The Rudolf Steiner Archive

29. Yoga and Unio Mystica

[ 1 ] Yoga means striving for union with the primordial source of divine truth. One who strives for this is a yogi. A yogi must lead a certain way of life; through this, he seeks to open the source of truth within himself. Certain things that a yogi must strive for cannot be practiced in our [Western] way of life. Yet these things are still true. Sometimes, making sacrifices is better for one’s spiritual development than not making them. For example, any act of killing sets a person back in their spiritual development. Hindus strictly adhere to such principles. For example, they would not kill vermin. Within our Western way of life, however, it is impossible to observe such a rule, even though it remains correct.

[ 2 ] Human beings achieve union with the Original Source of divine truth by purifying their three bodies more and more.

[ 3 ] In the Christian mystery, the initiate says to himself: I am to attain union—the Unio—with the Holy Spirit, the Word, or the Son and the Father. This is achieved through the purification of the astral body, the etheric body, and the physical body.

[ 4 ] When the astral body is purified, then a person can unite with the Holy Spirit. If we want to form thoughts about the world, there must be thoughts within it. The entire world must contain within itself the plan that one subsequently conceives. The [creative] world-idea is called the “Great Architect” by the Freemasons and the “Holy Spirit” by Christians.

[ 5 ] When one looks at the world, one finds wisdom. The entire world, down to every detail, is structured by this wisdom. For example, a bone, with its infinitely fine framework, is so wisely [constructed] that no engineer could conceive of it. Everywhere one finds the wisdom-filled essence of the world, which we draw upon in our everyday thinking and in science. The ordinary person does not consider organizing his actions so that they fit into the world plan. The yoga student transforms his instincts; he consciously follows the laws of logic. As a result, his astral body no longer works its way into his ego, but rather his ego illuminates his astral body. In this way, he attains catharsis. Then he becomes one with divine wisdom; this is union with the divine Spirit. Our astral nature then unites with the spirit of the world. This can only be achieved gradually, as the individual undergoes specific meditations. He strives to live within himself by devoting himself to certain exercises in a specific manner, following the instructions of experienced practitioners.

[ 6 ] Religions strive to fill people’s minds with thoughts that are independent of space and time. Our everyday thoughts are largely shaped by our surroundings in space and time. Just consider how many of our thoughts arise from the fact that we live at a certain time, under certain circumstances, in a certain place, and in a certain environment.

[ 7 ] Union with the Holy Spirit—or the Architect of the World—is the first stage of yoga, which transforms us from beings driven by instinct into virtuous human beings. A person imprints the eternal upon the world through his actions when he regularly—even if only for a few minutes a day—engages with thoughts of eternity. Even if the outward actions of meditators and non-meditators appear the same, everything that emanates from a meditator has a completely different effect, because something of the universal world spirit flows into his actions.

[ 8 ] The etheric body, too, must be transformed. It is already being worked on alongside the transformation of the astral body. The astral body can be transformed through great, ideal feelings and through immersion in great truths; however, this does not go beyond the soul. But the work on the etheric body goes beyond the soul. [To achieve this,] a person must study those things related to their external nature, such as the temperaments. Usually, one of the temperaments predominates in a person. The melancholic is little affected by external influences, but dwells on these effects. The phlegmatic person is also little affected by external influences, but does not dwell on these effects very much. In the choleric person, there is a strong external influence as well as a strong aftereffect. In the sanguine person, one likewise observes strong impressions, but no aftereffects.

[ 9 ] Only by truly recognizing oneself in this way can one influence the development of one’s temperaments. The yogi must bring harmony to the four temperaments. This extends all the way down into the etheric body. Much has been achieved by one who, for example, is able to rein in one’s attention through self-discipline. Much has been achieved by one who has transformed from a quick-tempered person into a level-headed one. [Usually, a person relinquishes the temperamental predispositions they were born with upon death]. One must delve deeply into the way the temperaments function. The yogi studies them and also puts this knowledge into practice. He is constantly striving to develop the lacking aspects of his being. If one has managed to change one’s temperament, one has achieved a great deal. If a hot-headed person has become a harmonious individual in the course of a single lifetime, that is far more significant than if a person had been harmonious his entire life. With every change in lifestyle, a person gains a bit more vitality. Some cannot bear to “work on their temperament.” But if they persevere, they gain vitality; at the same time, they become younger. The same applies to the physical body when one changes one’s lifestyle. If they persevere, if they can successfully bring about such a thorough change within themselves on multiple occasions, then they will also gain years—they will become younger. This intervention into the inner self is a true process of rejuvenation.

