The Rudolf Steiner Archive

2. Consideration of the Nature of Man

[ 1 ] Human beings are infinitely complex creatures. The mind is the application of the five senses. Human beings are not merely what they represent physically; rather, their physical members are permeated by higher members. They would look entirely different from how they appear before us if the higher members were removed; only the physical-material aspect would remain as a corpse. The physical human being is dependent on being permeated by the other higher members. There is an important principle in occultism: Materially speaking, my physical body is an impossible composition. All substances and forces of the physical world are composite; approximately seventy elements are distinguished. The human body would disintegrate if left to its own devices.

[ 2 ] The second member of the human body is the etheric body; it wages a ceaseless battle against the decay of the many substances and forces of which the physical body is composed. The clairvoyant sees the etheric body by mentally setting aside the physical body. Lower-level clairvoyance is heightened attention. One can be so absorbed in a spiritual conversation that one does not see physical objects. Through rigorous practice in concentration and meditation, one attains clairvoyance. One can simply “suggest away” the physical body. The room is then not empty. The force body is flooded with streams of light. The basic color of this body ranges from peach blossom to reddish-violet. At the head, chest, and hands, the upper part of the force body resembles the physical body.

[ 3 ] The etheric body of a man is feminine, that of a woman masculine; as a result, both sexes are mutually directive within themselves. This is related, for example, to a man’s ambition in war and a woman’s courageous devotion. All living things are immersed in ether. The etheric body of a plant is much larger than the plant itself. The plant appears within it as a small indentation. Through the etheric body, the radiant appearance continues and gradually merges into the ether.

[ 4 ] In a certain sense, the mineral has an etheric body, but not one of its own; the mineral’s cavities and forms are less clearly defined. Minerals are indeed impregnated with ether, but a true etheric body is unique to plants. The moment the etheric body withdraws its forces, the human being dies.

[ 5 ] Even at the beginning of the last century, serious natural scientists still had some inkling of the life force; discoveries about the cell led people to believe only in the physical. It is considered mere speculation to attribute higher powers to the physical body. Materialism clings to the hope that it will be possible to produce life similar to protein from chemical and physical substances and forces without the process of fertilization. The occultists of the secret schools have never doubted this; it is merely a matter of time before the conditions are right. Light is not packed into sacks, nor is it confined to this or that place; it is everywhere. Likewise, life force is stored everywhere; whoever knows the truth can capture life. The secret is kept because the people who know how to handle it must be at a high level of spirituality and morality. It would be a great misfortune if this secret were revealed prematurely.

[ 6 ] When humans transform matter into life, the act must be sacramental. Currently, a person of low moral character can perform these artificial procedures in laboratories; they are cold and impersonal. When such profound mysteries are entrusted to humanity, the procedures carried out in laboratories must be a form of worship.

[ 7 ] Through the third aspect of human nature, a person experiences pleasure and suffering, drives, instincts, passions, and desires. These fill the body just as much as the bones, muscles, and so on. These impressions are reflected through internal processes. Human beings share this body with animals, but not with the mineral or plant kingdoms. Plants may well react to stimuli, but they have no consciousness; they do not internally transform the stimulus into sensation. A piece of blue litmus paper may turn red, but there is no consciousness involved.

[ 8 ] The clairvoyant sees the human physical body and etheric body surrounded by more subtle forms and spiritual light phenomena, and hears spiritual sounds. This is humanity’s true home: the astral world.

[ 9 ] We hear because air vibrations enter our ears. The waves are the mediators of sound. Every word has different vibrations. It is conceivable that someone might not be able to hear the words but could see the vibrations they produce. We see light vibrations as light because we have eyes. This is how evolution must proceed.

[ 10 ] Human beings consist of three bodies and of that which they possess for themselves—which no one else can articulate—the “I”—because to everyone else we are a “you.” The profound significance of the self, of the “I,” in the German language has been recognized by the sages since time immemorial. In religions, we find the unpronounceable name of God: Yahweh. When a person pronounces “ch’,” God begins to speak within them. The God who expresses only Himself enters the human soul. His essence is distinguished from all other beings by the “I.”

[ 11 ] Thus, we have four aspects of the human being: the physical [body], the etheric or life body, the astral body, and the ego.

[ 12 ] It is still a lower state when a person follows the ego like a slave. The animal serves necessity. The average person still chooses between his instincts, while the idealist follows high moral and spiritual ideals. A person must gain control over his instincts and motivational impulses. The “I” must be the center, the master; we must not allow the “I” to be led astray.

[ 13 ] The physical body always tends to disintegrate; the etheric body must constantly counteract this disintegration, which is necessary for the physical body. The etheric body is the vehicle of the astral body. However, because the physical body is also the vehicle for an astral body, the physical body is worn down by it every minute, and this is how fatigue arises. As the soul works on the fatigued body during sleep, refreshment occurs. The astral body is still very imperfect in relation to the physical body and still has great potential for development.

[ 14 ] It is quite different when people form friendships and remain loyal to one another than when a dog remains loyal to those it loves. The animal acts on this instinct just as we satisfy our hunger and thirst; when its master is absent, the animal misses him—the animal lives in a state of perpetual presence. It is not memory that draws the animal to humans, but the fulfillment of its need. That is why the death of a beloved person can be even more tragic for an animal than the death of one human to another.

[ 15 ] Human beings must make it their own to overcome forgetfulness through the ego. They develop not only through new experiences, but also by making use of memory. In memory, the past is alive. The etheric body counteracts dissolution by renewing the life forces. Fatigue is overcome by refreshment, and forgetfulness by memory.