The Rudolf Steiner Archive

There is a beautiful saying by Hegel: The most profound thought is bound up with the historical, external Figure of Christ. And the greatness of the Christian religion is that it is there for every stage of development. It is within the grasp of the most naive consciousness and at the same time it is a challenge to the deepest wisdom.

That the Christian religion is comprehensible to every stage of consciousness is shown by the very history of its development. Properly understood, it must be the task of Theosophy, or of Spiritual Science in general, to show that the Christian religion calls for penetration into the deepest Wisdom-teachings. Theosophy is not a religion, but an instrument for understanding the religions. Its relation to the religious documents is rather like the relation of mathematics itself to the writings in which it was originally taught. A man can understand mathematics through his own spiritual faculties and comprehend the laws of space without having to refer to any such early text. But if he has really absorbed the truths of geometry, he will value all the more highly the original texts through which these laws were first presented. So it is with Theosophy. Its sources are not in ancient documents, nor do they rest upon tradition; they lie in the reality of the spiritual worlds. It is there that they must be found and grasped by the development of a man's own spiritual powers, just as he grasps mathematics by endeavouring to develop the faculties of his intellect. Our intellect, by means of which we are enabled to comprehend the laws of the world of sense, is supported by an organ, the brain. Similarly, in order to grasp the laws of spiritual worlds, we need appropriate organs.

How have our physical organs developed? Because forces from outside have worked upon them: the forces of the Sun, the forces of sound. Thus did eyes and ears come into being - out of neutral, sluggish organs into which, at first, the sense-world could not penetrate, and which opened only by degrees. If our spiritual organs are worked upon by the right forces, they too will open.

What then are the forces which surge in upon our still inert spiritual organs? During the daytime, the astral body of modern man is assailed by forces that work against his development, and even destroy such organs as he formerly possessed before the dawn of his clear day-consciousness. In earlier times, man received direct astral impressions. The surrounding world spoke to him through pictures, through the form in which the astral world comes to expression. Living, inwardly organic pictures and colours hovered freely in surrounding space as expressions of pleasure and repugnance, sympathy and antipathy. Then these colours wrapped themselves, as it were, round the surface of things, and objects acquired fixed outlines. This was when the physical body of man was steadily gaining in solidity and becoming more highly organized. When his eyes opened fully to the physical light, when the veil of Maya spread itself over the spiritual world, his astral body received impressions of the surrounding world by way of the physical and etheric bodies. The astral body itself transmitted these impressions to the `I' and from the `I' they passed into his consciousness. Thus he was personally involved and continuously active. But the forces working upon him were no longer plastic, weaving forces akin to the nature of his own being; they were forces that fed upon him, destroyed him, in order to awaken the I- consciousness. Only in the night, when he sank down into the rhythmic- spiritual world homogeneous with him, did he acquire new strength and become able once more to feed forces into his physical and etheric bodies. Out of this conflict of impressions, out of the deadening of the astral organs formerly working unconsciously in man, the life of the individual `I', the I-consciousness, arose. Out of life-death; out of death- life. The ring of the serpent was complete. And now from this wakened I- consciousness there had to arise forces that would kindle life again in the defunct vestiges of earlier astral organs, shaping and moulding them.

Mankind is moving towards this goal, guided by its Teachers and Leaders, the great Initiates, of whom the serpent is also the symbol. It is an education towards freedom, hence a slow and difficult education. The great Initiates could have made the task easier, for themselves and for man, if they had worked upon his astral body during the night, when it is free, in such a way as to impress the astral organs into it from outside. But such an act would have operated in man's dream-consciousness; it would have trespassed on his sphere of freedom. The highest principle in man, the Will, would never have unfolded. Man is led onward stage by stage. There has been an Initiation in Wisdom, an Initiation in Feeling, an Initiation in Will. True Christianity is the summation of all stages of Initiation. The Initiation of antiquity was the prophetic announcement, the preparation. Slowly and gradually the man of later times emancipated himself from his Initiator, his Guru. Initiation, to begin with, proceeded in deep trance-consciousness, but was equipped to imprint in the physical body a remembrance of what had transpired outside the body. Hence the necessity of releasing the ether-body, the bearer of memory, as well as the astral body. Astral body and ether-body sank together into the Ocean of Wisdom, into Mahadeva, into the Light of Osiris. This Initiation proceeded in deepest secrecy, in absolute seclusion. No breath from the outer world might intrude. The man was as if he had died to outer life, and the tender seeds were nurtured away from the blinding light of day.

Then Initiation came forth from the darkness enshrouding the Mysteries into the clearest light of day. In a great and mighty Personality, the Bearer of the highest unifying Principle, of the Word - of Him who is the expression and manifestation of the hidden Father, and who taking on human form became the Son of Man and thereby the Representative of all mankind, the Bond uniting all I's - in Christos, the Life-Spirit, the Eternal Unifier, the Initiation of mankind as a whole was accomplished, as historical fact and at the same time as symbol, on the plane of feeling. So potent was this Event that in every individual who modelled his life on it, its power could continue to work - right into the physical, expressing itself even in the appearance of the stigmata and in the most piercing pains. Feelings were shaken to their innermost depths. An intensity of emotion, the like of which has never surged through the world before or since, arose in mighty waves. In the Initiation on the Cross of Divine Love the sacrifice of the `I' for All had taken place. The blood, the physical expression of the `I' had flowed in love for mankind, and the effect was such that thousands pressed forward to this Initiation, to this Death, letting their blood flow in love and devotion for mankind. That blood untold was poured out in this way has never been sufficiently emphasized; the thought no longer enters the consciousness of men, not even in theosophical circles. Yet the waves of ardour which in this streaming blood flowed down, and then ascended, have fulfilled their task. They have become the wellsprings of powerful impulses. They have made mankind ripe for the Initiation of the Will.

And this is the legacy of Christ.

GENERAL DEMANDS WHICH EVERY ASPIRANT FOR OCCULT DEVELOPMENT MUST PUT TO HIMSELF
(Subsidiary Exercises)

In what follows, the conditions which must be the basis of any occult development are set forth. Let no one imagine that he can make progress by any measures applied to the outer or the inner life unless he fulfils these conditions. All exercises in meditation, concentration, or exercises of other kinds, are valueless, indeed in a certain respect actually harmful, if life is not regulated in accordance with these conditions. No forces can actually be imparted to a human being; all that can be done is to bring to development the forces already within him. They do not develop of their own accord because outer and inner hindrances obstruct them. The outer hindrances are lessened by means of the following rules of life; the inner hindrances by the special instructions concerning meditation, concentration, and the like.

The first condition is the cultivation of absolutely clear thinking. For this purpose a man must rid himself of the will-o'-the-wisps of thought, even if only for a very short time during the day - about five minutes (the longer, the better). He must become the ruler in his world of thought. He is not the ruler if external circumstances, occupation, some tradition or other, social relationships, even membership of a particular race, the daily round of life, certain activities and so forth, determine a thought and how he works it out. Therefore during this brief time, acting entirely out of his own free will, he must empty the soul of the ordinary, everyday course of thoughts and by his own initiative place one single thought at the centre of his soul. The thought need not be a particularly striking or interesting one. Indeed it will be all the better for what has to be attained in an occult respect if a thoroughly uninteresting and insignificant thought is chosen. Thinking is then impelled to act out of its own energy the essential thing here, whereas an interesting thought carries the thinking along with it. It is better if this exercise in thought-control is undertaken with a pin rather than with Napoleon. The pupil says to himself: Now I start from this thought, and through my own inner initiative I associate with it everything that is pertinent to it. At the end of the period the thought should be just as colourful and living as it was at the beginning. This exercise is repeated day by day for at least a month; a new thought may be taken every day, or the same thought may be adhered to for several days. At the end of the exercise an endeavour is made to become fully conscious of that inner feeling of firmness and security which will soon be noticed by paying subtler attention to one's own soul; the exercise is then brought to a conclusion by focusing the thinking upon the head and the middle of the spine (brain and spinal cord), as if the feeling of security were being poured into this part of the body.

When this exercise has been practised for, say, one month, a second requirement should be added. We try to think of some action which in the ordinary course of life we should certainly not have performed. Then we make it a duty to perform this action every day. It will therefore be good to choose an action which can be performed every day and will occupy as long a period of time as possible. Again it is better to begin with some insignificant action which we have to force ourselves to perform; for example, to water at a fixed time every day a flower we have bought. After a certain time a second, similar act should be added to the first; later, a third, and so on . . . as many as are compatible with the carrying out of all other duties. This exercise, also, should last for one month. But as far as possible during this second month, too, the first exercise should continue, although it is a less paramount duty than in the first month. Nevertheless it must not be left unheeded, for otherwise it will quickly be noticed that the fruits of the first month are lost and the slovenliness of uncontrolled thinking begins again. Care must be taken that once these fruits have been won, they are never again lost. If, through the second exercise, this initiative of action has been achieved, then, with subtle attentiveness, we become conscious of the feeling of an inner impulse of activity in the soul; we pour this feeling into the body, letting it stream down from the head to a point just above the heart.

In the third month, life should be centered on a new exercise - the development of a certain equanimity towards the fluctuations of joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain; `heights of jubilation' and `depths of despair' should quite consciously be replaced by an equable mood. Care is taken that no pleasure shall carry us away, no sorrow plunge us into the depths, no experience lead to immoderate anger or vexation no expectation give rise to anxiety or fear, no situation disconcert us, and so on. There need be no fear that such an exercise will make life arid and unproductive; far rather will it quickly be noticed that the experiences to which this exercise is applied are replaced by purer qualities of soul. Above all, if subtle attentiveness is maintained, an inner tranquillity in the body will one day become noticeable; as in the two cases above, we pour this feeling into the body, letting it stream from the heart, towards the hands, the feet and, finally, the head. This naturally cannot be done after each exercise, for here it is not a matter of one single exercise but of sustained attentiveness to the inner life of the soul. Once every day, at least, this inner tranquillity should be called up before the soul and then the exercise of pouring it out from the heart should proceed. A connection with the exercises of the first and second months is maintained, as in the second month with the exercise of the first month.

In the fourth month, as a new exercise, what is sometimes called a `positive attitude' to life should be cultivated. It consists in seeking always for the good, the praiseworthy the beautiful and the like, in all beings, all experiences, all things. This quality of soul is best characterized by a Persian legend concerning Christ Jesus. One day, as He was walking with His disciples, they saw a dead dog lying by the roadside in a state of advanced decomposition. All the disciples turned away from the disgusting sight; Christ Jesus alone did not move but looked thoughtfully at the corpse and said: `What beautiful teeth the animal has!' Where the others had seen only the repulsive, the unpleasant, He looked for the beautiful. So must the esoteric pupil strive to seek for the positive in every phenomenon and in every being. He will soon notice that under the veil of something repugnant there is a hidden beauty, that even under the outer guise of a criminal there is a hidden good, that under the mask of a lunatic the divine soul is somehow concealed.

In a certain respect this exercise is connected with what is called `abstention from criticism'. This is not to be understood in the sense of calling black white and white black. There is, however, a difference between a judgment which, proceeding merely from one's own personality, is coloured with the element of personal sympathy or antipathy, and an attitude which enters lovingly into the alien phenomenon or being, always asking: How has it come to be like this or to act like this? Such an attitude will by its very nature be more set upon helping what is imperfect than upon simply finding fault and criticizing.

The objection that the very circumstances of their lives oblige many people to find fault and condemn is not valid here. For in such cases the circumstances are such that the person in question cannot go through a genuine occult training. There are indeed many circumstances in life which make occult schooling impossible, beyond a certain point. In such a case the person should not impatiently desire, in spite of everything, to make progress which is possible only under some conditions.

