At the Gates of Spiritual Science
GA 95
31 August 1906, Stuttgart
10. Progress of Mankind Up To Atlantean Times
When the Earth reappeared out of the darkness of Pralaya, it did not emerge alone; it was at first united with the Sun and our present Moon. Sun, Moon and Earth formed one huge body. This was the first stage of our planet.
At that time the Earth consisted of a very, very tenuous substance. There were no solid minerals, no water, only this subtle material we call ether. The whole body was thus a planet made up of fine etheric material and surrounded by an atmosphere of spirit, in the same way as our own Earth is surrounded by air. This spirit-atmosphere contained everything which today constitutes the human soul. Your souls, which today have come down into your bodies, were at that time up above in this spirit-atmosphere. The Earth was a vast globe of ether, very much bigger than our Earth today, and surrounded by spiritual substance which contained the souls of mankind. Down below, in the rarefied substance of the etheric globe, something rather denser was present—millions of shell-like forms. These were the human germs of the Saturn stage, now emerging as a recapitulation of the forms developed on Saturn in ancient times.
There was of course no possibility of physical reproduction or increase; a quite different process prevailed in those times. The whole of the spirit-atmosphere was, like our present atmosphere, a more or less homogeneous whole, except that spiritual offshoots rather like tentacles stretched down from it into the etheric globe and enveloped the shell-like forms. You must picture the spirit descending from above and enfolding each individual body. A tentacle worked on a body and built up a human form. When one form was complete, the tentacle withdrew, stretched itself in another direction and went to work on another body. The resulting forms were thus brought forth directly by the spiritual worlds. In the beginning there was a confused interwoven ether-substance, much denser than the homogeneous divine-spiritual substance which stretched forth its arms to create the forms out of chaos. This first epoch of our Earth is well described in the book of Genesis: “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and the Earth was without form, and void, and the spirit of God moved on the face of the waters.” The ether, as it then was, is called “water” in occult science.
You could not then have seen the Earth or the shell-like forms; they were resounding human forms, and each one, as it came into being, expressed itself through a specific note. The forms possessed no individuality, for individuality was still dissolved in the spirit-atmosphere. Seven kinds of forms could be distinguished by their ground-notes. These seven groups constituted the first human Root-race.
After millions of years a great cosmic event took place: the whole vast ether-body contracted and assumed a biscuit-like shape which it retained for a period. Finally a small part, consisting of Earth and Moon, separated off from the whole. An important stage in human evolution is bound up with this occurrence. The germinal human forms were differentiated and articulated; and because of the departure of the Sun, objects could now for the first time be illuminated from outside. All our seeing depends on the fact that the Sun's rays fall on some object and are reflected back. When the Sun withdrew, there were now bodies in existence on which it could shine, and this led to the development of an organ of sight, for light is truly the creator of the eyes. The germinal human forms, which had hitherto been maintained by the common divine atmosphere, could now see their environment. This period is described in Genesis with the words: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.” The whole of the Earth's body now began to revolve and thus there were day and night. When we read the Bible in the light of occult science, we can again take it all literally.
A great number of the spiritual Beings who had surrounded the Earth had gone forth with the Sun. They formed the spiritual population of the Sun and exerted their influence on the Earth from the Sun. The etheric human forms were now furnished with an astral covering. The united body of Earth and Moon was surrounded by an astral atmosphere which had previously been dissolved in the spiritual atmosphere. The ether, which had earlier existed as the basic substance, had now condensed into independent etheric bodies surrounding the separate physical forms, which in their turn had become denser.
In contrast to the etheric body, however, the astral body had as yet no independent existence: there was still a common astral covering for all beings. This was the Earth-spirit, which now again stretched forth its tentacles and enveloped each single human ancestor. And now a new faculty appeared: each human form could produce another out of its own substance—a sort of reproduction without fertilisation between two beings. When the fertilisation withdrew from one form, it sank into another without a break. It was rather the same as when part of the front of a cloud detaches itself and is immediately replaced by another part from behind. It was no more than a metamorphosis; an uninterrupted continuity of consciousness prevailed. The experience was like that of a simple change of clothes. The whole planet was bathed in wonderful beauty; it floated in glorious colours in the light-ether, and gradually condensed.
Side by side with the ancestors of humanity there were already forms of plants and animals, destined to be man's companions. The plants were of the lower types which have now become dwarfed. The animals, too, had not yet acquired their present-day shapes. There were shining plants and animals that whirled through the ether. All were still of one sex, except that certain animals were beginning to develop bi-sexual rudiments. There was still no real mineral kingdom. Then the etheric forms gradually became more and more densified, with increasing absorption of the astral element.
After the passing of a further million years or so, Earth and Moon had acquired a very different appearance. Animals and plants were now like jelly or white of egg, rather like some of our jelly-fishes and sea-plants. In this more condensed form of matter were to be found the ancestors of humanity, with rudimentary organs. The forms of animals and plants were increasingly densified by the fertilising astral force. Then came an important stage when the fertilising Beings in the astral atmosphere permeated the nature-forms of that time, so that man and animals were able to draw directly from the vegetable kingdom the substances they needed for nourishment and for reproduction. The plants secreted a substance rather like present-day milk; a last survivor of these milk-secreting plants is the dandelion. So the human beings of that time were nourished and fertilised by the nature around them, and they were self-less. They were complete vegetarians, absorbing only what nature freely offered, and living on juices similar to milk and honey. It was a wonderful state of existence in those primeval days, scarcely describable in our modern language.
Then came an immensely important event: Earth and Moon separated. The smaller body of the Moon split off from the Earth. Now there were three bodies: Sun, Moon and Earth. This had far-reaching consequences for all living beings: the Moon carried off with it a great part of the forces that human beings and animals needed in order to reproduce themselves. Each individual now had only half the fertilising power he had previously possessed, and the result was a gradual emergence of two sexes. Man now had to receive the fertilising power from another being like himself. This was the Lemurian epoch, that of the third Root-race.
