THE   DIVINE   LOVE   PUREST   JUSTIFICATION  ( JUSTICE ).

                                                                         AT  THE  BOUNDARY  OF  GROSS  MATTER.

Millions of earthmen call themselves seekers, but they are not so! There is a great difference between humble seeking and self - complacent and vainglorious investigating! But in spite of this they call themselves seekers after the truth, and even imagine that they have already become ''knowing'' as a result of their investigations. Such conceit could easily be classed as ridiculously grotesque but for the fact that it so often contain dangers, was indeed always dangerous! For investigating and prospecting is the work of the intellect ''only''! But what can this intellect, which comes from the gross material brains and which is therefore also subject to the gross material Primordial Laws of Creation, investigate of the ''spiritual'', to the nature of which it is no wise related? ''Everything immediately collapses on account of this one material fact! In his desire to investigate man is unable to continue even beyond the beyond the furthest point of fine gross matter! For the human intellect ethereal matter is and will remain an alien species with which he can make no connection. But without such connection there can never be any understanding, not even seeing or hearing, much less any investigating, scrutinizing or classifying into gross material conceptions, which the intellect cannot do without, proving that it is subject to gross material laws to which it remains firmly linked. Thus every ''seeker'' or ''spiritual investigator'' has hitherto always remained closely tied to the World of Gross Matter, and he could never get beyond the finest boundaries, not even through really high accomplishments. The Primordial Law of Creation holds him adamantly back. There is no possibility whatever for him to go any further! That is why many so - called boards of examiners who condescended or felt themselves called to ''investigate'' the authenticity of mediumistic qualities and their results, in order to pronounce an opinion with which mankind is supposed to conform, were often bound to fail miserably. The miserable failure was always on the side of these ''examiners'', even if they wish to make it appear the other way round, and probably also believe in their judgement. The inference to be drawn from the immutable Laws of Creation, however, proves it to be otherwise and speaks ''against'' them.  And every  other form of argument opposes the irrevocable nature of the Divine Laws, and is thus the wrong erroneous work of men, the motive of which is base vanity and self complacency of the narrowest kind. For the same reason the earthly law courts are also hostile towards all ethereal happenings, because they simply incapable of delving into things which are so utterly remote from their surrounding. That, however, is their own fault, a consequence of the limited conditions which they created for themselves through the indolence of their spirit, which they permit to sleep on quietly, while they mistake the earthly ''intellect'' originating in the World of Gross Matter for the spirit and value it accordingly. It is by no means always the fault of those who are summoned to appear before them. But despite this the courts have never shrunk from judging about things which they do not understand in a manner contrary to the Laws of God. What is more, on account of their lack of understanding they very often tried to impute the intention of wilful deception and even of fraud to these actual ethereal happenings and to the spiritual ones as well! It is the same procedure as was once applied with the churches and worldly judges in the trial for witchcraft, nothing less! It is just as repugnant and narrow, and as much a violation now as it was then of all the Primordial Laws of Creation. Such exceptions as where impostors wish to benefit personally from something are to be found in all fields of activity of these earthmen, but that provides no justification  for always treating the entire with distrust from the very outset! Such things occur in every trade, in every kind of scientific pursuit, and in every branch of the various professions! But ultimately these deceivers can always be recognised without any difficulty, for an evil volition cannot be permanently hidden. Therefore this singular enmity on the part of the earthly courts, as well as by all intellectuals, must appear all the more striking to the calm observer! On closer consideration it can be easily found that the motive behind this complete antagonism and the desire to suppress originates in nothing but the pressure of utter helplessness in these matters. Today, indeed, no man has any idea of the greatness, the purity, and yet the overwhelming simplicity and really quite easily understandable nature of  the basic Laws of Creation, to which churches and mundane laws ''must'' adapt themselves if they wish to be right and just, and consequently pleasing to God. They can and may not do otherwise without causing harm both to themselves and to their fellow -  men. There is in fact for all creatures nothing other than these irrevocable Laws of God in Creation, from which they issued and to which they must also adapt themselves if they do not wish to be detrimental to Creation. Being a creature, man must also at last condescend to adjust  himself accordingly, if he  does not wish to perish through his carelessness, his presumption and, closely connected with these, his intellectual sophistry. For the intellect plays but a small part in the greatness of Creation and serves purely to make movement possible in the coarsest material. What is beyond its boundaries the intellect can never grasp, and it is thus unable to work therein, much less pass judgment upon it! The entire knowledge which mankind on earth possess today, the knowledge of which they are so proud, moves ''only'' within the Realm of the Gross Material and goes no further! This proves how narrow and limited such knowledge is, for gross matter ''is'' the ''lowest''  of all the rings in Creation, the densest and the heaviest, and consequently also the most narrow and limited in its conceptions in this Subsequent Creation. Your thoughts, too, are only of the gross material nature, being the products of your brain. They belong to fine gross matter, which consequently also embraces all the thought - forms that can so often be seen by mediums. They imagine, however, that these lie in the Ethereal Realm or even in the Spiritual Realm. In one of my earlier lectures I have already mentioned thought - forms, and I also spoke about the centres formed by these, but not about the regions or the kinds to which they belong. Thoughts as well as thought - forms are still of ''gross material nature'' even though they are part of fine gross matter. They are not ''ethereal''. That which is ethereal has nothing to do with fine gross matter. It is of an entirely different species, and the two cannot blend but must always stand side by side, because a different species is also subject to different law ''forms''. It is true that the Laws of God are uniform in each species of Creation; they penetrate the entire Creation; but despite their individual uniformity the laws manifest in each species of Creation in a different form corresponding to that particular species. Therefore a person will never be able to examine or judge things of ethereal substance by means of his gross material implements, to which the brain with its intellect belong; and just as little can he do so with things taking place in the Spiritual Realm as long as he lacks the connection thereto, which can only be attained through radiations. The path of radiation out of gross material substance, however, is still closed to all those who have unconditionally submitted to the dominion of the intellect, which is firmly bound to the World of Gross Matter and its conceptions. It is utterly impossible for these downright slaves of the intellect to send out radiations to other regions, because they themselves closed the borders and allowed everything that is necessary for sending out to perish within themselves. Men are now only creeping along the ground, for their power to swing upwards to the Heights fell away from them long ago, when they ceased to apply it or make use of it after giving their intellect the highest place, which bound them to the earth. You thus had to become subject to the Law of Adaptation, which works automatically in the World of Matter. It is the same with you as with the animals whose wings, when never used, first gradually deteriorate and then cease to develop altogether; or with fish which, in the course of time, lose the air - bladder they use to raise and support them in the water, if they continually stay only in the bottom of currents which are too strong for them. Naturally this does not take effect quickly from one day to another, but only in the course of centuries and even thousands of years. But it does come about! And it has already taken effect with the human spirit! Everything you do not use zealously in the right way must gradually become stunted and lost to you! Automatic adjustment is nothing but the consequence of the Law of Movement in Creation. This is only ''one'' of its many - sided effects. That which does not move in the right manner, and naturally also that which is not always ''kept'' in the necessary movement, ''must'' degenerate and be finally discarded altogether, also from every gross material form; for each form is shaped only in accordance with the kind of movement. Do not protest that this is contradicted by knowledge of the sentence that the ''spirit'' forms the body! That only confirms it, and shows the immutability of this law, for every spiritual volition is movement, which in its  continuing activity produces further movement. Go out and seek in Nature! Observe Creation itself! you will find fish which cannot swim, because they had difficulty in holding themselves in turbulent waters and thus preferred to remain on the bottom. Their air - bladder degenerated and the course of time they lost it entirely. There are also birds which cannot fly. Think of the penguins and ostriches and many other! Only ''that'' part and ''that'' ability is developed and maintained which is ''used'', thus participating in the Law of necessary Movement. You, however, have spent thousands of years for the purpose of clinging almost convulsively to the lowest and the narrowly limited Realm of Gross Matter, because it meant everything to you; you dug yourselves into it and now you are ''no longer able'' to look upwards! You have lost the ability to do so, you yourselves have broken the habit through the indolence of your spirit,  which no longer wishes to move upwards and which with many today is no longer ''able'' to move! Therefore it now becomes hard for you to grasp the ''Word'' from the Highest Heights, and it will be utterly impossible for many! He who wants to measure it with his ''intellect'' alone will never recognise its true value; for he will have to drag the Word of God down to the low gross material comprehension. He who can do nothing but think within narrow limits will also belittle the  Word in his own understanding, and thus not recognise it and will lightly put it aside, because he does not see ''what'' it really contains! However, in his smallness he will be glad to talk about it and criticise it, perhaps even wish to bring it into contempt; for such people do precisely ''that'' which ''proves'' the narrow limitations of their pseudo - knowledge, which clearly points to their inability to dig deeper. You can daily experience the same everywhere, that it is just the really stupid persons who consider themselves especially clever and try to discuss everything, when the intelligent man keeps silent. Stupidity is always obtrusive! just observe all those who like to make themselves conspicuous with their talk about ethereal or even spiritual happenings! You will soon recognise that they really know nothing at all about it! Particularly those who often speak about karma! Just let such people give you an explanation of karma! You will shudder as you listen to their confused and muddled words! And as for the person who does not talk, but modestly asks about, you should first observe him more closely before you answer. Most of the inquirers only wish to find in karma an excuse for themselves and their weaknesses! ''It is this'' they long for so eagerly -- that through their belief in karma they may quietly continue with their weaknesses, sometime even ill breeding or impudence, with self - excuse when they consequently meet with unpleasantness that is their karma. With hypocritical mien they love sigh; ''It is my karma which I have to redeem!'' They leave it at this sighing and become tyrants in their environment, destroying all harmony even if they could change and avoid many a thing by a little self - education and by showing a little consideration for their fellow - men! They do not think of this and do not ''want'' to think of it - that they only burden themselves thereby with a karma which throes them back for centuries! Prattle, nothing but empty prattle, is all such, emanating from vanity and the lack of genuine fresh volition! It is a pity for every single minute that a person sacrifices for such spiritually indolent ones. Let them carry on and take this to heart: A person with real knowledge will never indulge in idle talk! He does ''not'' take his knowledge to be the ''subject for conversation'', nor does he offer it for that purpose! He will answer serious question only, and even then will hesitate until he knows the enquirer is driven by a real honest volition. Men's talk in these matters is for the greater part but empty sound! For the comprehension of all earthmen has been unable to step beyond the boundary of gross material substance, due to the mistake they made in Creation, which hold them down through the indolence of their spirit. They confuse the spirit with their earthly intellect, and thus create for themselves this low boundary. In future, you earthmen of the present time, refrain from forming opinions about things which you cannot understand! ''Too'' heavy is the guilt with which you burden yourselves thereby! It is no less heavy than that which people in their stupid delusion once imposed upon themselves by plunging countless thousands into suffering and misery, even taking the earth - life of many through death by fire after days of torture. By the Law of the Lord it is the same whether you today accuse such person of fraud or of practising gross deception only! Exert yourselves to fulfil ''your'' duties towards your God and to ''recognise the Laws of God'' before wishing to judge! You have no right to expect forgiveness! You yourselves have forfeited the claim to that through your own law - that ignorance can protect no one from punishment! An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, ''that'' is how it will now happen to ''those'' who do not wish it otherwise, and who do not obey the Law of the Lord!