He who consciously turns his mind, for one month, to the positive aspect of all his experiences will gradually notice a feeling creeping into him as if his skin were becoming porous on all sides, and as if his soul were opening wide to all kinds of secret and delicate processes in his environment which hitherto entirely escaped his notice. The important point is to combat a very prevalent lack of attentiveness to these subtle things. If it has once been noticed that the feeling described expresses itself in the soul as a kind of bliss, endeavours should be made in thought to guide this feeling to the heart and from there to let it stream into the eyes, and thence out into the space in front of and around oneself. It will be noticed that an intimate relationship to this surrounding space is thereby acquired. A man grows out of and beyond himself, as it were. He learns to regard a part of his environment as something that belongs to him. A great deal of concentration is necessary for this exercise, and, above all, recognition of the fact that all tumultuous feelings, all passions, all over-exuberant emotions have an absolutely destructive effect upon the mood indicated. The exercises of the first months are repeated, as with the earlier months.

In the fifth month, efforts should be made to develop the feeling of confronting every new experience with complete open-mindedness. The esoteric pupil must break entirely with the attitude which, in the face of something just heard or seen, exclaims: `I never heard that, or I never saw that, before; I don't believe it - it's an illusion.' At every moment he must be ready to encounter and accept absolutely new experiences. What he has hitherto recognized as being in accordance with natural law, or what he has regarded as possible, should present no obstacle to the acceptance of a new truth. Although radically expressed, it is absolutely correct that if anyone were to come to the esoteric pupil and say, `Since last night the steeple of such and such a church has been tilted right over', the esotericist should leave a loophole open for the contingency of his becoming convinced that his previous knowledge of natural law could somehow be augmented by such an apparently unprecedented fact.

If he turns his attention, in the fifth month, to developing this attitude of mind, he will notice creeping into his soul a feeling as if something were becoming alive, astir, in the space referred to in connection with the exercise for the fourth month. This feeling is exceedingly delicate and subtle. Efforts must be made to be attentive to this delicate vibration in the environment and to let it stream, as it were, through all the five senses, especially through the eyes, the ears and through the skin, in so far as the latter contains the sense of warmth. At this stage of esoteric development, less attention is paid to the impressions made by these stimuli on the other senses of taste, snell and touch. At this stage it is still not possible to distinguish the numerous bad influences which intermingle with the good influences in this sphere; the pupil therefore leaves this for a later stage.

In the sixth month, endeavours should be made to repeat all the five exercises again, systematically and in regular alternation. In this way a beautiful equilibrium of soul will gradually develop. It will be noticed, especially, that previous dissatisfactions with certain phenomena and beings in the world completely disappear. A mood reconciling all experiences takes possession of the soul, a mood that is by no means one of indifference but, on the contrary, enables one for the first time to work in the world for its genuine progress and improvement. One comes to a tranquil understanding of things which were formerly quite closed to the soul. The very movements and gestures of a person change under the influence of such exercises, and if, one day, he can actually observe that the character of his handwriting has altered, then he may say to himself that he is just about to reach a first rung on the upward path. Once again, two things must be stressed:

First, the six exercises described paralyse the harmful influence other occult exercises can have, so that only what is beneficial remains. Secondly, these exercises alone ensure that efforts in meditation and concentration will have a positive result. The esotericist must not rest content with fulfilling, however conscientiously, the demands of conventional morality, for that kind of morality can be extremely egotistical, if a man says: I will be good in order that I may be thought good. The esotericist does not do what is good because he wants to be thought good, but because little by little he recognizes that the good alone brings evolution forward, and that evil, stupidity and ugliness place hindrances along its path.

OR THE DAYS OF THE WEEK

The pupil must pay careful attention to certain activities in the life of soul which in the ordinary way are carried on carelessly and inattentively. There are eight such activities.

It is naturally best to undertake only one exercise at a time, throughout a week or a fortnight, for example, then the second, and so on, then beginning over again. Meanwhile it is best for the eighth exercise to be carried out every day. True self-knowledge is then gradually achieved and any progress made is perceived. Then later on - beginning with Saturday - one exercise lasting for about five minutes may perhaps be added daily to the eighth so that the relevant exercise will occasionally fall on the same day. Thus: Saturday - Thoughts; Sunday - Resolves; Monday - Talking; Tuesday - Actions; Wednesday - Behaviour, and so on.

SATURDAY

To pay attention to one's ideas.

To think only significant thoughts. To learn little by little to separate in one's thoughts the essential from the nonessential, the eternal from the transitory, truth from mere opinion.

In listening to the talk of one's fellow-men, to try and become quite still inwardly, foregoing all assent, and still more all unfavourable judgments (criticism, rejection), even in one's thoughts and feelings.

This may be called: `RIGHT OPINION'.

SUNDAY

To determine on even the most insignificant matter only after fully reasoned deliberation. All unthinking behaviour, all meaningless actions, should be kept far away from the soul. One should always have well- weighed reasons for everything. And one should definitely abstain from doing anything for which there is no significant reason.

Once one is convinced of the rightness of a decision, one must hold fast to it, with inner steadfastness.

This may be called: `RIGHT JUDGMENT' having been formed independently of sympathies and antipathies.

MONDAY

Talking. Only what has sense and meaning should come from the lips of one striving for higher development. All talking for the sake of talking - to kill time - is in this sense harmful.

The usual kind of conversation, a disjointed medley of remarks, should be avoided. This does not mean shutting oneself off from intercourse with one's fellows; it is precisely then that talk should gradually be led to significance. One adopts a thoughtful attitude to every speech and answer taking all aspects into account. Never talk without cause - be gladly silent. One tries not to talk too much or too little. First listen quietly; then reflect on what has been said.

This exercise may be called: `RIGHT WORD'.

TUESDAY

External actions. These should not be disturbing for our fellow-men. Where an occasion calls for action out of one's inner being, deliberate carefully how one can best meet the occasion - for the good of the whole, the lasting happiness of man, the eternal.

Where one does things of one's own accord, out of one's own initiative: consider most thoroughly beforehand the effect of one's actions.

This is called: `RIGHT DEED'.

WEDNESDAY

The ordering of life. To live in accordance with Nature and Spirit. Not to be swamped by the external trivialities of life. To avoid all that brings unrest and haste into life. To hurry over nothing, but also not to be indolent. To look on life as a means for working towards higher development and to behave accordingly.

One speaks in this connection of `RIGHT STANDPOINT'.

THURSDAY

Human Endeavour. One should take care to do nothing that lies beyond one's powers - but also to leave nothing undone which lies within them.

To look beyond the everyday, the momentary, and to set oneself aims and ideals connected with the highest duties of a human being. For instance, in the sense of the prescribed exercises, to try to develop oneself so that afterwards one may be able all the more to help and advise one's fellow- men - though perhaps not in the immediate future.

This can be summed up as: `TO LET ALL THE FOREGOING EXERCISES BECOME A HABIT'.

FRIDAY

The endeavour to learn as much as possible from life.

Nothing goes by us without giving us a chance to gain experiences that are useful for life. If one has done something wrongly or imperfectly, that becomes a motive for doing it rightly or more perfectly, later on.

If one sees others doing something, one observes them with the like end in view (yet not coldly or heartlessly). And one does nothing without looking back to past experiences which can be of assistance in one's decisions and achievements.

One can learn from everyone - even from children if one is attentive.

This exercise is called: `RIGHT MEMORY'. (Remembering what has been learnt from experiences).

SUMMARY

To turn one's gaze inwards from time to time, even if only for five minutes daily at the same time. In so doing one should sink down into oneself, carefully take counsel with oneself, test and form one's principles of life, run through in thought one's knowledge - or lack of it - weigh up one's duties, think over the contents and true purpose of life, feel genuinely pained by one's own errors and imperfections. In a word: labour to discover the essential, the enduring, and earnestly aim at goals in accord with it: for instance, virtues to be acquired. (Not to fall into the mistake of thinking that one has done something well, but to strive ever further towards the highest standards.)

This exercise is called: `RIGHT EXAMINATION'.

Whoever strives for esoteric development must above all be clear that certain extremely simple formulae conceal a force which takes effect if these formulae or sentences are made alive in the soul. He does not rightly grasp what this implies if he tries to understand such sentences merely with the intellect. That way they say very little to him, to begin with. He must for a certain time fill his whole inner being with such a sentence, pouring himself into it with all the powers of his soul. Such a sentence is: `I am'.

The whole secret of present-day human existence really lies in this sentence. Only a being possessed of an external form similar to that of earthly man today is able to think, feel and imbue these words with will. The form of such a being must have developed in such a way that the goal of all the forces working in the body was the frontward shape of the vaulted brow. This vaulted brow and the `I am' belong together. Earlier in the evolution of the human form there was a stage when it had not yet pressed forward into such a brow. At that time the `I am' could be neither inwardly thought, nor willed, nor felt. Now it would be quite wrong to believe that the form of the body, as described above, could itself bring forth the `I am'. This `I am' was already in existence, only it could not yet express itself in an appropriate form. Just as it now expresses itself in the bodily form of man, so, in an earlier time, it expressed itself in a world of soul. And it is this very power of the `I am' which, having united in the far-distant past with a human body lacking the present brow-formation, impelled the forehead to assume its present shape. Hence it is that a man, by sinking deeply into the `I am', can feel within himself the force which has moulded him in his present form. And this force is higher than the forces which, in his ordinary life, are active within him today. For it is the creative force of soul which forms the bodily nature out of the soul.

Anyone, therefore, who is aiming at esotericism must, for a short period, live entirely in the `I am'. He must think this `I am', while at the same time he experiences within himself something like: `I rejoice that I, as an independent being, can participate in the work of shaping the world'. And he must also experience something like: `I will my own existence; I resolve to place myself in the whole context of the world'. If a man concentrates all this into a single, inner act of consciousness, and at the same time shifts the whole force of his consciousness upwards into the region of the brow and the inner members of the brain beneath it, then he actually transfers himself into a higher world out of which his brow- formation has been brought into being.

Let him not think, however, that he can attain these higher worlds tomorrow morning. He must have the patience to undertake this meditation day by day, over and over again, for a long time. If he has this patience, then, after some time, he will notice a thought arising within him - no longer a mere concept but a thought teeming with life and force. He will be able to say to himself: `The force contained in the seed of a plant, impelling it to form the organs of the plant, must be inwardly alive, just like this thought of mine'. And soon this thought will reveal itself to him as if it were radiating light. In this inner radiation of light he feels happy, full of the joy of existence. A feeling permeates him which can only be described as joyful love in creative existence'. And a force imparts itself to the will as if the thought were radiating warmth through the will, energizing the will. All this can be drawn from sinking himself in the right way into the `I am'. He will gradually realize that the highest intellectual, psychical and moral power comes to birth in him in this way, and that he thereby brings himself into a more and more conscious relationship to a higher world.

A second such sentence is: `It thinks'. This `It thinks' represents - in a way that corresponds to the account given of the `I am' - the force through which the form of the human speech-organs has been developed from the higher worlds. When thinking was still functioning in a higher world of soul, and not yet within a human body, it worked from that higher world in such a way that organs of speech not yet existing in the human form were incorporated into it. If, therefore, the esoteric pupil sends his thinking, feeling and willing into the depths of the `It thinks', at the same time concentrating his consciousness on the region of the larynx, there will arise in him an experience of the creative force of soul which, from the higher worlds, manifested in the creation of the organs of speech. If again he has the patience described above, he will experience how from the `It thinks' rays go forth which are like the opening harmonies of spiritual music; they fill him with a feeling of reverent devotion, and at the same time with a force which tells him: `What I will, as man, will gradually increase in wisdom.' An inkling will come to him of that force which as divine-spiritual force pours itself through the Cosmos, ordering all things according to measure, number and weight.

