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Inner Impulses of Evolution, The Mexican Mysteries, The Knights Templar
GA 171

24 September 1916, Dornach

5. Atlantean Impulses in the Mexican Mysteries. The Problem of Natural Urges and Impulses, The Problem of Death

As a continuation of yesterday's lecture, certain things must be said that are connected with subjects spoken of here a week ago. As a number of friends who were not then present are here for a special meeting, I will repeat certain matters in the lectures still to be given. This may be useful, because from remarks that have been made to me, it is obvious that important points have been misunderstood.

At the very outset let us be quite clear that the course of evolution as we have learned to know it in connection with great cosmic happenings proceeds both in these great cosmic phenomena and in the phenomena of human historical development. The so-called fourth post-Atlantean epoch, during which the Greco-Roman culture developed and attained its greatness, must be of particular interest to us in our age. As you know, from the standpoint of the science of the spirit this fourth epoch lasted until the beginning of the fifteenth century A.D. With the dawning of the fifteenth century, trends began to manifest in European culture of which we heard, for instance, in yesterday's lecture.

When we picture the nature of the Greco-Roman epoch, it appears to us as a kind of recurrence or revival of what spread over the earth as human culture during the period of Atlantis. It has often been said that the thoughts, the perceptions, and also the social life of the Greeks become intelligible when we regard this fourth post-Atlantean culture—although Atlantean culture was, of course, much more elemental and instinctive. It assumed a more spiritual form in the culture of Greece and Rome. What had been direct experience in Atlantis was transposed into reality in Greece through fantasy, imagination and thoughts, and through the will, which, in turn, was inspired, by fantasy and imagination. We must realize that this Greco-Roman culture constituted a deep disillusionment for the luciferic and ahrimanic powers. The luciferic and ahrimanic powers of the hierarchy standing nearest to the human hierarchy, desired that the Atlantean culture, as it had been in Atlantis, should simply re-appear in the fourth post-Atlantean epoch. In other words it was the intention of the luciferic and ahrimanic powers that everything that had constituted the essential nature of Atlantean culture should be merely repeated during the Greco-Roman age. (You can read about this in An Outline of Occult Science or in the book, Cosmic Memory.)

This plan was frustrated inasmuch as humanity was raised to a higher stage consistent with the post-Atlantean era. What was essentially new and great in Greek and Roman culture constituted a spiritual disillusionment for the luciferic and ahrimanic powers. Through their different influences these powers desired to educate the Greeks and so to develop their powers of fantasy that the souls of men would gradually have become weary of the earth, would lose their inclination to incarnate further on the earth, and would tend to withdraw, as souls, from the earth in order to found a realm and planet of their own. The effect of this influence was annulled through the leadership of those powers we call the normal hierarchies, whereby the quality of fantasy and imagination in the Greeks, which also influenced their social life, was transformed into joy in the earthly. The Greek received into his nature such a joy in the life of earth and of the senses that he had no desire to live merely in the world of imagination where his soul would be alienated from earthly existence, but inclined rather to the attitude expressed in the well known words, “Better to be a beggar on the earth, than a king in the realm of shades.” This joy in life between birth and death enabled the normal powers to avert from the Greeks the danger inherent in the plan of the luciferic powers, namely, to lead away the souls of men so that the bodies still to be born on the earth would have gone about without egos, and the souls would have departed to a special planet of their own.

In Roman culture, on the other hand, Ahriman's aim was to help Luciferic by shaping the Roman Empire and what followed it in such a way that it would have become a great earthly mechanism for ego-less human beings. In this way he would have been of assistance to Lucifer. Whereas Lucifer's desire was to extract the juice of the lemons for himself, as it were, Ahriman, working in the Roman Empire, set out to thoroughly squeeze the lemons and to create an entirely mechanistic state organization. Thus do Ahriman and Lucifer play into each other's hands. The plan was frustrated by the development in a preeminently egoistic sense in the people of the Roman Empire of the concept of Civis, the citizen. Human egoism, be it remembered, can only develop in physical existence on the earth. Thereby Ahriman's plan to make men into ego-less beings was frustrated. It was precisely the bleakness, the lack of fantasy in Roman culture, the egoism in Roman politics and system of rights that thwarted Ahriman's plan.

The Greek and the Roman epochs were a great disillusionment for Ahriman and Lucifer. Once again they had not attained their goal. The destiny of Ahriman and Lucifer is that they work with their forces in earth evolution and repeatedly make the greatest efforts to hold back the wider progress of evolution; they try to establish a realm for themselves, and have again and again to suffer disillusionment. As I have said before, to ask why Lucifer and Ahriman are unable to perceive that their strivings will ultimately be of no avail is to judge the spiritual by human standards. Lucifer and Ahriman have a faculty of judgment different from that of man. We cannot judge from the human standpoint what is observed in the spiritual world. If we do so, we should soon be considering ourselves much cleverer than a god, or a being belonging to some higher hierarchical order. As we know, Lucifer and Ahriman, although they are retarded spirits, belong to a hierarchical order higher than that of man. It is therefore understandable that they are repeatedly disillusioned, but their strivings always begin anew.

Then came the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, which has definite tasks in the stream of progressive spiritual evolution. Whereas the Greek life of fantasy, and the egoism of Rome were to develop in the fourth post-Atlantean epoch, the task of the fifth epoch was to develop the gift of material perception. I have characterized this by calling the ideal of material perception, in the sense of Goethe's “primal phenomenon,” the pure perception, the pure beholding of external reality. This faculty could not operate in earlier times because then the perception of material reality was invariably mingled with what came from atavistic clairvoyance. Men did not see the pure phenomenon, and they did not see pure external, material existence as such. They saw external existence veiled in the phantasmagoria of visionary clairvoyance. If people would observe a little more closely they would realize, even from history, that this is so. Plato did not consider sight as being so passive a faculty as we consider it in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. Plato, the Greek, says expressly: Sight consists in a kind of fire going out from the eye to the objects. Plato, therefore, still knew something about the activity in sight. This activity had to be laid aside, forgotten, lost, in order that a different faculty belonging to the fifth epoch might arise. This faculty of the fifth epoch, which lasts from the beginning of the fifteenth century until the fourth millennium, consists in the development of the gift of free imagination that arises in complete inner freedom. On the one side, the primal phenomenon; on the other free imagination.

Goethe spoke of the primal phenomenon and also of free imagination. References to what he says in Faust have been made on many occasions. Here we have the beginnings of what must engross evolution in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. The fifth epoch will thereby receive its stamp. But in this same epoch human beings will have to battle against attacks of the luciferic and ahrimanic powers that will be stronger than those launched in the days of Greek and Roman culture. Again in this later epoch the aim of the luciferic and ahrimanic powers is to alienate the souls of men from earthly life on the one hand, and on the other so to mechanize earthly life itself, to make its outer form so entirely mechanistic, that it would be impossible for the ego of man to live in the social order of the earth. He would therefore take leave of it to enter a life apart from the earth upon a separate planet.

When we speak of the attacks of luciferic and ahrimanic powers, such things as are here indicated are prepared long beforehand. These attacks begin actually to operate first during the fourth or fifth century of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, but behind the curtains of world history, even before the beginning of this fifth epoch, complete and intense preparation was made by the luciferic and ahrimanic powers. Their plan was to bring all human faculties and human forces of will under the sway of a longing to be alienated from the earth, to leave the earth and build up a separate planetary body, while the earth was to be deserted and left desolate. As I say, the very strongest attacks have been undertaken. Think of what gave to culture its basic tone in the epoch of Atlantis. Lucifer and Ahriman wish, during the post-Atlantean period, to interpose the old Atlantean culture everywhere so that the faculties imparted by the progressive powers are rendered primitive for the fifth post-Atlantean epoch and human beings will desire to depart. The attempt, therefore, consisted in placing everything that developed into a service of a world beyond the earth, as I have indicated. Thus, from two sides, from that of Lucifer and that of Ahriman, the spirit reigning in ancient Atlantean life was to be revived in order that the impulses connected with that ancient life might enter into the evolution of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch.

You will remember that in Atlantean times the impulses within the souls of men were turned to the Great Spirit who was designated by a word or sound of which an echo still exists in the Chinese Tao. Such was the designation of the Great Spirit in the time of Atlantis. The luciferic and ahrimanic striving consists essentially in bringing what had come later and what was still to come, into the service of the Tao, into the service of the Great Spirit. This was not, of course, the Great Spirit as he had reigned in Atlantis, but a being who had come after him, a kind of little son. Lucifer and Ahriman strove to resuscitate Atlantean impulses by reckoning, not with the normal powers of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, but with the impulses that had remained behind in the service of the Great Spirit Tao. The only possibility of achieving this end was to transfer the impulses that had worked in the culture of the now submerged Atlantis to the regions that had emerged after the Atlantean flood. Thus a part of what had succeeded the Great Spirit passed over to the East, to Asia, as it were, where certain mystery cults were gradually established during the tenth, eleventh and twelfth centuries A.D.

These mystery cults assumed a certain character inasmuch as they were a renewal, a revival, of the ancient cult of Tao in its original form, not in the form in which it still exists among the degenerate Chinese who have intellectualized it. These mystery cults in Asia were a revival of that kind of initiation that led to actual perception of the elemental spiritual, living and weaving beneath the material world of the senses, and to actual perception of the One Great Spirit. Certain priests of these Asian mysteries were initiated into the ancient Atlantean cult, which naturally led to delusions because it was unsuited to this later epoch. One of these priests had attained such an advanced stage in his initiation in Asia that he possessed full knowledge of the nature of the Atlantean impulses and was able to hold actual converse with the successor, the unlawful successor, of the Great Spirit Tao. It was he, who, in Asia, transmitted the inspiration he had received through the Great Spirit, to an external, worldly power, to a pupil who then became known in history as Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan was the pupil of a priest who had been initiated into these Asian mysteries, and he instilled into Genghis Khan the following. The time has now come for divine justice to scour the earth. The charge has been laid upon you to put this divine justice into operation, and you must now place yourself at the head of all those men who, starting out from Asia, can enact divine justice all over the earth. Similar attempts modeled on the campaign of the Huns and so forth, had failed, but now, essentially through the impulse given by this Asian priesthood, the Mongol campaign was set in motion. This campaign was intended to carry into European culture influences that would have caused the souls of men to believe in divine justice, to fall under its sway, and gradually to take leave of the earth without any inclination to return. So the culture of the earth would have been destroyed. This was the inner purpose of the Mongol onslaughts that spread from Asia, and which, as you know, were not overthrown by physical deeds.

Remarkably, at the battle of Liegnitz in the thirteenth century, the Mongols were not conquered but remained the victors. Then, quite inexplicably, they turned back toward Asia without advancing further into Europe. So here too there is actual external evidence that a counterstroke, manifesting in a spiritual way, was put into operation. As has been said, the Europeans had not conquered the Mongols in Silesia; the Europeans had themselves been conquered. Although the Mongols were the victors, they turned back to Asia. But, in a sense, just because the purely external onslaught did not come to pass, or did not go very far, the impulses remained in Europe in the state of distillation in which they would have to operate in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. So, in the cultural impulses that came over from the East, there is clearly and yet to be perceived what was intended to be brought to Europe as an aftermath of the mysteries of the Great Spirit.

Another part of the mystery culture of ancient Atlantis made its way, not toward the East, but toward the West, to the lands of America discovered later on by the Europeans. There the more ahrimanic part of the irregular post-Atlantean culture lived itself out. Whereas the luciferic part lived on more in Asia, the ahrimanic part worked more in America. Within America impulses were to arise that could then percolate from the West. Just as those other impulses could work from the East, so these could infiltrate from the West in order that the ahrimanic attack might be made in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch.

Hence, in the West, the more ahrimanic side of the outlived Atlantean mystery culture was promulgated. This led to the establishment of mysteries that inevitably make a most repulsive impression upon those who have grown up in the tender culture of modern times, and do not like to hear the truth but only blessedness, as it is often called. These post-Atlantean mysteries developed especially on the soil of Mexico. Mysteries were established there, but they spread over a large part of the America the Europeans had not yet discovered. If their impulses and workings had been victorious, these mysteries would have driven souls away from the earth. By this means the service performed by Ahriman, the squeezing out of the lemons, would have become effective. The earth would gradually have become desolate, having upon it only the forces of death, whereas any living souls would have departed to found another planet under the leadership of Lucifer and Ahriman.

In order to execute the ahrimanic part of this task, it was necessary for the priests of those ahrimanic Atlantean mysteries to acquire faculties possessing the highest degrees of control and mastery over all the forces of death in earthly working. These forces would have made the earth; together with physical man—for the souls were to depart—into a purely mechanistic realm, a great dead realm in which no ego could have a place. These faculties would have had to be connected also with mastery of the mechanistic element in everything living, of the mechanistic elements in all life. For this reason these mysteries had to be instituted in a truly devilish form because such forces as would have been needed for the powerful aims of Ahriman can only arise when initiations of a special kind are attained. Such were these initiations of the ahrimanic post-Atlantean era in America. Everyone who was to attain a certain degree of knowledge was made to realize that this knowledge is acquired through certain faculties of perception that can only be engendered through an act of murder. Thus nobody whom had not committed murder was admitted to a certain degree of this initiation. The murder was performed under special circumstances. Steps led up to a kind of catafalque, a scaffold-like structure. The one to be murdered was tied to this and his body bent in such a way that his stomach could be excised with a single cut. This operation, the excision of the stomach, had to be performed with great dexterity. Certain experiences arose from the act of having cut into the living organism with such consummate skill, and under such special conditions. These experiences had to be acquired and through them a certain degree of knowledge concerning the mechanization of the earth could then be attained. Every time higher stages of initiation were to be reached, further murders had to be committed.

This cult was dedicated to the successor, the son of the Great Spirit, in the form he had assumed in America, and who was designated by a sound that approximates Taotl. Taotl is an ahrimanic distortion of the successor of Tao. This being, Taotl did not appear in a physical body but only in an etheric form. His arts, which were essentially impulses for the mechanization of earthly culture and of all earthly life, were acquired through these initiations I have described to you.

Now these initiations had a definite purpose. As has been said, the initiate acquired actual powers of black magic, the application of which would have led to the mechanization of the culture of the earth and to the expulsion of all egos, so that the bodies born would no longer have been capable of bearing an ego. But as forces in the world are in perpetual interaction, he who possessed such powers would also have become earth-bound; the initiate himself would have been permanently fettered to the earth forces. His act bound him to forces of which you will be able to learn something tomorrow at the performance of the scene from Faust, if you will follow attentively what the Lemurs represent. By these practices the initiate united himself with the earth forces and with everything that causes death on the earth. Thereby, he would himself have lost his soul. He saved himself from this fate by bringing it about that, as a result of the excision of the stomach, the soul of the one whom he murdered had lost his desire to come to the earth again and also the soul of the victim was enabled, through the intention of the murderer, to draw the murderer's soul into the realm that was to be founded beyond the earth. The soul of the initiated murderer was thus also to be drawn into the kingdom of Lucifer and Ahriman.

Many opposing sects were founded with the object of countering this devilish cult. One such sect was that of Tezcatlipoca. He too was a being who did not appear in a physical body but who was known to many of the Mexican initiates, in spite of the fact that he lived only in an etheric body. Tezcatlipoca was a being akin to Jahve or Jehovah. The aim of his cult, working in opposition to those of Taotl, was to establish a Jahve religion suited to the terrible conditions prevailing in Mexico. Tezcatlipoca was a spirit akin to Jahve.

Another sect venerated Quetzalcoatl. He, too, was a being who lived only in an etheric body. Quetzalcoatl was a being of whom we may say that he was connected with the Mercury forces. He was connected with medical art of a certain character. Such beings are always described by those who can perceive them through clairvoyance in such a way that the description conveys the impression of the actual reality. When Quetzalcoatl is described as a figure with a serpent-like body, as a green feathered serpent, this indicates to those who understand such matters that he was an actual being, but one who appears only in an etheric body. This cult continued through many millennia. It was widely practiced, not in public but within the precincts of certain Mexican mysteries, in order that the necessary post-Atlantean cultural impulses might be developed in secret in an ahrimanic form.

