The Festivals and Their Meaning:
Ascension and Pentecost
GA 236
4 June 1924, Dornach
VI. The Whitsun Festival. Its place in the study of Karma
When we consider how Karma works,1From February until September, 1924, with intervals of visits to other towns and countries, Rudolf Steiner was giving at Dornach the great series of 49 lectures on Karma, subsequently produced in four volumes now available in English translation. The present lecture was given very shortly before the Whitsun Festival and deals with its specific significance for the problem of human destiny with which the Karma lectures deal.
Lecturing as he was to Anthroposophists, Dr. Steiner begins at once with the fundamental fact of the three ‘bodies’ at work in the human organism. A full exposition of this is to be found in the book Theosophy, chapter I. we always have to bear in mind that the human Ego, which is the essential being, the inmost being, of man, has as it were three instruments through which it is able to live and express itself in the world. These are the physical body, the etheric body and the astral body. Man really carries the physical, etheric and astral bodies with him through the world, but he himself is not in any one of these bodies. In the truest sense he is the Ego; and it is the Ego which both suffers and creates Karma.
Now the point is to gain an understanding of the relationship between man as the Ego-being and these three instrumental forms—if I may call them so—the physical, etheric and astral bodies. This will give us the foundation for an understanding of the essence of Karma. We shall gain a fruitful point of view for the study of the physical, the etheric and the astral in man in relation to Karma, if we consider the following.
The physical as we behold it in the mineral kingdom, the etheric as we find it working in the plant kingdom, and the astral as we find it working in the animal kingdom—all these are to be found in the environment of man here on Earth. In the Cosmos surrounding the Earth we have that Universe into which, if I may so describe it, the Earth extends on all sides. Man can feel a certain relationship between what takes place on the Earth and what takes place in the cosmic environment. But when we come to Spiritual Science we have to ask: Is this relationship really so commonplace as the present-day scientific conception of the world imagines? This modern scientific conception of the world examines the physical qualities of everything on the Earth, living and lifeless. It also investigates the stars, the sun, the moon, etc.; and it discovers—indeed it is particularly proud of the discovery—that these heavenly bodies are fundamentally of the same nature as the Earth.
Such a conception can only result from a form of knowledge which at no point comes to a real grasp of man himself—a knowledge which takes hold only of what is external to man. The moment, however, we really take hold of Man as he stands within the Universe, we become able to discover the relationships between the several instrumental members of man's nature, the physical body, the etheric body, and the astral body and the corresponding entities, the corresponding realities of Being, in the Cosmos.
In regard to the etheric body of man, we find spread out in the Cosmos the universal Ether. The etheric body of man has a definite human shape, definite forms of movement within it, and so on. These, it is true, are different in the cosmic Ether. Nevertheless the cosmic Ether is fundamentally of like nature with what we find in the human etheric body. In the same way we can speak of a similarity between what is found in the human astral body and a certain astral principle that works through all things and all beings out in the far-spread Universe.
Here we come to something of extraordinary importance, something which in its true nature is quite foreign to the human being of to-day. Let us take our start from this. (A drawing is made on the blackboard). We have, first, the Earth; and on the Earth we have Man, with his etheric body. Then in the Earth's environment we have the cosmic Ether—the cosmic Ether which is of the same nature as the etheric in man. In man we also have the astral body. In the cosmic environment too there is Astrality. Where are we to find this cosmic Astrality? Where is it? It is indeed to be found, but we must first discover—what it is in the Cosmos that betrays the presence of cosmic Astrality; what it is that reveals it. Somewhere or other is the Astrality. Is this Astrality in the Cosmos quite invisible and imperceptible, or is it, after all, in some way perceptible to us?
In itself, of course, the Ether too is imperceptible for our physical senses. If I may put it so, when you are looking at a small fragment of Ether, you see nothing with your physical senses, you simply see through it. The Ether is like an empty nothingness to you. But when you regard the etheric environment as a totality, you behold the blue sky, of which we also say that it is not really there but that you are gazing into empty space. Now the reason why you see the blue of the sky is that you are actually perceiving the end of the Ether. Thus you behold the Ether as the blue of the heavens. The perception of the blue sky is really and truly a perception of the Ether. We may therefore say: In that we perceive the blue of the sky we are perceiving the universal Ether that surrounds us.
At first contact, we see through the Ether. It allows us to do so; and yet, it makes itself perceptible in the blue heavens. Hence the existence for human perception of the blue of the sky is expressed in that we say: The Ether itself, though imperceptible, yet rises to the level of perceptibility by reason of the great majesty with which it stands there in the Universe, revealing its presence, making itself known in the blue of the vast expanse.
Physical science theorises materialistically about the blue of the sky; and for physical science it is indeed very difficult to reach any intelligent conclusion on this point, for the simple reason that it is bound to admit that where we see the blue of the sky there is nothing physical. Nevertheless men spin out the most elaborate theories to explain how the rays of light are reflected and refracted in a peculiar way so as to call forth this blue of the sky. In reality, it is here that the super-sensible world begins already to hold sway. In the Cosmos the Supersensible does indeed become visible to us. We have only to discover where and how it becomes visible. The Ether becomes perceptible to us through the blue of the sky.
But now, somewhere there is also present the astral element of the Cosmos. In the blue sky the Ether peers through, as it were, into the realms of sense. Where then does the Astrality in the Cosmos peer through into the realms of perceptibility? The answer, my dear friends, is this.
Every star that we see glittering in the heavens is in reality a gate of entry for the Astral. Wherever the stars are twinkling and glittering in towards us, there glitters and shines the Astral. Look at the starry heavens in their manifold variety; in one part the stars are gathered into heaps and clusters, or in another they are scattered far apart. In all this wonderful configuration of radiant light, the invisible and super-sensible astral body of the Cosmos makes itself visible to us.
For this reason we must not consider the world of stars unspiritually. To look up to the world of stars and speak of worlds of burning gases is just as though—forgive the apparent absurdity of the comparison, but it is precisely true—it is just as though someone who loves you were gently stroking you, holding the fingers a little apart, and you were then to say that it feels like so many little ribbons being drawn across your cheek. It is no more untrue that little ribbons are laid across your cheek when someone strokes you, than that there exist up there in the heavens those material entities of which modern physics tells. It is the astral body of the Universe which is perpetually wielding its influences—like the gently stroking fingers—on the etheric organism of the Cosmos. The etheric Cosmos is organised for very long duration; it is for this reason that a star has its quality of fixity, representing a perpetual influence on the cosmic Ether by the astral Universe. It lasts far longer than the stroking of your cheek. But in the Cosmos things do last longer, for there we are dealing with gigantic measures. Thus in the starry heavens that we perceive, we actually behold an expression of the soul-life of the cosmic astral world.
In this way, an immense, unfathomable life, yet, at the same time, a soul-life, a real and actual life of the soul, is brought into the Cosmos. Think how dead the Cosmos appears to us when we look into the far spaces and see nothing but burning gaseous bodies. Think how living it all becomes when we know that the stars are an expression of the love with which the astral Cosmos works upon the etheric Cosmos—for this is to express it with perfect truth. Think then of those mysterious processes when certain stars suddenly light up at certain times,—processes which have only been explained to us by means of physical hypotheses that do not lead to any real understanding. Stars that were not there before, light up for a time, and disappear again. Thus in the Cosmos too there is a “stroking” of shorter duration. For it is true indeed that in epochs when divine Beings desire to work in an especial way from the astral world into the etheric, we behold new stars light up and fade away again.
We ourselves in our own astral body have feelings of delight and comfort in the most varied ways. In like manner in the Cosmos, through the cosmic astral body, we have the varied configuration of the starry heavens. No wonder that an ancient science, instinctively clairvoyant, describes this third member of our human organism as the “astral” or “starry” body, seeing that it is of like nature with that which reveals itself to us in the stars.
It is only the Ego that we do not find revealed in the cosmic environment. Why is this? We shall find the reason if we consider how this human Ego manifests here on the Earth, in a world that is in reality threefold,—physical, etheric and astral. The Ego of man, as it appears within the Universe, is ever and again a repetition of former lives on Earth; and again and again it finds itself in the life between death and a new birth. But when we observe the Ego in its life between death and a new birth, we perceive that the Etheric which we have here in the cosmic environment of the Earth has no significance for the human Ego. The etheric body is laid aside soon after death. It is only the astral world, that shines in towards us through the stars that has significance for the Ego in the life between death and a new birth. And in that world which glistens in towards us through the stars, in that world there live the Beings of the Higher Hierarchies with whom man forms his Karma between death and a new birth.
Indeed, when we follow this Ego in its successive evolutions through lives between birth and death and between death and a new birth, we cannot remain within the world of Space at all. For two successive earthly lives cannot be within the same space. They cannot be within that Universe which is dependent on spatial co-existence. Here therefore we go right out of Space and enter into Time. This is actually so. We go out of Space and come into the pure flow of Time when we contemplate the Ego in its successive lives on Earth.
Now consider this, my dear friends. In Space, Time is still present, of course, but within this world of Space we have no means of experiencing Time in itself. We always have to experience Time through Space and spatial processes. For example, if you wish to experience Time, you look at the clock, or, if you will, at the course of the sun. What do you see? You see the various positions of the hands of the clock or of the sun. You see something that is spatial. Through the fact that the positions of the hand or of the sun are changed, through the fact that spatial things are present to you as changing, you gain some idea of Time. But of Time itself there is really nothing in this spatial perception. There are only varied spatial configurations, varied positions of the hands of the clock, varied positions of the sun. You only experience Time itself when you come into the sphere of the soul's experience. There you do really experience Time, but there you also go out of Space. There, Time is a reality, but within the earthly world of Space, Time is no reality. What, then, must happen to us, if we would go out of the Space in which we live between birth and death and enter into the spacelessness in which we live between death and a new birth? What must we do? The answer is this: We must die!
We must take these words in their exact and deep meaning. On Earth we experience Time only through Space—through points in Space, through the positions of spatial things. On Earth we do not experience Time in its reality at all. Once you grasp this, you will say: “Really to enter into Time we must go out of Space, we must put away all things spatial.” You can also express it in other words, for it is really nothing else than—to die. It means, in very deed and truth: to die.
Let us now turn our eyes to this cosmic world that encircles the Earth—this cosmic world to which we are akin both through our etheric body, and also through our astral body—and let us look at the spiritual in this cosmic world. There have indeed been nations and human societies who have had regard only to the spiritual that is to be found within our earthly world of Space. Such peoples were unable to have any thoughts about repeated lives on Earth. Thoughts about repeated lives on Earth were possessed only by those human beings and groups that were able to conceive Time in its pure essence, Time in its spaceless character. But if we consider this earthly world together with its cosmic environment, or, to put it briefly, all that we speak of as the Cosmos, the Universe; and if we behold the spiritual manifest in it, we are then apprehending something of which it can be said that it had to be present in order that we might enter into our existence as earthly human beings; it had to be there.
