Notes on Laws of the Inner Cosmos, Part II: The Law of Associations

…during the preparatory age, there is acquired in the brain functioning of every creature, and of man also, a particular and definite property, the automatic actualization and manifestation of which the ancient Korkolans called the “law of association”, and that the process of the mentation of every creature, especially man, flows exclusively in accordance with this law.

G. I. Gurdjieff, Beelzebub’s Tales to his Grandson, p. 15

Read the introductory quote carefully, because these words are especially significant:

The process of the mentation of every creature, especially man, flows exclusively in accordance with this law.

Unlike some of the other laws in the book, the significance and description of this law as an inner property needs little further explanation. It shows that the laws definitely have inner aspects; and, introduced as the first law mentioned in the book, we can surmise the author intended to clue us into this idea early. Notably, he says the process of mentation of every creature flows according to this law. This hence includes Beelzebub and fellow angels and devils.

It’s worthwhile to introduce a rather basic idea relative to the laws here: each law invokes the authority of a full octave of influences. Because of this, we can classify and group the major types of associations in a human being using the enneagram:

1. Material Associations. These are not mindful, but fully automatic, associations and are typical of one-brained beings such as worms. They can produce only automatic reactions. Many human beings find the majority of their associations are of this order. The level is typical of what the Buddhists call turning thought. It represents raw material (much like the detritus worms feed on) that can be incorporated and refined into higher forms of association in creatures such as human beings. The level of material associations is related to the eating of solid foods.

2. Desirous associations. The level of association available to two-brained beings such as crocodiles (well known as excellent caregivers to their young.) Desirous associations provoke sometimes powerful emotional responses. Care can arise on this level of association. Like material associations, these associations are fully automatic and a human being can live most or all of a life with just these two levels of association and appear to be a perfectly ordinary being. Related to breathing in air.

3. Conscious labor. (A shock.)

4. Power associations. This level of association is a direct function of thinking center and ego. Mentation at this level, in its worst form, is typically plotting and paranoid; but it can have very great vigor. Power, like the other notes in this octave, has its own subordinate octaves. Manifestations ranging from autism to Machiavellian impulse, in combination with material and desirous association,  the result of various levels of function or dysfunction of power associations. Related to ingestion of impressions.

The simple formulaic way of viewing these three associative levels is 1 + 4 = 2, or Material + Power = Desire. This level of being, and association, is mechanical: a being is affected by external levers of condition and response, not inner actions independent of them. (See the law of falling.)

4. Being associations. These are the first stage of what Gurdjieff calls conscious associations. Associations of Being are self-aware and have the capacity to consciously experience wish and form aim. This is because they’re able to direct the actions of the subordinate levels of association with a conscious aim, as opposed to a reflexive interaction. This is the level of association of the Ternoonald in Beelzebub’s Tales.

5. Purification associations. This very high level of association is Beelzebub’s attainment of the reason of the sacred Podkoolad, which he attained specifically as a result of the expiation of his former sins (i.e., purification.) Associations of purification have attained “freedom,” that is, they have achieved detachment from all ordinary reactions (Meister Eckhart’s Gleichgültigkeit or, roughly speaking, equanimity) and are free of self-inflection (of which more later.) 

6. Wisdom associations. This highest level represents the sacred Anklad in Beelzebub’s Tales. It represents associations of wisdom, that is, associations able to operate at the higher possible level of reason.

8+5 =7; to combine wisdom with Being leads to purification.

  
May your heart be close to God, 

and God close to your heart.

Lee van Laer is a Senior Editor at Parabola Magazine.