The “Letter of Transmittal” for Week Sixteen of Charles F. Haanel’s The Master Key System is somewhat strange.

What else would one expect with a name such as “Gaining Spiritual Understanding”?

In this introduction and chapter, you will be introduced to such odd ideas as the “Law of Sevens” and “vibratory activities” and the “Septimal Law.”

That being said, it offers a lot for you to think about.

Here’s the first paragraph:

The vibratory activities of the planetary Universe are governed by a law of periodicity. Everything that lives has periods of birth, growth, fruitage, and decline. These periods are governed by the Septimal Law.

Looking beyond the “fancy” words, you can see that Haanel is simply describing that there is a rhythm to everything: something is born, it grows, it exists, then it dies.

Then he describes the “Septimal Law,” where “septimal” means “relating to the number seven.” Simple.

The Law of Sevens governs the days of the week, the phases of the moon, the harmonies of sound, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, atomic structure. It governs the life of individuals and of nations, and it dominates the activities of the commercial world.

Haanel wrote much about the “Law of Sevens” in his book A Book About You.

This may seem a bit too New Age-y to some people. Overcome that and investigate it a little, as you will find a validity with it.

For example, fads — from music trends to business cycles — tend to follow a seven year cycle. The music style disco segued into punk/new wave which moved to heavy metal then came grunge then hip hop/rap…

And each lasted about seven years. (Please note: The seven years is not an exact time period. You couldn’t set your watch to it. As far as cycles go, it’s right spot on.)

The financial markets tend to move in seven year cycles, too.

And as Mr. Haanel indicated further in the letter, there are seven years in each stage of a person’s maturation.

Life is growth and growth is change. Each seven year period takes us into a new cycle. The first seven years is the period of infancy. The next seven the period of childhood, representing the beginning of individual responsibility. The next seven represents the period of adolescence. The fourth period marks the attainment of full growth. The fifth period is the constructive period, when men begin to acquire property, possessions, a home, and family. The next from 35 to 42, is a period of reactions and changes, and this in turn is followed by a period of reconstruction, adjustment, and recuperation, so as to be ready for a new cycle of sevens, beginning with the fiftieth year.

Why seven?

Who knows.

But if the number seven sounds familiar, you’ll remember your Bible — Genesis 41: 22-36.

22 “In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. 27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

Is there a connection?

Probably.

But it’s not necessary to get into here.

Yes, these notions are weird. They’re strange. They delve into an area of thought not too many go.

Don’t fear them.

Check them out.

Investigate them.

Experiment with them and play with them.

Keep these ideas in mind and use your experiences to either validate these ideas or disprove them.

It’s the Master Key way, after all.

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You should investigate these books because they’re not weird or strange at all. (Unless you happen to like weird and strange things, then they are totally weird and strange!)