The Rudolf Steiner Archive

37. The Dangers of Initiation

[ 1 ] What is referred to as spiritual science—whose sources we explored yesterday—is accused by our contemporaries, on the one hand, of being fanciful and dreamy, if not of even more serious offenses, and, on the other hand, of something that runs along a very specific line and which we are to consider today. It consists in the fact that whenever initiation is discussed, certain dangers are also mentioned that are said to be associated with what is called spiritual science. However, those who speak of these dangers usually have very vague, hazy notions of what they are supposed to mean by them. This cannot be otherwise, for most have little understanding of the content, the task, and the mission of spiritual science in our time. If we wish to shed light on these dangers, we must first distinguish between the fear our contemporaries have of the general proclamation of spiritual science and the dangers—some of which are indeed real—that arise for those who themselves wish to journey into the higher worlds and seek access to knowledge of the invisible, supersensible realm.

[ 2 ] Then there is talk of how dangerous it is, in general, to speak of such things, to spread such teachings, and to turn people’s heads. Let us address right away a criticism that is leveled against Theosophy time and time again based on a completely misguided view that remains entirely superficial; it consists in the claim that engaging with Theosophy alienates a person from life. It is said that one is led into a life that is out of touch with the world and detached from it, and that one’s interest in and sympathy for true life are taken away. Some families, seeing one of their members turn to Theosophy because they believe they will find there the fulfillment that their former life could not give their heart and soul, say: “Theosophy has taken this person away from us.” — It is dangerous when such people are driven into an ascetic, unworldly way of life, for then their relatives say it was Theosophy that drove them there. But there is a good deal of intolerance behind such a claim. Such people believe that the only legitimate way of life is the one they themselves wish to lead, and that it is asceticism not to lead exactly the same life as they do; anyone who does not share their ideas and outlook on life exactly is practicing asceticism. But when one looks at the lives of some people—at what men and women do from morning till night (and I am not speaking here of those who are truly engaged in practical life)—when one sees how the lives of some are exhausted in suppers, dinners, and other trivial pleasures, then one understands that a person seeking something higher cannot participate in such a life. When someone then withdraws from this life, people say he has fallen prey to otherworldly asceticism, that all sorts of abstract, confused ideas occupy him. In these circles, it is inconceivable that living that life must be the greatest form of asceticism for such a person. The one who has come to know the sources from which the reality of life flows—the reality that surrounds us—would have to subject himself to severe self-discipline if he were forced to participate in what such circles call “life”; that would be true asceticism for him. Not because he has become estranged from life, but because he knows life in its true form—that is why he does not mortify himself by participating in it.

[ 3 ] However, in such circles, people will believe that a person who preoccupies himself with such convoluted ideas is lacking something. They are mistaken, for he is not denying himself anything. For as long as a person derives his pleasure and enjoyment from such trivial, everyday matters, such a way of life is not suitable for him. It is not a matter of changing one’s life, but rather that one’s feelings and sensibilities must have been transformed. One must realize that true life flows only where the higher purposes of existence are to be found.

[ 4 ] Some families then see one of their members rushing off to embrace the way of life taught by Theosophy. They say: “Theosophy has snatched this person away from us.” — Is that really the case? Anyone who knows how to examine people’s souls will find that this is not so. It is precisely this member, who has turned to Theosophy, who initially felt repelled by what was going on in his or her surroundings. Then, in some way, he or she learned about Theosophy and found there exactly what was lacking in his or her own circles. Is it now correct to say that Theosophy drove him or her out of those circles? Theosophy has given them what their social circles could not. Thirsty souls who seek a true purpose in life and cannot find it where life has led them will seek it wherever they can find it. While such souls have been driven away, people now claim that they have been taken away! Theosophy does not proselytize; there would be no Theosophical Movement if there were not people who have been driven out of modern life and are now turning to what is offered to them from the other side.

[ 5 ] However, there is a certain danger when such people approach Theosophy while still immature and are then literally dazzled, literally overwhelmed by what they encounter. One must not forget: The foundation of theosophy is a rigorous, internally consistent line of thought—a solidly constructed logic that, step by step, explores the structure of the universe. There is not much real logic in our lives, no matter how much we boast about how wonderfully far we have come! Even where people seek guidance from popular and other branches of science regarding the questions of existence, one finds only a superficial logic. Anyone accustomed to rigorous thinking who examines the findings of science—when compelled to follow the lines of reasoning used in the way science is commonly presented today—will often feel physical pain at the sheer brutality and crudeness of the conclusions. For as admirable as the discoveries science has made through its instruments and methods may be, the substance of its thought is, as a rule, incredibly shallow.

