Cosmic Memory
GA 11
xv. The Life of the Sun
[ 1 ] After the great cosmic era of Saturn, which has been described in the preceding pages, there follows that of the Sun. Between them lies a period of rest (Pralaya). During this period, everything human which has developed on Saturn takes on a character which stands in the same relation to the subsequently to be developed Sun man as the seed to the plant which emerges from it. Saturn man, as it were, has left behind his seed, which is sunk in a kind of sleep, after which it will develop into Sun man.
[ 2 ] Man now passes through his second stage of consciousness on the Sun. It resembles that into which today man sinks during a calm and dreamless sleep. This condition, which interrupts man's state of wakefulness today, is a remainder, as it were, a memory of the time of the Sun development. One can also compare it with that dull state of consciousness in which the world of plants exists today. As a matter of fact, in the plant one must see a sleeping being.
[ 3 ] In order to understand the development of mankind, one must realize that in this second great cycle the Sun was still a planet, and that only later did it advance to the existence of a fixed star. In the sense of mystery science, a fixed star is one which sends life forces to one or several planets situated at a distance from it. During the second cycle this was not yet the case with the Sun. At that time it was still united with the beings to which it gave force. These beings—and also man at his level of development of that time—still lived on it. A planetary earth, separated from Sun and Moon, did not exist. Everything in the way of substances, forces, and beings which exists on and in the earth today, and everything which now belongs to the Moon, was still within the Sun. It formed a part of its substances, forces, and beings. Only during the next (third) great cycle did that detach itself from the Sun which in mystery science is called the Moon. This is not the present moon, but the predecessor of our earth, its previous embodiment (reincarnation), as it were. This Moon became the earth, after it in turn had detached from its substance and cast off what one today designates as moon. In the third cycle two bodies thus existed in place of the former planetary Sun, namely, the fixed star Sun and the split-off planetary Moon. Man and the other beings which had developed as man's companions during the course of the Sun, had been taken out of the Sun along with the Moon. The Sun now provided the Moon beings from the outside with those forces which they had previously obtained directly from it as their dwelling-place.
After the third (Moon) cycle there occurred another period of rest (Pralaya). During this period the two separate bodies (Sun and Moon) became united and together passed through the condition of the sleeping seed. In the fourth cyclic period, Sun and planetary Moon at first emerged from the obscurity of sleep as one body. During the first half of this cycle our earth, along with man and his companions, split off from the Sun. A little later it cast off the present moon, so there now exist three members as descendants of the former Sun planet.
[ 4 ] On the Sun planet, man and the other beings mentioned in the course of the discussion of Saturn passed through another stage of their development in the second great cosmic era. The rudiment of the later physical body of man, which had gradually developed on Saturn, emerges like a plant from the seed at the beginning of the Sun cycle. But here it does not remain in the same state in which it was previously. It is permeated by a second, more delicate, but in itself more powerful body, the ether body. While the Saturn body of man was a kind of automaton (quite lifeless), now, through the ether body which gradually permeates it completely, it becomes an animated being. Man thereby becomes a kind of plant. His appearance, however, is not that of the plants of today. Rather in his forms he already somewhat resembles present-day man. But, the rudiment of the head like the plant root of today, is turned downward, toward the center of the Sun, and the rudiments of the feet turned upward like the blossom of the plant. This plant-man organism has as yet no capacity of voluntary movement.5For someone who clings to the sensory perceptions of today, it will of course be difficult to imagine that man lived as a plant being in the Sun itself. It seems inconcervable that a living being could exist in the physical conditions which must be assumed for this state. But it is only a plant of today which is adapted to the present physical earth. It has only developed in this way because its environment is a corresponding one. The Sun plant-being existed under other conditions of life, which correspond to the physical solar conditions of that time.
[ 5 ] But man only develops into this form during the second of the seven smaller cycles (rounds) through which the Sun passes. For the duration of the first of these small cycles there is as yet no ether body in the human organism. Everything which occurred during the Saturn era is then repeated in brief. The physical body of man still retains its automatic character, but it changes its previous form somewhat. If it were to remain as it was on Saturn, it would not be capable of harboring an ether body. It is changed in such a way that it can become a carrier of this body. During the following six cycles the ether body is developed further and further, and through its forces, which act on the physical body, the latter also gradually receives a more and more perfect form.
The work of transformation which is performed on man here is carried out by the spirits which have already been mentioned in connection with man in our discussion of the Saturn development.
[ 6 ] Those spirits which are called “Radiating Lives” or “Flames” (in Christian esoteric science, “Thrones”), are now no longer in question. They have performed their labor in this respect during the first half of the first Saturn cycle. What can be observed during the first Sun cycle (round) is the labor of the “Spirits of Wisdom” (Dominions or Kyriotetes in Christian esoteric doctrine). They have intervened in the development of man around the middle of the first Saturn cycle (see the previous chapter). They now continue their labor during the first half of the first Sun cycle by repeating in successive stages the wise arrangement of the physical body. A little later this labor is joined by that of the “Spirits of Motion” (Dynamis in Christianity. Mahat in theosophical literature). Thereby that period of the Saturn cycle is repeated during which the human body received the capacity of motion. It thus again becomes mobile. In the same way the “Spirits of Form” (Exusiai), those of “Darkness” (in Christianity, Archai, in theosophy, Asuras), then the “Sons of Fire” (Archangels), and finally the “Spirits of Twilight” (Angels, Lunar Pitris) successively repeat their labors. Therewith we have characterized six smaller periods of the first course of the Sun (of the first solstice).
In a seventh of these smaller periods the “Spirits of Wisdom” again intervene. While in their preceding period of labor they had given a wise structure to the human body, they now bestow on the limbs, which have become mobile, the capacity to render their motion a wisdom directed one. Previously it was only the structure which was an expression of inner wisdom; now the motion too becomes such an expression. With this, the first Sun cycle attains its end. It consists of seven successive smaller cycles, of which each one is a short repetition of a Saturn cycle (a Saturn round). In theosophical literature one has become accustomed to calling these seven smaller cycles, which make up a so-called “round,” “globes.” (A round thus takes place in seven “globes.”)