A third movement also developed in those regions. Counter-movements were necessary, and had there been none, the influences of these forces upon the culture of Greece and Rome, and later upon the culture of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, would gradually have become so strong that they would have proved invincible to the progressive powers. Thus, a further counter-movement developed as a result of the birth of a being who lived in a physical body in contrast to those beings who only manifested in etheric bodies. The name given to this Being may be expressed by a combination of syllables that approximate Vitzliputzli. Vitzliputzli was a human being, a being who appeared in a physical body. In Vitzliputzli the spiritual individuality lived who, within a human body, took up the fight against the mysteries I have been describing. Among the Mexicans it was said of Vitzliputzli that he was born of a virgin who had conceived by the heavenly influence of a bird having drawn near to her. If by occult means, so far as it is possible, we investigate the life of Vitzliputzli in the Western Hemisphere we find this remarkable fact. He lived at the time when, in the Eastern Hemisphere, the Mystery of Golgotha was taking place, namely, between the years 1 and 33 A.D. That is the remarkable fact. Vitzliputzli was able to make short shrift of the most important initiates of the Mexican mysteries against whom he waged violent war.

It was human being, an initiate, not one of the three spirits, but an initiate, against whom Vitzliputzli fought. Vitzliputzli, a super-sensible being but in human form, battled with every means at his disposal against the initiate who had been responsible for the greatest number of murders, who had attained the greatest power, and of whom it can be said that if his aim had been realized, it would have betokened the victory of this ahrimanic post-Atlantean culture. Vitzliputzli fought against him and—as already said, this can only be discovered by occult means—in the year 33 A.D. succeeded in causing this mightiest black magician to be crucified. Thus, in the other hemisphere of the earth, an event parallel to the Mystery of Golgotha took place, inasmuch as the greatest black magician of all was crucified by the action of Vitzliputzli who had appeared on the earth for this purpose. As a result, the power of these mysteries was thereby broken so far as the fourth post-Atlantean epoch was concerned. It was subsequently revived, however, and history tells of the fate suffered by numerous Europeans who went to America after the discovery of that continent. Many Europeans met their death at the hands of Mexican priest-initiates who bound them to scaffold-like structures and cut out their stomachs with expert skill. This is a matter of historical knowledge, and it was an aftermath of what I have been describing to you.

By these means the ahrimanic impulse was inculcated into the etheric nature of the Western world. As I have said, this impulse in the fourth epoch was broken as a result of the crucifixion of the great initiated black magician by the deed of Vitzliputzli. Nevertheless, so much force remained that a further attack could have been made upon the fifth epoch, having as its aim so to mechanize the earth that the resulting culture would not only have culminated in a mass of purely mechanical contrivances but would have made human beings themselves into such pure homunculi that their egos would have departed. The Europeans were meant to acquire knowledge of this world, and indeed the modern age begins with the people of Europe being drawn to America. Whereas on the one side the campaigns of Genghis Khan and his successors were to have executed as it were a divine justice, on the other side, there was prepared an atmosphere of wild, ahrimanic, elemental forces into which the Europeans were to enter. In such matters complete cooperation takes place between Ahriman and Lucifer. For example, the Europeans were not to go over to that other world with disinterested, unselfish feelings but with hankerings and greed for something concerning which they gave way to all kinds of delusions. Later on it was possible to coarsen what was at first clothed in wonderful fantasy, inasmuch as the discovery by the Europeans of the wealth of external nature in America gave an intense stimulus to their hankerings and greed. But to begin with this was to take a more idealistic form. Thus, here again we have an example of cooperation between the luciferic and ahrimanic forces that always work hand in hand.

A successor of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, had settled in China as a ruler after the Mongols had stormed over to Europe. To Kublai Khan in China there came from Europe a Venetian, Marco Polo. At the court of Kublai Khan, who was himself under the influence of the initiation I have previously described, Marco Polo was deeply and fundamentally influenced. He wrote a book of just such a kind as to excite the imagination of the Europeans concerning the Western Hemisphere. Marco Polo's Travels spoke of a magic land in the West, which stirred up longings to discover it. It was this book that induced Christopher Columbus to set out on his voyage to America. So you see how greed was guided into a world of fantasy. Things work together with extraordinarily clever foresight. You must realize that there is plan in world history in which the evil powers also come into the picture, and that the methods with which history is studied today enable us merely to observe historical life from the external aspect. The only possibility of acquiring real knowledge is to connect the right facts in the light of the science of the spirit, such as the discovery of America at a definite point of time, and the stirrings of desire for a land of fantasy, this desire being, in its turn, an impulse capable of attracting souls away from the earth.

The fitting mood for discovering America at a definite epoch is created by the description of this land of fantasy associated with the stirring up of desire. It is a mood that worked especially upon the subconscious forces in the souls of men, and it was able to work on further in the cultural life. We must think of Marco Polo and his book as being definitely connected with what instigated Christopher Columbus to travel to the West. It is well known that his wish was to discover the magic land; indeed, this is mentioned in ordinary history.

I have here described how the ahrimanic and luciferic impulses work in order to make their attacks upon the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. Now, this fifth epoch is such that the human beings lives in a middle sphere of the life of soul. Man's life of soul in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch must be protected from direct perception of the ahrimanic forces. True, man must learn through the science of the spirit to enter their domain, but external life must be protected in order that the powers that were mentioned both yesterday and today may unfold. These forces that have been brought to the earth in the concrete way that has been described, work below the level of the ordinary normal consciousness. Knowledge of man's life of soul is not attained by saying, as a generalization: There is a realm of consciousness, and there is a realm of subconsciousness, and natural urges and impulses work upward out of the subconscious. It is necessary to know how these urges and impulses are brought into existence on the earth, and to understand the concrete facts. In many domains we see aftermaths in the consciousness that is unfolded by the human soul in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. We can picture the ahrimanic forces that originated in the way described as being active below the threshold of consciousness like lava, like volcanic forces under a soil that emits smoke if one sets fire to paper above it. This shows that beneath the soil there are terrifying forces that pour from every aperture under such circumstances. So it is with the forces of the soul. Beneath what is known to consciousness there are forces that have been influenced by what I have described. Then they press upward. Sometimes they reveal themselves only slightly, but at other times they force their way upward. In the super consciousness the luciferic forces are discharged into the soul as lightning and thunder discharge when the air is to be purified. There is little consciousness of these luciferic forces in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch; during this epoch man's consciousness functions in a middle realm.

Investigations into what is thus working in the subconscious reveal that ahrimanic and luciferic attacks come from two directions, and that culture is really created by an interworking between the normal progressive hierarchies and the luciferic and ahrimanic forces. Now just because culture acquires a specific character in this way, human beings in the several regions of the earth are led in different ways to the great problems of life. I shall speak further of the aspect of knowledge and what then passes into the sphere of the social life.

We may assume that certain ahrimanic forces flow into the European culture from the realm of the subconscious in the wake of the impulses of which we have heard. These ahrimanic forces guide in a definite direction impulses that, in their turn, proceed from the good and progressive powers. It can be said that problems of two kinds, strivings for knowledge of two kinds, have arisen. But we must not say that human life has taken on a certain coloring as a result of the ahrimanic forces alone because interworking has taken place between the ahrimanic forces and the normal progressive forces. The minds of men were directed primarily to two problems. First, the problem of natural urges and impulses and second, the problem of birth. These expressions are derived, of course, from the most conspicuous phenomena. A great deal is embraced by these problems but I shall speak only of certain matters.

Let us think of the problem of natural urges and impulses. Under the influence of the forces I have described, human contemplation and striving is directed to a perception, to an experiencing, of man's natural urges and impulses. The mind is directed to these impulses and a certain view of life gradually unfolds. The problem of natural urges and impulses transforms itself into the problem of happiness or prosperity, which assumes a definite character. Hence in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, especially in the culture of the West, you find strivings in connection with the problem of prosperity, strivings directed to the creation of prosperity in life. Such striving is influenced by the forces I have described. Investigations are made, for example, into what can be done in order that the life of human beings on earth may be as happy and prosperous as possible. The establishment of earthly prosperity becomes an ideal. I do not say that ahrimanic forces alone are at work here; the good progressive forces are also present.

Thought about happiness and prosperity is, of course, quite justified. But under the influence of Ahriman it has assumed a certain character as a result of a really devilish tenet. This tenet defines the good in such a way that the good is a said to manifest actually through happiness or prosperity, through the happiness indeed of the greatest number, and connected therewith is the misery of the minority, just as if one were to describe an organism by suggesting that it develops only to the knees and dies off from there down. In such identification of happiness with the good, with virtue, there is an ahrimanic impulse. The Greeks, as represented by their greatest individuals, were impervious to such identification of the concept of prosperity with that of the good. But ahrimanic influences produced a mentality in humanity in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch that seeks for the good in prosperity, in happiness. It is from this point of view that you must study the philosophy of Saint-Simon, and all the different efforts to discover principles of national economy, especially in Western Europe; only so will you be able to understand them. Even the thought of Rousseau is not free from this impulse. Such matters must be studied concretely and objectively.

Side by side with the problem of natural urges and impulses is that of sensory existence, existence in the material world of the senses. In the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, the culture resulting from sensory existence ought, in reality, to be ennobled, but the ahrimanic powers desired to get this culture under their own control. Hence, their aim to produce a mentality that considers truth to be found in sensory existence alone. To this extent ahrimanic impulses are active in all that is embraced in the problem of sensory existence, of existence in the world of the senses. This problem of sensory existence is closely connected with the problem of birth, just as the problem of happiness and prosperity is connected with that of natural urges and impulses. In order to vindicate sensory existence and to cause men, through instinct, to regard all evolution as a material process, the genesis of the human being in birth was related directly to the evolution of the animals. There you can see the thread leading over to the problem of birth. Thinkers and seekers in the fifth epoch since the fifteenth century, have been deeply engrossed in the question of the birth processes of the human being. Those who understand the connections know the implications of the problem “How does man enter the earth?” Thought has been directed to the question of whether the soul passes over as soul from father and mother to the child, or whether the soul is implanted by super-sensible powers. To tackle the problem of birth in the widest sense is the task of the post-Atlantean era; it is a problem that arises in complete conformity with normal and regular progress, but it became ahrimanic by being made materialistic, inasmuch as man was placed at the apex of the animal world and, compared with the importance attached to sensory existence, the soul was left out of consideration.

Thus we see streaming in from the one side impulses that strive to distort the problem of natural urges into the problem of prosperity in a way that does not accord with the forces of the good and the moral. To make the problem of natural urges into the problem of the good and the moral would be to work in the direction of the normal forces of progress, for to develop the good and the moral in its full range out of the problem of natural urges would be to discover how to spiritualize this problem of man's natural urges and impulses. That is the normal task of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. It should rightly be worked out in great imaginations, of which examples are to be found in Goethe's Faust. Also as a result of ahrimanic influences, the problem of birth was diverted to study of evolution in the world of the senses alone. The problem of natural urges was diverted to the problem of material prosperity, and the problem of birth to the problem of evolution in sensory existence.

Bearing all these things in mind, we see how the ahrimanic powers stream into the culture of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. I have already said that because ahrimanic forces stream in on the one side, and luciferic forces on the other, the strivings of men become specialized. If things had happened otherwise, four great problems would have filled the feelings of men in all their work and productive activity down to the very tilling of the soil. The first of these problems is that of natural urges and impulses; the second the problem of birth; the third the problem of death, which is concerned not only with how the human being comes to the earth through birth but also how he leaves the earth through the gate of death. The fourth is the problem of evil.

That man's concern with these four problems has not been equally distributed over the fifth epoch is due to the fact that on the one side Ahriman has diverted the problem of natural urges into that of prosperity, and the problem of birth into that of material existence in the world of sense, thereby averting the true solution of these problems. Again, on the other side, Lucifer has directed the thought of the culture that is more Eastern in character to the problem of death and the problem of evil. You can see how fundamentally the whole of Russian spiritual life is dominated by the problems of death and evil, just as the spiritual life of the West is dominated by the problems of natural urges and of birth. In the writings of Soloviev, the most powerful Russian thinker of modern times, it is everywhere apparent that his mind is concerned on the one side with the problem of death, and on the other with the problem of evil. Just as the problem of the natural urges becomes that of prosperity, so in considering the problem of evil, man's thought is turned to the question of sin, of the sinful life. Hence the problem of sin, of redemption, of cleansing from sin, has nowhere been tackled so profoundly as it has been tackled in the East. But at the same time there has been something irregular in the endeavors made to solve this problem. The problem of evil and the problem of sin have been used by luciferic powers in order that, by directing thought to sin, and to sin in the bodily carnal life, the souls might be alienated from earth life.

Whereas in the West, Ahriman makes every effort to enchain man in sensory existence on the earth, to found a kingdom where the good is thought to lie in prosperity, and where the natural urges of men therefore find satisfaction, from the East comes abhorrence of sin, as a result of which souls are to be diverted from the earth, alienated from the earth by Lucifer. From the East attention is directed to the problem of sin and the problem of death. Hence, much contemplative thought in the East is directed to how death is overcome by what came to pass in Christ Himself. Impulses for life are sought in the Resurrection. Implicit in what I said a week ago, that the East turns more to the Christ and the West more to Jesus, there is this truth: that the East has need of the Risen One, the Spirit who is not made manifest in material existence but who overcomes material existence. This is the problem of death. In a treatise that is probably one of the most beautiful writings of Soloviev, he says that if death as a physical phenomenon, a physical fact, were to signify an end of human life, man would resemble all the other animals; he would not be man at all, he would be an animal. Through death the human being resembles the animals. Through the evil of which he is capable, he becomes even worse than the animals. This is a direct indication that Soloviev's thinking is influenced by the problem of death, and by the problem of sin and evil. But we find everywhere contemplation about knowledge concerning the soul, such as how the soul is not affected by death, and external life is arranged in such a way that, even in its justifiable expressions, it tends to take a path leading away from the earth. That is why in the East there are so many sects that subdue and mortify the bodily nature, which flood the body with death, as it were, striving to lead the life of natural impulses and the act of birth ad absurdum, through leanings to sacrifice and the like.

In the West there is the danger of becoming enchained within the life of the senses, whereby this life would become egoless. For if prosperity alone were to be established on the earth, the ego would never dwell there. If the good could only be established by the spread of prosperity over the earth, a state of things would arise such as came to pass in old Atlantis. In the middle period of Atlantean culture, too, great impulses were given that would have led to a state of prosperity in their further course. In the form and effects of what men first felt as an impetus of the good, they perceived a vista of prosperity, and so they gave themselves up to prosperity, devoted themselves wholly to it. The earth had to be purged of Atlantean culture because men had preserved from the good the element of prosperity alone. In the post-Atlantean era, Ahriman strives by direct means to institute a culture of mere prosperity. This would mean pressing out the lemon, the doing away with it! Egos would no longer be able to live if prosperity were the only aim pursued by culture. In short, prosperity and the good, prosperity and virtue are not concepts that can be substituted for one another.

We are gazing here into profound secrets of life. A justified element in the founding of culture, an element that inevitably leads to a certain form of prosperity among men, is so distorted that prosperity per se is set up as the goal. And a culture that would certainly enable the human soul, even in life, to rise above and to know both death and evil is distorted in such a way that contact with what can produce death and evil is avoided from the outset, and the bodily nature is shunned. This was to satisfy the aims of Lucifer.

In this way we must endeavor to understand how real and concrete forces work in human existence, and what is at work beneath and above the conscious life of soul in the culture of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. If you recognize this leitmotif you will be able to understand many things. Only you must not give way to the delusion that everything luciferic and everything ahrimanic must for these reasons be avoided. That would be the very way to succumb to these forces! Everyone who lives together with humanity must realize that Lucifer and Ahriman have been granted their places in the world. If errors could not take place, the human being would never reach inner freedom; freedom could never come to man if he were incapable of forming the erroneous conception that prosperity and the good are identical; he would then have no opportunity of rising above this error. If man were incapable of living under the delusion that through subjugation of the external, earthly life, victory can be snatched from death and from evil, he would never in reality overcome death and sin. It is necessary for these things to pass into the life of man.