                                           IN THE GROSS MATERIAL WORKSHOP OF THE ELEMENTAL BEINGS.

SO FAR we have been considering the activity of the little elemental beings in regards to that which ''issues'' from earthmen, such as their intuitive perception, their thinking, and their actions. Now, however, we want to remain just as close to the earthmen as before, but observe therewith the activities ''of those'' elemental beings which develop their sphere of work in a direction ''leading towards'' earthmen. Thus they are not the beings which build the paths of the soul leading out of the heavy gross material substance of the earth, but those which strive in the opposite direction towards the gross material substance of this earth. Everything shows movement, nothing is without form. Thus it appears as if man is surrounded by a huge workshop, the activities of which partly streams towards him and partly diverge from him, thereby intertwining, knotting and loosening, building up and pulling down, in constant change, continually growing, blossoming, ripening and decaying in order to offer new seed the opportunity to develop in fulfilment of the cycle which is in accordance with the Laws of Creation, the cycle of necessary development and decay of all forms in the World of Matter. This is ordained by the Law of continuous Movement under the pressure of the radiation of God, the Only Living One! It effervesces and surges, melts and cools off, hammers and pounds without ceasing. Vigorous fists push and pull, loving hands guide and protect, unite and separate the wandering spirits in all this tumult. But the man of this earth is dull, blind, and deaf to all this as he staggers about in his gross material attire. Greedy in his pleasure and knowledge, his intellect shows only this as its goal: Earthly joys and earthly power as the reward for his work and the crown for his existence! For the sluggish and indolent, the intellect tries to conjure up pictures of quiet comfort which, like a narcotic - hostile to the spirit, paralyse the will for activity in Creation. He does not want to submit, the man of this earth, because the choice was left to his volition. And therefore he chains his living spirit to the dying form, the origin of which he does not even know. He remains a stranger to this Creation, instead of using his gifts to build up for himself. Only the right knowledge offers the possibility of a conscious adaptation. Therefore man ''must'' step out of his ignorance now! In future he can only work ''knowingly'' under the rays of the new star, which will separate the useful from the useless in the whole of Creation. That which is useful - not judged according to the human thinking, but only according to ''God's'' Holy Law! Thus all that is useless in the first place includes every person who is incapable of receiving the blessings and mercies of God in humility, something which he can only achieve through the knowledge of all the activities in Creation. Only out of the ''Word'' can he receive all the knowledge which he needs for this. He will ''find'' it therein if he seeks earnestly. He finds exactly what ''he  needs for himself''! But Christ's words are now more than ever a law: ''seek, and ye shall find!'' Whoever does not seek with true eagerness of his spirit shall not and will not receive anything either. And therefore he who sleeps or is spiritually indolent will also find nothing in the Word which is living. It does not give him anything! Every soul must first open itself for this of its own accord and strike the Source which lies in the Word. Therein rest an adamantine and sifting law, which now fulfils in all severity. You must become ''knowing'', otherwise you will lose every hold and will stumble and fall when now, during the course of onrolling world events, you are forcibly compelled to take ''that'' course which you must take in accordance with the Holy Will of your God, in Whose Works of Grace you have so far trampled about like ignorant animals in the most beautiful flower garden - destroying instead of furthering the upbuilding and helping, indulging in conceited audacity without exerting yourselves to obtain the understanding as to ''why''  you are allowed consciously to stay and enjoy everything in the beautiful Creation. You never thought of giving necessary service in return, you did not observe the great Law of God which ordains that  the right to take  lies in ''giving''  alone! But you have taken thoughtlessly, with or without petition you have made boundless ''demands'' without even once thinking of your ''duty'' towards Creation, in which you guests wanted to make yourselves unscrupulous masters! The Creation was expected to give, always to give! You did not even  once in serious reflection ask how you really came to observe this, but you only complained when you had to undergo suffering which you yourselves brought about, and yet grumbled when something you had hoped for was not fulfilled for once. And your hoping, your wishes, were directed always and only towards ''earthly happiness''! You have never as yet properly concerned yourselves with  genuine longing for all else, for that which is more real! Where you ''did'' so it was  the urge  for earthly knowledge, nothing else! You wanted to find  in order to make yourselves prominent thereby! And when it happened that because of some distress you tried to investigate, then it was only done in order to escape from this trouble, no matter whether it was earthly distress or distress of the ''soul''. ''But it was never done for the purpose of honouring God''! Now, however, learn at last to know the structure of this Creation in which you dwell and through part of which you also have to wander, so that you will no longer remain as foreign substance therein. With  the recognition which will then become ever stronger you will also receive that humbleness which you need in order to absorb the last and great gift: that of being allowed to exist externally! With the cognition, which must lead to recognition, you also shorten the period of your wandering through Creation by thousands of years, and arrive much more quickly and surely at those Luminous Heights which must remain remain the longing and the goal of ''that'' human spirit which does not wish to become lost through their being useless. Thus follow me today further along the paths through the nearer surroundings of your existence upon earth! Imagine that you are striving towards this earth as it is with every incarnation, no matter whether it be the first or already the fiftieth! Thereby it is not possible for the soul which is waiting for incarnation to slip into a physical body without further ado. The soul itself, which on account of its nature never unites with the physical body, but which is capable of ''joining'' a physical body only when the conditions required fort this are fulfilled, could never move or set aglow the physical body without a special bridge. The threads which are tied through the attraction of the homogeneous species are not sufficient for such a purpose. In order to give an absolutely clear picture I will go back once more and in brief outline touch upon a few requirements for an incarnation which are already known. The effects of the Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Species are not decisive in ''all'' for incarnations, but there are also other possibilities and compelling reasons. The Law of Reciprocal Action also intervenes in this matter and sometimes with a strength which eclipses all else. A soul outside of the physical bodies, which through threads of reciprocal action is strongly linked with another soul dwelling upon earth within a female physical body, will absolutely be led to this woman upon earth by way of these threads as soon as there is an opportunity for an incarnation with her. In addition to such conditions, which cannot be avoided, there is then also the Law of Attraction of Homogeneous Species. But there are also besides these two happenings other kinds and possibilities about which we shall talk in the course of time only, because today any superfluous deviation would only dim the clearness of the necessary picture. So for the present let us only say that all the threads, no matter what their nature, cannot suffice to enable the soul to move the gross material body and to set it aglow. Even when the condition is fulfilled that, due to some threads, the soul remains in the neighborhood of the growing body, and that the body in its radiation also reaches that degree which is able to ''hold'' the soul (as I have already mentioned in an earlier lecture), then although it is true that the soul would thereby be bound to the body, yet it would still not on that account be in a position to move or set aglow the  physical body connected with it. A bridge for this is still lacking. Instead of saying bridge we can also call it an implement, which is especially needed by the soul in addition. And this bridge must again be built by the little elemental beings! Like everything else this also takes place within the laws of exact ''meeting together'' of very specific radiations, which in this case concern earthly manhood and womanhood, as well as various active threads of fate concerning these two human beings and also the soul. This process, too, needs a special explanation later on. Today it should be sufficient to hint that all of this forms the decisive starting - point for the activities of ''those'' little elemental beings which build the bridges for the incarnation of souls. And  these bridges are what many today already call the ''astral body''. The astral body consists of medium gross matter. It must be formed by the little elementals directly ''preceding'' the heavy gross material earth body, so that it almost appears as if it were being fashioned simultaneously. But this is not so, for the astral body - I will want to retain this  known designation for the sake of simplicity - must precede ''everything'' which is to be formed in the heavy gross material substance. There are many people who have arrived at the knowledge of the ''existence'' of so - called astral things. But they neither know their actual purpose nor the real process of their coming into existence! Those who have hitherto known about astral things again looked at everything only from their angle, and therefore thought of them as having originated from the heavy gross material substance. In most cases they consider them to be ''images'' of heavy gross matter, because every plant, every stone, and in fact ''everything'' of heavy gross matter seems to be reflected in the astral world. These, , however, are not ''images'' but ''prototypes'' of things in heavy gross matter. Without them nothing whatever would or could form in the World of heavy Gross Matter. That is the difference! According to earthly conceptions this field of medium gross matter could best be called workshop for models. Just as an artist first fashion a model, so the so - called astral body comes  into existence ''before'' the heavy physical body. Except that there is nothing in Creation which would serve one such purpose ''only'' and then be put aside, as it is with earthman! Instead everything, even that which appear the smallest, necessarily has a many - sided value in Creation. In the working of the elemental beings every single things belongs as a necessarily  part to the whole. Each part is also flooded through and pulsated through ''uniformly'' by the whole and with the whole. So every piece upon the earth, even the earth itself, has a co - operating model. Some of those who are allowed to see call it the ''shadow'', while others, as already mentioned, call it the ''astral body''. There are other lesser known designations for this, but they all mean the same thing. None of them, however, hits upon that which is right, because it was again considered from the wrong side, whereas there is no knowledge whatever about the origin. There