[ 7 ] Now, after a period of rest (Pralaya), the first Sun cycle is succeeded by the second. The individual “smallest cycles” or “globes” will be discussed in detail later; at present we shall proceed to the subsequent course of the Sun cycle.
At the end of the first, the human body is already prepared for the reception of the ether body, because the “Spirits of Wisdom” have given him the possibility of wisdom-filled motion.
In the meantime however, these “Spirits of Wisdom” themselves have developed further. Through the labor which they have performed, they have become capable of pouring their substance out of themselves just as the “Flames” poured theirs out in the beginning of the Saturn cycle, thereby giving the physical body its material basis. The substance of the “Spirits of Wisdom” is the “ether,” that is, mobile and power-filled wisdom, in other words, “life.” The ether or life body of man is thus an emanation of the “Wisdom Spirits.”
This emanation continues until around the middle of the second Sun cycle, when the “Spirits of Motion” can again begin with a new activity. Their labor previously could only extend to the physical body of man; now it is transferred to the ether body and implants a powerful activity in it. This continues until the middle of the third Sun cycle. Then the action of the “Spirits of Form” begins. Through them the ether body, which before had had only a cloudlike mobility, receives a definite shape (form).
In the middle of the fourth course of the Sun, these “Spirits of Form” receive a consciousness like that which man will have on “Venus.” the second planet on which he will appear after his earthly existence. This is a supra-psychic consciousness. These spirits attain this as a fruit of their activity during the third and fourth course of the Sun. Thereby they acquire the capacity to transform the sensory germs developed during and after the Saturn period, and which until this time were only physical instruments, into animated senses by means of the ether.
[ 8 ] Through a similar process the “Spirits of Darkness” (in Christianity, Archai, in theosophy, Asuras) have at this time attained the level of psychic consciousness, which man will develop only on Jupiter as conscious image consciousness. Thereby they become capable of acting consciously from the astral world. Now the ether body of a being can be influenced from the astral world. The “Spirits of Darkness” did this with respect to the ether body of man. They now implanted in it the Spirit of selfhood (independence and selfishness), as they had previously done in the physical body. One can see how these spirits imparted egoism in all the members of the human entity in turn.
At the same time the “Sons of Fire” attained the stage of consciousness which man today possesses as his waking consciousness. One can say of them that they now become men. Now they can make use of the physical human body for a kind of intercourse with the outside world. In similar fashion the “Spirits of Personality” made use of the physical body from the middle of the fourth Saturn cycle on. But they had used the sensory germs for a kind of perception. The nature of the “Sons of Fire,” however, is such that they pour the warmth of their soul out into their environment. The physical human body is now so far advanced that they can do this through it. Their warmth acts approximately like the warmth of the hen on the egg which she is hatching, that is, it has a life-awakening power. Everything of such a life-awakening power that lies in man and in his companions was implanted into the ether body at that time by the Sons of Fire. We are dealing here with the origin of that warmth which is a condition for the reproduction of all living beings. Later it will become apparent what kind of a transformation this power of warmth went through when the Moon split off from the Sun.
[ 9 ] Around the middle of the fifth cycle the “Sons of Fire” have developed so far that they can inoculate the ether body with the capacity which they previously exercised through the physical human body. They now relieve the “Spirits of Personality” in the work on this ether body, which thereby becomes the initiator of a reproductive activity.
In this period they abandon the physical body to the Sons of Twilight (in Christianity, Angels, in theosophy, Lunar Pitris). In the meantime, the latter have acquired a dull image consciousness such as man will have on the Moon. On Saturn they had given the ancestor of man a kind of organ of understanding. Now they further develop the physical instruments of the human spirit, which he will consciously use at later stages of his development. Thereby, through the human body the Seraphim can already reveal themselves on the Sun before the middle of the fifth cycle in a more complete manner than was possible on Saturn.
[ 10 ] From the middle of the sixth course of the Sun onward, man himself is so far advanced that he can unconsciously work on his physical body. In this respect he now relieves the “Sons of Twilight.” Through this activity in dullness, he creates the first germinal predisposition to the living spiritual being, which one calls life-spirit (Buddhi). Only at later stages of his development will he become conscious of this spirit of life. As from the seventh Saturn cycle onward, the Thrones voluntarily poured their power into the predisposition to spirit-man which was formed at that time, so the Cherubim now pour out their wisdom, which thenceforward is preserved for the life-spirit of man through all subsequent stages of development. From the middle of the seventh course of the Sun onward, the germ of spirit-man (Atma), already formed on Saturn, appears again. It combines with the life-spirit (Buddhi), and the animated monad (Atma-Buddhi) thus comes into being.
While man works unconsciously on his physical body in this time, the Sons of Twilight take over what must now be done on the ether body in order to develop it further. In this respect they are the successors of the Sons of Fire. They radiate the images of their consciousness into this ether body and thereby, in a kind of dreamlike condition, enjoy the power of reproduction of this body, which has been stimulated by the Sons of Fire. By this, they prepare the development of the pleasure in this power, which later (on the Moon) appears in man and in his fellow-beings.
[ 11 ] On Saturn, man's physical body had been formed. The latter was completely lifeless at that time. Such a lifeless body is called mineral by mystery science. One can therefore also say that on Saturn man was mineral, or he passed through the mineral realm. This human mineral did not have the form of a present-day mineral. Minerals as they are at present, did not yet exist at that time.
[ 12 ] As has been shown, this human mineral which reemerged from the obscurity of sleep as from a germ, was animated on the Sun. It became a human plant; man passed through the realm of plants.
But not all human minerals are animated in this manner This could not have happened, for the plant man needed the mineral basis for his life. As today there can be no plants without a mineral realm from which they take in their substances, so was it on the Sun with respect to the plant man. For the sake of his further development, the latter had to leave a portion of the human rudiments behind at the level of the minerals. Since on the Sun conditions were quite different from those of Saturn, these minerals which had been thrust back assumed forms quite different from those they had had on Saturn Thus, alongside the human plant realm, a second province, a special mineral realm came into being. It can be seen that man ascends into a higher realm by thrusting a part of his companions down into a lower. We shall see this process repeating itself many times in the subsequent stages of development. It corresponds to a fundamental law of development.
