Knowledge of the Higher Worlds

And Its Attainment

by
Rudolf Steiner
GA 10
Translated by
George Metaxa
Copyright 1947
This e.Text edition is provided with the cooperation of:
The Anthroposophic Press
Knowledge of the Higher Worlds
Contents
Preface to the Third Edition
Preface to the Fifth Edition
Preface to the Edition of May 1918
I. How Is Knowledge of the High Worlds Attained
II. The !tages of Initiation
Pre"aration
Enlighten#ent
The $ontrol of Tho%ghts and Feelings
III. Initiation
I&. !o#e Practical As"ects
&. The $onditions of Esoteric Training
&I. !o#e 'es%lts of Initiation
&II. The Transfor#ation of (rea# )ife
&III. The $ontin%ity of $onscio%sness
I*. The !"litting of the H%#an Personality
d%ring !"irit%al Training
*. The +%ardian of the Threshold
*I. )ife and (eath. The +reater +%ardian
of the Threshold
A""endi,
Knowledge of the Higher Worlds
I
How Is Knowledge of the Higher Worlds Attained?
Conditions
There slumer in every human eing faculties y means of which he can ac!uire for himself a
"nowledge of higher worlds. #ystics$ %nostics$ Theosophists & all spea" of a world of soul and
spirit which for them is 'ust as real as the world we see with our physical eyes and touch with our
physical hands. (t every moment the listener may say to himself: that$ of which they spea"$ ) too
can learn$ if ) develop within myself certain powers which today still slumer within me. There
remains only one !uestion & how to set to wor" to develop such faculties. *or this purpose$ they
only can give advice who already possess such powers. (s long as the human race has existed there
has always een a method of training$ in the course of which individuals possessing these higher
faculties gave instruction to others who were in search of them. +uch a training is called occult
,esoteric- training$ and the instruction received therefrom is called occult ,esoteric- teaching$ or
spiritual science. This designation naturally awa"ens misunderstanding. The one who hears it may
very easily e misled into the elief that this training is the concern of a special$ privileged class$
withholding its "nowledge aritrarily from its fellow.creatures. /e may even thin" that nothing of
real importance lies ehind such "nowledge$ for if it were a true "nowledge & he is tempted to
thin" & there would e no need of ma"ing a secret of it0 it might e pulicly imparted and its
advantages made accessile to all. Those who have een initiated into the nature of this higher
"nowledge are not in the least surprised that the uninitiated should so thin"$ for the secret of
initiation can only e understood y those who have to a certain degree experienced this initiation
into the higher "nowledge of existence. The !uestion may e raised: how$ then$ under these
circumstances$ are the uninitiated to develop any human interest in this so.called esoteric
"nowledge1 /ow and why are they to see" for something of whose nature they can form no idea1
+uch a !uestion is ased upon an entirely erroneous conception of the real nature of esoteric
"nowledge. There is$ in truth$ no difference etween esoteric "nowledge and all the rest of man2s
"nowledge and proficiency. This esoteric "nowledge is no more of a secret for the average human
eing than writing is a secret for those who have never learned it. (nd 'ust as all can learn to write
who choose the correct method$ so$ too$ can all who see" the right way ecome esoteric students
and even teachers. )n one respect only do the conditions here differ from those that apply to
external "nowledge and proficiency. The possiility of ac!uiring the art of writing may e withheld
from someone through poverty$ or through the conditions of civili3ation into which he is orn0 ut
for the attainment of "nowledge and proficiency in the higher worlds$ there is no ostacle for
those who earnestly see" them.
#any elieve that they must see"$ at one place or another$ the masters of higher "nowledge in
order to receive enlightenment. 4ow in the first place$ whoever strives earnestly after higher
"nowledge will shun no exertion and fear no ostacle in his search for an initiate who can lead him
to the higher "nowledge of the world. 5n the other hand$ everyone may e certain that initiation
will find him under all circumstances if he gives proof of an earnest and worthy endeavor to attain
this "nowledge. )t is a natural law among all initiates to withhold from no man the "nowledge that
is due him ut there is an e!ually natural law which lays down that no word of esoteric "nowledge
shall e imparted to anyone not !ualified to receive it. (nd the more strictly he oserves these
laws$ the more perfect is an initiate. The ond of union emracing all initiates is spiritual and not
external$ ut the two laws here mentioned form$ as it were$ strong clasps y which the component
parts of this ond are held together. 6ou may live in intimate friendship with an initiate$ and yet a
gap severs you from his essential self$ so long as you have not ecome an initiate yourself. 6ou may
en'oy in the fullest sense the heart$ the love of an initiate$ yet he will only confide his "nowledge to
you when you are ripe for it. 6ou may flatter him0 you may torture him0 nothing can induce him to
etray anything to you as long as you$ at the present stage of your evolution$ are not competent to
receive it into your soul in the right way.
The methods y which a student is prepared for the reception of higher "nowledge are minutely
prescried. The direction he is to ta"e is traced with unfading$ everlasting letters in the worlds of
the spirit where the initiates guard the higher secrets. )n ancient times$ anterior to our history$ the
temples of the spirit were also outwardly visile0 today$ ecause our life has ecome so unspiritual$
they are not to e found in the world visile to external sight0 yet they are present spiritually
everywhere$ and all who see" may find them.
5nly within his own soul can a man find the means to unseal the lips of an initiate. /e must
develop within himself certain faculties to a definite degree$ and then the highest treasures of the
spirit can ecome his own.
/e must egin with a certain fundamental attitude of soul. )n spiritual science this fundamental
attitude is called the path of veneration$ of devotion to truth and "nowledge. 7ithout this attitude
no one can ecome a student. The disposition shown in their childhood y suse!uent students of
higher "nowledge is well "nown to the experienced in these matters. There are children who loo"
up with religious awe to those whom they venerate. *or such people they have a respect which
forids them$ even in the deepest recess of their heart$ to haror any thought of criticism or
opposition. +uch children grow up into young men and women who feel happy when they are ale
to loo" up to anything that fills them with veneration. *rom the ran"s of such children are
recruited many students of higher "nowledge. /ave you ever paused outside the door of some
venerated person$ and have you$ on this your first visit$ felt a religious awe as you pressed on the
handle to enter the room which for you is a holy place1 )f so$ a feeling has een manifested within
you which may e the germ of your future adherence to the path of "nowledge. )t is a lessing for
every human eing in process of development to have such feelings upon which to uild. 5nly it
must not e thought that this disposition leads to sumissiveness and slavery. 7hat was once a
childli"e veneration for persons ecomes$ later$ a veneration for truth and "nowledge. 8xperience
teaches that they can est hold their heads erect who have learnt to venerate where veneration is
due0 and veneration is always fitting when it flows from the depths of the heart.
)f we do not develop within ourselves this deeply rooted feeling that there is something higher
than ourselves$ we shall never find the strength to evolve to something higher. The initiate has
only ac!uired the strength to lift his head to the heights of "nowledge y guiding his heart to the
depths of veneration and devotion. The heights of the spirit can only e climed y passing
through the portals of humility. 6ou can only ac!uire right "nowledge when you have learnt to
esteem it. #an has certainly the right to turn his eyes to the light$ ut he must first ac!uire this
right. There are laws in the spiritual life$ as in the physical life. 9u a glass rod with an appropriate
material and it will ecome electric$ that is$ it will receive the power of attracting small odies.
This is in "eeping with a law of nature. )t is "nown to all who have learnt a little physics. +imilarly$
ac!uaintance with the first principles of spiritual science shows that every feeling of true devotion
harored in the soul develops a power which may$ sooner or later$ lead further on the path of
"nowledge.
The student who is gifted with this feeling$ or who is fortunate enough to have had it inculcated in
a suitale education$ rings a great deal along with him when$ later in life$ he see"s admittance to
higher "nowledge. *ailing such preparation$ he will encounter difficulties at the very first step$
unless he underta"es$ y rigorous self.education$ to create within himself this inner life of
devotion. )n our time it is especially important that full attention e paid to this point. 5ur
civili3ation tends more toward critical 'udgment and condemnation than toward devotion and
selfless veneration. 5ur children already critici3e far more than they worship. :ut every criticism$
every adverse 'udgment passed$ disperses the powers of the soul for the attainment of higher
"nowledge in the same measure that all veneration and reverence develops them. )n this we do not
wish to say anything against our civili3ation. There is no !uestion here of leveling criticism against
it. To this critical faculty$ this self.conscious human 'udgment$ this ;test all things and hold fast
what is est$< we owe the greatness of our civili3ation. #an could never have attained to the
science$ the industry$ the commerce$ the rights relationships of our time$ had he not applied to all
things the standard of his critical 'udgment. :ut what we have therey gained in external culture
we have had to pay for with a corresponding loss of higher "nowledge of spiritual life. )t must e
emphasi3ed that higher "nowledge is not concerned with the veneration of persons ut the
veneration of truth and "nowledge.
4ow$ the one thing that everyone must ac"nowledge is the difficulty for those involved in the
external civili3ation of our time to advance to the "nowledge of the higher worlds. They can only
do so if they wor" energetically at themselves. (t a time when the conditions of material life were
simpler$ the attainment of spiritual "nowledge was also easier. 5'ects of veneration and worship
stood out in clearer relief from the ordinary things of the world. )n an epoch of criticism ideals are
lowered0 other feelings ta"e the place of veneration$ respect$ adoration$ and wonder. 5ur own age
thrusts these feelings further and further into the ac"ground$ so that they can only e conveyed
to man through his every.day life in a very small degree. 7hoever see"s higher "nowledge must
create it for himself. /e must instill it into his soul. )t cannot e done y study0 it can only e done
through life. 7hoever$ therefore$ wishes to ecome a student of higher "nowledge must
assiduously cultivate this inner life of devotion. 8verywhere in his environment and his
experiences he must see" motives of admiration and homage. )f ) meet a man and lame him for
his shortcomings$ ) ro myself of power to attain higher "nowledge0 ut if ) try to enter lovingly
into his merits$ ) gather such power. The student must continually e intent upon following this
advice. The spiritually experienced "now how much they owe to the circumstance that in face of all
things they ever again turn to the good$ and withhold adverse 'udgement. :ut this must not
remain an external rule of life0 rather it must ta"e possession of our innermost soul. #an has it in
his power to perfect himself and$ in time$ completely to transform himself. :ut this transformation
must ta"e place in his innermost self$ in his thought.life. )t is not enough that ) show respect only
in my outward earing0 ) must have this respect in my thoughts. The student must egin y
asoring this devotion into this thought.life. /e must e wary of thoughts of disrespect$ of
adverse criticism$ existing in his consciousness$ and he must endeavor straightaway to cultivate
thoughts of devotion.
8very moment that we set ourselves to discover in our consciousness whatever there remains in it
of adverse$ disparaging and critical 'udgement of the world and of life0 every such moment rings
us nearer to higher "nowledge. (nd we rise rapidly when we fill our consciousness in such
moments with thoughts evo"ing in us admiration$ respect and veneration for the world and for
life. )t is well "nown to those experienced in these matters that in every such moment powers are
awa"ened which otherwise remain dormant. )n this way the spiritual eyes of man are opened. /e
egins to see things around him which he could not have seen efore. /e egins to understand
that hitherto he had only seen a part of the world around him. ( human eing standing efore him
now presents a new and different aspect. 5f course$ this rule of life alone will not yet enale him to
see$ for instance$ what is descried as the human aura$ ecause for this still higher training is
necessary. :ut he can rise to this higher training if he has previously undergone a rigorous
training in devotion. ,)n the last chapter of his oo" Theosophy$ the author descries fully the
Path of Knowledge0 here it is intended to give some practical details.-
4oiseless and unnoticed y the outer world is the treading of the Path of Knowledge. 4o change
need e noticed in the student. /e performs his duties as hitherto0 he attends to his usiness as
efore. The transformation goes on only in the inner part of the soul hidden from outward sight.
(t first his entire inner life is flooded y this asic feeling of devotion for everything which is truly
venerale. /is entire soul.life finds in this fundamental feeling its pivot. =ust as the sun2s rays
vivify everything living$ so does reverence in the student vivify all feelings of the soul.
)t is not easy$ at first$ to elieve that feelings li"e reverence and respect have anything to do with
cognition. This is due to the fact that we are inclined to set cognition aside as a faculty y itself &
one that stands in no relation to what otherwise occurs in the soul. )n so thin"ing we do not ear
in mind that it is the soul which exercises the faculty of cognition0 and feelings are for the soul
what food is for the ody. )f we give the ody stones in place of read$ its activity will cease. )t is
the same with the soul. >eneration$ homage$ devotion are li"e nutriment ma"ing it healthy and
strong$ especially strong for the activity of cognition. ?isrespect$ antipathy$ underestimation of
what deserves recognition$ all exert a paraly3ing and withering effect on this faculty of cognition.
*or the spiritually experienced this fact is visile in the aura. ( soul which harors feelings of
reverence and devotion produces a change in its aura. Certain spiritual colorings$ as they may e
called$ yellow.red and rown.red in tone$ vanish and are replaced y lue.red tints. Therey the
cognitional faculty is ripened0 it receives intelligence of facts in its environment of which it had
hitherto no idea. 9everence awa"ens in the soul a sympathetic power through which we attract
!ualities in the eings around us$ which would otherwise remain concealed.
The power otained through devotion can e rendered still more effective when the life of feeling
is enriched y yet another !uality. This consists in giving oneself up less and less to impressions of
the outer world$ and to develop instead a vivid inner life. ( person who darts from one impression
of the outer world to another$ who constantly see"s distraction$ cannot find the way to higher
"nowledge. The student must not lunt himself to the outer world$ ut while lending himself to its
impressions$ he should e directed y his rich inner life. 7hen passing through a eautiful
mountain district$ the traveler with depth of soul and wealth of feeling has different experiences
from one who is poor in feeling. 5nly what we experience within ourselves unloc"s for us the
eauties of the outer world. 5ne person sails across the ocean$ and only a few inward experiences
pass through his soul0 another will hear the eternal language of the cosmic spirit0 for him are
unveiled the mysterious riddles of existence. 7e must learn to remain in touch with our own
feelings and ideas if we wish to develop any intimate relationship with the outer world. The outer
world with all its phenomena is filled with splendor$ ut we must have experienced the divine
within ourselves efore we can hope to discover it in our environment.
The student is told to set apart moments in his daily life in which to withdraw into himself$ !uietly
and alone. /e is not to occupy himself at such moments with the affairs of his own ego. This would
result in the contrary of what is intended. /e should rather let his experiences and the messages
from the outer world re.echo within his own completely silent self. (t such silent moments every
flower$ every animal$ every action will unveil to him secrets undreamt of. (nd thus he will prepare
himself to receive !uite new impressions of the outer world through !uite different eyes. The
desire to en'oy impression after impression merely lunts the faculty of cognition0 the latter$
however$ is nurtured and cultivated if the en'oyment once experienced is allowed to reveal its
message. Thus the student must accustom himself not merely to let the en'oyment revererate$ as
it were$ ut rather to renounce any further en'oyment$ and wor" upon the past experience. The
peril here is very great. )nstead of wor"ing inwardly$ it is very easy to fall into the opposite hait of
trying to exploit the en'oyment. @et no one underestimate the fact that immense sources of error
here confront the student. /e must pass through a host of tempters of his soul. They would all
harden his ego and imprison it within itself. /e should rather open it wide to all the world. )t is
necessary that he should see" en'oyment$ for only through en'oyment can the outer world reach
him. )f he lunts himself to en'oyment he is li"e a plant which cannot any longer draw
nourishment from its environment. 6et if he stops short at the en'oyment he shuts himself up
within himself. /e will only e something to himself and nothing to the world. /owever much he
may live within himself$ however intensely he may cultivate his ego & the world will re'ect him. To
the world he is dead. The student of higher "nowledge considers en'oyment only as a means of
ennoling himself for the world. 8n'oyment is to him li"e a scout informing him aout the world0
ut once instructed y en'oyment$ he passes on to wor". /e does not learn in order to accumulate
learning as his own treasure$ ut in order that he may devote his learning to the service of the
world.
)n all spiritual science there is a fundamental principle which cannot e transgressed without
sacrificing success$ and it should e impressed on the student in every form of esoteric training. )t
runs as follows: All knowledge pursued merely for the enrichment of personal learning and the
accumulation of personal treasure leads you away from the path; but all knowledge pursued for
growth to ripeness within the process of human ennoblement and cosmic development brings
you a step forward. This law must e strictly oserved$ and no student is genuine until he has
adopted it as a guide for his whole life. This truth can e expressed in the following short sentence:
Every idea which does not become your ideal slays a force in your soul; every idea which
becomes your ideal creates within you life-forces.
Inner Tranquility
(t the very eginning of his course$ the student is directed to the path of veneration and the
development of the inner life. +piritual science now also gives him practical rules y oserving
which he may tread that path and develop that inner life. These practical rules have no aritrary
origin. They rest upon ancient experience and ancient wisdom$ and are given out in the same
manner$ wheresoever the ways to higher "nowledge are indicated. (ll true teachers of the spiritual
life are in agreement as to the sustance of these rules$ even though they do not always clothe
them in the same words. This difference$ which is of a minor character and is more apparent than
real$ is due to circumstances which need not e dwelt upon here.
4o teacher of the spiritual life wishes to estalish a mastery over other persons y means of such
rules. /e would not tamper with anyone2s independence. )ndeed$ none respect and cherish human
independence more than the spiritually experienced. )t was stated in the preceding pages that the
ond of union emracing all initiates is spiritual$ and that two laws form$ as it were$ clasps y
which the component parts of this ond are held together. 7henever the initiate leaves his
enclosed spiritual sphere and steps forth efore the world$ he must immediately ta"e a third law
into account. )t is this: (dapt each one of your actions$ and frame each one of your words in such a
way that you infringe upon no one2s free.will.
The recognition that all true teachers of the spiritual life are permeated through and through with
this principle will convince all who follow the practical rules proffered to them that they need
sacrifice none of their independence.
5ne of the first of these rules can e expressed somewhat in the following words of our language:
Provide for yourself moments of inner tranuility! and in these moments learn to distinguish
between the essential and the non-essential. )t is said advisedly: ;expressed in the words of our
language.< 5riginally all rules and teachings of spiritual science were expressed in a symolical
sign.language$ some understanding of which must e ac!uired efore its whole meaning and
scope can e reali3ed. This understanding is dependent on the first steps toward higher
"nowledge$ and these steps result from the exact oservation of such rules as are here given. *or
all who earnestly will$ the path stands open to tread.
+imple$ in truth$ is the aove rule concerning moments of inner tran!uility0 e!ually simple is its
oservation. :ut it only achieves its purpose when it is oserved in as earnest and strict a manner
as it is$ in itself$ simple. /ow this rule is to e oserved will$ therefore$ e explained without
digression.
The student must set aside a small part of his daily life in which to concern himself with something
!uite different from the o'ects of his daily occupation. The way$ also$ in which he occupies
himself at such a time must differ entirely from the way in which he performs the rest of his daily
duties. :ut this does not mean that what he does in the time thus set apart has no connection with
his daily wor". 5n the contrary$ he will soon find that 'ust these secluded moments$ when sought
in the right way$ give him full power to perform his daily tas"AsB. 4or must it e supposed that the
oservance of this rule will really encroach upon the time needed for the performance of his
duties. +hould anyone really have no more time at his disposal$ five minutes a day will suffice. )t
all depends on the manner in which these five minutes are spent.
?uring these periods the student should wrest himself entirely free from his wor".a.day life. /is
thoughts and feelings should ta"e on a different coloring. /is 'oys and sorrows$ his cares$
experiences and actions must pass in review efore his soul0 and he must adopt such a position
that he may regard all his sundry experiences from a higher point of view.
7e need only ear in mind how$ in ordinary life$ we regard the experiences and actions of others
!uite differently from our own. This cannot e otherwise$ for we are interwoven with our own
actions and experiences$ whereas those of others we only contemplate. 5ur aim in these moments
of seclusion must e so to contemplate and 'udge our own actions and experiences as though they
applied not to ourselves ut to some other person. +uppose$ for example$ a heavy misfortune
efalls us. /ow different would e our attitude toward a similar misfortune had it efallen our
neighor. This attitude cannot e lamed as un'ustifiale0 it is part of human nature$ and applies
e!ually to exceptional circumstances and to the daily affairs of life. The student must see" the
power of confronting himself$ at certain times$ as a stranger. /e must stand efore himself with
the inner tran!uility of a 'udge. 7hen this is attained$ our own experiences present themselves in
a new light. (s long as we are interwoven with them and stand$ as it were$ within them$ we cling to
the non.essential 'ust as much as to the essential. )f we attain the calm inner survey$ the essential
is severed from the non.essential. +orrow and 'oy$ every thought$ every resolve$ appear different
when we confront ourselves in this way. )t is as though we had spent the whole day in a place
where we eheld the smallest o'ects at the same close range as the largest$ and in the evening
climed a neighoring hill and surveyed the whole scene at a glance. Then the various parts
appear related to each other in different proportions from those they ore when seen from within.
This exercise will not and need not succeed with present occurrences of destiny$ ut it should e
attempted y the student in connection with the events of destiny already experienced in the past.
The value of such inner tran!uil self.contemplation depends far less on what is actually
contemplated than on our finding within ourselves the power which such inner tran!uility
develops.
*or every human eing ears a higher man within himself esides what we may call the wor".a.
day man. This higher man remains hidden until he is awa"ened. (nd each human eing can
himself alone awa"en this higher eing within himself. (s long as this higher eing is not
awa"ened$ the higher faculties slumering in every human eing$ and leading to supersensile
"nowledge$ will remain concealed. The student must resolve to persevere in the strict and earnest
oservation of the rule here given$ so long as he does not feel within himself the fruits of this inner
tran!uility. To all who thus persevere the day will come when spiritual light will envelop them$
and a new world will e revealed to an organ of sight of whose presence within them they were
never aware.
(nd no change need ta"e place in the outward life of the student in conse!uence of this new rule.
/e performs his duties and$ at first$ feels the same 'oys$ sorrows$ and experiences as efore. )n no
way can it estrange him from life0 he can rather devote himself the more thoroughly to this life for
the remainder of the day$ having gained a higher life in the moments set apart. @ittle y little this
higher life will ma"e its influence felt on his ordinary life. The tran!uility of the moments set apart
will also affect everyday existence. )n his whole eing he will grow calmer0 he will attain firm
assurance in all his actions$ and cease to e put out of countenance y all manner of incidents. :y
thus advancing he will gradually ecome more and more his own guide$ and allow himself less and
less to e led y circumstances and external influences. /e will soon discover how great a source
of strength is availale to him in these moments thus set apart. /e will egin no longer to get
angry at things which formerly annoyed him0 countless things he formerly feared cease to alarm
him. /e ac!uires a new outloo" on life. *ormerly he may have approached some occupation in a
fainthearted way. /e would say: ;5h$ ) lac" the power to do this as well as ) could wish.< 4ow this
thought does not occur to him$ ut rather a !uite different thought. /enceforth he says to himself:
;) will summon all my strength to do my wor" as well as ) possily can.< (nd he suppresses the
thought which ma"es him faint.hearted0 for he "nows that this very thought might e the cause of
a worse performance on his part$ and that in any case it cannot contriute to the improvement of
his wor". (nd thus thought after thought$ each fraught with advantage to his whole life$ flows into
the student2s outloo". They ta"e the place of those that had a hampering$ wea"ening effect. /e
egins to steer his own ship on a secure course through the waves of life$ whereas it was formerly
attered to and fro y these waves.
This calm and serenity react on the whole eing. They assist the growth of the inner man$ and$
with the inner man$ those faculties also grow which lead to higher "nowledge. *or it is y his
progress in this direction that the student gradually reaches the point where he himself
determines the manner in which the impressions of the outer world shall affect him. Thus he may
hear a word spo"en with the o'ect of wounding or vexing him. *ormerly it would indeed have
wounded or vexed him$ ut now that he treads the path to higher "nowledge$ he is ale & efore
the word has found its way to his inner self & to ta"e from it the sting which gives it the power to
wound or vex. Ta"e another example. 7e easily ecome impatient when we are "ept waiting$ ut
& if we tread the path to higher "nowledge & we so steep ourselves in our moments of calm with
the feeling of the uselessness of impatience that henceforth$ on every occasion of impatience$ this
feeling is immediately present within us. The impatience that was aout to ma"e itself felt
vanishes$ and an interval which would otherwise have een wasted in expressions of impatience
will e filled y useful oservations$ which can e made while waiting.
4ow$ the scope and significance of these facts must e reali3ed. 7e must ear in mind that the
higher man within us is in constant development. :ut only the state of calm and serenity here
descried renders an orderly development possile. The waves of outward life constrain the inner
man from all sides if$ instead of mastering this outward life$ it masters him. +uch a man is li"e a
plant which tries to expand in a cleft in the roc" and is stunted in growth until new space is given
it. 4o outward forces can supply space to the inner man. )t can only e supplied y the inner calm
which man himself gives to his soul. 5utward circumstances can only alter the course of his
outward life0 they can never awa"en the inner spiritual man. The student must himself give irth
to a new and higher man within himself.
This higher man now ecomes the inner ruler who directs the circumstances of the outer man with
sure guidance. (s long as the outer man has the upper hand and control$ this inner man is his
slave and therefore cannot unfold his powers. )f it depends on something other than myself
whether ) should get angry or not$ ) am not master of myself$ or$ to put it etter$ ) have not yet
found the ruler within myself. ) must develop the faculty of letting the impressions of the outer
world approach me only in the way in which ) myself determine0 then only do ) ecome in the real
sense a student. (nd only in as far as the student earnestly see"s this power can he reach the goal.
)t is of no importance how far anyone can go in a given time0 the point is that he should earnestly
see". #any have striven for years without noticing any appreciale progress0 ut many of those
who did not despair$ ut remained unsha"en$ have then !uite suddenly achieved the inner victory.
4o dout a great effort is re!uired in many stations of life to provide these moments of inner calm0
ut the greater the effort needed$ the more important is the achievement. )n spiritual science
everything depends upon energy$ inward truthfulness$ and uncompromising sincerity with which
we confront our own selves$ with all our deeds and actions$ as a complete stranger.
:ut only one side of the student2s inner activity is characteri3ed y this irth of his own higher
eing. +omething else is needed in addition. 8ven if he confronts himself as a stranger it is only
himself that he contemplates0 he loo"s on those experiences and actions with which he is
connected through his particular station of life. /e must now disengage himself from it and rise
eyond to a purely human level$ which no longer has anything to do with his own special situation.
/e must pass on to the contemplation of those things which would concern him as a human eing$
even if he lived under !uite different circumstances and in !uite a different situation. )n this way
something egins to live within him which ranges aove the purely personal. /is ga3e is directed
to worlds higher than those with which every.day life connects him. (nd thus he egins to feel and
reali3e$ as an inner experience$ that he elongs to those higher worlds. These are worlds
concerning which his senses and his daily occupation can tell him nothing. Thus he now shifts the
central point of his eing to the inner part of his nature. /e listens to the voices within him which
spea" to him in his moments of tran!uility0 he cultivates an intercourse with the spiritual world.
/e is removed from the every.day world. )ts noise is silenced. (ll around him there is silence. /e
puts away everything that reminds him of such impressions from without. Calm inward
contemplation and converse with the purely spiritual world fill his soul. & +uch tran!uil
contemplation must ecome a natural necessity in the life of the student. /e is now plunged in a
world of thought. /e must develop a living feeling for this silent thought.activity. /e must learn to
love what the spirit pours into him. /e will soon cease to feel that this thought.world is less real
than the every.day things which surround him. /e egins to deal with his thoughts as with things
in space$ and the moment approaches when he egins to feel that which reveals itself in the silent
inward thought.wor" to e much higher$ much more real$ than the things in space. /e discovers
that something living expresses itself in this thought.world. /e sees that his thoughts do not
merely haror shadow.pictures$ ut that through them hidden eings spea" to him. 5ut of the
silence$ speech ecomes audile to him. *ormerly sound only reached him through his ear0 now it
resounds through his soul. (n inner language$ an inner word is revealed to him. This moment$
when first experienced$ is one of greatest rapture for the student. (n inner light is shed over the
whole external world$ and a second life egins for him. Through his eing there pours a divine
stream from a world of divine rapture.
This life of the soul in thought$ which gradually widens into a life in spiritual eing$ is called y
%nosis$ and y +piritual +cience$ "editation ,contemplative reflection-. This meditation is the
means to supersensile "nowledge. :ut the student in such moments must not merely indulge in
feelings0 he must not have indefinite sensations in his soul. That would only hinder him from
reaching true spiritual "nowledge. /is thoughts must e clear$ sharp and definite$ and he will e
helped in this if he does not cling lindly to the thoughts that rise within him. 9ather must he
permeate himself with the lofty thoughts y which men already advanced and possessed of the
spirit were inspired at such moments. /e should start with the writings which themselves had
their origin in 'ust such revelation during meditation. )n the mystic$ gnostic and spiritual scientific
literature of today the student will find such writings$ and in them the material for his meditation.
The see"ers of the spirit have themselves set down in such writings the thoughts of the divine
science which the +pirit has directed his messengers to proclaim to the world.
Through such meditation a complete transformation ta"es place in the student. /e egins to form
!uite new conceptions of reality. (ll things ac!uire a fresh value for him. )t cannot e repeated too
often that this transformation does not alienate him from the world. /e will in no way e
estranged from his daily tas"s and duties$ for he comes to reali3e that the most insignificant action
he has to accomplish$ the most insignificant experience which offers itself to him$ stands in
connection with cosmic eings and cosmic events. 7hen once this connection is revealed to him in
his moments of contemplation$ he comes to his daily activities with a new$ fuller power. *or now
he "nows that his laor and his suffering are given and endured for the sa"e of a great$ spiritual$
cosmic whole. 4ot weariness$ ut strength to live springs from meditation.
7ith firm step the student passes through life. 4o matter what it may ring him$ he goes forward
erect. )n the past he "new not why he laored and suffered$ ut now he "nows. )t is ovious that
such meditation leads more surely to the goal if conducted under the direction of experienced
persons who "now of themselves how everything may est e done0 and their advice and guidance
should e sought. Truly$ no one loses his freedom therey. 7hat would otherwise e mere
uncertain groping in the dar" ecomes under this direction purposeful wor". (ll who apply to
those possessing "nowledge and experience in these matters will never apply in vain$ only they
must reali3e that what they see" is the advice of a friend$ not the domination of a would.e ruler.
)t will always e found that they who really "now are the most modest of men$ and that nothing is
further from their nature than what is called the lust for power.
7hen$ y means of meditation$ a man rises to union with the spirit$ he rings to life the eternal in
him$ which is limited y neither irth nor death. The existence of this eternal eing can only e
douted y those who have not themselves experienced it. Thus meditation is the way which also
leads man to the "nowledge$ to the contemplation of his eternal$ indestructile$ essential eing0
and it is only through meditation that man can attain to such "nowledge. %nosis and +piritual
+cience tell of the eternal nature of this eing and of its reincarnation. The !uestion is often as"ed:
7hy does a man "now nothing of his experiences eyond the orders of life and death1 4ot thus
should we as"$ ut rather: /ow can we attain such "nowledge1 )n right meditation the path is
opened. This alone can revive the memory of experiences eyond the order of life and death.
