A Road to Self-Knowledge
GA 16
Introduction
[ 1 ] It is the endeavour of this treatise to convey spiritual-scientific knowledge concerning the being of man. The method of representation is arranged in such a way that the reader may grow into what is depicted, so that, in the course of reading, it becomes for him a kind of self-conference. If this soliloquy takes on such a form that thereby hitherto concealed forces, which can be awakened in every soul, reveal themselves, then the reading leads to a real inner work of the soul; and the latter can see itself gradually urged on to that soul-journeying, which truly advances towards the beholding of the spiritual world. What has to be imparted, therefore, has been given in the form of eight Meditations, which can be actually practised. If this is done, they can be adapted for imparting to the soul, through its own inner deepening, that about which they speak.
[ 2 ] It has been my aim on the one hand, to give something to those readers who have already made themselves conversant with the literature dealing with the domain of the supersensible, as it is here understood. Thus through the style of the description, through the communication directly connecting with the soul's experience, perhaps those who have knowledge of supersensible life will here find something that may appear of importance to them. On the other hand, many a one can find that just through this method of representation profit may be gained by those who yet stand far distant from the achievements of Spiritual Science.
[ 3 ] Although this work is intended as an amplification of my other writings in the domain of Spiritual Science, it should nevertheless be possible to read it independently.
[ 4 ] It has been my endeavour in my books, Theosophy and Occult Science, to represent the things as they show themselves to observation, when it ascends to the Spiritual. In these works the method of representation is descriptive and its direction prescribed by conformity to the law manifesting out of the things themselves. In this, A Road to Self-Knowledge, the method of representation is different. Herein is stated that which can be experienced by a soul which sets out on the path to the Spirit in a certain manner. The treatise may therefore be regarded as an account of experiences of the soul; only it must be taken into consideration that the experiences which can be gained in such a way as is here described, must assume an individual form in each soul according to its own peculiarity. It has been my endeavour to do justice to this fact, so that one can also imagine that what is depicted here has been actually lived through by an individual soul, exactly as represented. The title of this treatise is, therefore, A Road to Self-knowledge. On that account it may serve the purpose of assisting other souls to live into this portrayal and attain to corresponding goals, and is an amplification of my book, Knowledge of the Higher Worlds and its Attainment.
[ 5 ] Only isolated fundamental experiences of a spiritual scientific nature are represented. The giving of information in this manner of the further spheres of “Spiritual Science” is suspended for the present.
RUDOLF STEINER
Munich. August 1912
Einleitende Bemerkungen
[ 1 ] In dieser Schrift ist angestrebt, geisteswissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse über die Wesenheit des Menschen zu geben. Die Darstellung ist so gehalten, dass der Leser in das Dargestellte hineinwachsen mag, so dass es ihm im Verlaufe des Lesens wie zu einer Art Selbstgespräch wird. Gestaltet sich dieses Selbstgespräch so, dass dabei vorher verborgene Kräfte sich offenbaren, welche in jeder Seele erweckt werden können, so führt dann das Lesen zu einer wirklichen inneren Seelenarbeit. Und diese kann sich allmählich zur Seelenwanderschaft gedrängt sehen, welche wahrhaftig in das Schauen der geistigen Welt hineinversetzt. Deshalb wurde das Mitgeteilte in der Form von acht Meditationen gegeben, welche wirklich durchgeführt werden können. Geschieht dies, so können sie geeignet sein, der Seele das durch die eigene innere Vertiefung zu übermitteln, wovon in ihnen gesprochen wird.
[ 2 ] Angestrebt ist worden, einerseits demjenigen Leser etwas zu geben, der sich bereits mit der Literatur und den Arbeiten auf dem Gebiete des Übersinnlichen, wie es hier gemeint ist, eingehender bekanntgemacht hat. So wird vielleicht hier der Kenner des übersinnlichen Lebens durch die Art des Dargestellten, durch die unmittelbar mit dem Seelen-Erleben zusammenhängende Mitteilung, etwas finden, was ihm wichtig erscheinen kann. Und andrerseits kann mancher finden, dass gerade durch diese Darstellung auch dem genützt werden kann, welcher den Ergebnissen der Geisteswissenschaft noch ferne steht.
