Occult Science
GA 13
VII. Details from the Realm of Spiritual Science
The Ether Body of Man
[ 1 ] If higher members of man are observed by means of supersensible perception, this perception is never completely similar to perception with the outer senses. If the human being touches an object and has a perception of heat, he must distinguish between what comes from the object, what streams out of it, as it were, and what he himself experiences in his soul. The inner soul experience of the sensation of heat is something quite different from the heat streaming from the object. Let us now imagine this soul experience alone, without the outer object. Let us imagine the experience of a sensation of heat in the soul without an outer physical cause. If such an experience were simply present without a cause, it would be imaginary. The student of the spiritual experiences such inner perceptions without physical cause, and above all, without their being caused by his own body. These perceptions appear at a certain stage of development, however, in such a way that he is able to know (as has been shown, through the experience itself) that the inner perception is not imaginary, but that it is caused by a being of the world of soul and spirit in a supersensory outer world just as the usual sensation of heat, for example, is caused by an outer physical-sensory object. This is also the case when one speaks of a color perception. There a distinction must be made between the color of the outer object and the inner sensation of color in the soul. Let us visualize the inner sensation of the soul when it perceives a red object of the outer physical-sensory world. Let us imagine that we retain a vivid memory of the impression, but we turn the eye away from the object. Let us now visualize as an inner experience what we then retain as memory picture of the color. We shall then distinguish between the inner experience of the color, and the outer color. These inner experiences are certainly different in content from the outer sense-impressions. They bear much more the character of what is felt as pain and joy than the normal outer sensation. Now think that such an inner experience arises in the soul without an outer physical-sensory object or the memory of such an object as the cause. A person able to have supersensible perceptions may have such an experience. He is also able to know, in the case in question, that it is not imaginary, but the expression of a being of the world of soul and spirit. If this being now calls forth an impression similar to the one made by a red object of the physical-sensory world, it may then be designated red. In the case of a physical-sensory object, the outer impression will always be there first; then comes the inner color experience. In the case of true supersensible perception by the human being of our time, the process must be reversed: first the inner experience, shadowlike, like a mere color memory, and then a picture that becomes ever more vivid. The less attention one pays to the fact that the process must occur in this manner, the less one will be able to distinguish between real spiritual perception and imaginary deception, hallucination, and so forth. Whether the vividness of the picture, in the case of such a perception of the world of soul and spirit, remains entirely shadowlike, like a dim visualization, or whether it produces an intensive effect, like an outer object, will depend entirely upon the development of the student of the spiritual.—It is possible to describe the general impression that the clairvoyant has of the human ether body thus: If the person who has supersensible perception has developed such a power of will that, in spite of the presence of a physical man before him, he is capable of diverting his attention from what the physical eye beholds, then he is able by means of supersensible consciousness to look into the space occupied by the physical human being. Of course, a strong increase of will is necessary in order not only to turn the attention away from something one thinks but from something that stands before one, so that the physical impression becomes entirely extinguished. But this increase of will is possible, and it appears as a result of the exercises for the attainment of supersensible cognition. The one who is thus able to cognize may then have, in the first instance, a general impression of the ether body. In his soul the same inner sensation emerges that he has by looking at the color of the peach blossom; this then increases in intensity and enables him to say that the ether body has the color of the peach blossom. Then he perceives also the individual organs and currents of the ether body. We may, however, describe the ether body further by indicating the experiences of the soul that correspond to the sensations of heat, to the impressions of tone, and so forth. For it is not merely a phenomenon of color. In the same sense the astral body and the other members of man's being may be described. Whoever considers this will understand how descriptions are to be taken that are made in the sense of spiritual science. (See Chapter II in this book.)
The Astral World
[ 2 ] As long as we observe only the physical world, the earth as a dwelling place of man appears like a separate cosmic body. If, however, supersensible cognition rises to different worlds, this separation ceases. It was, therefore, possible to say that imagination perceives, together with the earth, the Moon condition developed right into the present. Not only does the supersensible realm of the earth belong to the world we enter in this way, but embedded in it are still other cosmic bodies, physically separated from the earth. The knower of supersensible worlds does then not merely observe the supersensible nature of the earth, but, at the outset, also the supersensible nature of other cosmic bodies. (That it is primarily a question of observing the supersensible nature of other cosmic bodies should be considered by those who are impelled to ask the question: Why do the clairvoyants not tell us about the conditions on Mars? Such a questioner has the physical-sensory conditions in mind.) In the presentation of this book it was, therefore, possible also to speak of certain relationships of the earth evolution with the simultaneously occurring Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars evolutions, and so forth.—When the human astral body yields to sleep, it does not then belong to the earth conditions only, but to worlds in which still other cosmic realms, stellar worlds, astral worlds, partake. Indeed, these worlds are also active in the astral body of man during the waking state. Therefore, the name “astral body” seems to be justified.
The Life of Man After Death
[ 3 ] In the exposition of this book we have spoken of the time during which, after the death of the human being, the astral body still remains united with the ether body. During this time a gradually fading memory of the whole life just passed is present. (See Chapter III.) The length of this period varies with different human beings. It depends upon the degree of power with which the astral body of the individual human being holds fast to the ether body, upon the degree of force the former exercises upon the latter. Supersensible cognition may have an impression of this power when it observes a human being who, because of his state of body and soul, ought to be asleep, but who remains awake by means of inner strength. It now becomes evident that different people are able to remain awake for greatly varying lengths of time without being overpowered by sleep. For the most extreme length of time that a human being is able to remain awake does the memory of the life just passed through continue after death, that is to say, does the connection of the astral with the ether body last.
[ 4 ] When the ether body is released from man after death, a portion of it still remains for the rest of man's future evolution. This may be described as an extract or an essence of this body. This extract contains the fruits of the past life, and it is the bearer of everything that, during man's spiritual development between death and a new birth, unfolds as a germinal beginning of the subsequent life. (Compare Chapter 3.)
[ 5 ] The length of time between death and a new birth is determined by the fact that, as a rule, the ego returns to the physical-sensory world only after the latter has been changed sufficiently to make it possible for the ego to experience something new. While the ego remains in the spiritual realms, the earthly dwelling place undergoes a change. This change is connected in a certain respect with the great changes in the cosmos, with the changed position of earth and sun, and so forth. These are changes, however, in which certain repetitions take place in connection with new conditions. They express themselves outwardly, for instance, through the fact that the point of the celestial sphere at which the sun rises in the beginning of spring makes a complete circle in the course of 26,000 years. This vernal equinox thus resolves, in the course of that period, from one celestial region to another. In the course of one twelfth of this period, in about 2,100 years, the conditions on the earth have altered so much that the human soul can experience something new after a preceding incarnation. Since the experiences of a human being are different according to his incarnation as a woman or as a man, there occur as a rule two incarnations within the characterized period of 2,100 years, one as a man and one as a woman. These things, however, depend also upon the nature of the forces man takes with him from earth existence through the door of death. It should, therefore, be understood that all indications given here are valid in the essentials; in individual cases, however, they show themselves varied in the most manifold way. How long the human being remains in the spiritual world between death and a new birth depends in one way only upon the described conditions in the cosmos. In another regard this depends on the states of development through which man passes during that time. These states lead the ego, after a certain lapse of time, to a spiritual condition that finds no further satisfaction in its inner spiritual experiences, and which develops the longing toward the change of consciousness that finds satisfaction in the reflection through physical experience. Through the co-operation of this inner thirst for incarnation and the possibility offered by the cosmos of finding the corresponding bodily organism the entrance of the human being into earth-life occurs. Since there must be a twofold cooperation, incarnation occurs, in one instance,—although the “thirst for incarnation” has not yet attained its full intensity—because an approximately fitting embodiment can be realized; it occurs, in another instance,—although the thirst for incarnation has overstepped its normal intensity—because at the corresponding time there was no possibility yet of embodiment. The general mood of life in which a human being finds himself because of the constitution of his bodily nature is connected with these conditions.