We must see to it that the woeful doctrine, “Ah! that is luciferic and must be avoided; that is ahrimanic and must be avoided,” does not obsess us, but that we confront these powers in the right way knowing that it is not for us to steer clear of Lucifer but to conquer his forces for progressive human culture. Nor must we simply steer clear of Ahriman, but conquer Ahriman's forces for the progressive culture of humanity. For into our culture these forces must be received. The battle lies in the fact that Ahriman's aim is to snatch the souls away. The task of humanity is to receive Ahriman together with his strong forces—all those forces of intellect, for instance, which are preeminently forces of intellect but they can also assume a form that is more akin to feeling—those forces that have been applied, for instance, to the problem of how a state is established. Think of the numbers of people who have wrestled with this problem, some more theoretically, some more practically. The most intense efforts have been made to solve this problem. Such forces must be wrested into the good service of humanity, and must not be made ahrimanic by resolutions to have nothing to do with Ahriman, or refusals to be concerned with what, in social problems, for instance, is alleged to proceed from Ahriman. That would lead to nothing.

It is the same as regards Lucifer. The impulse of perception, of feeling, given us by the science of the spirit must help us to confront in the right way the forces that are actually present in the world. Those who are unwilling to do this are like a man who says, “Evil elements! Oh no, I don't like them; I don't like them at all!” Of course, both attitudes are one sided, but we must remember that the working together of the evil and the good, the union of the evil and the good, make the elements fruitful in the state of balance we must bring about in life by learning to be master of the ahrimanic and the luciferic forces. In this state of balance lies the impulse that must be inculcated into life, and that it is the task of the science of the spirit to transmit.

As far as is possible, we shall speak of these things again tomorrow.

Fünfter Vortrag

Es ist notwendig, daß im Zusammenhang mit dem gestern Angedeuteten gerade jetzt bei uns einige Dinge gesagt werden, die gewissermaßen doch auch im Zusammenhang stehen mit einigen Ausführungen, die ich vor einiger Zeit, vor acht Tagen hier gemacht habe. Und da eine Anzahl Freunde, die zur Johannesbau-Vereins-Versammlung gekommen sind, damals nicht anwesend waren, so werde ich im Laufe der Betrachtungen, die uns nun bevorstehen, einiges von dem, was schon in diesen Wochen gesagt worden ist, wiederholen. Es wird das ja auch insoferne von dem Gesichtspunkte aus nicht ganz unwichtig sein, als gerade von diesen wichtigen, bedeutungsvollen Dingen manches mißverstanden worden ist, wie ich aus der einen und aus der anderen Bemerkung gesehen habe.

Machen wir uns vorerst vor allen Dingen dieses klar, daß der Gang der Evolution, wie wir ihn kennengelernt haben für die großen Erscheinungen des Weltgeschehens, sich überall wirksam zeigt, wirksam zeigt sowohl, wenn wir ins Auge fassen die großen Erscheinungen des Kosmos, wie auch dieErscheinungen des menschlichen geschichtlichen Werdens, der menschlichen geschichtlichen Entwickelung. Für unsere Gegenwart muß uns ganz besonders der sogenannte vierte nachatlantische Zeitraum interessieren, den wir bezeichnen als den Zeitraum, in dem sich ausgebildet hat, groß geworden ist die griechisch-lateinische, die griechisch-romanische Kultur. Sie wissen, von dem Gesichtspunkt geisteswissenschaftlicher Betrachtung müssen wir diesen Zeitraum rechnen bis zum Beginne des 15. Jahrhunderts. Und mit dem Anfang des 15. Jahrhunderts beginnt das wirksam zu sein in den europäischen Kulturverhältnissen, auf das wir ja auch gestern zum Beispiel hingedeutet haben. Wenn wir nun wiederum den vierten nachatlantischen Zeitraum ins Auge fassen, dieses griechisch-romanische Wesen, so erscheint es uns in einer gewissen Art wie ein Wiederaufleben desjenigen, was während der Zeit der Atlantis an Menschheitskultur über die Erde hingegangen ist. Wir haben es ja an verschiedenen Orten ausgeführt, wie die Gedanken, Empfindungen, auch das soziale Leben der Griechen erklärlich sind, wenn man eben ins Auge faßt, daß dieser vierte nachatlantische Zeitraum in gewissem Sinne eine Wiederholung der atlantischen Kultur ist; nur daß die atlantische Kultur elementarer, viel instinktiver war, die griechische und romanische Kultur mehr vergeistigt die Wiederholung darstellt. Was in der Atlantis unmittelbares Erleben war, wurde innerhalb Griechenlands durch die Phantasie, durch die phantasievollen Imaginationen, auch durch den Gedanken und durch den wiederum von der Phantasie inspirierten Willen in Wirklichkeit umgesetzt.

Nun müssen wir ins Auge fassen, daß diese griechisch-romanische Kultur für diejenigen Mächte, die wir bezeichnen mit den Ausdrücken luziferische und ahrimanische Mächte, eine Enttäuschung war, eine tiefe Enttäuschung; denn diese luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächte derjenigen Hierarchie, welche gewissermaßen der menschlichen Hierarchie am nächsten steht, die wollten, daß das Atlantiertum, so wie es als Atlantiertum war, einfach wiederum aufleben sollte im vierten nachatlantischen Zeitraum. Das heißt, es sollte alles, was den atlantischen Zeitraum in seinem Wesen ausmacht - Sie können ja das in der «Geheimwissenschaft im Umriß» oder in dem kleinen Büchelchen «Unsere atlantischen Vorfahren» nachlesen -, alles, was das Wesentliche des atlantischen Zeitraums ausmacht, das sollte nach der Absicht der luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächte während der griechischen und romanischen Zeit wiederholt werden. Diese Absicht wurde durchkreuzt, indem eben die Menschheit auf eine höhere, der nachatlantischen Zeit entsprechende Stufe gebracht worden ist. Das, was das Große, das bedeutungsvolle Neue gegenüber der Atlantis am Griechentum, am Römertum ist, das bildete für die luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächte eine geistige Enttäuschung. Die luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächte wollten in dem griechischen Volke durch ihre verschiedenen Einflüsse ein solches Volk erziehen, welches geneigt gewesen wäre, die Phantasiekräfte in der Seele so auszubilden, daß die Seelen allmählich erdenmüde geworden wären, daß die Seelen keine Neigung gehabt hätten, sich weiter lange auf der Erde zu inkarnieren, sondern gewissermaßen als Seelen von der Erde abzuziehen und ein eigenes Reich, einen eigenen Planeten zu begründen. Dieses ist dadurch zunichte gemacht worden, daß durch die Führung derjenigen Mächte, die wir die regulären Hierarchien nennen, die Phantasie der Griechen und die Beeinflussung des sozialen Lebens durch Phantasie in die Freude am Irdischen umgewandelt worden ist, daß die Freude am IrdischSinnlichen aufgenommen worden ist, daß der Grieche nicht bloß in der phantasievollen Imaginationswelt leben wollte, um allmählich die Seele dem Erdendasein zu entfremden, sondern sogar bis zu der Stimmung kam, die ausgedrückt wird in dem berühmten, von mir schon öfter angeführten Satze: Lieber ein Bettler auf der Erde, als ein König im Reiche der Schatten. — Durch dieses freudevolle Erleben der Welt zwischen der Geburt und dem Tode sollte durch die regulären Mächte das Griechentum der Gefahr entrissen werden, welche die luziferischen Mächte mit ihm vorhatten: die Seelen fortzuführen, so daß auf der Erde die Leiber, die noch geboren worden wären, ichlos über die Erde gegangen wären und die Seelen fortgewesen wären in einem besonderen Planeten für sich.

Dagegen hat Ahriman im Romanentum gewissermaßen Luzifer Hilfe leisten wollen, indem er das Römische Reich und seine Nachfolger so gestalten wollte, daß es ein großer irdischer Mechanismus nur geworden wäre für Ich-lose Menschenwesen. Dadurch wäre er gewissermaßen für Luzifer eine Hilfe geworden. Während Luzifer den Saft der Zitrone, möchte ich sagen, herausziehen wollte für sich, war Ahriman damit beschäftigt im Römischen Reiche, die Zitrone auszupressen und sie dort zu einem mechanistischen Staatsorganismus zu machen. So arbeiten sich ja Ahriman und Luzifer in die Hände. Das war durchkreuzt worden dadurch, daß die Bevölkerung des römischen Reichs den Begriff des «Civis» ausbildete, den Begriff des römischen Bürgers ausbildete im eminentesten egoistischen Sinne, und der menschliche Egoismus kann sich nur entwickeln innerhalb des physischen Erdendaseins. Dadurch wurde Ahrimans Absicht durchkreuzt, die Menschen ichlos zu gestalten. Gerade was das Rauhe, Phantasielose an der römischen Kultur ist, das ist das, was die Absichten Ahrimans durch den Egoismus der römischen Politik und des römischen Rechtes durchkreuzt hat. So war die griechische Zeit und die römische Zeit für Luzifer und Ahriman eine große Enttäuschung. Sie hatten einmal wiederum ihre Absichten nicht erreicht. Das ist überhaupt das Schicksal Luzifers und Ahrimans, daß sie mit ihren Kräften in der Erdenevolution wirken und immer wieder und wiederum die größten Anstrengungen machen, um zurückzuhalten den weiteren Fortgang der Evolution und ein Reich für sich zu begründen, und immer wieder und wiederum Enttäuschung in dieser Beziehung erleben müssen. Ich habe schon gesagt, derjenige, der da glaubt: Warum sind Luzifer und Ahriman nicht so weit, daß sie nun endlich einsehen, daß ihre Bemühungen ohne Wert sind? - der beurteilt das Geistige nach dem Menschlichen. Luzifer und Ahriman haben eben eine andere Urteilskraft als die Menschen, und man kann nicht das vom menschlichen Standpunkte aus beurteilen, was man beobachtet in der geistigen Welt, sonst würde man sich sehr bald für viel gescheiter halten als ein Gott oder überhaupt als ein Wesen, das einer höheren hierarchischen Ordnung angehört; und Luzifer und Ahriman gehören auch, wie wir wissen, wenn sie auch retardierende Geister sind, zu einer höheren hierarchischen Ordnung als der Mensch. So erklärt es sich, daß sie immer wieder und wiederum enttäuscht werden, aber daß sie immer wieder und wiederum ihre Anstrengungen von neuem beginnen.

Nun kam die fünfte nachatlantische Zeit. Die hat ganz bestimmte Aufgaben im Sinne der fortschreitenden regulären geistigen Entwickelung. Während die vierte nachatlantische Zeit das griechische Phantasieleben und den romanischen Egoismus ausbilden sollte, handelt es sich in diesem fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum darum, die Gabe der sinnlichen Anschauung auszubilden. Ich habe das charakterisiert, indem ich das Ideal sinnlicher Anschauung nannte, wie es Goethe in seinem Urphänomen gemeint hat — Sie können das nachlesen in meinen Schriften über Goethe -, die reine Anschauung der äußeren sinnlichen Wirklichkeit, die nicht so in früheren Zeiten da sein konnte, weil sich überall hineinmischte in das Anschauen der sinnlichen Wirklichkeit, was aus dem atavistischen Hellsehen heraus kam; so daß man nicht sah das reine Phänomen im reinen äußeren sinnlichen Dasein, sondern immer sah, was hellseherisch-visionär sich über das sinnliche Dasein hinüberzog. Wenn die Menschen ein bißchen genauer zusehen würden, so würden sie sogar aus der äußeren Geschichte, aus dem geschichtlich Überlieferten ersehen, daß dieses so ist. Plato betrachtet das Sehen noch nicht als eine so passive Eigenschaft, wie man es jetzt in der fünften nachatlantischen Zeit betrachtet, sondern der Grieche Plato sagt noch ausdrücklich: Das Sehen besteht darinnen, daß eine Art Feuer von dem Auge ausgeht und zu den Dingen hingeht. - Der Grieche Plato weiß also noch etwas von der Aktivität des Sehens. Diese Aktivität mußte abgestreift, vergessen werden, verlorengehen, damit eine andere Fähigkeit entstehen konnte des fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums. Und das andere ist, daß im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum, also vom Beginne des 15. Jahrhunderts bis etwa in das 4. Jahrtausend hinein, sich allmählich in der Menschheitsentwickelung herausbilde die Gabe der freien Imagination, der Imagination, die in voller innerer Freiheit gefaßt wird. Auf der einen Seite das Urphänomen, auf der anderen Seite die freie Imagination.

Goethe hat auf das Urphänomen gedeutet; er hat auch auf die freie Imagination gedeutet. Wir haben verschiedenes von ihm gerade in seinem «Faust» zu verschiedenen Zeiten angeführt. Das sind Anfänge für das, was die ganze reguläre Evolution des fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums in Anspruch nehmen muß. Dadurch wird dieser fünfte nachatlantische Zeitraum in einer gewissen Weise sein Gepräge erhalten. Aber namentlich gerade dieser fünfte nachatlantische Zeitraum wird seine Menschen als Kämpfer sehen müssen gegen noch stärkere Anstürme der luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächte, als sie stattgefunden haben zur Zeit des Griechentums und des Römertums, stärkere Anstürme, denn es handelt sich jetzt in diesem fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum wiederum darum, auf der einen Seite das zu erreichen, daß die Seelen sich entfremden dem Erdenleben, und auf der anderen Seite das Erdenleben selber so zu mechanisieren, so rein äußerlich mechanisch zu gestalten, daß das Ich des Menschen unmöglich in sozialer Erdenordnung leben kann und daher Abschied nimmt von der sozialen Erdenordnung und sich einem Leben abseits von der Erde auf einem besonderen Planeten widmet.

Solche Dinge, die wir also Anstürme der luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächte nennen können, werden von langer Hand vorbereitet. Und während sie während der vier bis fünf Jahrhunderte des fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums in Wirksamkeit getreten sind in ihren allerersten Anfängen, ist hinter den Kulissen der Weltgeschichte schon vor dem Beginne dieses fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums die volle, starke Vorbereitung gemacht worden von den luziferischen und ahrimanischen Mächten, um womöglich alles, was der fünfte nachatlantische Zeitraum hervorbringt an menschlichen Fähigkeiten und an menschlichen Willenskräften, in den Dienst einer solchen menschlichen Sehnsucht zu bringen, die sich von der Erde entfernt, die von der Erde fortwill und einen eigenen Planetenkörper bilden will, während die Erde veröden soll nach der Bestrebung Luzifers und Ahriimans. Stärkste Anstürme, sage ich, sind unternommen worden. Und erinnern Sie sich daran, was während der atlantischen Zeit den Grundton der Kultur angegeben hat; denn Luzifer und Ahriman wollen jetzt während des nachatlantischen Zeitraums in allen seinen einzelnen Teilen ja die alte atlantische Kultur hineinschieben, so daß für diese nachatlantischeKultur gerade die Fähigkeiten, die von den regulären Mächten gegeben werden, elementar gemacht werden, so daß die Menschen fortwollen, Also es soll das, was entwickelt wird, in den Dienst des Außerirdischen gestellt werden in der Weise, wie ich es angedeutet habe. Von zwei Seiten her, von Luzifer und Ahriman, sollte daher der Geist des alten atlantischen Lebens wieder erneuert werden, damit die entsprechenden Impulse in die Evolution der fünften nachatlantischen Zeit hineinkommen.

