Four Mystery Plays
GA 14
The Portal of Initiation
Scene 10
A room for meditation as in Scene 3
Theodosius (in spirit-garb):
Now canst thou feel all worlds within thyself:
So now feel me as love-power of all worlds.
A nature, that is lighted up by me,
Feels its own being's power enhanced, whene'er
It gives itself to give another joy.
Thus do I work with true creative joy
To build the worlds. Without me none can live,
And naught without my strength can e'er exist.
Johannes:
So thou dost stand before my spirit's eye,
Joy-giver of all worlds, My spirit's strength
Doth feel creative joy, when I behold
Thee as the fruit of self-experience.
Within the temple to my spirit's eye
Once didst thou show thyself, yet at that time
I knew not whether dream or truth appeared.
But now the scales have fallen from mine eyes,
Which kept the spirit's light concealed from me:
Now know I that thou dost exist indeed.
I will reveal thy nature in my deeds;
And they shall work salvation through thy power.
To Benedictus I owe deepest thanks:
Through wisdom hath he given me the strength
To turn my spirit's sight unto thy world.
Theodosius:
Feel me in thy soul-depths, and bear my power
To all the worlds. Thus, serving Love's behests
Thou shalt experience true blessedness.
Johannes:
I feel thy presence through its warming light;
I feel creative power arise in me.
(Theodosius disappears.)
He hath departed: but he will return
And give me strength from out the springs of love.
His light can disappear but for awhile;
Then, in mine own existence, it lives on.
I can resign myself unto my Self,
And feel Love's spirits in mine inmost soul:
My love uplifted I can feel my Self:
Love shall through me reveal himself to man.
(He grows uncertain, as is gradually made manifest by his gestures.)
Yet what is it I feel about me now?
It seems some spirit-being draweth near.
Since I was counted worthy to receive
The spirit's sight, I feel it ever thus,
When evil powers desire to seize on me.
Yet, come what may, I have strength to resist;
For I can feel myself within my Self;
Which quickening words give strength invincible.
Yet now most strong resistance do I feel;
Well may it be the fiercest of all foes:
But let him come, for he will find me armed.
Thou foe of Good; 'tis surely thine own self!
For near me I can feel thy potent strength,
I know thou dost desire to rend in twain
Whate'er has wrenched itself from thy control.
But I shall strengthen in me that new strength,
Wherein thou canst have neither part nor lot.
(Benedictus appears in spirit garb.)
O Benedictus, fount of my new life!
It is not possible. It cannot be.
Nay, nay, it cannot be thyself. Thou art
Some vain illusion. Oh, revive in me
Ye good powers of my soul, and straightway crush
This phantom image, that would mock at me!
Benedictus:
Ask of thy soul now, whether it can feel,
What through these years my nearness meant to it.
Through me the fruits of wisdom grew for thee;
And wisdom only now can lead thee on,
And fend from error in the spirit's realm.
So now experience me within thyself.
Yet wouldst thou go still further, thou must then
Enter that way, which to my temple leads.
And if my wisdom is to guide thee still
To loftier heights, it must flow from that spot
Where with my brethren close conjoined I work.
The strength of truth I gave to thee myself;
And if this kindles power from its own fire
Within thyself, then shalt thou find the way.
(Exit.)
Johannes:
Oh, he doth leave me. How shall I decide
Whether I have some phantom form dispelled,
Or if reality hath left me now?
Yet do I feel in me my strength renewed.
'Twas no illusion, but the man himself.
I will experience thee within myself,
O Benedictus, thou hast given me power,
Which, growing of itself within myself,
Will teach me to distinguish false from true.
And yet to vain illusion I succumbed:
I felt a shudd'ring fear at thine approach;
And could consider thee a fantasy,
When thou didst stand before my very eyes.
(Theodosius appears.)
Theodosius:
From all illusion thou shalt free thyself,
When thou dost fill thyself with mine own strength:
To me could Benedictus lead thy steps,
But thine own wisdom now must be thy guide.
If thou dost only live what he hath put
Within thee, then thou canst not live thyself.
