The Temple Legend I
GA 93
23 May 1904, Berlin
1. Whitsuntide—Festival of the Liberation of the Human Spirit
It was to be expected 1The lecture had probably been announced at short notice, as Rudolf Steiner had only just returned from a visit to London. that only a small company would gather here today. I have nevertheless decided to hold our meeting this evening to talk to those of you who are present about something connected with Whitsuntide.
Before I start I would like to report to you one result of my latest visit to London, which is that in all likelihood Mrs. Besant will be visiting us here 2Annie Besant, 1847–1933, President of the Theosophical Society from 1907, spoke once before in Berlin on the occasion of the founding of the German Section in October 1902. In September 1904, she went on a lecture tour of several German cities at the invitation of Rudolf Steiner. Her lectures, which were held in English, were reported by him in German. in the autumn. We shall have the opportunity then of hearing again one of the personalities belonging to the most powerful spiritual influences of our time. The next two public lectures 3These two public lectures of 30th May and 6th June 1904: ‘History of Spiritism, Hypnotism and Somnabulism,’ were only exceptionally held on Mondays, otherwise Monday evenings were regularly taken up with Members' lectures. will be held in the Architektenhaus—on spiritualism a week hence, and on somnambulism and hypnotism, the following week. Then the usual Monday arrangements will take place again regularly. On the coming Thursdays 4Three lectures, 26th May, 2nd and 9th June 1904 (not translated). I shall speak about theosophical cosmology, about theosophical ideas concerning the creation of the universe. Those of you who are interested in such things may hear much which is not already known from the usual theosophical literature. I wish to hold over till a later date the lectures on the rudiments of theosophy.5These lectures had been announced for April, but were not held until the autumn of 1904 (not translated). What I wish to talk about today comes from an old occult tradition. The subject cannot, of course, be dealt with exhaustively today. Some of it may appear incredible.
I would request, therefore, that today's lecture be treated as an episode in which nothing is to be proved, but only things related.
People celebrate their festivals today without having an inkling of what is signified by them. In the newspapers, which constitute the main source of the education and enlightenment of most of our contemporaries, one can read many and various articles dealing with such festivals, the writers of which have not the slightest idea of the meaning of such a festival. But for theosophists it is necessary to look again at their inner meaning. And so I want today to direct your attention to the origin of such an age-old festival: the source of the Whitsuntide Festival.
Whitsuntide is one of the most important festivals and one of the most difficult to understand. For Christian consciousness it commemorates the coming of the Holy Ghost. This event is described as a miracle: the Holy Spirit was poured out over the Apostles so that they started to speak in all manner of tongues. This means that they could enter into every heart and speak according to each one's understanding. That is one of the interpretations of Whitsuntide. If we wish to reach a more fundamental understanding of it, we must go still deeper into the matter. Whitsuntide—as symbolical festival—is connected with the most profound mysteries, with the holiest spiritual qualities of humanity—that is why it is so difficult to talk about it. Today I should like at least to touch on just a few things.
What the Whitsuntide Festival symbolises, the underlying principle from which it receives its deep inner meaning, is preserved in a single manuscript copy 6This was made public in H.P. Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, (1888) Book 2, page 239. There it says: ‘Now the Vatican MSS. of the Kabala—a single copy of which (in Europe) is said to have been in the possession of Count St. Germain, contains the most complete exposition of the doctrine ...’ which is to be found in the Vatican Library, where it is guarded with the greatest care. To be sure, no mention is made of Whitsuntide in this manuscript, but it certainly tells of that for which Whitsuntide is only the outer symbol. Hardly anyone has seen this manuscript, unless he has been initiated into the deepest secrets of the Catholic Church, or has been able to read it in the Astral Light.7Dr. Steiner here refers to Blavatsky's ability, known to his audience, whereby she was able to read rare manuscripts in the Astral Light, as is described by Constance Wachtmeister, among others, in Reminiscences of H.P. Blavatsky and The Secret Doctrine, 1893. One copy is possessed by a personality who has been very much misunderstood in the world, but who is beginning to interest today's historians. I could equally well have said ‘was possessed’ instead of ‘is possessed’, but it would thereby cause a lack of clarity. Therefore I say again: a copy is in the possession of the Count of St. Germain,8One of the most enigmatic and controversial personalities of the eighteenth century. His birth date and the date of his death, as well as his true name cannot be established with any certainty. According to a lecture given by Rudolf Steiner in Neuchatel on 27th September 1911 (translated in Anthroposophical Quarterly, winter, 1960), the name does not only refer to one personality, but to others too. In the true bearer of this name lives the individuality of Christian Rosenkreutz. See also lecture 5 given on 4th November 1904, which is included in this volume and the notes thereto. who is the only existing source of information about it.
I should like to give a few hints about this from a theosophical point of view. We shall be led thereby to something intimately connected with the evolution of mankind during the fifth Root Race. Man assumed his present-day form during the third Root Race, the time of ancient Lemuria, developed it further during the fourth Root Race, the time of ancient Atlantis, and then progressed to the fifth Root Race with what he had thus acquired. Whoever heard my Atlantis lectures 9This refers to lectures given in January 1904, of which, however, there are no notes. will remember that a vivid memory of those times still existed among the Greeks.
To find our bearings,10The notes of Vegelahn express this in the following way: ‘To find our bearings, we must get a little insight into two currents of the present day which are hidden in the souls of men of the fifth Root Race and are often in conflict with one another. The one current is best represented in the Indian and South European confessions and also in the outlook on life of the Jewish peoples and the Babylonians—and the other is contained in the confessions and outlook of the Persians, westward of Persia to the regions of the Teutons.’ we must get a little insight into two currents belonging to our fifth Root Race, which are active as hidden powers in the souls of men and are often in conflict with one another. The one current is most clearly and best represented by what we call the Egyptian, Indian and South European outlook on life. Everything belonging later to Judaism and even to Christianity contains a little of that. But in our European culture, on the other hand, this has been intermingled with that other current which is to be found in ancient Persia and—if we disregard what the anthropologists and etymologists say and go deeper into the matter—we find it again stretching westwards from Persia to the regions of the Teutons.
Of these two currents 11See: The East in the Light of the West, fifth lecture, Munich, 27th August 1909. I would maintain that two mighty and important spiritual intuitions underlie them. The one was best understood by the ancient Rishis. To them was revealed the intuition of beings of a higher order, the so-called Devas.12The Indian name for the gods of Devachan, the heavenly world. He who has undergone occult training and can carry out investigations into these matters will know what Devas are. These purely spiritual beings, of the Astral or Mental Plane, have a twofold inner nature, whereas man's nature is threefold. For man consists of body, soul and spirit, but the Deva nature—as far as can be investigated—consists only of soul and spirit. It may possess other members, but we are unable to find them, even by occult means. The Deva is an ensouled spirit. The impulses, emotions, desires and wishes which live invisibly within man, but are seen as light effects by the seer, these soul powers, this soul body, which constitutes man's inner being, supported by the physical body, is the lowest body which the Devas possess. We can regard it as their body. The intuitive faculty of the Indian was concerned mainly with the worshipping of these Devas. The man of India sees these Devas all around. He sees them as creating powers when he penetrates the veil of outward appearance. This intuition is fundamental to the outlook on life of the peoples of the Southern Zone! It is expressed most powerfully in the Egyptians' conception of the world.
The other intuition was the basis upon which the ancient Persian mysticism was founded, and this led to the veneration of beings who were also only twofold in their nature: the Asuras. They, too, possessed what we call soul, but the soul organ was enclosed within a physical body developed in sublime and titanic fashion. The Indian view of the world, which clung to the Deva worship, looked upon the Asuras as something inferior; whereas those who inclined to the viewpoint of the Northern peoples adhered to the Asuras,13Indian—Suras = gods (from Asu = breath) became non-gods = A-suras. In the old Oriental religions and also later by Rudolf Steiner used as the name for satanic beings. In connection with this lecture, however, it is used in the sense of Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, Book 2, (‘On the Myth of the Fallen Angel, in its various aspects’) p.500. ‘Esoterically, the Asuras, transformed subsequently into evil spirits and lower gods, who are eternally at war with the great deities—are the gods of the Secret Wisdom. In the oldest portions of the Rig Veda, they are the spiritual and the divine, the term Asura being used for the Supreme Spirit and being the same as the great Ahura of the Zoroastrians. There was a time when the gods Indra, Angi, and Varuna themselves belonged to the Asuras.’ Only in Atlantean times, at the transition from Lemuria to Atlantis, were these originally high gods transformed into non-gods.
In the notes of a hitherto unpublished lecture by Rudolf Steiner, given in Berlin, 17th October 1904, the following is said: ‘If we wish to understand the point of view of spiritual evolution we must be clear about an important event of the Atlantean epoch. Those beings which had originally been spiritual, now appeared as revolutionaries striving for independence. Suras now became Asuras. Until this time they had taken no part in evolution. They are those powers which, just as in our day, represent the intellectual and spiritual side of human nature. This side of Lucifer's nature is that which also stood for Christianity during the first centuries. There are two documents referring to that, one is in the Vatican and a copy of it is in the possession of the most thoroughly initiated Christian of the western world: The Count of St. Germain.’ to physical nature. Thus there developed in the Northern Zone more especially the impulse towards controlling the things of the sense world in a material way, towards an ordering of the world of realities by means of the highest technical advancement, through physical arts and so on. Nowadays there is nobody who still persists in Asura worship, but there are many among us who still have something of this within them. Thence comes the tendency towards the materialistic side of life and that is the basic tendency of the Northern peoples. Whoever acknowledges purely materialistic principles can be sure that he has something of the Asuras in his nature.
