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Title:TheWayofInitiation

or,HowtoAttainKnowledgeoftheHigherWorlds

Author:RudolfSteiner

Translator:MaxGysi

ReleaseDate:June13,2012[EBook#39986]

Language:English

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THEWAYOFINITIATIONBYTHESAMEAUTHOR

INITIATIONANDITSRESULTSasequeltothe

"WAYOFINITIATION"

ByRUDOLFSTEINER,Ph.D.

TranslatedfromtheGermanbyCliffordBax

CONTENTS

AFOREWORDI. THEASTRALCENTERS(CHAKRAS)II. THECONSTITUTIONOFTHEETHERICBODYIII. DREAMLIFE

IV. THETHREESTATESOFCONSCIOUSNESSV. THEDISSOCIATIONOFHUMANPERSONALITYDURINGINITIATION

VI. THEFIRSTGUARDIANOFTHETHRESHOLDVII. THESECONDGUARDIANOFTHETHRESHOLD

SELECTEDLISTOFOCCULTWORKS

Insameclearprintandrichbindingasthisbook

PRICE$1.00PREPAID

Dr.RudolfSteiner

THE

WAYOFINITIATION

OR

HOWTOATTAINKNOWLEDGEOFTHEHIGHERWORLDS

BY

RUDOLFSTEINER,Ph.D.

FROMTHEGERMANBY

MAXGYSI

WITHSOMEBIOGRAPHICALNOTESOFTHEAUTHORBYEDOUARDSCHURÉ

FIRSTAMERICANIZEDEDITION

MACOYPUBLISHINGANDMASONICSUPPLYCO.NEWYORK,U.S.A.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

ThePersonalityofRudolfSteinerandHisDevelopment 7I. TheSuperphysicalWorldandItsGnosis 33II. HowtoAttainKnowledgeoftheHigherWorlds 50III. ThePathofDiscipleship 65IV. Probation 81V. Enlightenment 93VI. Initiation 117VII. TheHigherEducationoftheSoul 135

VIII. TheConditionsofDiscipleship 149 ListofOccultandKindredBooks 165

TRANSLATOR'SNOTE.

(FORTHEENGLISHEDITION.)

Being deeply interested in Dr. Steiner's work and teachings, and desirous ofsharingwithmyEnglish-speakingfriendsthemanyinvaluableglimpsesofTruthwhich are to be found therein, I decided upon the translation of the presentvolume. It is due to the kind co-operation of several friendswho prefer to beanonymous that this task has been accomplished, and I wish to express myhearty thanks for the literary assistance rendered by them—also to thank Dr.PeipersofMunich forpermission to reproducehisexcellentphotographof theauthor.

Thespecialvalueof thisvolumeconsists, I think, in the fact thatnoadvice isgivenandnostatementmadewhichisnotbasedonthepersonalexperienceoftheauthor,whois,inthetruestsense,bothamysticandanoccultist.

Ifthepresentvolumeshouldmeetwithareceptionjustifyingafurtherventure,we propose translating and issuing during the coming year a further series ofarticlesbyDr.Steiner in continuationof the samesubject, anda thirdvolumewill consist of the articles now appearing in the pages of The Theosophist,entitled"TheEducationofChildren."

MAXGYSI.

PUBLISHER'SNOTE.

WhilethepleasantGermanvernacularisstilldiscernableinthetextofthiswork,we wish to state that it has been Americanized in spelling, phraseology, anddefinition,tomakeplainertotheWesternmindthewonderfultruthsexperiencedbyitsdistinguishedauthor.

The readers, especially Occult, Theosophic, Masonic, and New Thoughtstudents,webelieve,willappreciatetheclearnesswithwhichhisteachingsleadtothesimplerichHarmonyofLife.

MACOYPUB.&MASONICSUP.CO.

THEPERSONALITYOFRUDOLFSTEINERANDHISDEVELOPMENT

BYEDOUARDSCHURÉ[1]

Manyofeventhemostcultivatedmenofourtimehaveaverymistakenideaofwhatisatruemysticandatrueoccultist.Theyknowthesetwoformsofhumanmentality only by their imperfect or degenerate types, of which recent timeshave afforded but toomany examples. To the intellectualman of the day, themystic is a kind of fool and visionary who takes his fancies for facts; theoccultistisadreameroracharlatanwhoabusespubliccredulityinordertoboastofanimaginaryscienceandofpretendedpowers.Beitremarked,tobeginwith,that thisdefinitionofmysticism,thoughdeservedbysome,wouldbeasunjustaserroneousifonesoughttoapplyittosuchpersonalitiesasJoachimdelFioreof the thirteenthcentury, JacobBoehmeof thesixteenth,orSt.Martin,who iscalled"theunknownphilosopher,"oftheeighteenthcentury.NolessunjustandfalsewouldbethecurrentdefinitionoftheoccultistifonesawinittheslightestconnectionwithsuchearnestseekersasParacelsus,Mesmer,orFabred'Olivetinthepast,asWilliamCrookes,deRochat,orCamilleFlammarioninthepresent.Thinkwhatwemayof thesebold investigators, it isundeniable that theyhaveopenedoutregionsunknowntoscience,andfurnishedthemindwithnewideas.

No, these fanciful definitions can at most satisfy that scientific dilettantismwhichhidesitsfeeblenessunderasuperciliousmasktoscreenitsindolence,ortheworldlyscepticismwhichridiculesallthatthreatenstoupsetitsindifference.But enough of these superficial opinions. Let us study history, the sacred andprofanebooksofallnations,andthelastresultsofexperimentalscience;letussubject all these facts to impartial criticism, inferring similar effects fromidentical causes, andwe shallbe forced togivequite anotherdefinitionof themysticandtheoccultist.

The truemystic is amanwhoenters into fullpossessionofhis inner life, and

who, having become cognizant of his sub-consciousness, finds in it, throughconcentratedmeditationandsteadydiscipline,newfacultiesandenlightenment.These new faculties and this enlightenment instruct him as to the innermostnatureofhissoulandhisrelationswiththatimpalpableelementwhichunderliesall,withthateternalandsupremerealitywhichreligioncallsGod,andpoetrytheDivine.Theoccultist, akin to themystic, but differing fromhimas a youngerfromanelderbrother,isamanendowedwithintuitionandwithsynthesis,whoseekstopenetratethehiddendepthsandfoundationsofNaturebythemethodsof science and philosophy: that is to say, by observation and reason,methodsinvariable in principle, but modified in application by being adapted to thedescendingkingdomsofSpiritortheascendingkingdomsofNature,accordingtothevasthierarchyofbeingsandthealchemyofthecreativeWord.

The mystic, then, is one who seeks for truth and the Divine directly withinhimself,byagradualdetachmentandaveritablebirthofhishighersoul. Ifheattainsitafterprolongedeffort,heplungesintohisownglowingcentre.Thenheimmerses himself, and identifies himself with that ocean of life which is theprimordialForce.

Theoccultist,ontheotherhand,discovers,studies,andcontemplatesthissameDivine outpouring given forth in diverse portions, endowed with force, andmultiplied to infinity in Nature and in Humanity. According to the profoundsaying of Paracelsus: he sees in all beings the letters of an alphabet, which,united in man, form the complete and conscious Word of life. The detailedanalysisthathemakesofthem,thesynthesesthatheconstructswiththem,aretohimas somany images and forecastingsof this centralDivine, of thisSunofBeauty,ofTruthandofLife,whichheseesnot,butwhichisreflectedandburstsuponhisvisionincountlessmirrors.

Theweaponsof themysticareconcentrationand innervision; theweaponsofthe occultist are intuition and synthesis. Each corresponds to the other; theycompleteandpresupposeeachother.

ThesetwohumantypesareblendedintheAdept,inthehigherInitiate.Nodoubtoneortheother,andoftenboth,aremetwithinthefoundersofgreatreligionsandtheloftiestphilosophies.Nodoubtalsotheyaretobefoundagain,inaless,but still very remarkable degree, among a certain number of personages who

have played a great part in history as reformers, thinkers, poets, artists,statesmen.

Why,then,shouldthesetwotypesofmind,whichrepresentthehighesthumanfaculties,andwereformerlytheobjectofuniversalveneration,usuallyappeartousnowasmerelydeformedandtravestied?Whyhavetheybecomeobliterated?Whyshouldtheyhavefallenintosuchdiscredit?

That is the result of a profound cause existing in an inevitable necessity ofhumanevolution.

During the last two thousand years, but especially since the sixteenth century,humanity has achieved a tremendouswork, namely, the conquest of the globeandtheconstitutionofexperimentalscience,inwhatconcernsthematerialandvisibleworld.

That this gigantic and herculean task should be successfully accomplished, itwasnecessarythatthereshouldbeatemporaryeclipseofman'stranscendentalfaculties, so thathiswholepowerofobservationmightbeconcentratedon theouterworld.Thesefaculties,however,haveneverbeenextinctoreveninactive.Theylaydormantinthemassofmen;theyremainedactiveintheelect,farfromthegazeofthevulgar.

Now, they are showing themselvesopenlyundernew forms.Before long theywillassumealeadinganddirectingimportanceinhumandestinies.Iwouldaddthat at no period of history, whether among the nations of the ancient Aryancycle,orintheSemiticcivilizationsofAsiaandAfrica—whetherintheGræco-Latin world, or in the middle ages and in modern times, have these royalfaculties, for which positivism would substitute its dreary nomenclature, everceased to operate at the beginning and in the background of all great humancreationsandofallfruitfulwork.Forhowcanweimagineathinker,apoet,aninventor, ahero,amasterof scienceorofart, ageniusofanykind,withoutamightyrayofthosetwomaster-facultieswhichmakethemysticandtheoccultist—theinnervisionandthesovereignintuition.

RudolfSteinerisbothamysticandanoccultist.Thesetwonaturesappearinhiminperfectharmony.Onecouldnotsaywhichofthetwopredominatesovertheother.Ininterminglingandblending,theyhavebecomeonehomogeneousforce.Henceaspecialdevelopmentinwhichoutwardeventsplaybutasecondarypart.

Dr.SteinerwasborninUpperAustriain1861.Hisearliestyearswerepassedina little town situatedon theLeytha, on the borders ofStyria, theCarpathians,andHungary.Fromchildhoodhischaracterwasseriousandconcentrated.Thiswasfollowedbyayouthinwardlyilluminatedbythemostmarvellousintuitions,a young manhood encountering terrible trials, and a ripe age crowned by amissionwhichhehaddimlyforeseenfromhisearliestyears,butwhichwasonlygradually formulated in the struggle for truth and life.This youth, passed in amountainous and secluded region, was happy in its way, thanks to theexceptional faculties that he discovered in himself. He was employed in aCatholicchurchasachoirboy.Thepoetryoftheworship,theprofundityofthesymbolism,hadamysteriousattractionforhim;but,ashepossessedtheinnategiftofseeingsouls,onethingterrifiedhim.Thiswasthesecretunbeliefofthepriests,entirelyengrossedintheritualandthematerialpartoftheservice.Therewasanotherpeculiarity:noone,either thenor later,allowedhimself to talkofanygrosssuperstitioninhispresence,ortoutteranyblasphemy,asifthosecalmand penetrating eyes compelled the speaker to serious thought. In this child,almostalwayssilent,theregrewupaquietandinflexiblewill,tomasterthingsthroughunderstanding.Thatwaseasierforhimthanforothers,forhepossessedfromthefirstthatself-mastery,sorareevenintheadult,whichgivesthemasteryover others. To this firm will was added a warm, deep and almost painfulsympathy;akindofpitifultendernesstoallbeingsandeventoinanimatenature.Itseemedtohimthatallsoulshadinthemsomethingdivine.Butinwhatastonycrust is hidden the shining gold! In what hard rock, in what dark gloom laydormant thepreciousessence!Vaguelyasyetdidthis ideastirwithinhim—hewastodevelopitlater—thatthedivinesoulispresentinallmen,butinalatentstate.Itisasleepingcaptivethathastobeawakenedfromenchantment.

To thesightof thisyoung thinker,humansoulsbecame transparent,with theirtroubles,theirdesires,theirparoxysmsofhatredoroflove.Anditwasprobablyowing to the terrible things he saw, that he spoke so little. And yet, whatdelights, unknown to the world, sprang from this involuntary clairvoyance!

Amongtheremarkable innerrevelationsof thisyouth, Iwill instanceonlyonewhichwasextremelycharacteristic.

The vast plains of Hungary, the wild Carpathian forests, the old churches ofthosemountainsinwhichthemonstranceglowsbrightlyasasuninthedarknessofthesanctuary,werenottherefornothing,buttheywerehelpfultomeditationandcontemplation.

Atfifteenyearsofage,Steinerbecameacquaintedwithaherbalistat that timestayinginhiscountry.Theremarkablethingaboutthismanwasthatheknewnotonly the species, families, and life of plants in theirminutest details, but alsotheirsecretvirtues.Onewouldhavesaidthathehadspenthislifeinconversingwith the unconscious and fluid soul of herbs and flowers. He had the gift ofseeingthevitalprincipleofplants,theirethericbody,andwhatOccultismcallstheelementalsofthevegetableworld.Hetalkedofitasofaquiteordinaryandnaturalthing.Thecalmandcoollyscientifictoneofhisconversationstillfurtherexcited the curiosity and admiration of the youth. Later on, Steiner knew thatthisstrangemanwasamessengerfromtheMaster,whomasyetheknewnot,butwhowas to be his real initiator, andwhowas alreadywatching over himfromafar.

Whatthecurious,double-sightedbotanisttoldhim,youngSteinerfoundtobeinaccordance with the logic of things. That confirmed an inner feeling of longstanding,andwhichmoreandmoreforceditselfonhismindasthefundamentalLaw,andasthebasisoftheGreatAll.Thatistosay:thetwo-foldcurrentwhichconstitutestheverymovementoftheworld,andwhichmightbecalled the fluxandrefluxoftheuniversallife.

We are all witnesses and are conscious of the outward current of evolution,whichurgesonwardallbeingsofheavenandofearth—stars,plants,animalsandhumanity—andcausesthemtomoveforwardtowardsaninfinitefuture,withoutour perceiving the initial force which impels them and makes them go onwithout pause or rest. But there is in the universe an inverse current, whichinterposesitselfandperpetuallybreaksinontheother.Itisthatofinvolution,bywhich the principles, forces, entities and soulswhich come from the invisibleworldandthekingdomoftheEternalinfiltrateandceaselesslyinterminglewiththevisiblereality.Noevolutionofmatterwouldbecomprehensiblewithoutthis

occultandastralcurrent,whichisthegreatpropelleroflife,withitshierarchyofpowers. Thus the Spirit, which contains the future in germ, involves itself inmatter;thusmatter,whichreceivestheSpirit,evolvestowardsthefuture.While,then, we are moving on blindly towards the unknown future, this future isapproachingusconsciously, infusingitself in thecurrentof theworldandmanwhoelaborateit.Such is the two-foldmovementof time, theout-breathingandthe in-breathing of the soul of the world, which comes from the Eternal andreturnsthither.

From the age of eighteen, young Steiner possessed the spontaneousconsciousnessof this two-foldcurrent—aconsciousnesswhichis theconditionof all spiritual vision. This vital axiomwas forced upon him by a direct andinvoluntaryseeingof things.Thenceforthhehadtheunmistakablesensationofoccultpowerswhichwereworkingbehindandthroughhimforhisguidance.Hegave heed to this force and obeyed its admonitions, for he felt in profoundaccordancewithit.

Thiskindofperception,however,formedaseparatecategoryinhisintellectuallife.Thisclassof truthsseemed tohimsomethingsoprofound,somysterious,andsosacred,thatheneverimagineditpossibletoexpressitinwords.Hefedhis soul thereon, as from a divine fountain, but to have scattered a drop of itbeyondwouldhaveseemedtohimaprofanation.

Besidethisinnerandcontemplativelife,hisrationalandphilosophicmindwaspowerfullydeveloping.Fromsixteen toseventeenyearsofage,RudolfSteinerplungeddeeplyinto thestudyofKant,FichteandSchelling.WhenhecametoVienna some years after, he became an ardent admirer of Hegel, whosetranscendental idealism borders on Occultism; but speculative philosophy didnot satisfyhim.Hispositiveminddemanded the solidbasisof the sciencesofobservation. So he deeply studiedmathematics, chemistry,mineralogy, botanyandzoology."Thesestudies,"hesaid"affordasurerbasisfortheconstructionofaspiritualsystemoftheuniversethanhistoryandliterature.Thelatter,wantinginexactmethods,wouldthenthrownoside-lightsonthevastdomainofGermanscience."Inquiringintoeverything,enamoredofhighart,andanenthusiastforpoetry,Steinerneverthelessdidnotneglectliterarystudies.Asaguidethereinhefound an excellent professor in the person of Julius Schröer, a distinguished

scholaroftheschoolofthebrothersGrimm,whostrovetodevelopinhispupilsthe art of oratory and of composition. To this distinguished man the youngstudentowedhisgreat and refined literaryculture. "In thedesertofprevailingmaterialism,"saysSteiner,"hishousewastomeanoasisofidealism."

But thiswas not yet theMasterwhomhe sought.Amidst these varied studiesanddeepmeditations,hecouldasyetdiscernthebuildingoftheuniversebutinafragmentaryway;hisinbornintuitionpreventedanydoubtofthedivineoriginofthingsandofaspiritualBeyond.Adistinctivemarkofthisextraordinarymanwasthatheneverknewanyofthosecrisesofdoubtanddespairwhichusuallyaccompany the transition to a definite conviction in the life ofmystics and ofthinkers. Nevertheless, he felt that the central light which illumines andpenetratesthewholewasstill lackinginhim.Hehadreachedyoungmanhood,withitsterribleproblems.Whatwashegoingtodowithhislife?Thesphinxofdestinywasfacinghim.Howshouldhesolveitsproblem?

Itwasattheageofnineteenthattheaspiranttothemysteriesmetwithhisguide—theMaster—solonganticipated.

It is an undoubted fact, admitted by occult tradition and confirmed byexperience,thatthosewhoseekthehighertruthfromanimpersonalmotivefindamastertoinitiatethemattherightmoment:thatistosay,whentheyareripeforitsreception."Knock,anditshallbeopenedtoyou,"saidJesus.Thatistruewith regard to everything, but above allwith regard to truth.Only, the desiremustbeardentasaflame,inasoulpureascrystal.

TheMasterofRudolfSteinerwasoneofthosemenofpowerwholive,unknowntotheworld,undercoverofsomecivilstate,tocarryoutamissionunsuspectedby any but their fellows in the Brotherhood of self-sacrificingMasters. Theytakenoostensiblepartinhumanevents.Toremainunknownistheconditionoftheir power, but their action is only the more efficacious. For they inspire,prepareanddirectthosewhowillactinthesightofall.InthepresentinstancetheMasterhadnodifficultyincompletingthefirstandspontaneousinitiationofhisdisciple.Hehadonly,sotospeak,topointouttohimhisownnature,toarmhimwithhisneedfulweapons.Clearlydidheshowhimtheconnectionbetweentheofficialandthesecretsciences;betweenthereligiousandthespiritualforceswhich are now contending for the guidance of humanity; the antiquity of the

occulttraditionwhichholdsthehiddenthreadsofhistory,whichminglesthem,separates,andre-unitestheminthecourseofages.

Swiftlyhemadehimclearthesuccessivestagesofinnerdiscipline,inordertoattain conscious and intelligent clairvoyance. In a few months the disciplelearnedfromoralteachingthedepthandincomparablesplendoroftheesotericsynthesis. Rudolf Steiner had already sketched for himself his intellectualmission:"Tore-uniteScienceandReligion.TobringbackGodintoScience,andNature into Religion. Thus to re-fertilize both Art and Life." But how to setabout thisvastanddaringundertaking?Howconquer,orrather,howtameandtransform thegreatenemy, thematerialistic scienceof theday,which is likeaterribledragoncoveredwithitscarapaceandcouchedonitshugetreasure?Howmaster thisdragonofmodern scienceandyoke it to the carof spiritual truth?And,aboveall,howconquerthebullofpublicopinion?

RudolfSteiner'sMasterwasnotintheleastlikehimself.Hehadnotthatextremeand feminine sensibility which, though not excluding energy, makes everycontact an emotion and instantly turns the suffering of others into a personalpain.Hewasmasculineinspirit,abornrulerofmen,lookingonlyatthespecies,andforwhomindividualshardlyexisted.Hesparednothimself,andhedidnotspareothers.Hiswillwaslikeaballwhich,onceshotfromthecannon'smouth,goes straight to its mark, sweeping off everything in its way. To the anxiousquestioningofhisdiscipleherepliedinsubstance:

"If thou wouldst fight the enemy, begin by understanding him. Thou wiltconquerthedragononlybypenetratinghisskin.Astothebull,thoumustseizehimbythehorns.Itisintheextremityofdistressthatthouwiltfindthyweaponsandthybrothersinthefight.Ihaveshowntheewhothouart,nowgo—andbethyself!"

RudolfSteinerknewthelanguageoftheMasterswellenoughtounderstandtheroughpaththathewasthuscommandedtotread;buthealsounderstoodthatthiswastheonlywaytoattaintheend.Heobeyed,andsetforth.

From1880 the lifeofRudolfSteinerbecomesdivided into threequitedistinctperiods:fromtwentytothirtyyearsofage(1881-1891),theVienneseperiod,atimeofstudyandofpreparation;fromthirty toforty(1891-1901), theWeimarperiod,a timeofstruggleandcombat; fromforty toforty-six(1901-1907), theBerlin period, a time of action and of organization, in which his thoughtcrystallizedintoalivingwork.

IpassrapidlyovertheViennaperiod,inwhichSteinertookthedegreeofDoctorof Philosophy. He afterwards wrote a series of scientific articles on zoology,geology, and the theory of colors, in which theosophical ideas appear in anidealist clothing. While acting as tutor in several families, with the sameconscientiousdevotionthathegavetoeverything,heconductedaschiefeditoraweekly Viennese paper, theDeutsche Wochenschrift. His friendship with theAustrianpoetess,MarieEugéniedelleGrazie,cast,asitwere,intothisperiodofheavyworkawarmrayofsunshine,withasmileofgraceandpoetry.

In 1890 Steiner was summoned to collaborate in the archives of Goethe andSchiller atWeimar, to superintend the re-editing of Goethe's scientific works.Shortly after, he published two important works, Truth and Science and ThePhilosophyofLiberty."Theoccultpowersthatguidedme,"hesays,"forcedmeto introduce spiritualistic ideas imperceptibly into the current literature of thetime."Butinthesevarioustaskshewasbutstudyinghisgroundwhiletryinghisstrength.Sodistantwasthegoalthathedidnotdreamofbeingabletoreachitasyet. To travel round the world in a sailing vessel, to cross the Atlantic, thePacificandtheIndianOcean,inordertoreturntoaEuropeanport,wouldhaveseemedeasiertohim.Whileawaitingtheeventsthatwouldallowhimtoequiphisshipandtolaunchitontheopensea,hecameintotouchwithtwoillustriouspersonalities who helped to determine his intellectual position in thecontemporaryworld.

Thesetwopersonswerethecelebratedphilosopher,FriedrichNietzsche,andthenolessfamousnaturalist,ErnstHaeckel.

RudolfSteinerhadjustwrittenanimpartialtreatiseontheauthorofZarathustra.Inconsequenceofthis,Nietzsche'ssisterbeggedthesympatheticcritictocomeand see her at Naumburg, where her unhappy brother was slowly dying.MadameFoerstertookthevisitortothedooroftheapartmentwhereNietzsche

waslyingonacouchinacomatosecondition,inert,stupified.ToSteinertherewassomethingverysignificantinthismelancholysight.Inithesawthefinalactinthetragedyofthewould-besuperman.

Nietzsche, the author of Beyond Good and Evil, had not, like the realists ofBismarckianimperialism,renouncedidealism,forhewasnaturallyintuitive;butin his individualistic pride he sought to cut off the spiritual world from theuniverse, and the divine from human consciousness. Instead of placing thesuperman,ofwhomhehadapoeticvision,inthespiritualkingdom,whichishistruesphere,hestrovetoforcehimintothematerialworld,whichalonewasrealinhis eyes.Hence, in that splendid intellect aroseachaosof ideasandawildstruggle which finally brought on softening of the brain. To explain thisparticularcase,itisneedlesstobringinatavismorthetheoryofdegeneracy.Thefrenzied combat of ideas and of contradictory sentiments, of which this brainwas thebattlefield,wasenough.Steinerhaddone justice toall thegenius thatmarkedtheinnovatingideasofNietzsche,butthisvictimofpride,self-destroyedbynegation,wastohimnonethelessa tragic instanceof theruinofamightyintellect which madly destroys itself in breaking away from spiritualintelligence.

MadameFoersterdidherutmosttoenrolDr.Steinerunderherbrother'sflag.Forthis she used all her skill, making repeated offers to the young publicist tobecome editor and commentator of Nietzsche's works. Steiner withstood herinsistenceasbesthecould,andendedbytakinghimselfoffaltogether,forwhichMadameFoersterneverforgavehim.ShedidnotknowthatRudolfSteinerborewithinhimtheconsciousnessofaworknolessgreatandmorevaluablethanthatofherbrother.

Nietzsche had been merely an interesting episode in the life of the esotericthinker on the threshold of his battlefield. His meeting with the celebratednaturalist,ErnstHaeckel,on thecontrary,marksamost importantphase in thedevelopment of his thought.Was not the successor of Darwin apparently themost formidable adversary of the spiritualism of this young initiate, of thatphilosophywhichtohimwastheveryessenceofhisbeingandthebreathofhisthought? Indeed, since the broken link betweenman and animal has been re-joined,sincemancannolongerbelieveinaspecialandsupernaturalorigin,he

hasbegunaltogether todoubthisdivineoriginanddestiny.Heno longer seeshimselfasanythingbutonephenomenonamongsomanyphenomena,apassingformamidstsomanyforms,afrailandchancelinkinablindevolution.Steiner,then, is right in saying: "The mentality deduced from natural sciences is thegreatestpowerofmodern times."On theotherhand,heknew that this systemmerelyreproducesasuccessionofexternalformsamonglivingbeings,andnotthe inner and acting forces of life.He knew it from personal initiation, and adeeper and vaster view of the universe. So also he could exclaim with moreassurance thanmost of our timid spiritualists and startled theologians: "Is thehumansoulthentoriseonthewingsofenthusiasmtothesummitsoftheTrue,the Beautiful and the Good, only to be swept away into nothingness, like abubble of the brain?" Yes, Haeckel was the Adversary. It was materialism inarms,thedragonwithallhisscales,hisclaws,andhisteeth.

Steiner'sdesiretounderstandthisman,andtodohimjusticeastoall thatwasgreatinhim,tofathomhistheorysofarasitwaslogicalandplausible,wasonlythemoreintense.Inthisfactoneseesalltheloyaltyandallthegreatnessofhiscomprehensivemind.

Thematerialistic conclusions ofHaeckel could have no influence on his ownideaswhichcametohimfromadifferentscience;buthehadapresentmentthatintheindisputablediscoveriesofthenaturalistheshouldfindthesurestbasisofanevolutionaryspiritualismandarationaltheosophy.

