Earthly Death and Cosmic Life
GA 181
22 January 1918, Berlin
1. The Present Position of Spiritual Science
I need not tell you what pleasure it gives me to be with you again at this difficult time so full of trials. As this is the first occasion for a long time that we have had the opportunity of discussing subjects connected with spiritual science, it is obvious that we should call to mind that spiritual science is far from being merely a theory, rather should it be a firm and substantial support, uniting the souls of men; not only the souls of those living here on the physical plane, but also the souls of those living in the spiritual world. This is a question we have very much at heart at the present time when innumerable souls have left the physical plane under circumstances to which we have often alluded, a time when so many are being subjected to the severest trials perhaps ever inflicted on man in the whole history of the world. Besides all the usual ideas which flow through our souls at the beginning of these lectures here and elsewhere, we will to-day try individually to direct our sentiments and feelings to those who are outside, as well as to those who, in consequence of these events have passed through the portals of death.
‘Ye who watch o'er souls on earth,
Ye who weave in souls on earth,
Ye Spirit-guardians of the souls of men
Working lovingly in Cosmic wisdom,
Hear ye our request
Look upon our love
Which with your helping, strengthening rays
Would fain unite
In spiritual devotion, sending forth our love.’
With reference to those too who have passed through the portal of death.
‘Ye who weave in the souls now in the spheres,
Ye spirit-guardians of the souls of men,
Working lovingly in Cosmic Wisdom,
Hear ye our request;
Look upon our love
Which with your helpful, strengthening rays
Would fain unite
In spiritual devotion, sending forth our love.’
May that spirit Whom we have sought to approach by means of the spiritual science we have striven to acquire, He who willed to pass through the Mystery of Golgotha for the salvation of the Earth, and for the freedom and progress of humanity, may He be with you in your heavy tasks.
The severe time of trial through which humanity is now passing may perhaps be one which will bring home to us more and more closely the significance of a spiritual deepening of the human soul. If so it will not have been in vain for the present and future of humanity; but the feeling arises that the time has not yet come, that mankind has not yet learnt lessons enough from the seriousness of the events of the present time. This is not said by way of criticism, but to appeal to right and true feeling. One feels that the Spirit of the Age must speak more and more distinctly to human hearts and souls; for not only do human voices speak to-day, other voices are heard too, ringing forth mysteriously from weighty and significant events as well as from other sources.
I shall endeavour to put before you to-day what has particularly struck me during my recent journey through Switzerland, with respect to the relation of our spiritual movement to the tasks of the age. Anyone who has carefully studied the course of lectures I gave in Vienna before the war, on the experiences of human beings between death and rebirth, and what I said with respect to human life as a whole, will know that reference was being made—before the war—to the deeper causes, the deeper-lying foundations of what has lately worked out in the terrible events of the times. We may say that everything that can be experienced below the surface then, is to-day externally revealed as living proof of the correctness of what was said at that time. The universal disease of the age was then unequivocally described, as you know, as a social cancer. Here and there it can be seen that some few lessons have been learnt from the great events that have occurred; but on the other hand, it is clearly evident, particularly when apparently insignificant things are taken together, how rigid human thought has become on the physical plane during the last few centuries, and how slow men are to arrive at decisions of any weight. By way of introduction I should like to tell you some of my experiences during my Swiss tour, for it seems to me necessary that those who are interested in our Movement should form some idea of its connection as a whole. I shall only give a few points.
