The Way of Initiation
GA 10
VII. The Higher Education of the Soul
[ 1 ] If a man carries out the culture of his thoughts and feelings and emotions in the way already described in the chapters on Probation, Enlightenment, and Initiation, he then effects a change in his soul such as Nature has effected in his body. Before this training, soul and spirit are undifferentiated masses. In, such a state the clairvoyant will perceive them as interlacing clouds, rotating spirally, and having usually a dull glimmer of reddish colour or reddish-brown, or, perhaps, of reddish-yellow; but after this culture they begin to assume a brilliant yellowish-green or yellow-blue colour, and become of a regular structure, A man attains to such regularity of structure, and at the same time to the higher knowledge, when he brings into the region of his thoughts, feelings, and emotions, an order such as Nature has brought into his bodily organs, by means of which he can see, hear, digest, breathe, speak, and so forth. Gradually the student learns, as it were, to breathe, to see with the soul, and to speak and hear, with the spirit.
[ 2 ] In the following pages only a few of the practical points pertaining to the higher education of the soul and spirit will be more fully treated. They are such as may be practically attained by anyone without additional instruction, and by means of which a further step in occult science nay be taken.
[ 3 ] A particular kind of discipline must be patiently attempted. Every emotion of impatience produces a paralysing, nay, even a deadening, effect on the higher faculties latent within us. One must not expect immeasurable glimpses of the higher worlds to open out before one from day to day, for assuredly, as a rule, this does not occur. Content with the smallest attainment, repose and tranquillity must more and more possess the soul. It is conceivable, of course, that the learner should impatiently expect results but he will attain to nothing so long as he fails to master this impatience. Nor is it of any use to struggle against this impatience in the ordinary way, for then it will only become stronger than ever. It is thus that men deceive themselves, for in such a case it plants itself all the more deeply in the depths of the soul. It is only by repeatedly surrendering oneself to a single definite thought, and by making it absolutely one's own, that anything is really attained. One should think: “I must certainly do everything possible for the culture of soul and spirit, but I will wait tranquilly until, by higher powers, I shall be found worthy of definite illumination.” When this thought has become so powerful in a man that it is an actual trait in his character, he is treading the right path. This trait will then express itself even in external affairs. The gaze of the eye becomes tranquil; the movements of the body become sure; the resolutions defined; and all that we call nervous susceptibility gradually disappears. Rules that seem trifling and insignificant must be taken into account. For example, suppose that someone affronts us. Before this occult education, we should have directed our resentment against the wrong-doer; there would have been an uprush of anger within us. But in such a case the occult student will think to himself: “An affront of this. kind can make no difference to my worth,” and whatever must be done to meet the affront, he accomplishes with calm and composure, not with passion. To him it is not a matter of how an affront is to be borne, but without hesitation he is led to punish an affront to his own person exactly as if it had been offered to another, in which case one has the right to resent it. It must, always be remembered that the occult training is perfected not by coarse external processes, but by subtle, silent alterations in the life of thought and emotion.
[ 4 ] Patience has an attractive, impatience a repellent, effect on the treasures of the higher knowledge. In the higher regions of being, nothing can be attained by haste and restlessness. Above all things, desire and longing must be silenced, for these are qualities of the soul before, which all higher knowledge recedes. However precious this knowledge may be accounted, one must not desire to anticipate the time of its coning. He who wishes to have it for his own sake will never attain it. Before all things it is demanded that one should be true to oneself in one's innermost soul. One must not there be deceived by anything; one must encounter, face to face and with absolute truthfulness, one's own faults, failings, and unfitness. The moment you try to excuse to yourself any one of your weaknesses, you have placed an obstacle in the way which is to lead you upward. Such obstacles can only be removed by self-illumination. There is only one way by which to get rid of our faults and weaknesses, and that is by correctly appreciating them. All that is needed lies latent in the human soul and can be evoked. It is even possible for a man to improve his understanding and his reason, if in repose he makes it clear to himself why he is weak in this respect. Self-knowledge of this kind is naturally difficult, for the temptation to deceive oneself is immeasurably great. He who is accustomed to be truthful with himself has opened the portals into a deeper insight.
[ 5 ] All curiosity must fall away from the student. He must wean himself as much as possible from inquiries into matters of which he only wishes to know for the gratification of his personal thirst for knowledge. He must only ask himself what things will assist him in the perfection of his innermost being for the service of the general evolution. Nevertheless, his delight in knowledge, and his devotion to it must in no degree become relaxed. He must listen devoutly to all that contributes to such an end, and should seek every opportunity of doing so.
[ 6 ] For this interior culture it is especially necessary that the desire-life should be carefully educated. One must not become wholly destitute of desire, for if we are to attain to something it is necessary that we should desire it, and a desire will always be fulfilled if a certain special force be behind it. This particular force results from a right knowledge: “Do not desire at all until you know the true conditions of any sphere.” That is one of the golden rules for the occult student. The wise man first ascertains the laws of the world, and then his desires become powers which realise themselves. Let us consider an example in which the effect is evident. There are certainly many who would like to learn from their own intuition something about their life before birth. Such a desire is altogether aimless, and leads to no result so long as the person in question has not acquired a knowledge of the laws that govern the nature of the Eternal, and a knowledge of them in their subtlest and most intimate character. But if he has actually acquired this knowledge and then wishes to pass onward, he is able to do so by his elevated and purified desire.
[ 7 ] Moreover, it is of no use to say to oneself: “Yes, I will forthwith examine my previous life, and learn with that very aim in view.” One must rather be ready to abandon this desire, to eliminate it altogether, and learn, first of all, without considering this aim. One should cultivate devotion to what is learnt without regard to such an end. It is only then that one begins to possess the desire which we are considering, in such a way that it leads to its own fulfilment.