Nun erinnern Sie sich, daß in der atlantischen Zeit die Impulse der menschlichen Seelen auf das zurückgeführt worden sind, was man genannt hat den Großen Geist, der ungefähr mit einem Laut bezeichnet worden ist, der noch nachklingt in dem chinesischen Tao. Dieses Tao war die Bezeichnung für den Großen Geist zur Zeit der Atlantis. Und das Wesentliche der luziferisch-ahrimanischen Bestrebungen besteht darinnen, das Spätere, das da gekommen ist oder noch kommt, in den Dienst des Tao zu stellen, in den Dienst des Großen Geistes zu stellen; natürlich nicht des Großen Geistes, wie er dazumal gelebt hat während der atlantischen Zeit, sondern wie er einen Nachkommen gefunden hat, ich möchte sagen, eine Art kleinen Sohn bekommen hat, einen Nachfolger. Und eine Erneuerung der atlantischen Impulse zu versuchen, das ist luziferische und ahrimanische Bestrebung, indem man nicht mit den regulären Mächten des fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums rechnet, sondern rechnet mit dem, was zurückgeblieben ist im Dienste des Großen Geistes Tao. Das wurde nur dadurch möglich, daß die Impulse der atlantischen Kultur, die ja ausgegangen sind von der untergegangenen Atlantis, verlegt wurden auf die Gebiete, die sich nach der atlantischen Flut herausgebildet hatten. Und so wurde denn ein Glied gewissermaßen von der Nachkommenschaft des Großen Geistes nach dem Osten hinübergedrängt und hatte im 10., 11., 12. Jahrhundert allmählich in Asien drüben gewisse Mysteriendienste ausgebildet. Diese Mysteriendienste hatten einen gewissen Charakter angenommen, der im wesentlichen darin bestand, daß man den alten Tao-Kultus - nicht so, wie ihn die degenerierten Chinesen haben, die ihn ja intellektualisiert haben, sondern wie er ursprünglich bestand — erneuerte; erneuerte also jene Art von Initiation, die dahin führte, das elementare Geistige, das unmittelbar unter unserer Sinneswelt lebt und webt, zu sehen, den großen Einheitsgeist wirklich wahrzunehmen. Und gewisse Priester dieser asiatischen, erneuerten atlantischen Mysterien, die wurden eingeweiht in den alten atlantischen Dienst, der natürlich Täuschungen brachte, weil er ja deplaciert war in dieser Zeit.

Einer dieser Priester war so weit gekommen in seiner Initiation drüben in Asien, daß er wirklich das ganze Wesen der atlantischen Impulse durchschauen konnte; und er war es, der bis zur Zwiesprache mit dem Nachfolger, mit dem unrechtmäßigen Nachfolger des Großen TaoGeistes gekommen ist. Er war es, der nun in Asien drüben das, was er durch den Großen Geist als Inspiration empfangen hatte, übertrug an eine äußere weltliche Macht, an jenen Jüngling, der dann bekanntgeworden ist in der Geschichte als Dschingis-Khan. Dschingis-Khan war also Schüler eines solchen Priesters, der in die asiatischen Mysterien eingeweiht war. Und diesem Dschingis-Khan brachte dieser Priester das bei, was ich etwa in die folgenden Worte fassen kann. Er brachte ihm bei: Es ist nun schon die Zeit gekommen, daß das göttliche Gericht über die Erde hinfegt. Dir ist dieses göttliche Gericht übertragen, und du mußt nun an die Spitze aller derjenigen Menschen treten, die von Asien aus das Gottesgericht über die ganze Erde vollziehen können. Ähnliche Bestrebungen waren ja schon früher zugrunde gelegt in den Hunnenzügen und so weiter; jetzt aber wurde im wesentlichen durch diesen Impuls der asiatischen Priesterschaft der Mongolensturm eingeleitet, der dann das tragen sollte über die europäische Kultur, was dahin führen sollte, daß die Seelen wirklich an das Gottesgericht geglaubt hätten, dem Gottesgericht verfallen wären und allmählich von der Erde ihren Abschied genommen hätten, keine Neigung gehabt hätten, auf der Erde wieder zu erscheinen, so daß die Kultur der Erde vernichtet worden wäre. Das war der innere Sinn der Mongolenzüge, die sich von Asien herübererstreckten und die sich ja, wie Sie wissen, in Europa nicht durch äußere physische Taten brachen, sondern dasMerkwürdige geschah, daß im 13. Jahrhundert in der Schlacht bei Liegnitz nicht die Mongolen besiegt wurden, sondern die Mongolen Sieger blieben, aber ganz unerklärlicherweise nicht weiter gegen Europa zogen, sondern wiederum gegen Asien hinüberzogen; so daß also auch hier äußerlich durchaus gesehen werden kann, wie ein Gegengewicht, das dann natürlich als geistiger Art sich ankündigt, da war. Denn, wie gesagt, die Europäer haben die Mongolen ja nicht besiegt in Schlesien, sie sind besiegt worden; aber die Mongolen sind, trotzdem sie nicht besiegt worden sind, zurückgezogen und haben sich nach Asien gewendet. Aber die Impulse sind gewissermaßen gerade dadurch, daß der rein äußerliche Sturm nicht zustande gekommen oder nicht weit gegangen ist, die Züge sind, ich möchte sagen in der Destillation, in der sie leben mußten im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum, doch in Europa verblieben. So daß in den Kulturimpulsen von Osten herüber deutlich das wahrzunehmen ist und auch ferner wahrzunehmen sein wird, was gerade dazumal durch die Nachwirkungen der Mysterien des Großen Geistes nach Europa gebracht werden sollte.

Ein anderer Teil des Mysterienwesens der alten Atlantis ist nicht nach Osten, sondern nach Westen hinübergedrängt worden auf denjenigen Boden, den später die Europäer gefunden haben in Amerika; und dort hat sich der mehr ahrimanische Teil der nachatlantischen unrechtmäßigen Kultur ausgelebt. Während sich in Asien mehr der luziferische Teil auslebte, hat sich in Amerika mehr der ahrimanische Teil ausgelebt. Es sollte nun auch innerhalb Amerikas das an Impulsen geschaffen werden, was dann infizierend wirken konnte von Westen wie das andere von Osten; so von Westen infizierend wirken konnte, um im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum den ahrimanischen Vorstoß hineinzuschieben. Daher wurde im Westen mehr die ahrimanische Seite des nachgelebten atlantischen Mysterienwesens getrieben. Und da kam es ja, wie ich für diejenigen, die da waren, schon angedeutet habe, zu Mysterien, welche den allerabstoßendsten Eindruck machen müssen auf denjenigen, der in der zarten Gegenwartskultur aufgewachsen ist und nicht liebt, die Wahrheit zu hören, sondern nur liebt das Beseligende, wie man es oftmals nennt, aufzunehmen. Diese nachatlantischen Mysterien haben sich insbesondere auf mexikanischem Boden ausgebildet. Da wurden Mysterien eingerichtet, die aber über einen großen Teil Amerikas überhaupt gingen, desjenigen Amerikas, das die Europäer noch nicht gefunden hatten, da wurden Mysterien ausgebildet, welche, wenn sie sieghaft, wenn ihre Impulse, ihre Wirkungen sieghaft auf der Erde geworden wären, die Seelen von der Erde vertrieben hätten. Also der ahrimanische Dienst, das Auspressen der Zitrone, wäre damit besorgt worden. Es wäre gründlich dafür gesorgt worden, daß die Erde allmählich verödet, daß die Erde allmählich nur auf sich die Kräfte des Todes hat, während dasjenige, was als lebendige Seelen vorhanden war, eben von ihr Abschied genommen hätte und einen anderen Planeten unter der Führung Luzifers und Ahrimans dann begründet haben würde.

Um nun den ahrimanischen Teil dieser Aufgabe zu besorgen, war es nötig, daß sich die Priester der ahrimanischen atlantischen Mysterien Fähigkeiten aneigneten, welche im höchsten Maße alle Kräfte des Todes beherrschen im Erdenwirken, alles das, was die Erde gewissermaßen mit der Menschheit, mit der physischen Menschheit — weil die Seelen ja fortgehen sollten zu einem bloß mechanischen Reich gemacht haben würde, zu einem ganz toten, großen Reiche, in dem kein Ich Platz haben könnte. Diese Fähigkeiten hätten verbunden sein müssen mit der Beherrschung auch des Mechanischen in allem Lebendigen, der mechanischen Einschlüsse in allem Leben. Dazu mußten diese Mysterien in wirklich teuflischer Weise eingerichtet werden; denn solche Kräfte, wie man sie gebraucht hätte zu den starken Absichten Ahrimans, solche Kräfte ergeben sich nur, wenn man Initiationen von ganz bestimmter Art erwirbt. Und diese ahrimanischen Initiationen der nachatlantischen Zeit in Amerika waren auch danach. Es wurde jedem auferlegt, der einen bestimmten Grad von Wissen erwerben sollte, daß er dieses Wissen erwirbt durch ganz bestimmte Empfindungsfähigkeiten, die man nur erwirbt, wenn man Mörder wird. Und so wurde keiner zugelassen zu einem bestimmten Grade dieser Initiation, ohne daß er einen Mord begangen hatte. Dieser Mord wurde unter ganz besonderen Umständen verrichtet. Es war eine gewisse Einrichtung: über Stufen führte es hinauf zu einer Art von Katafalk, von katafalkartigem Aufbau; da wurde nun der Betreffende, der gemordet werden sollte, angeschnürt, und zwar indem sein Leib so gebunden wurde, daß man dann durch die Windung, in die der Leib gebracht wurde, mit einem Schnitt den Magen ausschneiden konnte. Diese Operation, das Ausschneiden des Magens, mußte vollzogen sein mit einer ganz besonderen Fertigkeit. Und das, was man sich an Empfindungen gegenüber dem Leben erwirbt, indem man in das Leben hineinschneidet, und mit ganz besonderer Kunst unter ganz besonderen Verhältnissen hineinschneidet, das mußte man erworben haben; dann konnte man einen bestimmten Grad im Wissen der Mechanisierung der Erde sich aneignen. Und jedesmal, wenn man weiter kam in den Graden, mußten sich solche Morde weiterhin vollziehen.

Dieser Dienst, der wurde gewidmet dem Nachfolger, dem Sohne des Großen Geistes, wie er drüben in Amerika lebte, und den man mit einem Laut bezeichnete, der ungefähr Taotl ist. Es ist eine ahrimanische Abart des Nachkommens des Tao: Taotl. Dieses Wesen Taotl erschien nicht in einem physischen Leib, sondern nur in elementarischer Gestalt. Seine Künste, die im wesentlichen in Impulsen zur Mechanisierung der Erdenkultur und des ganzen Erdenlebens bestanden, die eignete man sich durch diese Initiationen, wie ich es Ihnen beschrieben habe, an. Diese Initiationen hatten nun einen ganz bestimmten Sinn. Wie gesagt, derjenige, der initiiert wurde, eignete sich ganz bestimmte schwarzmagische Kräfte an, deren Verwendung dahin geführt haben würde, die Kultur der Erde zu mechanisieren, alles Ich auszutreiben, so daß nicht mehr Körper geboren worden wären, die noch mit einem Ich hätten begabt werden können. Nun würde aber derjenige, der solche Kräfte besessen hätte — denn die Dinge sind immer in Wechselwirkungen in der Welt -, sich dadurch auch erdgebunden gemacht haben; der Initiierte hätte selber immer mit den Kräften der Erde zusammen sein müssen. Er hat sich gewissermaßen dadurch nur verbunden mit jenen Kräften, die Sie morgen bei der Aufführung der Faust-Szene kennenlernen werden, wenn Sie aufmerksam verfolgen das, was die Lemuren darstellen: mit den Erdenkräften, mit dem Seelischen der Erde, mit alle dem, was den Tod bewirkt auf der Erde. Aber er hätte dadurch seine Seele selber verloren. Und er rettete sich in bezug auf die Seele dadurch, daß er auf der einen Seite bewirkte, daß durch die Prozedur des Magenausschneidens die Seele, die er mordete, nicht mehr Lust hatte, auf die Erde zu kommen, und auf der anderen Seite war es dieser Seele zugleich gegeben — und das beabsichtigte er -—, seine eigene Seele mit hineinzuziehen in das Reich, das außerhalb der Erde nun begründet werden sollte. Also es sollte dadurch auch die Seele des initiierten Mörders, des mordenden Initiierten, mit hineingezogen werden in das Reich Luzifers und Ahrimans, das begründet werden sollte.

Es wurden mancherlei Gegensekten gegründet, um diesen teuflischen Dienst zu bekämpfen. Eine solche Gegensekte war die des Tezkatlipoka. Das war auch ein Wesen, das nicht im physischen Leibe erschien, das aber eine große Zahl dieser mexikanischen Eingeweihten kannte, und das nur im elementarischen Leibe lebte. Tezkatlipoka, er war eine Art verwandtes Wesen zu Jahve oder Jehova, und sollte eigentlich einen Dienst einrichten, der dem allem entgegengearbeitet hätte im Sinne einer, nun, eben für solche schrecklichen Kulturverhältnisse passenden Jahve-Religion drüben in Mexiko. Also ein dem Jahve verwandter Geist war dieser Tezkatlipoka.

Außerdem war eine andere Sekte da, welche den Quetsalkoatl, auch ein Wesen, welches nicht im physischen Leibe erschien, sondern einen elementarischen Leib hatte, verehrte. Quetsalkoatl war ein Wesen, von dem man sagen könnte, es war verwandt mit den Merkurkräften. Es sollte gesundend wirken. Die Heilkunst drüben, die sollte namentlich unter dem Einflusse dieses Quetsalkoatl bewirkt werden. Solche Wesen werden von denjenigen, die sie durch Hellsehen wahrnehmen können, immer in der Weise beschrieben, daß man aus der Beschreibung den Eindruck der Realität schon haben kann. Wenn gerade Quetsalkoatl beschrieben wird als eine Erscheinung mit einem schlangenförmigen Körper, als grüne, grüngefiederte Schlange, so bezeugt das durchaus dem, der solche Dinge versteht, daß es sich um ein reales, aber nur im elementarischen Leibe erscheinendes Wesen handelte.

Nun entwickelte sich durch viele Jahrtausende hindurch dieser Dienst, der nicht öffentlich getrieben worden ist, der innerhalb gewisser Mysterien Mexikos vielfach getrieben worden ist, um im geheimen die nötigen nachatlantischen Kulturimpulse in ahrimanischer Gestalt auszuarbeiten. Doch entwickelte sich auch da drüben eine dritte Bewegung. Es mußte sich eine Gegenbewegung entwickeln. Denn hätte sich nicht diese Gegenbewegung entwickelt, so wäre schon der Einfluß dieser Kräfte, die da sich gebildet haben, auf die griechisch-römische Kultur und dann später auf die fünfte nachatlantische Kultur allmählich so groß geworden, daß sie unbesiegbar gewesen wären für die fortschreitenden Mächte. Eine Gegenbewegung entwickelte sich, indem ein Wesen geboren wurde, welches nun, im Gegensatze zu diesen Wesenheiten, die niemals im physischen Leibe erschienen sind, sondern nur im elementarischen Leibe, im physischen Leibe erschienen ist. Und dieses Wesen, das wird etwa so benannt da drüben, daß wir es bezeichnen können mit Worten, welche die Lautfolge nachahmen: Vitzliputzli. Vitzliputzli ist nun ein menschliches Wesen, ein in einem Menschenleib erscheinendes Wesen. Vitzliputzli enthält diejenige geistige Individualität, welche im Menschenleib den Kampf aufnahm gegen die Mysterien, die ich geschildert habe. Von Vitzliputzli wurde erzählt unter den Mexikanern, daß er von einer Jungfrau geboren worden ist, die unter himmlischem Einfluß befruchtet worden ist, indem ein Vogel sich ihr genaht hat.