[ 13 ] Here again, for the sake of greater clarity, we shall give a summary of the facts of development on the Sun.
- The Sun is the planet on which develops the second human condition of consciousness, that of dreamless sleep. The physical human body rises to a kind of plant existence through the incorporation of an ether body into it.
- This development passes through seven subsidiary stages (smaller cycles or “rounds”).
- In the first of these cycles the stages of development of Saturn are repeated, with respect to the physical body, in a somewhat altered form.
- At the end of the first cycle begins the pouring out of the ether body by the “Spirits of Wisdom.”
- In the middle of the second cycle, the work of the “Spirits of Motion” on this body begins.
- In the middle of the third cycle the action of the “Spirits of Form” on the ether body has its beginning.
- From the middle of the fourth cycle onward, this body receives selfhood through the “Spirits of Personality.”
- In the meantime, the physical body has advanced so far through the action of the forces which have been working on it since earlier periods that from the fourth cycle onward the “Spirits of Fire” can elevate themselves to humanity through it.
- In the middle of the fifth cycle the “Spirits of Fire,” which have previously passed through the stage of humanity, take over the work on the ether body. The “Sons of Twilight” are active in the physical body at this time.
- Around the middle of the sixth cycle the work on the ether body is transferred to the “Sons of Twilight.” Man himself now works on the physical body.
- In the course of the seventh cycle the animated monad has come into existence.
XIV. Das Leben der Sonne
[ 1 ] Auf das große Weltzeitalter des Saturn, welches in den früheren Ausführungen gekennzeichnet ist, folgt dasjenige der Sonne. Zwischen beiden liegt eine Ruhepause (Pralaya). Während dieser nimmt alles, was sich vom Menschen auf dem Saturn entwickelt hat, einen solchen Charakter an, der sich zum später auszubildenden Sonnenmenschen verhält wie der Same zu der Pflanze, die aus ihm hervorgeht. Der Saturnmensch hat gleichsam seinen Samen hinterlassen, der eine Art von Schlaf hält, um sich dann als Sonnenmensch zu entfalten.
[ 2 ] Der letztere macht nun auf der Sonne seine zweite Bewußtseinsstufe durch. Sie gleicht derjenigen, in welche heute noch der Mensch während des ruhigen, traumlosen Schlafes verfällt. Dieser Zustand, der gegenwärtig das Wachsein unterbricht, ist ein Rest, gewissermaßen eine Erinnerung an die Zeit der Sonnenentwickelung. Man kann ihn auch jenem dumpfen Bewußtseinszustande vergleichen, in dem heute sich die Pflanzenwelt befindet. Denn in der Tat hat man in der Pflanze ein schlafendes Wesen zu erkennen.
[ 3 ] Man muß sich, um die Menschheitsentwickelung zu begreifen, vorstellen, daß die Sonne in diesem zweiten großen Kreislauf noch ein Planet war und erst später zu dem Fixsterndasein aufgerückt ist. Im geheimwissenschaftlichen Sinne ist ein Fixstern derjenige, welcher einem (oder mehreren) von ihm entfernten Planeten Lebenskräfte zusendet. Dies war während des zweiten Kreislaufes bei der Sonne noch nicht der Fall. Sie war damals noch mit den Wesen, denen sie die Kraft gab, vereint. Diese — also auch der Mensch auf seiner damaligen Entwickelungsstufe — lebten noch auf ihr. Eine von der Sonne abgetrennte planetarische Erde und einen Mond gab es nicht. Alles, was heute an Stoffen, Kräften und Wesen auf und in der Erde lebt, und alles, was jetzt dem Monde angehört, war noch innerhalb der Sonne. Es bildete einen Teil ihrer Stoffe, Kräfte und Wesenheiten. Erst während des nächsten (dritten) großen Kreislaufes löste sich als ein besonderer Planet das von der Sonne ab, was man in der Geheimwissenschaft den Mond nennt. Das ist nicht der gegenwärtige Mond, sondern der Vorgänger unserer Erde, gleichsam deren vorige Verkörperung (Reinkarnation). Aus diesem Monde wurde die Erde, nachdem er wieder aus seinem Stoffe herausgelöst und abgeworfen hatte, was man heute als Mond bezeichnet. Im dritten Kreislaufe waren also zwei Körper an Stelle der früheren planetarischen Sonne vorhanden, nämlich der Fixstern Sonne und der abgespaltene planetarische Mond. Und dieser hatte den Menschen und die andern Wesen, die sich während des Sonnenlaufes als Menschengenossen entwickelt hatten, mit sich heraus aus der Sonne genommen. Die letztere spendete nun den Mondwesen von außen die Kräfte, die sie früher unmittelbar aus ihr, als ihrem Wohnplatz, bezogen hatten. — Nach dem dritten (Monden-) Kreislauf trat dann wieder eine Ruhepause (Pralaya) ein. In dieser vereinigten sich die beiden getrennten Körper (Sonne und Mond) und machten gemeinsam den Samenschlafzustand durch. In der vierten Kreislaufperiode traten dann im Anfange Sonne und planetarischer Mond als ein Körper aus dem Schlafdunkel hervor. Und während der ersten Hälfte dieses Kreislaufes löste sich unsere Erde mit dem Menschen und seinen Genossen aus der Sonne heraus. Etwas später warf sie dann den heutigen Mond ab, so daß nunmehr drei Glieder als Abkömmlinge des einstigen Sonnenplaneten vorhanden sind.