[ 8 ] If one is angry or vexed, a wall arises in the spiritual world, and those forces which would open the eyes of the soul are shut away. For example, if someone should annoy me, he sends forth a current into the world of the soul. So long as one is capable of annoyance, one cannot see this current. One's own annoyance clouds it. But neither must it be supposed that when one feels annoyed no longer, one will see an astral vision. For this it is indispensable that the eye of the soul should be already developed; but the capacity for sight of this kind is latent in everyone. It is true that so long as one is capable of being annoyed it remains inoperative; but at the same time it is not immediately present as soon as one has overcome to a small extent this feeling of annoyance. One must continue to persevere in the struggle with such a feeling, and patiently make progress: then, some day, one will find that this eye of the soul has become developed. Of course annoyance is not the only quality with which we have to struggle before attaining this end. Many people grow impatient or sceptical, because they have for years combated certain qualities of the soul and yet clairvoyance has not ensued. They have only developed some qualities and have allowed others to run wild. The gift of clairvoyance first manifests itself when all those qualities which do not permit the development of the latent faculties are suppressed. Undoubtedly the beginnings of such hearing and seeing may appear at an earlier period, but these are only young and tender shoots which are subject to all possible error, and which, if they be not carefully fostered, may quickly die off.
[ 9 ] To the qualities which, like anger and vexation, have to be combated, belong such as ambition, timidity, curiosity, superstition, conceit, the disease of prejudice, a needless love of gossip, and the making of distinctions in regard to human beings according to the merely outward marks of rank, sex, race, and so forth. In our time it is difficult for people to comprehend that the combating of such qualities can have any connection with an increase of capacity for knowledge. But every devotee of Occultism is aware that much more depends upon such matters than upon the expansion of the intellect or the employment of artificial practices. It is particularly easy for a misunderstanding of this point to arise, inasmuch as many believe that one should cultivate foolhardiness because one must be fearless; that one ought to ignore altogether the differences in men because one has to combat the prejudices of race, rank, and so forth. Rather does one first learn to appreciate these differences correctly, when one is no longer entangled in prejudice. Even in the usual sense it is true that a fear of any phenomenon baulks one from estimating it rightly; that a race-prejudice prevents one from looking into a man’s soul. The student of Occultism must bring his common-sense to perfection in all its exactitude and subtlety.
[ 10 ] Even everything that a man says without having clearly thought it out will place an obstacle in the path of his occult education. At the same time we must here consider one point which can only be elucidated by giving an example. Thus, if anyone should say something to which one must reply, one should be careful to consider rather the intention, the feelings, even the prejudices of this other person, than what one has to say at the moment on the subject under discussion. In other words, the student must apply himself keenly to the cultivation of a certain fine tact. He must learn to judge how much it may mean to this other person if his opinion be opposed. But he ought not, for this reason, to withhold his own opinion. This must not be imagined for a moment. One must give to the sneaker as careful a hearing as possible, and from what one has heard should formulate one's own reply. In such cases there is a certain thought which will constantly recur to the student, and he is treading the true path if this thought becomes so vital within him that it grows into a trait of his character. The thought is as follows: “It is not a question of whether my view be different from his, but whether he will discover the right view for himself if I am able to contribute something towards it.” By thoughts of such a kind, the mode of action and the character of the student will be permeated with gentleness, one of the most essential qualities for the reception of occult teaching. Harshness only scares away that internal image which ought to be evoked by the eye of the soul, but by gentleness are obstacles cleared from the way, and inner organs opened.
[ 11 ] Along with this gentleness another trait will presently be developed in the soul. He will make a quiet estimate of all the subtleties in the soul-life around him, without considering the emotions of his own soul. And if this condition has been attained, the soul-emotions in the environment of anyone will have such an effect on him that the soul within him grows, and growing, becomes organised, as a plant expands in the sunlight. Gentleness and quiet reserve, and along with these true patience, open the soul to the world of souls, and the spirit to the region of spirits. Persevere in repose and retirement; close the senses to that which they brought you before you began your training; bring into utter stillness all those thoughts which, in accordance with your previous habits, were tossed up and down within you; become quite still and silent within, wait in patience, and then will the higher worlds begin to develop the sight of your soul and the hearing of your spirit. Do not suppose that you will immediately see and hear in the worlds of soul and spirit, for all that you are doing does but help the development of your higher senses, and you will not be able to see with the soul and to hear with the spirit before you have acquired those senses. When you have persevered for a time in repose and retirement, then go about your daily affairs, having first imprinted upon your mind the thought: “Some day when I am ready, I shall attain what I am to attain.” Finally: “Make no attempt whatever to attract any of these higher powers to yourself by an effort of the will.” These are instructions which every occult student receives from his teacher at the entrance of the way. If he observes them, he then perfects himself; and if he does not observe them, all his labour is in vain; but they are only difficult of achievement for him who has not patience and perseverance. No other obstacles exist save only those which one sets for oneself, and these may be avoided by anyone if he really wills it. It is necessary to continually insist upon this point, because many people form an altogether wrong conception of the difficulty that lies in the path of occultism. In a certain sense, it is easier to accomplish the earlier steps of this way than it is for one who has received no occult instruction to get rid of the difficulties of every-day life. In addition to this, it must be understood that only such things are here imparted as are attended by no danger to the health of soul or body. There are certain other ways which lead more quickly to the goal, but it is not well to treat of them publicly, because they may sometimes have certain effects on a man which would necessitate the immediate intervention of an experienced teacher, and at all events would require his continual supervision. Now, as something about these quicker ways frequently forces itself into publicity, it becomes necessary to give express warning against entering upon them without personal guidance. For reasons which only the initiated can understand, it will never be possible to give public instruction concerning these other ways in their real form, and the fragments which here and there make their appearance can never lead to anything profitable, but may easily result in the undermining of health, fortune, and peace of mind. He who does not wish to put himself in the power of certain dark forces, of whose nature and origin he can know nothing, had far better avoid meddling in such matters.