[ 10 ] The etheric body is the vehicle of life, [and when the human spirit works into this etheric body, it imparts spiritual powers—powers of rejuvenation—to it].

[ 11 ] The yogi must regulate his vital functions; he must do what evolution requires. Anyone who wants to understand how a yogi should nourish himself must take nature into account to some extent. [He must also consider the connection between the human body and nature in his diet.)

[ 12 ] We can observe various currents in the historical development of humanity. In the period from Augustine to Calvin, the inner life of Christianity underwent a profound deepening through mysticism. External science, by contrast, stood still. At that time, there was an involution of science and an evolution of mystical life. Then, beginning with Copernicus, an involution of mystical life and an evolution of science began. Now, an evolution of mystical life has begun once again. Thus, life oscillates back and forth. Humanity has undergone such periods of stagnation and forward movement throughout its evolution. The first major stagnation occurred when humanity entered the Saturn stage of existence. Humanity came into it from a different stage of development. Without this, humanity could have undergone a one-sided, highly advanced development, but it would not have been able to reach Earth. The Solar stage of existence is then a step forward in development; the Lunar stage is a period of stagnation. The Earthly stage of existence is a state of equilibrium.

[ 13 ] On Saturn, human beings were mineral beings; that was a state of stagnation. On the Sun, they were plant-like; that was a state of advancement. On the Moon, stagnation set in again, and on Earth, equilibrium was restored. There, human beings must choose for themselves whether they wish to remain in stagnation or whether they wish to evolve toward new stages of existence. Everything that is animal in nature—everything that arose on the lunar wave—represents a regression. Everything that belongs to the Sun promotes progress. That is why plant-based food has a stimulating effect. Animal-based food, on the other hand, contains the inhibiting power of the Moon. Through it, human beings set themselves back.

[ 14 ] First, in the development of the Earth, we see that human beings initially repeat the earlier states on Earth. There is a great difference between warm-blooded and cold-blooded creatures in the animal kingdom. Warm-blooded animals come into being through the action of Kama from within. Passion—Kama—produces warm blood. In fish [as an example of cold-blooded animals], on the other hand, Kama acts as cosmic Kama from the outside. Fish eggs are incubated by the sun. This is the case with all cold-blooded animals. Warm-blooded animals are most closely related to humans. For those who strive to purify their Kama, it is a good practice to abstain from all warm-blooded animals. If one eats a piece of meat, one eats the entire animal. The Kama of the animal resides undivided in every single piece of meat.

[ 15 ] Before humans reached the stage of becoming warm-blooded, they warmed their bodies from the outside. In lower animals, kama still acts from the outside. A fish is the embodiment of all the kama of the world. When you eat a fish, you are eating all the kama of the world along with it. He [, the human being,] is then, in essence, working against evolution because he aligns himself with external blockages. He becomes one with something that is immensely inhibiting. The same is true of eating eggs. They are formed by universal kama. By eating them, one absorbs universal kama.

[ 16 ] On the other hand, everything that grows directly in the sun—grains, fruits, and so on—is beneficial for the yogi. Less beneficial are those things that thrive in the moldy earth, beneath the ground—including all onion-like and garlic-like plants. Potatoes, too, are not among the beneficial foods. The potato is a stem transplanted into the earth, a shoot from an older plant that grew above ground. It only migrated into the earth with the later development of the earth. Leek-like plants grew on the Moon, firmly rooted in the living substance within it. Thus, mistletoe is also a harmful plant, a parasitic plant. Some plants are just as harmful as, for example, lower animals, snails, and so on.

[ 17 ] [The mistletoe, which still grows parasitically on living organisms today, is a remnant of the moon; the same is true of fungi that thrive on soil that still contains living organisms.

[ 18 ] There are two natures in human beings: a lower one and a higher one.

[ 19 ] [Goethe wrote:]

Two souls dwell, alas, within my breast:
One seeks to part from the other:
One, in coarse lust for love,
Clinging to the world with grasping limbs,
The other lifts itself forcefully from the dust
To the realms of lofty ancestors.

[ 20 ] Everything that pertains to the formation of warm blood, flesh, muscles, and bones is of a lower nature. Flesh, muscles, and bones are things that have solidified as a result of lunar evolution. Earthly evolution is meant to be a higher form of evolution. Therefore, human beings should enjoy only what is connected to it]

[ 21 ] Everything in an animal that is connected to life itself—everything that is part of the animal’s life process—is life-sustaining; for example, milk and everything made from it. From an occult perspective, milk, cheese, and so on have a life-sustaining effect because they are part of the animal’s life-sustaining process.