A third sentence is `She feels'. In still earlier times, the force of this sentence, too, was not yet present within man but dwelt in a higher world of soul. Working down from that higher world, it re-cast the form of the human body. Until then there had been no difference between hands and feet; they were identically shaped organs of movement. Hence man had not yet attained his upright posture. It was a great step forward in human evolution when his anterior organs of movement were transformed into organs for manual work. He was then able to assume his upright posture and so to overcome his lower nature, inasmuch as his gaze was now directed out and upwards towards the heavenly worlds of Spirit. Thereby, too, he first became capable of fashioning karma. For it is only when a being possesses this particular form that his deeds come within his own, individual responsibility.

Thus it was that Spiritual Beings transformed man as the force of the `She feels', which had previously reposed in them alone, streamed into the human body. If therefore the esoteric pupil sinks himself into the `She feels', again in the way described above, he raises himself to the corresponding Creative Powers of the higher worlds. But together with the `She feels' he must concentrate the whole of his consciousness on his arms and hands. Out of the thought `She feels' an experience of indescribably blissful life will then stream to him. This feeling can be described as that of `love in active existence'. Thereby he attains consciousness of how the Creative Love flows through cosmic space, and by its deed pours into all things the breath of life.

A fourth sentence is `He wills'. It was by the force of this sentence that in a primeval past the human body, as a whole, was for the first time separated out as an independent being from its environment.

Before this force worked upon it from higher worlds, the human body was not shut off on all sides by an outer skin. Streams of substance flowed into the body from all sides and out of it again. It had no independent life but was entirely immersed in the life of its environment. In that epoch, of course, the environment was quite different from that of our own time. If the esoteric pupil now again sinks all his thinking, feeling and willing into the `He wills', concentrating his consciousness on the whole surface of the outer skin, he transfers himself gradually into the sublime creative forces of the `He wills'. These are the forces of the supersensible world whereby the things of the world of sense are given their form and shape. If he has sufficient endurance, the human being will feel, in the deeply inward experience of this thought, as if he were raised above all sensible-corporeal existence and were looking down upon the field of sense-creation in order to work upon it in conformity with the Divine Thoughts attained in the spiritual world. The force proceeding from this thought is that of being joyously transported into pure spirituality, and the attainment of a consciousness that out of higher regions one can bring to the world of sense that of which it stands in need.

As he engrosses himself deeply in these thoughts that are forces, the esotericist will simultaneously have to focus attention on his breathing- process and, for a short time, transform it from an unconscious process into a consciously regulated act. For while the forces working from higher worlds upon the human form were achieving the transformation indicated, these same forces produced, within this form, the present breathing-system - the system necessary for a being whose body has an independent existence, the work of whose hands is his own responsibility, whose organs of speech can translate experiences in the life of soul into externally audible sounds. The ascent into the higher regions of world-creation is furthered by directing the attention in this way to the breathing process.

If the esoteric pupil learns by degrees thus to experience consciously the higher cosmic forces, which indeed are always slumbering within him but of which he has hitherto been unaware, then what he should already have assimilated through study becomes alive in him, begins to glimmer into perceptible reality. He should already have acquired the knowledge that man, together with the evolution of the Earth as a whole, passed through different stages of transformation before the present Earth came into being. These stages of transformation are called: the Saturn condition, the Sun condition, the Moon condition. The esotericist has also to acquire the knowledge that in later epochs there is a certain recapitulation of earlier conditions. Thus the Saturn, Sun and Moon conditions were recapitulated during the Earth-evolution, and in such a way that the Saturn repetition corresponds to the creative work of the `He wills' on the outer sheath of the human being. The Sun recapitulation corresponds to the creative work of the `She feels' on the arms and hands, and the Moon recapitulation to the creative work of the `It thinks' on the organs of speech. The idea of the human body as a mere product of the sense-world is abandoned, and the esotericist finds his way to vision of those higher worlds whence come the forces that work creatively upon man. So, too, the bare concepts which have been acquired of such matters as Saturn, Sun and Moon become actual perceptions and experiences. And so indeed it must be if the way is to be found more and more from the exoteric to the esoteric.

The exercises given here must of course be regarded only as a beginning. The pupil must, however, work strenuously through them, and then he will reach the point where he can receive the further exercises through which still higher forces that slumber within him are awakened. The aim is to gain an inkling of the spiritual facts which underline the words, `I am', `I think', `She feels', `I will', and to feel their connection with the members of the human body, whose form has arisen from out of the spiritual world.

It should be added, for information, that in the above Words of Power, the three forms

IT-SHE-HE

are well founded in the nature of the higher worlds.

`It' is the Word of Power for the Cosmic Thinking: that is, for those Beings in the higher world to whom creative thinking belongs in just the same measure as sense-perception belongs to the human beings below them.

`She' is the Word of Power for the Cosmic Soul which originates the Feeling that streams out from it, whereas human feeling streams in, being stimulated from outside. This Feeling of the World Soul is the Creative Cosmic Love which brings all things into existence.

`He' is the Word of Power for the Cosmic Will, the Cosmic Spirit whose Will acts from out of Himself, whereas the human will is brought into action through the outer world. This `He' is the Creative, Archetypal Power of the World.

Notes from the Editor

The twelfth annual meeting of the European Section of the Theosophical Society, Adyar, took place in London from July 5 to 7, 1902. Marie von Sivers had already traveled to London in mid-June. Rudolf Steiner followed on July 1 as the designated General Secretary of the German Section of the Theosophical Society and remained there until July 11. Rudolf Steiner was invited by Bertram Keightley ¹ to join the commission, which was charged with the task of deciding the future structure of the European Section. Once the various national sections could be considered established (including the founding of the German section, which was still to come at that time), the former European section was dissolved. It was decided that an annual congress of the European Federation of National Sections would be held for future cooperation between the European national sections.

In his autobiography, Rudolf Steiner writes: “When I spoke for the first time in London at the 1902 conference of the Theosophical Society, I said: ‘The union that forms the individual sections should consist of each section bringing to the center what it holds within itself’; and I emphasized that I intended for the German Section above all. I made it clear that this Section would never act as the custodian of established dogmas, but as a place of independent spiritual research, which would seek to communicate with the Society as a whole about the cultivation of genuine spiritual life at their joint meetings.

In October 1918, Rudolf Steiner said the following about this first address at an international meeting of the Theosophical Society: “For example, I tried² when I first attended a congress of the Theosophical Society in London, to bring a certain point of view into it. I gave a very short speech. It was at a time when the Entente Cordiale had just been concluded and everything was under the impression of the recently concluded Entente Cordiale.³ I had tried to characterize that the movement which the Theosophical Society seeks to represent cannot be about spreading anything as theosophical wisdom from some center, but that it can only be about having a kind of unifying point, so to speak, in a common place for everything that the modern era is bringing forth from all corners of the world. And I concluded at the time with the words: If we build on the spirit, if we seek spiritual community in a truly concrete, positive way, so that the spirit that is generated here and there is carried to a common center (Theosophical Society), then we build a different Entente cordiale.

I spoke of this other entente cordiale in London at the time. It was the first speech I gave at the Theosophical Society, and I deliberately spoke of this other entente cordiale. [...] But the sympathies were not at all on my side.

The meeting took place in an annex of the renowned $t. James Hall. A report of the meeting, which was printed but not published, also briefly describes Steiner's lecture. Steiner spoke in German and Marie von Sivers translated into English. The report reads as follows: “He said that he had been sent over by the Berlin Lodge to learn something of the Theosophical Movement at its fountain-head. In Germany they were about to found a new Section, and he would endeavor to give an idea of the state of things there. They had but few people at present who had the least idea of theosophical teachings, but there were some diligent workers in several large cities, and there was much latent power in Germany and a strong desire to seek for further spiritual understanding, rationalistic philosophy possessed a great influence among the classes it was most desirable to reach, and this philosophy might be made the greatest enemy if not encountered properly, or, on the other hand, it could be of greatest assistance if the foundation of Theosophy in Germany were laid on the writings of the great German philosophers. Such men as Leibniz, Schelling, Fichte and Hegel were real theosophists and they should attach themselves to the teaching these men had left” (quoted from Crispian Villeneuve: Rudolf Steiner in Britain, A Documentation of his Ten Visits, Vol I, 1902-1921, Forest Row 2004, pp. 29-30. According to Crispian Villeneuve, a possibly even only “the” copy of the printed but unpublished “Report of Proceedings” is located at the headquarters of the Theosophical Society in England at Gloucester Place in London).

In German translation by the editor: “He said he had been sent over from the Berlin Lodge to learn about the Theosophical movement at its source. They were to found a new section in Germany and he would endeavor to give an idea of the state of affairs there. At present they had few people who had any real knowledge of the Theosophical teachings, but there were some hard-working people in several large cities, and there was sufficient latent power and a strong desire for further spiritual understanding in Germany. Rationalistic philosophy had exercised a great influence over those classes most desirable to reach, and this philosophy might be made the greatest enemy if not properly met; or, on the other hand, it might be of the greatest help if the establishment of Theosophy in Germany were based on the writings of the great German philosophers. Such men as Leibniz,⁴ Schelling,⁵ Fichte, ⁶ and Hegel ⁷ “You are true theosophists and you should adhere to the teachings that these men have left behind.”

No further documents relating to Rudolf Steiner's presentations at this twelfth congress of the European Section of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) are available.

In addition to Rudolf Steiner and Marie von Sivers, the following people from Germany were in attendance: Henriette von Holten,⁸ Adolf Kolbe,⁹ Ludwig Deinhard.¹⁰ It is also noteworthy that this is probably where they first met Elisabeth Vreede ¹¹ and Daniel Nicole Dunlop ¹² came.

• 1. Bertram Keightley: 1860-1944, collaborator of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and later Annie Besant , was Secretary General of the Indian Section of the Theosophical Society in Benarcs from 1891 to 1893; and Secretary General of the British Section of the Theosophical Society in Adyar from 1901 to 1905. In his biography, Rudolf Steiner writes: “I became friends with him” (GA 28, Dornach 2000, 5. 397). Rudolf Steiner stayed with Bertram Keightley in London Bayswater from July 1 to 11, 1902. In a letter dated July 1, 1902, Rudolf Steiner writes to his first wife Anna Eunike (1853-1911): “Miss von Sivers is taking me to Mr. Keightley. A pure blessing: in England you have to bathe every morning in such houses. So my first London experience is a bath. Then breakfast with Mr. Keightley. He is a very pleasant and amiable man. I didn't want to eat lunch today. It seems best to me not to get too attached to certain times. So I am sitting there at two o'clock in the afternoon – but in Berlin it is already three o'clock – and I have just eaten: Stewed kidney Lyonais. You would call this roasted kidney. Tonight at seven o'clock I have a conference with Keightley, where he should hear about the state of German Theosophy.” Quoted from: Letters, Vol. II, CW 39, Dornach 1989, 8. 412.
• 2. For example, I tried... not on my part: From the lecture of October 27, 1918, in: Historical Symptomatology, Dornach 1982, GA 185, p.145. in London on July 5, 1902, no transcript of the speech itself has been handed down.
• 3.
• NoteNum. NoteText
• 4. Leibniz: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), German philosopher, mathematician, universal scholar of the Enlightenment.
• 5. Schelling: Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775-1854), German philosopher and anthropologist, successor to Hegel's chair in Berlin.
• 6. Fichte: Johann Gott lieb Fichte (1762-1814), German idealist philosopher.
• 7. Hegel: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), German philosopher, representative of German idealism. - on Fichte, Schelling, Flegel: See, for example, Rudolf Steiner: The Riddles of Philosophy, GA 18. The first edition of this appeared under the title World and Life Views in the Nineteenth Century, Volume 1 in 1900 and Volume II in 1902, both in Berlin. - See in particular: Pictures of Occult Seals and Pillars. The Munich Congress at Whitsun 1907 and its effects, GA 284. At the 1907 congress of the Federation of European Sections of the Theosophical Society in Munich, Rudolf Steiner had the busts of Fichte, Schelling and Hegel placed in front of the stage.
• 8. Henriette von Holten: 1845-2, née Borchert; no further details known .
• 9. Adolf Kolbe:? -1934, member of the Theosophical Society since 1897, founded the Hamburg Pythagorean branch with Bernhard Hubo in 1898, which was one of the branches that formed the German Section in 1902. From 1905 to 1913 on the board of the German Section, esoteric student of Rudolf Steiner.
• 10. Ludwig Deinhard: 1847-1917, engineer and industrialist, 1894-1896 head of one of the first Theosophical branches in Munich. He worked towards the formation of a German section from 1900 and was a member of its board from 1902 to 1908. His book The Mystery of Man in the Light of Psychical Research. An Introduction to Occultism, Berlin 1910, was highly esteemed by Rudolf Steiner. Cf. also the lecture of May 19, 1917 in Central Europe between East and West, GA 1744, 2nd ed. Dornach 1982, 8. 155-175 and On the History and Content of the First Section of the Esoteric School 1904-1914, GA 264. - Initially belonged to the circle around Karl du Prel, later to the circle around Hübbe-Schleiden , but then joined Rudolf Steiner completely.
• 11. Elisabeth Vreede: 1879-1943, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher. She worked at the Goetheanum from 1914, and from 1919 she set up the Rudolf Steiner Lecture Archive. In 1920, she was a founding member and then secretary of the branch at the Goetheanum. From 1923 to 1935, she was a member of the founding board of the General Anthroposophical Society and head of the mathematical-astronomical section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum.
• 12. Daniel Nicole Dunlop: 1868-1935, Secretary General of the Anthroposophical Society in England from 1930 to 1935, organizer of the International Summer Schools in 1923 (in Penmaenmawr) and 1924 (in Torquay). Founder of the British Weleda Company.

