Four Mystery Plays
GA 14
The Soul's Awakening
Scene 7
Exterior of a temple somewhat Egyptian in appearance. A place of initiation in the far-distant past in this Earth's third stage of post-Atlantean civilisation. A conversation between the hierophant, the keeper of the temple, and a Mystic. (See explanation of these characters on pages 244 and 245.)
Hierophant:
Are all the preparations duly made,
My keeper of the temple, to the end
Our holy rite may serve both gods and men?
Keeper:
So far as human forethought can provide
All hath been well prepared; a holy breath
Hath filled the temple now for many days.
Hierophant:
My mystic, seeing that the priest to whom
This very day our secret wisdom's store
Will ceremoniously be revealed
Is to become a royal counsellor;
Hast thou by testing him assured thyself
That he is not entirely given o'er
To wisdom divine, neglecting earthly cares
Shutting his ear to all but spirit lore?
For such a counsellor would do us harm.
Mystic:
The tests were given as the law ordains,
The masters found them adequate; I think
Our mystic hath but little natural taste
For earthly cares; his soul is set upon
His spirit-progress and development
Of self; in spirit trance he oft is seen.
'Tis not too much to say he revels in
The union of the spirit with his soul.
Hierophant:
Hast thou then often seen him in this state?
Mystic:
In truth he may thus frequently be seen.
His nature doubtless is inclined toward
The temple's service rather than the state's.
Hierophant:
It is enough. Now go to thine own place
And see our holy rite is well performed;
(Exit Mystic.)
To thee, my keeper, I have more to say.
Thou knowest how I prize thy mystic gifts:
To me thou bearest wisdom far beyond
That which befits thy status in this shrine.
Oft to thy seership have I had recourse
To prove what mine own spirit-sight hath seen.
And so I ask, what confidence hast thou
That this new mystic is for spirit ripe?
Keeper:
Who asks for my opinion? Is my voice
Of any worth?
Hierophant:
It aye hath worth for me.
To-day again thou shalt stand by my side;
We must more closely watch this holy rite
With inward sight: and, should the ‘mystic’ prove
E'en in the slightest way unripe as yet
For its high meaning in the spirit life,
I shall refuse him rank as ‘counsellor.’
Keeper:
What is it then that now might be revealed
In this new ‘mystic’ at our holy rite?
Hierophant:
I know he is not worthy of the trust
The temple servants seek to give to him.
His human nature is well known to me.
His mystic-sense is not that heartfelt urge
Which stirs in men when light from spirit realms
In kindness draws souls upwards to itself.
Strong passion surges in his being yet;
The craving of his senses is not stilled.
Indeed I would not blame the will divine,
Which e'en in craving and in passion pours
Its wisdom-light o'er evolution's stream.
But when the craving doth conceal itself,
And revel 'neath devotion's mystic mask,
It causeth thought to lie, and makes will false.
The light that weaves the web of spirit-worlds
Can never penetrate unto such souls,
Since passion spreads a mystic fog between.
Keeper:
My hierophant, thy judgment is severe
In dealing with a man who still is young
And inexperienced, who can neither know
Himself, nor take another course than that
Which priestly guides and mystic leaders say
Doth reach the goal along the soul's true path.
Hierophant:
I do not judge the man, I judge the deed
That will be wrought here in this holy place.
This holy mystic rite, which we perform
Hath not importance for ourselves alone.
Fate's stream of cosmic evolution pours
Through word and deed of sacred priestly rites.
What happens here in pictures comes to pass
In everlasting life in spirit-worlds.
But now, good keeper, get thee to thy task;
Thou wilt thyself discover how to lend
Assistance to me in this holy rite
(Exit Keeper, right.)
This youthful mystic will not be to blame,
Who hopes this day to dedicate himself
Unto the wisdom, if in these next hours
A wrong emotion, such as may gush out
Unheeded from his heart, should throw its rays
Upon our sacred rite, and in this act
Should through our symbols draw nigh spirit-spheres,
Whence ill results in consequence must flow
Into the current of our human life.
The guides and leaders are themselves to blame.
Have they not learned to know the mystic force
Which penetrates in some mysterious way
With spirit, every word and sign of ours;
And ceases not from action even when
The contents of a soul are poured therein
Which hinders cosmic evolution's course?