[ 6 ] This is why people living their everyday lives are generally ill-equipped and ill-prepared for truly logical thinking. People usually underestimate the significance of their encounter with theosophy when the soul is accustomed to the dull trains of thought that people have today, and then comes the encounter with the penetrating lines of thought that one encounters in spiritual science. If a person has a sensitive soul, if feeling reigns in his heart, he realizes that true nourishment is flowing toward him, that something wondrous is shining out to meet him. When he realizes his inability to penetrate these ideas with his own train of thought, it has a crushing, sickening effect on his soul. This affects the nervous system as well—especially when they can only turn to theosophy during moments of respite, can only take a morsel, and then must return to everyday life. There they feel the unhealthy contrast; there arise those dissatisfied, sick souls that we, indeed, see emerging in many cases today from contact with the teachings of spiritual science.

[ 7 ] We see even more. Those who know how to interpret the signs of the times see a bleak picture of the future. Humanity today often lives in darkness and chaos; it judges life without understanding the driving forces behind it, which have arisen solely as a result of human attitudes. Anyone who believes that attitudes have no effect on life does not realize what real facts thoughts are. They have an effect on life, extending even to public health. Anyone who knows that materialism has long held sway in the deepest recesses of humanity—precisely where major issues of the day were addressed—knows that it has brought about something that is often misjudged. One admires many a writer who brilliantly addresses a wide variety of topics spanning the most diverse areas of life; yet one is unaware that he is merely spouting or writing empty phrases. An expert could reveal, in many cases, what lies behind this wit. Sometimes there really is something behind it that one might call idiocy. Today, one can be an idiot and yet a witty writer. Decades ago, someone said that it is nothing special today for someone to write beautiful, long poems, because our language has advanced to the point where it thinks for people. General education today is such that someone who has perhaps been engaged with it since the age of sixteen and has absorbed all the opinions floating around can write wittily and yet be mentally deficient. This is a seemingly paradoxical assertion, yet objectively it is true. It should be viewed merely as a symptom of how superficially life is lived today; how few people possess profound powers of judgment; how little they are capable of grasping the forces that underlie life. These are the leading minds! And what, then, of those who are led? When we assess the state of mind of those who frequently experience this clash with what theosophy offers, we must say: Had they remained within the confines of their previous lives, they might have remained reasonably intelligent people; but now they come to theosophy, and it is as if a powerful light were shining into a room filled with impurity.

[ 8 ] No one could see that as long as it was dark. But now, when the knowledge of the true sources of life shines into the darkness, the contrast between the two causes that perhaps someone who would otherwise have remained a sober, reasonably sensible person cannot bear the light of knowledge and now goes completely mad. There is a danger here! But can we say that theosophy is to blame? Is it not rather the materialistic mindset that has brought people into this state? And should spiritual science be prevented from bringing that light to humanity simply because these dangers exist? Even if one or two people suffer harm, that is no reason to withhold what humanity must receive for true progress and salvation.

[ 9 ] However, there are also real dangers for those who seek access to the higher worlds. Unfortunately, we can read all too much about this in some theosophical writings, where these dangers have been described in far too alarmist a manner. We do not wish to gloss over anything, but we do want to examine these dangers calmly and objectively.

[ 10 ] There is a particular difficulty right at the threshold, because one must distinguish between severe delusions and hallucinations and what is reality and truth: what is most difficult for a person is to overcome certain prejudices and preconceptions that they bring with them from ordinary life. When people hear that there is a way to penetrate into higher worlds, they are often seized by an immense greed and passion; yet they do not consider it necessary to strictly follow what was emphasized in yesterday’s lecture—the rigorous training of thinking, feeling, and willing. But it must be said to such people that this is an indispensable condition today, just as it was a thousand years ago, and must be strictly observed by all secret teachers. Anyone who did not commit to thinking free from sensuality was not admitted to the secret training. This cannot be followed so strictly today, for in the past, those who were the guardians of knowledge gave humanity no opportunity whatsoever to attain this knowledge without fulfilling this condition. Today, however, things are different. Knowledge flows to humanity through thousands upon thousands of channels. Yet it is astonishing how even great minds in the field of science have absolutely no inkling of this primordial knowledge of humanity!

