The Occult Movement in the Nineteenth Century
GA 254
19 October 1915, Dornach
Lecture VI
If in a broad sense, without going into details, you review what I ventured to put before you in the foregoing lectures, you will realise that the path of development which the spiritual-scientific current of thought was bound to take, imposes definite and earnest responsibilities upon those who feel themselves its sponsors. For you will certainly have realised from our recent studies that when man tries to find his bearings along the right path, great difficulties spring up for him, difficulties of a kind different from those otherwise encountered in life.
Now in life on the physical plane we are in many respects protected from aberrations in one direction or another. Many years ago I drew attention to this protection when, in connection with the problem of the Guardian of the Threshold, I gave certain indications which have been added to in the course of time.1See inter alia, Macrocosm and Microcosm, lecture 4. (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1968). Even in the early articles now incorporated in the book Knowledge of the Higher Worlds. How is it achieved? it was shown how man on the physical plane is protected from deviating too readily in one direction or another in intellectual and moral life. We enter into existence in such a way that certain guiding forces for life are with us during our childhood. We know well that only in later years do we reach the stage of being able to exercise our power of free judgment.
If you observe a child and compare his soul-life with that of a grown-up person you will detect a certain difference. For you can justly say: instead of a kind of dreamlike life which he leads in childhood, the human being begins in later years to exercise his own faculty of free judgment. It is very important to be aware of these variations.
If in thinking of the whole course of human life from birth until death we keep childhood too much in mind, we may perhaps pay insufficient attention to this metamorphosis of the inner life of soul. But it is important to understand it because it is during the period when our power of judgment is not yet fully awake that guiding impulses for later life can be received. For the sake of our power of free judgment we must, as it were, be swathed in dream during the early years of our life in order that certain forces of guidance may find their way into our intellect and into our moral impulses, in order that we shall not prematurely crystallise the forces bestowed upon us for the purposes of our life and which are “breathed”—I will not say “incorporated”—into our being. Thereby we have something for the whole of our life; we direct ourselves throughout life in accordance with the intellectual and moral impulses that have been breathed into our soul.
When we approach concepts of the spiritual worlds, we become in a certain sense freer. It has often been said and must again and again be repeated, that the approach to the spiritual worlds is also a kind of awakening from the ordinary conditions and circumstances of life; again, therefore, this is a variation in the metamorphoses of life similar to the metamorphosis leading from childhood to the capacity of free judgment in later life.
But this means that when we adopt the spiritual-scientific view of life it can very easily happen that the steady direction of life we formerly knew, begins to waver. So that when we begin to grasp the reality of the spiritual worlds, it is a matter of mustering the forces of the whole man within us—because we need the “life-capital” breathed into us during childhood in order rightly to approach the things now to be revealed from the world on yonder side of the Threshold. And I showed you how easy it is, under influences which proceed as a matter of course from the different currents of the time, to go astray in one direction or another. An aberration such as occurs in Sinnett's Esoteric Buddhism is due to the fact that the strong impulse of materialism can have an effect upon the souls of men—I say, can have an effect. Just because oriental influences were at work, a deviation was possible in the direction which led to a defamation of the whole nature of the present Moon, and on the other side aberration was possible because it was in the interests of certain persons not to allow the truth of repeated lives on Earth to come into the open. The one who had an interest—in this case it was not Sinnett himself but the one who was behind him—in helping materialism in human life to be, as it were, “ultra-materialised”, introduced into an otherwise true system, teaching such as that concerning the Moon, thereby giving a twist in a particular direction.
Now we know that especially in recent centuries Western civilisation and its American offshoot have been subject to a strongly Christian impulse. I myself have been at pains to show that the significance of Christianity does not depend upon what can actually be understood of it—for a great deal will become intelligible only in the future, and we ourselves are only just beginning to grasp certain facts connected with the Mystery of Golgotha. But the impulses of Christianity are real; they take effect even when men do not yet understand them. In earlier centuries, however, certain cosmic truths were excluded from these impulses. These truths are entirely compatible with Christianity although insight has not succeeded in making this evident. Truths relating to repeated lives on Earth were withdrawn from Christianity, and so a Western culture with an American offshoot arose with a form of Christianity from which the teaching of repeated lives on Earth was excluded.
Now I have shown you how certain occultists made efforts to preserve this view of Christianity—the view which rejected the truth of repeated earthly lives. I spoke of trends in occultism that were connected, for example, with the High Church party. Those concerned were people of knowledge, they were well-informed. It can be said that they knew much more about occultism than did the leading members of the Theosophical Society. But their whole object was to ensure that the teaching of repeated earthly lives should be eliminated even more decisively; hence their denial that man, as I have shown in Occult Science, enters in the course of his earthly evolution into relationship with the other planets of our solar system.
The forces here implanted into the human soul have mainly to do with man's participation in the extra-terrestrial Cosmos; and it was desired from this quarter that men should be left in obscurity about this participation. The object was to divert them from the realisation that the soul is connected, not only with the Earth and its happenings, but also with what is out there in the Cosmos, shining down to us, for example, from the other planets of our solar system.
Now in that they work upon the human being, the impulses proceeding from the other planets of our solar system have the power to wrest the soul, as living soul, away from physical death. That is their essential function, as you can realise from the descriptions of the life between death and a new birth which I have given in various connections and from various points of view.
But if you look back over the evolution of humanity, you will find that precisely in the times when atavistic knowledge, clairvoyant knowledge, was present as an ancient heritage, men directed their gaze to the other celestial bodies of our solar system, and Astrology—which in our day has become such a questionable science—played a part of tremendous importance in those olden times.
Why, we may ask ourselves, has Astrology ceased to play this important part? It is because the gaze of human souls had to be diverted in order that Christianity should have time to take root in earthly existence. Just as the gaze of clairvoyance had to be diverted from the Imaginative world, so too had the gaze to be diverted from the impulses proceeding from the planets of our solar system. All that has remained of Astrology consists of old traditions. I have often spoken of this. In a sense, we may say: the old clairvoyance and also the old vision of the impulses proceeding from the planets of our solar system, were circumscribed. Man was relegated to the physically perceptible world, to the senses by means of which he was to perceive only that which takes place on the Earth. This was in order that the impulses of the Mystery of Golgotha might wax in strength and take root in the souls of men, in the feelings of the believers, so that men might be inwardly deepened.
In ancient times, clairvoyance was, after all, an external faculty. It was not a question of having to acquire it by effort, for it was a heritage. Just as a man today has eyes and ears, so in those times he had the faculty of clairvoyance. But the times are approaching when clairvoyance will increasingly be regained. This made it necessary that in one phase of his existence man should be shut off from the spiritual world and confined to the outer, mineral world, in order that everything may be built up again from within; what was once seen from without must now be built up again from within. I will sketch it for you like this (drawing on the blackboard).

Picture a man with the old clairvoyant vision. (I will take the eye as representing the clairvoyant gaze, although this is not exclusively a function of the eye.) He directed his gaze to the starry heavens and beheld the different spiritual impulses streaming from there.
Then, in the course of the ages this clairvoyance faded away and man's gaze was restricted to the phenomena of earthly existence. Something else had to arise in place of the earlier clairvoyance, something that can be indicated by saying: What formerly came from without must now go out from within. Man had to learn to project outwards what the Heavens had implanted in him in order that he might again find his links with the phenomena of the Heavens.

The direction that had now to be followed was exactly the opposite of that of the earlier path. It is an actual fact that human nature is at this present point of time involved in a process of re-organisation. It has passed through the point of deepest darkness—one expression of which was what I called the full flood of materialism in the middle of the nineteenth century. But humanity is emerging from this condition. Describing this in terms of occultism, we may say: In earlier times men did not perceive, did not think with the physical body only, but they perceived and thought with the etheric body. What was perceived with the etheric body was experienced consciously in the astral body as Astrology. But in modern Astronomy everything is a matter of calculation. The etheric body must be revitalised, and this is connected with the new revelation of Christ. When the etheric body is re-vitalised, man finds Christ. But, as you see, it is essential that this vitalising of the etheric body shall take place.
Noteworthy discoveries can be made if one goes deeply into these matters. The whole feeling that man has an etheric body has disappeared and the feeling that he has only a physical body predominates. But it would be entirely false to believe that this opinion about man having a physical body only, is very old. By no means is it so. If this restriction to the physical body was actually brought about by the full flood of materialism in the nineteenth century, then men must previously have had some inkling of the etheric body which was then suppressed but is now emerging again. I could give you many proofs that previously something was known about the etheric body, the existence of which began gradually to be ignored. I could quote many passages from earlier works, but I will read one from a book published in 1827. On page 208, a remarkable passage occurs. I will read it very slowly so that you may be able to judge how differently these things are written about today under the influence of views that have become wholly materialistic.
“The concept of nourishment is connected erroneously with the mere imbibing of food and drink and their elaboration in the organs of digestion. The organism is nourished, and organic life sustained, not by food and drink, but by the blood (the neutralised earthly and etheric life-principle)”—here the writer shows that he is not speaking of the physical blood but of what underlies the blood as etheric life-principle—“and indeed not until in the plastic membranes the blood has been enhanced and as it were sublimated into the vitalising, formative exhalation (Aura vitalis).”
What does the writer want to express here? He wants to indicate that external nourishment is not the fact of primary importance but that while external nourishment is taking place, extracts stream from the foodstuffs into the blood, so that a process is going on in that which underlies the blood as an etheric life-principle.—This was written in the year 1827. The writer has put brackets round the words “Aura vitalis”. “Plastic” here is a synonym of “imaginative”. I might equally well read the lines thus: “Not until in the imaginative membranes the blood has been enhanced and sublimated as it were into the vitalising, formative exhalation (Aura vitalis)” ... the two last words are in brackets. “Aura vitalis” can only be translated as “etheric body.”
The man who wrote this was Professor of Psychiatric Therapy at the University of Leipzig and Physician at the Hospital of St. George there. He was Johann Christian August Heinroth, of whom I once spoke in connection with Goethe.
Hundreds of such examples could be given and they will indicate to you how utterly different the attitude of mind once was, how the knowledge that was still in evidence by no means such a very long time ago, has degenerated into the materialistic view of the world.
One can say: A stream of knowledge oozes away and the materialistic view of the world rises to the surface, but beneath the stream a sub-stream develops in human nature. The connection with the Cosmos is established again, this time from within. You may still say: Prove to us that there have been people who had an inkling of the fact that whereas, on the one side, knowledge of the activities of the etheric body passed away, on the other, the etheric body was being revitalised again from within.—
Here I will read you a passage from a book published even earlier, from which you can see that there were indeed people who drew attention to a change that would take place in the organisation of humanity in the future. Admittedly, the story is told in a very veiled form, but at all events it is told. The story is about a female character. When I read the passage, most of you will know where it occurs.
We read that there is a soul in the body of a woman who no longer leads the earthly life but the solar life, that in the course of her life she circles around wider and wider spheres—it can therefore be assumed that beings, in so far as they are corporeal, strive towards the centre, and in so far as they are spiritual, towards the periphery. A soul who lives with the Cosmos is here described.2The translation of the passage is by R. O. Moon, M.A., M.D.(Oxon.), from Vol. II of Goethe's Wilhelm Meister. Published by G. T. Foulis & Co., London.
Makaria is in our solar system in a relation which we may scarcely dare to express. In spirit, soul, imagination, she keeps within herself; she does not only look, but at the same time she makes a part of it; she sees herself carried away in those heavenly circles, but in a quite special manner. From her childhood she wanders around the sun, and indeed, as is now discovered, in a spiral, withdrawing always more from the centre and circling towards the outer regions.
If we may accept that creatures, so far as they are bodily, strive towards the centre, so far as they are spiritual to the periphery, so does our friend belong to the most spiritual. She appears to be born only to free herself from what is earthly, so as to pierce through to the nearest and most remote spaces of existence. This quality, splendid as it is, was, however, lent to her from her earliest years as a difficult task. She remembers from childhood her innermost self as penetrated by illuminating beings, brightened by a light which even the brightest light of the sun could get no hold on.
She therefore bears sources of light within herself and the external light can “get no hold” on her.
Often she saw two suns, one inward, another in the sky; two moons, of which the outer one, in its size, remained the same in all phases; the inner always diminished more and more.
This gift drew her interest away from ordinary things, but her excellent parents directed everything towards her culture. All faculties were alive in her, all activities operative, so that she understood how to satisfy all outward relationships, and while her heart, her spirit, was entirely filled with otherworldly visions, her actions and dealings remained always suited to the noblest decorum. As she grew up, everywhere helpful, incessant in great and small services, she wandered like an angel of God upon the earth, while her entire spiritual being moved indeed around the sun of this world, but in continually increasing circles towards what is beyond this world.
The exuberance of this condition was in some measure modified, that it also seemed to her to dawn and to grow dark, while with quenched inner light she strove most loyally to fulfil external duties; with the fresh shining of the inner light she gave herself up to the most blessed tranquility. Yes, she will have observed that some kind of clouds hovered over her from time to time, and for some time obscured for her the look of the heavenly companions—a period which she understood how to make use of continually for the well-being and delight of her surroundings.
So long as she kept her views secret, it required much to support them. What she revealed of them was not recognised, or misinterpreted; therefore in her long life she let it appear outwardly as an illness, and in the family they still always speak of it so; but at last good fortune introduced to her the man whom you see with us, as doctor, mathematician and astronomer equally valuable; a thoroughly noble man who, however, first actually approached her out of curiosity. But when she gained confidence towards him, described by degrees to him her circumstances, joined the present to the past and had brought a connection into the events, he became so fascinated by the phenomenon that he could no more separate himself from her, but day by day endeavoured continually to penetrate more deeply into the secret.