Hebegan,then,tostudyeagerlytheHistoryofNaturalCreation.InitHaeckelgivesafascinatingpictureoftheevolutionofspecies,fromtheamœbatoman.Initheshowsthesuccessivegrowthoforgans,andthephysiologicalprocessbywhich living beings have raised themselves to organisms more and morecomplex and more and more perfect. But in this stupendous transformation,whichimpliesmillionsandmillionsofyears,heneverexplainstheinitialforceofthisuniversalascent,northeseriesofspecialimpulseswhichcausebeingstorisestepbystep.Totheseprimordialquestions,Haeckelhasneverbeenabletoreply except by admitting spontaneous generation,[2]which is tantamount to amiracle as great as the creation of man by God from a clod of earth. To atheosophistlikeSteiner,ontheotherhand,thecosmicforcewhichelaboratestheworld comprises in its spheres, fitted one into another, the myriads of souls

which crystallize and incarnate ceaselessly in all beings. He, who saw theundersideofcreation,couldbutrecognizeandadmiretheextentoftheall-roundgazewithwhichHaeckel surveyedhisabove. Itwas invain that thenaturalistwoulddenythedivineAuthoroftheuniversalscheme:heprovedit inspiteofhimself,insowelldescribingHiswork.Astothetheosophist,hegreeted,inthesurging of species and in the breath which urges them onward—Man in themaking,theverythoughtofGod,thevisibleexpressionoftheplanetaryWord.[3]

Whilethuspursuinghisstudies,RudolfSteinerrecalledthesayingofhisMaster:"Toconquerthedragon,hisskinmustbepenetrated."Whilestealingwithinthecarapaceofpresent-daymaterialism,hehadseizedhisweapons.Henceforthhewasreadyfor thecombat.Heneededbutafieldofactiontogivebattle,andapowerfulaidtoupholdhimtherein.HewastofindhisfieldintheTheosophicalSociety,andhisaidinaremarkablewoman.

In1897RudolfSteinerwenttoBerlintoconductaliterarymagazineandtogivelecturesthere.

Onhisarrival,hefoundthereabranchoftheTheosophicalSociety.TheGermanbranch of this Society was always noted for its great independence, which isnatural inacountryof transcendentalphilosophyandof fastidiouscriticism. Ithad already made a considerable contribution to occult literature through theinterestingperiodical,TheSphinx, conductedbyDr.Hübbe-Schleiden, andDr.CarlduPrel'sbook—PhilosophiederMystik.But, the leadershavingretired, itwasalmostoverwiththegroup.Greatdiscussionsandpettywranglingsdividedthe theosophists beyond the Rhine. Should Rudolf Steiner enter theTheosophicalSociety?Thisquestionforceditselfurgentlyuponhim,anditwasoftheutmostgravity,bothforhimselfandforhiscause.

ThroughhisfirstMaster,throughthebrotherhoodwithwhichhewasassociated,and by his own innermost nature, Steiner belongs to another school ofOccultism,ImeantotheesotericChristianityoftheWest,andmostespeciallytotheRosicrucianinitiation.

After mature consideration he resolved to join the Theosophical Society ofwhichhebecameamemberin1902.Hedidnot,however,enteritasapupilofthe Eastern tradition, but as an initiate of Rosicrucian esotericismwho gladly

recognizedtheprofounddepthof theHinduWisdomandoffereditabrotherlyhand to make a magnetic link between the two. He understood that the twotraditionswerenotmeanttocontendwitheachother,buttoactinconcert,withcompleteindependence,andthustoworkforthecommongoodofcivilization.TheHindu tradition, in fact, contains thegreatest treasureofoccult scienceasregardscosmogonyandtheprehistoricperiodsofhumanity,while thetraditionofChristianandWesternesotericism looks fromits immeasurableheightuponthe far-off future and the final destinies of our race.For thepast contains andpreparesthefuture,asthefutureissuesfromthepastandcompletesit.

Rudolf Steiner was assisted in his work by a powerful recruit and one ofinestimablevalueinthepropagandistworkthathewasabouttoundertake.

Mlle. Marie von Sivers, a Russian by birth, and of an unusually variedcosmopolitan education (shewrites and speaks Russian, French, German, andEnglishequallywell),hadherselfalsoreachedTheosophybyotherroads,afterlong seeking for the truth which illumines all because it illumines the verydepthsofourownbeing.Theextreme refinementofher aristocraticnature, atonce modest and proud, her great and delicate sensitiveness, the extent andbalance of her intelligence, her artistic andmental endowments, all made herwonderfully fitted for the part of an agent and an apostle. The Orientaltheosophyhadattractedanddelightedherwithoutaltogetherconvincingher.ThelecturesofDr.Steinergaveher the lightwhichconvincesbycastingitsbeamsonallsides,asfromatransplendentcentre.Independentandfree,she,likemanyRussiansingoodsociety,soughtforsomeidealworktowhichshecoulddevoteall her energies. She had found it.Dr. Steiner having been appointedGeneralSecretaryof theGermanSectionof theTheosophicalSociety,Mlle.MarievonSiversbecamehis assistant.From that time, in spreading thework throughoutGermanyandtheadjacentcountries,shedisplayedarealgeniusfororganization,maintainedwithunweariedactivity.

AsforRudolfSteiner,hehadalreadygivenampleproofofhisprofoundthoughtand his eloquence.He knewhimself, and hewasmaster of himself.But suchfaith, such devotionmust have increased his energy a hundredfold, and givenwings tohiswords.Hiswritingsonesotericquestionsfollowedoneanother inrapidsuccession.[4]

He delivered lectures in Berlin, Leipzig, Cassel, Munich, Stuttgart, Vienna,Budapest,etc.Allhisbooksareofahighstandard.Heisequallyskilledinthedeductionof ideas inphilosophicalorder,and in rigorousanalysisofscientificfacts.Andwhenhe so chooses, he cangive apoetical form tohis thought, inoriginalandstrikingimagery.Buthiswholeselfisshownonlybyhispresenceandhisspeech,privateorpublic.Thecharacteristicofhiseloquenceisasingularforce, alwaysgentle inexpression, resultingundoubtedly fromperfect serenityofsoulcombinedwithwonderfulclearnessofmind.Addedtothisattimesisaninnerandmysteriousvibrationwhichmakes itself feltby the listener from thevery first words. Never a word that could shock or jar. From argument toargument, from analogy to analogy, he leads you on from the known to theunknown.Whetherfollowingupthecomparativedevelopmentoftheearthandofman,accordingtooccult tradition, throughtheLemurian,Atlantean,Asiaticand European periods; whether explaining the physiological and psychicconstitutionofmanashenowis;whetherenumeratingthestagesofRosicrucianinitiation, or commenting on the Gospel of St. John and the Apocalypse, orapplying his root-ideas to mythology, history and literature, that whichdominates andguides his discourse is ever this power of synthesis,which co-ordinates facts under one ruling idea and gathers them together in oneharmoniousvision.Anditiseverthisinwardandcontagiousfervor,thissecretmusic of the soul,which is, as it were, a subtlemelody in harmonywith theUniversalSoul.

Such,atleast,iswhatIfeltonfirstmeetinghimandlisteningtohimtwoyearsago. I could not better describe this undefinable feeling than by recalling thesaying of a poet-friend to whom I was showing the portrait of the Germantheosophist. Standing before those deep and clear-seeing eyes, before thatcountenance,hollowedbyinwardstruggles,mouldedbyaloftyspiritwhichhasproved its balance on the heights and its calm in the depths, my friendexclaimed:"Beholdamasterofhimselfandoflife!"

THEWAYOFINITIATION

I

THESUPERPHYSICALWORLDANDITSGNOSIS

Inthispracticalageandbecauseofthemanyvariousclaimsoftheday,itisbutnatural that people, who hear of transcendentalism should at once ask thequestion: "How may we for ourselves know the truth of such statements?"Indeed,it isnoticeable,asacharacteristicofthemajority, thattheywillacceptnothingonfaith,ormere"authority,"butwishrathertorelyentirelyupontheirownjudgment.Therefore,whenamysticundertakestoexplainsomethingofthesuperphysical nature ofman, and of the destiny of the human soul and spiritbefore birth and after death, he is at once confronted with that fundamentaldemand. Such doctrine, they seem to think is important only when you haveshownthemthewaybywhichtheymayconvincethemselvesofitstruth.

Thiscriticalinquiryisquitejustified;andnotruemysticoroccultistwilldisputeits fairness, yet it is unfortunate thatwithmanywhomake the demand, thereexistsafeelingofskepticismorantagonismtowardthemysticoranyattemptonhis part to explain anything occult. This feeling becomes especially markedwhen the mystic intimates how the truths which he has described may beattained.Fortheysay,"Whateveristruemaybedemonstrated;therefore,provetouswhatyouassert."Theydemandthatthetruthmustbesomethingclearandsimple,somethingwhichanordinary intellectmaycomprehend."Surely," theyadd, "thisknowledge cannotbe thepossessionof a chosen few, towhom it isgiven by a special revelation." And in this way the real messenger oftranscendental truth is frequently confronted with people who reject him,because—unlike the scientist, for example, he can produce no proofs for hisassertions,ofsuchanatureastheyareabletounderstand.Again,therearethosewhocautiouslyrejectanyinformationpertainingtothesuperphysicalbecausetothemitdoesnotseemreasonable.Thereupon theypartiallysatisfy themselves,byclaimingthatwecannotknowanythingofwhatliesbeyondbirthordeath,orof anything which cannot be perceived through our five ordinary physical

senses.

These are but a few of the arguments and criticisms with which to-day themessenger of a spiritual philosophy is confronted; but they are similar to allthosewhichcomposethekey-noteofourtime,andhewhoputshimselfat theserviceofaspiritualmovementmustrecognizethisconditionquiteclearly.

For his own part, the mystic is aware that his knowledge rests uponsuperphysicalfacts;whichtohimarejustastangible,forexample,asthosethatformthefoundationoftheexperiencesandobservationsdescribedbyatravellerinAfricaoranystrangeland.TothemysticapplieswhatAnnieBesanthassaidinhermanual,"DeathandAfter?"

"AseasonedAfricanexplorerwouldcarebutlittleforthecriticismspassedonhisreportbypersonswhohadneverbeenthere;hemighttellwhathesaw,describe theanimalswhosehabitshehadstudied,sketch the country he had traversed, sum up its products and itscharacteristics. If he was contradicted, laughed at, set right, byuntravelled critics, he would be neither ruffled nor distressed, butwould merely leave them alone. Ignorance cannot convinceknowledgebyrepeatedasseverationofitsnescience.Theopinionofahundredpersonsonasubjectofwhichtheyarewhollyignorantisofnomoreweightthantheopinionofonesuchperson.Evidenceisstrengthened by many consenting witnesses, testifying each to hisknowledgeofafact,butnothingmultipliedathousandtimesremainsnothing."

Hereisexpressedthemystic'sviewofhisownsituation.Hehearstheobjectionswhichareraisedoneveryside,yetheknowsthatforhimselfhehasnoneedtodisputethem.Herealizesthathiscertainknowledgeisbeingcriticizedbythosewhohavenothadhisexperience, thathe is in thepositionofamathematicianwhohasdiscoveredatruthwhichcanlosenovaluethoughathousandvoicesareraisedinopposition.

Thenagainwillarisetheobjectionoftheskeptics:"Mathematicaltruthsmaybeproven to anyone," theywill say, "and though perhaps you have really found

something,weshallacceptitonlywhenwehavelearnedofitstruththroughourown investigation."Such thenhave reason to consider themselves tobe in theright, because it is clear to them that anyone who acquires the necessaryknowledgecanproveamathematical truth,while theexperiencesprofessedbythemystic if true depend upon the special faculties of a few electmystics, inwhomtheyassumetheyareexpectedtoblindlybelieve.

For him, who rightly considers this objection, all justification for the doubtimmediatelyvanishes;andmysticscanhereusetheverylogicalreasoningoftheskepticsthemselves,byemphasizingthetruththatthewaytoHigherKnowledgeisopen toanyonewhowill acquire forhimself the facultiesbywhichhemayprove the spiritual truthshereinclaimed.Themysticassertsnothingwhichhisopponents would not also be compelled to assert, if they did but fullycomprehendtheirownstatements.They,however,inmakinganassertion,oftenformulateaclaimwhichconstitutesadirectcontradictionofthatassertion.

Skeptics are seldom willing to acquire the necessary faculties to test theassertionsofthemystic,butprefertojudgehimoffhand,withoutregardtotheirownlackofqualification.Thesinceremysticsaystothem:"Idonotclaimtobe'chosen' in the sense that you mean. I have merely developed within myself,someofman'sadditionalsensesinordertoacquirethefacultiesthroughwhichitis possible to speak of glimpses into superphysical regions." These senses aredormant within you and every other person, until they are developed, (as isnecessarywiththeusualsensesandfacultiesmorenoticeableinthegrowthofachild).Yethisopponentsanswer:"Youmustproveyourtruthstousaswenoware!"Thisatonceappearsadifficult task,for theyhavenotcompliedwith thenecessityofdevelopingthedormantpowerswithinthem,theyarestillunwillingtodoso,andyettheyinsistthatheshallgivethemproofs;nordotheyseethatthisisexactlyasifapeasantathisploughshoulddemandofthemathematicianthe proof of a complicated problem, without his undergoing the trouble oflearningmathematics.

Thismixedmentalconditionappearstobesogeneralanditssolutionsosimplethat one almost hesitates to speak of it. And yet it indicates a delusion underwhichmillionsofpeoplecontinuelivingatthepresenttime.Whenexplainedtothemtheyalwaysagreeintheory,sinceitisquiteasplainas,thattwoandtwo

makefour;yetinpracticetheycontinuallyactincontradiction.Themistakehasgrowntobesecondnaturewithmany;theyindulgeitwithoutrealizingthattheydosowithoutdesiring tobeconvincedof itserror; justas theyset themselvesagainst other laws which they should and would at all times recognize asembodying a principle of the simplest nature, if they but gave it an unbiasedconsideration.Itmattersnotwhetherthemysticofto-daymovesamongthinkingartisans,orinamoreeducatedcircle,whereverhegoeshemeetswiththesameprejudice, the same self-contradiction. One finds it in popular lectures, in thenewspapersandmagazines,andeveninthemorelearnedworksortreatises.

Herewemust recognize quite clearly thatwe are dealingwith a consensus ofopinionthatamountstoasignofthetimes,whichwemaynotsimplypronounceasincompetent,nordealwithaspossiblyacorrectbutunjustcriticism.Wemustunderstand that this prejudice against the higher truths, lies deep in the verybeing of our age. We must understand clearly that the great successes, theimmenseadvancemarkingourtime,necessarilyencouragesthiscondition.Thenineteenth century especially had in the above respect a dark side to itswonderfulexcellences.Itsgreatnessrestsupondiscoveriesintheexternalworld,and conquest of natural forces for technical and industrial purposes. Thesesuccessescouldhavebeenattainedonlybytheemploymentoftheminddirectedtowardmaterialresults.

Thecivilizationofthepresentdayistheresultofthetrainingofoursenses,andofthatpartofourmindwhichisoccupiedwiththeworldofsense.Almosteverystepwetakeinthebusymartsofto-dayshowsushowmuchweowetothiskindoftraining.Anditisundertheinfluenceoftheseblessingsofcivilizationthatthehabitsofthought,prevalentamongourfellow-men,havebeendeveloped.Theycontinuetoabidebythesensesandthemind,becauseitisbymeansofthesethattheyhavegrowngreat.Peopleweretaughttotrainthemselvestoadmitnothingas true except those things that were presented to them by the senses or theintellect.Andnothingismoreapttoclaimforitselftheonlyvalidtestimony,theonlyabsoluteauthority, than themindor the senses. If amanhasacquiredbymeansofthemacertaindegreeofculture,hethenceforthaccustomshimselftosubmiteverythingtotheirconsideration,everythingtotheircriticism.Andagaininanothersphere,inthedomainofSocialLife,wefindasimilartrait.Themanof the nineteenth century insisted, in the fullest sense of the word, upon the

absolute freedom of personality, and repudiated any authority in the SocialCommonwealth.Heendeavoredtoconstructthecommunityinsuchawaythatthe full independence, the self-chosen vocation of each individual, should,without interference, be assured. In this way it became habitual for him toconsidereverythingfromthestandpointoftheaverageindividual.

This same individuality is also helpful in the search of knowledge on thespiritual plane, for the higher powers which lie dormant in the soul may bedevelopedbyonepersoninthisdirectionbyanotherinthat.Onewillmakemoreprogress,anotherless.Butwhentheydevelopthosepowers,andattachvaluetothem,men begin to differentiate themselves.And then onemust allow, to theadvancedstudent,morerighttospeakonthesubject,ortoactinacertainway,than to anotherwho is less advanced.This ismore essential inmatters of thehigherrealmthanontheplaneofthesensesandthemind,whereexperiencesaremorenearlythesame.

ItisalsonoticeablethatthepresentformationoftheSocialCommonwealthhashelped tobringabouta revoltagainst thehigherpowersofman.According tothemystic,civilizationduringthenineteenthcenturyhasmovedaltogetheralongphysicallines;andpeoplehaveaccustomedthemselvestomoveonthephysicalplanealone,andtofeelathomethere.Thehigherpowersaredevelopedonlyonplaneshigher than thephysical,and theknowledgewhich thesefacultiesbringis,therefore,unknowntothephysicalman.Itisonlynecessarytoattendmass-meetings, ifonewishes tobeconvincedof the fact that the speakers therearetotallyunabletothinkanythoughtsbutthosewhichrefertothephysicalplane,theworldofsense.Thiscanalsobeseenthroughtheleadingjournalistsofourpapersandmagazines;and,indeed,onallsidesonemayobservethehaughtiestandmostcompletedenialofeverythingthatcannotbeseenwiththeeyes,orfeltwiththehands,orcomprehendedbytheaveragemind.Wedonotcondemnthisattitudeforitdenotesanecessarystageinthedevelopmentofhumanity.Withouttheprideandprejudicesofmindandsense,weshouldneverhaveachievedourgreatconquestsovermateriallife,norhavebeenabletoimparttothepersonalityacertainmeasureofelasticity:neithercanwehopethatmanyideals,whichmustbefoundedonman'sdesireforfreedomandtheassertionofpersonality,mayyetberealized.

But this dark sideof a purelymaterialistic civilizationhas deeply affected thewhole being of themodernman. For proof it is not necessary to refer to theobvious facts already named; it would be easy to demonstrate, by certainexamples(whicharegreatlyunderrated,especiallyto-day),howdeeplyrootedinthemindofthemodernmanisthisadhesiontothetestimonyofthesenses,ortheaverageintelligence.Anditisjustthesethingsthatindicatetheneedfortherenewalofspirituallife.

ThestrongresponseevokedbyProfessorFriedrichDelitzsch'sBabelandBibleTheoryfullyjustifiesareferencetoitsauthor'smethodofthinking,asasignofthe time. Professor Delitzsch has demonstrated the relationship of certaintraditionsintheOldTestament,totheBabylonianaccountsoftheCreation,andthis fact, coming fromsucha sourceand in sucha form,hasbeen realizedbymany who would otherwise have ignored such questions. It has led many toreconsider the so-called idea of Revelation. They ask themselves: "How is itpossibletoaccepttheideathatthecontentsoftheOldTestamentwererevealedby God, when we find very similar conceptions among decidedly heathennations?"Thisproblemcannotherebefurtherdiscussed.Delitzschfoundmanyopponents who feared that through his exposition, the very foundations ofReligionhadbeen shaken.Hehasdefendedhimself in a pamphlet,Babel andBible,aRetrospectandaForecast.Hereweshallonlyrefertoasinglestatementin thepamphlet.Oneof importance,because it reveals theviewofaneminentscientistregardingthepositionofmanwithrespecttotranscendentaltruths.Andto-dayinnumerableotherpeoplethinkandfeeljustlikeDelitzsch.Thestatementaffords an excellent opportunity for us to find out what is the innermostconviction of our contemporaries, expressed quite freely and, therefore, in itstruestform.

Delitzsch turns to thosewho reproachhimwith a somewhat liberal useof theterm "Revelation," and who would fain regard it as "a kind of old priestlywisdom"which"hasnothingatalltodowiththelayman,"makingthisreply.

"Formypart,IamofopinionthatwhileourchildrenorourselvesareinstructedinschooloratchurchasregardsRevelation,notonlyarewe within our right, but it is our duty, to think independentlyconcerning these deep questions, possessing also, as they do, aneminentlypracticalside,wereitonlythatwemightavoidgivingourchildren'evasive'answers.ForthisveryreasonitwillbegratifyingtomanysearchersafterTruthwhenthedogmaofaspecial'choosing'ofIsrael shall have been brought forward into the light of a widerhistorical outlook, through the union of Babylonian, Assyrian, andOld Testament research…. [A few pages earlier we are shown thedirectionofsuchthoughts.]Fortherest,itwouldseemtomethattheonlylogicalthingisforChurchandSchooltobesatisfiedasregardsthewholepasthistoryoftheworldandofhumanity,withthebeliefinOneAlmightyCreatorofHeavenandEarth,andthatthesetalesofthe Old Testament should be classified by themselves under somesuchtitleas'OldHebraicMyths.'"

(Itmaybetakenasamatterofcourse,wesuppose, thatnoonewillseeinthefollowing remarksanattackon the investigatorDelitzsch.)What, then, ishereaverred innaive simplicity?Nothing less than that themindwhich is engagedupon physical investigation may assert the right of judging experiences ofsuperphysical nature. There is no thought that this mind without furtherdevelopment may perhaps be unfit to reflect upon the teachings of these"Revelations." When one wishes to understand that which appears as a"Revelation,"onemustemploythekindofknowledgeorforcesthroughwhichthe"Revelation,"itselfhascometous.

HewhodevelopswithinhimselfthemysticalpowerofperceptionsoonobservesthatincertainstoriesoftheOldTestamentwhichbyDelitzschwerecalled"OldHebraicMyths," thereare revealed tohim truthsof ahighernature than thosewhichmaybecomprehendedbytheintellect,whichisonlyconcernedwiththethings of sense.His own experienceswill lead him to see that these "Myths"haveproceededoutofamysticperceptionoftranscendentaltruths.Andthen,inoneilluminativemoment,hiswholepointofviewischanged.

As little as one may demonstrate the fallacy of a mathematical problem bydiscoveringwhosolveditfirst,oreventhatseveralpeoplehavesolvedit,justsolittle may one impugn the truth of a biblical narrative by the discovery of asimilarstoryelsewhere.Insteadofdemandingthateveryoneshouldinsistuponhisright,orevenhisduty,tothinkindependentlyontheso-called"Revelations,"we ought rather to consider that only hewho has developed in himself thoselatent powers which make it possible for him to relive that which was oncerealizedbythoseverymystics,whoproclaimedthe"supersensuousrevelations,"hasarighttodecideanythingaboutthematter.

Herewehaveanexcellentexampleofhowtheaverageintellect,qualifiedforthehighesttriumphsinpracticalsense-knowledge,setsitselfup,innaivepride,asajudge in domains, the existence of which it does not even care to know. Forpurelyhistoricalinvestigationisalsocarriedonbynothingbuttheexperienceofthesenses.

In just the samewayhas the investigationof theNewTestament ledus intoablindalley.Atanycoststhemethodofthe"NewerHistoricalInvestigation"hadto be directed upon the Gospels. These documents have been compared witheachother,andbrought into relationwithall sortsof records, inorder thatwemightfindoutwhatreallyhappenedinPalestinefromtheyear1totheyear33;howthe"historicalpersonality"ofwhomtheytellreallylived,andwhatHemayreallyhavesaid.

AngelusSelesius,oftheseventeenthcentury,hasalreadyexpressedthewholeofthecriticalattitudetowardthiskindofinvestigation:

"ThoughChristwereyearlyborninBethlehem,andneverHadbirthinyouyourself,thenwereyoulostforever;Andifwithinyourselfitis not reared again, The Cross at Golgotha can save you not frompain."

Norarethesethewordsofonewhodoubted,butthoseofaChristian,stronginhis belief. And his equally fervent predecessor, Meister Eckhart, said in thethirteenthcentury:

"TherearesomewhodesiretoseeGodwiththeireyes,astheylookatacow;andjustastheyloveacow,sotheydesiretoloveGod….Simple-mindedpeopleimaginethatGodmaybeseenasifHestoodthereandtheystoodhere.Butthisisnotso:inthatperception,GodandIareone."

These words must not be understood as directed against the investigation of"historical truth."Yet no one can rightly understand the historic truth of suchdocuments as the Gospels, unless he has first experienced within himself themystical meaning which they contain. All such comparisons and analyses arequiteworthless, fornoonecandiscoverwhowas "born inBethlehem"buthewhohasmysticallyexperiencedtheChristwithinhimself;neithercananyoneinwhom it has not already been erected, decide how it is that "the Cross atGolgotha"candeliverusfrompain.Purelyhistoricalinvestigation"candiscoverno more concerning the mystic reality than the dismembering anatomist,perhaps,candiscoverthesecretofagreatpoeticalgenius."(Seemybook,DasChristentumalsmystischeTatsache,Berlin,C.A.SchwetschkeundSohn,1902,oritsFrenchtranslation,mentionedonpage1.)

He who can see clearly in these matters is aware how deeply rooted, at thepresent time, is the"pride"of the intellect,whichonlyconcerns itselfwith thefacts of sense. It says: "I do notwish to develop faculties in order that Imayreach thehigher truths; Iwish to formmydecisionsconcerning themwith thepowersthatInowpossess."

Inawell-meantpamphlet,whichiswritten,however,entirelyinthatspiritoftheage which we have already indicated (What do we know about Jesus? by A.Kalthoff,Berlin,1904),wereadasfollows:

"Christ,whosymbolizesthelifeoftheCommunity,maybediscernedwithinhimselfbythemanofto-day:outofhisownsoulthemanofto-daycancreateChristjustaswellastheauthorofagospelcreatedhim;asamanhemayputhimselfinthesamepositionasthegospel-writers, because he can reinstate himself into the same soul-processes,canhimselfspeakorwriteGospel."

"Thesewordsmightbetrue,buttheymayalsobeentirelyerroneous.Theyaretruewhenunderstood in the sense ofAngelusSilesius, or ofMeisterEckhart,that iswhen they refer to thedevelopmentofpowersdormant ineveryhumansoul, which, from some such idea, endeavors to experience within itself theChristoftheGospels.Theyarealtogetherwrong,ifamoreorlessshallowidealof theChrist is thus created out of the spirit of an age that acknowledges thetruthofnoperceptionsotherthanthoseofthesenses."

ThelifeoftheSpiritcanbeunderstoodonlywhenwedonotpresumetocriticizeit with the lower mind, but rather when we develop it reverently withinourselves.Noonecanhopetolearnanythingofthehighertruthsifhedemandsthat they shall be lowered to the "average understanding." This statementprovokes the question: "Why, then, do you mystics proclaim these truths topeoplewho,youdeclare,cannotasyetunderstandthem?WhyshouldtherebeMovements in the furtherance of certain teachings, when the powers whichrendermenabletoconceiveoftheseteachingsarestillundeveloped?"

It is the taskof thisbook toelucidate thisapparentcontradiction. Itwill showthat the spiritual currents of our day originate from a different source, in adifferentmanner, from the sciencewhich relies entirelyon the lower intellect.Yet, in spite of this, these spiritual currents are not to be considered as lessscientific than thesciencewhich isbaseduponphysical factsalone.Ratherdotheyextendthefieldofscientificinvestigationintothesuperphysical.Wemustclosethischapterwithonemorequestion,whichislikelytoarise:Howmayoneattaintosuperphysicaltruths,and,ofwhathelparespiritualmovementstowardsthisattainment?

II

HOWTOATTAINKNOWLEDGEOFTHEHIGHERWORLDS

In everyman there are latent faculties bymeans ofwhich hemay acquire forhimself knowledge of the higher worlds. The mystic, master, theosophist, orgnosticspeaksofasoul-worldandaspirit-world,whichare,forhim,justasrealas theworldwhichwe seewithour physical eyes, or touchwithour physicalhands.Andthosewhowishtodevelopthespiritualsenses,whichunfoldpsychicknowledge,shouldunderstandthatsafeadvicecanbegivenonlybythosewhohave already developed such powerwithin themselves.As long as the humanrace has existed, there have been lodges and schools in which those whopossessed these higher faculties have given instruction to those who were insearch of them. Such are called occult schools, and the instruction which isimparted therein iscalledesotericscience,oroccult teaching.Thisdesignationsometimesleadstomisunderstanding.Hewhohearsitmaybeveryeasilymisledintothebeliefthatthosewhoworkintheseschoolsdesiretorepresentaspecial,privileged class, which arbitrarily withholds its knowledge from its fellow-creatures. Indeed, he may even think that perhaps there is nothing reallyimportantbehindsuchknowledge.Forhe is tempted to think that, if itwereatrueknowledge,therewouldbenoneedofmakingasecretofit:onemightthencommunicateitpubliclytotheadvantageofallmen.