Wenn man nun mit okkulten Mitteln, so gut man es kann, nachzuforschen versucht, wie dann dieser Vitzliputzli drüben auf der westlichen Halbkugel gelebt hat, so kommt man merkwürdigerweise darauf, daß er in derselben Zeit gelebt hat, in der sich auf der östlichen Halbkugel das Mysterium von Golgatha abgespielt hat, zwischen dem Jahre 1 und 33. Das ist das Merkwürdige. Und jenem Vitzliputzli gelang es nun, dem bedeutendsten Initiierten der mexikanischen Mysterien den Prozeß zu machen. Er wendete sich in scharfem Kampfe gegen jenen Initiierten der mexikanischen Mysterien. Das war also ein Menschenwesen, ein Initiierter — keiner von den drei Geistern, sondern ein Initiierter, gegen den sich Vitzliputzli wendete. Also Vitzliputzli, ein übersinnliches Wesen, aber in Menschengestalt, wendete sich mit allen Kampfmitteln, die ihm da drüben zur Verfügung standen, gegen denjenigen Eingeweihten, der die meisten Morde hinter sich hatte, der am mächtigsten geworden war und von dem man sagen kann: Wäre seine Absicht erfüllt worden, so wäre eben ein Sieg dieser späteren ahrimanischen nachatlantischen Kultur zustande gekommen. — Gegen den wendete sich Vitzliputzli, und es gelang ihm — wie gesagt, man kann das nur mit geisteswissenschaftlichen Mitteln ausfindig machen — im Jahre 33, den stärksten schwarzen Magier zur Kreuzigung zu bringen, so daß also dem Mysterium von Golgatha dies parallel geht da drüben auf der anderen Halbkugel der Erde, daß der größte schwarze Magier gekreuzigt worden ist durch das Verdienst des Vitzliputzli, der zu diesem Zwecke auf der Erde erschienen ist. Dadurch ist zunächst für den vierten nachatlantischen Zeitraum gebrochen worden die Kraft dieser Mysterien; aber sie lebten wieder auf. Und Sie können das ja selbst aus der Geschichte ersehen, wie es nach der Entdeckung Amerikas vielen Europäern gegangen ist, die nach Amerika hinübergegangen sind: zahlreiche Europäer haben noch ihren Tod erfahren dadurch, daß sie von mexikanischen Priester-Initilerten in der Weise behandelt worden sind, daß man sie angeschnallt hat auf die betreffende Vorrichtung und ihnen den Magen in kunstgerechter Weise ausgeschnitten hat. Das ist ja auch geschichtlich bekannt, und es ist dieses eine Nachwirkung desjenigen, was ich Ihnen beschrieben habe.

Dadurch ist der westlichen Welt, insofern das Elementarische eben bei ihr in Betracht kommt, der Impuls einverleibt worden, der gerade von dieser Seite ausgehen sollte: der ahrimanische Impuls. Nun, wie gesagt, für die vierte nachatlantische Zeit ist er gebrochen worden durch die Kreuzigung des großen initiierten schwarzen Magiers durch Vitzliputzli. Dann aber ist doch soviel Kraft geblieben, daß ein weiterer . Ansturm hätte geschehen können für den fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum, der dahin gegangen wäre, nun wirklich die Erde mit Mechanisierung zu überziehen, nicht nur eine Kultur zu begründen, die in lauter mechanischen Werkzeugen gegipfelt hätte, sondern die auch die Menschen selber zu lauter Homunkulussen gemacht hätten, so daß die Iche fortgezogen wären. Diese Welt sollten die Europäer kennenlernen. Und die neuere Zeit beginnt ja gerade eben damit, daß die Europäer hinübergezogen wurden nach dieser Welt. Während also auf der einen Seite von Osten herüber die Stürme des Dschingis-Khan und seiner Nachfolger gleichsam ein Gottesgericht vollstrecken sollten, sollte vorbereitet werden im Westen eine Atmosphäre wildester ahrimanischer, elementarischer Kräfte, in welche die Europäer hineingekommen wären. Solche Dinge sind wirklich so, daß Ahriman und Luzifer voll zusammenarbeiten. Die Europäer sollten zum Beispiel durchaus nicht mit uneigennützigen Gefühlen da hinüberkommen, sondern sie sollten mit verlangenden, begehrlichen Gefühlen herüberkommen, aber mit Begierdegefühlen gewissermaßen nach etwas, worüber sie sich allerlei Täuschungen hingaben. Nachher konnte man ja das vergröbern, was zuerst nur in eine wunderbare Phantasie gehüllt worden ist. Vergröbert ist es ja so geworden, daß wirklich dieEuropäer in Amerika die äußeren Reichtümer in einer Weise kennengelernt haben, die ihre Begehrlichkeit schon sehr, sehr aufgeregt hat; aber zunächst sollte das mehr ideelle Formen annehmen. Da sehen wir wiederum das Zusammenwirken der luziferischen und ahrimanischen Kräfte, die sich immer Hand in Hand arbeiten.

So konnte ein Nachfolger des Dschingis-Khan, der sich in China niedergelassen hatte und China beherrschte, nachdem die Mongolenstürme über Europa hingegangen waren, der Kublai-Khan, sich in China der Anwesenheit eines Europäers, eines Venezianers erfreuen: Marco Polo. Und jener Marco Polo wurde am Hofe des Kublai-Khan Kublai-Khan selber war noch unter dem Einflusse jener Initiation, die ich vorhin beschrieben habe - gründlich beeinflußt; und er schrieb ein Buch, welches geeignet war, die Phantasie der Europäer nach der westlichen Halbkugel hinüber mächtig anzuregen: «Mirabilia mundi.» Da war die Rede von einem Zauberlande auf der westlichen Halbkugel, von einem Zauberlande, das die Sehnsuchten, es zu entdecken, erregte. Und durch diese Schrift «Mirabilia mundi» wurde Christoph Kolumbus angeregt, seine Fahrt nach Amerika zu unternehmen. Da wurde also in der richtigen Weise ins Phantasievolle hinein die Begierde angeregt. Die Dinge wirken wirklich in einer außerordentlich klugen Weise zusammen. Sie müssen sich nur eben bekanntmachen damit, daß Plan in der Weltgeschichte ist, Plan auch da, wo die bösen Mächte in Betracht kommen, und daß man mit den Mitteln, mit denen man heute Geschichte ansieht, wirklich nicht zurechtkommt, sondern alles geschichtliche Leben nur von seiner Außenseite betrachtet. Nur dadurch kann man zurechtkommen, daß man durch geisteswissenschaftliche Mittel die rechten Tatsachen zusammenhält: also die Entdeckung Amerikas in einem ganz bestimmten Zeitraume, und die Erregung der Begehrlichkeit für ein Phantasieland, welche Begehrlichkeit wiederum geeignet war, die Seelen abzuziehen von der Erde. Durch dieses Zusammentreffen, das Schildern eines solchen Phantasielandes und das Erregen der Begehrlichkeit, um Amerika in einem bestimmten Zeitpunkte zu entdecken, dadurch war die richtige Stimmung gegeben, eine Stimmung, die insbesondere auf die unterbewußten menschlichen Seelenkräfte wirkte und in der Kultur weiter wirken konnte. Man muß durchaus Marco Polo und seine Schrift «Mirabilia mundi» im Zusammenhang denken mit dem, was Christoph Kolumbus angeregt hat, hinüberzufahren nach dem Westen. Er hat ja bekanntlich jene Zauberinsel entdecken wollen durch die Fahrt nach dem Westen. Das wird ja in der äußeren Geschichte beschrieben.

So habe ich Ihnen geschildert, wie hereinwirken die ahrimanischen und luziferischen Impulse, um ihre Attacken auszuführen gegen den fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum. Nun ist dieser fünfte nachatlantische Zeitraum gerade so geartet, daß der Mensch gewissermaßen in einer Mittelsphäre des seelischen Lebens lebt. Das Seelenleben des fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums muß geschützt werden vor dem unmittelbaren Schauen der ahrimanischen Kräfte. Man muß lernen, in ihr Reich zu kommen durch Geisteswissenschaft; aber das äußere Leben muß geschützt werden, damit sich die Kräfte entwickeln können, auf die schon gestern und heute aufmerksam gemacht worden ist. Aber unter dem Bewußtsein, unter dem gewöhnlichen normalen Bewußtsein, da wirken diese Kräfte, die auf die geschilderte, ganz konkrete Art auf die Erde gebracht worden sind. Man lernt nicht dadurch das menschliche Seelenleben kennen, daß man im allgemeinen schildert: es gibt ein Bewußtes und Unterbewußtes, und aus dem Unterbewußten, da wirken Triebe herauf und so weiter; man muß kennen, wie diese Triebe bewirkt worden sind auf der Erde. Das Konkrete muß man kennen. Nun kann man in verschiedenen Dingen sehen, wie gewissermaßen unter dem Bewußtsein, das die Seele des Menschen in der fünften nachatlantischen Zeit entfaltet, manches nachwirkt. Man kann sich das so vorstellen, daß das Ahrimanische, das also auf diese Weise initiiert worden ist, wie wir es geschildert haben, gewissermaßen unter der Schwelle des Bewußtseins tätig ist, wie die Lava, wie die vulkanischen Kräfte unter einem vulkanischen Boden, einer Solfatara: wenn man oben Papier anzündet, so kommt der Rauch heraus. Das beweist, daß der Boden, auf dem man steht, durchaus unter sich furchtbare Kräfte enthält, die dann aus allen Löchern herauskommen. So ist es auch mit Seelenkräften. Unter dem, was das Bewußtsein weiß, existieren die Dinge, die beeinflußt sind von dem, was ich beschrieben habe. Und dann drücken sie hinauf; zuweilen zeigen sie sich auch ein bißchen, aber sonst drücken sie hinauf. Und im Überbewußten sind dann auch die luziferischen Kräfte, die sich hereinentladen in die Seele, wie sich zuweilen Blitz und Donner entlädt, wenn die Luft gereinigt werden soll, welche aber auch gerade im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum wenig im Bewußtsein sind. Ein mittlerer Zustand ist es, den das Bewußtsein innehat in diesem fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum.

Wenn man nun nachforscht, was so im Unterbewußten lebt, so sieht man schon, wie von zwei Richtungen her ahrimanische und luziferische Attacken kommen, und wie in einem Zusammenwirken der regulär fortschreitenden Hierarchien mit den luziferischen und ahrimanischen Kräften die Kultur eigentlich geschaffen wird. Nun wird gerade dadurch, daß in dieser Weise die Kultur spezifiziert wird, der Mensch auf verschiedenen Gebieten der Erde in verschiedener Art zu den großen Problemen gelenkt. Ich will mehr auf den Erkenntnisstandpunkt Rücksicht nehmen und das, was vom Erkenntnisstandpunkt ins soziale Leben eingreift. Da kann man also voraussetzen, daß gewisse ahrimanische Kräfte in die europäische Kultur einfließen — nach den Impulsen, die wir kennengelernt haben - vom Unterbewußten aus. Diese ahrimanischen Kräfte, die lenken die Impulse, die wiederum von den guten, regulär fortschreitenden Kräften ausgehen, in eine ganz bestimmte Richtung hin. Man kann sagen, daß zweierlei Probleme, zweierlei Erkenntnisbestrebungen aufgetreten sind. Nicht etwa kann man sagen: durch die ahrimanischen Kräfte, sondern durch das Zusammenwirken der ahrimanischen Kräfte und der regulär fortschreitenden Kräfte hat das menschliche Leben eine gewisse Färbung erhalten. Dadurch ist es namentlich auf zwei Probleme gelenkt worden. Diese zwei Probleme könnte man bezeichnen als das Triebproblem — das Nachdenken ging allmählich nach diesem Triebproblem — und das Geburtsproblem. Natürlich sind das Ausdrücke, die den hervorragendsten Fakten entnommen sind; es umfaßt das, was ich hier bezeichne als das Triebproblem und als das Geburtsproblem, außerordentlich vieles. Ich will nur einiges charakterisieren.

Das Triebproblem: Es wird unter dem Einflusse der Kräfte, die ich charakterisierthabe, das menschliche Sinnen und das menschliche Trachten dahin gelenkt, die Triebe der Menschen zu verspüren, zu empfinden. Der Sinn wird auf die Triebe gelenkt; und daraus entwickelt sich allmählich eine gewisse Lebensgesinnung unter dem Einflusse des Triebproblems. Man kann sagen: Es wandelt sich das Triebproblem um in das Glücksproblem, und das Glücksproblem bekommt eine ganz bestimmte Färbung. Daher sehen Sie gerade im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum an den verschiedenen Stellen, insbesondere in der westlichen Kultur, Sinnen und Trachten nach dem Glücksproblem gerichtet, nach dem Glück, nach dem Schaffen des Glückes im Leben. Das ist unter diesen Einflüssen, die ich geschildert habe. Da sehen wir zum Beispiel, wie nachgeforscht wird, was man tun kann, damit die Menschen auf der Erde ein möglichst glückliches Leben führen. Herstellung des Erdenglückes, das wird ein Ideal. Ich sage nicht: bloß unter ahrimanischen Kräften; es sind darinnen auch regulär fortschreitende Kräfte. Also es soll natürlich über dasGlück nachgedacht werden. Aber eine bestimmte Färbung bekam es unter Ahrimans Einwirkung durch einen rein teuflischen Satz: «Das Gute ist das Glück der größtmöglichen Menschenanzahl auf der Erde.» Dieser Satz ist ein rein teuflischer Satz, denn er definiert das Gute so, daß er es durch das Glück ausdrückt, und noch dazu das Glück der größtmöglichen Anzahl, womit verknüpft sein würde das Elend der Minderzahl; so ungefähr, wie wenn man einen Organismus schildern wollte dadurch, daß man ihn bis zu den Knien nur ausbildet und dann von den Knien nach abwärts verkümmern läßt. Es ist aber überhaupt das Zusammenstellen von Glück und Güte, von Glück und Tugend etwas, was einen ahrimanischen Charakter hat. Glück und Tugend, Glück und das Gute: die Griechen waren in ihren besten Persönlichkeiten ganz unzugänglich für die Zusammenstellung der Begriffe Glück und das Gute. Aber gerade durch ahrimanische Einflüsse sollte in der fünften nachatlantischen Menschheit eine Gesinnung erzeugt werden, welche das Gute im Glücke sucht. Sie müssen alles, was Sie kennen als Saint-Simonismus, die verschiedenen Bestrebungen, nationalökonomische Ordnungen zu finden, namentlich im Westen Europas, unter diesem Gesichtspunkte betrachten, dann können Sie sie nur verstehen; selbst der Rousseauismus ist nicht frei von diesem Impulse. Man muß diese Dinge durchaus in sachlicher Beziehung studieren.

Das zweite neben dem Triebproblem ist hier das Sinnessein, das Sinnensein. Es soll ja im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum die Sinneskultur veredelt werden. Aber die ahrimanischen Mächte wollen diese Sinneskultur für sich in Anspruch nehmen, und daher wollen sie die Gesinnung erzeugen, daß die Wahrheit einzig und allein im Sinnensein zu finden ist. Insoferne lebt in all dem, was im Problem des Sinnenseins lebt, Ahrimanisches. Das Sinnenproblem hängt innig zusammen mit dem Geburtsproblem, so wie das Glücksproblem mit dem Triebproblem zusammenhängt. Um zu rechtfertigen das Sinnensein und durch einen Instinkt die ganze Evolution rein sinnlich zu betrachten, wurde das Menschenwerden in der Geburt unmittelbar angegliedert an die Evolution der Tiere. Da sehen Sie den Weg zum Geburtsproblem herüber. Das Nachdenken über die Menschengeburt, das beschäftigt ja diejenigen, die sinnen und trachten im fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum, wirklich seit dem 15. Jahrhunderte ganz intensiv. Und der, welcher die Verhältnisse kennt, der weiß, was dieses Problem: Wie kommt der Mensch in die Erde herein? — bedeutet hat, wie man darüber nachgedacht hat, ob die Seele von Vater und Mutter als Seele übergeht auf die Kinder, oder ob die Seele anerschaffen wird von den überirdischen Mächten. Das Geburtsproblem im weitesten Sinne, das ist Aufgabe der nachatlantischen Zeit; das ist ein ganz im Sinne der regulär fortschreitenden Zeit aufgegebenes Problem. Aber ahrimanisch wurde es dadurch, daß es rein materialistisch gemacht wurde, daß der Mensch nur an die Spitze der Tierwelt gestellt worden ist, daß sein Seelensein gegenüber dem Sinnensein vollständig außer acht gelassen werden soll.