In freedom strive unto the heights of light;
And for this striving now receive my strength.
(Exit.)
Johannes:
How glorious these words of thine do sound!
I must now live them out within myself.
From all illusion they will set me free,
If they but fill my nature to the full.
Work on then further in my soul's deep core,
Ye words, sublime and grand! Ye surely must
Proceed from out the temple's shrine alone,
Since Benedictus' brother uttered you.
I feel already how ye mount within
Mine inmost being.
Soon shall ye resound
From out my very Self, that I may read
Your meaning rightly. Spirit, that doth dwell
Within me, forth from thy concealment come!
Now in thine own true nature show thyself!
I feel thy near approach: thou must appear.
(Lucifer and Ahriman appear.)
Lucifer:
O man, know me. O man, feel thou thyself.
From spirit guidance hast thou freed thyself,
And into earth's free realms thou hast escaped.
Midst earth's confusion thou didst seek to prove
Thine own existence; and to find thyself
Was thy reward. So now use this reward.
In spirit-ventures keep thyself secure.
In the wide realms on high a being strange
Thou shalt discover, who to human lot
Will fetter thee, and will oppress thee too.
O man, feel thou thyself: O man, know me.
Ahriman:
O man, know thou thyself: O man, feel me.
From spirit darkness hast thou now escaped;
And thou hast found again the light of earth.
So now from my sure ground draw strength and truth.
The solid earth do I make hard and fast:
Yet canst thou also lose that certainty.
Weak hesitation can e'en now destroy
The power of being, and thou canst misuse
The spirit-strength e'en in the heights of light.
Thou canst be rent in twain within thyself.
O man, feel me. O man, know thou thyself.
(Exit with Lucifer.)
Johannes:
What meaneth this? First Lucifer arose
Prom me, and Ahriman did follow him.
Doth now some new illusion haunt my soul,
Although I prayed so ardently for truth?
Hath Benedictus' brother roused in me
Only those powers, which in the souls of men
Do but create illusion and deceit?
(The following is a spirit voice coming from the heights.)
Spirit:
To founts of worlds primeval
Thy surging thoughts do mount.
What unto illusion urged,
What in error held thee fast,
Appeareth to thee now in spirit-light.
Through whose fulness seeing,
Mankind doth think in truth;
Through whose fulness striving,
Mankind doth live in Love.
Curtain
Zehntes Bild.
(Meditationszimmer.)
Theodosius:
In dir erleben kannst du alle Welten.
So lebe mich als Weltenliebesmacht.
Ein Wesen, das von mir durchleuchtet ist,
Fühlt eigne Daseinskraft erhöht,
Ergibt es sich beglückend andren Wesen.
So wirke ich in Werdelust den Weltenbau.
Es ist kein Dasein ohne meine Kraft,
Es kann kein Wesen leben ohne mich.
Johannes:
So trittst du, Weltbeglücker, vor mein Seelenauge!
Es treibt mir Schaffenslust durch meine Geisteskraft,
Erblick’ ich dich als Frucht des Selbsterlebens!
Du zeigtest dich im Tempel meinem Geistesauge;
Doch konnt ich damals noch nicht wissen,
Ob Traum, ob Wahrheit mir erscheint.
Es sind die Binden mir nun abgenommen,
Die mir das Geisteslicht verborgen hielten.
Erkennen kann ich, daß du wirklich bist.
Ich will dein Wesen
In meinen Taten offenbaren,
Sie sollen heilerwirkend sein durch dich.
Und danken muß ich Benedictus.
Er hat durch Weisheit mir die Kraft verliehn,
In deine Welt den Geistesblick zu lenken.
Theodosius:
Empfinde mich in deinen Seelentiefen
Und trage meine Kraft in alle Welten.
Du wirst in Liebesdiensten Seligkeit erleben.
Johannes:
Ich fühle deiner Nähe wärmend Licht,
Ich fühle, wie die Schaffensmacht in mir ersteht.
(Theodosius verschwindet.)