Report by Richard Bresch, “Der Vâhan,” Volume IV, Nos. 5 and 6, November and December 1902.

After preliminary discussions had already taken place between individual delegates on the evening of October 18, the negotiations began at half past twelve on schedule in the hall of the Theosophical Library and former apartment of Count Brockdorff, who had moved to Meran, [Berlin] Charlottenburg, KaiserFriedrich-Str. 54a. They were introduced by an appropriate address by the chairman, Dr. Steiner. Those who understand the signs of the times cannot fail to see that we are on the threshold of a new intellectual epoch, that a new turning point is in preparation, one that is just as important and significant as those in the times of Augustine or in the 16th century, a change in which Germany in particular is destined to play a very great role; German science has the most important task in the face of materialism, and only hand in hand with it will we be able to work...

The ten lodges included in the section charter were represented as follows:

They initially agreed that, in accordance with the statutes of the European section, the Berlin lodge, with more than 25 members, should have three votes in voting, but all other lodges should only have two votes. It is not the place here to go into detail on the individual paragraphs of the new statutes, since the latter are expected to be published separately soon. It should only be noted here that, in order to ensure that as many lodges as possible are represented on the board, it was decided to elect ten additional members to the board, in addition to the four members living in or near Berlin, in accordance with the statutes of the European section, for a total of fourteen members. Dr. Steiner was elected as Secretary General, Mrs. von Holten as Treasurer, Julius Engel, Miss von Sivers and Mr. Rüdiger (Charlottenburg) as residents of Berlin and its surrounding areas, and in addition Dr. Hübbe-Schleiden, Ludwig Deinhard, Günther Wagner, Bernhard Hubo, Adolf Kolbe (Hamburg), Bruno Berg, Dr. Noll (Kassel), Oppel (Stuttgart), Richard Bresch were elected. All were elected for three years. The accounting year ends on September 30, and it was decided not to request a refund of any dues already paid to London for the current year, so that for the accounting year that has already begun, the dues set at three marks for each member are now to be collected from the branches and delivered to the new treasurer. The general assembly, which apart from extraordinary ones should take place annually, is to meet on October 19. In addition to the lodge delegates, only the general secretary and treasurer have voting rights at the assembly. The journal Dr. Steiner intends to publish under the name Lucifer, the first issue of which will appear around January 1903, is intended to reveal and collect all the threads and guidelines that lead from nature, art, philosophy, science and social life to the spiritual, thus leading to theosophy. This undertaking was welcomed by all as a thoroughly purposeful, equally arduous and meritorious one; a separate section organ should not exist, but the “Vâhan” should also publish the section news.

Written congratulations were received from the Italian section, a telegraphic message from the French section, and verbal congratulations were offered by the Scandinavian section, through a gentleman present from Denmark, and by the British section, through Mrs. Besant. In addition, several telegrams of congratulations were received from individual members.

The negotiations lasted until the next day, because Mrs. Besant's arrival at seven o'clock at the Friedrichstraße station was expected. She had come to Berlin from London especially for this occasion, thereby demonstrating the great importance she and the British Section attach to the formation of the German Section. Her presence during these days in Berlin has significantly increased their importance and we German Theosophists are grateful to her. The train pulled into the station right on time and was greeted by a short but warm welcome from about 25 members.

The next day, Dr. Steiner welcomed Mrs. Besant as she entered the hall during the proceedings and she was given a standing ovation; she attended the proceedings for about half an hour. After the latter had been brought to a satisfactory conclusion thanks to Dr. Steiner's skillful and tactful leadership, she presented the charter of the German Section to him as the General Secretary and, after a break during which the kind and generous hospitality of Fräulein von Sivers also took care of the physical needs of the participants, she gave a speech in front of 50 to 60 people. She explained how the European (now British again) section had previously included the lodges of all European nations, but how cumbersome and complicated its administration had been as a result, a situation that could only be provisional, of course, until one by one the national sections stand on their own two feet and break away from the parent section; this is how the Scandinavian, Dutch, French and Italian sections came into being, and it is a source of particular satisfaction to her that the German Theosophical work is now also being tackled by Germans in the German way. All nations are different and each nation practices Theosophy in its own way, but the nations are like the notes of a harmony, each contributing its part to the great harmony, their combination forming the harmony, realizing the universal brotherhood, so the German Theosophical work is also a necessary part of the global Theosophical movement. The theosophical movement needs the German spirit, needs the cooperation of the German people, in order to be enriched by it. Ms. Besant then explained the difference between the Theosophical Society and other societies (see February “Vâhan”, p. 129), and that the current merger of lodges into a section is comparable to the formation of a vessel made of clay, thus creating a reservoir for divine life from which the latter can flow over humanity. Compared to the religious foundations of earlier times, each with a great teacher who transmitted this divine life, the Theosophical Society represents a significant step forward. It is not a new religion, but strives for the great unity of all religions. However, as the divine life flows into the reservoir and the privilege is received, the responsibility for the members also increases, and harmonious cooperation is an indispensable requirement. If in everyday life, every gain and progress is sought only for one's own personal advantage, then this must now change. It is necessary to purify oneself and to let go of all personal desires and dislikes. Only then does one become a Theosophist, rather than just a member of society. But by considering that although there is one life in all, it manifests itself differently in each, and each person sees the truth only from a different point of view, in a different way. One person may have poetic gifts, another organizational abilities, a third intellectual, oratory or literary talents. The secret of success lies in the cooperation of all, in mutual tolerance, appreciation and support.

Dr. Steiner's lecture on practical karma studies formed the conclusion of the evening, but we must refrain from going into this here.

Many members enjoyed the stimulating company at the vegetarian restaurant opposite the Central Hotel until late in the evening.

On Tuesday, October 21, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Mrs. von Holten invited members to her hospitable, elegant home, and the time flew by in lively conversation when the time came to leave for Charlottenburg via the new elevated railway or underground railway, where, in the already used rooms, Mrs. Besant answered a wide range of questions in front of around 50 members:

Regarding Christian Science, she said that a distinction is made between Christian and mental healers. The former deny all illness, saying that only God possesses reality and everything else is unreal, an illusion. The latter, however, recognize the illness and thus take a more rational approach. They seek to restore harmony (health) by using the right will and thinking to counteract the disharmony caused by wrong thinking. However, there is a danger with all such healings that, although the evil is removed from the lower level, it is instead drawn up into higher ones, from where it would then have to descend again in a different, worse form; physical ailments should therefore only be treated with physical means. Healing through prayer, etc., should actually only be done by those who have vision. They see what is missing and observe the effect of their actions. When the saints perform healings, they act from the vision that the karma of the sick person has taken effect, and they then restore the desired harmony by means of their own life energies.

Furthermore, the question was asked: How does Jesus eating fish with his disciples square with the commandment of pure food? According to the Holy Scripture, Jesus also ate fish after appearing to his disciples. Is the astral body even capable of ingesting food? Answer: The latter suggests that the passage is to be understood symbolically. For the Christian as well as for the sacred scriptures of the East, three interpretations are possible at the same time. The first is that one is dealing with historical or factual information intended to teach morals and ethics to the masses of people; the second is for the more developed, the intellectual, and the third is the deepest, mystical. The more developed person, like the present questioner, finds an inner contradiction in the sayings, which urges him to seek a higher explanation; in the occult sense, fish signify esotericism; so if Jesus ate fish with his disciples, it means that he instructed them in secret knowledge. Incidentally, however, the saint could also enjoy impure food without harm, since he knew how to render the harmful juices harmless or to excrete them, as the legend of St. Sankharacharya proves, to whom one of his disciples had reproached him for eating impure food. The next day they came to a blacksmith's shop, where the teacher took a glowing piece of iron and wanted to give it to the disciple. But when the disciple recoiled, he was taught that he, the teacher, could also enjoy impure food 'without harm, but the disciple could not. - In response to the question, “What karma does one incur who neglects his family in favor of his theosophical work?” The answer was that everyone has to do their duty where their karma has placed them, so that everyone has to take care of their family first and foremost.

Question: Did the martyrs incur their terrible suffering in a past life or not?

Answer: The martyrs usually take on such suffering of their own free will for the good of humanity, thereby benefiting from an opportunity for faster progress that presents itself to them, or creating good karma for the future.

Question: Lazarus is said to have been resurrected four days after Christ's death. Shouldn't the body have begun to decompose after four days, and is resurrection still possible?

Answer: First of all, we have no proof that it would really have happened that way. If decomposition had already occurred, revival to physical life would no longer be possible. The magnetic connection between the astral and physical bodies must still be present, otherwise it would be impossible even for a saint to call someone back to life. However, this connection could still be present weeks after the apparent death.

Question: If this connection can exist for such a long time, can it not often happen that people are buried alive?

Answer: We want to hope and wish that this does not happen so often, but the possibility should not be ruled out. Indeed, changes in the position of the corpses have been observed in graves, and cases of reawakening have been proven. In any case, the short time period prescribed in France before burial is not to be approved.

Question: Is it right to be cremated after death?

Answer: She (Besant) has always held the view that the best form of burial is cremation because it is the quickest and most thorough way to sever any connection with the physical world. Another question concerned the spiritual tidal wave that descends from higher planes every century, which retreats from the physical plane at the end of the century. Mrs. Besant confirmed this information, but the retreat of the tidal wave is no reason to stop the theosophical work afterwards, otherwise the next spiritual tidal wave would have to start all the more deeply.

A question regarding mantras was answered as follows: even the ignorant person who recites a mantra achieves some effect, however small. However, they are far more effective when they are recited competently with conscious will and knowledge. - Mention was also made of the recent claim by a London sectarian clergyman to be the incarnate Jesus, who should be treated with caution; but the fact that Jesus, as he once did to his disciples, can still show himself in the astral to a circle of his followers today, at least the possibility cannot be denied, only the utmost purity of the aspirations of such followers would be an indispensable prerequisite.