Unfathomable depths are really contained in this simple conception,—that all that to which I have just referred, had to exist in order that we as earthly human beings might enter this earthly life. Infinite depths are revealed when we really grasp the spiritual aspect of all that is thus put before us. If we conceive this Spiritual in its completeness as a self-contained whole, if we consider it in its own purity and essence, then we have a conception of what was called “God” by those peoples who limited their outlook to the world of space alone.
These peoples—at any rate in their Wisdom-teachings—had come to feel: The Cosmos is woven through and through by a Divine element that is at work in it, and we can distinguish from this Divine element in the Cosmos that which is present, on the Earth in our immediate environment, as the physical world. We can also distinguish that which, in this cosmic, divine-spiritual world reveals itself as the Etheric, namely that which gazes down upon us in the blue of the sky. We can distinguish as the Astral in this divine world, that which gazes down upon us in the configuration of the starry heavens.
If we enter as fully as possible into the situation as we stand here, within the Universe, as human beings on this Earth, we shall say to ourselves: “We as human beings have a physical body: where, then, is the Physical in the Universe?” Here I am returning to something which I have already pointed out. The physical science of to-day expects to find everything which is on the Earth existing also in the Universe. But the physical organisation itself is not to be found in the Universe at all. Man has in the first place his physical organisation: then in addition he has the etheric and the astral. The Universe on the other hand begins with the Etheric. Out there in the Cosmos the Physical is nowhere to be found. The Physical exists only on the Earth, and it is but empty fancy and imagination to speak of anything physical in the far Universe. In the Universe there is the Etheric and the Astral. There is also a third element within the Universe which we have yet to speak about in this present lecture, for the Cosmos too is threefold. But the threefoldness of the Cosmos, apart from the Earth, is different from the threefoldness of the Cosmos in which we include the Earth.
Let these feelings enter into our earthly consciousness, the perceiving of the Physical in our immediate earthly dwelling-place; the feeling of the Etheric, which is both on the Earth and in the Universe; the beholding of the Astral, glistening down to the Earth from the stars, and most intensely of all from the Sun-star. Then, when we consider all these things and place before our souls the majesty of this world-conception, we can well understand how in ancient times, when with the old instinctive clairvoyance men did not think so abstractly, but were still able to feel the majesty of a great conception, they were led to realise: “A thought so majestic as this cannot be conceived perpetually in all its fullness. We must take hold of it at one special time, allowing it to work on the soul in its full, unfathomable glory. It will then work on in the inner depths of our human being, without being spoilt and corrupted by our surface consciousness.”—If we consider by what means the old instinctive clairvoyance gave expression to such a feeling, then out of all that combined to give truth to this thought in mankind in olden time, there remains to us to-day the institution of the Christmas Festival.
On Christmas Night, man, as he stands here upon the Earth with his physical, his etheric and his astral bodies, feels himself to be related to the threefold Cosmos, which appears to him in its Etheric nature, shining so majestically, and with the magic wonder of the night in the blue of the heavens; while face to face with him is the Astral of the Universe, in the stars that glitter in towards the Earth. As he realises how the holiness of this cosmic environment is related to that which is on the Earth itself, he feels that he himself with his own Ego has been transplanted from the Cosmos into this world of Space. And now he may gaze upon the Christmas Mystery—the new-born Child, the Representative of Humanity on Earth, who, inasmuch as he is entering into childhood, is born into this world of Space. In the fullness and majesty of this Christmas thought, as he gazes on the Child that is born on Christmas Night, he exclaims: “Ex Deo Nascimur—I am born out of the Divine, the Divine that weaves and surges through the world of Space.”
When a man has felt this, when he has permeated himself through and through with it, then he may also recall what Anthroposophy has revealed to us about the meaning of the Earth. The Child on whom we are gazing is the outer sheath of That which is now born into Space. But whence is He born, that He might be brought to birth in the world of Space? According to what we have explained to-day, it can only be from Time. From out of Time the Child is born.
If we then follow out the life of this Child and His permeation by the Spirit of the Christ-Being, we come to realise that this Being, this Christ-Being, comes from the Sun. Then we shall look up to the Sun, and say to ourselves: “As I look up to the Sun, I must behold in the sunshine that Time, which in the world of Space is hidden. Within the Sun is Time, and from out of the Time that weaves and works within the Sun, Christ came forth, came out into Space, on to the Earth.”
What have we then in Christ on Earth? In Christ on Earth we have That, which coming from beyond Space, from outside of Space, unites with the Earth.
I want you to realise how our conception of the Universe changes, in comparison with the ordinary present-day conception, when we really enter into all that has come before our souls this evening. There in the Universe we have the Sun, with all that there appears to us to be immediately connected with it—all that is contained in the blue of the heavens, in the world of the stars. At another point in the Universe we have the Earth with humanity. When we look up from the Earth to the Sun, we are at the same time looking into the flow of Time.
Now from this there follows something of great significance. Man only looks up to the Sun in the right way (even if it be but in his mind) when, as he gazes upwards, he forgets Space and considers Time alone. For in truth, the Sun does not only radiate light, it radiates Space itself, and when we are looking into the Sun we are looking out of Space into the world of Time. The Sun is the unique star that it is because when we gaze into the Sun we are looking out of Space. And from that world, outside of Space, Christ came to men. At the time when Christianity was founded by Christ on Earth, man had been all too long restricted to the mere Ex Deo Nascimur, he had become altogether bound up in it, he had become a Space-being pure and simple. The reason why it is so hard for us to understand the traditions of primeval epochs, when we go back to them with the consciousness of present-day civilisation, is that they always had in mind [Space], and not the world of [Time]. They regarded the world of [Time] only as an appendage of the world of [Space].2The bracketed words were transposed in the translation. Error brought to our attention by to Lucas Dreier
Christ came to bring the element of Time again to men, and when the human heart, the human soul, the human spirit, unite themselves with Christ, then man receives once more the stream of Time that flows from Eternity to Eternity. What else can we human beings do when we die, i.e. when we go out of the world of Space, than hold fast to Him who gives Time back to us again? At the Mystery of Golgotha man had become to so great an extent a being of Space that Time was lost to him. Christ brought Time back again to men.
If, then, in going forth from the world of Space, men would not die in their souls as well as in their bodies, they must die in Christ, We can still be human beings of Space, and say: Ex Deo Nascimur, and we can look to the Child who comes forth from Time into Space, that he may unite Christ with humanity. But since the Mystery of Golgotha we cannot conceive of death, the bound of our earthly life, without this thought: “We must die in Christ.” Otherwise we shall pay for our loss of Time with the loss of Christ Himself, and, banished from Him, remain held spell-bound. We must fill ourselves with the Mystery of Golgotha. In addition to the Ex Deo Nascimur, we must find the In Christo Morimur. We must bring forth the Easter thought in addition to the Christmas thought. Thus the Ex Deo Nascimur lets the Christmas thought appear before our souls, and in the In Christo Morimur the Easter thought.
We can now say: On the Earth man has his three bodies, the physical, the etheric and the astral. The Etheric and Astral are also out there in the Cosmos, but the Physical is only to be found on the Earth. Out in the Cosmos there is no Physical. Thus we must say: On the Earth—physical, etheric, astral. In the Cosmos—no physical, but only the etheric and the astral.
Yet the Cosmos too is threefold, for what the Cosmos lacks at the lowest level, it adds above. In the Cosmos the Etheric is the lowest: on the Earth the Physical is the lowest. On Earth the Astral is the highest; in the Cosmos the highest is that of which man has to-day only the beginnings—that out of which his Spirit-Self will one day be woven. We may therefore say: In the Cosmos there is, as the third, the highest element, the Spirit-Selfhood.
Now we see the stars as expressions of something real. I compared their action to a gentle stroking. The Spirit-Selfhood that is behind them is indeed the Being that lovingly strokes,—only in this case it is not a single Being but the whole world of the Hierarchies. I gaze upon a man and see his form; I look at his eyes and see them shining towards me; I hear his voice; it is the utterance of the human being. In the same way I gaze up into the far Spaces of the world, I look upon the stars. They are the utterance of the Hierarchies,—the living utterance of the Hierarchies, kindling astral feeling. I gaze into the blue depths of the firmament and, perceive in it the outward revelation of the etheric body which is the lowest member of the whole world of the Hierarchies.
Now we may draw near to a still further realisation. We look out into the far Cosmos which goes out beyond earthly reality, even as the Earth with its physical substance and forces goes down beneath cosmic reality. As in the Physical the Earth has a sub-cosmic element, so in Spirit-Selfhood the Cosmos has a super-earthly element.
Physical science speaks of a movement of the Sun; and it can do so, for within the spatial picture of the Cosmos which surrounds us, we perceive by certain phenomena that the Sun is in movement. But that is only an image of the true Sun-movement—an image cast into Space. If we are speaking of the real Sun it is nonsense to say that the Sun moves in Space; for Space itself is being radiated out by the Sun. The Sun not only radiates the light; the Sun creates the Space itself. And the movement of the Sun is only a spatial movement within this created Space. Outside of Space it is a movement in Time. What seems apparent to us—namely, that the Sun is speeding on towards the constellation of Hercules—is only a spatial image of the Time-evolution of the Sun-Being.
To His intimate disciples Christ spoke these words: “Behold the life of the Earth; it is related to the life of the Cosmos. When you look out on the Earth and the surrounding Cosmos, it is the Father whose life permeates this Universe.3Cp. Paul: “God that made the world and all things therein, being Lord of heaven and earth, giveth to all life and breath and all things, and is not far from each one of us, for in him we live and move and have our being.” Acts XVII, 24–28. The Father-God is the God of Space. But I make known to you that I have come to you from the Sun, from Time—Time that receives man only when he dies. I have brought you myself from out of Time.4“Time,” as here used, is what we usually designate as “Eternity”, i.e. a continuous, unbroken time-experience. What we usually call “Time” is our spatialised concept of real Time, separate successional events, measured by spatial changes. If you receive me, you receive Time, and you will not be held spell-bound in Space. But you find the transition from the one trinity—Physical, Etheric and Astral—to the other trinity, which leads from the Etheric and Astral to Spirit-Selfhood. Spirit-Selfhood is not to be found in the earthly world, just as the Earthly-Physical is not to be found in the Cosmos. But I bring you the message of it, for I am from the Sun.”
