The Rudolf Steiner Archive

19. Inner Development

[ 1 ] As already noted, in the second lecture the speaker addressed the topic “Inner Development.” According to theosophical doctrine, inner development requires that a person first learn to view all things as expressions of the eternal Primordial Being that lives within them, in order to attain knowledge of the higher divine Self; in doing so, one must affirm the good in everything, free from preconceived judgments, and strive to pursue the good as an ideal. Then, in order to find the spiritual and eternal within one’s own being, the seeker must practice the isolation necessary for stillness and the silence of the soul—the solitary life within one’s own soul, detached from the external world—rather than losing oneself and becoming distracted by the external world, furthermore, in acting out of one’s own innermost impulse, rather than always being driven by external forces; in one’s own thinking, while exercising control over the intrusive thoughts suggested by the external world; in serenity, indifference toward joy and sorrow, pleasure and displeasure; in the courage to be independent, in the courage—firmly grounded in oneself, leaning on nothing—to move forward alone in life; and then in the concentration of thought (meditation) through abstraction from sensory impressions, for which, as is well known, the regulation of the breath is also considered beneficial in the yogic practice of the Indians. Thus, mystics gradually seek to cultivate the freedom of a tranquil mind, to create the “calm” of the soul, which is to lead the soul wholly within itself and, through freedom of thought, allow a new inner world to arise.