NATURE
NATURE
IN THE same way as the expression "soul" became a vague general conception among the mankind, so is it also with the expression "nature"!
This word has also been used far too often as a great collective conception for everything they liked to dispose of easily, without having to rack their brains over it. it was especially used for those things where man knew in advance that he would be unable to come to a clear solution.
How often is the word "natural" used without the user having anything definite in mind?
Mankind speaks of being "close to nature", of beautiful nature, of boisterous nature, of natural instincts, and so on,
in numberless terms, by which mankind seek to define something in big outlines, that can be more or less related to nature.
But what is nature?
It is just this basic expression which must first of all be quite clearly understood before it is applied to every conceivable thing!
However, when you raise this question, you will no doubt receive many explanations,
presented with a greater or lesser degree of conviction as to the details: but you can clearly recognise from all this, that men's conceptions in this matter, are very varied, and lacks a uniform knowledge.
For this reason let us open up a way, in this matter, so as to obtain a definite picture, in our conception of this word "nature"!
The best thing to do, is to divide the conception about this, into sections, in our imaginative faculty, in order to arrive more easily,
at an understanding of the whole.
Let us first take the "coarse form" of "'nature"", thus the outward appearance! For the sake of simplicity,
I will make an exception and begin with the thinking of earthman, and only at the end shall I reverse everything,
so that the correct course, i.e., from above downwards, is again placed before your gaze.
When nature is considered in its coarsest sense, thus viewed with your physical eyes on earth,
it comprises material substance, which has been "set a aglow" and consequently animated and formed.
By material substance, you must imagine, the various layers of the World of Matter.
This includes in the first place, all the pictures, which you can perceive with your physical eyes,
such as landscapes and all the stationary and mobile form of plants and animals:
expressed more comprehensively - everything you are able to perceive through your physical body,
with your gross material senses.
Excluded from this, however, is everything men have "formed artificially" whereby they introduce changes, into what exists,
as with houses and any other products.
This has then ceased to count as nature.
Here we already come closer to a fundamental distinction: That which man changes, i.e.,
that which he does not leave in its original state, no longer belongs to nature in its real sense!
However, since I also say that nature in its outermost manifestation is the World of Matter,
which has been set aglow and thus animated and formed,
and since you already know from my Message
that "animistic forces" permeate and set the World of Matter aglow,
you can directly conclude from this, that nature can only be that which is most closely associated with the animistic forces.
Here I am referring to those animistic (substantiate) forces which form a ring round the World of Matter.
This is a very special species (animistic - substantiate) of which we must now soon speak.
As a special species of Creation, it must be separated from the great general conception of that which is "Substantiate",
which exists as a foundation in all spheres, reaching right up to the boundary,
where the "Unsubstantiality of God" begins.
The present conceptions of the Substantiate,
which I could already give you, I shall have to gradually draw still further apart, if I wish to complete the picture which,
with the increasing maturity of your spirit, you will be able to absorb.
Therefore, nature is everything in the World of Matter which,
being permeated and set aglow by the animistic forces (these I must yet describe more fully to you),
was able to form and to unite,
and which in its basic species was not changed by the human spirit.
Not to change the basic species given by the animistic - that is the pre-requisite for the correct expression "Nature"!
Thus, the term "nature" is quite inseparably linked with the animistic,
which permeates the World of Matter.
From this, you can also rightly conclude that nature is not necessarily bound to matter but only to the animistic,
and that to be natural, and nature in general , are the undistorted effects of animistic activity.
Thus, step by step, we come ever nearer to the Truth;
for in going further we can now also conclude that nature and spirit can only be comprehended separately!
Nature is based upon the activity of a very definite animistic species, while spirit, as you know, is something entirely different.
It is true that spirit is often placed right into the middle of nature, through incarnations, but it is not nature,
nor a part of it, in the same way as nature is not a part of the human spirit either!
I know it is not easy for you to recognise clearly from these brief words, what the question is, but if you delve into properly,
you will be able to grasp it; and in the end, it is your spirit above all, which must become mobile,
through exerting itself to penetrate the Word which I give you!
It is just the exertion required to achieve this, which brings you the mobility, that protects your spirit,
keeping it from slumber and death (spiritual), and pulling it up from the claws of the creeping Darkness.
Although people very often try with intellectual subtlety and malice to reproach me,
that is just to gain influence, that I oppress, scare and threaten men through my Word,
with hints as to the ever-lurking danger of spiritual slumber and death,
I shall never cease to illustrate the dangers threatening your spirit,
so that you will know them and no longer fall blindly into snares and temptations.
For I serve God and not men!
With this, I give what benefits men, and not merely what pleases them in the earthly sense
but kills them spiritually.
It is just that,
with which people seek to attack my Word maliciously in service to the Darkness (which is already defending itself desperately),
it is just that,
which gives evidence of nothing but the fact that,
I serve God in truth
and do not also try to please men with the Word, in order to catch them for my Word!
Men must indeed be torn out of their self-chosen spiritual comfort, which can only put them to sleep,
instead of strengthening them and animating them.
Just as Jesus once said admonishingly that, only he who is born anew inwardly, can enter the Kingdom of God,
together with His often repeated reference to the fact that everything must become new,
in order to pass before God!
And ever again, men themselves speak about these weighty words, with a ringing sincerity of conviction, as to the truth contained in them.
But if they are confronted with the demand, that must first let themselves become new in spirit, then they cry out, one lament after another,
for they never thought about themselves in this respect!
Now they feel harassed in their comfort, and yet they were hoping to be admitted to Heaven with jubilant songs,
without themselves doing anything about it, except to enjoy all the pleasures!
Now they try to drown the inconvenient Caller, with their clamour,
in the conviction, that they will once more accomplish, the same, as was done with Jesus,
Whom they first morally branded and murdered as a criminal, rebel and blasphemer, before all men, so that thereafter,
He could even be sentenced and killed with the apparent justification of the human laws!
Even if it is different in many things today, there is no lack on earth, of a cunning cleverness of the intellect, which serves the Darkness,
for the purpose of skilfully distorting what is most simple and clear, and thus influencing the inoffensive and disinterested;
in the same way, as there have been, at all times, willing false witnesses,
who can achieve much through envy and hatred or through the prosect of gain!
But the Holy Will of God is mightier than the actions of such people!
It does not err, in its adamantine Justice, as is possible among men!
Thus in the end, all Darkness with its evil volition, must serve only the Light, hence bear witness for the Light.
But those men who exert themselves seriously to grasp the Truth of God,
will learn from this, will recognise the Sublimity of God,
His Wisdom and His Love, and serve Him joyfully!
Beware of the indolence of your spirit, of comfort and superficiality, you men,
and remember the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins!
It is plain enough, in its great simplicity, so that everybody can easily grasp the sense.
Act upon it inwardly, then all else will come of itself.
Nothing can confuse you, for you go quietly and with firm strides, along your path!
But now, let us return to the expression "nature", the conception of which I wish to mediate to you as a necessity!
I have already explained, the first and the most dense section thereof, in broad outline.
As soon as man in his activities will, as a basis, allow nature really to remain nature,
and will not seek to interfere with its species and change them,
but simply achieve the upbuilding by fostering a healthy, i.e., an undistorted development,
then he will also find and receive a crowning, of his works, in everything;
which he could never previously hope for,
because everything that has been forcibly perverted from its natural state, can in its growth, only bring forth what is distorted,
which possesses neither firm support nor continual existence.
This being fundamental, will also some time hence be of great value to the sciences.
Only in the way, in which nature, with its animistic working, in accordance with the Laws of Creation,
brings about unions of materials substances,
only therein lies an upbuilding power and radiations;
whereas in the case of other unions devised by men, which do not precisely accord with these Laws,
radiations form which harm one another, perhaps even destroy and disintegrate one another,
of the actual final results, of which men have no idea.
Nature in its perfection, according to the Laws of Creation,
is the most beautiful gift,
God presented to His creatures!
It bring only benefit, as long as it is not distorted by change,
and guided into wrong channels by the stubborn pseudo-knowledge of these earthmen!
Now let us pass over, to a second section of "nature",
which is not immediately visible to the physical eyes!
This section consists mainly of "medium gross matter", i.e., not the most dense and heavy kind,
which must be immediately perceptible to the earthly eye, on account of its heaviness.
As regards, "medium gross matter",
the physical eye can only observe its effects, in the "heavy gross matter".
To these, for example,
belong the "strengthening of everything" that was formed through being "set aglow",
and its unfolding, as it grows and ripens.
A third section of "nature",
is the "propagation",
which occurs automatically, at a very definite stage,
in the process of being "set aglow", and of development.
The "propagation" in the "glowed-through" of gross material substance, has nothing to do with the spirit, but belongs to "nature"!
Therefore, the urge for "propagation" is correctly designated, as a natural instinct.
A very definite ripeness of the material substance, "permeated and set aglow" by the animistic,
results in radiations which,
when positive and negative kinds meet,
unite and react upon the gross material, pressing upon it and causing it to become active.
The spirit has nothing to do with this,
rather this activity is a "tribute" to nature!
It stands quite apart from the spiritual, as I have already hinted, once before.
If we therefore, call this "exchange of radiations" and "uniting", a "tribute" to nature, this is right;
for this is the way of the entire World of Matter,
that has been "permeated" and "set aglow" by the "animistic",
up to a certain definite degree.
With it, the World of Matter always seeks to bring about, a "renewal" that accords with the Laws of Creation,
which "renewal" on the other hand, acts as a preserving agency and
on the other hand, requires "propagation".