The Sun has indeed a threefold aspect. If one lives within the Sun and looks down from the Sun to the Earth, one beholds the Physical, Etheric and Astral. One may also gaze on that which is within the Sun itself. Then one still sees the Physical so long as one remembers the Earth or gazes down towards the Earth. But if one looks away from the Earth one beholds on the other side the Spirit-Selfhood. Thus one swings backwards and forwards between the Physical and the nature of the Spirit-Self. Only the Etheric and Astral in between are permanent. As you look out into the great Universe, the Earthly vanishes away, and you have the Etheric, the Astral and the Spirit-Selfhood. This is what you behold when you come into the Sun-Time between death and a new birth.
Let us now imagine first of all the inner mood of a man's soul to be such that he shuts himself up entirely within this Earth-existence. He can still feel the Divine, for out of the Divine he is born: Ex Deo Nascimur. Then let us imagine him no longer shutting himself up within the mere world of Space, but receiving the Christ who came from the world of Time into the world of Space, who brought Time itself into the earthly Space. If a man does this, then in Death he will overcome Death. Ex Deo Nascimur. In Christo Morimur. But Christ Himself brings the message that when Space is overcome and one has learned to recognise the Sun as the creator of Space, when one feels oneself transplanted through Christ into the Sun, into the living Sun, then the earthly Physical vanishes and only the Etheric and the Astral are there. Now the Etheric comes to life, not as the blue of the sky, but as the lilac-red gleaming radiance of the Cosmos, and forth from the reddish light the stars no longer twinkle down upon us but gently touch us with their loving effluence.
If a man really enters into all this, he can have the experience of himself, standing here upon the Earth, the Physical put aside, but the Etheric still with him, streaming through and out of him in the lilac-reddish light. No longer now are the stars glimmering points of light; they are radiations of love like the caressing hand of a human being. As we feel all this—the divine within ourselves, the divine cosmic fire flaming forth from within us as the very being of man; ourselves within the Etheric world and experiencing the living expression of the Spirit in the Astral cosmic radiance, there bursts forth within us the inner awakening of the creative radiance of Spirit, which is man's high calling in the Universe.
When those to whom Christ revealed these things had let the revelation sink deep into their being, then the moment came when they experienced the working of this mighty concept, in the fiery tongues of Pentecost. At first they felt the falling away, the discarding of the earthly-Physical as death. But then the feeling came; This is not death, but in place of the physical of the Earth, there now dawns upon us the Spirit-Selfhood of the Universe. “Per Spiritum Sanctum Reviviscimus.”
Thus may we regard the threefold nature of the one half of the year. We have the Christmas thought—Ex Deo Nascimur; the Easter thought—In Christo Morimur; and the Whitsun thought—Per Spiritum Sanctum Reviviscimus.
There remains the other half of the year. If we understand that too, there dawns on us the other aspect of our human life. If we understand the relationship of the physical to the soul of man and to the superphysical—which contains the true freedom of which man is to become a partaker on the Earth,—then in the interconnection of the Christmas, Easter and Whitsun festivals we understand the human freedom on Earth. As we understand man from out of these three thoughts, the Christmas thought, the Easter thought and the Whitsun thought, and as we let this kindle in us the desire to understand the remaining portions of the year, there arises the other half of human life which I indicated when I said: “Gaze upon this human destiny; the Hierarchies appear behind it—the working and weaving of the Hierarchies.” It is wonderful to look truly into the destiny of a human being, for behind it stands the whole world of the Hierarchies.
It is indeed the language of the stars which sounds towards us from the thoughts of Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide; from the Christmas thought, inasmuch as the Earth is a star within the Universe; from the Easter thought inasmuch as the most radiant of stars, the Sun, gives us his gifts of grace; and from the Whitsun thought inasmuch as that which lies hidden beyond the stars lights into the soul, and lights forth again from the soul in the fiery tongues of Pentecost.
Enter into all this, my dear friends! I have told you of the Father, the Bearer of the Christmas thought, who sends the Son that through him the Easter thought may be fulfilled; I have told you further how the Son brings the message of the Spirit, so that in the thought of Whitsun man's life on Earth may be completed in its threefold being. Meditate this through, ponder it well; then for all the descriptive foundations I have already given you for an understanding of Karma, you will gain a right foundation of inner feeling.
Try to let the Christmas, Easter and Whitsun thoughts, in the way I have expressed them to you to-day, work deeply and truly into your human feeling, and when we meet again after the journey which I must undertake this Whitsun-tide for the Course on Agriculture—when we come together again, bring this feeling with you, my dear friends. For this feeling should live on in you as the warm and fiery thought of Pentecost. Then we shall be able to go further in our study of Karma; your power of understanding will be fertilised by what the Whitsun thought contains.
Just as once upon a time at the first Whitsun Festival something shone forth from each one of the disciples, so the thought of Pentecost should now become alive again for our anthroposophical understanding. Something must light up and shine forth from our souls. Therefore it is as a Whitsun feeling, to prepare you for the further continuation of our thoughts on Karma, which are related to the other half of the year, that I have given you what I have said to-day about the inner connections of Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide.
Vierzehnter Vortrag
Wenn wir die Wirkungsweise des Karma betrachten, so müssen wir ins Auge fassen, wie das menschliche Ich, das ja die eigentliche Wesenheit, die innerste Wesenheit des Menschen darstellt, gewissermaßen drei Werkzeuge hat, durch die es sich darlebt in der Welt: den physischen Leib, den ätherischen Leib und den astralischen Leib. Der Mensch trägt eigentlich den physischen Leib, den ätherischen Leib und den astralischen Leib an sich. Er ist keiner dieser Leiber, denn er ist im eigentlichen Sinne das Ich. Und das Ich ist es auch, welches Karma erleidet und Karma bildet.
Nun handelt es sich aber darum, daß man das Verhältnis des Menschen als des Ich-Wesens zu diesen drei, ich möchte sagen, werkzeuglichen Gestaltungen, zu dem physischen, dem ätherischen und dem Astralleib, in Betracht ziehen kann, um gerade daraus Grundlagen für das Wesen des Karma zu erlangen. Und man wird mit Bezug auf das Karma einen Gesichtspunkt für die Betrachtung des Physischen, des Ätherischen, des Astralischen im Menschen gewinnen, wenn man folgendes berücksichtigt.
Physisches, wie wir es sehen im mineralischen Reiche, Ätherisches, wie wir es wirksam finden im pflanzlichen Reiche, Astralisches, wie wir es auch wirksam finden im tierischen Reiche, wir finden das alles im Umkreise des Menschen auf der Erde. Wir haben im Kosmos rings um die Erde, ich möchte sagen, jenes Weltenall, nach dem sich die Erde nach allen Seiten fortsetzt. Wir spüren schon eine gewisse Verwandtschaft dessen, was auf der Erde vorgeht, mit dem, was in dem Umkreise des Kosmos vorgeht. Aber die Frage entsteht doch für die Geisteswissenschaft: Ist diese Verwandtschaft, ich möchte sagen, so trivial, wie sie die heutige naturwissenschaftliche Weltanschauung vorstellt?
Die heutige naturwissenschaftliche Weltanschauung untersucht, was auf der Erde lebt und auch nicht lebt, nach den physischen Eigenschaften. Sie untersucht dann die Sterne, die Sonne, Mond und so weiter, und sie findet ja — und ist besonders stolz darauf, das gefunden zu haben -, daß eigentlich diese Weltenkörper im Grunde genommen dasselbe seien wie die Erde.
Zu dieser Anschauung kommt man aber nur durch eine Erkenntnis, die nirgends den Menschen selber erfaßt, die eigentlich nur das Außermenschliche erfaßt. In dem Augenblicke, wo man den Menschen als drinnenstehend im Weltenall wirklich erfaßt, in dem Augenblicke kann man ja die Beziehungen finden zwischen den einzelnen menschlichen werkzeuglichen Gliedern, dem physischen Leib, dem ätherischen Leib, dem Astralleib, und den entsprechenden Entitäten, dem entsprechenden Wesenhaften im Kosmos.
Nun finden wir für den ätherischen Leib des Menschen draußen im Kosmos überall den Weltenäther. Gewiß, der ätherische Leib des Menschen hat eine bestimmte menschliche Gestaltung, er hat in sich gewisse Bewegungsformen und so weiter, die anders sind als beim Weltenäther. Aber immerhin ist es durchaus so, daß der Weltenäther gleichartig mit dem ist, was im menschlichen ätherischen Leib sich findet. Ebenso können wir von einer Ähnlichkeit desjenigen sprechen, was im menschlichen astralischen Leibe sich findet, und einem gewissen Astralischen, das draußen im Kosmos durch alle Dinge und alle Wesen hindurch wirkt. Dabei kommen wir nun auf etwas außerordentlich Wichtiges, auf etwas, was in seiner Wesenheit dem heutigen Menschen eigentlich ganz fremd ist.
Gehen wir von einer schematischen Vorstellung aus: Wir denken uns auf der Erde den Menschen mit seinem ätherischen Leibe (siehe Zeichnung, Mitte), dann im Umkreise der Erde den Weltenäther (gelb), der von einerlei Art ist mit dem menschlichen Äther. Nun haben wir auch im Menschen den astralischen Leib (dunkle Schraffierung innerhalb des Gelben). Im kosmischen Umkreis ist auch Astralität, aber wo soll man sie finden? Wo ist sie? Sie ist schon zu finden, nur muß man darauf kommen, was im Kosmos die Astralität verrät, was sie offenbart: Irgendwo, muß man sagen, ist die Astralität. Aber ist die Astralität im Kosmos ganz unsichtbar, ganz unwahrnehmbar, oder ist sie doch irgendwie wahrnehmbar? Natürlich, an sich ist auch der Äther für physische Sinne zunächst unwahrnehmbar. Wenn Sie, wenn ich mich so ausdrücken darf, ein kleines Stück Äther anschauen, so sehen Sie mit den physischen Sinnen nichts, Sie sehen einfach durch; es ist der Äther wie nichts. Wenn Sie aber den gesamten Umkreis des Äthers ins Auge fassen, so ist der Grund, warum Sie den blauen Himmel sehen, der eigentlich ja auch nicht da ist, der, daß Sie da das Ende des Äthers wahrnehmen. Sie nehmen also den Äther wahr als Blau des Himmels. Die Wahrnehmung der Bläue des Himmels ist richtig die Wahrnehmung des Äthers. So daß wir schon sagen können: Indem wir die Bläue des Himmels wahrnehmen (siehe Zeichnung, blau), nehmen wir den Äther um uns herum wahr.
Wir sehen zunächst durch den Äther durch. Das läßt er sich gefallen zunächst, aber er macht sich doch selber wahrnehmbar in der Bläue des Himmels. Das Dasein der Bläue des Himmels wird daher für die Wahrnehmung des Menschen in der richtigen Weise ausgedrückt, wenn man sagt: Der Äther ist zwar nicht wahrnehmbar, aber er erhebt sich zur Wahrnehmbarkeit wegen der großen Majestät, mit der er sich im Weltenall hinstellt, indem er sich kundgibt, offenbart in der Himmelsbläue.