Those who have been initiated into occult knowledge are not in the leastsurprised that the uninitiated should so think. Only he who has to a certaindegree experienced this initiation into the higher knowledge of being canunderstandthesecretofthatinitiation.Butitmaybeasked:How,then,shalltheuninitiated,consideringthecircumstances,developanyinterestatallinthisso-calledmysticknowledge?Howandwhyoughttheytosearchforsomethingofthenatureofwhich they can formno idea?Such aquestion is basedupon anentirelyerroneousconceptionoftherealnatureofoccultknowledge.Thereis,intruth, no fundamental difference between occult knowledge and all the rest of

man'sknowledgeandcapacity.Thismysticknowledge isnomorea secret fortheaveragemanthanwritingisasecret tohimwhohasneverlearnedtoread.Andjustaseveryonewhochoosesthecorrectmethodmaylearntowrite,sotoocan everyonewho searches after the rightway become a disciple, and even ateacher. In only one respect are the conditions here different from those thatapply to external thought-activities. The possibility of acquiring the art ofwritingmaybewithheldfromsomeonethroughpoverty,orthroughthestateofcivilizationintowhichhehasbeenborn;butfortheattainmentofknowledgeinthehigherworldsthereisnoobstacleforhimwhosincerelysearchesforit.

Manybelievethatitisnecessarytofind,hereorthere,theMastersofthehigherknowledge, inorder to receiveenlightenment from them. In the firstplace,hewho strives earnestly after the higher knowledge need not be afraid of anydifficultyorobstacleinhissearchforanInitiatewhoshallbeabletoleadhiminto the profounder secrets of the world. Everyone, on the contrary, may becertainthatanInitiatewillfindhim,underanycircumstances,ifthereisinhimanearnest andworthy endeavor to attain this knowledge.For it is a strict lawwithall Initiates towithhold fromnoman theknowledge that isduehim.Butthere isanequallystrict lawwhich insists thatnooneshall receiveanyoccultknowledge until he is worthy and well prepared. And the more strictly heobserves these two laws, the more perfect is an Initiate. The order whichembracesallInitiatesissurrounded,asitwere,byawall,andthetwolawsherementionedformtwostrongprinciplesbywhichtheconstituentsofthiswallareheldtogether.YoumayliveinclosefriendshipwithanInitiate,yetthiswallwillseparatehimfromyoujustaslongasyouhavenotbecomeanInitiateyourself.Youmayenjoyinthefullestsensetheheart,theloveofanInitiate,yethewillonlyimparttoyouhissecretwhenyouyourselfarereadyforit.Youmayflatterhim;youmay torturehim;nothingwill inducehimtodivulge toyouanythingwhichheknowsoughtnotbedisclosed,inasmuchasyou,atthepresentstageofyour evolution, do not understand rightly how to receive the secret into yoursoul.

The ways which prepare aman for the reception of such a secret are clearlyprescribed. They are indicated by the unfading, everlasting letters within thetempleswheretheInitiatesguardthehighersecrets.Inancienttimes,anteriorto"history," these templeswereoutwardlyvisible; to-day,becauseour liveshave

becomesounspiritual,theyaremostlyquiteinvisibletoexternalsight.Yettheyarepresenteverywhere,andallwhoseekmayfindthem.

Onlywithinhissoulmayamandiscoverthemeanswhichwillopenforhimthelips of the Initiate. To a certain high degree he must develop within himselfspecialfaculties,andthenthegreatesttreasuresoftheSpiritbecomehisown.

Hemust beginwith a certain fundamental attitude of the soul: the student ofOccultismcalls it thePathofDevotion,ofVeneration.Onlyhewhomaintainsthisattitudecan,inOccultism,becomeadisciple.Andhewhohasexperienceinthese things is able to perceive even in the child the signs of approachingdiscipleship.Therearechildrenwholookupwithreligiousawetothosewhomtheyvenerate.Forsuchpeopletheyhavearespectwhichforbidsthemtoadmit,even in the innermost sanctuary of the heart, any thought of criticism oropposition.Thesechildrengrowupintoyoungmenandmaidenswhofeelhappywhen they are able to look up to anything venerable. From the ranks of suchchildrenarerecruitedmanydisciples.

Haveyoueverpausedoutsidethedoorofsomeveneratedman,andhaveyou,onthis your first visit, felt a religious aweasyoupressed thehandle, in order toentertheroomwhichforyouisaholyplace?Thentherehasbeenmanifestedinyou an emotion which may be the germ of your future discipleship. It is ablessingforeverydevelopingpersontohavesuchemotionsuponwhichtobuild.Only it must not be thought that such qualities contain the germ ofsubmissivenessandslavery.Experienceteachesusthatthosecanbestholdtheirheads erect who have learned to venerate where veneration is due. Andvenerationisalwaysinitsownplacewhenitrisesfromthedepthsoftheheart.

If we do not develop within ourselves this deeply-rooted feeling that there issomethinghigherthanourselves,weshallneverfindenoughstrengthtoevolveto something higher. The Initiate has only acquired the power of lifting hisintellect to the heights of knowledge by guiding his heart into the depths ofveneration and devotion. The heights of the Spirit can only be reached bypassingthroughtheportalsofhumility.Mancancertainlyhavetherighttogazeupon theReality, but hemust first earn this right.You can only acquire rightknowledgewhenyouarereadytoesteemit.Therearelawsinthespirituallife,as in thephysical life.Rubaglassrodwithanappropriatematerialand itwill

become electric, that is to say, it will acquire the power of attracting smallbodies. This exemplifies natural law. (And if one has learned even a little ofphysics,oneknowsthis.)Similarly,ifoneisacquaintedwiththefirstprinciplesofOccultism,oneknowsthateveryfeelingoftruedevotionaidsindevelopingqualities,whichsoonerorlater,leadtothePathofKnowledge.

Hewhopossesseswithin himself this feeling of devotion, orwho is fortunateenough to receive it from his education, brings a great deal along with him,when,laterinlife,heseeksanentrancetothehigherknowledge.Buthewhohashadnosuchpreparationwillfindhimselfconfrontedwithdifficulties,evenuponthefirststepofthePathofKnowledge,unlessheundertakes,byrigorousself-education, to create the devotional mood within himself. In our time it isespecially important that full attention be given to this point. Our civilizationtendsmuchmore towardcriticism, thegivingof judgments,andso forth, thantoward devotion, and a selfless veneration. Our children criticize much morethan theyworship. But every judgment, every carping criticism, frustrates thepowers of the soul for the attainment of the higher knowledge, in the samemeasurethatallheartfeltdevotiondevelopsthem.Inthiswedonotwishtosayanything against our civilization nor pass judgment upon it. For it is to thiscriticalfaculty,thisself-conscioushumandiscernment,this"proveallthingsandholdfast to thegood," thatweowe thegreatnessofourcivilization.Wecouldneverhaveattainedthescience,thecommerce,theindustry,thelawofourtime,hadwe not exercised our critical faculty everywhere, hadwe not everywhereapplied the standard of our judgment. But what we have thereby gained inexternalculturewehavehadtopayforwithacorrespondinglossofthehigherknowledge,ofthespirituallife.

Nowtheimportantthingthateveryonemustclearlyunderstandisthat,forhimwho is right in the midst of the objective civilization of our time, it is verydifficulttoadvancetotheknowledgeofthehigherworlds.Hecandosoonlyifheworkenergeticallywithinhimself.Atatimewhentheconditionsofoutwardlifeweresimpler,spiritualexaltationwaseasierofattainment.Thatwhichoughttobevenerated, thatwhichshouldbekeptholy,stoodout inbetter relief fromtheordinarythingsof theworld.Inaperiodofcriticismthese idealsaremuchlowered;otheremotions take theplaceofawe,veneration, respect,andprayer.Ourownagecontinuallypushesthesebetteremotionsfurtherandfurtherback,

so that in thedaily lifeof thepeople theyplaybut avery smallpart.Hewhoseeksforhigherknowledgemustcreateitwithinhimself;hehimselfmustinstilit intohissoul.Itcannotbedonebystudy;itcanonlybedonethroughliving.Hewhowishes to become a disciplemust therefore assiduously cultivate thedevotionalmood.Everywhere in his environment hemust look for thatwhichdemandsofhimadmirationandhomage.Wheneverhisdutiesorcircumstancespermit,heshouldtrytoabstainentirelyfromallcriticismorjudgment.IfImeeta brother and blame him for his weakness, I robmyself of power towin thehigherknowledge;butifItrytoenterlovinglyintohismerits,Ithengathersuchpower.Thediscipleshouldseektobenefitbothhimselfandothers.Experiencedoccultistsareawarehowmuchtheyowetothecontinualsearchingforthegoodinallthings,andthewithholdingofallharshcriticism.Thismustbenotonlyanexternal rule of life; but it must take possession of the innermost part of oursouls.Wehaveitinourpowertoperfectourselves,andbyandbytotransformourselvescompletely.But this transformationmust takeplace in the innermostself,inthementallife.ItisnotenoughthatIshowrespectonlyinmyoutwardbearing toward aperson; Imust have this respect inmy thought.Thedisciplemust begin by drawing this devotion into his thought-life.Hemust altogetherbanish from his consciousness all thoughts of disrespect, of criticism, and hemustendeavorstraightwaytocultivatethoughtsofdevotion.

Every moment, in which we set ourselves to banish from our consciousnesswhatever remains in itofdisparaging, suspicious judgmentofour fellow-men,bringsusnearertotheknowledgeofhigherthings.Andweriserapidlywhen,insuchmoments,we fill our consciousnesswith only those thoughts that evokeadmiration,respect,andvenerationformenandthings.Hewhohasexperienceinthesematterswillknowthat ineverysuchmomentpowersareawakenedinmanwhichotherwisewouldremaindormant.Inthiswaythespiritualeyesofaman are opened. He begins to see things around him which hitherto he wasunabletoperceive.Hebeginstounderstandthathithertohehadseenonlyapartoftheworldaroundhim.Themanwithwhomhecomesincontactnowshowshim quite a different aspect from that which he showed before. Of course,throughthissingleruleoflife,hewillnotyetbeabletoseewhathaselsewherebeen described as the human aura, because, for that, a still higher training isnecessary.Buthemayrisetothathigherdevelopmentifhehaspreviouslyhadathoroughtrainingindevotion.[6]

Noiseless and unnoticed by the outer world is the following of the "Path ofDiscipleship." It is not necessary that anyone should observe a change in thedisciple.Heperformshisdutiesashitherto;heattendstohisbusinessasusual.The transformation goes on only in the inner part of the soul, hidden fromoutward sight. At first the entire soul-life of a man is flooded by thisfundamental spring of devotion for everything which is truly venerable. Hisentiresoul-lifefindsinthisdevotionalmooditspivot.Justasthesun,throughitsrays,will vivify everything living, so in the life of the disciple this reverencevivifiesalltheperceptionsofthesoul.

Atfirst it isnoteasyforpeopletobelievethatfeelingslikereverence,respect,and so forth, have anything todowith their perceptions.This comes from thefactthatoneisinclinedtothinkofperceptionasafacultyquitebyitself,onethatstandsinnorelationtowhatotherwisehappensinthesoul.Insothinking,wedonot remember that it is thesoulwhichperceives.Andfeelingsare for thesoulwhatfoodisforthebody.Ifwegivethebodystonesinplaceofbreaditsactivitywill cease. It is the samewith the soul. Veneration, homage, devotion, are asnutrimentwhichmakesithealthyandstrong,especiallystrongfortheactivityofperception. Disrespect, antipathy, and under-estimation, bring about thestarvationandthewitheringofthisactivity.Fortheoccultistthisfactisvisibleinthe aura.A soulwhich harbors the feelings of devotion and reverence, bringsaboutachangeinitsaura.Certainyellowish-redorbrown-redtintswillvanish,and tints of bluish-red will replace them. And then the organ of perceptionopens.Itreceivesinformationoffactsinitsenvironmentofwhichithithertohadnoknowledge.Reverenceawakensasympatheticpowerinthesoul,andthroughthis we attract similar qualities in the beings which surround us, that wouldotherwise remain hidden. More effective still is that power which can beobtained by devotion when another feeling is added. One learns to give uponeselflessandlesstotheimpressionsoftheouterworld,andtodevelopinitsplaceavividinwardlife.Hewhodartsfromoneimpressionoftheouterworldtoanother,whoconstantlyseeksdissipations,cannotfindthewaytoOccultism.Neithershouldthediscipleblunthimselftotheouterworld;butlethisrichinnerlifepointoutthedirectioninwhichheoughttolendhimselftoitsimpressions.Whenpassingthroughabeautifulmountaindistrict,themanwithdepthofsouland richness of emotion has different experiences from the man with fewemotions.Onlywhatweexperiencewithinourselvesrevealsthebeautiesofthe

outerworld.Onemansailsacrosstheocean,andonlyafewinwardexperiencespass through his soul; but another will then hear the eternal language of theworld-spirit,andforhimareunveiledthemysteriesofcreation.

Onemusthavelearnedtocontrolone'sownfeelingsandideasifonewishestodevelop any intimate relationshipwith the outerworld. Every phenomenon inthat outer world is full of divine splendor, but onemust have felt the Divinewithinoneselfbeforeonemayhopetodiscoveritwithout.Thediscipleistoldtosetapartcertainmomentsofhisdailylifeduringwhichtowithdrawintohimself,quietlyandalone.At such timesheoughtnot tooccupyhimselfwithhisownpersonal affairs, for thiswouldbring about the contraryof that atwhichhe isaiming.During thesemomentsheought rather to listen in complete silence totheechoesofwhathehasexperienced,ofwhattheoutwardworldhastoldhim.Then, in these periods of quiet, every flower, every animal, every actionwillunveiltohimsecretsundreamedof,andthuswillhepreparehimselftoreceivenewimpressionsoftheexternalworld,asifhevieweditwithdifferenteyes.Forhewhomerelydesires toenjoy impressionafter impression,onlystultifies theperceptivefaculty,whilehewholetstheenjoymentafterwardsrevealsomethingtohim, thusenlargesandeducates it.Hemustbecarefulnotmerely to let theenjoymentreverberate,as itwere;but,renouncinganyfurtheremotionsof joy,begin to work upon his pleasurable experiences with an inward activity. Thedangeratthispointisverygreat.Insteadofworkingwithinone-self,itiseasytofall into the opposite habit of afterward trying to completely exhaust theenjoyment. Let us not undervalue the unforeseen sources of error which hereconfront thedisciple.Hemustofnecessitypass throughahostof temptations,eachofwhichtendsonlytohardenhisEgoandtoimprisonitwithinitself.Heought toopen itwide for thewholeworld. It isnecessary thathe should seekenjoyment, for in this way only can the outward world get at him; and if heblunts himself to enjoyment he becomes as a plantwhich cannot longer drawnourishmentfromitsenvironment.Yet, ifhestopsattheenjoyment,heisthenshutupwithinhimself,andwillonlybesomethingtohimselfandnothingtotheworld.Howevermuch hemay livewithin himself, however intensely hemaycultivate his Ego, the world will exclude him. He is dead to the world. Thedisciple considers enjoyment only as a means of ennobling himself for theworld.Pleasuretohimisasascoutwhoinformshimconcerningtheworld,andafterhavingbeentaughtbypleasurehepassesontowork.Hedoesnotlearnin

orderthathemayaccumulatewisdomashisowntreasure,but inorderthathemayputhislearningattheserviceoftheworld.

In all forms ofOccultism there is a fundamental principlewhichmust not betransgressed,ifanygoalatallistobereached.Alloccultteachersmustimpressupontheirpupilsthat,Everybranchofknowledgewhichyouseekonlytoenrichyour own learning, only to accumulate treasure for yourself, leads you awayfromthePath;butallknowledgewhichyouseek forworking in theserviceofhumanityandfortheupliftingoftheworldbringsyouastepforward.Thislawmustberigidlyobserved;norisoneagenuinediscipleuntilhehasadopteditastheguideforhiswholelife.Inmanyoccultschoolsthistruthisexpressedinthefollowing short sentence:Every ideawhichdoesnotbecomean ideal for you,slays a power within your soul: every idea which becomes an ideal createswithinyouavitalforce.

III

THEPATHOFDISCIPLESHIP

At the very beginning of his course the student is directed to the Path ofReverence,andthedevelopmentoftheinnerlife.Theoccultteachingalsogivespractical instructions by the observance ofwhich hemay learn to follow thatPath and develop that inner life. These practical directions have no arbitrarybasis.Theyrestonancientexperienceandancientwisdom,andwheresoevertheways to higher knowledge are marked out, they are of the same nature. AllgenuineteachersofOccultismagreeastotheessentialcharacteroftheserules,althoughtheydonotalwaysexpresstheminthesamewords.Thisdifferenceofexpression is of a minor character, more seeming than real, and is due tocircumstanceswhichneednotbementionedhere.

Noteacherwishes,bymeansofsuchrules,toestablishanascendencyoverotherpersons. He would not tamper with individual independence. Indeed, no onerespectsandcherisheshumanindividualitymorethantheteachersofOccultism.It was said, in the first part of this book, that the order which embraces allInitiateswassurroundedbyawall,andthat twolawsformedtheprinciplesbywhichitwasupheld.WhenevertheInitiateleavesthisenclosureandstepsforthinto theworld,hemustsubmit toa third inviolable law. It is this:Keepwatchover each of your actions and each of yourwords, in order that youmay nothinder the free-will of any human being. Those who recognize that genuineoccultteachersarethoroughlypermeatedwiththisprinciplewillunderstandthatthey can add to their independence by the practical directionswhich they areadvisedtofollow.

Oneofthefirstoftheserulesmaybethusexpressedinourlanguage:"Provideforyourselfmomentsofinwardcalm,andinthesemomentslearntodistinguishbetween therealand theunreal." I sayadvisedly"expressed inour language,"becauseoriginallyallrulesandteachingsofoccultsciencewereexpressedina

symbolical sign-language. Those who desire to master its whole scope andmeaning must first obtain permission to learn this symbolical language, andbeforesuchpermissionmaybeobtained, it isnecessary tohave taken the firststeps inoccultknowledge.Thismaybeachievedby thecarefulobservanceofsuchrulesasareheregiven.ThePathisopentoallwhoearnestlywilltoenterit.

Simple, in truth and easy to follow, is the rule concerning moments of innercalm;butitleadstothegoalonlywhenthepursuitisasearnestandstrictastheway is simple. Itwill, therefore, be stated here,without further preamble, themethodinwhichthisruleshouldbeobserved.

The student must mark off a small part of his daily life in which to occupyhimselfwithsomethingquitedifferentfromtheavocationsofhisordinarylife,andtheway inwhichheoccupieshimselfatsuchatimemustalsodifferfromthewayinwhichheperformstherestofhisduties.Butthisdoesnotmeanthatwhathedoesinthetimethussetaparthasnoconnectionwithhisdailywork.Onthecontrary, themanwhoseekssuchmoments in therightwaywillsoonfindthatitisjustthiswhichgiveshimfullpowertodohisdailytask.Normustitbesupposedthattheobservanceofthisrulereallydeprivesanyoneoftimeneededfor theperformanceofhisduties. Ifanypersonreallyhasnomore timeathisdisposal, fiveminutesadaywillsuffice.Therealpoint is themanner inwhichthesefiveminutesarespent.

At these periods aman should raise himself completely abovehiswork-a-daylife.His thoughts and feelingsmust take on a different coloring.His joys andsorrows,hiscares,experiences,andactions,mustpassinreviewbeforehissoul.Andhemustcultivateaframeofmindwhichenableshimtoregardallhisotherexperiences from a higher point of view. We need only bear in mind howdifferent is the point of view from which in ordinary life we regard theexperiencesandactionsofanother,andthatfromwhichwejudgeourown.Thisisinevitable,forweareinterwovenwithourownactionsandexperiences,whileweonlycontemplatethoseofanother.Ouraim,inmomentsofretirement,mustbetocontemplateandjudgeourownexperiencesandactions,asthoughitwerenot ourselves but some other person to whom they applied. Suppose, forexample, that a certain misfortune has befallen someone. What a differentattitude that person takes towards it as comparedwith an identicalmisfortune

thathasbefallenhisneighbor!Noonecanblamethisattitudeasunjustifiable;itisapartofhumannature.Andjustasitisinexceptionalcircumstances,soitisalsointhedailyaffairsoflife.Thestudentmustendeavortoattainthepowerofregarding himself at certain times as he would regard a stranger. He mustcontemplatehimselfwiththeinwardcalmofthecritic.Whenthisisattained,ourown experiences present themselves in a new light. As long as we areinterwoven with them and are, as it were, within them, we are as closelyconnectedwiththeunrealaswiththereal.Whenweattaintoacalmsurvey,therealisseparatedfromtheunreal.Sorrowandjoy,everythought,everyresolve,appearchangedwhenwecontemplateourselvesinthisway.It isasthoughwehadspentthewholedayinaplacewherewesawthesmallestobjectsatthesamerangeofvisionasthelargestones,andintheeveningclimbedaneighboringhilland surveyed the whole scene at once. Then the parts of the place take onproportionsdifferentfromthosetheyborewhenseenfromwithin.Thevalueofsuch calm inward contemplation depends less on the actual thing wecontemplatethanonthepowerwhichsuchinwardcalmdevelopsinus.

Forineveryhumanbeingthereis,besideswhatwecallthework-a-dayman,ahigher being. This higher being remains concealed until it is awakened. Andeachofuscanonlyawakenitforhimself.Butaslongasthishigherbeingisnotawakened,thehigherfacultiesthatmightleadtosupersensualknowledge,mustliedormantorremainhiddenineveryman.Thispowerwhich leads to inwardcalmisamagicforcethatsetsfreecertainhigherfaculties.Untilaseekerfeelsthismagicforcewithinhim,hemustcontinuetofollowstrictlyandearnestlytherules given. To every man who thus perseveres, the day will come when aspirituallightisrevealedtohim,andawholenewworld,whoseexistencewashithertounsuspected,isdiscernedbyaneyewithinhim.

Becausehebeginstofollowthisrule,thereisnoneedforanyoutwardchangeinthelifeofthestudent.Heperformshisdutiesasbefore,andatfirstheenduresthe same sorrows and experiences the same joys as of old. In noway does itestrange him from life, rather is he enabled to devote himself to it the morecompletely,becausein themomentssetaparthehasaHigherLifeofhisown.GraduallythisHigherLifewillmakeitsinfluencefeltontheordinarylife.Thecalmofthemomentssetapartwillinfluencehisordinaryexistenceaswell.Thewholemanwillgrowcalmer,willattainserenityinallhisactions,andwillcease

to be perturbed by all manner of incidents. Gradually a student who thusadvances will guide himself more and more, and be less governed bycircumstancesandexternalinfluences.Suchamanwillsoondiscoverhowgreatasourceofstrengthliesforhimintheseperiodsofcontemplation.Hewillceasetobeannoyedby things that formerlyworriedhim; andcountlessmatters thatonce filled him with fear will now cease to alarm him. He acquires a newoutlookonlife.Formerlyhemayhavetakenupthisorthattaskwithasenseoftimidity.Hewould say: "I lack thepower to do this aswell as I couldwish."Nowhenolongeradmitssuchathoughtbut,insteadformsonequitedifferent.Hesaystohimself:"Iwillsummonallmystrengthinorder todomyworkaswell as I possibly can." And he suppresses the thought which encouragestimidity; for heknows that this very timiditymight spoil his undertaking, andthatinanyeventitcancontributenothingtotheimprovementofhislabor.Andthus one thought after another, each fraughtwith advantage to hiswhole life,begins to penetrate the student's outlook. They take the place of those whichgaveahamperingandweakeningeffect.Hebegins tosteerhisownship,onafirm,securecourse,amongthewavesoflife,whichformerlytossedithelplesslytoandfro.

Andthiscalmandserenityreactonthewholebeing.Theyassistthegrowthoftheinnerman,andofthoseinnerfacultieswhichleadtohigherknowledge.Foritisbyhisprogressinthisdirectionthatthestudentgraduallyattainstoastateinwhichhehimselfdeterminesthemannerinwhichtheimpressionsoftheexternalworld shall affect him. Thus, hemay hear a word, spokenwith the object ofwounding or vexing him. Before he began his occult studies it would indeedhavebeenpainfulorirritating.ButnowthatheisinthePathofDiscipleship,heis able to take from it the stingor thepower tohurt, evenbefore it entershisconsciousness.Takeanotherexample:wenaturallygrowimpatientwhenwearekeptwaiting,butthestudentissopermeated,inhismomentsofcalm,withtherealization of the uselessness of impatience, that this calmness is presentwithhim on every occasion. The impatiencewhichwould naturally overcome himvanishes, and an interval which would otherwise have been wasted in theexpressionofimpatiencemaybeutilizedbymakingsomeprofitableobservationduringtheperiodofwaiting.

Nowwemustrealizethesignificanceofthesefacts.Wemustrememberthatthe

"HigherBeing"inamanisinconstantdevelopment,andonlythestateofcalmandserenityheredescribedrendersanorderlydevelopmentpossible.Thewavesof outward life press in upon the inner man from all sides, if, instead ofcontrolling thisoutward life, he is controlledby it.Suchaman is like aplantwhichtriestoexpandinacleftintherock,andisstuntedinitsgrowthuntilnewspaceisgivenit.Nooutwardforcescansupplyspacefortheinnerman;itcanonly be supplied by the inner calm which he may give to his soul. Outwardcircumstances can only alter the course of his outward life; they can neverawakenthespiritualinnerman.Thestudentmusthimselfgivebirthtothenewandhighermanwithinhim.

Thehighermanbecomesthe"innerRuler,"whodirectsthecircumstancesoftheoutermanwithsureguidance.Aslongasthelatterhastheupperhand,thisinnermanisenslaved,andcannotthereforedevelophispowers.Ifanotherthanmyselfhasthepowertomakemeangry,Iamnotmasterofmyself,or,toputitbetter,Ihavenotyetfound"theRulerwithinme."Imustdevelopthepowerwithin,oflettingtheimpressionsoftheouterworldapproachmeonlyinthewayinwhichImyself choose; thenonlydo I reallybecomeanoccult student.Andonlybyearnestly striving after this power can a student reach the goal. It is not of somuchimportancetoachieveagreatdealinagiventime,astobeearnestinthesearch.Manyhavestrivenforyearswithoutnoticinganymarkedadvance;butmanyofthosewhodidnotdespair,andstruggledonundaunted,havesometimesquitesuddenlyachievedthe"innervictory."

Inmanysituationsitrequiresagooddealofefforttoachievethesemomentsofinward calm. But the greater the effort needed, the more important is theachievement. In esoteric studies, everything depends on the energy, inwardtruthfulness, and uncompromising sincerity with which we contemplateourselvesandouractionsfromthestandpointofcompletestrangers.

