Karmic Relationships: Volume 5: Esoteric Studies

By Rudolf Steiner

These esoteric lectures examine the underlying laws inherent in reincarnation and karma. In Steiner's words, the study of karma is "... a matter of penetrating into the most profound mysteries of existence, for within the sphere of karma and the course it takes lie processes which are the basis of the other phenomena of world existence..." This volume includes, the difference between "moon karma" and "sun karma", the influences of Christian and Mohammedan thinking, the transformation of inner human qualities from one life to the next, and more.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rudolf Steiner Press
• Release date: Oct 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781855844261

Rudolf Steiner

Nineteenth and early twentieth century philosopher.

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KARMIC

RELATIONSHIPS

Esoteric Studies

Vol. V

RUDOLF STEINER

Seven lectures given in Prague and Paris between 29th March and 25th May, 1924

Translated by D. S. Osmond

RUDOLF STEINER PRESS

Rudolf Steiner Press

Hillside House, The Square

Forest Row, RH18 5ES

www.rudolfsteinerpress.com

First edition 1966

Second edition 1984

Reprinted 1997,2011,2012

Originally published in German (with sixteen lectures) under the title Esoterische Betrachtungen karmischer Zusammenhänge, Fünfter Band (volume 239 in the Rudolf Steiner Gesamtausgabe or Collected Works) by Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach. This authorized translation published by kind permission of the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach

Translation © Rudolf Steiner Press 1984

The moral rights of the translators have been asserted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 85584 426 1

CONTENTS

Editor's Preface

1

The fallacies of modern civilisation and their consequences. In olden times man was aware of his dependence on the stars as well as on the kingdoms of nature surrounding him on Earth. Interest in the heavenly bodies is now confined to the physical aspect. The process of fertilisation: the ovum driven into a state of chaos to enable forces to work in from the Cosmos. The primeval wisdom on Earth. Moon Beings and Sun Beings. Two forms of karmic relationships. Example of Garibaldi

Prague, 29th March, 1924

2

The Moon Beings are connected with man's past. Initiation-science and the recognition of karmic relationships. The Akasha Chronicle. The Sun Beings have to do with future karma. Negative space is the condition in the Sun. Influence of the Hierarchies of spiritual Beings upon man after death in the different cosmic spheres. The human heart and the constellation of Leo. Organs in the body are products of cosmic forces, elaborated in co-operation with the Gods during man's life between death and a new birth. The whole Universe is compressed in man—a microcosm transformed after his death into the macrocosm. Qualities of character in an earthly life and their transformation into gifts or defects in subsequent incarnations. Examples: love—joy—understanding of environment; hatred—hypersensitiveness to suffering— obtuseness and lack of understanding of surrounding world. Importance of interest in the environment. As a rule it is the case that illnesses arise from attributes of soul in a previous incarnation, but things appertaining to spiritual life must not be pressed too far. A stream of karma may also begin. Speaking generally, qualities of soul in one life are transformed into bodily traits in another incarnation, and vice versa

Prague, 30th March, 1924

3

Man's life in the physical body among the kingdoms of nature and after death among the Hierarchies of spiritual Beings. Pictures of the deeds of these Beings of the Hierarchies are revealed to man in his life after death and, when the time comes for the descent to incarnation, arouse in him the will to make compensatory adjustment for his dealings with individuals on Earth. Anthroposophy must speak not only to the head but awaken deep feeling in the heart when the spiritual world is described in detail. Studies of the practical working of karma must now be possible. The Mystery of Golgotha, Christianity and the effects of Mohammedanism. Influences of Arabism and the Crusades on European thinking. The Court of Haroun al Raschid and its cultivation of learning and the arts. Haroun al Raschid. Lord Bacon of Verulam. Amos Comenius. Ernst Haeckel. Pope Gregory VII (formerly Abbot Hildebrand). The fruits of each epoch of culture are carried onward to later times by human souls themselves. Realities in history

Prague, 31st March, 1924

4

The nature and constitution of man can be understood only through a spiritual understanding of the Cosmos. Illustrations of how the deeds of one incarnation are carried over into a later one. Garibaldi and his bond with three contemporaries. Garibaldi, an Initiate of the ancient Hibernian Mysteries. Lord Byron. Rudolf Steiner's geometry teacher. The Palladium. Carl Marx. Muawiyah. Woodrow Wilson. Initiates of earlier epochs are hindered in their working by the bodies and education provided by the epoch during which they are incarnated. The ‘twice-born’. The Sun Mystery and the early Christian Mysteries. The birth of Christ in the thirtieth year of the life of Jesus of Nazareth has been confounded with the physical birth. The sacrifice of intellect and the awakening of clairvoyant vision of Christianity as cosmic reality. Maurice Maeterlinck on Rudolf Steiner.