In der physischen Wissenschaft denkt man materialistisch über die Himmelsbläue nach. Nun ist es für die physische Wissenschaft schwer, über die Himmelsbläue in vernünftiger Weise nachzudenken, einfach aus dem Grunde, weil ja die physische Wissenschaft sich klar sein muß: Dort ist nichts vom Physischen, wo die Bläue des Himmels ist. Aber immerhin, man renkt sich den Verstand aus, um zu erklären, wie Lichtstrahlen auf eine besondere Weise gebrochen werden und reflektiert werden, um diese Bläue des Himmels hervorzurufen. Aber hier beginnt eben bereits das Walten des Übersinnlichen. Und im Kosmos ist es so, daß schon das Übersinnliche wahrnehmbar wird, nur muß man ausfindig machen, wo es wahrnehmbar wird.
Der Äther wird also durch die Himmelsbläue wahrnehmbar. Nun ist irgendwo das Astralische des Kosmos. Der Äther guckt durch die Himmelsbläue in die Sinnlichkeit herein. Wo guckt denn das Astralische des Kosmos in die Sichtbarkeit, in die Wahrnehmbarkeit herein?
Sehen Sie, in Wirklichkeit ist jeder Stern, den wir am Himmel glänzen sehen, ein Einlaßtor für das Astralische, so daß überall, wo Sterne hereinglänzen, das Astralische hereinglänzt. Sehen Sie also den gestirnten Himmel in seiner Mannigfaltigkeit — da die Sterne in Gruppen gehäuft, dort mehr zerstreut, voneinandergestellt —, dann müssen Sie sich sagen: In dieser wunderbaren Leuchtekonfiguration macht sich der unsichtbare, der übersinnliche Astralleib des Kosmos sichtbar. Daher darf man auch nicht die Sternenwelt ungeistig ansehen. Hinaufschauen in die Sternenwelt und von brennenden Gaswelten zu reden, das ist geradeso — verzeihen Sie den paradoxen Vergleich, aber er ist absolut bis aufs i-Tüpfelchen stimmend -, wie wenn Sie aus Liebe jemand streichelt und die Finger etwas auseinanderhält beim Streicheln, und Sie sagen: Das, was Sie da spüren im Streicheln, das sind kleine Bänder, die Ihnen über die Backe gelegt werden. Ebensowenig wie Ihnen kleine Bänder über die Backe gelegt werden beim Streicheln, ebensowenig sind da oben diejenigen Wesenhaftigkeiten, von denen die Physik spricht; sondern der Astralleib des Weltenalls, der übt fortwährend seine Einflüsse, so wie das Streicheln auf Ihrer Backe, auf die Ätherorganisation aus.
Nur ist er auf sehr starke Dauer organisiert. Daher dauert das Halten eines Sternes, was immer ein Beeinflussen des Weltenäthers von seiten der astralischen Welt ist, länger als das Streicheln. Das Streicheln würde der Mensch nicht so lange aushalten, aber es ist eben so, daß das im Weltenall länger dauert, weil im Weltenall gleich Riesenmaße auftreten. So daß also in dem Sternenhimmel eine Seelenäußerung des Weltenastralischen zu sehen ist.
Es ist damit zu gleicher Zeit ungeheures, und zwar sogar seelisches Leben, wirklich seelisches Leben, in den Kosmos hineingebracht. Denken Sie doch nur einmal, wie tot der Kosmos ist, wenn man da hiinausschaut und nur brennende Gaskörper sieht, die leuchten! Denken Sie sich, wie lebendig das alles wird, wenn man weiß: Diese Sterne sind der Ausdruck der Liebe, mit der der astralische Kosmos auf den ätherischen Kosmos wirkt! Das ist ein ganz richtiger Ausdruck.
Aber nun denken Sie an die rätselhaften, nur durch physische Dinge, bei denen man ja eigentlich doch nichts begreift, erklärten Vorgänge des Aufleuchtens gewisser Sterne zu bestimmten Zeiten. Sterne, die noch nicht da waren, sie leuchten auf, sie verschwinden wiederum. Also auch kurzes Streicheln ist im Weltenall vorhanden. In Epochen, in denen, ich möchte sagen, die Götter hereinwirken wollen aus der astralischen Welt in die ätherische Welt, da sieht man solche aufleuchtenden und gleich wiederum sich abdämpfenden Sterne.
So haben wir in uns durch unseren astralischen Leib Wohlbefinden in der mannigfaltigsten Art; so haben wir im Kosmos durch den astralischen Leib die Konfiguration des Sternenhimmels. Kein Wunder daher, daß eine alte instinktiv hellsehende Wissenschaft dieses dritte menschliche Glied den astralischen Leib genannt hat, denn es ist von gleicher Art mit dem, was sich in den Sternen offenbart. Nur das Ich finden wir in diesem Umkreis nicht sich offenbarend. Warum? Nun, warum das so ist, das finden wir gerade heraus, wenn wir darauf hinsehen, daß dieses Ich des Menschen, so wie es sich auf der Erde —- also in dem Kosmos, der eigentlich eine dreigliedrige Welt ist, eine physische, eine ätherische, eine astralische —, so wie es sich da äußert, ja immer die Wiederholung früherer Erdenleben ist. Und es ist immer wieder im Leben zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt drinnen.
Da aber, wenn man es beobachtet, hat für dieses Ich die ätherische Welt, die wir im Umkreise der irdischen haben, keine Bedeutung; der ätherische Leib wird ja bald nach dem Tode abgelegt. Nur die astralische Welt, die durch die Sterne hereinschaut, die hat für das Ich in dem Leben zwischen Tod und neuer Geburt eine Bedeutung. Und in dieser Welt, die da hereinscheint durch die Sterne, in dieser Welt leben dann die Wesen der höheren Hierarchien, mit denen der Mensch zwischen dem Tod und einer neuen Geburt sein Karma formt.
Aber wenn wir dieses Ich betrachten in seinem aufeinanderfolgenden Sich-Entwickeln durch Leben zwischen Geburt und Tod und zwischen Tod und neuer Geburt, so können wir ja gar nicht im Raume bleiben. Zwei Erdenleben, die aufeinanderfolgen, können ja nicht in demselben Raume sein, also auch nicht in dem Weltenall, das auf Gleichzeitigkeit, auf Räumlichkeit angewiesen ist. Da kommen wir aus dem Raume heraus, kommen in die Zeit hinein. Und in der Tat, man kommt aus dem Raume heraus, man kommt in den reinen Zeitenfluß, wenn man das Ich in den aufeinanderfolgenden Erdenleben betrachtet.
Nun denken Sie aber: Im Raume ist ja natürlich auch die Zeit vorhanden; aber man hat gar keine Mittel, um innerhalb des Raumes die Zeit als solche zu erleben. Man hat keine Mittel. Man muß die Zeit immer durch den Raum und seine Vorgänge erleben. Sie schauen, wenn Sie die Zeit erleben wollen, zum Beispiel die Uhr an, oder schauen meinetwillen auch den Sonnengang an, die Uhr ist ja nur ein irdisches Abbild des Sonnenganges. Aber was sehen Sie denn da? Sie sehen Zeigerstellungen oder Sonnenorte: Räumliches. Dadurch, daß sich die Orte der Zeiger oder der Sonne ändern, also dadurch, das Räumliches in Veränderung vor Ihnen steht, haben Sie eine Ahnung von der Zeit. Aber da im Raum ist ja eigentlich nichts von der Zeit. Da sind nur verschiedene räumliche Anordnungen, verschiedene Zeigerstellungen, verschiedene Sonnenorte. Die Zeit erleben Sie erst im seelischen Erleben. Da aber erleben Sie die Zeit wirklich, und da kommen Sie auch aus dem Raum heraus. Da ist die Zeit eine Realität. Die Zeit ist innerhalb der Erde gar keine Realität.
Was muß man denn daher erleben, wenn man aus dem Raum, in dem man zwischen Geburt und Tod lebt, eintreten will in die Raumlosigkeit, in der man zwischen dem Tod und einer neuen Geburt lebt, was muß man erleben? Ja, meine lieben Freunde, man muß sterben! Und nehmen Sie nur in aller Schärfe, nehmen Sie in aller Tiefe dieses, daß man auf der Erde die Zeit nur durch den Raum erlebt, durch Raumorte, durch Stellungen von räumlichen Dingen, daß man die Zeit auf der Erde gar nicht in ihrer Wirklichkeit erlebt, dann werden Sie ja im Grunde ein anderes Wort finden für etwas, was da ist, wenn Sie sagen: Um in die Zeit als Wirklichkeit hineinzukommen, muß man aus dem Raume heraus, alles Räumliche wegschaffen - und das heißt: sterben!
Nun haben wir den Blick hinzuwenden auf diese kosmische Welt, die uns im Umkreis des Irdischen umgibt, mit der wir ähnlich sind durch unseren ÄÄtherleib, mit der wir ähnlich sind durch unseren astralischen Leib, und wir schauen auf das Geistige dieser kosmischen Welt. Es hat Völker gegeben, Menschengruppen gegeben, die haben nur auf das Geistige dieser räumlich-kosmischen Welt hingeschaut. Da verging ihnen die Möglichkeit, Gedanken zu haben über die wiederholten Erdenleben. Denn Gedanken über die wiederholten Erdenleben hatten nur diejenigen Menschen und Menschengruppen, welche die Zeit in ihrer Reinheit, in ihrer Raumlosigkeit vorstellen konnten. Und wenn wir dasjenige aussondern, was wir als irdische Welt und ihre Umgebung, kurz, als unseren Kosmos, als unser Universum haben, und das Geistige davon erblicken, so haben wir ungefähr dasjenige, von dem wir sagen können: Es muß da sein, damit wir als irdische Menschen in unser Dasein hereintreten können. Es muß da sein.
Ja, in dieser Vorstellung: All das, was ich jetzt charakterisiert habe, muß da sein, damit wir als Erdenmenschen in das irdische Dasein hereintreten können -, liegt ungeheuer viel. Es liegt namentlich dann ungeheuer viel darinnen, wenn wir das Geistige von alldem, was so charakterisiert ist, vorstellen. Und wenn wir dieses Geistige in dieser, ich möchte sagen, Abgeschlossenheit in sich, in dieser Reinheit in sich vorstellen, dann haben wir ungefähr das, was diejenigen Völker, die sich auf die Anschauung des Raumes beschränkt haben, Gott genannt haben.