8veryone can attain this "nowledge0 in each one of us lies the faculty of recogni3ing and
contemplating for ourselves what genuine #ysticism$ +piritual +cience$ (nthroposophy$ and
%nosis teach. 5nly the right means must e chosen. 5nly a eing with ears and eyes can
apprehend sounds and colors0 nor can the eye perceive if the light which ma"es things visile is
wanting. +piritual +cience gives the means of developing the spiritual ears and eyes$ and of
"indling the spiritual light0 and this method of spiritual training: ,1- Preparation0 this develops
the spiritual senses. ,C- Enlightenment0 this "indles the spiritual light. ,D- #nitiation0 this
estalishes intercourse with the higher spiritual eings.
Knowledge of the Higher Worlds
II
The Stages of Initiation
The information given in the following chapters constitutes steps in an esoteric training$ the name
and character of which will e understood y all who apply this information in the right way. )t refers
to the three stages through which the training of the spiritual life leads to a certain degree of
initiation. :ut only so much will here e explained as can e pulicly imparted. These are merely
indications extracted from a still deeper and more intimate doctrine. )n esoteric training itself a !uite
definite course of instruction is followed. Certain exercises enale the soul to attain to a conscious
intercourse with the spiritual world. These exercises ear aout the same relation to what will e
imparted in the following pages$ as the instruction given in a higher strictly disciplined school ears
to the incidental training. :ut impatient daling$ devoid of earnest perseverance$ can lead to
nothing at all. The study of +piritual +cience can only e successful if the student retain what has
already een indicated in the preceding chapter$ and on the asis of this proceed further.
The three stages which the aove.mentioned tradition specifies$ are as follows: ,1- preparation0 ,C-
enlightenment0 ,D$ initiation. )t is not altogether necessary that the first of these three stages should
e completed efore the second can e egun$ nor that the second$ in turn$ e completed efore the
third e started. )n certain respects it is possile to parta"e of enlightenment$ and even of initiation$
and in other respects still e in the preparatory stage. 6et it will e necessary to spend a certain time
in the stage of preparation efore any enlightenment can egin0 and$ at least in some respects$
enlightenment must e completed efore it is even possile to enter upon the stage of initiation. :ut
in descriing them it is necessary$ for the sa"e of clarity$ that the three stages e made to follow in
order.
Preparation
Ereparation consists in a strict and definite cultivation of the life of thought and feeling$ through
which the psycho.spiritual ody ecomes e!uipped with higher senses and organs of activity in the
same way that natural forces have fitted the physical ody with organs uilt out of indeterminate
living matter.
To egin with$ the attention of the soul is directed to certain events in the world that surrounds us.
+uch events are$ on the one hand$ life that is udding$ growing$ and flourishing$ and on the other
hand$ all phenomena connected with fading$ decaying$ and withering. The student can oserve these
events simultaneously$ wherever he turns his eyes and on every occasion they naturally evo"e in him
feelings and thoughts0 ut in ordinary circumstances he does not devote himself sufficiently to them.
/e hurries on too !uic"ly from impression to impression. )t is necessary$ therefore$ that he should fix
his attention intently and consciously upon these phenomena. 7herever he oserves a definite "ind
of looming and flourishing$ he must anish everything else from his soul$ and entirely surrender
himself$ for a short time$ to this one impression. /e will soon convince himself that a feeling which
heretofore in a similar case$ would merely have flitted through his soul$ now swells out and assumes a
powerful and energetic form. /e must now allow this feeling to revererate !uietly within himself
while "eeping inwardly !uite still. /e must cut himself off from the outer world$ and simply and
solely follow what his soul tells him of this lossoming and flourishing.
6et it must not e thought that much progress can e made if the senses are lunted to the world.
*irst loo" at the things as "eenly and as intently as you possily can0 then only let the feeling which
expands to life$ and the thought which arises in the soul$ ta"e possession of you. The point is that the
attention should e directed with perfect inner alance upon oth phenomena. )f the necessary
tran!uility e attained and you surrender yourself to the feeling which expands to life in the soul$
then$ in due time$ the following experience will ensue. Thoughts and feelings of a new "ind and
un"nown efore will e noticed uprising in the soul. )ndeed$ the more often the attention e fixed
alternately upon something growing$ lossoming and flourishing$ and upon something else that is
fading and decaying$ the more vivid will these feelings ecome. (nd 'ust as the eyes and ears of the
physical ody are uilt y natural forces out of living matter$ so will the organs of clairvoyance uild
themselves out of the feelings and thoughts thus evo"ed. ( !uite definite form of feeling is connected
with growth and expansion$ and another e!ually definite with all that is fading and decaying. :ut this
is only the case if the effort e made to cultivate these feelings in the way indicated. )t is possile to
descrie approximately what these feelings are li"e. ( full conception of them is within the reach of
all who undergo these inner experiences.
)f the attention e fre!uently fixed on the phenomena of growing$ looming and flourishing$ a feeling
remotely allied to the sensation of a sunrise will ensue$ while the phenomena of fading and decaying
will produce an experience comparale$ in the same way$ to the slow rising of the moon on the
hori3on. :oth these feelings are forces which$ when duly cultivated and developed to ever increasing
intensity$ lead to the most significant spiritual results. ( new world is opened to the student if he
systematically and delierately surrenders himself to such feelings. The soul.world$ the so.called
astral plane$ egins to dawn upon him. %rowth and decay are no longer facts which ma"e indefinite
impressions on him as of old$ ut rather they form themselves into spiritual lines and figures of
which he had previously suspected nothing. (nd these lines and figures have$ for the different
phenomena$ different forms. ( looming flower$ an animal in the process of growth$ a tree that is
decaying$ evo"e in his soul different lines. The soul world ,astral plane- roadens out slowly efore
him. These lines and figures are in no sense aritrary. Two students who have reached the
corresponding stage of development will always see the same lines and figures under the same
conditions. =ust as a round tale will e seen as round y two normal persons$ and not as round y
one and s!uare y the other$ so too$ at the sight of a flower$ the same spiritual figure is presented to
the soul. (nd 'ust as the forms of animals and plants are descried in ordinary natural history$ so too$
the spiritual scientist descries or draws the spiritual forms of the process of growth and decay$
according to species and "ind.
)f the student has progressed so far that he can perceive the spiritual forms of those phenomena
which are physically visile to his external sight$ he is then not far from the stage where he will
ehold things which have no physical existence$ and which therefore remain entirely hidden ,occult-
from those who have not received suitale instruction and training.
)t should e emphasi3ed that the student must never lose himself in speculations on the meaning of
one thing or another. +uch intellectuali3ing will only draw him away from the right road. /e should
loo" out on the world with "een$ healthy senses and !uic"ened power of oservation$ and then give
himself up to the feeling that arises within him. /e should not try to ma"e out$ through intellectual
speculation$ the meaning of things$ ut rather allow the things to disclose themselves. )t should e
remar"ed that artistic feeling$ when coupled with a !uiet introspective nature$ forms the est
preliminary condition for the development of spiritual faculties. This feeling pierces through the
superficial aspect of things$ and in so doing touches their secrets.
( further point of importance is what spiritual science calls orientation in the higher worlds. This is
attained when the student is permeated$ through and through$ with the conscious reali3ation that
feelings and thoughts are 'ust as much veritale realities as are tales and chairs in the world of the
physical senses. )n the soul and thought world$ feelings and thoughts react upon each other 'ust as do
physical o'ects in the physical world. (s long as the student is not vividly permeated with this
consciousness$ he will not elieve that a wrong thought in his mind may have as devastating an effect
upon other thoughts that spread life in the thought world as the effect wrought y a ullet fired at
random upon the physical o'ects it hits. /e will perhaps never allow himself to perform a physically
visile action which he considers to e wrong$ though he will not shrin" from haroring wrong
thoughts and feelings$ for these appear harmless to the rest of the world. There can e no progress$
however$ on the path to higher "nowledge unless we guard our thoughts and feelings in 'ust the same
way we guard out steps in the physical world. )f we see a wall efore us$ we do not attempt to dash
right through it$ ut turn aside. )n other words$ we guide ourselves y the laws of the physical world.
There are such laws$ too$ for the soul and thought world$ only they cannot impose themselves on us
from without. They must flow out of the life of the soul itself. This can e attained if we forid
ourselves to haror wrong thoughts and feelings. (ll aritrary flitting to and fro in thought$ all
accidental eing and flowing of emotion must e foridden in the same way. )n so doing we do not
ecome deficient in feeling. 5n the contrary$ if we regulate our inner life in this way$ we shall soon
find ourselves ecoming rich in feelings and creative with genuine imagination. )n the place of petty
emotionalism and capricious flights of thought$ there appear significant emotions and thoughts that
are fruitful. *eelings and thoughts of this "ind lead the student to orientation in the spiritual world.
/e gains a right position in relation to the things of the spiritual world0 a distinct and definite result
comes into effect in his favor. =ust as he$ as a physical man$ finds his way among physical things$ so$
too$ his path now leads him etween growth and decay$ which he has already come to "now in the
way descried aove. 5n the one hand$ he follows all processes of growing and flourishing and$ on
the other$ of withering and decaying in a way that is necessary for his own and the world2s
advancement.
The student has also to estow a further care on the world of sound. /e must discriminate etween
sounds that are produced y the so.called inert ,lifeless- odies$ for instance$ a ell$ or a musical
instrument$ or a falling mass$ and those which proceed from a living creature ,an animal or a human
eing.- 7hen a ell is struc"$ we hear the sound and connect a pleasant feeling with it0 ut when we
hear the cry of an animal$ we can$ esides our own feeling$ detect through it the manifestation of an
inward experience of the animal$ whether of pleasure or pain. )t is with the latter "ind of sound that
the student sets to wor". /e must concentrate his whole attention on the fact that the sound tells him
of something that lies outside his own soul. /e must immerse himself in this foreign thing. /e must
closely unite his own feeling with the pleasure or pain of which the sound tells him. /e must get
eyond the point of caring whether$ for him$ the sound is pleasant or unpleasant$ agreeale or
disagreeale$ and his soul must e filled with whatever is occurring in the eing from which the
sound proceeds. Through such exercises$ if systematically and delierately performed$ the student
will develop within himself the faculty of intermingling$ as it were$ with the eing from which the
sound proceeds. ( person sensitive to music will find it easier than one who is unmusical to cultivate
his inner life in this way0 ut no one should suppose that a mere sense for music can ta"e the place of
this inner activity. The student must learn to feel in this way in the face of the whole of nature. This
implants a new faculty in his world of thought and feeling. Through her resounding tones$ the whole
of nature egins to whisper her secrets to the student. 7hat was hitherto merely incomprehensile
noise to his soul ecomes y this means a coherent language of nature. (nd whereas hitherto he only
heard sound from the so.called inanimate o'ects$ he now is aware of a new language of the soul.
+hould he advance further in this inner culture$ he will soon learn that he can hear what hitherto he
did not even surmise. /e egins to hear with the soul.
To this$ one thing more must e added efore the highest point in this region can e attained. 5f very
great importance for the development of the student is the way in which he listens to others when
they spea". /e must accustom himself to do this in such a way that$ while listening$ his inner self is
asolutely silent. )f someone expresses an opinion and another listens$ assent or dissent will$
generally spea"ing$ stir in the inner self of the listener. #any people in such cases feel themselves
impelled to an expression of their assent$ or more especially$ of their dissent. )n the student$ all such
assent or dissent must e silenced. )t is not imperative that he should suddenly alter his way of living
y trying to attain at all times to this complete inner silence. /e will have to egin y doing so in
special cases$ delierately selected y himself. Then !uite slowly and y degrees$ this new way of
listening will creep into his haits$ as of itself. )n spiritual research this is systematically practiced.
The student feels it his duty to listen$ y way of practice$ at certain times to the most contradictory
views and$ at the same time$ ring entirely to silence all assent$ and more especially$ all adverse
criticism. The point is that in so doing$ not only all purely intellectual 'udgment e silenced$ ut also
all feelings of displeasure$ denial$ or even assent. The student must at all times e particularly
watchful lest such feelings$ even when not on the surface$ should still lur" in the innermost recess of
the soul. /e must listen$ for example$ to the statements of people who are$ in some respects$ far
eneath him$ and yet while doing so suppress every feeling of greater "nowledge or superiority. )t is
useful for everyone to listen in this way to children$ for even the wisest can learn incalculaly much
from children. The student can thus train himself to listen to the words of others !uite selflessly$
completely shutting down his own person and his opinions and way of feeling. 7hen he practices
listening without criticism$ even when a completely contradictory opinion is advanced$ when the
most hopeless mista"e is committed efore him$ he then learns$ little y little$ to lend himself with
the eing of another and ecome identified with it. Then he hears through the words into the soul of
the other. Through continued exercise of this "ind$ sound ecomes the right medium for the
perception of soul and spirit. 5f course it implies the very strictest self.discipline$ ut the latter leads
to a high goal. 7hen these exercises are practiced in connection with the other already given$ dealing
with the sounds of nature$ the soul develops a new sense of hearing. +he is now ale to perceive
manifestations from the spiritual world which do not find their expression in sounds perceptile to
the physical ear. The perception of the ;inner word< awa"ens. %radually truths reveal themselves to
the student from the spiritual world. /e hears speech uttered to him in a spiritual way. 5nly to those
who$ y selfless listening$ train themselves to e really receptive from within$ in stillness$ unmoved y
personal opinion or feeling only to such can the higher eings spea" of whom spiritual science tells.
(s long as one hurls any personal opinion or feeling against the spea"er to whom one must listen$ the
eings of the spiritual world remain silent.
(ll higher truths are attained through such inwardly instilled speech$ and what we hear from the lips
of a true spiritual teacher has een experienced y him in this manner. :ut this does not mean that it
is unimportant for us to ac!uaint ourselves with the writings of spiritual science efore we can
ourselves hear such inwardly instilled speech. 5n the contrary$ the reading of such writings and the
listening to the teachings of spiritual science are themselves means of attaining personal "nowledge.
8very sentence of spiritual science we hear is of a nature to direct the mind to the point which must
e reached efore the soul can experience real progress. To the practice of all that has here een
indicated must e added the ardent study of what the spiritual researchers impart to the world. )n all
esoteric training such study elongs to the preparatory period$ and all other methods will prove
ineffective if due receptivity for the teachings of the spiritual researcher is lac"ing. *or since these
instructions are culled from the living inner word$ from the living inwardly instilled speech$ they are
themselves gifted with spiritual life. They are not mere words0 they are living powers. (nd while you
follow the words of one who "nows$ while you read a oo" that springs from real inner experience$
powers are at wor" in your soul which ma"e you clairvoyant$ 'ust as natural forces have created out of
living matter your eyes and your ears.
Enlightenment
8nlightenment proceeds from very simple processes. /ere$ too$ it is a matter of developing certain
feelings and thoughts which slumer in every human eing and must e awa"ened. )t is only when
these simple processes are carried out with unfailing patience$ continuously and conscientiously$ that
they can lead to the perception of the inner light.forms. The first step is ta"en y oserving different
natural o'ects in a particular way0 for instance$ a transparent and eautifully formed stone ,a
crystal-$ a plant$ and an animal. The student should endeavor$ at first$ to direct his whole attention to
a comparison of the stone with the animal in the following manner. The thoughts here mentioned
should pass through his soul accompanied y vivid feelings$ and no other thought$ no other feeling$
must mingle with them and distur what should e an intensely attentive oservation. The student
says to himself: ;The stone has a form0 the animal also has a form. The stone remains motionless in
its place. The animal changes its place. )t is instinct ,desire- which causes the animal to change its
place. )nstincts$ too$ are served y the form of the animal. )ts organs and lims are fashioned in
accordance with these instincts. The form of the stone is not fashioned in accordance with desires$
ut in accordance with desireless force.< ,The fact here mentioned$ in its earing on the
contemplation of crystals$ is in many ways distorted y those who have only heard of it in an
outward$ exoteric manner$ and in this way such practices as crystal.ga3ing have their origin +uch
manipulations are ased on a misunderstanding. They have een descried in many oo"s$ ut they
never form the su'ect of genuine esoteric teaching.-
:y sin"ing deeply into such thoughts$ and while doing so$ oserving the stone and the animal with
rapt attention$ there arise in the soul two !uite separate "inds of feelings. *rom the stone there flows
into the soul the one "ind of feeling$ and from the animal the other "ind. The attempt will proaly
not succeed at first$ ut little y little$ with genuine and patient practice$ these feelings ensue. 5nly$
this exercise must e practiced over and over again. (t first the feelings are only present as long as
the oservation lasts. @ater on they continue$ and then they grow to something which remains living
in the soul. The student has then ut to reflect$ and oth feelings will always arise$ even without the
contemplation of an external o'ect. 5ut of these feelings and the thoughts that are ound up with
them$ the organs of clairvoyance are formed. )f the plant should then e included in this oservation$
it will e noticed that the feeling flowing from it lies etween the feelings derived from the stone and
the animal$ in oth !uality and degree. The organs thus formed are spiritual eyes. The students
gradually learns$ y their means$ to see something li"e soul and spirit colors. The spiritual world with
its lines and figures remains dar" as long as he has only attained what has een descried as
preparation0 through enlightenment this world ecomes light. /ere it must also e noted that the
words ;dar"< and ;light$< as well as the other expressions used$ only approximately descrie what is
meant. This cannot e otherwise if ordinary language is used$ for this language was created to suit
physical conditions. +piritual science descries that which$ for clairvoyant organs$ flows from the
stone$ as lue$ or lue.red0 and that which is felt as coming from the animal as red or red.yellow. )n
reality$ colors of a spiritual "ind are seen. The color proceeding the plant is green which little y little
turns into a light ethereal pin". The plant is actually that product of nature which in higher worlds
resemles$ in certain respects$ its constitution in the physical world. The same does not apply to the
stone and the animal. )t must now e clearly understood that the aove.mentioned colors only
represent the principal shades in the stone$ plant and animal "ingdom. )n reality$ all possile
intermediate shades are present. 8very stone$ every plant$ every animal has its own particular shade
of color. )n addition to these there are also the eings of the higher worlds who never incarnate
physically$ ut who have their colors$ often wonderful$ often horrile. )ndeed$ the wealth of color in
these higher worlds is immeasuraly greater than in the physical world.
5nce the faculty of seeing with spiritual eyes has een ac!uired$ one then encounters sooner or later
the eings here mentioned$ some of them higher$ some lower than man himself..eings that never
enter physical reality.
)f this point has een reached$ the way to a great deal lies open. :ut it is inadvisale to proceed
further without paying careful heed to what is said or otherwise imparted y the spiritual researcher.
(nd for that$ too$ which has een descried$ attention paid to such experienced guidance is the very
est thing. #oreover$ if a man has the strength and the endurance to travel so far that he fulfills the
elementary conditions of enlightenment$ he will assuredly see" and find the right guidance.
:ut in any circumstances$ one precaution is necessary$ failing which it were etter to leave untrodden
all steps on the path to higher "nowledge. )t is necessary that the student should lose none of his
!ualities as a good and nole man$ or his receptivity for all physical reality. )ndeed$ throughout his
training he must continually increase his moral strength$ his inner purity$ and his power of
oservation. To give an example: during the elementary exercises on enlightenment$ the student
must ta"e care always to enlarge his sympathy for the animal and the human worlds$ and his sense
for the eauty of nature. *ailing this care$ such exercises would continually lunt that feeling and that
sense0 the heart would ecome hardened$ and the senses lunted$ and that could only lead to perilous
results.
/ow enlightenment proceeds if the student rises$ in the sense of the foregoing exercises$ from the
stone$ the plant$ and the animal$ up to man$ and how$ after enlightenment$ under all circumstances
the union of the soul with the spiritual world is effected$ leading to initiation..with these things the
following chapters will deal$ in as far as they can and may do so.
)n our time the path to spiritual science is sought y many. )t is sought in many ways$ and many
dangerous and even despicale practices are attempted. )t is for this reason that they who claim to
"now something of the truth in these matters place efore others the possiility of learning
something of esoteric training. 5nly so much is here imparted as accords with this possiility. )t is
necessary that something of the truth should ecome "nown$ in order to prevent error causing great
harm. 4o harm can come to anyone following the way here descried$ so long as he does not force
matters. 5nly$ one thing should e noted: no student should spend more time and strength upon
these exercises than he can spare with due regard to his station in life and to his duties0 nor should he
change anything$ for the time eing$ in the external conditions of his life through ta"ing this path.
7ithout patience no genuine results can e attained. (fter doing an exercise for a few minutes$ the
student must e ale to stop and continue !uietly his daily wor"$ and no thought of these exercises
should mingle with the day2s wor". 45 one is of use as an esoteric student or will ever attain results
of real value who has not learned to wait in the highest and est sense of the word.
The %ontrol of Thoughts and &eelings
7hen the student see"s the path leading to higher "nowledge in the way descried in the preceding
chapter$ he should not omit to fortify himself0 throughout his wor"$ with one ever present thought.
/e must never cease repeating to himself that he may have made !uite considerale progress after a
certain interval of time$ though it may not e apparent to him in the way he perhaps expected0
otherwise he can easily lose heart and aandon all attempts after a short time. The powers and
faculties to e developed are of a most sutle "ind$ and differ entirely in their nature from the
conceptions previously formed y the student. /e had een accustomed to occupy himself exclusively
with the physical world0 the world of spirit and soul had een concealed from his vision and concepts.
)t is therefore not surprising if he does not immediately notice the powers of soul and spirit now
developing in him. )n this respect there is a possiility of discouragement for those setting out on the
path to higher "nowledge$ if they ignore the experience gathered y responsile investigators. The
teacher is aware of the progress made y his pupil long efore the latter is conscious of it /e "nows
how the delicate spiritual eyes egin to form themselves long efore the pupil is aware of this$ and a
great part of what he has to say is couched in such terms as to prevent the pupil from losing patience
and perseverance efore he can himself gain "nowledge of his own progress. The teacher$ as we
"now$ can confer upon the pupil no powers which are not already latent within him$ and his sole
function is to assist in the awa"ening of slumering faculties. :ut what he imparts out of his own
experience is a pillar of strength for the one wishing to penetrate through dar"ness to light. #any
aandon the path to higher "nowledge soon after having set foot upon it$ ecause their progress is
not immediately apparent to them. (nd even when the first experiences egin to dawn upon the
pupil$ he is apt to regard them as illusions$ ecause he had formed !uite different conceptions of what
he was going to experience. /e loses courage$ either ecause he regards these first experiences as
eing of no value$ or ecause they appear to him to e so insignificant that he cannot elieve they will
lead him to any appreciale results within a measurale time. Courage and self.confidence are two
eacons which must never e extinguished on the path to higher "nowledge. 4o one will ever travel
far who cannot ring himself to repeat$ over and over again$ an exercise which has failed$ apparently$
for a countless numer of times.
@ong efore any distinct perception of progress$ there rises in the student$ from the hidden depths of
the soul$ a feeling that he is on the right path. This feeling should e cherished and fostered$ for it can
develop into a trustworthy guide. (ove all$ it is imperative to extirpate the idea that any fantastic$
mysterious practices are re!uired for the attainment of higher "nowledge. )t must e clearly reali3ed
that a start has to e made with the thoughts and feelings with which we continually live$ and that
these feelings and thoughts must merely e given a new direction. 8veryone must say to himself: ;#n
my own world of thought and feeling the deepest mysteries lie hidden! only hitherto # have been
unable to perceive them.< )n the end it all resolves itself into the fact that man ordinarily carries
ody$ soul and spirit aout with him$ and yet is conscious in a true sense only of his ody$ and not of
his soul and spirit. The student ecomes conscious of soul and spirit$ 'ust as the ordinary person is
conscious of his ody. /ence it is highly important to give the proper direction to thoughts and
feelings$ for then only can the perception e developed of all that is invisile in ordinary life. 5ne of
the ways y which this development may e carried out will now e indicated. (gain$ li"e almost
everything else so far explained$ it is !uite a simple matter. 6et its results are of the greatest
conse!uence$ if the necessary devotion and sympathy e applied.
@et the student place efore himself the small seed of a plant$ and while contemplating this
insignificant o'ect$ form with intensity the right "ind of thoughts$ and through these thoughts
develop certain feelings. )n the first place let him clearly grasp what he really sees with his eyes. @et
him descrie to himself the shape$ color and all other !ualities of the seed. Then let his mind dwell
upon the following train of thought: ;5ut of the seed$ if planted in the soil$ a plant of complex
structure will grow.< @et him uild up this plant in his imagination$ and reflect as follows: ;'hat #
am now picturing to myself in my imagination will later on be enticed from the seed by the forces
of earth and light. #f # had before me an artificial ob(ect which imitated the seed to such a deceptive
degree that my eyes could not distinguish it from a real seed! no forces of earth or light could avail
to produce from it a plant.< )f the student thoroughly grasps this thought so that it ecomes an
inward experience$ he will also e ale to form the following thought and couple it with the right
feeling: ;All that will ultimately grow out of the seed is now secretly enfolded within it as the force
of the whole plant. #n the artificial imitation of the seed there is no such force present. And yet both
appear alike to my eyes. The real seed! therefore! contains something invisible which is not present
in the imitation.< )t is on this invisile something that thought and feeling are to e concentrated.
,(nyone o'ecting that a microscopical examination would reveal the difference etween the real
seed and the imitation would only show that he had failed to grasp the point. The intention is not to
investigate the physical nature of the o'ect$ ut to use it for the development of psycho.spiritual
forces.-
@et the student fully reali3e that this invisile something will transmute itself later on into a visile
plant$ which he will have efore him in its shape and color. @et him ponder on the thought: ;The
invisible will become visible. #f # could not think! then that which will only become visible later on
could not already make its presence felt to me.) Earticular stress must e laid on the following point:
what the student thin"s he must also feel with intensity. )n inner tran!uility$ the thought mentioned
aove must ecome a conscious inner experience$ to the exclusion of all other thoughts and
disturances. (nd sufficient time must e ta"en to allow the thought and the feeling which is coupled
with it to ore themselves into the soul$ as it were. )f this e accomplished in the right way$ then after
a time & possily not until after numerous attempts & an inner force will ma"e itself felt. This force
will create new powers of perception. The grain of seed will appear as if enveloped in a small
luminous cloud. )n a sensile.supersensile way$ it will e felt as a "ind of flame. The center of this
flame evo"es the same feeling that one has when under the impression of the color lilac$ and the
edges as when under the impression of a luish tone. 7hat was formerly invisile now ecomes
visile$ for it is created y the power of the thoughts and feelings we have stirred to life within
ourselves. The plant itself will not ecome visile until later$ so that the physically invisile now
reveals itself in a spiritually visile way.
)t is not surprising that all this appears to many as illusion. ;7hat is the use of such visions$< they
as"$ ;and such hallucinations1< (nd many will thus fall away and aandon the path. :ut this is
precisely the important point: not to confuse spiritual reality with imagination at this difficult stage
of human evolution$ and further.more$ to have the courage to press onward and not ecome
timorous and faint.hearted. 5n the other hand$ however$ the necessity must e emphasi3ed of
maintaining unimpaired and of perpetually cultivating that healthy sound sense which distinguishes
truth from illusion. *ully conscious self.control must never e lost during all these exercises$ and they
must e accompanied y the same sane$ sound thin"ing which is applied to the details of every.day
life. To lapse into reveries would e fatal. The intellectual clarity$ not to say the soriety of thought$
must never for a moment e dulled. The greatest mista"e would e made if the student2s mental
alance were distured through such exercises$ if he were hampered in 'udging the matters of his
daily life as sanely and as soundly as efore. /e should examine himself again and again to find out if
he has remained unaltered in relation to the circumstances among which he lives$ or whether he may
perhaps have ecome unalanced. (ove all$ strict care must e ta"en not to drift at random into
vague reveries$ or to experiment with all "inds of exercises. The trains of thought here indicated have
een tested and practiced in esoteric training since the earliest times$ and only such are given in these
pages. (nyone attempting to use others devised y himself$ or of which he may have heard or read at
one place or another$ will inevitaly go astray and find himself on the path of oundless chimera.
(s a further exercise to succeed the one 'ust descried$ the following may e ta"en: @et the student
place efore him a plant which has attained the stage of full development. 4ow let him fill his mind
with the thought that the time will come when this plant will wither and die. ;*othing will be left of
what # now see before me. +ut this plant will have developed seeds which! in their turn! will develop
to new plants. # again become aware that in what # see! something lies hidden which # cannot see. #
fill my mind entirely with the thought, this plant with its form and colors! will in time be no more.
+ut the reflection that it produces seeds teaches me that it will not disappear into nothing. # cannot
at present see with my eyes that which guards it from disappearance! any more than # previously
could discern the plant in the grain of seed. Thus there is something in the plant which my eyes
cannot see. #f # let this thought live within me! and if the corresponding feeling be coupled with it!
then! in due time! there will again develop in my soul a force which will ripen into a new
perception.< 5ut of the plant there again grows a "ind of spiritual flame.form$ which is$ of course$
correspondingly larger than the one previously descried. The flame can e felt as eing greenish.
lue in the center$ and yellowish.red at the outer edge.
)t must e explicitly emphasi3ed that the colors here descried are not seen as the physical eyes see
colors$ ut that through spiritual perception the same feeling is experienced as in the case of a
physical color.impression. To apprehend lue spiritually means to have a sensation similar to the one
experienced when the physical eye rests on the color lue. This fact must e noted y all who intend
to rise to spiritual perception. 5therwise they will expect a mere repetition of the physical in the
spiritual. This could only lead to the itterest deception.
(nyone having reached this point of spiritual vision is the richer y a great deal$ for he can perceive
things not only in their present state of eing ut also in their process of growth and decay. /e egins
to see in all things the spirit$ of which physical eyes can "now nothing. (nd therewith he has ta"en
the first step toward the gradual solution$ through personal vision$ of the secret of irth and death.
*or the outer senses a eing comes into existence through irth$ and passes away through death.
This$ however$ is only ecause these senses cannot perceive the concealed spirit of the eing. *or the
spirit$ irth and death are merely a transformation$ 'ust as the unfolding of the flower from the ud is
a transformation enacted efore our physical eyes. :ut if we desire to learn this through personal
vision we must first awa"en the re!uisite spiritual sense in the way here indicated.
)n order to meet another o'ection$ which may e raised y certain people who have some psychic
experience$ let it at once e admitted that there are shorter and simpler ways$ and that there are
persons who have ac!uired "nowledge of the phenomena of irth and death through personal vision$
without first going through all that has here een descried. There are$ in fact$ people with
considerale psychic gifts who need ut a slight impulse in order to find themselves already
developed. :ut they are the exceptions$ and the methods descried aove are safer and apply e!ually
to all. )t is possile to ac!uire some "nowledge of chemistry in an exceptional way$ ut if you wish to
ecome a chemist you must follow the recogni3ed and reliale course.