[ 12 ] Something may here be added concerning the environment in which the practices of occult instruction ought to be undertaken. For this is not without importance, though for almost every man the case is different. He who practises in an environment which is only filled with selfish interests, as, for example, the modern struggle for existence, ought to be sure that these interests are not without their influence upon the development of his spiritual organs. It is true that the inner laws of these organs are so powerful that this influence cannot be fatally injurious. Just as a lily, though placed in an environment, however inappropriate, can never become a thistle, so too can the eye of the soul never grow to anything but its destined end, even although it be subjected to the influence of modern cities. But it is well if, under all circumstances, the student should now and then seek for his environment the quietude, the inner dignity, the sweetness of Nature herself. Especially fortunate are the conditions of him who is able to carry on his occult instruction altogether in the green world of plants, or among the sunny mountains or the delightful interplay of simple things. This develops the inner organs in a harmony which can never be present in a modern city. He also is more favourably situated than the mere townsman, who, during his childhood at least, was able to breathe the perfume of the pines, to gaze on the snowy peaks, or observe the silent activity of woodland creatures and insects. Yet no one who is obliged to live in a city should fail to give his evolving soul and spirit the nurture that comes from the inspired utterances of the mighty teachers of man. He who cannot every springtime follow day by day the unfolding of the greenwood, ought in its place to draw into his heart the sublime doctrines of the Bhagavad Gita, or of St. John's Gospel, or of Thomas a Kempis. There are many paths to the summit of insight, but a right selection is indispensable.
The adept in occultism could, indeed, say much concerning these paths—much that night seem strange to an uninitiated hearer. For example, suppose that someone has advanced far along the occult path: he may be standing at the very entrance to the sight of the soul and the tearing of the spirit, and then he has the good fortune to pass over the peaceful, or it may be the tempestuous, ocean, and a bandage falls airway from the eyes of his soul. Suddenly he can see, suddenly he attains to vision. Another, it may be, has advanced so far that this bandage only needs to be loosened, and by some stroke of destiny this occurs. On someone else this very stroke might actually have the effect of paralysing his powers and undermining his energy, but for the occult student it becomes the occasion of his enlightenment. Perhaps a third has patiently persevered for years, and without any marked result. Suddenly, while tranquilly seated in his quiet chamber, light envelops him, the walls become transparent, they vanish away, and a new world expands before his opened eyes, or is audible to his awakened spirit.
Praktische Gesichtspunkte
[ 1 ] Wenn der Mensch seine Ausbildung in bezug auf Gefühle; Gedanken und Stimmungen so durchmacht, wie dies in den Kapiteln über Vorbereitung, Erleuchtung und Einweihung beschrieben worden ist, so bewirkt er in seiner Seele und in seinem Geist eine ähnliche Gliederung, wie sie die Natur in seinem physischen Leibe bewirkt hat. Vor dieser Ausbildung sind Seele und Geist ungegliederte Massen. Der Hellseher nimmt sie wahr als ineinandergreifende, spiralige Nebelwirbel, die vorzugsweise wie rötliche und rötlichbraune oder auch rötlichgelbe Farben matt glimmend empfunden werden; nach der Ausbildung beginnen sie wie die gelblichgrünen, grünlichblauen Farben geistig zu erglänzen und zeigen einen regelmäßigen Bau. Der Mensch gelangt zu solcher Regelmäßigkeit und damit zu höheren Erkenntnissen, wenn er in seine Gefühle, Gedanken und Stimmungen solche Ordnung bringt, wie sie die Natur in seine körperlichen Verrichtungen gebracht hat, so daß er sehen, hören, verdauen, atmen, sprechen und so weiter kann. – Mit der Seele atmen und sehen und so weiter, mit dem Geiste hören und sprechen und so weiter lernt der Geheimschüler allmählich.
[ 2 ] Es sollen hier nur noch einige praktische Gesichtspunkte genauer ausgeführt werden, die zur höheren Seelen- und Geisteserziehung gehören. Es sind solche, die im Grunde jeder, ohne auf andere Regeln Rücksicht zu nehmen, befolgen kann und durch die er in der Geheimwissenschaft eine Strecke weit gelangt.
[ 3 ] Eine besondere Ausbildung muß man in der Geduld anstreben. Jede Regung der Ungeduld wirkt lähmend, ja ertötend auf die im Menschen schlummernden höheren Fähigkeiten. Man soll nicht verlangen, daß sich von heute auf morgen unermeßliche Einblicke in die höheren Welten eröffnen. Denn dann kommen sie in der Regel ganz gewiß nicht; Zufriedenheit mit dem Geringsten, das man erreicht, Ruhe und Gelassenheit sollen sich der Seele immer mehr bemächtigen. – Es ist ja begreiflich, daß der Lernende ungeduldig die Ergebnisse erwartet. Dennoch erlangt er nichts, solange er diese Ungeduld nicht bemeistert. Es nützt auch nichts, wenn man diese Ungeduld nur in gewöhnlichem Sinne des Wortes bekämpft. Dann wird sie nur um so stärker. Man täuscht sich dann über sie hinweg, und in den Tiefen der Seele sitzt sie nur um so stärker. Nur wenn man sich einem ganz bestimmten Gedanken immer wieder hingibt, ihn ganz sich zu eigen macht, erreicht man etwas. Dieser Gedanke ist: «Ich muß zwar alles tun zu meiner Seelen- und Geistesausbildung; aber ich werde ganz ruhig warten, bis ich von höheren Mächten für würdig befunden werde zu bestimmter Erleuchtung.» Wird dieser Gedanke im Menschen so mächtig, daß er zur Charakteranlage sich gestaltet, dann ist man auf dem rechten Wege. Schon im Äußerlichen prägt sich dann diese Charakteranlage aus. Der Blick des Auges wird ruhig, die Bewegungen sicher, die Entschlüsse bestimmt, und alles, was man Nervosität nennt, weicht allmählich von dem Menschen. Scheinbar unbedeutende, kleine Regeln kommen dabei in Betracht. Zum Beispiel es fügt uns jemand eine Beleidigung zu. Vor unserer Geheimerziehung wenden wir unser Gefühl gegen den Beleidiger. Ärger wallt in unserem Inneren auf. In dem Geheimschü1er aber steigt sofort bei einer solchen Gelegenheit der Gedanke auf: «Eine solche Beleidigung ändert nichts an meinem Werte»; und er tut dann, was gegen die Beleidigung zu unternehmen ist, mit Ruhe und Gelassenheit, nicht aus dem Ärger heraus. Es kommt natürlich nicht darauf an, etwa jede Beleidigung einfach hinzunehmen, sondern darauf, daß man so ruhig und sicher in der Ahndung einer Beleidigung der eigenen Person gegenüber ist, wie man wäre, wenn die Beleidigung einem anderen zugefügt worden wäre, bei dem man das Recht hat, sie zu ahnden. – Immer muß berücksichtigt werden, daß sich die Geheimschulung nicht in groben äußeren Vorgängen, sondern in feinen, stillen Umwandlungen des Gefühls- und Gedankenlebens vollzieht.
