The Michael Mystery
GA 26
II. The Human Soul before the Dawn of the Michael Age
[ 1 ] The rise of the Michael-Age has succeeded in mankind's evolution to the predominance, on the one hand of the intellectual form of Thought-construction, and on the other, of an external view of the world, paramountly directed to the physical world in its outer, sensible aspect.
[ 2 ] Thought-construction is not in itself, of its own character, a development in the direction of materialism. What in earlier ages had come to Man as though be inspiration—the world of Ideas—became, in the time that preceded the Michael Age, a property of the human soul. The soul no longer receives her Ideas given to her ‘from above’ out of the spiritual fullness of the Cosmos; she fetches them forth actively, out of the inner spiritual life of Man himself. With this, Man becomes ripe for the first time to reflect upon his own individual spirit-being. Previously, he never penetrated to this depth in his own being; he saw in himself, so to speak, a drop, separated out for the span of his earth-life from the sea of cosmic spirit, to re-unite with it again after this earth-life is over.
[ 3 ] This Thought-construction that takes place in Man is a forward step in Man's self-knowledge. Viewed in its supersensible aspect, the matter lies as follows: The spiritual powers whom we may call by the name of ‘Michael,’ ruled Ideas in the spiritual Cosmos. Man realized these Ideas within him, inasmuch as his own soul participated in the life of the Michael-world. This realization of the life of Ideas has now become his own personal concern; and this has brought about a temporary separation of Man from the Michael-world. Along with the inspired thoughts of earlier ages, Man had received at the same time the spiritual substance of the world. Now that this inspiration has ceased, and Man begins of his own action to construct his thoughts, he is thrown back upon the perceptions of his senses to give these thoughts a substance. So that Man at first could not do otherwise than fill his newly acquired inner spiritual life with a material substance. He acquired inner spiritual life with a material substance. He ‘fell’ into the materialist view of things in that same age which carried his own inner spiritual being to a stage higher than those preceding it.
[ 4 ] This is a fact which may easily be misinterpreted. One may look only at the ‘fall’ into Materialism and deplore it accordingly. But whilst the views of this age were thus limited in outlook to the external physical world, there arose within the soul, as a realization of the inner being, a purified, unalloyed and self-sustaining spirit-life of the human mind that must remain no longer an unconscious realization; it must become knowingly aware of its own peculiar character. This means that Michael in Being must enter into the human soul. For a period, Man has taken the matter of the natural world as a filling for his own spirit. He must once again fill it with the spirit-substance of the Cosmos out of his own creative mind.
[ 5 ] Thought-construction lost itself for a while in the material of the Cosmos. It must come to itself once more in the cosmic Spirit. Into the cold and abstract world of Thought may enter warmth and the living fullness of spirit's reality. This announces the dawn of the Michael-Age.
[ 6 ] Only in separation from the living Thought-Reality of the world could there grow up in the human soul the consciousness of Freedom. What came from the heights, had again to be recovered from the depths. Therefore the development of this consciousness of Freedom is involved in its first beginnings with that science of the natural world which is directed solely to the world's external aspect. Whilst inwardly Man was unconsciously developing his spirit to pure clarity of Ideas, outwardly his senses were directed solely to the world of Matter, that left undisturbed the first tender shoots of what was dawning in his soul.
[ 7 ] But into these views of external materiality, there may enter anew a living, inner realization of the spirit in the world, and therewith once more a spiritual view of it. The science of Nature, that has been acquired under the sign of Materialism, may receive a spiritual form of conception in the inner life of the soul. Michael, who once spoke ‘from above,’ may be heard ‘from within,’ where he will make his new abode. In more imaginative language, it may be thus expressed: That Sun-life, which through long ages Man drew from without, from the Cosmos only, will begin to shine within, in the soul. Man will learn to speak of an ‘inner Sun.’ He will know none the less well on this account, that he is a being of the Earth in his life between birth and death; but he will be conscious that his own being is Sun-guided on its earthly travels. He will learn to be aware in truth of a being that lives within him and that sheds a light which lights the life of Earth, but is not lit there. In the first dawn of the Michael Age, it may still seem as though mankind were very far from all this. But ‘in the spirit’ it is not far; it is close at hand; it only needs to be ‘seen.’ That Man's Ideas do not remain merely ‘thinking’ only, but turn in thought to ‘seeing,’ is a fact on which immeasurably much depends.