(n error fraught with serious conse!uences would ensue if it were assumed that the desired result
could e reached more easily if the grain of seed or the plant mentioned aove were merely imagined$
were merely pictured in the imagination. This might lead to results$ ut not so surely as the method
here. The vision thus attained would$ in most cases$ e a mere fragment of the imagination$ the
transformation of which into genuine spiritual vision would still remain to e accomplished. )t is not
intended aritrarily to create visions$ ut to allow reality to create them within oneself. The truth
must well up from the depths of our own soul0 it must not e con'ured forth y our ordinary ego$ ut
y the eings themselves whose spiritual truth we are to contemplate.
5nce the student has found the eginnings of spiritual vision y means of such exercises$ he may
proceed to the contemplation of man himself. +imple phenomena of human life must first e chosen.
:ut efore ma"ing any attempt in this direction it is imperative for the student to strive for the
asolute purity of his moral character. /e must anish all through of ever using "nowledge gained in
this way for his own personal enefit. /e must e convinced that he would never$ under any
circumstances$ avail himself in an evil sense of any power he may gain over his fellow.creatures. *or
this reason$ all who see" to discover through personal vision the secrets in human nature must follow
the golden rule of true spiritual science. This golden rule is as follows: &or every one step that you
take in the pursuit of higher knowledge! take three steps in the perfection of your own character. )f
this rule is oserved$ such exercise as the following may e attempted:
-ecall to mind some person whom you may have observed when he was filled with desire for some
ob(ect. .irect your attention to this desire. #t is best to recall to memory that moment when the
desire was at its height! and it was still uncertain whether the ob(ect of the desire would be
attained. And now fill your mind with this recollection! and reflect on what you can thus observe.
"aintain the utmost inner tranuility. "ake the greatest possible effort to be blind and deaf to
everything that may be going on around you! and take special heed that through the conception
thus evoked a feeling should awaken in your soul. Allow this feeling to rise in your soul like a cloud
on the cloudless hori/on. (s a rule$ of course$ your reflection will e interrupted$ ecause the person
whom it concerns was not oserved in this particular state of soul for a sufficient length of time. The
attempt will most li"ely fail hundreds and hundreds of times. )t is 'ust a !uestion of not losing
patience. (fter many attempts you will succeed in experiencing a feeling )n your soul corresponding
to the state of soul of the person oserved$ and you will egin to notice that through this feeling a
power grows in your soul that leads to spiritual insight into the state of soul of the other. ( picture
experienced as luminous appears in your field of vision. This spiritually luminous picture is the so.
called astral emodiment of the desire oserved in that soul. (gain the impression of this picture may
e descried as flame.li"e$ yellowish.red in the center$ and reddish.lue or lilac at the edges. #uch
depends on treating such spiritual experiences with great delicacy. The est thing is not to spea" to
anyone aout them except to your teacher$ if you have one. (ttempted descriptions of such
experiences in inappropriate words usually only lead to gross self.deception. 5rdinary terms are
employed which are not intended for such things$ and are therefore too gross and clumsy. The
conse!uence is that in the attempt to clothe the experience in words we are misled into lending the
actual experience with all "inds of fantastic delusions. /ere again is another important rule for the
student: know how to observe silence concerning your spiritual e0periences. 6es$ oserve silence
even toward yourself. ?o not attempt to clothe in words what you contemplate in the spirit$ or to pore
over it with clumsy intellect. @end yourself freely and without reservation to these spiritual
impressions$ and do not distur them y reflecting and pondering over them too much. *or you must
rememer that your reasoning faculties are$ to egin with$ y no means e!ual to your new experience.
6ou have ac!uired these reasoning faculties in a life hitherto confined to the physical world of the
senses0 the faculties you are not ac!uiring transcend this world. ?o not try$ therefore$ to apply to the
new and higher perceptions the standard of the old. 5nly he who has gained some certainty and
steadiness in the oservation of inner experiences can spea" aout them$ and therey stimulate his
fellow.men.
The exercise 'ust descried may e supplemented y the following: .irect your attention in the same
way upon a person to whom the fulfillment of some wish! the gratification of some desire! has been
granted. )f the same rules and precautions e adopted as in the previous instance$ spiritual insight
will once more e attained. ( spiritual insight will once more e attained. ( spiritual flame.form will
e distinguished$ creating an impression of yellow in the center and green at the edges.
:y such oservation of his fellow.creatures$ the student may easily lapse into a moral fault. /e may
ecome cold.hearted. 8very conceivale effort must e made to prevent this. +uch oservation
should only e practiced y one who has already risen to the level on which complete certainty is
found that thoughts are real things. /e will then no longer allow himself to thin" of his fellow.men in
a way that is incompatile with the highest reverence for human dignity and human lierty. The
thought that a human eing could e merely an o'ect of oservation must never for a moment e
entertained. +elf.education must see to it that this insight into human nature should go hand in hand
with an unlimited respect for the personal privilege of each individual$ and with the recognition of
the sacred and inviolale nature of that which dwells in each human eing. ( feeling of reverential
awe must fill us$ even in our recollections.
*or the present$ only these two examples can e given to show how enlightened insight into human
nature may e achieved0 they will at least serve to point out the way to e ta"en. :y gaining the inner
tran!uility and repose indispensale for such oservation$ the student will have undergone a great
inner transformation. /e will then soon reach the point where this enrichment of his inner self will
lend confidence and composure to his outward demeanor. (nd this transformation of his outward
demeanor will again react favoraly on his soul. Thus he will e ale to help himself further along the
road. /e will find ways and means of penetrating more and more into the secrets of human nature
which are hidden from our external senses$ and he will then also ecome ripe for a deeper insight
into the mysterious connections etween human nature and all else that exists in the universe. :y
following this path the student approaches closer and closer to the moment when he can effectively
ta"e the first steps of initiation. :ut efore these can e ta"en$ one thing more is necessary$ though at
first its need will e least of all apparent0 later on$ however$ the student will e convinced of it.
The would.e initiate must ring with him a certain measure of courage and fearlessness. /e must
positively go out of his way to find opportunities for developing these virtues. /is training should
provide for their systematic cultivation. )n this respect$ life itself is a good school & possily the est
school. The student must learn to loo" danger calmly in the face and try to overcome difficulties
unswervingly. *or instance$ when in the presence of some peril$ he must swiftly come to the
conviction that fear is of no possile use0 ) must not feel afraid0 ) must only thin" of what is to e
done. (nd he must improve to the extent of feeling$ upon occasions which formerly inspired him with
fear$ that to e frightened$ to e disheartened$ are things that are out of the !uestion as far as his own
inmost self is concerned. :y self.discipline in this direction$ !uite definite !ualities are develop which
are necessary for initiation into the higher mysteries. =ust as man re!uires nervous force in his
physical eing in order to use his physical sense$ so also he re!uires in his soul nature the force which
is only developed in the courageous and the fearless. *or in penetrating to the higher mysteries he
will see things which are concealed from ordinary humanity y the illusion of the senses. )f the
physical senses do not allow us to perceive the higher truth$ they are for this very reason our
enefactors. Things are therey hidden from us which$ if reali3ed without due preparation$ would
throw us into unutterale consternation$ and the sight of which would e unendurale. The student
must e fit to endure this sight. /e loses certain supports in the outer world which he owes to the
very illusion surrounding him. )t is truly and literally as if the attention of someone were called to a
danger which had threatened him for a long time$ ut of which he "new nothing. /itherto he felt no
fear$ ut now that he "nows$ he is overcome y fear$ though the danger has not een rendered greater
y his "nowing it.
The forces at wor" in the world are oth destructive and constructive0 the destiny of manifested
eings is irth and death. The seer is to ehold the wor"ing of these forces and the march of destiny.
The veil enshrouding the spiritual eyes in ordinary life is to e removed. :ut man is interwoven with
these forces and with this destiny. /is own nature harors destructive and constructive forces. /is
own soul reveals itself to the seer as undisguised as the other o'ects. /e must not lose strength in the
face of this self."nowledge0 ut strength will fail him unless he rings a surplus on which to draw. *or
this purpose he must learn to maintain inner calm and steadiness in the face of difficult
circumstances0 he must cultivate a strong trust in the eneficent powers of existence. /e must e
prepared to find that many motives which had actuated him hitherto will do so no longer. /e will
have to recogni3e that previously he thought and acted in a certain way only ecause he was still in
the throes of ignorance. 9easons that influenced him formerly will now disappear. /e often acted out
of vanity0 he will now see how utterly futile all vanity is for the seer. /e often acted out of greed0 he
will now ecome aware how destructive all greed is. /e will have to develop !uite new motives for his
thoughts and actions$ and it is 'ust for this purpose that courage and fearlessness are re!uired.
)t is pre.eminently a !uestion of cultivating this courage and this fearlessness in the inmost depths of
thought.life. The student must learn never to despair over failure. /e must e e!ual to the thought: )
shall forget that ) have failed in this matter$ and ) shall try once more as though this had not
happened. Thus he will struggle through to the firm conviction that the fountain.head of strength
from which he may draw is inexhaustile. /e struggles ever onward to the spirit which will uplift him
and support him$ however wea" and impotent his earthly self may have proved. /e must e capale
of pressing on to the future undismayed y any experiences of the past. )f the student has ac!uired
these faculties up to a certain point$ he is then ripe to hear the real names of things$ which are the "ey
to higher "nowledge. *or initiation consists in this very act of learning to call the things of the world
y those names which they ear in the spirit of their divine authors. )n these$ their names$ lies the
mystery of things. )t is for this reason that the initiates spea" a different language from the
uninitiated$ for the former "now the names y which the eings themselves are called into existence.
)n as far as initiation itself can e discussed$ this will e done in the following chapter.
Knowledge of the Higher Worlds
III
Initiation
)nitiation is the highest stage in an esoteric training concerning which it is possile to give some
indications in a oo" intended for the genuine pulic. 7hatever lives eyond forms a su'ect
difficult to understand$ yet the way to it can e found y all who have passed through
preparation! enlightenment$ and initiation as far as the lesser mysteries.
The "nowledge and proficiency conferred y initiation cannot e otained in any other manner$
except in some far distant future$ after many incarnations$ y !uite different means and in !uite
a different form. The initiate of today undergoes experiences which would otherwise come to
him much later$ under !uite different circumstances.
The secrets of existence are only accessile to an extent corresponding to man2s own degree of
maturity. *or this reason alone the path to the higher stages of "nowledge and power is eset
with ostacles. ( firearm should not e used until sufficient experience has een gained to
avoid disaster$ caused y its use. ( person initiated today without further ado would lac" the
experience which he will gain during his future incarnations efore he can attain to higher
"nowledge in the normal course of his development. (t the portal of initiation$ therefore$ this
experience must e supplied in some other way. Thus the first instructions given to the
candidate for initiation serve as a sustitute for these future experiences. These are the so.
called trials$ which he has to undergo$ and which constitute a normal course of inner
development resulting from due application to such exercises as are descried in the preceding
chapters.
These trials are often discussed in oo"s$ ut it is only natural that such discussions should as a
rule give !uite false impressions of their nature0 for without passing through preparation and
enlightenment no one can "now anything of these tests and appropriately descrie them.
The would.e initiate must come into contact with certain things and facts elonging to the
higher worlds$ ut he can only see and hear them if his feeling is ripe for the perception of the
spiritual forms$ colors and tones descried in the chapters on Preparation and Enlightenment.
The first trial consists in otaining a truer vision than the average man has of the corporeal
attriutes of lifeless things$ and later of plants$ animals and human eings. This does not mean
what at present is called scientific "nowledge$ for it is a !uestion not of science ut of vision. (s
a rule$ the would.e initiate proceeds to learn how the o'ects of nature and the eings gifted
with life manifest themselves to the spiritual ear and the spiritual eye. )n a certain way these
things then lie stripped & na"ed & efore the eholder. The !ualities which can then e seen
and heard are hidden from the physical eyes and ears. *or physical perception they are
concealed as if y a veil$ and the falling away of this veil for the would.e initiate consists in a
process designated as the process of Purification by &ire. The first trial is therefore "nown as
the &ire-Trial.
*or many people$ ordinary life is itself a more or less unconscious process of initiation through
the *ire.Trial. +uch people have passed through a wealth of experience$ so that their self.
confidence$ courage and fortitude have een greatly strengthened in a normal manner while
learning to ear sorrow$ disappointment and failure in their underta"ings with greatness of
soul$ and especially with e!uanimity and unro"en strength. Thus they are often initiates
without "nowing it$ and it then needs ut little to unseal their spiritual hearing and sight so that
they ecome clairvoyant. *or it must e noted that a genuine fire.trial is not intended to satisfy
the curiosity of the candidate. )t is true that he learns many uncommon things of which others
can have no in"ling$ ut this ac!uisition of "nowledge is not the end$ ut the means to the end0
the end consists in the attainment$ than"s to this "nowledge of the higher worlds$ of greater
and truer self.confidence$ a higher degree of courage$ and a magnanimity and perseverance
such as cannot$ as a rule$ e ac!uired in the lower world.
The candidate may always turn ac" after the fire.trial. /e will then resume his life$
strengthened in ody and soul$ and wait for a future incarnation to continue his initiation. )n
his present incarnation he will prove himself a more useful memer of society and of humanity
than he was efore. )n whatever position he may find himself$ his firmness$ prudence$
resoluteness$ and his eneficent influence over his fellows will have greatly increased.
:ut if$ after completing the fire.trial$ he should wish to continue the path$ a certain writing.
system generally adopted in esoteric training must now e revealed to him. The actual
teachings manifest themselves in this writing$ ecause the hidden ,occult- !ualities of things
cannot e directly expressed in the words of ordinary writing. The pupils of the initiates
translate the teachings into ordinary language as est they can. The occult script reveals itself to
the soul when the latter has attained spiritual perception$ for it is traced in the spiritual world
and remains there for all time. )t cannot e learned as an artificial writing is learned and read.
The candidate grows into clairvoyant "nowledge in an appropriate way$ and during this growth
a new strength is developed in his soul$ as a new faculty$ through which he feels himself
impelled to decipher the occurrences and the eings of the spiritual world li"e the characters of
a writing. This strength$ with the experience it rings of the corresponding trial$ might possily
awa"en in the soul as though of its own accord$ as the soul continually develops$ ut it will e
found safer to follow the instructions of those who are spiritually experienced$ and who have
some proficiency in deciphering the occult script.
The signs of the occult script are not aritrarily invented0 they correspond to the forces actively
engaged in the world. They teach us the language of things. )t ecomes immediately apparent to
the candidate that the signs he is now learning correspond to the forms$ colors$ and tones which
he learned to perceive during his preparation and enlightenment. /e reali3es that all he learned
previously was only li"e learning to spell$ and that he is only now eginning to read in the
higher worlds. (ll the isolated figures$ tones$ and colors reveal themselves to him now in one
great connected whole. 4ow for the first time he attains complete certainty in oserving the
higher worlds. /itherto he could never "now positively whether the things he saw were rightly
seen. ( regular understanding$ too$ is now at last possile etween the candidate and the
initiate in the spheres of higher "nowledge. *or whatever form the intercourse etween an
initiate and another person may ta"e in ordinary life$ the higher "nowledge in its immediate
form can only e imparted y the initiate in the aove.mentioned sign.language.
Than"s to this language the student also learns certain rules of conduct and certain duties of
which he formerly "new nothing. /aving learned these he is ale to perform actions endowed
with a significance and a meaning such as the actions of one not initiated can never possess. /e
acts out of the higher worlds. )nstructions concerning such action can only e read and
understood in the writing in !uestion.
6et it must e emphasi3ed that there are people unconsciously gifted with the aility and
faculty of performing such actions$ though they have never undergone an esoteric training.
+uch helpers of the world and of humanity pass through life estowing lessings and
performing good deeds. *or reasons here not to e discussed$ gifts have een estowed on them
which appear supernatural. 7hat distinguishes them from the candidate for initiation is only
that the latter acts consciously and with full insight into the entire situation. /e ac!uires y
training the gifts estowed on others y higher powers for the good of humanity. 7e can
sincerely revere these favored of %od0 ut we should not for this reason regard the wor" of
esoteric training as superfluous.
5nce the student has learned the sign.language there awaits him yet another trial$ to prove
whether he can move with freedom and assurance in the higher worlds. )n ordinary life he is
impelled to action y exterior motives. /e wor"s at one occupation or another ecause one duty
or another is imposed on him y outward circumstances. )t need hardly e mentioned that the
student must in no way neglect any of his duties in ordinary life ecause he is living and
wor"ing in higher worlds. There is no duty in a higher world that can force a person to neglect
any single one of his duties in the ordinary world. The father will remain 'ust as good a father to
his family$ the mother 'ust as good a mother$ and neither the official nor the soldier$ nor anyone
else will e diverted from his wor" y ecoming an esoteric student. 5n the contrary$ all the
!ualities which ma"e a human eing capale and efficient are enhanced in the student to a
degree incomprehensile to the uninitiated. )f$ in the eyes of the uninitiated$ this does not
always appear to e the case$ it is simply ecause he often lac"s the aility to 'udge the initiate
correctly. The deeds of the latter are not always intelligile to the former. :ut this only happens
in special cases.
(t this stage of initiation there are duties to e performed for which no outward stimulus is
given. The candidate will not e moved to action y external pressure$ ut only through
adherence to the rules of conduct revealed to him in the occult script. /e must now show in this
second trial that$ led y such rules$ he can act with the same firmness and precision with which$
for instance$ an official performs the duties that elong to him. *or this purpose$ and in the
course of his further training$ he will find himself faced y a certain definite tas". /e must
perform some action in conse!uence of oservations made on the asis of what he has learned
during preparation and enlightenment. The nature of this action can e understood y means
of the occult script with which he is now familiar. )f he recogni3es his duty and acts rightly$ his
trial has een successful. The success can e recogni3ed in the alteration produced y his action
in the figures$ colors$ and tones apprehended y his spiritual eyes and ears. 8xact indications
are given$ as the training progresses$ showing how these figures appear and are experienced
after the action has een performed$ and the candidate must "now how to produce this change.
This trial is "nown as the 'ater-Trial! ecause in his activity in these higher worlds the
candidate is deprived of the support derived from outward circumstances$ as a swimmer is
without support when swimming in water that is eyond his depth. This activity must e
repeated until the candidate attains asolute poise and assurance.
The importance of this trial lies again in the ac!uisition of a !uality. Through his experiences in
the higher worlds$ the candidate develops this !uality in a short time to such a high degree that
he would otherwise have to go through many incarnations$ in the ordinary course of his
development$ efore he could ac!uire it to the same extent. )t all centers around the fact that he
must e guided only y the results of his higher perception and reading of the occult script$ in
order to produce the changes in !uestion in these higher regions of existence. +hould he$ in the
course of his activity$ introduce any of his own opinions and desires$ or should he diverge for
one moment from the laws which he has recogni3ed to e right$ in order to follow his own
willful inclination$ then the result produced would differ entirely from what was intended. /e
would lose sight of the goal to which his action tended$ and confusion would result. /ence
ample opportunity is given him in the course of this trial to develop self.control. This is the
o'ect in view. /ere again$ this trial can e more easily passed y those whose life$ efore
initiation$ has led them to ac!uire self.control. (nyone having ac!uired the faculty of following
high principles and ideals$ while putting into the ac"ground all personal predilection0 anyone
capale of always performing his duty$ even though inclinations and sympathies would li"e to
seduce him from this duty & such a person is unconsciously an initiate in the midst of ordinary
life. /e will need ut little to succeed in this particular trial. )ndeed$ a certain measure of
initiation thus unconsciously ac!uired in life will$ as a rule$ e indispensale for success in this
second trial. *or even as it is difficult for those who have not learned to spell correctly in their
childhood to ma"e good this deficiency when fully grown up$ so too it is difficult to develop the
necessary degree of self.control at the moment of loo"ing into the higher worlds$ if this aility
has not een ac!uired to a certain degree in ordinary life. The o'ects of the physical world do
not alter$ whatever the nature of our wishes$ desires$ and inclinations. )n the higher worlds$
however$ our wishes$ desires$ and inclinations are causes that produce effects. )f we wish to
produce a particular effect in these worlds$ we must strictly follow the right rules and sudue
every aritrary impulse.
5ne human !uality is of very special importance at this stage of initiation$ namely$ an
unuestionably sound (udgment. (ttention should e paid to the training of this faculty during
all the previous stages0 for it now remains to e proved whether the candidate is shaping in a
way that shows him to e fit for the truth path of "nowledge. *urther progress is now only
possile if he is ale to distinguish illusion$ superstition$ and everything fantastic$ from true
reality. This is$ at first$ more difficult to accomplish in the higher stages of existence than in the
lower. 8very pre'udice$ every cherished opinion with regard to the things in !uestion$ must
vanish0 truth alone must guide. There must e perfect readiness to aandon at once any idea$
opinion$ or inclination when logical thought demands it. Certainty in higher worlds is only
li"ely to e attained when personal opinion is never considered.
Eeople whose mode of thought tends to fancifulness and superstition can never ma"e progress
on the path to higher "nowledge. )t is indeed a precious treasure that the student is to ac!uire.
(ll dout regarding the higher worlds is removed from him. 7ith all their laws they reveal
themselves to his ga3e. :ut he cannot ac!uire this treasure so long as he is the prey of fancies
and illusions. )t would indeed e fatal if his imagination and his pre'udices ran away with his
intellect. ?reamers and fantastical people are as unfit for the path to higher "nowledge as
superstitious people. This cannot e over.emphasi3ed. *or the most dangerous enemies on the
way to "nowledge of the higher worlds lur" in such fantastical reveries and superstitions. 6et no
one need to elieve that the student loses all sense of poetry in life$ all power of enthusiasm
ecause the words: 1ou must be rid of all pre(udice$ are written over the portal leading to the
second trial of initiation$ and ecause over the portal at the entrance to the first trial he read:
'ithout normal common sense all thine efforts are in vain.
)f the candidate is in this way sufficiently advanced$ a third trial awaits him. /e finds here no
definite goal to e reached. (ll is left in his own hands. /e finds himself in a situation where
nothing impels him to act. /e must find his way all alone and out of himself. Things or people
to stimulate him to action are non.existent. 4othing and noody can give him the strength he
needs ut he himself alone. *ailure to find this inner strength will leave him standing where he
was. *ew of those$ however$ who have successfully passed the previous trials will fail to find the
necessary strength at this point. 8ither they will have turned ac" already or they succeed at
this point also. (ll that the candidate re!uires is the aility to come !uic"ly to terms with
himself$ for he must here find his higher self in the truest sense of the word. /e must rapidly
decide in all things to listen to the inspiration of the spirit. There is no time for dout or
hesitation. 8very moment of hesitation would prove that he was still unfit. 7hatever prevents
him from listening to the voice of the spirit must e courageously overcome. )t is a !uestion of
showing presence of mind in this situation$ and the training at this stage is concerned with the
perfect development of this !uality. (ll the accustomed inducements to act or even to thin" now
cease. )n order not to remain inactive he must not lose himself$ for only within himself can he
find the one central point of vantage where he can gain a firm hold. 4o one on reading this$
without further ac!uaintance with these matters$ should feel an antipathy for this principle of
eing thrown ac" on oneself$ for success in this trial rings with it a moment of supreme
happiness.
(t this stage$ no less than at the others$ ordinary life is itself an esoteric training for many. *or
anyone having reached the point of eing ale$ when suddenly confronted with some tas" or
prolem in life$ to come to a swift decision without hesitation or delay$ for him life itself has
een a training in this sense. +uch situations are here meant in which success is instantly lost if
action is not rapid. ( person who is !uic" to act when a misfortune is imminent$ whereas a few
moments of hesitation would have seen the misfortune an accomplished fact$ and who has
turned this aility into a permanent personal !uality$ has unconsciously ac!uired the degree of
maturity necessary for the third trial. *or at this stage everything centers round the
development of asolute presence of mind. This trial is "nown as the Air-Trial! ecause while
undergoing it the candidate can support himself neither upon the firm asis of external
incentive nor upon the figures$ tones$ and colors which he has learned at the stages of
preparation and enlightenment$ ut exclusively upon himself.
Fpon successfully passing this trial the student is permitted to enter the temple of higher
wisdom. (ll that is here said on this su'ect can only e the slenderest allusion. The tas" now to
e performed is often expressed in the statement that the student must ta"e an oath never to
etray anything he has learned. These expressions$ however$ ;oath< and ;etray<$ are
inappropriate and actually misleading. There is no !uestion of an oath in the ordinary sense of
the word$ ut rather of an experience that comes at this stage of development. The candidate
learns how to apply the higher "nowledge$ how to place it at the service of humanity. /e then
egins really and truly to understand the world. )t is not so much a !uestion of withholding the
higher truths$ ut far more of serving them in the right way and with the necessary tact. The
silence he is to "eep refers to something !uite different. /e ac!uires this fine !uality with
regard to things he had previously spo"en$ and especially with regard to the manner in which
they were spo"en. /e would e a poor initiate who did not place all the higher "nowledge he
had ac!uired at the service of humanity$ as well and as far as this is possile. The only ostacle
to giving information in these matters is the lac" of understanding on the part of the recipients.
)t is true$ of course$ that the higher "nowledge does not lend itself to promiscuous tal"0 ut no
one having reached the stage of development descried aove is actually foridden to say
anything. 4o other person$ no eing exacts an oath from him with this intent. 8verything is left
to his own responsiility$ and he learns in every situation to discover within himself what he
has to do$ and an oath means nothing more than that he has een found !ualified to e
entrusted with such a responsiility.
)f the candidate is found fit for the foregoing experiences$ he is then given what is called
symolically the draught of forgetfulness. This means that he is initiated into the secret
"nowledge that enales him to act without eing continually distured y the lower memory.
This is necessary for the initiate$ for he must have full faith in the immediate present. /e must
e ale to destroy the veil of memory which envelops man every moment of his life. )f we 'udge
something that happens to us today according to the experience of yesterday$ we are exposed to
a multitude of errors. 5f course this does not mean that experience gained in life should e
renounced. )t should always e "ept in mind as clearly as possile. :ut the initiate must have
the aility to 'udge every new experience wholly according to what is inherent in it$ and let it
react upon him$ unoscurred y the past. 7e must e prepared at every moment that every
o'ect and every eing can ring to us some new revelation. )f we 'udge the new y the standard
of the old we are liale to error. The memory of past experiences will e of greatest use for the
very reason that it enales us to perceive the new. /ad we not gone through a definite
experience we should perhaps e lind to the !ualities of the o'ect or eing that comes efore
us. Thus experience should serve the purpose of perceiving the new and not of 'udging it y the
standard of the old. )n this respect the initiate ac!uires certain definite !ualities$ and therey
many things are revealed to him which remain concealed from the uninitiated.
The second draught presented to the initiate is the draught of remembrance. Through its
agency he ac!uires the faculty of retaining the "nowledge of the higher truths ever present in
his soul. 5rdinary memory would e une!ual to this tas". 7e must unite ourselves and ecome
as one with the higher truths.
7e must not only "now them$ ut e ale$ !uite as a matter of course$ to manifest and
administer them in living actions$ even as we ordinarily eat and drin". They must ecome our
practice$ our hait$ our inclination. There must e no need to "eep thin"ing aout them in the
ordinary sense0 they must come to living expression through man himself0 they must flow
through him as the functions of life through his organism. Thus doth man ever raise himself! in
a spiritual sense! to that same stature to which nature raised him in a physical sense.
IV
Soe Practical Aspects
The training of thoughts and feelings$ pursued in the way descried in the chapters on Preparation!
Enlightenment! and #nitiation$ introduces into the soul and spirit the same organic symmetry with
which nature has constructed the physical ody. :efore this development$ soul and spirit are
undifferentiated masses. The clairvoyant perceives them as interlacing$ rotating$ cloud.li"e spirals$
dully glimmering in reddish$ reddish.rown$ or reddish.yellow tones. (fter this training they egin
to assume a rilliant yellowish.green$ or greenish.lue color$ and show a regular structure. This
inner regularity leading to higher "nowledge$ is attained when the student introduces into his
thoughts and feelings the same orderly system with which nature has endowed his odily organs
that enale him to see$ hear$ digest$ reath$ spea". %radually he learns to reath and see with this
soul$ to spea" and hear with the spirit.
)n the following pages some practical aspects of the higher education of soul and spirit will e
treated in greater detail. They are such that anyone can put them into practice regardless of other
rules$ and therey e led some distance further into spiritual science.
( particular effort must e made to cultivate the !uality of patience. 8very symptom of impatience
produces a paraly3ing$ even a destructive effect on the higher faculties that slumer in us. 7e must
not expect an immeasurale view into the higher worlds from one day to the next$ for we should
assuredly e disappointed. Contentment with the smallest fragment attained$ repose and
tran!uility$ must more and more ta"e possession of the soul. )t is !uite understandale that the
student should await results with impatience0 ut he will achieve nothing so long as he fails to
master this impatience. 4or is it of any use to comat this impatience merely in the ordinary sense$
for it will ecome only that much stronger. 7e over.loo" it in self.deception while it plants itself all
the more firmly in the depths of the soul. )t is only when we ever and again surrender ourselves to a
certain definite thought$ ma"ing it asolutely our own$ that any results can e attained. This
thought is as follows: # must certainly do everything # can for the training and development of my
soul and spirit; but # shall wait patiently until higher powers shall have found me worthy of
definite enlightenment. )f this thought ecomes so powerful in the student that it grows into an
actual feature of his character$ he is treading the right path. This feature soon sets its mar" on his
exterior. The ga3e of his eye ecomes steady$ the movement of his ody ecomes sure$ his decisions
definite$ and all that goes under the name of nervousness gradually disappears. 9ules that appear
trifling and insignificant must e ta"en into account. *or example$ supposing someone affronts us.
:efore our training we should have directed our resentment against the offender0 a wave of anger
would have surged up within us. )n a similar case$ however$ the thought is immediately present in
the mind of the student that such an affront ma"es no difference to his intrinsic worth. (nd he does
whatever must e done to meet the affront with calm and composure$ and not in a spirit of anger. 5f
course it is not a case of simply accepting every affront$ ut of acting with the same calm composure
when dealing with an affront against our own person as we would if the affront were directed
against another person$ in whose favor we had the right to intervene. )t must always e rememered
that this training is not carried out in crude outward processes$ ut in sutle$ silent alterations in
the life of thought and feeling.