[ 22 ] [Milk is therefore beneficial, in part because animals give it willingly. Some people seek a substitute for meat, especially those who follow a vegetarian diet because they do not want to kill. They consume plants that contain substances similar to those found in animals: they eat legumes. However, these hinder occult development. They derive from the Moon in that they are enclosed within a shell. This separates them from the air of the Sun and causes them to harden. Therefore, they are not conducive to occult development. Consuming them often leads to dire consequences. They taint the dream life, making it desolate and confused. This can often be observed in vegetarians. Yet the vision of the higher worlds is supposed to begin with vision in dreams. One should therefore strive to ensure that this vision allows only pure, beautiful images to arise.

[ 23 ] Roots, too, tend to harden. On the other hand, anything bathed in sunlight—such as flowers, leaves, and fruits—is conducive to growth.

[ 24 ] In the mineral kingdom, anything that precipitates as a sediment from mineral solutions—such as all salts—is harmful. These should be avoided as much as possible.]

[ 25 ] Wine has only existed since the Earth cycle began. It would have been impossible before that. Everything that has the composition of spirit will disappear again in the future. Two thousand six hundred years ago, wine was a great rarity. The enjoyment of wine began eight hundred years before Christ. Before that, it was something extraordinarily rare. Eight hundred years before Christ, a new world cycle began—the fourth subrace of the fifth root race. Among the preceding races, the consumption of spirits played a minor role. Among the first races, it was completely out of the question for them to drink wine. They knew that whoever enjoys wine cannot transcend the four principles that nature has given him. He cannot purify the astral body to the extent that the manasic principle develops. The ancient Indians knew this; it was only the later Persians who were somewhat familiar with the enjoyment of wine. The enjoyment of wine was not truly introduced until the fourth subrace. In this race, human beings were to turn away from the higher principles. [Their earthly personality was to emerge and be purified through their own efforts.] They were to purify their earthly personality. It was the education in Kama-Manas, the resurgence of the physical and the personal in Kama-Manas [—Noah—Melchizedek—]. In Christianity, the education of humankind aimed at placing value on the personality, on the single life between birth and death. For the Egyptian slave, it was still natural to believe that he would return one day. The teachings of reincarnation and karma were to be set aside for a time so that the value of the personality, of Kama-Manas, could emerge. This is physically brought about through the enjoyment of wine. In Christianity, it is permitted to drink wine.

[ 26 ] Water is, in reality, the drink of one who wishes to look up toward the higher worlds; wine is the drink of one who does not wish to look up toward the higher worlds. The yogi must therefore refrain from drinking wine, because only then can he truly grasp the higher worlds. When a person sets out to work on his etheric body, he must take control of himself in this way.

[ 27 ] The development of the astral body takes place, so to speak, within the soul. The refinement of the etheric body occurs through an influence on the temperament and the purification of the physical body. When a person brings the etheric body under the power of the “I,” that person becomes capable of absorbing within themselves what acts as [spiritual] substance in the world plan.

[ 28 ] [Proper thinking involves the ability to draw logical conclusions. Coffee has the same effect in the digestive system, working downward, and in thought, working upward [...]. It promotes logically ordered, systematic thinking, but one that is not independent [...]. However, if a person wishes to become independent in their thinking, they must free themselves from the craving for coffee.

[ 29 ] Erratic, internally unfounded thinking has its counterpart in tea. It causes distracting forces in the upper regions.

[ 30 ] The question is how human beings should become. The organs they share with predators should disappear; the organs that plants require should develop. Human beings should consume food that captures the essence of their becoming. Not too much, but also not too little protein. Legumes contain too much protein. Those who eat them are overwhelmed by a lower mode of perception. The vegetarian must simultaneously cultivate a spiritual mode of perception. Comprehend nature in its becoming! [...]

[ 31 ] The significance of the Last Supper: to transition from a diet of dead animals to a diet of dead plants. This is to be replaced by a diet that does not destroy the life within plants [...]. By the end of the fifth cultural epoch, nothing of animal origin will be consumed. Through Christ, the physical body will be eliminated from the entire human race. By the middle of the sixth root race, there will no longer be a physical body. Then human beings will be ethereal. At that time, human beings themselves will produce mineral-based food in laboratories.