[ 4 ] Auf dem Sonnenplaneten machten nun im zweiten großen Weltalter der Mensch und die bei der Saturnbesprechung erwähnten Wesen eine weitere Stufe ihrer Entwickelung durch. Die Anlage des späteren physischen Leibes des Menschen, die sich auf dem Saturn allmählich entfaltet hatte, tritt beim Beginn des Sonnenkreislaufes wie eine Pflanze aus dem Samen hervor. Aber sie bleibt hier nicht so, wie sie vorher war. Sie wird vielmehr durchsetzt von einem zweiten feineren, aber in sich kraftvolleren Leib, dem Ätherleib. Während der Saturnleib des Menschen eine Art Automat war (ganz leblos), wird er jetzt durch den Ätherleib, der ihn nach und nach ganz durchsetzt, zum belebten Wesen. Der Mensch wird dadurch eine Art Pflanze. Sein Aussehen ist allerdings nicht dasjenige der heutigen Pflanzen. Er gleicht vielmehr schon ein wenig in seinen Formen dem gegenwärtigen Menschen. Nur ist die Anlage zum Kopfe, wie jetzt die Pflanzenwurzel, nach unten hin zum Sonnenmittelpunkte gewendet, und die Fußanlagen sind wie die Pflanzenblüte nach oben gerichtet. Eine willkürliche Bewegung hat dieses Pflanzenmenschengebilde noch nicht.10Für einen an der gegenwärtigen sinnlichen Wahrnehmung hängenden Menschen wird es natürlich schwer, sich vorzustellen, daß der Mensch als Pflanzenwesen in der Sonne selbst gelebt habe. Es scheint undenkbar, daß ein Lebewesen in solchen physikalischen Verhältnissen sein könnte, wie sie für diese Tatsache angenommen werden müssen. Aber es ist ja doch nur eine jetzige Pflanze an die gegenwärtige physische Erde angepaßt. Und sie hat sich nur so entwickelt, weil ihre Umgebung die entsprechende ist. Das Sonnenpflanzenwesen hatte andere Lebensbedingungen, welche den damaligen physischen Sonnenverhältnissen entsprachen.
[ 5 ] So formt sich aber der Mensch erst während des zweiten von den sieben kleineren Kreisläufen (Runden), welche die Sonne durchmacht. Für die Dauer des ersten dieser kleinen Kreisläufe ist noch kein Ätherleib im Menschengebilde vorhanden. Es wird da vielmehr noch einmal alles kurz wiederholt, was während des Saturnzeitalters durchgemacht worden ist. Der physische Menschenleib behält noch seinen automatischen Charakter; aber er verändert etwas seine frühere Form. Diese könnte nämlich, wenn sie so bliebe, wie sie auf dem Saturn war, keinen Ätherleib beherbergen. Sie wird so umgestaltet, daß sie Träger dieses Leibes werden kann. Während der folgenden sechs Kreisläufe wird dann der Ätherleib immer mehr ausgebildet, und durch seine Kräfte, die auf den physischen Leib wirken, erhält auch dieser allmählich eine immer vollkommenere Form. — Die Umwandlungsarbeit, welche da mit dem Menschen vollzogen wird, leisten die Geister, die zusammen mit dem Menschen schon bei Besprechung der Saturnentwickelung genannt worden sind.
[ 6 ] Diejenigen Geister, welche «strahlende Leben» oder «Flammen» heißen (in der christlichen Geheimwissenschaft «Throne»), kommen dabei nicht mehr in Betracht. Sie haben ihre bezügliche Arbeit während der ersten Hälfte des ersten Saturnkreislaufes beendet. Was während des ersten Sonnenkreislaufes (Runde) zu beobachten ist, das ist die Arbeit der «Geister der Weisheit» (Herrschaften oder Kyriotetes in der christlichen Geheimlehre). Sie haben ja (vergleiche die bisherigen Ausführungen) um die Mitte des ersten Saturnkreislaufes in die Menschenentwickelung eingegriffen. Nun setzen sie während der ersten Hälfte des ersten Sonnenkreislaufes ihre Arbeit fort, indem sie die weisheitsvolle Einrichtung des physischen Körpers in aufeinanderfolgenden Stufen wiederholen. Etwas später gesellt sich zu dieser Arbeit diejenige der «Geister der Bewegung» (Dynamis im Christentum, Mahat in der theosophischen Literatur) hinzu. Es wird dadurch diejenige Periode des Saturnkreislaufes wiederholt, in welcher dem menschlichen Leibe die Fähigkeit der Beweglichkeit erteilt wurde. Dieser entfaltet also wieder seine Beweglichkeit. Ebenso wiederholen aufeinanderfolgend die «Geister der Form» (Exusiai), diejenigen der «Finsternis» (Archai christlich, Asuras theosophisch), dann die «Söhne des Feuers» (Erzengel) und zuletzt die «Geister des Zwielichts» (Engel, Lunar Pitris) ihre Arbeiten. Damit sind sechs kleinere Perioden des ersten Sonnenlaufes (der ersten Sonnenwende) gekennzeichnet. — In einer siebenten solchen kleineren Periode greifen dann neuerdings die «Geister der Weisheit» (Herrschaften) ein. Während sie in ihrer vorhergehenden Arbeitsperiode dem Menschenleibe einen weisen Bau gegeben haben, verleihen sie jetzt den beweglich gewordenen Gliedern die Fähigkeit, die Bewegung selbst zu einer weisheitsvollen zu machen. Vorher war nur die Bauweise, jetzt wird auch die Bewegung selbst zu einem Ausdruck innerer Weisheit. Damit erreicht der erste Sonnenkreislauf sein Ende. Er besteht somit aus sieben aufeinanderfolgenden kleineren Kreisläufen, von welchem jeder eine kurze Wiederholung eines Saturnkreislaufes (einer Saturnrunde) ist. Man hat sich gewöhnt, in der theosophischen Literatur diese sieben kleineren Kreisläufe, welche eine sogenannte «Runde» zusammensetzen, «Globen» zu nennen. (Somit verläuft eine Runde in sieben «Globen».)