[ 4 ] Geduld wirkt anziehend auf die Schätze des höheren Wissens. Ungeduld wirkt auf sie abstoßend. In Hast und Unruhe kann nichts auf den höheren Gebieten des Daseins erlangt werden. Vor allen Dingen müssen Verlangen und Begierde schweigen. Das sind Eigenschaften der Seele, vor denen sich alles höhere Wissen scheu zurückzieht. So wertvoll auch alle höhere Erkenntnis ist: man darf sie nicht verlangen, wenn sie zu uns kommen soll. Wer sie haben will um seiner selbst willen, der erlangt sie nie. – Und das erfordert vor allem, daß man in tiefster Seele wahr gegen sich selbst sei. Man darf sich in nichts über sich selbst täuschen. Man muß seinen eigenen Fehlern, Schwächen und Untauglichkeiten mit innerer Wahrhaftigkeit ins Antlitz schauen. – In dem Augenblicke, wo du irgendeine deiner Schwächen vor dir selbst entschuldigst, hast du dir einen Stein hingelegt auf den Weg, der dich aufwärts führen soll. Solche Steine kannst du nur durch Selbstaufklärung über dich beseitigen. Es gibt nur einen Weg, seine Fehler und Schwächen abzulegen, und der ist: sie richtig zu erkennen. Alles schlummert in der Menschenseele und kann erweckt werden. Auch seinen Verstand und seine Vernunft kann der Mensch verbessern, wenn er sich in Ruhe und Gelassenheit darüber aufklärt, warum er in dieser Beziehung schwach ist. Solche Selbsterkenntnis ist natürlich schwierig, denn die Versuchung zur Täuschung über sich selbst ist eine unermeßlich große. Wer sich an Wahrheit gegen sich selbst gewöhnt, öffnet sich die Pforten zu höherer Einsicht.
[ 5 ] Schwinden muß beim Geheimschüler eine jegliche Neugierde. Er muß sich so viel wie möglich das Fragen abgewöhnen über Dinge, die er nur zur Befriedigung seines persönlichen Wissensdranges wissen will. Nur das soll er fragen, was ihm zur Vervollkommnung seiner Wesenheit im Dienste der Entwickelung dienen kann. Dabei soll in ihm aber die Freude, die Hingabe an das Wissen in keiner Weise gelähmt werden. Auf alles, was zu solchem Ziele dient, soll er andächtig hinhorchen und jede Gelegenheit zu solcher Andacht aufsuchen.
[ 6 ] Insbesondere ist zur Geheimausbildung eine Erziehung des Wunschlebens notwendig. Man soll nicht etwa wunschlos werden. Denn alles, was wir erreichen sollen, sollen wir ja auch wünschen. Und ein Wunsch wird immer in Erfüllung gehen, wenn hinter ihm eine ganz besondere Kraft steht. Diese Kraft kommt aus der richtigen Erkenntnis. «In keiner Art zu wünschen, bevor man das Richtige auf einem Gebiete erkannt hat», das ist eine der goldenen Regeln für den Geheimschüler. Der Weise lernt zuerst die Gesetze der Welt kennen, dann werden seine Wünsche zu Kräften, welche sich verwirklichen. – Ein Beispiel, das deutlich wirkt, soll hier angeführt werden. Gewiß wünschen viele, aus eigener Anschauung über ihr Leben vor ihrer Geburt etwas zu erfahren. Solcher Wunsch ist ganz zwecklos und ergebnislos, solange der Betreffende sich nicht die Erkenntnis der Gesetze durch geisteswissenschaftliches Studium angeeignet hat – und zwar in ihrem feinsten, intimsten Charakter – von dem Wesen des Ewigen. Hat er sich aber diese Erkenntnis wirklich erworben, und will er dann weiterkommen, so wird er es durch seinen veredelten, geläuterten Wunsch.
[ 7 ] Es nützt auch nichts, zu sagen: Ja, ich will ja gerade mein vorhergehendes Leben übersehen und zu dem Zwecke eben lernen. Man muß vielmehr imstande sein, diesen Wunsch ganz fallenzulassen, ganz von sich auszuschalten, und zunächst ganz ohne diese Absicht lernen. Man muß die Freude, die Hingebung an dem Gelernten entwickeln ohne die genannte Absicht. Denn nur dadurch lernt man zugleich den entsprechenden Wunsch so zu haben, daß er seine Erfüllung nach sich zieht.
[ 8 ] Wenn ich zornig bin oder mich ärgere, so richte ich einen Wall in der Seelenwelt um mich auf, und die Kräfte können nicht an mich herantreten, welche meine seelischen Augen entwickeln sollen. Ärgert mich zum Beispiel ein Mensch, so schickt er einen seelischen Strom in die Seelenwelt. Ich kann diesen Strom so lange nicht sehen, als ich noch fähig bin, mich zu ärgern. Mein Ärger verdeckt ihn mir. Nun darf ich auch nicht glauben, daß ich sofort eine seelische (astralische) Erscheinung haben werde, wenn ich mich nicht mehr ärgere. Denn dazu ist notwendig, daß sich erst in mir ein seelisches Auge entwickele. Aber die Anlage zu einem solchen Auge liegt in jedem Menschen. Es bleibt unwirksam, solange der Mensch fähig ist, sich zu ärgern. Aber es ist auch noch nicht sogleich da, wenn man ein wenig das Ärgern bekämpft hat. Man muß vielmehr fortfahren in dieser Bekämpfung des Ärgers und in Geduld immer wieder fortfahren; dann wird man eines Tages bemerken, daß sich dieses seelische Auge entwickelt hat. Allerdings ist nicht der Ärger das einzige, was man zu solchem Ziele zu bekämpfen hat. Viele werden ungeduldig oder zweifelnd, weil sie jahrelang einige Eigenschaften der Seele bekämpft haben und das Hellsehen doch nicht eintritt. Sie haben dann eben einige Eigenschaften ausgebildet und andere um so mehr überwuchern lassen. Die Gabe des Hellsehens tritt erst dann ein, wenn alle Eigenschaften unterdrückt sind, welche die entsprechenden schlummernden Fähigkeiten nicht herauskommen lassen. Allerdings stellen sich Anfänge des Schauens (oder Hörens) schon früher ein; aber das sind zarte Pflänzchen, die leicht allem möglichen Irrtum unterworfen sind und die auch leicht absterben, wenn sie nicht sorgfältig weiter gehegt und gepflegt werden.