[ 32 ] Toward the end of the Atlantic Epoch, everything is done [...], which gives rise to selfishness. In the sixth cultural epoch of the fifth root race, the “I” will once again attain a higher level of development. Meditation:

I will break the pride of the Philistines
And tear the bloody flesh from their mouths
And the abominations from their teeth
Truly, your King will enter among you.
He is righteous, full of victory and full of humility
And he rides on a donkey
On a young colt, the donkey’s son.
—Hosanna [...]

The Lord will help him
Like precious stones, they will
Rise up on his land.
For what good do they have
And what beauty do they possess:
Grain that the young men [...)
And new wine [...]
That makes the virgins blossom.
—[Zech 9:6–17]

[ 33 ] The blood of plants, which consists of the vegetative sap and the milk. ([Soma] was an intoxicating beverage made from rice by the Indians.)]

[ 34 ] Thought is the substance that flows to us through the word. [Through the Word, one person can communicate to another what lives as thought in the very essence of each person.] The airwave is merely the form for this substance. Imagine this applied to the world. Everything is initially present there in external forms: minerals, plants, and animals. The divine Word corresponds to the external world. This divine Word resounds into the world, and the forms of things come into being.

[ 35 ] The hidden Father-Thought rests within the divine soul. Then it flows forth as the divine Word [, the second Logos]; then the divine Word becomes the forms of things. We understand the Spirit as the form of things; but the Word itself is within those forms. [It is also present within the human form.] When the etheric body undergoes transformation, the union with the Word—which the yogi strives for—takes place. [The yogi strives to experience the Word of the creative Deity in the living currents of his etheric body.] Then he becomes a chela. Then, with his etheric body, he hears the Logos resounding in all things. This is union with the Son.

[ 36 ] The third stage is union with the Father. This is the stage of mastery. [At this stage, a person can continue to build upon their own physical body.]

[ 37 ] For the yogi, there is one great principle: union with the Father. He tells himself: The more you become like the Deity, the closer you come to the Deity.

[ 38 ] [This occurs first through the purification of the astral body. Through this, he attains the Unio mystica, the union with his divine Self. Then he strives further. He experiences union with the Son by sharing in worldly thought and feeling through his transformed etheric body. And finally, the last stage is when the human being experiences union with the Father and thereby consciously works on his physical body. This is the grand vision: the work of humankind for the future of the human race.]

Addendum from Camilla Wandrey's transcript

[ 39 ] Thus, yoga is the path to higher knowledge, and indeed to participation in the higher worlds in general. Yoga means union with the divine source of existence, with the spiritual sources of the world. The yogi develops within himself the powers to now penetrate these worlds of origin. He seeks the sources of knowledge that stem from spiritual life itself. Anyone who wishes to become a yogi must absolutely adopt a belief in the higher evolution of the human race—not a blind faith, but an active belief that it is possible to transcend the current state of humanity, that powers can be developed within human nature that have not yet come to expression and are awaiting development. Yoga is a path that often involves self-restraint and demands patience and perseverance. In today’s cultural life, it is indeed difficult to attain yoga. That is why the Theosophical Movement was necessary.

[ 40 ] One might ask how long it takes to attain yoga. That depends on the individual seeking yoga. It may take several incarnations; it may take seventy years or seven years; there may be people who attain it in seven months, seven weeks, or even seven hours. It depends on the stage of existence at which a person stands. Often, they may be further along than they themselves realize. They may already be inwardly capable of exercising their powers of will and mind in higher worlds. It may also be that someone was much further along in a previous incarnation than they are today. In this life, perhaps the conditions of physical existence have prevented what was already within them from emerging. The powers attained earlier must then be reclaimed through the powers of the present life. For example, someone might have been a wise priest with magical willpower; this would now have to be reclaimed in a later incarnation. But perhaps the development of the brain in the later incarnation is not advanced enough to make this possible. Perhaps other powers are also lacking. Perhaps love and kindness are missing. Then one cannot reclaim the former powers, and it takes longer for some and shorter for others to attain yoga.

[ 41 ] Above all, it is necessary to cultivate an inner life as deeply as possible in order to explore what lies within us. We must increasingly distance the concept of yoga from what is outwardly tumultuous. Yoga must take place entirely within the seclusion of inner life.