Finally, Mrs. Besant also refuted the oft-repeated accusation against the law of karma that it prevents all charity and compassion. Anyone who, on the pretext that suffering is the karma of the person in need of help, fails to take advantage of an opportunity to help a person in need, does not consider that he was chosen by karma as the instrument to provide relief in the emergency. If he fails to do so, he too will be left in the lurch when he encounters a similar emergency. The law of karma, however, will then seek and find another agent to fulfill its purpose, which cannot remain unfulfilled or be broken.

In the evening, Mrs. Besant finally gave the public lecture at the Hotel Prinz Albrecht, which was attended by about 400 people. It was introduced by an address by Dr. Steiner: Many would have been surprised, he said, when he publicly confessed to Theosophy in the Giordano Bruno Federation about 14 days ago. But just as Giordano Bruno, relying on Kepler's discoveries, demanded the recognition of a new worldview, so today Theosophy brings a new worldview and we stand today, just as we did then, at a world-historical turning point. Today, the German Section has been founded and for this reason the most outstanding representative in the Theosophical movement has come here to speak the first words publicly. Mrs. Besant's lecture on Theosophy, its meaning and purpose, was as follows:

In the last 100 years, Mrs. Besant began her public lecture on Theosophy, the world has become smaller for us, because we can see it more easily and more completely, but on the other hand it also seems larger to us when we consider what research has painstakingly brought to light. Countries and peoples have grown closer; we cross the oceans with ease in all directions; what used to take years now takes weeks or months, what used to take days now takes minutes or hours. But not only spatial distances are shrinking, but also temporal ones. While 100 years ago, only a few thousand years of human history could be looked back on, today we are able to look further and further back. The old buildings and other remains of long-gone civilizations are coming to light, lost nations and dead languages are being awakened, so that they come to new life and activity before our eyes. We see them before us in their customs and habits, and written records even tell us about their religious beliefs. Comparing the otherwise so different traditions of the most diverse peoples, we were astonished to find that all the religions of the extinct peoples agreed on the main points, and that they must therefore have a common root. From the bosom of the earth, from graves and ancient ruins, writings are emerging that confirm this. In Mexico, ancient monuments bear witness to a long-vanished civilization that had amazed the first Spanish settlers to arrive there. Around the Mediterranean basin, in Central Asia, Macedonia, among the ancient Etruscans, etc., writings were found in graves that revealed the same thoughts about nature, the human spirit, and its eternal duration . Even among the Chaldeans, Persians and other nations, comparative mythology has found the same terms for certain principles. Nowhere did it find a religious doctrine that was completely different from the others, but everywhere the same doctrines, the same ethics, the same symbols; so the question arose as to the root cause of this striking similarity. Many researchers have indeed tried to explain this similarity by saying that the religions and the first crude concepts of God among savages arose out of fear of the forces of nature and of death, and thus arose everywhere from the same motives and gradually developed and refined with increasing intelligence and culture. The most important thinkers outside the church were those who held this view, among them in particular Huxley. They called it agnosticism, that is, the opinion that we humans cannot know anything about religion and transcendental things and that in this regard everything is merely a matter of faith and feeling. But experience does not agree with this view, for instead of gradually developing and perfecting religions, we find that there are always highly perfect, pure, highly spiritual religions founded from the outset, which only degenerate and materialize over time – in other words, precisely the opposite process. From the ancient scriptures, especially those of the Indians, it can be seen that the concepts of God, the afterlife, eternal justice, etc., become ever more refined and elevated the further back in time we reach, instead of becoming coarser and cruder.¹

In the [Upanishads], for example, which are thought to have been written around 5000 BC, we find the most exalted concepts of God and the human spirit, which even our greatest philosophers lag behind, as Schopenhauer, for example, acknowledged when he said that the [Upanishads] had enlightened his mind and would be his comfort in death. Since religions have not developed from savagery and ignorance, but rather, as far back as history goes, were founded by sages such as Laotse, Zoroaster, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed, Theosophy answers the question about the reason for the agreement shown by all religions, even those of the distant past, : There is a brotherhood of divine men who have risen far above the development of ordinary men; this brotherhood sends from time to time a brother, who, be it as a king or as a leader and teacher, protects, supervises, teaches and educates a particular people or a particular race. All these masters have proclaimed the same truths to the world, and history teaches that each new religion is followed by a new era of development. All the main ideas of the old religions reappear in the modern religions. The idea of the further development of one and the same human entity over many lives (reincarnation) was also found among the Hebrews and in early Christianity; later, in the sixth century AD, however, it was declared heresy and only survived in a few sects. But religion does not necessarily have to be based on such a divine teacher, that is, on belief in an authority; it can also be a form of knowledge, a realization. Man is able to separate himself from his bodies and enter the higher planes of consciousness. This has long been scientifically proven. Christianity, Islam, and many mystics up to the present day testify to this possibility. We see evidence e in somnambulism, telepathy, suggestion, hypnotism, in all kinds of clairvoyance [and so on], so that even the most stubborn skeptics can no longer close their minds to these facts. Of course, they try to discredit such manifestations by saying that they only occur in cases of hysteria, nervous disorders, and thus in a pathological state.² occurred.

Well, I am not saying that it is so, but even if it were the case that only people with extremely fine nerves could leave their bodies, this would not be a testimony against the existence of this fact. Lombroso, an Italian psychiatrist, says that genius and madness live very close to each other. Even if he is right, it is still fortunate for humanity that there are such geniuses who make us happy through their creations. Or do you think that the beef-eating, beer-drinking, muscle-bound average man would be more likely to produce such works of art? Consider our great geniuses, a genius like Beethoven, a sculptor like Michelangelo, a Goethe, a Shakespeare! Where did they get their great ideas? Did they not get them by seeing them in spirit at a higher level? How many messages have been given to us by people who have seen and heard things in a trance or in ecstasy! In this state, the spiritual person leaves his body, slips out of his shell, as it were, and can then rise to a higher level than the physical one, where he sees and has clairvoyance. This ability can also be acquired through practice and a certain training; that which sees or recognizes there is our spiritual essence and since this is an outflow of the one great life that lives in all, it can also not only recognize this unity in all, consider it true in theory, but when man is first can take his consciousness uninterruptedly over into his temporal day-consciousness, he sees, knows and feels this unity, the one life that pulsates in all, and understands his brother, because he feels with him, thinks with him and loves him, not as another, but as a part of his own self. Because he now understands everyone, he also embraces everyone with the same love. We should all learn this knowledge. Theosophy gives us the opportunity to do so; it offers us its treasures.

Once we all have this level of knowledge and understanding, then everyone will also respect the differences of others. Hatred and antagonism, however, as they still prevail today between nations - the Frenchman hates the Englishman, the Englishman the German, the German the Frenchman and so on - are based on the fact that each nation regards its relationship with every other nation through the prism of its self-created thought and feeling, and in the light of eternal reality, all these antagonisms between nations, like individuals, are foolishness and folly; there should only be one competition between them, namely, which nation will earn the greatest merit for the good of the whole. The time will come when everyone recognizes the tone and color that is expressed in every nation and every individual, when everyone grasps the harmony that flows from these tones and colors, rejoices in them, finds in them a complement to own tone and color; this harmony of tones and colors will lead us to that eternal blessed peace, as it will arise from the divine wisdom, theosophy, in the future.

So much for Mrs. Besant's public lecture, which visibly made a deep and lasting impression on the audience, even those who understood little English; there was nothing sensational, theatrical, nothing screaming, intrusive; in short, powerful, powerfully emphasized sentences gave even the non-understanding the impression of the dignified, the momentous. Mrs. Besant spoke with perfect rhetoric, despite the severe fever that she had recently overcome, without a trace of fatigue, without faltering even once, without once correcting a word or changing a phrase she had begun, and the last sentence of her speech came across as freshly as the first. Dr. Steiner took it upon himself to interpret the main ideas of this lecture for the non-English-speaking audience, not literally, but in his own way. However, a reproduction of his remarks would have to repeat too much of the above, which is why it must be omitted here.

So in those memorable days in Berlin, we finally found the long-awaited union, so that the next day I felt solemn and could easily have been persuaded that Berlin had put up the festive flags not for the Empress, but for our Section. After all, the stagnation and faltering of the Theosophical movement in Germany, the splintering into illegitimate offshoots, has now been prevented as far as possible, and we have created a viable organizational basis for fruitful growth, planted a healthy seed in fertile soil. The real work, however, the growth itself, is only just beginning, even if we have all the necessary virtues and abilities among us.

• 1. This is confirmed, among others, by Max Müller in his Essays on the Science of Religion (p. 40ff.), where he says: “Monotheism preceded polytheism, and through the polytheistic fog in the Vedas, the memory of the One Infinite God breaks through.” Furthermore, von Spiegel, one of the first experts on Persian religion, when he expresses himself in his “Eranische Altertumskunde”, vol. II, preface, about the former as follows: “Contrary to my earlier view, I now no longer believe that the Eranian religion emerged from polytheism in such a way that the multiplicity of the Göuer was reduced to a duality and finally arrived at monotheism. It seems more correct to me that a vigorous monotheism preceded dualism.” And the ‘Germania’ of Nov. 5th. also says in an article ‘Original Polytheism’: ”The original religion, it may once have existed, but it must have left some traces, some afterglow, in the oldest religions. These traces must be followed up if one wants to research the developmental history of religion. What do the oldest religions of the Chinese, Egyptians, and Indo-Europeans teach in their written monuments about an original polytheism? Not the slightest thing. On the contrary. The further research advances into the distant past, the more it is able, through the most diverse discoveries, to examine the earliest germs of religion, the more the picture of a primeval humanity that pays homage to the most desolate fetishism and most excessive polytheism proves to be a magnificent humbug.... History has advanced to the most distant times. It knows of peoples who, from the most ancient times to the present, have worshiped many gods in all parts of the world. In these long centuries, it should be possible to find some evidence of a transformation from polytheism to monotheism, even if it is only a very weak beginning. Why are no such facts taught? Quite simply because there are none.
• 2. However, today's doctors are very good at distinguishing between epilepsy and ecstasy; this is shown in a posthumous work by Prof. Kußmaul that appeared in the “Deutsche Revue”. The claim that many of the greatest men in world history, such as the apostle Paul, suffered from epilepsy, is refuted here. In the case of Mohammed, it seems that he suffered from a non-epileptic, catatonic nervous condition. He dictated the suras of the Koran during his seizures, which is not consistent with the nature of epileptic seizures. Kußmaul demands that scientific pathology must place strict demands on the diagnosis of epilepsy. D.R.

Written Report by Rudolf Steiner “Der Vâhan”, Volume V, No. 1, July 1903

On July 3, 4 and 5, the thirteenth annual meeting of the British Section of the Theosophical Society was held in London. Linked to this general assembly was a meeting of the general secretaries of the British, Dutch, French, Italian and German sections to discuss the way in which the annual meetings of the “Association of European Sections” should be organized in the future. One of these sections will invite the representatives of the others to visit it each year; the section extending the invitation and the location of the meeting will be decided upon for the following year. The details of this were discussed in a preliminary meeting on July 3. It was agreed that at the annual meeting the general secretaries would give reports on the progress of the Theosophical movement in their countries and that common matters would be discussed. The closer contact of the members of the Theosophical movement in the different countries will be sought at these meetings, so that the great international principle of the Theosophical movement will become more and more effective. At the same time, it was decided to collect the reports on the movement given by the general secretaries in annual communications. Van Manen of the Dutch section was elected editor of these communications. Following the kind invitation from the general secretary of the Dutch section for next year, it was decided to accept and to choose Amsterdam as the location for the next annual meeting. On the evening of July 4, the general secretaries of the above-mentioned sections gave speeches in which they pointed out the progress of the Theosophical movement in the individual countries. Dr. Rudolf Steiner, the General Secretary of the German Section, was able to point to less success due to the short existence of our section; he spoke of the special tasks that the German national spirit presents to the Theosophical movement and of the hopes and prospects that we may have if we make the seeds of Theosophy fruitful in German intellectual life. - Both the preliminary discussion and the meeting itself were personally led by the President of the Theosophical Society, who was present in London. - This was also the case for the meetings of the British Section itself, which held a business meeting on July 4 and organized speeches on July 5. From the business meeting, it should be emphasized that the representatives of the foreign sections, including Dr. Rudolf Steiner from our German Section, gave welcoming speeches and that Bertram Keightley, the former General Secretary of this Section, was re-elected, but in such a way that Mrs. Hooper was appointed to independently manage the affairs as Deputy General Secretary for the duration of his stay in India.