[ 9 ] Zu den Eigenschaften, die zum Beispiel ebenso bekämpft werden müssen wie Zorn und Ärger, gehören Furchtsamkeit, Aberglaube und Vorurteilssucht, Eitelkeit und Ehrgeiz, Neugierde und unnötige Mitteilungssucht, das Unterschiedmachen in bezug auf Menschen nach äußerlichen Rang-, Geschlechts-, Stammeskennzeichen und so weiter. In unserer Zeit wird man recht schwer begreifen, daß die Bekämpfung solcher Eigenschaften etwas zu tun habe mit der Erhöhung der Erkenntnisfähigkeit. Aber jeder Geheimwissenschafter weiß, daß von solchen Dingen viel mehr abhängt als von der Erweiterung der Intelligenz und von dem Anstellen künstlicher Übungen. Insbesondere kann leicht ein Mißverständnis darüber entstehen, wenn manche glauben, daß man sich tollkühn machen solle, weil man furchtlos sein soll, daß man sich vor den Unterschieden der Menschen verschließen soll, weil man die Standes-, Rassen- und so weiter Vorurteile bekämpfen soll. Man lernt vielmehr erst richtig erkennen, wenn man nicht mehr in Vorurteilen befangen ist. Schon in gewöhnlichem Sinne ist es richtig, daß mich die Furcht vor einer Erscheinung hindert, sie klar zu beurteilen, daß mich ein Rassenvorurteil hindert, in eines Menschen Seele zu blicken. Diesen gewöhnlichen Sinn muß der Geheimschüler in großer Feinheit und Schärfe bei sich zur Entwickelung bringen.
[ 10 ] Einen Stein in den Weg der Geheimerziehung wirft dem Menschen auch alles, was er sagt, ohne daß er es gründlich in seinen Gedanken geläutert hat. Und dabei muß etwas in Betracht kommen, was hier nur durch ein Beispiel erläutert werden kann. Wenn mir jemand zum Beispiel etwas sagt und ich habe darauf zu erwidern, so muß ich bemüht sein, des anderen Meinung, Gefühl, ja Vorurteil mehr zu beachten, als was ich im Augenblicke selbst zu der in Rede stehenden Sache zu sagen habe. Hiermit ist eine feine Taktausbildung angedeutet, welcher sich der Geheimschüler sorgfältig zu widmen hat. Er muß sich ein Urteil darüber aneignen, wie weit es für den anderen eine Bedeutung hat, wenn er der seinigen die eigene Meinung entgegenhält. Nicht zurückhalten soll man deshalb mit seiner Meinung. Davon kann nicht im entferntesten die Rede sein. Aber man soll so genau als nur irgend möglich auf den anderen hinhören und aus dem, was man gehört hat, die Gestalt seiner eigenen Erwiderung formen. Immer wieder steigt in einem solchen Falle in dem Geheimschüler ein Gedanke auf; und er ist auf dem rechten Wege, wenn dieser Gedanke in ihm so lebt, daß er Charakteranlage geworden ist. Dies ist der Gedanke: «Nicht darauf kommt es an, daß ich etwas anderes meine als der andere, sondern darauf, daß der andere das Richtige aus Eigenem finden wird, wenn ich etwas dazu beitrage.» Durch solche und ähnliche Gedanken überströmt den Charakter und die Handlungsweise des Geheimschülers das Gepräge der Milde, die ein Hauptmittel aller Geheimschulung ist. Härte verscheucht um dich herum die Seelengebilde, die dein seelisches Auge erwecken sollen; Milde schafft dir die Hindernisse hinweg und öffnet deine Organe.