The Course of Human Life
[ 6 ] The life of the human being as it expresses itself in the succession of conditions between birth and death can only be grasped completely by taking into account not only the sensory-physical body, but also those changes that occur in the supersensory principles of human nature.—We may regard these changes in the following manner. Physical birth represents the breaking loose of the human being from the physical maternal sheath. Forces, which the embryonic human being had in common with the maternal body before birth, are present in him after birth only as independent forces. Later in life, however, supersensible events occur for supersensible perception, resembling the sensory events occurring at physical birth. Up to the time of his change of teeth (at the sixth or seventh year), the human being, in regard to his ether body, is surrounded by an etheric sheath. This falls away at this period of life. A “birth” of the ether body takes place. The human being, however, still continues to be enclosed by an astral sheath; this falls away between the twelfth and sixteenth years, (at the time of puberty). The “birth” of the astral body then takes place. And still later the actual ego is born. (The fruitful points of view for education, which result from these supersensible facts, are to be found in my brochure, The Education of the Child from the Standpoint of Spiritual Science. In this booklet also may be found a further exposition of what here can only be indicated.) Man, after the birth of the ego, lives so as to fit himself into the conditions of the world and life and is active within them according to the principles working through the ego: sentient soul, intellectual soul, and consciousness soul. Then a time arrives when the ether body retraces the processes of his development from the seventh year onward. Whereas the astral body has previously developed in such a way that it has first unfolded in itself what was already present in him as a possibility at birth, and then, after the birth of the ego, has enriched itself through the experiences of the outer world, it begins from a certain point of time to nourish itself spiritually by its own ether body. It feeds on the ether body. In the further course of life the ether body also begins to feed on the physical body. With this is connected the decline of the physical body in old age.—As a result the course of human life falls into three periods: one in which the physical and ether bodies unfold; another in which the astral body and the ego are developed; finally the third period in which the ether and physical bodies reverse their development. The astral body, however, participates in all processes between birth and death. Through the fact of its being actually born spiritually only between the twelfth and sixteenth years and of its being compelled, during the last period of life, to feed on the forces of the ether and physical bodies, what it is able to do through its own forces develops more slowly than it would were it not in a physical and ether body. After death, when the physical and ether bodies have fallen away, the development during the period of purification (compare Chapter 3), therefore, takes place in such a way that it lasts about one third of the duration of life between birth and death.
The Higher Regions of the Spiritual World
[ 7 ] By means of imagination, inspiration, and intuition supersensible cognition gradually reaches the regions of the spiritual world in which there are accessible to it the beings that participate in the evolution of the cosmos and man. Through this fact it is also possible for this cognition to follow up human evolution between death and a new birth so that this becomes comprehensible. There are, however, still higher regions of existence that can only be briefly alluded to here. If supersensible cognition has raised itself up to the stage of intuition, it then lives in a world of spiritual beings. These beings also undergo development. The concerns of modern mankind extend, so to speak, into the world of intuition. To be sure, the human being also receives influences from still higher worlds in the course of his development between death and a new birth, but he does not experience these influences directly; the beings of the spiritual world convey them to him, and if these are taken into consideration, we then have everything that happens to man. The affairs of these beings, however, what they need for themselves in order to lead human development, can be observed only through cognition that reaches beyond intuition. In this we have a hint concerning higher spiritual worlds that are to be thought of as being of such a character that spiritual matters, which on earth are the most exalted, belong there to those on a lower level. For example, within the earth region, reasoned conclusions are among the highest achievements, while the effects of the mineral kingdom are among the lowest. In those higher regions, reasoned conclusions approximate what are on earth mineral effects. Beyond the region of intuition lies the realm in which, out of spiritual causes, the cosmic plan is spun.
The Members of Man's Being
[ 8 ] When it has been said (compare beginning of Chapter IV) that the ego works on the members of man's being—on the physical, ether, and astral bodies—and fashions these, in reverse order, into spirit self, life spirit, and spirit man, this refers to the work of the ego on the being of man by means of the highest faculties, which began their development only in the course of the earth periods. This transformation, however, is preceded by another on a lower stage, and through this the sentient soul, intellectual soul, and consciousness soul are developed. For, while during the course of human evolution the sentient soul is formed, transformations in the astral body take place; the formation of the intellectual soul expresses itself in transformations in the ether body, the formation of the consciousness soul in transformations in the physical body. In the course of the description of the Earth evolution given in this book, the details of these processes were indicated. We may thus say, in a certain sense, that the sentient soul is already based upon a transformed astral body, the intellectual soul upon a transformed ether body, and the consciousness soul upon a transformed physical body. We may, however, also say that these three soul principles are parts of the astral body, for the consciousness soul, for example, is only possible through its being an astral entity in a physical body adapted to it. It lives an astral life in a physical body that has been fashioned into its dwelling place.
The Dream State
[ 9 ] The dream state has been characterized, in a certain respect, in the earlier chapter, Sleep and Death. It is to be conceived of, on the one hand, as being a remnant of the ancient picture consciousness that man possessed during the Moon evolution and also during a large part of Earth evolution. For evolution advances in such a fashion that the earlier states play over into the later. Thus, a remnant now appears in the human being during the dream state of what was previously a normal state. On the other hand, however, this state is different from ancient picture consciousness, for the ego, since its development, plays also into the processes of the astral body taking place in sleep while man is dreaming. Thus, in dreams we have a picture consciousness transformed through the presence of the ego. Since the ego, however, does not consciously carry on its activity upon the astral body during the state of dreaming, nothing that belongs to the realm of dream life must be considered as belonging to what in truth can lead to a spiritual-scientific knowledge of supersensible worlds. The same is true for what is often designated as vision, premonition, or second-sight (deuteroscopy). These come into existence through the ego's eliminating itself with the result that remnants of ancient states of consciousness arise. These have no direct use in spiritual science. What is observed by them cannot be considered in the true sense a result of the latter.
The Acquirement of Supersensible knowledge
[ 10 ] The path leading to a knowledge of supersensible worlds that has been described more explicitly in this book may also be called the “direct path of knowledge.” Another exists beside it that we may designate as the “path of feeling.” It would, however, be quite incorrect to believe that the first path has nothing to do with the development of feeling. On the contrary, it leads to the greatest possible deepening of the life of feeling. The path of feeling, however, turns directly to feeling only and seeks to ascend from this to knowledge. It is based upon the fact that when the soul surrenders itself completely to a feeling for a certain length of time, this feeling transforms itself into knowledge, into a picture-like perception. If, for example, the soul fills itself completely during weeks, months, or even a longer period, with the feeling of humility, then the content of feeling transforms itself into a perception. One may, by passing step by step through such feelings, also find a path into supersensible regions. This, however, is not easily carried out by modern man under ordinary life-conditions. Seclusion, retirement from present-day life is an almost unavoidable necessity for this path. For the impressions experienced in daily life disturb, especially at the beginning, what the soul reaches through its immersion in certain feelings. In contrast to this, the path of knowledge described in this book can be carried out in every situation of modern life.