During this period, too, matter began to become harder and more solid. Shortly before the separation of Earth and Moon denser deposits had been formed, and after the separation cartilaginous substances, leading towards bone-formation, began to appear in the bodies of men and animals. The solidity of the bones developed, in correspondence with the solidifying of the Earth's crust. By degrees, solid mineral forms appeared. Previously, everything had been etheric, then airy, then watery; the various beings swam as though in water or flew as though in air. Now the Earth developed a solid skeleton of rocks, parallel with the development of the human skeleton. Bone-formation and rock-formation went hand in hand. The human form at that time was something like a fish-bird-animal. Most of the Earth was still watery and the temperature was still very high. This watery element contained in solution much that later on became solid—our present-day metals, for instance, and other substances. Human beings moved in it with a swimming, floating motion. They were well able to endure the tremendous heat which reigned on Earth; their bodies were still constituted of a material which corresponded to the prevailing conditions, and in this way they could live.
Small continents on which men could roam about were embedded like islands in the water; but the whole Earth was riddled with volcanic activity which constantly destroyed parts of the Earth with immense violence, so that elemental destruction and rebuilding went on continually, turn by turn.
As yet man had no lungs; he breathed through tubular gills. But he was already a very complex organism; he had deposited in himself a backbone, at first cartilaginous and then bony, and in order to propel himself as he floated and swam he had a swim-bladder, rather like that of some present-day fish.
Soon—but this means after millions of years—the Earth became more solid. The water withdrew and separated from the solid parts; the air developed its own purity, and under the influence of the air the swim-bladder changed into lungs. Man now raised himself out of the watery element—a specially important and significant event. The gills were transformed into organs of hearing. With the development of lungs, man learnt to breathe, and then all mankind lived in a common element, the air. Each human being breathed in his portion of air, shaped it to his own fire, and breathed it out again. In the beginning, therefore, man was filled with pure spirit, later with the astral element, and finally with air. As soon as he had reached the stage where the breathing of heat was transformed into the breathing of air, that which Mars had provided was turned to good account; human blood became warm. The moment had come when something spiritual which had previously surrounded man entered into him—and how? Through the air. The capacity to breathe signifies the acquisition of the individual human spirit. The Ego enters into him together with the air he breathes. If we speak of an Ego common to all men, it also has a common body, the air. Not without reason did the ancients call this universal Ego, Atma—Atmen, the breath. They knew very well that they drew it in with the breath and breathed it out again. We live in one common Ego because we live in the all-pervading air. Of course the event I have been describing must not be taken too literally. The sinking down of the individual Ego into man is spoken of in theosophical literature as the descent of Manas, or Manasaputra.34Manasaputras. Described in Blavatsky's Secret Doctrine as “Sons of Wisdom, who at the creation endowed mankind with Manas.” With every breath, man slowly took in Manas, Buddhi and Atma, more or less germinally. Genesis describes this moment and we can take it literally: “And God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and Adam was a living soul.” This is the reception of the individual spirit.
Man now had warm blood also, and was thus able to retain warmth permanently within himself. And with this something further of great importance is bound up.
On the Old Moon there were Beings who were at a higher stage of evolution than the humanity of that time: these were the gods who in Christian tradition are called Angels and Archangels. They had once been at the human stage, but in the course of time they had ascended higher, just as we, too, will have ascended higher when we reach the next planetary stage. Although they no longer had a physical body, they were still connected with the Earth. They were no longer subject to human needs, but they needed men to rule over.
When the Old Moon had completed its evolution, some of these gods had not fully evolved with it; they had to remain as they were. They had not progressed as far as they should have done. Thus there were beings halfway between gods and men—demi-gods. They became quite especially important for the Earth and for humanity. They could not rise completely beyond the human sphere, but equally they could not incarnate in human bodies. They could establish themselves only in one part of human nature, so as to use this part for furthering their own evolution and at the same time to help mankind. On the Moon they had breathed fire, and in the fire which had become permanent in man, in the warm human blood—the original seat of passions and desires—they took up their abode, and imparted to man some of the fire which had been their element on the Moon. These are the hosts of Lucifer, the Luciferic beings: the Bible calls them the tempters of humanity. They tempted man in so far as they lived in his blood and gave him independence. Without these Luciferic beings, everything would have come to man as a gift from the gods. Man would have been wise, but not independent; enlightened, but not free. Because these beings anchored themselves in his blood, man not only became wise, but could be fired with enthusiasm for wisdom and ideals.
At the same time, however, the possibility of error arose: man was now able to turn his back on the highest and to choose between good and evil. The Lemurian race gradually evolved with this disposition, this inherent possibility of evil, and in consequence the Earth had to endure great upheavals, convulsions and earthquakes. In the end, Lemuria was destroyed through these passionate impulses of mankind.
Meanwhile, the Earth had undergone further changes and had become more solid. Other continents had arisen, and most important among them was Atlantis, between present-day Europe, Africa and America. The descendants of the Lemurian race had spread over this continent. In the course of millions of years they had greatly changed, and had acquired a form which resembled the form of man today. Yet they were very different from modern man. The shape of the head and forehead was quite different; the forehead was much lower and the digestive organs were much more powerful. The etheric body of an Atlantean extended far beyond and around his head. In the etheric body there was an important point which corresponded with a point in the physical head. In the course of Atlantean evolution the two points drew together, until the point in the etheric body sank into the physical. At the moment when these two points coincided, man could begin to say “I” to himself. The forepart of the brain could now develop as an instrument for the spirit; self-consciousness began. All this happened first among those Atlanteans who dwelt in the neighbourhood of modern Ireland.
The Atlanteans gradually evolved though seven sub-races: Rmoahals, Tlavatli, and primal Toltecs, Turanians, Semites, Akkadians and Mongols. It was among the primal Semites that the unification of the two points first occurred, and clear self-consciousness arose. The two following sub-races, the primal Akkadians and Mongols, really went beyond the goal of Atlantean humanity.
Until the two points were thus united, the soul-powers of the Atlanteans were fundamentally different from our own. The Atlanteans had a much more mobile body, and, especially in their early times, a very powerful will. They were able, for instance, to replace a lost limb; they could make plants grow, and so on. Thus they exercised a powerful influence over nature. Their sense-organs were more strongly developed: they could distinguish different metals by touch, just as we can distinguish smells. They still possessed also a high degree of clairvoyance. Their sleep at night was not like that of modern man, who mostly has only confused dreams; it was rather a dimmer sort of clairvoyance. During the night they were in touch with the gods, and what they experienced lived on in myths and legends. They pressed the powers of nature into their service; their dwellings were partly natural structures and partly hewn out of rocks. They constructed airships which were not propelled by inorganic forces, such as coal, but by the use of the organic, germinating power of plants.
As long as the two points I have mentioned were not yet united, the Atlanteans had no combinative intellect; for instance they could not count. But to make up for that they had particularly well-developed memories. A logical combinative intellect and self-consciousness emerged only with the fifth sub-race, the primal Semites.