is nothing on earth which has not already been fashioned beforehand in an even more beautiful and more perfect way by the little elemental beings in medium gross matter. Everything taking place in the World of heavy Gross Matter, even the skill of the craftsmen, the creations of the artists, etc., is only ''drawn from''  the preceding activities of the little elemental beings. They have already completed this and much more besides in medium and finer gross matter. There all this is even more perfect in its forms, because the elementals work directly in the laws of the Will of God which is perfect, and which can therefore only give expression to what is perfect in form. Every invention, even the most surprising one, is only ''borrowed'' from things already achieved by the beings on other planes. There are very many such things yet, ready for men to draw upon in order to transfer them here upon earth into the World of heavy Gross Matter. And yet, although the models are so easily attainable for those who are not only serious but also humble seekers, much has been distorted here upon earth through the intellect, because in most cases those endowed with the ability lacked the requisite humility to draw in purity, and furthermore because the inhabitants of the earth, through their conceit which hampers everything, have so far paid no attention to the Laws of God in Creation. Not until they obtain exact knowledge of these Laws will the inventing or, more correctly expressed, the discovering on other planes, and consequently also the correct transfer into the heavy gross material substance of this earth, become much easier and more accurate than it has been so far. It will also become much more extensive. The astral plane is therefore ''not'' a reflection of the World of Gross Matter! In the first place this plane in itself still contains of gross matter, only of a somewhat finer species  than the earth, and secondly the ''reverse'' obtains - the heavy earthly gross matter is a reproduction of medium gross matter, of the so - called astral plane. However, the astral plane contains two ways and thereby also  two great basic divisions, one leading towards the heavy gross matter and another leading away from it again! The part striving towards the heavy gross matter is the bridge which is necessary for the upbuilding in the earthly; the part striving away from it, however, is the formed expression of the thoughts and actions of the human spirits which are upon earth in earthly garments. Men's knowledge of this has so far been isolated piecework only, whereby owing to their ignorance these few pieces are in confused medley without any real connection. Thus nothing  but a fantastically composed picture floating in the air was devised, which seems like a mirage, and therefore probably exerts a special fascination upon many people who are inwardly unstable. Man can then revel so beautifully in irresponsible things! He can allow himself to establish daring suppositions in these matters, which he naturally likes others to consider as knowledge and certainty, knowing that nobody can hold him responsible thereby if he err. In his opinion he has been given the opportunity to be held in esteem for once without having any responsibility! Yes, before men! But not before the Laws of God! Towards these everybody ''is fully'' responsible for everything he says! For every word! And all those who follow his wrong opinion, even those whom he merely incites with his erroneous teachings to new and fantastic ideas of their own, all are firmly chained to him, and he must help to free them again individually before he can think of himself and his ascent. After having again taken a brief glimpse at these matters, we must now return to details. Thus the little elemental beings fashion the astral body beforehand as the necessary bridge for the soul, so that it is able to control, direct and move the growing body. The soul is connected with the ''astral body'' and work ''through this'' upon the heavy physical body. Likewise the physical body with the radiation necessary for this can really bind the soul to itself only through the astral body acting as a mediator. The radiation issuing from heavy gross matter, through which the animistic pulsates, must first penetrate the medium gross matter of the astral body, for otherwise they cannot connect with the radiations of the soul, the outermost cloak of which  is by then already of finest gross matter. Let us present distinguish only between three basic species of gross matter, although there are still various intermediate and side species in addition. For the time being we will only consider the fine, the medium heavy and the heaviest gross material substance. In this sense the physical body also belongs to the heaviest earthly species, and the astral body to the transitional species of medium heavy gross matter, i.e., to that species which lies next to the heaviest. When an incarnation is to take place this astral body ''is first'' fashioned by the elemental beings and immediately afterwards the physical body is formed so that it appears as if both  occur simultaneously. In reality, however, the fashioning of the astral body precedes the process in heavy gross matter; it ''must'' precede it, otherwise the physical body could not be completed and the soul would be unable to do anything with it. I am only giving you the ''picture'' of the process here, so that the conception can arise therefrom. Later on we shall perhaps follow ''step by step'' the growing, the maturing and decaying. with all the logical order and with all the threads which are part of it, as soon as ''the whole'' stands before you ''like a picture''. The astral body is connected ''with'' the physical body, but is not dependent upon it, as has been assumed in the past. The lack of knowledge of the actual  process of development in  Creation brought in its train the many errors, especially since man always basically presented the little knowledge he acquired by considering it from his point of view. As long as ''he'' imagines ''himself'' as the ''most important'' point in Creation, where in reality he does not at all play a special main role, but where  he ''is'' nothing but a creature like innumerable others, he will always go wrong, also in his investigation. It is true that after the soul has severed itself from the physical body the astral body decays along with the physical body. But this must not be taken as a proof that it is therefore dependent upon it. This does not even give a justifiable foundation for such an assumption! In reality the process is different: When it severs itself the soul, being the mobile part, draws the astral body away from the physical body. Figuratively speaking : The soul upon stepping out of and leaving the physical body pulls  the astral body out with it. That is how it appears! In reality the soul only pulls it ''off'' the physical body, because a fusion has never taken place but only a telescoping, as it is with field glasses which go in and out. In so doing the soul does not draw this astral body along very far, because the latter is not only anchored with the soul but also with the physical body; and, moreover, the soul from which the essential movement issues also wants to sever itself from the astral body and consequently strives away from it too. Thus after the earthly departure of the soul the astral body always remains near the physical body. The further the soul then moves away the weaker the astral body also becomes; and the ever - increasing severance of the soul finally brings about the decay and decomposition of the astral body, which in turn immediately brings in its train the decay of the physical body, in the same way as it also influenced its formation. This is the normal process in accordance with the Laws of Creation. Naturally special acts of intervention  also brings about special conditions and disarrangements, but without being able to eliminate the lawfulness. The astral body, which is first and foremost dependent ''upon the soul'', is the mediator to the physical body. Whatever happens to the astral body is also definitely suffered by the physical body. The sufferings of the physical body, however, touch the astral body much less, although they are closely connected with each other. If, for example, some part of the physical body is taken away (let us suppose it is a finger), then the finger of the astral body is not also taken away simultaneously, but still  ''remains'' as before. That is why a person on earth can actually still feel pain or a pressure periodically at that spot where he no longer possesses a member of his physical body. Cases of this kind are well enough known, but man never found the proper explanation of it because he lacked the survey.  Thus the elemental beings knot and connect all the souls to their astral bodies, which we shall call the bodies of the medium gross matter, while the heavy earth bodies, even when coming into existence, are directly connected with the body of medium gross matter and form and develop accordingly. It must be reserved until possible later lectures to show the way in which the soul works through this cloak upon the heavy physical body, for to reach such a point much has still to be clarified beforehand in order to presuppose the right understanding. All this, however, is also pervaded by one ''single'' law, which is zealously and faithfully fulfilled by the little elemental beings without any deviation. In this they are models for human the spirits, which can and also ''shall'' learn therefrom, until at last they work hand in hand and without presumption with the little master - builders in this Creation, so that through deeds which lead to complete harmony they will jubilantly and gratefully praise the Wisdom and Love of their  Creator!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                               A       SOUL    WANDERS

IN THE last two lectures I explained the happenings in the planes of medium gross matter ( formerly called the astral plane by those who knew about it ), which are directly connected with men's existence upon earth. There are many other happenings besides those mentioned therein which also belong to the fields of activity of the elemental beings. But since these types of work only touch men's soul ''indirectly'' , we do not yet want to speak about them but first to consider what lies nearest at hand: ''the human soul itself'' in connection with what has already been explained. Therefore follow me for a short distance along the path upon which a soul must wander after departure from the physical body. Let us, then, observe first steps! We are standing in medium gross matter. Before us we see threads of fate of various colours and strengths, of which we talked in the last lectures when considering the activities of the  little elemental beings. Let us eliminate everything else this time; for in reality there exists in this region much more, flowing closely together and through each other, than just these threads. Everything swings in the strictest order in accordance with the Laws in Creation. We look neither right nor left, but stay only by these threads. These threads appear to trail along with only slight movement, showing no particular activity; for they are such as were already spun a long time ago,. Suddenly one of them begins to quiver. It vibrates and increases its movement more and more, swells out, deepens its colours, and starts to become more active in every respect . . . A soul which is connected with this thread has released itself from a physical body. It approaches the place where we are waiting. This bear a resemblance to a fire hose into which water is suddenly driven. One can accurately observe the path of the oncoming water as it forces its way forward in the hose. It is the ''same'' process with the threads of fate, which become released when the soul is forced to wander along the path thus marked out for it. The radiation of the spirit within the soul streams ahead of it and  animates the threads of its path, even if this thread was only in weak activity up till then. Through this simulation the tension becomes stronger and pulls the soul more vigorously to the nearest anchorage of this thread. This place of anchorage abounds with homogeneous species of such threads, which in turn are connected with souls still dwelling upon earth in gross material earth bodies. Yet other souls which have previously left the earth are already at the anchorage, and must now at this place partake of the fruit which ripened through the activity and care of the little elemental beings according to the species of the threads, which work like seed stalks. The forms of the fruit are of a definite and uniform nature at this particular place. Let us assume it is a place of envy, which is very widespread upon earth and find excellent soil among earthmen! That is why the anchorage for these threads   is such an immensely large and many - sided place. Landscape upon landscape, towns and villages, with corresponding activities of every kind!  