{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_39986/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_39986","id":"gutenberg_39986","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/39986","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Theosophy"],"text":"Produced by Bruce Albrecht and the Online Distributed\nProofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  THE WAY OF INITIATION\n\n\n  BY THE SAME AUTHOR\n\n  INITIATION AND ITS RESULTS\n\n  a sequel to the\n\n  \"WAY OF INITIATION\"\n\n  By\n  RUDOLF STEINER, Ph.D.\n\n  Translated from the German by Clifford Bax\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\n     A FOREWORD\n\n  I. THE ASTRAL CENTERS (CHAKRAS)\n\n II. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ETHERIC BODY\n\nIII. DREAM LIFE\n\n IV. THE THREE STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS\n\n  V. THE DISSOCIATION OF HUMAN PERSONALITY DURING INITIATION\n\n VI. THE FIRST GUARDIAN OF THE THRESHOLD\n\nVII. THE SECOND GUARDIAN OF THE THRESHOLD\n\n     SELECTED LIST OF OCCULT WORKS\n\nIn same clear print and rich binding as this book\n\nPRICE $1.00 PREPAID\n\n\n\n\n  THE WAY OF INITIATION\n\n  OR\n\n  HOW TO ATTAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIGHER WORLDS\n\n  BY RUDOLF STEINER, Ph.D.\n\n  FROM THE GERMAN\n  BY\n  ~MAX GYSI~\n\n  WITH SOME BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES OF THE AUTHOR BY\n  ~EDOUARD SCHUR\u00c9~\n\n  FIRST AMERICANIZED EDITION\n\n  MACOY PUBLISHING AND MASONIC SUPPLY CO.\n  NEW YORK, U.S.A.\n\n\n  Copyright 1910\n  BY\n  MACOY PUBLISHING\n  AND\n  MASONIC SUPPLY CO.\n\n  45-47-49 JOHN ST.\n  New York, U.S.A.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS.\n\n\n                                                           PAGE\n\nThe Personality of Rudolf Steiner and His Development         7\n\n   I. The Superphysical World and Its Gnosis                 33\n\n  II. How to Attain Knowledge of the Higher Worlds           50\n\n III. The Path of Discipleship                               65\n\n  IV. Probation                                              81\n\n   V. Enlightenment                                          93\n\n  VI. Initiation                                            117\n\n VII. The Higher Education of the Soul                      135\n\nVIII. The Conditions of Discipleship                        149\n\nList of Occult and Kindred Books                            165\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note: Words printed in bold are noted with tildes;\n~bold~. There is no corresponding anchor for footnote number 5.\n\n\n\n\nTRANSLATOR'S NOTE.\n\n(FOR THE ENGLISH EDITION.)\n\n\nBeing deeply interested in Dr. Steiner's work and teachings, and\ndesirous of sharing with my English-speaking friends the many\ninvaluable glimpses of Truth which are to be found therein, I decided\nupon the translation of the present volume. It is due to the kind\nco-operation of several friends who prefer to be anonymous that this\ntask has been accomplished, and I wish to express my hearty thanks for\nthe literary assistance rendered by them--also to thank Dr. Peipers of\nMunich for permission to reproduce his excellent photograph of the\nauthor.\n\nThe special value of this volume consists, I think, in the fact that\nno advice is given and no statement made which is not based on the\npersonal experience of the author, who is, in the truest sense, both\na mystic and an occultist.\n\nIf the present volume should meet with a reception justifying a further\nventure, we propose translating and issuing during the coming year a\nfurther series of articles by Dr. Steiner in continuation of the same\nsubject, and a third volume will consist of the articles now appearing\nin the pages of The Theosophist, entitled \"The Education of Children.\"\n\nMAX GYSI.\n\n\n\n\nPUBLISHER'S NOTE.\n\n\nWhile the pleasant German vernacular is still discernable in the text\nof this work, we wish to state that it has been Americanized in\nspelling, phraseology, and definition, to make plainer to the Western\nmind the wonderful truths experienced by its distinguished author.\n\nThe readers, especially Occult, Theosophic, Masonic, and New Thought\nstudents, we believe, will appreciate the clearness with which his\nteachings lead to the simple rich Harmony of Life.\n\nMACOY PUB. & MASONIC SUP. CO.\n\n\n\n\nTHE PERSONALITY OF RUDOLF STEINER AND HIS DEVELOPMENT\n\nBY EDOUARD SCHUR\u00c9[1]\n\n\nMany of even the most cultivated men of our time have a very mistaken\nidea of what is a true mystic and a true occultist. They know these two\nforms of human mentality only by their imperfect or degenerate types,\nof which recent times have afforded but too many examples. To the\nintellectual man of the day, the mystic is a kind of fool and visionary\nwho takes his fancies for facts; the occultist is a dreamer or a\ncharlatan who abuses public credulity in order to boast of an imaginary\nscience and of pretended powers. Be it remarked, to begin with, that\nthis definition of mysticism, though deserved by some, would be as\nunjust as erroneous if one sought to apply it to such personalities as\nJoachim del Fiore of the thirteenth century, Jacob Boehme of the\nsixteenth, or St. Martin, who is called \"the unknown philosopher,\" of\nthe eighteenth century. No less unjust and false would be the current\ndefinition of the occultist if one saw in it the slightest connection\nwith such earnest seekers as Paracelsus, Mesmer, or Fabre d'Olivet in\nthe past, as William Crookes, de Rochat, or Camille Flammarion in the\npresent. Think what we may of these bold investigators, it is\nundeniable that they have opened out regions unknown to science, and\nfurnished the mind with new ideas.\n\n          [1] Translated by kind permission of the author from the\n          introduction to _Le Myst\u00e8re Chr\u00e9tien et les Myst\u00e8res\n          Antiques_. Traduit de l'allemand par Edouard Schur\u00e9,\n          Librairie acad\u00e9mique, Perrin & Co., 1908, Paris.\n\nNo, these fanciful definitions can at most satisfy that scientific\ndilettantism which hides its feebleness under a supercilious mask to\nscreen its indolence, or the worldly scepticism which ridicules all\nthat threatens to upset its indifference. But enough of these\nsuperficial opinions. Let us study history, the sacred and profane\nbooks of all nations, and the last results of experimental science; let\nus subject all these facts to impartial criticism, inferring similar\neffects from identical causes, and we shall be forced to give quite\nanother definition of the mystic and the occultist.\n\nThe true mystic is a man who enters into full possession of his inner\nlife, and who, having become cognizant of his sub-consciousness, finds\nin it, through concentrated meditation and steady discipline, new\nfaculties and enlightenment. These new faculties and this enlightenment\ninstruct him as to the innermost nature of his soul and his relations\nwith that impalpable element which underlies all, with that eternal and\nsupreme reality which religion calls God, and poetry the Divine. The\noccultist, akin to the mystic, but differing from him as a younger from\nan elder brother, is a man endowed with intuition and with synthesis,\nwho seeks to penetrate the hidden depths and foundations of Nature by\nthe methods of science and philosophy: that is to say, by observation\nand reason, methods invariable in principle, but modified in\napplication by being adapted to the descending kingdoms of Spirit or\nthe ascending kingdoms of Nature, according to the vast hierarchy of\nbeings and the alchemy of the creative Word.\n\nThe mystic, then, is one who seeks for truth and the Divine directly\nwithin himself, by a gradual detachment and a veritable birth of his\nhigher soul. If he attains it after prolonged effort, he plunges into\nhis own glowing centre. Then he immerses himself, and identifies\nhimself with that ocean of life which is the primordial Force.\n\nThe occultist, on the other hand, discovers, studies, and contemplates\nthis same Divine outpouring given forth in diverse portions, endowed\nwith force, and multiplied to infinity in Nature and in Humanity.\nAccording to the profound saying of Paracelsus: _he sees in all beings\nthe letters of an alphabet, which, united in man, form the complete and\nconscious Word of life_. The detailed analysis that he makes of them,\nthe syntheses that he constructs with them, are to him as so many\nimages and forecastings of this central Divine, of this Sun of Beauty,\nof Truth and of Life, which he sees not, but which is reflected and\nbursts upon his vision in countless mirrors.\n\nThe weapons of the mystic are concentration and inner vision; the\nweapons of the occultist are intuition and synthesis. Each corresponds\nto the other; they complete and presuppose each other.\n\nThese two human types are blended in the Adept, in the higher Initiate.\nNo doubt one or the other, and often both, are met with in the founders\nof great religions and the loftiest philosophies. No doubt also they\nare to be found again, in a less, but still very remarkable degree,\namong a certain number of personages who have played a great part in\nhistory as reformers, thinkers, poets, artists, statesmen.\n\nWhy, then, should these two types of mind, which represent the highest\nhuman faculties, and were formerly the object of universal veneration,\nusually appear to us now as merely deformed and travestied? Why have\nthey become obliterated? Why should they have fallen into such\ndiscredit?\n\nThat is the result of a profound cause existing in an inevitable\nnecessity of human evolution.\n\nDuring the last two thousand years, but especially since the sixteenth\ncentury, humanity has achieved a tremendous work, namely, the conquest\nof the globe and the constitution of experimental science, in what\nconcerns the material and visible world.\n\nThat this gigantic and herculean task should be successfully\naccomplished, it was necessary that there should be a temporary eclipse\nof man's transcendental faculties, so that his whole power of\nobservation might be concentrated on the outer world. These faculties,\nhowever, have never been extinct or even inactive. They lay dormant in\nthe mass of men; they remained active in the elect, far from the gaze\nof the vulgar.\n\nNow, they are showing themselves openly under new forms. Before long\nthey will assume a leading and directing importance in human destinies.\nI would add that at no period of history, whether among the nations of\nthe ancient Aryan cycle, or in the Semitic civilizations of Asia and\nAfrica--whether in the Gr\u00e6co-Latin world, or in the middle ages and in\nmodern times, have these royal faculties, for which positivism would\nsubstitute its dreary nomenclature, ever ceased to operate at the\nbeginning and in the background of all great human creations and of all\nfruitful work. For how can we imagine a thinker, a poet, an inventor, a\nhero, a master of science or of art, a genius of any kind, without a\nmighty ray of those two master-faculties which make the mystic and the\noccultist--the inner vision and the sovereign intuition.\n\n                 *       *       *       *       *\n\nRudolf Steiner is both a mystic and an occultist. These two natures\nappear in him in perfect harmony. One could not say which of the two\npredominates over the other. In intermingling and blending, they have\nbecome one homogeneous force. Hence a special development in which\noutward events play but a secondary part.\n\nDr. Steiner was born in Upper Austria in 1861. His earliest years were\npassed in a little town situated on the Leytha, on the borders of\nStyria, the Carpathians, and Hungary. From childhood his character was\nserious and concentrated. This was followed by a youth inwardly\nilluminated by the most marvellous intuitions, a young manhood\nencountering terrible trials, and a ripe age crowned by a mission which\nhe had dimly foreseen from his earliest years, but which was only\ngradually formulated in the struggle for truth and life. This youth,\npassed in a mountainous and secluded region, was happy in its way,\nthanks to the exceptional faculties that he discovered in himself. He\nwas employed in a Catholic church as a choir boy. The poetry of the\nworship, the profundity of the symbolism, had a mysterious attraction\nfor him; but, as he possessed the innate gift of _seeing souls_, one\nthing terrified him. This was the secret unbelief of the priests,\nentirely engrossed in the ritual and the material part of the service.\nThere was another peculiarity: no one, either then or later, allowed\nhimself to talk of any gross superstition in his presence, or to utter\nany blasphemy, as if those calm and penetrating eyes compelled the\nspeaker to serious thought. In this child, almost always silent, there\ngrew up a quiet and inflexible will, to master things through\nunderstanding. That was easier for him than for others, for he\npossessed from the first that self-mastery, so rare even in the adult,\nwhich gives the mastery over others. To this firm will was added a\nwarm, deep and almost painful sympathy; a kind of pitiful tenderness to\nall beings and even to inanimate nature. It seemed to him that all\nsouls had in them something divine. But in what a stony crust is hidden\nthe shining gold! In what hard rock, in what dark gloom lay dormant the\nprecious essence! Vaguely as yet did this idea stir within him--he was\nto develop it later--that the divine soul is present in all men, but in\na latent state. It is a sleeping captive that has to be _awakened from\nenchantment_.\n\nTo the sight of this young thinker, human souls became transparent,\nwith their troubles, their desires, their paroxysms of hatred or of\nlove. And it was probably owing to the terrible things he saw, that he\nspoke so little. And yet, what delights, unknown to the world, sprang\nfrom this involuntary clairvoyance! Among the remarkable inner\nrevelations of this youth, I will instance only one which was extremely\ncharacteristic.\n\nThe vast plains of Hungary, the wild Carpathian forests, the old\nchurches of those mountains in which the monstrance glows brightly as a\nsun in the darkness of the sanctuary, were not there for nothing, but\nthey were helpful to meditation and contemplation.\n\nAt fifteen years of age, Steiner became acquainted with a herbalist at\nthat time staying in his country. The remarkable thing about this man\nwas that he knew not only the species, families, and life of plants in\ntheir minutest details, but also their secret virtues. One would have\nsaid that he had spent his life in conversing with the unconscious and\nfluid soul of herbs and flowers. He had the gift of seeing the vital\nprinciple of plants, their etheric body, and what Occultism calls the\nelementals of the vegetable world. He talked of it as of a quite\nordinary and natural thing. The calm and coolly scientific tone of his\nconversation still further excited the curiosity and admiration of the\nyouth. Later on, Steiner knew that this strange man was a messenger\nfrom the Master, whom as yet he knew not, but who was to be his real\ninitiator, and who was already watching over him from afar.\n\nWhat the curious, double-sighted botanist told him, young Steiner found\nto be in accordance with the logic of things. That confirmed an inner\nfeeling of long standing, and which more and more forced itself on his\nmind as the fundamental Law, and as the basis of the Great All. That is\nto say: _the two-fold current which constitutes the very movement of\nthe world_, and which might be called _the flux and reflux of the\nuniversal life_.\n\nWe are all witnesses and are conscious of the outward current of\n_evolution_, which urges onward all beings of heaven and of earth--stars,\nplants, animals and humanity--and causes them to move forward towards\nan infinite future, without our perceiving the initial force which\nimpels them and makes them go on without pause or rest. But there is in\nthe universe _an inverse current_, which interposes itself and\nperpetually breaks in on the other. It is that of _involution_, by\nwhich the principles, forces, entities and souls which come from the\ninvisible world and the kingdom of the Eternal infiltrate and\nceaselessly intermingle with the visible reality. No evolution of\nmatter would be comprehensible without this occult and astral current,\nwhich is the great propeller of life, with its hierarchy of powers.\nThus the Spirit, which contains the future in germ, _involves_ itself\nin matter; thus matter, which receives the Spirit, _evolves_ towards\nthe future. While, then, we are moving on blindly towards the unknown\nfuture, this future is approaching us consciously, infusing itself in\nthe current of the world and man who elaborate it. _Such is the\ntwo-fold movement of time, the out-breathing and the in-breathing of\nthe soul of the world, which comes from the Eternal and returns\nthither._\n\nFrom the age of eighteen, young Steiner possessed the spontaneous\nconsciousness of this two-fold current--a consciousness which is the\ncondition of all spiritual vision. This vital axiom was forced upon him\nby a direct and involuntary seeing of things. Thenceforth he had the\nunmistakable sensation of occult powers which were working behind and\nthrough him for his guidance. He gave heed to this force and obeyed its\nadmonitions, for he felt in profound accordance with it.\n\nThis kind of perception, however, formed a separate category in his\nintellectual life. This class of truths seemed to him something so\nprofound, so mysterious, and so sacred, that he never imagined it\npossible to express it in words. He fed his soul thereon, as from a\ndivine fountain, but to have scattered a drop of it beyond would have\nseemed to him a profanation.\n\nBeside this inner and contemplative life, his rational and philosophic\nmind was powerfully developing. From sixteen to seventeen years of age,\nRudolf Steiner plunged deeply into the study of Kant, Fichte and\nSchelling. When he came to Vienna some years after, he became an ardent\nadmirer of Hegel, whose transcendental idealism borders on Occultism;\nbut speculative philosophy did not satisfy him. His positive mind\ndemanded the solid basis of the sciences of observation. So he deeply\nstudied mathematics, chemistry, mineralogy, botany and zoology. \"These\nstudies,\" he said \"afford a surer basis for the construction of a\nspiritual system of the universe than history and literature. The\nlatter, wanting in exact methods, would then throw no side-lights on\nthe vast domain of German science.\" Inquiring into everything, enamored\nof high art, and an enthusiast for poetry, Steiner nevertheless did not\nneglect literary studies. As a guide therein he found an excellent\nprofessor in the person of Julius Schr\u00f6er, a distinguished scholar of\nthe school of the brothers Grimm, who strove to develop in his pupils\nthe art of oratory and of composition. To this distinguished man the\nyoung student owed his great and refined literary culture. \"In the\ndesert of prevailing materialism,\" says Steiner, \"his house was to me\nan oasis of idealism.\"\n\nBut this was not yet the Master whom he sought. Amidst these varied\nstudies and deep meditations, he could as yet discern the building of\nthe universe but in a fragmentary way; his inborn intuition prevented\nany doubt of the divine origin of things and of a spiritual Beyond. A\ndistinctive mark of this extraordinary man was that he never knew any\nof those crises of doubt and despair which usually accompany the\ntransition to a definite conviction in the life of mystics and of\nthinkers. Nevertheless, he felt that the central light which illumines\nand penetrates the whole was still lacking in him. He had reached young\nmanhood, with its terrible problems. What was he going to do with his\nlife? The sphinx of destiny was facing him. How should he solve its\nproblem?\n\nIt was at the age of nineteen that the aspirant to the mysteries met\nwith his guide--the Master--so long anticipated.\n\nIt is an undoubted fact, admitted by occult tradition and confirmed by\nexperience, that those who seek the higher truth from an impersonal\nmotive find a master to initiate them at the right moment: that is to\nsay, when they are ripe for its reception. \"Knock, and it shall be\nopened to you,\" said Jesus. That is true with regard to everything, but\nabove all with regard to truth. Only, the desire must be ardent as a\nflame, in a soul pure as crystal.\n\nThe Master of Rudolf Steiner was one of those men of power who live,\nunknown to the world, under cover of some civil state, to carry out a\nmission unsuspected by any but their fellows in the Brotherhood of\nself-sacrificing Masters. They take no ostensible part in human events.\nTo remain unknown is the condition of their power, but their action is\nonly the more efficacious. For they inspire, prepare and direct those\nwho will act in the sight of all. In the present instance the Master\nhad no difficulty in completing the first and spontaneous initiation of\nhis disciple. He had only, so to speak, to point out to him his own\nnature, to arm him with his needful weapons. Clearly did he show him\nthe connection between the official and the secret sciences; between\nthe religious and the spiritual forces which are now contending for the\nguidance of humanity; the antiquity of the occult tradition which holds\nthe hidden threads of history, which mingles them, separates, and\nre-unites them in the course of ages.\n\nSwiftly he made him clear the successive stages of inner discipline, in\norder to attain conscious and intelligent clairvoyance. In a few months\nthe disciple learned from oral teaching the depth and incomparable\nsplendor of the esoteric synthesis. Rudolf Steiner had already sketched\nfor himself his intellectual mission: \"To re-unite Science and\nReligion. To bring back God into Science, and Nature into Religion.\nThus to re-fertilize both Art and Life.\" But how to set about this vast\nand daring undertaking? How conquer, or rather, how tame and transform\nthe great enemy, the materialistic science of the day, which is like a\nterrible dragon covered with its carapace and couched on its huge\ntreasure? How master this dragon of modern science and yoke it to the\ncar of spiritual truth? And, above all, how conquer the bull of public\nopinion?\n\nRudolf Steiner's Master was not in the least like himself. He had not\nthat extreme and feminine sensibility which, though not excluding\nenergy, makes every contact an emotion and instantly turns the\nsuffering of others into a personal pain. He was masculine in spirit, a\nborn ruler of men, looking only at the species, and for whom\nindividuals hardly existed. He spared not himself, and he did not spare\nothers. His will was like a ball which, once shot from the cannon's\nmouth, goes straight to its mark, sweeping off everything in its way.\nTo the anxious questioning of his disciple he replied in substance:\n\n\"If thou wouldst fight the enemy, begin by understanding him. Thou wilt\nconquer the dragon only by penetrating his skin. As to the bull, thou\nmust seize him by the horns. It is in the extremity of distress that\nthou wilt find thy weapons and thy brothers in the fight. I have shown\nthee who thou art, now go--and _be_ thyself!\"\n\nRudolf Steiner knew the language of the Masters well enough to\nunderstand the rough path that he was thus commanded to tread; but he\nalso understood that this was the only way to attain the end. He\nobeyed, and set forth.\n\n                 *       *       *       *       *\n\nFrom 1880 the life of Rudolf Steiner becomes divided into three quite\ndistinct periods: from twenty to thirty years of age (1881-1891), the\nViennese period, a time of study and of preparation; from thirty to\nforty (1891-1901), the Weimar period, a time of struggle and combat;\nfrom forty to forty-six (1901-1907), the Berlin period, a time of\naction and of organization, in which his thought crystallized into a\nliving work.\n\nI pass rapidly over the Vienna period, in which Steiner took the degree\nof Doctor of Philosophy. He afterwards wrote a series of scientific\narticles on zoology, geology, and the theory of colors, in which\ntheosophical ideas appear in an idealist clothing. While acting as\ntutor in several families, with the same conscientious devotion that he\ngave to everything, he conducted as chief editor a weekly Viennese\npaper, the _Deutsche Wochenschrift_. His friendship with the Austrian\npoetess, Marie Eug\u00e9nie delle Grazie, cast, as it were, into this period\nof heavy work a warm ray of sunshine, with a smile of grace and poetry.\n\nIn 1890 Steiner was summoned to collaborate in the archives of Goethe\nand Schiller at Weimar, to superintend the re-editing of Goethe's\nscientific works. Shortly after, he published two important works,\n_Truth and Science_ and _The Philosophy of Liberty_. \"The occult powers\nthat guided me,\" he says, \"forced me to introduce spiritualistic ideas\nimperceptibly into the current literature of the time.\" But in these\nvarious tasks he was but studying his ground while trying his strength.\nSo distant was the goal that he did not dream of being able to reach it\nas yet. To travel round the world in a sailing vessel, to cross the\nAtlantic, the Pacific and the Indian Ocean, in order to return to a\nEuropean port, would have seemed easier to him. While awaiting the\nevents that would allow him to equip his ship and to launch it on the\nopen sea, he came into touch with two illustrious personalities who\nhelped to determine his intellectual position in the contemporary\nworld.\n\nThese two persons were the celebrated philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche,\nand the no less famous naturalist, Ernst Haeckel.\n\nRudolf Steiner had just written an impartial treatise on the author of\n_Zarathustra_. In consequence of this, Nietzsche's sister begged\nthe sympathetic critic to come and see her at Naumburg, where her\nunhappy brother was slowly dying. Madame Foerster took the visitor to\nthe door of the apartment where Nietzsche was lying on a couch in a\ncomatose condition, inert, stupified. To Steiner there was something\nvery significant in this melancholy sight. In it he saw the final act\nin the tragedy of the would-be superman.\n\nNietzsche, the author of _Beyond Good and Evil_, had not, like the\nrealists of Bismarckian imperialism, renounced idealism, for he was\nnaturally intuitive; but in his individualistic pride he sought to cut\noff the spiritual world from the universe, and the divine from human\nconsciousness. Instead of placing the superman, of whom he had a poetic\nvision, in the spiritual kingdom, which is his true sphere, he strove\nto force him into the material world, which alone was real in his eyes.\nHence, in that splendid intellect arose a chaos of ideas and a wild\nstruggle which finally brought on softening of the brain. To explain\nthis particular case, it is needless to bring in atavism or the theory\nof degeneracy. The frenzied combat of ideas and of contradictory\nsentiments, of which this brain was the battlefield, was enough.\nSteiner had done justice to all the genius that marked the innovating\nideas of Nietzsche, but this victim of pride, self-destroyed by\nnegation, was to him none the less a tragic instance of the ruin of a\nmighty intellect which madly destroys itself in breaking away from\nspiritual intelligence.\n\nMadame Foerster did her utmost to enrol Dr. Steiner under her brother's\nflag. For this she used all her skill, making repeated offers to the\nyoung publicist to become editor and commentator of Nietzsche's works.\nSteiner withstood her insistence as best he could, and ended by taking\nhimself off altogether, for which Madame Foerster never forgave him.\nShe did not know that Rudolf Steiner bore within him the consciousness\nof a work no less great and more valuable than that of her brother.\n\nNietzsche had been merely an interesting episode in the life of the\nesoteric thinker on the threshold of his battlefield. His meeting with\nthe celebrated naturalist, Ernst Haeckel, on the contrary, marks a most\nimportant phase in the development of his thought. Was not the\nsuccessor of Darwin apparently the most formidable adversary of the\nspiritualism of this young initiate, of that philosophy which to him\nwas the very essence of his being and the breath of his thought?\nIndeed, since the broken link between man and animal has been\nre-joined, since man can no longer believe in a special and\nsupernatural origin, he has begun altogether to doubt his divine origin\nand destiny. He no longer sees himself as anything but one phenomenon\namong so many phenomena, a passing form amidst so many forms, a frail\nand chance link in a blind evolution. Steiner, then, is right in\nsaying: \"The mentality deduced from natural sciences is the greatest\npower of modern times.\" On the other hand, he knew that this system\nmerely reproduces a succession of external forms among living beings,\nand not the inner and acting forces of life. He knew it from personal\ninitiation, and a deeper and vaster view of the universe. So also he\ncould exclaim with more assurance than most of our timid spiritualists\nand startled theologians: \"Is the human soul then to rise on the wings\nof enthusiasm to the summits of the True, the Beautiful and the Good,\nonly to be swept away into nothingness, like a bubble of the brain?\"\nYes, Haeckel was the Adversary. It was materialism in arms, the dragon\nwith all his scales, his claws, and his teeth.\n\nSteiner's desire to understand this man, and to do him justice as to\nall that was great in him, to fathom his theory so far as it was\nlogical and plausible, was only the more intense. In this fact one sees\nall the loyalty and all the greatness of his comprehensive mind.\n\nThe materialistic conclusions of Haeckel could have no influence on his\nown ideas which came to him from a different science; but he had a\npresentment that in the indisputable discoveries of the naturalist he\nshould find the surest basis of an evolutionary spiritualism and a\nrational theosophy.\n\nHe began, then, to study eagerly the _History of Natural Creation_. In\nit Haeckel gives a fascinating picture of the evolution of species,\nfrom the amoeba to man. In it he shows the successive growth of organs,\nand the physiological process by which living beings have raised\nthemselves to organisms more and more complex and more and more\nperfect. But in this stupendous transformation, which implies millions\nand millions of years, he never explains the initial force of this\nuniversal ascent, nor the series of special impulses which cause beings\nto rise step by step. To these primordial questions, Haeckel has never\nbeen able to reply except by admitting spontaneous generation,[2] which\nis tantamount to a miracle as great as the creation of man by God from\na clod of earth. To a theosophist like Steiner, on the other hand, the\ncosmic force which elaborates the world comprises in its spheres,\nfitted one into another, the myriads of souls which crystallize and\nincarnate ceaselessly in all beings. He, who saw the _underside_ of\ncreation, could but recognize and admire the extent of the all-round\ngaze with which Haeckel surveyed his _above_. It was in vain that the\nnaturalist would deny the divine Author of the universal scheme: he\nproved it in spite of himself, in so well describing His work. As to\nthe theosophist, he greeted, in the surging of species and in the\nbreath which urges them onward--Man in the making, the very thought of\nGod, the visible expression of the planetary Word.[3]\n\n          [2] A speech delivered in Paris, 28th August 1878. See also\n          Haeckel's _History of Natural Creation_, 13th lecture.\n\n          [3] This is how Dr. Steiner himself describes the famous\n          German naturalist: \"Haeckel's personality is captivating. It\n          is the most complete contrast to the _tone_ of his writings.\n          If Haeckel had but made a slight study of the philosophy of\n          which he speaks, not even as a dilettante, but like a child,\n          he would have drawn the most lofty spiritual conclusions from\n          his phylogenetic studies. Haeckel's doctrine is grand, but\n          Haeckel himself is the worst of commentators on his doctrine.\n          It is not by showing our contemporaries the weak points in\n          Haeckel's doctrine that we can promote intellectual progress,\n          but by pointing out to them the grandeur of his phylogenetic\n          thought.\" Steiner has developed these ideas in two works:\n          _Welt und Lebensanschauungen im 19ten Jahrhundert_ (Theories\n          of the Universe and of Life in the Nineteenth Century), and\n          _Haeckel und seine Gegner_ (Haeckel and his Opponents).\n\nWhile thus pursuing his studies, Rudolf Steiner recalled the saying of\nhis Master: \"To conquer the dragon, his skin must be penetrated.\" While\nstealing within the carapace of present-day materialism, he had seized\nhis weapons. Henceforth he was ready for the combat. He needed but a\nfield of action to give battle, and a powerful aid to uphold him\ntherein. He was to find his field in the Theosophical Society, and his\naid in a remarkable woman.\n\nIn 1897 Rudolf Steiner went to Berlin to conduct a literary magazine\nand to give lectures there.\n\nOn his arrival, he found there a branch of the Theosophical Society.\nThe German branch of this Society was always noted for its great\nindependence, which is natural in a country of transcendental\nphilosophy and of fastidious criticism. It had already made a\nconsiderable contribution to occult literature through the interesting\nperiodical, _The Sphinx_, conducted by Dr. H\u00fcbbe-Schleiden, and Dr.