Atlantis perished in a vast water-catastrophe; the whole continent was gradually flooded, and most of the people migrated eastward towards Europe and Asia. One of the main groups passed through Ireland and Europe to Asia; everywhere numbers of people remained behind. The Leader was a high Initiate in whom the migrants had complete faith; through his wisdom he picked out the best of them to accompany him to a distant part of Asia, where he settled them in the district now known as the Gobi Desert. There a small colony developed in complete isolation. From there colonisers went out into all inhabited lands and founded the civilisations of the next Root-race: the Indian, the Persian, the Egypto-Chaldean-Assryian, the Graeco-Latin. And then the AngloSaxon-Germanic civilisation arose.
We shall see tomorrow how this development went on.
Zehnter Vortrag
Als die Erde aus dem Dunkel des Pralayazustandes auftauchte, erschien sie nicht allein, sondern zunächst vereinigt mit der Sonne und unserem heutigen Monde. Sonne, Mond und Erde waren ein Riesenkörper. Das war das Anfangsstadium unseres Planeten.
Damals bestand die Erde aus einer sehr, sehr dünnen Materie. Es gab keine festen Mineralien, auch kein Wasser, nur diese feine Materie, die wir Äther nennen. Das Ganze war also ein ätherischer, feiner Planet, umgeben von einer Geist-Atmosphäre, wie die heutige Erde von einem Luftkreis. In dieser Geist-Atmosphäre war alles enthalten, was heute die Menschenseele bildet. Ihre Seelen, die heute in Ihre Körper hineingesenkt sind, waren alle droben in jener geistigen Atmosphäre. Die Erde war eine große Ätherkugel, viel, viel größer als unsere heutige Erde, umgeben von geistiger Substanz, und in dieser geistigen Substanz waren enthalten die zukünftigen Menschenseelen. Unten in der dünnen Materie der Ätherkugel war etwas Dichteres vorhanden, nämlich Millionen von schalenförmigen Gebilden. Das waren die wieder herauskommenden Menschenkeime des Saturn. Hier wiederholte sich nun, was sich in alten Zeiten auf dem Saturn gebildet hatte. Von einer physischen Fortpflanzung und Vermehrung dieser Menschenkeime konnte natürlich nicht die Rede sein; es gab damals etwas ganz anderes. Die ganze die Erde umgebende Geist-Atmosphäre war, wie unser Luftkreis, mehr oder weniger ein einheitliches Ganzes, nur streckten sich von dieser GeistUmhüllung geistige Fortsetzungen wie eine Art von Fangarmen herab in die Ätherkugel hinein und hüllten die schaligen Gebilde ein, so daß Sie sich vorzustellen haben, daß sich von oben der Geist heruntersenkte und die einzelnen Körper umhüllte. Diese Fangarme bearbeiteten dieselben und bildeten eine menschliche Form. War das Gebilde fertig, dann zog sich der Fortsatz wieder zurück, streckte sich nach einer anderen Richtung aus und arbeitete wieder an anderen Gebilden. Was hervorgebracht wurde, war also direkt von den geistigen Welten hervorgebracht. Ganz im Anfang war unten ein wirrer, durcheinanderwirbelnder Ätherstoff, viel dichter als die einheitliche göttliche Geistessubstanz, die die Arme ausstreckte, um aus dem Chaos Gebilde zu schaffen. Das war die erste Epoche unserer Erde; sie wird in der Genesis der Bibel sehr schön ausgedrückt: «Im Anfang schuf Gott Himmel und Erde, und die Erde war wüst und leer, und der Geist Gottes schwebte über den Wassern.» Der Äther, wie er unten war, wird geheimwissenschaftlich als «Wasser» bezeichnet.
Man hätte damals die Erde nicht sehen können, ebensowenig die schaligen Gebilde; diese waren tönende Menschengebilde, und wenn ein solches entstand, drückte es sich in einem bestimmten Ton aus. Es war noch keine Individualität in den Gebilden; diese war noch ganz in der geistigen Atmosphäre aufgelöst. In diesen Gebilden konnte man sieben Arten von Grundtönen unterscheiden. Diese sieben Gruppen bildeten die ersten sieben menschlichen Wurzelrassen im Keim.
Nach Millionen von Jahren kam ein großer kosmischer Vorgang: Der ganze mächtige Ätherkörper schnürte sich etwas ein, nahm eine biskuitförmige Gestalt an und blieb eine Zeitlang so. Endlich trennte sich von diesem gemeinsamen Gebilde ein kleiner Teil ab, bestehend aus Erde und Mond. Mit diesem Vorgang war für die Menschheitsentwickelung etwas ganz Besonderes verbunden. Die Menschenkeime wurden gegliedert, sie wurden differenziert; durch den Austritt der Sonne konnten nun zuerst Gegenstände von außen beleuchtet werden. Alles Sehen beruht darauf, daß Licht vorhanden ist, daß die Sonnenstrahlen auf die Gegenstände fallen und zurückgeworfen werden. Das Licht ist der Urheber der Augen. Als die Sonne heraustrat, waren Körper vorhanden, die sie bescheinen konnte. Dadurch war die Möglichkeit gegeben, daß sich ganz allmählich Organe herausbildeten zur Wahrnehmung der beleuchteten Gegenstände. Die Umgebung wurde sichtbar. Diese Zeit wird in der Genesis dargestellt mit den Worten: «Und Gott sprach: Es werde Licht! und es ward Licht. Und Gott sah das Licht, daß es gut war, und Gott schied das Licht von der Finsternis.» Das ganze Erdengebilde geriet nun in Drehung, und dadurch entstanden Tag und Nacht. Wenn man als Geheimwissenschafter die Bibel liest, kann man alles wieder wörtlich nehmen.