But envy lies in wait everywhere, arousing repugnance. Everything is permeated by it. Envy has taken on grotesque forms which move about and work  in these regions. They work on all the souls drawn to this place in the most decisive and increased way, so that these souls may themselves experience with greater intensity that which they so obtrusively favoured their fellow - men with here on earth. Let us not occupy ourselves with individual descriptions of this place; for it is of such a thousandfold variety that no firmly given picture would suffice to provide even the shadow of a conception. But the expression ''nauseating'' is mild and exceedingly glossed - over description of it! It is to this place that the thread which we observed leads; the thread which we suddenly saw becoming more active, richer in colour, and fresher through the approach of the soul which had left the earth. As the soul now moves towards the place itself, there also at a very definite spot where the thread is firmly anchored everything gradually becomes more mobile and colourful - let us call it more animated. Everything flares up! This revival, however, issues quite unconsciously from the ''spirit of the soul''; it comes about through the radiation of the spirit, even through the soul, as occurs in most cases, journeys along the path with eyes still closed. It then awakens at its destination, ''at this very place'' where everything had just become more lively at its approach through the radiation. For here are the fruits of ''that'' thread, or perhaps also  of various threads connected with ''this'' very soul, because they were produced by it. Through this coming to life under the personal radiation of the soul connected, the spirit living in this soul  impresses a certain ''personal'' note ''of its own'' upon its new environment, which was already awaiting it -  a note which always differs from that of the other souls. This always makes it, so to speak, a quite distinctive world in itself for each soul, despite the fact that everything is closely interwoven, that the souls molest each other to excess, and that the  whole place can be considered as one single, great, uniform plane. Thus it happens that in spite of the experience which so many souls simultaneously share in this place, and also basically in the same form, each individual soul always experiences and lives through it only according to its very own nature, i.e., each soul receives an entirely different impression of it from the other souls which have to live through the  same with it. What is more, this soul will also see things  differently from a second or third soul which has the same picture before it. Picture this to yourself! A soul awakens at such a place. This place or plane possesses a very definite picture as regards its formation and everything that moves therein. Even the happenings there may be called uniform, because they also remain subject to one single great law  through which   they take effect. This soul which we are considering now sees the other souls already there or those arriving later experience ''the same'' which this soul is also forced to experience. However, the soul sees this of itself and of the others in a very definite way which is entirely ''its own'', and it also lives through these things correspondingly. One must not come to the conclusion from this that the other souls too see and experience everything in exactly the same way as does this one soul which we named; for this ''is not'' the case, but each of these souls sees and experiences things in accordance with its ''own personal'' nature and quite differently from the others! They see the ''happenings'' differently, likewise the ''colours'' and the ''landscapes''!   This is because the radiation of the inherent spirit also lends to the  environment there the personal expression which belongs only to this particular spirit, and the expression is animated according to ''its'' nature . In the first moment this may seem very strange to you! But perhaps I can furnish you with a few similar although much more clumsy illustrations from the heavy terrestrial World of Matter, which will give you an idea towards a better understanding. Let us take two persons who are visiting a beautiful park! Without a special understanding between them it is seldom that both will designate the same point as being the most beautiful therein, even if they walk through the park side by side. Each will find something different as beautiful for himself.  One of them perhaps nothing whatever, but he only says otherwise out of politeness, though he prefers the wild forest to the cultivated park! This is then simply done away with by saying that the one has no ''sense'' for what the other declares to be beautiful. This, however, does contain a certain truth. The ''sensing'' of the one simply goes in another direction! Therefore  the scene looks different to him from that viewed by his companion! In the recognition of a picture, in the same way as to how one sees it, it is the purely ''personal sensing'' or the direction of the sensing of him who looks at it which is decisive, not the picture or the landscape which is being observed. One person experiences it differently from another. That which becomes evident here in such a clumsy way is more lively and impressive in the more easily mobile layers of matter. This is why it happens that the same place with the same events calls forth different experiences in the individual souls, depending on ''their'' own particular natures. We can delve more deeply into this matter, however! Let us again take two persons to serve as an example! While they are young a colour is shown to them and they are told it is blue. Thereafter each of them always considers this particular colour as being blue. But this does not prove that both of them also see this particular colour ''in the same way''. The opposite is the case. In reality each one sees the colour which he calls blue differently from the other. Even here already in the  physical body! Even if you closely examine the physical eyes and find them of an exactly similar quality, this condition is not decisive to define how the colours are seen. The brain also has a say in this, and in addition, as ''the main thing'', the ''personal nature'' of the human ''spirit'' itself! Let us try to take the explanation further!  Let us stick to blue! You yourselves have thereby quite a definite colour before you which, with all its shades, was once pointed out to you as being blue. And if your fellow - man who was taught likewise will also pick out from all the colours when questioned the same colour which you yourself call blue, it does not prove that he sees the colour which he calls blue in the same way as you do! As for him, it is just ''this''  very particular kind which is blue. You do not know ''how'' it looks to him in reality. Naturally he will and is bound to regard everything of this colour which he sees, and which is thus designated, as being blue, just as he would also call the white colour black if he had been told it was so from the  very beginning. He will always say blue to this one definite colour which you also  call blue. ''In spite of this, however, he does not see it in the same way as you do''! It is the same with the tone. A certain tone  you hear ''is'', for example, an ''E'' to you. To every person! Because he learned to hear and call it as such. He will also form it in this way with his mouth, but always in accordance with his ''own sensing'', which will naturally always bring forth the same tone for what is also considered ''E'' by you. However, this does not at all mean that he actually ''hears it in the same way as you'' hear it. But in reality he always hears it only in accordance with the nature of ''his spirit, differently'' from his fellow - man. Now I come to what I wish to explain with this. In Creation the colour  ''in itself'' is ''constant'' and each one for itself remains unchanged. The same applies to the tone. But the ''experiencing'' of this colour and of the tone ''differs with every person'' in accordance with his personal nature. That is not uniform! Part of the experiencing is also the seeing, no matter whether gross material with its different species, or ethereal, animistic or spiritual. As it is with the ''colour'' and the ''tone'', so is it with the ''form''. Each one you experiences his surroundings in different way, sees and hears it differently from his neighbour. ''You have merely become accustomed to finding uniform designations for things'', but these lack vitality. Thus you have pressed that which is mobile into fixed forms, and you think that with these fixed forms of your language all movement in Creation must also become rigid for you! This is not so! Each person lives and experiences absolutely according to ''his own nature''! Therefore he will some day also see and recognise Paradise in a different way from his fellow - man! And yet if one of them would design a picture of it as ''he'' sees it, the others would also immediately recognise and see as being right in the picture ''that'' which they themselves experienced by Paradise; for they again see the ''picture'' according to their own nature, and not as the one who reproduced Paradise in the picture sees it. The thing in itself is always the same, it is only the way in which the human spirits see it which varies. Colour is colour, but it is absorbed in different ways by the human spirits. Tone is tone, and form is form, of a very definite kind in the entire Creation. The various human spirits, however, experience them differently, always according to ''their'' maturity and ''their'' nature. That how a person can suddenly experience Spring and all the awakening in Nature in an entirely different way to that in which he experienced it in past decades, just as if he had never really observed or ''enjoyed'' it. This occurs in particular when a man has had to pass through some critical period in his life which enabled him to ''mature'' inwardly.  