Die menschliche Seelenverfassung vor dem Anbruch des Michael-Zeitalters
[ 1 ] Heute soll eine Betrachtung hier eingefügt werden, die sich an die Ideen «Im Anbruch des Michael-Zeitalters» anschließt. Dieses Michael-Zeitalter ist in der Entwickelung der Menschheit heraufgekommen nach dem Vorherrschen der intellektuellen Gedankenbildung auf der einen Seite und der auf die äußere Sinnenwelt - die physische Welt - gerichteten menschlichen Anschauungsweise auf der ändern.
[ 2 ] Die Gedankenbildung ist in ihrer eigenen Wesenheit nicht eine Entwickelung nach dem Materialistischen hin. Dasjenige, was in altern Zeitaltern wie inspiriert an den Menschen herantrat, die Ideenwelt, wurde in der Zeit, die der Michael-Epoche voranging, Eigentum der menschlichen Seele. Diese empfängt nicht mehr die Ideen «von oben» aus dem geistigen Inhalt des Kosmos; sie holt sie aktiv aus der eigenen Geistigkeit des Menschen herauf. Damit ist der Mensch erst reif geworden, sich auf die eigene geistige Wesenheit zu besinnen. Vorher drang er bis zu dieser Tiefe des eigenen Wesens nicht vor. Er sah in sich gewissermaßen den Tropfen, der aus dem Meere der kosmischen Geistigkeit sich für das Erdenleben abgetrennt hat, um sich nach demselben wieder mit ihm zu vereinigen.
[ 3 ] Es ist die im Menschen stattfindende Gedankenbildung ein Fortschritt in der menschlichen Selbsterkenntnis. Im Übersinnlichen angeschaut, stellt sich die Sache so dar: Die geistigen Mächte, die man mit dem Michael-Namen bezeichnen kann, verwalteten im geistigen Kosmos die Ideen. Der Mensch erlebte diese Ideen, indem er mit seiner Seele an dem Leben der Michael-Welt teilnahm. Dieses Erleben ist nun sein eigenes geworden. Dadurch ist eine zeitweilige Trennung des Menschen von der Michael-Welt eingetreten. Mit den inspirierten Gedanken der Vorzeit empfing der Mensch zugleich die geistigen Weltinhalte. Indem diese Inspiration aufhörte und der Mensch in eigener Tätigkeit die Gedanken bildet, ist er auf die Anschauung der Sinne verwiesen, um für diese Gedanken einen Inhalt zu haben. So mußte der Mensch zunächst die errungene eigene Geistigkeit mit materiellem Inhalt erfüllen. Er fiel in die materialistische Anschauung in dem Zeitalter, das sein eigenes geistiges Wesen auf eine Stufe brachte, die höher ist als die vorangehenden.
[ 4 ] Das kann leicht verkannt werden; man kann den «Fall» in den Materialismus nur allein beachten, und dann über ihn traurig sein. Aber während das Anschauen dieses Zeitalters sich auf die äußere physische Welt beschränken mußte, entfaltete sich im Innern der Seele eine gereinigte, in sich selbst bestehende Geistigkeit des Menschen als Erleben. Diese Geistigkeit muß nun im Michael-Zeitalter nicht mehr unbewußtes Erleben bleiben, sondern sich ihrer Eigenart bewußt werden. Das bedeutet den Eintritt der Michael-Wesenheit in die menschliche Seele. Der Mensch hat eine gewisse Zeit hindurch das eigene Geistige mit dem Materiellen der Natur erfüllt; er soll es wieder mit ureigener Geistigkeit als kosmischen Inhalt erfüllen.
