Awareness - Life - Form
GA 89
Written down for Edouard Schure May 1906
Notes from private instruction, Berlin-Schlachtensee
Part II: 3. Signs and Evolution of the Three Logoi in the Human Race
The constitution of the world bases on trinity. In the system of human evolution, from the first beginning of human genesis to full development of this potential, we have to distinguish three states of consciousness as the first trinity.
The first of these states of consciousness is a more or less dim (sleep-like) state, for the ‘I’ is not yet born. At this level the human being was still part of an ‘I’ of a higher kind; he was clairvoyant, but was not able to consider the contents of his visions to be his own.
The second state of consciousness was brought about by the birth of the ‘I’. This higher state arose because clairvoyance was lost. Vision of an outside world began.
The third state of consciousness arises due to clairvoyance re-emerging in the ‘I’, with the human being becoming a clairvoyant in self-awareness.
In occult script, the first state of conscious awareness is indicated by ☉, i.e. consciousness shines out from the absolute = • flooding the world ◯ circle).
We then have to distinguish three sub-levels for each of the three states of consciousness, like this:
| First level of consciousness | 1) sub-level I |
| Second level of consciousness | 1) sub-level IV |
| Third level of consciousness | 1) sub-level VII |
The first level of consciousness is wholly subjective, i.e. the human being takes in nothing from outside but only the things the godhead implants in him. This level of consciousness progresses through the 3 sub-levels shown above in the first epoch, and the sign for this is
The third level of consciousness is wholly objective, i.e. the human being will perceive the whole world to be divine:
The middle level therefore has the sign
The first level changes progressively into the second, as does the second into the third; as a result, sub-levels III and IV, and VI and VII overlap, giving us the following picture:
| First level | 1st sub-level | Second level | 1* | |
| 2nd sub-level | 2* | |||
| 3rd sub-level | 1st sub-level | 3* | ||
| 2nd sub-level | 4* | |||
| Third level | 1st sub-level | 3rd sub-level | 5* | |
| 2nd sub-level | 6* | |||
| 3rd sub-level | 7* |
Thus the nine becomes seven.
These seven levels of consciousness are gone through as follows:
1* on Saturn
2* on Sun
3* on Moon
4* on Earth
5* on Jupiter
6* on Venus
7* on Vulcan
Humanity is currently in 4*. We can see that this was preceded by 3*, made up of two sub-levels, and that it will be followed by 5*, again a merging of two sub-levels. If we designate the pure Moon level of conscious awareness as III, and the pure Earth level as V, something lies between them which we must call the Mars level of conscious awareness. This is because the Earth had an encounter with Mars before it separated from Moon and Sun. A similar encounter came with Mercury; VI is the Mercury level of conscious awareness.
Take the sum of the levels of conscious awareness which the human being has so far gone through. There are V of them up to the Earth level of consciousness. Hence the sign:
It is complete in itself because the human being would harden within himself if Mercury consciousness did not come as well. If he did not entrust himself to the divine guide (Mercury) at this level, his evolution would come to a dead end.
Each of the 7 states of consciousness has to go through seven states of life. This means the following:
| Saturn | 7 | states of life |
In theosophical literature these have so far been called 'rounds'. |
| Sun | 7 | states of life | |
| Moon | 7 | states of life | |
| Earth | 7 | states of life | |
| Jupiter | 7 | states of life | |
| Venus | 7 | states of life | |
| Vulcan | 7 | states of life |
This means 7 times 7 states of life within the whole of human evolution:
7 X 7 = 49
We now have to consider that in the early states of conscious awareness the principle which was the human seed, was not yet able to unfold a life of its own. The life remaining from earlier evolutions would still be there, slowly ebbing away to be replaced by purely human life. This may be shown as follows:
This is the point where pre-human life was wholly overcome and purely human life became the life of human evolution.
There is thus a point in human evolution where within the whole planetary system, this system’s82See the lectures given in Berlin on 17 June 1909 [in German] in Geisteswissenschaftliche Menschenkunde GA 107; Dornach on 24 September 1921 in Cosmosophy I, GA 207, tr. A. Wulsin, New York: Anthroposophic Press 1985; the essay on the reality of the earth in the macrocosm (January 1925) in Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts, GA 26, tr. G. & M. Adams, London: Rudolf Steiner Press 1973. Also Berlin, 18 December 1906 [in German] in Aus den Inhalten der esoterischen Stunden GA 266/1. own life took the place of everything that had come from an earlier system. In history, this point is the coming of
the Christ.