Nature and Spring have always been like this; but it is ''he''  who has changed, and according to ''his'' maturity he experiences them ''differently''! Everything depends on ''him alone''. And thus it is with the entire Creation. ''You human beings'' change and not Creation! Therefore you could already have Paradise here on earth if ''you'' were  mature for it. Creation can remain the same but you, you and always again only you, must change in order to see it differently and therewith  to  ''experience'' it differently. For seeing, hearing and feeling belong to experiencing, are part of it. That is why the World is seen and experienced in millions of different ways by human spirits. These differences, however, are put into it by men alone; for Creation itself actually has quite simple basic forms, which always repeat themselves. They are formed, ripen and decay in accordance with ''one'' uniform law in order to arise anew in these same forms. Everything which is real is simple, but this simplicity is ''experienced'' by men in a thousandfold ways. With this knowledge  you now already come nearer to the process of what happens to the soul once it is released from heavy matter on earth. It experiences the so - called beyond ''in accordance with its inner nature'' ; for ''it animates the forms'' which had to be connected with it ''through its personal radiation'',  it vitalises them  in accordance with its own character, which must spend itself out therein. The fact that the soul may thereby come to the recognition of whether that which it created for itself was right or wrong, i.e., to the recognition of which paths it took, remains a special act of grace in itself. ''One'' of those which the  Creator wove into ''everything'', so that the struggling soul will ''always'' have lifebelt in every place and at all times in order to rise above the entanglements, and  so that with a really good volition and recognition at the right time it need not become lost! The many - sided indispensable value of everything that exists in Creation always proffers the possibility of ascent again in ''some'' way or other, even amid the greatest confusion caused by men. Whether or not the soul recognise and uses these possibilities ''is its'' affair alone. The lifebelts are there! The soul only need to reach out for them with a good volition in order to swing itself up to them. Having changed inwardly man also sees everything differently, as the popular saying goes! However, this is not a mere saying, but in reality man does then see everything differently. With his inner change his seeing and his hearing change to a certain degree; for it is the ''spirit'' which sees, hears and feels through the corresponding tools in the various different planes, and not the physical or the ethereal eye itself. If the spirit changes then the way of the seeing changes with it, and consequently also the way of experiencing. The tools play no part in this whatever, they are merely mediators. The ''radiation of the spirit'' absorbs the resistances which it meets and leads them back to the spirit in a sort of reciprocal action. In the World of heavy Gross Matter the leading back goes through the gross material organs provided for the purpose, such as the eyes, ears and brain. Thereby the brain is the meeting place for the mediations of all the lower organs. Only later shall we speak about this in more detail! Today I am only trying in this way to make it clear to you that the nature of the impression of the outer world, i.e., of the surroundings, is dependent upon the particular spirit ''itself''! For this reason one and the same form always affects the various spectators differently, even when they have become equally clear as to the beauty. And if one person sees a certain form differently from his fellow - man, then a sketch of the form seen by the one must yield for the other a picture identical with the form itself. At this point everything must indeed come together again in one; for only the seeing is different, and not the actual form. Men have created a common name for every form. ''only'' the ''name'' for it is ''common'', but not the way in which it is recognised or seen. In this you have also far gone wrong in your opinions.  But if you now seek to approach the experiencing in the so - called beyond more closely from the viewpoints newly shown to you, much will become clearer to you. You will be able to understand many things more easily when I now continue with my explanations, and so much that is puzzling will become clear. What has been shown to you also explains why two or more persons with mediumistic abilities see, hear and interpret one and the same thing quite differently, without there being any justification for reproaching them; for they see it according to ''their'' nature, and therefore always in a different way from the other. The subject being dealt with, however, is only of a very definite type.  And only he who has learned to reckon with these happenings through the knowledge of the Laws of the Divine Will in Creation also knows exactly how to find the connection in the various reports and thus to recognise what is right therein, how it really is! But you have sought to press Creation and yourselves into rigid and stationary forms by means of ''the language'' with which you make yourselves understood. You will never succeed in this; for Creation is ''mobile'',  as is your inner life also. When you seek to reflect about this, however, you think in the firmly - moulded words of your language! Just think how foolish this is! The firmly - moulded language never suffices to reproduce correctly anything that is mobile! Here again the impediment is your intellect, which can  ''only'' work with very definite words, and which is also capable of absorbing only very ''definite''  words. You can realise from this how you have firmly chained and enslaved yourselves by considering the intellect to be the ''highest'' for man, whereas it is only useful for and applicable to the  heavy gross matter of this earth. And even then only to a limited extent and not for everything! Little by little you recognise how really paltry the intellectuals are! For this reason I have already called out to you often that you must try to absorb my Word ''in such a manner'' that as you read it you ''see pictures'' of it before you! For you can understand it only in pictures, not with the paltry words of these earthmen which I am compelled to use in order to tell you about it. You will ''never'' learn to understand Creation in words, nor that which is ''within'' you, because all of that is and must remain ''mobile'', whereas ''words'' press everything into firm rigid forms only. And that is impossible, an entirely vain effort with and for everything that is mobile! Understanding will not come to you with words! However, as soon  as the soul lays aside the terrestrial heaviness of the physical body it enters the mobility of Creation. It is drawn into the constant surging and  seething, and will then experience its surroundings in a much more mobile way. The surroundings often change in the redemption awaiting every soul, to which the soul is drawn by the  animating of all the threads clinging to it. And all this is again reciprocal in its effects. When the soul withdraws from the physical body, when it strives away from it and lets it fall back, i.e.,  when  it no longer radiates through it, then its radiations, which manifests even more strongly through becoming freer, go in one direction ''only'' with their full  strength - towards medium gross matter, the nearest anchorage of the threads of fate. The threads receive a much greater animation thereby, called forth by the soul's radiation, which is now guided in this one direction. Through this animation their capacity to attract is also intensified, which retroactively strikes the connected soul and attracts it more keenly. All these are automatic, absolutely lawful and thus completely natural happenings, which you can also easily understand if you try to go deeply into it. Thus the soul is drawn along on its path by threads which it animates through its radiations, which it cannot hold back or avoid. And in this way it goes either towards its purification or towards its destruction. All this happens ever again through the soul itself. The elemental beings only ''form'' and build in accordance with the Law. The ''animation'' of the forms and the releasing are brought about by the souls themselves through their radiations. And according to the ''nature'' of the radiations, the forms which are animated in such a variety of ways then exercise a more or less strong retroactive effect on the soul. Here, too, the saying becomes valid: As you call iactt into the wood so it echoes! In this case it ''means'': As it radiates into the forms so are they animated and ''work'' accordingly. A great lawful simplicity and unswerving justice is inherent in all this! - What I have described to you herein ''solely'' concerns the ''human spirits alone'' , for it is also inherent in the activity of the free will. With the elemental beings it is again different! - Let these happenings come to life before your eyes for once! Exert yourselves to achieve it, for the effort is worthwhile and the reciprocal action will bring you rich reward. You will thereby again become ''knowing'' as regards a  part of this Creation. I have described to you how it has been so far. But now it comes like a lightning flash out of the Light! Divine Power suddenly strikes unexpectedly into the threads of fate of all earthmen, as well as of all the souls which dwell on the planes of Subsequent Creation. Thus everything now comes to its final release, immediately and unexpectedly! The elemental beings are newly strengthened to unprecedented power. In their activity they turn against all those human beings who through their doings and dealings have compelled them in the past to create ugly forms in obedience to the  Law of Creation. Now, however, the Power of God is ''above'' all human volition in the entire Creation; the Will of God which permit only the pure, the good and the beautiful to be formed, and destroys all else! The Power of God has already penetrated into Subsequent Creation also in order to work here itself, and all the elemental beings, supported by this Highest Power, quickly, joyfully and proudly seize the countless meshes of the weaving of all the threads of fate for men in order to guide them jubilantly to their end. In obedience to the Command of the Light they tear the threads which are only weakly anchored in the spiritual, so that the souls will remain completely severed from the Light when the dark cords, with everything clinging to them, rebound sharply upon their originators. But the tearing of these threads  also proceeds in an absolutely lawful manner, whereby the ''nature'' of men themselves is decisive; for the elemental beings do nothing arbitrarily. The Divine Power of the Light now strikes like lightning into all threads! Those threads which bear corresponding similarities to the species striving for the Light, and which through the really strong volition of those attached to them also became strong enough to bear the sudden penetration of this unaccustomed Light Power, will gain firmness and freshness thereby, so that the human souls attached to them will by the strong attraction be wrenched upwards from out of the dangers of Darkness, and thus from out of the danger of being dragged along into disintegration also. However, the weak threads of light produced only by a weak volition cannot stand the sudden and tremendous pressure of Divine Power, but they become singed and ''are thereby'' severed by the elemental helpers; thus those who were tied to these threads remain a prey to Darkness. The cause of this natural happening is their own lukewarmness, which was incapable of producing threads of sufficient strength and firmness. Thus you find nothing but justice in every happening! Therefore it is promised that the  lukewarm will be spewed out, as it literally happens therewith from the Light. All the elemental helpers, great and small, now become ''free' from having to form what is dark under the compulsion of the evil or false volition of men and in fulfilment of the Law. And simultaneously everything that is animistic ( all the elemental beings ) ''is'' drawn back from this severed Darkness by the Power of the Light, to which they closely attach themselves in jubilant joy so that they  may now form and maintain what is willed by the Light. Thereby they become strengthened in new power in order to swing in exultant accord with the entire Creation amid the surging Light of God! Honour be to God Who sows but Love! Love also in the Law of  the annihilation of the Darkness!