Among the Asura adherents there then developed a strange undertone of feeling. It first made its appearance in the spiritual life of Persia. The Persians developed a kind of fear of the Deva nature. They experienced fear, apprehension and dread in face of what was of a purely soul-spirit nature. That was the reason for the great contrast which we now observe between the Persian and the Indian attitude. In the Persian attitude those things were often venerated which to the Indians were bad and inferior, and just those things were avoided by the Persians which the Indians held in veneration. The Persian experience of the world was steeped in a mood of soul which feared and avoided a being of the nature of a Deva. In short, it was the picture of Satan which arose in this view of the world. Lucifer, the being of Spirit and Soul, became an object of fear and dread. That is where we have to look for the origin of the belief in the Devil. This mood of soul has also been absorbed into the modern view of the world; Lucifer became a much feared and avoided figure in the Middle Ages. Lucifer was definitely shunned.
We learn particulars about it 14It is to be noted that the text of the paragraph beginning with these words is defective. See in this respect Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, Book 2, ‘The History of the Fourth Race,’ also lecture by Dr. Steiner, Dornach, 18th January 1920 in which the date of the cessation of physical incarnation is given as 6th. Millenium, A.D. in the manuscript already mentioned. If we follow in it the course of earth evolution we shall find that in the middle of the third Root Race, the Lemurian Epoch, mankind was clothed in physical matter. It is a wrong conception when theosophists believe that reincarnation had no beginning and will have no ending. Reincarnation started in the Lemurian Age and will cease again at the beginning of the sixth Root Race or Age. It is only a certain period of time in earth evolution during which mankind reincarnates. It was preceded by a most spiritual condition which precluded any necessity for reincarnation and there will follow again a spiritual state which will likewise obviate the necessity for reincarnation.
Simultaneously with its first incarnation in the Lemurian Age the untarnished human spirit, consisting of Atma-Buddhi-Manas, sought its primal physical incarnation. The physical development of the earth with its animal-like creatures had not evolved so far at that time, the whole, of this animal-human organism was not so far advanced then that it could have incorporated the human spirit. But a part of it, a certain group of animal-like beings had evolved so far that the seed of the human spirit could descend into it to give form to the human body.
Some of the individualities who incarnated at that time formed the small nucleus of those who later spread over the whole earth as the so-called Adepts. They were the original Adepts, not those whom we call initiated today. Those whom we call initiates today did not go through incarnation at that time . Not all incarnated at that time who would have been able to find human-animal bodies, only some of them. Some others were opposed to the process of incarnation for a particular reason. They delayed that until the time of the Fourth Age. The Bible hints at that in a concealed and profound way: ‘The Sons of God saw the daughters of men15Genesis 6, 1–2. See also Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, Book 2, Part 2, ‘On the Myth of the Fallen Angel, in its various aspects.’ In the story of Noah from The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine it says of this event: ‘... this time men began to multiply on the earth, and the children of God, that is to say, of Seth ... saw the daughters of men, that is to say, of Cain, and were overcome by concupiscence and took them to their wives.’ that they were fair and they took them wives of all which they chose.’
That is to say, the incarnation of those who had waited began at a later time. We call this group the ‘Sons of Wisdom’, and it almost appears as if there were a kind of arrogance, a sort of pride about them. We shall make an exception of the small group of Adepts. Had these other ones also incarnated at the earlier period, mankind would never have been able to acquire the clarity of consciousness which he possesses today. He would have been held fast in a dull trance-like state of consciousness. He would have developed that kind of consciousness which is to be found in people who have been hypnotised, sleepwalkers and the like. In short, man would have remained in a kind of dreamlike state. But one thing would have been lacking then—one thing of great importance, if not of the utmost importance—he would have lacked a feeling of freedom, a capacity to exercise his individual discrimination with regard to good and evil by means of his own consciousness, his own human ego.
This postponement of incarnation—in the form it assumed in consequence of that feeling of dread of the Devas which I characterised—this is called in the Book of Genesis ‘the Fall of Man’. The Devas delayed their incarnation and only descended to the earth to take possession of physical bodies when humanity had reached a further Stage in its development. Through this they were able to evolve a more mature form of consciousness than would have been the case earlier.
Thus, you see, the cost of man's freedom was the deterioration of his nature, by waiting for his incarnation till he could descend into denser physical conditions. A deep understanding of this has been preserved in Greek mythology. Had man descended earlier into incarnation—so says the Greek myth—then that would have happened which Zeus wanted when man was still living in Paradise. He wished to make man happy—but as an unconscious being. Clear consciousness would have been possessed solely by the gods and man would have been without a feeling of freedom. The rebellion of the Lucifer Spirit, the Deva Spirit within humanity, who wished to descend in order to rise up again out of his own freedom, is symbolised by the saga of Prometheus! 16This is also linked by Rudolf Steiner to Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine, Book 2. But Prometheus had to suffer for his endeavours by having an eagle—symbol of inordinate desire—gnawing at his liver and causing him the most deadly pain.
Man had thus descended more deeply and now had to achieve through his own free conscious activity what he would have attained by magical arts and powers. But because he had descended deeper he must suffer pains and torment. This is also indicated in the Bible with the words: ‘In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.17Genesis 3:16. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread’, etc. That is no less than to say: mankind must raise itself again with the help of culture.
Through the figure of Prometheus, Greek mythology has symbolised free humanity struggling towards culture. He is the representative of suffering mankind, but at the same time the giver of freedom. The one who sets Prometheus free is Heracles, of whom it is said that he underwent initiation in the Eleusinian Mysteries. Whoever descended to the underworld was an initiate, for the descent into the underworld is a technical term denoting initiation. This journey to the underworld is attributed to Heracles, Odysseus and to all who are initiates who wish to lead man of his epoch to the source of primeval wisdom, to a life of the spirit.
Had mankind retained the attitude of Lemurian times we would have been dreamers today. Through his Deva nature, mankind fructified his lower nature. Out of his self-awareness, out of his awareness of freedom, man now has to reawaken that spark of awareness which he brought down from heaven in justified presumption; he has to reawaken that spiritual knowledge which he had received without his own striving when he was still unfree. There lies in human nature itself that satanic rebelliousness which, however, in the form of luciferic aspiration is the only safeguard of our freedom. And out of this freedom we shall again wrest spiritual life. It will be reawakened in the man of the fifth Root Race, our present epoch. This form of consciousness will again be conveyed through initiates. It will not be a dreamy, but a clear consciousness. It is the Heraclean spirits, the initiated ones, who will help mankind forward and reveal to him his Deva nature, his knowledge of the spirit. That was also the endeavour of all the great founders of religion, that they should restore to mankind the knowledge of the spirit which had been lost in physiological existence. The fifth epoch still contains much of the material life within it. This materialistic culture of the present time shows us how far man has become embedded in purely physical-physiological nature, as Prometheus was enmeshed in his chains. But it is equally certain that the vulture, the symbol of lust and craving, gnawing at our liver, will be thrust aside by spiritual men. That is the goal to which the initiates would lead mankind through consciousness of self, by means of such movements as the theosophical movement, so that it can raise itself up in full freedom.
The moment which we have to regard as the one in which spiritual life poured into the self-conscious human being is indicated precisely in the New Testament. It is alluded to in the profoundest of the Gospels the one which is misunderstood by today's theologians, the St. John's Gospel, when it speaks of the Feast of the Tabernacles which was attended by Jesus. The founder of Christianity there speaks of the outpouring of spiritual life with which humanity was to be endowed. It is a remarkable passage. For the Feast of the Tabernacles, the people had to visit a spring from which water flowed. There followed a festival which intimated to man that he should call to mind again his spiritual nature, his Deva and spiritual strivings. The water which flowed there was to remind him of the soul and spirit world. After repeated refusals Jesus finally went up to the feast. The following happened on the last day of the feast John 7, 37): ‘In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.’ Those who drank celebrated a feast in which the spiritual life was brought to recollection. But Jesus connected something else with it, as can be seen in the following words of St. John's Gospel: ‘He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified)’.
Here the Whitsuntide mystery is indicated. It is intimated that man has to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. When the moment arrives in which man is able to kindle the spark of spiritual life within him, when the physiological nature of man is able to attempt the ascent by means of its own forces, then will the Holy Spirit descend upon him and the time of spiritual awakening will be at hand.
Man descended as far as the physical body and so, in contrast to the nature of the Devas, he is built up out of three principles: Spirit, Soul and Body. The Devas are at a higher stage than man, but they do not have to surmount physical nature as man does. This physical nature has to be transfigured so that it can absorb the life of the spirit. Man's consciousness in the body, his physiological consciousness of today, will itself be able to enkindle the spark of spiritual existence in freedom.
Christ's sacrifice is an example which shows that man will be able to unfold a higher form of consciousness out of his life in the physical plane. His lower individuality lives in the physical body, but it must be enkindled so that the higher personality can develop. Only then can the ‘rivers of living water’ flow from man's ‘belly’. Then can the Holy Spirit appear and be poured forth upon humanity. Man, as an ego being, must be as though dead to physiological existence.