It is in this respect the mid-point in human evolution.
The states of life go through states of form; each of the 49 states of life has to go through seven states of form, so that for the whole of evolution we have
49 x 7 = 343 levels = 7 x 7 x 7.
The states of form also are not humanity’s own to begin with. They have been taken over from an earlier system. Everything relating to form states which thus came from an earlier system is referred to as macrocosm.
The form states which the human being creates himself make up the microcosm. We can only speak of a microcosm when the human spirit actively creates form, where before the divine spirit (cosmic spirit) created form.
The transition is the world soul—the divine spirit which slowly individualizes itself.
In Christian esoteric terms the states of consciousness are called
| the states of consciousness | Father | A |
| the states of life | Son or Word | B |
| the states of form | Holy Spirit | C |
In theosophy one speaks of
| A | first | Logos |
| B | second | |
| C | third |
The general overview of evolution is thus as follows, if we also consider that
the 1st Logos manifests in the human being as atman,
the 2nd Logos manifests in the human being as budhi,
the 3rd Logos manifests in the human being as manas.
When 666 = 6 X 6 x 6 = 216 of these 343 = 7 x 7 X 7 will have passed, that is, after 5 planets (Saturn, Sun, Moon, Earth, Jupiter), in Venus, when 5 states of life will have passed in this, i.e. in the 6th state of life in Venus and in the 6th form state of this 6th state of life, then everything that came from Earth evolution that cannot come to perfection will have been cleared away; the number 666 = 216 is therefore the critical number of evolution (Revelation).83See the lectures The Apocalypse of St John (Revelation) GA 104, tr. J. Collis, London: Rudolf Steiner Press 1977; Reading the Pictures of the Apocalypse (Revelation) GA 104a, tr. J. H. Hindes, Hudson: Anthroposophic Press 1991; and [in German] Vortraege und Kurse ueber christlich-religioeses Wirken V: Apokalypse und Priesterwirken GA 346.
A critical state (though of a lesser degree than at the point in time mentioned) will also occur on other occasions when the evolutional situation is 666, e.g. in the 6th root-race of the 6th planet, counting Mars and Mercury as well, so that the following cycle arises:
1) Saturn
2) Sun
3) Moon
4) Mars
5) Earth
6) Mercury—this influence will thus be a major one even in the next 6th sub-race.
Humanity will thus definitely reach a critical point in its evolution at that time.
Zeichen und Entwicklung der drei Logoi in der Menschheit
Die Konstitution der Welt geht auf die Dreiheit zurück. Im menschlichen Evolutionssystem sind von der ersten Anlage des Menschwerdens bis zur vollkommenen Entfaltung dieser Anlage zu unterscheiden:
drei Bewußtseinszustände als die erste Dreiheit.
Der erste dieser Bewußtseinszustände ist ein mehr oder weniger dumpfer (schlafartiger) Bewußtseinszustand, weil das «Ich» noch nicht geboren ist. Der Mensch ist auf dieser Stufe noch ein Glied eines übergeordneten «Ich»; er ist hellsehend, aber er kann die Inhalte seines Hellsehens nicht als die seinigen ansehen.
Der zweite Bewußtseinszustand wird herbeigeführt durch die Geburt des «Ich». Dieser höhere Zustand wird herbeigeführt dadurch, daß das Hellsehen verloren geht. Das Schauen einer Außenwelt beginnt.
Der dritte Bewußtseinszustand wird dadurch herbeigeführt, daß im «Ich» das Hellsehen wieder auftritt, so daß der Mensch selbstbewußter Hellseher wird.
In der okkulten Schriftsprache wird bezeichnet der erste Bewußt seinszustand durch ☉ ‚d.h. es strahlt von dem Absoluten = • das Bewußtsein aus, die Welt durchflutend ◯ (Kreis).