[ 11 ] What human beings cannot learn through science is the solution to the mysteries of the world. It is often only through science that questions first arise in the human mind. Questions are raised that have existed for humanity since time immemorial; and human beings would be consumed by a longing for answers if Theosophy did not provide them. A true guide to truth, for example, cannot put down Haeckel’s The Riddle of the World without the feeling that not only have no riddles been solved here, but new ones have been presented. Questions are raised that did not even exist for humans in prehistoric times. People would be consumed by longing if Theosophy could not provide them with answers to all their questions. Modern science poses more questions than it provides answers.

[ 12 ] Theosophy was not founded on a whim, but out of a profound understanding of humanity’s needs—needs that will grow ever greater, and for which only Theosophy can provide a solution. Humanity cannot do without it.

[ 13 ] Many, however, believe they can be satisfied with the materialistic views of our surroundings. They say: “I find an explanation for everything in them; I have no need for spiritual realms.” — But there is something within human beings that can never say this in the long run. The soul’s deepest longing will repeatedly say “no” and “no” again to such a rational understanding of the world around us. This longing of the soul cannot be appeased; it grows; it makes people weak, sick, and unable to function in life. There are many lost souls today who are searching for something, yet reject the very thing they seek. If this yearning of the soul is not met by what spiritual science can offer, then doubt, hopelessness, and even despair take hold of these souls.

[ 14 ] Thus, out of the necessity of the times, theosophy had to be proclaimed to our world. Yet one often sees that while human greed takes hold of people, they shy away from the arduous efforts required for preparation; they are too comfortable. They say: “We want to elevate our souls; we want to flow into bliss!” But you are merely offering something that exists only in ideas and concepts! We do not want the spirit; we want the soul! — If only people would realize how, through what they nurture within themselves, they are their own worst enemies! It is precisely this calm, gradual recognition that can satisfy the soul’s longings; it is satisfied only when it calmly surrenders to these insights. There are therefore many souls in the world that one might call “derailed souls,” but who in reality stand opposed to themselves as their own enemies.

[ 15 ] And there are souls who harbor within themselves the desire just described—to attain a higher understanding—but who do not wish to step outside their ordinary logic. They cannot enter the higher worlds. We encounter an ever-increasing number of ailing souls. They fantasize about all manner of concepts in spiritual science; then people tend to attribute the root cause of these ailments to theosophy, whereas in truth it is the materialistic mindset that makes the souls sick. It is only the final clash with theosophy that brings the illness to the surface. One may well resolve to delve more seriously into the higher realms of existence, but very soon loses heart, especially when faced with a serious trial. This trial consists in having to see, at the threshold, the dangers that surround life on all sides—dangers that one had not seen before. If anyone lives near a gunpowder factory, they may have lived there contentedly and peacefully for years, but then they hear about the gunpowder factory and fear for their life every hour. They do not realize that seeing a danger is no reason to fear. Nothing external has changed; only their knowledge of it has changed. The same is true when a person approaches the supersensible worlds. In this world lie the sources of bliss and sublimity that cannot be compared to anything humans can experience in the sensory world. But there are equally powerful enemies of human nature there—horrific things; nothing dreadful in the physical world can compare to the dangers that surround human beings in these realms. If a person casts a glance into them, they experience realms of bliss—but at the same time, they must experience the dreadful and terrifying, and they must experience it with a cool head.

[ 16 ] The actual facts have not changed; only his feelings and sensations have. The facts were already there before he could recognize them; only his understanding of the facts has changed. In such situations, a person must remain fearless and calm. As simple as this may seem, it is very difficult to put into practice. But if it is not put into practice, feelings of fear and dread of the spiritual worlds arise within a person. This is no trivial matter, for these are real forces. There are beings in the spiritual world for whom the feelings of fear we radiate are welcome nourishment. They suffer from emaciation if they do not receive this nourishment. They surround a person like vampires; if one feeds them with feelings of fear and dread, they fill themselves to the brim with them. Here, a person must stand firm; they must have thoroughly rid themselves of all feelings of fear if they wish to seek entry. They must also cast off, long beforehand, other feelings they bring with them from the physical world, for these become disadvantages—terrible obstacles—in these realms. These include all negative feelings: ambition, vanity, anger, hatred, irritation, and selfishness. Feelings that mean little in ordinary life become veritable monsters when it comes to their dangerous side. A person who enters these higher worlds and has not yet shed these feelings provides welcome nourishment for these beings. He need not see them, but they destroy his physical health; they ruin his nervous system and his sleep. All of this is true!