\nCarl du Prel's book--_Philosophie der Mystik_. But, the leaders having\nretired, it was almost over with the group. Great discussions and petty\nwranglings divided the theosophists beyond the Rhine. Should Rudolf\nSteiner enter the Theosophical Society? This question forced itself\nurgently upon him, and it was of the utmost gravity, both for himself\nand for his cause.\n\nThrough his first Master, through the brotherhood with which he was\nassociated, and by his own innermost nature, Steiner belongs to another\nschool of Occultism, I mean to the esoteric Christianity of the West,\nand most especially to the Rosicrucian initiation.\n\nAfter mature consideration he resolved to join the Theosophical Society\nof which he became a member in 1902. He did not, however, enter it as a\npupil of the Eastern tradition, but as an initiate of Rosicrucian\nesotericism who gladly recognized the profound depth of the Hindu\nWisdom and offered it a brotherly hand to make a magnetic link between\nthe two. He understood that the two traditions were not meant to\ncontend with each other, but to act in concert, with complete\nindependence, and thus to work for the common good of civilization. The\nHindu tradition, in fact, contains the greatest treasure of occult\nscience as regards cosmogony and the prehistoric periods of humanity,\nwhile the tradition of Christian and Western esotericism looks from its\nimmeasurable height upon the far-off future and the final destinies of\nour race. For the past contains and prepares the future, as the future\nissues from the past and completes it.\n\nRudolf Steiner was assisted in his work by a powerful recruit and one\nof inestimable value in the propagandist work that he was about to\nundertake.\n\nMlle. Marie von Sivers, a Russian by birth, and of an unusually varied\ncosmopolitan education (she writes and speaks Russian, French, German,\nand English equally well), had herself also reached Theosophy by other\nroads, after long seeking for the truth which illumines all because it\nillumines the very depths of our own being. The extreme refinement of\nher aristocratic nature, at once modest and proud, her great and\ndelicate sensitiveness, the extent and balance of her intelligence, her\nartistic and mental endowments, all made her wonderfully fitted for the\npart of an agent and an apostle. The Oriental theosophy had attracted\nand delighted her without altogether convincing her. The lectures of\nDr. Steiner gave her the light which convinces by casting its beams on\nall sides, as from a transplendent centre. Independent and free, she,\nlike many Russians in good society, sought for some ideal work to which\nshe could devote all her energies. She had found it. Dr. Steiner having\nbeen appointed General Secretary of the German Section of the\nTheosophical Society, Mlle. Marie von Sivers became his assistant. From\nthat time, in spreading the work throughout Germany and the adjacent\ncountries, she displayed a real genius for organization, maintained\nwith unwearied activity.\n\nAs for Rudolf Steiner, he had already given ample proof of his profound\nthought and his eloquence. He knew himself, and he was master of\nhimself. But such faith, such devotion must have increased his energy a\nhundredfold, and given wings to his words. His writings on esoteric\nquestions followed one another in rapid succession.[4]\n\n          [4] _Die Mystik, im Aufgange des neuzeitlichen Geisteslebens_\n          (1901); _Das Christentum als mystische Tatsache_ (1902);\n          _Theosophie_ (1904). He is now preparing an important book,\n          which will no doubt be his chief work, and which is to be\n          called _Geheimwissenschaft_ (Occult Science).\n\nHe delivered lectures in Berlin, Leipzig, Cassel, Munich, Stuttgart,\nVienna, Budapest, etc. All his books are of a high standard. He is\nequally skilled in the deduction of ideas in philosophical order, and\nin rigorous analysis of scientific facts. And when he so chooses, he\ncan give a poetical form to his thought, in original and striking\nimagery. But his whole self is shown only by his presence and his\nspeech, private or public. The characteristic of his eloquence is a\nsingular force, always gentle in expression, resulting undoubtedly from\nperfect serenity of soul combined with wonderful clearness of mind.\nAdded to this at times is an inner and mysterious vibration which makes\nitself felt by the listener from the very first words. Never a word\nthat could shock or jar. From argument to argument, from analogy to\nanalogy, he leads you on from the known to the unknown. Whether\nfollowing up the comparative development of the earth and of man,\naccording to occult tradition, through the Lemurian, Atlantean, Asiatic\nand European periods; whether explaining the physiological and psychic\nconstitution of man as he now is; whether enumerating the stages of\nRosicrucian initiation, or commenting on the Gospel of St. John and the\nApocalypse, or applying his root-ideas to mythology, history and\nliterature, that which dominates and guides his discourse is ever this\npower of synthesis, which co-ordinates facts under one ruling idea and\ngathers them together in one harmonious vision. And it is ever this\ninward and contagious fervor, this secret music of the soul, which is,\nas it were, a subtle melody in harmony with the Universal Soul.\n\nSuch, at least, is what I felt on first meeting him and listening to\nhim two years ago. I could not better describe this undefinable feeling\nthan by recalling the saying of a poet-friend to whom I was showing the\nportrait of the German theosophist. Standing before those deep and\nclear-seeing eyes, before that countenance, hollowed by inward\nstruggles, moulded by a lofty spirit which has proved its balance on\nthe heights and its calm in the depths, my friend exclaimed: \"Behold a\nmaster of himself and of life!\"\n\n\n\n\nTHE WAY OF INITIATION\n\n\n\n\nI\n\nTHE SUPERPHYSICAL WORLD AND ITS GNOSIS\n\n\nIn this practical age and because of the many various claims of the\nday, it is but natural that people, who hear of transcendentalism\nshould at once ask the question: \"How may we for ourselves know the\ntruth of such statements?\" Indeed, it is noticeable, as a\ncharacteristic of the majority, that they will accept nothing on faith,\nor mere \"authority,\" but wish rather to rely entirely upon their own\njudgment. Therefore, when a mystic undertakes to explain something of\nthe superphysical nature of man, and of the destiny of the human soul\nand spirit before birth and after death, he is at once confronted with\nthat fundamental demand. Such doctrine, they seem to think is important\nonly when you have shown them the way by which they may convince\nthemselves of its truth.\n\n          [5] Translated from _Lusifer-Gnosis_ (May to Dec. 1904), a\n          theosophical magazine, published by M. Altmann, Leipzig, and\n          edited by Dr. Rudolph Steiner (17 Motzstrasse, Berlin, W.).\n          This translation appeared first in the _Theosophist_ (October\n          1907-June 1908), a magazine of Brotherhood, of Comparative\n          Religion, Philosophy and Science, and of Occultism. Edited by\n          Annie Besant, President of the Theosophical Society, Adyar,\n          Madras.\n\nThis critical inquiry is quite justified; and no true mystic or\noccultist will dispute its fairness, yet it is unfortunate that with\nmany who make the demand, there exists a feeling of skepticism or\nantagonism toward the mystic or any attempt on his part to explain\nanything occult. This feeling becomes especially marked when the mystic\nintimates how the truths which he has described may be attained. For\nthey say, \"Whatever is true may be demonstrated; therefore, prove to us\nwhat you assert.\" They demand that the truth must be something clear\nand simple, something which an ordinary intellect may comprehend.\n\"Surely,\" they add, \"this knowledge cannot be the possession of a\nchosen few, to whom it is given by a special revelation.\" And in this\nway the real messenger of transcendental truth is frequently confronted\nwith people who reject him, because--unlike the scientist, for example,\nhe can produce no proofs for his assertions, of such a nature as they\nare able to understand. Again, there are those who cautiously reject\nany information pertaining to the superphysical because to them it does\nnot seem reasonable. Thereupon they partially satisfy themselves, by\nclaiming that we cannot know anything of what lies beyond birth or\ndeath, or of anything which cannot be perceived through our five\nordinary physical senses.\n\nThese are but a few of the arguments and criticisms with which to-day\nthe messenger of a spiritual philosophy is confronted; but they are\nsimilar to all those which compose the key-note of our time, and he who\nputs himself at the service of a spiritual movement must recognize this\ncondition quite clearly.\n\nFor his own part, the mystic is aware that his knowledge rests upon\nsuperphysical facts; which to him are just as tangible, for example, as\nthose that form the foundation of the experiences and observations\ndescribed by a traveller in Africa or any strange land. To the mystic\napplies what Annie Besant has said in her manual, \"Death and After?\"\n\n    \"A seasoned African explorer would care but little for the\n    criticisms passed on his report by persons who had never been\n    there; he might tell what he saw, describe the animals whose habits\n    he had studied, sketch the country he had traversed, sum up its\n    products and its characteristics. If he was contradicted, laughed\n    at, set right, by untravelled critics, he would be neither ruffled\n    nor distressed, but would merely leave them alone. Ignorance cannot\n    convince knowledge by repeated asseveration of its nescience. The\n    opinion of a hundred persons on a subject of which they are wholly\n    ignorant is of no more weight than the opinion of one such person.\n    Evidence is strengthened by many consenting witnesses, testifying\n    each to his knowledge of a fact, but nothing multiplied a thousand\n    times remains nothing.\"\n\nHere is expressed the mystic's view of his own situation. He hears the\nobjections which are raised on every side, yet he knows that for\nhimself he has no need to dispute them. He realizes that his certain\nknowledge is being criticized by those who have not had his experience,\nthat he is in the position of a mathematician who has discovered a\ntruth which can lose no value though a thousand voices are raised in\nopposition.\n\nThen again will arise the objection of the skeptics: \"Mathematical\ntruths may be proven to anyone,\" they will say, \"and though perhaps you\nhave really found something, we shall accept it only when we have\nlearned of its truth through our own investigation.\" Such then have\nreason to consider themselves to be in the right, because it is clear\nto them that anyone who acquires the necessary knowledge can prove a\nmathematical truth, while the experiences professed by the mystic if\ntrue depend upon the special faculties of a few elect mystics, in whom\nthey assume they are expected to blindly believe.\n\nFor him, who rightly considers this objection, all justification for\nthe doubt immediately vanishes; and mystics can here use the very\nlogical reasoning of the skeptics themselves, by emphasizing the truth\nthat the way to Higher Knowledge is open to anyone who will acquire for\nhimself the faculties by which he may prove the spiritual truths herein\nclaimed. The mystic asserts nothing which his opponents would not also\nbe compelled to assert, if they did but fully comprehend their own\nstatements. They, however, in making an assertion, often formulate a\nclaim which constitutes a direct contradiction of that assertion.\n\nSkeptics are seldom willing to acquire the necessary faculties to test\nthe assertions of the mystic, but prefer to judge him offhand, without\nregard to their own lack of qualification. The sincere mystic says to\nthem: \"I do not claim to be 'chosen' in the sense that you mean. I have\nmerely developed within myself, some of man's additional senses in\norder to acquire the faculties through which it is possible to speak of\nglimpses into superphysical regions.\" These senses are dormant within\nyou and every other person, until they are developed, (as is necessary\nwith the usual senses and faculties more noticeable in the growth of a\nchild). Yet his opponents answer: \"You must prove your truths to us as\nwe now are!\" This at once appears a difficult task, for they have not\ncomplied with the necessity of developing the dormant powers within\nthem, they are still unwilling to do so, and yet they insist that he\nshall give them proofs; nor do they see that this is exactly as if a\npeasant at his plough should demand of the mathematician the proof of a\ncomplicated problem, without his undergoing the trouble of learning\nmathematics.\n\nThis mixed mental condition appears to be so general and its solution\nso simple that one almost hesitates to speak of it. And yet it\nindicates a delusion under which millions of people continue living at\nthe present time. When explained to them they always agree in theory,\nsince it is quite as plain as, that two and two make four; yet in\npractice they continually act in contradiction. The mistake has grown\nto be second nature with many; they indulge it without realizing that\nthey do so without desiring to be convinced of its error; just as they\nset themselves against other laws which they should and would at all\ntimes recognize as embodying a principle of the simplest nature, if\nthey but gave it an unbiased consideration. It matters not whether the\nmystic of to-day moves among thinking artisans, or in a more educated\ncircle, wherever he goes he meets with the same prejudice, the same\nself-contradiction. One finds it in popular lectures, in the newspapers\nand magazines, and even in the more learned works or treatises.\n\nHere we must recognize quite clearly that we are dealing with a\nconsensus of opinion that amounts to a sign of the times, which we may\nnot simply pronounce as incompetent, nor deal with as possibly a\ncorrect but unjust criticism. We must understand that this prejudice\nagainst the higher truths, lies deep in the very being of our age. We\nmust understand clearly that the great successes, the immense advance\nmarking our time, necessarily encourages this condition. The nineteenth\ncentury especially had in the above respect a dark side to its\nwonderful excellences. Its greatness rests upon discoveries in the\nexternal world, and conquest of natural forces for technical and\nindustrial purposes. These successes could have been attained only by\nthe employment of the mind directed toward material results.\n\nThe civilization of the present day is the result of the training of\nour senses, and of that part of our mind which is occupied with the\nworld of sense. Almost every step we take in the busy marts of to-day\nshows us how much we owe to this kind of training. And it is under the\ninfluence of these blessings of civilization that the habits of\nthought, prevalent among our fellow-men, have been developed. They\ncontinue to abide by the senses and the mind, because it is by means of\nthese that they have grown great. People were taught to train\nthemselves to admit nothing as true except those things that were\npresented to them by the senses or the intellect. And nothing is more\napt to claim for itself the only valid testimony, the only absolute\nauthority, than the mind or the senses. If a man has acquired by means\nof them a certain degree of culture, he thenceforth accustoms himself\nto submit everything to their consideration, everything to their\ncriticism. And again in another sphere, in the domain of Social Life,\nwe find a similar trait. The man of the nineteenth century insisted, in\nthe fullest sense of the word, upon the absolute freedom of\npersonality, and repudiated any authority in the Social Commonwealth.\nHe endeavored to construct the community in such a way that the full\nindependence, the self-chosen vocation of each individual, should,\nwithout interference, be assured. In this way it became habitual for\nhim to consider everything from the standpoint of the average\nindividual.\n\nThis same individuality is also helpful in the search of knowledge on\nthe spiritual plane, for the higher powers which lie dormant in the\nsoul may be developed by one person in this direction by another in\nthat. One will make more progress, another less. But when they develop\nthose powers, and attach value to them, men begin to differentiate\nthemselves. And then one must allow, to the advanced student, more\nright to speak on the subject, or to act in a certain way, than to\nanother who is less advanced. This is more essential in matters of the\nhigher realm than on the plane of the senses and the mind, where\nexperiences are more nearly the same.\n\nIt is also noticeable that the present formation of the Social\nCommonwealth has helped to bring about a revolt against the higher\npowers of man. According to the mystic, civilization during the\nnineteenth century has moved altogether along physical lines; and\npeople have accustomed themselves to move on the physical plane alone,\nand to feel at home there. The higher powers are developed only on\nplanes higher than the physical, and the knowledge which these\nfaculties bring is, therefore, unknown to the physical man. It is only\nnecessary to attend mass-meetings, if one wishes to be convinced of the\nfact that the speakers there are totally unable to think any thoughts\nbut those which refer to the physical plane, the world of sense. This\ncan also be seen through the leading journalists of our papers and\nmagazines; and, indeed, on all sides one may observe the haughtiest and\nmost complete denial of everything that cannot be seen with the eyes,\nor felt with the hands, or comprehended by the average mind. We do not\ncondemn this attitude for it denotes a necessary stage in the\ndevelopment of humanity. Without the pride and prejudices of mind and\nsense, we should never have achieved our great conquests over material\nlife, nor have been able to impart to the personality a certain measure\nof elasticity: neither can we hope that many ideals, which must be\nfounded on man's desire for freedom and the assertion of personality,\nmay yet be realized.\n\nBut this dark side of a purely materialistic civilization has deeply\naffected the whole being of the modern man. For proof it is not\nnecessary to refer to the obvious facts already named; it would be easy\nto demonstrate, by certain examples (which are greatly underrated,\nespecially to-day), how deeply rooted in the mind of the modern man is\nthis adhesion to the testimony of the senses, or the average\nintelligence. And it is just these things that indicate the need for\nthe renewal of spiritual life.\n\nThe strong response evoked by Professor Friedrich Delitzsch's _Babel\nand Bible Theory_ fully justifies a reference to its author's method\nof thinking, as a sign of the time. Professor Delitzsch has\ndemonstrated the relationship of certain traditions in the Old\nTestament, to the Babylonian accounts of the Creation, and this fact,\ncoming from such a source and in such a form, has been realized by many\nwho would otherwise have ignored such questions. It has led many to\nreconsider the so-called idea of Revelation. They ask themselves: \"How\nis it possible to accept the idea that the contents of the Old\nTestament were revealed by God, when we find very similar conceptions\namong decidedly heathen nations?\" This problem cannot here be further\ndiscussed. Delitzsch found many opponents who feared that through his\nexposition, the very foundations of Religion had been shaken. He has\ndefended himself in a pamphlet, _Babel and Bible, a Retrospect and a\nForecast_. Here we shall only refer to a single statement in the\npamphlet. One of importance, because it reveals the view of an eminent\nscientist regarding the position of man with respect to transcendental\ntruths. And to-day innumerable other people think and feel just like\nDelitzsch. The statement affords an excellent opportunity for us to\nfind out what is the innermost conviction of our contemporaries,\nexpressed quite freely and, therefore, in its truest form.\n\nDelitzsch turns to those who reproach him with a somewhat liberal use\nof the term \"Revelation,\" and who would fain regard it as \"a kind of\nold priestly wisdom\" which \"has nothing at all to do with the layman,\"\nmaking this reply.\n\n    \"For my part, I am of opinion that while our children or ourselves\n    are instructed in school or at church as regards Revelation, not\n    only are we within our right, but it is our duty, to think\n    independently concerning these deep questions, possessing also, as\n    they do, an eminently practical side, were it only that we might\n    avoid giving our children 'evasive' answers. For this very reason\n    it will be gratifying to many searchers after Truth when the dogma\n    of a special 'choosing' of Israel shall have been brought forward\n    into the light of a wider historical outlook, through the union of\n    Babylonian, Assyrian, and Old Testament research.... [A few pages\n    earlier we are shown the direction of such thoughts.] For the rest,\n    it would seem to me that the only logical thing is for Church and\n    School to be satisfied as regards the whole past history of the\n    world and of humanity, with the belief in One Almighty Creator of\n    Heaven and Earth, and that these tales of the Old Testament should\n    be classified by themselves under some such title as 'Old Hebraic\n    Myths.'\"\n\n(It may be taken as a matter of course, we suppose, that no one will\nsee in the following remarks an attack on the investigator Delitzsch.)\nWhat, then, is here averred in naive simplicity? Nothing less than that\nthe mind which is engaged upon physical investigation may assert the\nright of judging experiences of superphysical nature. There is no\nthought that this mind without further development may perhaps be unfit\nto reflect upon the teachings of these \"Revelations.\" When one wishes\nto understand that which appears as a \"Revelation,\" one must employ the\nkind of knowledge or forces through which the \"Revelation,\" itself has\ncome to us.\n\nHe who develops within himself the mystical power of perception soon\nobserves that in certain stories of the Old Testament which by\nDelitzsch were called \"Old Hebraic Myths,\" there are revealed to him\ntruths of a higher nature than those which may be comprehended by the\nintellect, which is only concerned with the things of sense. His own\nexperiences will lead him to see that these \"Myths\" have proceeded out\nof a mystic perception of transcendental truths. And then, in one\nilluminative moment, his whole point of view is changed.\n\nAs little as one may demonstrate the fallacy of a mathematical problem\nby discovering who solved it first, or even that several people have\nsolved it, just so little may one impugn the truth of a biblical\nnarrative by the discovery of a similar story elsewhere. Instead of\ndemanding that everyone should insist upon his right, or even his duty,\nto think independently on the so-called \"Revelations,\" we ought rather\nto consider that only he who has developed in himself those latent\npowers which make it possible for him to relive that which was once\nrealized by those very mystics, who proclaimed the \"supersensuous\nrevelations,\" has a right to decide anything about the matter.\n\nHere we have an excellent example of how the average intellect,\nqualified for the highest triumphs in practical sense-knowledge, sets\nitself up, in naive pride, as a judge in domains, the existence of\nwhich it does not even care to know. For purely historical\ninvestigation is also carried on by nothing but the experience of the\nsenses.\n\nIn just the same way has the investigation of the New Testament led us\ninto a blind alley. At any costs the method of the \"Newer Historical\nInvestigation\" had to be directed upon the Gospels. These documents\nhave been compared with each other, and brought into relation with all\nsorts of records, in order that we might find out what really happened\nin Palestine from the year 1 to the year 33; how the \"historical\npersonality\" of whom they tell really lived, and what He may really\nhave said.\n\nAngelus Selesius, of the seventeenth century, has already expressed the\nwhole of the critical attitude toward this kind of investigation:\n\n    \"Though Christ were yearly born in Bethlehem, and never Had birth\n    in you yourself, then were you lost for ever; And if within\n    yourself it is not reared again, The Cross at Golgotha can save you\n    not from pain.\"\n\nNor are these the words of one who doubted, but those of a Christian,\nstrong in his belief. And his equally fervent predecessor, Meister\nEckhart, said in the thirteenth century:\n\n    \"There are some who desire to see God with their eyes, as they look\n    at a cow; and just as they love a cow, so they desire to love\n    God.... Simple-minded people imagine that God may be seen as if He\n    stood there and they stood here. But this is not so: in that\n    perception, God and I are one.\"\n\nThese words must not be understood as directed against the investigation\nof \"historical truth.\" _Yet no one can rightly understand the historic\ntruth of such documents as the Gospels, unless he has first experienced\nwithin himself the mystical meaning which they contain._ All such\ncomparisons and analyses are quite worthless, for no one can discover\nwho was \"born in Bethlehem\" but he who has mystically experienced the\nChrist within himself; neither can anyone in whom it has not already\nbeen erected, decide how it is that \"the Cross at Golgotha\" can deliver\nus from pain. Purely historical investigation \"can discover no more\nconcerning the mystic reality than the dismembering anatomist, perhaps,\ncan discover the secret of a great poetical genius.\" (See my book,\n_Das Christentum als mystische Tatsache_, Berlin, C. A. Schwetschke\nund Sohn, 1902, or its French translation, mentioned on page 1.)\n\nHe who can see clearly in these matters is aware how deeply rooted, at\nthe present time, is the \"pride\" of the intellect, which only concerns\nitself with the facts of sense. It says: \"I do not wish to develop\nfaculties in order that I may reach the higher truths; I wish to form my\ndecisions concerning them with the powers that I now possess.\"\n\nIn a well-meant pamphlet, which is written, however, entirely in that\nspirit of the age which we have already indicated (_What do we know\nabout Jesus?_ by A. Kalthoff, Berlin, 1904), we read as follows:\n\n    \"Christ, who symbolizes the life of the Community, may be discerned\n    within himself by the man of to-day: out of his own soul the man of\n    to-day can create Christ just as well as the author of a gospel\n    created him; as a man he may put himself in the same position as\n    the gospel-writers, because he can reinstate himself into the same\n    soul-processes, can himself speak or write Gospel.\"\n\n\"These words might be true, but they may also be entirely erroneous.\nThey are true when understood in the sense of Angelus Silesius, or of\nMeister Eckhart, that is when they refer to the development of powers\ndormant in every human soul, which, from some such idea, endeavors to\nexperience within itself the Christ of the Gospels. They are altogether\nwrong, if a more or less shallow ideal of the Christ is thus created\nout of the spirit of an age that acknowledges the truth of no\nperceptions other than those of the senses.\"\n\nThe life of the Spirit can be understood only when we do not presume to\ncriticize it with the lower mind, but rather when we develop it\nreverently within ourselves. No one can hope to learn anything of the\nhigher truths if he demands that they shall be lowered to the \"average\nunderstanding.\" This statement provokes the question: \"Why, then, do\nyou mystics proclaim these truths to people who, you declare, cannot as\nyet understand them? Why should there be Movements in the furtherance\nof certain teachings, when the powers which render men able to conceive\nof these teachings are still undeveloped?\"\n\nIt is the task of this book to elucidate this apparent contradiction.\nIt will show that the spiritual currents of our day originate from a\ndifferent source, in a different manner, from the science which relies\nentirely on the lower intellect. Yet, in spite of this, these spiritual\ncurrents are not to be considered as less scientific than the science\nwhich is based upon physical facts alone. Rather do they extend the\nfield of scientific investigation into the superphysical. We must close\nthis chapter with one more question, which is likely to arise: How may\none attain to superphysical truths, and, of what help are spiritual\nmovements towards this attainment?\n\n\n\n\nII\n\nHOW TO ATTAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIGHER WORLDS\n\n\nIn every man there are latent faculties by means of which he may\nacquire for himself knowledge of the higher worlds. The mystic, master,\ntheosophist, or gnostic speaks of a soul-world and a spirit-world,\nwhich are, for him, just as real as the world which we see with our\nphysical eyes, or touch with our physical hands. And those who wish to\ndevelop the spiritual senses, which unfold psychic knowledge, should\nunderstand that safe advice can be given only by those who have already\ndeveloped such power within themselves. As long as the human race has\nexisted, there have been lodges and schools in which those who\npossessed these higher faculties have given instruction to those who\nwere in search of them. Such are called occult schools, and the\ninstruction which is imparted therein is called esoteric science, or\noccult teaching. This designation sometimes leads to misunderstanding.\nHe who hears it may be very easily misled into the belief that those\nwho work in these schools desire to represent a special, privileged\nclass, which arbitrarily withholds its knowledge from its\nfellow-creatures. Indeed, he may even think that perhaps there is\nnothing really important behind such knowledge. For he is tempted to\nthink that, if it were a true knowledge, there would be no need of\nmaking a secret of it: one might then communicate it publicly to the\nadvantage of all men.\n\nThose who have been initiated into occult knowledge are not in the\nleast surprised that the uninitiated should so think. Only he who has\nto a certain degree experienced this initiation into the higher\nknowledge of being can understand the secret of that initiation. But it\nmay be asked: How, then, shall the uninitiated, considering the\ncircumstances, develop any interest at all in this so-called mystic\nknowledge? How and why ought they to search for something of the nature\nof which they can form no idea? Such a question is based upon an\nentirely erroneous conception of the real nature of occult knowledge.\nThere is, in truth, no fundamental difference between occult knowledge\nand all the rest of man's knowledge and capacity. This mystic knowledge\nis no more a secret for the average man than writing is a secret to him\nwho has never learned to read. And just as everyone who chooses the\ncorrect method may learn to write, so too can everyone who searches\nafter the right way become a disciple, and even a teacher. In only one\nrespect are the conditions here different from those that apply to\nexternal thought-activities. The possibility of acquiring the art of\nwriting may be withheld from someone through poverty, or through the\nstate of civilization into which he has been born; but for the\nattainment of knowledge in the higher worlds there is no obstacle for\nhim who sincerely searches for it.\n\nMany believe that it is necessary to find, here or there, the Masters\nof the higher knowledge, in order to receive enlightenment from them.\nIn the first place, he who strives earnestly after the higher knowledge\nneed not be afraid of any difficulty or obstacle in his search for an\nInitiate who shall be able to lead him into the profounder secrets of\nthe world. Everyone, on the contrary, may be certain that an Initiate\nwill find him, under any circumstances, if there is in him an earnest\nand worthy endeavor to attain this knowledge. For it is a strict law\nwith all Initiates to withhold from no man the knowledge that is due\nhim. But there is an equally strict law which insists that no one shall\nreceive any occult knowledge until he is worthy and well prepared. And\nthe more strictly he observes these two laws, the more perfect is an\nInitiate. The order which embraces all Initiates is surrounded, as it\nwere, by a wall, and the two laws here mentioned form two strong\nprinciples by which the constituents of this wall are held together.\nYou may live in close friendship with an Initiate, yet this wall will\nseparate him from you just as long as you have not become an Initiate\nyourself. You may enjoy in the fullest sense the heart, the love of an\nInitiate, yet he will only impart to you his secret when you yourself\nare ready for it. You may flatter him; you may torture him; nothing\nwill induce him to divulge to you anything which he knows ought not be\ndisclosed, inasmuch as you, at the present stage of your evolution, do\nnot understand rightly how to receive the secret into your soul.