The Rudolf Steiner Archive

45. The Riddles of Existence

[ 1 ] The enigmatic questions about our existence are as old as thinking humanity itself, and they have been posed not only throughout history but also among all peoples. Yet even in every single human life, there are moments of looking up toward something higher and mysterious. One great question in particular is posed again and again by thinking humanity: namely, the question of the meaning and significance of our existence. In general, it can be said that all other enigmatic questions ultimately boil down to this one question about the meaning of the universe. And deep within every single person lies the emotional desire to receive an answer to this question. But it is not only ignorance of such lofty matters as the movement of the stars or the origin of our existence that compels us to ask questions; often, more immediate concerns do so to an even greater extent; indeed, there are times in human life when everything suddenly becomes a mystery, when one can no longer understand why suffering and pain afflict us, why we are of humble birth while other people find themselves in the most splendid circumstances, why we fare so poorly, even though we lead what seems to be a blameless life. Yes, it is especially difficult for us to understand that we are disadvantaged in terms of life’s blessings, even though our fellow human beings entered this world with seemingly just as little merit and are now richly blessed with the most diverse kinds of blessings.

[ 2 ] In addition to the great questions of existence, however, there are also questions of life whose solutions must not only satisfy our intellect and discernment, but should also pour into our hearts as comfort and reassurance and fill our souls with a harmonious spirit that truly comprehends life. Of course, the emotions alone must not be the sole factor in an objective solution to the questions of existence. For according to the monistic worldview, which assumes that both mind and emotions flow from the same primordial source of existence, both must be taken into consideration.

[ 3 ] Throughout history, there have been great eras in human development when attempts to resolve existential questions—such as peace—have found their way into troubled souls. Thus, religions, in their own way, provide such solutions to the great questions; but they take into account mainly only one side of human nature—that is, they satisfy more the emotions than the reasoning mind.

[ 4 ] For some time now, something has crept into our culture that appears to be a conflict between those religious solutions that have been sacred to some and have represented the truth to them, and what science teaches.

[ 5 ] Even children are confronted with such questions in a way that fills them with anxiety. They are introduced to the teachings about the origin and destiny of humankind through grand religious imagery; at the same time, however, they also absorb the teachings of popular science, hearing about the development of humankind and, indeed, of all living beings through purely natural forces.

[ 6 ] The consequences that must arise from this for a young soul can be of two kinds: Either such a person’s sensitivity to all higher things becomes dulled, and their enthusiasm for questions about the meaning of life and existence fades away, or they align themselves entirely with the natural sciences and, from their supposedly superior vantage point, begin to deliberately trample religious truths underfoot.

[ 7 ] There have been many attempts to resolve this conflict. Almost every day brings us new evidence of how, here and there, people are striving to shed light on the enigmas of existence, even if these personal efforts do not directly advance scientific understanding.

[ 8 ] But yet another attempt at a solution has gained ground with ever-increasing force over the past few decades. Although it has crept into our culture quietly and modestly, it has already brought peace and tranquility to thousands upon thousands of souls. What distinguishes this particular approach from all others is that it is not limited to the narrow confines of a single people; rather, the followers of this teaching are scattered across the entire earth and belong to a wide variety of nations and religions.

[ 9 ] This attempt to solve the riddles of existence has been undertaken by spiritual science. It tells us: Human beings perceive the sensory world around us, but that is not the end of the matter, as material science believes—for which everything that lies beyond sensory perception is transcendent.

[ 10 ] For the humanities, human beings are beings in the process of development. The word “development” sounds so familiar to us; and how could it not, given that it has been the magic word of a broad range of recent sciences. The humanities, however, use this word in a different sense than the natural sciences do. For the humanities, development is an inner act of the human being. We are right in the midst of this development; it is not meant to be merely something to be observed from the outside.

[ 11 ] If our senses have limits to our understanding, it is because we have developed only to a certain point. Wherever we stand in our development, that is the limit of our understanding. But we can develop further and higher with the necessary seriousness and the required inner clarity. Nor are our senses something that was complete from the very beginning; they are the products of long periods of development. The eye, this wonderfully complex organ, has been conjured forth from the most primitive beginnings, much like the ear, which may originally have been nothing more than a simple static apparatus.