Observation of Special Events and Beings of the World of Spirit
[ 11 ] The question may be asked whether inner meditation and the other means described of attaining supersensible cognition permit only a general observation of man between death and a new birth or of other spiritual processes, or whether they permit the observation of quite definite processes and beings, for example, of some particular deceased person. The answer to this must be: Whoever acquires by the described means the faculty of observing the spiritual world, may also reach the point of observing detailed occurrences within it. He makes himself capable of coming in contact with human beings dwelling in the world of spirit between death and a new birth. One must, however, pay heed to the fact that this must happen, in the sense of spiritual science, only after one has gone through the regular training in supersensible cognition. Only then is one able, in regard to special events and beings, to distinguish between delusion and reality. Whoever wishes to observe details without the proper training may fall a victim to many deceptions. Even the most elementary achievement, namely, the understanding of the way in which such impressions of special supersensible facts are to be interpreted is not possible without an advanced spiritual training. The training that leads into the higher worlds for the observation of what is described in this book leads also to the ability to follow the life of an individual human being after death. It also leads to the observation and understanding of all special beings of the world of soul and spirit who influence from hidden worlds the outer manifested world. Nevertheless, correct observation of details is only possible upon the basis of cognition of the general, great cosmic and human facts of the spiritual world that concern every human being. Whoever desires the one without desiring the other goes astray. It belongs to the experiences that must be undergone in regard to the observation of the spiritual world that the admission into the realms of supersensible existence for which one longs at the very first is granted only when the student has striven on solemn and difficult paths, leading to problems of general knowledge, for that which gives information about the meaning of life. If he has trodden these paths with a pure and unegotistical urge for knowledge, then only is he mature enough to observe details, the observation of which would have been previously only a satisfying of egotistical longings, even though he had persuaded himself that it was only his love of someone who is dead, for example, that had made him strive for an insight into the spiritual world. The insight into the special is only possible for him who, from sincere interest for general spiritual-scientific knowledge, has gained the possibility of accepting also the special without any egotistical desire like an objective scientific truth.
Einzelheiten aus dem Gebiet der Geheimwissenschaft
Der Ätherleib des Menschen
[ 1 ] Wenn höhere Glieder des Menschen durch die übersinnliche Wahrnehmung beobachtet werden, dann ist diese Wahrnehmung niemals vollkommen gleich einer solchen, welche durch die äußeren Sinne gemacht wird. Wenn der Mensch einen Gegenstand berührt, und er hat eine Wärmewahrnehmung, so muss man unterscheiden zwischen dem, was vom Gegenstande kommt, von diesem gleichsam ausströmt, und dem, was man in der Seele erlebt. Das innere Seelenerlebnis der WärmeEmpfindung ist etwas anderes als die vom Gegenstande ausströmende Wärme. Man denke sich nun dieses Seelenerlebnis ganz allein, ohne den äußeren Gegenstand. Man denke sich das Erlebnis — aber eben ein seelisches — einer WärmeEmpfindung in der Seele, ohne dass ein äußerer physischer Gegenstand die Veranlassung dazu ist. Wäre ein solches nun einfach da ohne eine Veranlassung, so wäre es eine Einbildung. Der Geistesschüler erlebt solche innere Wahrnehmungen ohne physische Veranlassung, vor allem ohne Veranlassung seines eigenen Leibes. Sie stellen sich für eine gewisse Stufe der Entwicklung aber so dar, dass er wissen kann (wie gezeigt worden ist, durch das Erlebnis selbst wissen kann), dass die innere Wahrnehmung nicht Einbildung ist, sondern dass sie ebenso bewirkt ist durch eine geistig-seelische Wesenheit einer übersinnlichen Außenwelt, wie die gewöhnliche Wärme-Empfindung zum Beispiel durch einen äußerlich physisch-sinnlichen Gegenstand. So ist es auch, wenn man von einer Farbenwahrnehmung spricht. Da muss unterschieden werden zwischen der Farbe, die am äußeren Gegenstand ist, und dem innerlichen Empfinden der Farbe in der Seele. Man vergegenwärtige sich die innere Empfindung, welche die Seele hat, wenn sie einen roten Gegenstand der physisch-sinnlichen Außenwelt wahrnimmt. Man stelle sich vor, man behalte eine recht lebhafte Erinnerung an den Eindruck; aber man wende das Auge ab von dem Gegenstande. Was man da noch als Erinnerungsvorstellung von der Farbe hat, vergegenwärtige man sich als inneres Erlebnis. Man wird dann unterscheiden zwischen dem, was inneres Erlebnis ist an der Farbe, und der äußeren Farbe. Diese inneren Erlebnisse unterscheiden sich inhaltlich durchaus von den äußeren Sinneseindrücken. Sie tragen viel mehr das Gepräge desjenigen, was als Schmerz und Freude empfunden wird, als die normale Sinnesempfindung. Nun denke man sich ein solches inneres Erlebnis in der Seele aufsteigen, ohne dass die Veranlassung dazu durch einen äußeren physisch-sinnlichen Gegenstand oder die Erinnerung an einen solchen gegeben sei. Der übersinnlich Erkennende kann ein solches Erlebnis haben. Und er kann auch in dem entsprechenden Falle wissen, dass es keine Einbildung, sondern der Ausdruck einer seelisch-geistigen Wesenheit ist. Wenn nun diese seelisch-geistige Wesenheit denselben Eindruck hervorruft wie ein roter Gegenstand der sinnlich-physischen Welt, dann mag sie rot genannt werden. Beim sinnlich-physischen Gegenstand wird aber stets zuerst da sein der äußere Eindruck und dann das innere Farbenerlebnis; beim wahren übersinnlichen Schauen des Menschen unseres Zeitalters muss es umgekehrt sein: zuerst das innere Erlebnis, das schattenhaft ist wie eine bloße Farbenerinnerung, und dann ein immer lebhafter werdendes Bild. Je weniger man darauf achtet, dass der Vorgang so sein muss, desto weniger kann man unterscheiden zwischen wirklicher geistiger Wahrnehmung und eingebildeter Täuschung (Illusion, Halluzination usw.). Wie lebhaft nun das Bild wird bei einer solchen seelisch-geistigen Wahrnehmung, ob es ganz schattenhaft bleibt, wie eine dunkle Vorstellung, ob es intensiv wirkt, wie ein äußerer Gegenstand, das hängt ganz davon ab, wie sich der übersinnlich Erkennende entwickelt hat. — Man kann nun den allgemeinen Eindruck, welchen der Schauende von dem menschlichen Ätherleib hat, so beschreiben, dass man sagt: wenn ein übersinnlich Erkennender es bis zu einer solchen Willensstärke gebracht hat, dass er, trotzdem ein physischer Mensch vor ihm steht, die Aufmerksamkeit von dem ablenken kann, was das physische Auge sieht, so vermag er durch übersinnliches Bewusstsein in den Raum, welchen der physische Mensch einnimmt, zu schauen. Es gehört selbstverständlich eine starke Steigerung des Willens dazu, um nicht nur seine Aufmerksamkeit von etwas abzuwenden, woran man denkt, sondern von etwas, das vor einem steht, so dass der physische Eindruck ganz ausgelöscht wird. Aber diese Steigerung ist möglich und sie tritt durch die Übungen zur übersinnlichen Erkenntnis auf. Der so Erkennende kann dann zunächst den allgemeinen Eindruck des Ätherleibes haben. In seiner Seele taucht auf dieselbe innere Empfindung, welche er hat beim Anblick etwa der Farbe einer Pfirsichblüte; und diese wird dann lebhaft, so dass er sagen kann: der Ätherleib hat die Farbe der Pfirsichblüte. Dann nimmt er auch die einzelnen Organe und Strömungen des Ätherleibes wahr. Man kann aber den Ätherleib auch weiter beschreiben, indem man die Erlebnisse der Seele angibt, welche Wärmeempfindungen, Toneindrücken und so weiter entsprechen. Denn er ist nicht etwa bloß eine Farbenerscheinung. In demselben Sinne können auch der Astralleib und die andern Glieder der menschlichen Wesenheit beschrieben werden. Wer das in Betracht zieht, wird einsehen, wie Beschreibungen zu nehmen sind, welche im Sinne der Geisteswissenschaft gemacht sind. (Vergleiche Kapitel II dieses Buches.)