Eatience has the effect of attraction$ impatience the effect of repulsion on the treasures of higher
"nowledge. )n the higher regions of existence nothing can e attained y haste and unrest. (ove all
things$ desire and craving must e silenced$ for these are !ualities of the soul efore which all
higher "nowledge shyly withdraws. /owever precious this "nowledge is accounted$ the student
must not crave it if he wishes to attain it. )f he wishes to have it for his own sa"e$ he will never attain
it. This re!uires him to e honest with himself in his innermost soul. /e must in no case e under
any illusion concerning his own self. 7ith a feeling of inner truth he must loo" his own faults$
wea"nesses$ and unfitness full in the face. The moment he tries to excuse to himself any of his
wea"nesses$ he has placed a stone in his way on the path which is to lead him upward. +uch
ostacles can only e removed y self.enlightenment. There is only one way to get rid of faults and
failings$ and that is y a clear recognition of them. 8verything slumers in the human soul and can
e awa"ened. ( person can even improve his intellect and reason$ if he !uietly and calmly ma"es it
clear to himself why he is wea" in this respect. +uch self. "nowledge is$ of course$ difficult$ for the
temptation to self.deception is immeasuraly great. (nyone ma"ing a hait of eing truthful with
himself opens the portal leading to a deeper insight.
(ll curiosity must fall away from the student. /e must rid himself as much as possile of the hait
of as"ing !uestions merely for the sa"e of gratifying a selfish thirst for "nowledge. /e must only as"
when "nowledge can serve to perfect his own eing in the service of evolution. 4evertheless$ his
delight in "nowledge and his devotion to it should in no way e hampered. /e should listen
devoutly to all that contriutes to such an end$ and should see" every opportunity for such
devotional attention.
+pecial attention must e paid in esoteric training to the education of the life of desires. This does
not mean that we are to ecome free of desire$ for if we are to attain something we must also desire
it$ and desire will always tend to fulfillment if ac"ed y a particular force. This force is derived
from a right "nowledge. .o not desire at all until you know what is right in any one sphere. That is
one of the golden rules for the student. The wise man first ascertains the laws of the world$ and then
his desires ecome powers which reali3e themselves. The following example rings this out clearly.
There are certainly many people who would li"e to learn from their own oservation something
aout their life efore irth. +uch a desire is altogether useless and leads to no result so long as the
person in !uestion has not ac!uired a "nowledge of the laws that govern the nature of the eternal$ a
"nowledge of these laws in their sutlest and most intimate character$ through the study of spiritual
science. :ut if$ having really ac!uired this "nowledge$ he wishes to proceed further$ his desire$ now
ennoled and purified$ will enale him to do so.
)t is also no use saying: ) particularly wish to examine my previous life$ and shall study only for this
purpose. 7e must rather e capale of aandoning this desire$ of eliminating it altogether$ and of
studying$ at first$ with no such intention. 7e should cultivate a feeling of 'oy and devotion for what
we learn$ with no thought of the aove end in view. 7e should learn to cherish and foster a
particular desire in such a way that it rings with it its own fulfillment.
)f we ecome angered$ vexed or annoyed$ we erect a wall around ourselves in the soul.world$ and
the forces which are to develop the eyes of the soul cannot approach. *or instance$ if a person
angers me he sends forth a psychic current into the soul.world. ) cannot see this current as long as )
am myself capale of anger. #y own anger conceals it from me. 7e must not$ however$ suppose
that when we are free from anger we shall immediately have a psychic ,astral- vision. *or this
purpose an organ of vision must have een developed in the soul. The eginnings of such an organ
are latent in every human eing$ ut remain ineffective as long as he is capale of anger. 6et this
organ is not immediately present the moment anger has een comated to a small extent. 7e must
rather persevere in this comating of anger and proceed patiently on our way0 then some day we
shall find that this eye of the soul has ecome developed. 5f course$ anger is not the only failing to
e comated for the attainment of this end. #any grow impatient or s"eptical$ ecause they have
for years comated certain !ualities$ and yet clairvoyance has not ensued. )n that case they have 'ust
trained some !ualities and allowed others to run riot. The gift of clairvoyance only manifests itself
when all those !ualities which stunt the growth of the latent faculties are suppressed. Fndoutedly$
the eginnings of such seeing and hearing may appear at an earlier period$ ut these are only young
and tender shoots which are su'ected to all possile error$ and which$ if not carefully tended and
guarded$ may !uic"ly die.
5ther !ualities which$ li"e anger and vexation$ have to e comated$ are timidity$ superstition$
pre'udice$ vanity and amition$ curiosity$ the mania for imparting information$ and the ma"ing of
distinctions in human eings according to the outward characteristics of ran"$ sex$ race$ and so
forth. )n our time it is difficult for people to understand how the comating of such !ualities can
have anything to do with the heightening of the faculty of cognition. :ut every spiritual scientist
"nows that much more depends upon such matters than upon the increase of intelligence and
employment of artificial exercises. 8specially can misunderstanding arise if we elieve that we must
ecome foolhardy in order to e fearless0 that we must close our eyes to the differences etween
people$ ecause we must comat the pre'udices of ran"$ race$ and so forth. 9ather is it true that a
correct estimate of all things is to e attained only when we are no longer entangled in pre'udice.
8ven in the ordinary sense it is true that the fear of some phenomenon prevents us from estimating
it rightly0 that a racial pre'udice prevents us from seeing into a man2s soul. )t is this ordinary sense
that the student must develop in all its delicacy and sutlety.
8very word spo"en without having een thoroughly purged in thought is a stone thrown in the way
of esoteric training. (nd here something must e considered which can only e explained y giving
an example. )f anything e said to which we must reply$ we must e careful to consider the spea"er2s
opinion$ feeling$ and even his pre'udice$ rather than what we ourselves have to say at the moment
on the su'ect under discussion. )n this example a refined !uality of tact is indicated$ to the
cultivation of which the student must devote his care. /e must learn to 'udge what importance it
may have for the other person if he opposes the latter2s opinion with his own. This does not mean
that he must withhold his opinion. There can e no !uestion of that. :ut he must listen to the
spea"er as carefully and as attentively as he possily can and let his reply derive its form from what
he has 'ust heard. )n such cases one particular thought recurs ever and again to the student$ and he
is treading the right path if this thought lives with him to the extent of ecoming a trait of his
character. This thought is as follows, The importance lies not in the difference of our opinions but
in his discovering through his own effort what is right if # contribute something toward it.
Thoughts of this and of a similar nature cause the character and the ehavior of the student to e
permeated with a !uality of gentleness$ which is one of the chief means used in all esoteric training.
/arshness scares away the soul.pictures that should open the eye of the soul0 gentleness clears the
ostacles away and unseals the inner organs.
(long with gentleness$ another !uality will presently e developed in the soul of the student: that of
!uietly paying attention to all the sutleties in the soul.life of his environment$ while reducing to
asolute silence any activity within his own soul. The soul.life of his environment will impress itself
on him in such a way that his own soul will grow$ and as it grows$ ecome regular in its structure$ as
a plant expanding in the sunlight. %entleness and patient reserve open the soul to the soul.world
and the spirit to the spirit.world. Eersevere in silent inner seclusion0 close the senses to all that they
rought you efore your training0 reduce to asolute immoility all the thoughts which$ according
to your previous haits$ surged within you0 ecome !uite still and silent within$ wait in patience$
and then the higher worlds will egin to fashion and perfect the organs of sights and hearing in your
soul and spirit. ?o not expect immediately to see and hear in the world of soul and spirit$ for all that
you are doing does ut contriute to the development of your higher senses$ and you will only e
ale to hear with soul and spirit when you possess these higher senses. /aving persevered for a time
in silent inner seclusion$ go aout your customary daily affairs$ imprinting deeply upon your mind
this thought: ;2ome day! when # have grown sufficiently! # shall attain that which # am destined to
attain$< and ma"e no attempt to attract forcefully any of these higher powers to yourself. 8very
student receives these instructions at the outset. :y oserving them he perfects himself. )f he
neglects them$ all his laor is in vain. :ut they are only difficult of achievement for the impatient
and the unpersevering. 4o other ostacles exist save those which we ourselves place in our own
path$ and which can e avoided y all who really will. This point must e continually emphasi3ed$
ecause many people form an altogether wrong conception of the difficulties that eset the path to
higher "nowledge. )t is easier$ in a certain sense$ to accomplish the first steps along this path than to
get the etter of the commonest every.day difficulties without this training. (part from this$ only
such things are here imparted as are attended y no danger whatsoever to the health of soul and
ody. There are other ways which lead more !uic"ly to the goal$ ut what is here explained has
nothing to do with them$ ecause they have certain effects which no experienced spiritual scientist
considers desirale. +ince fragmentary information concerning these ways is continually finding its
way into pulicity$ express warning must e given against entering upon them. *or reasons which
only the initiated can understand$ these ways can never e made pulic in their true form. The
fragments appearing here and there can never lead to profitale results$ ut may easily undermine
health$ happiness$ and peace of mind. )t would e far etter for people to avoid having anything to
do with such things than to ris" entrusting themselves to wholly dar" forces$ of whose nature and
origin they can "now nothing.
+omething may here e said concerning the environment in which this training should e
underta"en$ for this is not without some importance. (nd yet the case differs for almost every
person. (nyone practicing in an environment filled only with self.see"ing interests$ as for example$
the modern struggle for existence$ must e conscious of the fact that these interests are not without
their effect on the development of his spiritual organs. )t is true that the inner laws of these organs
are so powerful that this influence cannot e fatally in'urious. =ust as a lily can never grow into a
thistle$ however inappropriate its environment$ so$ too$ the eye of the soul can never grow to
anything ut its destined shape even though it e su'ected to the self.see"ing interests of modern
cities. :ut under all circumstances it is well if the student see"s$ now and again$ his environment in
the restful peace$ the inner dignity and sweetness of nature. 8specially fortunate is the student who
can carry out his esoteric training surrounded y the green world of plants$ or among the sunny
hills$ where nature weaves her we of sweet simplicity. This environment develops the inner organs
in a harmony which can never ensue in a modern city. #ore favoraly situated than the townsman
is the person who$ during his childhood at least$ had een ale to reathe the fragrance of pines$ to
ga3e on snowy pea"s$ and oserve the silent activity of woodland creatures and insects. 6et no city.
dweller should fail to give to the organs of his soul and spirit$ as they develop$ the nurture that
comes from the inspired teachings of spiritual research. )f our eyes cannot follow the woods in their
mantel of green every spring$ day y day$ we should instead open our soul to the glorious teachings
of the :hagavad %ita$ or of +t. =ohn2s %ospel$ or of +t. Thomas G Hempis$ and to the descriptions
resulting from spiritual science. There are many ways to the summit of insight$ ut much depends
on the right choice. The spiritually experienced could say much concerning these paths$ much that
might seem strange to the uninitiated. +omeone$ for instance$ might e very far advanced on the
path0 he might e standing$ so to spea"$ at the very entrance of sight and hearing with soul and
spirit0 he is then fortunate enough to ma"e a 'ourney over the calm or maye tempestuous ocean$
and a veil falls away from the eyes of his soul0 suddenly he ecomes a seer. (nother is also so far
advanced that this veil only needs to e loosened0 this occurs through some stro"e of destiny. 5n
another this stro"e might well have had the effect of paraly3ing his powers and undermining his
energy0 for the esoteric student it ecomes the occasion of his enlightenment. ( third perseveres
patiently for years without any mar"ed result. +uddenly$ while silently seated in his !uiet chamer$
spiritual light envelops him0 the walls disappear$ ecome transparent for his soul$ and a new world
expands efore his eyes that have ecome seeing$ or resounds in his ears that have ecome
spiritually hearing.
V
The Conditions of !soteric Training
The conditions attached to esoteric training are not aritrary. They are the natural outcome of
esoteric "nowledge. =ust as no one can ecome a painter who refuses to handle a paint.rush$ so$
too$ no one can receive esoteric training who is unwilling to meet the demands considered necessary
y the teacher. )n the main$ the latter can give nothing ut advice$ and everything he says should e
accepted in this sense. /e has already passed through the preparatory stages leading to a "nowledge
of the higher worlds$ and "nows from experience what is necessary. )t depends entirely upon the
free.will of each individual human eing whether or not he choose to tread the same path. To insist
on eing admitted to esoteric training without fulfilling the conditions would e e!uivalent to
saying: ;Teach me how to paint$ ut do not as" me to handle a paint.rush.< The teacher can never
offer anything unless the recipient comes forward to meet him of his own free.will. :ut it must e
emphasi3ed that a general desire for higher "nowledge is not sufficient. This desire will$ of course$
e felt y many$ ut nothing can e achieved y it alone so long as the special conditions attached to
esoteric training are not accepted. This point should e considered y those who complain that the
training is difficult. *ailure or unwillingness to fulfill these strict conditions must entail the
aandonment of esoteric training$ for the time eing. )t is true$ the conditions are strict$ yet they are
not harsh$ since their fulfillment not only should e$ ut indeed must e a voluntary action.
)f this fact e overloo"ed$ esoteric training can easily appear in the light of a coercion of the soul or
the conscience0 for the training is ased on the development of the inner life$ and the teacher must
necessarily give advice concerning this inner life. :ut there is no !uestion of compulsion when a
demand is met out of free choice. To as" of the teacher: ;%ive me your higher "nowledge$ ut leave
me my customary emotions$ feelings$ and thoughts$< would e an impossile demand. )n this case
the gratification of curiosity and desire for "nowledge would e the only motive. 7hen pursued in
such a spirit$ however$ higher "nowledge can never e attained.
@et us now consider in turn the conditions imposed on the student. )t should e emphasi3ed that
the complete fulfillment of any one of these conditions is not insisted upon$ ut only the
corresponding effort. 4o one can wholly fulfill them$ ut everyone can start on the path toward
them. )t is the effort of will that matters$ and the ready disposition to enter upon this path.
1. The first condition is that the student should pay heed to the advancement of bodily and
spiritual health. 5f course$ health does not depend$ in the first instance$ upon the individual0 ut
the effort to improve in this respect lies within the scope of all. +ound "nowledge can alone proceed
from sound human eings. The unhealthy are not re'ected$ ut it is demanded of the student that he
should have the will to lead a healthy life. )n this respect he must attain the greatest possile
independence. The good counsels of others$ freely estowed though generally unsought$ are as a
rule superfluous. 8ach must endeavor to ta"e care of himself. *rom the physical aspect it will e
more a !uestion of warding off harmful influences than of anything else. )n fulfilling our duties we
must often do things that are detrimental to our health. 7e must decide at the right moment to
place duty higher than the care of our health. :ut 'ust thin" how much can e avoided with a little
good will. ?uty must in many cases stand higher than health$ often$ even$ than life itself0 ut
pleasure must never stand higher$ as far as the student is concerned. *or him pleasure can only e a
means to health and to life$ and in this connection we must$ aove all$ e honest and truthful with
ourselves. There is no use in leading an ascetic life when the underlying motive is the same in this
case as in other en'oyments. +ome may derive satisfaction from asceticism 'ust as others can from
wine.iing$ ut they must not imagine that this sort of asceticism will assist them in attaining
higher "nowledge. #any ascrie to their circumstances everything which apparently prevents them
from ma"ing progress. They say they cannot develop themselves under their conditions of life. 4ow$
many may find it desirale for other reasons to change their conditions of life$ ut no one need do
so for the purpose of esoteric training. *or the latter$ a person need only do as much as possile$
whatever his position$ to further the health of ody and soul. 8very "ind of wor" can serve the whole
of humanity0 and it is a surer sign of greatness of soul to perceive clearly how necessary for this
whole is a petty$ perhaps even an offensive employment than to thin": ;This wor" is not good
enough for me0 ) am destined for something etter.< 5f special importance for the student is the
striving for complete health of mind. (n unhealthy life of thought and feeling will not fail to
ostruct the path to higher "nowledge. Clear$ calm thin"ing$ with staility of feeling and emotion$
form here the asis of all wor". 4othing should e further removed from the student than an
inclination toward a fantastical$ excitale life$ toward nervousness$ exaggeration$ and fanaticism.
/e should ac!uire a healthy outloo" on all circumstances of life0 he should meet the demands of lie
with steady assurance$ !uietly letting all things ma"e their impression on him and reveal their
message. /e should e at pains to do 'ustice to life on every occasion. (ll one.sided and extravagant
tendencies in his sentiments and criticisms should e avoided. *ailing this$ he would find his way
merely into worlds of his own imagination$ instead of higher worlds0 in place of truth$ his own pet
opinions would assert themselves. )t is etter for the student to e matter.of.fact$ than excitale and
fantastic.
C. The second condition is that the student should feel himself co-ordinated as a link in the whole
of life. #uch is included in the fulfillment of this condition$ ut each can only fulfill it in his own
manner. )f ) am a teacher$ and my pupil does not fulfill my expectations$ ) must not divert my
resentment against him ut against myself. ) must feel myself as one with my pupil$ to the extent of
as"ing myself: ;)s my pupil2s deficiency not the result of my own action1< )nstead of directing my
feelings against him ) shall rather reflect on my own attitude$ so that the pupil may in the future e
etter ale to satisfy my demands. Eroceeding from such an attitude$ a change will come over the
student2s whole way of thin"ing. This holds good in all things$ great or small. +uch an attitude of
mind$ for instance$ alters the way ) regard a criminal. ) suspend my 'udgment and say to myself: ;)
am$ li"e him$ only a human eing. Through favorale circumstances ) received an education which
perhaps alone saved me from a similar fate.< ) may then also come to the conclusion that this
human rother of mine would have ecome a different man had my teachers ta"en the same pains
with him they too" with me. ) shall reflect on the fact that something was given to me which was
withheld from him$ that ) en'oy my fortune precisely ecause it was denied him. (nd then ) shall
naturally come to thin" of myself as a lin" in the whole of humanity and a sharer in the
responsiility for everything that occurs. This does not imply that such a thought should e
immediately translated into external acts of agitation. )t should e cherished in stillness within the
soul. Then !uite gradually it will set its mar" on the outward demeanor of the student. )n such
matters each can only egin y reforming himself. )t is of no avail$ in the sense of the foregoing
thoughts$ to ma"e general demands on the whole of humanity. )t is easy to decide what men ought
to e0 ut the student wor"s in the depths$ not on the surface. )f would therefore e !uite wrong to
relate the demand here indicated with an external$ least of all political$ demands0 with such matters
this training can have nothing to do. Eolitical agitators "now$ as a rule$ what to demand of other
people0 ut they say little of demands on themselves.
D. This rings us to the third condition. The student must work his way upward to the reali/ation
that his thoughts and feelings are as important for the world as his actions. #t must be reali/ed
that it is eually in(urious to hate a fellow-being as to strike him. The reali3ation will then follow
that y perfecting ourselves we accomplish something not only for ourselves$ ut for the whole
world. The world derives e!ual enefit from our untainted feelings and thoughts as from our good
demeanor$ and as long as we cannot elieve in this cosmic importance of our inner life$ we are unfit
for the path that is here descried. 7e are only filled with the right faith in the significance of our
inner self$ of our soul$ when we wor" at it s though it were at least as real as all external things. 7e
must admit that our every feeling produces an effect$ 'ust as does every action of our hand.
4. These words already express the fourth condition, to acuire the conviction that the real being
of man does not lie in his e0terior but in his interior. (nyone regarding himself as a product of the
outer world$ as a result of the physical world$ cannot succeed in this esoteric training$ for the feeling
that we are eings of soul and spirit forms its very asis. The ac!uisition of this feeling renders the
student fit to distinguish etween inner duty and outward success. /e learns that the one cannot e
directly measured y the other. /e must find the proper mean etween what is indicated y
external conditions and what he recogni3es as the right conduct for himself. /e should not force
upon his environment anything for which it can have no understanding$ ut also he must e !uite
free from the desire to do only what can e appreciated y those around him. The voice of his own
soul struggling honestly toward "nowledge must ring him the one and only recognition of the
truths for which he stands. :ut he must learn as much as he possily can from his environment so
as to discover what those around him need$ and what is good for them. )n this way he will develop
within himself what is "nown in spiritual science as the ;spiritual alance.< (n open heart for the
needs of the outer world lies on one of the scales$ and inner fortitude and unfaltering endurance on
the other.
I. This rings us to the fifth condition, steadfastness in carrying out a resolution. 4othing should
induce the student to deviate from a resolution he may have ta"en$ save only the perception that he
was in error. 8very resolution is a force$ and if this force does not produce an immediate effect at
the point to which it was applied$ it wor"s nevertheless on in its own way. +uccess is only decisive
when an action arises from desire. :ut all actions arising from desire are worthless in relation to the
higher worlds. There$ love for an action is alone the decisive factor. )n this love$ every impulse that
impels the student to action should fulfill itself. Fndismayed y failure$ he will never grow weary of
endeavoring repeatedly to translate some resolution into action. (nd in this way he reaches the
stage of not waiting to see the outward effect of his actions$ ut of contenting himself with
performing them. /e will learn to sacrifice his actions$ even his whole eing$ to the world$ however
the world may receive his sacrifice. 9eadiness for a sacrifice$ for an offering such as this$ must e
shown y all who would pursue the path of esoteric training.
J. A si0th condition is the development of a feeling of thankfulness for everything with which man
is favored. 7e must reali3e that our existence is a gift from the entire universe. /ow much is
needed to enale each one of us to receive and maintain his existenceK /ow much to we not owe to
nature and to our fellow human eingsK Thoughts such as these must come naturally to all who see"
esoteric training$ for if the latter do not feel inclined to entertain them$ they will e incapale of
developing within themselves that all.emracing love which is necessary for the attainment of
higher "nowledge. 4othing can reveal itself to us which we do not love. (nd every revelation must
fill us with than"fulness$ for we ourselves are the richer for it.
7. All these conditions must be united in a seventh, to regard life unceasingly in the manner
demanded by these conditions. The student thus ma"es it possile to give his life the stamp of
uniformity. (ll his modes of expression will$ in this way$ e rought into harmony$ and no longer
contradict each other. (nd thus he will prepare himself for the inner tran!uillity he must attain
during the preliminary steps of his training.
(nyone sincerely showing the good will to fulfill these conditions may decide to see" esoteric
training. /e will then e ready to follow the advice given aove. #uch of his advice may appear to
e merely on the surface$ and many will perhaps say that they did not expect the training to proceed
in such strict forms. :ut everything interior must manifest itself in an exterior way$ and 'ust as a
picture is not evident when it exists only in the mind of the painter$ so$ too$ there can e no esoteric
training without outward expression. ?isregard for strict forms is only shown y those who do not
"now that the exterior is the avenue of expression for the interior. 4o dout it is the spirit that really
matters$ and not the form0 ut 'ust as form without spirit is null and void$ so also would spirit
remain inactive if it did not create for itself a form.
The aove conditions are calculated to render the student strong enough to fulfill the further
demands made on him during this training. )f he fail in these conditions he will hesitate efore each
new demand$ and without them he will lac" that faith in man which he must possess. *or all striving
for truth must e founded on faith in and true love for man. :ut though this is the foundation it is
not the source of all striving for truth$ for such striving can only flow from the soul2s own fountain.
head of strength. (nd the love of man must gradually widen to a love for all living creatures$ yes$ for
all existence. Through failure to fulfill the condition here given$ the student will lac" the perfect love
for everything that fashions and creates$ and the inclination to refrain from all destruction as such.
/e must so train himself that not only in his actions ut also in his words$ feelings$ and thoughts he
will never destroy anything for the sa"e of destruction. /is 'oy must e in growth and life$ and he
must only lend his hand to destruction$ when he is also ale$ through and y means of destruction$
to promote new life. This does not mean that the student must simply loo" on while evil runs riot$
ut rather that he must see" even in evil that side through which he may transform it into good. /e
will then see more and more clearly that evil and imperfection may est e comated y the
creation of the good and the perfect. The student "nows that out of nothing$ nothing can e created$
ut also that the imperfect can e transformed into the perfect. (nyone developing within himself
the disposition to create$ will soon find himself capale of facing evil in the right way.
)t must e clearly reali3ed that the purpose of this training is to uild and not to destroy. The
student should therefore ring with him the good will for sincere and devoted wor"$ and not the
intention to critici3e and destroy. /e should e capale of devotion$ for he must learn what he does
not yet "now0 he should loo" reverently on that which discloses itself. 7or" and devotion$ these are
the fundamental !ualities which must e demanded of the student. +ome come to reali3e that they
are ma"ing no progress$ though in their own opinion they are untiringly active. The reason is that
they have not grasped the meaning of wor" and devotion in the right way. 7or" done for the sa"e of
success will e the least successful$ and learning pursued without devotion will e the least
conducive to progress. 5nly the love of wor"$ and not of success$ leads to progress. (nd if in
learning the student see"s straight thin"ing and sound 'udgment$ he need not stunt his devotion y
douts and suspicions.
7e are not reduced to service su'ection in listening to some information with !uiet devotion and
ecause we do not at once oppose it with our own opinion. (nyone having advanced some way in
the attainment of higher "nowledge "nows that he owes everything to !uiet attention and active
reflection$ and not to willful personal 'udgment. 7e should always ear in mind that we do not need
to learn what we are already ale to 'udge. Therefore if our sole intention is to 'udge$ we can learn
nothing more. 8soteric training$ however$ center in learning0 we must have asolutely the good will
to e learners. )f we cannot understand something$ it is far etter not to 'udge than to 'udge
adversely. 7e can wait until later for a true understanding. The higher we clim the ladder of
"nowledge$ the more do we re!uire the faculty of listening with !uiet devotion. (ll perception of
truth$ all life and activity in the world of the spirit$ ecome sutle and delicate in comparison with
the processes of the ordinary intellect and of life in the physical world. The more the sphere of our
activity widens out efore us$ the more delicate are the processes in which we are engaged. )t is for
this reason that men arrive at such different opinions and points of view regarding the higher
regions. :ut there is one and only one opinion regarding higher truths and this one opinion is
within reach of all who$ through wor" and devotion$ have so risen that they can really ehold truth
and contemplate it. 5pinions differing from the one true opinion can only e arrived at when
people$ insufficiently prepared$ 'udge in accordance with their pet theories$ their haitual ways of
thought$ and so forth. =ust as there is only one correct opinion concerning a mathematical prolem$
so also is this true with regard to the higher worlds. :ut efore such an opinion can e reached$ due
preparation must first e undergone. )f this were only considered$ the conditions attached to
esoteric training would e surprising to none. )t is indeed true that truth and the higher life aide in
every soul$ and that each can and must find them for himself :ut they lie deeply uried$ and can
only e rought up from their deep shafts after all ostacles have een cleared away. 5nly the
experienced can advise how this may e done. +uch advice is found in spiritual science. 4o truth is
forced on anyone0 no dogma is proclaimed0 a way only is pointed out. )t is true that everyone could
find this way unaided$ ut only perhaps after many incarnations. :y esoteric training this way is
shortened. 7e thus reach more !uic"ly a point from which we can cooperate in those worlds where
the salvation and evolution of man are furthered y spiritual wor".
This rings to an end the indications to e given in connection with the attainment of "nowledge of
higher worlds. )n the following chapter$ and in further connection with the aove$ it will e shown
how this development affects the higher elements of the human organism ,the soul.organism or
astral ody$ and the spirit or thought.ody.- )n this way the indications here given will e placed in
a new light$ and it will e possile to penetrate them in a deeper sense.
VI
Soe "esults of Initiation
5ne of the fundamental principles of true spiritual science is that the one who devotes himself to its
study should do so with full consciousness0 he should attempt nothing and practice nothing without
"nowledge of the effect produced. ( teacher of spiritual science who gives advice or instruction will$
at the same time$ always explain to those striving for higher "nowledge the effects produced on
ody$ soul and spirit$ if his advice and instructions e followed.
+ome effects produced upon the soul of the student will here e indicated. *or only those who "now
such things as they are here communicated can underta"e in full consciousness the exercises that
lead to "nowledge of the higher worlds. 7ithout the latter no genuine esoteric training is possile$
for it must e understood that all groping in the dar" is discouraged$ and that failure to pursue this
training with open eyes may lead to mediumship$ ut not to exact clairvoyance in the sense of
spiritual science.
The exercises descried in the preceding chapters$ if practiced in the right way$ involve certain
changes in the organism of the soul ,astral ody-. The latter is only perceptile to the clairvoyant$
and may e compared to a cloud$ psycho.spiritually luminous to a certain degree$ in the center of
which the physical ody is discernile. ,( description will e found in the author2s oo"$
Theosophy.- )n this astral ody desires$ lusts$ passions$ and ideas ecome visile in a spiritual way.
+ensual appetites$ for instance$ create the impression of a dar" red radiance with a definite shape0 a
pure and nole thought finds its expression in a reddish.violet radiance0 the clear.cut concept of the
logical thin"er is experienced as a yellowish figure with sharply defined outline0 the confused
thought of the muddled head appears as a figure with vague outline. The thoughts of a person with
one.sided$ !ueer views appear sharply outlined ut immoile$ while the thoughts of people
accessile to the points of view of others are seen to have moile$ changeale outlines. ,)n all these
and the following descriptions it must e noted that y seeing a color$ spiritual seeing is meant.
7hen the clairvoyant spea"s of ;seeing red$< he means: ;) have an experience$ in a psycho.spiritual
way$ which is e!uivalent to the physical experience when an impression of red is received.< This
mode of expression is here used ecause it is perfectly natural to the clairvoyant. )f this point is
over.loo"ed$ a mere color.vision may easily e mista"en for a genuine clairvoyant experience.-
The further the student advances in his inner development$ the more regular will e the
differentiation within his astral ody. The latter is confused and undifferentiated in the case of a
person of undeveloped inner life0 yet the clairvoyant can perceive even the unorgani3ed astral ody
as a figure standing out distinctly from its environment. )t extends from the center of the head to
the middle of the physical ody$ and appears li"e an independent ody possessing certain organs.
The organs now to e considered are perceptile to the clairvoyant near the following part of the
physical ody: the first etween the eyes0 the second near the larynx0 the third in the region of the
heart0 the fourth in the so.called pit of the stomach0 the fifth and sixth are situated in the adomen.
These organs are technically "nown as wheels$ chakrams$ or lotus flowers. They are so called on
account of their li"eness to wheels or flowers$ ut of course it should e clearly understood that such
an expression is not to e applied more literally than is the term ;wings< when referring to the two
halves of the lungs. =ust as there is no !uestion of wings in the case of the lungs$ so$ too$ in the case
of the lotus flowers the expression must e ta"en figuratively. )n undeveloped persons these lotus
flowers are dar" in color$ motionless and inert. )n the clairvoyant$ however$ they are luminous$
moile$ and of variegated color. +omething of this "ind applies to the medium$ though in a different
way0 this !uestion$ however$ need not e pursued here any further.
4ow$ when the student egins his exercises$ the lotus flowers ecome more luminous0 later on they
egin to revolve. 7hen this occurs$ clairvoyance egins. *or these flowers are the sense.organs of
the soul$ and their revolutions express the fact that the clairvoyant perceives supersensily. 7hat
was said previously concerning spiritual seeing applies e!ually to these revolutions and even to the
lotus flowers themselves. 4o one can perceive the supersensile until he has developed his astral
senses in this way. Than"s to the spiritual organ situated in the vicinity of the larynx$ it ecomes
possile to survey clairvoyantly the thoughts and mentality of other eings$ and to otain a deeper
insight into the true laws of natural phenomena. The organ situated near the heart permits of
clairvoyant "nowledge of the sentiments and disposition of other souls. 7hen developed$ this organ
also ma"es it possile to oserve certain deeper forces in animals and plants. :y means of the organ
in the so.called pit of the stomach$ "nowledge is ac!uired of the talents and capacities of souls0 y
its means$ too$ the part played y animals$ plants$ stones$ metals$ atmospheric phenomena and so
on in the household of nature ecomes apparent.