[ 5 ] Die Gedankenbildung verlor sich eine Weile an die Materie des Kosmos; sie muß sich in dem kosmischen Geiste wieder finden. In die kalte, abstrakte Gedankenwelt kann Wärme, kann wesenserfüllte Geist-Wirklichkeit eintreten. Das stellt den Anbruch des Michael-Zeitalters dar.
[ 6 ] Nur in der Trennung von dem Gedankenwesen der Welt konnte in den Tiefen der menschlichen Seele das Bewußtsein der Freiheit erwachsen. Was von den Höhen kam, mußte aus den Tiefen wiedergefunden werden. Deshalb ist die Entwickelung dieses Bewußtseins der Freiheit zunächst mit einer nur auf das Äußere gerichteten Naturerkenntnis verbunden gewesen. Während der Mensch im Innern seinen Geist unbewußt zur Reinheit der Ideen erbildete, waren seine Sinne nach außen nur auf das Materielle gerichtet, das in keiner Weise störend in das eingriff, was zunächst als zarter Keim in der Seele aufleuchtete.
[ 7 ] Aber es kann in die Anschauung des äußeren Materiellen das Erleben des Geistigen und damit die geistige Anschauung in neuer Art wieder einziehen. Was im Zeichen des Materialismus an Naturerkenntnis gewonnen worden ist, kann in geistgemäßer Art im inneren Seelenleben erfaßt werden. Michael, der «von oben» gesprochen hat, kann «aus dem Innern», wo er seinen neuen Wohnsitz aufschlagen wird, gehört werden. Mehr imaginativ gesprochen, kann dies so ausgedrückt werden: Das Sonnenhafte, das der Mensch durch lange Zeiten nur aus dem Kosmos in sich aufnahm, wird im Innern der Seele leuchtend werden. Der Mensch wird von einer «innern Sonne» sprechen lernen. Er wird sich deshalb in seinem Leben zwischen Geburt und Tod nicht weniger als Erdenwesen wissen; aber er wird das auf der Erde wandelnde eigene Wesen als sonnengeführt erkennen. Er wird als Wahrheit empfinden lernen, daß ihn im Innern eine Wesenheit in ein Licht stellt, das zwar auf das Erdendasein leuchtet, aber nicht in diesem entzündet wird. Im Anbruche des Michael-Zeitalters mag es noch scheinen, als ob dies alles der Menschheit recht ferne liegen könne; doch es ist «im Geiste» nahe; es muß nur «gesehen» werden. Von dieser Tatsache, daß die Ideen des Menschen nicht nur «denkend» bleiben, sondern im Denken «sehend» werden, hängt unermeßlich viel ab.
Weitere Leitsätze, die für die Anthroposophische Gesellschaft vom Goetheanum ausgesendet werden
[ 8 ] 85. Im wachen Tagesbewußtsein erlebt sich im gegenwärtigen Weltenalter zunächst der Mensch. Dieses Erleben verhüllt ihm, daß innerhalb der Wachheit die dritte Hierarchie in seinem Erleben gegenwärtig ist.
[ 9 ] 86. Im Traumbewußtsein erlebt der Mensch in chaotischer Art das eigene Wesen mit dem Geistwesen der Welt unharmonisch vereinigt. Stellt sich dem Traumbewußtsein das imaginative als dessen anderer Pol gegenüber, so wird der Mensch gewahr, daß die zweite Hierarchie in seinem Erleben gegenwärtig ist.
[ 10 ] 87. Im traumlosen Schlafbewußtsein erlebt der Mensch ohne eigene Bewußtheit das eigene Wesen mit dem Geistwesen der Welt vereinigt. Stellt sich dem Schlafbewußtsein das inspirierte als dessen anderer Pol gegenüber, so wird der Mensch gewahr, daß die erste Hierarchie in seinem Erleben gegenwärtig ist.
The state of the human soul before the dawn of the Michael Age
[ 1 ] Today an observation is to be inserted here which follows on from the ideas "At the dawn of the Michael Age". This Michael Age has arisen in the development of mankind after the predominance of intellectual thought formation on the one hand and the human way of looking at things directed towards the external sense world - the physical world - on the other.