                                                                                                  IN  THE  LAND  OF  TWILIGHT.

 LET ME take you a step into the Ethereal Realm, soul of man! We will hurry through the Land of Shadows without stopping, for I have already spoken about this. It is ''that'' plane where ''those'' must linger who are still stupid to use their ethereal bodies properly, particularly those who while on earth considered themselves especially clever. In the Ethereal Realm they are dumb, blind and deaf because the earthly intellect, as a product of their gross material body, could not accompany them into the beyond. Being earthbound it remained in the narrow confines of the World of Matter, which it can never overstep. The first consequence of this great error becomes immediately clear to a human soul after earthly death, for it stands useless in the Ethereal Realm, helpless and weak, much worse than a newly - born child on the gross material earth. Therefore they are called ''shadows'', souls which will sense their existence but which cannot be conscious of it.  Let us leave these foolish ones behind us - those who, in their conceited belief  that they know everything better, prattled enough trivial nonsense on this earth, and who must now be silent. ''We are now entering the plane of twilight! A whispering reaches our ears, in complete accord with the dim twilight around us, in which we can vaguely recognise the outlines of hills, meadows and bushes. Thus ''everything'' here corresponds to the state of ''twilight'', which ''may'' be followed by an awakening. This only ''may'' be so, not necessarily must be so! No happy cheerful sound, no clear vision is possible here! Only twilight or restriction which conform to the condition of the souls sojourning here! These drag themselves sluggishly about, tired and indifferent, except for an indefinable urge driving them in one direction, towards a faint roseate glow which to rise in the distance and which, like a harbinger of light, affects these seemingly tired souls like sweet enchantment. They only ''appear'' to be tired. Actually they are ''indolent'' in spirit, and ''therefore'' their ethereal bodies are ''weak''!  The roseate glow in the far distance beckons them onward, full of promise. Hope awakens within them and they are stirred to quickened movement. Their desire to reach this glow gives fresh strength to their ethereal bodies;  their eyes reflect a keener consciousness, and they step out towards it with ever greater assurance. ''We  accompany them''! The number of souls around us increases; everything grows more active and distinct; speaking becomes somewhat louder,  swelling to a strong murmuring. Soon we discern words, words that evolve ''into'' prayers uttered by those jostling forward, uttered  unceasingly, hastily, feverishly! The crowds now grow ever more dense. The forward movement becomes spasmodic, and whole groups in front of us come to a halt. They are being thrust back by those ahead of them, only to push forward again. Thus the jammed masses surge to and fro! Cries of despair, frightened entreaties, timid demands, and here and there a suppressed whimpering of utter helplessness arise from the prayers! Quickly we swing ourselves above  this struggle of millions of souls! We see that before them, inflexible and cold, an obstacle checks their advance; an obstacle against which they hurl themselves, and  which they wet with their tears in vain! A series of high, and closely - set bars relentlessly halts their forward movement! More brightly gleams the roseate glow in the distance, and still stronger grows the longing for it within those who have made it their goal. Beseechingly they stretch out their hands, still convulsively clasping their rosaries and letting one bead after another slip through their fingers as they continue to stammer their prayers. The barrier, however, stands rigid and immovable, separating them from their beautiful goal! ''We'' walk past the dense crowds, which seem to be endless. Not hundreds of thousands, but millions! All faithful ''believers'', at least so they thought while on earth!  How different they had imagined everything to be! They thought they would be joyfully awaited and welcomed with respect! Call out to them: ''Of what use are your prayers, you believers, if you did not allow the Word of the Lord to become active ''within yourselves'', a natural conviction? ''The roseate glow you see in the distance is the longing for the Kingdom of God burning within you! You carry this longing within yourselves, but you blocked the road leading there with the rigid forms of your false opinion, which are represented in the bars of the fence you now see obstructing you. Discard all the false views you accepted, and those you yourselves built up in addition during your time on earth! Throw them aside and boldly step out for the Truth ''as it is'' in its great and simple naturalness! Then you are free to attain the goal you long for! ''But see, you dare not! You are in constant fear that it might perhaps be wrong, because you have thought differently up to now ! But you only hinder yourselves through this and must remain where you are until it becomes too late to stride onward, and you are bound to be drawn along into perdition! Nobody can help you with this unless ''you'' yourselves begin to leave behind all that is wrong!'' Call out to them! Point out the way of salvation to these souls! You will see it is utterly in vain! The noise of their endless prayers only grows louder and ''prevents'' them ''from hearing'' a single word that might help them to stride forward towards the roseate glow and the Light! In spite of many a good volition they must now perish as victims of their indolence, which prevented them from recognising and absorbing anything ''more'' than the ''externals'' connected with their churches, temples and mosques! Sad at heart, we want to move on! But there before us we notice the soul of a woman, whose face suddenly takes on an expression of peace and calm; her yes lose their troubled, anxious look and shine more brightly. As she attains to greater consciousness her body becomes more erect and more transparent . . . a strong volition of purest hope helps her to raise her foot . . . and then, uttering a sigh of relief, she stands ''on the other side'' of the barrier! To the soul of this woman the bars no longer formed any obstacle, for through deep meditation and delicate intuition she became convinced that all she had hitherto thought must have been wrong, and with a joyous belief in do the love of God she fearlessly cast aside all her mistaken ideas! Now she is astonished when she realises how easy it was! Gratefully she raises her arms, her supreme happiness makes her want to sing with joy! But the magnitude of the experience overwhelms her and her lips remain mute! She trembles slightly, her head sinks down upon her breast, and she closes her eyes as big tears course slowly down her cheeks. She clasps her hands in prayer, but this time she prays in a ''different way''. A prayer of thanks, and a heartfelt intercession on behalf of all those who are still behind these hard bars because of the false opinions they refuse to surrender! A sigh of profound sympathy swells her breast, and it is as if the last of her fetters falls away. Now she is free, free to tread the path to the goal she inwardly longs for! Lifting her eyes she sees a guide standing before her, and joyfully she follows him into the new, unknown land, towards the roseate glow which becomes ever brighter. Thus many a soul still detaches itself from these masses which must wait behind the bars erected by their erroneous opinions for their own decision;  for their own resolution which may lead them onward or which retains them till the hour strikes when everything that cannot brace itself to cast off that which was formerly wrong will be destroyed. Few only will still be able to free themselves from the clutches of their false views, in which they are too deeply entangled. The bars that prevent their progress toward ascent are as rigid as their own stubbornness in clinging to these erroneous views. It is impossible to lend them a helping hand to overcome this obstacle, because it is absolutely necessary that the  initiative should come from the  souls ''themselves;''! It is their inner personal experiencing which activates their limbs! Thus an ominous curse falls upon all those who teach mankind wrong conceptions about the Will of God in Creation, which was at that time to be found in the Word of the Saviour. But it was not purely preserved in the Word of the Bible, still less in earthly explanations! Let them in their rigidity continue to prattle their prayers under the delusion that the number thereof can and must help them because the church has taught then so -- as if some bargain could be driven with the Will of God! Let us continue our journey in the Land of Twilight! The stronghold of bars seems to stretch endlessly into the distance, and the multitude it imprisons reaches far beyond our gaze! But here we see other groups holding Bibles in their hands instead of rosaries and desperately searching through the pages. They gather round a few souls who try to give instruction and information by continually reading passages from the Bible. Here and there various souls lift their Bibles in a demanding manner. Others kneel and raise them as if in prayer . . . however, the bars remain immovable, preventing all possibility of advance!  Many souls point to their Biblical knowledge; others demand their right to walk into the Kingdom of Heaven. But the bars do not budge! Then we observe the soul of a man smilingly forcing his way through the multitude. Triumphantly he waves his hand! ''You fools,'' he cries, ''why did you not want to listen? I spent half my time on earth studying the other world, which for us is now this life. The bar in front of you will quickly disappear through one act of your will - - they are the  product of your imagination! Just follow me, I will lead you! I am already familiar with all this! The souls around him give way! He strides towards the bars as if they do not exist, but instantly  staggers back with a cry of pain. The impact was too hard and very soon convinced him that  the bars were real enough. He puts both hands to his forehead. The bars before him stand immovable. In a fit of rage he seizes them and shakes them violently!  