[ 3 ] Zu meinen übrigen Schriften auf geisteswissenschaftlichem Gebiete soll diese eine Ergänzung und auch Erweiterung liefern. Doch soll sie auch für sich gelesen werden können.
[ 4 ] In meiner «Theosophie» und in meinem «Umriss einer Geheimwissenschaft» ist angestrebt worden, die Dinge so darzustellen, wie sie sich der Beobachtung ergeben, die auf das Geistige geht. Die Darstellung ist in diesen Schriften eine beschreibende, deren Fortgang durch die aus den Dingen sich offenbarende Gesetzmäßigkeit vorgeschrieben war. - In diesem «Weg zur Selbsterkenntnis des Menschen» ist die Darstellung anders. Es ist in ihr gesagt worden, was eine Seele erleben kann, welche sich auf den Weg zum Geiste hin in einer gewissen Weise begibt. Die Schrift kann deshalb angesehen werden als die Wiedergabe von Seelenerlebnissen. Es muß nur beachtet werden, dass die Erlebnisse, die in solcher Art, wie sie hier beschrieben sind, gemacht werden können, bei einer einzelnen Seele, nach ihrer besonderen Eigenart, eine individuelle Form annehmen müssen. Es ist angestrebt worden, dieser Tatsache gerecht zu werden, so dass man sich auch vorstellen kann, das Geschilderte sei so, wie es dargestellt ist, von einer bestimmten Seele genau durchlebt worden. (Der Titel heißt deshalb: «Ein Weg zur Selbsterkenntnis.») Eben deshalb kann die Schrift dazu dienen, dass sich auch andre Seelen in dies Geschilderte hineinieben und zu entsprechenden Zielen gelangen. So ist diese Schrift auch eine Ergänzung und Erweiterung dessen, was sich in meinem Buche «Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?» findet.
[ 5 ] Dargestellt sind nur einzelne geisteswissenschaftliche Grunderlebnisse. Auf die Mitteilung weiterer Gebiete der «Geisteswissenschaft» in dieser Art ist vorläufig verzichtet.
München, im August 1912
Rudolf Steiner
Introductory remarks
[ 1 ] The aim of this work is to provide spiritual-scientific insights into the nature of man. It is presented in such a way that the reader may grow into what is presented, so that in the course of reading it becomes a kind of soliloquy. If this soliloquy takes shape in such a way that previously hidden powers are revealed, which can be awakened in every soul, then reading leads to a real inner work of the soul. And this work can gradually lead to the transmigration of the soul, which can truly lead to seeing the spiritual world. That is why what has been shared has been given in the form of eight meditations that can really be practiced. If this happens, they can be suitable for conveying to the soul, through its own inner deepening, what is spoken of in them.
[ 2 ] The aim has been, on the one hand, to give something to the reader who has already familiarized himself more thoroughly with the literature and the work in the field of the supernatural, as it is meant here. Thus the connoisseur of the supersensible life will perhaps find something here which may appear important to him through the nature of what is presented, through the communication directly connected with the soul experience. And on the other hand, some may find that this presentation can also be of use to those who are still distant from the results of spiritual science.
[ 3 ] This is intended to supplement and expand my other writings in the field of the humanities. But it should also be able to be read on its own.
[ 4 ] In my "Theosophy" and in my "Outline of a Secret Science", I have endeavored to present things as they are revealed by observation of the spiritual. The presentation in these writings is a descriptive one, the progression of which was prescribed by the lawfulness that reveals itself from things. - In this "Path to Man's Self-Knowledge" the description is different. It tells us what a soul can experience when it embarks on the path to the spirit in a certain way. The writing can therefore be regarded as the reproduction of soul experiences. It must only be noted that the experiences which can be made in such a way as they are described here, must take on an individual form with an individual soul, according to its particular peculiarity. It has been attempted to do justice to this fact, so that one can also imagine that what is described has been lived through by a particular soul exactly as it is described. (The title is therefore: "A path to self-knowledge.") It is precisely for this reason that the writing can serve to help other souls to rub themselves into what has been described and reach corresponding goals. Thus, this writing is also a supplement and extension of what can be found in my book "How to gain knowledge of the higher worlds".
[ 5 ] Only individual basic spiritual-scientific experiences are presented. The communication of further areas of "spiritual science" in this form has been dispensed with for the time being.
Munich, August 1912
Rudolf Steiner