[ 42 ] Higher spiritual qualities should never be developed without simultaneously strengthening one’s character. Just as a blue and a yellow liquid, when mixed, produce a green liquid, so too are a person’s spiritual and physical powers united. If one extracts the spiritual aspect, the physical nature remains, so to speak, as a residue. Much depends on these two remaining properly blended. It is through this blending—the connection between the higher and lower natures—that a person becomes who they are. In the case of the yogi, the higher nature is drawn away, and all the negative qualities within the person then come to the fore unless absolute character development proceeds in parallel. When one pursues yoga, one must always be prepared for the strangest things to occur in life. These were, for example, the temptations of Saint Anthony. When one seriously begins to practice yoga exercises, one must be prepared for the lower nature to emerge. Some people who were previously truthful begin to lie, deceive, and become unreliable. This happens unless the yoga student is required, in the strictest sense, to constantly strengthen their character. In ancient, authentic yoga schools, the greatest emphasis is therefore placed on the development of morality. — Annie Besant says: Spiritual training without moral training can only lead astray.

[ 43 ] Yoga training consists of bringing certain things—which one would otherwise do unconsciously—into consciousness. In this way, the otherwise unconscious process of breathing is brought into the student’s consciousness. Hatha Yoga training places the greatest emphasis on this process from the very beginning. However, it leads only up to a certain point in development. It stops short at the realization of the astral realm. Therefore, one should not follow the path of Hatha Yoga, but rather that of Raja Yoga. If followed correctly, with seriousness, perseverance, and devotion, this path leads the student into the highest spiritual realms. In Raja Yoga training, a process such as the breathing process is regarded as part of the whole. There are still many other things that we perform unconsciously which we must bring into consciousness.

[ 44 ] The thought process is largely ignored. We must learn to follow the inner process of thinking with attention. This is possible only through complete stillness toward the external world. No thought from the external world must be present in the soul. And then we must ourselves bring thoughts into this stillness and direct our full attention to a specific thought.

[ 45 ] It is best to surrender oneself to a thought that contains power. Consciously surrendering oneself inwardly to such a thought in complete external seclusion, sinking into it entirely—that is meditation. The student must intimately live with such thoughts again and again, resting entirely upon them in utter stillness. The cultured European finds it difficult to immerse himself for long in such a concept. But the yogi must do so. Through this, he develops powers within his soul that were not there before. These powers rise up from the unconscious depths of the soul when we rest so quietly within ourselves in a single thought. The thoughts of ordinary life stir the soul to various emotions. But one must learn not to be led by the forces of the soul, but to lead them. One must learn to hold back a rising outburst of anger. All emotions and passions must remain under our control. We must attain complete mastery and restraint over our inner selves. This is achieved through this quiet devotion to thoughts that contain power.

[ 46 ] Every exercise requires a counter-exercise to prevent one-sided overdevelopment from leading to deformities—as is the case in gymnastics. The so-called supplementary exercises are very important.

[ 47 ] To meditate, you need:

1. Establishing a powerful thought in the soul—concentration.
2. Identifying with the thought.
3. Remaining in that state for a time, in complete stillness.

[ 48 ] Regulating the breathing process is closely linked to this kind of mental training. When practiced on its own, it is Hatha Yoga; when it is part of other disciplines, it is Raja Yoga. The seven degrees of Persian initiation are based on this: Raven, Occultist, Warrior, Lion, Persian, Sun-Walker, Father.

[ 49 ] The “sun-walkers” were those who had made their lives entirely rhythmic. In this way, human beings integrated their thinking and feeling inner lives completely into the processes of nature. Everything in nature lives in rhythm: the sun, the moon, and the wandering stars move or return in a specific rhythm. Plants and animals are connected to the seasons in a very specific way. Everything that lives in the outside world lives in rhythm; life is based on rhythm. In human beings, however, everything has become arbitrary—the arbitrariness of the astral body. It makes life unrhythmic. Human beings must restore rhythm to it, for rhythm generates strength and life. That is why the yogi must meditate every day at a specific hour.

[ 50 ] If he meditates today at seven o’clock and tomorrow at eleven o’clock, then skips it entirely the next day, the rhythm is disrupted. But if one resolves to say a prayer every day at seven o’clock, then another at twelve o’clock, and yet another before going to sleep, these are fixed points that bring rhythm to one’s life. Another aspect of bringing rhythm to life is establishing a rhythm in the breathing process. This is connected to the profound realities that exist between human beings and the entire universe.