Diese Völker haben wenigstens in ihren Weisheitslehren empfunden, daß der Kosmos durchwallt und durchwebt ist von einem Göttlichen, und daß von diesem Göttlichen dasjenige unterschieden werden kann, was auf der Erde selber in unserer Umgebung in der physischen Welt ist. Dann kann das, was sich als das Ätherische offenbart in diesem Kosmischen, Göttlichen, Geistigen, das uns in der Bläue des Himmels anblickt, unterschieden werden; es kann weiterhin das Astralische in diesem Göttlichen, das uns durch die Konfiguration des Sternenhimmels anblickt, unterschieden werden.
Versetzen wir uns so recht in die Situation, daß wir auf der Erde stehend als Menschen im Weltenall, uns sagen: Wir Menschen haben den physischen Leib — wo ist das Physische im Weltenall? Da komme ich zurück auf das, was ich schon angedeutet habe. Die physische Wissenschaft möchte im Weltenall alles dasjenige suchen, was auch auf Erden ist. Aber die eigentliche physische Organisation ist nicht im Weltenall. Der Mensch fängt an mit der physischen Organisation, hat dann die ätherische, dann die astralische; das Weltenall fängt gleich mit der ätherischen Organisation an. Da draußen ist nirgends das Physische. Das Physische ist nur auf der Erde, und es ist einfach Phantastik, vom Physischen im Weltenall zu sprechen. Im Weltenall ist das Ätherische, und dann das Astralische. Was es als drittes noch hat, wird noch heute vor unsere Seelen hintreten. Aber die Dreigliederung des außerirdischen Kosmos ist anders als die Dreigliederung des Kosmos, zu dem wir die Erde dazurechnen.
Wenn wir uns aber mit einer solchen Empfindung hinstellen auf die Erde, wenn wir empfinden das Physische unseres unmittelbaren Erdenwohnortes, empfinden das Ätherische, das auf der Erde ist und im Weltenall, und von der Erde und aus dem Weltenall zusammenwirkt als Ätherisches, wenn wir schauen auf das Astralische, welches durch die Sterne auf die Erde herunterglänzt, am intensivsten aus dem Sonnenstern herunterglänzt, wenn wir auf all das hinschauen und uns die Majestät dieses Weltengedankens vor die Seele stellen, dann finden wir es wohl berechtigt, daß in jenen Zeiten, in denen aus einem mehr instinktiven Hellsehen heraus nicht nur Abstraktionen gedacht worden sind, sondern die Majestät von Vorstellungen empfunden werden konnte, den Menschen begreiflich gemacht worden ist: Solch einen majestätischen Gedanken in seiner Fülle, man kann ihn nicht immerfort denken; man muß ihn einmal ins Auge fassen, in seiner ganzen ungeheuren Glorie auf die Seele einwirken lassen und dann ihn im Inneren des Menschen - ohne durch das Bewußtsein ihn zu verderben, zu korrumpieren - wirken lassen. Und wenn wir nachdenken, durch was das alte instinktive Hellsehen eine solche Gesinnung wahrgemacht hat, so bleibt uns in der gegenwärtigen Zeit von alldem, was da zusammengeflossen ist, um diesen Gedanken wahrzumachen innerhalb der Menschheit, die Einsetzung des Weihnachtsfestes.
Wenn der Mensch in der Weihnachtsnacht sich vorstellt, wie er auf Erden steht mit seinem physischen, mit seinem ätherischen, mit seinem astralischen Leib, verwandt ist mit dem dreigliedrigen Kosmos, der ihm in seinem Ätherischen in der Bläue des Himmels so majestätisch, aber auch so zauberisch-magisch in der Nacht erscheint, wie er gegenübersteht dem Astralischen des Weltenalls in den hereinglänzenden Sternen: dann empfindet er in dieser Heiligkeit des Umkreises im Zusammenhange mit dem, was im Irdischen ist, wie er in die Räumlichkeit hereinversetzt ist mit seinem eigentlichen Ich-Wesen. Und dann darf er anschauen das Weihnachtsmysterium, das geborene Kind, den Menschheitsrepräsentanten auf der Erde, der, insofern er seine Kindheit antritt, in diese Räumlichkeit hereingeboren wird. Und er sagt, wenn er den Weihnachtsgedanken in seiner Fülle und in dieser seiner Majestät im Anblicke des zu Weihnachten geborenen Kindes erblickt: Ex deo nascimur. — Aus dem Göttlichen bin ich geboren, dem Göttlichen, das den Raum durchwellt und durchwebt.
Aber dann, wenn der Mensch dieses empfunden hat, sich innerlich durchdrungen hat damit, dann kann er sich erinnern an dasjenige, was ihm als Wahrheit über den Sinn der Erde durch Anthroposophie aufgegangen ist. Dieses Kind, zu dem wir hinblicken, ist ja die äußere Umhüllung desjenigen, was eben hineingeboren wird in den Raum. Und woraus wird es geboren, um hineingeboren zu werden in den Raum? Das kann nach unseren heutigen Ausführungen nur die Zeit sein. Aus der Zeit heraus wird es geboren.
Und wenn wir dann das Leben dieses Kindes verfolgen, seine Durchgeistigung mit der Christus-Wesenheit, dann kommen wir darauf: von der Sonne kommt dieses Wesen, dieses Christus-Wesen. Und wir blikken jetzt zur Sonne hinauf und sagen uns: Indem wir zur Sonne hinaufblicken, müssen wir an dem Sonnenschein die für das Räumliche verborgene Zeit erblicken. Im Inneren der Sonne ist die Zeit. Und aus dieser im Inneren der Sonne webenden Zeit heraus ist der Christus in den Raum hineingekommen auf die Erde. Und was haben wir nun in dem Christus auf der Erde? Wir haben in dem Christus auf der Erde dasjenige, was sich von außerhalb des Raumes mit der Erde verbindet, was von außerhalb kommt.
Nun denken Sie einmal, wie sich uns die Vorstellung des Weltenalls gegenüber der gewöhnlichen Vorstellung verwandelt, wenn wir all das wirklich nehmen, was wir jetzt vor unsere Seele haben hintreten lassen! Da haben wir im Weltenall die Sonne mit alldem, was uns zunächst im Verein mit der Sonne im Universum, im Kosmos erscheint, dasjenige, was eingeschlossen ist innerhalb der Bläue des Himmels, die Sternenwelt. Da haben wir auch irgendwo die Erde mit der Menschheit. Aber indem wir von der Erde zur Sonne hinaufschauen, blicken wir zugleich in den Fluß der Zeit hinein.
Daraus folgt jetzt etwas sehr Bedeutsames. Es folgt das, daß der Mensch zur Sonne nur dann richtig blickt, wenn er, indem er auch meinetwillen nur im Geistigen zur Sonne aufblickt, den Raum vergißt und nur auf die Zeit Rücksicht nimmt. Die Sonne strahlt damit nicht nur das Licht aus, sondern den Raum selber. Und wenn wir in die Sonne schauen, schauen wir aus dem Raume heraus. Deshalb ist die Sonne dieser ausgezeichnete Stern, weil man durch sie aus dem Raum herausschaut. Aber aus diesem Außerhalb-des-Raumes ist der Christus zu den Menschen gekommen. Der Mensch war, als das Christentum auf Erden durch den Christus begründet wurde, allzulange schon in dem bloßen Ex deo nascimur. Er war ihm verwandt geworden. Er hatte die Zeit völlig verloren. Er war zu einem völligen Raumwesen geworden.
Wir verstehen so schwer mit dem heutigen zivilisatorischen Bewußtsein die alten Überlieferungen, weil diese eigentlich überall mit dem Raum rechnen und nicht mit dem Zeitlichen, mit dem Zeitlichen nur wie mit einem Anhängsel des Räumlichen.
Da kam der Christus und brachte den Menschen wiederum das Zeitliche. Und indem sich das Menschenherz, die Menschenseele, der Menschengeist mit dem Christus verbinden, gewinnen sie wiederum den Strom der Zeit von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit. Was können wir Menschen anderes tun als, wenn wir sterben, also aus der Raumeswelt hinausgehen, uns anklammern an dasjenige, was uns dann wieder die Zeit gibt, da die Menschheit zur Zeit des Mysteriums von Golgatha so stark Raumeswesen geworden ist, daß ihr die Zeit abhanden gekommen war! Der Christus hat den Menschen wiederum die Zeit gebracht.
Und wollen die Menschen beim Hinausgehen aus dem Raum nicht auch mit ihrer Seele ersterben, dann müssen sie in dem Christus sterben. Wir können immerhin Raumesmenschen sein, dann können wir sagen: Ex deo nascimur. - Dann können wir zu dem Kinde hinblicken, das aus der Zeit heraus in den Raum dringt, um mit den Menschen den Christus zu vereinigen.
Aber wir können nicht an die Grenze des irdischen Lebens, an das Sterben denken seit dem Mysterium von Golgatha, wenn wir nicht den Verlust der Zeit mit dem Verlust des Christus büßen wollen, wenn wir nicht hereingebannt werden wollen in den Raum und als Gespenst im Raume bleiben wollen. Da müssen wir in dem Christus sterben. Da müssen wir uns durchdringen mit dem Mysterium von Golgatha. Da müssen wir zu dem Ex deo nascimur das In Christo morimur dazufinden. Da müssen wir zu dem Weihnachtsgedanken den Ostergedanken hinzubringen.
Und so läßt das Ex deo nascimur den Weihnachtsgedanken vor unsere Seele treten, so läßt das In Christo morimur den Ostergedanken vor unsere Seele treten.
Wir können sagen: Auf der Erde hat der Mensch sein Physisches, sein Ätherisches, sein Astralisches. Das Ätherische ist auch draußen im Kosmos; das Astralische ist auch draußen in dem Kosmos (siehe Zeichnung Seite 248, rot); das Physische ist allein auf der Erde, es gibt draußen im Kosmos kein Physisches. So müssen wir sagen: Erde: Physisches, Ätherisches, Astralisches; Kosmos: das Physische ist nicht da, aber das Ätherische und das Astralische.
Dreigegliedert ist aber auch der Kosmos. Was er unten nicht hat, das setzt er oben an. Bei ihm ist das Ätherische das Unterste; auf der Erde ist das Physische das Unterste. Auf der Erde ist das Astralische das Höchste; im Kosmos ist das Höchste dasjenige, was ja der Mensch heute nur in Rudimenten in sich hat, dasjenige, woraus einmal gewoben sein wird sein Geistselbst. Wir können sagen: Im Kosmos ist die Geistselbstigkeit als drittes.