Butonlyonesideofthestudent'sinneractivityischaracterizedbythisbirthofhis own higher being. Something else in addition is needed. Even if a manregardshimselfasastranger,itisonlyhimselfthathecontemplates;helooksatthoseexperiencesandactions,withwhichheisconnected,throughhisparticularmode of life, while it is necessary for him to rise above this, and attain to apurelyhumanpointofview,tobenolongerconnectedwithhisownindividual

circumstances. He must pass on to the contemplation of those things whichconcernhimasahumanbeing,eventhoughhedwellinadifferentconditionanddifferent circumstances. In this way something is brought to birth within himwhich rises beyond the personal point of view. Thus his gaze is directed tohigherworldsthanthoseheknowsinevery-daylife.Andthenhebeginstofeelandrealizethathebelongstothesehigherworldsaboutwhichhissensesandhisdailyoccupationscantellhimnothing.Inthiswayheshiftsthecentralpointofhis being to the inner part of his nature. He listens to the voices within himwhich speak to him in his moments of calm; and inwardly he cultivates anintercourse with the spiritual world, which removes him from the every-dayworld,whosevoicesheno longerhears.Aroundhim there is silence.Heputsawayfromhimallhisexternalsurroundings,andeverythingwhichevenremindshim of such external impressions. His entire soul is filled with calm, inwardcontemplation and converse with the purely spiritual world. This calmcontemplationmustbecomeanecessitytothestudent.Heisplungedcompletelyintoaworldof thought,andmustdevelopanearnestdesire forcalm thinking.Hemust learn to love the in-pouringof thespirit.Thenhewill learn toregardthisthought-worldanditsthought-formsasmorerealthantheevery-daythingswhichsurroundhim,andhebeginstodealwiththoughtsaswiththingsexistingin space. And then the moment is at hand when the revelations of his quietthinking begin to seemmuch higher andmore real than the things existing inspace.Hediscoversthatthisthought-worldisanexpressionoflife,andrealizesthat thoughtsarenotmerephantoms,but that through them,beings,whowerehiddenbefore,nowspeaktohim.Hebeginstohearvoicesthroughthesilence.Formerlyhisearwastheonlyorganofhearing;nowhecanlistenwithhissoul.An inner language and an inner voice are revealed to him. It is amoment ofsupremest ecstasy to the studentwhen this experience first comes to him.Aninner light floods the whole external world for him, and he is "born anew."Throughhisbeingpassesacurrentfromadivineworld,bringingwithitdivinebliss.

Thisthought-lifeofthesoul,whichisgraduallywidenedintoalifeofspiritualbeing, is designated by the Gnosis and by Theosophy as meditation(contemplative thought). This meditation is the means by which supersensualknowledgeisattained.Butduringsuchmomentsthestudentmustnotbecontentto give himself up to the luxury of sensation. He must not permit undefined

feelings to take possession of his soul. That would only hinder him fromattaining true spiritual knowledge. His thoughts must be clearly and sharplydefined,andhewillbehelpedinthisbynotallowinghimselftobecarriedawayblindlybythethoughtsthatspringupwithinhim.Rathermusthepermeatehismind with the lofty ideas which originated with advanced students to whominspiration has already come. Let him first of all study the wisdom whichoriginated in such moments of meditation. The student will find such in themystical,gnostic,andtheosophicalliteratureofourtime,andwilltheregainthematerialforhismeditation.Wisemenhaveinscribedinthesebooksthethoughtsofdivinescience,orhaveproclaimedthemtotheworldthroughtheiragents.

Suchmeditationproducesacompletetransformationinthestudent.HebeginstoformentirelynewconceptionsofReality.Allthingsacquirefreshvaluesinhiseyes. And it cannot be declared too often that this transformation does notestrangehimfromtheworldnorkeephimfromhisdailyroundofduties.Forhebegins to realize thathismost insignificant actionsor experiencesare in closeconnectionwiththegreatcosmicbeingsandevents.Whenoncethisconnectionisrevealedtohiminhismomentsofcontemplation,heisendowedwithfresherand fullerpower forhisdailyduties.For thenheknows thathis laborandhissufferingaregivenandenduredfor thesakeofagreatspiritualcosmicwhole.Thus,insteadofweariness,hismeditationgiveshimstrengthtolive.

Withfirmstepthestudentadvancesinlife.Nomatterwhatitmaybringhim,hegoes forward erect. In the past he knewnotwhy heworked and suffered, butnowheknows. It isobvious that suchmeditation ismore likely to lead to thegoal, if conducted under the direction of experienced persons, who knowactuallyhoweverythingmaybestbedone.Weshould,therefore,seektheadviceand direction of such experienced guides (they are called Gurus in certainschools of thought). What would otherwise be mere uncertain groping istransformedbysuchdirectionintoworkthatissureofitsgoal.Thosewhoapplytotheteachershavingsuchknowledgeandexperiencewillneverapplyinvain.Theymust,however,bequitesurethatitistheadviceofafriendtheydesire,notthedominationofawould-beruler.Thosewhoreallyknowarealwaysthemostmodestofmen,andnothingisfurtherfromtheirnaturethanwhatiscalledthepassionforpower.

Thosewho,bymeansofmeditation,risetothatwhichunitesmanwithspirit,arebringingtolifewithinthemtheeternalelementwhichisnotlimitedbybirthnordeath. Only those who have had no experience for themselves can doubt theexistence of this eternal element. Thusmeditation becomes theway bywhichman also attains to the recognition and contemplation of his eternal,indestructible, essential being. And only throughmeditation can one attain tosuch a view of life. Gnosis and Theosophy tell of the eternal nature of thisessentialbeing,andofitsreincarnation.Thequestionisoftenasked:"Whydoesamanknownothingofthoseexperienceswhichliebeyondthebordersofbirthand death?"Not thus shouldwe ask, but rather: "Howmaywe attain to suchknowledge?"TheentrancetothePathisopenedbyrightmeditation.Thisalonecanrevivethememoryofeventsthatliebeyondthebordersofbirthanddeath.Everyonecanattaintothisknowledge;ineachofusisthefacultyofrecognizingand contemplating for ourselves the truths of Mysticism, Theosophy, andGnosis;buttherightmeansmustbechosen.Onlyabeingwithearsandeyescanperceive tonesandcolors,norcan theeyeperceivewithout the lightbywhichthings are made visible. Occult science gives the means of developing thespiritualearsandeyes,andkindling thespiritual light.Thereare,according toesoteric teachers, three stepsbywhich thegoalmaybeattained:1.Probation.This develops the spiritual senses. 2.Enlightenment. This kindles the spirituallight.3.Initiation.Thisestablishesintercoursewiththehigherspiritualbeings.

Thefollowingteachingsproceedfromasecrettradition,butpreciseinformationconcerningitsnatureanditsnamecannotbegivenatpresent.Theyrefertothethree steps which, in the school of this tradition, lead to a certain degree ofinitiation.Buthereweshallfindonlysomuchofthistraditionasmaybeopenlydeclared. These teachings are extracted from a much deeper and more secretdoctrine. In the occult schools themselves a definite course of instruction isfollowed, and in addition to this there are certain practices which enable thesouls ofmen to attain a conscious intercoursewith the spiritualworld. Thesepracticesbearaboutthesamerelationtowhatwillbeimpartedinthefollowingpages, as the teachingwhich isgiven in awell-disciplined schoolbears to theinstructionthatmaybereceivedoccasionallyduringawalk.Andyettheardentandperseveringsearchforwhatisherehintedatwillleadtothewaybywhichone obtains access to a genuine occult school. But, of course, an impatientperusal,devoidofsincerityandperseverance,canleadtonothingatall.Hewho

believeshimselftobereadyformoremustapplytoanoccultteacher.Thestudyof these things can only be successful if the student will observe what hasalreadybeenwritteninpreviouschapters.

The stages which the above-mentioned tradition specifies are the followingthree:

I. Probation,II. Enlightenment,III. Initiation.

Itisnotaltogethernecessarythatthesethreestagesshouldbesotakenthatonemusthavequitecompletedthefirstbeforebeginningthesecond,northisinitsturnbeforecommencingthethird.Withrespecttocertainthingsonecanpartakeof Enlightenment, and even of Initiation, while with others one is still in theprobationarystage.YetitwillbenecessarytospendacertaintimeinthisstageofProbationbeforeanyEnlightenmentatallcancommence,andatleasttosomedegreeonemustbeenlightenedbeforeitispossibleeventoenteruponthestageofInitiation.Ingivinganaccountofthem,however,itisnecessary,forthesakeofclearness,thatthethreestagesfollow,oneafteranother.

IV

PROBATION

Probation consists of a strict cultivation of the emotional and mental life.Through this cultivation the "spiritual body" becomes equipped with newinstruments of perception and new organs of activity, just as, out ofindeterminatelivingmatter,thenaturalforceshavefittedthephysicalbodywiththevariousorganssowellknowntothephysicalsenses.

Thebeginningofthiscultivationismadebydirectingtheattentionofthesoultocertainevents in theworld thatsurroundsus.Sucheventsare thegerminating,expanding,andflourishingoflife in itsmyriadformsontheonehand,and,ontheother,thefading,decaying,andpassingoutoflifefromallthingssofarasperceptible to theordinary senses.Whereverwe turnoureyeswecanobservethesethingshappeningsimultaneously,andeverywheretheynaturallyevokeinmen thoughts and feelings. But under ordinary circumstances a man fails tograsp the importance of these sensations. He hurries on too quickly fromimpressiontoimpression.Whatisnecessary,therefore,isthatheshouldfixhisattention intently and quite consciously upon these phenomena. Wherever heobservesexpansionandflourishingofacertainkind,hemustbanisheverythingelse from his soul, and entirely surrender himself for a short time to this oneimpression.Hewillsoonconvincehimselfthatasensationwhichheretoforeinasimilarcasewouldhavemerelyflittedthroughhissoul,isnowsomagnifiedthatit becomes of a powerful and energetic nature. He should at once allow thisthought-form to reverberate throughout his whole being, yet quietly withinhimself, and to do so he must become inwardly quite still. He should drawhimselfawayfromtheoutwardworld,andfollowonlythatwhichhissoultellshim.

Yet it must not be thought that we can make much progress if we blunt oursensestotheworld.For,onemustfirstcontemplatetheseobjectsaskeenlyand

precisely as possible, and then give up to the sensations that result, and thethoughts that arisewithin the soul.What ismost important is, thatone shoulddirecttheattention,withperfectinnerbalance,uponbothofthesephenomena.Ifoneobtainsthenecessaryquietandsurrendershimselftothatwhicharisesinthesoul, he will, in due time, experiencemany wonderful thoughts and feelings,unknowntohimbefore.Indeed,themoreonefixestheattentioninsuchaway,alternately upon something growing, expanding, and flourishing, and uponsomething else that is fading and decaying, themore vividwill these feelingsbecome. And just as natural forces evolve the physical eyes and ears of thephysical body, out of livingmatter, sowill the organs of clairvoyance evolvethemselvesfromthespiritualfeelingswhicharethusevoked.Adefinitethought-form unites itself with the germinating and expanding object, and another,equallydefinite,withthatwhichisfadinganddecaying.Butthiswillonlytakeplaceifthecultivationofthesefeelingsbestrivenforinthewaydescribed.

Itispossibletodescribeonlyapproximatelywhatthesefeelingsarelike.Indeed,everyonemustarriveathisownconceptionofthemashepassesthroughtheseinwardexperiences.Hewhohasfrequentlyfixeshisattentiononthephenomenaofgerminating,expanding,andflourishing,will feelsomethingremotelyalliedto the sensation caused bywitnessing a sunrise; and the phenomenaof fadinganddecayingwillproduceinhimanexperiencecomparable,inthesameway,tothegradualuprisingofthemoononthehorizon.Boththesefeelingsareforceswhich, when carefully cultivated, with a continually increasing improvement,will lead to the greatest occult results. To him who again and again,systematicallyandwithdesign,surrendershimselftosuchfeelings,anewworldis opened.The "Spiritual"world, the so-called "Astral plane," begins to dawnupon him. Blooming and fading are facts which no longer make indefiniteimpressions on him, as of old, but instead they form themselves into spirituallinesandfiguresofwhichhehadpreviouslysuspectednothing.Andtheselinesand figures have for the different phenomena different forms. A bloomingflower,ananimalgrowing,adecayingtree,evokeinhissouldefinitelines.Theastral plane slowly broadens out before him. Its forms are not in any sensearbitrary. For two students who find themselves at the same stage ofdevelopment will always see the same lines and figures under the sameconditions.Justascertainlyasaroundtablewillbeseenasroundbytwonormalpersons, not as round by the one and square by the other; so, too, before the

perceptionoftwosoulsabloomingflowerwillpresentthesamespiritualform.And just as the shapesof animals andplants aredescribed inordinarynaturalhistory, so, too, the teacher in an occult school describes and delineates thespiritualformsofgrowinganddecayingprocessesaftertheirnatureandspecies.

If thestudenthasprogressedsofar thathecanseesuchaspectsofphenomenawhicharealsophysicallyobservablewithhisexternaleyes,hewillthenbenotfar from the condition which will enable him to behold things that have nophysicalexistence,andmustthereforeremainentirelyhiddentothosewhohaveundergonenotraininginanoccultschool.

Itshouldbeemphasizedthat theoccultexploreroughtnevertolosehimself inspeculation on the meaning of this or that. By such intellectualizing he onlydirects himself away from the right road. He ought to look out on the sense-worldfreshly,withhealthysensesandquickenedobservation,andthen togivehimselfuptohisownsensations.Heoughtnottowish,inaspeculativemanner,tomakeoutwhatthisorthatmeans,butrathertoallowthethingsthemselvestoinformhim.[7]

A further point of importance is that which is called in occult science"orientationinthehigherworlds."Thispointisattainedwhenonerealizeswithcompleteconsciousnessthatfeelingsandthoughtsareveritablerealities,justasmuchasaretablesandchairsintheworldofthephysicalsenses.Feelingsandthoughtsactuponeachother in theastral-worldandin the thought(ormental)world,justasobjectsofsenseactuponeachotherinthephysicalworld.Aslongasanyoneisnottrulypermeatedwiththisrealization,hewillnotbelievethatanevil thought projected from hismindmay have as devastating an effect uponother thought forms as thatwrought upon physical objects by a bullet shot atrandom. Such a onewill perhaps never allow himself to perform a physicallyvisible action which he considers to be wrong, yet he will not shrink fromharboring evil thoughts or feelings, for these do not appear to him to bedangerous to the rest of the world. Nevertheless we can advance in occultscienceonlywhenweguardourthoughtsandfeelingsinjustthesamewayasamanwouldguardthestepshetakesinthephysicalworld.Ifanyoneseesawallbeforehimhedoesnot attempt todash right through it, but directshis coursealongside;inotherwords,heguideshimselfbythelawsofthephysicalworld.

There are such laws also in the world of thought and feeling, but there theycannotimposethemselvesuponusfromwithout.Theymustflowoutofthelifeofthesoulitself.Wearriveatsuchaconditionwhenweforbidourselves,atalltimes, to fosterwrong thoughtsor feelings.All arbitrarygoings to-and-fro, allidle fancies,allaccidentalups-and-downsofemotionmustbeforbidden in thesameway.But,insodoing,letitnotbethoughtthatwebringaboutadeficiencyofemotion.Onthecontrary,ifweregulateourinnerlifeinthismanner,weshallspeedily findourselves rich in feelingsand ingenuinecreative imagination. Inplace of a mere chaos of petty feelings and fantastic trains of thought, thereappearsignificantemotions,andthoughtsthatarefruitful,anditisemotionsandthoughtsofthiskindthatleadamanto"orientationinthehigherworld."Hehasenteredinto therightconditionfor the thingsof thatworld,andtheyentail forhim definite consequences. Just as a physical man finds his way betweenphysicalthings,so,too,hispathnowleadshimstraightbetweenthegrowingandthefading,whichhehasalreadycometoknowinthewaydescribedabove.Forhefollowsallprocessesofgrowingandflourishing,(and,ontheotherhand,ofwitheringanddecaying)thatisnecessaryforhisownandtheworld'sprosperity.

Theoccultstudenthasalsotobestowafurthercareontheworldofsound.Hemustdiscriminatebetweenthetoneswhichareproducedfromtheso-calledinert(lifeless) bodies (for example, a bell, amusical instrument, or a fallingmass),andthosewhichproceedfromalivingcreature(ananimaloraperson).Hewhohears the striking of a bell will receive the sound and attach to it a certainsensation, but he who hears the cry of an animal will, in addition to thissensation,becomeawarethatthesoundrevealsalsoaninwardexperienceoftheanimal, either of pain or of pleasure. The student is concernedwith the latteraspectofthesound.Hemustconcentratehiswholeattentionuponit,sothatthesoundrevealstohimsomethingthatliesoutsideofhisownsoul,and,morethanthis,mustmergehimselfinthisexteriorthing.Hemustcloselyconnecthisownemotionwiththepleasureorpaincommunicatedtohimbymeansofthesound,and must care nothing whether the sound be pleasant or unpleasant to him,welcomeornot;hissoulmustbefilledwithonlythatwhichproceedsfromthecreature out of whom the sound has come. He who systematically anddeliberatelyperformssuchexerciseswilldevelopwithinhimself the facultyofintermingling,asitwere,withthecreaturefromwhichthesoundproceeded.Apersonsensitive tomusicwill find iteasier tocultivatehisspiritual life in this

respectthanonewhoisunmusical,butnooneshouldthinkthatameresenseofmusicwilltaketheplaceofthisculture.

Asanoccultstudent,onemustlearntocontemplatethewholeofnatureinthisway.Bysodoinganewfacultyisdevelopedintheworldofthoughtandfeeling.ThroughhermanifoldsoundsthewholeofNaturebegins towhispersecrets tothe student.What hithertowasmerely incomprehensible noise to his soulwillbecomebythismeansacoherentlanguageofNature.Andwhereas,hitherto,heheard sound only from the resonance of so-called inanimate objects, he nowunderstandsanewspeechof thesoul.Shouldheadvancein thiscultureof thesoul,hewillsoonlearnthathecanhearwhathithertohedidnotevensurmise.Hebeginstohearwiththesoul.

One thingmoremust be added beforewe can reach the topmost point in thisdirection.Whatisofspecialimportanceinthedevelopmentofthestudentisthewayinwhichhehearsthespeechofothermen.Hemustaccustomhimselftodothisinsuchawaythatwhiledoingsohisinnerselfisabsolutelystill.Ifsomeoneexpresses an opinion and another hears it, the inner self of the latter will bestirring in general assent or contradiction. Many people in such a case feelthemselves urged to an expressionof their assent, or,more especially, of theircontradiction. All such assent or contradictionmust, in the occult student, besilenced. It isnot imperative thatheshould, therefore,quite suddenlybegin tomake his life entirely different, in order that hemay attain to this inward andfundamental calm. He might, therefore, begin by doing so in special cases,deliberatelyselectedbyhimself.Thusquiteslowlyandbydegreeswillthisnewway of listening creep into his habits, as of itself: In the occult schools thesethingsaresystematicallypracticed.Forthesakeofpracticethestudentisobligedtolistenforacertainperiodtothemostcontradictorythoughts,andatthesametimetosuppressallassent,andmoreespeciallyalladversecriticism.Thepointis that insuchawaynotonlyall intellectual judgment issilenced,butalsoallsenseofdispleasure,denial,orevenacceptance.Thestudentmustbeparticularlywatchful that such feelings, even if they are not upon the surface, do not stillremainlurkingintheinnermostrecessesofhissoul.Hemustlisten,forexample,tothestatementsofpeoplewhoinsomerespectsarefarbeneathhim,and,whileso doing, suppress every feeling of greater knowledge or of superiority. It isuseful for everyone to listen in thisway to children, for even thewisestmay

learnverymuchfromchildren.Sodoesitcomeaboutthatwehearthewordsofothers impersonally, completely divested of our own personality with itsopinions and feelings. Hewho thusmakes a practice of listening uncritically,even when a completely contradictory opinion is advanced, learns again andagaintoblendhimself,tobecomeidentified,withthebeingofanother.Hethenhears, as it were, through the words and into the souls of others. Throughcontinual exercise of this kind only, sound becomes the rightmedium for therevelation of the spirit and the soul. Of course, it implies the strictest self-discipline, but it leads to a high goal.When these practices are undertaken inconnectionwith those thatdealwith thesoundsofNature, thesouldevelopsanewsenseofhearing.Itisenabledtoreceivedemonstrationsfromthespiritualworldwhichdonotfindtheirexpressioninoutwardsoundsapprehensiblebythephysicalear.Theperceptionofthe"innerword"awakens.Graduallytruthsfromthespiritualworldrevealthemselvestothestudent,andhehearsthemexpressedinaspiritualway.[8]

Allhigh truths are attained through such "inner encouragement," andwhatwehear from the lips of a genuine occult teacher has been experienced in thismanner.Insosayingitmustnotbesupposedthatitisuselesstoacquaintoneselfwith the writings on occult science, before one can actually gain this innerencouragement.Onthecontrary,thereadingofsuchwritings,andthelisteningto eminent teachers of occult lore, are themselves the means of attaining apersonalknowledge.Everysentenceoftheesotericwisdomwhichonehearsisadaptedtodirectthesensestothatpointwhichmustbeattainedbeforethesoulcan experience a real advance. To the practice of all that has been indicated,mustbeaddedanardentstudyofwhattheoccultteachergivesouttotheworld.Inalloccultschoolssuchastudybelongstotheprobationaryperiod,andhewhowouldemployothermethodswillattainnogoal ifheomits the instructionsofthe occult teacher, for inasmuch as these instructions proceed from an actual"innerword,"anactual"encouragement,"theypossessinthemselvesaspiritualvitality.Theyarenotmerewords;theyarelivingpowers;andwhileyoufollowthewordsofanoccultist,whileyoureadabookwhichcomesfromagenuineinnerexperience,powersareatworkinyoursoulwhichmakeyouclairvoyant,justasnaturalforceshavecreatedoutoflivingmatteryoureyesandears.

V

ENLIGHTENMENT.

Enlightenmentistheresultofverysimpleprocesses.Here,too,itisamatterofdevelopingcertainfeelingsandthoughtswhicharedormantwithinallmen,butmust be awakened. Only he who carries out these simple processes withcomplete patience, continuously and strenuously, can be led by them to thereception of inner illumination. The primary step is taken by observing in aparticularwaydifferentnaturalobjects—atransparentstoneofbeautifulform(acrystal), a plant, and an animal. One should endeavor at first to direct one'swhole attention to a comparisonof the stonewith the animal, as follows:Thethoughtswhich, accompaniedby strongemotions, are thus induced,mustpassthroughthesoul,andnootheremotionsorthoughtsmustbemixedwiththem,ordisturb the intense contemplation.One then says to oneself: "The stone has aformandtheanimalalsohasaform.Thestoneremainsmotionlessinitsplace,but the animal is able tomove about. It is impulse (desire) which causes theanimal to change its place, and it is these impulses to which the form of theanimalisofuse.Itsorgansandinstrumentsaretheexpressionoftheseimpulses.The form of the stone, on the contrary, is fashioned, not in accordance withimpulses,butinaccordancewithanimpulselessforce."[9]

If one sinks deeply into such thoughts, andwhile so doingobserves the stoneand the animal with fixed attention, then there arise in the soul two separatekinds of emotion. From the stone into the soul there streams one kind ofemotion,andfromtheanimal,another.Probablyinthebeginningtheexperimentwill not succeed, but little by little, with genuine and patient practice, theseemotions becomemanifest. Again and again one should practice. At first theemotionslastonlyaslongasthecontemplation.Lateron,theyworkafterwards,and then they grow to something which remains alive in the soul. One thenneeds only to reflect, and both emotions invariably arise, apart from allcontemplationofanexternalobject.

Out of these emotions, and the thoughts which are bound up with them,clairvoyantorgansareformed.Shouldtheplantbeaddedtothecontemplation,onewillnoticethatthefeelingoutflowingfromit,bothinitsqualityandinitsdegree, lies between that which emanates from the stone and that from theanimal.Theorganswhicharesoformedarespiritualeyes.Welearnbydegreesandthroughtheirmeanstoseebothastralandmentalcolors.Aslongasonehasattained only the condition described as Probation, the spiritualworldwith itslinesandfiguresremainsdark,butthroughEnlightenmentitwillbecomeclear.It must be noted here that the words "dark" and "light," as well as the othercommon expressions, only approximately describe what is really meant; forlanguageasusuallyunderstoodisconstructedtosuitphysicalconditionsalone.

Occult science describes what emanates from the stone and is seen byclairvoyanteyes,as"blue"or"bluish-red,"andthatwhichisobservedascomingfrom the animal is described as "red" or "reddish-yellow." In reality they arecolors of a spiritual kindwhich are discerned. The color proceeding from theplantis"green."Plantsarejustthosenaturalphenomenawhosequalitiesinthehigherworldsaresimilartotheirqualitiesinthephysicalworld,butitisnotsowith stones and animals. It must now be clearly understood that the above-mentionedcolorsonly suggest theprevailing shadesof the stone, theplant, ortheanimal.Inreality,allpossibleovertonesexist,foreveryanimal,everystone,everyplanthasitsownpeculiarshadeofcolor.Inadditiontothesetherearethecreaturesof thehigherworlds,whoalways incorporate themselveswithcolorsnottheirown,oftenmarvellous,oftenhorrible.Inshort,thevarietyofcolorsinthesehigherworldsisimmeasurablygreaterthaninthephysicalworld.

Ifamanhasonceacquiredthefacultyofseeingwithspiritualeyes,hesoonerorlater,meetswith thebeingsherementioned, someof themhigher, some lowerthanmanhimself;beingswhoneverenteredintophysicalexistence.

Whenhehasadvancedthusfar,thewaytoagreatdealliesopenbeforehim;butitisinadvisabletoproceedfurtherwithoutanexperiencedguide.Indeed,forallthathasherebeendescribed,suchexperiencedguidanceisdesirable,andhewhohas the endurance to fulfil the elementary conditions of enlightenment, willassuredlyseekanddiscoverhisguide.

Under all circumstances it is important to givewarning, and hewhowill not

heedithadbetterleaveuntroddenallthestepsofoccultscience.Itisnecessarythathewhowouldbecomeanoccultstudentshouldlosenoneofhisattributesasa good and noble man, and one susceptible to all physical truths. Indeed,throughout his apprenticeship hemust continually increase hismoral strength,hisinnerpurity,andhispowersofobservation.Letusgiveanexample:DuringthepreliminarypracticesofEnlightenment,thestudentmustbecarefulalwaystobeenlarginghissympathywiththeanimalandhumanworlds,andhissenseofnature'sbeauty.Ifheisnotcarefultodothishecontinuallydullsbothsenseandfeeling;hisheartgrowscoldandhissympathiesdwarfed;whichleadtoperilousresults.

Howenlightenmentproceeds,inthesenseoftheforegoingpractices,ifonerisesfrom the stone, the plant, and the animal, up to man, and how, afterenlightenment,underallcircumstances,thegentlehandofthePilotcomesonacertainday,andleadstoInitiation—ofthesethingsthenextchapterwilldealinsofarasitcanandmaydoso.

Inour time, thepath tooccult science is sought afterbymany. It is sought invariousways,andmanydangerousandevenobjectionablemodesarepracticed.Therefore it is that thosewhoknowof the truthanddangers concerning thesethings have allowed a greater portion of the occult training and the necessarywarning to be published. Only so much is here imparted as this permissionallows,anditisnecessarythatsomethingofthetruthshouldbeknowninorderthatitmaycounteractthegreatdangeroftheseerrors.Ifnothingbeforced,thereis no danger for him who follows the way already described; only one thingshouldbenoted:nooneoughttospendmoretimeorpoweruponsuchpracticesthan is athisdisposalwithdue regard tohis circumstancesandhisduties.Nooneoughtsuddenlytochangeanythingintheexternalconditionsofhis life.Ifonedesiresgenuineresults,onemusthavepatience;oneshouldbeabletoceasethe practice after a few minutes, and then peacefully to continue one's dailywork,andnothoughtofthesepracticesoughttobemingledwiththeworkoftheday.Hewhohasnotlearnedtowait,inthebestandhighestsenseoftheword,isofnouseasanoccultstudent,norwillheeverattainresultsofmuchrealvalue.