\n\nThe ways which prepare a man for the reception of such a secret are\nclearly prescribed. They are indicated by the unfading, everlasting\nletters within the temples where the Initiates guard the higher\nsecrets. In ancient times, anterior to \"history,\" these temples were\noutwardly visible; to-day, because our lives have become so\nunspiritual, they are mostly quite invisible to external sight. Yet\nthey are present everywhere, and all who seek may find them.\n\nOnly within his soul may a man discover the means which will open for\nhim the lips of the Initiate. To a certain high degree he must develop\nwithin himself special faculties, and then the greatest treasures of\nthe Spirit become his own.\n\nHe must begin with a certain fundamental attitude of the soul: the\nstudent of Occultism calls it the Path of Devotion, of Veneration. Only\nhe who maintains this attitude can, in Occultism, become a disciple.\nAnd he who has experience in these things is able to perceive even in\nthe child the signs of approaching discipleship. There are children who\nlook up with religious awe to those whom they venerate. For such people\nthey have a respect which forbids them to admit, even in the innermost\nsanctuary of the heart, any thought of criticism or opposition. These\nchildren grow up into young men and maidens who feel happy when they\nare able to look up to anything venerable. From the ranks of such\nchildren are recruited many disciples.\n\nHave you ever paused outside the door of some venerated man, and have\nyou, on this your first visit, felt a religious awe as you pressed the\nhandle, in order to enter the room which for you is a holy place? Then\nthere has been manifested in you an emotion which may be the germ of\nyour future discipleship. It is a blessing for every developing person\nto have such emotions upon which to build. Only it must not be thought\nthat such qualities contain the germ of submissiveness and slavery.\nExperience teaches us that those can best hold their heads erect who\nhave learned to venerate where veneration is due. And veneration is\nalways in its own place when it rises from the depths of the heart.\n\nIf we do not develop within ourselves this deeply-rooted feeling that\nthere is something higher than ourselves, we shall never find enough\nstrength to evolve to something higher. The Initiate has only acquired\nthe power of lifting his intellect to the heights of knowledge by\nguiding his heart into the depths of veneration and devotion. The\nheights of the Spirit can only be reached by passing through the\nportals of humility. Man can certainly have the right to gaze upon the\nReality, but he must first earn this right. You can only acquire right\nknowledge when you are ready to esteem it. There are laws in the\nspiritual life, as in the physical life. Rub a glass rod with an\nappropriate material and it will become electric, that is to say, it\nwill acquire the power of attracting small bodies. This exemplifies\nnatural law. (And if one has learned even a little of physics, one\nknows this.) Similarly, if one is acquainted with the first principles\nof Occultism, one knows that every feeling of true devotion aids in\ndeveloping qualities, which sooner or later, lead to the Path of\nKnowledge.\n\nHe who possesses within himself this feeling of devotion, or who is\nfortunate enough to receive it from his education, brings a great deal\nalong with him, when, later in life, he seeks an entrance to the higher\nknowledge. But he who has had no such preparation will find himself\nconfronted with difficulties, even upon the first step of the Path of\nKnowledge, unless he undertakes, by rigorous self-education, to create\nthe devotional mood within himself. In our time it is especially\nimportant that full attention be given to this point. Our civilization\ntends much more toward criticism, the giving of judgments, and so\nforth, than toward devotion, and a selfless veneration. Our children\ncriticize much more than they worship. But every judgment, every\ncarping criticism, frustrates the powers of the soul for the attainment\nof the higher knowledge, in the same measure that all heartfelt\ndevotion develops them. In this we do not wish to say anything against\nour civilization nor pass judgment upon it. For it is to this critical\nfaculty, this self-conscious human discernment, this \"prove all things\nand hold fast to the good,\" that we owe the greatness of our\ncivilization. We could never have attained the science, the commerce,\nthe industry, the law of our time, had we not exercised our critical\nfaculty everywhere, had we not everywhere applied the standard of our\njudgment. But what we have thereby gained in external culture we have\nhad to pay for with a corresponding loss of the higher knowledge, of\nthe spiritual life.\n\nNow the important thing that everyone must clearly understand is that,\nfor him who is right in the midst of the objective civilization of our\ntime, it is very difficult to advance to the knowledge of the higher\nworlds. He can do so only if he work energetically within himself. At a\ntime when the conditions of outward life were simpler, spiritual\nexaltation was easier of attainment. That which ought to be venerated,\nthat which should be kept holy, stood out in better relief from the\nordinary things of the world. In a period of criticism these ideals are\nmuch lowered; other emotions take the place of awe, veneration,\nrespect, and prayer. Our own age continually pushes these better\nemotions further and further back, so that in the daily life of the\npeople they play but a very small part. He who seeks for higher\nknowledge must create it within himself; he himself must instil it into\nhis soul. It cannot be done by study; it can only be done through\nliving. He who wishes to become a disciple must therefore assiduously\ncultivate the devotional mood. Everywhere in his environment he must\nlook for that which demands of him admiration and homage. Whenever his\nduties or circumstances permit, he should try to abstain entirely from\nall criticism or judgment. If I meet a brother and blame him for his\nweakness, I rob myself of power to win the higher knowledge; but if I\ntry to enter lovingly into his merits, I then gather such power. The\ndisciple should seek to benefit both himself and others. Experienced\noccultists are aware how much they owe to the continual searching for\nthe good in all things, and the withholding of all harsh criticism.\nThis must be not only an external rule of life; but it must take\npossession of the innermost part of our souls. We have it in our power\nto perfect ourselves, and by and by to transform ourselves completely.\nBut this transformation must take place in the innermost self, in the\nmental life. It is not enough that I show respect only in my outward\nbearing toward a person; I must have this respect in my thought. The\ndisciple must begin by drawing this devotion into his thought-life. He\nmust altogether banish from his consciousness all thoughts of\ndisrespect, of criticism, and he must endeavor straightway to cultivate\nthoughts of devotion.\n\nEvery moment, in which we set ourselves to banish from our\nconsciousness whatever remains in it of disparaging, suspicious\njudgment of our fellow-men, brings us nearer to the knowledge of higher\nthings. And we rise rapidly when, in such moments, we fill our\nconsciousness with only those thoughts that evoke admiration, respect,\nand veneration for men and things. He who has experience in these\nmatters will know that in every such moment powers are awakened in man\nwhich otherwise would remain dormant. In this way the spiritual eyes of\na man are opened. He begins to see things around him which hitherto he\nwas unable to perceive. He begins to understand that hitherto he had\nseen only a part of the world around him. The man with whom he comes in\ncontact now shows him quite a different aspect from that which he\nshowed before. Of course, through this single rule of life, he will not\nyet be able to see what has elsewhere been described as the human aura,\nbecause, for that, a still higher training is necessary. But he may\nrise to that higher development if he has previously had a thorough\ntraining in devotion.[6]\n\n          [6] In the last chapter of the book entitled _Theosophie_\n          (Berlin, C. A. Schwetschke und Sohn), Dr. Rudolf Steiner\n          fully describes this \"Path of Knowledge;\" here it is only\n          intended to give some practical details.\n\nNoiseless and unnoticed by the outer world is the following of the\n\"Path of Discipleship.\" It is not necessary that anyone should observe\na change in the disciple. He performs his duties as hitherto; he\nattends to his business as usual. The transformation goes on only in\nthe inner part of the soul, hidden from outward sight. At first the\nentire soul-life of a man is flooded by this fundamental spring of\ndevotion for everything which is truly venerable. His entire soul-life\nfinds in this devotional mood its pivot. Just as the sun, through its\nrays, will vivify everything living, so in the life of the disciple\nthis reverence vivifies all the perceptions of the soul.\n\nAt first it is not easy for people to believe that feelings like\nreverence, respect, and so forth, have anything to do with their\nperceptions. This comes from the fact that one is inclined to think of\nperception as a faculty quite by itself, one that stands in no relation\nto what otherwise happens in the soul. In so thinking, we do not\nremember that it is the soul which perceives. And feelings are for the\nsoul what food is for the body. If we give the body stones in place of\nbread its activity will cease. It is the same with the soul.\nVeneration, homage, devotion, are as nutriment which makes it healthy\nand strong, especially strong for the activity of perception.\nDisrespect, antipathy, and under-estimation, bring about the starvation\nand the withering of this activity. For the occultist this fact is\nvisible in the aura. A soul which harbors the feelings of devotion and\nreverence, brings about a change in its aura. Certain yellowish-red or\nbrown-red tints will vanish, and tints of bluish-red will replace them.\nAnd then the organ of perception opens. It receives information of\nfacts in its environment of which it hitherto had no knowledge.\nReverence awakens a sympathetic power in the soul, and through this we\nattract similar qualities in the beings which surround us, that would\notherwise remain hidden. More effective still is that power which can\nbe obtained by devotion when another feeling is added. One learns to\ngive up oneself less and less to the impressions of the outer world,\nand to develop in its place a vivid inward life. He who darts from one\nimpression of the outer world to another, who constantly seeks\ndissipations, cannot find the way to Occultism. Neither should the\ndisciple blunt himself to the outer world; but let his rich inner life\npoint out the direction in which he ought to lend himself to its\nimpressions. When passing through a beautiful mountain district, the\nman with depth of soul and richness of emotion has different\nexperiences from the man with few emotions. Only what we experience\nwithin ourselves reveals the beauties of the outer world. One man sails\nacross the ocean, and only a few inward experiences pass through his\nsoul; but another will then hear the eternal language of the\nworld-spirit, and for him are unveiled the mysteries of creation.\n\nOne must have learned to control one's own feelings and ideas if one\nwishes to develop any intimate relationship with the outer world. Every\nphenomenon in that outer world is full of divine splendor, but one must\nhave felt the Divine within oneself before one may hope to discover it\nwithout. The disciple is told to set apart certain moments of his daily\nlife during which to withdraw into himself, quietly and alone. At such\ntimes he ought not to occupy himself with his own personal affairs, for\nthis would bring about the contrary of that at which he is aiming.\nDuring these moments he ought rather to listen in complete silence to\nthe echoes of what he has experienced, of what the outward world has\ntold him. Then, in these periods of quiet, every flower, every animal,\nevery action will unveil to him secrets undreamed of, and thus will he\nprepare himself to receive new impressions of the external world, as if\nhe viewed it with different eyes. For he who merely desires to enjoy\nimpression after impression, only stultifies the perceptive faculty,\nwhile he who lets the enjoyment afterwards reveal something to him,\nthus enlarges and educates it. He must be careful not merely to let the\nenjoyment reverberate, as it were; but, renouncing any further emotions\nof joy, begin to work upon his pleasurable experiences with an inward\nactivity. The danger at this point is very great. Instead of working\nwithin one-self, it is easy to fall into the opposite habit of\nafterward trying to completely exhaust the enjoyment. Let us not\nundervalue the unforeseen sources of error which here confront the\ndisciple. He must of necessity pass through a host of temptations, each\nof which tends only to harden his Ego and to imprison it within itself.\nHe ought to open it wide for the whole world. It is necessary that he\nshould seek enjoyment, for in this way only can the outward world get\nat him; and if he blunts himself to enjoyment he becomes as a plant\nwhich cannot longer draw nourishment from its environment. Yet, if he\nstops at the enjoyment, he is then shut up within himself, and will\nonly be something to himself and nothing to the world. However much he\nmay live within himself, however intensely he may cultivate his Ego,\nthe world will exclude him. He is dead to the world. The disciple\nconsiders enjoyment only as a means of ennobling himself for the world.\nPleasure to him is as a scout who informs him concerning the world, and\nafter having been taught by pleasure he passes on to work. He does not\nlearn in order that he may accumulate wisdom as his own treasure, but\nin order that he may put his learning at the service of the world.\n\nIn all forms of Occultism there is a fundamental principle which must\nnot be transgressed, if any goal at all is to be reached. All occult\nteachers must impress upon their pupils that, _Every branch of\nknowledge which you seek only to enrich your own learning, only to\naccumulate treasure for yourself, leads you away from the Path; but all\nknowledge which you seek for working in the service of humanity and for\nthe uplifting of the world brings you a step forward_. This law must be\nrigidly observed; nor is one a genuine disciple until he has adopted it\nas the guide for his whole life. In many occult schools this truth is\nexpressed in the following short sentence: _Every idea which does not\nbecome an ideal for you, slays a power within your soul: every idea\nwhich becomes an ideal creates within you a vital force_.\n\n\n\n\nIII\n\nTHE PATH OF DISCIPLESHIP\n\n\nAt the very beginning of his course the student is directed to the\n_Path of Reverence_, and the development of the _inner life_. The\noccult teaching also gives practical instructions by the observance of\nwhich he may learn to follow that Path and develop that inner life.\nThese practical directions have no arbitrary basis. They rest on\nancient experience and ancient wisdom, and wheresoever the ways to\nhigher knowledge are marked out, they are of the same nature. All\ngenuine teachers of Occultism agree as to the essential character of\nthese rules, although they do not always express them in the same\nwords. This difference of expression is of a minor character, more\nseeming than real, and is due to circumstances which need not be\nmentioned here.\n\nNo teacher wishes, by means of such rules, to establish an ascendency\nover other persons. He would not tamper with individual independence.\nIndeed, no one respects and cherishes human individuality more than the\nteachers of Occultism. It was said, in the first part of this book,\nthat the order which embraces all Initiates was surrounded by a wall,\nand that two laws formed the principles by which it was upheld.\nWhenever the Initiate leaves this enclosure and steps forth into the\nworld, he must submit to a third inviolable law. It is this: Keep watch\nover each of your actions and each of your words, in order that you may\nnot hinder the free-will of any human being. Those who recognize that\ngenuine occult teachers are thoroughly permeated with this principle\nwill understand that they can add to their independence by the\npractical directions which they are advised to follow.\n\nOne of the first of these rules may be thus expressed in our language:\n\"Provide for yourself moments of inward calm, and in these moments\n_learn to distinguish between the real and the unreal_.\" I say\nadvisedly \"expressed in our language,\" because originally all rules\nand teachings of occult science were expressed in a symbolical\nsign-language. Those who desire to master its whole scope and meaning\nmust first obtain permission to learn this symbolical language, and\nbefore such permission may be obtained, it is necessary to have taken\nthe first steps in occult knowledge. This may be achieved by the\ncareful observance of such rules as are here given. The Path is open to\nall who earnestly _will_ to enter it.\n\nSimple, in truth and easy to follow, is the rule concerning moments of\ninner calm; but it leads to the goal only when the pursuit is as\nearnest and strict as the way is simple. It will, therefore, be stated\nhere, without further preamble, the method in which this rule should be\nobserved.\n\nThe student must mark off a small part of his daily life in which to\noccupy himself with something quite different from the avocations of\nhis ordinary life, and the _way_ in which he occupies himself at such a\ntime must also differ from the way in which he performs the rest of his\nduties. But this does not mean that what he does in the time thus set\napart has no connection with his daily work. On the contrary, the man\nwho seeks such moments in the right way will soon find that it is just\nthis which gives him full power to do his daily task. Nor must it be\nsupposed that the observance of this rule really deprives anyone of\ntime needed for the performance of his duties. _If any person really\nhas no more time at his disposal, five minutes a day will suffice._ The\nreal point is the manner in which these five minutes are spent.\n\nAt these periods a man should raise himself completely above his\nwork-a-day life. His thoughts and feelings must take on a different\ncoloring. His joys and sorrows, his cares, experiences, and actions,\nmust pass in review before his soul. And he must cultivate a frame of\nmind which enables him to regard all his other experiences from a\nhigher point of view. We need only bear in mind how different is the\npoint of view from which in ordinary life we regard the experiences and\nactions of another, and that from which we judge our own. This is\ninevitable, for we are interwoven with our own actions and experiences,\nwhile we only contemplate those of another. Our aim, in moments of\nretirement, must be to contemplate and judge our own experiences and\nactions, as though it were not ourselves but some other person to whom\nthey applied. Suppose, for example, that a certain misfortune has\nbefallen someone. What a different attitude that person takes towards\nit as compared with an identical misfortune that has befallen his\nneighbor! No one can blame this attitude as unjustifiable; it is a part\nof human nature. And just as it is in exceptional circumstances, so it\nis also in the daily affairs of life. The student must endeavor to\nattain the power of regarding himself at certain times as he would\nregard a stranger. He must contemplate himself with the inward calm of\nthe critic. When this is attained, our own experiences present\nthemselves in a new light. As long as we are interwoven with them and\nare, as it were, within them, we are as closely connected with the\nunreal as with the real. When we attain to a calm survey, the real is\nseparated from the unreal. Sorrow and joy, every thought, every\nresolve, appear changed when we contemplate ourselves in this way. It\nis as though we had spent the whole day in a place where we saw the\nsmallest objects at the same range of vision as the largest ones, and\nin the evening climbed a neighboring hill and surveyed the whole scene\nat once. Then the parts of the place take on proportions different from\nthose they bore when seen from within. The value of such calm inward\ncontemplation depends less on the actual thing we contemplate than on\nthe power which such inward calm develops in us.\n\nFor in every human being there is, besides what we call the work-a-day\nman, a higher being. This higher being remains concealed until it is\nawakened. And each of us can only awaken it for himself. But as long as\nthis higher being is not awakened, the higher faculties that might lead\nto supersensual knowledge, must lie dormant or remain hidden in every\nman. This power which leads to inward calm is a magic force that sets\nfree certain higher faculties. Until a seeker feels this magic force\nwithin him, he must continue to follow strictly and earnestly the rules\ngiven. To every man who thus perseveres, the day will come when a\nspiritual light is revealed to him, and a whole new world, whose\nexistence was hitherto unsuspected, is discerned by an eye within him.\n\nBecause he begins to follow this rule, there is no need for any outward\nchange in the life of the student. He performs his duties as before,\nand at first he endures the same sorrows and experiences the same joys\nas of old. In no way does it estrange him from life, rather is he\nenabled to devote himself to it the more completely, because in the\nmoments set apart he has a Higher Life of his own. Gradually this\nHigher Life will make its influence felt on the ordinary life. The calm\nof the moments set apart will influence his ordinary existence as well.\nThe whole man will grow calmer, will attain serenity in all his\nactions, and will cease to be perturbed by all manner of incidents.\nGradually a student who thus advances will guide himself more and more,\nand be less governed by circumstances and external influences. Such a\nman will soon discover how great a source of strength lies for him in\nthese periods of contemplation. He will cease to be annoyed by things\nthat formerly worried him; and countless matters that once filled him\nwith fear will now cease to alarm him. He acquires a new outlook on\nlife. Formerly he may have taken up this or that task with a sense of\ntimidity. He would say: \"I lack the power to do this as well as I could\nwish.\" Now he no longer admits such a thought but, instead forms one\nquite different. He says to himself: \"I will summon all my strength in\norder to do my work as well as I possibly can.\" And he suppresses the\nthought which encourages timidity; for he knows that this very timidity\nmight spoil his undertaking, and that in any event it can contribute\nnothing to the improvement of his labor. And thus one thought after\nanother, each fraught with advantage to his whole life, begins to\npenetrate the student's outlook. They take the place of those which\ngave a hampering and weakening effect. He begins to steer his own ship,\non a firm, secure course, among the waves of life, which formerly\ntossed it helplessly to and fro.\n\nAnd this calm and serenity react on the whole being. They assist the\ngrowth of the inner man, and of those inner faculties which lead to\nhigher knowledge. For it is by his progress in this direction that the\nstudent gradually attains to a state in which he himself determines the\nmanner in which the impressions of the external world shall affect him.\nThus, he may hear a word, spoken with the object of wounding or vexing\nhim. Before he began his occult studies it would indeed have been\npainful or irritating. But now that he is in the Path of Discipleship,\nhe is able to take from it the sting or the power to hurt, even before\nit enters his consciousness. Take another example: we naturally grow\nimpatient when we are kept waiting, but the student is so permeated, in\nhis moments of calm, with the realization of the uselessness of\nimpatience, that this calmness is present with him on every occasion.\nThe impatience which would naturally overcome him vanishes, and an\ninterval which would otherwise have been wasted in the expression of\nimpatience may be utilized by making some profitable observation during\nthe period of waiting.\n\nNow we must realize the significance of these facts. We must remember\nthat the \"Higher Being\" in a man is in constant development, and only\nthe state of calm and serenity here described renders an orderly\ndevelopment possible. The waves of outward life press in upon the inner\nman from all sides, if, instead of controlling this outward life, he is\ncontrolled by it. Such a man is like a plant which tries to expand in a\ncleft in the rock, and is stunted in its growth until new space is\ngiven it. No outward forces can supply space for the inner man; it can\nonly be supplied by the inner calm which he may give to his soul.\nOutward circumstances can only alter the course of his outward life;\nthey can never awaken the spiritual inner man. The student must himself\ngive birth to the new and higher man within him.\n\nThe higher man becomes the \"inner Ruler,\" who directs the circumstances\nof the outer man with sure guidance. As long as the latter has the\nupper hand, this inner man is enslaved, and cannot therefore develop\nhis powers. _If another than myself has the power to make me angry, I\nam not master of myself_, or, to put it better, I have not yet found\n\"the Ruler within me.\" I must develop the power within, of letting the\nimpressions of the outer world approach me only in the way in which I\nmyself choose; then only do I really become an occult student. And only\nby earnestly striving after this power can a student reach the goal. It\nis not of so much importance to achieve a great deal in a given time,\nas to be earnest in the search. Many have striven for years without\nnoticing any marked advance; but many of those who did not despair, and\nstruggled on undaunted, have sometimes quite suddenly achieved the\n\"inner victory.\"\n\nIn many situations it requires a good deal of effort to achieve these\nmoments of inward calm. But the greater the effort needed, the more\nimportant is the achievement. In esoteric studies, everything depends\non the energy, inward truthfulness, and uncompromising sincerity with\nwhich we contemplate ourselves and our actions from the standpoint of\ncomplete strangers.\n\nBut only one side of the student's inner activity is characterized by\nthis birth of his own higher being. Something else in addition is\nneeded. Even if a man regards himself as a stranger, it is only himself\nthat he contemplates; he looks at those experiences and actions, with\nwhich he is connected, through his particular mode of life, while it is\nnecessary for him to rise above this, and attain to a purely human\npoint of view, to be no longer connected with his own individual\ncircumstances. He must pass on to the contemplation of those things\nwhich concern him as a human being, even though he dwell in a different\ncondition and different circumstances. In this way something is brought\nto birth within him which rises beyond the personal point of view. Thus\nhis gaze is directed to higher worlds than those he knows in every-day\nlife. And then he begins to feel and realize that he belongs to these\nhigher worlds about which his senses and his daily occupations can tell\nhim nothing. In this way he shifts the central point of his being to\nthe inner part of his nature. He listens to the voices within him which\nspeak to him in his moments of calm; and inwardly he cultivates an\nintercourse with the spiritual world, which removes him from the\nevery-day world, whose voices he no longer hears. Around him there is\nsilence. He puts away from him all his external surroundings, and\neverything which even reminds him of such external impressions. His\nentire soul is filled with calm, inward contemplation and converse with\nthe purely spiritual world. This calm contemplation must become a\nnecessity to the student. He is plunged completely into a world of\nthought, and must develop an earnest desire for calm thinking. He must\nlearn to love the in-pouring of the spirit. Then he will learn to\nregard this thought-world and its thought-forms as more real than the\nevery-day things which surround him, and he begins to deal with\nthoughts as with things existing in space. And then the moment is at\nhand when the revelations of his quiet thinking begin to seem much\nhigher and more real than the things existing in space. He discovers\nthat this thought-world is an expression of life, and realizes that\nthoughts are not mere phantoms, but that through them, beings, who were\nhidden before, now speak to him. He begins to hear voices through the\nsilence. Formerly his ear was the only organ of hearing; now he can\nlisten with his soul. An inner language and an inner voice are revealed\nto him. It is a moment of supremest ecstasy to the student when this\nexperience first comes to him. An inner light floods the whole external\nworld for him, and he is \"born anew.\" Through his being passes a\ncurrent from a divine world, bringing with it divine bliss.\n\nThis thought-life of the soul, which is gradually widened into a life\nof spiritual being, is designated by the Gnosis and by Theosophy as\nmeditation (contemplative thought). This meditation is the means by\nwhich supersensual knowledge is attained. But during such moments the\nstudent must not be content to give himself up to the luxury of\nsensation. He must not permit undefined feelings to take possession of\nhis soul. That would only hinder him from attaining true spiritual\nknowledge. His thoughts must be clearly and sharply defined, and he\nwill be helped in this by not allowing himself to be carried away\nblindly by the thoughts that spring up within him. Rather must he\npermeate his mind with the lofty ideas which originated with advanced\nstudents to whom inspiration has already come. Let him first of all\nstudy the wisdom which originated in such moments of meditation. The\nstudent will find such in the mystical, gnostic, and theosophical\nliterature of our time, and will there gain the material for his\nmeditation. Wise men have inscribed in these books the thoughts of\ndivine science, or have proclaimed them to the world through their\nagents.\n\nSuch meditation produces a complete transformation in the student. He\nbegins to form entirely new conceptions of Reality. All things acquire\nfresh values in his eyes. And it cannot be declared too often that this\ntransformation does not estrange him from the world nor keep him from\nhis daily round of duties. For he begins to realize that his most\ninsignificant actions or experiences are in close connection with the\ngreat cosmic beings and events. When once this connection is revealed\nto him in his moments of contemplation, he is endowed with fresher and\nfuller power for his daily duties. For then he knows that his labor and\nhis suffering are given and endured for the sake of a great spiritual\ncosmic whole. Thus, instead of weariness, his meditation gives him\nstrength to live.\n\nWith firm step the student advances in life. No matter what it may\nbring him, he goes forward erect. In the past he knew not why he worked\nand suffered, but now he knows. It is obvious that such meditation is\nmore likely to lead to the goal, if conducted under the direction of\nexperienced persons, who know actually how everything may best be done.\nWe should, therefore, seek the advice and direction of such experienced\nguides (they are called Gurus in certain schools of thought). What\nwould otherwise be mere uncertain groping is transformed by such\ndirection into work that is sure of its goal. Those who apply to the\nteachers having such knowledge and experience will never apply in vain.\nThey must, however, be quite sure that it is the advice of a friend\nthey desire, not the domination of a would-be ruler. Those who really\nknow are always the most modest of men, and nothing is further from\ntheir nature than what is called the passion for power.\n\nThose who, by means of meditation, rise to that which unites man with\nspirit, are bringing to life within them the eternal element which is\nnot limited by birth nor death. Only those who have had no experience\nfor themselves can doubt the existence of this eternal element. Thus\nmeditation becomes the way by which man also attains to the recognition\nand contemplation of his eternal, indestructible, essential being. And\nonly through meditation can one attain to such a view of life. Gnosis\nand Theosophy tell of the eternal nature of this essential being, and\nof its reincarnation. The question is often asked: \"Why does a man know\nnothing of those experiences which lie beyond the borders of birth and\ndeath?\" Not thus should we ask, but rather: \"How may we attain to such\nknowledge?\" The entrance to the Path is opened by right meditation.\nThis alone can revive the memory of events that lie beyond the borders\nof birth and death. Everyone can attain to this knowledge; in each of\nus is the faculty of recognizing and contemplating for ourselves the\ntruths of Mysticism, Theosophy, and Gnosis; but the right means must be\nchosen. Only a being with ears and eyes can perceive tones and colors,\nnor can the eye perceive without the light by which things are made\nvisible. Occult science gives the means of developing the spiritual\nears and eyes, and kindling the spiritual light. There are, according\nto esoteric teachers, three steps by which the goal may be attained: 1.