Herein lies what is truly Christian, and it also embodies the deeper mystery contained in the Whitsuntide Festival. Man lives primarily in his lower organism, in his consciousness imbued with desires. It is right that this is so, because it is only this consciousness which can provide him with awareness of his true goal, to attain freedom. He should not remain there, however, but must raise his ego to the nature of a Deva. He must develop the Deva within him, bring it to birth so that it becomes a spirit of healing—a Holy Spirit. To that end he must consciously sacrifice his earthly body, he must experience that ‘dying and becoming’ so that he does not remain a ‘gloomy guest’ 18‘Und so lang du das nicht hast,
Dieses: Stirb und werde!
Bist du nur ein triiber Gast
Auf der dunklen Erde.
Concluding verse of a poem by Goethe called Selige Sehnsucht (‘Holy Longing’). on this dark earth.
Thus the Easter mystery is only revealed in its fullness when taken together with the Whitsuntide mystery. We see the human ego, exemplified in its Divine Representative, divesting itself of the lower ego and dying in order to be completely transfigured in its physical nature and offered up again to the Godhead. Ascension is the symbol of this. When man has become transfigured in the physical body. has offered it up again to the Spirit, he will be ripe to receive the outpouring of spiritual life, to experience what is called the ‘coming of the Holy Spirit’ according to the explanation of One, who is mankind's greatest Representative. Therefore it is also said: ‘And there are three that bear witness in earth,19First Epistle of John, v. 7. Rudolf Steiner had already explained this passage from the Epistle in detail in his lecture on 29th April 1904. According to that, the present-day materialistic concepts of blood and water must not be applied here. When it is said: ‘There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.’
This means in theosophical terminology: Atma, Buddhi, Manas, the three higher principles. And when it is said later on: ‘And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood,’ it means the three lower principles, the three soul attributes. The astral body, as well as the blood, (not our physical blood), are the lowest parts of the soul. Jewish esotericism believes that movement of the blood is caused by the astral body and that is correct. All influences which do not directly pass through the soul, but still have an effect on the body are called the ‘blood’ in Jewish esoteric teaching. It is the active principle, the motivator. We call only the red liquid which flows through the body ‘blood.’ By water is signified ‘Kama’ in every occult language—feelings, emotions, passions, etc: ‘And now I shall tell you why this is called water. You must get acquainted with the concept that humanity today has grown accustomed to visualising everything in a much more materialistic way than he did formerly. If you picture to yourself an old cabbalist, he did not regard water as just a flowing element, but as an image and he arrived at that in the following way. He said to himself; the water is inhabited by those animals which we reckon as the most primitive. Animals evolved originally out of the liquid element: sea animals, jellyfish, amphibians. These then came out of the water onto the land. It was only out of water that emotions and feelings came about ... We distinguish the lower part of the soul, which stirs the blood and makes it pulsate and causes pleasure and dislike and all such other painful experiences. And that he calls water because from water is derived that element of soul. And then we have the thinking part of the soul which is Spirit.’ the Spirit, the water and the blood.’ Whitsuntide is the outpouring of the Spirit into man.
The highest goal of humanity is symbolically expressed by means of the Whitsuntide festival; that is, that mankind must progress once more from an intellectual to a spiritual life just as Prometheus was set free from his suffering by Heracles, so will mankind be set free by the power of the Spirit. By descending into matter, mankind has attained self-consciousness. Through the fact that he ascends again. he will become a self-aware Deva. Those who worshipped the Asuras and regarded the Devas as beings of a satanic nature, who did not wish to descend into the innermost depths, regarded this descent as something devilish.
That, too, is referred to in Greek mythology. The one whose state of consciousness is not free—the contemplator—the one who does not wish to win redemption in complete freedom and therefore is the opponent of Prometheus—is Epimetheus. Zeus gives him Pandora's box, the contents of which—sufferings and plagues—fall on mankind when it is opened. The only gift which is left behind is hope; the hope that one day, in a future state he will also progress to this higher, clear consciousness. He is left with the hope that he will be set free. Prometheus advises him against accepting this doubtful gift from the god Zeus. Epimetheus does not listen to his brother, but accepts the gift. The gift which Epimetheus receives is not worth as much as the one belonging to his brother Prometheus.
Thus we see that there are two ways of life open to men. Some of them cling to a feeling of freedom and—although it is dangerous to develop spirituality—they search for it in freedom nevertheless. The others are the ones who find their satisfaction in the dull round of life and in blind faith, and who suspect danger in the luciferic endeavours of their fellow men. The founders of the Church's outward doctrine have distorted the deeper meaning of luciferic striving. The ancient teachings on the subject are contained in hidden manuscripts 20See note 6. in undisclosed places, where they have hardly been seen by anyone. They are available to a few people who are able to see them in the Astral Light, and otherwise only to a few initiates. The path is fraught with danger, but it is the only one which leads to the sublime goal of spiritual freedom.
The spirit of man should be free and not dull. That is also the aim of Christianity. Health and healing are connected with holy. A spirit which is holy is able to heal, it sets men free from sufferings and torments. Healthy and free is the human being who is released from the bondage of his physiological state. For only the free spirit is the healthy one, whose body is no longer gnawed by an eagle.
Thus Whitsuntide can be looked upon as the symbol of the freeing of the human spirit, as the great symbol of mankind's struggle for freedom, for consciousness of his own freedom.
If the Easter Festival is the festival of resurrection in nature, then the Whitsuntide Festival is the symbol of the becoming conscious of the human spirit, the festival of those who know and understand and—penetrated through and through by this—go in search of freedom.
Those spiritual movements of modern times which lead to a perception of the spiritual world in clear day consciousness—not in trance or under hypnosis—are the ones which lead to an understanding of such important symbols as this. The clear consciousness, which only the spirit can set free, is what unites us in the Theosophical Society. Not the word alone, but the spirit gives it its meaning. The spirit which emanates from the great Masters, which flows through a few people only who are able to say: ‘I know they are there, the great Adepts, who are the founders of our spiritual movement—not our society’ 21 Rudolf Steiner expressed himself in a similar way on the 2nd January 1905, in a letter to a Member who was about to be accepted into the Esoteric School: ‘You know that behind the whole theosophical movement there are highly evolved beings whom we call “Masters” or “Mahatmas”. These sublime beings have already completed the path which the rest of humanity still has to tread. They are now active as the great “Teachers of Wisdom and of the Harmony of Human Perception”. They are already engaged in work on higher planes to which the rest of mankind will evolve during the course of the next periods of development (so-called “Rounds”). They do their work on the physical plane through their “messengers”, the first of whom was H.P. Blavatsky—I mean the first as regards the theosophical movement. The Masters never found an outer Organisation of society, nor would they administer one. The Theosophical Society was formed by its founder Members. (H.P. Blavatsky, Olcott and others) in order to promote the work of the Masters on the physical plane, but these Masters themselves have never exerted any influence on the Society as such. It is in its whole character and leadership purely and simply the work of men living on the earth.’ See in this context also lecture 16, given on 22nd October 1905 (contained in this volume).—this spirit flows into our present civilisation and bestows on it the impulse for the future.
Let a spark of understanding of this Holy Spirit flow again into the misunderstood Whitsuntide Festival, then it will be revivified and gain meaning once more. We want to live in a world that makes sense. Whoever celebrates festivals without sparing them a thought is a follower of Epimetheus. Man must see what binds him to his surroundings and also to what is invisible in nature. We have to know where we stand. For we humans are not confined to a dull, dreamy, semi-existence, we are destined to develop a free, fully conscious unfolding of our whole being.
1. Pfingsten, Das Fest Der Befreiung Des Menschengeistes
Es war vorauszusehen, daß heute nur eine kleine Gemeinde sich versammeln würde. Ich habe dennoch beschlossen, diesen Abend abzuhalten, um denen, welche sich heute einfinden, einiges zu sagen in Anknüpfung an das Pfingstfest.
Bevor ich darauf eingehe, möchte ich Ihnen eines der Ergebnisse meiner letzten Londoner Reise mitteilen, das darin besteht, daß uns höchstwahrscheinlich im Herbst Frau Besant hier besuchen wird. Wir werden also Gelegenheit haben, die zu den bedeutendsten spirituellen Kräften der Gegenwart gehörende Persönlichkeit wieder zu hören. Die zwei nächsten öffentlichen Vorträge werden wir im Architektenhaus haben: heute über acht Tagen über Spiritismus und den folgenden über Somnambulismus und Hypnotismus. Dann werden die Montagsveranstaltungen wieder regelmäßig hier stattfinden. An den Donnerstagen der nächsten Zeit werde ich sprechen über TheosoPhische Kosmologie, über Vorstellungen, die die Theosophie zu geben hat über die Bildung des Weltgebäudes. Diejenigen, welche sich für diese Fragen interessieren, werden mannigfaltiges zu hören bekommen, was sie vielleicht noch nicht aus der gebräuchlichen theosophischen Literatur kennen. Die Vorträge über die Elemente der Theosophie möchte ich in einem späteren Zeitpunkte halten.