[ 12 ] Similarly, abilities may well develop within the human soul that can then reveal to us what is still hidden today behind impenetrable veils. For human beings, this spiritual awakening of sight may then be just as profound an experience as the physical regaining of sight is for a blind person. For the blind person, there is only a world of touch and sound around them. The world of light and color does indeed exist in and of itself, but since they perceive nothing of it, it is nothing to them. The same is true of the spiritual organs of perception. Those who lack the ability to perceive in that higher way perceive nothing of those higher worlds; but that does not mean they must deny that there can be a development and rebirth of the soul, enabling one to go beyond the limits of ordinary understanding and perceive new worlds around oneself. In this sense, spiritual science seeks to solve the questions of existence and the mysteries of the world.

[ 13 ] To some, of course, what the humanities have to say seems ridiculous, because for them—the undeveloped—there is absolutely no convincing evidence. But for those who are deeply engaged in these matters, the situation is different. Incidentally, it is a well-known fact that many things which later moved people deeply were met with ridicule and scorn when they first appeared.

[ 14 ] From this perspective, let us now discuss that great mystery of existence—the nature of human beings, both during life and after death—which thus raises questions about the fate of the soul.

[ 15 ] For spiritual science, the study of the human being is far more difficult than it is for materialistic science to study the human being, whom it knows only in this way. Materialistic science regards the human being’s purely physical body as his entire being. For spiritual science, on the other hand, this physicality of the human being is merely a part of his total being. The physical body is the part of the human being that is perceptible to our senses. It is composed of the seemingly lifeless matter found in the nature around us. Spiritual science, however, recognizes, in addition to this physical body, other, higher aspects of human nature.

[ 16 ] From the mid-nineteenth century through the last third of that century, anyone who dared to speak of such things was considered a fool. Today, however, opinions and views on this matter have shifted somewhat once again. At the beginning of the nineteenth century and toward the end of the eighteenth, people still spoke of a “vital force,” by which they meant something entirely different from something existing according to purely mechanical laws.

[ 17 ] In purely materialistic theory, however, it was believed that life was merely a suitable interaction of physical forces.

[ 18 ] Today, there are once again many researchers who, based on facts, have come to the conclusion that there is more to human life—and that it is influenced by more—than mere physical substances and forces. In earlier centuries and millennia, such matters were explored by the occult sciences. There is a significant body of literature on these occult studies, where one can find more detailed information.

[ 19 ] The second component of the human being is called the life body or etheric body. This should not be understood as some kind of structure composed of that hypothetical physical ether; rather, the correct understanding of it is gained through the following consideration: A crystal can exist on its own through its physical and chemical forces; for a living being, however, these alone are no longer sufficient. As soon as life has departed from it, the individual parts of the physical body disintegrate because, as such, they exist in an impossible mixture. What holds them together is precisely the life body. This is the bearer of growth and reproduction.

[ 20 ] The third member is the astral body, the vehicle of pleasure and suffering, of joy and pain, of passion and instinct. It encompasses the lower life of the human soul, including the lower imaginative life of everyday existence.

[ 21 ] We call the “I” the fourth member of the human being, which distinguishes humans from all other earthly living beings. Humans share the etheric body with plants and animals, and the astral body only with the animal kingdom. The fourth member, however, as mentioned, is unique to humans and shared by no other earthly being. People of a more profound nature have always perceived this “I” as something quite special. “I” is indeed a most remarkable name—one that cannot be applied to an object like any other name, but rather one that each person can say only to themselves. This name can never reach our ears from the outside if it is to be a designation of ourselves.

[ 22 ] All profound religions—and these are the ones based on spiritual science—know that when the soul utters the name “I,” God, as it were, speaks through it. That is why, even in ancient Hebrew times, this name was called the unpronounceable name of God, which can resound only in the innermost soul. In his biography, Jean Paul recounts that sublime moment of the birth of his own “I”; in that moment, he gazed into the innermost sanctum of his being.

[ 23 ] Since the earliest antiquity, every occult school has regarded human beings as consisting of at least these four elements, which interact and interweave. From this perspective, we will also discover the threads that can bring us closer to solving the riddle of human existence.