Er ist fort,
Doch wiederkommen wird er mir
Und Kraft mir geben aus den Liebequellen.
Sein Licht, es kann für Zeiten nur entschwinden;
Es lebt im eignen Sein dann weiter.
Ich darf mir selbst mich überlassen,
Der Liebesgeister Wesen in mir selbst erlebend.
Durch ihn kann ich mich selbst gehoben fühlen,
Er soll durch mich sich offenbaren.
(Er wird unsicher, was sich allmählich in seinen Gebärden ausdrückt.)
Doch wie empfind ich mich ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Es scheint ein Wesen geistig mir zu nahen.
Seit ich des Geistesauges würdig bin befunden,
Empfind ich immer so,
Wenn böse Mächte mich ergreifen wollten.
Doch, was auch kommen mag,
Ich habe Kraft, zu widersetzen mich.
Ich kann mich in mir selbst erleben;
Und dieses Wortes Kraft ist unbesieglich.
Doch jetzt erleb ich stärksten Widerstand;
Es muß der schlimmste Feind wohl sein ‒ ‒
Er komme nur, er findet mich gerüstet.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Des Guten Feind, du mußt es selber sein;
Du bist an deiner starken Kraft zu fühlen.
Ich weiß, daß du zerschmettern willst,
Was deiner Herrschaft sich entreißt.
Ich will die Kraft in mir erstarken,
An der du keinen Anteil haben kannst.
(Benedictus erscheint.)
Johannes:
O ‒ ‒ Benedictus,
Du meines neuen Lebens Quelle.
Es ist nicht möglich, nein! ‒ ‒
Du kannst es nicht, ‒ du darfst es selbst nicht sein!
Ein Trugbild bist du nur.
O lebt mir auf, ihr guten Seelenkräfte;
Zerschmettert mir den Wahn,
Der mich betören will.
Benedictus:
Befrage deine Seele, ob sie fühlen kann,
Was ihr durch Jahre meine Nähe war;
Durch mich ist dir der Weisheit Frucht erwachsen.
Es kann nur sie dir vorwärts helfen
Und dir im Geistgebiet den Irrtum bannen.
Erlebe mich in dir.
Doch willst du weiter schreiten,
So mußt du jenen Weg betreten,
Der dich zu meinem Tempel führt.
Soll meine Weisheit dir auch ferner leuchten,
Sie muß von jenem Orte fließen,
Wo ich vereint mit meinen Brüdern wirke.
Ich gab dir Kraft der Wahrheit.
Entzündet ihres Feuers Macht in dir sich selber,
So mußt den Weg du finden.
(Er geht ab.)
Johannes:
O, er verlässt mich.
Ob ich den Wahn vertrieben ‒ ‒
Ob mich die Wirklichkeit verlassen ‒ ‒ ‒
Wie kann ich dies entscheiden?
Doch fühl ich mich in mir erstarkt.
Es war kein Trug, er war es selbst,
Du, Benedictus, ich erlebe dich in mir,
Du hast die Kräfte mir verliehen,
Die weiterlebend mir im eignen Selbst
Den Irrtum von der Wahrheit trennen sollen.
Und doch ‒ ich war dem Wahn ergeben.
Ich fühlte schaudernd deine Nähe;
Und konnte dich für Täuschung halten,
Als du mir gegenüberstandest.
(Theodosius erscheint wieder.)
Theodosius:
Du wirst vom Wahne dich befreien,
Wenn du mit meinen Kräften dich erfüllst.
Es konnte Benedictus dich zu mir geleiten,
Doch muß dich jetzt die eigne Weisheit führen.
Erlebst du nur, was er in dich gelegt,
So kannst du nicht dich selbst erleben.
In Freiheit strebe nach den Lichteshöhen;
Empfange meine Kraft zu diesem Streben.
(verschwindet.)
Johannes:
Wie herrlich klingen deine Worte;
Ich muß sie in mir selbst erleben.
Sie werden wirksam mich vom Wahn befreien,
Wenn sie mein Wesen ganz erfüllen.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
So wirket mir im Seelengrunde weiter,
Erhaben schöne Worte!