[ 2 ] The formation of thought is in its own essence not a development towards the materialistic. That which approached man as inspired in older ages, the world of ideas, became the property of the human soul in the time that preceded the Michael epoch. This no longer receives the ideas "from above" from the spiritual content of the cosmos; it actively brings them up from man's own spirituality. In this way, man has become mature enough to reflect on his own spiritual essence. Previously, he did not penetrate to this depth of his own being. He saw in himself, as it were, the drop that had separated itself from the sea of cosmic spirituality for earthly life in order to reunite with it afterwards.
[ 3 ] The formation of thought taking place in man is a progress in human self-knowledge. Seen in the supersensible, the matter presents itself thus: The spiritual powers, which can be referred to by the name of Michael, administered the ideas in the spiritual cosmos. Man experienced these ideas by participating with his soul in the life of the Michael world. This experience has now become his own. This has led to a temporary separation of man from the Michael world. With the inspired thoughts of prehistoric times, man also received the spiritual contents of the world. When this inspiration ceased and man formed the thoughts through his own activity, he was referred to the perception of the senses in order to have a content for these thoughts. Thus man first had to fill the spirituality he had attained with material content. He fell into the materialistic view in the age that brought his own spiritual being to a level higher than the preceding ones.
[ 4 ] This can easily be misjudged; one can only note the "fall" into materialism alone, and then be sad about it. But while the observation of this age had to confine itself to the outer physical world, a purified spirituality of man, existing in itself, unfolded within the soul as experience. This spirituality must now in the Michael Age no longer remain unconscious experience, but become conscious of its own nature. This means the entry of the Michael-entity into the human soul. For a certain time, man has filled his own spirituality with the materiality of nature; he is to fill it again with his own spirituality as cosmic content.
[ 5 ] The formation of thought lost itself for a while in the matter of the cosmos; it must find itself again in the cosmic spirit. Warmth can enter the cold, abstract world of thought, spirit-reality filled with essence. This represents the dawn of the Michael Age.
[ 6 ] Only in the separation from the thought-being of the world could the consciousness of freedom grow in the depths of the human soul. What came from the heights had to be found again from the depths. That is why the development of this consciousness of freedom was initially connected with a knowledge of nature that was only directed towards the external. While man unconsciously educated his spirit inwardly to the purity of ideas, his senses were directed outwardly only to the material, which in no way interfered with what first shone forth as a tender germ in the soul.
[ 7 ] But the experience of the spiritual and thus the spiritual view can re-enter the perception of the external material in a new way. The knowledge of nature gained under the sign of materialism can be grasped in a spiritual way in the inner life of the soul. Michael, who has spoken "from above", can be heard "from within", where he will take up his new abode. Speaking more imaginatively, this can be expressed in this way: The sun-like, which man absorbed through long ages only from the cosmos, will become luminous within the soul. Man will learn to speak of an "inner sun". He will therefore know himself in his life between birth and death no less as an earth being; but he will recognize his own being walking on earth as sun-led. He will learn to perceive as truth that within him an entity places him in a light which shines on the earthly existence but is not kindled in it. At the dawn of the Michael Age it may still seem as if all this could be quite distant to mankind; but it is near "in spirit"; it only has to be "seen". On this fact, that the ideas of man not only remain "thinking", but in thinking become "seeing", immeasurably much depends.
Further guiding principles sent out by the Goetheanum for the Anthroposophical Society
[ 8 ] 85 In the waking day-consciousness man first experiences himself in the present world-age. This experience conceals from him that within wakefulness the third hierarchy is present in his experience.
[ 9 ] 86 In dream consciousness man experiences his own being united in a chaotic way with the spiritual being of the world. If the imaginative is placed opposite the dream consciousness as its other pole, man becomes aware that the second hierarchy is present in his experience.
[ 10 ] 87 In dreamless sleep consciousness, man experiences his own being united with the spiritual being of the world without his own consciousness. If the sleep consciousness is contrasted with the inspired consciousness as its other pole, man becomes aware that the first hierarchy is present in his experience.