It must be regarded as a very satisfactory sign that during my recent stay in Switzerland a number of young students from the High School at Zurich desired a course of lectures referring to and combining the various branches of academic science. I therefore gave four lectures in Zurich; the first of which referred to the relation of our anthroposophical spiritual science to Psychology, the science of the soul; the second referred to the relation of spiritual science to History; the third referred to its relation to Natural Science, and the fourth to its relation to Social Science, to the great social and judicial problems of the people in our day. Though far from being all that we might wish, one cannot but see that a certain interest was shown in this drawing together of the threads of academical sciences. It was evident that these latter were awaiting completion, as one might say awaiting that which can only come from anthroposophical spiritual science, and that the part-sciences of the present day will remain but half or even quarter sciences, unless they can have that completion. Wherever I was allowed to give lectures in Switzerland I did not fail to let it be seen what it is that is lacking in this respect, and what it is our age must acquire for these tendencies to be guided in the right direction. One may say that although at first there was in Switzerland a strong opposition to our endeavours—and certainly this opposition is not growing less but rather increasing—yet side by side with this a lively interest is developing; and it may well be that karma has placed our building in Switzerland because the work may have a special significance for that land; particularly if our work is directed, as I hope it will be, in such a way that our activity will also bear witness to the sources of spiritual scientific investigation, which, alas, are in many respects disregarded and unnoticed in the spiritual life of Germany. That is a feeling which, while on the one hand it stirs one to-day with a certain tragic feeling of sorrow, yet, on the other, fills one with deep satisfaction. We may say that anyone who takes into consideration the fact that in four-fifths of the world the spiritual life, of which Germany is so proud, is to-day much calumniated and really abused, and if he seriously considers the gravity of this fact, as is not always done, while on the one hand he may feel sorrowful, yet on the other he may feel satisfaction in the hope that anthroposophical science may yet render it possible for the German spiritual life to make its voice heard in the other world—as it must, if the development of the world is not to be injured. A way can be found to speak to all men, no matter what their nationality, if one speaks to them in the true meaning of the word, of the spirit, that is, of the true sources of spiritual life.
It may strike a sorrowful note, too, that while the efforts made by spiritual science are successful in winning a little ground in some places, such a country as Switzerland is finding it increasingly difficult to stand up against the attacks made to-day. It is no easy matter in the face of the pressure exercised by four-fifths of the world, to form an impartial opinion; nor indeed is it easy to find the right words in which to say all that must be said, in a country in which, although neutral itself, those four-fifths of the world still play an important part. This has now reached a very acute crisis.
One great advantage to us in that country is that the mere words and teaching are there supported by the forms and creations of our building at Dornach, which place before the outer vision what it is that our spiritual science desires, and how it is able to show that when allowed to intervene in practical life and not crudely rejected, it is capable both of mastering and utilizing life, which at the present time makes such great demands on humanity.
In speaking to-day of the relation between the Spiritual Science of anthroposophy and other knowledge and wants of the world, it is really necessary to place quite new and unaccustomed ideas before one's hearers. In the profoundest depths of their consciousness people are dimly convinced that something new must come from somewhere or other. They are, however, extremely rigid as regards thinking, extremely slow to take in new ideas. Indeed it is a characteristic feature of our age that while life is lived at so rapid a pace, people are so dreadfully slow in thinking. We come across this in the smallest things. For instance, the threads of anthroposophical science were drawn towards the academical sciences in Zurich, although I had spoken publicly in Basel before I did so in Zurich. Just before I had to leave Switzerland, a request came from Basel, asking me to speak in an academical assembly on the relation of anthroposophical Spiritual Science to the other sciences. It was then, of course, too late to do so; the subject could not then be discussed. I mention this for two reasons: First because it would have been of great importance to speak of Spiritual Science in a hall dedicated to academical science and established by the students of Basel; and secondly because those people were so slow as to come to a conclusion only at the eleventh hour. That is characteristic, for elasticity of thought, capacity for quick decision might have brought about an earlier decision. It is necessary to discuss these things among ourselves, so that we may behave accordingly. To-day I need only refer to one of the subjects of which I have been speaking lately, to make clear the significance of what has to come about.
In Zurich I spoke, among other things, of the threads that can unite anthroposophical Spiritual Science and the science of history, the historical life of man. We to-day possess a history, which is taught to children and in college; but what is this history of ours? It is something which has not the remotest idea of the forces governing the historical life of mankind, for the simple reason that the whole object of the intellectual life of the present day is to set man's intelligence in motion, to set the ordinary so-called fully conscious concepts and ideas going, and with the help of these, to understand all things. External perceptible nature can certainly be understood by these means, so too can that thought which has triumphed in the domain of natural science; but if this mode of thought is applied to history, that means making history a natural science. Endeavours were being made in the nineteenth century to regard history in the same way as natural science regards the things perceptible to the senses. This, however, is not possible—for the simple reason that the facts of history are quite differently related to life. What is it that we meet in historical life? What are the impulses at work in history?