This Law of Nature, as it manifests itself, is the result of definite radiations.
It brings about "preservation" through the accompanying stimulation and renewal of cells.
This is the primary and the main purpose of this "tribute", which nature "demands" from the mobile creatures.
Nature knows no distinction therein and all effects are useful and good.
But here again, man has aggravated everything, in his own case, to the point of "abnormality", and
thus distorted and twisted it, although it is just he, who could find a normal balance, through special kinds of earthly activity.
But he pays "no attention" to what "nature demands of him, through its quiet reminder or warning.
By exaggerating everything abnormally, he want to direct or master nature, with his ignorant stubborn volition;
he often wants to force nature in a manner,
that must harm and weaken gross matter or even destroy it;
and thus in this too, he brought about devastation, just as he has done in the entire Creation.
The human being, who was at first, only a disturbing agent,
has now become a destroying one, with everything he thinks and does, wherever he may be!
He has therewith placed himself beneath all creatures!
First, learn thoroughly, to know the nature, from which you long ago turned aside,
then it will be possible, for you to become "human beings" again,
human beings who live in the Creative Will of God,
and who will thus reap health, through nature for, a joyful upbuilding activity on earth,
which alone can help and further the spirit,
towards its necessary maturity.
LOOK about you, men, and you will see how to live in existence, here on earth!
It is not difficult to recognise the Primordial Laws in Creation, when and if you only strive to observe everything around you, in the right way.
Motion is a basic law in the entire Creation, thus also on earth.
Motion of the right kind!
But it is just this law which has been disregarded and also applied in the wrong way.
It was only, through motion that everything could come into being.
Upon motion, incessant motion, therefore depends the preservation and restoration, of all that Creation embraces.
Man cannot be considered an exception.
He cannot be the only one, among the creatures to remain stationary in the midst of this animating movement, or go his own way, without harm to himself!
The intellectual goal of many people on earth today, is rest and comfortable life.
To spend the last years, of their life on earth, in comfort, is for many human beings, the crowning of all their activity.
But what they are longing for, is poison, and they bring about the beginning of their end therewith!
Surely, you have often have heard it sympathetically expressed in the cases of death: "He had not been able to enjoy his rest very long;
it was only a year ago that he retired to private life!
Such remarks are very often made.
No matter whether, it is a business man, an official or a soldier, as soon as a person "retires", as it popularly called, he quickly begins to decline and death is not far off.
He who observes his surroundings, with a keen eye, will notice much, in this respect.
H will see that he experiences such things surprisingly often, and he will finally search for a very definite reason for this, and recognise a law governing it.
The man who really retires here on earth, who wishes to rest from it's activities until the end of it's life, such a man will be cast aside,
by the law of rhythmic movements of this Creation, as being an over-ripe fruit,
because all the swinging, the movement around him, is much stronger than the movement, within himself which must keep in step.
Such a man is bound to grow weak and fall ill.
Only when his individual swinging, and alertness keep pace with the prevailing movement in Creation, only then can he remain healthy, hearty, and happy.
The saying: ''stagnation is retrogression'' gives an idea of this great law.
Movement alone assures progress and preservation for everything that is to be found in Creation. I have already firmly established in the lecture: "Life".
He who literally wishes to retire completely here on earth, has no longer any goal set before him and thus no right to continue living in this Creation,
because he has set an end to himself through his volition.
The swinging of Creation, however does not show any end, it has no end.
Continuous development through movement is a law in the Will of God and can therefore never be circumvented without direct ill effect.
You will surely have noticed that, those people who have continually to exert themselves, in order to earn their living, are often much healthier and live longer,
than those who have been well off since their youth, who have been watched over and looked after in the most careful manner.
You will also have observed that people who have grown up in a wealthy circumstances and who use all remedies for their bodies they can get,
and who live comfortably without excitement; that such people show the outward signs of approaching old age, much earlier, than those not endowed with earthly possessions, who always have to spend their days in working.
As an example, I am pointing to those cases of a filled with work, where there is no unnecessary exaggeration,
where there is no mad craving to accumulate earthly riches or to attain to some earthly prominence, which prevents the worker, from really resting.
He who becomes a slave to such a mania, is always under high tension, and also brings disharmony into the rhythm of Creation.
The consequences for him are the same, as for those who swing too slowly.
Thus the happy medium is also necessary here for everyone, who wish to stand "aright" in Creation and on earth.
Whatever you do, man, do it with your whole heart!
Work during your working hours, and rest during the necessary time of rest.
Do not mix the two!
The greatest poison threatening the harmonious fulfilment of your humanity is one-sidedness!
A life full of work but without any spiritual aim, for instance, is of no avail.
The physical body would swing in the rhythm of Creation, but the spirit would stand still.
And if the spirit does not simultaneously swing in the God-Willed rhythm of Creation,
then the body that does not swing in with it, will not be maintained and strengthened through it's work, but become worn out and exhausted,
because it does not receive the spiritual strength which it needs, through the mediation of the animistic.
The stagnation of the spirit, hampers the full development of the body.
Consequently the body in it's swinging must consume itself, causing it to wither and decay.
It can no longer be regenerated because the source for this, the "spiritual swinging" is in lacking.
It therefore of no use for a man who has retired from his earthly work or duty, take regular walks, in order to exercise his body,
or to undertake all sorts of other earthly things, to keep his body fit.
He will quickly grow old and decay, unless his spirit maintains the same swinging.
And nothing but some definite goal, which moves the spirit, can bring about this spiritual swinging!
A spiritual goal, however, is not to be sought upon earth, but will only be found towards the Spiritual Realm, in the homogeneous plane of this wonderful Creation!
It must therefore be a goal which stands above what is earthly, a goal which towers high above this life on earth!
The goal must live, must be alive!
Otherwise, it has nothing to do with the spirit!
The man of today, however, no longer knows what is spiritual.
He has substituted the working of the intellect for it, and thus considers intellectual activity to be spiritual activity.
This now gives him the final blow, which brings about his downfall, for he is clinging to something that remains on this earth,
together with his body, when he himself must enter the beyond!
A spiritual goal is always something which contains ''furthering values''.
You will always recognise it, by this!
Eternal values, nothing that is transitory!
Therefore, whatever you wish to accomplish, whatever you now endeavour to strive for, always ask yourself first of all,
for the values will consequently bring about, and find.
It is not too difficult if you really wish to do so!
Nine-tenths of today's sciences must be accounted as false activity useless striving in Creation.
The sciences as they are now practised hinder the ascent of those who are concerned with them; they bring about stagnation and retrogression,
but never that progress which leads to ascent.
Man cannot unfold his wings in the so-called sciences of today; he can never achieve what he could achieve,
for his wings have been pitifully clipped and destroyed.
Only in simplicity of thought and action does greatness lie and power develop,
for simplicity alone strives towards the Primordial Laws of Creation and harmonises with them.
Man, however, has bound and blocked himself up with his earthly sciences!
Of what use is it, when man attempt to spend his life on earth in finding out, when the creature fly came into existence and how long it is likely to remain on this earth,
and many other similar questions that seem to be important for the human knowledge.
Just ask yourselves, whom he really benefits, with such "knowledge"!
Only his vanity!
Nobody else in the world!
For this knowledge has nothing to do with ascent in any way whatsoever.
Man derives no advantage from it, nor does it uplift them!
Nobody gains anything from it!
Thus you must seriously scrutinise one thing after another, for the actual value, each proffers you.
You will find that all that happens in this respect today reveals itself, like a useless house of cards.
Indeed the time allotted to you for your development on the earth is too precious to allow you to sacrifice even one hour,
for such things with impunity.
You become slaves of vanity and toying thereby, for there is nothing in it, which could really uplift the you.
It is nothing but hollow inside and dead!
Do not think that during the Judgment you can step before God's Throne,
and repeat some of such brief scientific formula!
Deeds are demanded of you in Creation.
With your false knowledge, however, you are nothing but sounding brass, whereas your task, in this Creation, is to live vitally and build up!
The man who enjoys each flower of the field, and who lifts his eyes to Heaven in gratitude for it,
stands much higher before God,
than he who can scientifically analyse each flower without recognising the greatness of his Creator therein!
Man does not gain anything by being the fastest runner, a skilful boxer, a bold driver,
or if they know whether the horse appeared on earth before or after the fly!
Such a volition only strives for something ridiculous, i.e., for vanity.
It brings no blessing to humanity, no progress, and no gain for their existence in this Creation,
but only encourages them to fritter away their time upon earth.
The human spiritual beings are consequently urged to look about them!
Look about you, men!
Examine everything in this light!
What does your own very occupation, and also that of your fellow-men really mean, what value does it have?
You will find, but little that is worthy of true humanity.
So far your endeavours have proved you to be useless servants in the vineyard of the Lord.
For you fritter away your time in utterly useless toying, and burden the great talent lying within you as a gift from God
with the unnecessary trifles of the vain earthly intellectual volition, all of which you must leave behind, when this life.
Awake, so that you can create for yourself a dignified garment of the ''spirit'' here upon earth, and will not have to enter the beyond like paupers,
as you have done hitherto, in spite of the fact that you were given such great treasures, for your sojourn on earth.
You are like a king who childishly plays with the sceptre, and who imagines that this sceptre and the wearing of the crown alone suffice to make him a king!
What man needs to investigate in the first place is only that which helps in his ascent and also serves only to further Creation.
In all his activities he should ask himself what advantage they will bring both to himself and to mankind!