[ 24 ] Only a cultured and elevated person can become aware of these four members. The “savage” and the average European differ only in that the former unconditionally follows his instincts and passions, while the latter knows that one must not follow them. In the latter, the ego has begun to purify the astral body. Here, then, the astral body is divided into a part influenced by the ego and a part that is left to the mercy of desires.

[ 25 ] But the “I” does not work only on the astral body; it also works on the etheric or life body. All earthly, fleeting impressions are, from the perspective of spiritual research, changes in the etheric body. A great deal has been accomplished by one who has brought about profound and lasting changes in his etheric body—for example, by improving his memory. The great impulses for working into the etheric body are artistic and religious ideas; for they are what most essentially ennoble the etheric body. At an even higher level, a transformation of the physical body even takes place.

[ 26 ] The differences between these individual stages become all the more clear when we consider sleep and death. The former can be described as the younger brother of the latter.

[ 27 ] Concept of the Nature of Sleep: During sleep, changes take place within the human being. Only the physical body and the etheric body of the sleeper remain in bed; the astral body and the ego, however, are drawn out. Instincts, desires, and passions, feelings, and sensations sink down into an unconscious darkness during sleep. All qualities that have the etheric body as their vehicle are active—or at least present—during human sleep. How can we understand the nature of the dying and the deceased? The difference between sleep and death lies in the fact that during sleep, the “I” and the astral body are lifted out of the physical body, whereas in death, the etheric body also separates from the physical body, so that the latter remains as a dead corpse, which chemically constitutes an impossible mixture.

[ 28 ] However, it does happen that shortly after death, the etheric and physical bodies remain together. In such moments, the entire life between birth and death stands before the consciousness like a great picture.

[ 29 ] Some people can describe such moments in their lives, especially if they have once been in grave danger. In that brief moment, what applies to all human beings after death occurs. It is only through the physical body that the narrowness of consciousness is formed. The etheric body is the bearer of memory, which is precisely confined and limited within the physical body. At that moment, however, memory attains a wondrous expansion.

[ 30 ] As death gradually sets in, the etheric body separates from the physical body like a second corpse, only to dissolve completely in its own sphere after some time. However, the essence of a person’s life remains within them. This essence continues to act and live within them and consists of that tableau of life’s memories. They take this with them on their journey beyond this life. At the same time, the moment arrives when those parts of the astral body that have not been worked upon by the “I” dissolve.

[ 31 ] Now here is a fact that can be proven logically just as well as any biological law, yet few people think it through correctly and thoroughly: namely, that the human immortal individuality—consisting of the “I” and the life essence—finds a new way to enter this earthly life. Spiritual research throughout history, as well as modern theosophy, teaches reincarnation.

[ 32 ] What lives today as the essence of the human being has been present on Earth many times before and will return again and again—though, of course, not always in the same outward form.

[ 33 ] Every person has the opportunity and the power to develop themselves to a higher level through the work of their “I.” This results in the refinement of the etheric body and an increase in the life essence, manifesting as abilities and innate qualities. The more often a person has lived such a life and the better they have applied it, the more noble their powers and their aspirations become.

[ 34 ] Spiritual science leads humanity beyond spiritual superstition, whereas any materialistic science tends to lead to superstition because it strives to explain the imperfect through the imperfect. We should strive more and more to carry as much of the imperishable as possible with us into the supraphysical realm.

[ 35 ] The core of the self passes through many human lives and ascends ever higher toward God. Originally, the soul also originates from the Divine. A comparison with the bee, which returns to the hive laden with honey: [Ancient Greek wisdom says in this regard that the human soul is like a bee that flies out to gather honey. It flies out from the bosom of the Divine and gathers the honey of experience throughout life, which it carries back to the Divine.] Thus, the causes of our present way of being lie in earlier states of existence. Ultimately, there is no suffering that is not karmically balanced before the end of the last life.

[ 36 ] From such perspectives, strength and comfort for life arise! This is how one can endure pain, because one is aware that balance will be restored, sooner or later. One no longer sees one’s actions as fruitless; rather, they all have their own importance and meaning.

[ 37 ] Karma refers to actions that have been transformed into fixed characteristics. This law prevails throughout all of nature.

[ 38 ] It is from such perspectives that the mysteries of existence are revealed. The solutions are, at the same time, answers for the soul. Thus we perceive the great truths that lead us from the transitory to the eternal, to the immortal!