President H. S. Olcott opened the meeting on July 5 with an address in which he spoke about the founding, goals and tasks of the Theosophical Society, and in which he particularly pointed out that no belief in dogma would be promoted by the “Theosophical Society,” that unity should be sought in the various creeds, so that the element of brotherly love in the broadest sense would be instilled into humanity through the Society. — Bertram Keightley spoke about the “Coming Psychic Wave.” He pointed out the interest that is currently being shown from a wide variety of quarters in certain psychic phenomena and powers. But this interest is mostly directed towards the personal, as for example in “Christian Science”. The theosophical movement, on the other hand, emphasizes the impersonal, the selfless; under its influence, the “psychic wave of the present” alone can take on a promising character for the future. - Finally, G. Mead expounded the “Christ-Mystery in the Earliest Christianity.” He emphasized that, in his opinion, the universal-human character of Christ, born in the depths of the soul, had greater significance for the early days of Christianity than the facts that a later time placed at the starting point of Christianity.

Report of a lecture by Rudolf Steiner, “Luzifer” No. 5/1903

The following is a brief excerpt of what Dr. Rudolf Steiner (as General Secretary of the German Section of the Theosophical Society) said on July 3 of that year in London at the first meeting of the Federation of European Sections of the Theosophical Society (see issue 3 of Luzifer, p. 126): The European sections have agreed to meet annually for the common cultivation of the Theosophical movement. On these occasions, the individual contributions that the various regions of Europe are able to make to our great international task will come together, and the representatives of the individual sections will take the stimulus of the congresses back to their home countries to continue to work there. Our German section is not even a year old. It is therefore natural that it can only point to limited successes in the past . But it may be said that we have the best hopes for the future of Theosophy in Germany. For the whole essence of the German national spirit is one that is drawn to Theosophy. Where German intellectual culture has produced its most beautiful blossoms, there a hidden, but no less effective theosophical attitude has always been present among the bearers of this culture. For not only did the deep mysticism of a Meister Eckhart and Tauler, of a Valentin Weigel, Jakob Böhme, Angelus Silesius and of the secret mystical societies arise from this attitude and way of thinking; but also the world views of our more recent German thinkers, Fichte, Schelling, Hegel, rest on this foundation. And what was expressed by these outstanding personalities has its roots in the depths of the German national soul. That is why the greatest of the newer German poets, Goethe, was imbued with such an attitude, with such a way of thinking. Goethe can only be fully understood when one sees through the theosophical way of looking at things, which is not to be discovered on the surface but in the depths of his creations. This side of Goethe's work has remained almost completely misunderstood. Once it is understood, what Goethe created will become an important promoter of the theosophical movement in Germany. Goethe's entire view of nature is based on theosophical principles. Much of what he, according to his own saying, “has hidden in his ‘Faust’” are theosophical truths. And in addition, he summarized his world view in his deeply symbolic fairy tale of “the green snake and the beautiful lily”. This fairy tale is almost the “secret revelation” of Goethe. It must be read as one reads esoteric writings, its meaning must be studied as one studies the meaning of secret representations of deeply hidden truths. Until one has done this, one does not know the whole of Goethe. Under the influence of such study, a new light is thrown on many other aspects of Goethe's life and work; and above all, it is proved that in Goethe the Germans have a theosophical poet. And one looks to Novalis, whose “magical idealism” is also theosophical; finally, one looks to Schelling, who in the 1840s appeared at the University of Berlin with his views, gained through long, deep research, in his lectures on “The Philosophy of Mythology” and “The Philosophy of Revelation”. Only one thing is missing in all these theosophical efforts of the Germans: a deeper understanding of the great world laws of reincarnation and karma. For even if Jean Paul advocated the doctrine of re-embodiment out of his intuition, it has never been organically connected with the currents mentioned earlier. The theosophical movement will incorporate these comprehensive truths into German culture. In this way it will bring the Germans closer to their great personalities, indeed to their own national soul; and Theosophy itself will experience the most beautiful fertilization from this side. As true as it is that German life has much to expect from Theosophy, it is equally true that it has much to contribute to the Theosophical world movement.

Report by Richard Bresch, “Der Vâhan”, Volume V, No. 5, November 1903

Berlin, Motzstr. 17, Sunday, October 18, 11 a.m. preliminary discussion. Eight lodges are represented: Berlin, Charlottenburg, Hamburg, Hannover, Leipzig, Lugano, Stuttgart and Weimar. After Dr. Steiner had read out some letters of congratulations and welcome, he proceeded to discuss the events of the past year. The behavior of the lodges in Düsseldorf and Kassel is distressing. Due to various unfortunate circumstances, they have ceased their meetings and become dormant branches. However, all activity has by no means ceased there, and there is justified hope that a revival or awakening will succeed. What is missing in Düsseldorf and Kassel is a suitable personality who, as a spiritual pacemaker, has enough intelligence and willingness to make sacrifices to lead the whole, to impress upon the members the duties that arise from the new knowledge, and to encourage them to further progress with ever new material. The founding of the Weimar Lodge, in the city of muses so significant for Germany's intellectual life, and the almost perfect Nuremberg Lodge, in the emporium that was no less important in Germany's early history, is gratifying. Dr. Steiner recommends that where the formation of lodges is not possible, at least “centres” should be formed. In all sections of the population, the reluctance and prejudice against Theosophy are very strong and its disdain is encountered at every turn; nevertheless, Dr. Steiner cannot adopt the policy advocated by some of spreading Theosophy without using its name, could not be adopted by him. He considered it more appropriate to proclaim it loudly and to blaze a trail for it with perseverance, strength and dignity. He then spoke about his trip to London for the annual meeting of European general Secretaries, where he made a point of learning about the experiences of the other sections so that he could apply them in Germany as far as possible. Mrs. Besant takes a lively interest in our section and fully approves of what has happened so far; in England, great expectations are being placed on our movement in Germany. He has even found so much material support from the English side that next year he will be able to attach himself an assistant in the person of Miss von Rosen, who, under his (Dr. Steiner's) direction and responsibility, would take care of the correspondence, which he has been forced to neglect so far, and thus remedy a situation that is so painfully felt in all lodges. Otherwise, matters of an internal nature were discussed that do not belong in public.

At half past five, Dr. Steiner gave the announced lecture on occult historical research, which was attended by an audience of 40 to 50 people. The speaker said the following: After the Theosophical Society was founded in 1875, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, with the help of her teachers, began to work on the mighty work that we know as “The Secret Doctrine” and in which a treasure of the deepest knowledge has been left to us. This work consists of two parts, the cosmological and the anthropological, the first of which deals with the development of the universe and the second with that of man. In the course of time, this work will be supplemented by a third part, which will deal with what profane science calls “history”. Historical research must, for better or for worse, be content with the facts that take place on the physical plane; on the other hand, theosophy, which goes directly back to the causes, finds the answer to all those questions that secular science has so often and so in vain tried to solve.

If we follow the historical facts, we encounter three things: just as the acting human being is enveloped in a three-part system - the physical, the mental and the spiritual being - so too are historical facts subject to such a tripartite division. The external actions that take place before our senses are in the physical; in the soul lies the center where pleasure and displeasure, sympathy and antipathy prevail, and in the spiritual we find the realm where the events of history arise. Here we have to look for the true causes of everything that happens on earth, here the leading figures of history consult each other face to face with the great and invisible leaders of humanity. Only when we explore the intention that drove them to act do we understand the often inexplicable facts of history.

For example, in the fifteenth century there lived a Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa (Cusanus), who had deep scientific insights. Long before Copernicus, he had recognized and taught the double movement of the earth, without being understood by his contemporaries. It was a kind of preparation for what Copernicus (born 1473) was able to communicate to a more insightful generation (sixteenth century). Occult researchers now unanimously teach (and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky also openly stated and hinted at it in the third volume of the “Secret Doctrine”) that Copernicus was none other than the reincarnated Cardinal Cusa, who in this way brought his work to completion. Thus tasks are set and solved; the soul that prepares something great comes back later to fulfill and complete its mission.

The speaker gave two more examples to illustrate the way in which occult historical research works in its difficult field, how it connects seemingly unrelated facts in an explanatory way; and with these examples he at the same time gave a picture of the supplement to the “Secret Doctrine” that was once to be expected: rounds and races were the subjects of the parts published so far; the third part, the occult research of history, will deal with reincarnation.

Finally, Dr. Steiner spoke at length about the Theosophical movement. This, he emphasized, is also an enormous necessity in the occult sense; there are many reasons for this, one of the most important of which is as follows:

A secret is handed down to each human race; we are in the fifth race and with the fifth secret, and the latter cannot be pronounced today, but we are gradually living into it. Paul, who was an initiate, already hints at what it is, but it will only be revealed in the course of our race's development. Premature divination of this secret by purely intellectual abilities would mean an indescribable danger for humanity. Since such divination has almost occurred twice already and will happen again in the foreseeable future, the great teachers of humanity have brought about the theosophical movement. Humanity is to be prepared for the great truth. Theosophy is working towards a certain point in time; a core is to be formed that understands this truth when it emerges undisguised one day - a core that grasps it correctly and uses it not as a curse but as a blessing for humanity. The earlier races were formed from an already existing one, by the selection of suitable individuals or families and the continuation of these by the Manu in suitable deserted landscapes.¹

This process is no longer feasible in today's globalized world, but it is no longer necessary either; it has been replaced by education through the cosmopolitan International Theosophical Society, which forms this core.

So much for Dr. Steiner.

Only a few points from the discussion that followed his lecture can be highlighted here. It was emphasized how few people have real experience regarding the decisive facts of the world view, e.g. regarding the biogenetic law in Germany only about 20; witnesses of the occult facts are even fewer by nature. Incidentally, it is hardly a mere coincidence that in 1875, the year in which the nature of the fertilization process, and thus the origin of the personality, was revealed to us by science, the Theosophical Society was founded, which teaches us about our individuality. The monistic or materialistic view of Ernst Haeckel was discussed in detail, the importance of his scientific research was emphasized and appreciated, but the low value and superficiality of his speculative philosophical and especially religious remarks were also emphasized. The monistic way of thinking is very close to Theosophy and much of what Haeckel writes reads like the basics of Theosophy. Only the thinking habits of our time, mass suggestion, prevent the breakthrough of the theosophical worldview.

In order to easily, smoothly and effectively refute all objections of natural scientists to the existence of the soul (independent of the physical body), Mr. Hubo recommended two of du Prel's works that had also appeared in Reclam's Universal Library: “The Riddle of Man” and “The Monistic Doctrine of the Soul”; these writings are in that respect a veritable arsenal full of weapons that every theosophist should always have at hand. Finally, attention was drawn to the highly questionable nature of those writings on the effects of personal magnetism (Törnbock) that have recently come to us from America (New York Institute of Science) with the usual publicity. These writings should only be given to those who are absolutely morally stable and are therefore quite capable of causing untold harm under the guise of science.

