The Rudolf Steiner Archive

10. Description of the Rounds

[ 1 ] Today I simply want to describe these rounds to you. You’ll need to be patient, because the facts will be varied. I can therefore only sketch them out. It is also extremely difficult to express and describe them in words, because they are completely unlike our current circumstances.

[ 2 ] I will try to describe what is called the first round. I will simply describe the actual events. If we want to describe the beginning of the first round, we must imagine a sphere emerging from the dark expanse of space. To those who can see on such high planes, this sphere appears reddish in color. A reddish sphere emerges from the darkness of outer space. This reddish sphere contains within it all the beings and substances that will later appear on Earth, but in a completely dissolved state, as it were. At first, nothing within it has any form. Everything is formless in this red nebula, which is thinner than the thinnest ether—if one can even imagine such a thing. This red sphere thus represents what we have recorded as the first Arupa sphere of our seven globes belonging to Earth.

[ 3 ] Now I ask you to observe what is called the transition from one sphere to another. It is not really a transition, but rather a transformation of the sphere’s appearance, while it remains in the same place. The sphere becomes brighter and brighter and, at the same time, denser and denser, and within it are perceptible lines that follow a certain pattern, emanating from specific points—as it were, radiant lines. The sphere gradually takes on an orange hue to the seer’s open eye. Then it becomes what we call the Rupa sphere. Within it are states in which it darkens and brightens again—the Pralaya states.

[ 4 ] Then it becomes denser and glows yellow; it now consists of astral matter, through which lines extend in all directions, forming figures. These are the forces that will later constitute the mineral kingdom as such. Then there are again brief states of Pralaya. The sphere then enters a state in which it takes on a kind of greenish hue. This is the first physical state that the entire first round assumes.

[ 5 ] Everything that used to be merely sensory hints has now progressed to a certain degree of density. The physical matter in which this Earth is situated no longer exists on Earth. It is a kind of etheric air, but you can find a hint of this physical state in the writings of all those who know anything about it. I am reminded of a passage in Goethe’s Faust: “Create a little fire-air.” Fire-air is the first physical matter—a fire-air that is greenish and contains everything that comes later [...], in which the globe appears in this state.

[ 6 ] Now another small Pralaya occurs. The sphere now takes on a completely different form. In its next state, it can be compared to a mulberry. It divides in such a way that it is broken down into smaller spheres, and it now takes on a color that shimmers with a bluish tint. The lines are now distributed across individual spheres, and what was previously active, as it were, throughout the entire sphere—the elemental forces—is now active within the individual small spheres. Increasingly definite forms emerge. Cubic, dodecahedral forms, and so on, appear and become ever clearer.

[ 7 ] The next state indicates how and when it begins to disintegrate. The whole thing now has a color ranging from blue to violet. It transitions into violet and thus passes through the Pralaya state. In this seventh state, all forms of minerals have come into being. As this formation took place—that is, as this type of mulberry came into being—matter became thinner and thinner. At first it was arupa matter; then, in the final state, fully formed mineral seeds appear in the place where the arupa sphere used to be. The entire mineral kingdom now exists in archetypal form.

[ 8 ] And now it transitions into a twilight state. There have thus been seven successive states, whose task was to bring the mineral kingdom up to the archetypes of the minerals. I emphasize this explicitly: Amid the whole jumble of facts, this is precisely what has carried over from the Lunar Epoch—the developed beings of the Lunar Epoch. These are essentially the human souls who have passed through all the states of the Lunar Epoch and are at various stages of development. Not all have reached the goal that could be attained. Some, on the other hand, have progressed further. Back then, there were also—if I may put it that way—“Moseses,” “Platons,” and “Pythagoreans.” They are not yet in a position to participate in all the processes I have described so far. These processes are too low-level. In contrast, the beings who have not reached that height must now make up for it. They must participate in the formation of these forms. They must, so to speak, make up for the lessons they neglected in the past. This is the kaleidoscopic succession of states that I have described. It is as if you were looking into a kaleidoscope; just as the various sequences can be seen there, so should you imagine it.

[ 9 ] The first state of the second round is evident in that we once again see a reddish sphere shimmering. This one, however, is much more intricately structured than the previous one. Above all, we see intertwining vortex systems emerging within the sphere, which resemble the well-known caduceus of Hermes. At first, they appear only as very faint, pale hints. Such formations stand out. And after the sphere has returned to the Pralaya state and glows orange, it begins to move. The serpents, which were initially at rest around the axis, now begin to move around the axis. The formation enters a state of complete internal motion. Then a Pralaya state returns, and an astral sphere of a beautiful, luminous yellow color emerges. And the formations I have described now manifest themselves on a higher level, in that what they previously showed only as movement now reveals traces of forms everywhere, so that the coils have now given rise to astral cylinders, discs, lines, and all manner of formations, of the most varied shapes, in magnificent beauty. Radiating figures emerge, continuously propelling new formations out from within themselves. The whole is in great motion. Then another Pralaya occurs, and the greenish sphere—the fourth sphere, the physical state—forms.