Jetzt war ein großer Teil derjenigen geistigen Wesenheiten, welche die Erde umgeben hatten, mit der Sonne fortgegangen. Sie bildeten die geistige Bevölkerung der Sonne und wirkten von der Sonne aus auf die Erde. Die physisch-ätherischen Menschengebilde wurden nun ausgestattet mit einer Astralhülle. Das Ganze, Erde und Mond, war nun umgeben von einer astralen Atmosphäre. Was vorher in der geistigen Atmosphäre ausgebreitet war, erstreckte sich nun zu den einzelnen menschlichen Gebilden, die einen selbständigen physischen und Ätherkörper ausgebildet hatten, und umgab sie. Der physische und der Ätherkörper war nun herausgebildet. In bezug auf den Astralleib aber war keine Selbständigkeit vorhanden; es gab noch eine gemeinsame Astralhülle für alle Wesen. Das war der Erdgeist, und der streckte wiederum seine Fangarme herein und umfing jeden einzelnen Menschenvorfahr. Eine neue Fähigkeit trat nun auf. Jetzt konnte ein jedes Menschengebilde ein anderes aus seiner eigenen Substanz hervorgehen lassen: eine Art Fortpflanzung ohne Befruchtung durch zwei Wesen. Es war also eine Befruchtung, die nicht geschlechtlicher Art war, sondern die von der ganzen Astralatmosphäre ausgeführt wurde. Wenn sich ein Fangarm niederstreckte, so bedeutete das eine Befruchtung des Menschenwesens, das dadurch wieder andere entwickeln konnte. Die Menschengebilde waren glokkenförmig und hatten oben eine röhrenförmige Öffnung zur Aufnahme der Fangarme; sie öffneten sich der Sonne. Das war der hyperboräische Urmensch; man nennt diese Periode die zweite große Wurzelrasse. Diese Menschengebilde waren vielfach gegliedert. Sie starben nicht; einen Tod in unserem Sinne gab es nicht. Sterben bedeutet das Herausziehen des Bewußtseins aus dem Körper. Damals aber war das Bewußtsein noch nicht differenziert, es war ein allgemeines Bewußtsein für alle Menschen in der Astralhülle. Das Bewußtsein des einzelnen blieb ein Teil des gemeinsamen Bewußtseins, und wenn es sich aus einem Gebilde zurückzog, senkte es sich in ein anderes ohne Unterbrechung. Es war gleichsam, wie wenn von einer Wolke sich vorne ein Stück loslöste, das gleich hinten wieder durch ein anderes ersetzt wird. Es war nur eine Metamorphose, und es herrschte eine ununterbrochene Kontinuität des Bewußtseins. Das Bewußtsein empfand es nur wie ein Wechseln des Kleides. Und das Ganze lebte in wunderbarer Schönheit, es schwebte in den herrlichsten Farben, in einem Lichtäther, und verdichtete sich nach und nach.
Neben den Menschenvorfahren gab es aber auch schon Tier- und Pflanzenformen, die seine Genossen sein sollten. Die Pflanzen waren die heute zwerghaft gewordenen, niederen Gewächse. Ebenso waren die Tiere noch nicht in ihrer heutigen Gestalt vorhanden. Es waren leuchtende, den Äther durchwirbelnde Pflanzen und Tiere. Männliche und weibliche Tiere gab es nicht, es war noch alles eingeschlechtig; nur gewisse Tiere fingen gerade an, etwas von der Zweigeschlechtigkeit zu entwickeln. Ein eigentliches Mineralreich hatte sich noch nicht herausgebildet. Dann trat immer mehr eine Verdichtung der Ätherformen ein, so daß auch das Astrale immer mehr hereingezogen wurde.
Nach einer Jahrmillion sahen Erde und Mond ganz anders aus: Tiere und Pflanzen waren geleeartig, wie Eiweiß, wie gewisse Quallen und Meerpflanzen; und in dieser verdichteten Materie mit Organen befanden sich die Menschenvorfahren. Die Tier- und Pflanzengebilde verdichteten sich nach und nach durch die befruchtende Astralkraft. Dann kam eine wichtige Zeit, wo sich die befruchtenden Wesenheiten in der Astralatmosphäre durch die damals lebenden Naturgebilde manifestierten, so daß Menschen und Tiere die Befruchtungs- und Ernährungssubstanz zugleich durch die umliegende Pflanzenwelt erhielten. Diese sonderte etwas ab, was mit der späteren Milch der Menschen und Tiere Ähnlichkeit hatte. Ein letzter Rest solcher milchabsondernder Pflanzen ist zum Beispiel der Löwenzahn. $o ernährten und befruchteten sich die Menschen damals aus der umgebenden Natur und waren selbstlos. Auf diese Art waren die Menschen vollständige Vegetarier. Sie nahmen nur auf, was die Natur freiwillig hergab. Sie nährten sich von milch- und honigähnlichen Säften. Es war ein wunderbarer Zustand in dieser urfernen Vergangenheit, der sich kaum mit Bildern unserer Sprache beschreiben läßt.
Nun kommt ein äußerst wichtiger Moment: Es trennen sich Erde und Mond; der kleinere Mond trennt sich von der Erde ab. Jetzt sind es drei Körper: Sonne, Mond und Erde. Dadurch war für die lebenden Wesen etwas außerordentlich Wichtiges gegeben. Der Mond nahm einen großen Teil derjenigen Kräfte mit sich fort, welche die Menschen und Tiergebilde brauchten, um aus sich selbst andere Wesen hervorgehen zu lassen. In jedem Menschen war jetzt nur noch die Hälfte der Befruchtungskraft, die früher in ihm gewesen war. Die produktive Kraft war halbiert, und dadurch entstand nach und nach die Trennung in zwei Geschlechter. Jetzt mußte der Mensch von einem Wesen seinesgleichen befruchtet werden. Diese Zeit war die lemurische Zeit, die dritte Wurzelrasse. In dieser Zeit entstand auch eine größere Verdichtung und Verdickung des Stoffes. Kurz vor der Trennung von Erde und Mond waren dichtere Einlagerungen entstanden, und nach der Trennung bildeten sich in Mensch und Tier knorpelartige Substanzen mit Anlagen zur Knochenverdichtung. In demselben Maße, wie sich die äußere Erdmasse verdichtete und der feste Boden, die feste Erdkruste sich heranbildete, bildete sich im Menschen und im Tier die feste Knochenmasse. Es entstanden allmählich feste mineralische Gebilde. Früher war alles ätherisch gewesen, dann luftartig und flüssig; die Wesen bewegten sich schwebend wie im Wasser oder fliegend wie in der Luft. Jetzt bildete sich die Erde in ihren Felsen ein festes Gerüste aus wie das Knochengerüst im Innern des Menschen. Knochen- und Felsenbildung gingen miteinander parallel. Die Form der damaligen Menschen ist zu vergleichen mit einer Art Fisch-Vogeltier. Der größte Teil der Erde war noch wässerig, die Temperatur war noch sehr hoch. In diesem wäßrigen Element war noch vieles aufgelöst, was später erst fest geworden ist, zum Beispiel auch jetzige Metalle und andere Stoffe. Darin bewegten sich die Menschen sozusagen in schwimmender, schwebender Bewegung. Die ungeheure Hitze, die damals auf der Erde herrschte, konnten sie gut vertragen; ihr Körper bestand ja noch aus einer Materie, die den geschilderten Verhältnissen entsprach, so daß sie darin leben konnten.