The organ in the vicinity of the larynx has sixteen petals or spo"es0 the one in the region of the heart
twelve$ and the one in the pit of the stomach ten.
4ow certain activities of the soul are connected with the development of these organs$ and anyone
devoting himself to them in a certain definite way contriutes something to the development of the
corresponding organs. )n the sixteen.petalled lotus$ eight of its sixteen petals were developed in the
remote past during an earlier stage of human evolution. #an himself contriuted nothing to this
development0 he received them as a gift from nature$ at a time when his consciousness was in a dull$
dreamy condition. (t that stage of human evolution they were in active use$ ut the manner of their
activity was only compatile with that dull state of consciousness. (s consciousness ecame clearer
and righter$ the petals ecame oscured and ceased their activity. #an himself can now develop
the remaining eight petals y means of conscious exercises$ and therey the whole lotus flower
ecomes luminous and moile. The ac!uisition of certain faculties depends on the development of
each one of the sixteen petals. 6et$ as already shown$ only eight can e consciously developed0 the
remainder then appear of their own accord.
The development proceeds in the following manner. The student must first apply himself with care
and attention to certain functions of the soul hitherto exercised y him in a careless and inattentive
manner. There are eight such functions. The first is the way in which ideas and conceptions are
acuired. )n this respect people usually allow themselves to e led y chance alone. They see or hear
one thing or another and form their ideas accordingly. (s long as this is the case the sixteen petals
of the lotus flower remain ineffective. )t is only when the student egins to ta"e his self.education in
hand$ in this respect$ that the petals ecome effective. /is ideas and conceptions must e guarded0
each single idea should ac!uire significance fore him0 he should see it in a definite message
instructing him concerning the things of the outer world$ and he should derive no satisfaction from
ideas devoid of such significance. /e must govern his mental life so that it ecomes a true mirror of
the outer world$ and direct his effort to the exclusion of incorrect ideas from his soul.
The second of these functions is concerned with the control of resolutions. The student must not
resolve upon even the most trifling act without well.founded and thorough consideration.
Thoughtless and meaningless actions should e foreign to his nature. /e should have well.
considered grounds for everything he does$ and astain from everything to which no significant
motive urges him.
The third function concerns speech. The student should utter no word that is devoid of sense and
meaning0 all tal"ing for the sa"e of tal"ing draws him away from his path. /e must avoid the usual
"ind of conversation$ with its promiscuous discussion of indiscriminately varied topics. This does
not imply his preclusion from intercourse with his fellows. )t is precisely in such intercourse that his
conversation should develop to significance. /e is ready to converse with everyone$ ut he does so
thoughtfully and with thorough delieration. /e never spea"s without grounds for what he says. /e
see"s to use neither too many nor too few words.
The fourth is the regulation of outward action. The student tries to ad'ust his actions in such a way
that they harmoni3e with the actions of his fellow.men and with the events in his environment. /e
refrains from actions which are disturing to others and in conflict with his surroundings. /e see"s
to ad'ust his actions so that they comine harmoniously with his surroundings and with his position
in life. 7hen an external motive causes him to act he considers how he can est respond. 7hen the
impulse proceeds from himself he weighs with minute care the effects of his activity.
The fifth function includes the management of the whole of life. The student endeavors to live in
conformity with oth nature and spirit. 4ever overhasty$ he is also never indolent. 8xcessive activity
and la3iness are e!ually alien to him. /e loo"s upon life as a means for wor" and disposes it
accordingly. /e regulates his haits and the care of his health in such a way that a harmonious
whole is the outcome.
The si0th is concerned with human endeavor. The student tests his capacities and proficiency$ and
conducts himself in the light of such self. "nowledge. /e attempts nothing eyond his powers$ yet
seems to omit nothing within their scope. 5n the other hand$ he sets himself aims that have to do
with the ideals and the great duties of a human eing. /e does not mechanically regard himself as a
wheel in the vast machinery of man"ind ut see"s to comprehend the tas"s of his life$ and to loo"
out eyond the limit of the daily and trivial. /e endeavors to fulfill his oligations ever etter and
more perfectly.
The seventh deals with the effort to learn as much from life as possible. 4othing passes efore the
student without giving him occasion to accumulate experience which is of value to him for life. )f he
has performed anything wrongly or imperfectly$ he lets this e an incentive for meeting the same
contingency later on rightly and perfectly. 7hen others act he oserves them with the same end in
view. /e tries to gather a rich store of experience$ ever returning to it for counsel0 nor indeed will he
ever do anything without loo"ing ac" on experiences from which he can derive help in his
decisions and affairs.
&inally! the eighth is as follows, The student must! from time to time! glance introspectively into
himself! sink back into himself! take counsel with himself! form and test the fundamental
principles of his life! run over in his thoughts the sum total of his knowledge! weigh his duties! and
reflect upon the content and aim of life. (ll these things have een mentioned in the preceding
chapters0 here they are merely recapitulated in connection with the development of the sixteen.
petalled lotus. :y means of these exercises the latter will ecome ever more and more perfect$ for it
is upon such exercises that the development of clairvoyance depends. The etter the student2s
thoughts and speech harmoni3e with the processes in the outer world$ the more !uic"ly will he
develop this faculty. 7hoever thin"s and spea"s what is contrary to truth destroys something in the
germ of his sixteen.petalled lotus. Truthfulness$ uprightness$ and honesty are in this connection
creative forces$ while mendacity$ deceitfulness$ and dishonesty are destructive forces. The student
must reali3e$ however$ that actual deeds are needed$ and not merely good intentions. )f ) thin" or
say anything that does not conform with reality$ ) "ill something in my spiritual organs$ even
though ) elieve my intentions to e ever so good. )t is here as with the child which needs must urn
itself when it touches fire$ even though it did so out of ignorance. The regulation of the aove
activities of the soul in the manner descried causes the sixteen.petalled lotus to shine in glorious
hues$ and imparts to it a definite movement. 6et it must e noted that the faculty of clairvoyance
cannot ma"e its appearance efore a definite degree of development of the soul has een reached. )t
cannot appear as long as it is ir"some for the student to regulate his life in this manner. /e is still
unfit as long as the activities descried aove are a matter of special pre.occupation for him The
first traces of clairvoyance only appear when he has reached the point of eing ale to live in the
specified way$ as a person haitually lives. These things must then no longer e laorious$ ut must
have ecome a matter of course. There must e no need for him to e continually watching himself
and urging himself on to live in this way. )t must all have ecome a matter of hait.
4ow this lotus flower may e made to develop in another way y following certain other
instructions. :ut all such methods are re'ected y true spiritual science$ for they lead to the
destruction of physical health and to moral ruin. They are easier to follow than those here
descried. The latter$ though protracted and difficult$ lead to the true goal and cannot ut
strengthen morally.
The distorted development of a lotus flower results not only in illusions and fantastic conceptions$
should a certain degree of clairvoyance e ac!uired$ ut also in errors and instaility in ordinary
life. +uch a development may e the cause of timidity$ envy$ vanity$ haughtiness$ willfulness and so
on in a person who hitherto was free from these defects. )t has already een explained that eight of
the sixteen petals of this lotus flower were developed in a remote past$ and that these will re.appear
of themselves in the course of esoteric development. (ll the effort and attention of the student must
e devoted to the remaining eight. *aulty training may easily result in the re.appearance of the
earlier petals alone$ while the new petals remain stunted. This will ensue especially if too little
logical$ rational thin"ing is employed in the training. )t is of supreme importance that the student
should e a rational and clear.thin"ing person$ and of further importance that he should practice
the greatest clarity of speech. Eeople who egin to have some presentiment of supersensile things
are apt to wax tal"ative on this su'ect$ therey retarding their normal development. The less one
tal"s aout these matters the etter. 5nly someone who has achieved a certain degree of clarity
should spea" aout them. (t the eginning of their instruction$ students are as a rule astonishes at
the teacher2s lac" of curiosity concerning their own experiences. )t would e much etter for them to
remain entirely silent on this su'ect$ and to content themselves with mentioning only whether they
have een successful or unsuccessful in performing the exercises and oserving the instructions
given them. *or the teacher has !uite other means of estimating their progress than the students2
own statements. The eight petals now under consideration always ecome a little hardened through
such statements$ whereas they should e "ept soft and supple. The following example ta"en$ for the
sa"e of clarity$ not from the supersensile world ut from ordinary life$ will illustrate this point.
+uppose ) hear a piece of news and thereupon immediately form an opinion. +hortly afterwards )
receive some further news which does not tally with the previous information. ) am therey oliged
to reverse my previous 'udgment. The result is an unfavorale influence upon my sixteen.petalled
lotus. Luite the contrary would have een the case had )$ in the first place$ suspended 'udgment$
and remained silent oth inwardly in thought and outwardly in word concerning the whole affair$
until ) had ac!uired reliale grounds for forming my 'udgment. Caution in the formation and
pronouncement of 'udgments ecomes$ y degrees$ the special characteristic of the student. 5n the
other hand his receptivity for impressions and experiences increases0 he lets them pass over him
silently$ so as to collect and have the largest possile numer of facts at his disposal when the time
comes to form his opinions. :luish.red and reddish.pin" shades color the lotus flower as the result
of such circumspection$ whereas in the opposite case dar" red and orange shades appear. ,+tudents
will recogni3e in the conditions attached to the development of the sixteen.petalled lotus the
instructions given y the :uddha to his disciples for the Eath. 6et there is no !uestion here of
teaching :uddhism$ ut of descriing conditions governing development which are the natural
outcome of spiritual science. The fact that these conditions correspond with certain teachings of the
:uddha is no reason for not finding them true in themselves.-
The twelve.petalled lotus situated in the region of the heart is developed in a similar way. /alf its
petals$ too$ were already existent and in active use in a remote stage of human evolution. /ence
these six petals need not now e especially developed in esoteric training0 they appear of themselves
and egin to revolve when the student sets to wor" on the other six. /ere again he learns to
promote this development y consciously controlling and directing certain inner activities in a
special way.
)t must e clearly understood that the perceptions of each single organ of soul or sprit ear a
different character. The twelve and sixteen.petalled lotus flowers transmit !uite different
perceptions. The latter perceives forms. The thoughts and mentality of other eings and the laws
governing natural phenomena ecome manifest$ through the sixteen.petalled lotus$ as figures$ not
rigid motionless figures ut moile forms filled with life. The clairvoyant in whom this sense is
developed can descrie$ for every mode of thought and for every law of nature$ a form which
expresses them. ( revengeful thought$ for example$ assumes an arrow.li"e$ pronged form$ while a
"indly thought is often formed li"e an opening flower$ and so on. Clear.cut$ significant thoughts are
regular and symmetrical in form$ while confused thoughts have wavy outlines. Luite different
perceptions are received through the twelve.petalled lotus. These perceptions may$ in a sense$ e
li"ened to warmth and cold$ as applied to the soul. ( clairvoyant e!uipped with this faculty feels this
warmth and cold streaming out from the forms discerned y the sixteen.petalled lotus. /ad he
developed the sixteen and not the twelve.petalled lotus he would only perceive$ in the "indly
thought$ for instance$ the figure descried aove$ while a clairvoyant in whom oth senses were
developed would also notice what can only e descried as soul.warmth$ flowing from the thought.
)t would e noted in passing that esoteric training never develops one organ without the other$ so
that the aove.mentioned example may e regarded as a hypothetical case in ehalf of clarity. The
twelve.petalled lotus$ when developed$ reveals to the clairvoyant a deep understanding of the
processes of nature. 9ays of soul.warmth issue from every manifestation of growth and
development$ while everything in the process of decay$ destruction$ ruin$ gives an impression of
cold.
The development of this sense may e furthered in the following manner. To begin with! the
student endeavors to regulate his seuence of thought 3control of thought$. =ust as the sixteen.
petalled lotus is developed y cultivating thoughts that conform with truth and are significant$ so$
too$ the twelve.petalled lotus is developed y inwardly controlling the trains of thought. Thoughts
that dart to and fro li"e will.o2.the.wisps and follow each other in no logical or rational se!uence$
ut merely y pure chance$ destroy its form. The closer thought is made to follow upon thought$ and
the more strictly everything of illogical nature is avoided$ the more suitale will e the form this
sense organ develops. )f the student hears illogical thoughts he immediately lets the right thoughts
pass through his mind. /e should not$ however$ withdraw in a loveless way from what is perhaps an
illogical environment in order to further his own development. 4either should he feel himself
impelled to correct all the illogical thoughts expressed around him. /e should rather silently co.
ordinate the thoughts as they pour in upon him$ and ma"e them conform to logic and sense$ and at
the same time endeavor in every case to retain this same method in his own thin"ing.
An eual consistency in his actions forms the second reuirement 3control of actions$. (ll
inconstancy$ all disharmony of action$ is aneful for the lotus here in !uestion. 7hen the student
performs some action he must see to it that his succeeding action follows in logical se!uence$ for if
he acts from day to day with variale intent he will never develop the faculty here considered.
The third reuirement is the cultivation of endurance 3perseverance$. The student is impervious to
all influences which would divert him from the goal he has set himself$ as long as he can regard it as
the right goal. *or him$ ostacles contain a challenge that impels him to surmount them$ ut never a
reason for giving up.
The fourth reuirement is forbearance 3tolerance$ toward persons! creatures! and also
circumstances. The student suppresses all superfluous criticism of everything that is imperfect$ evil
and ad$ and see"s rather to understand everything that comes under his notice. 8ven as the sun
does not withdraw its light from the ad and the evil$ so he$ too$ does not refuse them an intelligent
sympathy. +hould some troule efall him he does not proceed to condemn and critici3e$ ut
accepts the inevitale$ and endeavors to the est of his aility to give the matter a turn for the est.
/e does not consider the opinions of others merely from his own standpoint$ ut see"s to put
himself into the other2s position.
The fifth reuirement is impartiality toward everything that life brings. )n this connection we
spea" of faith and trust. The student meets every human eing and every creature with this trust$
and lets it inspire his every action. Fpon hearing some information$ he never says to himself: ;)
don2t elieve it0 it contradicts my present opinions.< /e is far rather ready to test and rectify his
views and opinions. /e ever remains receptive for everything that confronts him$ and he trusts in
the efficacy of his underta"ings. Timidity and s"epticism are anished from his eing. /e harors a
faith in the power of his intentions. ( hundred failures cannot ro him of this faith. This is the
;faith which can move mountains.)
The si0th reuirement is the cultivation of a certain inner balance 3euanimity$. The student
endeavors to retain his composure in the face of 'oy and sorrow$ and eradicates the tendency to
fluctuate etween the seventh heaven of 'oy and the depths of despair. #isfortune and danger$
fortune and advancement ali"e find him ready armed.
The reader will recogni3e in the !ualities here descried the six attributes which the candidate for
initiation strives to ac!uire. The intention has een to show their connection with the spiritual
organ "nown as the twelve.petalled lotus flower. (s efore$ special instructions can e given to
ring this lotus flower to fruition$ ut here again the perfect symmetry of its form depends on the
development of the !ualities mentioned$ the neglect of which results in this organ eing formed into
a caricature of its proper shape. )n this case$ should a certain clairvoyance e attained$ the !ualities
in !uestion may ta"e an evil instead of a good direction. ( person may ecome intolerant$ timid$ or
contentious toward his environment0 may$ for instance$ ac!uire some feeling for the sentiments of
others$ and for this reason shun them or hate them. This may even reach the point where$ y reason
of the inner coldness that overwhelms him when he hears repugnant opinions$ he is unale to listen$
or he may ehave in an o'ectionale manner.
The development of this organ may e accelerated if$ in addition to all that has een stated$ certain
other in'unctions are oserved which can only e imparted to the student y word of mouth. 6et the
instructions given aove do actually lead to genuine esoteric training$ and more.over$ the regulation
of life in the way descried can e advantageous to all who cannot or will not undergo esoteric
training. *or it does not fail to produce an effect upon the organism of the soul$ even though slowly.
(s regards the esoteric student$ the oservance of these principles is indispensale. +hould he
attempt esoteric training without conforming to them$ this could only result in his entering the
higher worlds with inade!uate organs$ and instead of perceiving the truth he would e su'ect to
deceptions and illusions. /e would attain a certain clairvoyance$ ut for the most part$ e the victim
of greater lindness than efore. *ormerly he at least stood firmly within the physical world0 now he
loo"s eyond this physical world and grows confused aout it efore ac!uiring a firm footing in a
higher world. (ll power of distinguishing truth from error would then perhaps fail him$ and he
would entirely lose his way in life. )t is 'ust for this reason that patience is so necessary in these
matters. )t must ever e orne in mind that the instructions given in esoteric training may go no
further than is compatile with the willing readiness shown to develop the lotus flowers to their
regular shape. +hould these flowers e rought to fruition efore they have !uietly attained their
correct form$ mere caricatures would e the result. Their maturity can e rought aout y the
special instructions given in esoteric training$ ut their form is dependent on the method of life
descried aove.
(n inner training of a particularly intimate character is necessary for the development of the ten.
petalled lotus flower$ for it is now a !uestion of learning consciously to control and dominate the
sense.impressions themselves. This is of particular importance in the initial stages of clairvoyance$
for it is only y this means that a source of countless illusions and fancies is avoided. Eeople as a
rule do not reali3e y what factors their sudden ideas and memories are dominated$ and how they
are produced. Consider the following case. +omeone is traveling y railway0 his mind is usy with
one thought0 suddenly is thought diverges0 he recollects an experience that efell him years ago and
interweaves it with his present thought. /e did not notice that in loo"ing through the window he
had caught sight of a person who resemled another intimately connected with the recollected
experience. /e remains conscious$ not of what he saw$ ut of the effect it produced$ and thus
elieves that it all came to him of its own accords. /ow much in life occurs in such a wayK /ow great
is the part played in our life y things we hear and learn$ without our consciously reali3ing the
connectionK +omeone$ for instance$ cannot ear a certain color$ ut does not reali3e that this is due
to the fact that the schoolmaster who used to worry him many years ago wore a coat of that color.
)nnumerale illusions are ased upon such associations. #any things leave their mar" upon the
soul while remaining outside the pale of consciousness. The following may occur. +omeone reads in
the paper aout the death of a well."nown person$ and forthwith claims to have had a presentiment
of it yesterday$ although he had neither heard nor seen anything that might have given rise to such a
thought. (nd indeed it is !uite true that the thought occurred to him yesterday$ as though of its own
accord$ that this particular person would die0 only one thing escaped his attention: two or three
hours efore this thought occurred to him yesterday$ he went to visit an ac!uaintance0 a newspaper
lay on the tale0 he did not actually read it$ ut his eyes unconsciously fell on the announcement of
the dangerous illness of the person in !uestion. /e remained unconscious of the impression he had
received$ and yet this impression resulted in his presentiment.
9eflection upon these matters will show how great is the source of illusion and fantasy contained in
such associations. )t is 'ust this source which must e dammed up y all who see" to develop their
ten.petalled lotus flower. ?eeply hidden characteristics in other souls can e perceived y this
organ$ ut their truth depends on the attainment of immunity from the aove.mentioned illusions.
*or this purpose it is necessary that the student should control and dominate everything that see"s
to influence him from outside. /e should reach the point of really receiving no impressions eyond
those he wishes to receive. This can only e achieved y the development of a powerful inner life0 y
an effort of the will he only allows such things to impress him to which his attention is directed$ and
he actually evades all impressions to which he does not voluntarily respond. )f he sees something it
is ecause he wills to see it$ and if he does not voluntarily ta"e notice of something it is actually non.
existent for him. The greater the energy and inner activity devoted to this wor"$ the more
extensively will this faculty e attained. The student must avoid all vacuous ga3ing and mechanical
listening. *or him only those things exist to which he turns his eye or his ear. /e must practice the
power of hearing nothing$ even in the greatest disturance$ if he does not will to hear0 and he must
ma"e his eyes unimpressionale to things of which he does not particularly ta"e notice. /e must e
shielded as y an inner armor against all unconscious impressions. )n this connection the student
must devote special care to his thought.life. /e singles out a particular thought and endeavors to
lin" with it only such other thoughts as he can himself consciously and voluntarily produce. /e
re'ects all casual ideas and does not connect this thought with another until he has investigated the
origin of the latter. /e goes still further. )f$ for instance$ he feels a particular antipathy for
something$ he will comat it and endeavor to estalish a conscious relation etween himself and the
thing in !uestion. )n this way the unconscious elements that intrude into his soul will ecome fewer
and fewer. 5nly y such severe self.discipline can the ten.petalled lotus flower attain its proper
form. The student2s inner life must ecome a life of attention$ and he must learn really to hold at a
distance everything to which he should not or does not wish to direct his attention.
)f this strict self.discipline e accompanied y meditation as prescried in esoteric training$ the
lotus flower in the region of the pit of the stomach comes to maturity in the right way$ and light and
color of a spiritual "ind are now added to the form and warmth perceptile to the organs descried
aove. The talents and faculties of other eings are therey revealed$ also the forces and the hidden
attriutes of nature. The colored aura of living creatures then ecomes visile0 all that is around us
manifests its spiritual attriutes. )t must e understood that the very greatest care is necessary at
this stage of development$ for the play of unconscious memories is here exceedingly active. )f this
were not the case$ many people would possess this inner sense$ for it comes almost immediately
into evidence when the impressions delivered y the outer senses are held so completely under
control that they ecome dependent on nothing save attention or inattention. This inner sense
remains ineffective as long as the powerful outer sense smother and enum it.
+till greater difficulty attends the development of the six.petalled lotus flower situated in the center
of the ody$ for it can only e achieved as the result of complete mastery and control of the whole
personality through consciousness of self$ so that ody$ soul and spirit form one harmonious whole.
The functions of the ody$ the inclinations and passions of the soul$ the thoughts and ideas of the
spirit must e tuned to perfect unison. The ody must e so ennoled and purified that its organs
incite to nothing that is not in the service of soul and spirit. The soul must not e impelled through
the ody to lusts and passions which are antagonistic to pure and nole thought. 6et the spirit must
not stand li"e a slave.driver over the soul$ dominating it with laws and commandments0 the soul
must rather learn to oey these laws and duties out of its own free inclination. The student must not
feel duty to e an oppressive power to which he unwillingly sumits$ ut rather something which he
performs out of love. /is tas" is to develop a free soul that maintains e!uilirium etween ody and
spirit$ and he must perfect himself in this way to the extent of eing free to aandon himself to the
functions of the senses$ for these should e so purified that they lose the power to drag him down to
their level. /e must no longer re!uire to cur his passions$ in as much as they of their own accord
follow the good. +o long as self.chastisement is necessary$ no one can pass a certain stage of esoteric
development0 for a virtue practiced under constraint if futile. )f there is any lust remaining$ it
interferes with esoteric development$ however great the effort made not to humor it. 4or does it
matter whether this desire proceeds from the soul or the ody. *or example$ if a certain stimulant
e avoided for the purpose of self.purification$ this deprivation will only prove helpful if the ody
suffers no harm from it. +hould the contrary to e the case$ this proves that the ody craves the
stimulant$ and that astinence from it is of no value. )n this case it may actually e a !uestion of
renouncing the ideal to e attained$ until more favorale physical conditions$ perhaps in another
life$ shall e forthcoming. ( wise renunciation may e a far greater achievement than the struggle
for something which$ under given conditions$ remains unattainale. )ndeed$ a renunciation of this
"ind contriutes more toward development than the opposite course.
The six.petalled lotus flower$ when developed$ permits intercourse with eings of higher worlds$
though only when their existence is manifested in the astral or soul.world. The development of this
lotus flower$ however$ is not advisale unless the student has made great progress on that path of
esoteric development which enales him to raise his spirit into a still higher world. This entry into
the spiritual world proper must always run parallel with the development of the lotus flowers$
otherwise the student will fall into error and confusion. /e would undoutedly e ale to see$ ut he
would remain incapale of forming a correct estimate of what he saw. 4ow$ the development of the
six.petalled lotus flower itself provides a certain security against confusion and instaility$ for no
one can e easily confused who has attained perfect e!uilirium etween sense ,or ody-$ passion
,or soul-$ and idea ,or spirit-. (nd yet$ something more than this security is re!uired when$ through
the development of the six.petalled lotus flower$ living eings of independent existence are revealed
to his spirit$ eings elonging to a world so completely different from the world "nown to his
physical senses. The development of the lotus flowers alone does not assure sufficient security in
these higher worlds0 still higher organs are necessary. The latter will now e descried efore the
remaining lotus flowers and the further organi3ation of the soul.ody are discussed. ,This
expression & soul.ody & although oviously contradictory when ta"en literally$ is used ecause to
clairvoyant perception the impression received spiritually corresponds to the impression received
physically when the physical ody is perceived.-
The development of the soul.ody in the manner descried aove permits perception in a
supersensile world$ ut anyone wishing to find his way in this world must not remain stationary at
this stage of development. The mere moility of the lotus flowers is not sufficient. The student must
ac!uire the power of regulating and controlling the movement of his spiritual organs independently
and with complete consciousness0 otherwise he would ecome a plaything for external forces and
powers. To avoid this he must ac!uire the faculty of hearing what is called the inner world$ and this
involves the development not only of the soul.ody ut also of the etheric ody. The latter is that
tenuous ody revealed to the clairvoyant as a "ind of doule of the physical ody$ and forms to a
certain extent an intermediate step etween the soul nature and the physical ody. ,+ee the
description on the author2s oo" Theosophy.- )t is possile for one e!uipped with clairvoyant
powers consciously to suggest away the physical ody of a person. This corresponds on a higher
plane to an exercise in attentiveness on a lower plane. =ust as a person can divert his attention from
something in front of him so that it ecomes non.existent for him$ the clairvoyant can extinguish a
physical ody from his field of oservation so that it ecomes physically transparent to him. )f he
exerts this faculty in the case of some person standing efore him$ there remains visile to his
clairvoyant sight only the etheric ody$ esides the soul.ody which is larger than the other two &
etheric and physical odies & and interpenetrates them oth. The etheric ody has approximately
the si3e and form of the physical ody$ so that it practically fills the same space. )t is an extremely
delicate and finely organi3ed structure. ,) eg the physicist not to e distured at the expression
;etheric ody<. The word ether here is merely used to suggest the fineness of the ody in !uestion$
and need not in any way e connected with the hypothetical ether of physics.-
)ts ground.color is different from any of the seven colors contained in the rainow. (nyone capale
of oserving it will find a color which is actually non.existent for sense perception ut to which the
color of the young peach.lossom may e comparale. )f desired$ the etheric ody can e examined
alone0 for this purpose the soul.ody must e extinguished y an effort of attentiveness in the
manner descried aove. 5therwise the etheric ody will present an ever changing picture owing to
its interpenetration y the soul.ody.
4ow$ the particles of the etheric ody are in continual motion. Countless currents stream through it
in every direction. :y these currents$ life itself is maintained and regulated. 8very ody that has life$
including animals and plants$ possesses an etheric ody. 8ven in minerals traces of it can e
oserved. These currents and movements are$ to egin with$ independent of human will and
consciousness$ 'ust as the action of the heart or stomach is eyond our 'urisdiction$ and this
independence remains unaltered so long as we do not ta"e our development in hand in the sense of
ac!uiring supersensile faculties. *or$ at a certain stage$ development consists precisely in adding to
the unconscious currents and movements of the etheric ody others that are consciously produced
and controlled.
7hen esoteric development has progressed so far that the lotus flowers egin to stir$ much has
already een achieved y the student which can result in the formation of certain !uite definite
currents and movements in his etheric ody. The o'ect of this development is the formation of a
"ind of center in the region of the physical heart$ from which radiate currents and movements in the
greatest possile variety of colors and forms. The center is in reality not a mere point$ ut a most
complicated structure$ a most wonderful organ. )t glows and shimmers with every shade of color
and displays forms of great symmetry$ capale of rapid transformation. 5ther forms and streams of
color radiate from this organ to the other parts of the ody$ and eyond it to the astral ody$
completely penetrating and illuminating it. The most important of these currents flow to the lotus
flowers. They permeate each petal and regulate its revolutions0 then streaming out at the points of
the petals$ they lose themselves in outer space. The higher the development of a person$ the greater
the circumference to which these rays extend.
The twelve.petalled lotus flower has a particularly close connection with this central organ. The
currents flow directly into it and through it$ proceeding on the one side to the sixteen and the two.
petalled lotus flowers$ and on the other$ the lower side$ to the flowers of eight$ six and four petals. )t
is for this reason that the very greatest care must e devoted to the development of the twelve.
petalled lotus$ for an imperfection in the latter would result in irregular formation of the whole
structure. The aove will give an idea of the delicate and intimate nature of esoteric training$ and of
the accuracy needed if the development is to e regular and correct. )t will also e evident eyond
dout that directions for the development of supersensile faculties can only e the concern of those
who have themselves experienced everything which they propose to awa"en in others$ and who are
un!uestionaly in a position to "now whether the directions they give lead to the exact results
desired. )f the student follows the directions that have een given him$ he introduces into his etheric
ody currents and movements which are in harmony with the laws and the evolution of the world to
which he elongs. Conse!uently these instructions are reflections of the great laws of cosmic
evolution. They consist of the aove.mentioned and similar exercises in meditation and
concentration which$ if correctly practiced$ produce the results descried. The student must at
certain times let these instructions permeate his soul with their content$ so that he is inwardly
entirely filled with it. ( simple start is made with a view to the deepening of the logical activity of
the mind and the producing of an inward intensification of thought. Thought it therey made free
and independent of all sense impressions and experiences0 it is concentrated in one point which is
held entirely under control. Thus a preliminary center is formed for the currents of the etheric ody.
This center is not yet in the region of the heart ut in the head$ and it appears to the clairvoyant as
the point of departure for movements and currents. 4o esoteric training can e successful which
does not first create this center. )f the latter were first formed in the region of the heart the aspiring
clairvoyant would doutless otain glimpses of the higher worlds$ ut would lac" all true insight
into the connection etween these higher worlds and the world of our senses. This$ however$ is an
unconditional necessity for man at the present stage of evolution. The clairvoyant must not ecome
a visionary0 he must retain a firm footing upon the earth.
The center in the head$ once duly fixed$ is then moved lower down$ to the region of the larynx. This
is effected y further exercises in concentration. Then the currents of the etheric ody radiate from
this point and illumine the astral space surrounding the individual.
Continued practice enales the student to determine for himself the position of this etheric ody.