Nun hat man in jedem dieser drei Bewußtseinszustände wieder drei Unterstufen zu unterscheiden; also:
Erste Bewußtseinsstufe
1. Unterstufe I
2. Unterstufe II
3. Unterstufe III
Dritte Bewußtseinsstufe
1. Unterstufe IV
2. Unterstufe V
3. Unterstufe VI
Zweite Bewußtseinsstufe
1. Unterstufe VII
2. Unterstufe VIII
3. Unterstufe IX
Die erste Bewußtseinsstufe ist ganz subjektiv, d. h. der Mensch nimmt nichts von außen wahr, sondern nur das, was die Gottheit in ihn einpflanzt. Diese Bewußtseinsstufe arbeitet sich durch die obigen 3 Unterstufen der ersten Epoche hindurch, dafür das Zeichen:
Die dritte Bewußtseinsstufe ist ganz objektiv, d. h. der Mensch wird die ganze Welt als göttlich wahrnehmen:
Die mittlere Stufe hat daher das Zeichen
Nun geht aber die erste Bewußtseinsstufe kontinuierlich in die zweite über; ebenso die zweite in die dritte; dadurch greifen die entsprechenden Unterstuien III und IV und VI und VII in einander über, so daß folgendes Bild entsteht:
Erste Bewußtseinsstufe
1. Unterstufe 1*
2. Unterstufe 2*
3. Unterstufe 3*
Zweite Bewußtseinsstufe
1. Unterstufe 3*
2. Unterstufe 4*
3. Unterstufe 5*
Dritte Bewußtseinsstufe
1. Unterstufe 5*
2. Unterstufe 6*
3. Unterstufe 7*
So entsteht aus der Neunzahl die Siebenzahl.
Es werden nun absolviert diese 7 Bewußtseinsstufen:
1* auf dem Saturn
2* auf der Sonne
3* auf dem Mond
4* auf der Erde
5* auf dem Jupiter
6* auf der Venus
7* auf dem Vulkan.
Gegenwärtig ist der Mensch in 4*. Man sieht: dem ist vorangegangen 3*, das aus zwei Unterstufen zusammengeflossen ist, und es wird folgen 5*, das wieder aus zwei Unterstufen zusammenfließen wird. Bezeichnet man das reine Mondenbewußtsein mit III und das reine Erdenbewußtsein mit V, so liegt zwischen beiden etwas, was man als Marsbewußtsein zu bezeichnen hat. Es rührt dies davon her, daß, bevor die Erde sich von Mond und Sonne losgerissen hat, sie eine Begegnung mit dem Mars hatte. Eine ebensolche Begegnung findet statt mit Merkur; VI ist das Merkurbewußtsein.
Man nehme nun die Summe der Bewußtseinsstufen, welche der Mensch bis jetzt durchlaufen hat. Es sind V bis zum Erdenbewußtsein. Daher das Zeichen:
Es ist ein geschlossenes, weil der Mensch ohne das Dazukommen des Merkurbewußtseins sich in sich selbst verhärten würde. Er käme, ohne sich dem göttlichen Führer (Merkur) auf dieser Stufe anzuvertrauen, in eine Sackgasse seiner Entwickelung.
Nun hat ein jeder dieser 7 Bewußtseinszustände sieben Lebenszustände zu absolvieren. Das gibt für
Die bisherige theosophische Literatur nennt dies Runden.
Saturn 7 Lebenszustände
für Sonne 7 Lebenszustände
für Mond 7 Lebenszustände
für Erde 7 Lebenszustände
für Jupiter 7 Lebenszustände
für Venus 7 Lebenszustände
für Vulkan 7 Lebenszustände
Das sind 7 x 7 Lebenszustände durch die ganze menschliche Evolution hindurch: 7 x 7 = 49
Nun aber hat man sich die Sache so vorzustellen, daß während der ersten Bewußtseinszustände das, was Menschenkeim ist, noch nicht sein eigenes Leben entfalten kann. Es ist dabei noch das aus früheren Evolutionen übrig gebliebene Leben, das langsam abflutet und durch das rein menschliche Leben ersetzt wird. Dies ist im Sinne des folgenden Bildes:
Hier ist der Punkt, wo das vormenschliche Leben ganz überwunden und das rein menschliche Leben das der Menschen-Evolution wird.
Es gibt also in der menschlichen Evolution einen Punkt, wo innerhalb des ganzen planetarischen Systems das eigene Leben dieses Systems an die Stelle alles von einem früheren System tritt. Dieser Punkt ist in der Geschichte die Erscheinung Christi.