Dem Wasser waren kleine Kontinente, inselartige Gebilde eingelagert, auf denen die Menschen umherwandelten; aber die ganze Erdmasse war durchsetzt von vulkanischer Tätigkeit, die mit ungeheurer Vehemenz fortgesetzt Teile der Erde vernichtete, so daß diese fortwährend elementaren Zerstörungen und Neubildungen ausgesetzt war.
Die Menschen hatten noch keine Lungen, sie atmeten durch röhrenförmige Kiemenorgane. Sie sehen, der damalige Mensch war schon ein sehr kompliziertes Gebilde: Er hatte sich ein Rückgrat eingelagert, erst knorpelartig, dann knochig, und um sich schwebend und schwimmend fortbewegen zu können, hatte er eine Schwimmblase, etwa wie die heutigen Fische.
Bald, das heißt immerhin nach Jahrmillionen, wurde die Erde fester. Das Wasser trat zurück, sonderte sich ab von den festen Bestandteilen, die Luft kam in ihrer Reinheit heraus, und durch den Einfluß der Luft bildete sich die Schwimmblase allmählich zu Lungen um. Der Mensch erhob sich jetzt über das wässerige Element. Das war ein besonders wichtiger und bedeutungsvoller Vorgang. Die Kiemen bildeten sich zu anderen Organen um, teilweise zu Gehörorganen. Mit der Ausbildung der Lungen entstand die Fähigkeit des Atmens; dadurch lebt die ganze Menschheit in einem gemeinsamen Element, in der Luft. Die Menschen sind von Luft umgeben. Jeder Mensch nimmt ein Quantum Luft auf, bildet es nach seiner Form um und gibt es wieder heraus. Anfangs war der Mensch erfüllt mit dem reinen Geiste, später mit dem Astralen, und jetzt mit der Luft. Nun war der Mensch an dem Punkte angelangt, wo sich die Wärmeatmung in Luftatmung umwandelte. Damit wurde verwertet, was der Mars gebracht hatte: Es entstand jetzt warmes Blut. Der Moment ist da, wo das, was früher außerhalb des Menschen gewesen war, in ihn hineindrang: Der Geist, der früher ihn umgab, ging: in den Menschen hinein. Und wodurch? Durch die Luft. Die Fähigkeit des Atmens bedeutet die Aufnahme des individuellen menschlichen Geistes. Das- Ich des Menschen kommt in den Menschen mit der Atemluft hinein. Wenn wir von einem gemeinsamen Ich aller Menschen sprechen, so hat dieses auch einen gemeinsamen Körper: die Luft. Nicht umsonst haben die Alten dieses gemeinschaftliche Ich Atma, das heißt Atmen, genannt. Sie wußten genau, daß sie es beim Atmen einziehen und wieder ausstoßen. Wir leben in unserem gemeinschaftlichen Ich, weil wir in der allgemeinen Luft leben. Natürlich darf die Schilderung dieses Vorganges wiederum nicht zu wörtlich genommen werden. Das Hineinsenken des individuellen Ichs in den Menschen wird in der theosophischen Literatur beschrieben als das Herabsteigen des Manas, der Manasaputras. Mit jedem Atemzuge nahm ein menschliches Wesen langsam Manas, Budhi und Atma mehr oder weniger im Keime auf. Die Genesis schildert diesen Moment, und wir können sie dabei wörtlich nehmen: «Und Gott hauchte Adam den Odem des Lebens ein, und er ward eine lebendige Seele.» Das ist die Aufnahme des individuellen Geistes.
Der Mensch hatte nun auch warmes Blut, und dadurch konnte er die Wärme in sich bleibend machen. Damit ist aber noch etwas sehr Wichtiges verbunden.
Auf dem Monde waren auch Wesen vorhanden gewesen, die höher standen als die damalige Menschenwelt. Das waren die Götter, in der christlichen Überlieferung Engel und Erzengel genannt. Sie waren einst auf der Menschenstufe, und so wie wir höher hinaufgekommen sein werden auf dem nächsten Planeten, so sind auch sie im Laufe der Zeiten höher gestiegen. Sie hatten keinen physischen Körper mehr, waren aber noch mit der Erde verbunden. Sie brauchten nicht mehr das, was der Mensch brauchte, sie brauchten aber die Menschen selbst, über die sie regieren konnten.
Als der Mond seine Entwickelung vollendet hatte, blieb von diesen Göttern ein Teil in der Entwickelung zurück, sie blieben sozusagen sitzen. Sie waren noch nicht so weit, wie sie eigentlich hätten kommen sollen. Und so gab es Wesen, die zwischen Göttern und Menschen standen: Halbgötter. Diese Wesen sind für die Erde und die Menschheit ganz besonders wichtig geworden. Sie konnten nicht ganz über die Menschheit und deren Sphäre hinauskommen, sie konnten sich aber auch nicht im Menschen verkörpern. Sie konnten sich nur in einem Teil der Menschennatur verankern, um mit diesem Teil ihre Entwickelung weiterzubringen und zugleich dem Menschen zu helfen. Sie hatten auf dem Monde Feuer geatmet. In dem Feuer, das nun im Menschen dauernd geworden war, im warmen Menschenblut, dem Ursitz der Leidenschaften und Triebe, verankerten sie sich und gaben ihm etwas von dem Feuer, das auf dem Monde ihr Element gewesen war. Das sind die Scharen des Luzifer, die luziferischen Wesenheiten. Die Bibel nennt sie die Verführer der Menschen. Sie verführten den Menschen insofern, als sie in seinem Blute lebten und ihn selbständig machten. Wären diese luziferischen Wesenheiten nicht dagewesen, so würden die Menschen alles von den Göttern als Geschenk bekommen haben. Sie wären weise, aber unselbständig, abgeklärt, aber unfrei geworden. Dadurch, daß diese Wesenheiten sich in seinem Blute verankerten, wurde der Mensch nicht nur weise, sondern er bekam Feuer, Leidenschaft für die Weisheit und Ideale.