/itherto this position depended upon external forces proceeding from the physical ody. Through
further development the student is ale to turn his etheric ody to all sides. This faculty is effected
y currents moving approximately along oth hands and centered in the two.petalled lotus in the
region of the eyes. (ll this is made possile through the radiations from the larynx assuming round
forms$ of which a numer flow to the two.petalled lotus and thence form undulating currents along
the hands. (s a further development$ these currents ranch out and ramify in the most delicate
manner and ecome$ as it were$ a "ind of we which then encompasses the entire etheric ody as
though with a networ". 7hereas hitherto the etheric ody was not closed to the outer world$ so that
the life currents from the universal ocean of life flowed freely in and out$ these currents now have to
pass through this memrane. Thus the individual ecomes sensitive to these external streams0 they
ecome perceptile to him.
(nd now the time has come to give the complete system of currents and movements its center
situated in the region of the heart. This again is effected y persevering with the exercises in
concentration and meditation0 and at this point also the stage is reached when the student ecomes
gifted with the inner word. (ll things now ac!uire a new significance for him. They ecome as it
were spiritually audile in their innermost self$ and spea" to him of their essential eing. The
currents descried aove place him in touch with the inner eing of the world to which he elongs.
/e egins to mingle his life with the life of his environment and can let it revererate in the
movements of his lotus flowers.
(t this point the spiritual world is entered. )f the student has advanced so far$ he ac!uires a new
understanding for all that the great teachers of humanity have uttered. The sayings of the :uddha
and the %ospels$ for instance$ produce a new effect on him. They pervade him with a rapture of
which he had not dreamed efore. *or the tone of their words follows the movements and rhythms
which he has himself formed within himself. /e can now have positive "nowledge that a :uddha or
the 8vangelists did not utter their own revelations ut those which flowed into them from the
inmost eing of all things. ( fact must here e pointed out which can only e understood in the light
of what has een said aove. The many repetitions in the sayings of the :uddha are not
comprehensile to people of our present evolutionary stage. *or the esoteric student$ however$ they
ecome a force on which he gladly lets his inner senses rest$ for they correspond with certain
movements in the etheric ody. ?evotional surrender to them$ with perfect inner peace$ creates an
inner harmony with these movements0 and ecause the latter are an image of certain cosmic
rhythms which also at certain points repeat themselves and revert to former modes$ the student
listening to the wisdom of the :uddha unites his life with that of the cosmic mysteries.
)n esoteric training there is !uestion of four attributes which must e ac!uired on the so.called
preparatory path for the attainment of higher "nowledge. The first is the faculty of discriminating in
thoughts etween truth and appearance or mere opinion. The second attriute is the correct
estimation of what is inwardly true and real$ as against what is merely apparent. The third rests in
the practice of the six !ualities already mentioned in the preceding pages: thought.control$ control
of actions$ perseverance$ tolerance$ faith and e!uanimity. The fourth attriute is the love of inner
freedom.
( mere intellectual understanding of what is included in these attriutes is of no value. They must
e so incorporated into the soul that they form the asis of inner haits. Consider$ for instance$ the
first of these attriutes: The discrimination etween truth and appearance. The student must so
train himself that$ as a matter of course$ he distinguishes in everything that confronts him etween
the non.essential elements and those that are significant and essential. /e will only succeed in this
if$ in his oservation of the outer world$ he !uietly and patiently ever and again repeats the attempt.
(nd at the end he will naturally single out the essential and the true at a glance$ whereas formerly
the non.essential$ the transient$ too$ could content him. ;(ll that is transient is ut a seeming<
34Alles 5erg6nglich ist nur ein 7leichnis!) %oethe$ &aust ##. - is a truth which ecomes an
un!uestionale conviction of the soul. The same applies to the remaining three of the four attriutes
mentioned.
4ow these four inner haits do actually produce a transformation of the delicate human etheric
ody. :y the first$ discrimination etween truth and appearance$ the center in the head already
descried is formed and the center in the region of the larynx prepared. The actual development of
these centers is of course dependent on the exercises in concentration descried aove0 the latter
ma"e for development and the four attriutes ring to fruition. 5nce the center in the larynx has
een prepared$ the free control of the etheric ody and its enclosure within a networ" covering$ as
explained aove$ results from the correct estimation of what is true as against what is apparent and
non.essential. )f the student ac!uires this faculty of estimation$ the facts of the higher worlds will
gradually ecome perceptile to him. :ut he must not thin" that he has to perform only such
actions which appear significant when 'udged y the standard of a mere intellectual estimate. The
most trifling action$ every little thing accomplished$ has something of importance in the great
cosmic household$ and it is merely a !uestion of eing aware of this importance. ( correct
estimation of the affairs of daily life is re!uired$ not an underestimation of them. The six virtues of
which the third attriute consists have already een dealt with0 they are connected with the
development of the twelve.petalled lotus in the region of the heart$ and$ as already indicated$ it is to
this center that the life.currents of the etheric ody must e directed. The fourth attriute$ the
longing for lieration$ serves to ring to fruition the etheric organ in the heart region. 5nce this
attriute ecomes an inner hait$ the individual frees himself from everything which depends only
upon the faculties of his own personal nature. /e ceases to view things from his own separate
standpoint$ and the oundaries of his own narrow self fettering him to this point of view disappear.
The secrets of the spiritual world gain access to his inner self. This is lieration. *or those fetters
constrain the individual to regard tings and eings in a manner corresponding to his own personal
traits. )t is from this personal manner of regarding things that the student must ecome lierated
and free.
)t will e clear from the aove that the instructions given in esoteric training exert a determining
influence reaching the innermost depths of human nature. +uch are the instructions regarding the
four !ualities mentioned aove. They can e found in one form or another in all the great
cosmogonies that ta"e account of the spiritual world. The founders of the great cosmogonies did not
give man"ind these teachings from some vague feeling. They gave them for the good reason that
they were great initiates. 5ut of their "nowledge did they shape their moral teachings. They "new
how these would act upon the finer nature of man$ and desired that their followers should gradually
achieve the development of this finer nature. To live in the sense of these great cosmogonies means
to wor" for the attainment of personal spiritual perfection. 5nly y so doing can man ecome a
servant of the world and of humanity. +elf.perfection is y no means self.see"ing$ for the imperfect
man is an imperfect servant of the world and of humanity. The more perfect a man is$ the etter
does he serve the world. ;)f the rose adorns itself$ it adorns the garden.<
The founders of the great cosmogonies are therefore the great initiates. Their teaching flows into the
soul of men$ and thus$ with humanity$ the whole world moves forward. Luite consciously did they
wor" to further this evolutionary process of humanity. Their teachings can only e understood if it
e rememered that they are the product of "nowledge of the innermost depths of human nature.
The great initiates "new$ and it is out of their "nowledge that they shaped the ideals of humanity.
(nd man approaches these great leaders when he uplifts himself$ in his own development$ to their
heights.
( completely new life opens out efore the student when the development of his etheric ody egins
in the way descried aove$ and at the proper time$ in the course of his training$ he must receive
that enlightenment which enales him to adapt himself to this new existence. The sixteen.petalled
lotus$ for instance$ enales him to perceive spiritual figures of a higher world. /e must learn now
how different these figures can e when caused y different o'ects or eings. )n the first place$ he
must notice that his own thoughts and feelings exert a powerful influence on certain of these
figures$ on others little or no influence. 5ne "ind of figure alters immediately if the oserver$ upon
seeing it$ says to himself: ;that is eautiful$< and then in the course of his oservation changes this
thought to: ;that is useful.< )t is characteristic of the forms proceeding from minerals or from
artificial o'ects that they change under the influence of every thought and every feeling directed
upon them y the oserver. This applies in a lesser degree to the forms elonging to plants$ and still
less to those corresponding to animals. These figures$ too$ are full of life and motion$ ut this
motion is only partially due to the influence of human thoughts and feelings0 in other respects it is
produced y causes which are eyond human influence. 4ow$ there appears within this whole world
a species of form which remains almost entirely unaffected y human influence. The student can
convince himself that these forms proceed neither from minerals nor from artificial o'ects$ nor$
again$ from plants or animals. To gain complete understanding$ he must study those forms which
he can reali3e to have proceeded from the feelings$ instincts$ and passions of human eings. 6et he
can find that these forms too are influenced y his own thoughts and feelings$ if only to a relatively
small extent. :ut there always remains a residuum of forms in this world upon which such
influences are negligile. )ndeed$ at the outset of this career the student can perceive little eyond
this residuum. /e can only discover its nature y oserving himself. /e then learns what forms he
himself produces$ for his will$ his wishes$ and so on$ are expressed in these forms. (n instinct that
dwells in him$ a desire that fills him$ an intention that he harors$ and so forth$ are all manifested in
these forms: his whole character displays itself in this world of forms. Thus y his conscious
thoughts and feelings a person can exercise an influence on all forms which do not proceed from
himself0 ut over those which he rings aout in the higher world$ once he has created them. 4ow$
it follows from what has een said that on this higher plan man2s inner life of instincts$ desires$
ideas displays itself outwardly in definite forms$ 'ust li"e all the other eings and o'ects. To higher
"nowledge$ the inner world appears as part of the outer world. )n a higher world man2s inner eing
confronts him as a reflected image$ 'ust as though in the physical world he were surrounded y
mirrors and could oserve his physical ody in that way.
(t this stage of development the student has reached the point where he can free himself from the
illusion resulting from the initiation of his personal self. /e can now oserve that inner self as outer
world$ 'ust as he hitherto regarded as outer world everything that affected his senses. Thus he learns
y gradual experience to deal with himself as hitherto he dealt with the eings around him.
7ere the student to otain an insight into these spiritual worlds without sufficient preparation
regarding their nature$ he would find himself confronted y the picture of his own soul as though y
an enigma. There his own desires and passions confront him in animal or$ more rarely$ in human
forms. )t is true that animal forms of this world are never !uite similar to those of the physical
world$ yet they possess a remote resemlance: inexpert oservers often ta"e them to e identical.
4ow$ upon entering this world$ an entirely new method of 'udgment must e ac!uired0 for apart
from the fact that things actually pertaining to inner nature appear as outer world$ they also ear
the character of mirrored reflections of what they really are. 7hen$ for instance$ a numer is
perceived$ it must e read in reverse$ as a picture in a mirror: CJI would mean here in reality$ IJC.
( sphere is perceived as thought from its center.
This inner perception must then e translated in the right way. The !ualities of the soul appear
li"ewise as in a mirror. ( wish directed toward an outer o'ect appears as a form moving toward the
person wishing. Eassions residing in the lower part of human nature can assume animal forms or
similar shapes that hurl themselves against the individual. )n reality$ these passions are headed
outward0 they see" satisfaction in the outer world$ ut this striving outward appears in the mirrored
reflection as an attac" on the individual from whom they proceed.
)f the student$ efore attaining insight into higher worlds$ has learned y !uiet and sincere self.
oservation to reali3ed the !ualities and the defects of his own character$ he will then$ at the
moment when his own inner self confronts him as a mirrored image$ find strength and courage to
conduct himself in the right way. Eeople who have failed to test themselves in this way$ and are
insufficiently ac!uainted with their own inner self$ will not recogni3e themselves in their own
mirrored image and will mista"e it for an alien reality. 5r they may ecome alarmed at the vision
and$ ecause they cannot endure the sight$ deceive themselves into elieving the whole thing is
nothing ut an illusion which cannot lead them anywhere. )n either case the person in !uestion$
through prematurely attaining a certain stage of inner development$ would fatally ostruct his own
progress.
)t is asolutely necessary that the student should experience this spiritual aspect of his own inner
self efore progressing to higher spheres0 for his own self constitutes that psycho.spiritual element
of which he is the est 'udge. )f he has thoroughly reali3ed the nature of his own personality in the
physical world$ and if the image of his personality first appears to him in a higher world$ he is then
ale to compare the one with the other. /e can refer the higher to something already "nown to him$
so that his point of departure is on firm ground. 7hereas$ no matter how many other spiritual
eings appeared to him$ he would find himself unale to discover their nature and !ualities$ and
would soon feel the ground giving way eneath him. Thus is cannot e too often repeated that the
only safe entrance into the higher worlds is at the end of a path leading through a genuine
"nowledge and estimate of one2s own nature.
Eictures$ then$ of a spiritual "ind are first encountered y the student on his progress into higher
worlds0 and the reality to which these pictures correspond is actually within himself. /e should e
far enough advanced to refrain from desiring reality of a more roust "ind at this initial stage$ and
to regard these pictures as timely. /e will soon meet something !uite new within this world of
pictures. /is lower self is efore him as a mirrored image0 ut from within this image there appears
the true reality of his higher self. 5ut of the picture of his lower personality the form of the spiritual
ego ecomes visile. Then threads are spun from the latter to other and higher spiritual realities.
This is the moment when the two.petalled lotus in the region of the eyes is re!uired. )f it now egins
to stir$ the student finds it possile to ring his higher ego in contact with higher spiritual eings.
The currents form this lotus flower flow toward the higher realities in such a way that the
movements in !uestion are fully apparent to the individual. =ust as the light renders the physical
o'ects visile$ so$ too$ these currents disclose spiritual eings of higher worlds.
Through inward application to the fundamental truths derived from spiritual science the student
learns to set in motion and then to direct the currents proceeding form the lotus flower etween the
eyes.
)t is at this stage of development especially that the value of sound 'udgment and a training in clear
and logical thought come to the fore. The higher self$ which hitherto slumered unconsciously in an
emryonic state$ is now orn into conscious existence. This is not a figurative ut a positive irth in
the spiritual world$ and the eing now orn$ the higher self$ must enter that world with all the
necessary organs and aptitudes if it is to e capale of life. =ust as nature must provide for a child
eing orn into the world with suitale eyes and ears$ to too$ the laws of self.development must
provide for the necessary capacities with which the higher self can enter existence. These laws
governing the development of the higher spiritual organs are none other than the laws of sound
reason and morality of the physical world. The spiritual self matures in the physical self as a child in
the mother2s wom. The child2s health depends upon the normal functioning of natural laws in the
maternal wom. The constitution of the spiritual self is similarly conditioned y the laws of
common intelligence and reason that govern physical life. 4o one can give irth to a soundly
constituted higher self whose life in thought and feeling$ in the physical world$ is not sound and
healthy. 4atural$ rational life is the asis of all genuine spiritual development. =ust as the child
when still in the maternal wom lives in accordance with the natural forces to which it has access$
after its irth$ through its organs of sense$ so$ too$ the human higher self lives in accordance with
the laws of the spiritual world$ even during physical existence. (nd even as the child$ out of a dim
life instinct$ ac!uired the re!uisite forces$ so$ too$ can man ac!uire the powers of the spiritual world
efore his higher self is orn. )ndeed$ he must do this if the latter is to enter the world as a fully
developed eing. )t would e !uite wrong for anyone to say: ;) cannot accept the teachings of
spiritual science until ) myself ecome a seer$< for without inward application to the results of
spiritual research there is no chance whatever of attaining genuine higher "nowledge. )t would e as
though a child$ during gestation$ were to refuse the forces coming to it through its mother$ and
proposed to wait until it could procure them for itself. =ust as the emryonic child in its incipient
feeling for life learns to appreciate what is offered to it$ so can the non.seer appreciate the truth of
the teachings of spiritual science. (n insight into these teachings ased on a deeply rooted feeling
for truth$ and a clear$ sound$ all.around critical and reasoning faculty are possile even efore
spiritual things are actually perceived. The esoteric "nowledge must first e studied$ so that this
study ecomes a preparation for clairvoyance. ( person attaining clairvoyance without such
preparation would resemle a child orn with eyes and ears ut without a rain. The entire world of
sound and color would display itself efore him$ ut he would e helpless in it.
(t this stage of his esoteric development the student reali3es$ through personal inward experience$
all that had previously appealed to his sense of truth$ to his intellect and reason. /e has now direct
"nowledge of his higher self. /e learns how his higher self is connected with exalted spiritual eings
and forms with them a united whole. /e sees how the lower self originates in a higher world$ and it
is revealed to him how his higher nature outlasts his lower. /e can now distinguish the
imperishale in himself from the perishale0 that is$ he learns through personal insight to
understand the doctrine of the incarnation of the higher self in the lower. )t will ecome plain to
him that he is part of a great spiritual complex and that his !ualities and destiny are due to this
connection. /e learns to recogni3e the law of his life$ his karma. /e reali3es that his lower self$
constituting his present existence$ is only one of the forms which his higher eing can adopt. /e
discerns the possiility of wor"ing down from his higher self in his lower self$ so that he may perfect
himself ever more and more. 4ow$ too$ he can comprehend the great differences etween human
eings in regard to their level of perfection. /e ecomes aware that there are others aove him who
have already traversed the stages which still lie efore him$ and he reali3es that the teachings and
deeds of such men proceed from the inspiration of a higher world. /e owes this "nowledge to his
first personal glimpse into this higher world. The so.called initiates of humanity now ecome vested
with reality for him.
These$ then$ are the gifts which the student owes to his development at this stage: insight into his
higher self0 insight into the doctrine of the incarnation of this higher eing in a lower0 insight into
the laws y which life in the physical world is regulated according to its spiritual connections$ that
is$ the law of "arma0 and finally$ insight into the existence of the great initiates.
Thus it is said of a student who has reached this stage$ that all dout has vanished from him. /is
former faith$ ased on reason and sound thoughts$ is now replaced y "nowledge and insight which
nothing can undermine. The various religions have presented$ in their ceremonies$ sacraments$ and
rites$ externally visile patterns of the higher spiritual eings and events. 4one ut those who have
not penetrated to the depths of the great religions can fail to recogni3e this fact. Eersonal insight
into spiritual reality explains the great significance of these externally visile cults. 9eligious
service$ then$ ecomes for the seer an image of his own communion with the higher$ spiritual world.
)t has een shown how the student$ y attaining this stage$ ecomes in truth a new eing. /e can
now mature to still higher faculties and$ y means of the life.currents of his etheric ody$ control the
higher and actual life.element$ thus attaining a high degree of independence from the restrictions of
the physical ody.
VII
The Transforation of #rea $ife
(n intimation that the student has reached or will soon reach the stage of development descried in
the preceding chapter will e found in the change which comes over his dream life. /is dreams$
hitherto confused and hapha3ard$ now egin to assume a more regular character. Their pictures
egin to succeed each other in sensile connection$ li"e the thoughts and ideas of daily life. /e can
discern in them law$ cause$ and effect. The content$ too$ of his dreams is changed. 7hile hitherto he
discerned only reminiscences of daily life and transformed impressions of his surroundings or of his
physical condition$ there now appear efore him pictures of a world he has hitherto not "nown. (t
first the general character of his dream life remains unchanged$ in as far as dreams are
distinguished from wa"ing mental activity y the symolical presentation of what they wish to
express. 4o attentive oserver of dream life can fail to detect this characteristic. *or instance$ a
person may dream that he has caught some horrile creature$ and he feels an unpleasant sensation
in his hand. /e wa"es to discover that he is tightly grasping a corner of the lan"et. The truth is not
presented to the mind$ except through the medium of a symolical image. ( man may dream that
he is flying from some pursuer and is stric"en with fear. 5n wa"ing$ he finds that he has een
suffering$ during sleep$ from palpitations of the heart. ?is!uieting dreams can also e traced to
indigestile food. 5ccurrences in the immediate vicinity may also reflect themselves symolically in
dreams. The stri"ing of a cloc" may evo"e the picture of a troop of soldiers marching y to the eat
of drums. ( falling chair may e the occasion of a whole dream drama in which the sound of the fall
is reproduced as the report of a gun$ and so forth. The more regulated dreams of esoteric students
whose etheric ody has egun its development retain this symolical method of expression$ ut they
will cease merely to reflect reality connected with the physical ody and physical environment. (s
the dreams due to the latter causes ecome more connected$ they are mingled with similar pictures
expressing things and events of another world. These are the first experiences lying eyond the
range of wa"ing consciousness.
6et no true mystic will ever ma"e his experiences in dreams the asis of any authoritative account of
the higher world. +uch dreams must e merely considered as providing the first hint of a higher
development. >ery soon and as a further result$ the student2s dreams will no longer remain eyond
the reach of intellectual guidance as heretofore$ ut on the contrary$ will e mentally controlled and
supervised li"e the impressions and conceptions of wa"ing consciousness. The difference etween
dream and wa"ing consciousness grows ever smaller. The dreamer remains awa"e in the fullest
sense of the word during his dream life0 that is$ he is aware of his mastery and control over his own
vivid mental activity.
?uring our dreams we are actually in a world other than that of our senses0 ut with undeveloped
spiritual organs we can form none other than the confused conceptions of it descried aove. )t is
only in so far present for us as$ for instance$ the world of sense could e for a eing e!uipped with
no more than rudimentary eyes. That is why we can see nothing in this world ut counterfeits and
reflections of daily life. The latter are perceptile to us ecause our own soul paints its daily
experiences in pictorial form into the sustance of which that other world consists. )t must e
clearly understood that in addition to our ordinary conscious wor".a.day life we lead a second$
unconscious life in that other world. 7e engrave in it all our thoughts and perceptions. These
tracings only ecome visile when the lotus flowers are developed. 4ow$ in every human eing there
are slender rudiments of these lotus flowers. 7e cannot perceive y means of them during wa"ing
consciousness ecause the impressions made on them are very faint. 7e cannot see the stars during
the daytime for a similar reason: their visiility is extinguished y the mighty glare of the sun. Thus$
too$ the faint spiritual impressions cannot ma"e themselves felt in the face of the powerful
impressions received through the senses.
4ow$ when the gate of the senses is closed during sleep$ these other impressions egin to emerge
confusedly$ and the dreamer ecomes aware of experiences in another world. :ut as already
explained$ these experiences consist at first merely of pictures engraved in the spiritual world y our
mental activity attached to the physical senses. 5nly developed lotus flowers ma"e it possile for
manifestations not derived from the physical world to e imprinted in the same way. (nd then the
etheric ody$ when developed$ rings full "nowledge concerning these engraved impressions
derived from other worlds.
This is the eginning of life and activity in a new world$ and at this point esoteric training must set
the student a twofold tas". To egin with$ he must learn to ta"e stoc" of everything he oserves in
his dreams$ exactly as though he were awa"e. Then$ if successful in this$ he is led to ma"e the same
oservations during ordinary wa"ing consciousness. /e will so train his attention and receptivity
for these spiritual impressions that they need no longer vanish in the face of the physical
impressions$ ut will always e at hand for him and reach him in addition to the others.
7hen the student has ac!uired this faculty there arises efore his spiritual eyes something of the
picture descried in the preceding chapter$ and he can henceforth discern all that the spiritual
world contains as the cause of the physical world. (ove all things he can perceive and gain
"nowledge of his own higher self in this world. The next tas" now confronting him is to grow$ as it
were$ into this higher self$ that is$ really to regard it as his own true self and to act accordingly. /e
reali3es ever more clearly and intensely that his physical ody and what he hitherto called his ;)< are
merely the instruments of his higher self. /e adopts an attitude toward his lower self such as a
person limited to the world of the senses adopts toward some instrument or vehicle that serves him.
4o one includes as part of himself the vehicle in which he is traveling$ even though he says: ;)
travel<0 so$ too$ when an inwardly developed person says: ;) go through the door$< his actual
conception is: ;) carry my ody through the door.< 5nly this must ecome a natural concept for
him$ so that he never for a moment loses his firm footing in the physical world$ or feels estranged
from it. )f the student is to avoid ecoming a fantastic visionary he must not impoverish his life
through his higher consciousness$ ut on the contrary$ enrich it$ as a person enriches his life y
using the railway and not merely his legs to cover a certain distance.
7hen the student has thus raised himself to a life in the higher ego$ or rather during his ac!uisition
of the higher consciousness$ he will learn how to stir to life the spiritual perceptive force in the
organ of the heart and control it through the currents descried in the foregoing chapter. This
perceptive force is an element of higher sustainaility$ which proceeds from the organ in !uestion
and flows with eautiful radiance through the moving lotus flowers and the other channels of the
developed etheric ody. Thence it radiates outward into the surrounding spiritual world rendering
it spiritually visile$ 'ust as the sunlight falling on the o'ects of the physical world renders them
visile.
/ow this perceptive force in the heart organ is created can only e gradually understood in the
course of actual development.
)t is only when this organ of perception can e sent through the etheric ody and into the outer
world$ to illumine the o'ects there$ that the actual spiritual world$ as composed of o'ects and
eings$ can e clearly perceived. Thus it will e seen that complete consciousness of an o'ect in the
spiritual world is only possile when man himself casts upon it the spiritual light. 4ow$ the ego
which creates this organ of perception does not dwell within$ ut outside the physical ody$ as
already shown. The heart organ is only the spot where the individual man "indles$ from without$
this spiritual light organ. 7ere the latter "indled elsewhere$ the spiritual perceptions produced y it
would have no connection with the physical world. :ut all higher spiritual realities must e related
to the physical world$ and man himself must act as a channel through which they flow into it. )t is
precisely through the heart organ that the higher ego governs the physical self$ ma"ing it into its
instrument.
4ow$ the feelings of an esoterically developed person toward the things of the spiritual world are
very different from the feelings of the undeveloped person toward the things of the physical world.
The latter feels himself to e at a particular place in the world of sense$ and the surrounding o'ects
to e external to him. The spiritually developed person feels himself to e united with$ and as
though in the interior of$ the spiritual o'ects he perceives. /e wanders$ in fact$ from place to place
in spiritual space$ and is therefore called the wanderer in the language of occult science. /e has no
home at first. +hould he$ however$ remain a mere wanderer he would e unale to define any o'ect
in spiritual space. =ust as o'ects and places in physical space are defined from a fixed point of
departure$ this$ too$ must e the case in the other world. /e must see" out some place$ thoroughly
investigate it$ and ta"e spiritual possession of it. )n this place he must estalish his spiritual home
and relate everything else to it. )n physical life$ too$ a person sees everything in terms of his physical
home. 4atives of :erlin and Earis will involuntarily descrie @ondon in a different way. (nd yet
there is a difference etween the spiritual and the physical home. 7e are orn into the latter
without our co.operation and instinctively asor$ during our childhood$ a numer of ideas y
which everything is henceforth involuntarily colored. The student$ however$ himself founds his own
spiritual home in full consciousness. /is 'udgment$ therefore$ ased on this spiritual home$ is
formed in the light of freedom. This founding of a spiritual home is called in the language of occult
science the building of the hut.
+piritual vision at this stage extends to the spiritual counterparts of the physical world$ so far as
these exist in the so.called astral world. There everything is found which in its nature is similar to
human instincts$ feelings$ desires$ and passions. *or powers related to all these human
characteristics are associated with all physical o'ects. ( crystal$ for instance$ is cast in its form y
powers which$ seen from a higher standpoint$ appear as an active human impulse. +imilar forces
drive the sap through the capillaries of the plant$ cause the lossoms to unfold and the seed vessels
to urst. To developed spiritual organs of perception all these forces appear gifted with form and
color$ 'ust as the o'ects of the physical world have form and color for physical eyes. (t this stage in
his development the student sees not only the crystal and the plant$ ut also the spiritual forces
mentioned aove. (nimal and human impulses are perceptile to him not only through their
physical manifestation in the individual$ ut directly as o'ects0 he perceives them 'ust as he
perceives tales and chairs in the physical world. The whole range of instincts$ impulses$ desires
and passions$ oth of an animal and of a human eing$ constitute the astral cloud or aura in which
the eing is enveloped.
*urthermore$ the clairvoyant can at this stage perceive things which are almost or entirely withheld
from the senses. /e can$ for instance$ tell the astral difference etween a room full of low or of high.
minded people. 4ot only the physical ut also the spiritual atmosphere of a hospital differs from
that of a allroom. ( commercial town has a different astral air from that of a university town. )n
the initial stages of clairvoyance this perceptive faculty is ut slightly developed0 its relation to the
o'ects in !uestion is similar to the relation of dream consciousness to wa"ing consciousness in
ordinary life0 it will$ however$ ecome fully awa"ened at this stage as well.
The highest achievement of a clairvoyant who has attained the degree of vision descried aove is
that in which the astral counter.effects of animal and human impulses and passions are revealed to
him. ( loving action is accompanied y !uite a different astral concomitant from one inspired y
hate. +enseless desire gives rise to an ugly astral counterpart$ while a feeling evo"ed y a high ideal
creates one that is eautiful. These astral images are ut faintly perceptile during physical life$ for
their strength is diminished y life in the physical world. The desire for an o'ect$ for example$
produces a counterpart of this sort in addition to the semlance of the desire itself in the astral
world. )f$ however$ the o'ect e attained and the desire satisfied$ or if$ at any rate$ the possiility of
satisfaction is forthcoming$ the corresponding image will show ut faintly. )t only attains its full
force after the death of the individual human eing$ when the soul in accordance with her nature
still harors such desires$ ut can no longer satisfy them$ ecause the o'ect and the physical organ
are oth lac"ing. The gourmand$ for instance$ will still retain$ after death$ the desire to please his
palate0 ut there is no possiility of satisfying this desire ecause he no longer has a palate. (s a
result$ the desire produces an especially powerful counterpart$ y which the soul is tormented.
These experiences evo"ed y the counterparts of the lower soul.nature after death are called the
experiences in the soul.world$ especially in the region of desires. They only vanish when the soul
has purified herself from all desires inclining toward the physical world. Then only does the soul
mount to the higher regions$ to the world of spirit. 8ven though these images are faint during life in
the physical world$ they are none the less present$ following man as his world of desire$ in the way a
comet is followed y its tail. They can e seen y a clairvoyant at the re!uisite stage of development.
+uch and similar experiences fill the life of the student during the period descried aove. /e
cannot attain higher spiritual experience at this stage of development$ ut must clim still higher
from this point.
VIII
The Continuity of Consciousness
/uman life runs its course in three alternating states or conditions$ namely$ wa"ing$ dreaming
sleep$ and dreamless sleep. The attainment of the higher "nowledge of spiritual worlds can e
readily understood if a conception e formed of the changes occurring in these three conditions$ as
experienced y one see"ing such higher "nowledge. 7hen no training has een underta"en to
attain this "nowledge$ human consciousness is continually interrupted y the restful interval of
sleep. ?uring these intervals the soul "nows nothing of the outer world$ and e!ually little of itself.
5nly at certain periods dreams emerge from the deep ocean of insensiility$ dreams lin"ed to the
occurrences of the outer world or the conditions of the physical ody. (t first$ dreams are only
regarded as a particular manifestation of sleep.life$ and thus only two states are generally spo"en of$
namely$ sleeping and wa"ing. *or spiritual science$ however$ dreams have an independent
significance apart from the other two conditions. )n the foregoing chapter a description was given of
the alteration ensuing in the dream.life of the person underta"ing the ascent to higher "nowledge.