One goal must henceforth dominate every man - to recognise and also to fulfil the place he, as a human being, must occupy in Creation!
I will tell you how it is done in other parts of Creation, and how it must now be done also here on earth,
in accordance with the Will of God!
If here on earth a man accomplishes something great is honoured, unless his deeds arouses nothing but envy.
The Fame remains his until he dies, very often even beyond time, for decades and centuries, for thousands of year.
However, this is only on earth, as a result of false human opinions!
It became the custom in this heavy gross material mass, but not in the higher and more luminous worlds.
There the rotating movement is not as sluggish as it is on earth.
There the reciprocal action takes effect more speedily, depending on the increasing lightness!
There deeds are measured from quite different and natural points of view,
whereas human opinions make many a deed appear great that is not great at all, and place no value upon some things of true worth.
The higher, more luminous and lighter the environment, the clearer and quicker will be the reward and the consequences.
A human spirit which has a good volition thus always ascend faster under these conditions, a really great action often pulling him upwards the very same moment.
But he cannot then rest upon his laurels as the case here on earth, for he must continually regain this height ever anew if he wishes to remain here,
and exert himself to rise ever higher.
If he relaxes his efforts but once he will very quickly become over-ripe in his present environment and will decay, to use a gross material picture!
Man is nothing else fundamentally than a fruit of Creation!
He is never Creation itself much less the Creator!
Within every apple slumbers the capacity to enrich this Creation with new apple trees, with flowers and fruits,
but that does not make the apple the Creator.
It is the automatic course of the Primordial Laws of Creation which endowed the apple with very capacity,
and which forces it o act as it does in order to fulfil its task in Creation.
It always and inevitably fulfils one task!
Men or animals may do with this apple as they wish.
It either serves to preserve the species or acts as food to maintain other bodies.
There is nothing in this Creation without a task.
Also, in all decay, there is movement, value and gain.
Therefore as soon as a human being has risen to a certain height he must maintain himself there.
He cannot and must not rest and think that he has done enough for a while, but must continually bestir himself like a bird in the air
that is forced to use its wings if it wishes to remain aloft.
The same simple law applies to everything, to the finest spiritual, as well as to the most coarse and earthly, without change and without distortion.
It operates everywhere and must be observed.
It works more quickly in what is luminous and light, and correspondingly slower in the more sluggish and gross material world,
but in all cases it works with "absolute certainty''.
Such is the simplicity that lies in the working of the Laws of Creation, as well as in the laws themselves,
that no college education is required to recognise them properly!
Every man has the ability to understand them if only he so will.
It is extremely easy to observe them.
It is only made difficult by the conceited learnedness of men who love to coin big words for the most simple things,
and who thus clumsily splash about in Creation, as if in clear water, assuming an air of importance and consequently dimming the original clearness.
With all this false learning man is the only one among the creatures who neglects to fill his place in Creation, by swinging in its rhythm and acting correctly.
But it is the Will of God that man ''must'' at last come to his senses and completely fulfil his task in this Creation.
If he neglects to do so he will now become over-ripe and decay as rotten fruit of Creation.
The Divine Light which God is now sending into Creation affects it in the same way as the plants in a greenhouse are affected by the increased warmth,
which forces them to produce flowers and fruit, more quickly.
What is moving aright in the Laws of Creation is thereby revealed, also what has acted falsely.
The fruits will correspond with this.
The man who has toiled over things which can offer no basis for his necessary ascent, has wasted his time and strength.
He has deviated from the swinging of Creation and can no longer adjust himself to it, can no longer recover in the necessary harmony,
because he himself disturbs it.
Therefore learn through observation to value and use for yourself the simplicity of the Divine Laws in all their greatness,
otherwise they must now crush you, because you stand as an obstacle in the way of their working.
They will brush you aside as a dangerous obstruction!
Motion is the main commandment for everything that lies in this Creation, for Creation developed out of motion,
and is maintained and renewed by motion.
As it is in the beyond, especially in the more luminous spheres, so must it now become here on earth also, brought about by the Power of The Light.
That man who swings in the Primordial Laws of Creation will be preserved,
but he who wastes his time in morbid intellectual pondering will now be destroyed by the buoyant power of movement,
which has been strengthened by the Light.
Therefore you must at last become acquainted with all the Laws and adjust yourself accordingly!
He who does not embrace a high and luminous goal in his earthly activities cannot exist in the future.
He must disintegrate in accordance with The Divine Laws which permeate Creation strengthened by the Light.
Also spiritually he will be reduced to dust as a useless fruits that do not fulfil its purpose in this Creation.
This happening is quite simple and real, but its effects upon mankind as they still show themselves today will be formidable in the extreme!
You will be spared nothing!
You will still be able to exercise your will in making decisions, because this is inherent in the nature of all that is spiritual,
but you will now immediately receive the retroactive effects up to the final point, with such speed as you do not deem possible here on earth
in the sluggishness of this World of Matter.
On earthman will also be forced from now onwards to adjust themselves completely to all the Primordial Laws of Creation.
It will not suffice in the future if a person has been able to attain to a certain height here.
But he will be obliged to maintain himself on that level by constant effort, for otherwise he will quickly go downwards again.
Every man must again leave the position where he cannot maintain himself, for it can only be taken into account as to how he really is, not how he was!
The "was" passes away with every change and no more.
The "is" alone is of value and valid in the Millennium!
Therefore, man, always in the future remain through your real being, that which you want to be taken for!
You fall or rise with every new change!
Without constant movement you can no longer maintain yourself in Creation.
You cannot bask in the splendour of your ancestors, the son in the glory of his father!
The wife has no share in the deeds of her husband.
Each individual stands entirely alone, by himself, in this matter.
Only the present is what counts for you, for it is the present which really "is" a human spirit!
This is how it is in the entire Creation, and this is how it shall also be in the future among the hitherto sluggish human beings on earth!
THE CYCLE OF RADIATIONS.
There is much yet I have to explain about the greater and the great substantiate beings,
not to mention at present the small helpers of these great ones;
for there are so many of the smaller and very small ones as you can hardly imagine.
I could often despair when trying to ponder how I shall still explain all this to you in the available words of the language
without you thereby losing the comprehensive survey, and above all in such a manner that you nevertheless fully grasp the connections.
The difficulty arises just from the great simplicity which lies in what is to you a boundless diversity;
it is difficult because earthman is only capable of clearly overlooking a very definite number of things,
and consequently he can never come into a position simultaneously to grasp everything as one whole, from which simplicity alone results.
Each separation into different parts must render the necessary comprehensive view more difficult for you,
since each part is again so great in itself and so closely connected with the others through reciprocal effects,
that it is utterly impossible to give a really self-contained part, because in this Creation, which in itself is a whole, there is no self-contained part!
And man cannot overlook the whole!
He will never be able to do so, because he lacks the ability, for he himself is only a part of Creation, and a very small one,
who cannot go beyond his own boundaries and naturally not in his understanding either.
I am thus compelled to remain within your boundaries, and in addition I can only give you
glimpses into or upon everything which will and must remain inaccessible to you.
No amount of effort will be of use here!
However, when at last through the knowledge you resign yourselves to the fact that you are not capable of everything in Creation,
then you will also call humbleness your own, and you will be happy about
the enlargement to your existing knowledge given to you through my Message.
You will then occupy yourselves with the present and with your immediate surroundings much more thoroughly even than now,
because you will learn to know and to use it all much more accurately through all the glimpses which I could give into what is inaccessible to you,
but which permit you exactly to recognise the close link with yourselves and with everything existing around you.
And that is what you needed in order to understand and make profitable use of the present, profitable for your ascent!
These glimpses can bring you upwards to the highest border which you will ever be able to reach.
It is just because I allow you to glimpse into what is inaccessible to you that you are able to make use of all that which is given to you here,
much of which was still unknown to you.
Valuable is this knowledge concerning the links between your existence and everything still lying beyond that boundary which,
owing to the origin of your spirit, will always remain strictly drawn in regards to your ability to understand!
That is also what I want to give to you with the Message:
The knowledge of the connections!
The serious seeker and the person with a really honest volition will gain much thereby.
You will yet learn to recognise the value of everything;
for what men have so far called knowledge is hardly the hundredth part of what they really could know.
It is true that the limit of the knowledge of mankind in relation to the entire Creation is small,
yet in comparison to the existing knowledge it is of a greatness which you can hardly conceive and which verges on the wonderful!
And the glimpses alone into that which is always inaccessible to you will aid you in reaching these highest borders,
when I give you a description of your connections therewith, as well as of the connections of your surroundings.
This knowledge will in time give you the possibility to know with absolute accuracy the laws within the part formed by your boundaries,
which would remain impossible without the help given in describing the connections with what is inaccessible to you.
Try now to understand me in this, and recognise what I want to give you!
Do not seek to reach beyond the reality in this;
for I only want to give you that which can further and benefit you within your boundaries, nothing more!
More would be of no avail to mankind!
Therefore do not torment yourselves therewith, wishing to make your knowledge all that which lies in what is inaccessible for you!
You will never be able to do this,
and I do not speak of it so that you should now turn your knowledge in that direction or
worry yourselves with vain attempts really and fully to grasp everything!
You cannot possibly do so, nor do I give it to you for that reason,
but you receive it from me for the purpose of becoming acquainted with all the connections leading to you therefrom
. If later on you will always unswervingly base your future investigations and
your desires to find knowledge of the connections as giving you the direction,
you will rise higher in all your capacities and achieve results in every field which must put all that has been obtained so far into shade!
