Editorial Note
The
attention of readers is called to the fact that fundamental explanations
given by Rudolf Steiner of the laws and conditions of karma are
contained in Vols. I and II of this series, as well as in many other
published writings and lectures. Knowledge of these earlier works should
therefore be regarded as an essential basis for study of the material
contained in this fourth and last volume of the series. (See
Note by Publishers)
Vol. IV
SUMMARY OF
CONTENTS
I
The Anthroposophical Movement and the
Anthroposophical Society. States of human consciousness at the present
day and in prehistoric times. The life of dream. Chaotic symbolisations
of the outer life of sense and revelations of the spirit-world. The
spinning of the thread of our destiny during the life of sleep in
communion with divine-spiritual Beings.
5th September, 1924
II
The continuing thread of karma or destiny is little
connected with a man's outer profession or inner calling, but far more
with the inner forces and resistances of soul, with moral relationships.
Investigation of the thread of destiny requires us to concentrate on
certain intimate features of a man's life and on his finer qualities and
characteristics. Ludwig Schleich and August Strindberg.
7th September, 1924
III
The inner motives of world-history and life cannot
be understood unless our gaze is turned to that spiritual background which
underlies the outer, physical happenings. The results of former
civilisation-epochs are carried into later ones by the personalities of
history and are changed in the process. By studying the external aspect
we may not immediately recognise these impulses in their new form; they
must be perceived as a deeply inward stream. Haroun al Raschid and his
counsellor. Arabism penetrates into the culture and civilisation of
Europe. The individualities of Alexander and Aristotle go forward with
the evolution of Christianity. The 8th Œcumenical Council as the
earthly projection of a spiritual event. Ancient Cosmic Christianity and
King Arthur's Round Table.
Arnold Böcklin.
The School of Chartres. Brunetto Latini.
Preparation of the Michael stream.
10th September, 1924
IV
Continued preparation of the Michael stream
through the individualities of Christian Aristotelians and Platonists.
Christianity illuminated in the School of Chartres through traditions of
the ancient Mysteries. The Goddess Natura. The planetary Intelligences
and the spiritual Powers in the fixed stars. Radiations of the living
spirituality of the School of Chartres. Until the time of the School of
Chartres the Platonic souls are working, and then the Aristotelian, who
now begin to descend from the super-sensible to the physical world and to
teach in the Dominican Order. The service of Michael is continued in
Scholasticism. Rudolf Steiner's experiences in connection with the
Cistercian Order. Founding of a far-spread School of Michael in the
super-sensible worlds at the time when, in the age of the Spiritual Soul,
materialism took its start on earth.
12th September, 1924
V
A twilight mood
pervades the Platonism of the School of Chartres, while from the
super-sensible School of Michael are born the impulses for the spiritual
life of the future. These impulses work into the Anthroposophical
Movement of the present time. The figure of Julian the Apostate.
14th September, 1924
VI
The individuality of Julian the Apostate —
Herzeleide — Tycho Brahe. The daemonic idols of Bacon of Verulam.
A super-sensible cult at the turn of the 18th and 19th century, which
flows down in real Imaginations of a spiritual kind.
Inspiration proceeding from the individuality of Julian the Apostate
— Tycho Brahe. Schelling.
Jacob Frohschammer.
The end of the century.
16th September, 1924
VII
The importance of a knowledge of karma for
understanding the general evolution of spiritual life. The stars are
colonies of spiritual Beings. To understand karma we must discover
spiritually the paths of man between death and a new birth in connection
with the Beings of the stars. Difficulties for the man of modern time in
approaching a real wisdom of the stars. The rulership of Michael opens
the way for the spiritual investigation of man's path between death and
a new birth and the forming of his karma. Intensity of the experiences
in the life after death. The figure of Strader; the Battle of the
Minstrels in the Wartburg;
Heinrich von Ofterdingen.
18th September, 1924
VIII
Further examples of the few individualities
whose successive earthly lives, if described one after the other, at
the same time give descriptions of history. A Roman philosopher
belonging to the school of the Sceptics at the end of the first
Christian century. Cardinal Mazarini, Hertling. Gregory the Great, Ernst
Haeckel. The Council of Nicæa; the hermit, the nun, Vladimir
Solovioff.
19th September, 1924
IX
Guiding-lines for an understanding of
the spiritual life of the present time. Difficulties in the carrying
over of spiritual substance, exemplified in four incarnations of a
particular individuality. Thomas Campanella — Otto Weiniger. In
the soul of this individuality, earlier visionary life and a spiritual
world-conception struggle with the rationalism and intellectuality of
the modern age.
21st September, 1924
X
Emancipation of
intellectuality from the elementary human qualities, from the deeper
being of the soul. Human bodies of to-day, being altogether attuned to
intellectualism, cause the spirituality that comes over from former
times to withdraw into the subconscious. To transform into spirituality
the intellectualism of the present age is the task of Anthroposophy,
which must reckon with the rationalism of the times in order that man
may find the path of ideas upward to the Spirit no less than downward
into nature. At the end of the 19th century the spiritual element in
human souls was dammed up, and in order to reveal itself in any way had
to draw back from intellectualism. It will be evident in such men how
they shrink from being touched too deeply by modern intellectualism.
Plato and the individuality reborn as Goethe. Plato —
Hroswitha — Schröer.
23rd September, 1924
Note by Publishers
(1957)
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