Sie bezeichnet in dieser Beziehung die Mitte der Menschheitsevolution.
Die Lebenszustände verlaufen nun wieder in Formzuständen; jeder der 49 Lebenszustände hat sieben Formzustände durchzumachen, das sind für die ganze Evolution
49 x 7 = 343 Stufen = 7 x 7 x 7.
Aber auch die Formzustände sind nicht vom Anfange an die eigen-menschlichen. Es sind die von einem früheren System herübergebrachten. Alles, was sich auf solche von einem früheren System stammenden Formzustände bezieht, bezeichnet man als Makrokosmos.
Die Formzustände, welche der Mensch selbst schafft, bilden den Mikrokosmos. Von einem Mikrokosmos kann man erst sprechen, wenn der Menschengeist formschaffend wird, wie vorher der göttliche Geist (Weltgeist) formschaffend war.
Der Übergang ist die Weltseele - der göttliche Geist, der langsam sich individualisiert.
In der christlichen Esoterik bezeichnet man
die Bewußtseinszustände als Vater A.
die Lebenszustände als Sohn oder Wort B.
die Formzustände als hl. Geist C
Die Theosophie nennt
A ersten Logos
B zweiten Logos
C dritten Logos
Es ergibt sich nun folgende Übersicht der Evolution, wenn man noch bedenkt, daß
der 1. Logos sich im Menschen offenbart als Atma,
der 2. Logos sich im Menschen offenbart als Budhi,
der 3. Logos sich im Menschen offenbart als Manas.
Wenn von diesen 343 = 7 x 7 x 7 Stufen 666 = 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 vergangen sein werden, also nach 5 Planeten (Saturn, Sonne, Mond, Erde, Jupiter) in der Venus,
wenn in dieser wieder 5 Lebenszustände verflossen sind, also im 6. Lebenszustand der Venus
und im 6. Formzustand dieses 6. Lebenszustandes, dann wird alles ausgesondert sein von der Erdenevolution, was nicht zur Vollkommenheit kommen kann; die Zahl 666 = 216 ist daher die kritische Zahl der Evolution (Apokalypse).
Ein kritischer Zustand tritt aber (wenn auch ein kleinerer als im bezeichneten Zeitpunkte) auch sonst ein, wenn das Evolutionsverhältnis 666 ist, z. B.
in der 6. Unterrasse der 6. Wurzelrasse des 6. Planeten, wobei Mars und Merkur mitgerechnet werden, also folgender Zyklus entsteht:
1. Saturn
2. Sonne
3. Mond
4. Mars
5. Erde
6. Merkur — dieser Einfluß ist dann in der nächsten 6. Unterrasse schon ein großer.
Die Menschheit wird also dann schon an einen kritischen Punkt ihrer Entwickelung kommen.
Signs and Development of the Three Logoi in Humanity
The constitution of the world is based on the Trinity. In the human evolutionary system, a distinction must be made between the first seed of human development and the complete unfolding of this seed:
three states of consciousness as the first trinity.
The first of these states of consciousness is a more or less dull (sleep-like) state of consciousness, because the “I” has not yet been born. At this stage, the human being is still a member of a higher “I”; he is clairvoyant, but he cannot regard the contents of his clairvoyance as his own.
The second state of consciousness is brought about by the birth of the “I.” This higher state is brought about by the loss of clairvoyance. The perception of an external world begins.
The third state of consciousness is brought about by the reappearance of clairvoyance in the “I,” so that the human being becomes a self-aware clairvoyant.
In occult written language, the first state of consciousness is designated by ☉, i.e., it radiates from the Absolute = • consciousness, flooding the world ◯ (circle).