Prague, 5th April, 1924

5

Man in the life between death and rebirth. The aspects of ‘death’, the ‘vanishing of earthly life’, and the ‘stars’, revealed by Imagination, Inspiration, Intuition. The Moon-sphere and the primeval Teachers of mankind. The figure of Strader in the Mystery Plays. The soul passes into the Cosmos. The experience of earthly life in backward order as the first seed for the fulfilment of karma in the following incarnation

Paris, 23rd May, 1924

6

After death man passes first into the region of the Elements, then into the region of cosmic Intelligence, then into the region of the Stars. Passage through the Moon-region, the Mercury-region, the Venus-region, the Sun-region, and the effects of existence in each of these spheres. Removal of the consequences of illness in the Mercury-sphere. Healing was the secret of the Mercury Mysteries. The Venus-region ruled by love. The Sun Mysteries and moral realities. Survey of seven-year periods in earthly life and the revelations of cosmic secrets

Paris, 24th May, 1924

7

Mysteries of the Sun-existence: the province of the Exusiai, Dynamis and Kyriotetes. The Sun is the spiritual embryo of the future earthly life. The Christ was first in the Sun-sphere; since the Mystery of Golgotha He has been united with the Earth. After his sojourn in the Sun-sphere, man passes into the spheres of Mars-existence, Jupiter-existence, Saturn-existence. The elaboration of karma for the new earthly life through the divine deeds of the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. Individual examples of karma elaborated in these spheres: Voltaire (Mars). Victor Hugo (Saturn). Eliphas Levi (Jupiter)

Paris, 25th May, 1924

Notes

Publisher's Note

EDITOR'S PREFACE

During the year 1924, before his illness in September, Rudolf Steiner gave over eighty lectures, published with the title Karmic Relationships: Esoteric Studies, to members of the Anthroposophical Society in the following places: Dornach, Berne, Zürich, Stuttgart, Prague, Paris, Breslau, Arnhem, Torquay and London. English translations of these lectures are contained in the following volumes of the series:

Vols. I to IV. Lectures given in Dornach (49).

Vol. V. Lectures given in Prague (4) and Paris (3).

Vol. VI. Lectures given in Berne (2) Zürich (1), Stuttgart (3) Arnhem (3).

Vol. VII. Lectures given in Breslau (9).

Vol. VIII. Lectures given in Torquay (3) and London (3).

All these lectures were given to members of the Anthroposophical Society only and were intended to be material for study by those already familiar with the fundamental principles of Anthroposophy. The following extract from the lecture of 22nd June, 1924 (see Vol. II) calls attention to the need for exactitude when passing on such contents:

"The study of problems connected with karma is by no means easy and the discussion of anything that has to do with the subject entails—or ought at any rate to entail—a sense of deep responsibility. Such study is in truth a matter of penetrating into the most profound mysteries of existence, for within the sphere of karma and the course it takes lie those processes which are the basis of the other phenomena of world-existence, even of the phenomena of nature.... These difficult and weighty matters entail grave consideration of every word and every sentence spoken here, in order that the limits within which the statements are made shall be absolutely clear...."

The attention of readers is called to the fact that the fundamental explanations given by Rudolf Steiner of the laws and conditions of karma are contained in Vol. I of the series. Knowledge of the earlier lectures should therefore be regarded as an essential basis for study of those contained in the later volumes.

LECTURE 1

Prague, 29th March, 1924

I want to begin these lectures for Members by speaking of how Anthroposophy lifts human consciousness above the earthly and material domain simply through the light it sheds upon the nature and being of man.

It is hardly possible for anyone immersed in modern civilisation to think otherwise than that during his life from birth to death he belongs to the Earth. Membership of a spiritual world is in most cases a mere belief or a dim inkling. Insight into the fact that man belongs to any world other than the Earth is scarcely within the power of human beings whose education and whole upbringing are the outcome of modern civilisation. Nevertheless, to believe that when man is being spoken of earthly conditions alone have to be considered is the great fallacy of all contemporary spiritual life in the West and in Middle Europe. The East alone has preserved a certain consciousness—although in a decadent form—of man's connection with the supersensible, cosmic powers and forces around the Earth. In olden times man felt himself dependent on the stars as well as on the plants and the animals around him on the Earth; he knew, too, that the Moon is not simply a physical orb revolving in space. Interest in the Moon today does not really go much further than attempts to discover whether there are or are not mountains or water there; hypotheses are advanced, but little thought is given to any other aspect of this neighbouring planet. As for the other heavenly bodies, investigation is entirely concerned with their physical conditions. In ancient times it was altogether different. Man was aware of his dependence on the heavenly bodies just as today he is aware of his dependence on the Earth.

I will start with something that has a certain scientific importance; it is an example that may perhaps not be to the liking of some people, but it is easy to follow. I have often emphasised in anthroposophical lectures that the formation of the human embryo in earthly life, even when investigated from the purely scientific point of view, provides the proof in itself that something extra-earthly is at work in the process. Natural science believes the ovum to be the most complex structure that can possibly exist on Earth. Much thought is given to this complex structure of the ovum and