Die astralische Welt
[ 2 ] Solange man nur die physische Welt beobachtet, stellt sich die Erde als Wohnplatz des Menschen wie ein gesonderter Weltkörper dar. Wenn aber die übersinnliche Erkenntnis zu andern Welten aufsteigt, dann hört diese Sonderung auf. Daher konnte gesagt werden, dass die Imagination mit der Erde zugleich den bis in die Gegenwart herein entwickelten Mondenzustand wahrnimmt. Diejenige Welt, welche man in dieser Art betritt, ist nun eine solche, dass zu ihr nicht nur das Übersinnliche der Erde gehört, sondern dass auch noch andere Weltenkörper in sie eingebettet sind, welche physisch von der Erde abgesondert sind. Der Erkenner übersinnlicher Welten beobachtet dann nicht bloß das Übersinnliche der Erde, sondern zunächst auch das Übersinnliche anderer Weltkörper. (Dass es sich zunächst um eine Beobachtung des Übersinnlichen anderer Weltkörper handelt, möge derjenige beachten, welcher zu der Frage gedrängt wird: warum denn die übersinnlich Schauenden nicht angeben, wie es auf dem Mars usw. aussieht. Der Fragende hat dann die physisch-sinnlichen Verhältnisse im Auge.) Daher konnte in der Darstellung dieses Buches auch gesprochen werden über gewisse Beziehungen der Erdenentwicklung zu gleichzeitigen Saturn-, Jupiter-, Marsentwicklungen usw. — Wenn des Menschen astralischer Leib nun vom Schlafe hingenommen wird, so gehört er nicht nur den Erdenzuständen an, sondern Welten, an denen noch andere Weltgebiete (Sternenwelten) beteiligt sind. Ja, diese Welten wirken auch im Wachzustande in den astralischen Leib des Menschen herein. Daher kann der Name «astralischer Leib» gerechtfertigt erscheinen.
Vom Leben des Menschen nach dem Tode
[ 3 ] Es ist in den Ausführungen dieses Buches gesprochen worden von der Zeit, durch welche hindurch, nach dem Todeseintritt des Menschen, der Astralleib noch mit dem Ätherleibe vereinigt bleibt. Während dieser Zeit ist eine allmählich verblassende Erinnerung an das ganze eben verflossene Leben vorhanden (vergleiche Kapitel III). Diese Zeit ist für verschiedene Menschen verschieden. Sie hängt davon ab, wie stark die Kraft ist, mit welcher bei einem Menschen der Astralleib den Ätherleib an sich hält, welche Gewalt der erste über den zweiten hat. Die übersinnliche Erkenntnis kann einen Eindruck von dieser Gewalt erhalten, wenn sie einen Menschen beobachtet, der eigentlich nach dem Grade seiner seelisch-leiblichen Verfassung schlafen müsste, der sich aber durch innere Kraft wach erhält. Und nun zeigt sich, dass verschiedene Menschen sich verschieden lang wach erhalten können, ohne zwischendurch von dem Schlafe überwältigt zu werden. Ungefähr so lange als ein Mensch sich im äußersten Falle, wenn es sein muss, wach erhalten kann, so lange dauert nach dem Tode die Erinnerung an das eben verflossene Leben, das heißt der Zusammenhalt mit dem Ätherleib. Wenn der Ätherleib nach dem Tode von dem Menschen losgelöst ist (vergleiche Kapitel III), so bleibt von ihm doch für alle spätere Entwicklung des Menschen noch etwas zurück, was man wie einen Extrakt oder eine Essenz desselben bezeichnen kann. Dieser Extrakt enthält die Früchte des verflossenen Lebens. Und er ist der Träger alles dessen, was während der geistigen Entwicklung des Menschen zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt sich wie ein Keim zum folgenden Leben entfaltet. (Vergleiche Kapitel III.)
[ 4 ] Die Zeit zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt (vergleiche Kapitel III) ist in ihrer Dauer dadurch bestimmt, dass das «Ich» in der Regel erst dann wieder in die physisch-sinnliche Welt zurückkehrt, wenn diese sich inzwischen so umgestaltet hat, dass Neues von dem «Ich» erlebt werden kann. Während dieses in den geistigen Gebieten ist, ändert sich der Erdenwohnplatz. Diese Änderung hängt nach einer Richtung hin mit den großen Veränderungen im Weltall zusammen; mit Veränderungen in der Stellung der Erde zur Sonne usw. Das aber sind durchaus Veränderungen, in denen gewisse Wiederholungen in Verbindung mit neuen Verhältnissen eintreten. Sie finden ihren äußeren Ausdruck darin, dass zum Beispiel der Punkt am Himmelsgewölbe, in welchem die Sonne bei Frühlingsanbeginn aufgeht, sich im Laufe von etwa 26.000 Jahren in einem vollständigen Kreise dreht. Dieser Frühlingspunkt bewegt sich dadurch im Laufe dieser Zeit von einem Himmelsgebiete zum andern. Im Verlaufe des zwölften Teiles jener Zeit, das ist in 2100 Jahren ungefähr, haben sich die Verhältnisse auf der Erde so weit verändert, dass die Menschenseele auf derselben Neues nach einer vorangegangenen Verkörperung erleben kann. Da aber die Erlebnisse des Menschen verschieden sind, je nachdem er sich als Frau oder als Mann verkörpert, so finden innerhalb des charakterisierten Zeitraumes in der Regel zwei Verkörperungen, eine als Mann, eine als Frau, statt. Doch hängen diese Dinge auch davon ab, wie die Kräfte sind, welche sich der Mensch aus dem Erdendasein durch den Tod hindurch mitnimmt. Daher sind alle solche Angaben, wie die hier gegebenen, nur so aufzufassen, dass sie im wesentlichen gelten, im einzelnen aber sich in der mannigfaltigsten Weise abgeändert zeigen. Von den angeführten Verhältnissen im Weltenall hängt es eben nur in einer Beziehung ab, wie lange das Menschen-Ich in der geistigen Welt zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt verweilt. In einer andern Beziehung hängt dies ab von den Entwicklungszuständen, welche der Mensch in dieser Zeit durchmacht. Diese Zustände führen das «Ich» nach einem gewissen Zeitablauf zu einer geistigen Verfassung, die in ihrem inneren Geisterleben nicht mehr Befriedigung findet, welche das Verlangen nach jener Bewusstseinsänderung entwickelt, die in dem Sichspiegeln durch das physische Erleben sich befriedigt. Aus dem Zusammenwirken dieses inneren Durstes nach Verkörperung und der im Weltenall gegebenen Möglichkeit, die entsprechende Leiblichkeit zu finden, erfolgt der Eintritt des Menschen in das Erdenleben. Er erfolgt — weil zweierlei zusammenwirken muss — das eine Mal, auch wenn der «Durst» noch nicht seine Höhe erreicht hat, weil eine annähernd angepasste Verkörperung erreicht werden kann; das andere Mal, auch wenn der «Durst» über seine normale Höhe hinausgeschritten ist, weil zur entsprechenden Zeit noch keine Möglichkeit der Verkörperung da war. Die allgemeine Lebensstimmung, in der sich ein Mensch durch die Beschaffenheit seines körperlichen Wesens befindet, hängt mit diesen Verhältnissen zusammen.