[ 11 ] Und mit der Milde wird sich alsbald ein anderer Zug in der Seele ausbilden: das ruhige Achten auf alle Feinheiten des seelischen Lebens in der Umgebung bei völliger Schweigsamkeit der eigenen Seelenregungen. Und hat es ein Mensch zu diesem gebracht, dann wirken die Seelenregungen seiner Umgebung auf ihn so ein, daß die eigene Seele wächst und wachsend sich gliedert, wie die Pflanze gedeiht im Sonnenlichte. Milde und Schweigsamkeit in wahrer Geduld öffnen die Seele der Seelenwelt, den Geist dem Geisterlande. – «Verharre in Ruhe und Abgeschlossenheit, schließe die Sinne für das, was sie dir vor deiner Geheimschulung überliefert haben, bringe alle Gedanken zum Stillstand, die nach deinen vorherigen Gewohnheiten in dir auf- und abwogten, werde ganz still und schweigsam in deinem Innern und warte in Geduld, dann fangen höhere Welten an, deine Seelenaugen und Geistesohren auszubilden. Du darfst nicht erwarten, daß du sogleich siehst und hörst in der Seelen-und Geisterwelt. Denn was du tust, trägt nur bei, deine höheren Sinne auszubilden. Seelisch sehen und geistig hören aber wirst du erst, wenn du diese Sinne haben wirst. Hast du eine Weile so in Ruhe und Abgeschlossenheit verharrt, so gehe an deine gewohnten Tagesgeschäfte, indem du dir vorher noch tief den Gedanken eingeprägt: es wird mir einmal werden, was mir werden soll, wenn ich dazu reif bin. Und unterlasse es streng, etwas von den höheren Gewalten durch deine Willkür an dich zu ziehen.» Das sind Anweisungen, die jeder Geheimschüler von seinem Lehrer im Beginne des Weges erhält. Beobachtet er sie, dann vervollkommnet er sich. Beobachtet er sie nicht, dann ist alles Arbeiten vergebens. Aber sie sind nur für den schwierig, der nicht Geduld und Standhaftigkeit hat. Es gibt keine anderen Hindernisse, als diejenigen sind, die sich ein jeder selbst in den Weg wirft und die auch jeder vermeiden kann, wenn er wirklich will. Das muß immer wieder betont werden, weil sich viele eine ganz falsche Vorstellung bilden über die Schwierigkeiten des Geheimpfades. Es ist in gewissem Sinne leichter, die ersten Stufen dieses Pfades zu überschreiten, als ohne Geheimschulung mit den alleralltäglichsten Schwierigkeiten des Lebens fertig zu werden. – Außerdem durften hier nur solche Dinge mitgeteilt werden, die von keinerlei Art von Gefahren begleitet sind für die körperliche und seelische Gesundheit. Es gibt ja auch andere Wege, die schneller zum Ziele führen; aber mit diesen hat, was hier gemeint ist, nichts zu tun, weil sie gewisse Wirkungen auf den Menschen haben können, die ein erfahrener Geheimkundiger nicht anstrebt. Da einiges von solchen Wegen doch immer wieder in die Öffentlichkeit dringt, so muß ausdrücklich davor gewarnt werden, sie zu betreten. Aus Gründen, die nur der Eingeweihte verstehen kann, können diese Wege nie in ihrer wahren Gestalt öffentlich bekanntgegeben werden. Und die Bruchstücke, die dort und da erscheinen, können zu nichts Gedeihlichem, wohl aber zur Untergrabung von Gesundheit, Glück und Seelenfrieden führen. Wer sich nicht ganz dunklen Mächten anvertrauen will, von deren wahrem Wesen und Ursprung er nichts wissen kann, der vermeide es, sich auf solche Dinge einzulassen.
[ 12 ] Es kann noch einiges gesagt werden über die Umgebung, in welcher die Übungen der Geheimschulung vorgenommen werden sollen. Denn darauf kommt einiges an. Doch liegt die Sache fast für jeden Menschen anders. Wer in einer Umgebung übt, die nur von selbstsüchtigen Interessen, zum Beispiel von dem modernen Kampfe ums Dasein, erfüllt ist, der muß sich bewußt sein, daß diese Interessen nicht ohne Einfluß bleiben auf die Ausbildung seiner seelischen Organe. Zwar sind die inneren Gesetze dieser Organe so stark, daß dieser Einfluß nicht ein allzu schädlicher werden kann. So wenig eine Lilie durch eine noch so unangemessene Umgebung zu einer Distel werden kann, so wenig kann sich das seelische Auge zu etwas anderem bilden, als wozu es bestimmt ist, auch wenn die selbstsüchtigen Interessen der modernen Städte darauf einwirken. Aber gut ist es unter allen Umständen, wenn der Geheimschüler ab und zu den stillen Frieden und die innere Würde und Anmut der Natur zu seiner Umgebung macht. Besonders günstig liegt die Sache bei dem, der seine Geheimschulung ganz in der grünen Pflanzenwelt oder zwischen sonnigen Bergen und dem lieben Weben der Einfalt vornehmen kann. Das treibt die inneren Organe in einer Harmonie heraus, die niemals in der modernen Stadt entstehen kann. Etwas besser als der bloße Stadtmensch ist auch schon derjenige gestellt, welcher wenigstens während seiner Kindheit Tannenluft atmen, Schneegipfel schauen und das stille Treiben der Waldtiere und Insekten beobachten durfte. Keiner derjenigen aber, denen es aufgegeben ist, in der Stadt zu leben, darf es unterlassen, seinen in Bildung begriffenen Seelen- und Geistesorganen als Nahrung die inspirierten Lehren der Geistesforschung zuzuführen. Wessen Auge nicht jeden Frühling die Wälder Tag für Tag in ihrem Grün verfolgen kann, der sollte dafür seinem Herzen die erhabenen Lehren der Bhagavad-Gita, des Johannes-Evangeliums, des Thomas von Kempen und die Darstellungen der geisteswissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse zuführen. Viele Wege gibt es zum Gipfel der Einsicht; aber eine richtige Wahl ist unerläßlich. – Der Geheimkundige weiß gar manches über solche Wege zu sagen, was dem Uneingeweihten absonderlich erscheint. Es kann zum Beispiel jemand sehr weit auf dem Geheimpfade sein. Er kann sozusagen unmittelbar vor dem Öffnen der seelischen Augen und geistigen Ohren stehen; und dann hat er das Glück, eine Fahrt über das ruhige oder vielleicht auch das wildbewegte Meer zu machen, und eine Binde löst sich von seinen Seelenaugen: plötzlich wird er sehend. – Ein anderer ist ebenfalls so weit, daß diese Binde sich nur zu lösen braucht; es geschieht durch einen starken Schicksalsschlag. Auf einen anderen Menschen hätte dieser Schlag wohl den Einfluß gehabt, daß er seine Kraft lähmte, seine Energie untergrübe; für den Geheimschüler wird er zum Anlaß der Erleuchtung. – Ein dritter harrt in Geduld aus; Jahre hindurch hat er so geharrt, ohne eine merkliche Frucht. Plötzlich in seinem ruhigen Sitzen in der stillen Kammer wird es geistig Licht um ihn, die Wände verschwinden, werden seelisch durchsichtig, und eine neue Welt breitet sich vor seinem sehend gewordenen Auge aus oder erklingt seinem hörend gewordenen Geistesohre.
Practical Aspects
[ 1 ] When a person undergoes his training with regard to feelings, thoughts and moods in the way described in the chapters on preparation, enlightenment and initiation, he brings about a similar organization in his soul and spirit as nature has brought about in his physical body. Before this training, soul and spirit are unstructured masses. The clairvoyant perceives them as interlocking, spiral vortices of mist, which are preferably perceived as reddish and reddish-brown or even reddish-yellow colors with a dull glow; after the formation they begin to shine spiritually like the yellowish-green, greenish-blue colors and show a regular structure. Man attains such regularity and thus higher knowledge when he brings the same order to his feelings, thoughts and moods as nature has brought to his bodily functions, so that he can see, hear, digest, breathe, speak and so on. - The secret disciple gradually learns to breathe and see with the soul and so on, to hear and speak with the spirit and so on.