So sehen wir, daß von der einen Seite her einströmen Impulse, welche das Triebproblem zum Glücksproblem nicht im Sinne des Moralisch-Guten machen wollen. Ganz im Sinne der regulären Mächte wäre das Triebproblem zu machen zum Problem des Moralisch-Guten. Denn das Moralisch-Gute im weitesten Umfange aus dem Triebproblem heraus zu entwickeln, das heißt, die Vergeistigung des Triebproblems zu finden. Das ist die reguläre Aufgabe des fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraums. Das wird in mächtigen Imaginationen entwickelt werden müssen, zu denen der Ansatz in solchen Imaginationen liegt, wie Sie im «Faust» sie finden. Aber durch den ahrimanischen Einfluß führte das Geburtsproblem zu der Evolution im Sinnensein. Also: Triebproblem zum Glücksproblem; Geburtsproblem zum Problem der Evolution im Sinnensein.

Wenn wir alles das ins Auge fassen, was von dieser Seite her kommt, dann sehen wir wie einströmen die ahrimanischen Mächte in die fünfte nachatlantische Zeitkultur. Ich habe schon gesagt: Dadurch, daß auf der einen Seite ahrimanische Mächte einströmen, auf der anderen Seite luziferische, wird das Streben spezialisiert. Sonst würden in der fünften nachatlantischen Kultur vier große Dinge auftreten, die alles Arbeiten, alle Arbeit, alles Schaffen bis zum Bodenbebauen des Bauern, bis in die Einzelheiten hinein durchdringen würden in den Empfindungen. Vier Probleme wären es. Das erste ist eben das Triebproblem, das zweite das Geburtsproblem, das dritte, das dem fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum aufgegeben ist, ist das Todesproblem. Das Problem des Todes, das heißt, nicht nur zu finden, wie der Mensch hereingestellt ist auf die Erde durch die Geburt, sondern auch, wie er wiederum hinausschreitet durch die Pforte des Todes. Und das vierte Problem ist das Problem des Bösen.

Daß nicht gleichmäßig ausgebreitet über den fünften nachatlantischen Zeitraum in der Kulturmenschheit diese vier Probleme wirkten, das ist eben dadurch bewirkt, daß von der einen Seite Ahriman das Triebproblem zum Glücksproblem und das Geburtsproblem zum Sinnen-Sein-Problem umgestaltet hat und dadurch hinausgedrängt hat die richtige Lösung der Probleme; wiederum, daß von der anderen Seite Luzifer den Sinn der mehr nach Osten hin schattierten Kultur lenkte auf das Todesproblem und auf das Problem des Bösen. Und so können Sie verfolgen, wie gerade das ganze russische Geistesleben im wesentlichen so beherrscht ist von dem Todesproblem und von dem Problem des Bösen, wie das westliche Geistesleben von dem Triebproblem und von dem Geburtsproblem. Gerade bei dem stärksten russischen Denker der neueren Zeit, bei Solowjow, können Sie überall finden, wie der Nerv seines Denkens und Sinnens im Todesproblem auf der einen Seite und im Problem des Bösen auf der anderen Seite liegt. Das Problem des Bösen führt nun, wie das Triebproblem zum Glücksproblem führt, ebenso die besondere Gestalt herbei der Betrachtung des sündigen Lebens, die Betrachtung der Sünde, das Sündenproblem. Daher ist nirgends das Problem der Sünde und der Erlösung von der Sünde, der Reinigung von der Sünde in so tiefer Weise in Angriff genommen worden wie von Osten herein. Aber es ist zu gleicher Zeit ein Unreguläres, mit dem dieses Problem in Angriff genommen wird; es ist zu gleicher Zeit dieses Problem des Bösen und das Problem der Sünde von luziferischen Mächten benützt, um die Seelen durch das Hinlenken der Gesinnung auf die Sünde und auf das irdisch-leibliche Fleisches-Sündenleben zu entfremden von dem Erdenleben. Während im Westen Ahriman alle Anstrengungen darauf richtet, den Menschen in das Sinnensein zu verstricken auf der Erde, ein Reich des Guten und des Glücks zu begründen, das den Trieben entgegenkommt, kommt vom Osten der Abscheu vor der Sünde, wodurch die Seelen weggelenkt werden sollen von der Erde, indem ihnen die luziferische Entfremdung des Weggehens von der Erde eingeimpft werden soll durch die Betrachtung des Sündenproblems und des Todesproblems. Daher ein großer Teil des Sinnens im Osten darauf geht, wie der Tod überwunden wird durch das, was an dem Christus selber geschieht, so daß man Impulse für das Leben in der Auferstehung finden will. Gerade das, was ich ausgeführt habe vor acht Tagen, daß der Osten sich mehr dem Christus, der Westen sich mehr dem Jesus zuwendet, es liegt darin begründet, daß der Osten den Auferstandenen braucht, den Geist, der nicht in der Sinnlichkeit aufgeht, der die Sinnlichkeit überwindet. Es ist das Problem des Todes. In einer der schönsten Abhandlungen wahrscheinlich, die Solowjow geschrieben hat, redet er geradezu davon, daß, wenn der Tod als physisches Phänomen, als physische Tatsache einen Abschluß des Menschenlebens bedeuten würde, der Mensch allen übrigen Tieren gleichen würde, und er wäre eigentlich gar kein Mensch, er wäre ein Tier. Durch den Tod gleicht der Mensch dem Tiere. Durch das Böse, dessen er fähig ist, ist er noch schlechter als die Tiere. Da deutet Solowjow direkt darauf hin, wie sein Denken beeinflußt ist von dem Problem des Todes und dem Problem der Sünde, von dem Problem des Bösen. Aber man findet überall das Nachdenken über solche Seelenerkenntnisse, durch welche die Seele als vom Tod nicht berührt erscheint, und daß das äußere Leben so eingerichtet wird, daß es doch in einer gewissen Weise unter die berechtigten Erscheinungen des Lebens wiederum aufnimmt eine Tendenz des Weg-von-der-Erde. Daher gibt es gerade im Osten so viele Sekten, welche das Leibliche abtöten, welche den Tod gewissermaßen schon ausgießen über das Leibliche, welche das Triebleben und das Geburtsleben ad absurdum führen wollen durch ein gewisses Hinwenden zum Opfern und dergleichen.

Im Westen liegt die Gefahr vor des Verstricktwerdens in das Sinnenleben, wodurch das Sinnenleben ichlos werden würde. Denn wenn auf der Erde nur das Glück begründet werden soll, so könnte niemals das Ich auf der Erde leben. Wenn das Gute nur dadurch begründet werden sollte, daß Glück über die Erde ausgebreitet werden sollte, so würde folgendes nämlich eintreten, das zeigt schon die Erfahrung der alten Atlantis: Auch in der Mitte der Atlantischen Kultur waren große Impulse gegeben, die im weiteren Verlaufe zu einem Glücke geführt hätten. Die Menschen hatten, was sie zuerst als Antrieb des Guten empfunden haben, in seiner Form, in seinen Wirkungen gesehen als ein gewisses Glück. Da gibt sich der Mensch dem Glücke hin, da geht der Mensch in Glück auf. Und die Erde mußte in bezug auf die atlantische Kultur gewissermaßen hinweggefegt werden, weil die Menschen nur zurückbehalten hatten das Glück von dem Guten. In der nachatlantischen Zeit will nun Ahriman direkt eine Glückskultur begründen. Das würde heißen: auspressen die Zitrone, weg mit ihr! - Die Iche würden nicht mehr leben können, wenn nur eine Glückskultur begründet werden sollte. Glück und Gutes, Glück und Tugend sind keine Begriffe, die füreinander gesetzt werden können.

Hier sehen wir in tiefe Lebensgeheimnisse hinein. Das, was berechtigt ist: eine Kultur zu begründen, die selbstverständlich in ihren Folgen zu einem gewissen menschlichen Glück führen muß -, wird so verkehrt, daß man das Glück selber als das Wünschenswerte hinstellt. Und eine Kultur, die selbstverständlich dahin führen soll, daß die menschliche Seele in ihrem Leben vor allem den Tod und das Böse erkennt, wird so verkehrt, daß von vornherein die Berührung mit dem, was den Tod hervorbringen kann und das Böse hervorbringen kann, gewissermaßen gemieden wird, daß die Leiblichkeit gescheut wird. Und dadurch soll Luzifer entgegengekommen werden.

Sehen Sie, so muß man versuchen zu begreifen, wie die konkreten Kräfte im Menschendasein wirken, was unter und über dem bewußten Seelenleben gerade in der fünften nachatlantischen Kultur ist. Und wenn Sie diese Leitmotive kennen, so werden Sie schon finden, wie Sie vieles, vieles, was auftritt, verstehen können. Nur bitte ich Sie, verfallen Sie nicht in den Wahn: Also muß man alles Luziferische und alles Ahrimanische meiden. — Das ist ja der beste Weg, um dem Luziferischen und Ahrimanischen zu verfallen! Denn derjenige, der mit der Menschheit lebt, muß eben wissen, daß Luzifer und Ahriman gewissermaßen zugelassen sind. Wenn nicht Abirrungen stattfinden könnten, so würde ja der Mensch niemals zur Freiheit kommen können; wenn er nicht in dem Irrtum leben könnte, daß Glück und Gutes einerlei sein könnten, und sich nicht erheben könnte wiederum über diesen Irrtum, so würde er niemals zur Freiheit kommen können. Wenn er nicht in dem Wahn leben könnte, daß man durch Abtöten des äußeren irdischen Lebens über Tod und Böses den Sieg davontragen kann, wenn er sich nicht diesem Wahne hingeben könnte, so würde er nicht zur Überwindung des Todes und der Sünde in Wirklichkeit kommen können. Notwendig ist, daß diese Dinge hereinragen ins Menschenleben. Wir müssen uns nur klar sein darüber, daß die wehleidige Rede: Ach, das ist luziferisch, das muß man meiden; das ist ahrimanisch, das muß man meiden - nicht Besitz ergreife von uns, sondern daß wir uns in der rechten Weise den realen Mächten gegenüberstellen und wissen, daß wir nicht bloß Luzifer zu meiden haben, sondern die Kräfte des Luzifer zu erobern haben für die fortschreitende Menschheitskultur; daß wir nicht bloß Ahriman zu meiden haben, sondern die Kräfte des Ahriman zu erobern haben für die fortschreitende Menschheitskultur; daß wir sie hereinzuholen haben. Der Kampf besteht darinnen, daß Ahriman die Seelen hinausholen will. Die Menschheit hat die Aufgabe, Ahriman mit seinen starken Kräften hereinzuholen, das heißt zum Beispiel alle diejenigen Verstandeskräfte — vorzüglich Verstandeskräfte sind es, aber sie können auch eine Gemütsform annehmen -, die verwendet worden sind auf das Problem: Wie begründet man einen Staat? — Denken Sie an all die Leute, die mehr oder weniger theoretisch, mehr oder weniger praktisch dieses Problem unternommen haben; unternommen haben zuweilen, indem sie die stärksten Aufwendungen gemacht haben, das Problem zu lösen. Diese Kräfte, die verwendet worden sind auf das Problem, die müssen in den guten Dienst der Menschheit gestellt werden, die dürfen nicht dadurch verahrimanisiert werden, daß man sagt, man wolle von Ahriman nichts wissen, man beschäftige sich nicht mit dem, was man zum Beispiel in sozialen Problemen als von Ahriman ausgehend anführt. Das würde zu nichts führen. Ebenso ist es mit dem Luzifer. Gerade darinnen muß der Impuls bestehen, der Empfindungsimpuls, der Gefühlsimpuls, den uns die Geisteswissenschaft gibt, daß wir uns zu den Kräften, die schon einmal in der Welt sind, in der richtigen Weise stellen. Derjenige, der das nicht will, der ist geradeso wie einer, der sagt: Böse Elemente, nein, die mag ich nicht, nein, die mag ich gar nicht. - Gewiß, beides sind Einseitigkeiten, aber im Zusammenwirken von Bösem und Gutem, in der Vereinigung werden gerade die Elemente fruchtbar in dem Gleichgewichtszustande, den wir im Leben herbeiführen sollen, indem wir das Ahrimanische und Luziferische gewissermaßen beherrschen lernen. In diesem Gleichgewichtszustand liegt der Impuls, der dem Leben einzufügen ist. Und Geisteswissenschaft soll diesen Impuls vermitteln. Davon wollen wir dann, so weit es geht, morgen weiter sprechen.

Fifth Lecture

In connection with what was mentioned yesterday, it is necessary that we say a few things at this particular moment, which are also related to some remarks I made here a few days ago, eight days ago. And since a number of friends who came to the Johannesbau Association meeting were not present at that time, I will repeat some of what has already been said in recent weeks in the course of the reflections that now lie before us. This will not be entirely unimportant from this point of view, as I have seen from one comment or another that some of these important and significant things have been misunderstood.

Let us first of all make it clear to ourselves that the course of evolution, as we have come to know it for the great phenomena of world events, is effective everywhere, effective both when we consider the great phenomena of the cosmos and the phenomena of human historical becoming, of human historical development. For our present, we must be particularly interested in the so-called fourth post-Atlantean period, which we designate as the period in which the Greek-Latin, the Greek-Roman culture developed and grew to greatness. You know that from the point of view of spiritual science, we must date this period to the beginning of the 15th century. And with the beginning of the 15th century, this began to have an effect on European cultural conditions, as we pointed out yesterday, for example. If we now look again at the fourth post-Atlantean period, this Greek-Roman essence, it appears to us in a certain way as a revival of what passed over the earth during the time of Atlantis in terms of human culture. We have explained in various places how the thoughts, feelings, and even the social life of the Greeks can be explained if one considers that this fourth post-Atlantean period is, in a certain sense, a repetition of Atlantean culture, except that Atlantean culture was more elemental, much more instinctive, while Greek and Roman culture is more spiritualized, representing a repetition. What was immediate experience in Atlantis was transformed into reality in Greece through fantasy, imaginative imagination, and also through thought and will inspired by fantasy.

Now we must consider that this Greek-Roman culture was a disappointment, a profound disappointment, for those forces which we designate with the terms Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces, a disappointment, a profound disappointment; for these Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces of the hierarchy which, in a sense, is closest to the human hierarchy, wanted Atlantis, as Atlantis was, to simply revive in the fourth post-Atlantean epoch. That is to say, everything that constitutes the essence of the Atlantean epoch—you can read about this in “An Outline of Esoteric Science” or in the little book “Our Atlantean Ancestors”—everything that constitutes the essence of the Atlantean epoch was to be repeated during the Greek and Roman periods, according to the intention of the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces. This intention was thwarted by the fact that humanity was raised to a higher level corresponding to the post-Atlantean period. What is great and significant about the new era in relation to Atlantis, in relation to Greek and Roman culture, was a spiritual disappointment for the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces. Through their various influences, the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces wanted to educate the Greek people in such a way that they would be inclined to develop the powers of imagination in their souls to such an extent that their souls would gradually become weary of the earth and would have no inclination to incarnate on earth for a long time, but would, as it were, withdraw from the earth as souls and establish their own realm, their own planet. This was thwarted by the guidance of those powers we call the regular hierarchies, which transformed the imagination of the Greeks and the influence of imagination on social life into a delight in earthly things, The joy in earthly sensuality was absorbed, and the Greeks no longer wanted to live merely in a world of imaginative fantasy, gradually alienating their souls from earthly existence. Instead, they even reached the mood expressed in the famous sentence I have often quoted: “Better to be a beggar on earth than a king in the realm of shadows.” Through this joyful experience of the world between birth and death, the regular powers were to rescue Greek culture from the danger that the Luciferic powers had in store for it: to carry away the souls so that the bodies that would still have been born on earth would have passed through life without a soul, and the souls would have been carried away to a special planet of their own.