Monday, October 19, at ten o'clock in the morning: business general assembly. In order to establish a connection and communication between the branches, it was decided to publish a monthly hectographed correspondence sheet, to be produced at headquarters and sent free of charge. Furthermore, when notifying the names of all members to headquarters, the date of admission and the names of the two sponsors or guarantors should be added if possible. It was recalled that when each member joins the Society, in addition to the annual subscription of three marks, they must pay five marks admission fee in accordance with the Constitution. The income of the Section in the past year amounted to 332.70 Marks, of which one-fourth is to be remitted to Adyar in November, as per the Constitution. Expenditure amounted to 34.40 Marks. Miss Motzkus and Mr. Seiler were appointed as auditors. Privy Councillor Lübke and Miss Mathilde Scholl were elected to replace the outgoing board members Bruno Berg and Dr. Hübbe-Schleiden. The members of the board can express their will or vote in writing, but cannot be represented in person. Miss von Sivers is given the title “secretary”. Furthermore, the statutes of our German section were definitively established; however, since they will soon appear in print, there is no need to go into them further here. The first general assembly concluded with a vote of thanks to Dr. Steiner, Ms. von Sivers and Ms. von Holten for their knowledgeable and dedicated work. I am convinced that we can be thoroughly satisfied with the way the assembly went and with the results. In any case, the foundation for a prosperous future has now been laid.

• 1. Readers will find more details about this in the essay by A. P.Sinnett, “The Beginnings of the Fifth Root Race”, which begins with this number.

Originally appeared in “Lucifer” No. 6/1903

Dr. Rudolf Steiner spoke on this topic at the annual meeting of the German Section of the Theosophical Society on October 18, 1903. A very brief summary of his remarks is given here. Through the founder of the Theosophical Society, we have been given the “Secret Doctrine,” in which the foundation for a solution to the great riddles of existence is laid on two sides. In a comprehensive theory of the origin of the world (Cosmogenesis), the plan is shown according to which the scene has developed out of the spiritual primal powers of the universe, on which man is responsible for his earthly change. From a second volume (Anthropogenesis) we see which stages man himself has gone through until he became a member of the present race. It will depend on the development of the theosophical movement, on when it will have reached a certain state of maturity, in which time the same spiritual forces that have given us the great truths of the first two volumes will also give us the third. This will contain the deeper laws for what the so-called “world history” offers us on the outside. It will deal with “occult historical research”. It will show how the destinies of nations are fulfilled in the true sense, how guilt and atonement are linked in the great life of humanity, how the leading personalities of history arrive at their mission and how they fulfill it. Only he who knows how the great trinity of body, soul and spirit intervenes in the wheel of becoming can see through the development of humanity. Above all, one has to realize how physical existence in the broadest sense is conditioned by the great cosmic natural forces, which take on a particular form in the characters of races and peoples and in what is called the “spirit” of an age. One will see how the material basis comes about, which expresses itself in the fact that people represent certain types (peoples, ages) in which they resemble one another. The generic characters will be more clearly illuminated here, which they cannot receive from the cultural history that is focused on the merely superficial. It will be understood how the influence of the soil, the climate, the economic conditions and so on actually takes place on people. - Then the question will be addressed as to what role the personal element in the true sense plays in history. The drives, instincts, feelings and passions come from this personal element. And they can only be understood if one is familiar with the influence of the world that is called astral or psychic (soul-like) in the one that takes place before our physical senses and our mind. This part of occult history will throw light on what is usually attributed to the arbitrariness of individual personalities. And one will understand the interaction of individual personality, nation and age. The enlightening light will be thrown into world history from the astral field. Thirdly, it will be revealed how the total spirit of the universe intervenes in the destinies of men, how the life of this total spirit pours into the higher self of a great leader of mankind, and in this way communicates itself through channels of this higher life to all mankind. For that is the way this higher life takes: It flows into the higher selves of the leading spirits, and these communicate it to their brothers. From embodiment to embodiment, the higher selves of human beings develop and learn more and more to make their own selves missionaries of the divine plan for the world. Through occult historical research, one will recognize how a human leader develops to the point where he can take on a divine mission. One will see how Buddha, Zarathustra, and Christ came to their missions. The lecturer illustrated these general statements by suggesting some examples of how we can imagine the development of great leaders of humanity through their reincarnation.

The annual meeting of the German Section of the Theosophical Society was opened on the morning of October 18, 1903 by an executive committee meeting, attended by the executive members Dr. Rudolf Steiner (secretary-general), Fräule von Sivers (Berlin), Julius Engel (Charlottenburg), Richard Bresch (Leipzig), Bernhard Hubo (Hamburg), Mrs. von Holten (Berlin), Günther Wagner (Lugano) and [Adolf] Kolbe (Hamburg). Internal section matters were discussed and it was decided to bring about a closer exchange of ideas and communication between the individual branches by creating a small organ for this purpose, only for the branches and their affairs. Fräulein von Sivers was elected secretary of the section and the appointment of Fräulein von Rosen as assistant to the section, which has been made possible by the loving support of our English brothers, was confirmed. On Sunday evening, the lecture on “Occult Historical Research” took place. It was followed by a discussion of important theosophical questions (for example, the position of so-called monism in relation to theosophy, the use of psychic powers in life, and so on), in which the following participated: Günther Wagner (Lugano), Richard Bresch (Leipzig), Bernhard Hubo (Hamburg), Julius Engel (Charlottenburg), Arenson (Stuttgart) and Rüdiger (Charlottenburg). At the general meeting on Monday, October 19, the following were present in addition to the above-named representatives from outside: Frau Geheimrat Lübke (Weimar), Arenson (Stuttgart), Fischer (Hannover). The business of the section was conducted. The following should be mentioned: Frau Helene Lübke (Weimar) and Fräulein Mathilde Scholl (Cologne) were elected to replace two former members of the board. It was reported that a new branch had been formed in Weimar and that the formation of others was to be expected. Miss Klara Motzkus (Berlin) and Mr. Franz Seiler (Berlin) were elected as auditors.

Report by Rudolf Steiner, “Lucifer-Gnosis”, no. 13/1904

From June 19 to 21, the Federation of European Sections of the Theosophical Society held its congress in Amsterdam [...]. The members of the Dutch section had the task of taking on all the work to be done at the venue. And they took on this truly difficult task in a way that must ensure them the full recognition and warmest thanks of the European sections, which were their guests this time. They knew how to organize the three-day proceedings in the most dignified and substantive way, interspersing the actual Theosophical meetings with artistic performances that included musical and declamatory performances. These performances were not organized with outside artists, but by the members of the Dutch section themselves. It is only with heartfelt satisfaction that one can look back on what was offered there. It has testified to the tireless work and successful propaganda of the great spiritual movement in Holland. It already has almost 800 members there.

The proceedings of the congress will now be outlined in a few strokes. - Annie Besant chaired the meeting. She returned to Europe a few weeks ago from an eighteen-month stay in India. It was good that she was able to lead the work of the assembly. Everyone who understands the true meaning of the important spiritual movement embodied in the Theosophical Society knows this. After the death of H. P. Blavatsky, the spiritual leadership of the Society passed to Annie Besant. This must be counted as a good karma for the Society. In everything that comes from this woman lives the power by which the Society must be guided if it is to fulfill its mission. This mission consists in elevating the present civilization to a spiritual life. This civilization has achieved unspeakable things in intellectual and material cultural work. It has enormously expanded the horizons and outer work of humanity and will continue to expand them. But spiritual deepening was bound to suffer. The nineteenth century lacked spiritual direction, it lacked the spiritual life that gave impulses to earlier great epochs of human development. That was the necessary fate of cultural development. For when man's strength is particularly expressed in one direction, it must withdraw from its activity in the other. At present, however, we have again reached the point where spiritual life must be brought into our culture if it is not to become completely externalized, and if humanity is not to lose touch with spiritual experiences. This mission of the Theosophical Society is now fully expressed in everything Annie Besant does and says. The highest task of our time is the innermost impulse of her own soul. Knowledge and will, insight and ideal of our time are united in Annie Besant, to be fertilized by her own highly developed spiritual life as a force emanating from her and to communicate as such to her fellow human beings. Wherever she speaks, the spirit of the audience is raised to the heights of divine knowledge and their hearts are filled with enthusiasm for the spiritual currents of humanity. And so it was when she gave her magnificent opening address at the Amsterdam Congress. She set out the conditions under which the work of the Society must be carried out. The question of the “why” and “wherefore” of the assembly was answered by her in broad strokes. She described the theosophical movement as part of the great spiritual movement that is taking hold of the whole world today. The spiritualization of the whole civilization must be achieved. A glance at this civilization teaches this. In the material, this civilization lives itself out. In a science that seeks to understand the material, in an industry and technology that serves the outer life, in a traffic that makes the material interests of the whole earth more and more common. But all this lacks the spiritual. Our knowledge is a mind knowledge, our commercial prosperity promotes external well-being. But this science on the one hand and material prosperity on the other are only an external form of culture, not its inner life. To everything we have conquered, we must add heart and soul. We must again incorporate the divine ideal into our will; then all externals will no longer be an end in themselves, but only the outer garment, only the form of civilization. The spirit must fill the body of our culture if it is to endure. And to fill this body with the spirit, the theosophical movement has been brought into being. It starts from the oldest thoughts of mankind, from that wisdom which in primeval times raised our race to its present level of consciousness, and which was always effective in all great progress. These thoughts, this wisdom are as old as humanity itself. Only their forms must change according to the different needs of different times. Theosophy does not ascribe the origin of wisdom to an external, accidental development. Rather, it derives it from the brotherhood of the great leaders of humanity. These are the beings who have already in the past reached the high degree of perfection towards which the average human being in the future is striving. Such advanced brothers of the human race use their degree of perfection to help the rest of humanity to progress. Their work is done in secret. It must be done in secret because it is too high to be understood by the masses. They are the guides of divine ideals. From time to time they send their messengers into the world to give it great cultural impulses. The great world religions owe their origin to such impulses; all cultural achievements owe their foundations to them. One such impulse has been sent into the world in recent times, leading to the founding of the Theosophical Society by H. P. Blavatsky and H. S. Olcott. It aims to bring humanity back to the realization that thought is greater than expression, spirit greater than outer form. It seeks to show that science must regain knowledge not only of the sensual but also of the supersensible worlds, that the heart should not cling only to material goods but should open itself to the divine ideal. Above and beyond all the benefits that the individual can derive from our present means of culture stands the general spiritual upliftment of all mankind. All the prosperity for which humanity strives should be sought only to build a dwelling for the spirit on this earth. And this dwelling is only worthy if it is suffused with beauty. But beauty is only possible if it emanates from the spirit. Our material civilization cannot have true art unless it conquers true faith. From the art of the Middle Ages, the faith of medieval humanity shines out to us. Its painters allowed themselves to be inspired by the religious feeling that lived in their hearts. The content of faith gave meaning and significance to the lines and colors of the artists. Theosophy wants to bring to bear a new body of thought, appropriate to the imagination of contemporary humanity. And the new body of thought will be the creator of a new art. That is the task of our time. All nobler spirits feel this. The striving towards it is noticeable everywhere. The Theosophical Society wants to be the leader, the vanguard of this movement. It wants to inspire individual men and women for this goal, which is currently felt so clearly. And with that, it unites the striving for tolerance, for universal love of humanity. These have always been the forces from which the great advances of humanity have emerged. What individual cultural movements strive for, the theosophical current seeks to form into a great unity. It seeks to overcome narrow-mindedness and intolerance. For only in united striving can humanity today achieve its goal. The Theosophical Society does not exist for the selfish pursuit of its members. It is a mistake to join it for the purpose of furthering one's own development. It wants to be there for humanity, it wants to work in its service. One should become a member of the Society only to be a channel through which flows knowledge that promotes human progress. The Society does not grow when its membership increases daily, but when these members grow in confidence and insight into their lofty task with each passing day. The justification of the [Theosophical] Society lies in the change that has taken place in the way people think over the last thirty years. Today, people no longer look down on those who no longer focus solely on the material side of culture. The heart begins to expand, and people have an interest again in those who aspire to the spirit. Our materialism became so powerful because our devotion had become so weak. But the person who is unable to look up to the spiritual heights in adoration closes himself off. Devotion, however, opens the heart and mind. We rise to that which we behold in devotional love and high esteem. The call for such deepening has gone out to those who have united in the Theosophical Society; they are to be good helmsmen for the path that is mapped out for present civilization.