Was ich nun heute sagen werde, entstammt einer alten okkulten Tradition. Der Stoff kann natürlich heute nicht erschöpft werden. Manches wird sogar unglaubhaft erscheinen. Ich bitte daher, die heutige Stunde als eine Episode zu betrachten, in der nichts bewiesen, sondern einfach Dinge erzählt werden sollen.
Die Menschen feiern heutzutage ihre Feste, ohne so recht eine Ahnung davon zu haben, was solche Feste bedeuten. In den Zeitungen, die für einen großen Teil unserer gegenwärtigen Zeitgenossen die eigentliche Quelle der Bildung und Aufklärung bedeuten, kann man die mannigfaltigsten Artikel über solche Feste lesen, ohne daß bei den Schreibern irgendein Bewußtsein vorhanden ist, was solch ein Fest zu bedeuten hat. Aber für Theosophen ist es notwendig, wieder auf die innere Bedeutung hinzuweisen. Und so möchte ich heute hinweisen auf die Anfangskeime eines solchen uralten Festes, auf den Ursprung des Pfingstfestes.
Das Pfingstfest ist eines der bedeutendsten und am schwersten verständlichen Feste. Im christlichen Bewußtsein erinnert es an die Ausgießung des Heiligen Geistes. Dieses Ereignis wird uns beschrieben als eine Wundergeschichte: über die Jünger und die Apostel Christi habe sich der Heilige Geist ergossen, so daß sie anfingen, in allen möglichen Zungen zu sprechen. Das heißt, daß sie zu jedem Herzen den Zugang fanden und je nach dem Verständnis der Menschen sprechen konnten. Das ist eine Bedeutung des Pfingstfestes. Wenn wir es aber gründlicher verstehen wollen, müssen wir viel tiefer gehen. Das Pfingstfest - als symbolisches Fest - hängt mit den tiefsten Mysterien, mit den heiligsten geistigen Gütern der Menschheit zusammen. Deshalb ist es so schwer, darüber zu sprechen. Wenigstens auf einiges möchte ich indessen heute doch hindeuten.
Wofür eigentlich das Pfingstfest Symbol ist, was dem Pfingstfest zugrunde liegt, was es im tieferen Sinne bedeutet, das ist nur aufgeschrieben in einem Manuskript, das sich im Vatikan, in der Vatikanischen Bibliothek befindet und in der sorgfältigsten Weise behütet wird. In diesem Manuskript ist allerdings nicht von dem Pfingstfest, wohl aber von dem gesprochen, wofür das Pfingstfest nur das äußere Symbol ist. Dieses Manuskript hat wohl kaum jemand gesehen, der nicht in die tiefsten Geheimnisse der katholischen Kirche eingeweiht war oder es im Astrallichte zu lesen vermochte. Eine Kopie davon besitzt eine Persönlichkeit, welche von der Welt sehr verkannt worden ist, die aber heute für den Geschichtsbetrachter anfängt interessant zu werden. Ich könnte auch ebenso sagen «hat besessen» statt «besitzt», aber es entstände eine Unklarheit dadurch. Deshalb sage ich: eine Kopie besitzt der Graf von Saint-Germain, von dem wohl die einzigen Mitteilungen stammen, die es in der Welt davon gibt.
Ich möchte im Sinne der Theosophie nur andeutungsweise einiges darüber sagen. Wir werden da zu etwas geführt, was tief zusammenhängt mit der Evolution, mit der Entwickelung der Menschheit in der fünften Wurzelrasse. Der Mensch hat ja diejenige Form, die er heute an sich trägt, in der dritten Wurzelrasse, der alten lemurischen Zeit bekommen, sie weitergebildet durch die vierte Wurzelrasse, die Zeit der alten Atlantis, und ist dann mit dem Resultat in die fünfte Wurzelrasse eingetreten. Wer meine Atlantis-Vorträge gehört hat, wird sich erinnern, daß bei den Griechen noch eine lebhafte Erinnerung an jene Zeit vorhanden war.
Zur Orientierung müssen wir einen kurzen Einblick gewinnen in zwei Strömungen innerhalb unserer fünften Wurzelrasse, die als verborgene Kräfte in den Gemütern lebendig sind und vielfach miteinander streiten: die eine Strömung findet sich am reinsten und klarsten ausgeprägt in dem, was wir die ägyptische, indische und südeuropäische Weltanschauung nennen. Alles spätere Judentum und auch das Christentum enthält etwas davon. Das hat sich aber andererseits in unserem Europa wiederum vermischt mit der anderen Strömung, die in derjenigen Weltanschauung lebt, die wir im alten Persien finden und die wir - wenn wir nicht auf das hören, was uns die Anthropologen und Etymologen sagen, sondern wenn wir auf die Sache tiefer eingehen — wiederfinden können von Persien westwärts sich hinziehend bis zu den Regionen der Germanen.
Von diesen zwei Strömungen möchte ich behaupten, daß sie auf zwei wichtige, zwei große spirituelle Intuitionen hindeuten, die ihnen zugrunde liegen. Die eine ist am reinsten aufgegangen den uralten Rishis. Ihnen ging auf die Intuition höhergearteter Wesen: der sogenannten Devas. Wer eine okkulte Schulung durchgemacht hat, wer forschen kann auf diesem Gebiete, der weiß, was Devas sind. Diese rein spirituellen Wesenheiten, die im Astral- und Mentalraum leben, haben eine zweifache Natur, während die Menschen eine dreifache Natur haben. Denn der Mensch besteht aus Leib, Seele und Geist. Die Devanatur aber besteht - soweit wir sie verfolgen können - nur aus Seele und Geist. Sie mag noch andere Glieder haben, aber wir können sie selbst mit okkulter Schulung nicht verfolgen. Ein Deva hat in seinem Inneren unmittelbar den Geist. Der Deva ist ein seelenbegabter Geist. Was Sie beim Menschen nicht sehen können, nämlich die Begierden, Triebe, Leidenschaften und Wünsche, die in ihm leben, die aber für den, der seine spirituellen Sinne erschlossen hat, wahrnehmbar sind als Lichterscheinungen, diese Seelenkräfte, dieser Seelenleib des Menschen, der für den Menschen sein Inneres ist und getragen wird von unserem physischen Leib, das ist der unterste Leib der Devas. Wir können ihn als ihren Körper ansehen. Die indische Intuition ging vorzugsweise auf die Verehrung dieser Devas. Der Inder sieht diese Devas überall. Er sieht sie als die schaffenden Kräfte, wenn er hinter die Kulissen unserer Welterscheinungen blickt. Diese Intuition liegt dem südlichen Weltanschauungsgürtel zugrunde. In der Weltanschauung Ägyptens kommt sie groß und gewaltig zum Ausdruck.
Die andere Intuition liegt der alten persischen Mystik zugrunde und führte zur Verehrung von Wesenheiten, die auch nur zweifacher Natur sind: den Asuras. Diese haben auch das, was wir Seele nennen; aber in großartiger, titanenhafter Weise haben sie ausgebildet den physischen Leib, der ein Seelenorgan einschließt. Die indische Weltanschauung, die an der Devaverehrung festhält, sieht diese Asuras als etwas Untergeordnetes an, während diejenigen, die sich zum nördlichen Weltanschauungsgürtel bekannten, mehr an den Asuras hingen, an der physischen Natur. Daher hatte sich auch hier besonders der Drang ausgebildet, die Welt der Sinneserscheinungen in materieller Weise zu beherrschen, die Welt der Wirklichkeit durch die bis ins Höchste gehende Vervollkommnung der Technik, durch physische Künste und dergleichen zu beherrschen. Heute gibt es keine Menschen mehr, die an der Asuraverehrung festhalten; aber viele unter uns gibt es noch, die etwas von dieser Natur in sich haben. Von daher rührt der Zug nach der materiellen Seite des Lebens und das ist der Grundzug des nördlichen Weltanschauungsgürtels. Wer sich zu rein materialistischen Grundsätzen bekennt, kann sicher sein, daß er in seiner Natur etwas hat, was von diesen Asuras herrührt.
Innerhalb der Bekenner der Asuras entwickelte sich dann ein eigentümliches Grundgefühl. Es sproßte zuerst im persischen Geistesleben auf. Die Perser bekamen eine Art Furcht vor der Devanatur. Furcht, Scheu und Grauen bekamen sie vor dem, was rein geistig-seelisch ist. Das bewirkte, daß wir heute den großen Gegensatz erblicken zwischen der persischen und der indischen Anschauung. In der persischen Weltanschauung wurde oft gerade das angebetet, was die indische Richtung als schlecht, als etwas Untergeordnetes betrachtete, und geradezu gemieden, was der Inder als verehrungswürdig betrachtet. Innerhalb des persischen Weltgefühles entstand also diese eigentümliche Grundempfindung gegenüber einer Wesenheit, die eigentlich Devanatur hat, die aber innerhalb dieser Weltanschauung gemieden, gefürchtet wird. Kurz, es ist das Bild des Satans, das in dieser Weltanschauung auftritt. Luzifer, der Geistig-Seelische, wird ein mit Schauder erfüllendes Wesen. Darin haben wir den Ursprung zu suchen von dem, was als Teufelsglaube existiert. Diese Grundempfindung ist auch in die moderne Weltanschauung übergegangen; namentlich im Mittelalter wurde der Teufel eine gefürchtete und gemiedene Figur. Luzifer wurde also förmlich gemieden.