Ihr könnt nur von dem Tempel stammen,
Da Benedictus’ Bruder sie gesprochen.
Ich fühle schon, wie sie entsteigen meinem Innern.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Sie werden aus mir selbst ertönen.
Und so mir recht verständlich sein.
Du Geist, der mir im Innern lebt,
Entsteige der Verborgenheit
Und zeige dich in wahrer Wesenheit.
Schon fühle ich dein Nahen.
Erscheinen mußt du mir.
(Lucifer und Ahriman erscheinen.)
Lucifer:
O Mensch, erkenne mich,
O Mensch, empfinde dich.
Du hast dich entrungen
Der Geistesführung
Und bist geflohn
In freie Erdenreiche.
Du suchtest eignes Wesen
In Erdenwirrnis.
Dich selbst zu finden,
Es war dir Lohn.
Gebrauch den Lohn.
Bewahr’ dich selbst
Im Geisteswagnis.
Du findest fremdes Wesen
Im weiten Höhenreich;
Es wird dich bannen
An Menschenlos,
Es wird dich auch bedrücken.
O Mensch, empfinde dich,
O Mensch, erkenne mich.
Ahriman:
O Mensch, erkenne dich,
O Mensch, empfinde mich.
Du bist entflohn
Aus Geistesfinsternis.
Du hast gefunden
Der Erde Licht.
So sauge Kraft der Wahrheit
Aus meiner Sicherheit.
Ich härte festen Boden.
Du kannst ihn auch verlieren.
In deinem Schwanken
Zerstreuest du die Kraft des Seins.
Du kannst vergeuden
Im Höhenlicht
Die Geisterkraft.
Du kannst in dir zerfallen.
O Mensch, empfinde mich,
O Mensch, erkenne dich.
(Sie verschwinden.)
Johannes:
O was war dies; aus mir der Lucifer
Und folgend ihm auch Ahriman.
Erlebe ich nur neuen Wahn,
Da ich mir Wahrheit heiß erfleht?
Es rief mir Benedictus’ Bruder jene Mächte,
Die in den Menschenseelen Wahn nur wirken.
(Das Folgende als Geisterstimme aus den Höhen):
Es steigen deine Gedanken
In Urweltgründe;
Was in Seelenwahn dich getrieben,
Was in Irrtum dich erhalten,
Erscheinet dir im Geisteslicht,
Durch dessen Fülle
Die Menschen schauend
In Wahrheit denken!
Durch dessen Fülle
Die Menschen strebend
In Liebe leben.
(Vorhang fällt.)
Scene Ten
(Meditation room.)
Theodosius:
Within yourself, you can experience all worlds.
So live me as the power of love for the worlds.
A being that is illuminated by me
Feels its own power of existence increased,
Surrenders itself blissfully to other beings.
Thus I work in the joy of becoming the structure of the worlds.
There is no existence without my power,
No being can live without me.
John:
So you appear before my soul's eye, you who bring happiness to the world!
The joy of creation drives me through my spiritual power,
I see you as the fruit of self-experience!
You showed yourself to my spiritual eye in the temple;
But at that time I could not yet know
Whether it was a dream or reality that appeared to me.
The blinders have now been removed from my eyes,
Which hid the light of the spirit from me.
I can recognize that you are real.
I want to reveal your essence
In my deeds,
They shall be healing through you.
And I must thank Benedictus.
Through wisdom he has given me the strength
To direct my spiritual gaze into your world.
Theodosius:
Feel me in the depths of your soul
And carry my strength into all worlds.
You will experience bliss in loving service.
John:
I feel the warming light of your presence,
I feel the creative power rising within me.
(Theodosius disappears.)
He is gone,
But he will return to me
And give me strength from the sources of love.
His light can only disappear for a time;
It then lives on in its own being.
I may abandon myself to myself,
Experiencing the beings of the spirits of love within myself.
Through him I can feel myself uplifted,
He shall reveal himself through me.
(He becomes uncertain, which is gradually expressed in his gestures.)