Anyone who believes that historical impulses can be grasped by means of the intellect, which can very well serve us in natural science, will never discover the historical impulses; for these work in human evolution in a similar way to the dreams in our own dream-life. They do not enter the ordinary consciousness which we use in everyday life or in natural science; but these impulses work like that which only plays into our dream-life. We may say: Historical becoming is a great dream of mankind, but what plays into our dreams like transient pictures becomes clear and distinct in the imaginations of spiritual science. Therefore there is no history which is not a spiritual science, and the history taught to-day is not history at all.
Hermann Grimm was struck with the fact that the historian, Gibbon, in describing the early days of the Christian era, describes the fall of the Roman Empire, but not the gradual ascent of Christianity, its growth and prosperity.
Of course he did not know the reason why a good historian can always describe a decline, but not a growth and a becoming. The reason is that the present-day method of learning history can only lead to an understanding of what is declining, not of what is growing. Growth plays a like part in the development of mankind as do dreams in the life of man; it can therefore only be described by a person able to have Imaginations. If a man does not possess this power, even though he be a Ranke or a Lamprecht, he can only depict the corpse of history, not the reality of its growth. The impulses of historical growth only enter our consciousness in dreams; if the ordinary consciousness tries to grasp the historical, it can only do so when the historical has already passed into the subconsciousness. Modern times present interesting examples of this. If we follow these up, we see how in the last few decades, interest in the great questions of the world as one coherent whole has practically died out—or become mere pedantry, which is almost the same thing. There is a deep connection between the pedantry of the age and the fact that a schoolmaster, at present at the head of the greatest republic, wants to lay down the law to mankind. If we ask ourselves: Where, during the last few decades, has there been a feeling for a great drawing together of mankind, for ideas having almost a religious character although of a crude kind, when everything else was more or less moribund? The answer, if we look the circumstances in the face, must be: in socialism. Ideas were there, but such as never tended to a spiritual life, only to a crude material life and alas, these ideas encountered no other world of ideas to stand against them. If we really understood the ideas which have come to the surface in socialism, we should find that they are in a sense historical ideas, dreams of humanity;—but what kind of dreams? One must have a feeling for this ‘being dreamt’ of the historical events of humanity. I tried to make this clear to the people in Switzerland by saying: If one seeks as leading and guiding personalities only those who are very clever but are without any understanding whatever for what I call dream impulses, it will be seen how far this leads. In this respect one should try to answer practically the question: How quickly can a commonwealth be systematically ruined? Contrive to set up therein a parliament of scholars! They need not be skilled professors, they might even be socialistic leaders;—in that movement there are professors enough. With a perception for such things, one will ask oneself: How has the whole comprehensive theory of socialism come about? If it could really be put into practice, it could only bring about ruin (and perhaps a sorrowful proof of this may yet be found in the East, if it does not stop, but tries to proceed with it further). How has it come about that these socialistic ideas have taken root in men's minds? What exactly are these theories?
To know this, one must be acquainted with the history of the last four centuries, especially that of the 18th and 19th. One must know that real history is very different from that contained in history books; one must know that such books, especially in regard to the last two centuries form a picture of human class and social contention; Karl Marx, for instance, has simply set up as theories what humanity dreamt in those centuries, something which actually did exist, but which, like a dream, ceased in the new period and gave place to theories. The theories of socialism which arose as soon as the fact of it was lost in dream, show that the intellect uses what has already perished, what has already become a corpse, directly it takes the matter in hand with such means of knowledge as are quite valid—e.g., in natural science. From such cognitions one must see that the world really stands at a turning point in time where the comprehension of the historical development (for the present has also become historical, and as man lives into the future he also experiences historical development) must be understood in the sense of Spiritual Science. One does not obtain a true picture of even the most recent events if Spiritual Science is left out of account. I shall relate an oft-quoted example.