Wir erhalten darüber Aufschluß in dem angegebenen Manuskript. Wenn wir im Sinne desselben den Gang der Weltentwickelung verfolgen, dann finden wir, daß in der Mitte der dritten, der lemurischen Rasse, die Menschen sich mit physischem Stoff bekleidet haben. Es ist eine falsche Vorstellung, wenn die Theosophen glauben, daß die Reinkarnation keinen Anfang und kein Ende habe. Die Reinkarnation hat in der lemurischen Zeit angefangen und wird im Beginne der sechsten Rasse auch wiederum aufhören. Es ist nur eine gewisse Zeitspanne in der irdischen Entwickelung, innerhalb welcher der Mensch sich wiederverkörpert. Vorausgegangen war ein überaus geistiger Zustand, der keine Wiederverkörperung nötig machte, und folgen wird wiederum ein geistiger Zustand, der auch keine Wiederverkörperung bedingt.
Die ursprüngliche Verkörperung in der dritten Rasse bestand darin, daß gleichsam der jungfräuliche Menschengeist, Atma-Buddhi-Manas, seine erste physische Verkörperung suchte. Es konnte damals die physische Entwickelung unserer Erde mit den tierartigen Wesenheiten noch nicht so weit vorgeschritten sein, die ganze tierisch-menschliche Wesenheit konnte damals noch nicht so weit sein, daß sie den Menschengeist hätte aufnehmen können. Aber ein Teil, eine gewisse Gruppe tierartiger Wesenheiten war schon so weit entwickelt, daß sich der Same des Menschengeistes in diese tierischen Leiber senken konnte, damit sie dem Menschenleibe die Form geben konnten.
Ein Teil der Individualitäten, welche dazumal sich inkarnierten, bildeten den kleinen Stamm derjenigen, die sich später als sogenannte Adepten über die ganze Welt verbreiteten. Das waren die ursprünglichen Adepten, nicht diejenigen, die wir heute Initiierte nennen. Die, welche wir heute Initiierte nennen, machten damals noch keine Inkarnation durch. Es verkörperten sich damals aber nicht alle, die menschlich-tierische Körper hätten finden können, sondern nur ein Teil. Ein anderer Teil widersetzte sich dem Gang der Inkarnation aus bestimmten Gründen. Sie warteten damit bis in die vierte Rasse hinein. Die Bibel deutet jenen Zeitpunkt in verborgener und tiefsinniger Weise an: Die Söhne der Götter fanden, daß die Töchter der Menschen schön waren und sie verbanden sich mit ihnen.
Das heißt, es begann in jenem späteren Zeitpunkte eine Inkarnation von denjenigen, welche gewartet hatten. Wir nennen diese Gruppe «Söhne der Weisheit», und es scheint fast, als liege eine gewisse Vermessenheit und ein Stolz in ihnen. Von der kleinen Ausnahme der ‚Adepten wollen wir jetzt absehen. Hätte sich dieser andere Teil damals auch inkarniert, so wäre der Mensch niemals zu dem klaren Bewußtsein gekommen, in dem er heute lebt. Der Mensch wäre in dumpfem Trancebewußtsein steckengeblieben. Er würde das Bewußtsein angenommen haben, das Sie heute bei Hypnotisierten, Soemnambulen und so weiter finden können. Kurz, die Menschen hätten in einer Art Traumbewußtsein bleiben müssen. Aber eines hätte ihnen dann gefehlt, was außerordentlich wichtig, wenn nicht das Wichtigste war: das Freiheitsgefühl, die selbsteigene Entscheidung des Menschen über Gut und Böse aus seinem eigenen Bewußtsein, aus seinem Ich heraus.
Die Genesis bezeichnet diese spätere Inkarnation — in derjenigen Gestalt, die sie eben schon erhalten hat unter den Einflüssen, die von jener Empfindung herkommen, die ich charakterisiert habe dadurch, daß ich gesagt habe, daß vor dem Deva eine gewisse Scheu besteht -, die Genesis bezeichnet diese spätere Inkarnierung als den «Fall» des Menschen, den Sündenfall. Der Deva wartete und sank erst herunter, als die physische Menschheit schon eine Stufe weiter entwickelt war, um dann erst Besitz zu ergreifen von dem physischen Leib, damit er dann ein reiferes Bewußtsein entwickeln könne, als das früher der Fall gewesen wäre.
So sehen Sie, daß der Mensch sich seine Freiheit dadurch erkauft hat, daß sich seine Natur verschlechterte, weil er mit der Inkarnierung wartete, bis seine Natur heruntergestiegen ist in die dichteren physiologischen Zustände. In der griechischen Mythologie hat sich ein tiefes Bewußtsein von diesem Tatbestand erhalten. Wäre der Mensch schon früher zur Inkarnation gekommen - das sagt der Mythos der Griechen -, dann wäre das eingetreten, was Zeus wollte, als sich die Menschen noch im «Paradiese» befanden: Er wollte sie glücklich machen, aber als unbewußte Wesen. Das klare Bewußtsein hätte dann einzig bei den Göttern gelegen und der Mensch wäre ohne das Gefühl der Freiheit geblieben. Die Auflehnung des Luzifergeistes, des Devageistes in der Menschheit, der heruntersteigen wollte, um sich aus der Freiheit heraus selbst emporzuentwickeln, ist symbolisiert in der Sage von Prometheus. Er aber muß für sein Bestreben büßen dadurch, daß fortwährend ein Adler - als Symbol der Begierde - an seiner Leber nagt und ihm dadurch die furchtbarsten Schmerzen verursacht.
Der Mensch ist also tiefer heruntergestiegen und muß nun das, was er durch magische Künste und Kräfte erreicht haben würde, mit dem erreichen, was ihm selbsttätig aus dem klaren Bewußtsein der Freiheit erfließt. Aber weil er tiefer heruntergestiegen ist, muß er auch Schmerzen und Qualen erdulden. Auch dies deutet die Bibel an mit den Worten: In Schmerzen sollst du Kinder gebären, im Schweiße deines Angesichtes sollst du dein Brot essen —, und so weiter. Das heißt nichts anderes als: der Mensch muß sich selbst mit Hilfe der Kultur wieder hochbringen.
Den Repräsentanten der in Freiheit durch Kämpfe zur Kultur strebenden Menschheit hat die griechische Mythologie in Prometheus symbolisiert. In ihm hat sie dargestellt den leidenden Menschen und zugleich den Befreier. Derjenige, der des Prometheus Befreiung herbeiführt, ist Herakles, von dem uns erzählt wird, daß er sich in die eleusinischen Mysterien einweihen ließ. Wer hinabstieg in die Unterwelt, war ein Initiierter, denn das Hinabsteigen in die Unterwelt ist der technische Ausdruck für die Initiation. Diese Fahrt nach der Unterwelt wird uns von Herakles, Odysseus und von allen denjenigen gesagt, bei denen wir es mit Eingeweihten zu tun haben, die nun die Menschen innerhalb der gegenwärtigen Entwickelung zu dem Quell ursprünglicher Weisheit, zum spirituellen Leben führen wollen.
Wäre die Menschheit auf dem Standpunkte der dritten Rasse stehengeblieben, dann wären wir heute Traummenschen. Durch seine Devanatur hat der Mensch seine niedere Natur befruchtet. Aus seinem Selbstbewußtsein, seinem Freiheitsbewußtsein heraus muß er nun jenen Bewußtseinsfunken, den er sich damals in berechtigtem Übermut herunterholte, wieder entwickeln, also jene spirituelle Erkenntnis, die er in dem früheren unfreien Zustande nicht angestrebt hat. In der menschlichen Natur selbst liegt jene satanische Auflehnung, die als luziferisches Streben aber die Gewähr für unsere Freiheit überhaupt ist. Und aus dieser Freiheit entwickeln wir wieder spirituelles Leben. Dieses spirituelle Leben soll innerhalb der Menschheit der fünften Rasse wieder angefacht werden. Wieder soll von Initiierten dieses Bewußtsein ausgehen. Nicht ein traumhaftes, sondern ein klares Bewußtsein soll es sein. Die Herkulesse des Geistes, die Initiierten sind es, die die Menschheit vorwärtsbringen und ihr die verborgene Devanatur, die Erkenntnis des Geistigen enthüllen. Das ist auch das Streben aller großen Religionsstifter gewesen, der Menschheit wieder die Erkenntnis des Geistigen zu bringen, das sie im physiologischen Leben verloren hat. Die Atlantier hatten eine hohe physische Kultur, und unsere fünfte Rasse hat noch immer viel von dem materiellen Leben in sich. Diese materialistische Kultur unserer Zeit zeigt uns, wie sehr der Mensch sich verstrickt hat in die rein physisch-physiologische Natur, wie Prometheus in seine Ketten. Aber ebenso sicher ist es, daß der Geier, das Symbol der Begierde, der an unserer Leber nagt, beseitigt werden wird durch den spirituellen Menschen. Dahin wollen die Initiierten die selbstbewußte Menschheit führen durch solche Bewegungen, von denen die theosophische Bewegung eine ist, damit der Mensch in voller Freiheit wieder emporsteigen kann.