\n_Probation._ This develops the spiritual senses. 2. _Enlightenment._\nThis kindles the spiritual light. 3. _Initiation._ This establishes\nintercourse with the higher spiritual beings.\n\nThe following teachings proceed from a secret tradition, but precise\ninformation concerning its nature and its name cannot be given at\npresent. They refer to the three steps which, in the school of this\ntradition, lead to a certain degree of initiation. But here we shall\nfind only so much of this tradition as may be openly declared. These\nteachings are extracted from a much deeper and more secret doctrine. In\nthe occult schools themselves a definite course of instruction is\nfollowed, and in addition to this there are certain practices which\nenable the souls of men to attain a conscious intercourse with the\nspiritual world. These practices bear about the same relation to what\nwill be imparted in the following pages, as the teaching which is given\nin a well-disciplined school bears to the instruction that may be\nreceived occasionally during a walk. And yet the ardent and persevering\nsearch for what is here hinted at will lead to the way by which one\nobtains access to a genuine occult school. But, of course, an impatient\nperusal, devoid of sincerity and perseverance, can lead to nothing at\nall. He who believes himself to be ready for more must apply to an\noccult teacher. The study of these things can only be successful if the\nstudent will observe what has already been written in previous\nchapters.\n\nThe stages which the above-mentioned tradition specifies are the\nfollowing three:\n\n      I. Probation,\n     II. Enlightenment,\n    III. Initiation.\n\nIt is not altogether necessary that these three stages should be so\ntaken that one must have quite completed the first before beginning the\nsecond, nor this in its turn before commencing the third. With respect\nto certain things one can partake of Enlightenment, and even of\nInitiation, while with others one is still in the probationary stage.\nYet it will be necessary to spend a certain time in this stage of\nProbation before any Enlightenment at all can commence, and at least to\nsome degree one must be enlightened before it is possible even to enter\nupon the stage of Initiation. In giving an account of them, however, it\nis necessary, for the sake of clearness, that the three stages follow,\none after another.\n\n\n\n\nIV\n\nPROBATION\n\n\nProbation consists of a strict cultivation of the emotional and mental\nlife. Through this cultivation the \"spiritual body\" becomes equipped\nwith new instruments of perception and new organs of activity, just as,\nout of indeterminate living matter, the natural forces have fitted the\nphysical body with the various organs so well known to the physical\nsenses.\n\nThe beginning of this cultivation is made by directing the attention of\nthe soul to certain events in the world that surrounds us. Such events\nare the germinating, expanding, and flourishing of _life_ in its\nmyriad forms on the one hand, and, on the other, the fading, decaying,\nand passing out of life from all things so far as perceptible to the\nordinary senses. Wherever we turn our eyes we can observe these things\nhappening simultaneously, and everywhere they naturally evoke in men\nthoughts and feelings. But under ordinary circumstances a man fails to\ngrasp the importance of these sensations. He hurries on too quickly\nfrom impression to impression. What is necessary, therefore, is that he\nshould fix his attention intently and quite consciously upon these\nphenomena. Wherever he observes expansion and flourishing of a certain\nkind, he must banish everything else from his soul, and entirely\nsurrender himself for a short time to this one impression. He will soon\nconvince himself that a sensation which heretofore in a similar case\nwould have merely flitted through his soul, is now so magnified that it\nbecomes of a powerful and energetic nature. He should at once allow\nthis thought-form to reverberate throughout his whole being, yet\nquietly within himself, and to do so he must become inwardly quite\nstill. He should draw himself away from the outward world, and follow\nonly that which his soul tells him.\n\nYet it must not be thought that we can make much progress if we blunt\nour senses to the world. For, one must first contemplate these objects\nas keenly and precisely as possible, and then give up to the sensations\nthat result, and the thoughts that arise within the soul. What is most\nimportant is, that one should direct the attention, with perfect inner\nbalance, upon both of these phenomena. If one obtains the necessary\nquiet and surrenders himself to that which arises in the soul, he will,\nin due time, experience many wonderful thoughts and feelings, unknown\nto him before. Indeed, the more one fixes the attention in such a way,\nalternately upon something growing, expanding, and flourishing, and\nupon something else that is fading and decaying, the more vivid will\nthese feelings become. And just as natural forces evolve the physical\neyes and ears of the physical body, out of living matter, so will the\norgans of clairvoyance evolve themselves from the spiritual feelings\nwhich are thus evoked. A definite thought-form unites itself with the\ngerminating and expanding object, and another, equally definite, with\nthat which is fading and decaying. But this will only take place if the\ncultivation of these feelings be striven for in the way described.\n\nIt is possible to describe only approximately what these feelings are\nlike. Indeed, everyone must arrive at his own conception of them as he\npasses through these inward experiences. He who has frequently fixes\nhis attention on the phenomena of germinating, expanding, and\nflourishing, will feel something remotely allied to the sensation\ncaused by witnessing a sunrise; and the phenomena of fading and\ndecaying will produce in him an experience comparable, in the same way,\nto the gradual uprising of the moon on the horizon. Both these feelings\nare forces which, when carefully cultivated, with a continually\nincreasing improvement, will lead to the greatest occult results. To\nhim who again and again, systematically and with design, surrenders\nhimself to such feelings, a new world is opened. The \"Spiritual\" world,\nthe so-called \"Astral plane,\" begins to dawn upon him. Blooming and\nfading are facts which no longer make indefinite impressions on him, as\nof old, but instead they form themselves into spiritual lines and\nfigures of which he had previously suspected nothing. And these lines\nand figures have for the different phenomena different forms. A\nblooming flower, an animal growing, a decaying tree, evoke in his soul\ndefinite lines. The astral plane slowly broadens out before him. Its\nforms are not in any sense arbitrary. For two students who find\nthemselves at the same stage of development will always see the same\nlines and figures under the same conditions. Just as certainly as a\nround table will be seen as round by two normal persons, not as round\nby the one and square by the other; so, too, before the perception of\ntwo souls a blooming flower will present the same spiritual form. And\njust as the shapes of animals and plants are described in ordinary\nnatural history, so, too, the teacher in an occult school describes and\ndelineates the spiritual forms of growing and decaying processes after\ntheir nature and species.\n\nIf the student has progressed so far that he can see such aspects of\nphenomena which are also physically observable with his external eyes,\nhe will then be not far from the condition which will enable him to\nbehold things that have no physical existence, and must therefore\nremain entirely hidden to those who have undergone no training in an\noccult school.\n\nIt should be emphasized that the occult explorer ought never to lose\nhimself in speculation on the meaning of this or that. By such\nintellectualizing he only directs himself away from the right road. He\nought to look out on the sense-world freshly, with healthy senses and\nquickened observation, and then to give himself up to his own\nsensations. He ought not to wish, in a speculative manner, to make out\nwhat this or that means, but rather to allow the things themselves to\ninform him.[7]\n\n          [7] It should be remarked that artistic perception, when\n          coupled with a quiet introspective nature, forms the best\n          foundation for the development of occult faculties. It\n          pierces through the superficial aspect of things and in so\n          doing touches their secrets.\n\nA further point of importance is that which is called in occult science\n\"orientation in the higher worlds.\" This point is attained when one\nrealizes with complete consciousness that feelings and thoughts are\nveritable realities, just as much as are tables and chairs in the world\nof the physical senses. Feelings and thoughts act upon each other in\nthe astral-world and in the thought (or mental) world, just as objects\nof sense act upon each other in the physical world. As long as anyone\nis not truly permeated with this realization, he will not believe that\nan evil thought projected from his mind may have as devastating an\neffect upon other thought forms as that wrought upon physical objects\nby a bullet shot at random. Such a one will perhaps never allow himself\nto perform a physically visible action which he considers to be wrong,\nyet he will not shrink from harboring evil thoughts or feelings, for\nthese do not appear to him to be dangerous to the rest of the world.\nNevertheless we can advance in occult science only when we guard our\nthoughts and feelings in just the same way as a man would guard the\nsteps he takes in the physical world. If anyone sees a wall before him\nhe does not attempt to dash right through it, but directs his course\nalongside; in other words, he guides himself by the laws of the\nphysical world.\n\nThere are such laws also in the world of thought and feeling, but there\nthey cannot impose themselves upon us from without. They must flow out\nof the life of the soul itself. We arrive at such a condition when we\nforbid ourselves, at all times, to foster wrong thoughts or feelings.\nAll arbitrary goings to-and-fro, all idle fancies, all accidental\nups-and-downs of emotion must be forbidden in the same way. But, in so\ndoing, let it not be thought that we bring about a deficiency of\nemotion. On the contrary, if we regulate our inner life in this manner,\nwe shall speedily find ourselves rich in feelings and in genuine\ncreative imagination. In place of a mere chaos of petty feelings and\nfantastic trains of thought, there appear significant emotions, and\nthoughts that are fruitful, and it is emotions and thoughts of this\nkind that lead a man to \"orientation in the higher world.\" He has\nentered into the right condition for the things of that world, and they\nentail for him definite consequences. Just as a physical man finds his\nway between physical things, so, too, his path now leads him straight\nbetween the _growing_ and the _fading_, which he has already come to\nknow in the way described above. For he follows all processes of\ngrowing and flourishing, (and, on the other hand, of withering and\ndecaying) that is necessary for his own and the world's prosperity.\n\nThe occult student has also to bestow a further care on the world of\n_sound_. He must discriminate between the tones which are produced\nfrom the so-called inert (lifeless) bodies (for example, a bell, a\nmusical instrument, or a falling mass), and those which proceed from a\nliving creature (an animal or a person). He who hears the striking of a\nbell will receive the sound and attach to it a certain sensation, but\nhe who hears the cry of an animal will, in addition to this sensation,\nbecome aware that the sound reveals also an inward experience of the\nanimal, either of pain or of pleasure. The student is concerned with\nthe latter aspect of the sound. He must concentrate his whole attention\nupon it, so that the sound reveals to him something that lies outside\nof his own soul, and, more than this, must merge himself in this\nexterior thing. He must closely connect his own emotion with the\npleasure or pain communicated to him by means of the sound, and must\ncare nothing whether the sound be pleasant or unpleasant to him,\nwelcome or not; his soul must be filled with only that which proceeds\nfrom the creature out of whom the sound has come. He who systematically\nand deliberately performs such exercises will develop within himself\nthe faculty of intermingling, as it were, with the creature from which\nthe sound proceeded. A person sensitive to music will find it easier to\ncultivate his spiritual life in this respect than one who is unmusical,\nbut no one should think that a mere sense of music will take the place\nof this culture.\n\nAs an occult student, one must learn to contemplate the whole of nature\nin this way. By so doing a new faculty is developed in the world of\nthought and feeling. Through her manifold sounds the whole of Nature\nbegins to whisper secrets to the student. What hitherto was merely\nincomprehensible noise to his soul will become by this means a coherent\n_language of Nature_. And whereas, hitherto, he heard sound only from\nthe resonance of so-called inanimate objects, he now understands a new\nspeech of the soul. Should he advance in this culture of the soul, he\nwill soon learn that he can hear what hitherto he did not even surmise.\nHe begins to hear with the soul.\n\nOne thing more must be added before we can reach the topmost point in\nthis direction. What is of special importance in the development of the\nstudent is the way in which he hears the speech of other men. He must\naccustom himself to do this in such a way that while doing so his inner\nself is absolutely still. If someone expresses an opinion and another\nhears it, the inner self of the latter will be stirring in general\nassent or contradiction. Many people in such a case feel themselves\nurged to an expression of their assent, or, more especially, of their\ncontradiction. All such assent or contradiction must, in the occult\nstudent, be silenced. It is not imperative that he should, therefore,\nquite suddenly begin to make his life entirely different, in order that\nhe may attain to this inward and fundamental calm. He might, therefore,\nbegin by doing so in special cases, deliberately selected by himself.\nThus quite slowly and by degrees will this new way of listening creep\ninto his habits, as of itself: In the occult schools these things are\nsystematically practiced. For the sake of practice the student is\nobliged to listen for a certain period to the most contradictory\nthoughts, and at the same time to suppress all assent, and more\nespecially all adverse criticism. The point is that in such a way not\nonly all intellectual judgment is silenced, but also all sense of\ndispleasure, denial, or even acceptance. The student must be\nparticularly watchful that such feelings, even if they are not upon the\nsurface, do not still remain lurking in the innermost recesses of his\nsoul. He must listen, for example, to the statements of people who in\nsome respects are far beneath him, and, while so doing, suppress every\nfeeling of greater knowledge or of superiority. It is useful for\neveryone to listen in this way to children, for even the wisest may\nlearn very much from children. So does it come about that we hear the\nwords of others impersonally, completely divested of our own\npersonality with its opinions and feelings. He who thus makes a\npractice of listening uncritically, even when a completely\ncontradictory opinion is advanced, learns again and again to blend\nhimself, to become identified, with the being of another. He then\nhears, as it were, through the words and into the souls of others.\nThrough continual exercise of this kind only, sound becomes the right\nmedium for the revelation of the spirit and the soul. Of course, it\nimplies the strictest self-discipline, but it leads to a high goal.\nWhen these practices are undertaken in connection with those that deal\nwith the sounds of Nature, the soul develops a new sense of hearing. It\nis enabled to receive demonstrations from the spiritual world which do\nnot find their expression in outward sounds apprehensible by the\nphysical ear. The perception of the \"inner word\" awakens. Gradually\ntruths from the spiritual world reveal themselves to the student, and\nhe hears them expressed in a spiritual way.[8]\n\n          [8] Only to him, who listens disinterestedly, comes the\n          ability to perceive really from within, silently, and without\n          emotion arising from personal opinion or personal taste,--to\n          such only can the Great Souls, who are known in Occultism as\n          the Masters speak. As long as our opinions and feelings are\n          in a state of vehement opposition to the communications from\n          the Masters, They remain silent.\n\nAll high truths are attained through such \"inner encouragement,\" and\nwhat we hear from the lips of a genuine occult teacher has been\nexperienced in this manner. In so saying it must not be supposed that\nit is useless to acquaint oneself with the writings on occult science,\nbefore one can actually gain this inner encouragement. On the contrary,\nthe reading of such writings, and the listening to eminent teachers of\noccult lore, are themselves the means of attaining a personal\nknowledge. Every sentence of the esoteric wisdom which one hears is\nadapted to direct the senses to that point which must be attained\nbefore the soul can experience a real advance. To the practice of all\nthat has been indicated, must be added an ardent study of what the\noccult teacher gives out to the world. In all occult schools such a\nstudy belongs to the probationary period, and he who would employ other\nmethods will attain no goal if he omits the instructions of the occult\nteacher, for inasmuch as these instructions proceed from an actual\n\"inner word,\" an actual \"encouragement,\" they possess in themselves a\nspiritual vitality. They are not mere words; they are living powers;\nand while you follow the words of an occultist, while you read a book\nwhich comes from a genuine inner experience, powers are at work in your\nsoul which make you clairvoyant, just as natural forces have created\nout of living matter your eyes and ears.\n\n\n\n\nV\n\nENLIGHTENMENT.\n\n\nEnlightenment is the result of very simple processes. Here, too, it is\na matter of developing certain feelings and thoughts which are dormant\nwithin all men, but must be awakened. Only he who carries out these\nsimple processes with complete patience, continuously and strenuously,\ncan be led by them to the reception of inner illumination. The primary\nstep is taken by observing in a particular way different natural\nobjects--a transparent stone of beautiful form (a crystal), a plant,\nand an animal. One should endeavor at first to direct one's whole\nattention to a comparison of the stone with the animal, as follows: The\nthoughts which, accompanied by strong emotions, are thus induced, must\npass through the soul, and no other emotions or thoughts must be mixed\nwith them, or disturb the intense contemplation. One then says to\noneself: \"The stone has a form and the animal also has a form. The\nstone remains motionless in its place, but the animal is able to move\nabout. It is impulse (desire) which causes the animal to change its\nplace, and it is these impulses to which the form of the animal is of\nuse. Its organs and instruments are the expression of these impulses.\nThe form of the stone, on the contrary, is fashioned, not in accordance\nwith impulses, but in accordance with an impulseless force.\"[9]\n\n          [9] The fact here mentioned, in its bearing on the\n          contemplation of crystals, is in many ways distorted by those\n          who have only heard of it in an outward (exoteric) manner,\n          and in this way such practises as crystal-gazing have their\n          origin. Misrepresentations of such a kind are the outcome of\n          misunderstanding. They have been described in many books, but\n          they never form the subject of genuine (esoteric) teaching.\n\nIf one sinks deeply into such thoughts, and while so doing observes the\nstone and the animal with fixed attention, then there arise in the soul\ntwo separate kinds of emotion. From the stone into the soul there\nstreams one kind of emotion, and from the animal, another. Probably in\nthe beginning the experiment will not succeed, but little by little,\nwith genuine and patient practice, these emotions become manifest.\nAgain and again one should practice. At first the emotions last only as\nlong as the contemplation. Later on, they work afterwards, and then\nthey grow to something which remains alive in the soul. One then needs\nonly to reflect, and both emotions invariably arise, apart from all\ncontemplation of an external object.\n\nOut of these emotions, and the thoughts which are bound up with them,\nclairvoyant organs are formed. Should the plant be added to the\ncontemplation, one will notice that the feeling outflowing from it,\nboth in its quality and in its degree, lies between that which emanates\nfrom the stone and that from the animal. The organs which are so formed\nare spiritual eyes. We learn by degrees and through their means to see\nboth astral and mental colors. As long as one has attained only the\ncondition described as Probation, the spiritual world with its lines\nand figures remains dark, but through Enlightenment it will become\nclear. It must be noted here that the words \"dark\" and \"light,\" as well\nas the other common expressions, only approximately describe what is\nreally meant; for language as usually understood is constructed to suit\nphysical conditions alone.\n\nOccult science describes what emanates from the stone and is seen by\nclairvoyant eyes, as \"blue\" or \"bluish-red,\" and that which is observed\nas coming from the animal is described as \"red\" or \"reddish-yellow.\" In\nreality they are colors of a spiritual kind which are discerned. The\ncolor proceeding from the plant is \"green.\" Plants are just those\nnatural phenomena whose qualities in the higher worlds are similar to\ntheir qualities in the physical world, but it is not so with stones and\nanimals. It must now be clearly understood that the above-mentioned\ncolors only suggest the prevailing shades of the stone, the plant, or\nthe animal. In reality, all possible overtones exist, for every animal,\nevery stone, every plant has its own peculiar shade of color. In\naddition to these there are the creatures of the higher worlds, who\nalways incorporate themselves with colors not their own, often\nmarvellous, often horrible. In short, the variety of colors in these\nhigher worlds is immeasurably greater than in the physical world.\n\nIf a man has once acquired the faculty of seeing with spiritual eyes,\nhe sooner or later, meets with the beings here mentioned, some of them\nhigher, some lower than man himself; beings who never entered into\nphysical existence.\n\nWhen he has advanced thus far, the way to a great deal lies open before\nhim; but it is inadvisable to proceed further without an experienced\nguide. Indeed, for all that has here been described, such experienced\nguidance is desirable, and he who has the endurance to fulfil the\nelementary conditions of enlightenment, will assuredly seek and\ndiscover his guide.\n\nUnder all circumstances it is important to give warning, and he who\nwill not heed it had better leave untrodden all the steps of occult\nscience. It is necessary that he who would become an occult student\nshould lose none of his attributes as a good and noble man, and one\nsusceptible to all physical truths. Indeed, throughout his\napprenticeship he must continually increase his moral strength, his\ninner purity, and his powers of observation. Let us give an example:\nDuring the preliminary practices of Enlightenment, the student must be\ncareful always to be enlarging his sympathy with the animal and human\nworlds, and his sense of nature's beauty. If he is not careful to do\nthis he continually dulls both sense and feeling; his heart grows cold\nand his sympathies dwarfed; which lead to perilous results.\n\nHow enlightenment proceeds, in the sense of the foregoing practices, if\none rises from the stone, the plant, and the animal, up to man, and\nhow, after enlightenment, under all circumstances, the gentle hand of\nthe Pilot comes on a certain day, and leads to Initiation--of these\nthings the next chapter will deal in so far as it can and may do so.\n\nIn our time, the path to occult science is sought after by many. It is\nsought in various ways, and many dangerous and even objectionable modes\nare practiced. Therefore it is that those who know of the truth and\ndangers concerning these things have allowed a greater portion of the\noccult training and the necessary warning to be published. Only so much\nis here imparted as this permission allows, and it is necessary that\nsomething of the truth should be known in order that it may counteract\nthe great danger of these errors. If nothing be _forced_, there is\nno danger for him who follows the way already described; only one thing\nshould be noted: no one ought to spend more time or power upon such\npractices than is at his disposal with due regard to his circumstances\nand his duties. No one ought suddenly to change anything in the\nexternal conditions of his life. If one desires genuine results, one\nmust have patience; one should be able to cease the practice after a\nfew minutes, and then peacefully to continue one's daily work, and no\nthought of these practices ought to be mingled with the work of the\nday. He who has not learned to wait, in the best and highest sense of\nthe word, is of no use as an occult student, nor will he ever attain\nresults of much real value.\n\nHe who is in search of occult knowledge, by the means indicated in the\nforegoing pages, must fortify himself throughout the whole course of\nhis efforts by the understanding that after persevering for some time\nhe may have made suitable progress without becoming conscious of it in\nthe precise way which he had expected. He who does not remember this is\nlikely to lose heart, and in a little while to abandon his efforts\naltogether. The mental powers and faculties about to be developed are\nat first of the most subtle kind, and their nature differs entirely\nfrom the conceptions of them which may be formed in the student's mind.\nHe has been accustomed to occupy himself with the physical world alone,\nand the mental and astral worlds seem to elude his gaze, and baffle his\nconceptions. It is, therefore, not remarkable if, at first, he fails to\nrealize the new forces, mental and astral, which are developing in his\nown being. This is why it is dangerous to enter the path leading to\noccult knowledge without experienced guidance. The teacher can see the\nprogress made by the pupil, long before the latter becomes conscious of\nit for himself. He sees the delicate organs of spiritual vision\nbeginning to form themselves, before the pupil is aware of their\nexistence, and a great part of the duties of the teacher consists in\nperpetual watchfulness, lest the disciple lose confidence, patience,\nand perseverance, before he becomes conscious of his own progress. The\nteacher, as we know, can confer upon the student no powers which are\nnot already latent within him, and his sole function is to assist in\nthe awakening of slumbering faculties. But he may be a pillar of\nstrength to him who strives to penetrate through darkness into the\nlight.\n\nThere are many who leave the occult path soon after setting foot upon\nit, because they are not immediately conscious of their own progress.\nAnd even when higher experiences begin to dawn upon the seeker, he is\napt to regard them as illusions, because he had anticipated them quite\ndifferently. He loses courage, either because he regards these first\nexperiences as of no value, or because they appear so insignificant\nthat he has no hope of their leading to any appreciable results within\na measurable time. Courage and self-confidence are the two lamps which\nmust never be allowed to burn themselves out on the pathway to the\noccult. He who cannot patiently repeat an exercise which has failed for\nan apparently unlimited number of times, will never travel far.\n\nLong before one is aware of any distinct perception of progress, comes\nan inarticulate mental impression that the right road has been found.\nThis is a feeling to be welcomed, and to be encouraged, since it may\nevolve into a trustworthy guide. Above all, it is imperative to\nextirpate the idea that any fantastic, mysterious practices are\nrequired for the attainment of higher experiences. It must be clearly\nrealized that ordinary every-day human feelings and thoughts must form\nthe basis from which the start is to be made, and that it is only\nneedful to give these thoughts and feelings a new direction. Everyone\nmust say to himself: \"In my own sphere of thoughts and sensations lie\nenfolded the deepest mysteries, but hitherto I have been unable to\nperceive them.\" In the end it all resolves itself into the fact that\nman, ordinarily, carries body, soul and spirit about with him, yet is\nconscious only of the body, not of the soul and spirit, and that the\nstudent in due time attains to a similar consciousness of soul and\nspirit.\n\nHence it is highly important to give the proper direction to thoughts\nand feelings, in order that one may develop the perception of that\nwhich is invisible to a person living the ordinary life. One of the\nways by which this development may be carried out will now be\nindicated. Again, like almost everything else we have explained so far,\nit is quite a simple matter. Yet the results are of the greatest\nconsequence, if the experiment is carried out with perseverance, and in\nthe right frame of mind.\n\nPlace before you the small seed of a plant. It is then necessary, while\ncontemplating this significant object, to create with intensity the\nright kind of thoughts, and through these thoughts to develop certain\nfeelings. In the first place, let the student clearly grasp what is\nreally presented to his vision. Let him describe to himself the shape,\ncolor, and all other qualities of the grain of seed. Then let his mind\ndwell upon the following train of thought: \"This grain of seed, if\nplanted in the soil, will grow into a plant of complex structure.\" Let\nhim clearly picture this plant to himself. Let him build it up in his\nimagination. And then let him reflect that the object now existing only\nin his imagination will presently be brought into actual physical\nexistence by the forces of the earth and of light. If the thing\ncontemplated by him were an artificially-made object, though such a\nclose imitation of nature that no external difference could be detected\nby human eyesight, no forces inherent in the earth or light could avail\nto produce from it a plant. He who thoroughly grasps this thought and\ninwardly assimilates it will also be able to form the following idea\nwith the right feeling. He will reasons thus: \"That which is ultimately\nto grow out of this seed is already, as a force, now secretly enfolded\nwithin it. The artificial duplicate of the seed contains no such force.\nAnd yet both appear to be alike to my eyes. The real seed, therefore,\ncontains something invisible which is not present in the imitation.\" It\nis this invisible something on which thought and feeling are now to be\nconcentrated.[10] Let the student fully realize that this invisible\nsomething will later on translate itself into a visible plant,\nperceptible by him in shape and color. Let him dwell upon the thought:\n\"_The invisible will become visible._ If I could not think, then I\ncould not now realize, that which will become visible later on.\"\n\n          [10] Anyone who might object that a microscopical examination\n          would reveal the difference between the two would only show\n          that he has failed to grasp the intention of the experiment.\n          The intention is not to investigate the physical structure of\n          the object, but to use it as a means for the development of\n          psychic force.\n\nParticular stress must be laid on the importance of _feeling with\nintensity_ that which one thinks. In calmness of mind a single\nthought must be vitally experienced within oneself to the exclusion of\nall disturbing influences. Sufficient time must be taken to allow the\nthought, and the state of feeling connected therewith, to become, as it\nwere, imbedded in the soul. If that is accomplished in the right\nway--possibly not until after numerous attempts--an inward force will\nmake itself felt. And this force will create new powers of perception.\nThe grain of seed will appear as if enclosed in a small luminous cloud.\nThe spiritualized vision of the student perceives it as a kind of\nflame. This flame is of a lilac color in the centre, blue at the edges.\nThen appears that which one could not see before, and which was created\nby the power of thought and feeling brought into life within oneself.\nThat which was physically invisible (the plant which will not become\nvisible until later on) has there revealed itself to the spiritual eye.\n\nIt is pardonable if, to many men, all this appears to be mere illusion.