Saturn to the Moon agree well with the ratios of the sidereal orbital times 2½ - 5 - 2 - 12 = 300, though not the usual heliocentric ones, but the geocentric ones. That it must be the latter is evident from the fact that Venus and Mercury are equated with the Sun, which agrees with the fact that, seen from the Earth, they can never move far away from the Sun in their course. It is also irrelevant for the round numbers mentioned that these geocentric orbital periods are not given quite unambiguously because of the loop formations. If the 5 were replaced by a 6, 360 would result. Saturn indeed needs about 360 months for its orbit. The surprising thing about this explanation is that we are talking about velocities and not times, i.e. about something which, although it has a connection with ordinary astronomy, must be of a completely different nature. The transition to the mysterious movement of the stars through the number 4 would correspond to the duration of the week. The number 1200 resulting from multiplication by 4 is little greater than the ratio of the highest frequency audible to the human ear to the lowest. (G. A. Baiaster)“ (Lit.:GA 101, p. 286)

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