Den Zeitpunkt, den wir als den Augenblick des Einströmens spirituellen Lebens in die selbstbewußte Menschheit zu erfassen haben, finden wir im Evangelium, im Neuen Testament, genau angedeutet. Im tiefsten Evangelium, das von der heutigen Theologie verkannt wird, im Johannes-Evangelium, da wo erzählt wird, daß Jesus das Laubhüttenfest besucht, wird dieser Zeitpunkt angedeutet. Der Stifter des Christentums spricht da davon, spirituelles Leben über die Menschheit auszugießen. Es ist das eine merkwürdige Stelle. Das Laubhüttenfest bestand ja darin, daß man zu einer Quelle ging, aus der Wasser floß. Dort entwickelte sich dann ein Fest, das darauf hindeutete, daß der Mensch sich wieder einmal besinnen solle auf das Spirituelle, auf die Devanatur und das geistige Streben. Das Wasser, das da geschöpft wurde, war eine Erinnerung an das Seelisch-Geistige. Nach wiederholten Absagen geht Jesus doch zu dem Fest. Und am letzten Tage des Festes geschieht folgendes (Joh.7,37): Am letzten Tage des Festes, der am herrlichsten war - so heißt es —, trat Jesus auf und sprach: «Wen da dürstet, der komme zu mir und trinke!» — Diejenigen, welche tranken, feierten ein Erinnerungsfest an das spirituelle Leben. Jesus aber verbindet noch etwas anderes damit und das deutet Johannes mit den Worten an: «Wer an mich glaubet, wie die Schrift saget, von des Leibe werden Ströme des lebendigen Wassers fließen. Das sagte er aber von dem Geiste, welchen empfangen sollten die, die an ihn glaubten, denn der Heilige Geist war noch nicht da; denn Jesus war noch nicht verkläret.»
Hier ist nun hingedeutet auf das Pfingstmysterium, hingedeutet darauf, daß die Menschheit zu warten hat auf diesen Heiligen Geist des spirituellen Lebens. Wenn der Zeitpunkt erreicht sein wird, daß der Mensch in sich selbst den Funken des spirituellen Lebens entzünden kann, wenn die physiologische Natur des Menschen aus sich selbst den Aufstieg versuchen kann, dann wird der Heilige Geist über die Menschen kommen, die Zeit des spirituellen Erwachens.
Der Mensch ist heruntergestiegen, bis in den physischen Leib hinein, so daß er im Gegensatz zur Devanatur aus drei Prinzipien besteht: aus Geist, Seele und Leib. Der Deva steht höher als der Mensch, aber er hat nicht die physische Natur zu überwinden wie der Mensch. Diese physische Natur muß wieder verklärt werden, so daß sie das spirituelle Leben aufnehmen kann. Des Menschen physiologisches Bewußtsein, der physische Leib, wie er heute lebt, soll selbst den Funken des spirituellen Lebens in Freiheit in sich entzünden.
Das Christus-Opfer ist ein Beispiel dafür, daß der Mensch aus dem physischen Leben heraus das höhere Bewußtsein entfalten kann. Im physischen Leibe lebt sein niederes Ich; aber angefacht soll es werden, damit das höhere Ich sich entwickle. Dann erst können die Ströme lebendigen Wassers auch aus diesem physischen Leibe fließen. Dann kann der Geist erscheinen, dann kann der Geist sich ausgießen. Wie abgestorben muß so der Mensch als Ich für dieses physiologische Leben werden.
Hierin liegt das eigentliche Christliche und auch das tiefere Mysterium des Pfingstfestes. Der Mensch lebt zunächst in seinem niederen Organismus, in dem von den Wünschen durchdrungenen Bewußtsein. Er soll darin leben, denn nur dieses Bewußtsein konnte ihm die zielsichere Freiheit geben. Aber er darf nicht darinnenbleiben, sondern soll sein Ich heraufheben zu der Devanatur. Er soll in sich selbst den Deva zeitigen, den Deva gebären, der dann ein Heils-Geist sein wird, ein Heiliger Geist. Dazu muß er jedoch den irdischen Leib bewußt hinopfern, dazu muß er empfinden das «Stirb und Werde», damit er nicht bleibe «ein trüber Gast» auf dieser «dunklen Erde».
So stellt uns das Ostermysterium im Zusammenhang mit dem Pfingstmysterium erst eine Ganzheit dar: wie das menschliche Ich in dem großen Repräsentanten sich entäußert des niederen lebendigen Ichs, wie es dahinstirbt, um die physische Natur völlig zu verklären und sie wieder zurückzugeben den göttlichen Mächten. Die Himmelfahrt ist das Symbol dafür. Wenn der Mensch diesen physischen Leib verklärt hat, zum Geistigen zurückgebracht hat, dann ist er reif, daß sich das spirituelle Leben in ihn ergießt, daß er erleben wird das, was nach der Erklärung des größten Repräsentanten der Menschheit die «Ausgießung des Heiligen Geistes» genannt wird. Daher heißt es auch: «Drei sind, die da zeugen auf der Erde: das Blut, das Wasser und der Geist.» - Das Pfingstfest ist die Ausgießung des Geistes in die Menschheit.
Das größte Ziel der Entwickelung ist symbolisch im Pfingstfeste ausgedrückt, nämlich daß der Mensch aus dem intellektuellen Leben wieder zu einem spirituellen Leben vordringen soll. Wie Prometheus durch den Herakles von seinen Leiden befreit wurde, so wird es der Mensch werden durch die Kraft des Geistes. Dadurch, daß der Mensch heruntergestiegen ist in die Materie, ist er zum Selbstbewußtsein gekommen. Dadurch, daß er wieder hinaufsteigt, wird er zum selbstbewußten Deva werden. Von denen, die die Asuras verehrten und die Devas als etwas Satanisches erkannten, die nicht im tiefsten Inneren vordringen wollen, ist dieser Herunterstieg als etwas Teuflisches dargestellt worden.
Auch das ist in der griechischen Mythologie angedeutet. Der Repräsentant der unfreien Bewußtseinszustände ist Epimetheus — der Nachdenkliche -, der nicht aus voller Freiheit zur Erlösung kommen will, also der Gegner des Prometheus. Er bekommt von Zeus die Pandorabüchse, deren Inhalt - Leiden und Plagen - auf die Menschheit beim Öffnen herabfällt. Nur als letzte Gabe bleibt darin die Hoffnung, daß er in einem künftigen Zustande auch zu diesem höheren, klaren Bewußtsein vordringen werde. Es bleibt ihm die Hoffnung auf Befreiung. Prometheus rät ab, das zweifelhafte Geschenk des Gottes Zeus anzunehmen. Epimetheus gehorcht seinem Bruder nicht, sondern er nimmt das Geschenk an. Das Epimetheus-Geschenk ist weniger wichtig als das seines Bruders Prometheus.
So sehen wir, daß die Menschen in zwei Strömungen dahinleben. Die einen sind diejenigen, die an dem Freiheitsgefühl festhalten und — trotzdem es gefährlich ist, das Spirituelle zu entwickeln — es doch in Freiheit suchen. Die anderen sind diejenigen, die durch dumpfes Dahinleben und blinden Glauben ihre Befriedigung finden und in dem luziferischen Streben der Menschheit etwas Gefährliches wittern. Diejenigen, welche die äußeren Formen der Kirche begründet haben, haben das tiefste luziferische Streben entstellt. Die uralten Lehren darüber sind in geheimen Manuskripten enthalten, die in verborgenen Räumen kaum jemand gesehen hat. Einigen wenigen, die sie im Astrallichte zu schen vermögen, und sonst noch einigen Eingeweihten sind sie zugänglich. Es ist allerdings ein gefährlicher Weg, aber es ist der einzige, der zu dem erhabenen Ziele der Freiheit führt.
Der Geist des Menschen soll ein befreiter sein und kein dumpfer. Das will auch das Christentum. Heil, heilen hängt zusammen mit heilig. Ein Geist, der heilig ist, der heilt, der befreit von Leiden und Plagen. Gesund und frei ist der Mensch, wenn er entrissen ist der Knechtung durch das Physiologische, wenn er befreit ist von dem Physiologischen. Denn der befreite Geist ist allein der gesunde, an dessen Körper kein Adler mehr nagt.
So ist das Pfingstfest aufzufassen als ein Symbol der Befreiung des Menschengeistes, als das große Symbol des menschlichen Ringens nach Freiheit, nach einem Bewußtsein in Freiheit.
Wenn das Osterfest ein Auferstehungsfest in der Natur ist, so ist das Pfingstfest ein Symbol für das Bewußtwerden des Menschengeistes, das Fest derjenigen, die wissen und erkennen, und - davon durchdrungen - die Freiheit suchen.
Diejenigen spirituellen Bewegungen in der modernen Zeit, welche zur Wahrnehmung der geistigen Welt bei klarem Tagesbewußtsein — nicht in Trance, nicht im Hypnotismus - hinführen, die sind es, welche zur Erkenntnis eines solchen bedeutsamen Symbols führen. Das klare Bewußtsein, daß nur der Geist befreit, das ist es, was uns vereint in der Theosophischen Gesellschaft. Nicht das Wort allein, sondern der Geist gibt ihr ihre Bedeutung. Der Geist, der ausgeht von den großen Meistern, der durchfließt durch einige wenige, die sagen können: Ich weiß, daß sie da sind, die großen Adepten, welche die Begründer der spirituellen Bewegung sind, nicht der Gesellschaft, ergießt sich in unsere Gegenwartskultur und gibt ihr die Impulse für die Zukunft.