[ 2 ] Only a few practical aspects belonging to the higher education of the soul and spirit will be explained in more detail here. They are those that basically anyone can follow without taking other rules into consideration and through which they can progress a long way in the secret science.
[ 3 ] A special training must be sought in patience. Every impatient impulse has a paralyzing, even deadening effect on the higher abilities dormant in man. One should not demand that immeasurable insights into the higher worlds open up overnight. For then, as a rule, they will certainly not come; contentment with the least that one achieves, peace and serenity should increasingly take possession of the soul. - It is understandable that the learner impatiently awaits the results. Nevertheless, he achieves nothing as long as he does not master this impatience. Nor is it of any use to fight this impatience in the ordinary sense of the word. Then it only gets stronger. You then deceive yourself about it, and in the depths of your soul it only sits all the stronger. Only if you give yourself over and over again to a very specific thought, making it completely your own, will you achieve anything. This thought is: "I must indeed do everything for the education of my soul and spirit; but I will quite calmly wait until I am found worthy of certain enlightenment by higher powers." If this thought becomes so powerful in a person that it develops into a character trait, then one is on the right path. This character disposition will then already be expressed outwardly. The gaze of the eye becomes calm, the movements sure, the decisions determined, and all that is called nervousness gradually departs from the person. Seemingly insignificant, small rules come into consideration. For example, someone inflicts an insult on us. Before our secret education, we turn our feelings against the insulter. Anger wells up inside us. In the secret student, however, the thought immediately arises on such an occasion: "Such an insult changes nothing about my value"; and he then does what is to be done against the insult with calmness and composure, not out of anger. Of course, it is not a question of simply accepting every insult, but of being as calm and confident in the punishment of an insult to oneself as one would be if the insult had been inflicted on someone else, for whom one has the right to punish it. - It must always be borne in mind that secret training does not take place in gross external processes, but in subtle, silent transformations of the emotional and mental life.
[ 4 ] Patience attracts the treasures of higher knowledge. Impatience repels them. In haste and restlessness, nothing can be attained in the higher realms of existence. Above all, desire and desire must be silent. These are qualities of the soul from which all higher knowledge shies away. As valuable as all higher knowledge is, it must not be demanded if it is to come to us. He who wants it for his own sake will never attain it. - And this requires above all that one is true to oneself in the deepest soul. One must not deceive oneself in anything about oneself. You must look your own faults, weaknesses and inadequacies in the face with inner truthfulness. - The moment you excuse any of your weaknesses to yourself, you have placed a stone on the path that should lead you upwards. You can only remove such stones through self-enlightenment. There is only one way to get rid of your mistakes and weaknesses, and that is to recognize them correctly. Everything lies dormant in the human soul and can be awakened. People can also improve their intellect and reason if they calmly and serenely realize why they are weak in this respect. Such self-knowledge is of course difficult, because the temptation to deceive oneself is immeasurably great. Those who become accustomed to truth against themselves open the gates to higher insight.
[ 5 ] Any curiosity must disappear in the secret disciple. He must as much as possible get out of the habit of asking questions about things that he only wants to know to satisfy his personal thirst for knowledge. He should only ask what can serve him to perfect his being in the service of development. At the same time, however, his joy and devotion to knowledge should not be paralyzed in any way. He should devoutly listen to everything that serves such a goal and seek out every opportunity for such devotion.
[ 6 ] In particular, an education of desire is necessary for secret training. One should not become desireless. Because everything we are supposed to achieve, we should also wish for. And a wish will always come true if there is a very special power behind it. This power comes from the right recognition. "Not to wish in any way before you have recognized the right thing in a field" is one of the golden rules for the secret disciple. The wise man first learns the laws of the world, then his wishes become forces which are realized. - An example that has a clear effect should be given here. Certainly many people wish to learn something about their life before they were born from their own experience. Such a wish is quite futile and fruitless as long as the person concerned has not acquired the knowledge of the laws through spiritual scientific study - and indeed in their finest, most intimate character - of the essence of the eternal. But if he has really acquired this knowledge and then wants to progress, he will do so through his refined, purified desire.
[ 7 ] It is also useless to say: Yes, I want to overlook my previous life and learn for that very purpose. Rather, one must be able to let go of this desire completely, to eliminate it entirely from oneself, and first learn without this intention. One must develop the joy, the devotion to what one has learned without the aforementioned intention. This is the only way to learn to have the corresponding desire in such a way that it leads to its fulfillment.
[ 8 ] When I am wrathful or annoyed, I erect a wall around myself in the world of the soul and the forces that should develop my soul's eyes cannot approach me. For example, if a person annoys me, he sends a spiritual current into the soul world. I cannot see this current as long as I am still able to get angry. My anger hides it from me. Now I must not believe that I will immediately have a spiritual (astral) manifestation when I am no longer angry. For this requires that a spiritual eye first develops in me. But the disposition for such an eye lies in every human being. It remains ineffective as long as a person is capable of getting angry. But it is also not immediately there when one has fought a little against anger. Rather, one must continue to fight anger and continue to do so patiently; then one day one will realize that this spiritual eye has developed. However, anger is not the only thing you have to fight to achieve this goal. Many people become impatient or doubtful because they have been fighting against certain qualities of the soul for years and the clairvoyance does not materialize. They have then developed some qualities and let others overgrow all the more. The gift of clairvoyance only occurs when all the qualities that prevent the corresponding dormant abilities from emerging have been suppressed. However, the beginnings of seeing (or hearing) appear earlier; but these are delicate little plants that are easily subject to all kinds of errors and that also die easily if they are not carefully nurtured and cared for.