At first, as lie gave it to be understood not obscurely, he considered it to be deception, for she did not deny that from earliest youth she had diligently busied herself about knowledge of the stars and sky, that she had been well instructed in them, and had missed no opportunity of getting a clear idea for herself of the structure of the world by means of machines and books. He did not, therefore, have his say out; it was learnt by heart, the effect of an imagination regulated in a high degree, the influence of the memory was to be conjectured, a co-operation of the power of judgment, but especially of a hidden calculation.
He is a mathematician and therefore obstinate, a clear mind and therefore unbelieving. For a long time he resisted, observed however what she mentioned, exactly, endeavoured to get near to the sequel of different years, kept himself especially to the newest with the opposite position of the lights of heaven and their tasks in accordance, and at last exclaimed: “Now why should not God and Nature be a living ‘Armillarsphere’, an intellectual clockwork movement, so that just as the clocks perform it for us daily and hourly, it would be in the position of itself in a special way to follow the course of the stars!”
But here we dare not proceed further, for the incredible loses its value when we wish to look at it more nearly in detail. We say so much, however: that which served as the basis of the reckonings to be instituted, was as follows. For her, the seeress, our sun appeared in the vision much smaller than she beheld it as such by day; also an unusual position of this high light of heaven in the zodiac gave rise to inferences.
On the other hand, doubts and errors arose because she who looked indicated one and the other star as appearing alike in the zodiac, but of which in the sky one was not aware. They might be the small planets at that time still undiscovered, for from other accounts it could be concluded that she, long since over the, orbit of Mars, drew near to the orbit of Jupiter. Openly, for a long time, she had considered these planets, at what distance it would be difficult to say, with astonishment in their mighty splendour, and looked at the play of its moons around it, but had seen it in the most marvellous manner as waning moon, and indeed, without being turned round, as the waxing moon appears to us. From this it would be concluded that she saw it from the side, and was really on the point of moving outside its orbit, and in the infinite space coming in opposition to Saturn. Thither no imagination follows her, but we hope that such an entelechy does not withdraw itself entirely from our solar system; but if it has arrived at the border of it, it will yearn to be back again, so as to work again in favour of our great grandchildren for earthly life and beneficence.
Here, in a very significant way, the vista is presented to us of how the soul, how the human being, will from within take the path of return to the world of the stars. I have been reading to you the description of Makaria from Goethe's Wilhelm Meister, and he has expressly added that he has not said everything. He indicates that this was an ethereal poem, in the words: “While we now here close this ethereal poetry, hoping for forgiveness, let us turn again to that terrestrial story, of which we have given above a transient indication.”
Before Goethe describes Makaria he writes:
But arrived at this point, we cannot resist the temptation of communicating from our archives3(Goethe means “spiritual” archives.) a paper which concerns Makaria, and the special quality which was imparted to her mind. Unfortunately, this composition was written from memory not till a long time after the contents were communicated, and cannot be looked upon as altogether authentic, as in so remarkable a case would be desirable. But however this may be, here already is so much communicated as to arouse reflection and recommend attention as to whether already something similar or approximating to it has been remarked and noted down.
I wanted to call your attention to this passage in Wilhelm Meister's Travels because it will show you that with Spiritual Science we are really meeting the demands of our age. Human nature is changing in such a way that it will bring forth from itself that ancient heritage from the pre-earthly world which it has lost. And men must be aware of what is approaching them—otherwise they will fall into utter confusion. Spiritual Science must establish its place in the cultural life of our time.
But the moment men become attentive to what has been indicated here they inevitably come across the teaching of reincarnation, because they say to themselves that an entelechy from the spiritual world, from the spheres of Jupiter, Saturn, and so on, may well have something to do with the Earth and might return among us. Therefore those occultists who wish the teaching of reincarnation to be suppressed, say that barricades must be erected against the advent of this view of life, and these barricades are erected by diverting men's minds as far as possible from the connection with the celestial bodies of the solar system. So we see that in that quarter there is intense interest in not allowing certain things to come to light. I said yesterday that if interest is present for a biased, one-sided cause, it always finds support. But truth is generally contested and everything possible is done to prevent the truth itself from coming to light. And whether we take the right stand in our spiritual Movement depends upon our being fully conscious that the truth for which we seek will be attacked from many, many sides. Nothing is more essential than that in order to be armed, we shall endeavour to develop clarity of thought in every domain. You must bear in mind that the antagonisms that arise, above all the hostile personalities, are really, for the most part, puppets of the opposing Powers. For we are here in the field of activity of super-sensible Powers. These super-sensible Powers, to which Lucifer and Ahriman belong, naturally work in human life through human souls, which are simply their instruments.
Hence it is necessary to know exactly what is at issue in the one case or the other; but what is far and away the most necessary of all is that the acquisition of the faculty of clear, exact thinking shall never be neglected. You know that life itself has its contradictions, and Hegel built up his whole philosophy on this. It is not a question of avoiding the contradictions in life, for they are there. The essential thing is to recognise and be alert to them.
Ahriman and Lucifer can accomplish something only when a contradiction remains unnoticed, when we have neither the strength nor the will to lay it bare. Whenever we get entangled in a contradiction that we do not recognise as such but simply regard it as a natural part of life, this makes it possible for Lucifer and Ahriman to take possession of our soul.
Let us take a strange contradiction with which we have been just recently confronted here. The circumstances have obliged me to read a passage in a letter from a lady who states that what is wanted is “not the teaching and not the teacher, but the man”. The teaching was therefore taken as a kind of adjunct and the chief value attached to the man. Then came another assertion—the very opposite! The man was completely rejected and it was stated that the teaching must be acknowledged as correct. Just think of it: on the one hand it is asserted that the quest should not be for the teaching or the teacher, but for the man; and on the other: “I hate the man and reject him; he makes promises and does not keep them—but the teaching is good, I accept it.”
To what does this really amount? In effect it amounts to this: For a time I had a certain relationship with an individual; he himself interested me, the teaching only very little. Then I turn from the individual and lay stress on what did not really interest me at all. I now lay the stress upon what I formerly put aside; I did not assimilate the teaching and now say: it is good. I stand for something which I refused to accept, something I cannot possibly have acquired because previously I refused to accept it!—There you have a literal example of the kind of contradictions to be found in the world. Can you possibly imagine that where such contradictions prevail there can be any real, inner connection with our spiritual-scientific Movement? There can obviously be none.
It is important to be aware of contradictions such as these, for if we fail to notice such phenomena among us we shall never find the right path to knowledge of the spiritual world. Needless to say, many things may escape us, but we must have the will to take note of such contradictions. On the other side, however, it must be remembered that contradictions of this kind are used with the intent of shaking the truth to its foundations. Suppose, for example, someone were to say: a man is giving teaching but he himself is full of contradictions, even of immoral tendencies, indeed he is dominated by the power of evil; but the teaching itself is good—that is certainly to be admitted. Very well—but if it is part and parcel of the teaching that the one who represents it and the Movement connected with it establishes the relationship between himself and the others precisely through the teaching, wishing to be nothing more than the bearer of the teaching—then such an attitude demands him to be something else! All kinds of demands are made upon the man, and although at bottom the teaching is rejected, it is said: the teaching is good, but for all that the man is evil! In this way, someone who feels utterly incapable of grasping the teaching can work against it through those who believe in it. This is the best way for a person to undermine teaching which he cannot disprove, for as I indicated yesterday, it is then delivered into the hands of the Luciferic and Ahrimanic Powers.
It has been said so often that our teaching must not be mere theory, but actual life. If it is made into mere theory, it is killed, delivered into the hands of Ahriman, the God of Death. That is the best method for ensuring that what is taught is given over to Ahriman and thus exterminated from the world; moreover, it is a method very similar to that employed by certain individualities who were standing behind Mr. Sinnett, for example. They inspired him to take a certain direction in order to steer him into fallacy which culminated in the true facts being violated. The Moon, which as physical Moon is an agent for paralysing the Eighth Sphere, is declared to be the Eighth Sphere itself. The reality concerning the Eighth Sphere is obscured, effaced. And later on H. P. Blavatsky corrects this by alleging that Jahve has created the lower sphere of man's life only, the sphere of his senses—whereas the truth is that Jahve has created a counteracting agent for the Eighth Sphere. This method therefore consists in spreading over some matter a fog whereby it is presented in a false light. If you examine these things carefully, you will see that what has happened among us is essentially of the same pattern, only on a smaller scale. It is an attempt to shed calumny on the truth that would fain come into the world. Someone feels incapable of refuting the teaching and so levels imputations against the one who has to present it. This of course shows that such a person is unable to grasp the essence of the teaching.
This is a problem well worth the notice of people of standing and sincerity among us, for these things must be viewed from a higher vantage-point. I am quoting these examples because they are near at hand and because they show us whither our attention should be directed. In our Movement the strongest possible emphasis must be laid—and this has been done ever since I have been connected with it—upon a right attitude being adopted towards atavistic clairvoyance, so that there may be no delusions about it. An example of what has been invented in order to distort what we do or desire to do, is that it has been said: One can see that this is a Movement which applies itself to the cultivation of clairvoyance—and then efforts have been made to imply that everyone in the Movement is urged to develop clairvoyance. This kind of thing spreads a fog over the Movement. The truth is reversed—although it is a fact that clairvoyance must be developed—but a good means is furnished for provoking hatred against the Movement.
Again, it is said: A Movement that comes into being in the modern age ought not to cultivate the old, atavistic clairvoyance, but that is precisely what this particular Movement is doing.—On the subject of cultivating atavistic clairvoyance the Movement says exactly the same, but here the direction of the arrow is turned round and the Movement is censured. This is happening, for example, in our immediate vicinity, where in sermons and addresses it is alleged that those who have gathered here in Dornach are urged, above all by me, to develop clairvoyance, and it is imputed at the same time that this is pathological, atavistic clairvoyance.
Needless to say, the one who voices these things has no inkling of what he is really saying; he is only a puppet. But we ourselves must look more deeply into the connections, realising that we are living at a time when such impulses will assert themselves strongly against us. And it would be particularly grotesque if our teaching itself were to he used as a weapon for confuting us. Even this has already happened. In one of the antagonistic criticisms published during recent weeks, an attack was formulated by using quotations from the Mystery Plays and from the book Occult Science. So the Powers that do not want the truth to come to light are everywhere at work.
About the truth itself we need have no anxiety. ... Truth makes its way in the world by laying emphasis only on what is positive.
But the moment statements that simply do not remotely come near the truth go out into the world, we must be armed and know how to judge them. We must not adopt the stand merely of studying what is to be found in the literature; we must translate into very life the life-principle contained in our teaching. That is to say, we must judge life according to the principles of our teaching; we must not think about one or another attack from outside as we should be bound to think if we had accepted our teaching merely as a theory. The need for polemics does not begin until we are attacked. But then we must realise that ours is a teaching very easily distorted into its opposite and that we have therefore to watch over and protect it. Especially must we be on guard against all one-sidedness.
For example, undertones could be heard in connection with certain things that have been said here and there—undertones coming from an attitude that very easily runs to opposite extremes. And then it is easy to be refuted. You will remember that it was necessary to say a great deal on the subject of illusions about particular incarnations. If this were carried to the extreme of laughing all such matters to scorn, our opponents might well say: “These people teach something. But let one of them touch the very fringe of it and they at once proceed to ridicule him!”
We have no ground for rejecting clairvoyant experiences—obviously not. Our only duty is to get to the bottom of such experiences when they are being used to bolster up the aims of personal vanity, or certainly when the outer course of events proves these experiences to have been incorrect. We must not, to use a trivial expression, pour away the child with the bath-water. Our Society must certainly not transform itself into a body of scientific theory. There too you can see that this danger may easily arise.
An essay sent to us during the last few days is astutely written, for there is no more plausible way of attacking our Movement than by saying: “Those people behave as if they rejected all connection between the world of the senses and the spiritual world!” This is actually stated in the essay. In an appendix, strangely enough, the question is raised : “Why should not the Mother of God also reincarnate?”—Of course, one can ask, why should she not reincarnate? There is no reason why it cannot be so. But of this you may be sure: the exoteric life of this Mother of God in such a reincarnation would not be in the form in which it is claimed to have taken place!
Truly, in these matters it is a question of something that I have been emphasising for many years and found it necessary to include in my fundamental philosophical work. If you read other philosophies you will find in their theories and forms of expression, also in still earlier writings, much that appears again in my The Philosophy of Freedom. But one thing is contained in it which, at least in the way it is there expressed and interwoven as an ethical principle, a moral impulse, is entirely original.—For the first time, “moral tact” is introduced as something that cannot be grasped through the mere power of judgment, but only through the whole mind and life of feelings, so that when something has to be handled delicately one shall not immediately fall into extremes and try to sweep away one error by means of another. That is “moral tact”. I have tried to define it as clearly as possible in the Philosophy of Freedom. It is truly necessary to emphasise at the present time that—because here we have to do with a very tricky matter—we must avoid the danger of falling into the other extreme.
I indicated various dangers yesterday but have felt it necessary to add something today, in order to emphasise that we must not fall into the other extreme. The whole of our activity, the whole nature of our Movement, must be based upon making the spiritual world a reality, upon feeling and experiencing our own life as connected with the spiritual world.
