Theosophy Rudolph Steiner 1910 247pgs SPT

7/27/2019 Theosophy Rudolph Steiner 1910 247pgs SPT

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/theosophy-rudolph-steiner-1910-247pgs-spt 1/247



THE PATH OF KNOWLEDGE 217

t h e m h i s f e e l i n g o f s e l f , t h e n t h e y b e c o m e h i s

o r g a n s o f p e r c e p t i o n , t h e n h e s e e s b y m e a n s

o f t h e m , a n d t h r o u g h t h e m a t t a i n s t o k n o w l -

edge . I t i s i n c o r r e c t t o t h i n k t h a t t h e S e e k er

o f t h e P a t h b e c o m e s a d r y , c o l o r l e ss b e i n g ,

i n c a p a b l e o f p l e a s u r e o r s u f f e r i n g. P l e a s u r e

and su ffe r ing a re p re sen t i n h im bu t i n a t r ans -

formed shape ; they have become "eyes and

ears . "

S o l o n g a s o n e l i v e s i n a p e r s o n a l r e l a t i o n -

s h i p w i t h t h e w o r l d , t h i n g s r e v e a l o n l y t h a t

w h i c h l i n k s t h e m w i t h o u r p e r s o n a l i t y. But

t h a t i s t h e t r a n s i t o r y p a r t o f t h e m . If we

w i t h dr a w o u r s e l v e s f r o m t h e t r a n s i t o r y p a r t

of us and live with our feeling of self, with our

" I , "i n o u r p e r m a n e n t p a r t , t h e n o u r t r a n s i -

t o r y p a r t s b e c o m e i n t e r m e d i a r i e s f o r u s ; a n d

t h a t w h i c h r e v e a l s i t s e l f t h r o u g h t h e m i s a n

I m p e r i s h a b l e , a n E t e r n a l i n t h e t h i n g s . This

r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n Hi s own Eternal and

the Eternal in t he things must be estab-

l i s h e d b y t h e s e e k e r o f t h e P a t h. Even before

he begins other exercises of the kind described,

and also during them, he should direct his

thought to this imperishable part. When

I o b s e r v e a s t o n e , a p l a n t , a n a n i m a l , a m a n , I



218THEOSOPHY

s h o u l d r e m e m b e r t h a t i n e a c h o f t h e m a n E t e r -

na l dec l a re s i t s e l f . I must ask myself what

i s t h e p e r m a n e n t t h a t l i v e s i n t h e t r a n s i t o r y

stone, what will outlast the transient, sensible

phenomenon? One ought not to t hink that

s u c h a d i r e c t i n g o f t h e s p i r i t t o t h e e t e r n a l

d e s t r o y s t h e p o w e r o f d e v o t e d o b s e r v a t i o n a n d

our feeling for the qualities of everyday

a f f a i r s , a n d e s t r a n g e s u s f r o m t h e i m m e d i a t e

r e a l i t i e s . O n t h e c o n t r a r y e v e r y l e a f , e v e r y

l i t t l e i n sec t w i l l unve i l t o u s innumerab le mys -

t e r i e s , w h e n n o t o u r EYES o n l y b u t THROUGH

THE EYES t h e s p i r i t i s d i r e c t e d u p o n t h e m .

Every sparkle, every shade of color, eve ry

cadence will remain vividly perceptible to

t h e s ense s ; n o t h i n g w i l l b e l o s t ; only an infini-

t u d e i s g a i n e d . I n d e e d , t h e p e r s o n w h o i s n o t

able to observe even the meanest thing in

n a t u r e w i t h i n t e r e s t w i l l o n l y a t t a i n t o p a l e ,

b lood les s though t s , no t t o sp i r i t ua l s igh t . All

d e p e n d s o n t h e ATTITUDE OF MIND w e a c q u i r e

in this direction .

What st age we will succeed in reaching

depends on our capacities . We have each

m o m e n t t o d o w h a t i s r i g h t a n d l e a v e e v e r y -

t h i n g e l s e t o t h e f u t u r e . It must be enough




f o r u s a t f i r s t t o d i r ec t ou r m in ds t o t he pe r ma -

n e n t . I f w e d o t h i s t h e k n o w l e dg e o f t h e p e r -

m a n e n t w i l lTHROUGH THI S a w a k e n i n u s . We

m u s t w a i t u n t i l i t i s g i v e n . A n d i t i s g i v e n

a t t h e r i g h t t i m e t o e a c h o n e w h o w i t h p a t i e n c e

w a i t s a n d w o r k s . A man soon notices during

s u c h e x e r c i s e s w h a t a p o w e r f u l t r a n s f o r m a t i o n

t a k e s p l a c e w i t h i n h i m . H e l e a r n s t o c o n s i d e r

e a c h t h i n g a s i m p o r t a n t o r u n i m p o r t a n t o n l y

i n s o f a r a s h e r e c o g n i z e s i t t o b e r e l a t e d t o

a Permanent, to an Eternal . He comes to a

different appreciation and estimate of the

w o r l d f r o m t h e o n e h e h a s h i t h e r t o h a d . His

whole feeling takes on a new relationship

toward the entire surrounding world . The

t r a n s i t o r y n o l o n g e r a t t r a c t s h i m f o r i t s o w n

s a k e a s f o r m e r l y ; i t b e c o me s f o r h im a m e m be r ,

an image of the E ternal . And this Eternal,

t ha t l i ves in a l l t h ings , he l ea rns to love . It

b e c o m e s f a m i l i a r t o h i m , ju s t a s t h e t r a n s i t o r y

was formerly familiar to him . This again

d o e s n o t c a u s e h i m t o b e c o m e e s t r a n g e d f r o m

l i f e , h e o n l y l e a r n s t o v a l u e e a c h t h i n g a t i t s

t r u e w o r t h . E v e n t h e v a i n t r i f l e s o f l i f e wi l l

n o t l e av e hi m q u i t e u n af f ec t ed ; b u t t h e m a n

n o l o n g e r l o s e s h i m s e l f i n t h e m , h e r e c o g n i z e s



220 THEOSOPHY

t h e m a t t h e i r l i m i t e d w o r t h . He see s the m in

their true light . H e i s a p o o r d i s c e r n e r w h o

prefers to go awandering in the clouds and

l o se s igh t o f l i f e ; a t r u e d i s c e r n e r f r o m h i s

h i g h s u m m i t , w i t h h i s p o w e r o f c l e a r s u r v e y

a n d h i s j u s t a n d h e a l t h y f e e l i n g f o r e v e r y -

t h i n g , w i l l b e a b l e t o a s s i g n t o e a c h t h i n g i t s

p r o p e r p l a c e .

In this way there opens out t o the Path

s e e k e r t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f c e a s i n g t o o b e y t h e

i n c a l c u l a b l e i n f l u e n c e s o f t h e e x t e r n a l w o r l d

o f t h e s e n s e s , w h i c h t u r n h i s w i l l n o w h e r e ,

n o w t h e r e . Through higher knowledge he h as

s e e n t h e E t e r n a l B e i n g i n t h i n g s . By means

o f t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f h i s i n n e r w o r l d h e

has ga ined the capac i ty to pe rce ive th i s e t e rna l

being . When he now acts from out himself,

h e a c t s a l s o f r o m o u t t h e E t e r n a l B e i n g o f t h e

th ings .F o r t h e t h i n g s g i v e u t t e r a n c e IN HIM

t o t h i s b e i n g o f t h e i r s . H e t h e r e f o r e a c t s i n

harmony with the ete rnal World Order when

h e d i r e c t s h i s a c t i o n f r o m o u t t h e E t e r n a l l i v -

ing within him . He becomes in this way no

l o n g e r i m p e l l e d b y t h e t h i n g s , h e i m p e l s t h e m

a c c o r d i n g t o t h e l a w s i m p l a n t e d w i t h i n t h e m

w h i c h h a v e b e c o m e t h e l a w s o f h i s o w n b e i n g .




T h i s a b i l i t y t o a c t f r o m o u t h i s i n n e r b e i n g

c a n o n l y b e a n i d e a l t o w a r d w h i c h o n e s t r i v e s .

T h e a t t a i n m e n t o f t h e g o a l l i e s i n t h e f a r d i s -

t a n c e . B u t t h e P a t h s e e k e r m u st h a v e t h e w i l l

t o t r ead th i s road . Th i s i s h is WILL FOR FREE-

DOM F o r f r e e d o m i s a c t i o n f r o m o u t o f o n e ' s

i n n e r b e i n g . A n d o n l y h e m a y a c t f r o m o u t o f

his inner being who draws his motives from

t h e E t e r n a l . He who d oes not do this acts

according to o t h e r m o t i v e s t h a n t hose

i m p l a n t e d i n t h e t h i n g s . Such a one o pposes

the World Order . And this must prevail

against him . T h a t i s t o s a y , w h a t h e p l a n s

t o c a r r y t h r o u g h b y h i s w i l l c a n n o t t a k e p l a c e .

He cannot become free . T h e a r b i t r a r y c h o i c e

o f the ind iv idua l ann ih i l a t e s i t s e l f t h rough the

effects of its deeds .

He who directs his inner life in su ch a

way steps upward from stage to stage . The

fruits of his exercises will be that certain vistas

o f t h e s u p e r s e n s i b l e w o r l d w i l l u n f o l d t o h i s

s p i r i t u a l p e r c e p t i o n . H e l e a r n s t h e r e a l m e a n -

ing of the truth communicated about this

world ; a n d h e w i l l r e c e i v e c o n f i r m a t i o n o f

them through his own experience . If this



222 THEOSOPHY

s t a g e i s r e a c h e d , a n e x p e r i e n c e c o m e s t o h i m

w h i c h c a n o n l y b e h i s t h r o u g h t r e a d i n g t h i s

path .

T h r o u g h B e i n g s w h o s e s i g n i f i c a n c e c a n n o w

f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e b e c o m e c l e a r t o h i m t h r o u g h

the "great Guides of t he Human Race" t here

i s b e s t o w e d o n h i m w h a t i s c a l l e d c o n s e c r a t i o n

( initiation) . He be comes a "Disciple of t he

Wisdom ." What the Seeker of the Path now

e x p e r i e n c e s c a n o n l y b e i n d i c a t e d h e r e . He

r e c e i v e s a n e w h o m e . H e b e c o m e s a c o n s c i o u s

d w e l l e r i n t h e s u p e r s e n s i b l e w o r l d . The River

of Wisdom flows to him now from a higher

s o u r c e . The Light of K nowledge fr om t his

t i m e f o r t h d o e s n o t s h i n e u p o n h i m f r o m w i t h -

o u t ; h e i s h i m s e l f p l a c e d i n t h e f o u n t a i n e y e

o f t h i s L i g h t . In i t t h e p r o b l e m s w h i c h t h e

world supplies are solved . Henceforth he

h o l d s c o n v e r s e n o l o n g e r w i t h t h e t h i n g s w h i c h

a r e s h a p e d t h r o u g h t h e s p i r i t , b u t w i t h t h e

S h a p i n g S p i r i t i t s e l f . The separate life of

t he pe r sona l i ty on ly ex i s t s now in o rde r t o be a

c o n s c i o u s i m a g e o f t h e E t e r n a l . E v e r y l i n g e r -

ing doubt that could formerly arise in him

v a n i s h e s ; f o r o n l y h e c a n d o u b t w h o m t h i n g s

d e l u de r e g a r d i n g t h e s p i r i t t h a t r u l e s i n t h e m .




And si nce the "Disciple of t he Wisdom" is

ab le to ho ld in t e rcour se wi th the sp i r i t i t s e l f ,

e a c h f a l s e f o r m i n w h i c h h e h a d b e f o r e i m a g -

i n e d t h e s p i r i t v a n i s h e s. The false form

w h i c h m a n a s c r i b e s t o t h e s p i r i t i n h i s c o n c e p -

t ions i s supe r s t i t i on . T h e i n i t i a t e i s a b o v e

a l l s u p e r s t i t i o n , f o r h e k n o w s w h a t t h e t r u e

fo rm o f the sp i r i t i s. FRE ED OM f r o m p e r s o n -

a l i t y , d o u b t , a n d s u p e r s t i t i o n , t h e s e a r e t h e

characteristics of him who has attained to

d i s c i p l e s h i p i n t h e P a t h o f t h e h i g h e r k n o w l -

edge . O n e m u s t n o t c o n f u s e t h i s s t a t e i n w h i c h

t h e p e r s o n a l i t y b e c o m e s o n e w i t h t h e c o m p r e -

h e n s i v e s p i r i t o f l i f e w i t h a DISAPPEARANCE OF

THE PERSONALI TY i n t h e " A l l - S p i r i t . " Such

a d i s a p p e a r a n c e d o e s n o t t a k e p l a c e i n a t r u e

d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e p e r s o n a l i t y . I t r e m a i n s

p r e s e r v e d a s p e r s o n a l i t y a t t h e h i g h e s t s t a g e

of its perfection . I t i s no t t he su b j ec t i on o f t he

p e r s o n a l i t y b u t i t s h i g h e s t d e v e l o p m e n t t h a t

t akes p l ace . I f o n e w i s h e s t o h av e a s i m i l e f o r

t h i s c o i n c i d e n c e o r u n i o n o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l

s p i r i t w i t h t h e " A l l - S p i r i t " o n e c a n n o t c h o o s e

that of different circles which, coinciding, are

l o s t i n t h e O n e , b u t o n e m u s t c h o o s e t h e p i c -

t u r e o f m a n y c i r c l e s o f w h i c h e a c h h a s a q u i t e



224THEOSOPHY

distinct shade of color; these differently col-

ored circles coincide, but EACH separate s hade

preserves its existence within the whole

. N ot

one loses the fullness of its individual power,

and the whole is the resultant of these individ-

ual powers .

The further description of the Path will not

be given here . It is given so far as is p ossible

in "Occult Science," which forms a continu-

ation of this book .

The Way of Man pas ses th rough many lives

(incarnations)

. PATIENCE ou gh t to fl ow ou t

of the real understanding of this fact. He

who uses his present incarnation for his devel-

opment prepares for those stages in which he

will attain to (intuitive) seeing, to clairvoy-

ance, to the full possession of his higher being

(Spirit-sel f, Life-spirit ) as well as to the

remembrance of his former lives and to still

higher experiences. It is possible for this to

take place in his present life or perhaps, it

may be, in a following one .

THE END



NO TES AN D AMPLIFICAT IONS

i . To p age 2 3 . T o s p e a k o f " l i f e - f o r c e "

( Lebenskraft) w a s r e g a r d e d a s h o r t t i m e b a c k

a s t h e m a r k o f a n u n s c i e n t i f i c m i n d . But one

b e g i n s t o f i n d h e r e a n d t h e r e i n s c i e n c e t o - d a y

a t e n d e n c y w h i c h i s n o t a v e r s e f r o m t h e i d e a

of a "life-force" such as was accepted in

f o r me r t i m es . A n y o n e w h o r e a l l y u n d e r s t an d s

t h e c o u r s e o f c o n t e m p o r a r y s c i e n c e w i l l , h o w -

ever, recognize that the superior logic lies with

t h o s e w h o i n c o n s i d e r i n g t h i s t e n d e n c y r e f u s e

t o f i n d a n y t r a c e o f " l i f e - f o r c e . " " L i f e - f o r c e "

is by no means the same as what is to-day

c a l l e d t h e " f o r c e s o f n a t u r e ( Naturkrafte),"

a n d h e w h o w i l l n o t p a s s o v e r f r o m t h e m o d e s

o f t h o u g h t a n d c o n c e p t i o n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f

m o d e r n s c i e n c e t o h i g h e r m o d e s o u g h t n o t t o

speak o f " l i f e - fo rce . " O n l y t h e m o d e o f t h i nk -

ing and the p re suppos i t i ons o f sp i r i t ua l s c i ence

( G e i s t e s wi s s e n s c h a f t ) or Theosophy make it

possible to deal with such things without

i n c o n s i s t e n c y .

225



226THEOSOPHY

2 . To p age 26 . W h e n t h e " s e n s e o f t o u c h "

o f t h e l o w e r o r g a n i s m s i s s p o k e n o f h e r e , i t i s

n o t i n t e n d e d t o c o n v e y w h a t i s e x p r e s s e d b y

t h i s p h r a s e i n t h e o r d i n a r y e x p o s i t i o n s o f t h e

" S e n s e s . " From the theosophical point of

v i e w m u c h c o u l d , i n f a c t , b e u r g e d i n o b j e c -

t i o n t o t h e u s e o f t h i s e x p r e s s i o n . What i s

m e a n t h e r e b y " s e n s e o f t o u c h " i s r a t h e r a GEN-

ERAL BECOMING AWARE o f a n e x t e r n a l i m p r e s -

s i o n , i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e SPECIAL becoming

aware wh ich cons i s t s i n s ee ing , hea r ing , e t c .

3 . T o p a g e 3 5 . I t i s n e c e s s a r y t o r e a d t h e o -

s o p h i c a l p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f a s u b j e c t w i t h s t r i c t

accuracy. For it is only in the accurate state-

ment of ideas that they have a value . For

e x a m p l e i n t h e s t a t e m e n t , " Th e y ( t h e s e n s a -

tions, etc . ) d o n o t i n i t s c a s e ( n a m e l y, t h at o f

the animal) become interwoven with inde-

p e n d e n t t h o u g h t s t r a n s c e n d i n g t h e i m m e d i a t e

e x p e r i e n c e ," o n e c o u l d e a s i l y f a l l i n t o t h e

m i s t a k e o f t h i n k i n g t h a t i t w a s c l a i m e d h e r e

t ha t t he re a re no though t s con ta ined in the sen -

sations or the instincts of animals . Now The-

o s o p h y i s a c t u a l l y b a s e d o n a k n o w l e d g e w h i c h

s a y s t h a t a l l i n n e r e x p e r i e n c e o n t h e p a r t o f

animals (and al l existence of any kind) is



NOTES AND AMPLIFICATIONS 227

interwoven with thought . But the thoughts

o f t h e a n i m a l a r e n o t t h o s e o f a n i n d e p e n d e n t

I , o r e g o , l i v i n g i n t h e a n i m a l , b u t a r e t h o s e o f

t h e a n i m a l g r o u p e g o , w h i c h m u s t b e r e g a r d e d

a s a b e i n g g o v e r n i n g t h e a n i m a l f r o m w i t h o u t.

T h i s g r o u p e g o i s n o t p r e s e n t i n t h e p h y s i c a l

w o r l d a s i s t h e I , o r e g o , o f a m a n , b u t w o r k s

down into the animal from the soul world

d e s c r i b e d o n p a g e s 87 et seq . ( F u r t h e r d et a i l s

r e g a r d i n g t h i s a r e t o b e f o u n d i n m y " O u t l i n e

o f O c c u l t S c i e n c e . " ) T h e r e a l p o i n t a t i s s u e

in the case of man is that thoughts attain

to an independent existence I N HIM-that

t h o u g h t s a r e n o t e x p e r i e n c e d i m m e di a t e l y i n

s e n s a t i o n , b u t m e d i a t e l y a s t h o u g h t s w h i c h a r e

e x p e r i e n c e d a l s o i n t h e s o u l .

4 . To p age 42 . When i t i s s a id tha t l i t t l e

c h i l d r e n s a y , " C h a r l e s i s g o o d , " " M a r y w i s h e s

t o h a v e t h i s , " i t m u s t b e c a r e f u l l y n o t e d t h a t

t h e i m p o r t a n t p o i n t i s n o t s o m u c h h o w s o o n

c h i l d r e n u s e t h e w o r d " I " b u t w h e n t h e y c o n -

nect the proper conception with that word .

W h e n c h i l d r e n h e a r a d u l t s u s e t h e w o r d , t h e y

c a n c o n t i n u a l l y u s e i t w i t h o u t h a v i n g t h e c o n -

c e p t i o n o f t h e " I . " N e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e f a c t t h a t

the use o f t he word beg ins l a t e a s a ru l e po in t s



228THEOSOPHY

t o a n i m p o r t a n t f e a t u r e o f e v o l u t i o n , n a m e l y

t h e g r a d u a l u n f o l d i ng o f t h e I - c o n c e p t o u t o f

t h e v a g u e I - f e e l i ng .

S . To p ages 47 and 48 . A d e s c r i p t i o n o f

t h e i n t r i n s i c n a t u r e o f " I n t u i t i o n " i s t o b e

f o u n d i n m y b o o k s " A W a y o f I n i t i a t i o n " a n d

" O c c u l t S c i e n c e ." One might through inac-

c u r a t e o b s e r v a t i o n o f t h e m a t t e r d e t e c t a c o n -

tradiction between the use of this word in those

b o o k s a n d w h a t i s s a i d i n t h i s b o o k o n p a g e 4 7 .

T h i s , h o w e v e r , w i l l b e f o u n d n o t t o e x i s t w h e n

o n e t a k e s i n t o a c c o u n t t h a t w h a t r e v e a l s i t s e l f

t h r o u g h i n t u i t i o n i n f u l l r e a l i t y t o s u p e r s e n -

sible knowledge makes itself known, in its

LOWEST revelation, to the spirit-self, even as

t h e e x t e r n a l e x i s t e n c e o f t h e p h y s i c a l w o r l d

m a k e s i t s e l f k n o w n i n s e n s a t i o n.

6. To p age qi . T h e s u b j ec t o f t h e s p i r i t -

u a l o r g a n s o f p e r c e p t i o n w h i c h i s o n l y a l l u d e d

t o s h o r t l y i n t h e l a t e r c h a p t e r i n t h i s b o o k o n

The Path o f Knowledge, is mo re ful ly de alt

with in my books "A Way of Initiation" and

"Occult Science . " ( B e r l i n , P h i l o s o p h i s c h -

TheosophischerVerlag . M o t z S t r a s s e 1 7. )

7 . To page 132 .I t w o u l d b e i n c o r r e c t t o

i m a g i n e a c e a s e l e s s UNREST i n t h e s p i r i t u a l



NOTES AND AMPLIFICATIONS2 2 9

w o r l d b e c a u se t h e r e i s n o t i n i t " a s t a t e o f

r e s t , a r e m a i n i n g i n o n e p l a c e , a s i n t h e p h y s - .

i c a l w o r l d . " T h e r e , w h e r e t h e B e i n g s a r e w h o

create the Archetypes, there is not indeed

w h a t c a n b e c a l l e d " r e s t i n o n e p l a c e , " b u t

t h e r e i s t h a t r e s t w h i c h i s s p i r i t u a l i n i t s

n a t u r e , a n d c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a c t i v e m o b i l i t y . I t

m a y b e l i k e n e d t o t h e r e s t f u l s a t i s f a c t i o n a n d

b l i s s o f t h e s p i r i t w h i c h i s r e v e a l e d i n d e e d s

a n d n o t i n a s t a t e o f i n a c t i o n .

8. To p age 139 . O n e i s o b l i g e d t o u s e t h e

word "Purposes" in regard to t he impelling

or motive Powers of the worl d evolution,

a l t h o u g h i t o p e n s t h e d o o r t o a t e m p t a t i o n t o

conceive o f these P owers simply as human

p u r p o s e s . In the case of such words-which

h a d n a t u r a l l y t o b e t a k e n f r o m t h e s p h e r e o f

human life-this temptation can be averted

o n l y b y t h e r a i s i n g o f o n e s e l f w h e n u s i n g t h e m

t o a s i g n i f i c a n c e f r o m w h i c h e v e r y c o n n e c t i o n

w i t h h u m a n l i m i t a t i o n i s b a n i s h e d , a n d t h e r e

is assigned to them what man approximately

imbues them with on tho se occasions in his

l i f e w h e n h e , t o a c e r t a i n d e g r e e , r i s e s a b o v e

h i m s e l f .

9 . To p age 139 . F u r t h e r p a r t i c u l a r s i n



230 THEOSOPHY

r e g a r d t o t h e " S p i r i t u a l W o r d " a r e t o b e f o u n d

in my "Outline of Occult Science . "

MUNICH, August 28, 1910 .

Theosophy Rudolph Steiner 1910 247pgs SPT

Documents

Transcript of Theosophy Rudolph Steiner 1910 247pgs SPT