/is dreams lose their meaningless$ irregular and disconnected character and form themselves more
and more into a world of law and order. 7ith continued development$ not only does this new world
orn out of the dream world come to e in no way inferior to outer physical reality as regards its
inner truth$ ut facts reveal themselves in it representing a higher reality in the fullest sense of the
word. +ecrets and riddles lie concealed everywhere in the physical world. )n the latter$ the effects
are seen of certain higher facts$ ut no one can penetrate to the causes whose perception is confined
merely to his senses. These causes are partly revealed to the student in the condition descried
aove and developed out of dream life$ a condition$ however$ in which he y no means remains
stationary. True$ he must not regard these revelations as actual "nowledge so long as the same
things do not also reveal themselves during ordinary wa"ing life. :ut in time he achieves this as
well: he develops this faculty of carrying over into wa"ing consciousness the condition he created
for himself out of dream life. Thus something new is introduced into the world of his senses that
enriches it. =ust as a person orn lind and successfully operated upon will recogni3e the
surrounding o'ects as enriched y all that the eye perceives$ to$ too$ will anyone having ecome
clairvoyant in the aove manner perceive the whole world surrounding him peopled with new
!ualities$ things$ eings$ and so forth. /e now need no longer wait for his dreams to live in another
world$ ut he can at any suitale moment put himself into the aove condition for the purpose of
higher perception. This condition then ac!uires a significance for him similar to the perception$ in
ordinary life$ of things with active senses as opposed to inactive senses. )t can truly e said that the
student opens the eyes of his soul and eholds things which necessarily remain concealed form the
odily senses.
4ow this condition is only transitional to still higher stages of "nowledge. )f the student continues
his esoteric exercises he will find$ in due time$ that the radical change$ as descried aove$ does not
confine itself to his dream life$ ut that this transformation also extends to what was previously a
condition of deep dreamless sleep. )solated conscious experiences egin to interrupt the complete
insensiility of this deep sleep. Eerceptions previously un"nown to him emerge from the pervading
un"nown to him emerge from the pervading dar"ness of sleep. )t is$ of course$ not easy to descrie
these perceptions$ for our language is only adapted to the physical world$ and therefore only
approximate terms can e found to express what does not at all elong to that world. +till$ such
terms must e used to descrie the higher worlds$ and this is only possile y the free use of simile0
yet seeing that everything in the world is interrelated$ the attempt may e made. The things and
eings of the higher worlds are closely enough related to those of the physical world to enale$ with
a little good will$ some sort of conception of these higher worlds to e formed$ even though words
suitale for the physical world are used. 5nly the reader must always ear in mind that such
descriptions of supersensile worlds must$ to a large extent$ e in the nature of simile and symol.
The words of ordinary language are only partially adopted in the course of esoteric training0 for the
rest$ the student learns another symolical language$ as a natural outcome of his ascent to higher
worlds. The "nowledge of this language is ac!uired during esoteric training itself$ ut that does not
preclude the possiility of learning something concerning the higher worlds even fro such ordinary
descriptions as those here given.
+ome idea can e given of those experiences which emerge from the insensiility of deep sleep if
they e compared to a "ind of hearing. 7e may spea" of perceptile tones and words. 7hile the
experiences during dreaming sleep may fitly e designated as a "ind of vision$ the facts oserved
during deep sleep may e compared to auricular impressions. ,)t should e remar"ed in passing
that for the spiritual world$ too$ the faculty of sight remains the higher. There$ too$ colors are higher
than sounds and words. The student2s first perceptions in this world do not yet extend to the higher
colors$ ut only to the lower tones. 5nly ecause man$ according to his general development$ is
already more !ualified for the world revealing itself in dreaming sleep does he at once perceive
colors there. /e is less !ualified for the higher world unveiling itself in deep sleep0 therefore the first
revelations of it he receives are in tones and words0 later on$ he can here$ too$ ascend to colors and
forms.-
4ow$ when these experiences during deep sleep first come to the notice of the student$ his next tas"
must e to sense them as clearly and vividly as possile. (t first this presents great difficulty$ the
perception of these experiences eing exceedingly slight. The student "nows very well$ on wa"ing$
that he has had an experience$ ut is completely in the dar" as regards its nature. The most
important thing during this initial stage is to remain !uiet and composed$ and not for a moment
lapse into any unrest or impatience. The latter is under all circumstances detrimental0 it can never
accelerate development$ ut only delays it. The student must cultivate a !uiet and yielding
receptivity for the gift that is presented to him0 all violence must e repressed. +hould he at any
period not ecome aware of experiences during sleep he must wait patiently until this is possile.
+ome day this moment will assuredly arrive. (nd this perceptive faculty$ if awaited with patience
and composure$ remains a secure possession0 while should it appear momentarily in answer to
forcile methods$ it may e completely lost for a long time.
5nce this perceptive faculty is ac!uired and the experiences during sleep are present to the
student2s consciousness in complete lucidity and clarity$ his attention should e directed to the
following point. (ll these experiences are seen to consist of two "inds$ which can e clearly
distinguished. The first "ind will e totally different from anything that he has ever experienced.
These experiences may e a source of 'oy and edification$ ut otherwise they should e left to
themselves for the time eing. They are the first haringer of higher spiritual worlds in which the
student will find his way later on. )n the other "ind of experiences the attentive oserver will
discover a certain relationship with the ordinary world in which he lives. The su'ects of his
reflections during life$ what he would li"e to understand in these things around him ut cannot
understand with the ordinary intellect$ these are the things concerning which the experiences
during sleep give him information. ?uring every.day life man reflects on his environment0 his mind
tries to conceive and understand the connection existing etween things0 he see"s to grasp in
thought and idea what his senses perceive. )t is to these ideas and concepts that the experiences
during sleep refer. 5scure$ shadowy concepts ecome sonorous and living in a way comparale
only to the tones and the words of the physical world. )t seems to the student ever more and more as
though the solution of the riddles over which he ponders is whispered to him in tones and words out
of a higher world. (nd he is ale to connect with ordinary life whatever comes to him from a higher
world. 7hat was formerly only accessile to his thought now ecomes actual experience$ 'ust as
living and sustantial as an experience in this physical world can e. The things and eings of this
physical world are y no means only what they appear to e for physical perception. They are the
expression and effluence of a spiritual world. This spiritual world$ hitherto concealed from the
student$ now resounds for him out of his whole environment.
)t is easy to see that this higher perceptive faculty can prove a lessing only if the opened soul.
senses are in perfect order$ 'ust as the ordinary senses can only e used for a true oservation of the
world if their e!uipment is regular and normal. 4ow man himself forms these higher senses
through the exercises indicated y spiritual science. The latter include concentration$ in which the
attention is directed to certain definite ideas and concepts connected with the secrets of the
universe0 and meditation$ which is a life in such ideas$ a complete sumersion in them$ in the right
way. :y concentration and meditation the student wor"s upon his soul and develops within it the
soul.organs of perception. 7hile thus applying himself to the tas" of concentration and meditation
his soul grows within his ody$ 'ust as the emryo child grows in the ody of the mother. 7hen the
isolated experiences during sleep egin$ as descried$ the moment of irth is approaching for the
lierated soul0 for she has literally ecome a new eing$ developed y the individual within himself$
from seed to fruit. The effort re!uired for concentration and meditation must therefore e carefully
and accurately maintained$ for it contains the laws governing the germination and fruition of the
higher human soul.eing. The latter must appear at its irth as a harmonious$ well.proportioned
organism. Through an error in following the instructions$ no such normal eing will come to
existence in the spiritual spheres$ ut a miscarriage incapale of life.
That this higher soul.eing should e orn during deep sleep will e easily grasped$ for if that
delicate organism lac"ing all power of resistance chanced to appear during physical every.day life it
could not prevail against the harsh and powerful processes of this life. )ts activity would e of no
account against that of the ody. ?uring sleep$ however$ when the ody rests in as far as its activity
is dependent on sense perception$ the activity of the higher soul$ at first so delicate and
inconspicuous$ can come into evidence. /ere again the student must ear in mind that these
experiences during sleep may not e regarded as fully valid "nowledge$ so long as he is not in a
position to carry over his awa"ened higher soul into wa"ing consciousness as well. The ac!uisition
of this faculty will enale him to perceive the spiritual world in its own character$ among and within
the experiences of the day0 that is$ the hidden secrets of his environment will e conveyed to his soul
as tones and words.
4ow$ the student must reali3e at this stage of development that he is dealing with separate and
more or less isolated spiritual experiences. /e should therefore eware of constructing out of them
a complete whole or even a connected system of "nowledge. )n this case$ all manner of fantastic
ideas and conceptions would e mixed into the soul.world$ and a world might thus easily e
constructed which had nothing to do with the real spiritual world. The student must continually
practice self.control. The right thing to do is to strive for an ever clearer conception of the isolated
real experiences$ and to await the spontaneous arrival of new experiences which will connect
themselves$ as though of their own accord$ with those already recorded. :y virtue of the power of
the spiritual world into which he has now found his way$ and through continued application to his
prescried exercises$ the student experiences an ever increasing extension and expansion of
consciousness during sleep. The unconscious intervals during sleep.life grow ever smaller$ while
more and more experiences emerge from erstwhile unconsciousness. These experiences thus lin"
themselves together increasingly of their own accord$ without this true unity eing distured y all
manner of cominations and inferences$ which in any case would only originate in an intellect
accustomed to the physical world. 6et the less the haits of thought ac!uired in the physical world
are allowed to play into these higher experiences$ the etter it is.
:y thus conducting himself the student approaches ever nearer to the attainment of that condition$
on his path to higher "nowledge$ in which the unconsciousness of sleep.life is transformed into
complete consciousness. 7hen his ody rests$ man lives in surroundings which are 'ust as real as
those of his wa"ing daily life. )t is needless to say that the reality during sleep is different from
physical reality surrounding the physical ody. The student learns & indeed he must learn if he is to
retain a firm footing in the physical world and not ecome a visionary & to connect the higher
experiences of sleep with his physical environment. (t first$ however$ the world entered during
sleep is a completely new revelation. This important stage of development$ at which consciousness
is retained in the life during sleep$ is "nown in spiritual science as the continuity of consciousness.
The condition here indicated is regarded$ at a certain stage of development$ as a "ind of ideal$
attainale at the end of a long path. 7hat the student first learns is the extension of consciousness
into two soul.states$ in the first of which only disordered dreams were previously possile$ and in
the second only unconscious dreamless sleep. (nyone having reached this stage of development
does not cease experiencing and learning during those intervals when the physical ody rests$ and
when the soul receives no impressions through the instrumentality of senses.
The Splitting of the Huan Personality #uring Spiritual
Training
?uring sleep no impressions are conveyed to the human soul through the instrumentality of the
physical sense.organs. The impressions from the ordinary outer world do not find their way to the
soul when in that condition. )n certain respects the soul is actually outside the part of the human
eing & the so.called physical ody & which in wa"ing life is the medium for sense perceptions and
thought. The soul is then only connected with the finer odies ,the etheric ody and the astral
ody-$ which are eyond the scope of physical sense oservation. :ut the activity of these finer
odies does not cease during sleep. =ust as the physical ody is connected and lives with the things
and eings of the physical world$ affecting them and eing affected y them$ so$ too$ does the soul
live in a higher world0 only$ this life of the soul continues also during sleep. The soul is in full
activity during sleep$ ut we can "now nothing of this activity so long as we have no spiritual organs
of perception through which to oserve what is going on around us and see what we ourselves are
doing during sleep$ as we oserve our daily physical environment with our ordinary senses. The
preceding chapters have shown that esoteric training consists in the development of such spiritual
sense organs. 4ow if$ as a result of esoteric training$ the student2s life during sleep is transformed in
the manner descried in the foregoing chapter$ he will$ when in that condition$ e ale to follow
consciously everything going on around him. /e can at will find his way in his environment as he
could$ when awa"e$ with his ordinary senses. )t should here e noted that a higher degree of
clairvoyance is re!uired for the higher perception of ordinary physical environment. This was
indicated in the last chapter. )n the initial stages of his development the student perceives things
pertaining to another world without eing ale to discern their connection with the o'ects of his
daily physical environment.
These characteristics of life during sleep or in dreams illustrate what is continually ta"ing place in
the human eing. The soul lives in uninterrupted activity in the higher worlds$ even gathering from
them the impulse to act upon the physical ody. 5rdinarily unconscious of his higher life$ the
esoteric student renders himself conscious of it$ and therey his whole life ecomes transformed. (s
long as the soul remains unseeing in the higher sense it is guided y superior cosmic eings. (nd
'ust as the life of a person orn lind is changed$ through a successful operation$ from its previous
dependence on a guide$ so too is the life of a person changed through esoteric training. /e outgrows
the principle of eing guided y a master and must henceforward underta"e to e his own guide.
The moment this occurs he is$ of course$ liale to commit errors totally un"nown to ordinary
consciousness. /e acts now from a world from which$ formerly$ higher powers un"nown to him
influenced him. These higher powers are directed y the universal cosmic harmony. The student
withdraws from this cosmic harmony$ and must now himself accomplish things which were hitherto
done for him without his co.operation.
)t is for this reason that so much is found in oo"s dealing with these matters concerning the
dangers connected with the ascent into higher worlds. The descriptions sometimes given of these
dangers may well ma"e timid souls shudder at the prospect of this higher life. 6et the fact is that
dangers only arise when the necessary precautions are neglected. )f all the measures counseled y
true esoteric science are adopted$ the ascent will indeed ensue through experiences surpassing in
power and magnitude everything the oldest flights of sense.ound fantasy can picture0 and yet
there can e no !uestion of in'ury to health or life. The student meets with horrile powers
threatening life at every turn and from every side. )t will even e possile for him to ma"e use of
certain forces and eings existing eyond physical perception$ and the temptation is great to control
these forces for the furtherance of personal and foridden interests$ or to employ them wrongly out
of a deficient "nowledge of the higher worlds. +ome of these especially important experiences$ for
instance$ the meeting with %uardian of the Threshold$ will e descried in the following chapters.
6et we must reali3e that the hostile powers are none the less present$ even though we "now nothing
of them. )t is true that in this case their relation to man is ordained y higher power$ and that this
relation alters when the human eing consciously enters this world hitherto concealed from him.
:ut at the same time his own existence is enhanced and the circle of his life enriched y a great and
new field of experience. ( real danger can only arise if the student$ through impatience or
arrogance$ assumes too early a certain independence with regard to the experiences of the higher
worlds0 if he cannot wait to gain really sufficient insight into the supersensile laws. )n these
spheres$ modesty and humility are far less empty words than in ordinary life. )f the student
possesses these !ualities in the very est sense he may e certain that his ascent into the higher life
will e achieved without danger to all that is commonly called health and life. (ove all things$ no
disharmony must ensue etween the higher experiences and the events and demands of every.day
life. #an2s tas" must e entirely sought for on this earth$ and anyone desiring to shir" his earthly
tas" and to escape into another world may e certain he will never reach his goal. 6et what the
senses perceive is only part of the world$ and it is in the spirit world that the eings dwell who
express themselves in the facts of the physical world. #an must ecome a parta"er of the spirit in
order to carry its revelations into the physical world. /e transforms the earth y implanting in it
what he has ascertained in the spiritual world. That is his tas". )t is only ecause the physical world
is dependent upon the spiritual$ and ecause man can wor" upon earth$ in a true sense$ only if he is
a participator in those worlds in which the creative forces lie concealed & only for these reasons
should he have the desire to ascend to the higher worlds. 4o one approaching esoteric training with
these sentiments$ and resolved not to deviate for a moment from these prescried directions$ need
fear the slightest danger. 4o one should allow the prospect of these dangers to deter him from
esoteric training0 it should rather act as a strong challenge to one and all to ac!uire those faculties
which every true esoteric student must possess.
(fter these preliminary oservations that should dispel any element of terror$ a description of some
of the so.called dangers will e given. )t is true that great changes ta"e place in the student2s finer
odies$ as descried aove. These changes are connected with certain processes in the development
of the three fundamental forces of the soul$ with willing$ feeling$ and thin"ing. :efore esoteric
training$ these forces are su'ect to a connection ordained y higher cosmic laws. #an2s willing$
feeling and thin"ing are not aritrary. ( particular idea arising in the mind is attended y a
particular feeling$ according to natural laws0 or it is followed y a resolution of the will in e!ually
natural se!uence. 7e enter a room$ find it stuffy$ and open the window. 7e hear our name called
and follow the call. 7e are !uestioned and we answer. 7e perceive an ill.smelling o'ect and
experience a feeling of disgust. These are simple connections etween thin"ing$ feeling$ and willing.
7hen we survey human life we find that everything is uilt up on such connections. )ndeed$ life is
not termed normal unless such a connection$ founded on the laws of human nature$ is oserved
etween thin"ing$ feeling and willing. )t would e found contrary to these laws if the sight of an ill.
smelling o'ect gave anyone pleasure$ or if anyone$ on eing !uestioned$ did not answer. The
success anticipated from a right education or fitting instruction is ased upon the presumption that
a connection etween thin"ing$ feeling$ and willing$ corresponding to human nature$ can e
estalished in the pupil. Certain ideas are conveyed to him on the assumption that they will e
associated$ in regular fashion$ with his feelings and volitions.
(ll this arises from the fact that in the finer soul.vehicles of man the central points of the three
forces & thin"ing$ feeling and willing & are connected with each other according to laws. This
connection in the finer soul organism has its counterpart in the coarser physical ody. )n the latter$
too$ the organs of will are connected according to laws with those of thin"ing and feeling. (
particular thought$ therefore$ inevitaly evo"es a feeling or an activity of will. )n the course of higher
development$ the threads interconnecting the three fundamental forces are severed. (t first this
severance occurs only within the finer soul organism$ ut at a still higher stage the separation
extends also to the physical ody. )t is a fact that in higher spiritual development the rain divides
into three separate parts. This separation is not physically perceptile in the ordinary way$ nor can
it e demonstrated y the "eenest instruments. 6et it occurs$ and the clairvoyant has means of
oserving it. The rain of the higher clairvoyant divides into three independently active entities:
The thought.rain$ the feeling.rain$ and the will.rain.
Thus the organs of thin"ing$ feeling$ and willing ecome individuali3ed0 their connection henceforth
is not maintained y laws inherent in themselves$ ut must e managed y the awa"ened higher
consciousness of the individual. This$ then$ is the change which the student oserves coming over
him: that no connection arises of itself etween an idea and a feeling or a will.impulse$ unless he
himself provides one. 4o impulse urges him from thought to action unless he himself in freedom
give rise to this impulse. /e can henceforth confront$ devoid of feeling$ a fact which efore his
training would have filled him with glowing love or itter hatred0 and he can remain impassive at
the thought which formerly would have spurred him on to action$ as though of its own accord. /e
can perform actions through resolutions of the will for which there is not the slightest reason for
anyone not having undergone esoteric training. The student2s great achievement is the attainment
of complete mastery over the comined activity of the three soul forces0 ut at the same time the
responsiility for this activity is placed entirely in his own hands.
)t is only through this transformation of his eing that the student can enter consciously into
relation with certain supersensile forces and eings$ for his own soul forces are related to certain
fundamental forces of the world. The force$ for instance$ inherent in the will can affect definite
things and the eings of the higher worlds$ and also perceive them0 ut it can only do so when
lierated from its connection with thin"ing and feeling within the soul. The moment this connection
is severed$ the activity of the will can e exteriori3ed. The same applies to the forces of thin"ing and
feeling. ( feeling of hatred sent out y a person is visile to the clairvoyant as a fine luminous cloud
of special coloring0 and the clairvoyant can ward off this feeling of hatred$ 'ust as an ordinary person
wards off a physical low that is aimed at him. )n the supersensile world$ hatred ecomes a visile
phenomenon$ ut the clairvoyant can only perceive it in so far as he is ale to pro'ect outwards the
force lying in his feeling$ 'ust as the ordinary person directs outwards the receptive faculty of his
eye. (nd what is said of hatred applies also to far more important phenomena of the physical world.
The student can enter into conscious intercourse with them$ than"s to the lieration of the
fundamental forces of his soul.
Through the separation of the forces of thin"ing$ feeling$ and willing$ the possiility of a three.fold
aerration arises for anyone neglecting the in'unctions given y esoteric science. +uch an aerration
can occur if the connecting threads are severed efore the higher consciousness is sufficiently
advanced to hold the reins and guide properly the separated forces into free and harmoniously
comined activity. *or as a rule$ the three human soul.forces are not e!ually advanced in their
development at any given period of life. )n one person$ thin"ing is ahead of feeling and willing0 in a
second$ another soul.force has the upper hand over its companions. (s long as the connection
etween the soul.forces is maintained as estalished y higher cosmic laws$ no in'urious
irregularity$ in a higher sense$ can occur through the predominance of one force or another.
Eredominating will$ for instance$ is prevented y the leveling influence of thin"ing and feeling from
lapsing into any particular excesses. 7hen$ however$ a person of such predominating will
underta"es esoteric training$ feeling and thin"ing cease to exert their regular influence on the will
when the latter constantly presses on to great exertions of power )f$ then$ such a person is not
sufficiently advanced to control completely the higher consciousness and himself restore harmony$
the will pursues its own unridled way$ continually overpowering its possessor. *eeling and thought
lapse into complete impotence0 the individual is scourged y his over.mastering will. ( violent
nature is the result$ rushing from one unridled action to another.
( second deviation occurs when feeling unduly sha"es off its proper control. ( person inclined to
the revering of others may then diverge into unlimited dependence$ to the extent of losing all
personal will and thoughts. )nstead of higher "nowledge$ the most pitiful vacuity and feeleness
would ecome such a person2s lot. 5r$ in the case of such inordinate predominance of the feeling
life$ a person with an inclination toward religious devotion can sin" into the most degenerate welter.
The third evil is found when thought predominates$ resulting in a contemplative nature$ hostile to
life and loc"ed up within itself. The world$ for such people$ has no further importance save that it
provides them with o'ects for satisfying their oundless thirst for wisdom. 4o thought ever moves
them to an action or a feeling. They appear everywhere as cold and unfeeling creatures. They flee
from every contact with the things of ordinary life as though from something exciting their aversion$
or which$ at any rate$ had lost all meaning for them.
These are the three ways of error into which the student can stray: ,1- exuerant violence of will$ ,C-
sentimental emotionalism$ and ,D- cold$ loveless striving for wisdom. *or outward oservation$ and
also from the ordinary ,materialistic- medical standpoint$ anyone thus gone astray is hardly
distinguishale ,especially in degree- from an insane or$ at least$ a highly neurasthenic person. 5f
course$ the student must not resemle these. )t is essential for him that the three fundamental soul.
forces$ thin"ing$ feeling$ and willing$ should have undergone harmonious development efore eing
released from their inherent connection and suordinated to the awa"ened higher consciousness.
*or once a mista"e is made and one of the soul.forces falls a prey to unridled excess$ the higher
soul comes into existence as a miscarriage. The unrestrained force pervades the individual2s entire
personality$ and for a long time there can e no !uestion of the alance eing restored. 7hat
appears to e a harmless characteristic as long as its possessor is without esoteric training$ namely$
a predominance of thin"ing or feeling or willing$ is so intensified in an esoteric student that the
universally human element$ indispensale for life$ ecomes oscured.
6et a really serious danger cannot threaten the student until he has ac!uired the aility to include in
his wa"ing consciousness the experiences forthcoming during sleep. (s long as there is only the
!uestion of illumination of the intervals of sleep$ the life of the senses$ regulated y universal cosmic
laws$ reacts during the wa"ing hours on the distured e!uilirium of the soul$ tending to restore the
alance. That is why it is so essential that the wa"ing life of the student should e in every respect
regular and healthy. The more capale he is of meeting the demands made y the outer world upon
a healthy$ sound constitution of ody$ soul$ and spirit$ the etter it is for him. 5n the other hand$ it
may e very ad for him if his ordinary wa"ing life affects him in an exciting or irritating way$ that
is$ if destructive or hampering influences of outer life affect him in addition to the great changes
ta"ing place in his inner self. /e must see" to find everything corresponding to his powers and
faculties which can lead him into undistured$ harmonious communion with his surroundings$
while avoiding everything detrimental to this harmony & everything that rings unrest and feverish
haste into his life. (nd here it is not so much a !uestion of casting off this unrest and haste in an
external sense$ ut much more of ta"ing care that thoughts$ feelings$ intentions$ and odily health
are not therey exposed to continual fluctuation. (ll this is not so easy for the student to accomplish
as it was efore esoteric training$ for the higher experiences now playing into his life act upon his
entire existence. +hould anything within these higher experiences not e as it should$ the
irregularity continues lying in wait for him and may at every turn throw him off the right path. *or
this reason the student should omit nothing which can secure for him unfailing mastery over his
whole eing. /e should never e found wanting in presence of mind or in calm penetration of all
situations of life. )n the main$ a genuine esoteric training gives rise of itself to all these !ualities$ and
as it progresses the student only ecomes ac!uainted with the dangers while simultaneously and at
the right moment ac!uiring the full power to rout them from the field.
%
The &uardian of the Threshold
The important experiences mar"ing the student2s ascent into the higher worlds include his meeting
with the 7uardian of the Threshold. +trictly spea"ing$ there are two 7uardians: a lesser and a
greater. The student meets the lesser %uardian when the threads connecting willing$ feeling$ and
thin"ing within the finer astral and etheric odies egin to loosen$ in the way descried in the
foregoing chapter. The greater %uardian is encountered when this sundering of the connections
extends to the physical parts of the ody$ that is$ at first to the rain. The lesser %uardian is a
sovereign eing. /e does not come into existence$ as far as the student is concerned$ until the latter
has reached the re!uisite stage of development. 5nly some of his most important characteristics can
here e indicated.
The attempt will now e made to descrie in narrative form this meeting with the lesser %uardian of
the Threshold$ as a result of which the student learns that his thin"ing$ feeling$ and willing have
ecome released within him from their inherent connection.
( truly terrile spectral eing confronts him$ and he will need all the presence of mind and faith in
the security of his path which he has had ample opportunity to ac!uire in the course of his previous
training.
The %uardian proclaims his signification somewhat in the following words: ;/itherto$ powers
invisile to thyself watched over thee. They saw to it that in the course of thy lives each of thy good
deeds rought its reward$ and each of thine evil deeds was attended y its evil results. Than"s to
their influence thy character formed itself out of thy life.experiences and thy thoughts. They were
the instruments of thy destiny. They ordained that measure of 'oy and pain allotted to thee in thine
incarnations$ according to thy conduct in lives gone y. They ruled over thee as the all.emracing
law of karma. These powers will now partly release thee from their constraining influence0 and
henceforth must thou accomplish for thyself a part of the wor" which hitherto they performed for
thee. ?estiny struc" thee many a hard low in the past. Thou "newest not why. 8ach low was the
conse!uence of a harmful deed in a ygone lie. Thou foundest 'oy and gladness$ and thou didst ta"e
them as they came. They$ too$ were the fruits of former deeds. Thy character shows many a eautiful
side$ and many an ugly flaw. Thou hast thyself to than" for oth$ for they are the result of thy
previous experiences and thoughts. These were till now un"nown to thee0 their effects alone were
made manifest. The "armic powers$ however$ eheld all thy deeds in former lives$ and all thy most
secret thoughts and feelings$ and determined accordingly thy present self and thy present mode of
life. :ut now all the good and evil sides of thy ygone lives shall e revealed to thee. /itherto they
were interwoven with thine own eing0 they were in thee and thou couldst not see them$ even as
thou canst not ehold thine own rain with physical eyes. :ut now they ecome released from thee0
they detach themselves from thy personality. They assume an independent form which thou canst
see even as thou eholdest the stones and plants of the outer world. (nd . . . ) am that very eing
who shaped my ody out of thy good and evil achievements. #y spectral form is woven out of thine
own life2s record. Till now thou hast orne me invisily within thee$ and it was well that this was so0
for the wisdom of thy destiny$ though concealed from thee$ could thus wor" within thee$ so that the
hideous stains on my form should e lotted out. 4ow that ) have come forth from within thee$ that
concealed wisdom$ too$ has departed from thee. )t will pay no further heed to thee0 it will leave the
wor" in thy hands alone. ) must ecome a perfect and glorious eing$ or fall a prey to corruption0
and should this occur$ ) would drag thee also down with me into a dar" and corrupt world. )f thou
wouldst avoid this$ then thine own wisdom must ecome great enough to underta"e the tas" of that
other$ concealed wisdom$ which has departed from thee. (s a form visile to thyself ) will never for
an instant leave thy side$ once thou hast crossed my Threshold. (nd in future$ whenever thou dost
act or thin" wrongly thou wilt straightway perceive thy guilt as a hideous$ demoniacal distortion of
my form. 5nly when thou hast made good all thy ygone wrongs and hast so purified thyself that all
further evil is$ for thee$ a thing impossile$ only then will my eing have ecome transformed into
radiant eauty. Then$ too$ shall ) again ecome united with thee for the welfare of thy future
activity.
;6et my Threshold is fashioned out of all the timidity that remains in thee$ out of all the dread of the
strength needed to ta"e full responsiility for all thy thoughts and actions. (s long as there remains
in thee a trace of fear of ecoming thyself the guide of thine own destiny$ 'ust so long will this
Threshold lac" what still remains to e uilt into it. (nd as long as a single stone is found missing$
'ust so long must thou remain standing as though transfixed0 or else stumle. +ee" not$ then$ to
cross this Threshold until thou dost feel thyself entirely free from fear and ready for the highest
responsiility. /itherto ) only emerged from thy personality when death recalled thee from an
earthly life0 ut even then my form was veiled from thee. 5nly the powers of destiny who watched
over thee eheld me and could thus$ in the intervals etween death and a new irth$ uild in thee$ in
accordance with my appearance$ that power and capacity than"s to which thou couldst laor in a
new earth life at the eautifying of my form$ for thy welfare and progress. )t was )$ too$ whose
imperfection ever and again constrained the powers of destiny to lead thee ac" to a new
incarnation upon earth. ) was present at the hour of thy death$ and it was on my account that the
@ords of Harma ordained thy reincarnation. (nd it is only y thus unconsciously transforming me
to complete perfection in ever recurring earthly lives that thou couldst have escaped the powers of
death and passed over into immortality united with me.
;>isile do ) thus stand efore thee today$ 'ust as ) shave ever stood invisile eside thee in the hour
of death. 7hen thou shalt have crossed my Threshold$ thou wilt enter those realms to which thou
hast hitherto only had access after physical death. Thou dost now enter them with full "nowledge$
and henceforth as thou wanderest outwardly visile upon the earth thou wilt at the same time
wander in the "ingdom of death$ that is$ in the "ingdom of life eternal. ) am indeed the (ngel of
?eath0 ut ) am at the same time the earer of a higher life without end. Through me thou wilt die
with thy ody still living$ to e reorn into an imperishale existence.