Und jetzt erscheinen uns die Sterne als die Äußerungen von irgend etwas. Ich vergleiche sie mit dem Streicheln; die Geistselbstigkeit, die dahinter ist, ist das streichelnde Wesen. Nur daß da das streichelnde Wesen nicht eine Einheit ist, sondern die ganze Welt der Hierarchien. Schaue ich einen Menschen an seiner Gestalt nach, schaue ich seine Augen, die mir entgegenleuchten, höre ich seine Stimme, so ist das die Außerung des Menschen. Schaue ich in die Weltenweiten hinauf, schaue ich auf die Sterne, so sind es die Äußerungen der Hierarchien, die Empfindung erregenden Lebensäußerungen der Hierarchien. Schaue ich in die Unendlichkeit des blauen Weltenfirmaments hinein, so sehe ich nach außen sich offenbaren deren ätherischen Leib, der aber das Unterste ist für diese ganze hierarchische Welt.
Dann aber ahnen wir, wenn wir in den Kosmos und seine Weiten hinausschauen, etwas, was nun über das Irdische hinausgeht, so wie die Erde mit ihren physischen Substanzen und Kräften unter das Kosmische hinuntergeht. Und die Erde hat ein Unterkosmisches im Physischen, der Kosmos hat ein Überirdisches in der Geistselbstigkeit.
| Erde | Kosmos |
| Physisches-Unterkosmisches Ätherisches Astralisches |
Ätherisches Astralisches Überirdisches-Geistselbstigkeit |
Die physische Wissenschaft spricht von einer Bewegung der Sonne. Sie kann das. Denn man kann ja innerhalb des Raumesbildes, das uns als Kosmos umgibt, an gewissen Erscheinungen sehen, daß die Sonne in Bewegung ist. Aber es ist eben nur das in den Raum hereinragende Abbild der Sonnenbewegung. Und wenn man von der wirklichen Sonne spricht, so ist es einfach ein Unsinn, zu sagen, die Sonne bewegt sich im Raume. Weil der Raum von der Sonne ausgestrahlt wird! Die Sonne strahlt nicht nur das Licht aus, die Sonne macht auch den Raum. Und die Bewegung der Sonne selber ist nur innerhalb des Raumes eine räumliche; außerhalb des Raumes ist sie eine zeitliche. Das, was da von der Sonne erscheint, daß sie dem Sternbilde des Herkules zueilt, das ist nur ein Abbild einer zeitlichen Entwickelung des Sonnenwesens.
Ja, seinen intimen Jüngern hat der Christus gesagt: Sehet hin auf das Leben der Erde. Es ist verwandt mit dem Leben des Kosmos. Insofern ihr schaut auf die Erde und den umliegenden Kosmos, ist es der Vater, der dieses Weltenall durchlebt. Der Vatergott ist der Gott des Raumes. Ich aber habe euch zu künden, daß ich von der Sonne gekommen bin, von der Zeit, von der Zeit, die den Menschen nur aufnimmt, wenn er stirbt. Ich habe euch mich selbst gebracht aus der Zeit heraus. Nehmet ihr mich auf, sagte der Christus, so nehmet ihr die Zeit auf und verfallt nicht dem Raume. Aber da müßt ihr auch den Übergang finden von der einen Dreiheit -— dem Physischen, Ätherischen, Astralischen — zu der anderen Dreiheit: dem Ätherischen, Astralischen bis zu der Geistselbstigkeit. Die Geistselbstigkeit ist ebensowenig im Irdischen zu finden, wie das Physisch-Irdische im Kosmos zu finden ist. Aber ich bringe euch von ihm die Botschaft, denn ich bin aus der Sonne.
Ja, die Sonne hat einen dreifachen Aspekt. Lebt man innerhalb der Sonne und sieht von der Sonne auf die Erde (siehe Zeichnung, rot), so hat man Physisches, Ätherisches, Astralisches zu sehen. Oder man schaut auf dasjenige, was in der Sonne selber ist, dann hat man fortwährend zu sehen Geistselbstigkeit. Man sieht Physisches, wenn man sich an die Erde erinnert oder hinschaut auf sie. Schaut man weg, so blickt man nach der anderen Seite auf die Geistselbstigkeit. Man pendelt hin und her zwischen dem Physischen und der Geistselbstigkeit. Stabil bleibt dazwischen nur das Ätherische und das Astralische. Sieht man aber hinaus in das Weltenall, dann verschwindet das Irdische vollständig. Ätherisches, Astralisches und Geistselbstigkeit ist da. Das wird Euer Anblick sein, wenn Ihr in die Sonnenzeit kommt zwischen dem Tod und einer neuen Geburt.
Man stelle sich also vor, der Mensch kapsele sich ganz ein mit seiner Seelenverfassung in dem Erdenwesen: er kann das Göttliche empfinden, denn aus dem Göttlichen heraus ist er geboren. Ex deo nascimur.
Stellen wir uns vor, er kapsele sich nicht bloß innerhalb der Raumeswelt ein, sondern er nehme an den Christus, der aus der Zeitenwelt in die Raumeswelt hereingekommen ist und die Zeit selber in den Raum der Erde gebracht hat. Damit überwindet er im Tode den Tod. Ex deo nascimur. In Christo morimur.
Aber der Christus bringt die Botschaft: Dann, wenn der Raum überwunden ist und man die Sonne als den Schöpfer des Raumes kennenlernt, in der Sonne sich fühlt durch den Christus, in die lebendige Sonne sich hineinversetzt fühlt, dann verschwindet das PhysischIrdische; das Ätherische, das Astralische ist da. Das Ätherische lebt auf, jetzt nicht als Himmelsbläue, sondern als hellrötliche Erglänzung des Kosmos. Und aus diesem Hellrötlichen glänzen nicht die Sterne herunter, sondern die Sterne berühren uns mit ihren Liebewirkungen. Und der Mensch kann sich fühlen — wenn er sich in all das wirklich hineinversetzt — stehend auf der Erde, das Physische abgestreift, das Ätherische da, ihn durchstrahlend und ausstrahlend als das Lilarötliche; die Sterne nicht glänzende Punkte, sondern Liebesstrahlungen wie das menschliche Liebestreicheln.
Aber indem man dieses empfindet, das Göttliche in sich, das göttliche Weltenfeuer als das Wesen des Menschen aus ihm herausflammend, sich fühlend im ätherischen Weltenall, erlebend die Geistesäußerungen im astralischen Welten-Erstrahlen: dann bringt das hervor in dem Menschen das innere Erleben des Geist-Erstrahlenden, zu dem der Mensch berufen ist im Weltenall.
Als diejenigen, denen Christus das verkündet hatte, genügend lange sich durchdrungen hatten von diesem Gedanken, da empfanden sie die Wirkung dieses Gedankens in den feurigen Zungen des Pfingstfestes. Da empfanden sie das Sterben durch das Abfallen und Abtropfen des Physischen der Erde. Da empfanden sie aber: das ist nicht der Tod, sondern für das Physische der Erde geht die Geistselbstigkeit des Universums auf: Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.
So kann man hinblicken auf diese Dreigliederung der einen Jahreshälfte: Weihnachtsgedanke — Ex deo nascimur; Ostergedanke — In Christo morimur; Pfingstgedanke — Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.
Und es bleibt die andere Hälfte des Jahres. Versteht man sie ebenso, so geht für den Menschen auch wiederum die andere Seite seines Lebens auf. Versteht man jene Beziehung des Physischen zum Seelischen des Menschen und zum Überphysischen, welche die Freiheit in sich schließt, deren der Erdenmensch teilhaftig wird auf der Erde, dann versteht man in den Zusammenhängen zwischen Weihnachts-, Oster- und Pfingstfest den freien Menschen auf der Erde. Und versteht man ihn aus diesen drei Gedanken, dem Weihnachtsgedanken, dem Ostergedanken und dem Pfingstgedanken heraus, und läßt sich dadurch auffordern, das übrige Jahr zu verstehen, so tritt die andere Hälfte des menschlichen Lebens auf, die ich Ihnen andeutete dadurch, daß ich sagte: Blickt man hin auf das menschliche Schicksal — die Hierarchien erscheinen dahinter, die Arbeit, das Weben der Hierarchien. Deshalb ist es so groß, wirklich in ein menschliches Schicksal hineinzublicken, weil man sieht, wie die ganzen Hierarchien dahinterstehen.
Aber es ist ja im Grunde genommen die Sprache der Sterne, die uns aus dem Weihnachts-, Oster- und Pfingstgedanken entgegentönt: aus dem Weihnachtsgedanken, insofern die Erde ein Stern im Weltenall ist, aus dem Ostergedanken, insofern uns der glänzendste Stern, die Sonne, seine Gnadengaben gibt, aus dem Pfingstgedanken, indem uns dasjenige, was jenseits der Sterne verborgen ist, in die Seele hereinleuchtet und in den feurigen Zungen wiederum herausleuchtet aus der Seele.
Wenn Sie das, was in dieser Art nun von dem Vater, dem Träger des Weihnachtsgedankens, der aber den Sohn schickt, damit der Ostergedanke voll werde, und dann von diesem Sohne, der wiederum die Kunde von dem Geist bringt, damit im Pfingstgedanken das menschliche Leben auf Erden sich in Dreiheit vollende, wenn Sie dieses ausmeditieren, wenn Sie darüber recht nachdenken, dann bekommen Sie zu all den geschilderten Grundlagen, die ich Ihnen zum Begreifen des Karma gegeben habe, eine Empfindungsgrundlage.
Versuchen Sie es einmal, den Weihnachts-, Oster- und Pfingstgedanken, so gewendet, wie wir ihn heute gewendet haben, so recht auf menschliches Gefühl, auf menschliche Empfindung wirken zu lassen. Versuchen Sie das, vertiefen Sie diese Ihre Empfindung. Und wenn wir nach meiner Reise, die ich nun genötigt bin, gerade zu Pfingsten wegen des Landwirtschaftlichen Kursus zu unternehmen, wiederum zusammenkommen, dann bringen Sie diese Empfindung, die fortleben soll als der warme, der feurige Pfingstgedanke, mit, und dann werden wir über das Karma weitersprechen können.
So aber wird Ihr Verständnis recht befruchtet sein durch das, was der Pfingstgedanke ist. Wie einstmals von der Einsetzung des Pfingstfestes bei der ersten Feier des Pfingstfestes aus jedem der Jünger etwas geleuchtet hat, so sollte eigentlich der Pfingstgedanke wieder lebendig werden auch für anthroposophisches Verständnis.
Es sollte etwas leuchtend werden aus Ihren Seelen heraus. Deshalb gab ich Ihnen als Pfingstempfindung mit für die weitere Fortsetzung der Karmagedanken, die für die andere Hälfte des Jahres sind, dasjenige, was ich heute über den Zusammenhang von Weihnachts-, Oster- und Pfingstgedanken zu sagen habe.