Angrily he cries out: ''Then the medium has deceived me! And years after year I devoted to studying this!'' He does not realise that it was ''he'' who originated and spread these errors both verbally and through his writings, after interpreting the pictures transmitted to him by the medium according to ''his'' ideas, and without first  studying the Laws of God in Creation! Do not try to help this man or others! They are all so wrapped up in themselves that they have no wish whatever to listen to any but their own perceiving. They must first become weary of their plight, must recognise or comprehend its futility, for this alone holds the possibility of escape from the entanglement of wrong conviction after long wanderings in the Land of Twilight! These are not bad persons, but those who in their seeking have merely clung tenaciously to false conceptions, or who were too lazy to ponder over everything thoroughly, when they should have  examined what they accepted with the most careful intuition to see whether it could be considered correct, or whether it contained flaws which their own healthy intuition must reject as unnatural. Therefore drop all empty superficiality! The human spirit should reject all mysticism, because it can never be of any value to him. Only that which he himself enters into with his intuitive perception, thereby bringing it to personal experience within himself, will be useful to him in the maturing of his spirit. The word ''Awake'' which Christ used so frequently means ''Experience''. Do not go through life on earth sleeping or dreaming! ''Pray and work'' means: ''Make your work a prayer'', spiritualise the work of your hands! In its performance every task should become a reverential worship of God, in gratitude that God has given you the chance to accomplish something extraordinary among all the creatures of this Subsequent Creation, ''if only you so wish''! Begin timely with this awakening, with this personal experiencing of everything, including what you read and hear, which is the same as consciously perceiving it, so that you do not have to remain in the Land of Twilight, of which I have explained only a very small part today!

                                                                                                      THE   MYSTERY   OF   BIRTH.

WHEN men declare that great injustice lies in the unequal circumstances into which children are born,  they do not know what they are saying. One person persistently affirms: ''How, if justice exists, can it happen that a child is born burdened with hereditary disease? The innocent child must be helping to bear the sins of its parent!'' Another declares:  ''One child is born in rich circumstances, the other in misery and bitter poverty. How then can you believe in justice!'' Or again: ''Granted that the parents deserve punishment, but it is not fair that this should happen through the illness and death of a child. That means that the innocent child must suffer!'' These and similar assertions circulate among men by the thousands. Even serious seekers sometimes rack their brains over it. The simple statement that ''the inscrutable ways of God are all for the best'' does not dispose of the urge to find the answer to the  ''why''. He who is supposed to be satisfied with such a statement must either ''dumbly'' acquiesce or immediately suppress every questioning thought as wrong. That is not what is intended! Through questioning one finds the right way. Apathy or forced suppression are reminiscent only of slavery. God, however, does not want slaves!  He does not want apathetic subjection, but a free, cognizant looking upwards! His wonderful and wise disposition do not require to be enveloped in mystic darkness. They can only gain in their sublime, inviolable greatness and perfection when they lie exposed before us. Immutable and incorruptible, with  even deliberation and certainty, they unceasingly carry on their  eternal activity. They take no heed either of man's grumbling or his acknowledgement nor do they consider his ignorance, but they return to each individual with minutest accuracy the ripened fruit of the seeds he has sown. ''The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine'' is a common saying that so aptly describes this weaving of the inexorable reciprocal action in the whole Creation, the immutable laws of which bear and carry out Divine  Justice. It trickles, flows, streams and pours over all mankind whether they wish it or not, whether they yield to it or rebel against it. They must accept it as just punishment and forgiveness, or as a reward when they are uplifted! If a grumbler or doubter could but once catch a glimpse of the transcendental surging and weaving carried and pervaded by the inexorable Spirit, which penetrates and embraces the whole Creation, in which Creation rests, and which in itself is part of this Creation, a living never - ceasing loom of God, he would immediately be shamed into silence and realise with horror the presumption contained in his words! The serene grandeur and infallibility that he would see there would force him apologetically into the dust. How small he imagined his God to be! And what sublime magnitude he finds in His works! He will then realise that his highest earthly conceptions are nothing but an attempt to belittle God and depreciate the perfection of His great work, through his futile efforts to compress it into the narrow confines brought about by the over - cultivation of the intellect, which can never rise above time and space. Man must never forget that he stands  in the ''work'' of God, that he himself is part of this work, and thus unconditionally subject to its laws! The work, however, not only embraces things visible to the physical eyes but also the Ethereal World, in which the greatest of man's actual existence and activity takes place. His occasional lives on earth are only small sections of it, ''nevertheless always great turning points''. Birth on earth only forms the beginning of a special section in a man's entire existence, but not the beginning of man himself. When man as such starts out on his course in Creation he stands free, without any threads of fate attached to him. These emanate from him later through his volition and proceed into the Ethereal World. On their way they are continually strengthened through the power of attraction of similar species, they cross and interweave with others, and react upon their originator, with whom they had remained connected, thus bringing about fate or karma. When certain threads return at the same time their effects intermingle, with the result that the  originally sharp and distinct colours of the threads take on other shades and produce new combined pictures. Each thread serves as a channel for the reactions until the originator no longer provides an anchorage for similar species in his inner being, i.e., when he himself no longer maintains this channel in good condition. Then these threads can no longer retain a foothold, cannot attach themselves to him, and  must wither and fall away, regardless of whether they are good or evil. Thus every thread of fate is ethereally formed through an act of will in making a decision to take some action. This leaves its author and yet remains anchored to him, thus forming  a secure path to homogeneous species, bringing them reinforcement and receiving from them in return added strength which flows back to the starting point. in this happening lies the help which has been promised to those who strive onwards the good, or it contains the condition that ''evil must continue to give birth to evil''. The reactions of these existing threads, to which he adds new threads daily, constitute the fate every man has created for himself and to which he must submit. All arbitrariness, and therefore all injustice, are thus precluded. The karma which a man bears with him and which seems one - sided predestination is, in reality, inevitable ''result'' of his past, in so far as it has not yet been redeemed through reciprocal action. The actual happening of man's existence is ''always'' good and so also is the end for many; with the exception of those who have become lost of their own accord, when through their decision they first stretched out their hands to evil, which then completely dragged them down into perdition. The vicissitudes in man's existence only occur in the between time, in the period of the inner growth and maturing. Thus man always shapes his future life himself! He provides the threads and thereby decides the colour and design of the garment which is woven for him in the loom of God through the Law of Reciprocal Action. The causes working to determine the conditions into which a soul is born often lie far back, just as they determine the period under the influence of which the child will enter the physical world, so that during its earthly pilgrimage these conditions may continually influence it and achieve what this particular soul needs for its redemption, moulding, casting off karma, and further development. But this does not happen in a one - sided manner for the child only, but the threads spin on automatically so that the reciprocal action is also felt in the earthly surroundings. The parents gave the child just what it needs for its further development, just as ''vice - versa'' the child gave to its parents, be it good or evil. For further development and advancement it is of course necessary in this connection to become free from an evil by personally experiencing it, whereby it will be recognised for what it is and cast off. It is the reciprocal action which always brings about the opportunity for this. Without the operation of this law man could never become really free from anything that has happened to him. Thus the Laws of Reciprocal Action hold as a great gift of mercy the road to freedom or ascent! Therefore there can be no question of any punishment. Punishment is a wrong expression, for in these laws lies the greatest love --  the hand of the Creator stretched out towards forgiveness and liberation! The coming of man to earth comprises procreation, incarnation and birth. Incarnation is the actual entrance of the human being into earthly existence. A thousandfold are the threads that co - operate to determine an incarnation. But in these happenings as always in Creation, the most scrupulous and absolute justice prevails and contributes to the advancement ''of all'' concerned. Therefore the birth of a child is far more important and valuable than is generally accepted. For its entrance into the physical world holds a new and  special act of grace of the  Creator, not only for the child but at the same time for its parents, even for its brothers and sisters if it has any, and for others who come into contact with it, in that they thereby all get a further opportunity to progress in some way. Through the necessary nursing during an illness, through heavy worries or misery, an opportunity may be offered to the parents to advance spiritually, be it the simple means to achieve some aim, the actual discharge