[ 7 ] Auf den ersten Sonnenkreislauf folgt nun nach einer Ruhepause (Pralaya) der zweite. Die einzelnen «kleinsten Kreisläufe» oder «Globen» sollen später genauer beschrieben werden; jetzt soll zum weiteren Sonnenkreislauf übergegangen werden. — Schon am Ende des ersten ist der Menschenkörper reif zur Aufnahme des Ätherkörpers geworden, und zwar dadurch, daß ihm «die Geister der Weisheit» die weisheitsvolle Beweglichkeit möglich gemacht haben. — Mittlerweile haben sich aber diese «Geister der Weisheit» selbst weiter entwickelt. Sie sind durch die Arbeit, die sie geleistet haben, fähig geworden, aus sich selbst ihren Stoff so auszuströmen, wie die «Flammen» im Beginne des Saturnkreislaufes den ihren ausströmten und dadurch dem physischen Leibe die stoffliche Grundlage gaben. Der Stoff der «Geister der Weisheit» ist nun der «Äther», das ist in sich bewegliche und kraftvolle Weisheit, mit anderem Wort «Leben». Der Äther oder Lebensleib des Menschen ist also eine Ausströmung der «Weisheitsgeister». — Diese Ausströmung dauert fort, bis um die Mitte des zweiten Sonnenkreislaufes dann wieder die «Geister der Bewegung» mit einer neuen Tätigkeit einsetzen können. Ihre Arbeit konnte sich vorher nur auf den physischen Menschenleib erstrecken; jetzt greift sie über auf den Ätherleib und pflanzt ihm die krafterfüllte Wirksamkeit ein. Dies dauert so fort bis zur Mitte des dritten Sonnenkreislaufes. Dann beginnt die Leistung der «Geister der Form». Durch sie erhält der Ätherleib, der vorher nur wolkenartige Beweglichkeit hatte, eine bestimmte Gestalt (Form). — In der Mitte des vierten Sonnenlaufes erhalten nun diese «Geister der Form» ein solches Bewußtsein, wie es der Mensch auf der «Venus» haben wird, die er als zweitnächsten Planeten nach dem Erdendasein betreten wird. Das ist ein überpsychisches Bewußtsein. Sie gelangen dazu als zu einer Frucht ihrer Tätigkeit während des dritten und vierten Sonnenlaufes. Dadurch kommen sie zur Fähigkeit, die während der Saturnperiode und seither ausgebildeten Sinneskeime, die bis jetzt nur physikalische Apparate waren, mit dem Äther in belebte Sinne umzugestalten.
[ 8 ] Durch einen ähnlichen Vorgang haben sich in dieser Zeit die «Geister der Finsternis» (Archai christlich, Asuras theosophisch) zur Stufe des psychischen Bewußtseins erhoben, das der Mensch als bewußtes Bilderbewußtsein erst auf dem Jupiter entwickeln wird. Sie kommen dadurch in die Lage, bewußt von der Astralwelt aus zu wirken. Nun kann von der Astralwelt aus der Ätherkörper eines Wesens beeinflußt werden. Die «Geister der Finsternis» taten das in bezug auf den Ätherleib des Menschen. Sie pflanzten ihm jetzt den Geist der Selbstheit (Selbständigkeit und Selbstsucht) ein, wie sie das vorher mit dem physischen Leibe getan haben. Man sieht also, daß der Egoismus stufenweise durch diese Geister allen Gliedern der menschlichen Wesenheit eingepflanzt wird. — Um dieselbe Zeit erlangten die «Söhne des Feuers» die Bewußtseinsstufe, welche der Mensch heute hat als sein Wachbewußtsein. Man kann also von ihnen sagen, sie werden jetzt Menschen. Und sie können sich nun des physischen Menschenleibes zu einer Art Verkehr mit der Außenwelt bedienen. In ähnlicher Art haben sich ja die «Geister der Persönlichkeit» des physischen Leibes von der Mitte des vierten Saturnkreislaufes an bedienen können. Nur haben diese sich der Sinneskeime zu einer Art von Wahrnehmung bedient. Die «Söhne des Feuers» sind aber ihrer Natur nach solche, welche die Wärme ihrer Seele in ihre Umgebung ausgießen. Der physische Menschenleib ist nun so weit, daß sie durch ihn das tun können. Ihre Wärme wirkt etwa wie die Brutwärme des Huhnes auf das bebrütete Ei, das heißt, sie hat eine lebenerweckende Kraft. Alles, was von solch lebenerweckender Kraft in dem Menschen und seinen Genossen ist, das wurde durch die Söhne des Feuers damals dem Ätherkörper eingepflanzt. Man hat es also hier mit dem Ursprunge jener Wärme zu tun, welche alle Lebewesen zur Bedingung ihrer Fortpflanzung haben. Es wird sich später zeigen, welche Umwandlung diese Wärmekraft durchmachte, als sich der Mond von der Sonne loslöste.
[ 9 ] Um die Mitte des fünften Kreislaufes sind dann die «Söhne des Feuers» so weit selbst gediehen, daß sie die Fähigkeit, die sie vorher durch den physischen Menschenleib ausübten, nunmehr dem Ätherleib einimpfen können. Sie lösen jetzt die «Geister der Persönlichkeit» ab in der Arbeit an diesem Ätherleib, der dadurch zum Erreger einer Fortpflanzungstätigkeit wird. — Den physischen Leib überlassen sie in dieser Zeit den Söhnen des Zwielichtes (Engel im Christentum, Lunar Pitris in der Theosophie). Diese haben mittlerweile ein dumpfes Bilderbewußtsein erlangt, wie es der Mensch auf dem Monde haben wird. Sie haben auf dem Saturn dem Menschenvorfahren eine Art Verstandesorgan gegeben. Jetzt bilden sie die physischen Werkzeuge des Menschengeistes, deren er sich auf späteren Entwickelungsstufen bewußt bedienen wird, weiter aus. Dadurch können sich auf der Sonne schon von der Mitte des fünften Kreislaufes an die Seraphim durch den Menschenleib hindurch noch vollkommener offenbaren, als das auf dem Saturn möglich war.