Der Lebenslauf des Menschen
[ 5 ] Das Leben des Menschen, wie es sich äußert in der Aufeinanderfolge der Zustände zwischen Geburt und Tod, kann nur dadurch vollständig begriffen werden, dass man nicht nur den sinnlich-physischen Leib in Betracht zieht, sondern auch jene Veränderungen, welche sich mit den übersinnlichen Gliedern der Menschennatur vollziehen. — Man kann diese Veränderungen in der folgenden Art ansehen. Die physische Geburt stellt sich dar als eine Loslösung des Menschen von der physischen Mutterhülle. Kräfte, welche der Menschenkeim vor der Geburt mit dem Leibe der Mutter gemeinsam hatte, sind nach der Geburt nur noch als selbständige in ihm selbst vorhanden. Nun gehen aber im späteren Leben für die übersinnliche Wahrnehmung ähnliche übersinnliche Ereignisse vor sich, wie die sinnlichen sind bei der physischen Geburt. Der Mensch ist nämlich ungefähr bis zum Zahnwechsel (im sechsten oder siebenten Jahre) in bezug auf seinen Ätherleib von einer ätherischen Hülle umgeben. Diese fällt in diesem Zeitabschnitte des Lebens ab. Es findet da eine «Geburt» des Ätherleibes statt. Noch immer bleibt aber der Mensch von einer astralischen Hülle umgeben, welche in der Zeit vom zwölften bis sechzehnten Jahre (zur Zeit der Geschlechtsreife) abfällt. Da findet die «Geburt» des astralischen Leibes statt. Und noch später wird das eigentliche «Ich» geboren. (Die fruchtbaren Gesichtspunkte, welche sich aus diesen übersinnlichen Tatsachen für die Handhabung der Erziehung ergeben, sind in meiner kleinen Schrift: «Die Erziehung des Kindes vom Gesichtspunkte der Geisteswissenschaft» dargestellt. Dort findet man auch weitere Ausführungen über dasjenige, was hier nur angedeutet werden kann.) Der Mensch lebt nun nach der Geburt des «Ich» so, dass er sich den Weltund Lebensverhältnissen eingliedert und innerhalb ihrer sich betätigt, nach Maßgabe der durch das «Ich» tätigen Glieder: Empfindungsseele, Verstandesseele und Bewusstseinsseele. Dann tritt eine Zeit ein, in welcher der Ätherleib sich wieder zurückbildet, in welcher er die umgekehrte Bildung seiner Entfaltung vom siebenten Jahre an wieder durchmacht. Während vorher der Astralleib sich so entwickelt hat, dass er in sich zuerst das entfaltet hat, was in ihm als Anlage bei der Geburt vorhanden war, und sich dann, nach der Geburt des «Ich», durch die Erlebnisse der Außenwelt bereichert hat, beginnt er von einem bestimmten Zeitpunkte an damit, sich von dem eigenen Ätherleibe aus geistig zu nähren. Er zehrt am Ätherleibe. Und im weiteren Verlaufe des Lebens beginnt dann auch der Ätherleib an dem physischen Leibe zu zehren. Damit hängt des letzteren Verfall im Greisenalter zusammen. — Nun zerfällt dadurch des Menschen Lebenslauf in drei Teile, in eine Zeit, in welcher der physische Leib und Ätherleib sich entfalten, dann in diejenige, in welcher der Astralleib und das «Ich» zur Entwicklung kommen, und endlich diejenige, in welcher Ätherleib und physischer Leib sich wieder zurückverwandeln. Nun ist aber der astralische Leib bei allen Vorgängen zwischen Geburt und Tod beteiligt. Dadurch, dass er eigentlich aber erst mit dem zwölften bis sechzehnten Jahre geistig geboren ist und in der letzten Lebensepoche von den Kräften des Ätherleibes und physischen Leibes zehren muss, wird dasjenige, was er durch seine eigenen Kräfte kann, sich langsamer entwickeln, als wenn es nicht in einem physischen und Ätherleibe wäre. Nach dem Tode, wenn physischer und Ätherleib abgefallen sind, geht die Entwicklung in der Läuterungszeit (vergleiche Kapitel III> deshalb ungefähr so vor sich, dass sie ein Drittel derjenigen Dauer beträgt, die das Leben zwischen Geburt und Tod in Anspruch nimmt.
Die höheren Gebiete der geistigen Welt
[ 6 ] Durch Imagination, Inspiration und Intuition steigt die übersinnliche Erkenntnis allmählich in diejenigen Gebiete der geistigen Welt hinauf, in welchen ihr erreichbar sind die Wesen, welche an der Weltund Menschheitsentwicklung beteiligt sind. Und es wird ihr dadurch auch möglich, die Entwicklung des Menschen zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt so zu verfolgen, dass diese verständlich wird. Nun gibt es noch höhere Gebiete des Daseins, auf welche hier nur ganz kurz hingedeutet werden kann. Wenn sich die übersinnliche Erkenntnis bis zur Intuition erhoben hat, dann lebt sie in einer Welt geistiger Wesen. Auch diese machen Entwicklungen durch. Was Angelegenheit der gegenwärtigen Menschheit ist, das erstreckt sich gewissermaßen bis in die Welt der Intuition hinauf. Allerdings empfängt der Mensch auch Einflüsse aus noch höheren Welten im Laufe seiner Entwicklung zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt; aber diese Einflüsse erfährt er nicht direkt; die Wesen der geistigen Welt führen sie ihm zu. Und werden diese betrachtet, so ergibt sich alles, was an dem Menschen geschieht. Die eigenen Angelegenheiten aber dieser Wesen, dasjenige, was sie für sich brauchen, um die menschliche Entwicklung zu führen, können nur durch eine Erkenntnis beobachtet werden, welche über die Intuition hinausgeht. Es ergibt sich damit der Hinweis auf Welten, welche so vorzustellen sind, dass geistige Angelegenheiten, welche auf der Erde die höchsten sind, dort zu den niedrigeren gehören. Vernünftige Entschlüsse zum Beispiel gehören innerhalb des Erdengebietes zu dem höchsten; die Wirkungen des mineralischen Reiches zu dem niedrigsten. In jenen höheren Regionen sind vernünftige Entschlüsse ungefähr das, was auf Erden die mineralischen Wirkungen sind. Über dem Gebiete der Intuition liegt die Region, in welcher aus geistigen Ursachen heraus der Weltenplan gesponnen wird.
Die Wesensglieder des Menschen
[ 7 ] Wenn gesagt worden ist (vergleiche Seite 69 und die folgenden), das «Ich» arbeite an den menschlichen Wesensgliedern, dem physischen Leib, dem Ätherleib und dem astralischen Leib, und gestalte diese in umgekehrter Folge um zu Geistselbst, Lebensgeist und Geistesmensch, so bezieht sich dieses auf die Arbeit des Ich an der menschlichen Wesenheit durch die höchsten Fähigkeiten, mit deren Entwicklung erst im Laufe der Erdenzustände der Anfang gemacht worden ist. Dieser Umgestaltung geht aber eine andere auf einer niedrigeren Stufe voran, und durch diese entstehen Empfindungsseele, Verstandesseele und Bewusstseinsseele. Denn während sich im Laufe der Entwicklung des Menschen die Empfindungsseele bildet, gehen Veränderungen im Astralleibe vor sich, die Bildung der Verstandesseele drückt sich in Verwandlungen des Ätherleibes, und jene der Bewusstseinsseele in solchen des physischen Leibes aus. Im Verlaufe der Schilderung der Erdenentwicklung, welche in diesem Buche gegeben worden ist, wurde darüber das Nähere angegeben. So kann man also in einer gewissen Beziehung sagen: schon die Empfindungsseele beruhe auf einem verwandelten Astralleib; die Verstandesseele auf einem verwandelten Ätherleib; die Bewusstseinsseele auf einem verwandelten physischen Leib. Man kann aber auch sagen, diese drei Seelenglieder seien Teile des astralischen Leibes, denn nur dadurch ist zum Beispiel die Bewusstseinsseele möglich, dass sie eine astralische Wesenheit in einem ihr angepassten physischen Leib ist. Sie lebt ein australisches Leben in einem zu ihrem Wohnplatz bearbeiteten physischen Leib.