Instead of this young mystic consciously
Here to the spirit off'ring up himself,
His teachers drag him like a sacrifice
Into the holy precincts, where his soul
Unconsciously he to the spirit yields.
For verily he would not take this road
If he were conscious master of his soul.
Within the circle of our mysteries
The highest hierophant alone doth know
What mystic truths live in our sacred forms;
But he is dumb as solitude itself.
Such silence his high dignity commands.
The others gaze uncomprehendingly
When of our ritual's real intent I speak.
So am I left to bear my cares alone;
Well-nigh unbearable their burden seems
When all the meaning of our ritual
And of our temple is borne in on me.
One thing especially I deeply feel—
The solitude of this stern spirit-shrine.
Why do I feel so lonely in this place?
The soul must ask this question. When, ah, when
Will to my soul the spirit make reply?
Siebentes Bild.
Ein Tempel nach ägyptischer Art. Die Stätte einer weit zurückliegenden Initiation.
Drittes Kulturzeitalter der Erde. Zunächst nur ein Gespräch zwischen dem Opferweisen, dem Schwellenhüter und dem Mysten.
Der Opferweise:
Ist alles würderichtig vorbereitet,
mein Schwellenhüter, daß die Weihetat
den Göttern und den Menschen heilsam werde?
Der Schwellenhüter:
Soweit der Mensch es vorzusehn vermag,
ist alles wohl bereitet; ‒ Weiheluft
erfüllt den Raum seit vielen Tagen schon.
Der Opferweise:
Mein Myste; zu des Königs Rater ist
der Priester ausersehn, der heut empfängt
geheimer Weisheit Weiheoffenbarung.
Habt Ihr die Prüfung denn auch so gestaltet,
daß jener Myste nicht allein der Weisheit
ergeben ist, die irdisch sorgenlos
nur aufmerksam auf Geisteslehren ist?
Uns müsst’ ein solcher Rater schädlich sein.
Der Myste:
Die Prüfung ward Gebot-gemäss vollzogen,
die Meister fanden sie gerecht; ‒ mich dünkt
daß unser Myste nur geringen Sinn
für irdisch Sorgen hat; er hat die Seele
dem Geistesstreben nur, der Selbstentfaltung
ergeben; geistentrückt kann man ihn sehn.
Zuviel ist’s nicht, zu sagen, daß er schwelgt,
wenn seine Seele geistgeeint sich fühlt.
Der Opferweise:
Ihr habt ihn so wohl öfter schon gesehn?
Der Myste:
Er zeigt sich wahrhaft oft in solcher Art.
Er würde wohl zum innern Tempeldienst
sich besser als zu eurem Rater eignen.
Der Opferweise:
Es ist genug. Ihr geht an Euer Amt
und sorgt, daß unsre Weihetat geling’. ‒
Doch du, mein Hüter, höre weiter mich.
Du weißt, ich schätze deinen Mystensinn;
du stehst als Weisheitträger mir viel höher,
als deinem Tempelgrad entspricht; und oft
hab’ ich an deinem Seherblick die Probe
gesucht für meine eigne Geistesschau.
Ich frage dich, wie groß ist dein Vertrauen
in dieses neuen Mysten Geistesreife?
Der Schwellenhüter:
Wer frägt nach meiner Meinung; meine Stimme
wird nicht gezählt. ‒
Der Opferweise:
Ich zähl’ sie stets für mich.
Auch heute sollst du mir zur Seite stehn;
wir müssen diese Weihetat verfolgen
mit strengem Seelenblick; und wenn der Myste
auch nur gering dem Geist-Erleben nach
dem hohen Sinn der Handlung nicht entspricht,
so hindre ich, daß er zum Rater werde.
Der Schwellenhüter:
Was könnte sich bei diesem Weihefeste
an diesem neuen Mysten offenbaren?
Der Opferweise:
Ich weiß, daß er nicht würdig ist der Ehre,
die ihm die Tempeldiener zugedacht.
Sein menschlich Wesen ist mir wohlbekannt.
Ihm ist die Mystik nicht der Herzenstrieb,
der sich im Menschen regt, wenn geistig Licht
von oben Seelen gnädig zu sich zieht.
Die Leidenschaft durchwühlt sein Innres stark;
die Sinnestriebe schweigen ihm noch nicht.