Thus, men, your 'masterpieces' are yet to come,
the achievements which you can actually bring about within the boundaries which are set up firmly for you and which you can never cross!
In reality, however, these boundaries are set so wide for you that you may rejoice about this,
and should only thank God for all the grace He bestows upon you.
Thus you must remain on the basis and soil of all humanity in your thoughts and actions, and in all your duties towards your Creator.
Nothing more is demanded of you; for therein lies the highest which you can offer to Him as gratitude,
and everything you do in this way is done in His honour!
Indeed, it is in the performance of the greatest achievements, of which you as men can and must become masters,
that you offer and present your gratitude for the fact that the Creator has granted you
to achieve such 'great things' through His Will in Creation, which holds His Laws.
And with these splendid achievements you also simultaneously honour Him
because the 'greatness of your works' at the same time manifests the greatness of 'His Grace'!
The more you can achieve in Creation from out of Creation, the more clearly do you prove how great are the Laws of God therein,
and what wealth and blessing they hold for you!
You honour God in the truest and purest sense 'when in joyful activity'
you make use of everything Creation offers you; for this you can only do when you know and also understand its Laws and,
above all, when you really act accordingly!
Only then does this Creation offer you everything of beauty that it contains!
Gladly does it give, and give to help you!
And when you act in this way according to the Laws in Creation, you are already changed and entirely different from what you were before.
You are then men who are pleasing to God, you are men as they always should have been,
you are men according to the Will of God because you 'live' His Laws!
No fault can be then be found with you any longer.
Wherever you may be, you stand in Creation radiantly and jubilantly, everywhere, whether on earth or in some other plane,
and you would no longer do anything other than praise God through the deed;
for such works resemble a hymn of praise which is living and swings in all the Laws of this Creation!
This is a goal so beautiful, so glorious and yet so easily attainable for you
that I exert myself for 'that reason' to pave a way there for you through my Message!
You will be human beings!
Creative human beings to whom everything in Creation flows because you swing with it in the joyfulness of the greatest happiness!
That then is human existence to the honour of God!
To be happy in the truest sense is indeed the greatest thanks which you can give to God!
This, however, does not mean the sham happiness of the lazy ease which lies in slothful rest.
That is an intoxicating drug for the spirit, much worse in its effect than opium for your body!
You will attain to this true happiness, however, if you carry the strong volition for it within yourselves!
And you shall be the rock for all those who want to save themselves from the tidal wave of base passions and desires,
which now flow over mankind on earth, as the fruit of their past wrong volition, when, it is true,
they very often had the name of God in their mouths,
but they never seriously thought of obeying His Will unless at the same time, it coincided with their own.
try to absorb my volition aright, in that sense, in which I give it to you, and use it for yourselves accordingly;
then you will have grasped the core which lies at the very root of the purpose of my Message.
And only then can you derive true benefit from it!
Now let us try to go a step further in the knowledge of the weaving in Creation! You are now perhaps faced with a new riddle;
for it is unlikely that there is one among you, who considers some error or contradiction possible in my explanations.
Nevertheless you still consider many a thing as unsettled which you could not clearly arrange with a logical structure of thinking,
which latter you need to be able to understand.
I spoke of the great Primordial Spiritual guides as embodying the virtues,
but I also spoke of the many substantiate intermediaries embodying the same virtues.
I characterised both species as having an effect upon men according to their particular types.
In this matter you still lack the right connection which can complete a clear picture for you, without disarranging what you have heard up till now.
Actually all this can be described in a few words, but it is better when I try to demonstrate it pictorially, as it really is, in its forms.
You know that radiations divide and separate into very definite sub-species.
On each further plane going downwards, a new sub-species is ever again severed, i.e., detached in the cooling off.
This sub-species could not sever itself under the still existing stronger pressure, reaching to this particular boundary,
and only through the further cooling off and subsequently reduced pressure or degree of heat was it able to loosen itself and make itself independent.
Every such severance or detachment simultaneously results in a new formation of the severed species into a corresponding substantiate form.
This process takes place automatically according to the Laws of Creation.
Thus there arises a whole chain, with its various additional links of helping and building substantiate beings, of which I have already spoken to you.
And all of them are connected with each other, so that one can say that they extend their hands to each other.
This whole chain of substantiate beings stand solely in the Will of God.
They are embodiments, transitory points of the radiations 'themselves',
which pas on; in their very definite species, they are always the dispensers in Creation,
which by working in this way and radiating ''downwards' penetrate the entire Creation.
Thus mark well that, the substantiate beings are the 'dispensers' of the radiating powers of the Divine Radiation,
which in obeying the pressure or in standing 'from above downwards' in the pressure 'always radiate downwards'.
The counter-current is provided by the embodied spiritual ones,
who receive of these radiations and who, in making use of them, radiate them upwards!
"Therein lies the cycle of radiations throughout Creation"!
At first you are somewhat confused and imagine this contains a contradiction,
because we also talked about the fact that Primordial Beings in the Primordial Spiritual Sphere radiate downwards onto all the human spirits,
and now you think that two kinds of radiations flow downwards side by side in Creation, the substantiate one and the spiritual one!
This is not in itself wrong, for these two kinds of radiations do stand next to each other,
but there is a difference in their activity which brings about the cycle.
You know I spoke about the radiations of the primordially created Primordial Spiritual Beings.
However, the effect of these radiations is different from those of the primordially created substantiate beings.
The radiation of the substantiate beings is 'dispensing', 'passing on' , 'mediating', as I have emphasised.
However, already from the very beginning in my Message, I have pointed to the fact that
the Primordial Beings in the Primordial Spiritual Sphere, i.e., the Primordial Spiritual Beings in their various kinds,
affect mankind like gigantic magnets, thus 'attracting' or 'sucking'.
Only today can I supplement the picture for you because the other lectures had to precede and prepare the soil for this, by way of explanation.
In reality, we are today merely extending what has been said up till now, of which you probably did not have an absolutely clear idea,
when the radiations were discussed, in that you imagined them as, 'always working only in a downwards direction.
However, of these, there are two kinds differing in their effects.
It is true that the radiations quite naturally also go downwards with the primordially created Primordial Spiritual Beings,
but their 'effect is of an upward striving' nature through the power of attraction, which the substantiate beings do not possess;
the latter are always and only 'dispensing' , i.e., ''giving out''!
The spiritual is 'demanding', through the capacity of 'attracting'.
And the so-called free will to decide, actually lies anchored solely in this activity of attracting, if you think it over properly for ones.
What is even more, it also contains the absolutely just distribution of reward or punishment for the one concerned, consequent upon his decision!
Think about this quietly for once and picture these happenings to yourselves in all details.
You will suddenly see before you the astounding simplicity of the lawfulness in Creation,
the absolute clearness in it,
and although the volition of free decision is granted to the spiritual,
you also see the latter's subjection to the consequences, which is linked up with it and takes effect in the same law.
One single ability of the spiritual thus produces something man-sided, in such a just and logical way,
that you must stand amazed before it as soon as you recognise it aright.
It is indeed quite comprehensible that this magnetic ability of the spiritual to attract through the Laws of Attraction of Homogeneous Species,
always attracts only that which is willed through the ability to decide, and nothing else.
And this is done with absolute accuracy, with all the finest shades and tones of good as well as of evil.
Just go deeply into this!
It is not difficult!
Every person must be able to develop that much imaginative power!
In order to counterbalance this ability to attract, the ability to decide is given to the spiritual,
but the substantiate does not need this because it always and only dispenses according to its particular inherent species.
Naturally the spiritual always attracts only that which corresponds with its particular volition,
because each volition immediately seizes the entire spirit, illuminates it or glows through it,
only thereby releasing the ability to attract, which develops accordingly.
The spirit is unable to shake off the ability to attract because it possesses this ability or;
to express it more clearly, this ability is the property or a part of the spirit's nature.
The spirit cannot free itself from this.
And as another part belonging to the spiritual nature,
the ability to decide is also bestowed upon it as a decisive factor - the desiring or the volition,
which cannot be shaken off either, because it is meant to help;
for otherwise the spiritual would simply attract everything that exists, in a wild confusion and could thus become heavily burdened.
However, such mistakes are impossible in Creation through the just Law of the Attraction of Homogeneous Species,
which in its effects is like a great incorruptible guardian of order.
Now combine all this, let it come to life in pictures before your eyes, and you will thereby have gained much in your knowledge!
You must take pains, however, and if necessary go deeply into it for hours and days, for such a length of time as enables you to grasp it aright.
Therewith you are again handed a key which will open many, almost all, gates in Creation for your understanding!
Therefore do not neglect to do so! It is important to do it, for your inmost core and your real being, as well as your origin, are also spiritual,
and you are thus subject to these abilities of your spirit.
Until now we have characterised this process as a law.
In reality, however, this is a simple ability, a component part of the spirit, which works automatically and therefore appears to be a law!
On the whole and strictly speaking, there are no laws in Creation
but solely abilities which, corresponding to each particular species,
operate automatically and thereby, but only thereby, appear to be immutable laws!
Therefore learn to know your own abilities, as well as those of other parts of Creation,
and thus you will know the laws which in reality unite in one single law, that is many-sided only in its effects.
As soon as you have advanced deeply enough with your recognitions, it will suddenly fall from your eyes like scales and
you will stand shaken before the simplicity of it all.