Der Traumzustand
[ 8 ] Der Traumzustand ist in einer gewissen Beziehung im Kapitel III dieser Schrift charakterisiert worden. Er ist aufzufassen auf der einen Seite als ein Überrest des alten Bilderbewusstseins, wie es dem Menschen während der Mondenentwicklung und auch noch während eines großen Teiles der Erdenentwicklung eigen war. Die Entwicklung schreitet eben so vorwärts, dass frühere Zustände in spätere hin einspielen. Und so kommt während des Träumens in dem Menschen jetzt als Überrest zum Vorschein, was früher normaler Zustand war. Zugleich aber ist dieser Zustand nach einer anderen Seite doch wieder anders als das alte Bilderbewusstsein. Denn seit der Ausbildung des Ich spielt dasselbe auch in die Vorgänge des astralischen Leibes hinein, welche im Schlafe während des Träumens sich vollziehen. So stellt sich im Traume ein durch die Anwesenheit des Ich verändertes Bilderbewusstsein dar. Weil aber das Ich nicht bewusst seine Tätigkeit auf den Astralleib während des Träumens ausübt, so darf auch nichts, was in das Gebiet des Traumlebens gehört, zu dem gerechnet werden, was in Wahrheit zu einer Erkenntnis der übersinnlichen Welten im Sinne der Geisteswissenschaft führen kann. Ein Gleiches gilt für das, was man oft als Vision, Ahnung oder «zweites Gesicht» (Deuteroskopie) bezeichnet. Diese kommen dadurch zustande, dass sich das «Ich» ausschaltet und dadurch Überreste alter Bewusstseinszustände entstehen. Sie haben in der Geisteswissenschaft keine unmittelbare Verwendung; was in ihnen beobachtet wird, kann nicht im echten Sinne als Ergebnis derselben betrachtet werden.
Zur Erlangung übersinnlicher Erkenntnisse
[ 9 ] Der Weg zur Erlangung von Erkenntnissen der übersinnlichen Welten, der in diesem Buche ausführlicher beschrieben worden ist, kann auch der «unmittelbare Erkenntnisweg» genannt werden. Neben ihm gibt es noch einen solchen, welchen man als «Gefühlsweg» bezeichnen kann. Doch wäre es ganz unrichtig, etwa zu glauben, dass der erstere mit 1er Ausbildung des Gefühles nichts zu tun habe. Er führt vielmehr zur größtmöglichen Vertiefung des Gefühlslebens. Doch wendet sich der «Gefühlsweg» eben unmittelbar an das bloße Gefühl und sucht von diesem aus zu den Erkenntnissen aufzusteigen. Er beruht darauf, dass ein Gefühl, wenn sich die Seele ganz ihm hingibt eine gewisse Zeit hindurch, sich in eine Erkenntnis, in eine bildhafte Anschauung verwandelt. Wenn zum Beispiel die Seele sich ganz ausfüllt durch Wochen, Monate, ja länger, mit dem Gefühle der Demut, so verwandelt sich der Gefühlsinhalt in eine Anschauung. Man kann nun auch durch ein stufenweises Durchmachen solcher Gefühle einen Weg in die übersinnlichen Gebiete finden. Doch ist er für den gegenwärtigen Menschen innerhalb der gewöhnlichen Lebensbedingungen nicht leicht durchzuführen. Einsamkeit, Zurückgezogenheit von dem Leben der Gegenwart ist dabei fast unerlässlich. Denn was das alltägliche Leben bringt an Eindrücken, stört namentlich im Anfange der Entwicklung dasjenige, was die Seele durch Versenkung in bestimmte Gefühle erreicht. Dagegen ist der in diesem Buche geschilderte Erkenntnisweg in jeder gegenwärtigen Lebenslage durchzuführen.
Beobachtung besonderer Ereignisse und Wesen der Geisteswelt
[ 10 ] Es kann die Frage gestellt werden, ob die innere Versenkung und die andern geschilderten Mittel zur Erlangung von übersinnlichen Erkenntnissen nur die Beobachtung des Menschen zwischen Tod und neuer Geburt oder andere geistige Vorgänge im allgemeinen gestatten, oder ob sie es auch ermöglichen, ganz bestimmte Einzelvorgänge und Wesen, zum Beispiel einen bestimmten Toten zu beobachten. Darauf muss geantwortet werden: Wer sich durch die geschilderten Mittel die Fähigkeit erwirbt zur Beobachtung der geistigen Welt, der kann auch dazu gelangen, Einzelheiten zu beobachten, welche in derselben vor sich gehen. Er macht sich fähig, sich mit Menschen, die in der geistigen Welt zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt leben, in Verbindung zu setzen. Nur muss beachtet werden, dass dieses im Sinne der Geisteswissenschaft nur geschehen soll, nachdem man die regelrechte Schulung für die übersinnlichen Erkenntnisse durchgemacht hat. Denn erst dann kann man in bezug auf besondere Ereignisse und Wesenheiten zwischen Täuschung und Wirklichkeit unterscheiden. Wer einzelnes beobachten will ohne richtige Schulung, der wird vielen Täuschungen zum Opfer fallen können. Selbst das Anfänglichste: das Verstehen der Art, wie solche Eindrücke besonderer Tatsachen der übersinnlichen Welt zu deuten sind, ist nicht möglich ohne fortgeschrittene Geistesschulung. Jene Schulung, welche in die höheren Welten zur Beobachtung dessen führt, was in diesem Buche geschildert ist, sie führt auch dazu, das Leben eines einzelnen Menschen nach dem Tode verfolgen zu können: und nicht minder dazu, alle geistig-seelischen besonderen Wesen zu beobachten und zu verstehen, welche aus verborgenen Welten in die offenbaren hereinwirken. Doch ist sicheres Beobachten gerade des Einzelnen nur auf Grund der Erkenntnisse der allgemeinen, großen, jeden Menschen angehenden Weltund Menschheitstatsachen der geistigen Welt möglich. Wer das eine begehrt, ohne das andere haben zu wollen, geht in die Irre. Es gehört nun einmal zu den Erfahrungen, die man in bezug auf das Beobachten der geistigen Welt machen muss, dass der Eintritt in diejenigen Gebiete des übersinnlichen Daseins, nach denen man zu allererst begehrt, einem erst dann beschert wird, wenn man sich auf ernsten und schwierigen, nur den allgemeinen Erkenntnisfragen zugeneigten Wegen um das bemüht hat, was Aufschluss über den Sinn des Lebens gibt. Ist man diese Wege in reinem, unegoistischem Erkenntnisdrange gegangen, dann ist man erst reif, Einzelheiten zu beobachten, deren Anschauung vorher doch nur die Befriedigung eines egoistischen Bedürfnisses wäre, auch wenn sich der Verlangende einredete, dass er nur aus Liebe — zum Beispiel zu einem Toten — den Einblick in die geistige Welt erstrebe. Der Einblick in das Besondere kann nur dem werden, der sich durch ernstes Interesse für geisteswissenschaftliche Allgemeinheiten die Möglichkeit gewonnen hat, auch das Besondere ganz ohne egoistische Begehrungen wie eine objektive wissenschaftliche Wahrheit hinzunehmen.