[ 10 ] Von der Mitte des sechsten Sonnenlaufes an ist der Mensch selbst so weit, daß er unbewußt an seinem physischen Leib arbeiten kann. Er löst also in dieser Beziehung nunmehr die «Söhne des Zwielichtes» ab. Durch diese Tätigkeit schafft er in Dumpfheit die erste Keimanlage des lebendigen Geistwesens, die man Lebensgeist (Buddhi) nennt. Erst auf späteren Stufen seiner Entwickelung wird er sich diesen Lebensgeist auch zum Bewußtsein bringen. Wie vom siebenten Saturnkreislauf an die Throne ihre Kraft freiwillig in die dort gebildete Geistesmenschenanlage ergossen, so jetzt die Cherubim ihre Weisheit, die fortan durch alle folgenden Entwickelungsstufen desn Lebensgeiste des Menschen erhalten bleibt. Von der Mitte des siebenten Sonnenlaufes an tritt auch wieder der schon auf dem Saturn veranlagte Keim des Geistesmenschen (Atma) hervor. Er verbindet sich mit dem Lebensgeist (Buddhi), und es entsteht die belebte Monade (AtmaBuddhi). — Während der Mensch in dieser Zeit unbewußt an seinem physischen Leibe arbeitet, übernehmen die Söhne des Zwielichtes das, was jetzt am Ätherleibe zu seiner Weiterentwickelung getan werden muß. Sie sind in dieser Hinsicht die Nachfolger der Söhne des Feuers. Sie strahlen nämlich ihre Bewußtseinsbilder in diesen Ätherleib ein und genießen dadurch in einer Art traumhaften Zustandes die Fortpflanzungskraft dieses Leibes, die von den Söhnen des Feuers erregt worden ist. Dadurch bereiten sie die Entwickelung der Lust an dieser Kraft vor, die sich später (auf dem Monde) bei dem Menschen und seinen Mitlebewesen entwickelt.
[ 11 ] Nun war auf dem Saturn der Mensch in seinem physischen Leibe gebildet worden. Dieser war damals völlig unbelebt. Ein solcher unbelebter Leib wird von der Geheimwissenschaft Mineral genannt. Man kann deshalb auch sagen: Der Mensch war auf dem Saturn Mineral, oder er ging durch das Mineralreich hindurch. Dieses Menschenmineral hatte nicht die Form eines gegenwärtigen. Mineralien wie die jetzigen gab es damals noch nicht.
[ 12 ] Auf der Sonne wurde, wie gezeigt worden ist, dieses Menschenmineral, das aus dem Schlafdunkel wie aus einer Keimanlage wieder hervorging, belebt. Es wurde zur Menschenpflanze, der Mensch schritt durch das Pflanzenreich hindurch. — Nun wurden aber nicht alle Menschenmineralien auf diese Art belebt. Das hätte nicht geschehen können, denn der Pflanzenmensch brauchte zu seinem Leben der mineralischen Grundlage. Wie es heute keine Pflanzen geben kann ohne ein Mineralreich, aus dem sie ihre Stoffe aufnehmen, so war es auf der Sonne mit dem Pflanzenmenschen. Dieser mußte daher einen Teil der Menschenanlagen zugunsten seiner weiteren Entwickelung auf der Stufe des Minerals zurücklassen. Und da auf der Sonne ganz andere Verhältnisse vorhanden waren als auf dem Saturn, so nahmen diese zurückgestossenen Mineralien ganz andere Gestalten an, als sie auf dem Saturn gehabt haben. Es entstand somit neben dem Menschen-Pflanzenreiche ein zweites Gebiet, ein besonderes Mineralreich. Man sieht, der Mensch steigt in ein höheres Reich auf, indem er einen Teil seiner Genossen hinabstößt in ein niederes. Diesen Vorgang werden wir auf den folgenden Entwickelungsstufen sich noch oft wiederholen sehen. Er entspricht einem Grundgesetz der Entwickelung.
[ 13 ] Nun soll auch hier wieder der leichteren Übersichtlichkeit halber eine Zusammenstellung der Entwickelungstatsachen auf der Sonne gegeben werden.
- Die Sonne ist derjenige Planet, auf dem sich der zweite menschliche Bewußtseinszustand, der des traumlosen Schlafes, entwickelt. Der physische Menschenleib steigt zu einer Art Pflanzendasein hinauf, indem ihm ein Ätherleib eingegliedert wird.
- Diese Entwickelung geht durch sieben Unterstufen (kleinere Kreisläufe oder «Runden») hindurch.
- In dem ersten dieser Kreisläufe werden die Entwickelungsstufen des Saturn in bezug auf den physischen Leib in etwas veränderter Form wiederholt.
- Am Ende des ersten Kreislaufes beginnt die Ausströmung des Ätherkörpers durch die «Geister der Weisheit».
- In der Mitte des zweiten Kreislaufes setzt die Arbeit der «Geister der Bewegung» an diesem Körper ein.
- In der Mitte des dritten Kreislaufes nimmt die Leistung der «Geister der Form» ihren Anfang am Ätherkörper.
- Von der Mitte des vierten Kreislaufes ab erhält dieser Leib die Selbstheit durch die «Geister der Persönlichkeit».
- Der physische Leib ist mittlerweile durch die von früher an ihm tätigen Kräfte so weit vorgeschritten, daß durch ihn sich die «Geister des Feuers» vom vierten Kreislauf an zum Menschentum erheben können.
- In der Mitte des fünften Kreislaufes übernehmen die vorher durch die Menschheit hindurchgeschrittenen «Geister des Feuers» die Arbeit am Ätherkörper. Im physischen Leib wirken zu dieser Zeit die «Söhne des Zwielichtes».
- Um die Mitte des sechsten Kreislaufes geht die Arbeit am Ätherkörper an die «Söhne des Zwielichtes» über. Den physischen Leib bearbeitet der Mensch selbst.
- Inmitten des siebenten Kreislaufes ist die belebte Monade entstanden.
XIV The Life of the Sun
[ 1 ] The great world age of Saturn, which is characterized in the previous explanations, is followed by that of the sun. Between the two there is a period of rest (Pralaya). During this pause, everything that has developed from the human being on Saturn takes on a character that relates to the later developing solar human being like the seed to the plant that emerges from it. The Saturnian man has, as it were, left behind his seed, which holds a kind of sleep in order to then unfold as a sun man.
[ 2 ] The latter now undergoes his second stage of consciousness on the sun. It resembles that into which man still lapses today during peaceful, dreamless sleep. This state, which currently interrupts wakefulness, is a remnant, in a sense a memory of the time of the sun's development. It can also be compared to the dull state of consciousness in which the plant world finds itself today. For one can indeed recognize a sleeping being in the plant.