But if we hold this principle sacred, we must tactfully refuse to allow directly personal affairs, the subjective-personal life, to be drawn in. This again does not imply that we should never try to discover whether we ourselves are the reincarnation of someone. But simply to look from one personality in search of the other is of no account. It is the easy-going way. But the right way is to endeavour to reach the point where we begin to discover certain secrets of our own life. Then we shall certainly make progress. In this connection we are standing at a point of great significance, namely that we must pay heed to the saying: do not pour the child away with the bath water!
At the same time we must work with all intensity to prevent what would be utterly disastrous to an occult Movement, namely, a gradual lapse into haziness and lack of clarity. There are certain things which need to be treated with a certain harshness. That is another matter. But we must always be mindful of the ground on which we stand—the ground of an earnest and worthy spiritual Movement.
These are some of the points of view which can help us to realise the conditions that are essential to the life of our Movement. When it is said that outer reality is maya, then this maya too must be thoroughly studied. Nor must we keep emphasising the theoretical saying, “outer reality is maya”, and then act as if the outer reality itself is of supreme importance when we encounter it concretely in the world.
Sechster Vortrag
Wenn Sie noch einmal eine Art Gemütsrückblick — womit ich mehr einen zusammenfassenden Rückblick meine, ohne auf die Einzelheiten einzugehen -, wenn Sie also eine Art Gemütsrückblick tun auf das, was ich mir erlaubte, in den letzten Vorträgen und Betrachtungen hier vor Ihnen auseinanderzusetzen, so werden Sie sehen, daß der Gang der Entwickelung, den die geisteswissenschaftliche Weltanschauungsströmung nehmen mußte, demjenigen, der sich dieser geisteswissenschaftlichen Weltanschauung gegenüber verantwortlich fühlt, bestimmte Verantwortungen, starke Verantwortungen auferlegt. Denn Sie haben gerade aus den Betrachtungen der letzten Zeit wohl entnehmen können, daß starke Schwierigkeiten für den Menschen erwachsen — eine andere Art von Schwierigkeiten als man sie sonst im Leben hat —, um sich auszukennen und einen richtigen, geraden Gang zu gehen.
Nicht wahr, im Leben des physischen Planes sind wir in vieler Beziehung geschützt vor Abirrungen nach der einen oder anderen Richtung. Ich habe ja auf diesen Schutz schon vor vielen Jahren aufmerksam gemacht, als ich einige Schilderungen gab über das Problem des Hüters der Schwelle, die dann im Laufe der Zeit ergänzt worden sind. Schon in den alten Aufsätzen, die dem Buche «Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?» einverleibt worden sind, kann man sehen, wie der Mensch auf dem physischen Plane geschützt ist vor einem zu leichten Abirren nach der einen oder anderen Seite in intellektueller und moralischer Beziehung. Nicht wahr, wir kommen ins Leben so herein, daß uns im Laufe unserer Kindheit gewissermaßen Richtkräfte mitgegeben werden fürs Leben. Wir wissen genau: zu unserer freien Betätigung der Urteilskraft erwachen wir im Grunde genommen erst später im Leben.
Beobachten Sie einmal das Kind und vergleichen Sie sein Seelenleben mit dem des Erwachsenen. Dann werden Sie sehen, wie Sie in einer gewissen Beziehung doch eine Nuancierung in dem Unterschiede zwischen dem Kindesleben und dem Leben des Erwachsenen annehmen dürfen, indem Sie sich sagen können: der Mensch wächst aus einem gewissen Dämmerleben, das er während seiner Kindheit führt, in späteren Jahren zu der freien Betätigung seiner Urteilsfähigkeit heran. Es handelt sich wirklich darum, daß man diese Lebensnuance gut ins Auge faßt.
Wenn man zu sehr am Kinde den ganzen Verlauf des menschlichen Lebens von der Geburt bis zum Tode betrachtet, so wird man vielleicht diese Metamorphose des inneren Seelenlebens zu wenig beachten. Aber es ist wichtig, daß man sich auf sie einläßt, weil in der Zeit, in der unsere Urteilskraft noch nicht völlig erwacht ist, gerade dasjenige an uns herankommen kann, was uns dann leitet und lenkt im späteren Leben. Wir müssen gewissermaßen für die freie eigene Urteilskraft umdämmert sein in den ersten Lebensjahren, damit gewisse Richtkräfte in unseren Intellekt, in unsere moralischen Impulse hineinkommen, damit wir nicht allzufrüh die Kräfte kristallisieren, die uns mitgegeben werden fürs Leben, die einverseelt werden unserem Wesen - ich will nicht sagen einverleibt. Dadurch haben wir etwas für das ganze Leben, dadurch richten wir uns wirklich im ganzen Leben nach solchen uns einverseelten intellektuellen und moralischen Impulsen.
In einer gewissen Weise werden wir, wenn wir nun heranrücken an die Begriffe der geistigen Welten, freier gemacht. Es war oftmals die Rede davon und es muß oftmals die Rede davon sein, daß auch dieses Eintreten in die geistigen Welten wiederum eine Art Erwachen ist aus dem gewöhnlichen Lebenszustande, aus den gewöhnlichen Lebensverhältnissen heraus; also wiederum eine solche ähnliche Nuance in den Lebensmetamorphosen, wie die von der Kindheit zu der Urteilsfähigkeit des Lebens.
Dadurch aber sind wir in der Tat sehr leicht in die Lage versetzt, wenn wir so begriffsmäßig, wie es sein soll, die geisteswissenschaftliche Weltanschauung aufnehmen, die feste Richtung des Lebens, die wir vorher gehabt haben, ins Wanken geraten zu sehen. Es handelt sich deshalb darum, gerade den ganzen Menschen, der uns einverpflanzt ist, zusammenzunehmen, wenn wir in das Begreifen der geistigen Welten eintreten, weil wir dieses durch die Kindheit uns einverpflanzte, einverseelte Lebenskapital um so notwendiger brauchen, wenn wir an diejenigen Dinge herantreten, die uns aus der Welt jenseits der Schwelle des Lebens geoffenbart werden sollen. Und ich zeigte Ihnen, wie leicht es ist, unter selbstverständlichen Einflüssen der verschiedenen Zeitströmungen da oder dorthin abzuirren. Denn solch ein Abirren, wie es zum Beispiel in Sirnetts «Esoterischem Buddhismus» der Fall ist, kommt dadurch zustande, daß der starke Impuls des Materialismus auf die Seelen der Menschen wirken kann, ich sage: wirken kann.
Ebenso aber, wie dadurch, weil orientalisierende Einflüsse da waren, ein Abirren möglich war nach der Richtung, die ganze Natur des heutigen Mondes eigentlich zu verleugnen, zu verleumden, ebenso können wir auf der anderen Seite abirren, die Möglichkeit eines Abirrens sehen dadurch, daß gewisse Menschen ein Interesse haben, die Wahrheit von den wiederholten Erdenleben nicht herauskommen zu lassen. Derjenige — und das ist in diesem Falle nicht Herr Sinnett, sondern derjenige, der hinter ihm gestanden hat -, der ein Interesse daran hat, das menschliche Erdenleben so zu gestalten, daß der Materialismus gleichsam noch übermaterialisiert wird, bringt so etwas, wie die Lehre vom Monde, in ein sonst wahres System hinein und lenkt dadurch das wahre System nach einer bestimmten Richtung ab.
Nun wissen wir ja, daß die abendländische Kultur mit ihrem amerikanischen Nachwuchse seit den letzten Jahrhunderten unter einem starken Impulse des Christentums steht. Ich habe mich selber bemüht zu zeigen, daß mit Christentum nicht nur gemeint sein kann, wie man das Christentum heute begreifen kann. Begreifen wird man vieles erst in der Zukunft, und wir fangen selber ja erst an, manches von dem Mysterium von Golgatha zu begreifen. Aber die Impulse des Christentums sind reale Impulse, sie wirken auch dann, wenn sie die Menschen noch nicht verstehen. Nur mußten sie in den verflossenen Jahrhunderten so wirken, daß ausgeschlossen wurde ein Teil der allgemeinen Weltenwahrheiten, der ganz gut mit dem Christentum verträglich ist. Aber die Einsicht reichte nicht aus, um klar zu begreifen, daß er damit verträglich ist. Es wurde das, was sich auf die wiederholten Erdenleben bezieht, ausgeschlossen aus dem Christentum. Und so ist eine abendländische Kultur und ein amerikanischer Nachwuchs entstanden, mit einem Christentum, das gewisse Bestandteile wie dieLehre von den wiederholten Erdenleben ausgeschlossen hat.
Nun habe ich gezeigt, wie gewisse Okkultisten sich bemüht haben, ihrerseits dieses fortzuführen, wie sie einseitig alles aufbringen wollten, um diese nun einmal hergebrachte Anschauung von den christlichen Impulsen zu retten: diese Anschauung, die ausgeschlossen hat die Wahrheit von den wiederholten Erdenleben. Ich habe auf gewisse okkultistische Richtungen, die zum Beispiel in Beziehung zur Hochkirche stehen, hingewiesen. Das waren durchaus wissende Leute, um die es sich da gehandelt hat. Ja, man kann sagen, daß sie okkultistisch viel besser geschult waren als die führenden Leute der Theosophischen Gesellschaft. Aber ihnen lag alles daran, die Lehre von den wiederholten Erdenleben weiter zu eliminieren; und das hängt zusammen damit, daß sie ableugneten, daß der Mensch — so wie ich es in der «Geheimwissenschaft im Umriß» dargestellt habe - im Laufe seiner Erdenentwickelung doch ein Verhältnis mit den anderen Planeten unseres Sonnensystems eingeht.
Diejenigen Kräfte, welche da in die Menschenseele verpflanzt werden, haben es hauptsächlich zu tun mit des Menschen Anteil am außerirdischen Kosmos; und über diesen Anteil der Menschenseele am außerirdischen Kosmos möchte man von dieser Seite her gerade die Menschen im unklaren lassen. Man möchte sie ablenken von dem Bewußtsein, daß die Seele nicht nur mit den irdischen Wesen und den irdischen Ereignissen einen Zusammenhang hat, sondern auch mit dem, was im Kosmos draußen ist, was uns zum Beispiel entgegenleuchter von den anderen Planeten unseres Sonnensystems.
Hauptsächlich haben die Impulse, welche von den anderen Planeten unseres Sonnensystems ausgehen, indem sie auf den Menschen wirken, die Gewalt, die Seele als lebendige Seele dem physischen Tode zu entreißen. Damit haben sie es vorzugsweise zu tun, wie Sie es aus den Schilderungen über das Leben zwischen dem Tod und einer neuen Geburt ersehen können, die ich in den verschiedenen Zusammenhängen und von verschiedenen Gesichtspunkten aus gegeben habe.
Wenn Sie aber zurückgehen in der Menschheitsentwickelung, dann werden Sie sehen, daß gerade in den Zeiten, in denen noch atavistische Erkenntnisse, hellseherische Erkenntnisse wie ein Erbteil aus alten Zeiten vorhanden waren, die Menschen ihren Blick nach den anderen Sternen unseres Sonnensystems hinlenkten; und dasjenige, was für unsere Zeit eine so fragwürdige Wissenschaft geworden ist, die Astrologie, spielte eine ungeheuer große Rolle in den alten Zeiten.
Warum, so können wir uns fragen, hat die Astrologie aufgehört, diese Rolle zu spielen? Weil, um dem Christentum Zeit zu geben, sich in das Erdentum hineinzuleben, der Blick der Seelen abgelenkt werden mußte. So wie von der imaginativen Welt der Hellseherblick abgelenkt werden mußte, so mußte abgelenkt werden der Blick von den Impulsen, die von den Planeten unseres Sonnensystems ausgehen. Was von der Astrologie geblieben ist, das sind alles alte Traditionen. Ich habe mich darüber öfter ausgesprochen. Gewissermaßen können wir sagen: das alte Hellsehen und auch der alte Blick und das Wissen von den Impulsen, die von den Planeten unseres Sonnensystems ausgehen, das alles wurde eingeschränkt. Der Mensch wurde zurückverwiesen auf unsere bloß wahrnehmbare Welt, auf seine Sinne, mit denen er nur das sehen sollte, was auf der Erde vorgeht, damit stark werden konnten die Impulse vom Mysterium von Golgatha, damit sie versenkt werden konnten in die Seelen, in die Gefühle der Gläubigen, damit die Menschen sich verinnerlichen konnten.
Denn das Hellsehen war in alten Zeiten doch eine äußerliche Fähigkeit. Man brauchte es nicht zu erwerben, man hatte es als Erbgut. Wie man heute Augen und Ohren hat, so hatte man damals das Hellsehen. Es kommen aber die Zeiten heran, in denen man es immer mehr und mehr wieder erwerben wird. Dazu mußte man einmal abgeschlossen werden von der geistigen Welt und beschränkt werden auf die äußere mineralische Welt, damit von innen heraus alles wieder aufgebaut werden kann. So muß von innen heraus aufgebaut werden das, was man früher von außen herein gesehen hat. Ich will es Ihnen einmal schematisch andeuten.
Stellen Sie sich einen Menschen vor mit dem alten hellseherischen Blick. Der richtete seinen Blick — ich will das Auge als Repräsentant für den hellseherischen Blick setzen, obgleich der hellseherische Blick nicht an das Auge gebunden ist — hinaus in die Sternensphäre und sah in dieser die verschiedenen geistigen Impulse, die von ihr herkommen (siehe Zeichnung).