Damit aber war die Möglichkeit des Abirrens gekommen. Die Menschen können sich abwenden von dem Hohen. Der Mensch konnte nun wählen zwischen Gut und Böse. Mit dieser Anlage, mit dieser Möglichkeit des Bösen wurde die lemurische Rasse nach und nach entwickelt. Diese Anlage rief große Umwälzungen in der Erde hervor. Die Erde geriet in Zuckungen und Beben, und so ging Lemurien zum großen Teil durch diese Leidenschaften der Menschen zugrunde.
Die Erde hatte sich wieder verändert, verdichtet. Andere Kontinente waren bereits entstanden. Der wichtigste Kontinent, der sich mittlerweile herausgebildet hatte, war Atlantis zwischen dem heutigen Europa, Afrika und Amerika. Auf diesem Kontinent hatten sich die Nachkommen der lemurischen Rasse ausgebreitet. In vielen Millionen Jahren hatte sie sich sehr verändert und eine Gestalt angenommen, die der heutigen Menschengestalt ähnelte. Dennoch waren diese Menschen von den heutigen sehr verschieden. Die Kopfbildung war eine ganz andere, die Stirn war noch viel niedriger; die Ernährungsorgane waren viel mächtiger ausgebildet. Der Ätherleib des Atlantiers ragte weit über seinen physischen Kopf hinaus. Im Ätherleib des Kopfes war ein wichtiger Punkt, der mit einem Punkte im physischen Kopf korrespondierte. Die Entwickelung bestand nun darin, daß beide Punkte zusammenrückten, so daß der Punkt des Ätherkopfes sich in den Punkt des physischen Körpers hineinschob. In diesem Augenblick, wo beide Punkte zusammenfielen, konnte der Mensch anfangen, Ich zu sich selbst zu sagen. Das Vorderhirn konnte jetzt ein Werkzeug werden für den Geist; es entstand das Selbstbewußtsein. Dieser Moment trat zuerst bei den in der Gegend des heutigen Irland wohnenden Atlantiern auf.
Die Atlantier entwickelten sich nach und nach in sieben Unterrassen: Rmoahals, Tlavatli, Urtolteken, Urturanier, Ursemiten, Urakkadier und Urmongolen. Bei den Ursemiten geschah die Vereinigung der beiden Punkte und entwickelte sich das klare Selbstbewußtsein. Die beiden folgenden Unterrassen, die Urakkadier und Urmongolen, schossen eigentlich über das Ziel der atlantischen Menschheit hinaus.
Vor dieser Vereinigung der beiden Punkte waren die Seelenkräfte der Atlantier grundverschieden von heute. Die Atlantier hatten einen viel beweglicheren Körper und vor allen Dingen in der allerersten Zeit einen mächtigen, starken Willen. Sie konnten zum Beispiel verlorene Gliedmaßen ergänzen, Pflanzen schnell wachsen lassen und übten dadurch einen gewaltigen Einfluß auf die Natur aus. Sie hatten mächtig ausgebildete Sinnesorgane; sie konnten Metalle durch das Gefühl unterscheiden, wie wir Gerüche unterscheiden. Dann aber hatten sie in hohem Grade die Gabe des Hellsehens. Sie schliefen in der Nacht nicht wie der heutige Mensch, der höchstens verworrene Träume hat, sondern wie der Hellseher, nur dumpfer. Sie standen nachts im Verkehr mit den Göttern, und was sie da erlebten, das lebt noch fort in den Mythen und Sagen. Sie zwangen die Naturkräfte in ihren Dienst. Ihre Wohnungen waren halbe Naturgebilde und in Felsen hineingehauen. Die Atlantier konstruierten Luftschiffe, zu deren Fortbewegung sie nicht anorganische Kraft, wie zum Beispiel die heutige Kohlenkraft, sondern die organische Pflanzentriebkraft verwandten.
Dadurch, daß die oben erwähnten beiden Punkte noch nicht miteinander verbunden waren, hatten die Atlantier keinen kombinierenden Verstand. So konnten sie zum Beispiel nicht rechnen. Aber dafür hatten sie eine andere Seelenkraft ganz besonders ausgebildet: das Gedächtnis. Die kombinierende logische Verstandeskraft und das Selbstbewußtsein kamen erst in der fünften Unterrasse, den Ursemiten, hervor.
Durch eine gewaltige Wasserkatastrophe ging Atlantis zugrunde. Der ganze Kontinent wurde allmählich überflutet, und die Volksmassen wanderten ostwärts, nach Europa und Asien. Ein Hauptzweig bewegte sich von Irland durch Europa nach Asien. Überall blieben Volksmassen zurück. Geführt wurden sie von einem hohen Eingeweihten, dem sie ganz und gar vertrauten. Dieser bewirkte dann durch seine Weisheit eine Auslese, er nahm die Besten mit sich und siedelte sie im fernen Asien an einer Stätte an, wo heute die Wüste Gobi liegt. Da wurde dann in völliger Absonderung eine kleine Kolonie besonders ausgebildet. Von dieser Kolonie aus gingen dann Kolonisatoren in alle bewohnten Länder und begründeten die Kulturen der nächsten Wurzelrasse: die indische, die altpersische, die ägyptisch-babylonisch-assyrische, die griechisch-lateinische Kultur. Und dann entstand die germanisch-angelsächsische Kultur.
Wir werden dann morgen sehen, wie die Entwickelung sich weiter gestaltete.
Tenth Lecture
When the Earth emerged from the darkness of the Pralaya state, it did not appear alone, but initially united with the Sun and our present Moon. The Sun, Moon, and Earth were one giant body. That was the initial stage of our planet.