[ 17 ] Even worse dangers arise. If a person is to be guided through the methods the teacher provides, if they have completed their exercises and then perceive what approaches them, see the dangers—and then give up the attempt—then what occurs is what is called in spiritual science: the reflection of human mental activity. The moment a person gives up the attempt, grotesque figures of a terrifying, utterly impossible nature appear to them in visions. The person is as if enclosed by these figures. These figures of horror form a sort of clamp around them.

[ 18 ] All of this might deter people from seeking the path; yet it must not deter anyone. That would simply be selfish. Anyone who has the opportunity to penetrate the higher worlds must not let these opportunities pass them by. It is natural to say, “I am afraid of it.” But one must be aware that in doing so, one harms not only oneself but the entire world. One has no right to let these abilities lie dormant. For just as the finger is not an independent part of the human organism, neither are we anything independent. And just as the finger cannot live merely for itself, so too must we not live merely for ourselves. The whole world is an organism. We must work on ourselves and develop our strengths. If we do not, we fail in a sacred duty toward humanity. Everyone must be clear in their own mind that obstacles must be overcome. They must be overcome! If a person energetically and correctly follows the instructions they receive, then it is impossible for anyone to come to harm. Instilling fear has no place in conscientious leadership. One must be aware of the dangers; but one must not fear them. This must be a firm principle.

[ 19 ] Of course, certain dangers also arise from another source. For example, anyone who carries social prejudices up into the higher worlds—they are of no use there—and who cannot shed them will not be able to ascend without danger. Therefore, a person must acquire a high degree of inner freedom and independence. Anyone who cannot do this will only be able to progress to a limited extent. This is not a matter of external independence; a person may be as dependent as they wish on the outside, yet inwardly the soul can be completely free. One must guard against the numerous misunderstandings that confront us. Those who truly wish to walk the path of truth should be clear that a single sentence can consist of worthless words, yet the same sentence can also contain profound truth. Anyone who seriously wishes to walk the path must guard against clichés and mere platitudes. For even though the highest light reigns in Theosophy, so too do the utmost clichés and hollowness. This is a bad habit of our time, but it poses a real danger to Theosophy.

[ 20 ] If we go back to the earliest times, we see how the leading figures who guided life attached great importance to a certain age in terms of a person’s judgment; today, even the very youngest can make authoritative judgments. Above all, people today do not realize that while one can achieve much in terms of intellect, science, and art in early youth, only those who have reached middle age are capable of conveying experiences of the spiritual worlds to their fellow human beings in a truly accurate manner. For this reason, no secret school sends out anyone who has not passed the age of 35. As long as a person still needs certain forces to build up his or her physical organism, those forces are not freely available to be put to use. It is not permitted to authoritatively impart the occult teachings to anyone until the forces are no longer needed for physical development; only when the physical body is in the waning phase of life is this permitted. Anyone who examines life will recognize the validity of this rule. Even in the case of a mind such as Goethe’s: what he accomplished before this point was a revival of what he had gathered from here and there; what truly would not exist if Goethe had not been there emerged only after the middle of his life. It poses the greatest danger when we see how great truths are spoken of as mere phrases. For example, one hears time and again: “You must be selfless; you must sacrifice your personality to the universe!”—This is a profound truth when it is truly understood; but it can be the most absurd phrase when this truth is presented without understanding. It is not without reason that a wise cosmic order has given egoism to human beings; it is a means of education; it makes people richer and more fulfilled; through it, many people are prevented from doing something that could harm them. It is a healthy force; it fills the personality with strength and energy; it is something healthy! To say that one should cast it aside is a morbid cliché. Nevertheless, it is true that a sacrifice of the personality is necessary if we are to find the path upward into the higher worlds.

[ 21 ] How should this be understood? Let’s use an analogy. Someone is being asked to sacrifice all the cash they possess. One person sacrifices 50 pfennigs, another 20,000 marks. But both are sacrificing everything they have. If these sacrifices are meant to help others, then of course one can help much more with 20,000 marks than with 50 pfennigs. Thus, one must compare the sacrifice of the personality of someone who has nothing within them yet—who perhaps has no distinct sense of self at all—with the sacrifice of a personality that has accumulated immense energy and strength within itself. What good does it do humanity to sacrifice a person who is still nothing? The personality must first have made itself strong and energetic; what matters is how one sacrifices, not what is sacrificed. A person must know that egoism is a healthy force; it drives a person to follow the principle:

When the rose adorns itself,
It also adorns the garden!