\nMany will say: \"What is the value of such visions or such\nhallucinations?\" And many will thus fall away, and no longer continue\nto tread the path. But this is precisely the important point--not to\nconfuse, at this difficult stage of human evolution, spiritual reality\nwith the mere creations of phantasy, and to have the courage to press\nmanfully onward, instead of growing timorous and faint-hearted. On the\nother hand, however, it is necessary to insist on the necessity of\nmaintaining unimpaired, and of perpetually cultivating, the healthy\nattitude of mind which is required for the distinguishing of truth from\nillusion. Never during all these exercises must the student surrender\nthe fully conscious control of himself. He must continue to think as\nsoundly and sanely in these spiritual conditions as he does with regard\nto the things and occurrences of ordinary life. It would be unfortunate\nif he lapses into reveries. He must at every moment be clear-headed and\nsober-minded and it would be the greatest mistake if the student,\nthrough such practices, lost his mental equilibrium, or if he were\nprevented from judging as sanely and clearly as before, the matters of\nwork-a-day life. The disciple should, therefore, examine himself again\nand again to find out whether he has remained unaltered in relation to\nthe circumstances among which he lives, or whether perchance he has\nlost his mental balance. He must ever maintain a calm repose within his\nown individuality, and an open mind for everything, being careful at\nthe same time not to drift into vague reveries or to experiment with\nall sorts of exercises.\n\nThe lines for development here indicated, belong to those which have\nbeen followed, and whose efficacy has been demonstrated in the schools\nof occultism from the earliest ages, and none but such will here be\ngiven. Anyone attempting to employ methods of meditation devised by\nhimself, or which he may have come across in the course of promiscuous\nreading will inevitably be led astray, and will lose himself in a\nboundless morass of incoherent phantasies.\n\nA further exercise which may succeed the one described above, is the\nfollowing: Let the disciple place himself in front of a plant which has\nattained the stage of full development. Now let his mind be absorbed by\nthe reflection that the time is near at hand when this plant will\nwither and die. \"Nothing,\" he should say to himself, \"nothing of what I\nnow see before me will endure. But this plant will have evolved seeds\nwhich in their turn will grow into new plants. Again I become aware\nthat in what I see something lies concealed which I cannot see. I will\nfill my mind wholly with the thought that this plant-form with its\ncolors will cease to be. But the reflection that the plant has produced\nseeds teaches me that it will not disappear into nothing. That which\nwill prevent this disappearance, I can at present no more see with my\neyes than I could originally discern the plant in the grain of seed.\n_The plant, therefore, contains something which my eyes are unable to\nsee._ If this thought fully lives in me, and combines with the\ncorresponding state of feeling, then, in due time, there will again\ndevelop a force in my soul which will ripen into a new kind of\nperception.\" Out of the plant there grows once more a flame-like\nappearance, which is, of course, correspondingly larger than that which\nwas previously described. This flame is greenish at the centre, and is\ntinged with yellow at the outer edge.\n\nHe who has won this vision has gained greatly, inasmuch as he sees\nthings, not only in their present state of being, but also in their\ndevelopment and decay. He begins to see in all things the spirit, of\nwhich the bodily organs of sight have no perception, and he has taken\nthe initial steps on that road, which will gradually lead him to the\nsolution, by direct vision, of the secret of birth and death. To the\nouter senses, a being begins to exist at its birth, and ceases to exist\nat its death. This, however, only appears to be so, because these\nsenses are unable to apprehend the concealed spirit. Birth and death\nare only, for this spirit, transformations, just as the unfolding of\nthe flower from the bud is a transformation enacted before our physical\neyes. But if one desires to attain to direct perception of these facts,\none must first awaken the spiritual vision by the means here indicated.\n\nIn order to meet an objection which may be raised by certain people\nalready possessed of some psychical experience, let it be at once\nadmitted that there are shorter ways than this, and that there are\npersons who have direct perception of the actualities of birth and\ndeath, without having had to pass through all the stages of discipline\nhere set forth. There are also human beings endowed with high psychical\nfaculties, to whom only a slight impulse is necessary for the\ndeveloping of these powers. But they are exceptional, and the methods\ndescribed above are safer, and are capable of general application.\nSimilarly, it is possible to gain some knowledge of chemistry by\nspecial methods; but in order to make safer the science of chemistry,\nthe recognized, reliable course must be followed.\n\nAn error fraught with serious consequences would result from the\nassumption that the goal could be reached more simply by allowing the\nmind to dwell merely on an imaginary plant or a grain of seed. It may\nbe possible by such means to evoke a force which would enable the soul\nto attain the inner vision. But this vision will be, in most cases, a\nmere figment of the imagination, for the main object is not to create\narbitrarily a mental vision, but to allow the veritable nature of\nthings to form an image within one's mind. The truth must come up from\nthe depth of one's own soul, not at the call of one's ordinary self,\nbut rather must the objects of one's perception themselves exercise\ntheir magical power, if one is to perceive their inner reality.\n\nAfter the disciple has evolved, by such means, the rudiments of\nspiritual vision, he may proceed to the contemplation of human nature\nitself. Simple appearances of ordinary life must be chosen first. But\nbefore making any attempts in this direction, it is imperative for the\nstudent to strive after an absolute sincerity of moral character. He\nmust banish all thoughts of ever using the insight to be attained in\nthese ways for his own selfish ends. He must be absolutely determined\nthat under no circumstances will he avail himself, in an evil sense, of\nany power which he may gain over his fellow-creatures. This is the\nreason why everyone who desires to gain direct insight into the secrets\nof human nature must follow the golden rule of true Occultism. And the\ngolden rule is this: For every one step that you take in the pursuit of\nthe hidden knowledge, take three steps in the perfecting of your own\ncharacter. He who obeys this rule can perform such exercises as that\nwhich is now to be explained.\n\nBegin by observing a person filled with a desire for some object.\nDirect your attention to this desire. It is best to choose a time when\nthis desire is at its height, and when it is not yet certain whether\nthe object of the desire will be attained or not. Then surrender\nyourself entirely to the contemplation of that which you observe, but\nmaintain the utmost inner tranquility of soul. Make every endeavor to\nbe deaf and blind to everything that may be going on around you at the\nsame time, and bear in mind particularly that this contemplation is to\nevoke a state of feeling in your soul. Allow this state of feeling to\narise in your soul, like a cloud rising on an otherwise cloudless\nhorizon. It is to be expected, of course, that your observation will be\ninterrupted, because the person on whom it is directed will not remain\nin this particular state of mind for a sufficient length of time.\nPresumably you will fail in your experiment hundreds and hundreds of\ntimes. It is simply a question of not losing patience. After many\nattempts you will ultimately realize the state of feeling spoken of\nabove as fast as the corresponding mental phenomena pass through the\nsoul of the person under observation. After a time you will begin to\nnotice that this feeling in your own soul is evoking the power of\nspiritual vision into the psychical condition of the other. A luminous\nimage will appear in your field of vision. And this luminous image is\nthe so-called astral manifestation evoked by the desire-state when\nunder observation. Again we may describe this image as flame-like in\nappearance. It is yellowish red in the centre and reddish-blue or lilac\nat the edges. Much depends upon treating such experiences of the inner\nvision with great delicacy. It will be best for you at first to talk of\nthem to nobody except your teacher, if you have one. The attempt to\ndescribe such appearances in appropriate words usually leads to gross\nself-deception. One employs ordinary terms not applicable to such\npurposes, and therefore much too gross and clumsy. The consequence is\nthat one's own attempt to clothe this vision in words unconsciously\nleads one to blend the actual experience with an alloy of imaginary\ndetails. It is, therefore, another important law for the occult\ninquirer that he should know how to observe silence concerning his\ninner visions. Observe silence even towards yourself. Do not endeavor\nto express in words that which you see, or to fathom it with reasoning\nfaculties that are inadequate. Freely surrender yourself to these\nspiritual impressions without any mental reservations, and without\ndisturbing them by thinking about them too much. For you must remember\nthat your reasoning faculties were, at first, by no means equal to your\nfaculties of observation. You have acquired these reasoning faculties\nthrough experiences hitherto confined exclusively to the world as\napprehended by your physical senses, and the faculties you are now\nacquiring transcend these experiences. Do not, therefore, try to\nmeasure your new and higher perceptions by the old standard. Only he\nwho has already gained some certainty in his observation of inner\nexperiences ought to speak about them with the idea of thereby\nstimulating his fellow-beings.\n\nAs a supplementary exercise the following may be set forth. Direct your\nobservation in the same way upon a fellow-being to whom the fulfilment\nof some wish, the gratification of some desire has just been granted.\nIf the same rules and precautions are adopted as in the previous\ninstance, you will once more attain to spiritual perception. You will\ndistinguish a flame-like appearance which is yellow in the centre and\ngreenish at the edges. By such observations of one's fellow-creatures\none may easily be led into a moral fault--one may become uncharitable.\nAll conceivable means must be taken to fight against this tendency.\nAnyone exercising such powers of observation should have risen to the\nlevel on which one is absolutely convinced that thoughts are actual\nthings. He may then no longer allow himself to admit thoughts\nincompatible with the highest reverence for the dignity of human life\nand of human liberty. Not for one moment must he entertain the idea of\nregarding a human being as a mere object for observation. It must be\nthe aim of self-education to see that the faculties for a psychic\nobservation of human nature go hand in hand with a full recognition of\nthe rights of each individual. That which dwells in each human being\nmust be regarded as something holy, and to be held inviolate by us even\nin our thoughts and feelings. We must be possessed by a feeling of\nreverential awe for all that is human.\n\nFor the present, only these two examples can be given as to the methods\nby which an insight into human nature may be achieved, but they will at\nleast serve to point out the way which must be followed. He who has\ngained the inner tranquility and repose which are indispensable for\nsuch observations, will by so doing, already have undergone a great\ntransformation. This will soon reach the point at which the increase of\nhis spiritual worth will manifest itself in the confidence and\ncomposure of his outward demeanor. Again, this alteration in his\ndemeanor will react favorably on his inner condition, and thus he will\nbe able to help himself further along the road. He will find ways of\npenetrating further and further into those secrets of human nature,\nthose hidden from our external senses, and will then become qualified\nfor a deeper insight into the mysterious correlations between the\nnature of man, and all else that exists in the universe. By following\nthis path, the disciple will approach closer and closer to the day on\nwhich he will be deemed worthy of taking the first steps of initiation;\nbut before these can be taken it is necessary to assure oneself of\nunflinching courage. At first it may not be at all apparent to the\nstudent why it should be necessary, but he cannot fail to be convinced\nof it in the end.\n\nThe quality which is indispensable to him who would be initiated is a\ncertain measure of courage and fearlessness. He must absolutely go out\nof his way to find opportunities for developing these virtues. In the\noccult schools they are cultivated quite systematically; but life in\nthis respect is itself an excellent school of occultism, nay, possibly\nthe best. To face danger calmly, to try to overcome difficulties\nunswervingly, this is what the student must learn to do; for instance,\nin the presence of some peril, he must rise at once to the conception\nthat fears are altogether useless, and ought not to be entertained for\none moment, but that the mind ought simply to be concentrated on what\nis to be done. He must reach a point where it has become impossible\nfor him ever again to feel afraid or to lose his courage. By\nself-discipline in this direction he will develop within himself\ndistinct qualities which he needs if he is to be initiated into the\nhigher mysteries. Just as man in his physical being requires nervous\nforce in order to use his physical senses, so also, in his psychic\nnature, he requires the force which is only produced in the courageous\nand the fearless. For in penetrating to the higher mysteries he will\nsee things not yet revealed to the physical eyesight nor to any other\nof the human senses. The latter, by hiding from our gaze, the higher\nverities (things which we could not bear to behold) are in reality our\nbenefactors, since they prevent us from perceiving that which, if\nrealized without due preparation, would throw us into unutterable\nconsternation. The disciple must be prepared to endure this sight,\nalthough he has lost certain supports in the outer world by a\nrealization of the very illusions that encompassed him. It is truly\nand literally as if his attention were suddenly drawn to a certain\ndanger by which for some time he had been unconsciously threatened. He\nwas not afraid hitherto, but now that he sees his peril, he is\novercome by terror, even though the danger has not been rendered any\ngreater by his knowledge thereof.\n\nThe forces at work in the world are both destructive and creative. The\ndestiny of manifested beings is birth and death. The Initiate is to\nbehold this march of destiny. The veil, which in the ordinary course of\nlife clouds the spiritual eyes, is to be uplifted, and the man is to\nsee himself as one interwoven with these forces, with this destiny. His\nown nature contains destructive and creative powers. As undisguisedly\nas the other objects of his vision are revealed to the eye of the seer,\nhis own soul is bared to his gaze. In the face of this self-knowledge,\nthe disciple must not suffer himself to droop, and in this he will\nsucceed only if he has brought with him an excess of the necessary\nstrength. In order that this may be the case he must learn to maintain\ninner calm and confidence in the most difficult circumstances; he must\nnourish within himself a firm faith in the beneficent forces of\nexistence. He must be prepared to find that many motives which have\nactuated him hitherto will actuate him no longer. He must needs\nperceive that he has hitherto often thought or acted in a certain\nmanner, because he was still in the toils of ignorance. Reasons which\nformerly influenced him will now disappear. He has done many things out\nof personal vanity; he will now perceive how utterly futile all such\nvanity is in the eyes of the Initiate. He has done much from motives of\navarice; he will now be aware of the destructive effect of all\navariciousness. He will have to develop entirely new springs for his\nthought and action, and it is for this that courage and fearlessness\nare required.\n\nIt is especially a matter of cultivating this courage and this\nfearlessness in the inmost depths of the mental life. The disciple must\nlearn never to despair. He must always be equal to the thought: \"I will\nforget that I have again failed in this matter. I will try once more,\nas though nothing at all had happened.\" Thus he will fight his way on\nto the firm conviction that the universe contains inexhaustible\nfountains of strength from which he may drink. He must aspire again and\nagain to the Divine which will uplift and support him, however feeble\nand impotent the mortal part of his being may prove. He must be capable\nof pressing on towards the future, undismayed by any experiences of the\npast. Every teacher of Occultism will carefully ascertain how far the\ndisciple, aspiring to Initiation into the higher mysteries, has\nadvanced on the road of spiritual preparation. If he fulfil these\nconditions to a certain degree, he is then worthy to hear uttered those\nNames of things which form the key that unlocks the higher knowledge.\nFor Initiation consists in this very act of learning to know the things\nof the universe by those Names which they bear in the spirit of their\nDivine Author. And the mystery of things lies in these Names. Therefore\nit is that the Initiate speaks another language than that of the\nuninitiate, for he knows the Names by which things were called into\nexistence.\n\n\n\n\nVI\n\nINITIATION\n\n\nThe highest degree in Occultism, of which it is possible to speak in a\nbook for general readers, is Initiation. One cannot give public\ninformation concerning all that lies beyond, though the way to it can\nalways be found by one who has previously pressed forward and\npenetrated the lower secrets and mysteries.\n\nThe knowledge and power which are conferred upon a man through\nInitiation could not be obtained in any other manner except in some far\ndistant future, after many incarnations, on quite another road and in\nquite another form. He who is initiated to-day experiences something\nwhich he would otherwise have to experience at a much later period and\nunder quite different circumstances.\n\nIt is right that a person should learn only so much of the secrets of\nnature as correspond to his own degree of development, and for this\nreason alone do obstacles bar his way to complete knowledge and power.\nPeople should not be trusted with the use of fire-arms until they have\nhad enough experience to make it certain that they will not use them\nmischievously or without care. If a person, without the necessary\npreparation, were initiated to-day, he would still lack those\nexperiences which, in the normal course of his development, would come\nto him in the future during other incarnations and would then bring\nwith them the corresponding secrets. At the door of Initiation these\nexperiences must, therefore, be supplied in some other way, and in\ntheir place the candidate has to undergo the preliminary teaching.\nThese are so-called \"trials\" which have to be passed. These trials are\nnow being discussed in various books and magazines, but, owing to the\nvery nature of such discussion, it is not surprising that quite false\nimpressions are received concerning them. For those who have not\nalready gone through the periods of Probation and Enlightenment know\nnothing of these trials, and consequently cannot appropriately describe\nthem.\n\nCertain matters or subjects connected with the higher worlds are\nproduced before the candidate, but he is able to see and hear these\nonly when he can perceive clearly the figures, tones, and colors, for\nwhich he has been prepared by the teachings on Probation and\nEnlightenment.\n\nThe first trial consists in obtaining a clearer comprehension of the\ncorporeal attributes of what seem to be lifeless things, then of\nplants, of animals, of human beings (in the way that the average person\npossesses them). This does not mean what is commonly called \"scientific\nknowledge\"; with that it has no connection, but it has to do with\nintuition. What usually occurs is that the Initiate discloses to the\ncandidate how the objects of nature and the essence of living things\nreveal themselves to the spiritual and mental hearing and sight. In a\ncertain way these things then lie revealed--naked--before the beholder.\nAttributes and qualities which are concealed from physical eyes and\nears can then be seen and heard. Heretofore they have been enwrapped as\nin a veil, and the falling away of this veil for the candidate, occurs\nat what is called the Process of Purification by Fire. The first trial\nis therefore known as the \"Fire-Trial,\" which will briefly be explained\nthus:\n\nFor some people the every day ordinary life is a more or less\nunconscious process of initiation by means of the Fire-Trial. These\npersons are those who have passed through a wealth of developing\nexperiences, and who find that their self-confidence, courage, and\nfortitude have been greatly augmented in a normal way--who have learned\nto bear sorrow and disappointment, from the failure of their\nundertakings, with greatness of mind, and especially with quiet and\nunbroken strength. Those who have gone through such experiences are\noften initiates, without knowing it, and it needs but little to open\nfor them the spiritual hearing and sight--to make them clairvoyant. For\nit must be noted that a genuine Fire-Trial is not merely intended to\nsatisfy the curiosity of the candidate. He would learn, undoubtedly,\nmany unusual things, of which others, devoid of such experiences, can\nhave no idea; but yet this knowledge is not the end nor aim, but merely\nthe path to the end. The real aim and object is this--that the\ncandidate shall acquire for himself, through this knowledge of the\nhigher worlds, a greater and truer self-confidence, a higher and nobler\ncourage, and a perseverance, an attitude of mind, altogether different\nfrom what he could have obtained in the lower world.\n\nAfter the Fire-Trial a candidate may turn from the school; but because\nhe has gone thus far he will accomplish his ordinary life work, greatly\nstrengthened in all his spiritual and physical relations, and in his\nnext incarnation he will continue to seek further initiation and\nadvancement. In his present life, at all events, he will prove himself\na more useful member of society, will be of greater service to humanity\nthan he was before, and in whatever position he may find himself, his\nfirmness, prudence, and favorable influence over his fellows will have\ngreatly increased.\n\nAfter coming out of the Fire-Trial, if he should wish to continue in\nthe occult school, he then has to be instructed in a certain\nwriting-system which is used by those in the school. Occult teachings\nare written in this occult writing-system, because what is really\noccult can neither be perfectly spoken of in words of our ordinary\nspeech, nor set forth in the ordinary ways of writing. Those who have\nlearned much from the Initiates can but partially translate the\nteachings of Occultism into terms of ordinary speech.\n\nThe symbols or signs of the secret script are not arbitrarily invented\nor imagined, but correspond to powers which are active and efficacious\nin nature. It is through these symbols or signs that one learns the\nlanguage of such matters. The candidate immediately sees for himself\nthat these symbols correspond to the figures, tones and colors which he\nhas learned to perceive during the periods of Probation and\nEnlightenment. He now understands that all which went before was like\nlearning how to spell, and that only now does he begin to read in the\nhigher worlds. All that appeared to him before as separate figures,\ntones and colors, is now revealed to him as a perfect unity, a coherent\nharmony, and here, for the first time, he attains a real certainty in\nobserving and following the higher knowledge. Hitherto it was not\npossible for him to be sure that what he saw had been clearly or\ncorrectly perceived. Now, at last, it is possible that a correct\nunderstanding between the candidate and the Initiate begin to arise\nconcerning the spheres of the higher worlds. For no matter how close\nthe connection between the two may be, no matter what form their\nintercourse may take in ordinary life, the Initiate can only\ncommunicate to the candidate, on these planes, in the direct form or\nfigures of the secret alphabet.\n\nThrough this occult speech the student also learns certain rules of\nconduct for life, certain duties and obligations, of which, previously,\nhe knew nothing whatever. When he learns to know these rules, he is\nable to perform actions which have a significance and a meaning such as\nthe actions of another who is not initiated can never possess. The only\npoint of view from which he is now able to look upon things; the only\nplane from which he can now make manifest his deeds, is that of the\nhigher worlds and the instructions concerning such deeds can only be\nread, or understood, in the secret script.\n\nYet it must be clearly understood and emphasized that there are persons\nwho, _unconsciously_, have the ability or faculty of performing these\nactions, notwithstanding they have never been in an occult school. Such\n\"helpers of humanity and the world\" proceed blessedly and beneficently\nthrough life. There are certain fundamental reasons, which cannot be\nhere discussed, why they are in possession of seemingly supernatural\ngifts. The only difference between these persons and the pupils of an\noccult school is that the former act unconsciously, while the latter\nwork with a full knowledge, insight, judgment, and understanding of the\nentire matter in hand. Often the candidate has to win by training that\nwhich has been bestowed by a Higher Power upon his fellow, for the good\nof humanity. One should freely and openly honor these favored ones of\nGod; but he should not, on their account, consider the work of the\noccult schools unnecessary or superfluous.\n\nNow that the student has learned the \"Mystery language,\" there awaits\nhim yet another trial. By this he must prove whether he can move with\nfreedom and certainty in the higher worlds. In ordinary life a man will\nbe impelled to actions by outward motives and conditions. He works at\nthis or that because certain duties are imposed upon him by outward\ncircumstances. It need hardly be mentioned that the occult student must\nin no way neglect any of the duties connected with his ordinary life\nbecause he is a student in an occult school and in the higher worlds.\nNone of his duties there can constrain him to treat with inattention or\ncarelessness any one of his duties in the lower world. The father will\nremain just as good a father to his family, the mother just as good a\nmother; and neither the officer nor the soldier, nor anyone else, will\nbe detained from their necessary duties because they are students in\nOccultism. On the contrary, all the qualities which make capable men\nare increased to a degree of which the uninitiated can form no idea.\nThat this may not always appear to be the case is due merely to the\nfact that they have not always the ability to correctly judge or\ncriticize the Initiate. The deeds of the latter are not always entirely\nintelligible to the former. But, as we have said before, this only\nhappens in certain cases.\n\nFor him who has arrived at the so-called \"Steps of Initiation,\" there\nare new duties to be performed to which no outer stimulus is given. He\nwill be moved to do these things by no external pressure, but by those\nrules of conduct which have been communicated to him in the\nmystery-language. In this second trial he must prove that, led by such\nrules of conduct, he can act from inner promptings just as firmly as an\nofficer performs his obligatory duties. For this purpose the teacher\nwill set before the pupil certain definite tasks. The latter now has to\nperform some deed in consequence of observations made from the total of\nwhat he learned during Probation and Enlightenment. He has to find the\nway to what he is now to perform, by means of the mystery-language,\nwhich by this time is familiar to him. If he discerns his duty and\nexecutes it correctly, he has endured the trial, and he recognizes the\nsuccess, which attends the fulfilment of the task, by the changed\nmanner with which the spiritual eyes and ears now apprehend the\nfigures, tones and colors. The occult teacher tells him distinctly how\nthese must appear after the consummation of the trial, and the\ncandidate must know how he can effect this change. This trial is known\nas the \"Water-Trial,\" because, in consequence of its performance taking\nplace on the higher planes, that support, which would otherwise have\nbeen received from outward conditions, is now taken away. One's\nmovements are like those which are made in water by someone learning to\nswim, and his feelings are those of one having no support except his\nown efforts. This practice must be often repeated until the candidate\nattains absolute poise and assurance.\n\nThese trials are also dependent upon a quality which is produced by his\nexperiences in the higher worlds. The candidate cultivates this quality\nto an extent which he could not possibly reach in so short a time while\ndeveloping in the ordinary way, but could attain only after many\nincarnations. In order to bring about the change here mentioned, the\nfollowing condition is necessary: The candidate must be guided\naltogether by what has been proven to him by the cultivation of his\nhigher faculties, by the results of his reading in the secret symbols.\n\nShould he, during these experiences, attempt to introduce any of his\nown opinions or desires, or should he diverge for one moment from the\nlaws and rules which he has proved to be right, something quite other\nthan that which is expected will occur. In such cases the candidate\nloses sight of the goal for which these matters are undertaken, and the\nresult is confusion. He has, therefore, manifold opportunities, during\nthese trials, for the development of self-control, and this, indeed, is\nthe principal quality needed. These trials are, therefore, much more\neasily endured by those who, before initiation, have gone through a\nlife which has enabled them to acquire command of themselves. Those who\nhave developed the characteristic of following their higher principles\nand ideals without thought of personal honor or desire, who always\ndiscern the duty to be fulfilled, even though the inclinations and\nsympathies are too often ready to lead them another way, are already\nunconscious initiates in the midst of every day life. They need but\nlittle to enable them to succeed in the prescribed trials. Indeed, one\nmay say that a certain measure of initiation, thus unconsciously\nacquired in life, will be absolutely necessary before entering upon the\nsecond trial. For even as many who during youth have not learned to\nwrite or spell, find much difficulty in learning to do so in later\nyears, so is it also difficult to develop, merely from a knowledge of\nthe higher worlds, the necessary degree of self-control, if one has not\nalready acquired a certain measure of it in the course of ordinary\nlife.\n\nThe things of the physical world do not alter by merely desiring them\nto do so, but in the higher worlds our wishes, inclinations and desires\nare causes that produce effects. If we wish to bring about particular\nchanges in these worlds, we must hold ourselves in absolute control, we\nmust follow the right principle, must entirely subdue the personal\nwill.\n\nThere is an attribute which at this stage of initiation has to be\nespecially considered,--a really healthy and sure faculty of judgment.\nAttention must be directed to the education of this faculty during all\nthe previous stages, and in the course of them it must be proven\nwhether the candidate has developed this quality sufficiently to make\nhim fit to tread the path of true knowledge, for, further progress is\nnow possible only if he is able to distinguish illusion, superstition,\nunsubstantial fancies, and all manner of such things, from the true\nrealities. At first, this is much more difficult to accomplish upon the\nhigher stages of existence than upon the lower. Every prejudice, every\ncherished opinion regarding these matters, in whatever connection, must\nbe banished. Truth alone must guide. There must be perfect readiness to\nsurrender at once any existing opinion, idea, or inclination, when the\nlogical idea demands it. Absolute certainty in the higher worlds can be\nobtained only when one does not obtrude his own opinions.