At that time, the Earth consisted of very, very thin matter. There were no solid minerals, nor was there any water, only this fine matter that we call ether. The whole thing was therefore an ethereal, fine planet, surrounded by a spiritual atmosphere, like today's Earth is surrounded by a circle of air. This spiritual atmosphere contained everything that today forms the human soul. Your souls, which are now sunk into your bodies, were all up there in that spiritual atmosphere. The Earth was a large etheric sphere, much, much larger than our Earth today, surrounded by spiritual substance, and contained within this spiritual substance were the future human souls. Down below, in the thin matter of the etheric sphere, there was something denser, namely millions of shell-shaped formations. These were the human germs of Saturn coming out again. Here, what had formed in ancient times on Saturn was now repeating itself. Of course, there could be no question of physical reproduction and multiplication of these human germs; at that time, something completely different existed. The entire spiritual atmosphere surrounding the earth was, like our air circle, more or less a unified whole, only spiritual extensions stretched down from this spiritual envelope like a kind of tentacles into the ether sphere and enveloped the shell-like formations, so that you have to imagine that the spirit descended from above and enveloped the individual bodies. These tentacles worked on them and formed a human shape. When the structure was finished, the extension withdrew again, stretched out in another direction, and worked on other structures. What was produced was thus brought forth directly from the spiritual worlds. In the very beginning, there was a confused, swirling etheric substance below, much denser than the uniform divine spirit substance that stretched out its arms to create structures out of chaos. This was the first epoch of our Earth; it is beautifully expressed in the Genesis of the Bible: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth, and the Earth was without form and void, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” The ether, as it was below, is referred to in occult science as “water.”
At that time, it would not have been possible to see the Earth, nor the shell-like formations; these were sounding human formations, and when one such formation came into being, it expressed itself in a certain tone. There was no individuality in the formations yet; this was still completely dissolved in the spiritual atmosphere. Seven types of fundamental tones could be distinguished in these formations. These seven groups formed the first seven human root races in embryo.
After millions of years, a great cosmic process took place: the entire mighty etheric body constricted somewhat, took on a biscuit-like shape, and remained so for a time. Finally, a small part consisting of the Earth and Moon separated from this common structure. This process was associated with something very special for human development. The human germs were structured and differentiated; with the emergence of the sun, objects could now be illuminated from outside for the first time. All vision is based on the presence of light, on the sun's rays falling on objects and being reflected back. Light is the originator of the eyes. When the sun emerged, there were bodies that it could shine on. This made it possible for organs to gradually develop for the perception of illuminated objects. The environment became visible. This time is described in Genesis with the words: "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. " The entire Earth structure now began to rotate, and this created day and night. When one reads the Bible as a secret scientist, one can take everything literally again.
Now a large part of the spiritual beings that had surrounded the Earth had departed with the sun. They formed the spiritual population of the sun and worked on the Earth from the sun. The physical-etheric human forms were now equipped with an astral shell. The whole, Earth and Moon, was now surrounded by an astral atmosphere. What had previously been spread out in the spiritual atmosphere now extended to the individual human forms, which had developed an independent physical and etheric body, and surrounded them. The physical and etheric bodies were now fully formed. However, there was no independence with regard to the astral body; there was still a common astral shell for all beings. This was the Earth spirit, and it stretched out its tentacles and enveloped each individual human ancestor. A new ability now emerged. Now each human form could bring forth another from its own substance: a kind of reproduction without fertilization by two beings. It was therefore a fertilization that was not of a sexual nature, but was carried out by the entire astral atmosphere. When a tentacle stretched down, it meant fertilization of the human being, who could then develop others. The human beings were bell-shaped and had a tubular opening at the top to receive the tentacles; they opened themselves to the sun. This was the Hyperborean primeval human being; this period is called the second great root race. These human beings were multi-membered. They did not die; there was no death in our sense of the word. Dying means the withdrawal of consciousness from the body. At that time, however, consciousness was not yet differentiated; it was a general consciousness for all human beings in the astral shell. The consciousness of the individual remained part of the collective consciousness, and when it withdrew from one entity, it descended into another without interruption. It was as if a piece of a cloud detached itself at the front and was immediately replaced by another at the back. It was only a metamorphosis, and there was an uninterrupted continuity of consciousness. Consciousness perceived it only as a change of clothing. And the whole lived in wonderful beauty, floating in the most magnificent colors, in a light ether, and gradually condensing.
In addition to human ancestors, there were also animal and plant forms that were to be their companions. The plants were the lowly plants that have become dwarfed today. Likewise, the animals did not yet exist in their present form. They were luminous plants and animals swirling through the ether. There were no male and female animals; everything was still unisexual; only certain animals were just beginning to develop some degree of dual sexuality. A true mineral kingdom had not yet developed. Then the etheric forms became increasingly dense, so that the astral was also drawn in more and more.
After a million years, the Earth and Moon looked very different: animals and plants were jelly-like, like egg whites, like certain jellyfish and sea plants; and in this dense matter with organs were the ancestors of humans. The animal and plant structures gradually condensed through the fertilizing astral force. Then came an important time when the fertilizing entities in the astral atmosphere manifested themselves through the natural structures living at that time, so that humans and animals received both the fertilizing and nourishing substance from the surrounding plant world. This secreted something that resembled the later milk of humans and animals. A last remnant of such milk-secreting plants is, for example, the dandelion. In this way, humans at that time nourished and fertilized themselves from the surrounding nature and were selfless. In this way, humans were complete vegetarians. They only took what nature freely gave. They nourished themselves with milk- and honey-like juices. It was a wonderful state in this distant past, which can hardly be described with images from our language.
Now comes an extremely important moment: the Earth and Moon separate; the smaller Moon separates from the Earth. Now there are three bodies: Sun, Moon, and Earth. This provided something extremely important for living beings. The Moon took with it a large part of the forces that humans and animals needed to bring forth other beings from themselves. Each human being now had only half the fertilizing power that had previously been within them. The productive power was halved, and this gradually led to the separation into two sexes. Now humans had to be fertilized by a being of their own kind. This was the Lemurian period, the third root race. During this period, matter also became denser and thicker. Shortly before the separation of the Earth and the Moon, denser deposits had formed, and after the separation, cartilage-like substances with the potential for bone densification formed in humans and animals. As the outer mass of the Earth densified and the solid ground, the solid crust of the Earth, formed, solid bone mass formed in humans and animals. Solid mineral structures gradually emerged. Previously, everything had been ethereal, then airy and fluid; beings moved as if floating in water or flying in the air. Now the earth formed a solid framework in its rocks, like the skeleton inside humans. Bone and rock formation proceeded in parallel. The form of the humans of that time can be compared to a kind of fish-bird creature. Most of the earth was still watery, and the temperature was still very high. Much of what later became solid was still dissolved in this watery element, including, for example, metals and other substances. Humans moved in this element in a floating, suspended manner, so to speak. They could tolerate the tremendous heat that prevailed on Earth at that time; their bodies still consisted of a substance that corresponded to the conditions described, so that they could live in it.