Lassen Sie einen Funken des Verständnisses für diesen Heiligen Geist wieder einfließen in das unverstandene Pfingstfest, dann wird es belebt werden und wieder Sinn bekommen. In einer sinnvollen Welt sollen wir leben. Wer gedankenlos Feste feiert, feiert sie als Anhänger des Epimetheus. Der Mensch muß sehen, was uns verbindet mit dem, was um uns ist, und auch mit dem, was unsichtbar in der Natur ist. Wir sollen wissen, wo wir stehen. Denn wir Menschen sind nicht zu einem traumhaften, halben, dumpfen Dahinleben, sondern wir sind zur freien, vollbewußten Entfaltung unserer ganzen Wesenheit bestimmt.
1. Pentecost, the Feast of the Liberation of the Human Spirit
It was foreseeable that only a small congregation would gather today. Nevertheless, I have decided to hold this evening meeting in order to say a few words to those who have come today in connection with the feast of Pentecost.
Before I go into that, I would like to share with you one of the results of my last trip to London, which is that Mrs. Besant will most likely visit us here in the fall. We will therefore have the opportunity to hear once again one of the most significant spiritual forces of our time. The next two public lectures will be held at the Architect's House: today in eight days on spiritualism and the following one on somnambulism and hypnotism. Then the Monday events will resume here on a regular basis. On Thursdays in the coming period, I will speak about Theosophical cosmology, about the ideas that Theosophy has to offer regarding the formation of the world structure. Those who are interested in these questions will hear many things that they may not yet know from the usual Theosophical literature. I would like to give the lectures on the elements of Theosophy at a later date.
What I am going to say today comes from an ancient occult tradition. Of course, the subject cannot be exhausted today. Some things will even seem unbelievable. I therefore ask you to regard today's lecture as an episode in which nothing is to be proven, but simply told.
People today celebrate their festivals without really having any idea what they mean. In the newspapers, which are the main source of education and enlightenment for a large part of our contemporaries, one can read the most varied articles about such festivals without the writers having any awareness of what such a festival means. But for theosophists, it is necessary to point out the inner meaning again. And so today I would like to point out the early beginnings of such an ancient festival, the origin of Pentecost.
The festival of Pentecost is one of the most significant and most difficult to understand festivals. In Christian consciousness, it commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This event is described to us as a miracle story: the Holy Spirit poured out upon the disciples and apostles of Christ, so that they began to speak in all kinds of languages. This means that they found access to every heart and could speak according to people's understanding. This is one meaning of the feast of Pentecost. But if we want to understand it more thoroughly, we must go much deeper. The feast of Pentecost—as a symbolic feast—is connected with the deepest mysteries, with the most sacred spiritual goods of humanity. That is why it is so difficult to talk about it. However, I would like to point out at least a few things today.
What the Feast of Pentecost actually symbolizes, what lies at its foundation, what it means in a deeper sense, is only written down in a manuscript that is kept in the Vatican Library and guarded with the utmost care. This manuscript does not speak of Pentecost itself, but of that for which Pentecost is only the outward symbol. Hardly anyone has seen this manuscript who was not initiated into the deepest secrets of the Catholic Church or able to read it in the astral light. A copy of it is in the possession of a personality who has been greatly misunderstood by the world, but who is now beginning to be of interest to historians. I could also say “possessed” instead of “possesses,” but that would create confusion. Therefore, I say: a copy is in the possession of the Count of Saint-Germain, from whom the only information about it in the world probably originates.
In the spirit of theosophy, I would like to say just a few words about this. We are led to something that is deeply connected with evolution, with the development of humanity in the fifth root race. Human beings acquired the form they have today in the third root race, the ancient Lemurian period, and developed it further through the fourth root race, the time of ancient Atlantis, and then entered the fifth root race with the result. Those who have heard my lectures on Atlantis will remember that the Greeks still had a vivid memory of that time.
For orientation, we need to gain a brief insight into two currents within our fifth root race, which are alive as hidden forces in the minds and often conflict with each other: one current is found in its purest and clearest form in what we call the Egyptian, Indian, and Southern European worldview. All later Judaism and also Christianity contain something of this. On the other hand, however, this has mixed in our Europe with the other current, which lives in the worldview we find in ancient Persia and which we can rediscover — if we do not listen to what anthropologists and etymologists tell us, but go deeper into the matter — stretching westward from Persia to the regions of the Germanic peoples.
I would argue that these two currents point to two important, two great spiritual intuitions that underlie them. One emerged in its purest form in the ancient rishis. They were inspired by the intuition of higher beings: the so-called devas. Anyone who has undergone occult training, anyone who can research in this field, knows what devas are. These purely spiritual beings, who live in the astral and mental realms, have a dual nature, while human beings have a triple nature. For human beings consist of body, soul, and spirit. The nature of the devas, however, consists—as far as we can trace it—only of soul and spirit. It may have other components, but we cannot trace them even with occult training. A deva has the spirit directly within itself. The deva is a spirit endowed with a soul. What you cannot see in humans, namely the desires, instincts, passions, and wishes that live within them, but which are perceptible as light phenomena to those who have opened their spiritual senses, these soul forces, this soul body of humans, which is the inner being of humans and is carried by our physical body, is the lowest body of the devas. We can regard it as their body. Indian intuition focused primarily on the worship of these devas. Indians see these devas everywhere. They see them as the creative forces when they look behind the scenes of our worldly phenomena. This intuition forms the basis of the southern worldview. It is expressed in a grand and powerful way in the Egyptian worldview.
The other intuition underlies ancient Persian mysticism and led to the worship of beings that are also only dual in nature: the Asuras. These also have what we call a soul, but in a magnificent, titanic way they have developed the physical body, which encloses a soul organ. The Indian worldview, which adheres to the worship of the Devas, regards these Asuras as something subordinate, while those who professed the northern worldview were more attached to the Asuras, to physical nature. Hence, here too, there developed a particular urge to dominate the world of sensory phenomena in a material way, to dominate the world of reality through the highest perfection of technology, through physical arts and the like. Today, there are no longer any people who adhere to the worship of the Asuras, but there are still many among us who have something of this nature within themselves. This is the source of the attraction to the material side of life, and it is the basic characteristic of the northern worldview. Those who profess purely materialistic principles can be sure that they have something in their nature that comes from these Asuras.
A peculiar basic feeling then developed among the followers of the Asuras. It first sprouted in Persian intellectual life. The Persians developed a kind of fear of the Deva nature. They became fearful, shy, and horrified of anything that was purely spiritual and soul-like. This has resulted in the great contrast we see today between the Persian and Indian worldviews. In the Persian worldview, what the Indian tradition regarded as bad, as something subordinate, was often worshipped, and what the Indians regarded as worthy of veneration was downright shunned. Within the Persian worldview, this peculiar basic feeling arose toward a being that actually has a divine nature but is shunned and feared within this worldview. In short, it is the image of Satan that appears in this worldview. Lucifer, the spiritual-soul being, becomes a being filled with horror. Here we must seek the origin of what exists as belief in the devil. This basic feeling has also passed into the modern worldview; in the Middle Ages in particular, the devil became a feared and shunned figure. Lucifer was thus formally shunned.
We find information about this in the manuscript mentioned above. If we follow the course of world development in the sense of this manuscript, we find that in the middle of the third, the Lemurian race, human beings clothed themselves in physical matter. It is a false idea when theosophists believe that reincarnation has no beginning and no end. Reincarnation began in the Lemurian epoch and will cease again at the beginning of the sixth race. It is only a certain period of time in earthly evolution during which human beings reincarnate. This was preceded by an extremely spiritual state that did not require reincarnation, and will be followed by a spiritual state that also does not require reincarnation.
The original incarnation in the third race consisted in the virgin human spirit, Atma-Buddhi-Manas, seeking its first physical incarnation. At that time, the physical development of our Earth with animal-like beings could not yet have progressed so far that the entire animal-human being could have been ready to receive the human spirit. But a part, a certain group of animal-like beings, was already so far developed that the seed of the human spirit could descend into these animal bodies so that they could give form to the human body.
Some of the individualities that incarnated at that time formed the small tribe of those who later spread throughout the world as so-called adepts. These were the original adepts, not those we call initiates today. Those we call initiates today did not yet undergo incarnation at that time. However, not all those who could have found human-animal bodies incarnated at that time, but only a part. Another part resisted the process of incarnation for certain reasons. They waited until the fourth race. The Bible hints at this moment in a hidden and profound way: The sons of the gods found the daughters of men beautiful, and they united with them.
This means that at that later point in time, an incarnation began of those who had waited. We call this group the “sons of wisdom,” and it almost seems as if there is a certain presumptuousness and pride in them. We will now disregard the small exception of the “adepts.” If this other part had also incarnated at that time, human beings would never have attained the clear consciousness in which they live today. Human beings would have remained stuck in a dull trance-like consciousness. They would have assumed the consciousness that you find today in hypnotized people, somnambulists, and so on. In short, human beings would have had to remain in a kind of dream consciousness. But then they would have lacked something that was extremely important, if not the most important thing: the feeling of freedom, the human being's own decision about good and evil from his own consciousness, from his own ego.