Dann im Verlaufe der Zeiten erlosch dieses Hellsehen, und des Menschen Blick wurde auf das irdische Leben beschränkt. An die Stelle des früheren Hellsehens mußte etwas anderes treten. Was dahin treten mußte, könnten wir jetzt so zeichnen. Wir könnten sagen: Das, was früher von außen nach innen herangekommen war, das mußte jetzt von innen nach außen gehen. Der Mensch mußte gleichsam das, was der Himmel in ihn verpflanzt hatte, wiederum lernen hinauszuprojizieren, damit er seinen Zusammenhang wiederfindet mit den Him melserscheinungen.

Gerade der umgekehrte Weg mußte gemacht werden. Es ist wirklich so, daß die menschliche Natur gerade jetzt in diesem Zeitpunkte in einer Umorganisation begriffen ist. Sie ist durchgegangen, ich möchte sagen, durch den Punkt der äußersten Verfinsterung, und einer der Ausdrücke dafür ist das, was ich die Hochflut des Materialismus im 19. Jahrhundert genannt habe. Aber es bereitet sich für die Menschheit schon wieder ein Hinausleben vor. Wenn wir das okkultistisch charakterisieren wollen, so können wir sagen: die Menschen haben früher nicht nur wahrgenommen und gedacht mit ihrem physischen Leibe, sondern sie haben wahrgenommen und gedacht mit ihrem Ätherleibe. Das im Atherleibe Wahrgenommene wurde im astralischen Leibe als Astrologie bewußt; heute, in der Astronomie, wird alles errechnet. Jetzt muß der Ätherleib wieder belebt werden, und das hängt zusammen mit dem ätherischen Wiedererscheinen des Christus. Indem die Atherleiber wieder belebt werden, schauen sie den Christus. Aber Sie sehen: eine Belebung, eine Vitalisierung des Ätherleibes muß stattfinden.
Man kann da ganz merkwürdige Entdeckungen machen, wenn man auf die Dinge wirklich eingeht. Es ist das ganze Gefühl dafür verschwunden, daß der Mensch einen Ätherleib hat; dagegen ist das Gefühl aufgetaucht, als wenn der Mensch nur einen physischen Leib hätte. Aber Sie stellten sich etwas ganz Falsches vor, wenn Sie glauben würden, diese Meinung, daß der Mensch bloß einen physischen Leib habe, sei wirklich so sehr alt. Sie ist gar nicht so alt. Wenn wirklich dieses Beschränken auf den physischen Leib durch die Hochflut des Materialismus des 19. Jahrhunderts bewirkt worden ist, dann, könnten Sie sagen, müssen die Menschen vorher doch noch etwas geahnt haben von dem Atherleibe, der da untertauchte, und der jetzt wieder auftaucht. Nun, Beweise dafür, daß die Leute wirklich etwas gewußt haben von dem Ätherleibe, ein Wissen hatten, das da war und jetzt allmählich unberücksichtigt gelassen wurde, könnte ich Ihnen viele geben. Ich könnte Ihnen viele Stellen bringen aus älteren Werken. Ich will Ihnen aber nur eine Stelle vorlesen aus einem im Jahre 1827 erschienenen Buche. Darin finden Sie auf Seite 208 eine merkwürdige Stelle. Ich werde sie recht langsam vorlesen, damit Sie während des Vorlesens darauf achten können, wie anders man heute über diese Dinge schreibt, unter dem Einflusse der ganz materialistisch gewordenen Weltanschauung.
«Man verbindet fälschlich mit der bloßen Aufnahme von Speise und Trank und deren Verarbeitung in den Dauungsorganen den Begriff der Ernährung. Nicht von Speise und Trank, sondern vom Blute wird der Organismus ernährt und das organische Leben unterhalten, und zwar auch vom Blute (dem neutralisierten irdischen und ätherischen Lebensprinzip)» — also er zeigt, daß er nicht vom physischen Blute spricht, sondern von dem, was dem Blute als ätherisches Lebensprinzip zugrunde liegt — «nicht eher, als bis es in den plastischen Häuten zum belebenden und bildenden Hauch (Aura vitalis) gesteigert und gleichsam sublimiert ist.»
Was will der Mann damit sagen? Die äußere Ernährung, das ist eigentlich nicht die Haupterscheinung, sondern das, worauf es ankommt, ist, daß, während die äußere Ernährung sich vollzieht, die Speisen gewisse Extrakte von sich ins Blut senden, so daß ein Prozeß vorgeht in dem, was als ätherisiertes Lebensprinzip dem Blute zugrunde liegt. Im Jahre 1827 schreibt man das. Der Schreiber hat sogar eine Klammer gemacht da, wo er sagt: «... bis es in den plastischen Häuten zum belebenden und bildenden Hauch (Aura vitalis) gesteigert und gleichsam sublimiert ist.» Dieses «plastisch» ist dasselbe Wort wie «imaginativ». Ich könnte ebensogut lesen: «... als bis es in den imaginativ bildsamen Häuten zum belebenden und bildenden Hauch (Aura vitalis) gesteigert und gleichsam sublimiert ist.» In Klammern steht: «Aura vitalis.» Das können Sie nicht anders übersetzen, als: Atherleib.
Der Mann, der das geschrieben hat, war Professor der psychischen Heilkunde auf der Universität zu Leipzig und Arzt am St.Georgenhause daselbst. Es ist Dr. Johann Christian August Heinroth, von dem ich im Zusammenhange mit Goethe einmal gesprochen habe.
Sie werden daraus ahnen können - und solch ein Beispiel könnte man nach Hunderten vermehren -, wie ganz anders der Ton war, wie in die materialistische Weltanschauung hinein versunken ist das Wissen, das vor gar nicht zu langer Zeit noch vorhanden war. Man kann sagen, es war ein Strom von Wissen da. Man könnte es schematisch so aufzeichnen:

Der Strom versickert da, und die materialistische Weltanschauung kommt herauf. Aber unter der Strömung, sozusagen als Unterströmung entwickelt sich in der Menschennatur das, was ich gesagt habe: von innen heraus baut sich wiederum der Zusammenhang mit dem Kosmos auf. Sie können jetzt wieder sagen: Beweise uns, daß es Menschen gegeben hat, die etwas davon ahnten, daß, während auf der einen Seite das Wissen von der alten Bedeutung des Ätherleibes, der von außen die Eindrücke bekam, versickert, es auf der anderen Seite vielleicht doch schon Menschen gegeben hat, welche gewußt haben, daß von innen heraus der Ätherleib sich wieder vitalisierte.
Da will ich Ihnen eine Stelle vorlesen aus einem Buche, das allerdings noch früher erschienen ist, und aus dem Sie ersehen können, daß es schon Leute gegeben hat, die darauf aufmerksam machten, wie die Menschheitsorganisation sich in der Zukunft ändern wird. Allerdings ist die Sache sehr verhüllt erzählt, aber sie ist immerhin erzählt. Es wird in diesem Buche von einer Frauengestalt erzählt. Die meisten von Ihnen werden wissen, wenn ich die Stelle vorlese, woraus sie ist.
Diese Frau befindet sich zu unserem Sonnensystem — so wird gesagt - «in einem Verhältnis, welches man auszusprechen kaum wagen darf. In dem Geiste, der Seele, der Einbildungskraft hegt sie, schaut sie es nicht nur, sondern sie macht gleichsam einen Teil desselben: sie sieht sich in jenen himmlischen Kreisen mit fortgezogen, aber auf eine ganz eigene Art; sie wandelt seit ihrer Kindheit um die Sonne, und zwar, wie nun entdeckt ist, in einer Spirale, sich immer mehr vom Mittelpunkt entfernend und nach den äußeren Regionen hinkreisend.» Also es wird hier erzählt, daß es eine Seele im Frauenkörper gibt, die nicht mehr mit dem Erdenleben, sondern mit dem Sonnenleben geht, daß sie im Laufe des Lebens immer größere Kreise zieht, ja, daß man annehmen kann, daß die Wesen, insofern sie körperlich sind, nach dem Zentrum, und insofern sie geistig sind, nach der Peripherie streben. Es wird also eine Seele beschrieben, die mit dem Kosmos lebt:
«Makarie befindet sich zu unserm Sonnensystem in einem Verhältnis, welches man auszusprechen kaum wagen darf. In dem Geiste, der Seele, der Einbildungskraft hegt sie, schaut sie es nicht nur, sondern sie macht gleichsam einen Teil desselben: sie sieht sich in jenen himmlischen Kreisen mit fortgezogen, aber auf eine ganz eigene Art; sie wandelt seit ihrer Kindheit um die Sonne, und zwar, wie nun entdeckt ist, in einer Spirale, sich immer mehr vom Mittelpunkt entfernend und nach den äußeren Regionen hinkreisend.
Wenn man annehmen darf, daß die Wesen, insofern sie körperlich sind, nach dem Zentrum, insofern sie geistig sind, nach der Peripherie streben, so gehört unsere Freundin zu den geistigsten; sie scheint nur geboren, um sich von dem Irdischen zu entbinden, um die nächsten und fernsten Räume des Daseins zu durchdringen. Diese Eigenschaft, so herrlich sie ist, ward ihr doch seit den frühesten Jahren als eine schwere Aufgabe verliehen. Sie erinnert sich von klein auf ihres innern Selbst als von leuchtenden Wesen durchdrungen, von einem Licht erhellt, welchem sogar das hellste Sonnenlicht nichts anhaben konnte.» — Sie trägt in sich also Lichtquellen, und das äußere Licht kann ihr nichts anhaben. — «Oft sah sie zwei Sonnen, eine innere nämlich, und eine außen am Himmel, zwei Monde, wovon der äußere in seiner Größe bei allen Phasen sich gleich blieb, der innere sich immer mehr und mehr verminderte.
Diese Gabe zog ihren Anteil ab von gewöhnlichen Dingen, aber ihre trefflichen Eltern wendeten alles auf ihre Bildung; alle Fähigkeiten wurden an ihr lebendig, alle Tätigkeiten wirksam, dergestalt, daß sie allen äußeren Verhältnissen zu genügen wußte, und indem ihr Herz, ihr Geist ganz von überirdischen Gesichten erfüllt war, doch ihr Tun und Handeln immerfort dem edelsten Sittlichen gemäß blieb. Wie sie heranwuchs, überall hilfreich, unaufhaltsam in großen und kleinen Diensten, wandelte sie wie ein Engel Gottes auf Erden, indem ihr geistiges Ganze sich zwar um die Weltsonne, aber nach dem Überweltlichen in stetig zunehmenden Kreisen bewegte.
Die Überfülle dieses Zustandes ward einigermaßen dadurch gemildert, daß es auch in ihr zu tagen und zu nachten schien, da sie denn bei gedämpftem inneren Licht äußere Pflichten auf das treuste zu erfüllen strebte, bei frisch aufleuchtendem Innern sich der seligsten Ruhe hingab. Ja, sie will bemerkt haben, daß eine Art von Wolken sie von Zeit zu Zeit umschwebten und ihr den Anblick der himmlichen Genossen auf eine Zeitlang umdämmerten, eine Epoche, die sie stets zu Wohl und Freude ihrer Umgebungen zu benutzen wußte.
Solange sie die Anschauungen geheim hielt, gehörte viel dazu, sie zu ertragen. Was sie davon offenbarte, wurde nicht anerkannt oder mißdeutet; sie ließ es daher in ihrem langen Leben nach außen als Krankheit gelten, und so spricht man in der Familie noch immer davon: zuletzt aber hat ihr das gute Glück den Mann zugeführt, den Ihr bei uns seht, als Arzt, Mathematiker und Astronom gleich schätzbar, durchaus ein edler Mensch, der sich jedoch erst eigentlich aus Neugierde zu ihr heranfand. Als sie aber Vertrauen gegen ihn gewann, ihm nach und nach ihre Zustände beschrieben, das Gegenwärtige ans Vergangene angeschlossen und in die Ereignisse einen Zusammenhang gebracht hatte, ward er so von der Erscheinung eingenommen, daß er sich nicht mehr von ihr trennen konnte, sondern Tag vor Tag stets tiefer in das Geheimnis einzudringen trachtere.
Im Anfange, wie er nicht undeutlich zu verstehen gab, hielt er es für Täuschung; denn sie leugnete nicht, daß von der ersten Jugend an sie sich um die Stern- und Himmelskunde fleißig bekümmert habe, daß sie darin wohl unterrichtet worden und keine Gelegenheit versäumt, sich durch Maschinen und Bücher den Weltbau immer mehr zu versinnlichen. Deshalb er sich denn nicht ausreden ließ, es sei eingelernt, die Wirkung einer in hohem Grad geregelten Einbildungskraft, der Einfluß des Gedächtnisses sei zu vermuten, eine Mitwirkung der Urteilskraft, besonders aber eines versteckten Kalkuls.
Er ist ein Mathematiker und also hartnäckig, ein heller Geist und also ungläubig; er wehrte sich lange, bemerkte jedoch, was sie angab, genau, suchte der Folge verschiedener Jahre beizukommen, hielt sich besonders an die neusten mit dem gegenseitigen Stande der Himmelslichter übereintreffenden Angaben und rief endlich aus: «Nun, warum sollte Gott und die Natur nicht auch eine lebendige Armillarsphäre, ein geistiges Räderwerk erschaffen und einrichten, daß es, wie ja die Uhren es uns täglich und stündlich leisten, dem Gang der Gestirne von selbst auf eigene Weise zu folgen imstande wäre!»