Fourteenth Lecture
When we consider the mode of action of karma, we must consider how the human ego, which is the actual essence, the innermost being of man, has three tools, so to speak, through which it lives in the world: the physical body, the etheric body and the astral body. The human being actually carries the physical body, the etheric body and the astral body. He is not one of these bodies, for he is the ego in the true sense of the word. And it is also the ego that suffers karma and forms karma.
Now, however, it is a matter of considering the relationship of the human being as the I-being to these three, I would like to say, tool-like formations, to the physical, the etheric and the astral body, in order to obtain the foundations for the nature of karma from them. And with reference to karma, one will gain a point of view for the consideration of the physical, the etheric and the astral in man if one takes the following into account.
The physical, as we see it in the mineral kingdom, the etheric, as we find it effective in the vegetable kingdom, the astral, as we also find it effective in the animal kingdom, we find all of this in the human being's environment on earth. We have in the cosmos around the earth, I would like to say, that universe towards which the earth continues in all directions. We already sense a certain relationship between what happens on earth and what happens in the cosmos. But the question arises for spiritual science: Is this relationship, I would like to say, as trivial as it is presented by today's scientific world view?
Today's scientific worldview examines what lives and does not live on earth according to its physical properties. It then examines the stars, the sun, the moon and so on, and it finds - and is particularly proud of having found this - that these worldly bodies are actually basically the same as the earth.
However, one only arrives at this view through a realization that nowhere grasps man himself, that actually only grasps the extra-human. At the moment when one really grasps man as standing within the universe, at that moment one can find the relationships between the individual human tool-like members, the physical body, the etheric body, the astral body, and the corresponding entities, the corresponding beings in the cosmos.
Now we find the world ether everywhere for the etheric body of man outside in the cosmos. Certainly, the etheric body of the human being has a certain human form, it has within itself certain forms of movement and so on, which are different from the world ether. But it is still the case that the world ether is similar to what is found in the human etheric body. In the same way we can speak of a similarity between that which is found in the human astral body and a certain astral that works outside in the cosmos through all things and all beings. This brings us to something extraordinarily important, something that is actually quite alien in its essence to modern man.
Let us start from a schematic idea: We imagine the human being on earth with his etheric body (see drawing, center), then in the circumference of the earth the world ether (yellow), which is of the same kind as the human ether. Now we also have the astral body in the human being (dark hatching within the yellow). There is also astrality in the cosmic sphere, but where is it to be found? Where is it? It can already be found, but you have to find out what in the cosmos reveals the astrality, what it reveals: Somewhere, one must say, there is astrality. But is the astrality in the cosmos completely invisible, completely imperceptible, or is it somehow perceptible? Of course, in itself the ether is also initially imperceptible to the physical senses. If you, if I may put it this way, look at a small piece of ether, you see nothing with the physical senses, you simply see through it; it is the ether like nothing. But if you look at the entire circumference of the ether, the reason why you see the blue sky, which is actually not there, is that you perceive the end of the ether. So you perceive the ether as the blue of the sky. The perception of the blueness of the sky is correctly the perception of the ether. So that we can already say: By perceiving the blueness of the sky (see drawing, blue), we perceive the ether around us.
We first see through the ether. It puts up with this at first, but it makes itself perceptible in the blueness of the sky. The existence of the blueness of the sky is therefore expressed in the right way for the perception of man when one says: The ether is indeed not perceptible, but it rises to perceptibility because of the great majesty with which it presents itself in the universe by making itself known, revealed in the blueness of the sky.
In physical science one thinks materialistically about the blueness of the sky. Now it is difficult for physical science to think about the heavenly blue in a rational way, simply because physical science must be clear: There is nothing of the physical where the blueness of the sky is. But at any rate, the mind is stretched to explain how rays of light are refracted and reflected in a particular way in order to produce this blueness of the sky. But this is where the supernatural begins. And in the cosmos it is so that the supersensible already becomes perceptible, only one has to find out where it becomes perceptible.
So the ether becomes perceptible through the blueness of the sky. Now somewhere is the astral of the cosmos. The ether peers into sensuality through the blueness of the sky. Where does the astral of the cosmos peer into visibility, into perceptibility?
You see, in reality every star that we see shining in the sky is a gateway for the astral, so that wherever stars shine in, the astral shines in. So if you see the starry sky in its diversity - with the stars clustered in groups, there more scattered, placed apart - then you must say to yourself: In this marvelous luminous configuration the invisible, the supersensible astral body of the cosmos makes itself visible. That is why you must not look at the starry world in an unspiritual way. Looking up into the starry world and talking about burning gas worlds is - forgive the paradoxical comparison, but it is absolutely spot on - just like when someone strokes you out of love and holds your fingers a little apart while stroking you, and you say: What you feel when you are stroked are little ribbons that are placed over your cheek. Just as little ribbons are not placed over your cheek when you stroke it, neither are those entities up there of which physics speaks; but the astral body of the universe, which continually exerts its influences, like the stroking on your cheek, on the ether organization.
Only it is organized for a very strong duration. Therefore, holding a star, which is always an influencing of the world ether on the part of the astral world, lasts longer than stroking. A human being would not endure stroking for so long, but it is just so that it lasts longer in the universe, because in the universe the same gigantic dimensions occur. So that in the starry sky one can see an expression of the soul of the world-astral.
A tremendous, and indeed even spiritual life, really spiritual life, is brought into the cosmos at the same time. Just think how dead the cosmos is when you look into it and see only burning gaseous bodies that glow! Think how alive it all becomes when you know that these stars are the expression of the love with which the astral cosmos affects the etheric cosmos! That is quite a correct expression.
But now think of the mysterious processes of the lighting up of certain stars at certain times, which can only be explained by physical things and where nothing can actually be understood. Stars that were not yet there, they light up, they disappear again. So even short strokes are present in the universe. In epochs in which, I would like to say, the gods want to work in from the astral world into the etheric world, one sees such stars lighting up and immediately dimming again.
So we have in ourselves through our astral body well-being in the most varied manner; so we have in the cosmos through the astral body the configuration of the starry heavens. No wonder, therefore, that an old instinctively clairvoyant science called this third human member the astral body, for it is of the same nature as that which manifests itself in the stars. It is only the ego that we do not find revealing itself in this sphere. Why? Well, we find out why this is so when we look at the fact that the ego of man, as it manifests itself on earth - that is, in the cosmos, which is actually a tripartite world, a physical, an etheric and an astral world - is always a repetition of earlier earthly lives. And it is always present in life between death and a new birth.
But if one observes it, the etheric world, which we have in the orbit of the earthly, has no meaning for this ego; the etheric body is discarded soon after death. Only the astral world, which looks in through the stars, has meaning for the ego in the life between death and new birth. And in this world that shines in through the stars, in this world then live the beings of the higher hierarchies with whom the human being forms his karma between death and a new birth.
But if we look at this ego in its successive development through life between birth and death and between death and a new birth, we cannot remain in space. Two successive lives on earth cannot be in the same space, and therefore also not in the universe, which is dependent on simultaneity, on spatiality. We come out of space and into time. And indeed, one comes out of space, one comes into the pure flow of time, if one considers the ego in the successive earth lives.
But now think: Time is of course also present in space; but one has no means at all to experience time as such within space. You have no means. You must always experience time through space and its processes. If you want to experience time, you look at the clock, for example, or, for my sake, look at the course of the sun, for the clock is only an earthly image of the course of the sun. But what do you see there? You see positions of the hands or places of the sun: spatial things. You have an idea of time because the positions of the hands or the sun change, i.e. because the three-dimensional is changing in front of you. But there is actually nothing of time in space. There are only different spatial arrangements, different positions of the hands, different locations of the sun. You only experience time in your spiritual experience. But there you really experience time, and that is where you emerge from space. Time is a reality there. Time is not a reality within the earth.
So what do you have to experience if you want to step out of the space in which you live between birth and death into the spacelessness in which you live between death and a new birth, what do you have to experience? Yes, my dear friends, you have to die! And if you only take in all sharpness, if you take in all depth this, that one experiences time on earth only through space, through spatial places, through positions of spatial things, that one does not experience time on earth at all in its reality, then you will basically find another word for something that is there, if you say: In order to enter time as reality, one must get out of space, get rid of everything spatial - and that means: die!
Now we have to turn our gaze towards this cosmic world that surrounds us in the orbit of the earthly, with which we are similar through our etheric body, with which we are similar through our astral body, and we look at the spiritual of this cosmic world. There have been peoples, groups of people, who have only looked at the spiritual of this spatial-cosmic world. Then they lost the possibility of having thoughts about the repeated lives on earth. For only those people and groups of people who could imagine time in its purity, in its spacelessness, had thoughts about repeated earthly lives. And if we separate out that which we have as the earthly world and its surroundings, in short, as our cosmos, as our universe, and see the spiritual side of it, then we have approximately that of which we can say: It must be there so that we can enter into our existence as earthly human beings. It must be there.
Yes, in this idea: All that which I have now characterized must be there so that we as earthly men can enter into earthly existence - lies a tremendous amount. There is a tremendous amount in it, especially when we imagine the spiritual of all that is characterized in this way. And if we imagine this spiritual in this, I would like to say, self-containedness, in this purity within itself, then we have approximately what those peoples who have limited themselves to the perception of space have called God.
These peoples at least felt in their wisdom teachings that the cosmos is permeated and interwoven by a divine, and that what is on earth itself in our surroundings in the physical world can be distinguished from this divine. Then that which reveals itself as the etheric can be distinguished in this cosmic, divine, spiritual that looks at us in the blueness of the sky; furthermore, the astral can be distinguished in this divine that looks at us through the configuration of the starry sky.
Let us put ourselves in the situation that we, standing on earth as human beings in the universe, say to ourselves: We human beings have the physical body - where is the physical in the universe? This brings me back to what I have already indicated. Physical science wants to find everything in the universe that is also on earth. But the actual physical organization is not in the universe. Man begins with the physical organization, then has the etheric, then the astral; the universe begins immediately with the etheric organization. The physical is nowhere out there. The physical is only on earth, and it is simply fanciful to speak of the physical in the universe. In the universe is the etheric, and then the astral. What it still has as the third will still come before our souls today. But the threefold structure of the extraterrestrial cosmos is different from the threefold structure of the cosmos to which we add the earth.
But when we stand on earth with such a feeling, when we feel the physical of our immediate earthly dwelling place, feel the etheric that is on earth and in the universe, and works together from earth and from the universe as etheric, when we look at the astral, which shines down to earth through the stars, shines down most intensely from the solar star, when we look at all this and place the majesty of this world-thought before our souls, then we find it well justified that in those times when not only abstractions were thought out of a more instinctive clairvoyance, but the majesty of conceptions could be felt, was made comprehensible to men: Such a majestic thought in its fullness, one cannot think it all the time; one must once grasp it in the eye, let it work upon the soul in all its immense glory, and then let it work within the human being - without spoiling, corrupting it through consciousness. And if we reflect on how the old instinctive clairvoyance made such an attitude come true, then what remains for us in the present time of all that has flowed together to make this thought come true within humanity is the institution of Christmas.