Details from the field of secret science
The etheric body of man
[ 1 ] When man's higher limbs are observed through supersensible perception, this perception is never completely equal to that which is made through the external senses. When a person touches an object and has a perception of warmth, a distinction must be made between what comes from the object, what emanates from it as it were, and what is experienced in the soul. The inner soul experience of the sensation of warmth is something different from the warmth emanating from the object. Now imagine this soul experience all by itself, without the external object. Imagine the experience - but a spiritual one - of a sensation of warmth in the soul without an external physical object being the cause of it. If such an experience were simply there without a cause, it would be an imagination. The spiritual disciple experiences such inner perceptions without a physical cause, especially without the cause of his own body. For a certain stage of development, however, they present themselves in such a way that he can know (as has been shown, can know through the experience itself) that the inner perception is not imagination, but that it is caused by a spiritual-soul entity of a supersensible external world, just as the ordinary sensation of warmth, for example, is caused by an external physical-sensible object. It is the same when we speak of color perception. A distinction must be made between the color on the external object and the inner perception of color in the soul. Imagine the inner sensation that the soul has when it perceives a red object in the physical-sensory external world. Imagine that one retains a quite vivid memory of the impression; but one turns the eye away from the object. What you still have as a memory of the color, you visualize as an inner experience. You will then distinguish between what is an inner experience of the color and the outer color. These inner experiences are quite different in content from the outer sensory impressions. They are much more characterized by what is felt as pain and joy than normal sensory perception. Now imagine such an inner experience arising in the soul without the cause being given by an external physical-sensory object or the memory of such an object. The supersensible cognizer can have such an experience. And he can also know in the corresponding case that it is not imagination, but the expression of a soul-spiritual entity. If this soul-spiritual entity evokes the same impression as a red object of the sensory-physical world, then it may be called red. With the sensory-physical object, however, the outer impression will always be there first and then the inner experience of color; with the true supersensible vision of the man of our age it must be the other way around: first the inner experience, which is shadowy like a mere memory of color, and then an ever more vivid image. The less attention one pays to the fact that the process must be like this, the less one can distinguish between real spiritual perception and imaginary deception (illusion, hallucination, etc.). Now how vivid the image becomes in such a soul-spiritual perception, whether it remains entirely shadowy, like a dark imagination, or whether it has an intense effect, like an external object, depends entirely on how the supersensible cognizer has developed. - One can now describe the general impression that the observer has of the human etheric body by saying that if a supersensible cognizer has reached such a strength of will that he can divert his attention from what the physical eye sees, even though a physical person is standing in front of him, then he is able to look into the space that the physical person occupies through supersensible consciousness. Of course, it takes a strong increase of will to not only turn one's attention away from something one is thinking about, but from something that is in front of one, so that the physical impression is completely obliterated. But this increase is possible and it occurs through the exercises of supersensible knowledge. The person thus cognizing can then first have the general impression of the etheric body. The same inner sensation arises in his soul that he has at the sight of, say, the color of a peach blossom; and this then becomes vivid, so that he can say: the etheric body has the color of the peach blossom. Then he also perceives the individual organs and currents of the etheric body. But the etheric body can also be described further by indicating the experiences of the soul, which correspond to sensations of warmth, impressions of sound and so on. For it is not merely a color phenomenon. The astral body and the other members of the human being can also be described in the same sense. Whoever takes this into consideration will realize how descriptions made in the sense of spiritual science are to be taken. (See Chapter II of this book.)
The astral world
[ 2 ] As long as one only observes the physical world, the earth as the dwelling place of man presents itself as a separate world body. But when supersensible knowledge ascends to other worlds, this separation ceases. Therefore it could be said that the imagination perceives the state of the moon, which has developed into the present, at the same time as the earth. The world which one enters in this way is now such that not only the supersensible of the earth belongs to it, but that other world bodies are also embedded in it, which are physically separated from the earth. The cognizer of supersensible worlds then not only observes the supersensible of the earth, but first of all also the supersensible of other world bodies. (The fact that it is first an observation of the supersensible of other world bodies should be noted by those who are urged to ask why those who see supersensibly do not say what it looks like on Mars and so on. The questioner then has the physical-sensory conditions in mind). Therefore in the presentation of this book it was also possible to speak of certain relationships between the development of the earth and the simultaneous development of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, etc. - If the human astral body is now accepted by sleep, then it belongs not only to the earth states, but to worlds in which other world regions (star worlds) are also involved. Indeed, these worlds also have an effect on the human astral body in the waking state. Therefore, the name "astral body" may seem justified.
The life of man after death
[ 3 ] In the explanations of this book, we have spoken of the time through which the astral body remains united with the etheric body after the death of the human being. During this time there is a gradually fading memory of the whole life that has just passed (see Chapter III). This time is different for different people. It depends on how strong the power is with which the astral body holds the etheric body in a person, how much control the former has over the latter. Supersensible knowledge can gain an impression of this power when it observes a person who should actually be asleep according to the degree of his soul-body constitution, but who keeps himself awake through inner strength. And now it can be seen that different people can stay awake for different lengths of time without being overwhelmed by sleep in between. Approximately as long as a person can stay awake in extreme cases, if need be, as long lasts the memory of the life just passed after death, that is, the cohesion with the etheric body. Although the etheric body is detached from the human being after death (see Chapter III), something remains of it for all later development of the human being, which can be described as an extract or essence of it. This extract contains the fruits of the life that has passed. And it is the carrier of everything that unfolds during the spiritual development of the human being between death and a new birth like a seed for the following life. (Compare chapter III.)
[ 4 ] The time between death and a new birth (see Chapter III) is determined in its duration by the fact that the "I" generally only returns to the physical-sensual world when this has in the meantime been transformed in such a way that new things can be experienced by the "I". While it is in the spiritual realms, the earthly dwelling place changes. This change is connected in one direction with the great changes in the universe; with changes in the position of the earth in relation to the sun and so on. But these are certainly changes in which certain repetitions occur in connection with new conditions. They find their external expression in the fact that, for example, the point in the celestial vault where the sun rises at the beginning of spring rotates in a complete circle over the course of about 26,000 years. During this time, this vernal equinox moves from one area of the sky to another. In the course of the twelfth part of that time, which is approximately 2100 years, the conditions on earth have changed to such an extent that the human soul can experience new things on earth after a previous embodiment. However, since the experiences of the human being are different depending on whether he embodies himself as a woman or as a man, two embodiments, one as a man and one as a woman, usually take place within the characterized period of time. However, these things also depend on the forces that a person takes with them from their earthly existence through death. Therefore, all statements such as those given here are only to be understood in such a way that they are essentially valid, but can be seen to vary in the most diverse ways in individual cases. It only depends in one respect on the above-mentioned conditions in the universe how long the human ego remains in the spiritual world between death and a new birth. In another respect it depends on the states of development which the human being undergoes during this time. After a certain period of time, these states lead the "I" to a spiritual state that no longer finds satisfaction in its inner spiritual life, which develops the desire for that change of consciousness that is satisfied in the reflection through physical experience. The human being's entry into earthly life results from the interaction of this inner thirst for embodiment and the possibility given in the universe to find the corresponding corporeality. It takes place - because two things must work together - the one time, even if the "thirst" has not yet reached its height, because an approximately adapted embodiment can be achieved; the other time, even if the "thirst" has progressed beyond its normal height, because at the corresponding time there was not yet any possibility of embodiment. The general mood of life in which a person finds himself due to the nature of his physical being is related to these conditions.