Hier aber wagen wir nicht, weiter zu gehen; denn das Unglaubliche verliert seinen Wert, wenn man es näher im einzelnen beschauen will. Doch sagen wir so viel. Dasjenige, was zur Grundlage der anzustellenden Berechnungen diente, war Folgendes: ihr, der Seherin, erschien unsere Sonne in der Vision um vieles kleiner, als sie solche bei Tage erblickte; auch gab eine ungewöhnliche Stellung dieses höheren Himmelslichtes im Tierkreise Anlaß zu Folgerungen. Dagegen entstanden Zweifel und Irrungen, weil die Schauende ein und das andere Gestirn andeutete, als gleichfalls in dem Zodiak erscheinend, von denen aber am Himmel nichts gewahr werden konnte. Es mochten die damals noch unentdeckten kleinen Planeten sein; denn aus andern Angaben ließ sich schließen, daß sie, längst über die Bahn des Mars hinaus, der Bahn des Jupiter sich nähere. Offenbar hatte sie eine Zeitlang diesen Planeten, es wäre schwer zu sagen, in welcher Entfernung, mit Staunen in seiner ungeheuren Herrlichkeit betrachtet und das Spiel seiner Monde um ihn her geschaut, hernach aber ihn auf die wunderseltsamste Weise als abnehmenden Mond gesehen, und zwar umgewendet, wie uns der wachsende Mond erscheint. Daraus wurde geschlossen, daß sie ihn von der Seite sehe und wirklich im Begriff sei, über dessen Bahn hinauszuschreiten und in dem unendlichen Raum dem Saturn entgegenzustreben. Dorthin folgt ihr keine Einbildungskraft, aber wir hoffen, daß eine solche Entelechie sich nicht ganz aus unserm Sonnensystem entfernen, sondern wenn sie an die Grenze desselben gelangt ist, sich wieder zurücksehnen werde, um zu Gunsten unserer Urenkel in das irdische Leben und Wohltun wieder einzuwirken.»
Da haben wir auf eine sehr bedeutungsvolle Art die Anschauung dargestellt, wie die Seele des Menschen wirklich werden will, wie die Seele des Menschen aus dem Inneren heraus wiederum zur Sternenwelt zurückkehren wird. Ich habe Ihnen die Schilderung Makariens vorgelesen aus «Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre» von Goethe, und er hat dabei ausdrücklich hinzugefügt, daß er nicht alles gesagt habe. Er deutete an, daß es eine ätherische Dichtung ist, mit den Worten: «Indem wir nun diese ätherische Dichtung, Verzeihung hoffend, hiermit beschließen, wenden wir uns wieder zu jenem terrestrischen Märchen, wovon wir oben eine vorübergehende Andeutung gegeben.»
Und bevor Goethe die Schilderung Makariens gibt, sagt er: «Zu diesem Punkte aber gelangt, können wir der Versuchung nicht widerstehen, ein Blatt aus unseren Archiven» — Goethe meint geistige Archive — «mitzuteilen, welches Makarien betrifft und die besondere Eigenschaft, die ihrem Geist erteilt ward. Leider ist dieser Aufsatz erst lange Zeit, nachdem der Inhalt mitgeteilt worden, aus dem Gedächtnis geschrieben und nicht, wie es in einem so merkwürdigen Fall wünschenswert wäre, für ganz authentisch anzusehen. Dem sei aber, wie ihm wolle, so wird hier schon so viel mitgeteilt, um Nachdenken zu erregen und Aufmerksamkeit zu empfehlen, ob nicht irgendwo schon etwas ähnliches oder sich annäherndes bemerkt und verzeichnet worden.»
Ich wollte Sie auf diese Episode aus «Wilhelm Meisters Wanderjahre» aufmerksam machen, weil Sie daraus ersehen, daß wir mit unserer Geisteswissenschaft wirklich den Anforderungen der Zeit entgegenkommen. Die Menschennatur ändert sich so, daß sie wieder aus sich selber heraus gebären wird, was sie verloren hat von der alten Erbschaft aus der vorirdischen Welt. Und es werden die Menschen wissen müssen, was an sie herantritt, sonst würden sie ganz verwirrt werden. So muß sich das, was Geisteswissenschaft ist, in unsere Zeit hineinstellen.
Aber in dem Augenblicke, wo die Menschen auf dieses, worauf hier gedeutet worden ist, aufmerksam werden, kommt unweigerlich, daß sie auch auf die Reinkarnationslehre kommen müssen, weil sie sich sagen müssen, daß eine solche Entelechie aus der jenseitigen Welt, aus der Jupiter-, Saturnsphäre und so weiter doch wieder etwas zu tun haben könnte mit der Erde und zu uns zurückkehren könnte. Deshalb, sagen diejenigen Okkultisten, die die Reinkarnationslehre nicht aufkommen lassen wollen, müssen Barrikaden aufgerichtet werden gegen das Herankommen dieser Anschauung, und diese Barrikaden werden dadurch aufgerichtet, daß man die Menschen möglichst ablenkt von dem Zusammenhange mit den Weltenkörpern des Sonnensystems. So sehen wir, wie gerade von dieser Seite ein intensives Interesse vorhanden ist, gewisse Dinge nicht aufkommen zu lassen. Ich habe gestern gesagt: Ist ein Interesse für eine einseitige Richtung vorhanden, so findet sie immer eine Stütze; die Wahrheit im allgemeinen aber wird angefochten und alles mögliche geschieht, um die Wahrheit an sich gar nicht herauskommen zu lassen. Und es wird zu dem richtigen Stehen innerhalb unserer geistigen Bewegung gehören, daß wir uns voll bewußt sind, daß die Wahrheit, die gesucht wird, von vielen, vielen Seiten angefochten werden wird. Aber nichts ist notwendiger, als daß wir versuchen, um gewappnet zu sein, wirklich nach allen Seiten hin Klarheit des Denkens zu entwickeln. Sie müssen ins Auge fassen, daß dasjenige, was als gegnerisch, namentlich was als gegnerische Persönlichkeiten gegen unsere Bewegung auftritt, wirklich zum großen Teile Figuranten sind für die gegnerischen Mächte. Wir treten da in ein Wirken übersinnlicher Gewalten ein. Diese übersinnlichen Gewalten, zu denen Ahriman und Luzifer gehören, wirken selbstverständlich im Menschenleben durch Menschenseelen, die einfach ihre Werkzeuge sind.
Daher ist es notwendig, genau zu wissen, um was es sich in dem einen und in dem anderen Falle handelt; aber das Allernotwendigste ist, niemals zu versäumen, sich ein ganz klares, exaktes Denken anzueignen — so gut man eben kann. Sie wissen ja, das Leben selbst hat seine Widersprüche, und Hegel hat seine ganze Philosophie aufgebaut auf die Aufdeckung der Widersprüche im Dasein. Darum handelt es sich nicht, die Widersprüche zu vermeiden im Leben, denn die sind da. Aber darum handelt es sich, den Widerspruch zu erkennen und ins Auge zu fassen.
Ahriman und Luzifer können nur etwas machen, wenn ein Widerspruch unbemerkt bleibt, wenn wir nicht die Kraft und den Willen haben, den Widerspruch aufzudecken. Überall da, wo wir uns in einen Widerspruch verwickeln, den wir nicht als Widerspruch erkennen, sondern einfach gelten lassen als einen lebenswahren Inhalt, überall da haben Luzifer und Ahriman die Möglichkeit, sich unserer Seele zu bemächtigen.
Nehmen wir einmal einen merkwürdigen Widerspruch, der uns in den letzten Wochen hier entgegengetreten ist. Ich habe, gedrängt durch die Tatsachen, Ihnen eine Stelle aus einem Briefe einer Dame vorlesen müssen, der die Worte enthielt, daß gewollt wurde von jener Seite her nicht die Lehre und nicht der Lehrer, sondern der Mensch. Also nicht die Lehre und nicht der Lehrer, sondern der Mensch wurde gesucht. Die Lehre wurde gewissermaßen als etwas wie eine Beigabe hingenommen und hingestellt, auf den Menschen wurde der Hauptwert gelegt. So wurde die Sache dargestellt. Dann kam etwas anderes, dann kam just die Umkehr. Der Mensch wurde in intensiver Weise abgelehnt und von der Lehre wurde behauptet, daß man sie als eine richtige anerkennen müsse. Denken Sie: auf der einen Seite wird behauptet, man suche nicht die Lehre und nicht den Lehrer, sondern den Menschen, und auf der anderen Seite wird behauptet: Den Menschen hasse ich, den Menschen lehne ich ab, der verspricht und hält nicht, was er verspricht; aber die Lehre ist gut, die Lehre nehme ich an.
Was heißt das eigentlich? Das heißt: Ich stand eine Zeitlang in einer gewissen Beziehung zu einem Menschen; der interessierte mich, die Lehre wenig. Dann wende ich mich von dem Menschen ab, und da betone ich das, was mich eigentlich gar nicht interessiert hat. Was ich vorher abgelehnt habe, das betone ich; ich habe die Lehre gar nicht aufgenommen und sage dann: sie sei gut. — Es ist doch klar, ich spreche über ein Nichts, indem ich so mich ausdrücke. Ich sage: ich behalte das, was ich gar nicht aufnehmen wollte, was ich gar nicht haben kann, weil ich vorher abgelehnt habe, es aufzunehmen.
Da haben Sie so ein lebendiges Beispiel von einem in der Welt existierenden Widerspruch. Wie können Sie denn zweifeln, daß da, wo solch ein Widerspruch sich geltend macht, noch irgendeine wirkliche innere Beziehung zu unserer geisteswissenschaftlichen Bewegung vorhanden sein kann! Da ist ja gar keine innere Verwandtschaft vorhanden zu dem, was unsere geisteswissenschaftliche Bewegung ist. Es ist wichtig, sich solch einen wirklichen Widerspruch vor Augen zu führen. Denn wenn wir solche Dinge unter uns nicht bemerken, dann werden wir den geraden Weg in die Erkenntnisse der geistigen Welt niemals finden. Selbstverständlich kann uns vieles entgehen, aber wir müssen den guten Willen haben, solche Lebenswidersprüche wirklich zu bemerken.
Aber auf der anderen Seite werden solche Widersprüche benützt, gerade um die Wahrheit gewissermaßen aus den Angeln zu heben. Denken Sie zum Beispiel, jemand würde sagen: Ein Mensch bringt eine Lehre, aber der Mensch ist voller Widersprüche, sogar voller Immoralitäten, sogar von der Kraft des Bösen beherrscht; die Lehre aber und verschiedenes andere, was mit der Lehre zusammenhängt, sei gut: das nehme man durchaus an. — Ja, wenn aber die Lehre, um die es sich handelt, gerade darin besteht, daß derjenige, der die Lehre und die Bewegung für diese Lehre vertritt, durch diese Lehre seine Beziehungen zu den anderen herstellt — daß er also das Verhältnis zwischen sich und den anderen gerade durch die Lehre herstellt -, wenn er überhaupt nichts anderes sein will als der Träger der Lehre: dann verlangt man aus solcher Einstellung heraus, daß er etwas anderes sein soll! Und während man allerlei von dem Menschen verlangt und doch im Grunde genommen dasjenige ablehnt, was die Lehre gibt, sagt man: Die Lehre ist gut, jedoch der Mensch ist schlecht!
Wahrhaftig, man kann auf eine solche Art, wenn man sich zu schwach fühlt, die Lehre irgendwie anzugreifen, schon etwas ausrichten gegen die Lehre bei denen, bei welchen man Glauben findet. Es ist der beste Weg, eine Lehre, die man nicht widerlegen kann, auf diese Art in Grund und Boden zu bohren, denn man liefert sie den luziferisch-ahrimanischen Mächten aus, wie ich gestern schon angedeutet habe.
Wie oft ist gerade in unserer Bewegung gesagt worden, unsere Lehre soll nicht bloß Theorie sein, sondern soll unmittelbares Leben sein. Indem man sie zur bloßen Theorie macht, tötet man sie; man übergibt sie Ahriman, dem Gotte des Todes. Es ist die beste Methode, Ahriman dasjenige zu übergeben, was gelehrt wird, und es in ordnungsmäßiger Art aus der Welt zu schaffen, und es ist eine Methode, die sehr ähnlich ist, wie Sie sehen, dem, was gewisse Individualitäten getan haben, die, sagen wir, hinter Mr. Sinnett standen. Sie haben ihm eine bestimmte Direktion eingegeben, die nicht richtig war, um ihn nach einer gewissen falschen Richtung hinzuleiten. Diese Direktion bestand darin, daß man gerade das Richtige verleumdete. Der Mond, der eigentlich als physischer Mond eine Paralysierung ist gegenüber der achten Sphäre, wird zur achten Sphäre erklärt. Die achte Sphäre wird dadurch gerade verdeckt, wird weggewischt. Und später wird das von H. P. Blavatsky dadurch korrigiert, daß gesagt wird — während Jahve im Monde ein Heilmittel geschaffen hat gegenüber der achten Sphäre -, daß er nur die niedere Lebenssphäre, die Sinnessphäre des Menschen geschaffen habe. Es besteht also diese Methode darin, daß man einen Dunst des Verächtlichmachens über irgend etwas verbreitet, und es damit in ein falsches Licht stellt. Wenn Sie genau eingehen auf die Dinge, so werden Sie sehen, daß das, was hier bei uns passiert ist, in der Hauptsache von demselben Schnitte ist, nur in kleinerem Maßstabe. Es ist ein Versuch, das, was als Wahrheit in die Welt treten will, zu verleumden. Man fühlt sich zu schwach, die Lehre zu widerlegen, also klagt man denjenigen an, der die Lehre zu vertreten hat. Damit ist verknüpft, daß man selber zu schwach ist, die Lehre zu durchdringen.