When man imagines himself on Christmas night as he stands on earth with his physical, with his etheric, with his astral body, related to the three-part cosmos, which appears to him in his etheric in the blueness of the sky so majestically, but also so magically-magically in the night, as he stands opposite the astral of the universe in the shining stars: then he feels in this holiness of the surroundings in connection with what is in the earthly, how he is transferred into the spatiality with his actual I-being. And then he may behold the Christmas Mystery, the born child, the representative of humanity on earth, who, insofar as he begins his childhood, is born into this space. And he says, when he sees the Christmas thought in its fullness and in this majesty in the sight of the child born at Christmas: Ex deo nascimur. - I was born of the divine, the divine that weaves and interweaves through space.
But then, when man has felt this, when he has penetrated himself inwardly with it, then he can remember that which has come to him as truth about the meaning of the earth through anthroposophy. This child, to whom we look, is the outer envelope of that which is born into space. And from what is it born in order to be born into space? According to our explanations today, this can only be time. It is born out of time.
And if we then follow the life of this child, its spiritualization with the Christ-being, then we come to the conclusion that this being, this Christ-being, comes from the sun. And now we look up at the sun and say to ourselves: by looking up at the sun, we must see in the sunshine the time that is hidden for the spatial. Time is inside the sun. And out of this time weaving within the sun, the Christ has come into space on earth. And what do we now have in the Christ on earth? In the Christ on earth we have that which connects with the earth from outside space, that which comes from outside.
Now just think how the idea of the universe is transformed from the ordinary idea, if we really take all that we have now let stand before our soul! In the universe we have the sun with all that which first appears to us in association with the sun in the universe, in the cosmos, that which is enclosed within the blueness of the sky, the starry world. Somewhere there we also have the earth with humanity. But by looking up from the earth to the sun, we are at the same time looking into the flow of time.
Something very significant follows from this. It follows that man only looks to the sun correctly when he, by looking up to the sun only in the spiritual, for my sake, forgets space and only takes time into consideration. The sun thus radiates not only light, but space itself. And when we look into the sun, we look out of space. That is why the sun is this excellent star, because through it we look out of space. But it is from this outside of space that Christ came to mankind. When Christianity was founded on earth through Christ, man had already been in the mere ex deo nascimur for far too long. He had become akin to him. He had completely lost time. He had become a complete spatial being.
We find it so difficult to understand the old traditions with today's civilized consciousness because they actually reckon everywhere with space and not with time, with time only as an appendage to space.
Then the Christ came and brought the temporal to man again. And by uniting the human heart, the human soul, the human spirit with the Christ, they in turn gain the flow of time from eternity to eternity. What else can we humans do but, when we die, i.e. when we leave the world of space, cling to that which then gives us time again, since at the time of the Mystery of Golgotha humanity had become so strongly a being of space that it had lost time! The Christ has again brought time to mankind.
And if people do not also want to die with their soul when they leave space, then they must die in the Christ. After all, we can be people of space, then we can say: Ex deo nascimur. - Then we can look to the child who penetrates out of time into space in order to unite the Christ with human beings.
But we cannot think of the limits of earthly life, of dying since the Mystery of Golgotha, if we do not want to atone for the loss of time with the loss of Christ, if we do not want to be banished into space and remain as ghosts in space. We must die in Christ. We must penetrate ourselves with the mystery of Golgotha. We must add the In Christo morimur to the Ex deo nascimur. We must add the Easter thought to the Christmas thought.
And so the Ex deo nascimur lets the Christmas thought come before our soul, so the In Christo morimur lets the Easter thought come before our soul.
We can say: On earth man has his physical, his etheric, his astral. The etheric is also outside in the cosmos; the astral is also outside in the cosmos (see drawing page 248, red); the physical is only on earth, there is no physical outside in the cosmos. So we have to say: Earth: physical, etheric, astral; cosmos: the physical is not there, but the etheric and the astral are.
But the cosmos is also divided into three parts. What it does not have at the bottom, it places at the top. In it, the etheric is the lowest; on earth, the physical is the lowest. On earth the astral is the highest; in the cosmos the highest is that which man today has only in rudiments within himself, that from which his spirit self will one day be woven. We can say: In the cosmos the spirit self is the third.
And now the stars appear to us as the expressions of something. I compare them to caressing; the spirit self that is behind them is the caressing being. The only difference is that the caressing being is not a single entity, but the whole world of hierarchies. If I look at a person's form, if I see his eyes shining towards me, if I hear his voice, that is the person's appearance. If I look up into the vastness of the world, if I look at the stars, then these are the expressions of the hierarchies, the life expressions of the hierarchies that arouse feelings. If I look into the infinity of the blue firmament of the world, I see its etheric body revealing itself to the outside, which is, however, the lowest for this whole hierarchical world.
But then, when we look out into the cosmos and its vastness, we sense something that now goes beyond the earthly, just as the earth with its physical substances and forces goes down below the cosmic. And the earth has a sub-cosmic in the physical, the cosmos has a supernatural in the spirituality.
| Earth | Cosmos |
| Physical-Sub-Cosmic Etheric Astral |
Etheric Astral Supernatural-Spirituality |
Physical science speaks of a movement of the sun. It can. For one can see from certain phenomena within the spatial image that surrounds us as the cosmos that the sun is in motion. But it is only the image of the sun's movement projecting into space. And if one speaks of the real sun, then it is simply nonsense to say that the sun moves in space. Because space is radiated by the sun! The sun not only radiates light, the sun also creates space. And the movement of the sun itself is only spatial within space; outside of space it is temporal. That which appears of the sun, that it hastens towards the constellation of Hercules, is only an image of a temporal development of the sun's being.
Yes, Christ told his intimate disciples: Look at the life of the earth. It is related to the life of the cosmos. Insofar as you look at the earth and the surrounding cosmos, it is the Father who lives through this universe. The Father God is the God of space. But I have to announce to you that I have come from the sun, from time, from the time that only receives man when he dies. I have brought you myself out of time. If you receive me, said the Christ, you will receive time and not fall into space. But then you must also find the transition from the one trinity - the physical, etheric, astral - to the other trinity: the etheric, astral up to the spirit self. Spirituality is no more to be found in the earthly than the physical-earthly is to be found in the cosmos. But I bring you the message from him, for I am from the sun.
Yes, the sun has a threefold aspect. If you live within the sun and look from the sun to the earth (see drawing, red), you see the physical, the etheric and the astral. Or if you look at that which is in the sun itself, then you constantly see spirituality. One sees the physical when one remembers the earth or looks towards it. If you look away, you look to the other side at the spirit self. We oscillate back and forth between the physical and the spiritual. Only the etheric and the astral remain stable in between. But if you look out into the universe, the earthly disappears completely. The ethereal, the astral and the spiritual are there. This will be your sight when you come into the solar time between death and a new birth.
Imagine, therefore, that man encapsulates himself completely with his soul constitution in the earth being: he can feel the divine, for he is born out of the divine. Ex deo nascimur.
Imagine that he does not merely encapsulate himself within the world of space, but that he assumes the Christ, who has come from the world of time into the world of space and has brought time itself into the space of the earth. Thus he overcomes death in death. Ex deo nascimur. In Christo morimur.
But the Christ brings the message: Then, when space is overcome and one gets to know the sun as the creator of space, feels oneself in the sun through the Christ, feels oneself placed in the living sun, then the physical-earthly disappears; the ethereal, the astral is there. The etheric comes to life, now not as the blueness of the sky, but as the bright reddish radiance of the cosmos. And it is not the stars that shine down from this bright reddish light, but the stars touch us with their effects of love. And man can feel himself - if he really puts himself into all this - standing on the earth, the physical stripped away, the etheric there, radiating through him and radiating as the light reddish; the stars not shining points, but love radiations like the human caress of love.
But by feeling this, the divine within oneself, the divine world fire as the essence of man flaming out of him, feeling himself in the etheric universe, experiencing the spiritual expressions in the astral world-radiance: then this brings forth in man the inner experience of the spirit-radiance to which man is called in the universe.
When those to whom Christ had proclaimed this had been imbued with this thought for a sufficiently long time, they felt the effect of this thought in the fiery tongues of Pentecost. Then they felt the dying through the falling away and dripping off of the physical of the earth. But then they felt: this is not death, but for the physical of the earth the spirituality of the universe rises: Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.
So we can look at this threefold division of one half of the year: Christmas thought - Ex deo nascimur; Easter thought - In Christo morimur; Pentecost thought - Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus.
And that leaves the other half of the year. If we understand them in the same way, the other side of our lives will also open up for us. If one understands the relationship between the physical and the spiritual of man and the supra-physical, which includes the freedom of which the earthly man becomes a part on earth, then one understands the free man on earth in the connections between Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. And if one understands him out of these three thoughts, the Christmas thought, the Easter thought and the Pentecost thought, and allows oneself to be challenged by this to understand the rest of the year, then the other half of human life appears, which I indicated to you by saying: If one looks at human destiny - the hierarchies appear behind it, the work, the weaving of the hierarchies. That is why it is so great to really look into a human destiny, because you can see how all the hierarchies are behind it.
But it is basically the language of the stars that resounds to us from the Christmas, Easter and Pentecost thoughts: from the Christmas thought, insofar as the earth is a star in the universe, from the Easter thought, insofar as the most brilliant star, the sun, gives us its gifts of grace, from the Pentecost thought, in that what is hidden beyond the stars shines into the soul and in turn shines out of the soul in the fiery tongues.
If you meditate on this, if you think about it properly, then you will get a basis of feeling for all the foundations I have described for understanding karma, which I have given you for understanding karma.
Try to let the thoughts of Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, applied in the way we have applied them today, have a real effect on human feeling, on human perception. Try it, deepen this feeling of yours. And when we meet again after my journey, which I am now compelled to undertake precisely at Pentecost because of the agricultural course, then bring this feeling, which should live on as the warm, fiery idea of Pentecost, with you, and then we will be able to talk further about karma.
But in this way your understanding will be properly fertilized by what the Pentecostal idea is. Just as something once shone forth from each of the disciples at the first celebration of the Feast of Pentecost, so the idea of Pentecost should actually come alive again for anthroposophical understanding as well.
Something should shine out of your souls. That is why I have given you what I have to say today about the connection between Christmas, Easter and Pentecost as a Pentecostal feeling for the continuation of the karma thoughts that are for the other half of the year.