\n\nPeople whose mode of thought inclines them to phantasy, prejudice and\nso forth, can make no progress on the occult way. Yet be not\ndismayed--there is, in truth, a glorious treasure that the persistent\noccult student shall attain. All doubt as to the higher worlds will be\ntaken away from him. In all their law they will reveal themselves to\nhis gaze, but so long as he is blindfolded he cannot see these heights\nand compensations. It is, indeed, unfortunate for him if illusions and\nfallacies ran away with his intellect and reason. Dreamers and people\ninclined to phantasies, are as unfit for the occult path as are\nsuperstitious people; for in dreams, illusions and superstitions lurk\nthe most dangerous enemies on the road to knowledge. Because the\ncandidate has already seen upon the portals that opened to him the\nfirst trial, the words, \"Without a normal common-sense all your efforts\nare in vain;\" and upon the gateway, which leads to the second trial,\n\"All prejudices must fall away,\" it is not necessary to think that the\ncapacity for inspiration and enthusiasm, and all the poetry of life, is\nlost to the student of Occultism.\n\nIf he be now sufficiently advanced, a third trial awaits the candidate.\nNo aim, no boundary lines, are here set for him. All is left entirely\nin his own hands. He finds himself in a condition where nothing\nexternal impels or induces him to act. He must find the way of his own\naccord and from within himself. Conditions or people who might have\nstimulated him to action are no longer there. Nothing and nobody but he\nhimself alone can give the strength which he now needs. If he should\nnot find this strength within he will very soon be standing where he\nwas before; but it should be stated that very few of those who have\nendured the previous trials will fail at this point in finding the\nnecessary strength. If they have come so far they will endure at this\npoint also. The only thing necessary is the ability to make a\nresolution quickly. For here, in the truest meaning of the phrase, one\nmust find oneself. In all matters one must instantly resolve to hear\nthe suggestions, the inspirations of the spirit. One has no time for\ndoubt or delay. Every moment of hesitation would add to the proof that\none was not yet ready. All that hinders one from hearing the voice of\nthe spirit must be boldly conquered. It is entirely a matter of proving\none's presence of mind, and it is this attribute to which attention\nmust be paid during all the foregoing stages of development. All\ntemptations to act, or even to think, which hitherto assailed a man,\nmust here cease; but in order that he may not slip into inaction, he\nmust not lose his hold upon himself. For only in himself can he find\nthat one sure centre-point on which he can depend. No one should feel\nan antipathy to this principle of self-rejection. For him who has\nendured the trials already described, it indicates the most perfect\nfelicity.\n\nIn this, as in the other stages before mentioned, every day life itself\ncan, for many people, be an occult school. Those who have reached the\npoint of being able to act without delay or personal consideration and\ncan make prompt resolutions when suddenly confronted with some task or\nproblem demanding immediate action, have, indeed, undergone their\noccult schooling in daily life. The situation which one wishes to\nsuggest is one in which a successful action is impossible unless the\nperson concerned grasps the whole matter and acts at once. He is quick\nto act when misfortune is in sight, while a moment's hesitation might\nlead to a catastrophe; and he who possesses the qualities which can be\ndeveloped into a permanent attribute of such a kind, has already\nevolved, unknown to himself, the degree of ripeness necessary for the\nthird trial. For, as already remarked, at this stage all depends upon\nthe development of presence of mind.\n\nIn the occult schools this trial is known as the \"Air-Trial,\" because\nwhile undergoing it, the candidate cannot support himself either upon\nthe firm ground, or any external cause, or that which he has learned in\nProbation and Enlightenment--from the figures and tones and colors, but\nsolely upon himself.\n\nIf the occult student has endured these trials, he is then permitted to\nenter \"the Temple of the Higher Wisdom.\" All that can be said further\nupon this subject can be given out only in the smallest hints and\nsuggestions. The responsibility of the next step has so often been illy\nexpressed by words, that many say the pupil has here to take an \"oath,\"\npromising to betray nothing that comes from the teacher. However, these\nexpressions, \"oath\" and \"betrayal,\" are in no way appropriate, and are\nmisleading.\n\nIt is no oath, in the ordinary sense of the word, but is rather an\nexperience that comes at this stage. Here the candidate appreciates the\ntrue value of the occult teachers, and their place in the service of\nhumanity. At last he begins to understand the world correctly. It is\nnot so much a matter of \"withholding\" the higher truths already\nlearned, but much more of upholding them in the right way and with the\nnecessary tact. That concerning which one learns to \"keep silence\" is\nsomething quite different. One gains possession of this fine attribute\nin regard to many things of which one had previously spoken, and\nespecially in regard to the manner in which one has spoken of them. Yet\nhe would be a poor Initiate who did not place all his mystical\nexperiences, as adequately and as far-reachingly as possible, at the\nservice of humanity. The sole obstacle in such matters is the\nmisunderstanding of the person who receives the communication. Above\nall, the higher or occult secrets are not allowed to be spoken of\npromiscuously, but no one who has passed the steps of development above\ndescribed, is it actually forbidden to speak of these matters. No one\nis asked for a negative oath, but everything is entrusted to the\njudgment, integrity and sense of responsibility of the candidate for\nInitiation. What one really learns is to find out, within oneself, what\nshould be done under all circumstances, and the \"oath\" means nothing\nmore than this, that one is found qualified to be entrusted with\nmatters of such importance.\n\nIf the candidate is found fit, he is then given what is called,\nsymbolically, \"the draught of forgetfulness.\" This means that he will\nbe initiated into the secret knowledge enabling him to act without\nbeing continually disturbed by the lower memory. This is absolutely\nnecessary for the Initiate, for he must possess full faith in the\nimmediate present. He must be able to destroy that veil of memory which\nextends itself round humanity more and more thickly with every moment\nof life.\n\nIf one judges things which happen to-day, by the experiences of\nyesterday, he is subjected to a multitude of errors. Of course, it is\nnot intended that the reader should renounce all the experience\nacquired in life. He ought always to keep it in mind as firmly as\npossible. But, as an Initiate, one should acquire the ability to judge\nevery fresh experience irrespective of oneself, unclouded by all bygone\nexperiences. One must be prepared, at every moment, that a new thing or\nbeing shall bring to one a new revelation. If one judges the new by the\nstandard of the old, he necessarily falls into error. The memory of\npast experiences is very useful, however, for it makes one better able\nto perceive the new. If one had not gone through a certain experience,\nhe probably would not have seen the attributes of this or that being or\nthing; but having had such experiences he ought to be enabled to\ndiscern the new, without judging it by the old. In this way the\nInitiate obtains certain definite qualities, and by means of these many\nthings are revealed to him, while they remain concealed from the\nuninitiated.\n\nThe second draught which is given to the Initiate is the \"draught of\nremembrance.\" By receiving this he becomes capable of keeping the\nhigher secrets ever present in the soul. Ordinary memory would not be\nsufficient to ensure this; he must be absolutely at one with the higher\ntruths. He must not merely know them, but be able, as a matter of\ncourse, to manifest and administer them in living actions, even as an\nordinary man eats and drinks. They must become one's practice, one's\ninclinations, one's habits. It must be unnecessary to recall them to\nmind (in the usual sense of the term); they must become a part of\noneself and express themselves through one's very being; they must flow\nthrough one, just as the life-currents run through one's bodily\norganism. So must we make ourselves as perfect in a spiritual sense as\nnature has made us in a physical.\n\n\n\n\nVII\n\nTHE HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE SOUL\n\n\nIf a man carries out the culture of his thoughts and feelings and\nemotions in the way already described in the chapters on Probation,\nEnlightenment, and Initiation, he then effects a change in his soul\nsuch as Nature has effected in his body. Before this training, soul and\nspirit are undifferentiated masses. In such a state the clairvoyant\nwill perceive them as interlacing clouds, rotating spirally, and having\nusually a dull glimmer of reddish or reddish-brown color, or, perhaps,\nof reddish-yellow; but after this growth they begin to assume a\nbrilliant yellowish-green or yellow-blue hue, and become of a regular\nstructure. A man attains such regularity of structure, and at the same\ntime the higher knowledge, when he brings into the realm of his\nthoughts, feelings and emotions, an order, such as Nature has brought\ninto his bodily organs, by means of which he can see, hear, digest,\nbreathe, speak and so forth. Gradually the student learns, as it were,\nto breathe, to see with the soul, and to speak and hear with the\nspirit.\n\nIn the following pages a few of the practical points pertaining to the\nhigher education of the soul and spirit will be more fully treated.\nThey are such as may be practically attained by anyone without\nadditional instruction, and by means of which a further step in occult\nscience may be taken.\n\nA particular kind of discipline must be patiently attempted such as to\navoid every emotion of impatience, for it produces a paralyzing, yea,\neven a deadening, effect on the higher faculties within us. One must\nnot expect immeasurable glimpses of the higher worlds to open out\nbefore one from day to day, for assuredly, as a rule, this does not\noccur. Contentment with the smallest progress, repose and tranquility\nmust more and more possess the soul. It is conceivable, of course, that\nthe learner may impatiently expect results, but he will attain nothing\nso long as he fails to master this impatience. Nor is it of any use to\nstruggle against this impatience in the ordinary way, for then it will\nonly become stronger than ever. It is thus that men deceive themselves,\nfor in such a case it embeds itself all the more firmly in the depths\nof the soul. It is only by repeatedly surrendering oneself to a single\ndefinite thought, and by making it absolutely one's own, that anything\nis really attained. One should think: \"I must certainly do everything\npossible for the culture of soul and spirit, but I will work tranquilly\nuntil, by higher powers, I shall be found worthy of definite\nillumination.\" When this thought has become so powerful in a man that\nit is an actual trait in his character, he is treading the right path.\nThis trait will then express itself even in external affairs. The gaze\nof the eye becomes tranquil; the movements of the body become sure; the\nresolutions defined; and all that we call nervous susceptibility\ngradually disappears. Rules that seem trifling and insignificant must\nbe taken into account. For example, suppose that someone affronts us.\nBefore we receive this occult education, we would have directed our\nresentment against the wrong-doer; there would have been an uprush of\nanger within us. But in such a case the occult student will think to\nhimself: \"An affront of this kind can make no difference to my worth,\"\nand whatever must be done to meet the affront, he accomplishes with\ncalm and composure, not with passion. To him it is not a matter of how\nan affront is to be borne, but without hesitation he is led to ignore\nor punish the affront to his own person in exactly the same way as if\nit had been offered to another, in which case one has the right to\nresent or disregard it. It must always be remembered, however, that the\noccult training is perfected not by coarse external processes, but by\nsubtle, silent alterations in the life of thought and emotion.\n\nPatience has an attractive, while impatience has a repellent, effect on\nthe treasures of the higher knowledge. In the higher regions of being,\nnothing can be attained by haste and restlessness. Desire and longing\nfor immediate results must be silenced, for these are qualities of the\nsoul before which all higher knowledge recedes. However precious this\nknowledge may be accounted, one must not desire to anticipate the time\nof its coming. And, furthermore, he who wishes to have it for his own\nsake alone will never attain it. It is absolutely demanded that one\nshould be true to himself in his innermost soul. One must not there be\ndeceived by anything; he must encounter, face to face and with absolute\ntruthfulness, his own faults, failings, and unfitness. The moment you\ntry to excuse to yourself any one of your weaknesses, you place an\nobstacle in the way which leads upward. There is one way only by which\nto get rid of such obstacles. Our faults and weaknesses can be removed\nonly by self-illumination, and that is by correctly understanding them.\nAll that is needed lies latent in the human soul and can be evoked. A\nman immediately improves his understanding and his reason when in\nrepose he makes it clear to himself why he is weak in any respect.\nSelf-knowledge of this kind is naturally difficult, for the temptation\nto deceive oneself is immeasurably great. He who is accustomed to be\ntruthful with himself has opened the portals into a deeper insight.\n\nAll curiosity must fall away from the student. He must wean himself as\nmuch as possible from inquiries into matters of which he wishes to know\nonly for the gratification of his personal thirst for superficial\ninformation. He must ask himself only what things will assist him in\nthe perfection of his innermost being for the service of the general\nevolution. Nevertheless, his delight in knowledge and his devotion to\nit must in no degree become relaxed. He must listen devoutly to all\nthat contributes to such an end, and should seek every opportunity of\ndoing so.\n\nFor this interior culture it is especially necessary that the\ndesire-life should be carefully educated. One must not become wholly\ndestitute of desire, for if we are to accomplish something it is\nnecessary that we should desire it, and a desire will always be\nfulfilled if a certain special force is behind it. This particular\nforce results from a right knowledge: \"Do not desire at all until you\nknow the true conditions of any sphere.\" That is one of the golden\nrules for the occult student. The wise man first ascertains the laws of\nthe world, and then his desires become powers which realize themselves.\nLet us consider an example in which the effect is evident. There are\ncertainly many who would like to learn from their own intuition\nsomething about their life before birth. Such a desire is altogether\naimless, and leads to no result so long as the person in question has\nnot acquired a knowledge of the laws that govern the nature of the\nEternal, and a knowledge of them in their subtlest and most intimate\ncharacter. But if he has actually acquired this knowledge and then\nwishes to pass onward, he is able to do so by his elevated and purified\ndesire.\n\nMoreover, it is of no use to say to oneself: \"Yes, I will forthwith\nexamine my previous life, and study with that aim in view.\" One must\nrather be ready to abandon such desire, to eliminate it altogether, and\nfirst of all, learn, without consideration of this aim. One should\ncultivate devotion to knowledge without regard to desires. It is only\nthen that one enters into possession of the desire which we are\nconsidering, in a way that leads to its own fulfilment.\n\nFrom one's anger or vexation arises an adverse condition in the\nspiritual world, so that those forces which would open the eyes of the\nsoul are turned away. For example, if someone should annoy me, he sends\nforth a current into the world of the soul. So long as I allow myself\nto be annoyed, I cannot see this current. My own annoyance clouds it.\nBut from this it must not be supposed that when I no longer feel\nannoyed I will see the astral vision. To see an astral vision it is\nindispensable that the eye of the soul should already be developed; but\nthe capacity for sight of this kind is latent in everyone. And again it\nis true that during the development, so long as one can be annoyed the\nsight remains inactive; nor does it present itself immediately, when\none has overcome to a small extent this feeling of annoyance. One must\ncontinually persevere in the struggle with such a feeling, and\npatiently make progress: then, some day, he will find that this eye of\nthe soul has become fully developed. Of course annoyance is not the\nonly quality with which we have to struggle before attaining this end.\nMany people grow impatient or sceptical, because they have for years\ncultivated certain qualities of the soul and yet clairvoyance has not\nensued. They have developed only a few qualities and have allowed\nothers to run wild. The gift of clairvoyance first manifests itself\nwhen all those qualities which do not permit the development of the\nlatent faculties are suppressed. Undoubtedly the beginnings of such\nhearing and seeing may appear at an earlier period, but these are only\nyoung and tender shoots which are subject to all possible error, and\nwhich, if they be not carefully fostered, may quickly die.\n\nThe qualities which have to be combated, in addition to anger and\nvexation, are such as ambition, timidity, curiosity, superstition,\nconceit, the disease of prejudice, idle love of gossip, and the making\nof distinctions in regard to human beings according to the merely\noutward marks of rank, sex, race, and so forth. In our time it is\ndifficult for people to comprehend that the combating of such qualities\ncan have any connection with an increase of capacity for knowledge. But\nevery devotee of Occultism is aware that much more depends upon such\nmatters than upon the expansion of the intellect or the employment of\nartificial practices. It is particularly easy for a misunderstanding of\nthis point to arise, inasmuch as many believe that one should cultivate\nfoolhardiness because one must be fearless, and that one should ignore\naltogether the differences in men because one has to combat the\nprejudices of race, rank, and so forth. Rather should one first learn\nto appreciate these differences correctly, then one is no longer\nentangled in prejudice. Even in the usual sense it is true that a fear\nof any phenomenon hinders one from estimating it rightly; that a\nrace-prejudice prevents one from looking into a man's soul. The student\nof Occultism must bring his common-sense to perfection in all its\nexactitude and subtlety.\n\nEven everything that a man says without having clearly thought it out\nwill place an obstacle in the path of his occult education. At the same\ntime we must here consider one point which can only be elucidated by\ngiving an example. Thus, if anyone should say something to which\nanother must reply, the one replying should be careful to consider the\nintention, the feelings, even the prejudices of this other person,\nrather than what he has to say at the moment on the subject under\ndiscussion. In other words, the student must apply himself keenly to\nthe cultivation of a certain fine tact. He must learn to judge how much\nit may mean to this other person if his opinion be opposed. It must not\nbe imagined for a moment that he ought for this reason, to withhold his\nown opinion. One must give to the questioner as careful a hearing as\npossible, and from what one has heard, formulate one's own reply. In\nsuch cases there is a certain thought which will constantly recur to\nthe student, and he is treading the true path if this thought becomes\nso vital within him that it grows into a trait of his character. The\nthought is as follows: \"It matters little whether my view be different\nfrom his, the vital point is whether he will discover the right view\nfor himself if I am able to contribute something towards it.\" By\nthoughts of such a kind, the mode of action and the character of the\nstudent will become permeated with gentleness, one of the most\nessential qualities for the reception of occult teaching. Harshness\nobscures that internal image which ought to be evoked by the eye of the\nsoul, while by gentleness many obstacles are cleared from the way, and\nthe inner organs opened.\n\nAlong with this gentleness another trait will presently be developed in\nthe soul. He will make a quiet estimate of all the subtleties in the\nsoul-life around him, without considering the emotions of his own soul.\nAnd if this condition has been attained, the soul-emotions in the\nenvironment of others will have such an effect on him that the soul\nwithin him grows, and, growing, becomes organized, as a plant expands\nin the sunlight. Gentleness, quiet reserve, and true patience, open the\nsoul to the world of souls, and the spirit to the realm of spirits.\nPersevere in repose and retirement; close the senses to that which they\nbrought you before you began your training; bring into utter stillness\nall those thoughts which, in accordance with your previous habits, were\ntossed up and down within you; become quite still and silent within,\nwait in patience, and then the tranquil higher worlds will begin to\ndevelop the sight of your soul and the hearing of your spirit. Do not\nsuppose that you will _immediately_ see and hear in the worlds of\nsoul and spirit, for all that you are doing does but help the\ndevelopment of your higher senses, and you will not be able to see with\nthe soul and to hear with the spirit before you have to some degree\nacquired those senses. When you have persevered for a time in repose\nand retirement, then go about your daily affairs, having first\nimpressed upon your mind the thought: \"Some day, when I am ready, I\nshall attain what I am to attain.\" Finally: \"Make no attempt whatever\nto attract any of these higher powers to yourself by an effort of the\nwill.\" These are instructions which every occult student receives from\nhis teacher at the entrance of the way. If he observes them, he then\nimproves himself; and if he does not observe them, all his labor is in\nvain; but they are difficult of achievement for him only who has not\npatience and perseverance. No other obstacles exist save those which\none places for oneself, and these may be avoided by anyone if he really\nwills it. It is necessary to continually insist upon this point,\nbecause many people form an altogether wrong conception of the\ndifficulty that lies in the path of Occultism. In a certain sense, it\nis easier to accomplish the earlier steps of the occult way, than it is\nfor one who has received no instruction, to get rid of the difficulties\nof one's every-day life. In addition to this, it must be understood\nthat only such things are here imparted as are attended by no danger to\nthe health of soul or body. There are certain other ways which lead\nmore quickly to the goal, but it is not well to treat of them publicly,\nbecause they may sometimes have certain effects on a man which would\nnecessitate the immediate intervention of an experienced teacher, and\nin any case would require his continual supervision. Now, as something\nabout these quicker ways frequently forces itself into publicity, it\nbecomes necessary to give express warning against entering upon them\nwithout personal guidance. For reasons which only the initiated can\nunderstand, it will never be possible to give public instruction\nconcerning these other ways in their true form, and the fragments which\nhere and there make their appearance can never lead to anything\nprofitable, but may easily result in the undermining of health, fortune\nand peace of mind. He who does not wish to put himself in the power of\ncertain dark forces, of whose nature and origin he may know nothing,\nhad far better avoid meddling in such matters.\n\nSomething may here be added concerning the environment in which the\npractices of occult instruction ought to be undertaken. This is of\ngreat importance, although for almost every man the case is different.\nHe who practices in an environment which is only filled with selfish\ninterests, as for example, the modern struggle for existence, ought to\nbe sure that these interests are without influence upon the development\nof his spiritual organs. It is true that the inner laws of these organs\nare so powerful that this influence cannot be fatally injurious. Just\nas a lily, however inappropriate the environment in which it may be\nplaced, can never become a thistle, so the eye of the soul can never\ngrow to anything but its destined end, even though it be subjected to\nall the modern reverse influences. But it is well if, under all\ncircumstances, the student should now and then seek for his environment\nthe quietude, the inner dignity, the sweetness of Nature herself.\nEspecially fortunate are the conditions of him who is able to pursue\nhis occult studies in the green world of plants, or among the sunny\nmountains or the delightful interplay of simple things. This develops\nthe inner organs in a degree of harmony which is difficult to obtain\namid the noise and commercialism of a modern city. He also is more\nfavorably situated than the mere townsman, who, during his childhood at\nleast, was able to breathe the perfume of the pines, to gaze on the\nsnowy peaks, or observe the silent activity of woodland creatures and\ninsects. Yet no one who is obliged to live in a city should fail to\ngive his evolving soul and spirit the nurture that comes from the\ninspired utterances of the mighty teachers of man. He who cannot every\nspringtime follow day by day the unfolding of the greenwood, ought in\nits place to draw into his heart the sublime doctrines of the _Bhagavad\nG\u00eet\u00e2_, or of _St. John's Gospel_, or of Thomas \u00e0 Kempis. There are\nvarious paths to the summit of insight, but a right selection is\ninvaluable.\n\nThe adept in Occultism could, indeed, say much concerning these\npaths--much that might seem strange to an uninitiated hearer. For\nexample, suppose that someone has advanced far along the occult path,\nand wholly unaware of his nearness, may be standing at the entrance to\nthe sight of the soul and the hearing of the spirit, and then he has\nthe good fortune to pass peacefully into its very presence, and a\nbandage falls away from the eyes of his soul. Suddenly he can see--his\nvision is attained! Another, it may be, has advanced so far that this\nbandage needs only to be loosened, and by some stroke of destiny this\noccurs. For another one this very stroke might actually have the effect\nof paralyzing his powers and undermining his energy, but for the occult\nstudent it becomes the occasion of his enlightenment. Perhaps a third\nhas patiently persevered for years, and without any marked result.\nSuddenly, while tranquilly seated in his quiet chamber, light envelops\nhim, the walls become transparent, they vanish away, and a new world\nexpands before his opened eyes, or is audible to his awakened spirit.\n\n\n\n\nVIII\n\nTHE CONDITIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP\n\n\nThe conditions of entrance into an occult school are not of a nature to\nbe formulated in an arbitrary way by anyone. They are the natural\noutcome of occult knowledge. Just as a man will never become a painter\nif he does not choose to handle a paintbrush, so can no one receive\noccult training if he is unwilling to fulfil the claims which are put\nforward by the occult teacher. In fact, the teacher can give nothing\nbut advice, and it is as such that everything he states ought to be\nconsidered. He has already trodden the probationary path which leads to\nthe knowledge of higher worlds. From experience he knows what is\nnecessary, and it all depends on the free will of each particular\nperson whether he chooses to follow the same path or not. If anyone,\nwithout intending to satisfy the conditions, should demand occult\ntraining from a teacher, such a demand would be equivalent to saying:\n\"Teach me to paint, but do not ask me to handle a brush.\" The occult\nteacher never goes a step further, unless it be in accord with the free\nwill of the recipient. It must be emphasized that a general wish for\nhigher knowledge is not sufficient, yet many will probably have but\nsuch a weak desire. For him who has merely this vague idea, and is not\nprepared to accept the special conditions of the occult teacher, the\nlatter, for the present, can do nothing. This ought to be kept in mind\nby those who complain that occult teachers do not \"meet them half way.\"\nHe who cannot, or will not, fulfil the severe conditions necessary,\nmust for the time abandon occult training. It is true that the\nconditions are, indeed, hard, and yet they are not severe since their\nfulfilment not only ought to be, but must be, an altogether voluntary\ndeed.\n\nTo him who does not remember this it is easy for the claims of the\noccult teacher to seem a coercion of the soul or the conscience; for\nthe training here mentioned is founded on a development of the inner\nlife, and it is the work of the teacher to give advice concerning it.\nAnd yet, if something be demanded as the result of free choice, it\ncannot be considered as a fetter. If anyone says to the teacher: \"Give\nme your secrets, but leave me my customary feelings and thoughts,\" he\nis then making an impossible demand. Such an one desires no more than\nto satisfy his curiosity and thirst for sensations, so that by one who\ntakes an attitude like this, occult knowledge can never be obtained.\n\nLet us now consider in their right order the conditions of\ndiscipleship. It should be emphasized that the complete fulfilment of\nany one of these conditions is by no means demanded, but only the\neffort to gain such fulfilment. No one can at first reach these high\nideals, but the path which leads to their fulfilment may be entered by\neveryone. It is the will that matters, the attitude taken when entering\nthe path.\n\n1. The _first condition_ is the directing of the attention to the\nadvancement of bodily and spiritual health. Of course, discipleship\ndoes not in the first place depend on the health of a man, but everyone\ncan endeavor to improve in this respect, and only from a healthy man\nmay proceed a healthy perception. No occult teacher would refuse a man\nwho is not healthy, but it is demanded that the pupils should have the\ndesire for a healthy life. In this respect he must attain the greatest\npossible independence. The good counsels of others, which, though\ngenerally unsought, are received by everybody, are as a rule\nsuperfluous. Each must endeavor to take care of himself. From the\nphysical aspect it will be more a matter of warding off harmful\ninfluences than of anything else. For in carrying out one's duty one\nhas often to do things which are disadvantageous to health. One must\nlearn how, at the right moment, to place duty higher than the care of\nhealth; but with a little good-will, what is there that cannot be\nomitted? Duty must in many cases be accounted higher than health,\nindeed, if need be, higher than life itself, but the disciple must\nnever put pleasure as high as either one of these. Pleasure for him can\nbe only a means to health and life, and in respect to this it is\nabsolutely necessary that we should be quite honest and truthful with\nourselves. It is of no avail to lead an ascetic life so long as it is\nborn of motives like those that give rise to other enjoyments. There\nare people who find satisfaction in asceticism, as do others in\nwine-bibbling, but they must not imagine that asceticism of this kind\nwill assist them to attain the higher knowledge. Many ascribe to their\nunfavorable circumstances everything which apparently prevents them\nfrom making progress in this direction. They say that with their\nconditions of life they cannot develop themselves to any great extent.\nFor other reasons it may be desirable for many to change their\nconditions of life, but no one need do so for the purpose of occult\ntraining. For this it is only necessary that one should do for one's\nhealth so much as one finds possible in the position one holds. Every\nkind of work may serve the whole of humanity, and it is a surer sign of\ngreatness in the human soul to perceive clearly how necessary for the\nwhole is a petty--perhaps even an unlovely--employment than to think:\n\"This work is not good enough for me: I am destined for something\nelse.\"\n\nIt is especially important for the disciple to strive after complete\nspiritual health. In any case, an unhealthy emotional or thought-life\nleads one away from the path of higher knowledge. The foundations here\nconsist of clear, calm thinking, reliable conceptions, and stable\nfeelings. Nothing should be more alien to the disciple than an\ninclination toward a whimsical, excitable life, toward nervousness,\nintoxication, and fanaticism. He should acquire a healthy outlook on\nall circumstances of life; he should go through life steadily and\nshould let things act on him and speak to him in all tranquillity.\nWherever it is possible he should endeavor to do justice to life.