In contrast, Ahriman wanted to help Lucifer in the novelistic world by shaping the Roman Empire and its successors in such a way that it would become a great earthly mechanism for ego-less human beings. In this way, he would have become a help to Lucifer. While Lucifer wanted to squeeze the juice out of the lemon, so to speak, Ahriman was busy in the Roman Empire squeezing the lemon and turning it into a mechanistic state organism. In this way, Ahriman and Lucifer work hand in hand. This was thwarted by the fact that the population of the Roman Empire developed the concept of the “Civis,” the concept of the Roman citizen in the most eminently egoistic sense, and human egoism can only develop within physical earthly existence. This thwarted Ahriman's intention to make human beings ego-less. It is precisely the roughness and lack of imagination in Roman culture that thwarted Ahriman's intentions through the egoism of Roman politics and Roman law. Thus, the Greek and Roman periods were a great disappointment for Lucifer and Ahriman. Once again, they had failed to achieve their intentions. It is the fate of Lucifer and Ahriman to work with their powers in the evolution of the earth and to make the greatest efforts again and again to hold back the further progress of evolution and to establish a kingdom for themselves, and to experience disappointment again and again in this regard. I have already said that anyone who believes, “Why are Lucifer and Ahriman not yet ready to finally see that their efforts are worthless?” is judging the spiritual according to the human. Lucifer and Ahriman have a different power of judgment than humans, and one cannot judge from the human standpoint what one observes in the spiritual world, otherwise one would very soon consider oneself much more intelligent than a god or even than a being belonging to a higher hierarchical order; and Lucifer and Ahriman, as we know, even though they are retarding spirits, belong to a higher hierarchical order than human beings. This explains why they are disappointed again and again, but why they always begin their efforts anew.

Now came the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. It has very specific tasks in terms of progressive regular spiritual development. While the fourth post-Atlantean epoch was intended to develop Greek fantasy life and Roman egoism, the fifth post-Atlantean epoch is concerned with developing the gift of sensory perception. I have characterized this by calling it the ideal of sensory perception, as Goethe meant it in his Urphänomen (Primordial Phenomenon) — you can read about this in my writings on Goethe — the pure perception of external sensory reality, which could not exist in earlier times because what came out of atavistic clairvoyance interfered with the perception of sensory reality everywhere, so that one did not see the pure phenomenon in pure external sensory existence, but always saw what was clairvoyantly-visionary above the sensory existence. which came from atavistic clairvoyance; so that one did not see the pure phenomenon in pure external sensory existence, but always saw what clairvoyantly and visionarily extended beyond sensory existence. If people would look a little more closely, they would even see from external history, from what has been handed down historically, that this is so. Plato does not yet regard seeing as such a passive quality as it is now regarded in the fifth post-Atlantean era, but the Greek Plato still expressly says: Seeing consists in a kind of fire emanating from the eye and going toward things. The Greek Plato therefore still knows something about the activity of seeing. This activity had to be stripped away, forgotten, lost, so that another ability could arise in the fifth post-Atlantean period. And the other thing is that in the fifth post-Atlantean period, that is, from the beginning of the 15th century until about the 4th millennium, the gift of free imagination gradually developed in human evolution, imagination that is grasped in complete inner freedom. On the one hand, there is the archetypal phenomenon, and on the other, free imagination.

Goethe pointed to the primordial phenomenon; he also pointed to free imagination. We have quoted various passages from him at different times, particularly from his Faust. These are the beginnings of what the entire regular evolution of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch must accomplish. This will give the fifth post-Atlantean epoch its distinctive character in a certain way. But this fifth post-Atlantean epoch in particular will have to see its human beings fighting against even stronger assaults from the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces than took place in the Greek and Roman eras. These assaults will be stronger because in this fifth post-Atlantean epoch it is once again a matter of achieving, on the one hand, that souls become alienated from earthly life, and on the other hand to mechanize earthly life itself, to shape it in such a purely outwardly mechanical way that the human ego cannot possibly live in the social order of the earth and therefore takes its leave of the social order of the earth and devotes itself to a life apart from the earth on a special planet.

Such things, which we can therefore call the assaults of the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces, are prepared long in advance. And while they have come into effect in their very beginnings during the four to five centuries of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, behind the scenes of world history, even before the beginning of this fifth post-Atlantean epoch, full and powerful preparations have been made by the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces in order to bring everything that the fifth post-Atlantean epoch brings forth in human abilities and human willpower into the service of such a human longing, which distances itself from the earth, which wants to leave the earth and form its own planetary body, while the earth is to be desolated according to the striving of Lucifer and Ahriman. The strongest assaults, I say, have been undertaken. And remember what set the basic tone of culture during the Atlantean period; for Lucifer and Ahriman now want to push the old Atlantean culture into all the individual parts of the post-Atlantean period, so that the abilities given by the regular powers become elementary for this post-Atlantean culture, so that people want to leave. So what is being developed what is developed be placed at the service of the extraterrestrial in the way I have indicated. From two sides, from Lucifer and Ahriman, the spirit of the old Atlantean life should therefore be renewed so that the corresponding impulses enter into the evolution of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch.

Now remember that in the Atlantean era, the impulses of human souls were traced back to what was called the Great Spirit, which was roughly designated by a sound that still echoes in the Chinese Tao. This Tao was the name for the Great Spirit at the time of Atlantis. And the essence of the Luciferic-Ahrimanic striving consists in placing what has come later, or what is yet to come, in the service of the Tao, in the service of the Great Spirit; not, of course, the Great Spirit as he lived during the Atlantean era, but as he has found a descendant, I would say a kind of little son, a successor. And to attempt a renewal of the Atlantean impulses is the Luciferic and Ahrimanic striving, in that one does not reckon with the regular powers of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, but reckons with what has remained behind in the service of the Great Spirit Tao. This was only possible because the impulses of the Atlantean culture, which originated in the sunken Atlantis, were transferred to the areas that had developed after the Atlantean flood. And so, a branch of the descendants of the Great Spirit was pushed eastward, so to speak, and gradually developed certain mystery services in Asia in the 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries. These mystery services had taken on a certain character, which essentially consisted in renewing the ancient Tao cult — not as the degenerate Chinese have it, who have intellectualized it, but as it originally existed — thus renewing that kind of initiation which led to seeing the elemental spiritual that lives and weaves immediately beneath our sensory world, to truly perceiving the great spirit of unity. And certain priests of these Asian, renewed Atlantean mysteries were initiated into the old Atlantean service, which naturally brought deception because it was out of place at that time.

One of these priests had progressed so far in his initiation over in Asia that he was able to truly see through the whole essence of the Atlantean impulses; and it was he who came into dialogue with the successor, the illegitimate successor of the Great Tao Spirit. It was he who, over in Asia, transferred what he had received as inspiration from the Great Spirit to an external worldly power, to that young man who then became known in history as Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan was thus a disciple of such a priest who was initiated into the Asian mysteries. And this priest taught Genghis Khan what I can summarize in the following words. He taught him: The time has now come for divine judgment to sweep across the earth. This divine judgment has been entrusted to you, and you must now take the lead of all those people who, starting from Asia, can carry out God's judgment over the whole earth. Similar aspirations had already been laid down earlier in the Hun migrations and so on; but now, essentially through this impulse of the Asian priesthood, the Mongol invasion was initiated, which was then to carry over European culture, leading to a situation in which souls would have truly believed in divine judgment, would have fallen under divine judgment, and would have gradually taken their leave of the earth, having no inclination to reappear on earth, so that the culture of the earth would have been destroyed. That was the inner meaning of the Mongol invasions, which spread from Asia and, as you know, did not break through in Europe through external physical acts, but the strange thing happened that in the 13th century, in the Battle of Liegnitz, it was not the Mongols who were defeated, but the Mongols remained victorious, yet inexplicably did not continue their advance against Europe, but instead returned to Asia; so that here too, from an external point of view, one can clearly see how a counterweight was present, which then naturally manifested itself in a spiritual form. For, as I said, the Europeans did not defeat the Mongols in Silesia; they were defeated. But the Mongols, despite not being defeated, withdrew and turned back to Asia. But precisely because the purely external storm did not come about or did not go very far, the impulses remained in Europe, in the distillation, so to speak, in which they had to live during the fifth post-Atlantean period. So that in the cultural impulses coming from the East, it is clearly perceptible and will continue to be perceptible what was to be brought to Europe at that time through the after-effects of the mysteries of the Great Spirit.

Another part of the mystery teachings of ancient Atlantis was not pushed eastward, but westward to the land that the Europeans later found in America; and there the more Ahrimanic part of the post-Atlantean illegitimate culture played itself out. While the more Luciferic part played itself out in Asia, the more Ahrimanic part played itself out in America. Now, within America, too, impulses had to be created that could then have an infectious effect from the West, just as the other had from the East; so that they could have an infectious effect from the West in order to push the Ahrimanic advance into the fifth post-Atlantean period. Therefore, the Ahrimanic side of the post-Atlantean mystery life was driven more in the West. And then, as I have already indicated to those who were there, mysteries arose which must make the most repulsive impression on those who have grown up in the delicate culture of the present and do not love to hear the truth, but only love to absorb what is often called “blissful.” These post-Atlantean mysteries developed particularly on Mexican soil. Mysteries were established there, but they spread over a large part of America, the America that Europeans had not yet discovered. Mysteries were developed there which, if they had been victorious, if their impulses and effects had become victorious on Earth, would have driven the souls from the Earth. Thus, the Ahrimanic service, the squeezing of the lemon, would have been accomplished. It would have been thoroughly ensured that the earth would gradually become desolate, that the earth would gradually have only the forces of death upon it, while that which existed as living souls would have taken their leave from it and then founded another planet under the leadership of Lucifer and Ahriman.

In order to carry out the Ahrimanic part of this task, it was necessary for the priests of the Ahrimanic Atlantean mysteries to acquire abilities that would enable them to control, to the highest degree, all the forces of death in the earth's workings, everything that the earth had, as it were, made with humanity, with physical humanity — because the souls were to depart to a purely mechanical realm, to a completely dead, great realm in which no I could have a place. These abilities would have had to be connected with the mastery of the mechanical in all living things, the mechanical inclusions in all life. To this end, these mysteries had to be organized in a truly diabolical manner, for such powers as would have been needed for Ahriman's powerful intentions can only be obtained through initiations of a very specific kind. And these Ahrimanic initiations of the post-Atlantean period in America were also like that. It was imposed on everyone who was to acquire a certain degree of knowledge that they should acquire this knowledge through very specific sensibilities, which can only be acquired by becoming a murderer. And so no one was admitted to a certain degree of this initiation without having committed murder. This murder was carried out under very special circumstances. It was a certain institution: steps led up to a kind of catafalque, a catafalque-like structure; there, the person who was to be murdered was tied up, his body bound in such a way that, through the twist into which the body was brought, the stomach could be cut out with a single cut. This operation, the cutting out of the stomach, had to be performed with a very special skill. And what one acquires in terms of feelings towards life by cutting into life, and cutting into it with a very special art under very special circumstances, one had to have acquired; then one could acquire a certain degree of knowledge of the mechanization of the earth. And every time one advanced in the degrees, such murders had to continue to be carried out.

This service was dedicated to the successor, the son of the Great Spirit, as he lived over there in America, and who was referred to with a sound that is approximately Taotl. It is an Ahrimanic variation of the descendant of Tao: Taotl. This being Taotl did not appear in a physical body, but only in elemental form. His arts, which essentially consisted of impulses for the mechanization of Earth's culture and all life on Earth, were acquired through these initiations, as I have described to you. These initiations now had a very specific meaning. As I said, those who were initiated acquired very specific black magical powers, the use of which would have led to the mechanization of Earth's culture, to the expulsion of all ego, so that no more bodies would have been born that could still be endowed with an ego. However, anyone who possessed such powers — for things are always in interaction in the world — would also have made themselves earthbound; the initiate would always have had to be with the forces of the earth. In a sense, he bound himself only to those forces that you will learn about tomorrow during the performance of the Faust scene, if you follow closely what the Lemurians represent: to the forces of the earth, to the soul of the earth, to everything that causes death on earth. But in doing so, he would have lost his own soul. And he saved his soul by ensuring, on the one hand, that through the procedure of cutting out the stomach, the soul he murdered no longer had any desire to come to earth, and on the other hand, he gave this soul — and this was his intention — the opportunity to draw his own soul into the realm that was now to be established outside the earth. Thus, the soul of the initiated murderer, the murderous initiate, was also to be drawn into the kingdom of Lucifer and Ahriman that was to be established.

Various counter-sects were founded to combat this devilish service. One such counter-sect was that of Tezkatlipoka. This was also a being that did not appear in physical form, but was known to a large number of these Mexican initiates, and lived only in the elemental body. Tezcatlipoca was a kind of being related to Yahweh or Jehovah, and was actually supposed to establish a service that would have worked against everything in the sense of a Yahweh religion that was appropriate for such terrible cultural conditions in Mexico. So this Tezcatlipoca was a spirit related to Yahweh.

There was also another sect that worshipped Quetzalcoatl, also a being that did not appear in physical form but had an elemental body. Quetzalcoatl was a being that could be said to be related to the forces of Mercury. It was supposed to have a healing effect. The art of healing over there was supposed to be brought about under the influence of this Quetzalcoatl. Such beings are always described by those who can perceive them through clairvoyance in such a way that one can already get an impression of their reality from the description. When Quetzalcoatl is described as an apparition with a serpentine body, as a green, green-feathered serpent, this testifies to those who understand such things that it was a real being, but one that appeared only in an elemental body.

Now, over many millennia, this service developed, which was not carried out publicly, but was carried out in many ways within certain mysteries in Mexico in order to secretly work out the necessary post-Atlantean cultural impulses in an Ahrimanic form. But a third movement also developed over there. A counter-movement had to develop. For if this counter-movement had not developed, the influence of these forces that had formed would have gradually become so great on the Greco-Roman culture and later on the fifth post-Atlantean culture that they would have been invincible for the advancing powers. A counter-movement developed in the form of a being who, in contrast to these entities, which never appeared in the physical body but only in the elemental body, appeared in the physical body. And this being is named over there in such a way that we can describe it with words that imitate the sequence of sounds: Vitzliputzli. Vitzliputzli is now a human being, a being appearing in a human body. Vitzliputzli contains the spiritual individuality that took up the fight in the human body against the mysteries I have described. The Mexicans told of Vitzliputzli that he was born of a virgin who was fertilized under heavenly influence when a bird approached her.

If one now tries to investigate with occult means, as best one can, how this Vitzliputzli lived over there in the western hemisphere, one strangely comes to the conclusion that he lived at the same time as the mystery of Golgotha took place in the eastern hemisphere, between the years 1 and 33. That is the strange thing. And this Vitzliputzli succeeded in putting the most important initiate of the Mexican mysteries on trial. He turned against this initiate of the Mexican mysteries in a fierce battle. So this was a human being, an initiate — not one of the three spirits, but an initiate against whom Vitzliputzli turned. So Vitzliputzli, a supernatural being, but in human form, turned with all the weapons at his disposal against the initiate who had committed the most murders, who had become the most powerful, and of whom one can say: If his intention had been fulfilled, a victory of this later Ahrimanic post-Atlantean culture would have come about. Vitzliputzli turned against him, and he succeeded — as I said, this can only be discovered by spiritual scientific means — in bringing the strongest black magician to crucifixion in the year 33, so that the mystery of Golgotha is paralleled on the other side of the globe, where the greatest black magician was crucified through the efforts of Vitzliputzli, who appeared on Earth for this purpose. This initially broke the power of these mysteries for the fourth post-Atlantean period, but they revived. And you can see for yourselves from history what happened to many Europeans who went to America after its discovery: numerous Europeans met their deaths because they were treated by Mexican priest-initiates in such a way that they were strapped to the appropriate apparatus and their stomachs were cut out in a professional manner. This is also known from history, and it is an aftereffect of what I have described to you.