But how do I feel ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
A being seems to be approaching me spiritually.
Ever since I was found worthy of the spiritual eye,
I always feel this way,
When evil powers want to seize me.
But whatever may come,
I have the strength to resist.
I can experience myself within myself;
And the power of this word is invincible.
But now I experience the strongest resistance;
It must be the worst enemy ‒ ‒
Let him come, he will find me prepared.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Enemy of goodness, it must be you yourself;
Your strong power can be felt.
I know that you want to destroy
What escapes your rule.
I want to strengthen the power within me,
In which you can have no share.
(Benedictus appears.)
John:
O ‒ ‒ Benedictus,
You, the source of my new life.
It is not possible, no! ‒ ‒
You cannot, you yourself must not be!
You are but an illusion.
O revive me, you good soul powers;
Shatter the delusion
That seeks to beguile me.
Benedictus:
Ask your soul if it can feel
What my closeness has been to you through the years;
Through me, the fruit of wisdom has grown for you.
Only it can help you forward
And banish error from your mind.
Experience me within you.
But if you want to go further,
You must take that path,
That leads you to my temple.
If my wisdom is to continue to shine upon you,
It must flow from that place
Where I work in union with my brothers.
I gave you the power of truth.
Let the power of its fire ignite itself within you,
Then you must find the way.
(He exits.)
John:
Oh, he is leaving me.
Whether I have dispelled the delusion ‒ ‒
Whether reality has left me ‒ ‒ ‒
How can I decide this?
But I feel strengthened within myself.
It was no deception, it was him himself,
You, Benedictus, I experience you within myself,
You have given me the powers
That live on within my own self
And should separate error from truth.
And yet ‒ I was devoted to the delusion.
I felt your presence with a shudder;
And could have taken you for an illusion,
When you stood before me.
(Theodosius reappears.)
Theodosius:
You will free yourself from delusion,
When you fill yourself with my powers.
Benedictus could guide you to me,
But now your own wisdom must guide you.
If you only experience what he has placed in you,
You cannot experience yourself.
Strive in freedom for the heights of light;
Receive my power for this endeavor.
(disappears.)
John:
How wonderful your words sound;
I must experience them within myself.
They will effectively free me from delusion,
When they completely fill my being.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
Continue to work in the depths of my soul,
Sublime, beautiful words!
They can only come from the temple,
Where Benedictus' brother spoke them.
I can already feel them rising from within me.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
They will resound from within me.
And thus be truly understandable to me.
You spirit who lives within me,
Emerge from your hiddenness
And show yourself in your true essence.
I already feel your approach.
You must appear to me.
(Lucifer and Ahriman appear.)
Lucifer:
O human, recognize me,
O human, feel yourself.
You have freed yourself
From spiritual guidance
And fled
To the free realms of the earth.
You sought your own being
In the confusion of the earth.
To find yourself
It was your reward.
Use the reward.
Preserve yourself
In spiritual daring.
You will find a foreign being
In the vast realm of heights;
It will banish you
To a place without people,
It will also oppress you.
O human, feel yourself,
O human, recognize me.
Ahriman:
O human, recognize yourself,
O human, feel me.
You have escaped
From spiritual darkness.
You have found
The light of the earth.
So draw the power of truth
From my security.
I harden solid ground.
You can also lose it.
In your wavering
You disperse the power of being.
You can waste
In the light of the heights
The power of the spirit.
You can fall apart within yourself.
O human, feel me,
O human, recognize yourself.
(They disappear.)
John:
O what was this; Lucifer came out of me
And following him, Ahriman too.
Am I experiencing only new delusion,
Since I ardently implored truth?
Benedict's brother called to me those powers,
Which only work delusion in human souls.
(The following as a spirit voice from above):
Your thoughts rise
Into the foundations of the primeval world;
What drove you in the delusion of your soul,
What has kept you in error,
Appears to you in the light of the spirit,
Through whose fullness
People, seeing,
Think in truth!
Through whose fullness
People, striving,
Live in love.
(Curtain falls.)