Genesis refers to this later incarnation — in the form it has already taken under the influences that come from the feeling I have characterized by saying that there is a certain shyness before the Deva — Genesis refers to this later incarnation as the “fall” of man, the Fall of Man. The Deva waited and sank down only when physical humanity had already developed one step further, in order to then take possession of the physical body so that it could develop a more mature consciousness than would have been the case earlier.
So you see that man bought his freedom by allowing his nature to deteriorate because he waited to incarnate until his nature had descended into denser physiological states. A deep awareness of this fact has been preserved in Greek mythology. If human beings had incarnated earlier, according to Greek mythology, then what Zeus wanted when humans were still in “paradise” would have come to pass: he wanted to make them happy, but as unconscious beings. Clear consciousness would then have belonged solely to the gods, and human beings would have remained without the feeling of freedom. The rebellion of the spirit of Lucifer, the spirit of deviance in humanity, which wanted to descend in order to develop itself out of freedom, is symbolized in the legend of Prometheus. But he must atone for his endeavor by having an eagle—a symbol of desire—constantly gnawing at his liver, causing him the most terrible pain.
Man has thus descended deeper and must now achieve what he would have achieved through magical arts and powers with what flows automatically from his clear consciousness of freedom. But because he has descended deeper, he must also endure pain and torment. The Bible also hints at this with the words: “In pain you shall bring forth children, in the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread,” and so on. This means nothing other than that man must raise himself up again with the help of culture.
Greek mythology symbolized the representative of humanity striving for culture in freedom through struggle in Prometheus. In him, it portrayed the suffering human being and at the same time the liberator. The one who brings about Prometheus' liberation is Heracles, who is said to have been initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries. Anyone who descended into the underworld was an initiate, for descending into the underworld is the technical expression for initiation. This journey to the underworld is told to us by Heracles, Odysseus, and all those whom we regard as initiates who now want to lead people within the present stage of development to the source of original wisdom, to spiritual life.
If humanity had remained at the stage of the third race, we would be dream people today. Through his devanature, man has fertilized his lower nature. Out of his self-consciousness, his consciousness of freedom, he must now develop again that spark of consciousness which he brought down upon himself in justified exultation, that is, the spiritual knowledge which he did not strive for in his former unfree state. In human nature itself lies that satanic rebellion which, as Luciferic striving, is the guarantee of our freedom. And from this freedom we develop spiritual life again. This spiritual life must be rekindled within the fifth race of humanity. Once again, this consciousness must emanate from initiates. It should not be a dreamlike consciousness, but a clear one. The Hercules of the spirit, the initiates, are those who advance humanity and reveal to it its hidden divine nature, the knowledge of the spiritual. This has also been the striving of all great religious founders, to bring back to humanity the knowledge of the spiritual that it has lost in its physiological life. The Atlanteans had a highly developed physical culture, and our fifth race still has much of material life within it. The materialistic culture of our time shows us how deeply humanity has become entangled in purely physical and physiological nature, like Prometheus in his chains. But it is equally certain that the vulture, the symbol of desire, which gnaws at our liver, will be eliminated by the spiritual human being. The initiates want to lead self-aware humanity to this goal through movements such as the Theosophical Movement, so that human beings can rise again in complete freedom.
The moment we must recognize as the moment when spiritual life flows into self-aware humanity is clearly indicated in the Gospel, in the New Testament. In the deepest Gospel, which is misunderstood by today's theology, in the Gospel of John, where it is told that Jesus visited the Feast of Tabernacles, this moment is indicated. The founder of Christianity speaks there of pouring spiritual life out upon humanity. It is a remarkable passage. The Feast of Tabernacles consisted of going to a spring from which water flowed. A festival developed there which indicated that human beings should once again turn their attention to the spiritual, to the devanature and to spiritual striving. The water that was drawn there was a reminder of the soul-spiritual. After repeated refusals, Jesus goes to the festival after all. And on the last day of the festival, the following happens (John 7:37): On the last day of the festival, which was the most glorious day, Jesus stood up and said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink!” Those who drank celebrated a festival in remembrance of spiritual life. But Jesus connects something else with this, and John hints at it with the words: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from within him. But he said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet there, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
Here, reference is made to the mystery of Pentecost, to the fact that humanity must wait for this Holy Spirit of spiritual life. When the time comes when human beings can ignite the spark of spiritual life within themselves, when the physiological nature of human beings can attempt to ascend from within itself, then the Holy Spirit will come upon human beings, and the time of spiritual awakening will dawn.
Human beings have descended into the physical body, so that, in contrast to the Deva nature, they consist of three principles: spirit, soul, and body. The Deva stands higher than human beings, but it does not have to overcome physical nature as human beings do. This physical nature must be transfigured again so that it can take on spiritual life. The physiological consciousness of man, the physical body as it lives today, must itself ignite the spark of spiritual life in freedom.
The sacrifice of Christ is an example of how man can develop higher consciousness out of physical life. The lower self lives in the physical body, but it must be kindled so that the higher self can develop. Only then can the streams of living water flow from this physical body. Then the spirit can appear, then the spirit can pour itself out. How dead must the human being as an ego become for this physiological life.
Herein lies the true Christian meaning and also the deeper mystery of the feast of Pentecost. Man lives first in his lower organism, in the consciousness permeated by desires. He must live in it, for only this consciousness could give him purposeful freedom. But he must not remain there; he must raise his ego up to the Deva nature. He should bring forth the Deva within himself, give birth to the Deva, who will then be a Spirit of Salvation, a Holy Spirit. To do this, however, he must consciously sacrifice his earthly body; he must feel the “die and become” so that he does not remain “a gloomy guest” on this “dark earth.”
Thus, in connection with the mystery of Pentecost, the mystery of Easter presents us with a whole picture: how the human ego, in the great representative, renounces the lower living ego, how it dies in order to completely transfigure physical nature and return it to the divine powers. The Ascension is the symbol of this. When human beings have transfigured this physical body, have returned it to the spiritual, then they are ready for spiritual life to pour into them, for them to experience what, according to the greatest representative of humanity, is called the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” That is why it is also said: “There are three that bear witness on earth: the blood, the water, and the Spirit.” - Pentecost is the outpouring of the Spirit into humanity.
The greatest goal of evolution is symbolically expressed in the feast of Pentecost, namely that human beings should advance from intellectual life back to spiritual life. Just as Prometheus was freed from his suffering by Heracles, so will human beings be freed by the power of the Spirit. By descending into matter, man has attained self-consciousness. By ascending again, he will become a self-conscious deva. Those who worshipped the Asuras and recognized the Devas as something satanic, something that does not want to penetrate into the deepest inner being, have portrayed this descent as something devilish.
This is also hinted at in Greek mythology. The representative of the unfree states of consciousness is Epimetheus — the thoughtful one — who does not want to attain salvation out of complete freedom, and is therefore the opponent of Prometheus. He receives the Pandora's box from Zeus, whose contents — suffering and plagues — fall upon humanity when it is opened. The only thing left in it as a final gift is the hope that in a future state he will also attain this higher, clear consciousness. He is left with the hope of liberation. Prometheus advises against accepting the dubious gift from the god Zeus. Epimetheus does not obey his brother, but accepts the gift. The gift of Epimetheus is less important than that of his brother Prometheus.
Thus we see that human beings live in two currents. Some are those who hold fast to the feeling of freedom and—despite the danger of developing the spiritual—seek it in freedom. The others are those who find satisfaction in a dull existence and blind faith and sense something dangerous in humanity's Luciferic striving. Those who established the outer forms of the Church have distorted the deepest Luciferic striving. The ancient teachings about this are contained in secret manuscripts that hardly anyone has seen in hidden rooms. They are accessible to a few who are able to see them in the astral light, and to a few other initiates. It is a dangerous path, but it is the only one that leads to the sublime goal of freedom.
The spirit of man should be a liberated spirit, not a dull one. This is also what Christianity wants. Healing is connected with holiness. A spirit that is holy heals and frees from suffering and affliction. Man is healthy and free when he is torn from the bondage of the physiological, when he is freed from the physiological. For the liberated spirit alone is healthy, whose body is no longer gnawed by the eagle.
Thus, Pentecost is to be understood as a symbol of the liberation of the human spirit, as the great symbol of the human struggle for freedom, for a consciousness in freedom.
If Easter is a festival of resurrection in nature, then Pentecost is a symbol of the awakening of the human spirit, the festival of those who know and recognize, and—imbued with this knowledge—seek freedom.
Those spiritual movements in modern times that lead to the perception of the spiritual world with clear daytime consciousness—not in trance, not in hypnosis—are the ones that lead to the recognition of such a significant symbol. The clear awareness that only the spirit liberates is what unites us in the Theosophical Society. It is not the word alone, but the spirit that gives it its meaning. The spirit that emanates from the great masters, that flows through a few who can say, “I know that they are there, the great adepts who are the founders of the spiritual movement, not of the society,” pours into our contemporary culture and gives it the impulses for the future.
Let a spark of understanding for this Holy Spirit flow back into the misunderstood feast of Pentecost, and it will be enlivened and regain its meaning. We should live in a meaningful world. Those who celebrate festivals thoughtlessly celebrate them as followers of Epimetheus. Human beings must see what connects us with what is around us and also with what is invisible in nature. We should know where we stand. For we humans are not destined to live a dreamlike, half-hearted, dull existence, but to the free, fully conscious unfolding of our entire being.