He who is in search of occult knowledge, by the means indicated in theforegoingpages,mustfortifyhimselfthroughoutthewholecourseofhisefforts

by the understanding that after persevering for some time hemay havemadesuitableprogresswithoutbecomingconsciousofitintheprecisewaywhichhehadexpected.Hewhodoesnot remember this is likely to loseheart, and in alittlewhile to abandon his efforts altogether. Themental powers and facultiesabouttobedevelopedareatfirstofthemostsubtlekind,andtheirnaturediffersentirely from the conceptions of them which may be formed in the student'smind.Hehasbeenaccustomedtooccupyhimselfwiththephysicalworldalone,and the mental and astral worlds seem to elude his gaze, and baffle hisconceptions.Itis,therefore,notremarkableif,atfirst,hefailstorealizethenewforces,mentalandastral,whicharedevelopinginhisownbeing.Thisiswhyitisdangeroustoenterthepathleadingtooccultknowledgewithoutexperiencedguidance.The teachercansee theprogressmadeby thepupil, longbefore thelatterbecomesconsciousofitforhimself.Heseesthedelicateorgansofspiritualvisionbeginningtoformthemselves,beforethepupilisawareoftheirexistence,andagreatpartof thedutiesof the teacherconsists inperpetualwatchfulness,lestthediscipleloseconfidence,patience,andperseverance,beforehebecomesconscious of his ownprogress.The teacher, aswe know, can confer upon thestudentnopowerswhicharenotalreadylatentwithinhim,andhissolefunctionis toassist in theawakeningofslumberingfaculties.Buthemaybeapillarofstrengthtohimwhostrivestopenetratethroughdarknessintothelight.

Therearemanywholeavetheoccultpathsoonaftersettingfootuponit,becausethey are not immediately conscious of their own progress. And even whenhigherexperiencesbegin todawnupon the seeker,he isapt to regard themasillusions, because he had anticipated them quite differently.He loses courage,eitherbecauseheregardsthesefirstexperiencesasofnovalue,orbecausetheyappear so insignificant thathehasnohopeof their leading toanyappreciableresultswithinameasurabletime.Courageandself-confidencearethetwolampswhich must never be allowed to burn themselves out on the pathway to theoccult. He who cannot patiently repeat an exercise which has failed for anapparentlyunlimitednumberoftimes,willnevertravelfar.

Long before one is aware of any distinct perception of progress, comes aninarticulate mental impression that the right road has been found. This is afeeling to be welcomed, and to be encouraged, since it may evolve into atrustworthy guide. Above all, it is imperative to extirpate the idea that any

fantastic, mysterious practices are required for the attainment of higherexperiences.Itmustbeclearlyrealizedthatordinaryevery-dayhumanfeelingsandthoughtsmustformthebasisfromwhichthestartistobemade,andthatitis only needful to give these thoughts and feelings a new direction. Everyonemustsaytohimself:"Inmyownsphereofthoughtsandsensationslieenfoldedthedeepestmysteries,buthithertoIhavebeenunabletoperceivethem."Intheenditallresolvesitselfintothefactthatman,ordinarily,carriesbody,soulandspiritaboutwithhim,yetisconsciousonlyofthebody,notofthesoulandspirit,and that the student indue timeattains to a similar consciousnessof soul andspirit.

Henceitishighlyimportanttogivetheproperdirectiontothoughtsandfeelings,in order that one may develop the perception of that which is invisible to apersonlivingtheordinarylife.Oneofthewaysbywhichthisdevelopmentmaybecarriedoutwillnowbeindicated.Again,likealmosteverythingelsewehaveexplained so far, it is quite a simplematter.Yet the results are of the greatestconsequence,iftheexperimentiscarriedoutwithperseverance,andintherightframeofmind.

Place before you the small seed of a plant. It is then necessary, whilecontemplating this significant object, to createwith intensity the right kind ofthoughts, and through these thoughts to develop certain feelings. In the firstplace,letthestudentclearlygraspwhatisreallypresentedtohisvision.Lethimdescribetohimselftheshape,color,andallotherqualitiesofthegrainofseed.Thenlethisminddwelluponthefollowingtrainofthought:"Thisgrainofseed,if planted in the soil, will grow into a plant of complex structure." Let himclearlypicturethisplanttohimself.Lethimbuilditupinhisimagination.Andthen let him reflect that the object now existing only in his imagination willpresentlybebroughtintoactualphysicalexistencebytheforcesoftheearthandof light. If the thing contemplated by him were an artificially-made object,though such a close imitation of nature that no external difference could bedetectedbyhumaneyesight,noforcesinherentintheearthorlightcouldavailtoproduce from it a plant.Hewho thoroughly grasps this thought and inwardlyassimilatesitwillalsobeabletoformthefollowingideawiththerightfeeling.He will reasons thus: "That which is ultimately to grow out of this seed isalready,asaforce,nowsecretlyenfoldedwithinit.Theartificialduplicateofthe

seedcontainsnosuchforce.Andyetbothappeartobealiketomyeyes.Therealseed, therefore, contains something invisible which is not present in theimitation."Itisthisinvisiblesomethingonwhichthoughtandfeelingarenowtobeconcentrated.[10]Letthestudentfullyrealizethatthisinvisiblesomethingwilllaterontranslateitselfintoavisibleplant,perceptiblebyhiminshapeandcolor.Lethimdwelluponthethought:"Theinvisiblewillbecomevisible.IfIcouldnotthink,thenIcouldnotnowrealize,thatwhichwillbecomevisiblelateron."

Particular stress must be laid on the importance of feeling with intensity thatwhich one thinks. In calmness of mind a single thought must be vitallyexperienced within oneself to the exclusion of all disturbing influences.Sufficient time must be taken to allow the thought, and the state of feelingconnected therewith, to become, as it were, imbedded in the soul. If that isaccomplishedintherightway—possiblynotuntilafternumerousattempts—aninward force will make itself felt. And this force will create new powers ofperception. The grain of seed will appear as if enclosed in a small luminouscloud.Thespiritualizedvisionofthestudentperceivesitasakindofflame.Thisflameisofalilaccolorinthecentre,blueattheedges.Thenappearsthatwhichonecouldnot seebefore, andwhichwascreatedby thepowerof thoughtandfeelingbroughtintolifewithinoneself.Thatwhichwasphysicallyinvisible(theplantwhichwillnotbecomevisibleuntillateron)hasthererevealeditselftothespiritualeye.

Itispardonableif,tomanymen,allthisappearstobemereillusion.Manywillsay:"Whatisthevalueofsuchvisionsorsuchhallucinations?"Andmanywillthusfallaway,andnolongercontinuetotreadthepath.Butthisispreciselytheimportant point—not to confuse, at this difficult stage of human evolution,spiritualrealitywiththemerecreationsofphantasy,andtohavethecouragetopressmanfully onward, insteadof growing timorous and faint-hearted.On theother hand, however, it is necessary to insist on the necessity of maintainingunimpaired,andofperpetuallycultivating,thehealthyattitudeofmindwhichisrequired for the distinguishing of truth from illusion. Never during all theseexercisesmust thestudentsurrender thefullyconsciouscontrolofhimself.Hemustcontinuetothinkassoundlyandsanelyinthesespiritualconditionsashedoes with regard to the things and occurrences of ordinary life. It would beunfortunateifhelapsesintoreveries.Hemustateverymomentbeclear-headedand sober-minded and itwould be the greatestmistake if the student, throughsuchpractices,losthismentalequilibrium,orifhewerepreventedfromjudgingas sanely and clearly as before, the matters of work-a-day life. The discipleshould, therefore, examinehimself againandagain to findoutwhetherhehasremained unaltered in relation to the circumstances amongwhich he lives, orwhetherperchancehehaslosthismentalbalance.Hemustevermaintainacalmrepose within his own individuality, and an open mind for everything, being

carefulatthesametimenottodriftintovaguereveriesortoexperimentwithallsortsofexercises.

The lines for development here indicated, belong to those which have beenfollowed,andwhoseefficacyhasbeendemonstratedintheschoolsofoccultismfromtheearliestages,andnonebutsuchwillherebegiven.Anyoneattemptingto employ methods of meditation devised by himself, or which he may havecomeacrossinthecourseofpromiscuousreadingwillinevitablybeledastray,andwilllosehimselfinaboundlessmorassofincoherentphantasies.

Afurtherexercisewhichmaysucceedtheonedescribedabove,isthefollowing:Letthediscipleplacehimselfinfrontofaplantwhichhasattainedthestageoffulldevelopment.Nowlethismindbeabsorbedbythereflectionthatthetimeisnear at handwhen this plantwillwither and die. "Nothing," he should say tohimself,"nothingofwhat Inowseebeforemewillendure.But thisplantwillhave evolved seeds which in their turn will grow into new plants. Again IbecomeawarethatinwhatIseesomethingliesconcealedwhichIcannotsee.Iwillfillmymindwhollywiththethoughtthatthisplant-formwithitscolorswillceasetobe.Butthereflectionthattheplanthasproducedseedsteachesmethatitwillnotdisappearintonothing.Thatwhichwillpreventthisdisappearance,IcanatpresentnomoreseewithmyeyesthanIcouldoriginallydiscerntheplantinthegrainofseed.Theplant,therefore,containssomethingwhichmyeyesareunable to see. If this thought fully lives in me, and combines with thecorrespondingstateoffeeling,then,induetime,therewillagaindevelopaforceinmysoulwhichwillripenintoanewkindofperception."Outoftheplanttheregrowsoncemoreaflame-likeappearance,whichis,ofcourse,correspondinglylarger than thatwhichwas previously described.This flame is greenish at thecentre,andistingedwithyellowattheouteredge.

Hewhohaswonthisvisionhasgainedgreatly,inasmuchasheseesthings,notonlyintheirpresentstateofbeing,butalsointheirdevelopmentanddecay.Hebeginstoseeinallthingsthespirit,ofwhichthebodilyorgansofsighthavenoperception,andhehastakentheinitialstepsonthatroad,whichwillgraduallyleadhimtothesolution,bydirectvision,ofthesecretofbirthanddeath.Totheoutersenses,abeingbeginstoexistatitsbirth,andceasestoexistatitsdeath.This, however, only appears to be so, because these senses are unable to

apprehend the concealed spirit. Birth and death are only, for this spirit,transformations, just as the unfolding of the flower from the bud is atransformationenactedbeforeourphysicaleyes.But ifonedesires toattain todirectperceptionofthesefacts,onemustfirstawakenthespiritualvisionbythemeanshereindicated.

In order tomeet an objection whichmay be raised by certain people alreadypossessedofsomepsychicalexperience,letitbeatonceadmittedthatthereareshorterwaysthanthis,andthattherearepersonswhohavedirectperceptionofthe actualities of birth and death, without having had to pass through all thestagesofdisciplinehere set forth.There are alsohumanbeingsendowedwithhigh psychical faculties, to whom only a slight impulse is necessary for thedevelopingofthesepowers.Buttheyareexceptional,andthemethodsdescribedabovearesafer,andarecapableofgeneralapplication.Similarly,itispossibletogain some knowledge of chemistry by special methods; but in order tomakesaferthescienceofchemistry,therecognized,reliablecoursemustbefollowed.

An error fraughtwith serious consequenceswould result from the assumptionthat the goal could be reached more simply by allowing the mind to dwellmerely on an imaginary plant or a grain of seed. It may be possible by suchmeans toevokeaforcewhichwouldenable thesoul toattain the innervision.Butthisvisionwillbe,inmostcases,amerefigmentoftheimagination,forthemainobjectisnottocreatearbitrarilyamentalvision,buttoallowtheveritablenatureof things to forman imagewithinone'smind.The truthmust comeupfromthedepthofone'sownsoul,notatthecallofone'sordinaryself,butrathermusttheobjectsofone'sperceptionthemselvesexercisetheirmagicalpower,ifoneistoperceivetheirinnerreality.

Afterthedisciplehasevolved,bysuchmeans,therudimentsofspiritualvision,hemayproceedtothecontemplationofhumannatureitself.Simpleappearancesof ordinary lifemust be chosen first. But beforemaking any attempts in thisdirection, it is imperativefor thestudent tostriveafteranabsolutesincerityofmoral character. He must banish all thoughts of ever using the insight to beattained in these ways for his own selfish ends. He must be absolutelydeterminedthatundernocircumstanceswillheavailhimself,inanevilsense,ofanypowerwhichhemaygainoverhisfellow-creatures.Thisisthereasonwhy

everyonewhodesirestogaindirectinsightintothesecretsofhumannaturemustfollowthegoldenruleoftrueOccultism.Andthegoldenruleisthis:Foreveryonestepthatyoutakeinthepursuitofthehiddenknowledge,takethreestepsintheperfectingofyourowncharacter.Hewhoobeysthisrulecanperformsuchexercisesasthatwhichisnowtobeexplained.

Begin by observing a person filledwith a desire for some object.Direct yourattentiontothisdesire.Itisbesttochooseatimewhenthisdesireisatitsheight,andwhenitisnotyetcertainwhethertheobjectofthedesirewillbeattainedornot. Then surrender yourself entirely to the contemplation of that which youobserve,butmaintaintheutmostinnertranquilityofsoul.Makeeveryendeavortobedeafandblindtoeverythingthatmaybegoingonaroundyouatthesametime,andbearinmindparticularlythatthiscontemplationistoevokeastateoffeelinginyoursoul.Allowthisstateoffeelingtoariseinyoursoul,likeacloudrisingonanotherwisecloudlesshorizon.Itistobeexpected,ofcourse,thatyourobservationwillbe interrupted,because thepersononwhomit isdirectedwillnot remain in this particular state of mind for a sufficient length of time.Presumablyyouwillfailinyourexperimenthundredsandhundredsoftimes.Itis simply a question of not losing patience. After many attempts you willultimately realize the state of feeling spoken of above as fast as thecorresponding mental phenomena pass through the soul of the person underobservation.Afteratimeyouwillbegintonoticethatthisfeelinginyourownsoulisevokingthepowerofspiritualvisionintothepsychicalconditionoftheother.Aluminousimagewillappearinyourfieldofvision.Andthisluminousimageistheso-calledastralmanifestationevokedbythedesire-statewhenunderobservation.Againwemaydescribethisimageasflame-likeinappearance.Itisyellowishredinthecentreandreddish-blueorlilacattheedges.Muchdependsupontreatingsuchexperiencesoftheinnervisionwithgreatdelicacy.Itwillbebestforyouatfirst to talkof themtonobodyexceptyourteacher, ifyouhaveone. The attempt to describe such appearances in appropriate words usuallyleadstogrossself-deception.Oneemploysordinarytermsnotapplicabletosuchpurposes, and therefore much too gross and clumsy. The consequence is thatone's own attempt to clothe this vision in words unconsciously leads one toblend the actual experiencewith an alloyof imaginarydetails. It is, therefore,another important law for the occult inquirer that he should know how toobserve silence concerning his inner visions. Observe silence even towards

yourself.Donotendeavortoexpressinwordsthatwhichyousee,ortofathomitwith reasoning faculties that are inadequate.Freely surrenderyourself to thesespiritual impressions without any mental reservations, and without disturbingthem by thinking about them too much. For you must remember that yourreasoning faculties were, at first, by no means equal to your faculties ofobservation. You have acquired these reasoning faculties through experienceshitherto confined exclusively to the world as apprehended by your physicalsenses,andthefacultiesyouarenowacquiringtranscendtheseexperiences.Donot, therefore, try to measure your new and higher perceptions by the oldstandard.Onlyhewhohasalreadygainedsomecertainty inhisobservationofinnerexperiencesoughttospeakaboutthemwiththeideaoftherebystimulatinghisfellow-beings.

As a supplementary exercise the following may be set forth. Direct yourobservation in the same way upon a fellow-being to whom the fulfilment ofsomewish, the gratification of somedesire has just been granted. If the samerulesandprecautionsareadoptedasinthepreviousinstance,youwilloncemoreattaintospiritualperception.Youwilldistinguishaflame-likeappearancewhichisyellowinthecentreandgreenishattheedges.Bysuchobservationsofone'sfellow-creatures one may easily be led into a moral fault—one may becomeuncharitable.Allconceivablemeansmustbetakentofightagainstthistendency.Anyoneexercisingsuchpowersofobservationshouldhaverisentothelevelonwhichoneisabsolutelyconvincedthatthoughtsareactualthings.Hemaythenno longer allow himself to admit thoughts incompatible with the highestreverence for the dignity of human life and of human liberty. Not for onemomentmustheentertaintheideaofregardingahumanbeingasamereobjectforobservation.Itmustbetheaimofself-educationtoseethatthefacultiesforapsychicobservationofhumannaturegohandinhandwithafullrecognitionofthe rightsofeach individual.Thatwhichdwells ineachhumanbeingmustberegardedassomethingholy,andtobeheldinviolatebyuseveninourthoughtsandfeelings.Wemustbepossessedbyafeelingofreverentialaweforallthatishuman.

For the present, only these two examples can be given as to the methods bywhichaninsightintohumannaturemaybeachieved,buttheywillatleastserveto point out the way which must be followed. He who has gained the inner

tranquilityandreposewhichareindispensableforsuchobservations,willbysodoing,alreadyhaveundergoneagreat transformation.Thiswillsoonreachthepoint at which the increase of his spiritual worth will manifest itself in theconfidenceandcomposureofhisoutwarddemeanor.Again,thisalterationinhisdemeanorwillreactfavorablyonhisinnercondition,andthushewillbeabletohelphimselffurtheralongtheroad.Hewillfindwaysofpenetratingfurtherandfurther into those secrets of human nature, those hidden from our externalsenses,andwill thenbecomequalifiedforadeeper insight into themysteriouscorrelationsbetweenthenatureofman,andallelse thatexists in theuniverse.Byfollowingthispath,thedisciplewillapproachcloserandclosertothedayonwhichhewillbedeemedworthyoftakingthefirststepsofinitiation;butbeforethese canbe taken it is necessary to assureoneselfofunflinchingcourage.Atfirstitmaynotbeatallapparenttothestudentwhyitshouldbenecessary,buthecannotfailtobeconvincedofitintheend.

The qualitywhich is indispensable to himwhowould be initiated is a certainmeasureof courageand fearlessness.Hemust absolutelygooutofhisway tofind opportunities for developing these virtues. In the occult schools they arecultivatedquitesystematically;butlifeinthisrespectisitselfanexcellentschoolofoccultism,nay,possibly thebest.Tofacedangercalmly, to try toovercomedifficultiesunswervingly,thisiswhatthestudentmustlearntodo;forinstance,in thepresenceofsomeperil,hemustriseatonce to theconception that fearsarealtogetheruseless,andoughtnottobeentertainedforonemoment,butthatthemindoughtsimplytobeconcentratedonwhatistobedone.Hemustreachapointwhereithasbecomeimpossibleforhimeveragaintofeelafraidortolosehis courage.By self-discipline in this directionhewill developwithinhimselfdistinctqualitieswhichheneedsifheistobeinitiatedintothehighermysteries.Just as man in his physical being requires nervous force in order to use hisphysicalsenses,soalso,inhispsychicnature,herequirestheforcewhichisonlyproduced in the courageous and the fearless. For in penetrating to the highermysterieshewillseethingsnotyetrevealedtothephysicaleyesightnortoanyother of the human senses. The latter, by hiding from our gaze, the higherverities(thingswhichwecouldnotbeartobehold)areinrealityourbenefactors,since they prevent us from perceiving that which, if realized without duepreparation,wouldthrowusintounutterableconsternation.Thedisciplemustbepreparedtoendurethissight,althoughhehas lostcertainsupports in theouter

worldbyarealizationoftheveryillusionsthatencompassedhim.Itistrulyandliterallyasifhisattentionweresuddenlydrawntoacertaindangerbywhichforsometimehehadbeenunconsciouslythreatened.Hewasnotafraidhitherto,butnowthatheseeshisperil,heisovercomebyterror,eventhoughthedangerhasnotbeenrenderedanygreaterbyhisknowledgethereof.

Theforcesatworkintheworldarebothdestructiveandcreative.Thedestinyofmanifested beings is birth and death. The Initiate is to behold this march ofdestiny.Theveil,whichintheordinarycourseoflifecloudsthespiritualeyes,istobeuplifted,andthemanistoseehimselfasoneinterwovenwiththeseforces,with thisdestiny.Hisownnaturecontainsdestructiveandcreativepowers.Asundisguisedly as the other objects of his vision are revealed to the eye of theseer, hisown soul is bared tohisgaze. In the faceof this self-knowledge, thedisciplemustnotsufferhimselftodroop,andinthishewillsucceedonlyifhehasbroughtwithhimanexcessofthenecessarystrength.Inorderthatthismaybe the case hemust learn tomaintain inner calm and confidence in themostdifficult circumstances; he must nourish within himself a firm faith in thebeneficent forcesofexistence.Hemustbeprepared to find thatmanymotiveswhich have actuated him hitherto will actuate him no longer. He must needsperceivethathehashithertooftenthoughtoractedinacertainmanner,becausehewas still in the toils of ignorance.Reasonswhich formerly influenced himwillnowdisappear.Hehasdonemanythingsoutofpersonalvanity;hewillnowperceivehowutterly futileall suchvanity is in theeyesof theInitiate.Hehasdonemuch frommotives of avarice; hewill now be aware of the destructiveeffectofallavariciousness.Hewillhavetodevelopentirelynewspringsforhisthoughtandaction,anditisforthisthatcourageandfearlessnessarerequired.

It is especially amatter of cultivating this courage and this fearlessness in theinmost depths of themental life.The disciplemust learn never to despair.Hemustalwaysbeequaltothethought:"IwillforgetthatIhaveagainfailedinthismatter.Iwilltryoncemore,asthoughnothingatallhadhappened."Thushewillfighthiswayontothefirmconvictionthat theuniversecontainsinexhaustiblefountainsofstrengthfromwhichhemaydrink.HemustaspireagainandagaintotheDivinewhichwillupliftandsupporthim,howeverfeebleandimpotentthemortalpartofhisbeingmayprove.Hemustbecapableofpressingontowardsthe future, undismayed by any experiences of the past. Every teacher of

Occultismwillcarefullyascertainhowfarthedisciple,aspiringtoInitiationintothe higher mysteries, has advanced on the road of spiritual preparation. If hefulfiltheseconditionstoacertaindegree,heisthenworthytohearutteredthoseNames of things which form the key that unlocks the higher knowledge. ForInitiationconsistsinthisveryactoflearningtoknowthethingsoftheuniverseby thoseNameswhich theybear in the spirit of theirDivineAuthor.And themystery of things lies in these Names. Therefore it is that the Initiate speaksanotherlanguagethanthatof theuninitiate,forheknowstheNamesbywhichthingswerecalledintoexistence.

VI

INITIATION

ThehighestdegreeinOccultism,ofwhichit ispossibletospeakinabookforgeneralreaders,isInitiation.Onecannotgivepublicinformationconcerningallthat lies beyond, though the way to it can always be found by one who haspreviouslypressedforwardandpenetratedthelowersecretsandmysteries.

Theknowledge andpowerwhich are conferredupon aman through Initiationcouldnotbeobtainedinanyothermannerexceptinsomefardistantfuture,aftermanyincarnations,onquiteanotherroadandinquiteanotherform.Hewhoisinitiated to-day experiences something which he would otherwise have toexperienceatamuchlaterperiodandunderquitedifferentcircumstances.

It is right that a person should learn only somuch of the secrets of nature ascorrespond to his own degree of development, and for this reason alone doobstaclesbarhiswaytocompleteknowledgeandpower.Peopleshouldnotbetrustedwiththeuseoffire-armsuntiltheyhavehadenoughexperiencetomakeitcertainthattheywillnotusethemmischievouslyorwithoutcare.Ifaperson,withoutthenecessarypreparation,wereinitiatedto-day,hewouldstilllackthoseexperienceswhich,inthenormalcourseofhisdevelopment,wouldcometohimin the future during other incarnations and would then bring with them thecorresponding secrets. At the door of Initiation these experiences must,therefore,besuppliedinsomeotherway,andintheirplacethecandidatehastoundergothepreliminaryteaching.Theseareso-called"trials"whichhavetobepassed.These trials are nowbeingdiscussed in various books andmagazines,but,owing to theverynatureof suchdiscussion, it isnot surprising thatquitefalseimpressionsarereceivedconcerningthem.ForthosewhohavenotalreadygonethroughtheperiodsofProbationandEnlightenmentknownothingofthesetrials,andconsequentlycannotappropriatelydescribethem.

Certain matters or subjects connected with the higher worlds are producedbefore the candidate, but he is able to see and hear these only when he canperceiveclearlythefigures,tones,andcolors,forwhichhehasbeenpreparedbytheteachingsonProbationandEnlightenment.

The first trial consists in obtaining a clearer comprehension of the corporealattributesofwhatseemtobelifelessthings,thenofplants,ofanimals,ofhumanbeings(inthewaythattheaveragepersonpossessesthem).Thisdoesnotmeanwhatiscommonlycalled"scientificknowledge";withthatithasnoconnection,butithastodowithintuition.WhatusuallyoccursisthattheInitiatedisclosestothecandidatehowtheobjectsofnatureand theessenceof living thingsrevealthemselvestothespiritualandmentalhearingandsight.Inacertainwaythesethings then lie revealed—naked—before the beholder. Attributes and qualitieswhich are concealed fromphysical eyes and ears can then be seen and heard.Heretofore theyhavebeenenwrappedas inaveil,andthefallingawayof thisveilforthecandidate,occursatwhatiscalledtheProcessofPurificationbyFire.The first trial is therefore known as the "Fire-Trial," which will briefly beexplainedthus:

For some people the every day ordinary life is a more or less unconsciousprocess of initiation bymeans of the Fire-Trial. These persons are thosewhohavepassedthroughawealthofdevelopingexperiences,andwhofindthattheirself-confidence,courage,andfortitudehavebeengreatlyaugmentedinanormalway—whohavelearnedtobearsorrowanddisappointment,fromthefailureoftheir undertakings, with greatness of mind, and especially with quiet andunbroken strength. Those who have gone through such experiences are ofteninitiates,withoutknowingit,anditneedsbutlittletoopenforthemthespiritualhearingandsight—tomakethemclairvoyant.ForitmustbenotedthatagenuineFire-Trial is not merely intended to satisfy the curiosity of the candidate. Hewouldlearn,undoubtedly,manyunusualthings,ofwhichothers,devoidofsuchexperiences,canhavenoidea;butyetthisknowledgeisnottheendnoraim,butmerely thepath to theend.The realaimandobject is this—that thecandidateshallacquireforhimself,throughthisknowledgeofthehigherworlds,agreaterand truer self-confidence, ahigher andnobler courage, andaperseverance, anattitude ofmind, altogether different fromwhat he could have obtained in thelowerworld.

After theFire-Trial a candidatemay turn from the school; but because he hasgonethusfarhewillaccomplishhisordinarylifework,greatlystrengthenedinall his spiritual and physical relations, and in his next incarnation he willcontinue to seek further initiation and advancement. In his present life, at allevents,hewillprovehimselfamoreusefulmemberofsociety,willbeofgreaterservice tohumanity thanhewasbefore, and inwhateverpositionhemay findhimself, his firmness, prudence, and favorable influence over his fellowswillhavegreatlyincreased.

After comingoutof theFire-Trial, if he shouldwish to continue in theoccultschool,hethenhastobeinstructedinacertainwriting-systemwhichisusedbythose in the school.Occult teachings arewritten in this occultwriting-system,becausewhatisreallyoccultcanneitherbeperfectlyspokenofinwordsofourordinaryspeech,norsetforthintheordinarywaysofwriting.Thosewhohavelearned much from the Initiates can but partially translate the teachings ofOccultismintotermsofordinaryspeech.