Es ist ein ungeheuer bemerkenswertes Problem für denjenigen, der mit Ernst und Würde in unseren Reihen steht, denn diese Dinge müssen wir von einem höheren Gesichtspunkte aus durchschauen. Ich will noch ein Beispiel geben. Ich führe diese Beispiele an, weil sie naheliegen und weil sie uns zeigen, wohin wir den Blick richten müssen und wie sie dazu dienen können, die nächsten Dinge von einem höheren Gesichtspunkte aus zu beurteilen. Es muß in unserer Bewegung aufs schärfste betont werden — und es geschah die ganzen Jahre hindurch, seitdem unsere Bewegung von mir vertreten wird —, daß das atavistische Hellsehen in das richtige Licht gestellt werde, daß man niemals sich täusche über das alte atavistische Hellsehen. Was man erfand, um das, was wir tun oder wollen, in der allerschärfsten Weise zu entstellen, dafür ist ein Beispiel, daß man sagte: Man kann sehen, da ist eine Bewegung, die sich darauf verlegt, das Hellsehen zu pflegen -, und daß man sich bemühte, die Sache so zu wenden, als ob in dieser Bewegung alle Menschen veranlaßt würden, das Hellsehen zu pflegen. Wenn so etwas getan wird, dann breitet man über diese Bewegung einen Nebel aus. Die Wahrheit wird geradezu umgekehrt, wenn es auch ganz begründet ist, daß wir das Hellsehen pflegen müssen. Aber man hat da ein gutes Mittel, um die Menschen haßerfüllt zu machen gegen die Bewegung.
Man kann ja sagen, wenn eine Bewegung heute auftritt, muß sie so auftreten, daß sie nicht mehr das alte atavistische Hellsehen pflegt. Wenn man aber anhängt: Das aber tut diese Bewegung - so heißt das, man sagt dasselbe, was die Bewegung auch sagt, dann aber hängt man gerade der Bewegung den Tadel an, der mit diesen Worten ausgesprochen wird. Man dreht also die Richtung des Pfeiles um. Das tritt uns zum Beispiel in unserer Nähe entgegen. In unserer Nähe wird gepredigt, vorgetragen, daß insbesondere von mir diejenigen, die hier in Dornach versammelt sind, zum Hellsehen angehalten würden. Dabei läßt man durchblicken, daß das ein krankhaft atavistisches Hellsehen sei.
Selbstverständlich hat derjenige, der das sagt, keine Ahnung, was er eigentlich sagt. Er ist selbstverständlich ein Figurant. Aber wir müssen tiefer hineinschauen in die Zusammenhänge. Wir müssen uns klar sein darüber, daß wir in einer Zeit leben, wo solche Impulse gegen uns geltend gemacht werden. Und besonders grotesk würde uns das dann entgegentreten können, wenn unsere Lehre selber als Waffe gegen uns genommen würde, und wir von unserer Lehre aus widerlegt würden. Auch das ist sogar schon geschehen. Sie wissen, in einer der Gegenschriften der letzten Woche ist mit Zitaten der «Mysteriendramen» und der «Geheimwissenschaft» ein Angriff geformt worden gegen das, was von mir vertreten wird. Sie haben also überall die Mächte am Werke, die die Wahrheit nicht aufkommen lassen wollen.
Über die Wahrheit selbst brauchen wir uns keine Sorge zu machen, insbesondere dann nicht, wenn wir wahrnehmen, daß wir mit unseren eigenen Wahrheiten sogar angegriffen werden, daß man also das, was wir selber sagen, gegen uns wendet. Also nicht um eine Widerlegung, sondern um das, was wir eigentlich tun, handelt es sich. Wir haben daher nicht nötig gehabt, solange wir nicht angegriffen wurden, irgendwie auf Polemiken uns einzulassen. Daher auch unsere Ablehnung der Polemik, wie oft früher betont wurde. Die Wahrheit darf in die Welt gehen, indem sie nur das Positive betont. Aber in dem Augenblicke, wo Behauptungen in die Welt gehen, die die Wahrheit gar nicht berühren, da müssen wir gewappnet sein und erkennen, von welchem Gesichtspunkte aus solche Dinge zu beurteilen sind. Wir dürfen uns nicht nur auf den Standpunkt stellen, daß wir nachdenken über das, was in den Büchern steht, sondern wir müssen das ins Leben umsetzen, was als Lebensprinzip in unserer Lehre ist. Das heißt aber, daß wir das Leben nach den Prinzipien unserer Lehre beurteilen, daß wir also nicht über irgendwelche äußeren Angriffe so denken, wie wir nur denken müßten, wenn wir unsere Lehre wie eine Theorie aufgenommen hätten. Die Notwendigkeit der Polemik beginnt erst, wenn wir angegriffen werden. Dann aber müssen wir wissen, daß wir eine Lehre haben, die sehr leicht in ihr Gegenteil verkehrt werden kann, die wir daher zu hüten und zu bewachen haben. Insbesondere müssen wir uns vor allen Einseitigkeiten bewahren. |
Es konnte zum Beispiel dieser oder jener Unterton gehört werden in dem, was da oder dort gesprochen worden ist: Untertöne, die von etwas kommen, was sehr leicht in das Extreme verfällt. Und da ist man recht leicht widerlegbar. Denken Sie doch nur einmal, daß wir genötigt waren, manches Wort über allerlei Einbildungen mit Bezug auf diese oder jene Inkarnationen zu sprechen. Wenn wir das bis zu dem Extrem treiben würden, daß wir jede solche Sache verlachen, dann würden unsere Gegner sagen können: Die lehren da etwas! Aber wenn sie irgendwie nur daran tippen sollen, dann machen sie sich selber darüber lustig.
Wir haben selbstverständlich keinen Grund, seelische, hellseherische Erlebnisse abzulehnen; wir haben nur die Pflicht, ihnen auf den Grund zu gehen, wenn es sich darum handelt, daß im Dienste der persönlichen Eitelkeit solche seelischen Erlebnisse entstellt werden, oder gar, wenn der äußere Gang der Ereignisse zeigt, daß diese seelischen Erlebnisse nicht richtig sind. Wir dürfen also, wenn ich das trivial sagen darf, das Kind nicht mit dem Bade ausschütten. In eine wissenschaftliche Theorie darf sich unsere Gesellschaft gewiß nicht umwandeln.
Und auch da sehen Sie, daß diese Gefahr sehr leicht kommen kann. Ich habe erwähnt, daß eine gewisse Schrift, die uns in den letzten Tagen zugesandt worden ist, geschickt geschrieben ist. Sie ist wirklich geschickt geschrieben, denn man kann in keiner glaubhafteren Weise unsere Bewegung angreifen, als wenn man sagt: Die benehmen sich so, als ob sie jede Beziehung der sinnlichen Welt auf die geistige Welt ablehnen würden, als wenn sie überall dies alles leugnen würden. -— Das steht aber in jener Schrift. In einer beigelegten Schrift wird sonderbarerweise ausgeführt: Warum sollte denn nicht die Mutter Gottes sich auch noch wiederverkörpern? — Gewiß, kann man sagen, warum sollte sie es nicht? Es ist kein Grund da, daß es nicht sein kann. Aber Sie können gewiß sein, daß das exoterische Leben dieser Mutter Gottes dann anders gewesen wäre, daß die Wiederverkörperung nicht in solcher Weise aufgetreten wäre, wie sie da aufgetreten ist nicht als Persönlichkeit, sondern in der Art der Vertretung.
Wirklich, in diesen Dingen handelt es sich um etwas, was ich seit vielen Jahren betone, so betone, daß ich für notwendig gefunden habe, es einzufügen meiner philosophischen Grundschrift. Versuchen Sie die anderen Philosophien zu lesen. Sie werden in der Theorie, in den Ausdrucksformen auch in früheren Schriften manches finden, was in meiner «Philosophie der Freiheit» wiederkehrt. Aber eines ist da drinnen — wenigstens in der Art, wie es damit verwoben ist als ein ethisches Prinzip, als moralischer Impuls -, was, so wie es dort ausgedrückt ist, wirklich original ist: Es ist zum erstenmal eingefügt der moralische Takt als etwas, was nicht durch bloße Urteilskraft erfaßt werden kann, sondern wasnurerfaßt werden kann durch die Gänze des Gemüts; daß man.nicht, wenn irgend etwas leicht berührt werden soll, gleich ins Extrem verfällt und eine Sünde mit der anderen auskehren will, das ist moralischer Takt. Ich habe ihn so klar wie möglich zu definieren versucht gerade in der «Philosophie der Freiheit». Heute ist es wirklich notwendig zu betonen, daß wir der Gefahr entgehen müssen, in das andere Extrem zu verfallen, deshalb, weil wir eine fatale Sache zu behandeln haben.
Ich habe gestern auf die verschiedenen Gefahren hingewiesen. Aber gerade dabei habe ich die Notwendigkeit empfunden, heute noch etwas hinzuzufügen, weil ich das Augenmerk darauf lenken wollte, daß man nicht etwa in die anderen Extreme verfallen darf. Unser ganzes Wirken und das ganze Wesen unserer Bewegung muß darauf beruhen, die geistige Welt geltend zu machen, muß darauf beruhen, unser eigenes Leben mit der geistigen Welt im Zusammenhang zu empfinden und zu erleben.
Dann aber, wenn uns das heilig ist, müssen wir in taktvoller Weise es ablehnen, daß das unmittelbar persönliche Leben, das subjektiv persönliche Leben in die Dinge hineingezogen werde. Das ist wiederum nicht damit verknüpft, daß wir nicht forschen sollten, inwiefern wir selber die Wiederverkörperung von irgend jemand sind. Aber nun handelt es sich nicht darum, von einer Person aus die andere Persönlichkeit zu suchen. Das wäre ein bequemer Weg. Sondern es ist in einer solchen Weise zu suchen, wie ich es selber in einem Vortrage angedeutet habe. Es ist so zu suchen, daß wir zuerst darauf kommen, ich möchte sagen, gewisse Geheimnisse unseres Lebens zu durchschauen. Dann werden wir schon weiterkommen. Wir stehen in dieser Beziehung wirklich an einem unendlich bedeutungsvollen Punkte: daß wir wissen und beachten müssen das triviale Sprichwort: Man soll das Kind nicht mit dem Bade ausgießen. Aber auf der anderen Seite muß man mit aller Strenge zu Werke gehen, damit nicht das eintritt, was einer okkultistischen Bewegung im eminentesten Sinne schädlich wäre, nämlich das allmähliche Sich-Hineinleben in eine Dunstsphäre, in eine Sphäre der Unklarheit. Und was ist das für eine unglaubliche Unklarheit, wenn man sagen kann: Nicht die Lehre und nicht der Lehrer, sondern der Mensch wird gesucht — und dann wieder: Ach, der Mensch ist vom Bösen, die Lehre ist aber gut -, die Lehre, die man zuerst eben abgelehnt hat. Das ist ein Hineinleben in eine nebulose Sphäre; aber um Klarheit, Genauigkeit handelt es sich. Von diesem Gesichtspunkte aus müssen wir im Dienste unserer Bewegung die Sache betrachten. Es kann praktische Gesichtspunkte geben, die eine gewisse Härtigkeit in der Behandlungsweise notwendig machen. Das ist eine andere Sache. Aber wir müssen in unserem Inneren immer im Auge behalten, auf welchem Boden wir stehen, wir müssen im Auge behalten, daß wir auf dem Boden einer ernsten, würdigen Geistesbewegung stehen.
Das sind so manche Gesichtspunkte, die uns zu einer Erkenntnis führen können, welches die Lebensbedingungen für unsere Bewegung sind. Wenn man davon spricht, daß die äußere Wirklichkeit Maja ist, so muß man auch wirklich diese Maja studieren. Man darf nicht nur den theoretischen Satz betonen: Die äußere Wirklichkeit ist Maja -, und dann den Satz so behandeln, als ob sie das Allerwichtigste wäre, wenn sie einem im Konkreten in der Welt begegnet.
Sixth Lecture
If you take another look back in your mind—by which I mean more of a summary review, without going into details — if you take a kind of mental review of what I have taken the liberty of discussing in the last lectures and reflections here before you, you will see that the course of development that the spiritual-scientific worldview had to take imposed certain responsibilities on those who feel responsible for this spiritual-scientific worldview strong responsibilities. For you will have gathered from recent reflections that great difficulties arise for human beings — a different kind of difficulty from those one usually encounters in life — in finding their way and walking a true, straight path.
It is true that in the life of the physical plane we are protected in many ways from straying in one direction or another. I drew attention to this protection many years ago when I gave some descriptions of the problem of the guardian of the threshold, which have since been supplemented. Even in the old essays that have been incorporated into the book “How to Know Higher Worlds,” one can see how human beings on the physical plane are protected from straying too easily in one direction or another in intellectual and moral terms. It is true that we come into life in such a way that, in the course of our childhood, we are given, as it were, guiding forces for life. We know very well that we only really awaken to the free exercise of our power of judgment later in life.
Observe a child and compare its soul life with that of an adult. Then you will see how, in a certain respect, you can accept a nuance in the differences between the life of a child and the life of an adult, by saying to yourself: human beings grow out of a certain twilight life that they lead during their childhood into the free exercise of their power of judgment in later years. It is really a matter of taking this nuance of life well into account.
If we focus too much on the child in the context of the entire course of human life from birth to death, we may pay too little attention to this metamorphosis of the inner soul life. But it is important to engage with it, because during the period when our power of judgment is not yet fully awakened, it is precisely this that can approach us and then guide and direct us in later life. In a sense, we must be open to our own free power of judgment in the first years of life, so that certain guiding forces can enter our intellect and our moral impulses, so that we do not crystallize too early the forces that are given to us for life, that become part of our being – I do not want to say incorporated. In this way we have something for our whole life, in this way we really orient ourselves throughout our whole life according to such intellectual and moral impulses that have become part of our soul.