Through this, as soon as the true knowledge has set in, there finally, no longer remain any laws for you at all, for with this knowledge,
everything becomes only ''a wise use of all abilities'', and therewith you become free; for it is just as though all the laws are fulfilled.
Thus you should now think deeply about it once more and seek to grasp the great pulsating in Creation.
Therefore I will repeat:
The substantiate radiates and dispenses in a downwards direction;
the Primordial Spiritual also radiates downwards, but it operates with a magnetic attraction as well.
And since according to their nature,
the primordially created Primordial Spiritual Beings are to be found at the uppermost border of Creation,
and since they also possess the strongest power of attraction in the Spiritual,
they operate like enormous magnets upon everything of a spiritual nature, they hold it,
and allow to stream 'upwards', that which correspond with their nature, i.e.,
in this and in all cases ''always and only the good'' fashioned from all the planes;
while everything which in turn is fashioned by them is absorbed or drawn off by the Divine,
the power of attraction, of which is naturally even stronger.
And mark well, always and only the good which which is fashioned is attracted upwards, i.e.,
only the ''radiations'' themselves, which may also be called the result of spiritual activity.
Now you lack the conception of the necessary ''fashioning''!
This takes place ''solely in the volition'' of the spiritual, which is inherent in it,
and which therefore cannot help always and absolutely willing something, even if it is only through some inner urge.
And in becoming aglow, this process or activity, which we can also call ''movement'' of the volition,
attracts from the radiations dispensed by the substantiate, that which is homogeneous to the particular kind of volition.
Through the union of the radiation of the spiritual volition with the dispensing, homogeneous to this volition, from the substantiate,
each in turn becomes more intensely aglow, and the still closer connection formed through this glowing,
results in a new radiation, of a different and also stronger content.
Therein lies the so-called ''fashioning''.
And the ''radiations thus transformed through the new connection'' are attracted from the next higher plane and thus uplifted, thereby ascending.
This process is continually repeated, from one plane to the next,
going upwards, unless . . . the upward striving is held back and cut off through evil volition or spiritual lukewarmness,
because only the good volition leads upward.
Lukewarmness is a hindrance because it does not sustain the necessary movement.
Stagnation will then occur throughout the entire Creation.
And it is in this that mankind on earth have so badly sinned, sinned against the entire Creation,
and therewith against the Will of God, against the Holy Ghost!
It caused a standstill in the cycle, which only now is again being brought into the correct and even more intensified movement,
thus tearing down everything which has opposed and hampered it in the past.
You must first try to become clear in your minds, that it is not the radiations of the spiritual alone which lead upwards of their own accord.
These simple personal radiations bare already adapted to the particular plane,
in which the spiritual in its human embodiments,
is to be found in each case; and they are therefore also cooled off correspondingly, and would have to remain constantly on the same plane,
were it not that the urging volition of the spiritual attracts the dispensing
or radiations of the substantiate and then simultaneously transforms them.
This likewise all takes place automatically.
A corresponding union of the radiations sets in, which through the spiritual movement of the volition, receives a greater degree of heat,
thereby offering the possibility to link up with the attraction from the higher plane, which takes effect immediately.
You can imagine the rotary movement of the radiations, as somewhat 'like' the blood circulation in the human body,
which does give an approximate copy of the process in Creation.
This movement of the radiations in Creation is therefore quite simple and yet strictly conditioned:
That which is substantiate radiates downwards only and is always and only 'dispensing', giving out.
That which is spiritual also radiates downwards of its own accord,
but nevertheless has an upward striving effect,
according to the description which I just gave you.
Of course this again concerns only the radiations themselves and not perhaps the spirits which have become personal, the human spirits.
These find their way upwards or downwards through or in the Law of Gravitation,
which in reality is closely linked with the Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Species;
these two laws having the same effect, as if they were one.
If the striving, thus the volition and desiring of a human spirit, goes upwards,
then the radiations fashioned by him, which are always attracted from above, 'form the way', the road for him personally,
on which he strides upward, in an absolutely lawful manner.
He thereby also attracts the radiations from the substantiate,
situated higher and ever higher, which help him ascend like ropes or threads;
for in fashioning these, his spiritual form itself, receives ever more heat, which permits him to ascend,
to become constantly lighter and more luminous, more glowed through.
Despite the close connection of all these processes, there are always numerous special secondary happenings in addition which,
however, remain conditioned by and interwoven with each other, in that one results from the other.
If I do not want to make it more difficult for you to comprehend this, however, I must not touch upon the secondary happenings yet.
But what I have said today is already sufficient to offer you a firm support, to advance further and for later personal investigation.
That which is substantiate stands always and only in the Will of God ''dispensing'',
whereas everything that is spiritual, by its ability to attract through the volition, always remained actually demanding and taking only.
As I have already said, being spiritual man always and only takes as a guest,
what has already been laid upon the table of this Creation by the substantiate beings.
Unfortunately he takes it in a wilful and demanding manner,
instead of showing joyful gratitude and looking reverently up to Him Who proffers all this.
And in this he must now change!
Here I want to touch upon one more point from the lecture ''woman and man'',
which could probably bring thoughts to many among you which are not correct.
In the stories of Creation in various nations, mention is frequently made that man and woman came into existence at the same time;
in some, however, that man came into existence first.
The representation of this, given in simple pictures, cannot at all be taken into consideration here,
because they were given according to the stages of development of the various nations and of the times,
whereas we here are dealing with ''strictly lawful and real knowledge of Creation''; yet despite this,
you do not find any contradiction therein because through the lawful happenings described to you so far,
you know that naturally the coarser, purely masculine, the positive part, had to be ejected or had to sever itself first,
from that which is substantiate before the purely feminine part was able remain!
From this, it would be possible to describe man as having come into existence first,
while it can be stated with equal justification that both came into existence ''at the same time''.
''Both'' of these former pictorial description may be considered as correctly described in the actual, great and objective happening;
for the finer spiritual-feminine or the spiritual woman can in turn come into existence
only when the coarser spiritual-masculine has severed itself from that which is substantiate, not otherwise.
Therefore considered from all sides, it is correctly expressed in the representations of those times, despite the various ways of illustrating it;
for the descriptions about Creation are not concerned with the development in the coarsest matter,
''but with the beginning of Creation in general''.
This started in the Realm of the Primordial Spiritual, at the uppermost point of Creation,
from which in sinking downwards, it continually developed further.
It is the same with these descriptions, as with everything earthmen do,
nor was it any different with the description of the happening about Parsifal and the Grail Castle:
People who become deeply absorbed spiritually are presented with inspirations, which they are unable to recognise clearly.
In view of this, the transmission is already distorted, and they then simply force these inspirations into their particular surroundings,
as well as into the happenings, habits and customs known to them on earth.
In this process, the intellect in particular does not neglect to contribute its part, which is not so small either!
I probably do not need especially to emphasise the fact that this is not particularly helpful, nor can it have an enlightening effect,
but is bound to cause distortion in matters which the earthly intellect is absolutely unable to grasp.
And thus all such descriptions always and only came into existence in slightly or seriously distorted renderings,
to which you as now-knowing ones, must never cling too firmly, however!
Nor, do the ancient descriptions, which are now already in great need of a more exact delineation for the new time,
offer any contradiction to the fact that the womanly always forms and remains the bridge to the next higher step in Creation,
and being the passive part, is the dispensing and the stronger one;
this is conditioned and brought about through its special nature,
which still retains and carries within itself, part of the next higher step of substantiality.
But since that which is substantiate is always and only dispensing and not attracting,
it could not prevent the downfall of the earthly woman's will, in spite of its higher nature.
Indeed, it is only prepared to give, where the demand for it arises!
Now strive to grasp my Message aright and to act accordingly!
I do not intend to place everything before you in a comfortable way, after I have severed it into tiny pieces;
for you, too, must bestir yourselves and add ''whatever'' lies in your strength.
I know precisely the limits of everything which the human spirits on earth able to think,
to perceive intuitively and to do, better than you yourselves, and from the readers and listeners of my Message and of my explanations,
I expect the ''highest'' which the man of Subsequent Creation is able to achieve,
if they really want to follow me;
for this is the right way, which will benefit you according to the Will of God, Who demands movement and swinging along,
in the cycle of all the radiations, penetrating Creation.
Therefore swing yourselves upward for this!
What is possible to receive within the limits of your understanding, that you must do!
I leave it entirely to you and only give you the direction for it, laying foundations upon which you can and must now continue to build!
If you indolently want to refrain from personal work in these matters, and if you are only satisfied with absorbing within yourselves,
the sense of the Message, without also ''applying'' it aright, for further building,
then you will derive no benefit from the Word;
for its ''real'' value must thereby remain closed to you, like a book with seven seals.
Only through your own movement, will the Message, open itself up for you, and pour rich blessings upon you!
Therefore become active in spirit! With my Word I give you the impulse to do so!
MODERN PSYCHIC SCIENCE,
MODERN psychic science! What gathers beneath this flag!
What comes together there, and what also opposes each other beneath it!
A playground for earnest seeking, little knowledge, great plans, vanity and stupidity; in many cases also for empty boasting, and still more for the most unscrupulous commercialism.
Out of this confusion there frequently blossom envy and boundless hatred, which finally results in the basest kind of malicious vindictiveness.
In such a state of affairs it is naturally not surprising if many people shul all these strange activities, fearing to poison themselves by coming into contact with them.
They are not far wrong either; for countless adherents of psychic science are anything but engaging in their behaviour, still less attractive; on the contrary, everything about them warns others to exercise the greatest caution.