As a result, the Western world, insofar as the elemental is taken into account, has been imbued with the impulse that was supposed to come from this side: the Ahrimanic impulse. Now, as I said, for the fourth post-Atlantean period, it was broken by the crucifixion of the great initiated black magician by Vitzliputzli. But then enough power remained that another onslaught could have taken place in the fifth post-Atlantean period, which would have truly covered the earth with mechanization, not only establishing a culture that would have culminated in nothing but mechanical tools, but also turning human beings themselves into mere homunculi, so that the I would have withdrawn. The Europeans should get to know this world. And the modern era begins precisely with the Europeans being drawn over to this world. So while on the one hand the storms of Genghis Khan and his successors were to carry out a kind of divine judgment from the East, on the other hand an atmosphere of the wildest Ahrimanic, elemental forces was to be prepared in the West, into which the Europeans would enter. Such things are really so, that Ahriman and Lucifer work together completely. For example, the Europeans should not have come over there with unselfish feelings, but with demanding, covetous feelings, but with feelings of desire, as it were, for something about which they indulged in all kinds of delusions. Afterwards, it was possible to coarsen what had initially been shrouded in wonderful fantasy. It did indeed become coarse, so that Europeans in America got to know the external riches in a way that greatly excited their desire; but initially it should have taken on more ideal forms. Here we see once again the interaction of the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces, which always work hand in hand.

Thus, a successor to Genghis Khan, who had settled in China and ruled China after the Mongol storms had passed over Europe, Kublai Khan, was able to enjoy the presence of a European, a Venetian, in China: Marco Polo. And that Marco Polo was thoroughly influenced at the court of Kublai Khan, who was still under the influence of the initiation I described earlier, and he wrote a book that was capable of powerfully stimulating the imagination of Europeans toward the Western Hemisphere: “Mirabilia mundi.” There was talk of a magical land in the western hemisphere, a magical land that aroused a longing to discover it. And it was this book, “Mirabilia mundi,” that inspired Christopher Columbus to undertake his voyage to America. So the desire was aroused in the right way, in the imagination. Things really work together in an extraordinarily clever way. You just have to familiarize yourself with the fact that there is a plan in world history, a plan even where evil forces come into play, and that the means by which we view history today are really inadequate, that we only see historical life from the outside. The only way to come to terms with this is to use spiritual scientific means to hold the right facts together: the discovery of America in a very specific period of time and the arousal of desire for a fantasy land, which desire was in turn capable of drawing souls away from the earth. This combination, the description of such a fantasy land and the arousal of the desire to discover America at a certain point in time, created the right mood, a mood that had a particular effect on the subconscious forces of the human soul and was able to continue to work in culture. One must definitely think of Marco Polo and his book “Mirabilia mundi” in connection with what inspired Christopher Columbus to sail westward. As is well known, he wanted to discover that magical island by sailing westward. This is described in the outer history.

I have thus described to you how the Ahrimanic and Luciferic impulses work to carry out their attacks against the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. Now, this fifth post-Atlantean epoch is of such a nature that human beings live, as it were, in a middle sphere of soul life. The soul life of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch must be protected from the direct gaze of the Ahrimanic forces. We must learn to enter their realm through spiritual science, but the outer life must be protected so that the forces that have been pointed out yesterday and today can develop. But beneath consciousness, beneath ordinary normal consciousness, these forces are at work, which have been brought to earth in the very concrete way I have described. One does not learn about the human soul life by describing it in general terms: there is a conscious and a subconscious, and from the subconscious, drives work their way up, and so on; one must know how these drives have been brought about on earth. One must know the concrete. Now, in various things, one can see how, as it were, beneath the consciousness that the human soul unfolds in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, many things continue to have an effect. One can imagine this as the Ahrimanic, which has been initiated in this way, as we have described, working beneath the threshold of consciousness, like lava, like volcanic forces beneath volcanic ground, a solfatara: if one lights paper above it, smoke comes out. This proves that the ground on which you stand contains terrible forces beneath it, which then come out of all the holes. It is the same with soul forces. Beneath what consciousness knows, there exist things that are influenced by what I have described. And then they press upward; sometimes they show themselves a little, but otherwise they press upward. And in the superconscious there are also the Luciferic forces that discharge themselves into the soul, as lightning and thunder sometimes discharge themselves when the air needs to be purified, but which are also little present in consciousness in the fifth post-Atlantean period. It is a middle state that consciousness occupies in this fifth post-Atlantean period.

If we now investigate what lives in the subconscious, we can already see how Ahrimanic and Luciferic attacks come from two directions, and how culture is actually created through the interaction of the regularly progressing hierarchies with the Luciferic and Ahrimanic forces. Now, it is precisely because culture is specified in this way that human beings in different parts of the world are led in different ways to the great problems. I want to take more account of the point of view of knowledge and what intervenes in social life from the point of view of knowledge. We can therefore assume that certain Ahrimanic forces flow into European culture — according to the impulses we have come to know — from the subconscious. These Ahrimanic forces direct the impulses that emanate from the good, regularly progressing forces in a very specific direction. One can say that two problems, two striving for knowledge, have arisen. One cannot say that human life has taken on a certain coloration through the Ahrimanic forces, but rather through the interaction of the Ahrimanic forces and the regular, progressive forces. This has led to two problems in particular. These two problems could be described as the problem of the instincts — thinking gradually moved toward this problem of the instincts — and the problem of birth. Of course, these are expressions taken from the most outstanding facts; what I refer to here as the problem of the instincts and the problem of birth encompasses an extraordinary amount. I will characterize just a few aspects.

The problem of instinct: Under the influence of the forces I have described, human thinking and striving are directed toward feeling and sensing human instincts. The senses are directed toward the instincts, and from this, under the influence of the problem of instinct, a certain attitude toward life gradually develops. One could say that the problem of instinct is transformed into the problem of happiness, and the problem of happiness takes on a very specific character. That is why, especially in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, we see in various places, particularly in Western culture, that people's thoughts and aspirations are directed toward the problem of happiness, toward happiness itself, toward creating happiness in life. This is due to the influences I have described. We see, for example, how people are investigating what can be done to enable people on earth to lead as happy a life as possible. The creation of happiness on earth becomes an ideal. I am not saying that this is solely under the influence of Ahrimanic forces; there are also forces within it that are progressing in a regular manner. So, of course, happiness should be thought about. But under Ahriman's influence, it took on a certain coloring through a purely devilish statement: “Good is the happiness of the greatest possible number of people on Earth.” This statement is purely devilish because it defines goodness in terms of happiness, and moreover the happiness of the greatest possible number, which would be linked to the misery of the minority; it is roughly equivalent to describing an organism by saying that it is fully developed up to the knees and then allowed to wither from the knees down. But the juxtaposition of happiness and goodness, of happiness and virtue, is something that has an Ahrimanic character. Happiness and virtue, happiness and goodness: the Greeks, in their best personalities, were completely impervious to the juxtaposition of the concepts of happiness and goodness. But it was precisely through Ahrimanic influences that a disposition was to be created in the fifth post-Atlantean humanity that seeks the good in happiness. You must view everything you know as Saint-Simonism, the various efforts to find national economic orders, especially in Western Europe, from this point of view, then you can only understand them; even Rousseauism is not free from this impulse. These things must be studied in their objective context.

The second issue here, alongside the problem of instinct, is the existence of the senses, sensory perception. In the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, sensory culture is to be refined. But the Ahrimanic forces want to claim this culture of the senses for themselves, and therefore they want to create the belief that truth is to be found solely in the sense world. Insofar as this is the case, the Ahrimanic lives in everything that lives in the problem of the sense world. The problem of the senses is intimately connected with the problem of birth, just as the problem of happiness is connected with the problem of instinct. In order to justify the existence of the senses and to view the entire evolution as purely sensual through an instinct, human becoming was directly linked to the evolution of animals at birth. Here you can see the path to the problem of birth. Reflection on human birth has been a subject of intense study for those who think and strive in the fifth post-Atlantean epoch, really since the 15th century. And those who know the circumstances know what this problem — how does the human being come into the earth? — has meant, how people have thought about whether the soul of the father and mother passes on to the children as a soul, or whether the soul is created by supernatural powers. The problem of birth in the broadest sense is the task of the post-Atlantean period; it is a problem that has been set in the spirit of regular progress. But it became Ahrimanic because it was made purely materialistic, because human beings were placed at the top of the animal world, because their soul life was to be completely disregarded in favor of their sensory life.

So we see that on the one hand there are impulses flowing in which do not want to make the problem of the instincts into a problem of happiness in the sense of moral goodness. In accordance with the regular forces, the problem of the instincts would have to be made into a problem of moral goodness. For to develop the moral good in its widest sense out of the problem of instinct means to find the spiritualization of the problem of instinct. That is the regular task of the fifth post-Atlantean epoch. This will have to be developed in powerful imaginations, the beginnings of which can be found in such imaginations as you find in Faust. But through the Ahrimanic influence, the problem of birth led to evolution in the sense life. So: the problem of instincts became the problem of happiness; the problem of birth became the problem of evolution in the sense life.

If we consider everything that comes from this side, we see how the Ahrimanic forces are pouring into the fifth post-Atlantean culture. I have already said that because Ahrimanic forces flow in on the one side and Luciferic forces on the other, striving becomes specialized. Otherwise, four great things would arise in the fifth post-Atlantean culture, which would permeate all work, all labor, all creation, down to the farmer's cultivation of the soil, down to the smallest details in the senses. There would be four problems. The first is the problem of the instincts, the second is the problem of birth, and the third, which is assigned to the fifth post-Atlantean period, is the problem of death. The problem of death means not only finding out how human beings are placed on earth through birth, but also how they pass through the gate of death. And the fourth problem is the problem of evil.

The fact that these four problems did not spread evenly throughout the fifth post-Atlantean period of human culture is due to the fact that, on the one hand, Ahriman transformed the problem of instinct into the problem of happiness and the problem of birth into the problem of sense-being, thereby pushing out the correct solution to the problems; on the other hand, on the other hand, Lucifer directed the meaning of the culture, which was more shaded towards the East, towards the problem of death and the problem of evil. And so you can see how the whole of Russian spiritual life is essentially dominated by the problem of death and the problem of evil, just as Western spiritual life is dominated by the problem of the instinct and the problem of birth. Especially in the strongest Russian thinker of recent times, Soloviev, you can find everywhere how the nerve of his thinking and feeling lies in the problem of death on the one hand and in the problem of evil on the other. The problem of evil, like the problem of instinct, leads to the problem of happiness and, in the same way, to the special form of contemplation of sinful life, the contemplation of sin, the problem of sin. That is why nowhere else has the problem of sin and redemption from sin, purification from sin, been tackled in such a profound way as in the East. But at the same time, there is something irregular in the way this problem is tackled; at the same time, this problem of evil and the problem of sin are used by Luciferic powers to alienate souls from earthly life by directing their minds toward sin and toward the earthly, physical life of the flesh. While in the West, Ahriman directs all his efforts toward entangling human beings in the realm of the senses on earth in order to establish a realm of good and happiness that satisfies the instincts, from the East comes a revulsion toward sin, whereby souls are to be diverted away from the earth by instilling in them the Luciferic alienation of departing from the earth through contemplation of the problem of sin and the problem of death. Therefore, a large part of thinking in the East is concerned with how death is overcome through what happens to Christ himself, so that one may find impulses for life in the resurrection. Precisely what I explained eight days ago, that the East turns more to Christ and the West more to Jesus, is based on the fact that the East needs the risen Christ, the spirit that does not dissolve in sensuality, that overcomes sensuality. This is the problem of death. In what is probably one of the most beautiful essays Soloviev ever wrote, he speaks explicitly of how, if death as a physical phenomenon, as a physical fact, meant the end of human life, then human beings would be like all other animals, and they would not really be human beings at all, but animals. Through death, man resembles animals. Through the evil of which he is capable, he is even worse than animals. Here Soloviev points directly to how his thinking is influenced by the problem of death and the problem of sin, by the problem of evil. But everywhere one finds reflections on such insights into the soul, through which the soul appears untouched by death, and that external life is arranged in such a way that, in a certain sense, it takes up again, among the justified phenomena of life, a tendency to depart from the earth. That is why there are so many sects in the East that kill the physical body, that in a sense already pour death over the physical body, that want to reduce the life of the instincts and the life of birth to absurdity through a certain turning toward sacrifice and the like.

In the West, there is a danger of becoming entangled in the life of the senses, whereby the life of the senses would become ego-less. For if happiness were to be founded on earth alone, the I could never live on earth. If the good were to be founded solely on the spreading of happiness over the earth, the following would happen, as the experience of ancient Atlantis already shows: Even in the middle of the Atlantean culture, great impulses were given which would have led to happiness in the further course of events. People saw what they initially perceived as the driving force of goodness in its form and effects as a kind of happiness. People surrender themselves to happiness; they blossom in happiness. And the Earth had to be swept away, so to speak, in relation to the Atlantean culture, because people had retained only the happiness of goodness. In the post-Atlantean era, Ahriman now wants to establish a culture of happiness directly. That would mean squeezing the lemon dry and throwing it away! The I's would no longer be able to live if only a culture of happiness were to be established. Happiness and goodness, happiness and virtue are not concepts that can be equated with one another.

Here we see deep secrets of life. What is justified—establishing a culture that must naturally lead to a certain human happiness—is turned upside down so that happiness itself is presented as desirable. And a culture that should naturally lead to the human soul recognizing death and evil above all else in its life is so distorted that contact with anything that can bring about death and evil is avoided from the outset, that physicality is shunned. And in this way, Lucifer is to be appeased.

You see, one must try to understand how the concrete forces work in human existence, what is below and above the conscious soul life, especially in the fifth post-Atlantean culture. And when you know these guiding principles, you will already find that you can understand much, much of what occurs. But I beg you, do not fall into the delusion that you must avoid everything Luciferic and everything Ahrimanic. That is the best way to fall prey to Lucifer and Ahriman! For those who live with humanity must know that Lucifer and Ahriman are, in a sense, permitted. If aberrations could not occur, human beings would never be able to attain freedom; if they could not live in the error that happiness and goodness are one and the same, and could not rise above this error, they would never be able to attain freedom. If he could not live in the delusion that by killing the outer earthly life he could gain victory over death and evil, if he could not give himself over to this delusion, he would not be able to overcome death and sin in reality. It is necessary that these things protrude into human life. We must only be clear about this: the whining speech, “Oh, that is Luciferic, that must be avoided; that is Ahrimanic, that must be avoided,” must not take hold of us, but we must face the real powers in the right way and know that we must not merely avoid Lucifer, but that we must conquer the forces of Lucifer for the advancement of human culture; that we must not merely avoid Ahriman, but that we must conquer the forces of Ahriman for the advancement of human culture; that we must bring them in. The struggle consists in the fact that Ahriman wants to draw souls out. Humanity has the task of bringing in Ahriman with his strong forces, that is, for example, all those intellectual forces — they are primarily intellectual forces, but they can also take on a form of emotion — that have been used to solve the problem: How does one establish a state? Think of all the people who have tackled this problem more or less theoretically, more or less practically, sometimes making the greatest efforts to solve it. These forces that have been used to tackle the problem must be put to good use for humanity; they must not be devalued by saying that we want nothing to do with Ahriman, that we do not concern ourselves with what, for example, is cited as originating from Ahriman in social problems. That would lead nowhere. The same applies to Lucifer. It is precisely here that the impulse must lie, the impulse of feeling, the impulse of emotion that spiritual science gives us, so that we can relate in the right way to the forces that already exist in the world. Those who do not want to do this are just like those who say: Evil elements, no, I don't like them, no, I don't like them at all. Certainly, both are one-sided views, but in the interaction of good and evil, in their union, these elements become fruitful in the state of equilibrium that we should bring about in life by learning to master, as it were, the Ahrimanic and Luciferic forces. In this state of equilibrium lies the impulse that must be incorporated into life. And spiritual science should convey this impulse. We will continue to talk about this tomorrow, as far as possible.