Small continents, island-like formations, were embedded in the water, on which humans wandered; but the entire landmass was riddled with volcanic activity, which continued with tremendous vehemence, destroying parts of the earth so that it was constantly exposed to elemental destruction and regeneration.
Humans did not yet have lungs; they breathed through tubular gill organs. You see, humans at that time were already very complex creatures: they had developed a spine, first cartilaginous, then bony, and in order to move around by floating and swimming, they had a swim bladder, much like today's fish.
Soon, that is, after millions of years, the Earth became more solid. The water receded, separating itself from the solid components, the air emerged in its purity, and under the influence of the air, the swim bladder gradually transformed into lungs. Humans now rose above the watery element. This was a particularly important and significant process. The gills transformed into other organs, some of which became hearing organs. With the development of the lungs came the ability to breathe; as a result, all of humanity lives in a common element, the air. Humans are surrounded by air. Every human being takes in a quantum of air, transforms it according to their form, and exhales it again. In the beginning, humans were filled with pure spirit, later with the astral, and now with air. Now humans had reached the point where warm breathing was transformed into air breathing. This made use of what Mars had brought: warm blood was now created. The moment has come when what used to be outside of humans entered into them: the spirit that used to surround them went into humans. And how? Through the air. The ability to breathe means the absorption of the individual human spirit. The human ego enters the human being with the air we breathe. When we speak of a common ego for all human beings, this also has a common body: the air. It is not without reason that the ancients called this communal ego Atma, which means breath. They knew exactly that they drew it in and exhaled it again when they breathed. We live in our common self because we live in the general air. Of course, the description of this process should not be taken too literally. The descent of the individual self into human beings is described in theosophical literature as the descent of Manas, the Manasaputras. With each breath, a human being slowly absorbed Manas, Budhi, and Atma more or less in their embryonic form. Genesis describes this moment, and we can take it literally: “And God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and he became a living soul.” This is the absorption of the individual spirit.
Human beings now also had warm blood, which enabled them to retain heat within themselves. However, there is something else very important connected with this.
There were also beings on the moon who were higher than the human world at that time. These were the gods, called angels and archangels in Christian tradition. They were once at the human level, and just as we will have risen higher on the next planet, so too have they risen higher over the course of time. They no longer had physical bodies, but were still connected to the Earth. They no longer needed what humans needed, but they needed the humans themselves, over whom they could rule.
When the moon had completed its development, some of these gods remained behind in their development; they remained, so to speak, stuck. They were not yet as far along as they should have been. And so there were beings who stood between gods and humans: demigods. These beings became particularly important for the Earth and humanity. They could not completely transcend humanity and its sphere, but they could not incarnate in humans either. They could only anchor themselves in part of human nature in order to further their development with this part and at the same time help humans. They had breathed fire on the moon. They anchored themselves in the fire that had now become permanent in humans, in warm human blood, the original seat of passions and drives, and gave it some of the fire that had been their element on the moon. These are the hosts of Lucifer, the Luciferic beings. The Bible calls them the seducers of humans. They seduced humans insofar as they lived in their blood and made them independent. If these Luciferic beings had not been there, humans would have received everything as a gift from the gods. They would have become wise, but dependent, serene, but unfree. Because these beings anchored themselves in his blood, man not only became wise, but he also gained fire, passion for wisdom and ideals.
But with this came the possibility of straying. Humans can turn away from the High. Man could now choose between good and evil. With this predisposition, with this possibility of evil, the Lemurian race gradually developed. This predisposition caused great upheavals on Earth. The Earth was shaken by tremors and quakes, and so Lemuria was largely destroyed by these passions of mankind.
The Earth had changed again, becoming denser. Other continents had already emerged. The most important continent that had formed in the meantime was Atlantis, located between present-day Europe, Africa, and America. The descendants of the Lemurian race had spread across this continent. Over many millions of years, they had changed greatly and taken on a form similar to that of modern humans. Nevertheless, these people were very different from those of today. The shape of their heads was completely different, their foreheads were much lower, and their digestive organs were much more powerful. The etheric body of the Atlantean extended far beyond his physical head. In the etheric body of the head there was an important point that corresponded to a point in the physical head. The development now consisted in both points moving closer together, so that the point of the etheric head moved into the point of the physical body. At the moment when both points coincided, human beings could begin to say “I” to themselves. The forebrain could now become a tool for the spirit; self-consciousness arose. This moment first occurred among the Atlanteans living in the region of present-day Ireland.
The Atlanteans gradually developed into seven sub-races: Rmoahals, Tlavatli, Urtolteken, Urturanier, Ursemites, Urakkadier, and Urmongols. Among the Ursemites, the two points united and clear self-awareness developed. The next two sub-races, the Urakkadier and Urmongols, actually overshot the goal of Atlantean humanity.
Before this union of the two points, the soul forces of the Atlanteans were fundamentally different from today. The Atlanteans had much more agile bodies and, above all, in the very early days, a powerful, strong will. For example, they could regenerate lost limbs, make plants grow quickly, and thus exert a tremendous influence on nature. They had powerfully developed sensory organs; they could distinguish metals by touch, just as we distinguish smells. But then they also had a highly developed gift of clairvoyance. They did not sleep at night like modern humans, who have at most confused dreams, but like clairvoyants, only more dull. At night they communicated with the gods, and what they experienced there still lives on in myths and legends. They forced the forces of nature to serve them. Their dwellings were half natural formations and carved into rocks. The Atlanteans constructed airships, which they propelled not with inorganic power, such as today's coal power, but with organic plant power.
Because the two points mentioned above were not yet connected, the Atlanteans did not have a combinatorial mind. For example, they could not calculate. But they had developed another soul power in particular: memory. The combinatorial logical power of the mind and self-awareness only emerged in the fifth sub-race, the Proto-Semites.
Atlantis was destroyed by a massive water catastrophe. The entire continent was gradually flooded, and the masses migrated eastward to Europe and Asia. One main branch moved from Ireland through Europe to Asia. Masses of people were left behind everywhere. They were led by a high initiate whom they trusted completely. Through his wisdom, he then made a selection, took the best with him, and settled them in distant Asia at a place where the Gobi Desert is located today. There, in complete isolation, a small colony was specially trained. From this colony, colonizers then went to all inhabited countries and founded the cultures of the next root race: the Indian, the ancient Persian, the Egyptian-Babylonian-Assyrian, and the Greek-Latin cultures. And then the Germanic-Anglo-Saxon culture arose.
Tomorrow we will see how the development continued.