It is strange that the whole field of so - called psychic science, which is often confused by the malicious or ignorant with ''ghost'' science, is today still considered a sort of ''free territory'' where everyone may go on in his own way and get up to his tricks unhindered, even unrestrained and unpunished. Such is it ''considered'' to be.
But already experiences have very often taught that it is ''not'' so! Countless pioneers in this field who were rash enough to venture a few steps forward in their investigations, equipped with only an imagined knowledge, have become helpless victims of their carelessness.
The only sad thing about this is that all these victims fell without bringing even the slightest benefit to humanity thereby!
Now each of these cases should really have proved that the way followed is not the right one, because it brings only harm and even destruction, but no blessing.
Yet with singular persistence these false ways are still retained, and fresh victims continually sacrificed; a great clamour is raised over every small detail that is discovered and newly recognised, although self - evident in the mighty Creation, and innumerable treatises are written which must repel many serious seekers, because the uncertain groping therein is clearly perceptible.
All investigations until now can really rather be called dangerous pastimes, based on good intentions.
The field of psychic science, which is considered free territory, can never be entered upon with impunity as long as one does not ''first'' know how to take into account the ''spiritual'' Laws, that is ''non - observance'' of them, which is equivalent to a transgression, must through its inevitable reciprocal action strike the bold, frivolous or careless person who does not or cannot pay close attention to them.
Trying to explore the non - earthly with earthly means and possibilities is no different from placing and leaving an undeveloped child, as yet unfamiliar with earthly dangers, alone in a virgin forest, where only a man adequately equipped for it and at the height of his strength, exercising the greatest precaution, can have any prospect of surviving unharmed.
For modern psychic scientists with their present methods it is no different even if there intentions are absolutely serious, and if they are really taking great risks for the sole purpose of gaining knowledge to help men advance across a boundary, before which they have long stood knocking and waiting. Today these investigators still stand before it like children, helpless and groping, unaware of the dangers that may stream towards them at any moment, or pour forth through them on to others if their bungling efforts breach the natural defences, or open a door that for many had better remain closed.
As long as those desiring to forge ahead are not absolutely certain that they will be able completely and instantly to master all dangers which may arise, not only for themselves but also for others, all this can only be termed rashness, not courage.
Those ''investigators'' who engage in experiments act most irresponsibly of all.
Attention has already been repeatedly called to the crime of hypnotism.
Investigators experimenting in yet other ways in most cases make the regrettable mistake, knowing nothing themselves - for otherwise they would surely not do it - of putting other very sensitive or mediumistic persons into either a magnetic or even hypnotic sleep, in order to bring them nearer to the physically invisible influences of the ''other world'', in the hope of thereby hearing and observing various things that would not be possible if the person experimented upon was in a fully day - conscious condition.
In at least ninety - five out of hundred cases they thus expose such persons to great dangers, which they are not yet qualified to meet; for ''every kind'' of artificial help towards deeper penetration is a binding of the soul, forcing it into a sensitiveness that goes further than its natural development would permit.
The result is that such a victim of experiments suddenly stands psychically in a region where he is robbed of his natural protection by the artificial help, or for which he does not have his natural protection, which can only be formed through ''personal'', sound inner development.
One must picture such a pitiable person as if he stood naked, tied to a stake and pushed far out into a dangerous country as a bait, to attract and even let himself be affected by the as yet unknown life and activity there, so that he can report upon it; or so that various manifestations will also become visible to others, through his co - operation, by the giving off of certain earthly substances from his body.
A person thus experimented with is able at times, through the connection his projected soul must maintain with his earthly body, to report as through a telephone all that happens, and transmit it to the observer.
However, should the outpost thus artificially pushed forward be in some way attacked, he cannot defend himself through lack of his natural protection. He is helplessly abandoned, because with the aid of others he has been only artificially pushed into a domain where, according to the state of his own development, he either does not yet or does not at all belong.
And the so - called investigator, whose thirst for knowledge pushed him into it, can do just as little to help him, since he himself is strange and inexperienced in the place whence the danger comes, and therefore unable to anything to provide protection.
Thus it happens that the investigators unwittingly become criminals, who cannot be apprehended by earthly justice.
However, this does not prevent the ''spiritual'' Laws from exercising their reciprocal action with full force, and chaining the investigator to his victim. Many a person used for experiments has suffered ethereal attacks which in due course, often also quickly or immediately, have a gross - material - physical effect as well, so that physical illness or death follows, but without eliminating the harm done to the soul.
The observers who call themselves investigators, however, who push their victims into unknown regions, in most cases stand during such hazardous experiments under good earthly cover through the protection of their body and day - consciousness.
It is seldom that they share simultaneously in the danger confronting the persons experimented with, thus that such danger are immediately communicated to them.
But then at their physical death, the transition into the Ethereal World, because they are chained to their victims they ''must'' inevitably go wherever these may have been drawn, so that together with them they may slowly begin to ascend once more.
The artificial projection of a soul into another domain must not always be taken to mean that the soul leaves the body and floats away to another region. In ''most'' cases it remains quietly in the body. But the magnetic or hypnotic sleep makes the soul unnaturally sensitive, so that it responds to much finer currents and influences than would be possible in its natural state.
It is self - evident that in this unnatural condition the full strength is not available, which the soul would otherwise possess if it had attained this point through its own inner development, and would therefore stand firmly and securely on this new and more refined soil, bringing an equal strength to bear on all influences.
Because of this lack of sound full vigour, the artificiality produces an inequality which is bound to entail disturbances.
As a result all intuitive perceptions become absolutely blurred, giving rise to distortions of reality.
The cause of the false reports and countless errors is again always given only by the investigators themselves, through their harmful assistance.
That is also why in the many ''investigated'' matters from the occult field already available so much does not accord with strict logic.
They contain countless errors, which until now could not yet be recognised as such.
Absolutely nothing that could be of the slightest use or blessing to mankind is gained by those obviously wrong methods.
Actually only that which helps men ''upwards'', or at least points a way thereto, can be of any use to them.
But from the outset there can be absolutely no question of this as far as these experiments are concerned!
Sometimes, however, an investigator through artificial assistance may ultimately be able to crowd some sensitive or mediumistic human being out of his earthly gross material body into the Ethereal World nearest to him, but ''not'' a hair's breadth ''above'' the region to which in any case he belongs by virtue of his inner development.
On the contrary, through artificial assistance he cannot bring him that far, but always only to the environment nearest to all that is earthly.
However, this environment nearest to the earthly can only contain all that of the beyond which is still closely earthbound, which remains chained to the earth by its inferiority, its vice and passion.
Naturally, now and then something more advanced will also make a short stay in this environment.
But it is not always to be expected.
Something exalted cannot be there, purely by virtue of the Natural Laws.
Sooner would the world be turned upside down, or . . . a foundation for anchoring the Light exist in a human being!
It is hardly to be assumed, however, that this should be sought either in a person experimented upon or in such a groping investigator.
Thus the danger and uselessness of all experiments remains.
Moreover it is certain that unless there is a human being of a advanced development, whose presence purifies all coarseness, something really higher can ''not'' approach a medium, much less speak through him.
Materialisations from ''higher'' circles are altogether out of the question, to say nothing of such popular pastimes as knocking, movements of objects, and so on.
The gulf for this is far too wide to be easily bridged.
Even with a medium, all these things can only be carried out by such souls in the beyond as are still very closely connected with matter.
Were it otherwise possible, that is to say, if an exalted being could easily make contact with humanity, then there would have been no need whatever for Christ to become man, but He could have accomplished His Mission also without this sacrifice.
Men of today, however, are certainly no more highly developed psychically than in Jesus' earth - life, so it cannot be assumed that it is easier to establish a link with the Light now than it was in those days.
Now psychic scientists declare, of course, that their primary aim is to establish that there is life in the beyond, and especially that life continues after physical death; and that in view of the scepticism prevailing today very and forceful arguments are needed, hence ''earthly tangible'' proofs, to breach the defences of the adversaries.
But this reasoning does not justify the repeated endangering of human souls in such a wanton way!
Besides, there is really no compelling need to set about convincing malevolent opponents at all costs!
Surely it is well known that even if an angel came directly from Heaven to proclaim the Truth to them they would not be prepared to believe.
As soon as he had gone they would simply affirm that it was a mass hallucination and no angel at all, or trump up some other excuse.
And if any thing or any body were brought, which or who remains in an earthly state, thus neither vanishing nor becoming invisible, there would again be other excuses, just because it would then be too earthly for those who do not wish to believe in a beyond.
They would not hesitate to declare such a proof a swindle, and the person a visionary, a fanatic, or likewise swindler.
Whether it be too earthly or too unearthly, or both together, they will always have some fault to find and doubt to express.
And if they know of no order way to help themselves, then they will take to abuse, proceed to even more vigorous attacks, and will not shrink from violence.
Therefore, to convince ''these'', sacrifices are not called for!
Still less, however, for many of the so - called adherents.
With a strange kind of arrogance, due to their generally rather vague and fantastic belief in life in the beyond, these think they can make certain demands on it whereby they in turn must ''see'' or ''experience'' something.
They expect signs from their guides in the beyond as a reward for their good behaviour.
The expectations they harbour, which they consider to be their natural due, are often as utterly ridiculous as the much - knowing, leniently forgiving smile with which they mask their real ignorance.
It is poison to wish even to give performances to these masses; for since they imagine they know so much, the experiments are little more to them than well - earned hours of entertainment, in which those in the beyond are expected to act as music - hall artistes.
But just let us leave the big experiments now and consider the small ones, such as table - turning.
These are by no means as harmless as people imagine, but because of the extreme ease with which these practices can spread they are a ''very grave danger!''
Everyone should be warned against this! Enlightened persons must turn away in horror when they see how lightly these things are treated.
How many adherents seek to display their ''knowledge'' in various circles by suggesting experiments in table - turning, or by introducing into families, with smiles or mysterious whispers, the almost playful practice with letters and a glass, or some other aid, which when the hand is lightly laid on it glides or is drawn along to various letters, thus forming words.
With uncanny rapidity all this has developed into party games carried out amid laughter, derision and at times a kind of pleasant thrill.
Every day older and younger ladies, in families or also alone, are seated at a little table before a piece of cardboard on which letters have been drawn, which if possible must even be of a very special design, so that the hocus - pocus stimulating the imagination is not lacking.
Actually this is quite unnecessary; for the object would also be accomplished without it, if the person concerned has only some tendency towards this things. And those who have are innumerable!
Modern psychic scientists and leaders of occult societies are glad of this, because real words and sentences are formed of which the person practising has neither consciously nor unconsciously been thinking.
He must thereby become convinced and increase the number of adherents of the ''occult''.
Publications of occult societies point to this, speakers support it, and appliances are made and sold, which facilitate all this nonsense, and thus almost the entire occult world acts as ''an efficient underling of the Darkness'', in the honest conviction of being a priest of the Light!
These occurrences alone prove the utter ignorance that lies in occult endeavours of this kind!
They show that of all these people nobody is ''really a 'seeing' one!''
If now and then some good medium has developed from these beginnings, or rather, to be more correct, if in the early stages a good medium has been temporarily attracted to them, this must not be regarded as proof to the contrary.
The few people destined for this from the outset have in their own natural development a totally different protection, carefully watching over every step, which others do ''not'' enjoy.
However, this protection is only effective in natural self - development, ''without any artificial aids!''
Because only in all that is natural dies protection lie as a matter of course.
As soon as there is the slightest assistance, whether through practices by the person concerned or from another source in the form of magnetic sleep or hypnotism, it becomes unnatural, and is thus no longer completely in harmony with the Natural Laws which can alone grant protection.
When to this there is added ignorance such as exists everywhere today, then it becomes disastrous.
''Volition'' alone will never replace ability when it comes to action.
But no one should go further than his own ability will carry him.
It is naturally possible that among the hundreds of thousands who engage in this dangerous pastime there may be here and there one who really escapes unpunished and enjoys good protection.
There are also many who will only be harmed in such a way as is not yet apparent on earth; and not until they pass on must they suddenly realise in what follies they have actually indulged.
But there are also many who already bear physical evidence of harm, although they will never recognise the real cause during their life on earth.
For this reason the ethereal and spiritual happenings during these pastimes must be explained.
It is just as simple as everything in Creation, and not at all so complicated, and yet again more difficult than many imagine.
In the present state of the earth the ''Darkness'' has, through the volition of mankind, gained the upper hand over everything material.
Thus in all material things it stands to all intents and purposes on its own familiar ground, and can therefore manifest to the fullest extent in the material.
Hence it is in its element there, fighting on soil with which it is well acquainted.
Thereby, for the time being, in all that is material, that is gross material, it is superior to the Light.
The consequence is that in all things material the power of the Darkness becomes greater than that of the Light.
Now with such pastimes as table - turning, etc., the Light, thus what is exalted, is completely out of the question.
At the most we can speak of something bad, thus dark, and something better, thus more luminous.
Now when a person makes use of a table, or a glass, or indeed of any gross material object, he thus enters upon the battle - ground which is familiar to the Darkness.
A soil which all Darkness calls its own.
From the start he thereby yields to the Darkness a power against which he cannot summon up adequate protection.
Let us for a moment consider a spiritist pastime, or simply a party game with the table, then follow the spiritual, or rather the ethereal happenings.
When one or more persons approach a table for the purpose of contacting through it those living in the beyond, either so that these should make knocking sounds or, as is more usual, move the table, so that words can be formed from these signs, then through the connection with material substance the first to be attracted is also the Darkness, which will take over the manifestations.
Those in the beyond often use high - sounding language with great skill, and seek to answer the thoughts of men, which they can read quite easily, in the manner which these desire; but if serious question arise they invariably lead them astray and, if it is done often, try gradually to bring them under their ever increasing - influence, and so slowly but surely to drag them down.
Yet they cunningly leave the dupes in the belief that they are ascending.
But if perhaps at the very start, or at some other opportunity, a relative or friend who passed over can communicate through the table, which very often happens, the deception is then much more easily accomplished.
The people will recognise that it must really be a specific friend who manifests, and then will believe that it is always he when any utterances are transmitted through the table and the name of the friend is given as the author.
''But this is not the case!''
Not only does the ever watchful Darkness make cunning use of the name to make deceptions appear as authentic as possible, and gain the confidence of the questioners; but it goes so far that a dark one will interfere in the middle of a sentence begun by the real friend, and purposely give it a false ending. Thereupon emerges the scarcely known fact that in a smoothly and flowingly given sentence ''two'' have taken part.
First the real, and perhaps quite luminous, therefore purer friend, and then a dark entity of evil volition, without the questioner noticing anything of it. The results of this are easy to imagine.
The trusting person is deceived and his faith shaken.
The opponent uses the incident to support his ridicule and doubts, and occasionally to make violent attacks on the whole subject.
But in fact both are wrong, which can only be traced back to the ignorance still prevailing on the whole matter.
What occurs, however, takes place in all naturalness: If a more luminous and real friend is at the table to comply with the wish of the questioner and to make himself known, and a dark spirit crowds to the table, then the more luminous one must retreat from it, since the darker one can develop greater strength through the material substance of the table acting as an intermediary, because at present time all that is material is the actual domain of the Darkness.
The mistake is made by the person who chooses material objects, and thus from the outset provides unequal ground.
What is dense, heavy, and therefore dark, certainly stands by virtue of its density nearer to gross matter than what is luminous, purer and lighter, and through the closer connection it can develop greater strength.
On the other hand what is more luminous and still able to manifest through a material object, likewise still possesses a certain degree of density corresponding with the object, otherwise a link with physical matter for the purpose of some communication would no longer be possible at all.
This in itself presupposes a closer approach to matter, which in turn involves the possibility of defilement as soon as the connection with the Darkness is made through matter.
To avoid this danger the more luminous one has no option but quickly to withdraw from the material, thus from the table or some other appliance, as soon as a dark one reaches out for it, in order to cut off the intermediary link, which would form a bridge over the natural separating and thereby protecting gulf.
It is then unavoidable in the beyond that in such cases the person experimenting through the table must be left at the mercy of base influences.
Indeed, his own proves that he wishes for nothing else; ''for ignorance of the Laws cannot protect him here either''.
With these occurrences much that has hitherto been inexplicable will become clear to many, numerous puzzling contradictions will be solved, and it is to be hoped that in future many people will really leave such dangerous playthings alone!
Also the dangers attaching to all other experiments, which are much bigger and more powerful, can now be described in the same detailed manner.
But for the time being it should suffice to mention these most common and widespread instances.
Only one other danger must yet be mentioned.
Through this kind of questioning and seeking for replies and advice, people make themselves very dependent and lose their self - reliance.
This is the reverse of life's purpose on earth.
In every respect it is the wrong course! It only brings harm, no benefit.
It is a grovelling on the ground where there is danger of constantly encountering disgusting vermin, wasting one's strength, and finally collapsing exhausted by the wayside . . . all for nothing!
Many dark ones are thus offered an opportunity, indeed they are thereby even directly tempted to commit evil and to burden themselves with fresh guilt, which they could not so easily do otherwise.
And others are retarded in their upward striving through the constant link formed by such wishes and thoughts.
In clearly observing the nature of this investigations it often appears so childishly obstinate, so imbued with a most ruthless egotism, and withal so clumsy, that one must shake one's head and ask oneself how anyone could possibly want to open out to the general public a region of which he himself does not know the first thing.
It is also wrong for all these investigations to take place before the general public.
To do so opens the way for visionaries and charlatans, making it difficult for mankind to gain confidence.
This has never happened in any other field.
And every investigation whose complete success is now acknowledged was subject to numerous failures during the previous period of research.
But the public were not allowed to take part in them to the same extent!
They are fatigued by them, and in due course lose all interest.
The result that when the Truth is at last discovered the impetus for a revolutionary and sweeping enthusiasm was bound to be lost beforehand.
Mankind can no longer rouse themselves to an exultant joy, so convincing that it carries everything along with it.
When it is realised what wrong courses have been pursued, the repercussions become sharp weapons in the hands of many enemies, who in the course of time are able to instil such distrust in the minds of hundreds of thousands of people that, when the Truth emerges, these unfortunates will no longer desire to examine it seriously for sheer fear of a new delusion!
They close their ears, which they would otherwise have opened, and so miss the last span of time that could still grant them the opportunity to ascend to the Light.
Therefore the Darkness will then have won a further victory!
It can offer its gratitude to the investigators who to that end extended their hands to it, and who are pleased and proud to proclaim themselves leaders of modern psychic sciences!
WRONG COURSES
WITH few exceptions, mankind labour under a boundless delusion which is fatal for them!
God has no need to run after them and beg them to believe in His existence.
Nor are His servants sent out forever to admonish people who on no account turn away from Him.
This would indeed be absurd.
To think and expect such things is a dishonouring and debasing of the sublime Godhead.
This erroneous conception causes great harm.
It is fostered by the behaviour of many truly earnest pastors who, out of real love for God and men, try again and again to convert people who turn only to material things, to convince them and win them over to the church.
All this only tends immeasurably to increase man's conceit in regard to his importance, of which there is more than enough already, and in the end really to place many under the delusion that they must be begged to strive for what is good.
This is also the cause of the strange attitude of the majority of all ''believers', whose example is more often a deterrent than an inspiration.
Thousands upon thousands feel a certain inner satisfaction, an exaltation, in the consciousness that they believe in God, that they utter their prayers with such earnestness as they are capable of bringing up, and that they do not intentionally harm their neighbours.
In this inner ''exaltation'' they feel a certain reward for goodness, thanks from God for their obedience, and they sense a being linked with God, of Whom they also think at times with a certain sacred thrill that produces or leaves behind a state of bliss, in which they revel.
But these legions of believers take the wrong course.
Living happily in a self - created delusion, they are unaware that it numbers them with those Pharisees who, with genuine but mistaken feeling of gratitude, bring their small sacrifices: ''Lord, I thank Thee that I am not as other men are''.
This is not expressed in words, nor really in thought, but the inner ''uplifting feeling'' is nothing more than this unconscious prayer of thanks, which Christ too has already shown to be false.
In these cases the inner ''exaltation'' is nothing more than the setting free of self - satisfaction engendered by prayer or forced good thoughts.
Those who call themselves humble are mostly very far from really being humble!
It often requires self - restraint to speak with such believers.
In such a frame of mind they will never at any time attain to the bliss which they are confident they already possess!
Let them take heed lest they be altogether lost through their spiritual arrogance, which they consider to be humility.
It will be easier for many who now are still absolute unbelievers to enter the Kingdom of God than for all the legions with their conceited humility, who do not really stand before God in simple supplication, but indirectly demanding that He reward them for their prayers and pious words.
Their petitions are demands, their inner being hypocritical.
They will be swept away like empty chaff before His Countenance.
They will have their reward, certainly, but it will be different from what they imagine.
They have already satiated themselves long enough on earth in the consciousness of their own value.
The feeling of well - being will rapidly disappear on passing into the Ethereal World, where the inner intuitive perception, which is scarcely sensed here, will come to the fore, while the feeling hitherto mainly produced only by thoughts will be blown to nothing.
This inner, silent, so - called humble expectation of something better is really nothing but a demand, even though it be expressed differently, in however beautiful words.
Every demand, however, is a presumption. God alone has to demand!
Nor did Christ come pleading to mankind with His Message, but warning and demanding.
He certainly gave explanations about the Truth, but He did not enticingly hold out rewards before the eyes of His hearers to spur them on to become better. Calmly and sternly He commanded serious seekers: ''Go thou and do likewise!''
God stands before humanity ''demanding'', not enticing and pleading, not lamenting and grieving.
He will calmly abandon to the Darkness all the wicked, even all the wavering ones, so that those who are striving upwards shall no longer be exposed to their attacks; enabling the others thoroughly to experience everything they consider to be right, and thus come to the recognition of their error!
THE CONFLICT
UP TILL now there could be no question as yet of a sharp confrontation between two world views.
Conflict is therefore an ill - chosen term for what is actually happening between the intellectuals and serious seekers for the Truth.
All that has so far taken place has consisted of one - sided attacks by the intellectuals, which to any dispassionate observer must appear obviously unfounded and often absurd.
Scorn, hostility, and even persecution of a most serious kind await all those who seek to develop themselves higher in a purely spiritual sense, even when they maintain silent reserve.
There are always some who try by ridicule or force to pull back and drag down such aspiring ones to the dull insensibility or hypocrisy of the masses.
Thus many were bound to become actual martyrs, because not only the masses but therewith also the earthly power has been on the side of the intellectuals.
What these have to offer is already clearly indicated in the word ''intellect''.
That is: A narrowing of the range of the perceptive capacity to purely earthly matters, and thus to the minutest part of real existence.
It is easily understandable that this can produce nothing perfect, nothing good whatever for a humanity whose existence moves mainly through spheres which the intellectuals have closed to themselves.
Especially so when one considers that just one brief earth - life should become a significant turning - point for the whole existence, entailing as it does decisive interventions in those other spheres which are completely inconceivable to the intellectuals.
The responsibility of the intellectuals, who rightly considered have already fallen deeply, is thus enormously increased, and as heavy pressure it will help to push them more and more swiftly towards the goal of their choice, so that they will at last have to partake of the fruits of what they have persistently and presumptuously advocated.
By intellectuals are to be understood those who have unconditionally submitted themselves to their own intellect.
These people strange to say, have for thousands of years believed that they had an absolute right to impose their limited conviction by law and by force also upon those who wished to live according to another conviction.
This utterly illogical presumption again lies only in the intellectuals' narrow perceptive capacity, which is incapable of lifting itself higher.
This very limitation brings them a so - called peak of comprehension, whereby such presumptions are bound to arise in the imagination, because they believe they really are standing on the utmost height.
This is actually true so far as they are concerned, since they have arrived at the boundary which they cannot cross.
But their attacks on the seekers for the Truth, so often inexplicably malevolent, clearly show on closer observation the whip of the Darkness brandished behind them.
Seldom does one find in these hostile acts a trace of honest volition, which might somewhat excuse their often shocking manner of proceeding.
In most cases there is only blind fury devoid of any real logic.
Just examine such attacks dispassionately.
How seldom is there among them an article whose contents indicate an attempt to enter really ''objectively'' into speeches or essays of a seeker for the Truth.
The unfounded and paltry nature of the attacks is always quite strikingly apparent from the very fact that these are ''never kept purely objectively!''
They are always a veiled or open defilement of the ''person'' of the Truth - seeker.
''This is only done by someone who is incapable of replying objectively''.
After all, a seeker for the Truth or a bringer of the Truth does not give himself ''personally'', but he brings what he ''says''.
The word must be examined, not the ''person!''
It is a habit of the intellectuals to seek always to regard the person first, and then to consider whether they can listen to his words.
Owing to the narrow limitation of their perceptive capacity, these people ''need'' such an outward hold, because they must cling to externals to prevent them from becoming confused.
Indeed just this is the hollow structure which they erect, which is inadequate for men and a great hindrance to their advancement.
If they had a firm inner hold they would simply let fact speak against fact, excluding the personal element altogether.
But this they are unable to do.
Indeed, they intentionally avoid it because they feel or partly know that in a well - ordered tournament they would be quickly unseated.
The ironic reference to ''lay preacher'' or ''lay interpretation'', so often used, shows such a degree of ridiculous presumption that every serious person immediately semses: ''This is a shield used to conceal shallowness at all costs.
To cover their emptiness with a cheap signboard!''
Clumsy strategy which cannot last for long.
Its purpose is from the beginning to place seekers for the Truth who may become troublesome on an ''inferior'' if not even a ridiculous level in the eyes of their fellow - men, or at least to classify them as ''dabblers'' so that they will not be taken seriously.
In so doing they seek to prevent anyone from seriously paying attention to the words.
The motive for this proceeding, however, is not anxiety lest their fellow - men be delayed in their inner ascent through erroneous teachings, rather is is a vague apprehension of losing influence and thereby being compelled to penetrate more deeply than before, and having to change much that till now was supposed to be unassailable, and which suited them.
It is just this frequent reference to ''laymen'', this strange looking down upon those who through their strengthened and less influenced intuitive perception stand much nearer to the Truth, and who have not built walls for themselves through rigid intellectual forms, that exposes a weakness whose dangers cannot escape the notice of any thinker.
''He who believes in such opinions is at the outset excluded from being an unprejudiced teacher and guide'', for he stands much further away from God and His Activity than any other man.
Knowledge about the development of religions, with all the errors and faults, does not bring men nearer to their God, and just as little does the intellectual interpretation of the Bible or of other valuable writings of the different religions.
The intellect is and remains bound to time and space, that is to say earth - bound; whereas the Godhead, and thus also the recognition of God and His will, are above time and space and above all that is transitory, and therefore can never be grasped by the narrowly - confined intellect.
For this simple reason the intellect is not called upon to bring enlightenment in eternal values.
Indeed it would be a contradiction.
Therefore he who in ''these'' matters boasts of university qualifications, and would look down upon those who are not so influenced, thereby declares his own incompetence and limitation.
Thinking people will at once sense intuitively the one - sidedness, and use caution against him who cautions them in such manner!
Only those who are called can be true teachers.
Called ones are those who carry the ability within them.
These abilities, however, do not ask for university training, but for the vibrations of a refined intuitive faculty, able to soar above time and space, thus beyond the limit of comprehension by the earthly intellect.
Moreover, any inwardly free man will always assess a matter or a teaching according to ''what'' it brings, not according to ''who'' brings it.
The latter is the strongest possible evidence of his unfitness to be an investigator.
Gold is gold, whether a prince or a beggar holds it in his hand.
But just in the most valuable things of the spiritual man, one seeks obstinately to disregard and to alter this irrefutable fact.
Naturally without any more success than in the case of gold.
For those who are really seeking seriously do not permit themselves to be influenced by such distractions from examining the matter itself.
But those who do allow themselves to be so influenced are not yet mature to receive the Truth.
It is not for them.
But the hour is not far distant when a conflict, which has been lacking as yet, must now break out.
The one - sidedness will end, and a sharp confrontation will follow which will destroy all false presumption.