[ 9 ] Fearfulness, superstition and prejudice, vanity and ambition, curiosity and unnecessary communicativeness, making distinctions between people according to outward signs of rank, sex, tribe and so on are among the qualities that must be combated, just like anger and resentment. In our time it will be quite difficult to understand that combating such qualities has anything to do with increasing the capacity for knowledge. But every secret scientist knows that much more depends on such things than on the expansion of intelligence and the setting up of artificial exercises. In particular, a misunderstanding can easily arise when some believe that one should be foolhardy because one should be fearless, that one should close oneself off to the differences between people because one should fight against prejudices of class, race and so on. Rather, one only learns to recognize correctly when one is no longer caught up in prejudices. It is already true in the ordinary sense that the fear of an appearance prevents me from judging it clearly, that a racial prejudice prevents me from looking into a person's soul. The secret disciple must develop this ordinary sense with great subtlety and acuity.
[ 10 ] A stone is also thrown in the way of secret education by everything a man says without having thoroughly purified it in his thoughts. And here something must be taken into consideration which can only be explained by an example. For example, if someone says something to me and I have to reply to it, I must endeavor to pay more attention to the other person's opinion, feeling, even prejudice, than to what I myself have to say at the moment about the matter in question. This indicates a fine training in tact to which the secret disciple must devote himself carefully. He must acquire a judgment as to how far it is significant for the other person when he opposes his own opinion with his own. One should therefore not hold back with one's opinion. There can be no question of that. But you should listen to the other person as carefully as possible and form your own response from what you have heard. Again and again in such a case a thought arises in the secret disciple; and he is on the right path when this thought lives in him in such a way that it has become a character trait. This is the thought: "It does not matter that I mean something different from the other, but that the other will find the right thing of his own if I contribute something to it." Through such and similar thoughts, the character and conduct of the secret disciple is imbued with mildness, which is a principal means of all secret training. Hardness frightens away the mental formations around you that are supposed to awaken your spiritual eye; mildness removes the obstacles and opens your organs.
[ 11 ] And with mildness another trait will soon develop in the soul: the calm attention to all the subtleties of spiritual life in the surroundings with complete silence of one's own soul emotions. And when a person has reached this stage, the soul impulses of his surroundings affect him in such a way that his own soul grows and develops like a plant thriving in the sunlight. Mildness and silence in true patience open the soul to the world of souls, the spirit to the land of spirits. - "Remain in peace and seclusion, close your senses to what they have handed down to you before your secret training, bring to a standstill all thoughts that have been surging up and down within you according to your previous habits, become completely still and silent within yourself and wait in patience, then higher worlds will begin to train your soul eyes and spirit ears. You must not expect to see and hear immediately in the world of souls and spirits. For what you do only helps to train your higher senses. But you will only see spiritually and hear spiritually when you have these senses. Once you have remained in peace and seclusion for a while, go about your usual daily business by first deeply imprinting the thought in your mind: I will become what I am meant to become when I am ready. And strictly refrain from drawing anything from the higher powers to yourself by your arbitrary will." These are instructions that every secret disciple receives from his teacher at the beginning of the path. If he observes them, he perfects himself. If he does not observe them, then all work is in vain. But they are only difficult for those who do not have patience and steadfastness. There are no other obstacles than those which everyone throws in his own way and which everyone can avoid if he really wants to. This must be emphasized again and again, because many people form a completely false idea about the difficulties of the secret path. In a certain sense, it is easier to cross the first stages of this path than to cope with the most everyday difficulties of life without secret training. - Moreover, only those things may be communicated here that are not accompanied by any kind of danger to physical and mental health. There are, of course, other ways that lead more quickly to the goal; but what is meant here has nothing to do with these, because they can have certain effects on the person that an experienced secret practitioner does not strive for. Since some of these paths do repeatedly come to public attention, we must expressly warn against entering them. For reasons that only the initiated can understand, these paths can never be made public in their true form. And the fragments that appear here and there can lead to nothing beneficial, but to the undermining of health, happiness and peace of mind. Those who do not want to entrust themselves entirely to dark forces, of whose true nature and origin they can know nothing, should avoid getting involved in such things.
[ 12 ] A few things can be said about the environment in which the exercises of secret training should be carried out. Because a lot depends on it. But the situation is different for almost everyone. Whoever practises in an environment that is only filled with selfish interests, for example the modern struggle for existence, must be aware that these interests will not remain without influence on the development of his spiritual organs. It is true that the inner laws of these organs are so strong that this influence cannot become too harmful. As little as a lily can become a thistle through an inappropriate environment, so little can the soul's eye develop into something other than what it is destined for, even if the selfish interests of modern cities influence it. But it is good under all circumstances if the secret student occasionally makes the quiet peace and the inner dignity and grace of nature his surroundings. The situation is particularly favorable for those who can undertake their secret training entirely in the green world of plants or between sunny mountains and the lovely weaving of simplicity. This drives out the inner organs in a harmony that can never arise in the modern city. Those who have at least been able to breathe pine air, look at snowy peaks and observe the quiet hustle and bustle of forest animals and insects during their childhood are somewhat better off than mere city dwellers. But none of those who have been given the task of living in the city may refrain from feeding their educated souls and minds with the inspired teachings of spiritual research. Those whose eyes cannot follow the greenery of the forests day after day every spring should instead feed their hearts with the sublime teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, the Gospel of St. John, St. Thomas of Kempen and the presentations of the results of spiritual science. There are many paths to the summit of insight; but a correct choice is indispensable. - Those who know the secret know many things about such paths that seem strange to the uninitiated. For example, someone can be very far along the secret path. He may, so to speak, be on the point of opening his soul's eyes and spiritual ears; and then he has the good fortune to take a voyage over the calm or perhaps the wildly moving sea, and a blindfold comes off his soul's eyes: suddenly he becomes seeing. - Another is also so far gone that this blindfold only needs to come off; it happens through a strong stroke of fate. On another person this blow would probably have had the effect of paralyzing his strength, undermining his energy; for the secret disciple it becomes the occasion of enlightenment. - A third one endures in patience; he has endured for years without any noticeable fruit. Suddenly, as he sits quietly in the silent chamber, there is a spiritual light around him, the walls disappear, become spiritually transparent, and a new world spreads out before his eyes, which have become seeing, or sounds to his ears, which have become hearing.