\nEverything in his tastes and criticisms which is one-sided or\nextravagant ought to be avoided. If this be not so, the disciple will\nstrand himself in a world of his own imagination, instead of attaining\nthe higher worlds, and in place of truth his own favorite opinions will\nassert themselves. It is better for the disciple to be \"matter-of-fact\"\nthan overwrought and fanciful.\n\n2. The _second condition_ is that one should feel oneself as a link in\nthe general life. Much is included in the fulfilment of this condition,\nbut each can only fulfil it after his own manner. If I am a school\nteacher and my pupil does not answer what is desired of him, I must\nfirst direct my feeling not against the pupil but to myself. I ought to\nfeel myself so much at one with my pupil that I ask myself: \"May not\nthat in the pupil which does not satisfy my demand be perhaps the\nresult of my own faults?\" or if perchance it be his unconscious, or\neven vicious error, as _teacher_, instead of directing my feelings\nagainst him, I shall rather cogitate on the way in which I myself ought\nto behave, or in kindness show him what is right, so that he may in the\nfuture be better able to satisfy my demands. From such a manner of\nthinking there will come gradually a change over the whole mental\nattitude. This holds good for the smallest as well as for the greatest.\nFrom this point of view I look on a criminal, for instance, altogether\ndifferently from the way I should have looked upon him of old. I\nsuspend my judgment and think to myself: \"I am only a man as he is.\nPerhaps the education which, owing to favorable circumstances, has been\nmine, and nothing else, has saved me from a similar fate.\" I may even\ncome to the conclusion that if the teachers who took pains with me had\ndone the same for him, this brother of mine would have been quite\ndifferent. I shall reflect on the fact that something which has been\nwithheld from him has been given to me, and that I may, perhaps, owe my\ngoodness to the fact that he has been thus deprived of it. And then\nwill it no longer be difficult to grasp the conception that I am a link\nin the whole of humanity, and that consequently I, too, in part, bear\nthe responsibility for everything that happens. By this it is not\nimplied that such a thought should be translated immediately into\nexternal action. It should be quietly cultivated in the soul. It will\nthen express itself gradually in the outward behavior of a person, and\nin such matters each can begin only by reforming himself. It were\nfutile, from such a standpoint, to make general claims on all humanity.\nIt is easy to form an idea of what men ought to be, but the disciple\nworks, not on the surface, but in the depths. And, therefore, it would\nbe wrong if one should endeavor to bring these demands of the occult\nteacher into relation with any external or political claims. As a rule,\npolitical agitators know well what can be demanded of other people, but\nthey say little of demands on themselves.\n\n3. Now with these demands on ourselves the _third condition_ for\noccult training is intimately connected. The student must be able to\nrealize the idea that his thoughts and feelings are as important for\nthe world as his deeds. It must be recognized that it is as pernicious\nto hate a fellow-being as to strike him. One can then discern also that\nby perfecting oneself one accomplishes something not only for oneself\nbut for the whole world. The world profits by pure thoughts and\nfeelings as much as by one's good behavior, and so long as one cannot\nbelieve in this world-wide importance of the inner Self, one is not fit\nfor discipleship. One is permeated with a true conception of the soul's\nimportance, only when one works at this inner Self as if it were at\nleast as important as all external things. It must be admitted that\none's feelings produce an effect as much as the action of the hand.\n\n4. In so saying we have already mentioned the _fourth condition_:\nthe idea that the real being of man does not lie in the exterior but in\nthe interior. He who regards himself as merely a product of the outer\nworld, a result of the physical world, cannot succeed in this occult\ntraining. But he who is able to realize this conception is then also\nable to distinguish between inner duty and external success. He learns\nto recognize that the one cannot at once be measured by the other. The\nstudent must learn for himself the right position between what is\ndemanded by his external conditions and what he recognizes to be the\nright conduct for himself. He ought not to force upon his environment\nanything for which it can have no appreciation, but at the same time he\nmust be altogether free from the desire to do merely what can be\nappreciated by those around him. In his own sincere and wisdom-seeking\nsoul, and only there, must he look for the recognition of his truths.\nBut from his environment he must learn as much as he possibly can, so\nthat he may discern what those around him need, and what is of use to\nthem. In this way he will develop within himself what is known in\nOccultism as the \"spiritual balance.\" On one side of the scales there\nlies a heart open for the needs of the outward world, and on the other\nlies an inner fortitude and an unfaltering endurance.\n\n5. And here, again, we have hinted at the _fifth condition_: firmness\nin the carrying out of any resolution when once it has been made.\nNothing should induce the disciple to deviate from any such resolution\nonce it is formed, save only the perception that he has made a mistake.\nEvery resolution is a force, and even if such a force does not produce\nimmediate effect on the point at which it was directed, nevertheless it\nworks in its own way. Success is of great importance only when an\naction arises from desire, but all actions which are rooted in desire\nare worthless in relation to the higher worlds. There the love expended\non an action is alone of importance. In this love, all that impels the\nstudent to perform an action ought to be implanted. Thus he will never\ngrow weary of again and again carrying out in action some resolution,\neven though he has repeatedly failed. And in this way he arrives at the\ncondition in which he does not first count on the external effect of\nhis actions, but is contented with the doing of them. He will learn to\nsacrifice for the world his actions, nay, more, his whole being,\nwithout caring at all how his sacrifice may be received. He who wishes\nto become a disciple must declare himself ready for such a sacrifice,\nsuch an offering.\n\n6. A _sixth condition_ is the development of a sense of gratitude\nwith regard to everything which relates to Man. One must realize that\none's existence is, as it were, a gift from the entire universe. Only\nconsider all that is needed in order that each of us may receive and\nmaintain his existence! Consider what we owe to Nature and to others\nthan ourselves! Those who desire an occult training must be inclined\ntoward thoughts like these, for he who cannot enter into such thoughts\nwill be incapable of developing within himself that all-inclusive love\nwhich it is necessary to possess before one can attain to higher\nknowledge. That which we do not love cannot manifest itself to us. And\nevery manifestation must fill us with gratitude, or we ourselves are\nnot the richer for it.\n\n7. All the conditions here set forth must be united in a _seventh_: to\nregard life continually in the manner demanded by these conditions.\nThe student thus makes it possible to give to his life the stamp of\nuniformity. All his many modes of expression will, in this way, be\nbrought into _harmony_, and cease to contradict each other. And thus he\nwill prepare himself for the peace which he must attain during the\npreliminary steps of his training.\n\nIf a person intend, earnestly and sincerely, to fulfil the conditions\nmentioned above, he may then address himself to a teacher of Occultism.\nThe latter will then be found ready to give the first words of counsel.\nAny external formality will consist of giving to these conditions a\ncomplete expression, a knowledge of which can only be imparted orally\nto each individual candidate. Since everything interior must manifest\nitself in an exterior way, they teach a very important lesson. Even as\na picture cannot be said to be here, when it exists only in the brain\nof the painter, so, too, there cannot be an occult training without an\nexternal expression.\n\nExternal forms are regarded as worthless by those only who do not know\nthat the internal must find expression in the external. It is true that\nit is the spirit and not the form that really matters; but just as the\nform is void without the spirit, so would the spirit remain inactive as\nlong as it could not create a form.\n\nThe stipulated conditions are so designed that they may render the\ndisciple strong enough to fulfil the further demands which the teacher\nmust make. If he be faulty in the fulfilment of these conditions, then\nbefore each new demand he will stand hesitating. Without this\nfulfilment he will be lacking in that faith in man which it is\nnecessary for him to possess; for on faith in man and a genuine love\nfor man, all striving after truth must be founded. And the love of man\nmust be slowly widened out into a love for all living creatures, nay,\nindeed, for all existence. He who fails to fulfil the conditions here\ngiven will not possess a perfect love for all up-building, for all\ncreation, nor a tendency to abstain from all destruction and\nannihilation as such. The disciple must so train himself that, not in\ndeeds only, but also in words, thoughts and feelings, he will never\ndestroy anything for the sake of destruction. He must find his pleasure\nin the growing and creating aspect of things, and is only justified in\nassisting the apparent destruction of anything when, by such\nreadjustment, he is able to promote a greater life. Let it not be\nthought that, in so saying, it is implied that the disciple may allow\nthe triumph of evil, but rather that he must endeavor to find, even in\nthe bad, those aspects through which he may change it into good. He\nwill see more and more clearly that the best way to combat imperfection\nand evil is by the creation of the perfect and the good. The student\nknows that nothing can come from nothing, but also that the imperfect\nmay be changed into the perfect. He who develops in himself the\ntendency to create, will soon find the capacity for facing the evil.\n\nHe who enters an occult school must be quite sure that his intention is\nto construct and not to destroy. The student ought, therefore, to bring\nwith him the will for sincere and devoted work, and to this end he\nought to be capable of great devotion, for one should be anxious to\nlearn what one does not yet know; he should look reverently on that\nwhich discloses itself. Work and devotion,--these are the fundamental\nattributes which must be claimed from the disciple. Some will have to\ndiscover that they do not make real progress in the school, even if in\ntheir own opinion they are unceasingly active; they have not grasped in\nthe right manner the meaning of work and meditation. That kind of\nlearning which is undertaken without meditation will advance the\nstudent least, and the work which is done for selfish returns will be\nthe least successful. In the love of work, the love to do better work;\nyes, the love to do perfect work, is the quality which unfolds occult\npower; and in qualifying for better things one need give little heed\nfor greater returns. If he who is learning seeks for wholesome thoughts\nand sound judgment, he need not spoil his devotion with doubts and\nsuspicions.\n\nThe fact that one does not oppose some communication which has been\nmade, but gives to it due attention and even sympathy, does not imply a\nlack of independent judgment. Those who have arrived at a somewhat\nadvanced stage of knowledge are aware that they owe everything to a\nquiet attention and assimilation, and not to a stubborn personal\njudgment. One should always remember that he does not need to learn\nwhat he is already able to understand. Therefore, if one desires only\nto judge, he is apt to cease learning. What is of importance in an\noccult school, however, is study: one ought to desire, with heart and\nsoul, to be a student: if one cannot understand something it is far\nbetter not to judge, lest one wrongly condemn; far wiser to wait for a\ntrue understanding. The higher one climbs up the ladder of knowledge,\nthe more he requires this faculty of calm and devotional listening. All\nperception of truths, all life and activity in the world of spirit,\nbecome in these higher regions delicate and subtle in comparison with\nthe activities of the ordinary mind, and of life in the physical world.\nThe more the sphere of a man's activity widens out before him, the more\ntranscendent is the nature of the task to be accomplished by him. It is\nfor this reason that, although there is in reality only one possible\nfact regarding the higher truths, men come to look at them from such\ndifferent points of view. It is possible to arrive at this one true\nstandpoint if, through work and devotion, one has so risen that he can\nreally behold the truth. Only he who judges in accordance with\npreconceived ideas and habitual ways of thought, rather than from\nsufficient preparation, can arrive at any opinion which differs from\nthe true one. Just as there is only one correct opinion concerning a\nmathematical problem, so also with regard to things of the higher\nworlds; but before one can arrive at this knowledge he must first\nprepare himself. Truth and the higher life do, indeed, abide in every\nhuman soul, and it is true that everyone can and must sooner or later\nfind them for himself.\n\n\n\n\nW. J. COLVILLE'S BOOKS.\n\nA Selection of the Most Popular Works by This Great Author and\nWell-known Lecturer in Europe, America and Australia.\n\n\n~Universal Spiritualism.~ Spirit Communion in all ages among all\npeople. The work Has two distinctive features: (1st) A resume of the\nSpiritual faith and practice of Egypt, India, Persia, Greece, Rome,\nChina, Japan and other ancient nations, not excepting Europe, during\nChristian centuries. (2nd) A summary of recent experiences in America,\nGreat Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Italy and other modern\nlands, all tending to show the persistent continuity of spiritual\nrevelation. Clairvoyance, Telepathy and Psychic Phenomena in general\nare dealt with in separate chapters at the close of the volume, which\nextends to 352 pages, making it a highly useful text-book for all who\nare interested in the question of human immortality. _W. J. Colville._\nCloth. No. 24256, 1.00\n\n~Old and New Psychology.~ Twenty-four chapters, including explanatory\nessays on many subjects of vital interest to all teachers and students.\n_W. J. Colville._ Cloth. No. 23766, 1.00\n\n~Throne of Eden, The.~ Twenty-six chapters presenting important\nteachings entrusted to the writer's charge; also a record of extensive\ntravel in the Southern Hemisphere; and a rational system of preventing\nas well as healing diseases. _W. J. Colville._ Cloth. No. 24186, 1.00\n\n~Life and Power from Within.~ An excellent book, embracing the most\nadvanced mental-physical teaching and the simplest rules for the\nguidance of daily life according to New Thought standards. _W. J.\nColville._ Cloth. No. 23151, .75\n\n~Dashed Against the Rock.~ A scientific novel, illustrated with many\nremarkable diagrams. _W. J. Colville._ Cloth. No. 22316, .75\n\n~Health from Knowledge~; or, the Law of Correspondences as applied to\nhealing. _W. J. Colville._ Leatherette. No. 22745, .50\n\n~Birthdays, The Significance of~; or Our places in the universal\nZodiac. _W. J. Colville._ Leatherette. No. 22191, .50. Paper No. 22195,\n.40\n\n~Onesimus Templeton.~ A vivid romance tracing the evolution of a soul\nfrom bondage to liberty. _W. J. Colville._ Cloth. No. 23771, .50\n\n~Living Decalogue, The.~ 12 Expository Lectures. _W. J. Colville._\nLeatherette. No. 23156, .50\n\n~Glints of Wisdom~, or Helpful Sayings for Busy Moments. Abstracts from\nLectures by _W. J. Colville._ An encyclopedia of psychological laws\ncontained in an endless variety of subjects. Leatherette, flexible. No.\n22671. .40. Paper No. 22675, .30\n\n~Fate Mastered-Destiny Fulfilled.~ Three stirring essays on live\nissues. Very tasteful presentation volume. _W. J. Colville._ Cloth: No.\n22476, .30\n\n~Mental Therapeutics, Elementary Text Book of.~ Twelve Practical\nLessons. _W. J. Colville._ No. 22420, .25\n\n~Lectures~, by _W. J. Colville_, on various subjects: Atlantis, The Way\nof Initiation, Initiation and its Results. Symbolism--Its use and\nValue, etc. Send for list, each 10\u00a2. 3 for .25\n\n    _New works and reprints of older books will be added to this list\n    as fast as they can be prepared. Write for them; also for the\n    latest lectures; either to Mr. Colville or to the publisher._\n\n\n\n\nJAMES ALLEN'S BOOKS.\n\nA Foreward.\n\n\n    ~James Allen's Books.~ \"I looked upon the world, and saw that\n    it was shadowed by sorrow and scorched by the fierce fires of\n    suffering--I looked for the cause, but could not find it until I\n    looked within, and there found both the cause and the self-made\n    nature of the cause. I looked again, deeper, and found the remedy.\n    I found one Law, the Law of Love; one Life, the Life of adjustment\n    to that Law; one Truth, the Truth of a conquered mind and a quiet\n    and obedient heart. And I dreamed of writing a book which should\n    help men and women, rich or poor, learned or unlearned, worldly or\n    unworldly, to find within themselves the source of all success, all\n    happiness, all accomplishment, all truth: And the dream remained\n    with me, and at last became substantial, and now I send it forth\n    into the world on its mission of healing and blessedness, knowing\n    that it cannot fail to reach the homes and hearts of those who are\n    waiting and ready to receive it.\"\n\n~As a Man Thinketh.~ Inspiring and helpful \"New Thought.\"\n\n~The Path of Prosperity.~ A way leading out of undesirable\nconditions to health, success, power, abounding happiness and the\nrealization of prosperity.\n\n~Out from the Heart.~ Most optimistic and uplifting.\n\n~Entering the Kingdom.~ That heavenly kingdom within the heart of\nman, where perfect trust, knowledge, peace and love await all who will\nenter its Golden Gateways.\n\n~The Way of Peace.~ It's realization and attainment.\n\n~The Heavenly Life.~ How to attain its supreme happiness in this\nlife, on this earth here and now.\n\n  Any of the above in either style of binding as follows:\n\n  Paper Covers, size 4-1/4 \u00d7 7-1/4  \"    \"   \"     \"  .15\n  Cloth Binding,   \"   \"       \"    \"    \"   \"     \"  .50\n  Leather Binding, \"   \"       \"    \"    \"   \"     \"  .75\n  Watered Silk,    \"   \"       \"    \"    \"   \"     \"  .75\n  Special Gift Editions, with colored borders,\n    5-1/2 \u00d7 7-3/4, embossed                           .75\n\n    _Order and read one of the books--say The Path of Prosperity, and\n    you'll ask the price per dozen, wanting your every friend to have\n    one._\n\n\n\n\nA SELECTED ASSORTMENT OF BOOKS.\n\nHistorical, Fraternal, Symbolical, Mystic, Astrologic, Occult, Psychic,\nSpiritualistic, Optimistic, Philosophic, Masonic, New Thought, Etc.\n\n\nDelivered to any address on receipt of price, or if desired for use on\nour Circulating Library plan; send us the price of the book, and we\nwill prepay postage to you. After reading return it to us carefully\nprotected and we will return the money (except on paper bindings), less\nthe postage we have paid on it, and 10% for the first month's use, and\n5% for each additional month.\n\n~Altar in the Wilderness, The.~ In seven chapters--The Golden Age, The\nExile, Life in Death, The Conflict. The Wilderness, Illumination, The\nTemple.--representing the Seven Spiritual Ages of Man. _Ethelbert\nJohnson._ Cloth, No. 24231, .50. Paper, No. 24235, .25\n\n~Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry.~ Its teachings, Rules, Laws and\nPresent Usages which govern the Order at the present day. _Dr. R.\nSwinburne Clymer._ Cloth, No. 22086, 1.50\n\n~Ben Hur~, a Tale of Christ. The Great Christian Drama. _Gen. Lew\nWallace._ No. 22076, 1.50\n\n~Book of the Master, The.~ A clue to the mysterious religion of Ancient\nEgypt. _W. Marsham Adams._ Cloth, No. 22166, 1.25\n\n~Brotherhood.~ Nature's Law. _Burcham Harding._ No. 22176, .50\n\n~Brother of the Third Degree.~ An interesting and fascinating story of\nthe thrilling experiences of an earnest occult student on his way\nupward to those sublime heights of Universal Love and Devotion to\nHumanity, attained only by the true initiates of the Great White\nBrotherhood--a vivid picture of life in the famous occult schools of\nParis and the Far East; explaining much which has so long been veiled\nin mystery. _W. L. Carver._ 377 pages, Cloth. No. 22161, 1.50\n\n~Constructive Psychology.~ The Constructive Principle of Character\nBuilding. _Dr. J. D. Buck._ No. 22296, 1.00\n\n~Culture of Concentration.~ Occult Powers and their acquirement. _Wm.\nQ. Judge._ No. 22266, .10\n\n~Discovery of the Soul, The.~ Throwing light on the path of progressive\nman, leading through mysticism to the discovery of those unused powers\nwithin the soul, which duly appropriated give expression to the Divine\nin Man. _Floyd B. Wilson._ No. 22306, 1.00\n\n~Egypt the Cradle of Ancient Masonry.~ Comprising a history of Egypt,\nwith a comprehensive and authentic account of the Antiquity of Masonry,\nthe result of many years of personal investigation and exhaustive\nresearch in India, Persia, Syria and the Valley of the Nile. _Norman F.\nde Clifford._ Beautifully illustrated.\n\n  Art Canvass binding, 2 vol., 9 \u00d7 12. 644 pgs, No. 22421   6.75 Half\n  American Morocco, 2 vol., \"    \"   \"          No. 22423   7.50 Full\n  American Morocco, 2 vol., \"    \"   \"          No. 22424  10.00 Full\n  Persian Morocco, 1 vol.,  \"    \"   \"          No. 22425  10.00\n\n~Egyptian Symbols, A Comparison~ with those of the Hebrews. Including\nPrinciple of Symbology, Application to Egyptian Symbols, to the Symbols\nof Color and to the Symbols of the Bible. A clear, concise exposition\nof a most interesting subject, by _Frederick Portal_. Translated from\nthe French, by _John W. Simons_. Illustrated. No. 22381, 1.00\n\n~Harmonies of Evolution.~ This work marks out a new path in the\ntreatment of the so-called Occult in Nature, attempting to explain\nrather than to mystify and to illustrate and elucidate the correlation\nof spiritual and physical forces in Nature. _Florence Huntley._ 463\npgs. No. 22716, 2.00\n\n~Hermes and Plato.~ The mysteries of Egypt and of Eleusis. _Edouard\nShure._ No. 22856, 1.00\n\n~History of Initiation.~ In Twelve Lectures: General Introduction,\nHistory of Initiation in Hindostan, Philosophy of the Eastern\nMysteries, Initiation in Persia, Initiation in Greece, Ceremonies of\nInitiation into the Mysteries of Bacchus, the Celtic Mysteries,\nCeremonies in Britain, Symbols and Doctrines of the Druids, Gothic\nMysteries, Doctrines and Morality, History of Initiation in America,\ncomprising the Rites, Ceremonies and Doctrines of all the Secret and\nMysterious Institutions of the Ancient World. _Rev. George Oliver,\nD.D._ Illustrated, 218 pgs. Blue cloth and gilt stamps, 5-1/4 \u00d7 8-1/4,\ngilt. No. 22801, 1.50\n\n~History of the Knights Templar.~ _C. G. Addison._ A condensed\nnarrative or History of the Great Crusades; a thrilling account of the\nlongest and hardest struggle for freedom of Christian principles that\nthe world has ever known; no such zeal, no such ardor has ever been\nrecorded; no such battles have been fought in ancient or modern times;\nno such persecutions, martyrdom and suffering for any cause as that\nendured by the Crusaders, out of which has grown our beautiful system\nof Templarism.\n\nThe work is also a record of the various events in connection with the\norder from those strenuous times to the present day, containing the\nproceedings of Triennial Encampments down to and including the 30th at\nSaratoga in 1907. Some of these original proceedings are very scarce,\nand only to be found in rare collections. Order one of the histories;\nget up a club; ask for agency, and see to it that every Sir Knight has\na better knowledge of his glorious ancestry. We guarantee they will\nsell.\n\n  Full art canvass.      No. 22811       3.25\n  Library sheep.         No. 22812       3.50\n  Half American Russia.  No. 22818       3.75\n  Half American Morocco. No. 22813       4.00\n  Full American Russia.  No. 22819       4.75\n  Full American Morocco. No. 22814       5.00\n  Full Persian Morocco.  No. 22817       8.75\n\n~Initiation, The Way of,~ or how to attain knowledge of the higher\nworld. _Rudolf Steiner, Ph.D._ Arranged from the translation by _Max\nGysi_. Notes by _Edouard Schur\u00e9_. A valuable guide in a matter between\nyou and yourself. New large type. No. 24276, 1.00, Paper. No. 24280,\n.75\n\n~Initiation and its Results.~ _Rudolf Steiner, Ph.D._ (Now in press). A\nsequel to the way of Initiation. These works, in the plainest and\nclearest way, give more instruction in occult knowledge than any yet\npublished. The Mystics and philosophic press indorse them in the\nhighest terms. New large type. No. 22976, 1.00\n\n~In Tune with the Infinite.~ _Ralph Waldo Trine._ Bound in Japanese\nstyle or special silk. No. 22996, 1.25\n\n~Josephus.~ The authentic works and life of this great Jewish historian\nand celebrated warrior. Translated by _Wm. Winston, M.A._ 1055 pgs.,\nattractively bound and illustrated. 7-1/2 \u00d7 9-1/2. No. 23061, 1.75\n\n~Kingdom of Love, The.~ _Henry Frank._ Beautifully expressed,\nwholesome, helpful and inspiring essays. 245 pgs. No. 23086, 1.00\n\n~Koran, The.~ Commonly called the Alkoran of Mohammed (the Mohammedian\nBible). 559 pgs. No. 23071, 1.50\n\n~Krishna and Orpheus~, the Great Initiates of the East and West.\n_Edouard Schur\u00e9._ No. 23106, 1.25\n\n~Last Great Initiate, Jesus the.~ _Edouard Schur\u00e9._ The Essenes, St.\nJohn, etc. No. 23056, 1.00\n\n~Life and Writings of Dr. Rob't. Fludd~, the English Rosicrucian. _I.\nB. Craven._ Cloth. No. 23206, 2.50\n\n~Light on the Path.~ A treatise for the personal use of those who are\nunfamiliar with the Eastern Wisdom but desire to enter within its\ninfluence. _C. M._ Cloth. No. 23166, .50, Leather. No. 24266, .75\n\n~Lost Word Found, The.~ \"The most compelling bit of literature yet\npresented by Dr. Buck, and unlike anything ever written concerning the\nmystery of the Lost Word.\" _J. D. Buck._ No. 23196, .50\n\n~Man Limitless.~ \"A study of the possibilities of man when acting under\ninfinite guidance with which he is in absolute touch.\" _Floyd B.\nWilson._ No. 23531, 1.25\n\n~Man of Mount Moriah, The.~ From Symbolism and Prophecy to Sacrifice\nand Fulfillment--a wonderfully interesting story of the Grand Architect\nat the Building of King Solomon's Temple. Beautifully illustrated,\nfollowed by forty pages of the best Masonic and O.E.S. poetry,\nincluding \"Esther, a sacred drama.\" 334 pgs. Edition after edition has\nbeen sold, which enables us to greatly increase the quality and style\nof the book for serviceable wear and richness of appearance. _C. M.\nBoutelle._,\n\n  Half Morocco and full gilt.     No. 23488          4.00\n  Half Russia and full gilt.      No. 23487          3.60\n  Half Morocco, marble edge.      No. 23483          3.20\n  Half Russia, marble edge.       No. 23486          2.80\n  Half Cloth, marble edge.        No. 23481          2.40\n  Heavy Paper Sides, marble edge. No. 23485          1.60\n\n~Mastery of Mind in the Making of a Man, The.~ A searching analysis and\nexposition of the power of mind in body-building and the forming of\npersonality. _Henry Frank._ 250 pgs. No. 33336, 1.00\n\n~Messianic Expectation and Modern Judaism.~ _Solomon Schindler._ Cloth.\nNo. 23336, 1.00\n\n~Morals and Dogma~, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite from the 1st, to 33d\nDegree, by _Albert Pike, Grand Commander_. This valuable work is the\nresult of years of study, translations from ancient and modern\nlanguages, and thousands of dollars expenditure by the author. The\nMasonic and Theosophical student will find in it a mine of knowledge\nthat can be found nowhere else, and heretofore within the reach of but\nfew. The greatest book ever written or printed about Free Masonry. 861\npgs. 6-1/2 \u00d7 9-1/2. Cloth binding with gold stamps. No. 23361, 5.25\n\n~Myrtle Baldwin.~ A novel of great interest, especially to the\nFraternity, as it is full of Masonic principles. _Bro. Charles Clark\nMunn_, author of The Hermet, etc. 510 pgs. 5-1/4 \u00d7 7-1/2. Illustrated,\ngreen cloth, black and gold stamps. An excellent gift. No. 23586, 1.50\n\n~Mystical Life of Ours, This.~ _Ralph Waldo Trine._ No. 24236, 1.00\n\n~Occult Science in India~, and among the Ancients, with an account of\ntheir Mystic Initiations and History of Spiritualism. _Louis\nJacolliot._ Cloth. No. 23715, 2.50\n\n~Occultist's Travels, An.~ _Willy Reichel._ Cloth. No. 33726, 1.00\n\n~Paths to Power.~ \"The struggling will gain strength--the doubting\nassurance--and the despairing hope, from this book.\" Fifteenth edition.\n_Floyd B. Wilson._ No. 23796, 1.00\n\n~Philosophy of Fire, The.~ \"There is nothing new under the sun.\" Fire\nPhilosophy is the foundation of all True Initiation, and all Mystic\nand Occult Fraternities, as well as the Secret Doctrine and Ancient\nMysteries. Atlantis, its Beauty, and its Fall. The Templars, and\nFire Philosophers. The Therapeutae and Essenes and their Initiation.\nSecond and very much enlarged edition, contains the Rosicrucian Fire\nPhilosophy according to Jennings. _R. S. Clymer._ About 250 pgs. Silk\nCloth. Symbol in gold. No. 23806, 1.50\n\n~Pythagoras and the Delphic Mysteries.~ _Edouard Schur\u00e9._ No. 23811,\n1.50\n\n~Queen Moo and the Egyptian Sphinx.~ A most interesting and valuable\nwork--the result of extensive research among the ruined palaces, tombs\nand temples, and careful study of the signs, symbols and ancient\nmanuscripts of the Mayas of prehistoric Yucatan; showing evidences of a\ncivilization antedating, by centuries, that of the Eastern Hemisphere,\nand giving a reasonable solution of that mystery of the ages--the\nOrigin and Meaning of the Egyptian Sphinx. _Augustus Le Plongeon._\nBeautifully illustrated with full page half-tone prints, from\nphotographs taken by the author while exploring those ancient remains.\nNo. 23851. Reduced from 6.00 to 4.75\n\n~Queen Moo's Talisman.~ The Fall of the Maya Empire. A beautiful Poem\nwith Introduction and Explanatory Argument. _Alice Le Plongeon._\nProfusely illustrated. Cloth. No. 23841, 1.50\n\n~Rose Croix, The.~ A story of Two Hemispheres. A most interesting\nnovel. _David Tod Gilliam._ 369 pgs. No. 23946, 1.60\n\n~Rosicrucians, The.~ Their Teachings and Mysteries according to the\nManifestoes issued at various times by the fraternity itself. Also some\nof their secret Teachings and the mystery of the Order explained. _Bro.\nR. Swinburne Clymer._ 304 pgs. No. 23906, 6.00\n\n~Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, The.~ With 12 full page illustrations in\ncolors and tinted border designs, 6 \u00d7 9. Deckel edge, No. 23936 1.25.\nWatered Silk, No. 23940, 2.00. Limp Leather, No. 23937, 2.00\n\n~Sacred Mysteries.~ Freemasonry in times anterior to the Temple of\nSolomon. Relics of the Mayas and Quiches 11,500 years ago, their\nrelation to the Sacred Mysteries of Egypt, Greece, Chaldea and India.\n_Augustus Le Plongeon._ No. 23956, 2.50\n\n~Sermon on the Mount~, and other Extracts from the New Testament. A\nverbatim translation from the Greek with notes on the Mystical or\nArcane Sense. _James M. Pryse._ Cloth. No. 24076, .60\n\n~Servant in the House, The.~ A beautiful and uplifting drama of\nBrotherly Love. _Charles Rann Kennedy._ No. 23966, 1.25\n\n~Signs and Symbols.~ _Dr. George Oliver._ Illustrated and explained in\na series of twelve lectures on Freemasonry. No. 23986, 1.50\n\n~Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses, The.~ The wonderful arts of the old\nwise Hebrews, taken from the Mosaic books of the Kabbalah and the\nTalmud, for the good of mankind. 100 pgs. Paper, No. 24040, .75\n\n~Story of the Other Wise Man, The.~ A beautiful narrative. _Henry Van\nDyke._ Exquisitely printed and bound. Cloth, No. 23961, .50. and Limp\nLeather. No. 23962, 1.00\n\n~Spirit of Freemasonry.~ Comprising lectures on the State of\nFreemasonry in the Eighteenth Century, the Design, Rites, Ceremonies\nand Institutions of the Ancients, Nature of the Lodge, Furniture,\nApparel and Jewels of Masons, Temple at Jerusalem Geometry, Master\nMason's Order, Secrecy of Masons, Charity, Brotherly Love, Occupations,\nand a Corollary; followed by an Appendix containing Charges, Addresses\nand Orations on various Masonic occasions. _William Hutchinson._ With\ncopious notes, critical and explanatory, of great value, by the _Rev.\nGeorge Oliver_. No. 24021, 1.50\n\n~Swedenborg Rite~, and the Great Masonic Leaders of the Eighteenth\nCentury. The Masonic career of Swedenborg and his followers, and the\nrelation between the symbolic system of Swedenborgianism and modern\nFreemasonry. _Samuel Beswick._ No. 24051, 1.00\n\n~Symbol of Glory~, showing the Object and End of Freemasonry in a\nvaledictory and thirteen lectures: Masonic Science, Poetry and\nPhilosophy, Knowledge, Doctrines, Circle and Parallel Meaning, Great\nLights, and Masonic Ladder, Theological Virtues and Masonry, Clouded\nCanopy and Ladder Symbols, Application, Blazing Star, Symbol of Glory,\netc. _Rev. George Oliver._ 298 pgs., cloth, black and gold stamps. No.\n24061, 1.50\n\n~Symbolism of Freemasonry.~ Illustrating and Explaining its Science and\nPhilosophy, its Legends, Myths and Symbols. _Mackey._ 360 pgs. No.