In a certain way, when we now approach the concepts of the spiritual worlds, we become freer. It has often been said, and must often be said, that this entry into the spiritual worlds is in turn a kind of awakening from the ordinary state of life, from ordinary living conditions; in other words, a similar nuance in the metamorphoses of life as that from childhood to the ability to judge life.
But this does indeed very easily put us in a position, when we take up the spiritual-scientific worldview conceptually, as it should be, to see the firm direction of life that we had before begin to waver. It is therefore a matter of gathering together the whole human being that is implanted in us when we enter into the understanding of the spiritual worlds, because we need this capital of life, implanted and ensouled in us through childhood, all the more when we approach those things that are to be revealed to us from the world beyond the threshold of life. And I showed you how easy it is to stray here or there under the natural influences of the various currents of the times. For such straying, as is the case, for example, in Sirnetts' “Esoteric Buddhism,” comes about because the strong impulse of materialism can affect the souls of human beings, I say: can affect.
But just as, because of the presence of Oriental influences, it was possible to stray in the direction of actually denying and slandering the whole nature of today's moon, so too can we stray in the other direction, seeing the possibility of straying because certain people have an interest in not letting the truth about repeated earthly lives come out. Those who have an interest in shaping human life on earth in such a way that materialism is, as it were, further materialized—and in this case, that is not Mr. Sinnett, but those who stood behind him—introduce something like the doctrine of the moon into an otherwise true system and thereby divert the true system in a certain direction.
Now we know that Western culture, with its American offspring, has been under the strong influence of Christianity for the last few centuries. I have endeavored to show that Christianity cannot be understood only in the way it is understood today. Much will only be understood in the future, and we ourselves are only beginning to understand some of the mystery of Golgotha. But the influences of Christianity are real influences; they are effective even when people do not yet understand them. However, in past centuries they had to be effective in such a way that a part of the general truths of the world, which is quite compatible with Christianity, was excluded. But the insight was not sufficient to clearly understand that it is compatible with it. That which relates to repeated earth lives was excluded from Christianity. And so a Western culture and an American offspring have emerged with a Christianity that has excluded certain components such as the doctrine of repeated earth lives.
Now I have shown how certain occultists have endeavored to continue this, how they wanted to do everything they could to save this traditional view of Christian impulses: this view that has excluded the truth of repeated earthly lives. I have pointed to certain occultist movements, for example those connected with the High Church. These were thoroughly knowledgeable people. Yes, one can say that they were much better trained in occultism than the leading figures of the Theosophical Society. But they were determined to further eliminate the teaching of repeated earthly lives; and this is connected with their denial that human beings — as I have described in Outline of Esoteric Science — do indeed enter into a relationship with the other planets of our solar system in the course of their earthly development.
The forces that are implanted in the human soul have mainly to do with man's share in the extraterrestrial cosmos; and it is precisely this share of the human soul in the extraterrestrial cosmos that this side wants to keep people in the dark about. They want to distract them from the awareness that the soul is not only connected to earthly beings and earthly events, but also to what is outside in the cosmos, what shines towards us, for example, from the other planets of our solar system.
The impulses emanating from the other planets of our solar system, in their effect on human beings, have the power to snatch the soul as a living soul from physical death. This is their primary task, as you can see from the descriptions of life between death and a new birth that I have given in various contexts and from different points of view.
But if you go back in human development, you will see that precisely in those times when atavistic knowledge, clairvoyant knowledge, was still present as an inheritance from ancient times, people turned their gaze to the other stars of our solar system; and astrology, which has become such a questionable science in our time, played an enormously important role in ancient times.
Why, we may ask ourselves, did astrology cease to play this role? Because, in order to give Christianity time to become established on earth, the gaze of souls had to be diverted. Just as the clairvoyant gaze had to be diverted from the imaginative world, so too did the gaze have to be diverted from the impulses emanating from the planets of our solar system. What remains of astrology are all old traditions. I have spoken about this often. In a sense, we can say that ancient clairvoyance and also the ancient view and knowledge of the impulses emanating from the planets of our solar system were all restricted. Human beings were referred back to our merely perceptible world, to their senses, with which they were only supposed to see what was happening on earth, so that the impulses from the mystery of Golgotha could become strong, so that they could be absorbed into the souls, into the feelings of believers, so that people could internalize them.
For in ancient times, clairvoyance was an external ability. It did not need to be acquired; it was inherited. Just as we have eyes and ears today, so people had clairvoyance in those days. But the time is coming when it will have to be acquired again, more and more. To do this, one had to be cut off from the spiritual world and confined to the external mineral world, so that everything could be rebuilt from within. What was once seen from outside must now be built up from within. I will try to explain this to you schematically.
Imagine a person with the old clairvoyant gaze. He directed his gaze — I will use the eye as a representative of the clairvoyant gaze, although the clairvoyant gaze is not bound to the eye — out into the sphere of the stars and saw in it the various spiritual impulses that come from it (see drawing).

Then, in the course of time, this clairvoyance died out, and human vision became limited to earthly life. Something else had to take the place of the former clairvoyance. We could now draw what had to take its place. We could say: what had previously come from outside to inside now had to go from inside to outside. Human beings had to learn, as it were, to project outwards what heaven had implanted in them, so that they could rediscover their connection with the phenomena of the heavens.

The opposite path had to be taken. It is really the case that human nature is undergoing a reorganization at this very moment. It has passed through, I would say, the point of extreme eclipse, and one of the expressions of this is what I have called the flood of materialism in the 19th century. But humanity is already preparing to move beyond this again. If we want to characterize this occultistically, we can say that in the past, people not only perceived and thought with their physical body, but they also perceived and thought with their etheric body. What was perceived in the etheric body became conscious in the astral body as astrology; today, in astronomy, everything is calculated. Now the etheric body must be revived, and this is connected with the etheric reappearance of Christ. As the etheric bodies are revived, they see Christ. But you see: a revival, a vitalization of the etheric body must take place.
One can make very strange discoveries when one really gets into things. The whole feeling that human beings have an etheric body has disappeared; instead, the feeling has arisen that human beings have only a physical body. But you would be quite mistaken if you believed that this opinion, that human beings have only a physical body, is really so very old. It is not so old at all. If this restriction to the physical body was really brought about by the flood of materialism in the 19th century, then, you might say, people must have had some inkling before that of the etheric body, which disappeared and is now reappearing. Well, I could give you many proofs that people really knew something about the etheric body, that they had knowledge that was there and is now gradually being ignored. I could bring you many passages from older works. But I will read to you only one passage from a book published in 1827. On page 208 you will find a remarkable passage. I will read it very slowly so that you can pay attention to how differently these things are written about today, under the influence of a worldview that has become completely materialistic.
“People mistakenly associate the concept of nutrition with the mere intake of food and drink and their processing in the digestive organs. It is not food and drink, but blood that nourishes the organism and sustains organic life, and indeed blood (the neutralized earthly and etheric life principle).” — in other words, he shows that he is not talking about physical blood, but about what underlies blood as an ethereal life principle — “not until it has been elevated and, as it were, sublimated in the plastic skins to become the animating and formative breath (aura vitalis).”
What does the man mean by this? External nutrition is not actually the main phenomenon; what matters is that, while external nutrition is taking place, the food sends certain extracts into the blood, so that a process takes place in what underlies the blood as an etherized life principle. This was written in 1827. The writer even put a parenthesis where he says: “... until it is heightened and, as it were, sublimated in the plastic skins to become the animating and forming breath (aura vitalis).” This ‘plastic’ is the same word as “imaginative.” I could just as well read: “... until it is heightened and, as it were, sublimated in the imaginatively formative skins to become the animating and formative breath (aura vitalis).” In brackets it says: “aura vitalis.” You cannot translate this as anything other than: etheric body.
The man who wrote this was a professor of psychic medicine at the University of Leipzig and a doctor at St. Georgenhause there. It is Dr. Johann Christian August Heinroth, whom I once mentioned in connection with Goethe.
You can imagine from this—and there are hundreds of such examples—how different the tone was, how the knowledge that was still available not so long ago has sunk into the materialistic worldview. One could say that there was a stream of knowledge. It could be schematically represented as follows:

The stream seeps away, and the materialistic worldview emerges. But beneath the surface, as it were, what I have said develops in human nature: from within, the connection with the cosmos is reestablished. You may now say again: Prove to us that there were people who had some inkling of this, that while on the one hand the knowledge of the ancient significance of the etheric body, which received impressions from outside, is seeping away, on the other hand there may have been people who knew that the etheric body was being revitalized from within.
I would like to read you a passage from a book that was published even earlier, from which you can see that there were already people who drew attention to how the organization of humanity would change in the future. Admittedly, the matter is told in a very veiled way, but it is told nonetheless. This book tells of a female figure. Most of you will know where it comes from when I read the passage aloud.
This woman is said to be in a relationship with our solar system that one hardly dares to express. In her mind, her soul, her imagination, she not only sees it, but she also becomes part of it, as it were: she sees herself carried away in those heavenly circles, but in a very unique way; since her childhood, she has been moving around the sun, and, as has now been discovered, in a spiral, moving further and further away from the center and circling toward the outer regions." So it is said here that there is a soul in the female body that no longer goes with earthly life, but with solar life, that it draws ever larger circles in the course of life, and indeed that one can assume that beings, insofar as they are physical, strive toward the center, and insofar as they are spiritual, toward the periphery. Thus, a soul is described that lives with the cosmos:
"Makarie is in a relationship with our solar system that one hardly dares to express. In her mind, soul, and imagination, she not only sees it, but she also becomes part of it, as it were: she sees herself carried along in those heavenly circles, but in a very unique way; since her childhood, she has been moving around the sun, and, as has now been discovered, in a spiral, moving further and further away from the center and circling toward the outer regions.
If we may assume that beings, insofar as they are physical, strive toward the center, and insofar as they are spiritual, toward the periphery, then our friend belongs to the most spiritual; she seems to have been born only to free herself from the earthly, to penetrate the nearest and most distant realms of existence. This quality, as wonderful as it is, was nevertheless bestowed upon her from her earliest years as a difficult task. From an early age, she remembers her inner self as being permeated by luminous beings, illuminated by a light that even the brightest sunlight could not diminish. — So she carries sources of light within her, and the external light cannot harm her. — “She often saw two suns, one inside and one outside in the sky, two moons, the outer one remaining the same in size in all phases, the inner one diminishing more and more.”
This gift distracted her from ordinary things, but her excellent parents devoted everything to her education; all her abilities came to life, all her activities became effective, so that she knew how to cope with all external circumstances, and although her heart and mind were completely filled with supernatural visions, her actions and deeds always remained in accordance with the noblest morals. As she grew up, helpful everywhere, unstoppable in large and small services, she walked like an angel of God on earth, her spiritual whole revolving around the world sun, but moving in ever-increasing circles toward the supernatural.
The excessiveness of this state was somewhat mitigated by the fact that it also seemed to dawn and dusk within her, so that when her inner light was subdued, she strove to fulfill her outer duties most faithfully, and when her inner light shone brightly, she surrendered herself to the most blissful peace. Yes, she claims to have noticed that a kind of cloud floated around her from time to time, obscuring her view of her heavenly companions for a while, an epoch that she always knew how to use for the good and joy of those around her.
As long as she kept her views secret, it took a lot to endure them. What she revealed of them was not recognized or was misinterpreted; she therefore allowed them to be regarded as an illness throughout her long life, and so people in the family still talk about them. Ultimately, however, good fortune brought her the man you see here with us, equally esteemed as a physician, mathematician, and astronomer, a thoroughly noble man who, however, initially approached her out of curiosity. But when she gained confidence in him, gradually described her condition to him, connected the present with the past, and brought the events into context, he was so taken by the phenomenon that he could no longer separate himself from her, but sought to penetrate deeper and deeper into the mystery day by day.
At first, as he made clear, he thought it was a deception, for she did not deny that from her early youth she had diligently studied astronomy and celestial science, that she had been well instructed in these subjects and had never missed an opportunity to learn more about the structure of the world through machines and books. Therefore, he could not be persuaded that it was learned, that it was the effect of a highly regulated imagination, that the influence of memory was to be assumed, a contribution of judgment, but especially of a hidden calculation.
He is a mathematician and therefore stubborn, a bright mind and therefore incredulous; he resisted for a long time, but noted what she said carefully, sought to understand the sequence of different years, paid particular attention to the most recent data corresponding to the relative positions of the heavenly bodies, and finally exclaimed: “Well, why should God and nature not also create and set up a living armillary sphere, a spiritual mechanism, which, like the clocks do for us every day and every hour, would be able to follow the course of the stars on its own in its own way!”
But we dare not go any further here, for the incredible loses its value when one examines it more closely in detail. But let us say this much. The basis for the calculations to be made was as follows: to her, the seer, our sun appeared in her vision to be much smaller than she saw it during the day; also, the unusual position of this higher heavenly light in the zodiac gave rise to conclusions. On the other hand, doubts and errors arose because the seer indicated one or two other celestial bodies as also appearing in the zodiac, but these could not be seen in the sky. These may have been the small planets that were still undiscovered at that time, for other information suggested that they were approaching the orbit of Jupiter, long beyond the orbit of Mars. Apparently, she had gazed in wonder at this planet for some time, at what distance it is difficult to say, in its immense glory, and watched the play of its moons around it, but then saw it in the most wondrous way as a waning moon, reversed, as the waxing moon appears to us. From this it was concluded that she was seeing it from the side and was actually about to pass beyond its orbit and strive toward Saturn in infinite space. No imagination can follow it there, but we hope that such an entelechy will not completely remove itself from our solar system, but that when it reaches its boundary, it will long to return in order to influence earthly life and do good for the benefit of our great-grandchildren."