;)nto this "ingdom thou art now entering0 thou wilt meet eings that are supersensile$ and
happiness will e thy lot. :ut ) myself must provide thy first ac!uaintance with that world$ and ) am
thine own creation. *ormerly ) drew my life from thine0 ut now thou hast awa"ened me to a
separate existence so that ) stand efore thee as the visile gauge of thy future deeds & perhaps$
too$ as thy constant reproach. Thou hast formed me$ ut y so doing thou hast underta"en$ as thy
duty$ to transform me.<
,)t will e gathered from the aove that the %uardian of the Threshold is an ,astral- figure$ revealing
itself to the student2s awa"ened higher sight0 and it is to this supersensile encounter that spiritual
science conducts him. )t is a lower magical process to ma"e the %uardian of the Threshold
physically visile also. That was attained y producing a cloud of fine sustance$ a "ind of
fran"incense resulting from a particular mixture of a numer of sustances. The developed power of
the magician is then ale to mould the fran"incense into shape$ animating it with the still
unredeemed "arma of the individual. +uch physical phenomena are no longer necessary for those
sufficiently prepared for the higher sight0 and esides this$ anyone who sees$ without ade!uate
preparation$ his unredeemed "arma appear efore his eyes as a living creature would run the ris" of
straying into evil yways. :ulwer @ytton2s 8anoni contains in novel form a description of the
%uardian of the Threshold.-
7hat is here indicated in narrative form must not e understood in the sense of an allegory$ ut as
an experience of the highest possile reality efalling the esoteric student.
The %uardian must warn him not to go a step further unless he feels in himself the strength to fulfill
the demands made in the aove speech. /owever horrile the form assumed y the %uardian$ it is
only the effect of the student2s own past life$ his own character risen out of him into independent
existence. This awa"ening is rought aout y the separation of will$ thought$ and feeling. To feel
for the first time that one has oneself called a spiritual eing into existence is in itself an experience
of deepest significance. The student2s preparation must aim at enaling him to endure the terrile
sight without a trace of timidity and$ at the moment of the meeting$ to feel his strength so increased
that he can underta"e fully conscious the responsiility for transforming and eautifying the
%uardian.
)f successful$ this meeting with the %uardian results in the student2s next physical death eing an
entirely different event from the death as he "new it formerly. /e experiences death consciously y
laying aside the physical ody as one discards a garment that is worn out or perhaps rendered
useless through a sudden rent. Thus his physical death is of special importance only for those living
with him$ whose perception is still restricted to the world of the senses. *or them the student dies0
ut for himself nothing of importance is changed in his whole environment. The entire
supersensile world stood open to him efore his death$ and it is this same world that now
confronts him after death.
The %uardian of the Threshold is also connected with other matters. The person elongs to a family$
a nation$ a race0 his activity in this world depends upon his elonging to some such community. /is
individual character is also connected with it. The conscious activity of individual persons y no
means exhausts everything to e rec"oned with in a family$ a nation$ or a race. :esides their
character$ families$ nations$ and races have also their destiny. *or persons restricted to their senses
these things remain mere general ideas0 and the materialistic thin"er$ in his pre'udice$ will loo"
down with contempt on the spiritual scientist when he hears that for him$ family and national
character$ lineal or racial destiny$ are vested in eings 'ust as real as the personality in which the
character and destiny of the individual man are vested. The spiritual scientist ecomes ac!uainted
with higher worlds of which the separate personalities are memers$ 'ust as arms and legs are
memers of the human eing. :esides the separate individuals$ a very real family and national
group soul and racial spirit is at wor" in the life of a family$ a people$ or a race. )ndeed$ in a certain
sense the separate individuals are merely the executive organs of these family group souls$ racial
spirits$ and so on. )t is nothing ut the truth to say$ for instance$ that a national group soul ma"es
use of each individual man elonging to that nation for the execution of some wor". The group soul
of a people does not descend into physical reality ut dwells in the higher worlds and$ in order to
wor" in the physical world$ ma"es use of the physical organs of each individual human eing. )n a
higher sense$ it is li"e an architect ma"ing use of wor"men for executing the details of a uilding. )n
the truest sense$ everyone receives his allotted tas" from his family$ national$ or racial group soul.
4ow$ the ordinary person is y no means initiated into the higher design of his wor". /e 'oins
unconsciously in the tas"s of his people and of his race. *rom the moment the student meets the
%uardian$ he must not only "now his own tas"s$ ut must "nowingly collaorate in those of his fol"$
his race. 8very extension of his hori3on necessarily enlarges the scope of his duties. 7hat actually
happens is that the student adds a new ody to his finer soul.ody. /e puts on a second garment.
/itherto he found his way through the world with the coverings enveloping his personality0 and
what he had to accomplish for his community$ his nation$ his race$ was directed y higher spirits
who made use of his personality.
(nd now$ a further revelation made to him y the %uardian of the Threshold is that henceforth
these spirits will withdraw their guiding hand from him. /e must step out of the circle of his
community. 6et as an isolated personality he would ecome hardened in himself and decline into
ruin$ did he not$ himself$ ac!uire those powers which are vested in the national and racial spirits.
#any$ no dout$ will say: ;5h$ ) have entirely freed myself from all lineal and racial connections0 )
only want to e a human eing and nothing ut a human eing.< To these one must reply: ;7ho$
then$ rought you to this freedom1 7as it not your family who placed you in the world where you
now stand1 /ave you not your lineage$ your nation$ your race to than" for eing what you are1 They
have rought you up. (nd if now$ exalted aove all pre'udices$ you are one of the light.ringers and
enefactors of your stoc" and even of your race$ it is to their up.ringing that you owe it. 6es$ even
when you say you are Mnothing ut a human eing$2 even the fact that you have ecome such a
personality you owe to the spirits of your communities.< 5nly the esoteric student learns what it
means to e entirely cut off from his family$ national$ or racial spirit. /e alone reali3es$ through
personal experience$ the insignificance of all such education in respect of the life now confronting
him. *or everything inculcated y education completely melts away when the threads inding will$
thought$ and feeling are severed. /e loo"s ac" on the result of all his previous education as he
might on a house crumling away ric" y ric"$ which he must now reuild in a new form. (nd
again$ it is more than a mere symolical expression to say that when the %uardian has enunciated
his first statement$ there arises from the spot where he stands a whirlwind which extinguishes all
those spiritual lights that have hitherto illumined the pathway of his life. Ftter dar"ness$ relieved
only y the rays issuing from the %uardian himself$ unfolds efore the student. (nd out of this
dar"ness resounds the %uardian2s further admonition: ;+tep not across my Threshold until thou
dost clearly reali3e that thou wilt thyself illumine the dar"ness ahead of thee0 ta"e not a single step
forward until thou art positive that thou hast sufficient oil in thine own lamp. The lamps of the
guides whom thou hast hitherto followed will now no longer e availale to thee.< (t these words$
the student must turn and glance ac"ward. The %uardian of the Threshold now draws aside a veil
which till now had concealed deep life.mysteries. The family$ national$ and racial spirits are
revealed to the student in their full activity$ so that he perceives clearly on the one hand$ how he has
hitherto een led$ and no less clearly on the other hand$ that he will henceforward no longer en'oy
this guidance. That is the second warning received at the Threshold from its %uardian.
7ithout preparation$ no one could endure the sight of what has here een indicated. :ut the higher
training which ma"es it possile at all for the student to advance up to the Threshold
simultaneously puts him in a position to find the necessary strength at the right moment. )ndeed$
the training can e so harmonious in its nature that the entry into the higher life is relieved of
everything of an agitating or tumultuous character. /is experience at the Threshold will then e
attended y a premonition of that felicity which is to provide the "eynote of his newly awa"ened life.
The feeling of a new freedom will outweigh all other feelings0 and attended y this feeling$ his new
duties and responsiilities will appear as something which man$ at a particular stage of life$ must
needs ta"e upon himself.
%I
$ife and #eath' The &reater &uardian of the Threshold
)t has een descried in the foregoing chapter how significant for the human eing is his meeting
with the so.called lesser %uardian of the Threshold y virtue of the fact that he ecomes aware of
confronting a supersensile eing whom he has himself rought into existence$ and whose ody
consists of the hitherto invisile results of the student2s own actions$ feelings$ and thoughts. These
unseen forces have ecome the cause of his destiny and his character$ and he reali3es how he
himself founded the present in the past. /e can understand why his inner self$ now standing to a
certain extent revealed efore him$ includes particular inclinations and haits$ and he can also
recogni3e the origin of certain lows of fate that have efallen him. /e perceives why he loves one
thing and hates another0 why one thing ma"es him happy and another unhappy. >isile life is
explained y the invisile causes. The essential facts of life$ too & health and illness$ irth and death
& unveil themselves efore his ga3e. /e oserves how efore his irth he wove the causes which
necessarily led to his return into life. /enceforth he "nows that eing within himself which is
fashioned with all its imperfections in the visile world$ and which can only e rought to its final
perfection in this same visile world. *or in no other world is an opportunity given to uild up and
complete this eing. #oreover$ he recogni3es that death cannot sever him forever from this world0
for he says to himself: ;5nce ) came into this world ecause$ eing what ) was$ ) needed the life it
provided to ac!uire !ualities unattainale in any other world. (nd ) must remain ound to this
world until ) have developed within myself everything that can here e gained. ) shall some day
ecome a useful collaorator in another world only y ac!uiring all the re!uisite faculties in this
physical world.<
Than"s to his insight into the supersensile world$ the initiate gains a etter "nowledge and
appreciation of the true value of visile nature than was possile efore his higher training0 and this
may e counted among his most important experiences. (nyone not possessing this insight and
perhaps therefore imagining the supersensile regions to e infinitely more valuale$ is li"ely to
underestimate the physical world. 6et the possessor of this insight "nows that without experience in
visile reality he would e totally powerless in that other invisile reality. :efore he can live in the
latter he must have the re!uisite faculties and instruments which can only e ac!uired in the visile
world. Consciousness in the invisile world is not possile without spiritual sight$ ut this power of
vision in the higher world is gradually developed through experience in the lower. 4o one can e
orn in the spiritual world with spiritual eyes without having first developed them in the physical
world$ any more than a child could e orn with physical eyes$ had they not already een formed
within the mother2s wom.
*rom this standpoint it will also e readily understood why the Threshold to the supersensile
world is watched over y a %uardian. )n no case may real insight into those regions e permitted to
anyone lac"ing the re!uisite faculties0 therefore$ when at the hour of death anyone enters the other
world while still incompetent to wor" in it$ the higher experiences are shrouded from him until he is
fit to ehold them.
7hen the student enters the supersensile world$ life ac!uires !uite a new meaning for him0 he
discerns in the physical world the seed.ground of a higher world$ so that in a certain sense the
higher will appear defective without the lower. Two outloo"s are opened efore him0 the first into
the past and the second into the future. /is vision extends to a past in which this physical world was
not yet existent0 for he has long since discarded the pre'udice that the supersensile world was
developed out of the sense.world. /e "nows that the former existed first$ and that out of it
everything physical was evolved. /e sees that he himself elonged to a supersensile world efore
coming for the first time into this sense.world. :ut this pristine supersensile world needed to pass
through the sense.world$ for without this passage its further evolution would not have een
possile. )t can only pursue its course when certain things will have developed re!uisite faculties
within the realm of the senses. These eings are none other than human eings. They owe their
present life to an imperfect stage of spiritual existence and are eing led$ even within this stage$ to
that perfection which will ma"e them fit for further wor" in the higher world. (t this point the
outloo" is directed into the future. ( higher stage of the supersensile world is discerned which will
contain the fruits matured in the sense.world. The sense.world as such will e overcome$ ut its
results will e emodied in a higher world.
The existence of disease and death in the sense.world is thus explained. ?eath merely expresses the
fact that the original supersensile world reached a point eyond which it could not progress y
itself. Fniversal death must needs have overta"en it$ had it not received a fresh life.impulse. Thus
this new life has evolved into a attle with universal death. *rom the remnants of a dying$ rigid
world there sprouted the seeds of a new one. That is why we have death and life in the world. The
decaying portion of the old world adheres to the new life lossoming from it$ and the process of
evolution moves slowly. This comes to expression most clearly in man himself. The sheath he ears
is gathered from the preserved remnants of the old world$ and within this sheath the germ of that
eing is matured which will live in the future.
Thus man is twofold: mortal and immortal. The mortal is in its last$ the immortal in its first stage.
:ut it is only within this twofold world$ which finds its expression in the sense.world$ that he can
ac!uire the re!uisite faculties to lead the world to immortality. )ndeed$ this tas" is precisely to
gather the fruits of the mortal for the immortal. (nd as he glances at himself as the result of his own
wor" in the past he cannot ut say: ;) have in me the elements of a decaying world. They are at wor"
in me$ and ) can only rea" their power little y little$ than"s to the new immortal elements coming
to life within me.< This is the path leading man from death to life. Could he ut spea" to himself
with full consciousness at the hour of his death$ he would say: ;The perishing world was my tas".
master. ) am now dying as the result of the entire past in which ) am enmeshed. 6et the soil of
mortal life has matured the seeds of immortal life. ) carry them with me into another world. )f it had
merely depended on the past$ ) could never have een orn. The life of the past came to an end with
irth. @ife in the sense.world is wrested from universal death y the newly formed life.germ. The
time etween irth and death is merely an expression for the sum of values wrested from the dying
past y the new life0 and illness is nothing ut the continued effect of the dying portions of the past.<
)n the aove the answer will e found to the !uestion why man wor"s his way only gradually
through error and imperfection to the good and true. /is actions$ feelings$ and thoughts are at first
dominated y the perishing and the mortal. The latter gave rise to his sense.organs. *or this reason$
these organs and all things activating them are doomed to perish The imperishale will not e
found in the instincts$ impulses$ and passions$ or in the organs elonging to them$ ut only in the
wor" produced y these organs. #an must extract from the perishale everything that can e
extracted$ and this wor" alone will enale him to discard the ac"ground out of which he has grown$
and which finds its expression in the physical sense.world.
Thus the first %uardian confronts man as the counterpart of his two.fold nature in which perishale
and imperishale are lended0 and it stands clearly proved how far removed he still is from
attaining that sulime luminous figure which may again dwell in the pure$ spiritual world. The
extent to which he is entangled in the physical sense.world is exposed to the student2s view. The
presence of instincts$ impulses$ desires$ egotistical wishes and all forms of selfishness$ and so forth$
expresses itself in this entanglement$ as it does further in his memership in a race$ a nation$ and so
forth0 for peoples and races are ut steps leading to pure humanity. ( race or a nation stands so
much the higher$ the more perfectly its memers express the pure$ ideal human type$ the further
they have wor"ed their way from the physical and perishale to the supersensile and imperishale.
The evolution of man through the incarnations in ever higher national and racial forms is thus a
process of lieration. #an must finally appear in harmonious perfection. )n a similar way$ the
pilgrimage through ever purer forms of morality and religion is a perfecting process0 for every moral
stage retains the passion for the perishale eside the seeds of an ideal future.
4ow in the %uardian of the Threshold as descried aove$ the product of the past is manifest$
containing only so many seeds of the future as could e planted in the course of time. 6et everything
that can e extracted from the sense.world must e carried into the supersensile world. 7ere man
to ring with him only what had een woven into his counterpart out of the past$ his earthly tas"
would remain ut partially accomplished. *or this reason the lesser %uardian of the Threshold is
'oined$ after a time$ y the greater %uardian. The meeting with the second %uardian will again e
descried in narrative form.
7hen the student has recogni3ed all the elements from which he must lierate himself$ his way is
arred y a sulime luminous eing whose eauty is difficult to descrie in the words of human
language. This encounter ta"es place when the sundering of the organs of thin"ing$ feeling$ and
willing extends to the physical ody$ so that their reciprocal connection is no longer regulated y
themselves ut y the higher consciousness$ which has now entirely lierated itself from physical
conditions. The organs of thin"ing$ feeling and willing will then e controlled from supersensile
regions as instruments in the power of the human soul. The latter$ thus lierated from all physical
onds$ is now confronted y the second %uardian of the Threshold who spea"s as follows:
;Thou hast released thyself from the world of the senses. Thou hast won the right to ecome a
citi3en of the supersensile world$ whence thine activity can now e directed. *or thine own sa"e$
thou dost no longer re!uire thy physical ody in its present form. )f thine intention were merely to
ac!uire the faculties necessary for life in the supersensile world$ thou needest no longer return to
the sense.world. :ut now ehold me. +ee how sulimely ) tower aove all that thou hast made of
thyself thus far. Thou hast attained thy present degree of perfection than"s to the faculties thou wert
ale to develop in the sense.world as long as thou wert still confined to it. :ut now a new era is to
egin$ in which thy lierated powers must e applied to further wor" in the world of the senses.
/itherto thou hast sought only thine own release$ ut now$ having thyself ecome free$ thou canst
go forth as a lierator of thy fellows. Fntil today thou hast striven as an individual$ ut now see" to
coordinate thyself with the whole$ so that thou mayst ring into the supersensile world not thyself
alone$ ut all things else existing in the world of the senses. Thou wilt some day e ale to unite with
me$ ut ) cannot e lessed so long as others remain unredeemed. (s a separate freed eing$ thou
wouldst fain enter at once the "ingdom of the supersensile0 yet thou wouldst e forced to loo"
down on the still unredeemed eings in the physical world$ having sundered thy destiny from theirs$
although thou and they are inseparaly united. 6e all did perforce descend into the sense.world to
gather powers needed for a higher world. To separate thyself from thy fellows would mean to ause
those very powers which thou couldst not have developed save in their company. Thou couldst not
have descended had they not done so0 and without them the powers needed for supersensile
existence would fail thee. Thou must now share with thy fellows the powers which$ together with
them$ thou didst ac!uire. ) shall therefore ar thine entry into the higher regions of the
supersensile world so long as thou hast not applied all the powers thou hast ac!uired to the
lieration of thy companions. 7ith the powers already at thy disposal thou mayst so'ourn in the
lower regions of the supersensile world0 ut ) stand efore the portal of the higher regions as the
Cheru with the fiery sword efore Earadise$ and ) ar thine entrance as long as powers unused in
the sense.world still remain in thee. (nd if thou dost refuse to apply thy powers in this world$ others
will come who will not refuse0 and a higher supersensile world will receive all the fruits of the
sense.world$ while thou wilt lose from under thy feet the very ground in which thou wert rooted.
The purified world will develop aove and eyond thee$ and thou shalt e excluded from it. Thus
thou wouldst tread the black path$ while the others from whom thou didst sever thyself tread the
white path.<
7ith these words the greater %uardian ma"es his presence "nown soon after the meeting with the
first %uardian has ta"en place. The initiate "nows full well what is in store for him if he yields to the
temptation of a premature aode in the supersensile world. (n indescriale splendor shines forth
from the second %uardian of the Threshold0 union with him looms as a far distant ideal efore the
soul2s vision. 6et there is also the certitude that this union will not e possile until all the powers
afforded y this world are applied to the tas" of its lieration and redemption. :y fulfilling the
demands of the higher light.eing the initiate will contriute to the lieration of the human race. /e
lays his gifts on the sacrificial altar of humanity. +hould he prefer his own premature elevation into
the supersensile world$ the stream of human evolution will flow over and past him. (fter his
lieration he can gain no new powers from the world of the senses0 and if he places his wor" at the
world2s disposal it will entail his renouncement of any further enefit for himself.
)t does not follow that$ when called upon to decide$ anyone will naturally follow the white path. That
depends entirely upon whether he is so far purified at the time of his decision that no trace of self.
see"ing ma"es this prospect of felicity appear desirale. *or the allurements here are the strongest
possile0 whereas on the other side no special allurements are evident. /ere nothing appeals to his
egotism. The gift he receives in the higher regions of the supersensile world is nothing that comes
to him$ ut only something that flows from him$ that is$ love for the world and for his fellows.
4othing that egotism desires is denied upon the lac" path$ for the latter provides$ on the contrary$
for the complete gratification of egotism$ and will not fail to attract those desiring merely their own
felicity$ for it is indeed the appropriate path for them. 4o one therefore should expect the occultists
of the white path to give him instruction for the development of his own egotistical self. They do not
ta"e the slightest interest in the felicity of the individual man. 8ach can attain that for himself$ and
it is not the tas" of the white occultists to shorten the way0 for they are only concerned with the
development and lieration of all human eings and all creatures. Their instructions therefore deal
only with the development of powers for collaoration in this wor". Thus they place selfless
devotion and self.sacrifice efore all other !ualities. They never actually refuse anyone$ for even the
greatest egotist can purify himself0 ut no one merely see"ing an advantage for himself will ever
otain assistance from the white occultists. 8ven when they do not refuse their help$ he$ the see"er$
deprives himself on the advantage resulting from their assistance. (nyone$ therefore$ really
following the instructions of the good occultists will$ upon crossing the Threshold$ understand the
demands of the greater %uardian0 anyone$ however$ not following their instructions can never hope
to reach the Threshold. Their instructions$ if followed$ produce good results or no results0 for it is no
part of their tas" to lead to egotistical felicity and a mere existence in the supersensile worlds. )n
fact$ it ecomes their duty to "eep the student away from the supersensile world until he can enter
it with the will for selfless collaoration.
Appendi(
The path to supersensile "nowledge$ as descried in this oo"$ leads the soul through experiences
concerning the nature of which it is especially important to avoid all illusions and misconceptions.
6et it is ut natural that the latter should arise in such !uestions as are here considered. )n this
connection one of the most serious mista"es occurs when the whole range of inner experience dealt
with in true spiritual science is distorted into appearing in the same category as superstition$
visionary dreaming$ mediumship ,spiritism-$ and other degenerate practices. This distortion is
often due to the fact that persons desirous of following the path descried in this oo" are confused
with others who in their search for supersensile reality$ and as a result of methods foreign to
genuine striving for "nowledge$ wander into undesirale paths. The experiences through which the
human soul lives on the path here descried are wholly confined to the realm of psycho.spiritual
experience. They are only possile if e!ual freedom and independence from the odily life are
attained for certain other inner experiences$ as is the case during ordinary consciousness$ when
thoughts are made concerning things outwardly perceived or inwardly felt and willed$ thoughts
which do not themselves originate in what is perceived$ felt$ and willed. There are people who deny
the existence of such thoughts. They elieve that no thought is possile that is not extracted from
perceptions or from the inner life dependent on the ody. *or them$ all thoughts are to a certain
extent mere reflections of perceptions and of inner experiences. This view$ however$ can e
expressed only y those who have never raised themselves to the faculty of experiencing with their
souls a self.sustaining life in pure thought. *or others$ who have lived through this experience$ it is
a matter of "nowledge that wherever thought dominates the life of the soul to the degree that this
thought permeates other soul functions$ the human eing is involved in an activity in whose origin
his ody has no share. )n the ordinary life of the soul$ thought is almost always mixed with other
functions: perception$ feeling$ willing and so forth. These other functions are effectuated y the
ody0 yet thought plays into them$ and to the degree that is does this a process ta"es place$ in and
through the human eing$ in which his ody has no share. This can only e denied so long as the
illusion is not discarded which arises from oserving thought only when the latter is united with
other functions. 6et an inner exertion is possile which will enale the thin"ing part of inner life to
e experienced as distinct from everything else. +omething consisting in pure thought alone can e
detached from the encompassing soul.life$ that is$ thoughts that are self.sustaining and from which
everything provided y perception or odily conditioned inner life is excluded. +uch thoughts reveal
themselves through themselves$ through what they are$ as spiritual supersensile sustance.
(nyone uniting himself with them$ while excluding all perception$ all memory$ and every other
to"en of inner life$ "nows himself to e in a supersensile region and experiences himself outside
the physical ody. *or anyone familiar with this whole process$ the !uestion can no longer arise:
Can the soul live through experiences outside the ody in a supersensile world1 *or it would mean
denying what he "nows from experience. The only !uestion for him is: 7hat prevents such a
positive fact from eing recogni3ed1 (nd the answer he finds to this !uestion is that the fact does
not reveal itself unless the student first cultivates a condition of soul which allows him to ecome
the recipient of this revelation.
4ow$ people ecome at once suspicious when an activity confined entirely to the soul is expected of
them$ in order that something independent of themselves should reveal itself. They elieve that they
themselves give the revelation its content ecause they prepare themselves to receive it. They expect
experiences to which they contriute nothing and which allow them to remain !uite passive. +hould
such people$ in addition$ e ignorant of the simplest scientific re!uirements for the comprehension
of a given fact$ they will ta"e for an o'ective revelation of non.sensile sustances contents and
productions of the soul in which the soul2s conscious participation is reduced elow the level
maintained in sense.perception and will.impelled action. +uch are the soul.contents provided y
the experiences and revelations of the visionary and the medium. :ut what comes to the fore
through such revelations is not a supersensible ut a sub-sensible world. /uman wa"ing life does
not run its course completely within the ody0 the most conscious part of it runs its course on the
oundary etween the ody and the physical outer world0 thus the process of perception with the
organs of sense is as much an extra.physical process penetrating into the ody as a permeation of
this process from out the ody0 so too$ is the life of will$ which rests upon the insertion of the human
eing into the cosmic eing$ so that what occurs in the human eing through his will is
simultaneously a lin" in the chain of cosmic occurrence. )n this life of the soul running on the
oundary of the physical ody$ the human eing is to a high degree dependent on his physical
organi3ation0 ut the function of thought plays into this activity$ and in as much as this is the case$
the human eing ma"es himself independent of his odily organi3ation in the functions of sense
perception and willing. )n the experiences of the visionary and in mediumistic phenomena the
human eing ecomes completely dependent on his ody. /e excludes from the life of his soul that
function which$ in perception and willing$ ma"es him independent of his ody. Thus the content
and productions of his soul are merely revelations of his odily life. The experiences of the visionary
and the phenomena produced y the medium owe their existence to the fact that a person while
thus experiencing and producing is$ with his soul$ less independent of his ody than in ordinary
perception and willing. )n the experience of the supersensile as indicated in this oo"$ the
development of soul.life proceeds in 'ust the opposite direction from that ta"en y the visionary and
the medium. The soul ac!uires a progressively greater independence of the ody than is the case in
perceiving and willing. The same independence reali3ed in the experience of pure thought is
attained y the soul for a far wider range of activity.
*or the supersensile activity of the soul here meant$ it is especially important to grasp and reali3e
in the clearest possile way this experience of life in pure thought. *or in the main$ this experience
is already a supersensile activity of the soul$ ut one in which nothing supersensile is as yet
perceived. 7ith pure thought we live in the supersensile0 ut we experience only this in
supersensile fashion0 we do not yet experience anything else supersensily. (nd supersensile
experience must e a continuation of that life already attained y the soul when united with pure
thought. *or this reason it is so important to gain "nowledge of this union in the right way$ for it is
from its comprehension that light shines forth to ring correct insight into the nature of
supersensile "nowledge. The moment the life of the soul lin"s elow the level of clear
consciousness existing in thought$ the soul is on the wrong path as far as true "nowledge of the
supersensile world is concerned: for the soul is sei3ed y the odily functions$ and what is than
experienced is not the revelation of a supersensile world$ ut odily revelations confined to the
supersensile world.
N N N
,C- /aving penetrated to the sphere of the supersensile$ the soul2s experiences are of such a nature
that descriptive expressions cannot so easily e found for them as for experiences confined to the
world of the senses. Care must often e ta"en not to overloo" the fact that to a certain extent$ in
descriptions of supersensile experience$ the distance separating the actual fact from the language
used to descrie it is greater than in descriptions of physical experience. The reader must e at
pains to reali3e that many an expression is intended as an illustration$ merely indicating in a
delicate way the reality to which it refers. Thus it is said on page 19 of this oo": ;5riginally all rules
and teachings of spiritual science were expressed in a symolical sign.language.< (nd on page OC$ a
;certain writing system< was mentioned. 4ow$ anyone may easily e led to suppose that such a
writing system can e learned in the same way we learn the letters of an ordinary physical language$
and their cominations. )n this connection it must e pointed out that there have een and there
still are spiritual scientific signs y means of which supersensile facts are expressed. (nd anyone
initiated into the meaning of these symols attains therey the means of directing his inner life
toward the supersensile realities in !uestion. :ut what is of far greater importance for
supersensile experiences is that$ in the course of that supersensile experience to which the
reali3ation of the contents of this oo" leads$ the soul should$ in the contemplation of the
supersensile$ gain the revelation of such a writing through personal experience. The supersensile
says something to the soul which the soul must translate into these illustrative signs$ so that it can
e surveyed with full consciousness. The statement can e made that what is imparted in this oo"
can e reali3ed y every soul. (nd in the course of this reali3ation$ which the soul can personally
determine according to the indications given$ the resulting events occur as descried. @et the reader
ta"e this oo" as a conversation etween the author and himself. The statement that the student
needs personal instruction should e understood in the sense that this oo" itself is personal
instruction. )n earlier times there were reasons for reserving such personal instruction for oral
teaching0 today we have reached a stage in the evolution of humanity in which spiritual scientific
"nowledge must ecome far more widely disseminated than formerly. )t must e placed within the
reach of everyone to a !uite different extend from what was the case in older times. /ence the oo"
replaces the former oral instruction. )t is only to a limited extent correct to say that further personal
instruction is necessary eyond that contained in this oo". 4o dout someone may need
assistance$ and it may e of importance for him or her0 ut it would e false to elieve that there are
any cardinal points not mentioned in this oo". These can e found y anyone who reads correctly$
and$ aove all$ completely.
N N N
,D- The descriptive instructions given in this oo" appear at first sight to re!uire the complete
alteration of the whole human eing. 6et when correctly read it will e found that nothing more is
intended than a description of the inner soul state re!uired of anyone in those moments of life at
which he confronts the supersensile world. /e develops this state of soul as a second eing within
himself0 and the healthy other eing pursues its course in the old way. The unfolding trainee "nows
how to hold the two eings apart in full consciousness and how to ma"e them act and react on each
other in the right way. This does not ma"e him useless and incompetent for life$ nor does he lose his
interest and s"ill in it and ecome a spiritual researcher the whole day long. )t is of course true that
the student2s manner of experience in the supersensile world will shed its light over his whole
eing0 ut far from distracting him from life$ it ma"es him more capale and his life more
productive. The necessity of adopting the existing method of description is due to the fact that every
cognitive process directed toward the supersensile calls the whole human eing into action0 so that
in the moment of such cognition the whole human eing is engaged$ while the supersensile
cognitive process engages the whole human eing. The whole human eing ecomes an eye or an
ear. *or this reason$ when information is given concerning the construction of supersensile
cognitive processes$ it appears as though a transformation of the human eing were meant$ as if
nothing were right in the ordinary human eing$ and he should ecome !uite different.
N N N
,4- ) should li"e to add to what was said on pp. 1D1 et se. concerning ;some results of initiation$<
something which$ with a slight alteration$ can apply to other parts of the oo". )t may occur to
someone to as" whether such figurative descriptions are necessary$ and whether it would not e
possile to descrie these supersensile experiences in ideas$ without such illustrations. )n reply it
must e pointed out that for the experience of supersensile reality it is essential that the human
eing "new himself as a supersensile eing in a supersensile world. 7ithout this vision of his own
supersensile nature$ whose reality is fully manifest in the descriptions here given of the lotus
flowers and the etheric ody$ the human eing2s experience of himself in the supersensile world
would e li"e placing him in the sensile world in such a way that the things and processes around
him manifested themselves$ while he himself had no "nowledge of his own ody. /is perception of
his own supersensile form in soul.ody and etheric ody enales him to stand$ conscious of
himself$ in the supersensile world$ 'ust as he is conscious of himself in the physical world through
the perception of his physical ody.
T/8 84?