Thesymbolsorsignsofthesecretscriptarenotarbitrarilyinventedorimagined,butcorrespondtopowerswhichareactiveandefficaciousinnature.Itisthroughthese symbols or signs that one learns the language of such matters. Thecandidate immediately sees for himself that these symbols correspond to thefigures,tonesandcolorswhichhehaslearnedtoperceiveduringtheperiodsofProbation andEnlightenment.He now understands that allwhichwent beforewas like learninghowtospell,and thatonlynowdoeshebegin to read in thehigher worlds. All that appeared to him before as separate figures, tones andcolors,isnowrevealedtohimasaperfectunity,acoherentharmony,andhere,forthefirsttime,heattainsarealcertaintyinobservingandfollowingthehigherknowledge.Hithertoitwasnotpossibleforhimtobesurethatwhathesawhadbeen clearly or correctly perceived. Now, at last, it is possible that a correctunderstandingbetween thecandidateand the Initiatebegin toariseconcerningthe spheres of the higher worlds. For no matter how close the connectionbetween the two may be, no matter what form their intercourse may take inordinary life, the Initiate can only communicate to the candidate, on theseplanes,inthedirectformorfiguresofthesecretalphabet.

Through this occult speech the student also learns certain rules of conduct for

life, certain duties and obligations, of which, previously, he knew nothingwhatever.When he learns to know these rules, he is able to perform actionswhichhaveasignificanceandameaningsuchastheactionsofanotherwhoisnot initiated canneverpossess.Theonlypoint ofview fromwhichhe is nowabletolookuponthings;theonlyplanefromwhichhecannowmakemanifesthisdeeds,isthatofthehigherworldsandtheinstructionsconcerningsuchdeedscanonlyberead,orunderstood,inthesecretscript.

Yet itmust be clearly understood and emphasized that there are personswho,unconsciously, have the ability or faculty of performing these actions,notwithstanding they have never been in an occult school. Such "helpers ofhumanityandtheworld"proceedblessedlyandbeneficentlythroughlife.Therearecertainfundamentalreasons,whichcannotbeherediscussed,whytheyareinpossession of seemingly supernatural gifts. The only difference between thesepersonsandthepupilsofanoccultschoolisthattheformeractunconsciously,while the latter work with a full knowledge, insight, judgment, andunderstanding of the entirematter in hand.Often the candidate has towin bytraining thatwhichhasbeenbestowedbyaHigherPoweruponhis fellow, forthegoodofhumanity.OneshouldfreelyandopenlyhonorthesefavoredonesofGod;butheshouldnot,ontheiraccount,considertheworkoftheoccultschoolsunnecessaryorsuperfluous.

Nowthat thestudenthas learnedthe"Mysterylanguage," thereawaitshimyetanother trial. By this he must prove whether he can move with freedom andcertaintyinthehigherworlds.Inordinarylifeamanwillbeimpelledtoactionsby outward motives and conditions. He works at this or that because certainduties are imposed upon him by outward circumstances. It need hardly bementioned that the occult student must in no way neglect any of the dutiesconnectedwithhisordinarylifebecauseheisastudentinanoccultschoolandin the higherworlds.None of his duties there can constrain him to treatwithinattentionorcarelessnessanyoneofhisduties in the lowerworld.Thefatherwillremainjustasgoodafathertohisfamily,themotherjustasgoodamother;and neither the officer nor the soldier, nor anyone else,will be detained fromtheirnecessarydutiesbecause theyarestudents inOccultism.On thecontrary,allthequalitieswhichmakecapablemenareincreasedtoadegreeofwhichtheuninitiatedcanformnoidea.Thatthismaynotalwaysappeartobethecaseis

duemerelytothefactthattheyhavenotalwaystheabilitytocorrectlyjudgeorcriticizetheInitiate.Thedeedsofthelatterarenotalwaysentirelyintelligibletotheformer.But,aswehavesaidbefore,thisonlyhappensincertaincases.

For him who has arrived at the so-called "Steps of Initiation," there are newdutiestobeperformedtowhichnoouterstimulusisgiven.Hewillbemovedtodothesethingsbynoexternalpressure,butbythoserulesofconductwhichhavebeencommunicatedtohiminthemystery-language.Inthissecondtrialhemustprovethat,ledbysuchrulesofconduct,hecanactfrominnerpromptingsjustasfirmlyasanofficerperformshisobligatoryduties.Forthispurposetheteacherwill set before the pupil certain definite tasks. The latter now has to performsome deed in consequence of observations made from the total of what helearnedduringProbationandEnlightenment.Hehastofindthewaytowhatheis now to perform, by means of the mystery-language, which by this time isfamiliartohim.Ifhediscernshisdutyandexecutesitcorrectly,hehasenduredthetrial,andherecognizesthesuccess,whichattendsthefulfilmentofthetask,bythechangedmannerwithwhichthespiritualeyesandearsnowapprehendthefigures,tonesandcolors.Theoccultteachertellshimdistinctlyhowthesemustappearaftertheconsummationofthetrial,andthecandidatemustknowhowhecan effect this change. This trial is known as the "Water-Trial," because, inconsequenceofitsperformancetakingplaceonthehigherplanes,thatsupport,which would otherwise have been received from outward conditions, is nowtaken away. One's movements are like those which are made in water bysomeonelearningtoswim,andhisfeelingsarethoseofonehavingnosupportexcepthisownefforts.Thispracticemustbeoftenrepeateduntil thecandidateattainsabsolutepoiseandassurance.

These trials are also dependent upon a quality which is produced by hisexperiences in the higher worlds. The candidate cultivates this quality to anextentwhichhecouldnotpossiblyreachinsoshortatimewhiledevelopingintheordinaryway,butcouldattainonlyaftermanyincarnations.Inordertobringabout the change here mentioned, the following condition is necessary: Thecandidate must be guided altogether by what has been proven to him by thecultivation of his higher faculties, by the results of his reading in the secretsymbols.

Should he, during these experiences, attempt to introduce any of his ownopinionsordesires,orshouldhedivergeforonemomentfromthelawsandruleswhich he has proved to be right, something quite other than that which isexpectedwilloccur.Insuchcasesthecandidatelosessightofthegoalforwhichthese matters are undertaken, and the result is confusion. He has, therefore,manifoldopportunities,during these trials, for thedevelopmentof self-control,andthis,indeed,istheprincipalqualityneeded.Thesetrialsare,therefore,muchmore easily endured by thosewho, before initiation, have gone through a lifewhich has enabled them to acquire command of themselves. Thosewho havedeveloped the characteristic of following their higher principles and idealswithoutthoughtofpersonalhonorordesire,whoalwaysdiscernthedutytobefulfilled,eventhoughtheinclinationsandsympathiesaretoooftenreadytoleadthem anotherway, are already unconscious initiates in themidst of every daylife. They need but little to enable them to succeed in the prescribed trials.Indeed, one may say that a certain measure of initiation, thus unconsciouslyacquired in life,will be absolutely necessary before entering upon the secondtrial.Forevenasmanywhoduringyouthhavenotlearnedtowriteorspell,findmuch difficulty in learning to do so in later years, so is it also difficult todevelop,merelyfromaknowledgeofthehigherworlds,thenecessarydegreeofself-control,ifonehasnotalreadyacquiredacertainmeasureofitinthecourseofordinarylife.

Thethingsofthephysicalworlddonotalterbymerelydesiringthemtodoso,but in the higher worlds our wishes, inclinations and desires are causes thatproduceeffects.Ifwewishtobringaboutparticularchangesintheseworlds,wemustholdourselvesinabsolutecontrol,wemustfollowtherightprinciple,mustentirelysubduethepersonalwill.

There is an attribute which at this stage of initiation has to be especiallyconsidered,—a really healthy and sure faculty of judgment.Attentionmust bedirectedtotheeducationofthisfacultyduringallthepreviousstages,andinthecourse of them it must be proven whether the candidate has developed thisquality sufficiently to make him fit to tread the path of true knowledge, for,further progress is now possible only if he is able to distinguish illusion,superstition,unsubstantialfancies,andallmannerofsuchthings,fromthetruerealities. At first, this is much more difficult to accomplish upon the higher

stages of existence than upon the lower. Every prejudice, every cherishedopinion regarding these matters, in whatever connection, must be banished.Truthalonemustguide.Theremustbeperfectreadinesstosurrenderatonceanyexistingopinion,idea,orinclination,whenthelogicalideademandsit.Absolutecertaintyinthehigherworldscanbeobtainedonlywhenonedoesnotobtrudehisownopinions.

Peoplewhosemodeofthoughtinclinesthemtophantasy,prejudiceandsoforth,canmakenoprogressontheoccultway.Yetbenotdismayed—thereis,intruth,aglorioustreasurethatthepersistentoccultstudentshallattain.Alldoubtastothehigherworldswillbetakenawayfromhim.Inalltheirlawtheywillrevealthemselves to his gaze, but so long as he is blindfolded he cannot see theseheights and compensations. It is, indeed, unfortunate for him if illusions andfallaciesranawaywithhisintellectandreason.Dreamersandpeopleinclinedtophantasies, are as unfit for the occult path as are superstitious people; for indreams,illusionsandsuperstitionslurkthemostdangerousenemiesontheroadto knowledge. Because the candidate has already seen upon the portals thatopened to him the first trial, thewords, "Without a normal common-sense allyoureffortsareinvain;"anduponthegateway,whichleadstothesecondtrial,"Allprejudicesmustfallaway,"itisnotnecessarytothinkthatthecapacityforinspiration and enthusiasm, and all the poetry of life, is lost to the student ofOccultism.

Ifhebenowsufficientlyadvanced,athirdtrialawaitsthecandidate.Noaim,noboundary lines, are here set for him.All is left entirely in his own hands.Hefindshimselfinaconditionwherenothingexternalimpelsorinduceshimtoact.Hemustfindthewayofhisownaccordandfromwithinhimself.Conditionsorpeoplewhomight have stimulated him to action are no longer there.Nothingandnobodybuthehimselfalonecangivethestrengthwhichhenowneeds.Ifheshouldnotfindthisstrengthwithinhewillverysoonbestandingwherehewasbefore; but it should be stated that very few of those who have endured theprevious trials will fail at this point in finding the necessary strength. If theyhavecomesofartheywillendureatthispointalso.Theonlythingnecessaryistheability tomakea resolutionquickly.Forhere, in the truestmeaningof thephrase,onemustfindoneself. Inallmattersonemust instantlyresolve tohearthesuggestions,theinspirationsofthespirit.Onehasnotimefordoubtordelay.

Everymomentofhesitationwouldaddtotheproofthatonewasnotyetready.All that hinders one from hearing the voice of the spirit must be boldlyconquered.Itisentirelyamatterofprovingone'spresenceofmind,anditisthisattribute to which attention must be paid during all the foregoing stages ofdevelopment.Alltemptationstoact,oreventothink,whichhithertoassailedaman,mustherecease;butinorderthathemaynotslipintoinaction,hemustnotlosehisholduponhimself.Foronlyinhimselfcanhefindthatonesurecentre-pointonwhichhecandepend.Nooneshouldfeelanantipathytothisprincipleof self-rejection. For him who has endured the trials already described, itindicatesthemostperfectfelicity.

In this, as in the other stages beforementioned, every day life itself can, formanypeople,beanoccult school.Thosewhohave reached thepointofbeingable to act without delay or personal consideration and can make promptresolutions when suddenly confronted with some task or problem demandingimmediate action, have, indeed, undergone their occult schooling in daily life.Thesituationwhichonewishestosuggestisoneinwhichasuccessfulactionisimpossibleunlessthepersonconcernedgraspsthewholematterandactsatonce.Heisquicktoactwhenmisfortuneisinsight,whileamoment'shesitationmightleadtoacatastrophe;andhewhopossessesthequalitieswhichcanbedevelopedinto a permanent attribute of such a kind, has already evolved, unknown tohimself, the degree of ripeness necessary for the third trial. For, as alreadyremarked,atthisstagealldependsuponthedevelopmentofpresenceofmind.

In the occult schools this trial is known as the "Air-Trial," because whileundergoingit,thecandidatecannotsupporthimselfeitheruponthefirmground,or any external cause, or that which he has learned in Probation andEnlightenment—fromthefiguresandtonesandcolors,butsolelyuponhimself.

If theoccultstudenthasendured these trials,he is thenpermitted toenter"theTempleoftheHigherWisdom."Allthatcanbesaidfurtheruponthissubjectcanbegivenoutonlyinthesmallesthintsandsuggestions.Theresponsibilityofthenextstephassooftenbeenillyexpressedbywords,thatmanysaythepupilhasheretotakean"oath,"promisingtobetraynothingthatcomesfromtheteacher.However, these expressions, "oath" and "betrayal," are in noway appropriate,andaremisleading.

Itisnooath,intheordinarysenseoftheword,butisratheranexperiencethatcomesat thisstage.Here thecandidateappreciates the truevalueof theoccultteachers, and their place in the service of humanity. At last he begins tounderstandtheworldcorrectly.It isnotsomuchamatterof"withholding"thehighertruthsalreadylearned,butmuchmoreofupholdingthemintherightwayandwiththenecessarytact.Thatconcerningwhichonelearnsto"keepsilence"issomethingquitedifferent.Onegainspossessionofthisfineattributeinregardtomanythingsofwhichonehadpreviouslyspoken,andespeciallyinregardtothemanner inwhichonehas spokenof them.Yethewouldbeapoor Initiatewho did not place all his mystical experiences, as adequately and as far-reachingly as possible, at the service of humanity. The sole obstacle in suchmattersisthemisunderstandingofthepersonwhoreceivesthecommunication.Above all, the higher or occult secrets are not allowed to be spoken ofpromiscuously, but no one who has passed the steps of development abovedescribed,isitactuallyforbiddentospeakofthesematters.Nooneisaskedforanegativeoath,buteverythingisentrustedtothejudgment,integrityandsenseofresponsibility of the candidate for Initiation.What one really learns is to findout,withinoneself,whatshouldbedoneunderallcircumstances,andthe"oath"meansnothingmore than this, thatone is foundqualified tobeentrustedwithmattersofsuchimportance.

If thecandidate is foundfit,he is thengivenwhat iscalled,symbolically,"thedraught of forgetfulness." This means that he will be initiated into the secretknowledgeenablinghimtoactwithoutbeingcontinuallydisturbedbythelowermemory.This is absolutely necessary for the Initiate, for hemust possess fullfaithintheimmediatepresent.Hemustbeabletodestroythatveilofmemorywhichextendsitselfroundhumanitymoreandmorethicklywitheverymomentoflife.

Ifonejudgesthingswhichhappento-day,bytheexperiencesofyesterday,heissubjected to amultitudeof errors.Of course, it isnot intended that the readershouldrenouncealltheexperienceacquiredinlife.Heoughtalwaystokeepitinmindasfirmlyaspossible.But,asanInitiate,oneshouldacquiretheabilitytojudge every fresh experience irrespective of oneself, unclouded by all bygoneexperiences.Onemustbeprepared,ateverymoment,thatanewthingorbeingshallbringtooneanewrevelation.Ifonejudgesthenewbythestandardofthe

old, he necessarily falls into error. The memory of past experiences is veryuseful,however,foritmakesonebetterabletoperceivethenew.Ifonehadnotgone through a certain experience, he probably would not have seen theattributesofthisorthatbeingorthing;buthavinghadsuchexperiencesheoughttobeenabledtodiscernthenew,withoutjudgingitbytheold.InthiswaytheInitiateobtainscertaindefinitequalities,andbymeansofthesemanythingsarerevealedtohim,whiletheyremainconcealedfromtheuninitiated.

The second draught which is given to the Initiate is the "draught ofremembrance." By receiving this he becomes capable of keeping the highersecrets ever present in the soul. Ordinary memory would not be sufficient toensure this; hemust be absolutely at onewith the higher truths.Hemust notmerelyknowthem,butbeable,asamatterofcourse,tomanifestandadministerthem in living actions, even as an ordinary man eats and drinks. They mustbecomeone'spractice,one'sinclinations,one'shabits.Itmustbeunnecessarytorecallthemtomind(intheusualsenseoftheterm);theymustbecomeapartofoneself and express themselves through one's very being; they must flowthroughone,justasthelife-currentsrunthroughone'sbodilyorganism.Somustwemake ourselves as perfect in a spiritual sense as nature hasmade us in aphysical.

VII

THEHIGHEREDUCATIONOFTHESOUL

Ifamancarriesoutthecultureofhisthoughtsandfeelingsandemotionsintheway already described in the chapters on Probation, Enlightenment, andInitiation,hetheneffectsachangeinhissoulsuchasNaturehaseffectedinhisbody.Beforethistraining,soulandspiritareundifferentiatedmasses.Insuchastate the clairvoyantwill perceive themas interlacing clouds, rotating spirally,and having usually a dull glimmer of reddish or reddish-brown color, or,perhaps,ofreddish-yellow;butafterthisgrowththeybegintoassumeabrilliantyellowish-greenoryellow-bluehue,andbecomeofa regular structure.Amanattainssuchregularityofstructure,andatthesametimethehigherknowledge,whenhebringsintotherealmofhisthoughts,feelingsandemotions,anorder,suchasNaturehasbroughtintohisbodilyorgans,bymeansofwhichhecansee,hear,digest,breathe,speakandsoforth.Graduallythestudentlearns,asitwere,tobreathe,toseewiththesoul,andtospeakandhearwiththespirit.

In the following pages a few of the practical points pertaining to the highereducationofthesoulandspiritwillbemorefullytreated.Theyaresuchasmaybepracticallyattainedbyanyonewithoutadditionalinstruction,andbymeansofwhichafurtherstepinoccultsciencemaybetaken.

Aparticularkindofdisciplinemustbepatientlyattemptedsuchastoavoideveryemotion of impatience, for it produces a paralyzing, yea, even a deadening,effect on the higher faculties within us. One must not expect immeasurableglimpses of the higher worlds to open out before one from day to day, forassuredly,asarule,thisdoesnotoccur.Contentmentwiththesmallestprogress,reposeandtranquilitymustmoreandmorepossessthesoul.Itisconceivable,ofcourse,thatthelearnermayimpatientlyexpectresults,buthewillattainnothingso long as he fails tomaster this impatience.Nor is it of any use to struggleagainstthisimpatienceintheordinaryway,forthenitwillonlybecomestronger

thanever. It is thus thatmendeceive themselves, for in suchacase it embedsitself all the more firmly in the depths of the soul. It is only by repeatedlysurrendering oneself to a single definite thought, and bymaking it absolutelyone'sown,thatanythingisreallyattained.Oneshouldthink:"Imustcertainlydoeverythingpossibleforthecultureofsoulandspirit,butIwillworktranquillyuntil,byhigherpowers,Ishallbefoundworthyofdefiniteillumination."Whenthis thought has become so powerful in aman that it is an actual trait in hischaracter,heistreadingtherightpath.Thistraitwillthenexpressitselfeveninexternal affairs. The gaze of the eye becomes tranquil; themovements of thebody become sure; the resolutions defined; and all that we call nervoussusceptibility gradually disappears. Rules that seem trifling and insignificantmust be taken into account. For example, suppose that someone affronts us.Beforewereceivethisocculteducation,wewouldhavedirectedourresentmentagainstthewrong-doer;therewouldhavebeenanuprushofangerwithinus.Butinsuchacasetheoccultstudentwill thinktohimself:"Anaffrontof thiskindcanmakenodifference tomyworth,"andwhatevermustbedone tomeet theaffront,heaccomplisheswithcalmandcomposure,notwithpassion.Tohimitisnotamatterofhowanaffrontistobeborne,butwithouthesitationheisledtoignoreorpunish theaffront tohisownperson inexactly thesamewayas if ithadbeenofferedtoanother,inwhichcaseonehastherighttoresentordisregardit.Itmustalwaysberemembered,however,thattheocculttrainingisperfectednot by coarse external processes, but by subtle, silent alterations in the life ofthoughtandemotion.

Patience has an attractive, while impatience has a repellent, effect on thetreasuresofthehigherknowledge.Inthehigherregionsofbeing,nothingcanbeattainedbyhasteandrestlessness.Desireandlongingforimmediateresultsmustbesilenced,forthesearequalitiesofthesoulbeforewhichallhigherknowledgerecedes. However precious this knowledge may be accounted, one must notdesiretoanticipatethetimeofitscoming.And,furthermore,hewhowishestohaveitforhisownsakealonewillneverattainit.Itisabsolutelydemandedthatone should be true to himself in his innermost soul. One must not there bedeceived by anything; he must encounter, face to face and with absolutetruthfulness, his own faults, failings, and unfitness. The moment you try toexcusetoyourselfanyoneofyourweaknesses,youplaceanobstacleinthewaywhich leads upward. There is one way only by which to get rid of such

obstacles.Ourfaultsandweaknessescanberemovedonlybyself-illumination,andthatisbycorrectlyunderstandingthem.Allthatisneededlieslatentinthehumansoulandcanbeevoked.Amanimmediatelyimproveshisunderstandingandhisreasonwheninreposehemakesitcleartohimselfwhyheisweakinanyrespect.Self-knowledgeof thiskind isnaturallydifficult, for the temptation todeceiveoneselfisimmeasurablygreat.Hewhoisaccustomedtobetruthfulwithhimselfhasopenedtheportalsintoadeeperinsight.

Allcuriositymustfallawayfromthestudent.Hemustweanhimselfasmuchaspossible from inquiries intomatters ofwhich hewishes to know only for thegratification of his personal thirst for superficial information. He must askhimselfonlywhatthingswillassisthimintheperfectionofhisinnermostbeingfortheserviceofthegeneralevolution.Nevertheless,hisdelightinknowledgeandhisdevotiontoitmustinnodegreebecomerelaxed.Hemustlistendevoutlytoallthatcontributestosuchanend,andshouldseekeveryopportunityofdoingso.

For this interior culture it is especiallynecessary that thedesire-life shouldbecarefullyeducated.Onemustnotbecomewhollydestituteofdesire,forifwearetoaccomplishsomethingitisnecessarythatweshoulddesireit,andadesirewillalways be fulfilled if a certain special force is behind it. This particular forceresults from a right knowledge: "Do not desire at all until you know the trueconditionsofanysphere."Thatisoneofthegoldenrulesfortheoccultstudent.Thewisemanfirstascertainsthelawsoftheworld,andthenhisdesiresbecomepowerswhichrealizethemselves.Letusconsideranexampleinwhichtheeffectis evident. There are certainlymanywhowould like to learn from their ownintuition something about their life before birth. Such a desire is altogetheraimless,andleadstonoresultsolongasthepersoninquestionhasnotacquiredaknowledgeofthelawsthatgovernthenatureoftheEternal,andaknowledgeof them in their subtlest and most intimate character. But if he has actuallyacquiredthisknowledgeandthenwishestopassonward,heisabletodosobyhiselevatedandpurifieddesire.

Moreover, it isofnouse to say tooneself: "Yes, Iwill forthwithexaminemyprevious life, and study with that aim in view." Onemust rather be ready toabandon such desire, to eliminate it altogether, and first of all, learn, without

considerationof thisaim.Oneshouldcultivatedevotion toknowledgewithoutregard to desires. It is only then that one enters into possession of the desirewhichweareconsidering,inawaythatleadstoitsownfulfilment.

Fromone'sangerorvexationarisesanadverseconditioninthespiritualworld,sothatthoseforceswhichwouldopentheeyesofthesoulareturnedaway.Forexample,ifsomeoneshouldannoyme,hesendsforthacurrentintotheworldofthesoul.SolongasIallowmyselftobeannoyed,Icannotseethiscurrent.Myownannoyancecloudsit.ButfromthisitmustnotbesupposedthatwhenInolonger feel annoyed I will see the astral vision. To see an astral vision it isindispensable that the eye of the soul should already be developed; but thecapacity for sight of this kind is latent in everyone. And again it is true thatduring the development, so long as one can be annoyed the sight remainsinactive; nor does it present itself immediately, when one has overcome to asmall extent this feeling of annoyance.Onemust continually persevere in thestrugglewith such a feeling, and patientlymake progress: then, some day, hewill find that this eye of the soul has become fully developed. Of courseannoyance is not the only quality with which we have to struggle beforeattainingthisend.Manypeoplegrowimpatientorsceptical,becausetheyhavefor years cultivated certain qualities of the soul and yet clairvoyance has notensued.Theyhavedevelopedonlyafewqualitiesandhaveallowedotherstorunwild.Thegiftofclairvoyancefirstmanifestsitselfwhenallthosequalitieswhichdo not permit the development of the latent faculties are suppressed.Undoubtedlythebeginningsofsuchhearingandseeingmayappearatanearlierperiod, but these are only young and tender shoots which are subject to allpossibleerror,andwhich,iftheybenotcarefullyfostered,mayquicklydie.

Thequalitieswhichhavetobecombated,inadditiontoangerandvexation,aresuch as ambition, timidity, curiosity, superstition, conceit, the disease ofprejudice,idleloveofgossip,andthemakingofdistinctionsinregardtohumanbeingsaccordingtothemerelyoutwardmarksofrank,sex,race,andsoforth.Inour time it is difficult for people to comprehend that the combating of suchqualities canhaveanyconnectionwith an increaseof capacity forknowledge.But every devotee ofOccultism is aware thatmuchmore depends upon suchmattersthanupontheexpansionoftheintellectortheemploymentofartificialpractices. It is particularly easy for a misunderstanding of this point to arise,

inasmuchasmanybelieve thatone shouldcultivate foolhardinessbecauseonemust be fearless, and that one should ignore altogether the differences inmenbecause one has to combat the prejudices of race, rank, and so forth. Rathershould one first learn to appreciate these differences correctly, then one is nolongerentangledinprejudice.Evenintheusualsenseitistruethatafearofanyphenomenon hinders one from estimating it rightly; that a race-prejudiceprevents one from looking into a man's soul. The student of Occultismmustbringhiscommon-sensetoperfectioninallitsexactitudeandsubtlety.

Eveneverythingthatamansayswithouthavingclearlythoughtitoutwillplaceanobstacleinthepathofhisocculteducation.At thesametimewemusthereconsideronepointwhichcanonlybeelucidatedbygivinganexample.Thus,ifanyone should say something to which another must reply, the one replyingshouldbecareful toconsider the intention, thefeelings,even theprejudicesofthisotherperson, rather thanwhathehas to sayat themomenton the subjectunderdiscussion. Inotherwords, thestudentmustapplyhimselfkeenly to thecultivationofacertainfinetact.Hemustlearntojudgehowmuchitmaymeanto this other person if his opinion be opposed. Itmust not be imagined for amoment that he ought for this reason, towithhold his ownopinion.Onemustgive to thequestioner ascareful ahearingaspossible, and fromwhatonehasheard,formulateone'sownreply.Insuchcasesthereisacertainthoughtwhichwill constantly recur to the student, and he is treading the true path if thisthoughtbecomes sovitalwithinhim that it grows into a trait of his character.The thought isas follows:"Itmatters littlewhethermyviewbedifferent fromhis,thevitalpointiswhetherhewilldiscovertherightviewforhimselfifIamabletocontributesomethingtowardsit."Bythoughtsofsuchakind,themodeof action and the character of the student will become permeated withgentleness, one of the most essential qualities for the reception of occultteaching.Harshnessobscures that internal imagewhichought tobeevokedbytheeyeofthesoul,whilebygentlenessmanyobstaclesareclearedfromtheway,andtheinnerorgansopened.