[ 22 ] A person who first learns to develop the powers within themselves and then sacrifices themselves—that is a valuable sacrifice in the grand course of life. But if a person lacking in strength and energy takes this phrase—“You must sacrifice yourself”—as a guiding principle for life, it becomes mere rhetoric and, because it is empty, will result in a life devoid of substance. In this realm, such a person is a vampire of life; they suck the very life forces out of existence. It is essential to see clearly in this realm. Here, the sense of well-being that people so easily feel when uttering beautiful phrases must not play a role in any way. Here, the person who truly wishes to ascend into the higher worlds needs mindfulness and patience, for only gradually will they learn to discern.

[ 23 ] There is yet another point to consider for those who develop the inner, dormant powers—which lead them upward into the higher worlds—into higher abilities. All people possess these powers; they lie as a seed within every human being, though most people develop them only over long periods of time. When the development of these powers is accelerated, everything else in a person’s life is also accelerated. Let us suppose that a 20-year-old would reach the point he would otherwise have reached at age 80 in just five years. All the events written in his karma are thus compressed into one-twelfth of that time. Everything they will experience in terms of adversities and life’s obstacles will occur within five years. This acceleration of life is like a locomotive racing at breakneck speed through a snowy region compared to one traveling slowly. The slow one pushes the snow aside gradually, while the other will quickly whip it up. That is truly how it is in life. What would otherwise be experienced over a longer period of time is now compressed, and so it becomes apparent to the person who is beginning to walk the path of knowledge that he must experience many things that seem strange to him, especially at the beginning. Vices, bad habits, and passions suddenly arise; everything that lies at the bottom of the soul must come to the surface. At every turn, a person will encounter passions and desires that they believe they have long since overcome. But they must appear in order to be completely overcome, in order to disappear entirely. For those who truly reach the threshold, there stands a mighty presence that reveals, in a grand vision, everything base that still lies at the bottom of the soul. All passions stand before the soul in a single image. This is the Guardian of the Threshold. He encounters the seeker, and the seeker must face him fearlessly. If he is not fearless, he turns back, and then those hideous images arise that imprison the person. All his base passions imprison him in the mirror image of the spiritual realm, as if in a chamber. This is not described to deter anyone from seeking the path, but only to enable the seeker to follow the path in the proper way.

[ 24 ] No one should let this deter them. One must realize that recognizing these dangers is, in fact, the greatest means of purification. People usually have no idea how wisely they are being guided. It is a powerful remedy for the soul when it must experience fear and hope, tension and release, excitement and calm. These feelings are extremely important, even in all forms of art. They are vital remedies for the soul. The soul heals through the dangers it must endure, and we should be grateful to these teachers; after all, we cannot escape them. There are no dangers other than those that already exist for human beings. It is only in terms of knowledge that things change for them. They learn to understand the facts, but the facts themselves do not change. When we learn this, we can set out on the path to the higher worlds without worry or danger. When a person does this, they are fulfilling an important mission. Our time needs spiritual knowledge. If humanity were denied it, then widespread materialism would fill people’s hearts with doubt, despair, and hopelessness. It would make people gloomy and desperate; it would affect their temperament, make life bleak and stunted, and ultimately cause the physical aspect of human beings to fall ill as well. Materialism would completely sap people’s strength. For physical healing, people need what spiritual science provides.

[ 25 ] Only those who allow themselves to be carried along by the spiritual current can be truly useful contributors to the progress of humankind. And it is justified for a person to sometimes be concerned about their own development; he must first acquire for himself the true powers with which he will be able to help others, and he must have patience in this process of acquisition. This must be emphasized in Theosophy. It is not a matter of theory, but of its integration into life; it possesses within itself a healthy, dynamic life, and it must be a remedy for humanity!

[ 26 ] Arguments for and against can be made for everything; this does not interest the true esotericist—he already knows it. Theosophy is given to humanity as a remedy. No matter how much it may be attacked, it is destined to heal people in body and soul when it is introduced into life. And it is through this healing of life that it will express its validity. Therefore, when a person works on themselves, they are not working for their own sake; they are working for the progress of all humanity, for the true and right salvation of humanity. And the fact that this is achieved—that it is experienced—will then be the only sure proof of spiritual or esoteric science.