[ 10 ] It is once again in a state of matter that no longer exists today. It is called the state of fiery air, and at this very moment, it is a critical state. Then there are intermediate states. These have a form that lies between the aqueous and the airy. Everything is in a misty state of green color. You could only compare the entire formation to a pool of water filled with all kinds of green aquatic plants that move and stir. The formations inside it all have a transparent, luminous green color. Then another Pralaya occurs, and what I described as a mulberry reappears. The state becomes astral. Individual entities are formed from within themselves, whereas previously the transformation took place only in the sphere as a whole. Then another Pralaya occurs.

[ 11 ] The indigo sphere emerges, and all the formations now become mere Devachan formations, mere mental formations—yet ones of great definiteness. The next state is one in which the archetypes of the entire plant kingdom are formed. It has become a violet sphere. The archetypes have taken shape; the whole disappears from view. A twilight state sets in. This state now enables the consciousness of the Pitris—or souls—who have come over from the Lunar Epoch and are already at a somewhat higher level to participate with their powers in the construction of these formations. We have now completed what we call the second round. Previously, the mineral kingdom had reached the second round. What I previously described as the physical state has now advanced, so that it is as if you were imagining snow figures in vast ice, but in distinct, watery, mist-like formations. Thus, the minerals are now inside in this mist-like state. This is the case while the sphere has a greenish tint. With this, we have described what has been termed the “second round” in accordance with the actual circumstances.

[ 12 ] And now comes the third round. The state of eclipse sets in. And now I notice that during these Pralaya states—which I will describe—something also happens to the archetypes of the mineral and plant kingdoms as they transition into a twilight state. But even for the seer’s gaze, it is difficult to see anything. There is not a complete extinction of the sphere. It is important to emphasize this. It is as if one were to see the moon, half of which is illuminated, yet the other, dark side is still discernible. For the third time, a reddish sphere now appears. Within it, what is called the “boundary” in occult terminology comes into being. The beings set boundaries outwardly; they clothe themselves in skins. The whole scene now consists of living beings, clothed in skins, coming into view. This is an Arupa state. Then a Pralaya state ensues. The orange-colored sphere appears. The formations take on greater definition. They begin to move. A Pralaya state occurs again. The whole now becomes an astral sphere, a sphere of star-like radiance, containing all three types of formations. Regular forms of metals and minerals, as well as the archetypes of plants, take on astral form once more, and the formations covered with a skin begin to collide with one another and become perceptible to each other. They sense one another; they feel that they are there.

[ 13 ] Now another Pralaya occurs, and the fourth, the physical state, sets in. This, too, is a critical state that can be compared, in terms of its consistency, to what one sees in egg white. All the structures that have developed also take on this egg-white-like substance, ranging from the densest egg white to a completely gelatinous egg white. The whole has turned green, and the beings that have emerged at this stage have reached the point where they exhibit a slimy, animal-like form, ranging from radiating shapes up to ape-like forms. The Pitris—souls—already have the ability to initially incarnate in these forms—albeit imperfectly. They are also called water people. These are human beings who can stand upright, despite their swelling, gelatinous matter.

[ 14 ] Now the bluish astral state returns, in which the consistency is not as dense. It can no longer be compared to a mulberry; it can only be compared to astral space. There is simply no intelligence within it. A Pralaya is formed once more, and the indigo sphere appears. All forms become more defined. They come alive from within. They are beings of thought. And then the violet sphere appears. The entire sum of beings has been transformed into archetypes. They have become seed-like and are now transitioning into the archetypes of the animal kingdom that have come into being. And after another Pralaya has taken place, when the red sphere dawns once more, that is when what we call the fourth round begins. What will later provide the body for the human race itself is gradually taking shape: the archetypes of the mineral kingdom, the plant kingdom, and the animal kingdom. Increasingly distinct forms emerge. The orange state sets in—the astral state. There are already certain beings present whose forms resemble those of later animals and humans. Then the Pralaya state returns, and within what we now call etheric matter, the actual Earth emerges—our present Earth—during the fourth round, on which Earth, within the etheric substance, human beings exist. Humanity is still in the animal-human stage, but is already guided and surrounded by the solar Pitris—the higher intelligences who have come over, who have attained a higher stage of development—and is also guided by higher intelligences described in Genesis as the Elohim. They were all active in advancing human development.

[ 15 ] It passes through the second race there and becomes more concentrated. Then comes what we call the third race, which we have described many times before.

[ 16 ] Here is how the process works: