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Knowledge of the

Higher Worlds
And Its Attainment
by
Rudolf Steiner
GA 10
Translated by
George Metaxa
Copyright 1947
This e.Text edition is provided with the cooperation of:
The Anthroposophic Press
Knowledge of the
Higher Worlds
Contents
Preface to the Third
Edition
Preface to the Fifth
Edition
Preface to the
Edition of May 1918
I. How Is Knowledge of
the High Worlds Attained
II. The !tages of
Initiation
Pre"aration
Enlighten#ent
The $ontrol of
Tho%ghts and Feelings
III. Initiation
I&. !o#e Practical
As"ects
&. The $onditions of
Esoteric Training
&I. !o#e 'es%lts of
Initiation
&II. The Transfor#ation of
(rea# )ife
&III. The $ontin%ity of
$onscio%sness
I*. The !"litting of the
H%#an Personality
d%ring !"irit%al
Training
*. The +%ardian of the
Threshold
*I. )ife and (eath. The
+reater +%ardian
of the Threshold
A""endi,
Knowledge of the
Higher Worlds
I
How Is Knowledge of the Higher
Worlds Attained?
Conditions
There slumer in every human eing
faculties y means of which he can ac!uire
for himself a "nowledge of higher worlds.
#ystics$ %nostics$ Theosophists & all
spea" of a world of soul and spirit which
for them is 'ust as real as the world we see
with our physical eyes and touch with our
physical hands. (t every moment the
listener may say to himself: that$ of which
they spea"$ ) too can learn$ if ) develop
within myself certain powers which today
still slumer within me. There remains
only one !uestion & how to set to wor" to
develop such faculties. *or this purpose$
they only can give advice who already
possess such powers. (s long as the human
race has existed there has always een a
method of training$ in the course of which
individuals possessing these higher
faculties gave instruction to others who
were in search of them. +uch a training is
called occult ,esoteric- training$ and the
instruction received therefrom is called
occult ,esoteric- teaching$ or spiritual
science. This designation naturally
awa"ens misunderstanding. The one who
hears it may very easily e misled into the
elief that this training is the concern of a
special$ privileged class$ withholding its
"nowledge aritrarily from its fellow.
creatures. /e may even thin" that nothing
1
of real importance lies ehind such
"nowledge$ for if it were a true "nowledge
& he is tempted to thin" & there would e
no need of ma"ing a secret of it0 it might e
pulicly imparted and its advantages made
accessile to all. Those who have een
initiated into the nature of this higher
"nowledge are not in the least surprised
that the uninitiated should so thin"$ for the
secret of initiation can only e understood
y those who have to a certain degree
experienced this initiation into the higher
"nowledge of existence. The !uestion may
e raised: how$ then$ under these
circumstances$ are the uninitiated to
develop any human interest in this so.
called esoteric "nowledge1 /ow and why
are they to see" for something of whose
nature they can form no idea1 +uch a
!uestion is ased upon an entirely
erroneous conception of the real nature of
esoteric "nowledge. There is$ in truth$ no
difference etween esoteric "nowledge and
all the rest of man2s "nowledge and
proficiency. This esoteric "nowledge is no
more of a secret for the average human
eing than writing is a secret for those who
have never learned it. (nd 'ust as all can
learn to write who choose the correct
method$ so$ too$ can all who see" the right
way ecome esoteric students and even
teachers. )n one respect only do the
conditions here differ from those that
apply to external "nowledge and
proficiency. The possiility of ac!uiring the
art of writing may e withheld from
someone through poverty$ or through the
conditions of civili3ation into which he is
orn0 ut for the attainment of "nowledge
and proficiency in the higher worlds$ there
is no ostacle for those who earnestly see"
them.
#any elieve that they must see"$ at one
place or another$ the masters of higher
"nowledge in order to receive
enlightenment. 4ow in the first place$
whoever strives earnestly after higher
"nowledge will shun no exertion and fear
no ostacle in his search for an initiate
who can lead him to the higher "nowledge
of the world. 5n the other hand$ everyone
may e certain that initiation will find him
under all circumstances if he gives proof of
an earnest and worthy endeavor to attain
this "nowledge. )t is a natural law among
all initiates to withhold from no man the
"nowledge that is due him ut there is an
e!ually natural law which lays down that
no word of esoteric "nowledge shall e
imparted to anyone not !ualified to receive
it. (nd the more strictly he oserves these
laws$ the more perfect is an initiate. The
ond of union emracing all initiates is
spiritual and not external$ ut the two laws
here mentioned form$ as it were$ strong
clasps y which the component parts of
this ond are held together. 6ou may live
in intimate friendship with an initiate$ and
yet a gap severs you from his essential self$
so long as you have not ecome an initiate
yourself. 6ou may en'oy in the fullest sense
the heart$ the love of an initiate$ yet he will
only confide his "nowledge to you when
you are ripe for it. 6ou may flatter him0
you may torture him0 nothing can induce
him to etray anything to you as long as
you$ at the present stage of your evolution$
are not competent to receive it into your
soul in the right way.
The methods y which a student is
prepared for the reception of higher
"nowledge are minutely prescried. The
direction he is to ta"e is traced with
unfading$ everlasting letters in the worlds
of the spirit where the initiates guard the
higher secrets. )n ancient times$ anterior to
our history$ the temples of the spirit were
also outwardly visile0 today$ ecause our
life has ecome so unspiritual$ they are not
to e found in the world visile to external
sight0 yet they are present spiritually
everywhere$ and all who see" may find
them.
5nly within his own soul can a man find
the means to unseal the lips of an initiate.
/e must develop within himself certain
faculties to a definite degree$ and then the
highest treasures of the spirit can ecome
his own.
/e must egin with a certain fundamental
attitude of soul. )n spiritual science this
fundamental attitude is called the path of
veneration$ of devotion to truth and
"nowledge. 7ithout this attitude no one
can ecome a student. The disposition
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shown in their childhood y suse!uent
students of higher "nowledge is well
"nown to the experienced in these matters.
There are children who loo" up with
religious awe to those whom they venerate.
*or such people they have a respect which
forids them$ even in the deepest recess of
their heart$ to haror any thought of
criticism or opposition. +uch children grow
up into young men and women who feel
happy when they are ale to loo" up to
anything that fills them with veneration.
*rom the ran"s of such children are
recruited many students of higher
"nowledge. /ave you ever paused outside
the door of some venerated person$ and
have you$ on this your first visit$ felt a
religious awe as you pressed on the handle
to enter the room which for you is a holy
place1 )f so$ a feeling has een manifested
within you which may e the germ of your
future adherence to the path of "nowledge.
)t is a lessing for every human eing in
process of development to have such
feelings upon which to uild. 5nly it must
not e thought that this disposition leads
to sumissiveness and slavery. 7hat was
once a childli"e veneration for persons
ecomes$ later$ a veneration for truth and
"nowledge. 8xperience teaches that they
can est hold their heads erect who have
learnt to venerate where veneration is due0
and veneration is always fitting when it
flows from the depths of the heart.
)f we do not develop within ourselves this
deeply rooted feeling that there is
something higher than ourselves$ we shall
never find the strength to evolve to
something higher. The initiate has only
ac!uired the strength to lift his head to the
heights of "nowledge y guiding his heart
to the depths of veneration and devotion.
The heights of the spirit can only e
climed y passing through the portals of
humility. 6ou can only ac!uire right
"nowledge when you have learnt to esteem
it. #an has certainly the right to turn his
eyes to the light$ ut he must first ac!uire
this right. There are laws in the spiritual
life$ as in the physical life. 9u a glass rod
with an appropriate material and it will
ecome electric$ that is$ it will receive the
power of attracting small odies. This is in
"eeping with a law of nature. )t is "nown to
all who have learnt a little physics.
+imilarly$ ac!uaintance with the first
principles of spiritual science shows that
every feeling of true devotion harored in
the soul develops a power which may$
sooner or later$ lead further on the path of
"nowledge.
The student who is gifted with this feeling$
or who is fortunate enough to have had it
inculcated in a suitale education$ rings a
great deal along with him when$ later in
life$ he see"s admittance to higher
"nowledge. *ailing such preparation$ he
will encounter difficulties at the very first
step$ unless he underta"es$ y rigorous
self.education$ to create within himself this
inner life of devotion. )n our time it is
especially important that full attention e
paid to this point. 5ur civili3ation tends
more toward critical 'udgment and
condemnation than toward devotion and
selfless veneration. 5ur children already
critici3e far more than they worship. But
every criticis! every adverse
"udgent passed! disperses the
powers of the soul for the attainent
of higher #nowledge in the sae
easure that all veneration and
reverence develops the. )n this we do
not wish to say anything against our
civili3ation. There is no !uestion here of
leveling criticism against it. To this critical
faculty$ this self.conscious human
'udgment$ this :test all things and hold fast
what is est$; we owe the greatness of our
civili3ation. #an could never have attained
to the science$ the industry$ the commerce$
the rights relationships of our time$ had he
not applied to all things the standard of his
critical 'udgment. <ut what we have
therey gained in external culture we have
had to pay for with a corresponding loss of
higher "nowledge of spiritual life. )t must
e emphasi3ed that higher "nowledge is
not concerned with the veneration of
persons ut the veneration of truth and
"nowledge.
4ow$ the one thing that everyone must
ac"nowledge is the difficulty for those
involved in the external civili3ation of our
time to advance to the "nowledge of the
higher worlds. They can only do so if they
wor" energetically at themselves. (t a time
3
when the conditions of material life were
simpler$ the attainment of spiritual
"nowledge was also easier. 5'ects of
veneration and worship stood out in
clearer relief from the ordinary things of
the world. )n an epoch of criticism ideals
are lowered0 other feelings ta"e the place
of veneration$ respect$ adoration$ and
wonder. 5ur own age thrusts these feelings
further and further into the ac"ground$ so
that they can only e conveyed to man
through his every.day life in a very small
degree. 7hoever see"s higher "nowledge
must create it for himself. /e must instill it
into his soul. )t cannot e done y study0 it
can only e done through life. 7hoever$
therefore$ wishes to ecome a student of
higher "nowledge must assiduously
cultivate this inner life of devotion.
$verywhere in his environent and
his e%periences he ust see#
otives of adiration and hoage.
If I eet a an and &lae hi for
his shortcoings! I ro& yself of
power to attain higher #nowledge'
&ut if I try to enter lovingly into his
erits! I gather such power. The
student must continually e intent upon
following this advice. The spiritually
experienced "now how much they owe to
the circumstance that in face of all things
they ever again turn to the good$ and
withhold adverse 'udgement. <ut this must
not remain an external rule of life0 rather it
must ta"e possession of our innermost
soul. #an has it in his power to perfect
himself and$ in time$ completely to
transform himself. <ut this transformation
must ta"e place in his innermost self$ in his
thought.life. )t is not enough that ) show
respect only in my outward earing0 ) must
have this respect in my thoughts. The
student must egin y asoring this
devotion into this thought.life. /e must e
wary of thoughts of disrespect$ of adverse
criticism$ existing in his consciousness$
and he must endeavor straightaway to
cultivate thoughts of devotion.
8very moment that we set ourselves to
discover in our consciousness whatever
there remains in it of adverse$ disparaging
and critical 'udgement of the world and of
life0 every such moment rings us nearer to
higher "nowledge. (nd we rise rapidly
when we fill our consciousness in such
moments with thoughts evo"ing in us
admiration$ respect and veneration for the
world and for life. )t is well "nown to those
experienced in these matters that in every
such moment powers are awa"ened which
otherwise remain dormant. )n this way the
spiritual eyes of man are opened. /e
egins to see things around him which he
could not have seen efore. /e egins to
understand that hitherto he had only seen
a part of the world around him. ( human
eing standing efore him now presents a
new and different aspect. 5f course$ this
rule of life alone will not yet enale him to
see$ for instance$ what is descried as the
human aura$ ecause for this still higher
training is necessary. <ut he can rise to this
higher training if he has previously
undergone a rigorous training in devotion.
,)n the last chapter of his oo" Theosophy$
the author descries fully the Path of
Knowledge0 here it is intended to give
some practical details.-
4oiseless and unnoticed y the outer world
is the treading of the Path of Knowledge.
4o change need e noticed in the student.
/e performs his duties as hitherto0 he
attends to his usiness as efore. The
transformation goes on only in the inner
part of the soul hidden from outward sight.
(t first his entire inner life is flooded y
this asic feeling of devotion for everything
which is truly venerale. /is entire soul.
life finds in this fundamental feeling its
pivot. (ust as the sun)s rays vivify
everything living! so does reverence
in the student vivify all feelings of
the soul.
)t is not easy$ at first$ to elieve that
feelings li"e reverence and respect have
anything to do with cognition. This is due
to the fact that we are inclined to set
cognition aside as a faculty y itself & one
that stands in no relation to what
otherwise occurs in the soul. )n so thin"ing
we do not ear in mind that it is the soul
which exercises the faculty of cognition0
and feelings are for the soul what food is
for the ody. )f we give the ody stones in
place of read$ its activity will cease. )t is
the same with the soul. *eneration!
hoage! devotion are li#e nutrient
4
a#ing it healthy and strong!
especially strong for the activity of
cognition. +isrespect! antipathy!
underestiation of what deserves
recognition! all e%ert a paraly,ing
and withering effect on this faculty
of cognition. *or the spiritually
experienced this fact is visile in the aura.
( soul which harors feelings of reverence
and devotion produces a change in its
aura. Certain spiritual colorings$ as they
may e called$ yellow.red and rown.red
in tone$ vanish and are replaced y lue.
red tints. Therey the cognitional faculty is
ripened0 it receives intelligence of facts in
its environment of which it had hitherto no
idea. 9everence awa"ens in the soul a
sympathetic power through which we
attract !ualities in the eings around us$
which would otherwise remain concealed.
The power otained through devotion can
e rendered still more effective when the
life of feeling is enriched y yet another
!uality. This consists in giving oneself
up less and less to ipressions of the
outer world! and to develop instead a
vivid inner life. ( person who darts from
one impression of the outer world to
another$ who constantly see"s distraction$
cannot find the way to higher "nowledge.
The student must not lunt himself to the
outer world$ ut while lending himself to
its impressions$ he should e directed y
his rich inner life. 7hen passing through a
eautiful mountain district$ the traveler
with depth of soul and wealth of feeling
has different experiences from one who is
poor in feeling. 5nly what we experience
within ourselves unloc"s for us the
eauties of the outer world. 5ne person
sails across the ocean$ and only a few
inward experiences pass through his soul0
another will hear the eternal language of
the cosmic spirit0 for him are unveiled the
mysterious riddles of existence. 7e must
learn to remain in touch with our own
feelings and ideas if we wish to develop any
intimate relationship with the outer world.
The outer world with all its phenomena is
filled with splendor$ ut we must have
experienced the divine within ourselves
efore we can hope to discover it in our
environment.
The student is told to set apart moments in
his daily life in which to withdraw into
himself$ !uietly and alone. /e is not to
occupy himself at such moments with the
affairs of his own ego. This would result in
the contrary of what is intended. /e
should rather let his experiences and the
messages from the outer world re.echo
within his own completely silent self. (t
such silent moments every flower$ every
animal$ every action will unveil to him
secrets undreamt of. (nd thus he will
prepare himself to receive !uite new
impressions of the outer world through
!uite different eyes. The desire to en"oy
ipression after ipression erely
&lunts the faculty of cognition' the
latter$ however$ is nurtured and cultivated
if the en'oyment once experienced is
allowed to reveal its message. Thus the
student must accustom himself not merely
to let the en'oyment revererate$ as it were$
ut rather to renounce any further
en'oyment$ and wor" upon the past
experience. The peril here is very great.
)nstead of wor"ing inwardly$ it is very easy
to fall into the opposite hait of trying to
exploit the en'oyment. =et no one
underestimate the fact that immense
sources of error here confront the student.
/e must pass through a host of tempters of
his soul. They would all harden his ego and
imprison it within itself. /e should rather
open it wide to all the world. )t is necessary
that he should see" en'oyment$ for only
through en'oyment can the outer world
reach him. )f he lunts himself to
en'oyment he is li"e a plant which cannot
any longer draw nourishment from its
environment. 6et if he stops short at the
en'oyment he shuts himself up within
himself. /e will only e something to
himself and nothing to the world. /owever
much he may live within himself$ however
intensely he may cultivate his ego & the
world will re'ect him. To the world he is
dead. The student of higher "nowledge
considers en'oyment only as a means of
ennoling himself for the world.
8n'oyment is to him li"e a scout informing
him aout the world0 ut once instructed
y en'oyment$ he passes on to wor". /e
does not learn in order to accumulate
learning as his own treasure$ ut in order
that he may devote his learning to the
5
service of the world.
)n all spiritual science there is a
fundamental principle which cannot e
transgressed without sacrificing success$
and it should e impressed on the student
in every form of esoteric training. )t runs
as follows: All knowledge pursued merely
for the enrichment of personal learning
and the accumulation of personal
treasure leads you away from the path;
but all knowledge pursued for growth to
ripeness within the process of human
ennoblement and cosmic development
brings you a step forward. This law must
e strictly oserved$ and no student is
genuine until he has adopted it as a guide
for his whole life. This truth can e
expressed in the following short sentence:
Every idea which does not become
your ideal slays a force in your
soul; every idea which becomes
your ideal creates within you life-
forces.
Inner Tran-uility
(t the very eginning of his course$ the
student is directed to the path of
veneration and the development of the
inner life. +piritual science now also gives
him practical rules y oserving which he
may tread that path and develop that inner
life. These practical rules have no aritrary
origin. They rest upon ancient experience
and ancient wisdom$ and are given out in
the same manner$ wheresoever the ways to
higher "nowledge are indicated. (ll true
teachers of the spiritual life are in
agreement as to the sustance of these
rules$ even though they do not always
clothe them in the same words. This
difference$ which is of a minor character
and is more apparent than real$ is due to
circumstances which need not e dwelt
upon here.
4o teacher of the spiritual life wishes to
estalish a mastery over other persons y
means of such rules. /e would not tamper
with anyone2s independence. Indeed!
none respect and cherish huan
independence ore than the
spiritually e%perienced. )t was stated in
the preceding pages that the ond of union
emracing all initiates is spiritual$ and that
two laws form$ as it were$ clasps y which
the component parts of this ond are held
together. 7henever the initiate leaves his
enclosed spiritual sphere and steps forth
efore the world$ he must immediately
ta"e a third law into account. )t is this:
Adapt each one of your actions! and
frae each one of your words in
such a way that you infringe upon no
one)s free.will.
The recognition that all true teachers of the
spiritual life are permeated through and
through with this principle will convince
all who follow the practical rules proffered
to them that they need sacrifice none of
their independence.
5ne of the first of these rules can e
expressed somewhat in the following
words of our language: Provide for
yourself moments of inner
tranquility, and in these moments
learn to distinguish between the
essential and the non-essential. )t is
said advisedly: :expressed in the words of
our language.; 5riginally all rules and
teachings of spiritual science were
expressed in a symolical sign.language$
some understanding of which must e
ac!uired efore its whole meaning and
scope can e reali3ed. This understanding
is dependent on the first steps toward
higher "nowledge$ and these steps result
from the exact oservation of such rules as
are here given. *or all who earnestly will$
the path stands open to tread.
+imple$ in truth$ is the aove rule
concerning moments of inner tran!uility0
e!ually simple is its oservation. <ut it
only achieves its purpose when it is
oserved in as earnest and strict a manner
as it is$ in itself$ simple. /ow this rule is to
e oserved will$ therefore$ e explained
without digression.
The student must set aside a small part of
his daily life in which to concern himself
with something !uite different from the
o'ects of his daily occupation. The way$
also$ in which he occupies himself at such a
6
time must differ entirely from the way in
which he performs the rest of his daily
duties. <ut this does not mean that what
he does in the time thus set apart has no
connection with his daily wor". 5n the
contrary$ he will soon find that 'ust these
secluded moments$ when sought in the
right way$ give him full power to perform
his daily tas">s?. 4or must it e supposed
that the oservance of this rule will really
encroach upon the time needed for the
performance of his duties. +hould anyone
really have no more time at his disposal$
five minutes a day will suffice. )t all
depends on the manner in which these five
minutes are spent.
@uring these periods the student should
wrest himself entirely free from his wor".
a.day life. /is thoughts and feelings should
ta"e on a different coloring. His "oys and
sorrows! his cares! e%periences and
actions ust pass in review &efore
his soul' and he ust adopt such a
position that he ay regard all his
sundry e%periences fro a higher
point of view.
7e need only ear in mind how$ in
ordinary life$ we regard the experiences
and actions of others !uite differently from
our own. This cannot e otherwise$ for we
are interwoven with our own actions and
experiences$ whereas those of others we
only contemplate. /ur ai in these
oents of seclusion ust &e so to
conteplate and "udge our own
actions and e%periences as though
they applied not to ourselves &ut to
soe other person. +uppose$ for
example$ a heavy misfortune efalls us.
/ow different would e our attitude
toward a similar misfortune had it efallen
our neighor. This attitude cannot e
lamed as un'ustifiale0 it is part of human
nature$ and applies e!ually to exceptional
circumstances and to the daily affairs of
life. The student ust see# the power
of confronting hiself! at certain
ties! as a stranger. He ust stand
&efore hiself with the inner
tran-uility of a "udge. When this is
attained! our own e%periences
present theselves in a new light. (s
long as we are interwoven with them and
stand$ as it were$ within them$ we cling to
the non.essential 'ust as much as to the
essential. )f we attain the calm inner
survey$ the essential is severed from the
non.essential. +orrow and 'oy$ every
thought$ every resolve$ appear different
when we confront ourselves in this way. )t
is as though we had spent the whole day in
a place where we eheld the smallest
o'ects at the same close range as the
largest$ and in the evening climed a
neighoring hill and surveyed the whole
scene at a glance. Then the various parts
appear related to each other in different
proportions from those they ore when
seen from within. This exercise will not
and need not succeed with present
occurrences of destiny$ ut it should e
attempted y the student in connection
with the events of destiny already
experienced in the past. The value of such
inner tran!uil self.contemplation depends
far less on what is actually contemplated
than on our finding within ourselves the
power which such inner tran!uility
develops.
*or every human eing ears a higher man
within himself esides what we may call
the wor".a.day man. This higher man
remains hidden until he is awa"ened. (nd
each human eing can himself alone
awa"en this higher eing within himself.
(s long as this higher eing is not
awa"ened$ the higher faculties slumering
in every human eing$ and leading to
supersensile "nowledge$ will remain
concealed. The student must resolve to
persevere in the strict and earnest
oservation of the rule here given$ so long
as he does not feel within himself the fruits
of this inner tran!uility. To all who thus
persevere the day will come when spiritual
light will envelop them$ and a new world
will e revealed to an organ of sight of
whose presence within them they were
never aware.
(nd no change need ta"e place in the
outward life of the student in conse!uence
of this new rule. He perfors his
duties and! at first! feels the sae
"oys! sorrows! and e%periences as
&efore. In no way can it estrange hi
fro life' he can rather devote
7
hiself the ore thoroughly to this
life for the reainder of the day!
having gained a higher life in the
oents set apart. =ittle y little this
higher life will ma"e its influence felt on
his ordinary life. The tran!uility of the
moments set apart will also affect everyday
existence. )n his whole eing he will grow
calmer0 he will attain firm assurance in all
his actions$ and cease to e put out of
countenance y all manner of incidents. <y
thus advancing he will gradually ecome
more and more his own guide$ and allow
himself less and less to e led y
circumstances and external influences. He
will soon discover how great a
source of strength is availa&le to hi
in these oents thus set apart. /e
will egin no longer to get angry at things
which formerly annoyed him0 countless
things he formerly feared cease to alarm
him. /e ac!uires a new outloo" on life.
*ormerly he may have approached some
occupation in a fainthearted way. /e
would say: :5h$ ) lac" the power to do this
as well as ) could wish.; 4ow this thought
does not occur to him$ ut rather a !uite
different thought. /enceforth he says to
himself: 0I will suon all y
strength to do y wor# as well as I
possi&ly can.1 And he suppresses the
thought which a#es hi faint.
hearted' for he #nows that this very
thought ight &e the cause of a
worse perforance on his part! and
that in any case it cannot contri&ute
to the iproveent of his wor#. (nd
thus thought after thought$ each fraught
with advantage to his whole life$ flows into
the student2s outloo". They ta"e the place
of those that had a hampering$ wea"ening
effect. /e egins to steer his own ship on a
secure course through the waves of life$
whereas it was formerly attered to and fro
y these waves.
This calm and serenity react on the whole
eing. They assist the growth of the inner
man$ and$ with the inner man$ those
faculties also grow which lead to higher
"nowledge. *or it is y his progress in this
direction that the student gradually
reaches the point where he himself
determines the manner in which the
impressions of the outer world shall affect
him. Thus he may hear a word spo"en with
the o'ect of wounding or vexing him.
*ormerly it would indeed have wounded
or ve%ed him$ ut now that he treads the
path to higher "nowledge$ he is ale &
efore the word has found its way to his
inner self & to ta"e from it the sting which
gives it the power to wound or vex. Ta"e
another example. 7e easily ecome
impatient when we are "ept waiting$ ut &
if we tread the path to higher "nowledge &
we so steep ourselves in our moments of
calm with the feeling of the uselessness of
ipatience that henceforth$ on every
occasion of impatience$ this feeling is
immediately present within us. The
impatience that was aout to ma"e itself
felt vanishes$ and an interval which would
otherwise have een wasted in expressions
of impatience will e filled y useful
oservations$ which can e made while
waiting.
4ow$ the scope and significance of these
facts must e reali3ed. We ust &ear in
ind that the higher an within us
is in constant developent. But only
the state of cal and serenity here
descri&ed renders an orderly
developent possi&le. The waves of
outward life constrain the inner man from
all sides if$ instead of mastering this
outward life$ it masters him. +uch a man is
li"e a plant which tries to expand in a cleft
in the roc" and is stunted in growth until
new space is given it. 2o outward forces
can supply space to the inner an. It
can only &e supplied &y the inner
cal which an hiself gives to his
soul. 5utward circumstances can only
alter the course of his outward life0 they
can never awa"en the inner spiritual man.
The student must himself give irth to a
new and higher man within himself.
This higher man now ecomes the inner
ruler who directs the circumstances of the
outer man with sure guidance. (s long as
the outer man has the upper hand and
control$ this inner man is his slave and
therefore cannot unfold his powers. )f it
depends on something other than myself
whether ) should get angry or not$ ) am not
master of myself$ or$ to put it etter$ ) have
not yet found the ruler within myself. )
8
must develop the faculty of letting the
impressions of the outer world approach
me only in the way in which ) myself
determine0 then only do ) ecome in the
real sense a student. (nd only in as far as
the student earnestly see"s this power can
he reach the goal. )t is of no importance
how far anyone can go in a given time0 the
point is that he should earnestly see".
#any have striven for years without
noticing any appreciale progress0 ut
many of those who did not despair$ ut
remained unsha"en$ have then !uite
suddenly achieved the inner victory.
2o dou&t a great effort is re-uired in
any stations of life to provide these
oents of inner cal' &ut the
greater the effort needed! the ore
iportant is the achieveent. In
spiritual science everything depends
upon energy! inward truthfulness!
and uncoproising sincerity with
which we confront our own selves!
with all our deeds and actions! as a
coplete stranger.
<ut only one side of the student2s inner
activity is characteri3ed y this irth of his
own higher eing. +omething else is
needed in addition. 8ven if he confronts
himself as a stranger it is only himself that
he contemplates0 he loo"s on those
experiences and actions with which he is
connected through his particular station of
life. /e must now disengage himself from
it and rise eyond to a purely human level$
which no longer has anything to do with
his own special situation. /e must pass on
to the contemplation of those things which
would concern him as a human eing$ even
if he lived under !uite different
circumstances and in !uite a different
situation. )n this way something egins to
live within him which ranges aove the
purely personal. /is ga3e is directed to
worlds higher than those with which every.
day life connects him. (nd thus he egins
to feel and reali3e$ as an inner experience$
that he elongs to those higher worlds.
These are worlds concerning which his
senses and his daily occupation can tell
him nothing. Thus he now shifts the
central point of his eing to the inner part
of his nature. /e listens to the voices
within him which spea" to him in his
moments of tran!uility0 he cultivates an
intercourse with the spiritual world. /e is
removed from the every.day world. )ts
noise is silenced. (ll around him there is
silence. /e puts away everything that
reminds him of such impressions from
without. Calm inward contemplation and
converse with the purely spiritual world fill
his soul. & +uch tran!uil contemplation
must ecome a natural necessity in the life
of the student. /e is now plunged in a
world of thought. /e must develop a living
feeling for this silent thought.activity. /e
must learn to love what the spirit pours
into him. /e will soon cease to feel that
this thought.world is less real than the
every.day things which surround him. /e
egins to deal with his thoughts as with
things in space$ and the moment
approaches when he egins to feel that
which reveals itself in the silent inward
thought.wor" to e much higher$ much
more real$ than the things in space. /e
discovers that something living expresses
itself in this thought.world. /e sees that
his thoughts do not merely haror shadow.
pictures$ ut that through them hidden
eings spea" to him. 5ut of the silence$
speech ecomes audile to him. *ormerly
sound only reached him through his ear0
now it resounds through his soul. (n inner
language$ an inner word is revealed to him.
This moment$ when first experienced$ is
one of greatest rapture for the student. (n
inner light is shed over the whole external
world$ and a second life egins for him.
Through his eing there pours a divine
stream from a world of divine rapture.
This life of the soul in thought$ which
gradually widens into a life in spiritual
eing$ is called y %nosis$ and y +piritual
+cience$ Meditation ,contemplative
reflection-. This meditation is the means to
supersensile "nowledge. <ut the student
in such moments must not merely indulge
in feelings0 he must not have indefinite
sensations in his soul. That would only
hinder him from reaching true spiritual
"nowledge. /is thoughts must e clear$
sharp and definite$ and he will e helped in
this if he does not cling lindly to the
thoughts that rise within him. 9ather must
he permeate himself with the lofty
9
thoughts y which men already advanced
and possessed of the spirit were inspired at
such moments. /e should start with the
writings which themselves had their origin
in 'ust such revelation during meditation.
)n the mystic$ gnostic and spiritual
scientific literature of today the student
will find such writings$ and in them the
material for his meditation. The see"ers of
the spirit have themselves set down in such
writings the thoughts of the divine science
which the +pirit has directed his
messengers to proclaim to the world.
Through such meditation a complete
transformation ta"es place in the student.
/e egins to form !uite new conceptions
of reality. (ll things ac!uire a fresh value
for him. )t cannot e repeated too often
that this transformation does not alienate
him from the world. /e will in no way e
estranged from his daily tas"s and duties$
for he comes to reali3e that the most
insignificant action he has to accomplish$
the most insignificant experience which
offers itself to him$ stands in connection
with cosmic eings and cosmic events.
7hen once this connection is revealed to
him in his moments of contemplation$ he
comes to his daily activities with a new$
fuller power. *or now he "nows that his
laor and his suffering are given and
endured for the sa"e of a great$ spiritual$
cosmic whole. 4ot weariness$ ut strength
to live springs from meditation.
7ith firm step the student passes through
life. 4o matter what it may ring him$ he
goes forward erect. )n the past he "new not
why he laored and suffered$ ut now he
"nows. )t is ovious that such meditation
leads more surely to the goal if conducted
under the direction of experienced persons
who "now of themselves how everything
may est e done0 and their advice and
guidance should e sought. Truly$ no one
loses his freedom therey. 7hat would
otherwise e mere uncertain groping in the
dar" ecomes under this direction
purposeful wor". (ll who apply to those
possessing "nowledge and experience in
these matters will never apply in vain$ only
they must reali3e that what they see" is the
advice of a friend$ not the domination of a
would.e ruler. )t will always e found that
they who really "now are the most modest
of men$ and that nothing is further from
their nature than what is called the lust for
power.
7hen$ y means of meditation$ a man rises
to union with the spirit$ he rings to life
the eternal in him$ which is limited y
neither irth nor death. The existence of
this eternal eing can only e douted y
those who have not themselves
experienced it. Thus meditation is the way
which also leads man to the "nowledge$ to
the contemplation of his eternal$
indestructile$ essential eing0 and it is
only through meditation that man can
attain to such "nowledge. %nosis and
+piritual +cience tell of the eternal nature
of this eing and of its reincarnation. The
!uestion is often as"ed: 7hy does a man
"now nothing of his experiences eyond
the orders of life and death1 4ot thus
should we as"$ ut rather: /ow can we
attain such "nowledge1 )n right meditation
the path is opened. This alone can revive
the memory of experiences eyond the
order of life and death. 8veryone can
attain this "nowledge0 in each one of us
lies the faculty of recogni3ing and
contemplating for ourselves what genuine
#ysticism$ +piritual +cience$
(nthroposophy$ and %nosis teach. 5nly
the right means must e chosen. 5nly a
eing with ears and eyes can apprehend
sounds and colors0 nor can the eye
perceive if the light which ma"es things
visile is wanting. +piritual +cience gives
the means of developing the spiritual ears
and eyes$ and of "indling the spiritual
light0 and this method of spiritual training:
,1- Preparation0 this develops the spiritual
senses. ,A- Enlightenment0 this "indles the
spiritual light. ,B- nitiation0 this
estalishes intercourse with the higher
spiritual eings.
10

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