The course of human life
[ 5 ] The life of man, as it manifests itself in the succession of states between birth and death, can only be fully understood by considering not only the sensory-physical body, but also those changes which take place with the supersensible members of man's nature. - These changes can be seen in the following way. The physical birth presents itself as a detachment of the human being from the physical mother shell. Forces which the human germ had in common with the mother's body before birth are only present in it as independent forces after birth. In later life, however, similar supersensible events take place for the supersensible perception as the sensible ones at physical birth. The human being is surrounded by an etheric sheath in relation to his etheric body until approximately the change of teeth (in the sixth or seventh year). This falls away during this period of life. A "birth" of the etheric body takes place. However, the human being still remains surrounded by an astral sheath, which falls off in the period from the twelfth to the sixteenth year (at the time of sexual maturity). This is when the "birth" of the astral body takes place. And still later the actual "I" is born. (The fruitful points of view which result from these supersensible facts for the handling of education are presented in my short paper: "The Education of the Child from the Point of View of Spiritual Science". There you will also find further explanations of what can only be hinted at here). After the birth of the "I", the human being now lives in such a way that he integrates himself into the world and life conditions and operates within them according to the members that are active through the "I": the soul of feeling, the soul of understanding and the soul of consciousness. Then a time occurs in which the etheric body regresses again, in which it undergoes the reverse formation of its unfolding from the seventh year onwards. Whereas previously the astral body developed in such a way that it first unfolded within itself what was present in it as a disposition at birth, and then, after the birth of the "I", enriched itself through the experiences of the outer world, from a certain point in time it begins to nourish itself spiritually from its own etheric body. He feeds on the etheric body. And in the further course of life the etheric body then also begins to feed on the physical body. The decay of the latter in old age is connected with this. - Thus the course of man's life is divided into three parts, into a time in which the physical body and the etheric body unfold, then into a time in which the astral body and the "I" come to development, and finally into a time in which the etheric body and the physical body transform back again. Now the astral body is involved in all processes between birth and death. But because it is not actually born spiritually until the twelfth to sixteenth year and has to draw on the forces of the etheric body and physical body in the last epoch of life, what it can do through its own forces will develop more slowly than if it were not in a physical and etheric body. After death, when the physical and etheric bodies have fallen away, the development in the purification period (see Chapter III) is therefore approximately one third of the time that life takes between birth and death.
The higher realms of the spiritual world
[ 6 ] Through imagination, inspiration and intuition, supersensible knowledge gradually ascends into those areas of the spiritual world in which it can reach the beings who are involved in the development of the world and humanity. This also enables it to follow the development of the human being between death and a new birth in such a way that it becomes comprehensible. Now there are still higher realms of existence, which can only be briefly alluded to here. When supersensible knowledge has risen to the level of intuition, then it lives in a world of spiritual beings. These, too, undergo developments. What is a matter of present humanity extends, so to speak, up into the world of intuition. However, man also receives influences from still higher worlds in the course of his development between death and a new birth; but he does not experience these influences directly; the beings of the spiritual world bring them to him. And when these are considered, everything that happens to the human being results. But these beings' own affairs, that which they need for themselves in order to guide human development, can only be observed through a knowledge that goes beyond intuition. This results in a reference to worlds which are to be imagined in such a way that spiritual matters, which are the highest on earth, belong to the lower ones there. Rational decisions, for example, belong to the highest within the earth realm; the effects of the mineral realm to the lowest. In those higher regions, rational decisions are approximately what the mineral effects are on earth. Above the realm of intuition lies the region in which the world plan is spun out of spiritual causes.
The essential elements of the human being
[ 7 ] If it has been said (compare page 69 and the following) that the "I" works on the human essential members, the physical body, the etheric body and the astral body, and transforms these in reverse order into spirit self, life spirit and spirit man, then this refers to the work of the I on the human entity through the highest faculties, the development of which has only begun in the course of the earthly states. This transformation, however, is preceded by another at a lower level, and this gives rise to the sentient soul, the intellectual soul and the consciousness soul. For while the intuitive soul is being formed in the course of man's development, changes take place in the astral body, the formation of the intellectual soul expresses itself in transformations of the etheric body, and that of the consciousness soul in those of the physical body. In the course of the description of the development on earth, which has been given in this book, more details have been given. Thus one can say in a certain respect that the intuitive soul is based on a transformed astral body; the intellectual soul on a transformed etheric body; the consciousness soul on a transformed physical body. But one can also say that these three soul members are parts of the astral body, because only through this is it possible, for example, for the consciousness soul to be an astral entity in a physical body adapted to it. It lives an astral life in a physical body adapted to its dwelling place.
The dream state
[ 8 ] The dream state has been characterized in a certain respect in Chapter III of this writing. It is to be understood on the one hand as a remnant of the old picture-consciousness as it was characteristic of man during the moon evolution and also during a large part of the earth evolution. Development progresses in such a way that earlier states play into later ones. And so, during dreaming, what was once a normal state now appears in the human being as a remnant. At the same time, however, this state is different again from the old image consciousness. For since the formation of the ego it has also played a part in the processes of the astral body which take place in sleep during dreaming. Thus, in a dream, a consciousness of images appears that is altered by the presence of the ego. But because the ego does not consciously exert its activity on the astral body during dreaming, nothing that belongs to the realm of dream life may be counted as something that can in truth lead to knowledge of the supersensible worlds in the sense of spiritual science. The same applies to what is often referred to as vision, premonition or "second sight" (deuteroscopy). These come about when the "I" switches off and remnants of old states of consciousness arise. They have no direct use in spiritual science; what is observed in them cannot be regarded as the result of the same in the true sense.
On the attainment of supersensible knowledge
[ 9 ] The path to the attainment of knowledge of the supersensible worlds, which has been described in more detail in this book, can also be called the "direct path of knowledge". In addition to this, there is another path which can be called the "emotional path". However, it would be quite wrong to believe that the former has nothing to do with the development of feeling. Rather, it leads to the greatest possible deepening of the emotional life. However, the "path of feeling" addresses itself directly to mere feeling and seeks to ascend from this to knowledge. It is based on the fact that a feeling, if the soul devotes itself completely to it for a certain period of time, transforms itself into an insight, into a pictorial view. If, for example, the soul fills itself completely with the feeling of humility for weeks, months, even longer, the content of the feeling is transformed into a visualization. One can now also find a way into the supersensible realms by going through such feelings step by step. However, it is not easy for the present person to do so within the ordinary conditions of life. Solitude, seclusion from the life of the present is almost indispensable. For the impressions of everyday life, especially at the beginning of development, interfere with what the soul achieves through immersion in certain feelings. In contrast, the path of knowledge described in this book is to be followed in every present situation in life.
Observation of special events and beings of the spiritual world
[ 10 ] The question can be raised as to whether inner contemplation and the other means described for attaining supersensible knowledge only permit the observation of the human being between death and a new birth or other spiritual processes in general, or whether they also make it possible to observe very specific individual processes and beings, for example a specific dead person. This must be answered: Whoever acquires the ability to observe the spiritual world through the means described can also come to observe details that take place in it. He makes himself capable of making contact with people who live in the spiritual world between death and a new birth. However, it must be noted that this should only be done in the sense of spiritual science after one has undergone the proper training for supersensible knowledge. For only then can one distinguish between illusion and reality in relation to particular events and entities. Anyone who wants to observe individual things without proper training will fall victim to many deceptions. Even the most basic thing: understanding the way in which such impressions of special facts of the supersensible world are to be interpreted, is not possible without advanced spiritual training. That training which leads to the observation of what is described in this book in the higher worlds also leads to being able to follow the life of an individual person after death, and no less to being able to observe and understand all the special spiritual-soul beings which work from the hidden worlds into the open ones. But safe observation of the individual is only possible on the basis of knowledge of the general, great world and humanity facts of the spiritual world that concern every human being. Whoever desires the one without wanting the other is going astray. It is one of the experiences that one has to make with regard to observing the spiritual world that entry into those areas of supersensible existence that one desires first and foremost is only granted to one when one has endeavored on serious and difficult paths that are devoted only to general questions of knowledge to find out what provides information about the meaning of life. Once one has traveled these paths in a pure, non-egoistic urge for knowledge, then one is only ripe to observe details, the contemplation of which would previously only be the satisfaction of an egoistic need, even if the desiring person convinced himself that he was only striving for insight into the spiritual world out of love - for example, for a dead person. Insight into the particular can only be gained by those who, through a serious interest in spiritual scientific generalities, have gained the ability to accept the particular as an objective scientific truth without any egoistic desires.