\n24071, 1.50\n\n~Temple, The.~ Its Ministry and Services at the Time of Jesus Christ.\n_Rev. Dr. Eidersheim._ 308 pgs. No. 24201, 1.50\n\n~Through Silence to Realization.~ This work embodies a system of\ninstruction for mental growth and attainment of ideals. _Floyd B.\nWilson._ 5-1/2 \u00d7 7-1/2. No. 24241, 1.00\n\n~Voice of the Silence~, and Other Chosen Fragments from the Book of the\nGolden Precepts for the Daily Use of Lanoos. _B. P. Blavatsky._ Cloth.\nNo. 24266, .50. Leather. No. 24267, .75\n\n\n\n\nCondensed List of New Books, etc., Regularly in Stock, for Sale,\nExchange or Circulating Library Use. May be Exchanged if not Found to\nbe What is Wanted. Order By Number.\n\n\n  22001 A.A.S.R., Book of the. _McClenachan_                     3.00\n  22011 Adoptive Rite, revised, enlarged. _Macoy_                1.00\n  22021 Ahiman Rezon, General. _Sickels_                         2.00\n  22024    Morocco binding, gilt edges                           3.50\n  22036 Akin's Manual of the Lodge                               1.25\n  22006 All These Things Added. _Allen_                          1.00\n  24231 Altar in the Wilderness. _Johnson._ Cloth                 .50\n  24235    Paper                                                  .25\n  22051 Amaranth Odes                                             .20\n  22055    Paper                                                  .15\n  22041 Amaranth Ritual, revised, enlarged. _Macoy_              1.00\n  22081 Ancient Const. Reprint 1723. Music. _Anderson_           1.00\n  22056 Ancient Mysteries and Modern Masonry                     1.00\n  22060    Paper. _Rev. Charles H. Vail_                          .50\n  22071 Annotated Constitutions. _Simons_                        1.00\n  23726 An Occultist's Travels. _Reichel._ Cloth                 1.00\n  22086 Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry. _Clymer_                1.50\n  22110 Ancient Order of Hurcules (_Burlesque_), 6 copies        5.00\n  22096 Ante Room Talks, _Bloomer_                               1.00\n  22091 Antiquities of Freemasonry. _Oliver_                     1.50\n  22101 Antiquities of the Orient Unveiled. _Redding_            1.50\n  22146 Arcane Schools-Hist. of Fmsy. _John Yorker_              4.75\n  22016 As a Man Thinketh. _J. Allen._ Cloth, 4-1/4 \u00d7 7-1/4       .50\n  22017    Leather                                                .75\n  22018    Watered Silk                                           .75\n  22019    Special Gift Edition                                   .75\n  22020    Paper                                                  .15\n  22076 Ben Hur. _Wallace_                                       1.50\n  22141 Bible Testimony to Theosophical Truths                    .10\n  22175 Biography of Mrs. Babington                               .25\n  22191 Birthdays, Their Significance. _Colville_                 .50\n  22195    Paper                                                  .40\n  22001 Book of A.A.S.R. _McClenachan_                           3.00\n  22146 Book of I.O.O.F. Forms                                   1.00\n  22151 Book of the Chapter. _Mackey_                            1.60\n  22166 Book of the Master. _Adams._ Cloth                       1.25\n  22176 Brotherhood. _Harding_                                    .50\n  22186 Brotherhood of Healers. _J. Macbeth._ Cloth               .50\n  22161 Brother of Third Degree. _Carver_                        1.50\n  22067 Buechners Fraternal Register, vest pock. leather          .60\n  22181 Busbee's Digest, I.O.O.F.                                4.00\n  22151 Chapter, Book of the, _Mackey_, Cloth                    1.60\n  22221 Chapter Music. _Ilsley_                                   .15\n  22230 Charges of a Mason. _Chase_                               .15\n  22201 Christmas, Easter and Burial Services, K.T.               .45\n  22202    Leather. _Rev. Cornelius L. Twing_                     .75\n  22204    Morocco                                               1.00\n  22205    Paper                                                  .35\n  22210 Coles Initiation Ritual (_Burlesque_), 6 copies          3.75\n  24011 Colorado Grand Lodge Monitor. _Foster._ Cloth             .75\n  24012    Leather                                               1.00\n  22246 Concise Cyclopedia of Freemasonry. _Hawkins_             1.00\n  22211 Concordia, words only. _Ilsley_                           .25\n  22281 Constitution and History, A.A.S.R.                       2.00\n  22295 Constitutions, O.E.S., _Africa_, paper                    .25\n  22236 Cosmogony of Evolution. _Ingalese._ Cloth                2.00\n  22266 Culture of Concentration. _W. Q. Judge_                   .10\n  22296 Constructive Psychology. _Buck_                          1.00\n  22231 Council Monitor, _Chase_                                 1.00\n  22241 Council Monitor. _Mackey_                                2.00\n  22251 Craft Masonry. _Cunningham_                              1.00\n  22254    Morocco                                               1.50\n  22261 Cross Masonic Chart, Revised                             1.75\n  22256 Crucifixion, by an Eye Witness                           1.00\n  22241 Cryptic Masonry. _Mackey_                                2.00\n  22411 Cyclopedia of Fraternities. _Stevens_                    4.50\n  22271 Cushing's Manual, Parliamentary Law                       .75\n  22316 Dashed Against the Rock. _Colville_                       .75\n  22340 Daughters of Sphinx (_Burlesque_), 6 copies              5.00\n  22301 Diagram of Parliamentary Rules. _Smith_                   .50\n  22304    Morocco, parchment chart                              1.00\n  22306 Discovery of the Soul                                    1.00\n  22346 Divine Pedigree of Man. _T. J. Hudson_                   1.50\n  22331 Dream Child. _Huntley_                                    .75\n  22311 Drew's Monitor, small                                     .60\n  22351 Early History and Antiquities. _Fort_                    3.50\n  22366 Early History and Proceedings, N.Y. Vol. I               2.50\n  22361 Early History, New York. _Ross_                          2.50\n  22371 Eden to Malta. _Beller_                                  1.50\n  22381 Egyptian Symbols. _Portal_, _Simons_                     1.00\n  22421 Egypt the Cradle of Msry. _de Clifford_, 2 vol.          6.75\n  22423    Half American morocco, 2 vol.                         7.50\n  22424    Full American morocco, 2 vol.                        10.00\n  22425    Full Persian morocco, 1 vol.                         10.00\n  22981 Election and Installation                                 .40\n  22985    Paper                                                  .25\n  22376 Emerson's Essays                                         1.00\n  22391 Ency. and History. _Oliver & Macoy._  Cloth              2.75\n  22392    Library, sheep, marble edge                           3.00\n  22395    Half American Russia                                  3.25\n  22393    Half American Morocco                                 3.50\n  22397    Full American Russia                                  4.25\n  22394    Full American Morocco                                 5.75\n  23398    Full Persian Morocco                                  8.50\n  22401 Encyclopedia, _Mackey_, _McClenachan_, cloth             4.50\n  22402    Sheep                                                 6.00\n  22405    Half Russia, Gilt top                                 6.50\n  22404    Full morocco                                          8.00\n  22406    Two Volume Edition                                   11.00\n  22411 Encyclopedia of Fraternities. _Stevens_                  4.50\n  22356 Entering the Kingdom. _J. Allen_                          .50\n  22357    Leather                                                .75\n  22358    Watered Silk                                           .75\n  22359    Special Gift Edition                                   .75\n  22360    Paper                                                  .15\n  22396 Evolution of the Soul. _T. J. Hudson_                    1.50\n  22476 Fate Mastered                                             .30\n  22465 Female Masonry, \"_A la Lease_\"                            .50\n  22091 Five Grand Periods of Masonry. _Oliver_                  1.50\n  22471 Five Jewels of the Orient, The. _Burton_                 1.00\n  22490 Floral March. _Simpson_                                   .40\n  22481 Floral Work. _Bunnell_                                    .40\n  22485    Paper                                                  .25\n  24006 Florida Monitor, _Gr. Lodge Comm_                         .75\n  24007    Leather                                               1.00\n  22530 Freemasonry and Jesuitry                                  .15\n  22571 Freemason's Monitor. _Sickels_                           1.00\n  22572    Same, Lodge, to Comdy., leather                       1.50\n  22511 Freemason's Monitor. _Thornberg_                         1.25\n  22512    Leather                                               2.00\n  22501 Freemason's Monitor. _Webb._ Cloth                        .75\n  22502    Leather                                               1.00\n  22556 Freimaurer's Handbuch. _Committee_                       1.00\n  22557    Leather                                               1.25\n  22551 Freimaurer's Handbuch, small                              .60\n  22581 Fundamental Truths. _N.D._ Cloth                          .50\n  22156 Funeral Services. _Simons_--_Macoy_                       .35\n  22160    Paper bound                                            .25\n  22651 Gem of Song, O.E.S. _Pitkin & Mathews_                    .50\n  22655    Paper                                                  .25\n  22021 General Ahiman Rezon, a Large Monitor                    2.00\n  22024    Same, morocco and gilt. _Sickels_--_Macoy_            3.50\n  22656 Genius of Freemasonry. _Buck_                            1.00\n  22661 Great Work. _T.K._                                       2.00\n  22645 Guide to Chapter. _Sheville_, _Gould_, limp cloth         .75\n  22641    Same in cloth and gilt binding                        1.00\n  22642    Leather bound with flap                               1.25\n  22644    Bound in imitation cowhide morocco                    1.50\n  22646    Large library size, cloth bound                       1.50\n  22649    Same in imitation morocco                             2.00\n  22311 Hand Book of Freemasonry. _Drew_                          .60\n  22711 Harmonia. _Music_, _Cutler_                               .25\n  22716 Harmonies of Evolution. _Huntley_                        2.00\n  22741 Health from Knowledge. _Colville_                         .75\n  22745    Leatherette                                            .50\n  22851 Heavenly Life. _James Allen._ Cloth                       .50\n  22856 Hermes and Plato. _Schur\u00e9_                               1.00\n  22721 Hermetic Writing of Paracelsus. _Waite._ 2 vol.         18.00\n  22866 Heroines of Jerico. Ceremonies. Cloth. _Dickson_          .75\n  22861 Heroines of Jerico. Ritual, Cloth. _Dickson_              .50\n  22723 Historical Landmarks. _Oliver_                           4.00\n  22726 Historical Sketch--Morton Commandery                     2.00\n  22731 History and Power of Mind. _Ingalese._ Cloth             2.00\n  22751 History of A. &. A. Scottish Rite. _Folger_              3.00\n  22791 History of Colored Freemasonry. _Grimshaw_               1.25\n  22771 History of Freemasonry, Concise. _Gould._ Cloth          2.75\n  22772    Library--sheep                                        4.00\n  22773    Half Morocco                                          3.75\n  22774    Full Morocco                                          4.75\n  22775    Levant                                                8.50\n  22761 Hist. of Freemasonry & Concordant Orders                 4.50\n  22763    Half Morocco. _Stillson & Hughan_                     5.50\n  22764    Full Morocco                                          6.50\n  22765    Levant                                               10.00\n  22780 History of Frmsy. _Gould_, 6 vol. 1/2 calf              25.00\n  22779    Morocco. (Shopworn, sets only)                       30.00\n  22781 History of Freemasonry. _Mitchell_, 2 vols.              4.00\n  22782    Library--sheep                                        5.00\n  22784    Morocco                                               6.00\n  22801 History of Initiation. _Oliver_                          1.50\n  22811 History of K.T. Revised. _Addison_                       3.25\n  22812    Library Sheep                                         3.50\n  22818    Half American Russia                                  3.75\n  22813    Half American Morocco                                 4.00\n  22819    Full American Russia                                  4.75\n  22814    Full American Morocco                                 5.00\n  22817    Full Persian Morocco                                  8.75\n  22831 History of O.E.S. _Engle_                                2.25\n  22841 History of Rosicrucians--_Waite_                         2.50\n  24276 Initiation, Way of. _Rudolf Steiner, Ph.D._              1.00\n  24280    Paper                                                  .75\n  22976 Initiation and Its Results. _Rudolf Steiner, Ph.D._      1.00\n  23010 Initiation of a Candidate--6 copies (_Burlesque_)        5.00\n  22991 Indian Masonry. _Wright_                                 1.50\n  22986 In Memoriam--Orin Welsh. (_Shopworn_)                    1.50\n  22981 Installation Ceremonies. _Simons_--_Whiting_              .40\n  22985    Paper                                                  .25\n  22281 Introduction and History, A.A.S.R.                       2.00\n  22996 In Tune with the Infinite. _Trine_                       1.25\n  23011 I.O.O.F. Hist. and Manual                                3.75\n  23013    Half Morocco                                          4.75\n  23914    Full Morocco                                          6.50\n  23001 Irish Prince and Hebrew Prophet. _Kissick_               1.50\n  23046 Jerico Road. (I.O.O.F.) _Thompson_                       1.00\n  22530 Jesuitry and Frmsy. _Rameses_                             .15\n  23056 Jesus, the Last Great Initiate. _Schur\u00e9_                 1.00\n  23076 Jewels of Pythian Knighthood, cloth                      3.00\n  23078    Half Morocco                                          4.00\n  23079    Full Morocco                                          5.00\n  23061 Josephus, The Works of                                   1.75\n  23121 Kabbalah Unveiled. _S. L. M. Mathers._ Cloth             3.50\n  23086 Kingdom of Love. _Frank_                                 1.00\n  23120 King Solomon's Secret (_Farce_)                           .35\n  23092 K. of P. Drill. _Carnahan._ Leather                      1.50\n  23091    Cloth                                                 1.00\n  23115 Knights of the Zoroasters (_Burlesque_), 6 copies        3.75\n  23070 Knight Templar Melodies, per doz.                        4.80\n  23071 Koran. Translated by _Sale_                              1.50\n  23106 Krishna and Orpheus. _Schur\u00e9_                            1.25\n  26045 Labyrinth as a Life Story. _O.E.S._ Paper                 .25\n  23141 Law of Mental Medicine. _T. J. Hudson_                   1.50\n  23146 Law of Psychic Phenomena. _T. J. Hudson_                 1.50\n  23161 Lexicon of Freemasonry. _Mackey_                         3.00\n  23151 Life and Power from Within. _Colville_                    .75\n  23186 Life and Doctrine of Paracelsus. Cloth                   2.50\n  23286 Life and Writings of Dr. Robt. Fludd. Cloth              2.50\n  23176 Light of Asia. _Edwin Arnold_                             .75\n  23166 Light on the Path. _M.C._ Cloth                           .50\n  23167    Leather                                                .75\n  23181 Lights and Shadows. _Morris_--_Mackey_                   2.50\n  23156 Living Decalogue. _Colville_                              .50\n  23191 Lodge Goat. _Comic_                                      2.00\n  23201 Lodge Music. _Ilsley_                                     .15\n  23196 Lost Word Found. _Buck_                                   .50\n  23221 Low Twelve. _Ellis_                                      1.50\n  23224    Morocco                                               2.50\n  23472 Mackey's Ritualist, leather                              1.60\n  23531 Man Limitless. _Wilson_                                  1.25\n  23481 Man of Mount Moriah. _Boutelle_                          2.40\n  23483    Half Morocco                                          3.20\n  23486    Half Russia                                           2.80\n  23487    Half Russia, gilt edges                               3.60\n  23488    Half Morocco, gilt edges                              4.00\n  28485    Paper                                                 1.60\n  23521 Manual, Lodge of Perfection. _Nor. Jurisdiction_         1.50\n  23517 Manual of Lodge of N.J. (New)                            1.25\n  23491 Manual of the Chapter. _Sheville and Gould_               .75\n  23501 Manual of the Lodge. _Mackey_                            2.00\n  23511 Manual of the Lodge of N.J. Illust'd.                     .25\n  23512    Leather                                                .35\n  23526 Masonic Burial Services. _Macoy_                          .50\n  23461 Masonic Eclectic, 2 vols., shopworn                      1.00\n  23541 Masonic Gem. _Rev. A. L. Alford_                          .50\n  23551 Masonic Jurisprudence. _Simons_                          1.50\n  23561 Masonic Jurisprudence. _Mackey_                          2.50\n  23401 Masonic Jurisprudence and Symbolism. _Lawrence_          1.00\n  23581 Masonic Law and Practice. _Lockwood_                     1.00\n  23261 Masonic Lodge Music, (Kane Lodge, N.J.)                   .40\n  23265    Paper                                                  .25\n  23271 Masonic Light on Abduction of Morgan                     1.00\n  23591 Masonic Musical Manual. Lithographed                      .75\n  23594    Leather. _W. H. Janes._ Lithographed                  1.00\n  23595    Paper Board, 7-1/2 \u00d7 10. Lithographed                  .50\n  23600    Paper Flexible. Lithographed                           .35\n  23592    Paper Board. Cheaper Print                             .35\n  23593    Paper Flexible. Cheaper Print                          .25\n  23596    Cloth Board. Cheaper Print                             .60\n  23598    Paper Flexible. Words only 4 \u00d7 6                       .20\n  23597    Cloth Flexible. Words only 4 \u00d7 6                       .25\n  23599    Cloth Board and Stamp. Words only 4 \u00d7 6                .35\n  23620 Masonic Orpheus. Words and Music. _Dow_                  1.75\n  23571 Masonic Parliamentary Law. _Mackey_                      2.00\n  23285 Masonic Poetry. _Morris._ Silk cloth, gilt edge          3.50\n  23291 Masonic Sketch Book. _E. du Laurans_                     2.00\n  23311 Masonic Token. _Anderson_                                2.25\n  23301 Masonic Trials. Treatise upon Law. _Look_                1.50\n  23306 Mastery of Mind in Making of Man. _Frank_                1.00\n  23321 Maurerisches Liederbuch. _Roehr._ Cloth                   .25\n  23336 Messianic Expectations and Modern Judaism                1.00\n  22420 Metal Therapeutics. A Text Book. _Colville_               .25\n  23346 Meyer's Tactics                                          1.00\n  23345 Middle Chamber Work. Paper                                .25\n  22501 Miniature Monitor. _Webb_                                 .75\n  22502    Leather                                               1.00\n  33390 Missing Link (_Burlesque_), 6 copies                     3.00\n  33389    Same with outfit                                      5.00\n  23356 Mission of Masonry. _Peters_                              .50\n  23360    Paper                                                  .35\n  23351 Monitor of A.A.S.R. By _Webb_--_Carson_                  1.50\n  23376 Monitor--Grand Lodge N.Y.                                1.00\n  23570 Moot Court Martial, 6 copies (_Burlesque_)               2.00\n  23361 Morals and Dogma, Scottish Rite. _Pike_                  5.25\n  23580 Munchers of Hard Tack, 6 copies (_Burlesque_)            3.75\n  23671 Music of Chapter. _Marsh._ Cloth                          .65\n  23673    Paper Flexible                                         .25\n  23674    American Morocco                                      1.00\n  23675    Paper Board                                            .40\n  23586 Myrtle Baldwin. _Munn_                                   1.50\n  23411 Mystic Chord. _Mabie_                                     .50\n  23415    Paper                                                  .25\n  23421 Mystic Masonry. _Buck_                                   1.50\n  23181 Mystic Tie. _Morris_--_Mackey_                           2.50\n  23701 New Light from the Great Pyramid. _Parsons_              4.00\n  23707 New Odd Fellows Manual--_Grosh_, leather                 1.50\n  23706    Cloth. Larger Edition                                 2.50\n  23709    Morocco and Gilt. Larger Edition                      3.25\n  23700 New Woman (_Burlesque_), 4 copies                        1.00\n  23712 Nuggets from King Solomon's Mines. _Schmalz_             2.00\n  23721 Obelisk and Freemasonry. _Weisse_, paper                 1.00\n  23731 Obituary Rites of Freemasonry. _Macoy_                    .50\n  23716 Occult Science in India. _Jacolliot._ Cloth              2.50\n  23776 Ocean of Theosophy, The. _W. Q. Judge._ Cloth             .75\n  23013    Half Morocco                                          3.75\n  23014    Full Morocco                                          5.50\n  23011 Odd Fellowship. His. and Manual. _Ross_                  3.75\n  23736 Odd Fellowship, Official History. Canvas                 3.75\n  23737    Half Morocco. Art canvas                              4.75\n  23738    Full Morocco                                          5.50\n  23746 O.E.S. Burial Services. _Macoy_                           .50\n  23741 O.E.S. Manual. _Macoy._ Original Edition                  .75\n  23766 Old and New Psychology. _Colville_                       1.00\n  23771 Onesimus Templeton. _Colville_                            .50\n  23786 On the Road to Self-Knowledge. _Jones._ Cloth             .50\n  23640 Oriental Order of Humility, 6 copies (_Burlesque_)       1.00\n  23821 Origin of Freemasonry and K.T. _Bennett_                 1.75\n  22756 Out From the Heart. _J. Allen._ Cloth                     .50\n  22757    Leather                                                .75\n  22758    Watered Silk                                           .75\n  22759    Special Gift Edition                                   .75\n  22760    Paper                                                  .15\n  23791 Path of Prosperity, The. _J. Allen_                       .50\n  23792    Leather                                                .75\n  23793    Watered Silk                                           .75\n  23794    Special Gift Edition                                   .75\n  23795    Paper                                                  .15\n  23796 Paths to Power. _Wilson_                                 1.00\n  23816 Perfect Way; or, Finding of Christ. _Kingsford_          2.00\n  23281    Embossed Cloth Cover                                  2.75\n  23806 Philosophy of Fire. _Clymer._ Cloth                      1.50\n  23285 Poetry of Freemasonry. _Morris._ Silk cloth, gilt        3.50\n  23751 Prelate's Lesson                                         1.00\n  23551 Principles, Practice, Masonic Law. _Simons_              1.50\n  23805 Put Through (Comic)                                       .25\n  23811 Pythagoras and the Delphic Mysteries. _Schur\u00e9_           1.50\n  23081 Pythian Knighthood, cloth. _Cornahan_                    3.00\n  23083    Half Morocco                                          4.00\n  23084    Full Morocco                                          5.00\n  23851 Queen Moo and Egyptian Sphinx. _Le Plongeon_             4.75\n  23841 Queen Moo's Talisman. Cloth                              1.50\n  23850 Queen of Sahara, 6 copies (_Burlesque_)                  3.00\n  23861 Queen of the South. _Macoy_                               .40\n  23865    Paper                                                  .25\n  23870 Ransford Drill. _O.E.S._                                  .75\n  23886 Red Blood of Odd Fellowship                              1.50\n  23860 Review of Cryptic Masonry. _Warvelle_, paper              .15\n  23901 Roberts' Rules of Order                                   .75\n  23946 Rose Croix. _Gilliam_                                    1.60\n  23906 Rosicrucians. _Clymer_                                   3.00\n  23915 Royal Arch Companion. _Chase_, limp cloth                 .75\n  23911    Same in cloth and gilt binding                        1.00\n  23912    Leather bound with flap                               1.25\n  23925 Royal Arch Standard. _McGown_, limp cloth                 .75\n  22921    Same in cloth and gilt binding                        1.00\n  23922    Leather bound with flap                               1.25\n  23895 Royal Order of Ogling Owls (_Burlesque_), 6 cop.         3.00\n  23936 Rubaiyat of Omar Khayram. Deckel edge                    1.25\n  23940    Watered Silk                                          2.00\n  23037    Limp Leather                                          2.00\n  23931 Ruins of Empires. _Voleny_                                .75\n  23925    Paper                                                  .50\n  23984    Leather                                               4.00\n  23956 Sacred Mysteries. _A. Le Plongeon_                       2.50\n  23981 Scarlet Book of Frmsy. _Redding_                         3.00\n  23951 Scientific Demonstration of the Future                   1.50\n  24031 Secret Doctrine Abridged                                 2.00\n  24176 Sermon on the Mount. _Pryse._ Cloth                       .60\n  23971 Sermons and Addresses. 480 pages. (Shopworn)              .75\n  22966 Servant in the House. _Kennedy_                          1.25\n  23991 Shibboleth, K.T. Monitor. _Connor_                       1.25\n  22021 Sickles Ahiman Rezon, General                            2.00\n  22024    Genuine Morocco                                       3.50\n  22571 Sickles Monitor                                          1.00\n  22572    Leather                                               1.50\n  23976 Signet of K.S., Freemason's Daughter. _Arnold_           1.50\n  23986 Signs and Symbols. _Oliver_                              1.50\n  23916 Singular Story of Freemasonry                             .75\n  24040 Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses                          1.00\n  22301 Smith's Diagram of Parliamentary Rules, cloth             .50\n  22304    Leather, parchment chart                              1.00\n  24020 Smithsonian Comedetta (_Burlesque_), 4 copies            1.00\n  24026 Solomon's Temple. _Caldecott_                            2.50\n  24050 Sons of Osirus (_Burlesque_), 6 copies                   3.75\n  24021 Spirit of Freemasonry. _Oliver_, _Hutchison_             1.50\n  24001 Standard Masonic Monitor. _Simons_--_Macoy_               .75\n  24002    Same, in leather and gilt                             1.00\n  24011 Standard Monitor, Colorado, cloth                         .75\n  24012    Leather                                               1.00\n  24006 Standard Monitor, Florida, cloth                          .75\n  24007    Leather                                               1.00\n  22216 Standard Monitor Illinois, Cook Cloth                     .40\n  22217    Leather                                                .60\n  24085 Star Chamber. _Frazer_--6 copies (_Burlesque_)           5.00\n  23961 Story of the Other Wise Man. Cloth. _Van Dyke_            .50\n  23962    Limp Leather                                          1.00\n  24051 Swedenborg Rite. _Beswick_                               1.00\n  24071 Symbolism of Freemasonry. _Oliver_                       2.25\n  24061 Symbol of Glory. _Oliver_                                1.50\n  24176 Tabernacle. _Caldecott_                                  1.75\n  24191 Tactics, K. T. _Grant_                                   1.00\n  24192    Leather                                               1.25\n  24196 Tactics, N.Y. Regulation                                 1.10\n  24181 Tactics Vest Pocket                                       .25\n  24184    Morocco                                                .75\n  24182    Leather                                                .50\n  24206 Templar Hand book                                        1.00\n  24201 Temple. _Eidersheim._ Cloth                              1.50\n  24236 This Mystical Life of Ours. _Trine_                      1.00\n  24216 Thoughts for the Occasion                                2.00\n  24186 Throne of Eden. _W. J. Colville_                         1.00\n  24241 Through Silence to Realization. _Wilson_                 1.00\n  24213 Traditions, Origins, Early History. _Pierson_            2.50\n  24225 Trial of Jesus. _Druker_                                  .25\n  24230 Twentieth Century Orient (_Burlesque_), 6 copies         3.00\n  24256 Universal Spiritualism                                   1.00\n  24250 Van Nest's Burlesque Ritual, 6 copies                    3.75\n  24251 Vocal Manual, words only. _Macoy_                         .25\n  24265 Vocal Star, O.E.S. Paper                                  .25\n  24266 Voice of the Silence, The. _Blavastky._ Cloth             .50\n  24280    Paper                                                 1.00\n  24301 Washington and His Masonic Compeers                      2.50\n  24276 Way of Initiation. _Rudolf Steiner, Ph.D._               1.00\n  24280    Paper                                                  .75\n  24271 Way of Peace, The. _J. Allen._ Cloth                      .50\n  24272    Leather                                                .75\n  24273    Watered Silk                                           .75\n  24274    Special Gift Edition                                   .75\n  24275    Paper                                                  .15\n  22501 Webb's Monitor                                            .75\n  22502    Leather                                               1.00\n  24286 What All the World's a-Seeking. _Trine_                  1.25\n  24315 Wisdom of the Ages (_Burlesque_), 6 copies               5.00\n  24281 Witching Hour. _Thomas_                                  1.50\n  24321 Worshipful Master's Assistant. _Macoy_                   1.50\n  24324    Same, in Morocco and gilt                             2.25\n  24425 32 Degrees K.P. or Ninety in the Shade. Comic             .25\n\n    _Exchanged if not satisfactory._\n\n    _Send for list containing a more complete description of all kinds\n    of Masonic Books, Rituals, Music, Charts, Engravings, Certificates\n    and Engrossing; Pins, Jewels, Charms in stock and to order; Blanks,\n    Books, Aprons, and General supplies for the Lodge or members._\n\n\n\n\nCIRCULATING LIBRARY.\n\n(FREE READING)        (HOME READING)\n\n\nFor our many customers, who, having no room for a collection of books\non Masonry, yet wish to be conversant with its origin and history, as\nwell as proficient in all matters pertaining to the Lodge and its\nwelfare, we have set aside several well-filled cases of rare, old and\nout-of-print works--Constitutions, Histories, Proceedings, etc., also a\nfine lot of up-to-date Monitors, Manuals, Jurisprudence, Worshipful\nMaster's Assistant and others. (_See list on preceding pages._)\n\nWe invite you to consult them freely at the office, without charge or\nto use them at your homes at the rate of ten per cent of their value\nfor the first thirty days, and an additional five per cent for each\nmonth thereafter--which will cover the expense of wear, tear, wrapping,\nbook-keeping, etc.--Thus, for a comparatively small item of cost you\ncan add to your store of knowledge, for greater usefulness and personal\nenjoyment.\n\nAs time and carfare is an important item, you can order the books to be\nsent through the mail or express, by enclosing stamps or money order\nequaling their value, which will be refunded, less the percentage, when\nthe books are returned.\n\nReaders in any part of the United States can take advantage of the mail\nrates--Books--1/8 lb. for one cent,--which we advance by prepaying them\nto your express or post office, deducting the same when refunding\nbalance.\n\nTo secure books on the Circulating Library Plan, order the books in the\nusual way, send Money Order equivalent to the value of the book and\nstate that you wish them on the library plan.\n\nTrusting you will find it convenient to make use of the books at the\noffice or try a selection from the list for your evenings at home,\n\nWe are, yours fraternally,\n\n  Macoy Publishing & Masonic Supply Co.\n  New York, U.S.A.","title":"The Way of Initiation; or, How to Attain Knowledge of the Higher Worlds","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":42716}