Alongwiththisgentlenessanothertraitwillpresentlybedevelopedinthesoul.Hewillmakeaquiet estimateof all the subtleties in the soul-life aroundhim,withoutconsideringtheemotionsofhisownsoul.Andifthisconditionhasbeenattained,thesoul-emotionsintheenvironmentofotherswillhavesuchaneffect

onhimthat thesoulwithinhimgrows,and,growing,becomesorganized,asaplantexpandsinthesunlight.Gentleness,quietreserve,andtruepatience,openthesoultotheworldofsouls,andthespirittotherealmofspirits.Persevereinrepose and retirement; close the senses to thatwhich they brought you beforeyou began your training; bring into utter stillness all those thoughtswhich, inaccordance with your previous habits, were tossed up and down within you;becomequitestillandsilentwithin,waitinpatience,andthenthetranquilhigherworldswillbegintodevelopthesightofyoursoulandthehearingofyourspirit.Donotsupposethatyouwillimmediatelyseeandhearintheworldsofsoulandspirit, for all thatyouaredoingdoesbuthelp thedevelopmentofyourhighersenses,andyouwillnotbeabletoseewiththesoulandtohearwiththespiritbefore you have to some degree acquired those senses. When you haveperseveredforatimeinreposeandretirement,thengoaboutyourdailyaffairs,having first impressed upon your mind the thought: "Some day, when I amready,IshallattainwhatIamtoattain."Finally:"Makenoattemptwhatevertoattractanyofthesehigherpowerstoyourselfbyaneffortofthewill."Theseareinstructionswhicheveryoccultstudentreceivesfromhisteacherattheentranceof theway. Ifheobserves them,he then improveshimself; and ifhedoesnotobserve them,allhis labor is invain;but theyaredifficultofachievement forhimonlywhohasnotpatienceandperseverance.Nootherobstaclesexistsavethosewhichoneplaces foroneself,and thesemaybeavoidedbyanyone ifhereallywillsit.Itisnecessarytocontinuallyinsistuponthispoint,becausemanypeopleformanaltogetherwrongconceptionofthedifficultythatliesinthepathofOccultism.Inacertainsense,itiseasiertoaccomplishtheearlierstepsoftheoccultway, thanit is foronewhohasreceivednoinstruction, togetridof thedifficultiesofone'severy-daylife.Inadditiontothis,itmustbeunderstoodthatonlysuchthingsarehereimpartedasareattendedbynodangertothehealthofsoulorbody.Therearecertainotherwayswhichleadmorequicklytothegoal,but it is notwell to treat of thempublicly, because theymay sometimes havecertaineffectsonamanwhichwouldnecessitatetheimmediateinterventionofanexperiencedteacher,andinanycasewouldrequirehiscontinualsupervision.Now, as something about these quicker ways frequently forces itself intopublicity, it becomes necessary to give expresswarning against entering uponthem without personal guidance. For reasons which only the initiated canunderstand,itwillneverbepossibletogivepublicinstructionconcerningtheseotherwaysintheirtrueform,andthefragmentswhichhereandtheremaketheir

appearance can never lead to anything profitable, butmay easily result in theunderminingofhealth,fortuneandpeaceofmind.Hewhodoesnotwishtoputhimselfinthepowerofcertaindarkforces,ofwhosenatureandoriginhemayknownothing,hadfarbetteravoidmeddlinginsuchmatters.

Something may here be added concerning the environment in which thepractices of occult instruction ought to be undertaken. This is of greatimportance, although for almost every man the case is different. He whopractices in an environment which is only filled with selfish interests, as forexample,themodernstruggleforexistence,oughttobesurethattheseinterestsarewithoutinfluenceuponthedevelopmentofhisspiritualorgans.Itistruethatthe inner laws of these organs are so powerful that this influence cannot befatallyinjurious.Justasalily,howeverinappropriatetheenvironmentinwhichitmaybeplaced,canneverbecomea thistle, so theeyeof thesoulcannevergrow to anything but its destined end, even though it be subjected to all themodernreverseinfluences.Butitiswellif,underallcircumstances,thestudentshouldnowandthenseekforhisenvironmentthequietude,theinnerdignity,thesweetnessofNatureherself.Especiallyfortunatearetheconditionsofhimwhois able topursuehisoccult studies in thegreenworldofplants,or among thesunnymountainsorthedelightfulinterplayofsimplethings.Thisdevelopstheinnerorgansinadegreeofharmonywhichisdifficulttoobtainamidthenoiseandcommercialismofamoderncity.Healsoismorefavorablysituatedthanthemere townsman, who, during his childhood at least, was able to breathe theperfumeofthepines,togazeonthesnowypeaks,orobservethesilentactivityofwoodlandcreatures and insects.Yetnoonewho isobliged to live in a cityshouldfail togivehisevolvingsoulandspirit thenurture thatcomesfromtheinspired utterances of the mighty teachers of man. He who cannot everyspringtimefollowdaybydaytheunfoldingofthegreenwood,oughtinitsplaceto draw into his heart the sublime doctrines of the BhagavadGîtâ, or of St.John'sGospel,orofThomasàKempis.Therearevariouspathstothesummitofinsight,butarightselectionisinvaluable.

TheadeptinOccultismcould,indeed,saymuchconcerningthesepaths—muchthat might seem strange to an uninitiated hearer. For example, suppose thatsomeone has advanced far along the occult path, and wholly unaware of hisnearness,maybestandingattheentrancetothesightofthesoulandthehearing

of the spirit, and thenhe has the good fortune to pass peacefully into its verypresence,andabandagefallsawayfromtheeyesofhissoul.Suddenlyhecansee—his vision is attained! Another, it may be, has advanced so far that thisbandageneedsonly tobe loosened,andbysomestrokeofdestiny thisoccurs.Foranotheronethisverystrokemightactuallyhavetheeffectofparalyzinghispowers and undermining his energy, but for the occult student it becomes theoccasionofhisenlightenment.Perhapsathirdhaspatientlyperseveredforyears,and without anymarked result. Suddenly, while tranquilly seated in his quietchamber, light envelops him, thewalls become transparent, they vanish away,andanewworldexpandsbeforehisopenedeyes,orisaudibletohisawakenedspirit.

VIII

THECONDITIONSOFDISCIPLESHIP

The conditions of entrance into an occult school are not of a nature to beformulated in an arbitrary way by anyone. They are the natural outcome ofoccult knowledge. Just as a man will never become a painter if he does notchoose to handle a paintbrush, so can no one receive occult training if he isunwillingtofulfiltheclaimswhichareputforwardbytheoccultteacher.Infact,theteachercangivenothingbutadvice,anditisassuchthateverythinghestatesought to be considered. He has already trodden the probationary path whichleads to the knowledge of higher worlds. From experience he knows what isnecessary,anditalldependsonthefreewillofeachparticularpersonwhetherhechooses to followthesamepathornot. Ifanyone,without intending tosatisfythe conditions, should demand occult training from a teacher, such a demandwouldbeequivalenttosaying:"Teachmetopaint,butdonotaskmetohandleabrush."Theoccultteachernevergoesastepfurther,unlessitbeinaccordwiththe free will of the recipient. It must be emphasized that a general wish forhigherknowledgeisnotsufficient,yetmanywillprobablyhavebutsuchaweakdesire.Forhimwhohasmerelythisvagueidea,andisnotpreparedtoacceptthespecialconditionsoftheoccultteacher,thelatter,forthepresent,candonothing.Thisoughttobekeptinmindbythosewhocomplainthatoccultteachersdonot"meet themhalfway."Hewhocannot,orwillnot, fulfil thesevereconditionsnecessary,mustforthetimeabandonocculttraining.Itistruethattheconditionsare, indeed, hard, and yet they are not severe since their fulfilment not onlyoughttobe,butmustbe,analtogethervoluntarydeed.

Tohimwhodoesnotrememberthisitiseasyfortheclaimsoftheoccultteachertoseemacoercionofthesoulortheconscience;forthetrainingherementionedisfoundedonadevelopmentoftheinnerlife,anditistheworkoftheteachertogiveadviceconcerning it.Andyet, if somethingbedemandedas the resultoffree choice, it cannot be considered as a fetter. If anyone says to the teacher:

"Givemeyoursecrets,butleavememycustomaryfeelingsandthoughts,"heisthenmakinganimpossibledemand.Suchanonedesiresnomorethantosatisfyhiscuriosityandthirstforsensations,sothatbyonewhotakesanattitudelikethis,occultknowledgecanneverbeobtained.

Letusnowconsiderintheirrightordertheconditionsofdiscipleship.Itshouldbeemphasizedthatthecompletefulfilmentofanyoneoftheseconditionsisbynomeansdemanded,butonlytheeffort togainsuchfulfilment.Noonecanatfirstreachthesehighideals,butthepathwhichleadstotheirfulfilmentmaybeenteredbyeveryone.Itisthewillthatmatters,theattitudetakenwhenenteringthepath.

1. The first condition is the directing of the attention to the advancement ofbodily and spiritual health. Of course, discipleship does not in the first placedepend on the health of aman, but everyone can endeavor to improve in thisrespect, and only from a healthy man may proceed a healthy perception. Nooccultteacherwouldrefuseamanwhoisnothealthy,butitisdemandedthatthepupilsshouldhavethedesireforahealthylife.Inthisrespecthemustattainthegreatest possible independence. The good counsels of others, which, thoughgenerallyunsought,are receivedbyeverybody,areasa rulesuperfluous.Eachmustendeavortotakecareofhimself.Fromthephysicalaspectitwillbemoreamatterofwardingoffharmfulinfluencesthanofanythingelse.Forincarryingoutone'sdutyonehasoften todo thingswhicharedisadvantageous tohealth.Onemustlearnhow,attherightmoment,toplacedutyhigherthanthecareofhealth; butwith a little good-will,what is there that cannot be omitted?Dutymustinmanycasesbeaccountedhigherthanhealth,indeed,ifneedbe,higherthanlifeitself,butthedisciplemustneverputpleasureashighaseitheroneofthese.Pleasureforhimcanbeonlyameanstohealthandlife,andinrespecttothis it is absolutelynecessary thatweshouldbequitehonest and truthfulwithourselves.Itisofnoavailtoleadanasceticlifesolongasitisbornofmotiveslike those that give rise to other enjoyments. There are people who findsatisfaction in asceticism, as do others in wine-bibbling, but they must notimagine that asceticism of this kind will assist them to attain the higherknowledge.Manyascribe to theirunfavorablecircumstanceseverythingwhichapparentlypreventsthemfrommakingprogressinthisdirection.Theysaythatwiththeirconditionsoflifetheycannotdevelopthemselvestoanygreatextent.

Forotherreasonsitmaybedesirableformanytochangetheirconditionsoflife,but no one need do so for the purpose of occult training. For this it is onlynecessary thatoneshoulddoforone'shealthsomuchasonefindspossible inthepositiononeholds.Everykindofworkmay serve thewholeof humanity,and it is a surer sign of greatness in the human soul to perceive clearly hownecessaryforthewholeisapetty—perhapsevenanunlovely—employmentthanto think: "Thiswork is not good enough forme: I amdestined for somethingelse."

Itisespeciallyimportantforthediscipletostriveaftercompletespiritualhealth.Inanycase,anunhealthyemotionalorthought-lifeleadsoneawayfromthepathof higher knowledge. The foundations here consist of clear, calm thinking,reliable conceptions, and stable feelings.Nothing should bemore alien to thedisciple than an inclination toward a whimsical, excitable life, towardnervousness, intoxication,and fanaticism.Heshouldacquireahealthyoutlookon all circumstances of life; he should go through life steadily and should letthingsactonhimandspeaktohiminalltranquillity.Whereveritispossibleheshould endeavor to do justice to life. Everything in his tastes and criticismswhich is one-sided or extravagant ought to be avoided. If this be not so, thedisciple will strand himself in a world of his own imagination, instead ofattainingthehigherworlds,andinplaceoftruthhisownfavoriteopinionswillassert themselves. It is better for the disciple to be "matter-of-fact" thanoverwroughtandfanciful.

2.Thesecondcondition is thatoneshouldfeeloneselfasa link in thegenerallife.Muchisincludedinthefulfilmentofthiscondition,buteachcanonlyfulfilitafterhisownmanner.IfIamaschoolteacherandmypupildoesnotanswerwhatisdesiredofhim,Imustfirstdirectmyfeelingnotagainstthepupilbuttomyself.IoughttofeelmyselfsomuchatonewithmypupilthatIaskmyself:"May not that in the pupilwhich does not satisfymy demand be perhaps theresultofmyownfaults?"orifperchanceitbehisunconscious,orevenviciouserror, as teacher, instead of directing my feelings against him, I shall rathercogitateonthewayinwhichImyselfoughttobehave,orinkindnessshowhimwhatisright,sothathemayinthefuturebebetterabletosatisfymydemands.From such amanner of thinking therewill come gradually a change over thewhole mental attitude. This holds good for the smallest as well as for the

greatest.From this point of view I lookon a criminal, for instance, altogetherdifferently from theway I shouldhave lookeduponhimofold. I suspendmyjudgmentandthinktomyself:"Iamonlyamanasheis.Perhapstheeducationwhich,owingtofavorablecircumstances,hasbeenmine,andnothingelse,hassavedme from a similar fate." Imay even come to the conclusion that if theteacherswhotookpainswithmehaddonethesameforhim,thisbrotherofminewouldhavebeenquitedifferent.Ishallreflectonthefactthatsomethingwhichhasbeenwithheldfromhimhasbeengiventome,andthatImay,perhaps,owemygoodnesstothefactthathehasbeenthusdeprivedofit.Andthenwillitnolonger be difficult to grasp the conception that I am a link in the whole ofhumanity, and that consequently I, too, in part, bear the responsibility foreverythingthathappens.Bythisitisnotimpliedthatsuchathoughtshouldbetranslatedimmediatelyintoexternalaction.Itshouldbequietlycultivatedinthesoul.Itwillthenexpressitselfgraduallyintheoutwardbehaviorofaperson,andinsuchmatterseachcanbeginonlyby reforminghimself. Itwere futile, fromsuchastandpoint,tomakegeneralclaimsonallhumanity.Itiseasytoformanideaofwhatmenoughttobe,butthediscipleworks,notonthesurface,butinthedepths.And, therefore, itwouldbewrong ifone shouldendeavor tobringthesedemandsof theoccult teacher into relationwithanyexternalorpoliticalclaims.Asarule,politicalagitatorsknowwellwhatcanbedemandedofotherpeople,buttheysaylittleofdemandsonthemselves.

3.Nowwiththesedemandsonourselvesthethirdconditionforocculttrainingisintimately connected. The student must be able to realize the idea that histhoughts and feelings are as important for the world as his deeds. It must berecognized that it is aspernicious tohatea fellow-beingas to strikehim.Onecanthendiscernalsothatbyperfectingoneselfoneaccomplishessomethingnotonlyforoneselfbutforthewholeworld.Theworldprofitsbypurethoughtsandfeelingsasmuchasbyone'sgoodbehavior,andsolongasonecannotbelieveinthisworld-wideimportanceoftheinnerSelf,oneisnotfitfordiscipleship.Oneis permeated with a true conception of the soul's importance, only when oneworksatthisinnerSelfasifitwereatleastasimportantasallexternalthings.Itmustbeadmittedthatone'sfeelingsproduceaneffectasmuchastheactionofthehand.

4.Insosayingwehavealreadymentionedthefourthcondition:theideathatthe

realbeingofmandoesnotlieintheexteriorbutintheinterior.Hewhoregardshimselfasmerelyaproductof theouterworld, a resultof thephysicalworld,cannot succeed in this occult training. But he who is able to realize thisconception is then also able to distinguish between inner duty and externalsuccess.Helearnstorecognizethattheonecannotatoncebemeasuredbytheother. The student must learn for himself the right position between what isdemanded by his external conditions and what he recognizes to be the rightconduct forhimself.Heoughtnot to forceuponhis environment anything forwhich it canhavenoappreciation,but at the same timehemustbe altogetherfreefromthedesiretodomerelywhatcanbeappreciatedbythosearoundhim.Inhisownsincereandwisdom-seekingsoul,andonlythere,musthelookfortherecognitionofhistruths.Butfromhisenvironmenthemustlearnasmuchashepossiblycan,sothathemaydiscernwhatthosearoundhimneed,andwhatisofuse to them. In this way he will develop within himself what is known inOccultismasthe"spiritualbalance."Ononesideofthescalesthereliesaheartopenfortheneedsoftheoutwardworld,andontheotherliesaninnerfortitudeandanunfalteringendurance.

5.Andhere,again,wehavehintedatthefifthcondition:firmnessinthecarryingout of any resolutionwhenonce it hasbeenmade.Nothing should induce thedisciple to deviate from any such resolution once it is formed, save only theperceptionthathehasmadeamistake.Everyresolutionisaforce,andevenifsuch a force does not produce immediate effect on the point at which it wasdirected, nevertheless itworks in its ownway. Success is of great importanceonlywhenanactionarisesfromdesire,butallactionswhicharerootedindesireareworthless in relation to the higherworlds.There the love expended on anactionisaloneofimportance.Inthislove,allthatimpelsthestudenttoperformanactionought tobe implanted.Thushewill nevergrowwearyof again andagain carrying out in action some resolution, even though he has repeatedlyfailed. And in this way he arrives at the condition inwhich he does not firstcount on the external effect of his actions, but is contentedwith the doing ofthem.Hewill learn tosacrificefor theworldhisactions,nay,more,hiswholebeing,withoutcaringatallhowhissacrificemaybereceived.Hewhowishestobecome a disciple must declare himself ready for such a sacrifice, such anoffering.

6.A sixthcondition is the development of a sense of gratitudewith regard toeverythingwhichrelates toMan.Onemustrealize thatone'sexistence is,as itwere, agift from theentireuniverse.Onlyconsiderall that isneeded inorderthateachofusmayreceiveandmaintainhisexistence!ConsiderwhatweowetoNatureandtoothersthanourselves!Thosewhodesireanocculttrainingmustbeinclinedtowardthoughtslikethese,forhewhocannotenterintosuchthoughtswillbeincapableofdevelopingwithinhimselfthatall-inclusivelovewhichitisnecessarytopossessbeforeonecanattaintohigherknowledge.Thatwhichwedo not love cannotmanifest itself to us.And everymanifestationmust fill uswithgratitude,orweourselvesarenotthericherforit.

7.All the conditions here set forthmust be united in a seventh: to regard lifecontinuallyinthemannerdemandedbytheseconditions.Thestudentthusmakesit possible to give to his life the stamp of uniformity.All hismanymodes ofexpressionwill, in thisway, bebrought intoharmony, and cease to contradicteachother.Andthushewillpreparehimselfforthepeacewhichhemustattainduringthepreliminarystepsofhistraining.

If a person intend, earnestly and sincerely, to fulfil the conditions mentionedabove, hemay then address himself to a teacher ofOccultism.The latterwillthenbe found ready togive the firstwordsofcounsel.Anyexternal formalitywillconsistofgivingtotheseconditionsacompleteexpression,aknowledgeofwhichcanonlybeimpartedorallytoeachindividualcandidate.Sinceeverythinginterior must manifest itself in an exterior way, they teach a very importantlesson.Even as apicture cannotbe said tobehere,when it exists only in thebrain of the painter, so, too, there cannot be an occult training without anexternalexpression.

Externalformsareregardedasworthlessbythoseonlywhodonotknowthattheinternalmustfindexpressionintheexternal.Itistruethatitisthespiritandnotthe form that reallymatters; but just as the form is voidwithout the spirit, sowouldthespiritremaininactiveaslongasitcouldnotcreateaform.

The stipulated conditions are so designed that they may render the disciplestrongenoughtofulfilthefurtherdemandswhichtheteachermustmake.Ifhebefaultyinthefulfilmentoftheseconditions,thenbeforeeachnewdemandhewill standhesitating.Without this fulfilmenthewillbe lacking in that faith in

manwhichitisnecessaryforhimtopossess;foronfaithinmanandagenuineloveforman,allstrivingaftertruthmustbefounded.Andtheloveofmanmustbe slowlywidened out into a love for all living creatures, nay, indeed, for allexistence. He who fails to fulfil the conditions here given will not possess aperfectloveforallup-building,forallcreation,noratendencytoabstainfromalldestructionandannihilationassuch.Thedisciplemustsotrainhimselfthat,notindeedsonly,butalsoinwords,thoughtsandfeelings,hewillneverdestroyanything for the sakeofdestruction.Hemust findhispleasure in thegrowingand creating aspect of things, and is only justified in assisting the apparentdestruction of anything when, by such readjustment, he is able to promote agreaterlife.Letitnotbethoughtthat,insosaying,itisimpliedthatthedisciplemayallowthetriumphofevil,butratherthathemustendeavortofind,eveninthebad, those aspects throughwhichhemaychange it intogood.Hewill seemoreandmoreclearly that thebestwaytocombat imperfectionandevil isbythe creation of the perfect and the good. The student knows that nothing cancomefromnothing,butalsothattheimperfectmaybechangedintotheperfect.Hewhodevelopsinhimself thetendencytocreate,willsoonfindthecapacityforfacingtheevil.

He who enters an occult school must be quite sure that his intention is toconstructandnottodestroy.Thestudentought,therefore,tobringwithhimthewillforsincereanddevotedwork,andtothisendheoughttobecapableofgreatdevotion, for one should be anxious to learnwhat one does not yet know; heshouldlookreverentlyonthatwhichdisclosesitself.Workanddevotion,—theseare the fundamental attributeswhichmustbe claimed from thedisciple.Somewillhavetodiscoverthattheydonotmakerealprogressintheschool,evenifintheirownopiniontheyareunceasinglyactive;theyhavenotgraspedintherightmanner the meaning of work and meditation. That kind of learning which isundertaken without meditation will advance the student least, and the workwhichisdoneforselfishreturnswillbetheleastsuccessful.Intheloveofwork,thelovetodobetterwork;yes,thelovetodoperfectwork,isthequalitywhichunfoldsoccultpower;andinqualifyingforbetterthingsoneneedgivelittleheedfor greater returns. If he who is learning seeks for wholesome thoughts andsoundjudgment,heneednotspoilhisdevotionwithdoubtsandsuspicions.

Thefact thatonedoesnotopposesomecommunicationwhichhasbeenmade,but gives to it due attention and even sympathy, does not imply a lack ofindependentjudgment.Thosewhohavearrivedatasomewhatadvancedstageofknowledge are aware that they owe everything to a quiet attention andassimilation, and not to a stubborn personal judgment. One should alwaysrememberthathedoesnotneedtolearnwhatheisalreadyabletounderstand.Therefore, ifonedesiresonly to judge,he is apt tocease learning.What isofimportanceinanoccultschool,however,isstudy:oneoughttodesire,withheartandsoul,tobeastudent:ifonecannotunderstandsomethingitisfarbetternottojudge,lestonewronglycondemn;farwisertowaitforatrueunderstanding.The higher one climbs up the ladder of knowledge, themore he requires thisfaculty of calm and devotional listening. All perception of truths, all life andactivityintheworldofspirit,becomeinthesehigherregionsdelicateandsubtleincomparisonwiththeactivitiesoftheordinarymind,andoflifeinthephysicalworld.Themorethesphereofaman'sactivitywidensoutbeforehim,themoretranscendent is thenatureof the task tobeaccomplishedbyhim. It is for thisreason that, although there is in reality only one possible fact regarding thehighertruths,mencometolookatthemfromsuchdifferentpointsofview.Itispossibletoarriveatthisonetruestandpointif,throughworkanddevotion,one

has so risen that he can really behold the truth. Only he who judges inaccordancewith preconceived ideas and habitualways of thought, rather thanfromsufficientpreparation,canarriveatanyopinionwhichdiffersfromthetrueone. Just as there is only one correct opinion concerning a mathematicalproblem,soalsowithregardtothingsofthehigherworlds;butbeforeonecanarriveatthisknowledgehemustfirstpreparehimself.Truthandthehigherlifedo,indeed,abideineveryhumansoul,anditistruethateveryonecanandmustsoonerorlaterfindthemforhimself.

W.J.COLVILLE'SBOOKS.