[ 3 ] In order to understand the development of mankind, one must imagine that the sun was still a planet in this second great cycle and only later became a fixed star. In the secret scientific sense, a fixed star is the one that sends life forces to one (or more) planets distant from it. This was not yet the case with the sun during the second cycle. At that time it was still united with the beings to whom it gave power. These - including man at his stage of development at that time - still lived on it. There was no planetary earth or moon separated from the sun. All the substances, forces and beings that live on and in the earth today, and everything that now belongs to the moon, was still within the sun. It formed a part of its substances, forces and beings. Only during the next (third) great cycle did that detach itself from the sun as a special planet, which in secret science is called the moon. This is not the present moon, but the predecessor of our earth, its previous embodiment (reincarnation) as it were. From this moon the earth became, after it had again detached itself from its substance and cast off what today is called the moon. In the third cycle there were thus two bodies in place of the former planetary sun, namely the fixed star sun and the split-off planetary moon. And the latter had taken man and the other beings that had developed as fellow human beings during the course of the sun out of the sun. The latter now gave the moon beings from outside the powers that they had previously drawn directly from it as their dwelling place. - After the third (lunar) cycle, there was again a pause for rest (pralaya). During this period, the two separate bodies (sun and moon) united and went through the seed-sleep state together. In the fourth period of the cycle, the sun and the planetary moon emerged from the darkness of sleep as one body. And during the first half of this cycle our earth with man and his comrades detached itself from the sun. Somewhat later, it then cast off today's moon, so that there are now three limbs as descendants of the former solar planet.
[ 4 ] On the solar planet, in the second great world age, man and the beings mentioned in the discussion of Saturn went through a further stage of their development. The structure of the later physical body of man, which had gradually unfolded on Saturn, emerges from the seed like a plant at the beginning of the solar cycle. But here it does not remain as it was before. Rather, it is interspersed with a second, finer but inherently more powerful body, the etheric body. Whereas the Saturn body of the human being was a kind of automaton (completely lifeless), it now becomes an animated being through the etheric body, which gradually permeates it completely. The human being thus becomes a kind of plant. However, his appearance is not that of today's plants. On the contrary, he already resembles the present human being somewhat in his forms. The only difference is that the head, like the plant root now, is turned downwards towards the center of the sun, and the feet, like the plant flower, are directed upwards. This plant-man structure does not yet have an arbitrary movement.10For a man attached to present sensory perception it is naturally difficult to imagine that man as a plant being has lived in the sun itself. It seems unthinkable that a living being could be in such physical conditions as must be assumed for this fact. But it is, after all, only a jet-like plant adapted to the present physical earth. And it has only developed in this way because its environment is the appropriate one. The solar plant had different living conditions, which corresponded to the physical solar conditions at that time.
[ 5 ] Humans, however, only form during the second of the seven smaller cycles (rounds) that the sun goes through. For the duration of the first of these small cycles, no etheric body is yet present in the human body. Instead, everything that was experienced during the Saturnian age is briefly repeated. The physical human body still retains its automatic character, but it changes its former form somewhat. For if it remained as it was on Saturn, it could not accommodate an etheric body. It is transformed in such a way that it can become the carrier of this body. During the following six cycles the etheric body is then increasingly developed, and through its forces acting on the physical body, the latter also gradually acquires an ever more perfect form. - The transformation work that is carried out with the human being is performed by the spirits that have already been mentioned together with the human being in the discussion of Saturn's development.
[ 6 ] Those spirits which are called "radiant lives" or "flames" (in Christian secret science "thrones") are no longer considered. They finished their work during the first half of the first Saturnian cycle. What is to be observed during the first solar cycle (round) is the work of the "spirits of wisdom" (dominions or kyriotetes in the Christian secret doctrine). They intervened in human development around the middle of the first Saturnian cycle (compare the previous explanations). Now they continue their work during the first half of the first solar cycle by repeating the wise arrangement of the physical body in successive stages. Somewhat later, this work is joined by that of the "spirits of movement" (Dynamis in Christianity, Mahat in theosophical literature). This repeats the period of the Saturnian cycle in which the human body was given the ability to move. It thus develops its mobility again. Likewise, the "Spirits of Form" (Exusiai), those of "Darkness" (Archai Christian, Asuras Theosophical), then the "Sons of Fire" (Archangels) and finally the "Spirits of Twilight" (Angels, Lunar Pitris) repeat their work in succession. This marks six smaller periods of the first solar cycle (the first solstice). - In a seventh such smaller period, the "spirits of wisdom" (rulerships) intervene again. Whereas in their previous working period they gave the human body a wise structure, they now give the limbs that have become mobile the ability to make the movement itself a wise one. Before, only the construction was wise, now the movement itself becomes an expression of inner wisdom. This marks the end of the first solar cycle. It thus consists of seven successive smaller cycles, each of which is a short repetition of a Saturn cycle (a Saturn round). It has become customary in theosophical literature to call these seven smaller cycles, which make up a so-called "round", "globes". (Thus a round runs in seven "globes".)
[ 7 ] The first solar cycle is now followed by the second after a pause (pralaya). The individual "smallest cycles" or "globes" will be described in more detail later; we will now move on to the next solar cycle. - Already at the end of the first, the human body has become ripe to receive the etheric body, namely because "the spirits of wisdom" have made wisdomful mobility possible for it. - In the meantime, however, these "spirits of wisdom" have themselves developed further. Through the work they have done, they have become capable of pouring out their substance from themselves in the same way as the "flames" poured out theirs at the beginning of the Saturnian cycle and thereby gave the physical body its material basis. The substance of the "spirits of wisdom" is now the "ether", which is wisdom that is mobile and powerful in itself, in other words "life". The ether or life body of the human being is therefore an emanation of the "spirits of wisdom". - This outpouring continues until around the middle of the second solar cycle, when the "spirits of movement" can once again begin a new activity. Previously, their work could only extend to the physical human body; now it reaches over to the etheric body and imbues it with the power-filled activity. This continues until the middle of the third solar cycle. Then the work of the "spirits of form" begins. Through them, the etheric body, which previously had only cloud-like mobility, receives a certain shape (form). - In the middle of the fourth solar cycle, these "spirits of form" now receive the kind of consciousness that man will have on "Venus", which he will enter as the second closest planet after earthly existence. This is a super-psychic consciousness. They arrive at it as a fruit of their activity during the third and fourth solar cycles. In this way they attain the ability to transform the sense germs formed during the Saturnian period and since then, which until now were only physical apparatuses, with the ether into living senses.