The individual sections were represented by their general secretaries: the English section by Bertram Keightley, the Dutch section by W. B. Fricke, the French section by Dr. Th. Pascal, the German section by Dr. Rud. Steiner. Unfortunately, the general secretary of the Italian section, Decio Calvari, could not be present. Johan van Manen conducted the business of the congress and also gave his report at the meeting on the morning of June 19. His work deserves special mention. He had an enormous workload during the preparations for the meeting and during the meeting itself. One could only admire the willingness to make sacrifices, the prudence and the energy of this member of the Theosophical Society.

On the evening of the 19th, a public lecture was held. Annie Besant spoke about “New Psychology”. She outlined the change that has taken place in the last forty years in the prevailing views on the nature of the mind.

Forty years ago, materialism in men like Büchner and Vogt could claim that the brain secretes thoughts like the liver secretes bile. Since then, people have abandoned the belief that the nature of the mind can be known by studying the workings of the brain. Today we know that such a process would be the same as trying to penetrate the secrets of a Mozart or Beethoven creation by studying the hammers and keys of a piano. The phenomena of dream life have been studied, and those phenomena of consciousness that occur in abnormal states of the physical body have been studied in depth. This has led to the conviction that the spiritual is an independent entity in man, and that the way in which it manifests itself in the ordinary state is only one of its forms. Only this form, this mode of expression, is conditioned by the physical structure of the human senses and the human brain. It must be the nature of the spirit to manifest itself through other instruments in a different way. In this way, experimental science has confirmed the fundamental truth of all deeper religious worldviews, that the spirit in human day-consciousness has only one of its revelations. It has shown that through certain processes (in trance and so on) forms of consciousness arise in man in which he is quite different from his so-called normal consciousness. This also justifies the scientific approach of not seeking the truth only through the form of consciousness that we experience in everyday life, but also by elevating ourselves to higher forms of consciousness in order to get to know the higher worlds.

The other works of the congress were dealt with by forming departments according to the subject matter of the lectures presented. It became clear how Theosophy has already extended its work to all branches of modern spiritual life and also to social ideals. The Theosophists seek to bring the suitability of their goals to bear in all branches of culture, and they also seek the sources everywhere in order to integrate their thoughts and ideals into the aspirations of the present. The individual departments were as follows: 1. Science; 2. Comparative Religion; 3. Philology; 4. Human Brotherhood; 5. Occultism; 6. Philosophy; 7. Theosophical Method of Work; 8. Art.

In the scientific section, a paper by Dr. Pascal on the “Nature of Consciousness” was read first. The author had subtly succeeded in combining the basic theosophical ideas with modern concepts. Ludwig Deihard (Munich) followed with a suggestion. He pointed to the various states of consciousness that have been established experimentally (multiplex personality), explained them lucidly and called on those who had developed higher states of consciousness within themselves to also put their experiences at the service of the basic theosophical concepts (reincarnation and karma). This was followed by a stimulating discussion of the “Development of a Second Personality” by Alfred R. Orage (Leeds). The two presentations followed on nicely from what Annie Besant had presented in her lecture on “the new psychology”. From the proceedings of this section, it can only be stated that Emilio Scalfaro (Bologna), Arturio Reghini (Italy) and Mrs. Sarah Corbett (Manchester) delivered papers on important questions of space, matter and other topics. The abundance of what was presented can hardly be covered in a short summary, especially since lectures were held simultaneously in different rooms and it was only possible for individuals to attend a part of them. The works will also be published in a detailed congress report (yearbook of the congress) and will thus be accessible to everyone. Therefore, only a few of them will be reported on here. In the section on comparative religion, the following was presented: “The Religion of the Future - a View of Vaishnavism” by Purnendu Narayana Sinha (India).

In the section on “human brotherhood”, there was a treatise on the communal life among so-called primitive peoples by Mme Emma Weise (Paris). Works of this kind are important for the theosophist because they point to a time when the principle of brotherhood was a natural law of the soul in human tribes. Progress has necessarily led to separation and to selfishness. But this is only a transitional epoch. Seclusion must give way to selfless devotion, to ethical brotherhood, again, at a higher level, to what was once innate in man at a lower level. The social coexistence of people was the subject of the lectures by D. A. Courmes (Paris) and $. Edgar Aldermann (Sacramento, Cal.).

In the “Occultism” section, Annie Besant spoke about the “Essence of Occultism”. She pointed out H. P. Blavatsky's saying that occultism is the study of the universal world spirit in all of nature. The occultist recognizes that everything that can be perceived in the world is based on a universal spirit; and that the world of appearances only gives the forms, the expressions of this hidden (occult) world spirit. We find this conviction expressed in all major world religions, and occultists find the real foundations of religions confirmed by their own experience. The intellectual science can only recognize the outside of the world. It speaks of forces and laws. The occultist sees behind these forces and laws. And he then perceives that these are only the outer shell for living entities, just as the human body is the shell for the soul and spirit. From the lower forms that lie behind the forces of nature, to the exalted world spirits, which he addresses as logoi, the occultist pursues the spiritual realm according to his ability. But in order to recognize this world as a reality, he must go through a careful training. He must achieve two things. First, he must expand his consciousness so that it can encompass higher worlds, just as the ordinary conscious mind dominates the physical world. Second, he must develop higher senses that can perceive in these worlds, just as eyes and ears perceive in the physical world. The first goal, the expansion of consciousness, depends on man learning to control his thoughts. In ordinary life, man is controlled by his thoughts. They come and go, dragging the consciousness hither and thither. The occultist must be master of the course of his thoughts. He regulates their course. It is in his power to decide which thoughts to admit and which to reject. This goal can only be achieved through the most diligent self-education. Once you have prepared yourself in this way, you can begin to develop the higher senses. As long as a person is still under the influence of his passions, desires and instincts, the possession of higher senses can only be harmful to him. A pure, selfless life is a matter of course for the occultist. The personal desires he cherishes of his own accord take shape in the higher worlds. Man himself is the author of these forms. If he begins to see these forms, he is exposed to the danger of mistaking his own personal creations of desire and longing for objective realities. These products of his body of desire and longing are hidden from the average person. If they are not to become the source of serious errors and illusions for the developed higher senses, they must fade from view. The occultist must personally be without desire. There is a further danger that man may mistake the fragments of higher worlds that present themselves to his open eyes for exhaustive realities. The occultist must learn to recognize all this. What particularly hinders the development of occult abilities is the haste and rush with which some disciples want to advance. These stem from personal impatience and restlessness. But the occultist must develop complete inner calmness and patience. He must be able to wait until the right moment of inspiration has come. He must wait patiently until he is given what he should not take in greed. He must do everything to enable the voices from the spiritual world to speak to him at the right moment; but he must not have the slightest belief that he can force these voices. He who is lifted up in pride because he believes he knows more than others cannot become an occultist. This is why occultists speak of the heresy of separatism. If a person wants something for himself, if he does not want to possess everything in community, then he is immature for occultism. Every separation, every striving for personal self-interest, even if it is of the highest spiritual nature, kills the occult senses. The dangers of the occult path are great. Only patience and selflessness, willingness to make sacrifices and true love can make the occultist.

A letter from Leadbeater, which was intended for this section, included, among other things, interesting explanations about the astral forms that are evoked by musical works of art. One can characterize a sonata by Beethoven or a piano piece by Mozart by the architecture that the clairvoyant can perceive in the astral space.

In the “Philosophy” section, Dr. Rudolf Steiner gave a lecture on “Mathematics and Occultism”. He assumed that Plato demanded a mathematical education from his students, that the Gnostics referred to their higher wisdom as mathesis and that the Pythagoreans saw the basis of all being in number and form. He explained that they all did not have abstract mathematics in mind, but that they meant the intuitive insight of the occultist, who perceives the laws in the higher worlds with the help of a spiritual sensation that presents in the spiritual what music is for our ordinary sensual world. Just as air, through vibrations that can be expressed in numbers, arouses musical sensations, so the occultist, if he prepares himself by knowing the secrets of numbers, can perceive spiritual music in the higher worlds, which, when a person is particularly highly developed, intensifies to the sensation of the music of the spheres. This music of the spheres is not a figment of the imagination; it is a real experience for the occultist. By incorporating the arithmetics into his own being, by permeating his astral and mental body with the intimate sense that is expressed in the numerical relationships, man prepares himself to let hidden world phenomena have an effect on him. In modern times, the occult sense has withdrawn from the sciences. Since Copernicus and Galileo, science has been concerned with conquering the physical world. But it is in the eternal plan of human development that physical science should also be able to find access to the spiritual world. In the age of physical research, mathematics has been enriched by Newton and Leibniz's analysis of the infinite, by differential and integral calculus. Those who seek not only to understand in the abstract, but to experience inwardly what a differential really represents, will gain a view that is free of sensuality. For in the differential, the sensual view of space itself is overcome in the symbol; for moments, human cognition can become purely mental. To the clairvoyant, this is revealed by the fact that the thought form of the differential is open to the outside, in contrast to the thought forms that a person receives through sensory observation. These are closed to the outside. Thus, through the analysis of the infinite, one of the paths is opened by which the higher senses of the human being open to the outside. The occultist knows what happens to the chakra between the eyebrows when he develops the spirit of the differential within himself. If the mathematician is a selfless person, he can lay down what he has achieved in this way on the general altar of human brotherhood. And the seemingly driest science can become an important source for occultism.

In the same section, Gaston Polak (Brussels) spoke about symmetry and rhythm in man. It was interesting to hear these discussions about the way in which the human being can fit into the general great laws of the world. A paper by Bhagavän Däs (Benares) on the “Relationship between Self and Not-Self” was read. Since this paper will soon be available in book form, a summary can be dispensed with here, which would also be rather difficult due to the subtle form of the thought processes.

In the section on the “method of theosophical work”, the remarks of Mrs. Ivy Hooper (London) were of great importance. She emphasized that the essential thing for the theosophist is not the dogmatic forms in which the spirit, the spiritual life is expressed, but this spirit, this life itself. It is commendable that this has been stated with such clarity. We can express the spirit with both Christian and Oriental symbols if we only preserve this spirit. Where Christian symbolism is better understood, the Theosophist may make use of it. For one can be a good Theosophist without knowing anything of the dogmas in which spiritual wisdom was necessarily taught in the beginning. The Theosophical Society is meant to be the bearer of this wisdom, but it should change the forms according to necessity. Buddhist formulas and oriental dogmas must not be confused with the theosophical spirit. Theosophy has no dogmatics. It only wants to be spiritual life.

A section on “Art” showed how the Theosophical worldview can also bring light to this area. Jean Delville (Brussels), for example, developed something spiritual in his lecture on the “Mission of Art”. Ludwig Deinhard (Munich) took this opportunity to present a treatise by the German painter Fidus, in which the latter expresses his Theosophical view of the secrets of art.

On Tuesday afternoon, with a brief address by Annie Besant and expressions of thanks to our Dutch Theosophists from the attending General Secretaries, the congress concluded. That evening, Dr. Hallo gave a public lecture on the human aura, illustrated with slides.

An exhibition of works of art of particular interest to Theosophists had been organized and could be viewed during the entire duration of the congress.

London was chosen as the venue for next year's congress.