Ich will fürwahr nicht Götterwille tadeln,
der auch in Trieb und Leidenschaft sein Licht
noch weisheitvoll im Werdestrom erstrahlt.
Doch wenn der Trieb sich vor sich selbst verbirgt
und in der Andacht Maske mystisch schwelgt,
belügt er nur das Denken, fälscht das Wollen.
Es dringt in solche Seelen nicht das Licht,
das in den Geisteswelten Wesen webt;
es dampft die Leidenschaft als Mystennebel.
Der Schwellenhüter:
Mein Opferweiser, strenge ist das Urteil,
das Ihr dem Manne zuerteilt, der, jung
und unerfahren, sich nicht selbst erkennen,
der nur sich so verhalten kann, wie ihm
die Opferlenker und die Mystenführer
das Ziel des rechten Seelenpfades schildern.
Der Opferweise:
Ich will mit meinem Urteil nicht den Mann,
ich will die Tat nur treffen, welche hier
an heilig ernster Stätte sich vollzieht.
Was wir als mystisch Weihewerk vollbringen,
Bedeutung hat es doch nicht hier allein.
Es geht des Weltgeschehens Schicksalsstrom
durch Wort und Tat des ernsten Opferdienstes.
Was hier im Bilde sich vollzieht, es schafft
in Geisteswelten ewig wirksam Sein.
Doch jetzt, mein Hüter, geht an Euer Werk;
Ihr werdet selber finden, wie Ihr mir
am besten bei der Handlung helfen könnt.
(Es geht der Schwellenhüter links ab.)
Der Opferweise (allein):
An diesem jungen Mysten liegt es nicht,
der heute sich der Weisheit opfern will,
wenn in den nächsten Stunden unrecht Fühlen,
das seinem Herzen leicht entströmen kann,
in unsre Opfertat erstrahlt, und mystisch
im Tatensinnbild Geistessphären naht,
aus welchen später unheilvoll die Wirkung
zurück ins Menschenleben fliessen muß.
Die Führer und die Lenker werden schuldig.
Erkennen die denn noch die Mystenkraft,
die jedes Wort und jedes Zeichen hier
geheimnisvoll durchgeistigt, ‒ die auch wirkt,
wenn Seeleninhalt sich in sie ergiesst,
der unheilvoll dem Weltenwerden ist?
Statt daß der junge Myste sich dem Geiste
bewußt hier opfert, schleppen seine Lehrer
als Opfer ihn zur Weihestatt, und unbewußt
ergibt er hier sein Seelensein dem Geiste,
das er in andre Wege wahrlich lenkte,
wenn er bewußt es in sich leben könnte.
Im Kreise unsrer Mystenschaft erkennt allein der
höchste Opferkenner wirklich,
was mystisch in den Opferformen lebt.
Doch der ist schweigsam wie die Einsamkeit;
denn so ist seiner Würde streng Gebot.
Die andern blicken völlig unverständig,
Wenn ich vom Ernst des Opfers ihnen spreche.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
So bin ich ganz allein mit meiner Sorge,
die mich im Innern oft erdrücken will,
wenn ich den Sinn des Opferortes fühle.
Ich lerne sie fürwahr hier tief erkennen:
die Einsamkeit am ernsten Geistesort. ‒ ‒ ‒
Warum bin ich an diesem Ort allein?
Die Seele muß es fragen; ‒ doch der Geist ‒
wann wird er dieser Seele Antwort geben?
(Vorhang fällt langsam.)
Scene Seven
An Egyptian-style temple. The site of an initiation long ago.
Third cultural epoch of the Earth. Initially, just a conversation between the sacrificer, the guardian of the threshold, and the mystic.
The sacrificer:
Is everything properly prepared,
my guardian of the threshold, so that the consecration
may be beneficial to the gods and to mankind?
The guardian of the threshold:
As far as man can foresee,
everything is well prepared; ‒ the air of consecration
has filled the room for many days now.
The Sacrificer:
My mystic; the priest has been chosen as the king's advisor
and today he will receive
the secret revelation of wisdom.
Have you designed the test in such a way
that the mystic is not solely devoted to wisdom
and, carefree of earthly concerns,
is only attentive to spiritual teachings?
Such an advisor would be detrimental to us.