[ 8 ] Through a similar process, the "spirits of darkness" (Archai Christian, Asuras Theosophical) have risen in this time to the level of psychic consciousness, which the human being will only develop as conscious image-consciousness on Jupiter. This will enable them to work consciously from the astral world. Now the etheric body of a being can be influenced from the astral world. The "spirits of darkness" did this with regard to the etheric body of man. They now implanted the spirit of selfhood (independence and selfishness) into it, as they had previously done with the physical body. Thus we see that egoism is gradually implanted by these spirits into all the members of the human being. - Around the same time the "sons of fire" attained the level of consciousness which man has today as his waking consciousness. One can therefore say of them that they now become humans. And they can now make use of the physical human body for a kind of communication with the outside world. The "spirits of personality" have been able to use the physical body in a similar way from the middle of the fourth Saturnian cycle. Only they used the sense germs for a kind of perception. But the "sons of fire" are by nature those who pour out the warmth of their soul into their surroundings. The physical human body is now so far advanced that they can do this through it. Their warmth has the same effect on the incubated egg as the brooding warmth of the hen, i.e. it has a life-awakening power. Everything that is of such life-awakening power in man and his comrades was implanted in the etheric body by the sons of fire at that time. We are therefore dealing here with the origin of that warmth which all living beings have as a condition of their reproduction. It will be shown later what transformation this warmth underwent when the moon detached itself from the sun.
[ 9 ] Around the middle of the fifth cycle, the "Sons of Fire" have themselves progressed so far that they can now imbue the etheric body with the ability they previously exercised through the physical human body. They now replace the "spirits of personality" in the work on this etheric body, which thereby becomes the agent of a reproductive activity. - At this time they leave the physical body to the sons of twilight (angels in Christianity, Lunar Pitris in Theosophy). In the meantime they have attained a dull consciousness of images, as man will have on the moon. On Saturn they gave the human ancestor a kind of organ of understanding. Now they are further developing the physical tools of the human spirit, which he will consciously use in later stages of development. As a result, from the middle of the fifth cycle onwards, the seraphim can reveal themselves even more perfectly through the human body than was possible on Saturn.
[ 10 ] From the middle of the sixth solar cycle, man himself is so far advanced that he can unconsciously work on his physical body. In this respect he now replaces the "sons of twilight". Through this activity he creates in dullness the first seed of the living spiritual being, which is called the spirit of life (buddhi). Only at later stages of his development will he bring this life-spirit to consciousness. Just as from the seventh Saturnian cycle onwards the thrones voluntarily poured their power into the spirit-man disposition formed there, so now the cherubim poured their wisdom, which henceforth remains preserved through all subsequent stages of development of the life-spirit of man. From the middle of the seventh solar cycle onwards, the seed of the spirit man (Atma), which was already formed on Saturn, emerges again. It combines with the spirit of life (Buddhi), and the animated monad (Atma-Buddhi) is formed. - While man works unconsciously on his physical body during this time, the sons of twilight take over what must now be done on the etheric body for its further development. In this respect they are the successors of the Sons of Fire. For they radiate their images of consciousness into this etheric body and thereby enjoy, in a kind of dreamlike state, the reproductive power of this body, which has been aroused by the sons of fire. In this way they prepare the development of pleasure in this power, which later (on the moon) develops in man and his fellow creatures.
[ 11 ] Now man had been formed in his physical body on Saturn. This was then completely inanimate. Such an inanimate body is called a mineral by the secret sciences. We can therefore also say that the human being on Saturn was a mineral, or that he passed through the mineral kingdom. This human mineral did not have the form of a present one. Minerals like the ones we have today did not exist back then.
[ 12 ] On the sun, as has been shown, this human mineral, which emerged from the darkness of sleep as if from a germinal plant, was revitalized. It became a human plant, man progressed through the plant kingdom. - But not all human minerals were revived in this way. This could not have happened, because the plant man needed the mineral basis for his life. Just as there can be no plants today without a mineral kingdom from which they absorb their substances, so it was on the sun with the plant man. He therefore had to leave behind a part of the human disposition in favor of his further development at the mineral level. And since the conditions on the sun were quite different from those on Saturn, these rejected minerals took on quite different forms from those they had on Saturn. Thus a second area, a special mineral kingdom, developed alongside the human-plant kingdom. You can see that man ascends to a higher realm by pushing a part of his comrades down to a lower one. We will often see this process repeated in the following stages of development. It corresponds to a basic law of development.
[ 13 ] Now, again for the sake of clarity, a summary of the facts of development on the sun will be given.
- The sun is the planet on which the second human state of consciousness, that of dreamless sleep, develops. The physical human body ascends to a kind of plant existence by incorporating an etheric body into it.
- This development goes through seven sub-stages (smaller cycles or "rounds").
- In the first of these cycles, the developmental stages of Saturn are repeated in relation to the physical body in a slightly different form.
- At the end of the first cycle the emanation of the etheric body through the "spirits of wisdom" begins.
- In the middle of the second cycle, the work of the "spirits of movement" on this body begins.
- In the middle of the third cycle, the work of the "spirits of form" begins on the etheric body.
- From the middle of the fourth cycle, this body receives selfhood through the "spirits of personality".
- In the meantime, the physical body has progressed so far through the forces working on it from earlier times that the "spirits of fire" can rise to humanity through it from the fourth cycle.
- In the middle of the fifth cycle, the "spirits of fire" who have previously passed through humanity take over the work on the etheric body. The "sons of twilight" work in the physical body at this time.
- Around the middle of the sixth cycle, the work on the etheric body passes to the "Sons of Twilight". The physical body is worked on by man himself.
- In the midst of the seventh cycle, the animated monad is created.