Now, in each of these three states of consciousness, there are three sub-levels to be distinguished, namely:
First level of consciousness
1. Sub-level I
2. Sub-level II
3. Sub-level III
Third level of consciousness
1. Sub-level IV
2. Sub-level V
3. Sub-level VI
Second level of consciousness
1. Sub-level VII
2. Sub-level VIII
3. Sub-level IX
The first level of consciousness is entirely subjective, i.e., humans perceive nothing from outside, but only what the deity implants in them. This level of consciousness works its way through the above three sub-levels of the first epoch, symbolized by the sign:
The third level of consciousness is entirely objective, i.e., the human being will perceive the whole world as divine:
The middle level therefore has the sign
However, the first level of consciousness continuously transitions into the second, and the second into the third. As a result, the corresponding sub-levels III and IV and VI and VII overlap, creating the following picture:
First level of consciousness
1. Sub-level 1*
2nd sub-level 2*
3rd sub-level 3*
Second level of consciousness
1st sub-level 3*
2nd sub-level 4*
3rd sub-level 5*
Third level of consciousness
1. Sublevel 5*
2. Sublevel 6*
3. Sublevel 7*
This is how the number nine becomes the number seven.
These seven levels of consciousness are now completed:
1* on Saturn
2* on the Sun
3* on the Moon
4* on Earth
5* on Jupiter
6* on Venus
7* on Vulcan.
Currently, humans are at 4*. We can see that this is preceded by 3*, which is a combination of two sub-stages, and will be followed by 5*, which will again be a combination of two sub-stages. If we designate pure lunar consciousness as III and pure Earth consciousness as V, then between the two there is something that can be described as Mars consciousness. This stems from the fact that, before the Earth broke away from the Moon and Sun, it encountered Mars. A similar encounter takes place with Mercury; VI is Mercury consciousness.
Now take the sum of the stages of consciousness that humans have passed through so far. There are five up to Earth consciousness. Hence the sign:
It is a closed circle because without the addition of Mercury consciousness, human beings would harden within themselves. Without entrusting themselves to the divine guide (Mercury) at this stage, they would reach a dead end in their development.
Now, each of these seven states of consciousness has seven states of life to complete. This gives
Previous theosophical literature refers to these as rounds.
Saturn 7 states of life
for Sun 7 states of life
for Moon 7 states of life
for Earth 7 states of life
for Jupiter 7 states of life
for Venus 7 states of life
for Vulcan 7 states of life
These are 7 x 7 states of life throughout human evolution: 7 x 7 = 49
Now, however, one must imagine that during the first states of consciousness, what is the human germ cannot yet develop its own life. It is still the life left over from earlier evolutions, which is slowly ebbing away and being replaced by purely human life. This is illustrated in the following image:
This is the point where pre-human life is completely overcome and purely human life becomes that of human evolution.
There is therefore a point in human evolution where, within the entire planetary system, the life of this system itself replaces everything from a previous system. This point in history is the appearance of Christ.
In this respect, it marks the middle of human evolution.
The states of life now proceed again in states of form; each of the 49 states of life has to pass through seven states of form, which for the whole of evolution are
49 x 7 = 343 stages = 7 x 7 x 7.
But even the form states are not human ones from the beginning. They are carried over from an earlier system. Everything that relates to such form states originating from an earlier system is referred to as the macrocosm.
The states of form that humans themselves create form the microcosm. One can only speak of a microcosm when the human spirit becomes formative, as the divine spirit (world spirit) was formative before.
The transition is the world soul—the divine spirit that slowly individualizes itself.
In Christian esotericism,
the states of consciousness are referred to as Father A.
the states of life as Son or Word B.
the states of form as Holy Spirit C
Theosophy calls
A the first Logos
B the second Logos
C the third Logos
The following overview of evolution emerges when one considers that
the 1st Logos reveals itself in humans as Atma,
the 2nd Logos reveals itself in humans as Budhi,
the 3rd Logos reveals itself in humans as Manas.
When 666 = 6 x 6 x 6 = 216 of these 343 = 7 x 7 x 7 stages will have passed, i.e., after 5 planets (Saturn, Sun, Moon, Earth, Jupiter) in Venus,
when 5 states of life have passed in this again, i.e. in the 6th state of life of Venus
and in the 6th form state of this 6th state of life, then everything that cannot attain perfection will be separated from the evolution of the Earth; the number 666 = 216 is therefore the critical number of evolution (apocalypse).
However, a critical state also occurs (albeit to a lesser extent than at the specified point in time) when the evolutionary ratio is 666, e.g.
in the sixth sub-race of the sixth root race of the sixth planet, including Mars and Mercury, resulting in the following cycle:
1. Saturn
2. Sun
3. Moon
4. Mars
5. Earth
6. Mercury — this influence is already significant in the next 6th sub-race.
Humanity will then already have reached a critical point in its development.