[ 51 ] Plants and humans are, in a sense, interconnected. Humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. With plants, it is the other way around. They release oxygen, and from the carbon dioxide that humans exhale, they form their bodies by retaining the carbon. — Apple trees, for example, need children playing around them. - Thus, there is a connection between plants and human nature. Plants grow rhythmically according to the laws of nature. They are chaste through and through, since they do not yet possess astral life within them. In this way, they stand higher than humans on the one hand, and lower on the other. They stand as an ideal before the yogi. He must become like them by bringing rhythm to his breathing process.

[ 52 ] The yogi knows that human beings will one day be able to internalize the plant life process—the process they now leave to plants—and carry it out within themselves. That is to say, they will retain carbon within themselves and consciously use it to build their bodies. Human beings will develop an organ within themselves through which they will produce oxygen internally, so that they will no longer need to extract it from plants. They will combine this oxygen with carbon to form carbon dioxide and then store the carbon within themselves again. In this way, they will later build their own bodily structure, just as plants do today. His body will consist of transparent, clear, soft carbon. In this way, he transforms his body into the “Philosopher’s Stone.” This is a vision of the future that the yogi already anticipates today through his rhythmic breathing process, which he performs according to the teacher’s instructions. He inhales rhythmically and holds his breath longer. In this way, he develops carbon within himself—and thereby draws closer to the nature of plants by using it to build his body. The yogi thus gradually unites with the divine source of existence; he becomes a co-creator of the world. He experiences new worlds.

[ 53 ] When we sleep, we cannot hear the most wonderful music. It is there; we do not perceive it. Thus, human beings are like sleepers in relation to the higher worlds. And just as there is an awakening to the melodies of this world, so too is there an awakening in the spiritual world through the rhythmic process of breathing.

[ 54 ] When we consciously direct our entire inner life into the process of breathing, imaginative insight begins. Ordinary life brings us material knowledge through the senses of the physical body. Imaginative insight consists in our ability to awaken images in the soul that are not mere visions, but are rooted in the very foundation of existence. The external world merely stimulates images and ideas in our soul that correspond to it. Images that arise through the process of yoga stimulate the inner self in the right way. In the right way—that is to say, truthfully. They correspond to the truth that permeates the world, which is wisdom. For this to happen, however, a person must themselves be true inwardly. That is the difficulty in yoga training. As long as a person has personal desires, they cannot distinguish truth from untruth in the higher world. Hence the repeatedly emphasized necessity of becoming selfless and renouncing everything personal.

[ 55 ] The Pythagorean disciple was told: One can learn about life after death only when a person has become completely indifferent to whether he is still alive or not. Everything personal must be set aside. Where personal desire is set aside within, wisdom expresses itself; there, the wisdom that permeates the world can shine in. The person then attains imaginative insight.

[ 56 ] The third stage is that of the rational will; and the fourth stage is that of [intuition]. The third stage involves the complete restraint of what lies within us—such as desire, instinct, craving, and passion—through a strengthened will. As long as one does not fully master this, one merely renders the truth illusory.

[ 57 ] One must develop absolute inner peace, patience, perseverance, and steadfastness. One must never lose the essential harmony with one’s surroundings. If the wisest person were to fall asleep here, he would be unable to receive anything there with his wisdom. There, he would be considered insane. All insanity is a lack of harmony with one’s surroundings. Once that happens, one cannot make any progress. “One should not become a drunkard, but rather a sober person,” says Plato, and this applies to the person who strives for yoga. He must not neglect even his daily duties in any way. This is absolutely essential in yoga training. And in this regard, it is important to develop humility. Only under the influence of the highest humility can one speak of the higher worlds in the proper way. A deep inner sense of humility must accompany yoga training. The Eastern student finds it easier to earn the respect and esteem of others; the Western student has a harder time with this. But this is of great importance. It is also necessary to have a deep, innermost trust in the teacher. This is necessary because one must have a firm anchor. In a certain sense, the yoga student leaves the rest of the world behind. His relationship to the world changes; it is, so to speak, turned upside down. All things take on a new meaning. He becomes estranged from his surroundings; everything changes; a certain spiritual alchemy takes place within him. Now he must do everything the physical world demands of him out of a certain inner sense of duty. He must find a completely new perspective toward it. If the yogi does not develop full strength of character here, he can easily lose touch with his surroundings. That is why the teacher serves as his anchor. In the East, the guru regards the teacher as the embodiment of the deity within humanity. In reality, it is true that in the higher human nature—which the teacher must have developed—divine beings truly exist and are active. To the Eastern mind, it seems self-evident that a higher being resides within the guru. This is not the case in the West. When someone in the West undergoes yoga training, they find in their inner trust in the teacher the means to reach their goal.