of an old debt, or perhaps even a pre - redemptive measure against some threatening karma. WiAnd the kth a person who has already begun to will what is good it very often happens that, through his voluntary decision to devote himself to nursing his own or some other child, a serious illness which was to have afflicted ''him'' as karma, according to the Law of Reciprocal Action, will mercifully be ''pre - redeemed'' in consequence of his good volition. A real redemption can only ensue in the intuitive perception, in the full experience. A genuinely devoted nursing often brings an even deeper experience than that of one's own illness. There is deeper anxiety and pain during the illness of a child or of one who is really considered a loved one. And the joy at his recovery is equally great. The deep intensity of this experience stamps its imprint so firmly on the intuitive perception, on the spiritual man, that it helps to change him, and in this process the threads of fate that would otherwise still have struck him are cut off. Through there severance or falling away the threads rebound like stretched elastic in the opposite direction, to the homogeneous ethereal centres, the power of attraction henceforth pulling them from one side only. Thereby all further influence on the reformed human being is out of the question, because the connecting link is missing. Thus, if a person will freely and willingly take upon himself some duty towards another out of pure love, there are thousands of ways of achieving redemption in this manner! In His parables Jesus has given the best examples. In the sermon on the Mount and in all His other sayings He has clearly pointed out the good results of such practices. In so doing He always spoke of ''thy neighbour'',  thus pointing out the best, the simplest and the truest way towards redemption of karma and towards ascent. ''Love thy neighbour as thyself'' He charged, thus giving the key to the gate leading to all ascent! It need not always involve a case of illness. The necessary care and education of children quite naturally offer so many opportunities that they embrace in themselves ''all'' that comes into consideration to free a man from his karma. For this reason children are a blessing, no matter how they are born and developed. What applies to parents applies equally to brothers and sisters and to all who have a lot to do with children. They also have opportunities to profit by this newcomer, be it only through striving to cast aside bad habits or similar things, by practising patience and giving careful help of different kinds. The child itself, however, is no less helped. Birth gives each individual the possibility to advance a mighty step upwards. If this does not happen it is the fault of the individual himself, because he did not want it. Hence every birth should be regarded as a benevolent and impartially distributed gift of God. Those who, being childless, adopt a strange child will be no less blessed, indeed the blessing will be all the greater on account on account of the adoption, provided it is done for the child's sake and not for personal satisfaction. In an ordinary incarnation the power of attraction of what is spiritually homogeneous plays a leading role together with reciprocal action. Qualities as inherited are not really inherited, but are merely due to the  power of attraction. Nothing spiritually is inherited from mother or father, for the child is as distinct a being as is each of the parents. It is only that the child has similar qualities through which it felt attracted to them. But it is not only the power of attraction of the homogeneous that is decisive in an incarnation; other existing threads of fate, to which the soul to be incarnated is bound, also play a part. Perhaps they are in some way connected with a member of the family into which it is led. All this contributes, attracts and finally causes the soul to incarnate. The soul is different where a soul volunteers to undertake a mission, either to help some particular person or to engage with others in some benevolent work for all mankind. Out of its own free will that soul then accepts in advance all that will happen to it on earth, so that here also there is no question of injustice. If all has been done in self - sacrificing love without thought of any reward, the reward must come as a result of reciprocal action. Into families of hereditary disease souls will be incarnated which, through the reciprocal action, need these diseases for redemption, for purification, or for advancement. The guiding and the supporting threads do not allow a wrong and thus unjust incarnation to take place. They exclude l the possibility of any error. It would be like trying to swim against a current which follows its orderly course with iron and inexorable power, eliminating all resistance from the start, so that even an attempt to swim against it is altogether out of the question. However, if its characteristics are precisely respected, it will bring nothing but blessing. All circumstances are carefully taken into consideration, also with voluntary incarnation in which diseases are voluntarily accepted in order to attain a certain purpose. If perhaps the father or mother burdened themselves by some sin with a disease, maybe only by neglecting the strict laws of Nature lays down for the health of the body entrusted to their care, then the grief at seeing  the same illness appear in the child would in itself be atonement and, if the grief is genuinely felt, would lead to purification. There would be little point in giving specific examples, since every single birth would give a new picture differing from the others because of the many intermingled threads of fate. Even every homogeneous type must offer thousands of variations on account of the fine gradations of the manifold reciprocal actions. Let us give just one simple example! A mother love her son so dearly that she resorts to all manner of means to prevent him from marrying and leaving her. She continually chains him to herself. Such love is wrong, purely selfish,  even if the mother, in her opinion, does everything to make her son's life on earth as pleasant as possible. With her selfish love she has wrongly interfered in the life of her son. Genuine love never think of itself, but always of the advantage of the beloved one, and acts accordingly, even if it involves self - sacrifice! The mother's hour to be called away arrives, and the son stands alone. Now, however, it is too late for him to arouse that joyful enthusiasm for the  fulfilment of his wishes, which only youth has at its command. But, in spite of all, he has made some gain, for he redeems something through this imposed renunciation. It may be a similar characteristic in a former life, thereby avoiding the inner loneliness of marriage, which he would otherwise have had to experience, or it might be something else. He can only benefit through such things. The mother, however, has taken over her selfish love with her. Therefore the power of attraction of what is spiritually homogeneous draws her irresistibly to people of similar qualities, for in their vicinity she is able, through the intuitive life of such people, to experience a small part of her own passion when they practise their selfish love towards others. Therefore she remains earthbound. Should a procreation take place with persons in whose vicinity she continually finds herself, she will incarnate there through the link of her spiritual enchainment. But then the tables will be turned! As a child she will now have to suffer from the same characteristic in her father or mother as she once caused her child to suffer. In spite of her longing to leave the parental home, and the opportunities to do so, she cannot free herself. Not until she recognises through personal experience the injustice of such qualities will she atone for her guilt and be freed from it! Through his union with the physical body, that is, through his incarnation, a bandage is placed before the eyes of every human being, which prevents him from surveying his past existence. Like everything that happens in Creation,  this also is for the benefit of the person concerned. Here again is a proof of the wisdom and love of the Creator! If everyone could precisely recall his previous existence he would merely stand aside and remain a calm onlooker in his new life on earth, in the consciousness that by so doing he was making progress or redeeming something. However, instead of helping him to advance, this would expose him to the great danger of sliding downwards. Life on earth must be really ''experienced'' if it is to have any purpose! Only what has been inwardly lived through in all its heights and depths, what has been thoroughly perceived in one's intuition, only that may one truly call one's own! If a man could always clearly know from the very outset the exact course that would benefit him, there would be no occasion for him to weigh and decide. Hence he could acquire neither the strength nor the independence that are absolutely necessary for him. As it is, he takes every situation of his earth - life with greater realism. Every genuine experience leaves a firm imprint upon his intuition, upon the immoral part which, newly fashioned by these impressions, man takes over with him as his own, as a part of himself. But ''only'' that which he has really experienced, for all else is extinguished at physical death! That which has been ''experienced'' remains, however, as the clear extract of his earthly existence, as his gain. Not all that has been learned has been experienced; but only that which has  been learned through experience becomes one's own. All the rest of the learned lumber, for which many a man  sacrifices his whole life, remains behind as husks. Therefore each moment of life can never be taken too seriously, so that our thoughts, words and deeds shall not deteriorate into meaningless habits, but pulsate with vital warmth! Through the bandage placed before its eyes at the time of incarnation the newly born child seems to be completely ignorant, and is therefore often erroneously regarded as being innocent. But it often brings a mighty karma with it which offers opportunities to redeem past errors by living through them and fully experiencing them. In cases of predestination karma is only the necessary consequence of all that has happened. Where it is a question of a mission karma, in so far as it does not belong to the mission itself, is voluntarily undertaken for the purpose of gaining earthly understanding and maturity in order to fulfil the mission. Therefore man should no longer grumble about injustice at birth, but gratefully look up to the Creator, Who only grants new mercies with every single birth!