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UniversalSpiritualism. Spirit Communion in all ages among all people. TheworkHastwodistinctivefeatures:(1st)AresumeoftheSpiritualfaithandpractice of Egypt, India, Persia, Greece, Rome, China, Japan and otherancientnations,notexceptingEurope,duringChristiancenturies. (2nd)Asummary of recent experiences in America, Great Britain, Australia,France, Germany, Italy and other modern lands, all tending to show thepersistent continuity of spiritual revelation. Clairvoyance, Telepathy andPsychic Phenomena in general are dealt with in separate chapters at thecloseofthevolume,whichextendsto352pages,makingitahighlyusefultext-bookforallwhoare interested in thequestionofhumanimmortality.W.J.Colville.Cloth.No.24256,1.00

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Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry. Its teachings, Rules, Laws and PresentUsages which govern the Order at the present day. Dr. R. SwinburneClymer.Cloth,No.22086,1.50

BenHur,aTaleofChrist.TheGreatChristianDrama.Gen.LewWallace.No.22076,1.50

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Brother of the Third Degree. An interesting and fascinating story of thethrilling experiences of an earnest occult student on his way upward tothose sublime heights of Universal Love and Devotion to Humanity,attainedonlybythetrueinitiatesoftheGreatWhiteBrotherhood—avividpicture of life in the famous occult schools of Paris and the Far East;explainingmuchwhichhas so longbeenveiled inmystery.W.L.Carver.377pages,Cloth.No.22161,1.50

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Morals and Dogma, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite from the 1st, to 33dDegree, by Albert Pike, Grand Commander. This valuable work is theresult of years of study, translations from ancient andmodern languages,and thousands of dollars expenditure by the author. The Masonic andTheosophicalstudentwillfindinitamineofknowledgethatcanbefoundnowhereelse,andheretoforewithinthereachofbutfew.Thegreatestbookever written or printed about Free Masonry. 861 pgs. 6½ × 9½. Clothbindingwithgoldstamps.No.23361,5.25

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Occultist'sTravels,An.WillyReichel.Cloth.No.33726,1.00

PathstoPower. "Thestrugglingwillgainstrength—thedoubtingassurance—and the despairing hope, from this book." Fifteenth edition. Floyd B.Wilson.No.23796,1.00

PhilosophyofFire,The."Thereisnothingnewunderthesun."FirePhilosophyis the foundation of all True Initiation, and all Mystic and OccultFraternities,aswellastheSecretDoctrineandAncientMysteries.Atlantis,its Beauty, and its Fall. The Templars, and Fire Philosophers. TheTherapeutae and Essenes and their Initiation. Second and very muchenlarged edition, contains the Rosicrucian Fire Philosophy according toJennings.R. S. Clymer. About 250 pgs. Silk Cloth. Symbol in gold. No.23806,1.50

PythagorasandtheDelphicMysteries.EdouardSchuré.No.23811,1.50

QueenMooandtheEgyptianSphinx.Amostinterestingandvaluablework—the result of extensive research among the ruined palaces, tombs andtemples,andcarefulstudyofthesigns,symbolsandancientmanuscriptsofthe Mayas of prehistoric Yucatan; showing evidences of a civilizationantedating, by centuries, that of the Eastern Hemisphere, and giving areasonablesolutionofthatmysteryoftheages—theOriginandMeaningofthe Egyptian Sphinx. Augustus Le Plongeon. Beautifully illustrated withfull page half-tone prints, from photographs taken by the author whileexploringthoseancientremains.No.23851.Reducedfrom6.00to4.75

QueenMoo'sTalisman.TheFallof theMayaEmpire.AbeautifulPoemwithIntroduction and Explanatory Argument. Alice Le Plongeon. Profuselyillustrated.Cloth.No.23841,1.50

RoseCroix,The.AstoryofTwoHemispheres.Amostinterestingnovel.DavidTodGilliam.369pgs.No.23946,1.60

Rosicrucians,The.TheirTeachingsandMysteriesaccordingtotheManifestoesissued at various times by the fraternity itself. Also some of their secretTeachings and the mystery of the Order explained. Bro. R. Swinburne

Clymer.304pgs.No.23906,6.00

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SacredMysteries. Freemasonry in times anterior to the Temple of Solomon.Relics of theMayas and Quiches 11,500 years ago, their relation to theSacred Mysteries of Egypt, Greece, Chaldea and India. Augustus LePlongeon.No.23956,2.50

SermonontheMount,andotherExtractsfromtheNewTestament.Averbatimtranslation from the Greek with notes on theMystical or Arcane Sense.JamesM.Pryse.Cloth.No.24076,.60

ServantintheHouse,The.AbeautifulandupliftingdramaofBrotherlyLove.CharlesRannKennedy.No.23966,1.25

SignsandSymbols.Dr.GeorgeOliver. Illustratedandexplained inaseriesoftwelvelecturesonFreemasonry.No.23986,1.50

SixthandSeventhBooksofMoses,The.Thewonderful artsof theoldwiseHebrews,takenfromtheMosaicbooksoftheKabbalahandtheTalmud,forthegoodofmankind.100pgs.Paper,No.24040,.75

Story of theOtherWiseMan, The. A beautiful narrative.Henry VanDyke.Exquisitely printed and bound.Cloth,No. 23961, .50. andLimpLeather.No.23962,1.00

SpiritofFreemasonry.ComprisinglecturesontheStateofFreemasonryintheEighteenthCentury, theDesign,Rites,Ceremonies and Institutionsof theAncients,Natureof theLodge,Furniture,ApparelandJewelsofMasons,TempleatJerusalemGeometry,MasterMason'sOrder,SecrecyofMasons,Charity, Brotherly Love, Occupations, and a Corollary; followed by anAppendixcontainingCharges,AddressesandOrationsonvariousMasonicoccasions. William Hutchinson. With copious notes, critical andexplanatory,ofgreatvalue,bytheRev.GeorgeOliver.No.24021,1.50

SwedenborgRite, and theGreatMasonic Leaders of the EighteenthCentury.The Masonic career of Swedenborg and his followers, and the relationbetween the symbolic system of Swedenborgianism and modernFreemasonry.SamuelBeswick.No.24051,1.00

SymbolofGlory,showingtheObjectandEndofFreemasonryinavaledictoryandthirteenlectures:MasonicScience,PoetryandPhilosophy,Knowledge,Doctrines,CircleandParallelMeaning,GreatLights,andMasonicLadder,TheologicalVirtues andMasonry,CloudedCanopy andLadder Symbols,Application,BlazingStar, Symbol ofGlory, etc.Rev.GeorgeOliver. 298pgs.,cloth,blackandgoldstamps.No.24061,1.50

Symbolism of Freemasonry. Illustrating and Explaining its Science andPhilosophy,itsLegends,MythsandSymbols.Mackey.360pgs.No.24071,1.50

Temple, The. ItsMinistry and Services at the Time of Jesus Christ.Rev. Dr.Eidersheim.308pgs.No.24201,1.50

ThroughSilence toRealization.Thiswork embodies a systemof instructionformentalgrowthandattainmentofideals.FloydB.Wilson.5½×7½.No.24241,1.00

VoiceoftheSilence,andOtherChosenFragmentsfromtheBookoftheGoldenPrecepts for theDailyUse ofLanoos.B.P.Blavatsky.Cloth.No. 24266,.50.Leather.No.24267,.75

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22001A.A.S.R.,Bookofthe.McClenachan 3.0022011AdoptiveRite,revised,enlarged.Macoy 1.0022021AhimanRezon,General.Sickels 2.0022024 Moroccobinding,giltedges 3.50

22036Akin'sManualoftheLodge 1.2522006AllTheseThingsAdded.Allen 1.0024231AltarintheWilderness.Johnson.Cloth .5024235 Paper .2522051AmaranthOdes .2022055 Paper .1522041AmaranthRitual,revised,enlarged.Macoy 1.0022081AncientConst.Reprint1723.Music.Anderson 1.0022056AncientMysteriesandModernMasonry 1.0022060 Paper.Rev.CharlesH.Vail .5022071AnnotatedConstitutions.Simons 1.0023726AnOccultist'sTravels.Reichel.Cloth 1.0022086AncientMysticOrientalMasonry.Clymer 1.5022110AncientOrderofHurcules(Burlesque),6copies 5.0022096AnteRoomTalks,Bloomer 1.0022091AntiquitiesofFreemasonry.Oliver 1.5022101AntiquitiesoftheOrientUnveiled.Redding 1.5022146ArcaneSchools-Hist.ofFmsy.JohnYorker 4.7522016AsaManThinketh.J.Allen.Cloth,4¼×7¼ .5022017 Leather .7522018 WateredSilk .7522019 SpecialGiftEdition .7522020 Paper .1522076BenHur.Wallace 1.5022141BibleTestimonytoTheosophicalTruths .1022175BiographyofMrs.Babington .2522191Birthdays,TheirSignificance.Colville .5022195 Paper .4022001BookofA.A.S.R.McClenachan 3.0022146BookofI.O.O.F.Forms 1.0022151BookoftheChapter.Mackey 1.6022166BookoftheMaster.Adams.Cloth 1.2522176Brotherhood.Harding .50

22186BrotherhoodofHealers.J.Macbeth.Cloth .5022161BrotherofThirdDegree.Carver 1.5022067BuechnersFraternalRegister,vestpock.leather .6022181Busbee'sDigest,I.O.O.F. 4.0022151Chapter,Bookofthe,Mackey,Cloth 1.6022221ChapterMusic.Ilsley .1522230ChargesofaMason.Chase .1522201Christmas,EasterandBurialServices,K.T. .4522202 Leather.Rev.CorneliusL.Twing .7522204 Morocco 1.0022205 Paper .3522210ColesInitiationRitual(Burlesque),6copies 3.7524011ColoradoGrandLodgeMonitor.Foster.Cloth .7524012 Leather 1.0022246ConciseCyclopediaofFreemasonry.Hawkins 1.0022211Concordia,wordsonly.Ilsley .2522281ConstitutionandHistory,A.A.S.R. 2.0022295Constitutions,O.E.S.,Africa,paper .2522236CosmogonyofEvolution.Ingalese.Cloth 2.0022266CultureofConcentration.W.Q.Judge .1022296ConstructivePsychology.Buck 1.0022231CouncilMonitor,Chase 1.0022241CouncilMonitor.Mackey 2.0022251CraftMasonry.Cunningham 1.0022254 Morocco 1.5022261CrossMasonicChart,Revised 1.7522256Crucifixion,byanEyeWitness 1.0022241CrypticMasonry.Mackey 2.0022411CyclopediaofFraternities.Stevens 4.5022271Cushing'sManual,ParliamentaryLaw .7522316DashedAgainsttheRock.Colville .7522340DaughtersofSphinx(Burlesque),6copies 5.0022301DiagramofParliamentaryRules.Smith .50

22304 Morocco,parchmentchart 1.0022306DiscoveryoftheSoul 1.0022346DivinePedigreeofMan.T.J.Hudson 1.5022331DreamChild.Huntley .7522311Drew'sMonitor,small .6022351EarlyHistoryandAntiquities.Fort 3.5022366EarlyHistoryandProceedings,N.Y.Vol.I 2.5022361EarlyHistory,NewYork.Ross 2.5022371EdentoMalta.Beller 1.5022381EgyptianSymbols.Portal,Simons 1.0022421EgypttheCradleofMsry.deClifford,2vol. 6.7522423 HalfAmericanmorocco,2vol. 7.5022424 FullAmericanmorocco,2vol. 10.0022425 FullPersianmorocco,1vol. 10.0022981ElectionandInstallation .4022985 Paper .2522376Emerson'sEssays 1.0022391Ency.andHistory.Oliver&Macoy.Cloth 2.7522392 Library,sheep,marbleedge 3.0022395 HalfAmericanRussia 3.2522393 HalfAmericanMorocco 3.5022397 FullAmericanRussia 4.2522394 FullAmericanMorocco 5.7523398 FullPersianMorocco 8.5022401Encyclopedia,Mackey,McClenachan,cloth 4.5022402 Sheep 6.0022405 HalfRussia,Gilttop 6.5022404 Fullmorocco 8.0022406 TwoVolumeEdition 11.0022411EncyclopediaofFraternities.Stevens 4.5022356EnteringtheKingdom.J.Allen .5022357 Leather .7522358 WateredSilk .75

22359 SpecialGiftEdition .7522360 Paper .1522396EvolutionoftheSoul.T.J.Hudson 1.5022476FateMastered .3022465FemaleMasonry,"AlaLease" .5022091FiveGrandPeriodsofMasonry.Oliver 1.5022471FiveJewelsoftheOrient,The.Burton 1.0022490FloralMarch.Simpson .4022481FloralWork.Bunnell .4022485 Paper .2524006FloridaMonitor,Gr.LodgeComm .7524007 Leather 1.0022530FreemasonryandJesuitry .1522571Freemason'sMonitor.Sickels 1.0022572 Same,Lodge,toComdy.,leather 1.5022511Freemason'sMonitor.Thornberg 1.2522512 Leather 2.0022501Freemason'sMonitor.Webb.Cloth .7522502 Leather 1.0022556Freimaurer'sHandbuch.Committee 1.0022557 Leather 1.2522551Freimaurer'sHandbuch,small .6022581FundamentalTruths.N.D.Cloth .5022156FuneralServices.Simons—Macoy .3522160 Paperbound .2522651GemofSong,O.E.S.Pitkin&Mathews .5022655 Paper .2522021GeneralAhimanRezon,aLargeMonitor 2.0022024 Same,moroccoandgilt.Sickels—Macoy 3.5022656GeniusofFreemasonry.Buck 1.0022661GreatWork.T.K. 2.0022645GuidetoChapter.Sheville,Gould,limpcloth .7522641 Sameinclothandgiltbinding 1.00

22642 Leatherboundwithflap 1.2522644 Boundinimitationcowhidemorocco 1.5022646 Largelibrarysize,clothbound 1.5022649 Sameinimitationmorocco 2.0022311HandBookofFreemasonry.Drew .6022711Harmonia.Music,Cutler .2522716HarmoniesofEvolution.Huntley 2.0022741HealthfromKnowledge.Colville .7522745 Leatherette .5022851HeavenlyLife.JamesAllen.Cloth .5022856HermesandPlato.Schuré 1.0022721HermeticWritingofParacelsus.Waite.2vol. 18.0022866HeroinesofJerico.Ceremonies.Cloth.Dickson .7522861HeroinesofJerico.Ritual,Cloth.Dickson .5022723HistoricalLandmarks.Oliver 4.0022726HistoricalSketch—MortonCommandery 2.0022731HistoryandPowerofMind.Ingalese.Cloth 2.0022751HistoryofA.&.A.ScottishRite.Folger 3.0022791HistoryofColoredFreemasonry.Grimshaw 1.2522771HistoryofFreemasonry,Concise.Gould.Cloth 2.7522772 Library—sheep 4.0022773 HalfMorocco 3.7522774 FullMorocco 4.7522775 Levant 8.5022761Hist.ofFreemasonry&ConcordantOrders 4.5022763 HalfMorocco.Stillson&Hughan 5.5022764 FullMorocco 6.5022765 Levant 10.0022780HistoryofFrmsy.Gould,6vol.½calf 25.0022779 Morocco.(Shopworn,setsonly) 30.0022781HistoryofFreemasonry.Mitchell,2vols. 4.0022782 Library—sheep 5.0022784 Morocco 6.00

22801HistoryofInitiation.Oliver 1.5022811HistoryofK.T.Revised.Addison 3.2522812 LibrarySheep 3.5022818 HalfAmericanRussia 3.7522813 HalfAmericanMorocco 4.0022819 FullAmericanRussia 4.7522814 FullAmericanMorocco 5.0022817 FullPersianMorocco 8.7522831HistoryofO.E.S.Engle 2.2522841HistoryofRosicrucians—Waite 2.5024276Initiation,Wayof.RudolfSteiner,Ph.D. 1.0024280 Paper .7522976InitiationandItsResults.RudolfSteiner,Ph.D. 1.0023010InitiationofaCandidate—6copies(Burlesque) 5.0022991IndianMasonry.Wright 1.5022986InMemoriam—OrinWelsh.(Shopworn) 1.5022981InstallationCeremonies.Simons—Whiting .4022985 Paper .2522281IntroductionandHistory,A.A.S.R. 2.0022996InTunewiththeInfinite.Trine 1.2523011I.O.O.F.Hist.andManual 3.7523013 HalfMorocco 4.7523914 FullMorocco 6.5023001IrishPrinceandHebrewProphet.Kissick 1.5023046JericoRoad.(I.O.O.F.)Thompson 1.0022530JesuitryandFrmsy.Rameses .1523056Jesus,theLastGreatInitiate.Schuré 1.0023076JewelsofPythianKnighthood,cloth 3.0023078 HalfMorocco 4.0023079 FullMorocco 5.0023061Josephus,TheWorksof 1.7523121KabbalahUnveiled.S.L.M.Mathers.Cloth 3.5023086KingdomofLove.Frank 1.00

23120KingSolomon'sSecret(Farce) .3523092K.ofP.Drill.Carnahan.Leather 1.5023091 Cloth 1.0023115KnightsoftheZoroasters(Burlesque),6copies 3.7523070KnightTemplarMelodies,perdoz. 4.8023071Koran.TranslatedbySale 1.5023106KrishnaandOrpheus.Schuré 1.2526045LabyrinthasaLifeStory.O.E.S.Paper .2523141LawofMentalMedicine.T.J.Hudson 1.5023146LawofPsychicPhenomena.T.J.Hudson 1.5023161LexiconofFreemasonry.Mackey 3.0023151LifeandPowerfromWithin.Colville .7523186LifeandDoctrineofParacelsus.Cloth 2.5023286LifeandWritingsofDr.Robt.Fludd.Cloth 2.5023176LightofAsia.EdwinArnold .7523166LightonthePath.M.C.Cloth .5023167 Leather .7523181LightsandShadows.Morris—Mackey 2.5023156LivingDecalogue.Colville .5023191LodgeGoat.Comic 2.0023201LodgeMusic.Ilsley .1523196LostWordFound.Buck .5023221LowTwelve.Ellis 1.5023224 Morocco 2.5023472Mackey'sRitualist,leather 1.6023531ManLimitless.Wilson 1.2523481ManofMountMoriah.Boutelle 2.4023483 HalfMorocco 3.2023486 HalfRussia 2.8023487 HalfRussia,giltedges 3.6023488 HalfMorocco,giltedges 4.0028485 Paper 1.6023521Manual,LodgeofPerfection.Nor.Jurisdiction 1.50

23517ManualofLodgeofN.J.(New) 1.2523491ManualoftheChapter.ShevilleandGould .7523501ManualoftheLodge.Mackey 2.0023511ManualoftheLodgeofN.J.Illust'd. .2523512 Leather .3523526MasonicBurialServices.Macoy .5023461MasonicEclectic,2vols.,shopworn 1.0023541MasonicGem.Rev.A.L.Alford .5023551MasonicJurisprudence.Simons 1.5023561MasonicJurisprudence.Mackey 2.5023401MasonicJurisprudenceandSymbolism.Lawrence 1.0023581MasonicLawandPractice.Lockwood 1.0023261MasonicLodgeMusic,(KaneLodge,N.J.) .4023265 Paper .2523271MasonicLightonAbductionofMorgan 1.0023591MasonicMusicalManual.Lithographed .7523594 Leather.W.H.Janes.Lithographed 1.0023595 PaperBoard,7½×10.Lithographed .5023600 PaperFlexible.Lithographed .3523592 PaperBoard.CheaperPrint .3523593 PaperFlexible.CheaperPrint .2523596 ClothBoard.CheaperPrint .6023598 PaperFlexible.Wordsonly4×6 .2023597 ClothFlexible.Wordsonly4×6 .2523599 ClothBoardandStamp.Wordsonly4×6 .3523620MasonicOrpheus.WordsandMusic.Dow 1.7523571MasonicParliamentaryLaw.Mackey 2.0023285MasonicPoetry.Morris.Silkcloth,giltedge 3.5023291MasonicSketchBook.E.duLaurans 2.0023311MasonicToken.Anderson 2.2523301MasonicTrials.TreatiseuponLaw.Look 1.5023306MasteryofMindinMakingofMan.Frank 1.0023321MaurerischesLiederbuch.Roehr.Cloth .25

23336MessianicExpectationsandModernJudaism 1.0022420MetalTherapeutics.ATextBook.Colville .2523346Meyer'sTactics 1.0023345MiddleChamberWork.Paper .2522501MiniatureMonitor.Webb .7522502 Leather 1.0033390MissingLink(Burlesque),6copies 3.0033389 Samewithoutfit 5.0023356MissionofMasonry.Peters .5023360 Paper .3523351MonitorofA.A.S.R.ByWebb—Carson 1.5023376Monitor—GrandLodgeN.Y. 1.0023570MootCourtMartial,6copies(Burlesque) 2.0023361MoralsandDogma,ScottishRite.Pike 5.2523580MunchersofHardTack,6copies(Burlesque) 3.7523671MusicofChapter.Marsh.Cloth .6523673 PaperFlexible .2523674 AmericanMorocco 1.0023675 PaperBoard .4023586MyrtleBaldwin.Munn 1.5023411MysticChord.Mabie .5023415 Paper .2523421MysticMasonry.Buck 1.5023181MysticTie.Morris—Mackey 2.5023701NewLightfromtheGreatPyramid.Parsons 4.0023707NewOddFellowsManual—Grosh,leather 1.5023706 Cloth.LargerEdition 2.5023709 MoroccoandGilt.LargerEdition 3.2523700NewWoman(Burlesque),4copies 1.0023712NuggetsfromKingSolomon'sMines.Schmalz 2.0023721ObeliskandFreemasonry.Weisse,paper 1.0023731ObituaryRitesofFreemasonry.Macoy .5023716OccultScienceinIndia.Jacolliot.Cloth 2.50

23776OceanofTheosophy,The.W.Q.Judge.Cloth .7523013 HalfMorocco 3.7523014 FullMorocco 5.5023011OddFellowship.His.andManual.Ross 3.7523736OddFellowship,OfficialHistory.Canvas 3.7523737 HalfMorocco.Artcanvas 4.7523738 FullMorocco 5.5023746O.E.S.BurialServices.Macoy .5023741O.E.S.Manual.Macoy.OriginalEdition .7523766OldandNewPsychology.Colville 1.0023771OnesimusTempleton.Colville .5023786OntheRoadtoSelf-Knowledge.Jones.Cloth .5023640OrientalOrderofHumility,6copies(Burlesque) 1.0023821OriginofFreemasonryandK.T.Bennett 1.7522756OutFromtheHeart.J.Allen.Cloth .5022757 Leather .7522758 WateredSilk .7522759 SpecialGiftEdition .7522760 Paper .1523791PathofProsperity,The.J.Allen .5023792 Leather .7523793 WateredSilk .7523794 SpecialGiftEdition .7523795 Paper .1523796PathstoPower.Wilson 1.0023816PerfectWay;or,FindingofChrist.Kingsford 2.0023281 EmbossedClothCover 2.7523806PhilosophyofFire.Clymer.Cloth 1.5023285PoetryofFreemasonry.Morris.Silkcloth,gilt 3.5023751Prelate'sLesson 1.0023551Principles,Practice,MasonicLaw.Simons 1.5023805PutThrough(Comic) .2523811PythagorasandtheDelphicMysteries.Schuré 1.50

23081PythianKnighthood,cloth.Cornahan 3.0023083 HalfMorocco 4.0023084 FullMorocco 5.0023851QueenMooandEgyptianSphinx.LePlongeon 4.7523841QueenMoo'sTalisman.Cloth 1.5023850QueenofSahara,6copies(Burlesque) 3.0023861QueenoftheSouth.Macoy .4023865 Paper .2523870RansfordDrill.O.E.S. .7523886RedBloodofOddFellowship 1.5023860ReviewofCrypticMasonry.Warvelle,paper .1523901Roberts'RulesofOrder .7523946RoseCroix.Gilliam 1.6023906Rosicrucians.Clymer 3.0023915RoyalArchCompanion.Chase,limpcloth .7523911 Sameinclothandgiltbinding 1.0023912 Leatherboundwithflap 1.2523925RoyalArchStandard.McGown,limpcloth .7522921 Sameinclothandgiltbinding 1.0023922 Leatherboundwithflap 1.2523895RoyalOrderofOglingOwls(Burlesque),6cop. 3.0023936RubaiyatofOmarKhayram.Deckeledge 1.2523940 WateredSilk 2.0023037 LimpLeather 2.0023931RuinsofEmpires.Voleny .7523925 Paper .5023984 Leather 4.0023956SacredMysteries.A.LePlongeon 2.5023981ScarletBookofFrmsy.Redding 3.0023951ScientificDemonstrationoftheFuture 1.5024031SecretDoctrineAbridged 2.0024176SermonontheMount.Pryse.Cloth .6023971SermonsandAddresses.480pages.(Shopworn) .75

22966ServantintheHouse.Kennedy 1.2523991Shibboleth,K.T.Monitor.Connor 1.2522021SicklesAhimanRezon,General 2.0022024 GenuineMorocco 3.5022571SicklesMonitor 1.0022572 Leather 1.5023976SignetofK.S.,Freemason'sDaughter.Arnold 1.5023986SignsandSymbols.Oliver 1.5023916SingularStoryofFreemasonry .7524040SixthandSeventhBookofMoses 1.0022301Smith'sDiagramofParliamentaryRules,cloth .5022304 Leather,parchmentchart 1.0024020SmithsonianComedetta(Burlesque),4copies 1.0024026Solomon'sTemple.Caldecott 2.5024050SonsofOsirus(Burlesque),6copies 3.7524021SpiritofFreemasonry.Oliver,Hutchison 1.5024001StandardMasonicMonitor.Simons—Macoy .7524002 Same,inleatherandgilt 1.0024011StandardMonitor,Colorado,cloth .7524012 Leather 1.0024006StandardMonitor,Florida,cloth .7524007 Leather 1.0022216StandardMonitorIllinois,CookCloth .4022217 Leather .6024085StarChamber.Frazer—6copies(Burlesque) 5.0023961StoryoftheOtherWiseMan.Cloth.VanDyke .5023962 LimpLeather 1.0024051SwedenborgRite.Beswick 1.0024071SymbolismofFreemasonry.Oliver 2.2524061SymbolofGlory.Oliver 1.5024176Tabernacle.Caldecott 1.7524191Tactics,K.T.Grant 1.0024192 Leather 1.25

24196Tactics,N.Y.Regulation 1.1024181TacticsVestPocket .2524184 Morocco .7524182 Leather .5024206TemplarHandbook 1.0024201Temple.Eidersheim.Cloth 1.5024236ThisMysticalLifeofOurs.Trine 1.0024216ThoughtsfortheOccasion 2.0024186ThroneofEden.W.J.Colville 1.0024241ThroughSilencetoRealization.Wilson 1.0024213Traditions,Origins,EarlyHistory.Pierson 2.5024225TrialofJesus.Druker .2524230TwentiethCenturyOrient(Burlesque),6copies 3.0024256UniversalSpiritualism 1.0024250VanNest'sBurlesqueRitual,6copies 3.7524251VocalManual,wordsonly.Macoy .2524265VocalStar,O.E.S.Paper .2524266VoiceoftheSilence,The.Blavastky.Cloth .5024280 Paper 1.0024301WashingtonandHisMasonicCompeers 2.5024276WayofInitiation.RudolfSteiner,Ph.D. 1.0024280 Paper .7524271WayofPeace,The.J.Allen.Cloth .5024272 Leather .7524273 WateredSilk .7524274 SpecialGiftEdition .7524275 Paper .1522501Webb'sMonitor .7522502 Leather 1.0024286WhatAlltheWorld'sa-Seeking.Trine 1.2524315WisdomoftheAges(Burlesque),6copies 5.0024281WitchingHour.Thomas 1.5024321WorshipfulMaster'sAssistant.Macoy 1.50

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Footnotes

[1]TranslatedbykindpermissionoftheauthorfromtheintroductiontoLeMystèreChrétienetlesMystèresAntiques.Traduitdel'allemandparEdouardSchuré,Librairieacadémique,Perrin&Co.,1908,Paris.

[2]AspeechdeliveredinParis,28thAugust1878.SeealsoHaeckel'sHistoryofNaturalCreation,13thlecture.

[3]ThisishowDr.SteinerhimselfdescribesthefamousGermannaturalist:"Haeckel'spersonalityiscaptivating.Itisthemostcompletecontrasttothetoneofhiswritings.IfHaeckelhadbutmadeaslightstudyofthephilosophyofwhichhespeaks,notevenasadilettante,butlikeachild,hewouldhavedrawnthemostloftyspiritualconclusionsfromhisphylogeneticstudies.Haeckel'sdoctrineisgrand,butHaeckelhimselfistheworstofcommentatorsonhisdoctrine.ItisnotbyshowingourcontemporariestheweakpointsinHaeckel'sdoctrinethatwecanpromoteintellectualprogress,butbypointingouttothemthegrandeurofhisphylogeneticthought."Steinerhasdevelopedtheseideasintwoworks:WeltundLebensanschauungenim19tenJahrhundert(TheoriesoftheUniverseandofLifeintheNineteenthCentury),andHaeckelundseineGegner(HaeckelandhisOpponents).

[4]DieMystik,imAufgangedesneuzeitlichenGeisteslebens(1901);DasChristentumalsmystischeTatsache(1902);Theosophie(1904).Heisnowpreparinganimportantbook,whichwillnodoubtbehischiefwork,andwhichistobecalledGeheimwissenschaft(OccultScience).

[5]TranslatedfromLusifer-Gnosis(MaytoDec.1904),atheosophicalmagazine,publishedbyM.Altmann,Leipzig,andeditedbyDr.RudolphSteiner(17Motzstrasse,Berlin,W.).ThistranslationappearedfirstintheTheosophist(October1907-June1908),amagazineofBrotherhood,ofComparativeReligion,PhilosophyandScience,andofOccultism.EditedbyAnnieBesant,PresidentoftheTheosophicalSociety,Adyar,Madras.

[6]InthelastchapterofthebookentitledTheosophie(Berlin,C.A.SchwetschkeundSohn),Dr.RudolfSteinerfullydescribesthis"PathofKnowledge;"hereitisonlyintendedtogivesomepracticaldetails.

[7]Itshouldberemarkedthatartisticperception,whencoupledwithaquietintrospectivenature,formsthebestfoundationforthedevelopmentofoccultfaculties.Itpiercesthroughthesuperficialaspectofthingsandinsodoingtouchestheirsecrets.

[8]Onlytohim,wholistensdisinterestedly,comestheabilitytoperceivereallyfromwithin,silently,andwithoutemotionarisingfrompersonalopinionorpersonaltaste,—tosuchonlycantheGreatSouls,whoareknowninOccultismastheMastersspeak.AslongasouropinionsandfeelingsareinastateofvehementoppositiontothecommunicationsfromtheMasters,Theyremainsilent.

[9]Thefactherementioned,initsbearingonthecontemplationofcrystals,isinmanywaysdistortedbythosewhohaveonlyheardofitinanoutward(exoteric)manner,andinthiswaysuchpractisesascrystal-gazinghavetheirorigin.Misrepresentationsofsuchakindaretheoutcomeofmisunderstanding.Theyhavebeendescribedinmanybooks,buttheyneverformthesubjectofgenuine(esoteric)teaching.

[10]Anyonewhomightobjectthatamicroscopicalexaminationwouldrevealthedifferencebetweenthetwowouldonlyshowthathehasfailedto

grasptheintentionoftheexperiment.Theintentionisnottoinvestigatethephysicalstructureoftheobject,buttouseitasameansforthedevelopmentofpsychicforce.

Transcriber's Note: There is no corresponding anchor forfootnotenumber5.

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