The mystic:
The test was carried out according to the commandment,
the masters found it just; ‒ it seems to me
that our mystic has little interest
in earthly concerns; he has devoted his soul
only to spiritual striving, to self-development
; one can see him absorbed in the spirit.
It is no exaggeration to say that he revels
when his soul feels united with the spirit.
The Sacrificer:
You have seen him like this often before?
The Mystic:
He truly often shows himself in this manner.
He would be better suited to inner temple service
than to your counsel.
The Sacrificer:
That is enough. Go about your business
and see to it that our consecration is successful. ‒
But you, my guardian, hear me further.
You know I value your mystical insight;
you stand much higher to me as a bearer of wisdom
than your temple rank corresponds to; and often
I have sought in your vision
a test for my own spiritual insight.
I ask you, how great is your confidence
in this new mystic's spiritual maturity?
The Guardian of the Threshold:
Who asks for my opinion; my vote
is not counted. ‒
The Sacrificer:
I always count it for myself.
Today, too, you shall stand by my side;
we must pursue this act of consecration
with a stern gaze of the soul; and if the mystic
even slightly fails to live up to the spiritual experience
of the high meaning of the act,
I will prevent him from becoming an advisor.
The Guardian of the Threshold:
What could be revealed at this consecration ceremony
about this new mystic?
The Sacrificer:
I know that he is not worthy of the honor
that the temple servants have bestowed upon him.
His human nature is well known to me.
Mysticism is not the impulse of his heart,
which stirs in man when spiritual light
graciously draws souls to itself from above.
Passion strongly stirs within him;
the urges of the senses are not yet silent in him.
I truly do not wish to criticize the will of God,
which also shines its light in instinct and passion,
nor does it shine wisely in the stream of becoming.
But when instinct hides from itself
and revels mystically in the mask of devotion,
it only deceives the mind and falsifies the will.
The light that weaves beings in the spiritual worlds does not penetrate such souls;
passion steams like a mystical fog.
The guardian of the threshold:
My wise sacrificer, severe is the judgment
you pass on the man who, young
and inexperienced, does not know himself,
who can only behave as
the sacrificial leaders and the mystical guides
describe the goal of the right path of the soul.
The wise sacrificer:
With my judgment, I do not want to punish the man,
I only want to punish the deed that is being performed here
in this sacred and solemn place.
What we accomplish as a mystical consecration
has meaning not only here.
The stream of fate of world events
flows through the words and deeds of solemn sacrificial service.
What is accomplished here in image creates
eternal being in the spiritual worlds.
But now, my guardian, go to your work;
You will find for yourself how you can best help me
in my task.
(The guardian of the threshold departs to the left.)
The sacrificial priest (alone):
It is not up to this young mystic
who wants to sacrifice himself to wisdom today,
if in the next few hours wrong feelings,
which can easily flow from his heart,
shine into our sacrificial act, and mystically
approach spiritual spheres in the symbolism of action,
from which later the ominous effect
must flow back into human life.
The leaders and guides become guilty.
Do they still recognize the mystical power
that mysteriously animates every word and every sign here,
which also works when the content
of the soul pours into it,
which is disastrous for the becoming of the world?
Instead of the young mystic consciously
sacrificing himself here to the spirit,
his teachers drag him as a sacrifice
to the place of consecration,
Instead of the young mystic consciously
sacrificing himself to the spirit here,
his teachers drag him as a sacrifice
to the place of consecration, and unconsciously
he surrenders his soul to the spirit here,
which he truly guided in other ways,
if he could consciously live it within himself.
Within the circle of our mystical fellowship,
only the highest expert on sacrifice truly recognizes
In the circle of our mystical fellowship, only the
highest connoisseur of sacrifice truly recognizes
what lives mystically in the forms of sacrifice.
But he is silent as solitude;
for such is the strict command of his dignity.
The others look completely uncomprehending
when I speak to them of the seriousness of sacrifice.
‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒ ‒
So I am all alone with my concern,
which often threatens to overwhelm me inside,
when I feel the meaning of the place of sacrifice.
I truly learn to recognize it deeply here:
the loneliness at the solemn place of the spirit. ‒ ‒ ‒
Why am I alone in this place?
The soul must ask; ‒ but the spirit ‒
when will it give this soul an answer?
(Curtain falls slowly.)