Here we have presented in a very meaningful way the view of how the human soul truly wants to become, how the human soul will return from within to the world of the stars. I have read to you Makarian's description from Goethe's “Wilhelm Meister's Travels,” and he expressly added that he had not said everything. He indicated that it is an ethereal poem with the words: “As we now conclude this ethereal poem, hoping for forgiveness, we turn back to that terrestrial fairy tale, which we briefly hinted at above.”
And before Goethe gives his description of Makarien, he says: “Having reached this point, however, we cannot resist the temptation to share a page from our archives” — Goethe means spiritual archives — "concerning Makarien and the special quality that was bestowed upon her spirit. Unfortunately, this essay was written from memory long after the content had been communicated and cannot be regarded as entirely authentic, as would be desirable in such a remarkable case. Be that as it may, enough is communicated here to provoke reflection and recommend attention to whether something similar or approximate has already been noticed and recorded somewhere."
I wanted to draw your attention to this episode from “Wilhelm Meister's Travels” because it shows that our spiritual science truly meets the demands of the times. Human nature is changing in such a way that it will once again give birth from within itself to what it has lost from its ancient inheritance from the pre-earthly world. And people will have to know what is coming upon them, otherwise they will become completely confused. Thus, spiritual science must find its place in our time.
But the moment people become aware of what has been indicated here, they will inevitably have to come to the doctrine of reincarnation, because they will have to say to themselves that such an entelechy from the otherworld, from the sphere of Jupiter, Saturn, and so on, could have something to do with the earth again and could return to us. Therefore, say those occultists who do not want the doctrine of reincarnation to arise, barricades must be erected against the approach of this view, and these barricades are erected by distracting people as much as possible from the connection with the world bodies of the solar system. So we see how, precisely from this side, there is an intense interest in not allowing certain things to arise. Yesterday I said: if there is interest in a one-sided direction, it will always find support; but the truth in general will be challenged, and everything possible will be done to prevent the truth itself from coming out. And it will be part of the right attitude within our spiritual movement to be fully aware that the truth we seek will be challenged from many, many sides. But nothing is more necessary than that we try to be prepared, to really develop clarity of thought on all sides. You must realize that what appears as opposition, especially what appears as opposing personalities against our movement, is really largely figures representing the opposing powers. We are entering into the sphere of action of supersensible powers. These supersensible powers, to which Ahriman and Lucifer belong, naturally work in human life through human souls who are simply their instruments.
It is therefore necessary to know exactly what is involved in each case; but the most important thing is never to fail to acquire a clear and precise way of thinking — as best one can. You know, life itself has its contradictions, and Hegel built his entire philosophy on the discovery of contradictions in existence. It is not a matter of avoiding contradictions in life, because they are there. But it is a matter of recognizing the contradiction and facing it.
Ahriman and Lucifer can only do something when a contradiction goes unnoticed, when we do not have the strength and the will to uncover the contradiction. Wherever we become entangled in a contradiction that we do not recognize as a contradiction, but simply accept as a true part of life, Lucifer and Ahriman have the opportunity to take possession of our soul.
Let us take a strange contradiction that we have encountered here in recent weeks. Urged by the facts, I had to read to you a passage from a letter from a lady who wrote that what was wanted from that side was not the teaching and not the teacher, but the human being. So it was not the teaching or the teacher that was sought, but the person. The teaching was accepted and presented as something of an addition, so to speak, while the main value was placed on the person. That is how the matter was presented. Then something else came along, a complete reversal. The person was intensely rejected, and it was claimed that the teaching must be recognized as correct. Consider this: on the one hand, it is claimed that it is not the teaching or the teacher that is sought, but the person; and on the other hand, it is claimed: I hate the person, I reject the person who promises and does not keep his promises; but the teaching is good, I accept the teaching.
What does that actually mean? It means: I had a certain relationship with a person for a while; I was interested in the person, but not so much in the teaching. Then I turn away from the person, and I emphasize what I wasn't really interested in at all. I emphasize what I previously rejected; I didn't take the teaching in at all, and then I say: it's good. — It is clear that I am talking about nothing when I express myself in this way. I say: I am keeping what I did not want to accept at all, what I cannot have at all, because I previously refused to accept it.
There you have a vivid example of a contradiction that exists in the world. How can you doubt that where such a contradiction prevails, there can still be any real inner relationship to our spiritual-scientific movement! There is no inner kinship at all with what our spiritual-scientific movement is. It is important to keep such a real contradiction in mind. For if we do not notice such things among ourselves, we will never find the straight path to the knowledge of the spiritual world. Of course, we may miss many things, but we must have the good will to really notice such contradictions in life.
But on the other hand, such contradictions are used precisely to unhinge the truth, so to speak. Consider, for example, someone who says: A person brings a teaching, but that person is full of contradictions, even full of immoralities, even dominated by the power of evil; but the teaching and various other things connected with the teaching are good: that can certainly be accepted. — Yes, but if the teaching in question consists precisely in the fact that the person who represents the teaching and the movement for this teaching establishes his relationships with others through this teaching — that he therefore establishes the relationship between himself and others precisely through the teaching — if he wants to be nothing other than the bearer of the teaching: then, based on such an attitude, one demands that he should be something else! And while demanding all sorts of things from the person and yet basically rejecting what the teaching offers, one says: The teaching is good, but the person is bad!
Truly, if one feels too weak to attack the teaching in any way, one can still achieve something against the teaching among those who believe in it. This is the best way to undermine a teaching that cannot be refuted, because one delivers it to the Luciferic-Ahrimanic powers, as I indicated yesterday.
How often has it been said in our movement that our teaching should not be mere theory, but should be immediate life. By making it mere theory, one kills it; one hands it over to Ahriman, the god of death. It is the best method to hand over to Ahriman what is taught and to eliminate it from the world in an orderly manner, and it is a method that is very similar, as you can see, to what certain individuals did who, let us say, stood behind Mr. Sinnett. They gave him a certain direction that was not right, in order to lead him in a certain wrong direction. This direction consisted in slandering precisely what was right. The moon, which as a physical moon is actually a paralysis in relation to the eighth sphere, is declared to be the eighth sphere. The eighth sphere is thereby obscured, wiped away. And later, H. P. Blavatsky corrects this by saying that while Yahweh created a remedy in the moon for the eighth sphere, he only created the lower sphere of life, the sphere of the senses of human beings. So this method consists of spreading a mist of contempt over something and thus presenting it in a false light. If you look closely at things, you will see that what has happened here with us is essentially of the same kind, only on a smaller scale. It is an attempt to slander what wants to come into the world as truth. One feels too weak to refute the teaching, so one accuses the one who has to represent the teaching. Linked to this is the fact that one is too weak to penetrate the teaching oneself.This is an extremely noteworthy problem for those who stand with seriousness and dignity in our ranks, for we must see through these things from a higher point of view. I will give another example. I cite these examples because they are obvious and because they show us where we must direct our gaze and how they can serve to judge the next things from a higher point of view. It must be emphasized most strongly in our movement—and this has been done throughout the years since I have represented our movement—that atavistic clairvoyance must be placed in the right light, that one must never be deceived about the old atavistic clairvoyance. An example of what was invented to distort what we do or want in the most extreme way is that people said: You can see that there is a movement that is dedicated to cultivating clairvoyance — and that efforts were made to turn the matter around as if everyone in this movement were encouraged to cultivate clairvoyance. When something like this is done, a fog is spread over this movement. The truth is completely reversed, even though it is entirely justified that we must cultivate clairvoyance. But this is a good means of making people hateful toward the movement.
One could say that if a movement arises today, it must do so in such a way that it no longer cultivates the old atavistic clairvoyance. But if one adds: “But that is what this movement does” — that means one is saying the same thing that the movement says, but then one is attaching to the movement the reproach that is expressed in these words. So one is turning the direction of the arrow around. We encounter this, for example, in our own neighborhood. In our neighborhood, it is preached and proclaimed that I, in particular, encourage those gathered here in Dornach to practice clairvoyance. At the same time, it is implied that this is a morbid, atavistic clairvoyance.Of course, the person who says this has no idea what he is actually saying. He is, of course, a figurehead. But we must look more deeply into the connections. We must be clear that we live in a time when such impulses are being used against us. And this could become particularly grotesque if our teaching itself were to be used as a weapon against us, and we were to be refuted by our own teaching. This has already happened. You know, in one of last week's counter-writings, quotations from the Mystery Dramas and Secret Science were used to form an attack against what I represent. So everywhere there are forces at work that do not want the truth to come out.
We need not worry about the truth itself, especially when we perceive that we are being attacked with our own truths, that what we ourselves say is being turned against us. So it is not a matter of refutation, but of what we actually do. Therefore, as long as we were not attacked, we did not need to engage in polemics in any way. Hence our rejection of polemics, as has often been emphasized in the past. The truth may go out into the world by emphasizing only the positive. But the moment assertions are made that do not touch on the truth at all, we must be prepared and recognize from what point of view such things are to be judged. We must not only take the position that we reflect on what is written in the books, but we must also put into practice what is a principle of life in our teaching. This means, however, that we judge life according to the principles of our teaching, that we do not think about any external attacks in the way we would have to think if we had accepted our teaching as a theory. The need for polemics only arises when we are attacked. But then we must know that we have a teaching that can very easily be turned into its opposite, which we must therefore guard and protect. In particular, we must guard ourselves against all forms of one-sidedness.For example, this or that undertone could be heard in what was said here and there: undertones that come from something that very easily falls into extremes. And there one is quite easily refutable. Just think how we were compelled to say a few words about all kinds of imaginations relating to this or that incarnation. If we were to take this to the extreme of laughing at every such thing, then our opponents would be able to say: They teach something there! But if they are to touch on it in any way, they make fun of it themselves.
Of course, we have no reason to reject spiritual, clairvoyant experiences; we only have a duty to get to the bottom of them when such spiritual experiences are distorted in the service of personal vanity, or even when the external course of events shows that these spiritual experiences are not correct. So, if I may say so trivially, we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Our society must certainly not transform itself into a scientific theory.
And here, too, you can see that this danger can very easily arise. I mentioned that a certain document that was sent to us in recent days is cleverly written. It is indeed cleverly written, because there is no more credible way to attack our movement than to say: They behave as if they reject any connection between the sensual world and the spiritual world, as if they deny all of this everywhere. — But that is what is written in that document. In an enclosed document, it is strangely explained: Why should the Mother of God not reincarnate? — Certainly, one can say, why should she not? There is no reason why it cannot be so. But you can be sure that the exoteric life of this Mother of God would then have been different, that the reincarnation would not have occurred in the way it did, not as a personality, but in the manner of representation.
Truly, these matters concern something that I have been emphasizing for many years, emphasizing so much that I found it necessary to include it in my fundamental philosophical work. Try reading the other philosophies. You will find in the theory, in the forms of expression, even in earlier writings, many things that recur in my Philosophy of Freedom. But there is one thing in there—at least in the way it is interwoven as an ethical principle, as a moral impulse—which, as it is expressed there, is truly original: for the first time, moral tact is included as something that cannot be grasped by mere power of judgment, but can only be grasped by the whole mind; that when something is to be touched lightly, one does not immediately fall into extremes and want to sweep out one sin with another; that is moral tact. I have tried to define it as clearly as possible in the Philosophy of Freedom. Today it is really necessary to emphasize that we must avoid the danger of falling into the other extreme, because we are dealing with a fatal matter.
Yesterday I pointed out the various dangers. But in doing so, I felt the need to add something today, because I wanted to draw attention to the fact that we must not fall into the other extreme. All our work and the whole essence of our movement must be based on asserting the spiritual world, must be based on feeling and experiencing our own lives in connection with the spiritual world.
But then, if this is sacred to us, we must tactfully refuse to allow our immediate personal life, our subjective personal life, to be drawn into things. This does not mean that we should not investigate to what extent we ourselves are the reincarnation of someone else. But it is not a matter of searching for another personality from one person. That would be the easy way. Rather, it is a matter of searching in the way I myself have indicated in a lecture. We must search in such a way that we first come to, I would say, understand certain secrets of our life. Then we will make progress. In this respect, we really stand at an infinitely significant point: we must know and heed the trivial proverb: one should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. But on the other hand, we must proceed with the utmost rigor so that what would be most harmful to an occult movement in the most eminent sense does not occur, namely, the gradual immersion in a hazy sphere, in a sphere of obscurity. And what incredible obscurity it is when one can say: it is not the teaching and not the teacher that is sought, but the person — and then again: ah, the person is evil, but the teaching is good — the teaching that one had just rejected. That is living in a nebulous sphere; but clarity and precision are what matter. From this point of view, we must consider the matter in the service of our movement. There may be practical considerations that necessitate a certain harshness in the way we deal with things. That is another matter. But we must always keep in mind, in our innermost being, the ground on which we stand; we must keep in mind that we stand on the ground of a serious, dignified spiritual movement.
These are some of the points of view that can lead us to an understanding of the conditions of life for our movement. When we speak of external reality as Maya, we must also really study this Maya. One must not merely emphasize the theoretical statement: “External reality is Maya” — and then treat the statement as if it were the most important thing when one encounters it in concrete terms in the world.