(Among ourselves as members such matters may be discussed; though people outside often laugh at such things—they will not always do so however). An important incident of European life in the Middle Ages is the fact that at that time the knowledge of the Western quarter of the globe was lost to Europe. There was indeed always an inner connection, especially between Ireland and England, and the territory now called America. A certain connection was always kept up between Europe and the West, and only in the century following the “discovery of America,” intercourse with that continent was forbidden by a Papal document (of course it was not called ‘America’ then). This connection with America only ceased with its so-called ‘discovery’ by a Spaniard, but outer history is so inaccurate that people are under the impression that in Europe America was not known at all before the year 1492. Almost everyone believes this. Many similar facts can be brought forward which Spiritual Science has to make valid from its own sources. We are standing at a turning point in time when historical life must be considered from the aspect of Spiritual Science.
Someone might ask: If Spiritual Science as we understand it can only unfold in our time, how then was it in earlier times?
When we look back into earlier times, we find something different, something comparable with what in Spiritual Science is called Imaginations; we find myths and legends, and from their forces, which were pictures, impulses could be derived; even political impulses, which were more real, more in accordance with facts, than the abstract teaching of modern history, social economy, and so forth. It is not necessary to understand in abstract ideas what holds people together and makes the conditions of communal life. In earlier times this was brought to expression in myths. We to-day can no longer produce myths; we must come to Imaginations, and with these comprehend historical life, and from that again coin political impulses which will be truly different from the fantastic impulses of which so many dream to-day, which are, as we might say, impulses of the schoolmaster.
It is certainly very difficult to tell people that historical life is something which, as regards the ordinary ideas, runs its course in the subconsciousness; but on the other hand, this hidden life of mankind knocks at the door of events, at the door indeed of all human impulses. It may be said—as the Zurich lectures have shown—that everywhere to-day one would like to meet this pursuit of knowledge, which also aims at the spirit, though with wholly inadequate means. In Zurich we made acquaintance with psycho-analysis, the analytical psychology, already qualified as academical; and, connected with those very lectures, the most remarkable discussions have taken place on psycho-analysis in relation to anthroposophical Spiritual Science. The psycho-analyst, however, comes to the world of Spiritual Science spiritually blindfold, and can find nothing in it. Yet this world raps at the door which ought now to be opened to man.
In Zurich there is a professor named Jung, who has quite recently written another pamphlet on psycho-analysis and the many problems connected with it. He is the author of many works on the subject: he shows, however, that he can only lay hold of it with inadequate means. One fact will show what is meant. Jung brings forward an example cited by the greater number of psychoanalysts.
The following happened to a woman. She was invited to an evening party. As soon as supper was over, her hostess, not being very well, was to start for one of the spas. Supper came to an end and the hostess started, the guests leaving with her. They walked, as people sometimes do on leaving an evening party, not on the pavement, but in the middle of the road. Presently a cab came round the corner. The guests all beat a retreat to the pavement, except the lady of the story, who ran to the middle of the road just in front of the horse; the driver shouted at her, but she ran on until she came to a bridge across a river. Then, in order to escape from this unpleasant situation, she decided to throw herself from the bridge into the river. This she did, and was rescued by the guests, who ran after her, and the house where the party had been held being the nearest, she was taken back there. She met there her hostess's husband and spent a few hours with him.
Let us reflect what a man with insufficient data can make of such an occurrence. If he approaches the matter with the methods of the psycho-analyst, he discovers those mysterious provinces in the soul which tell us that this soul, in the seventh year of her life, had an experience with horses, so that the sight of the cab horses called up an earlier experience from her subconsciousness and so bewildered the lady that she did not spring to the side but ran on before the cab. Thus to the psycho-analyst, the whole transaction is the result of the connection of a present experience with ‘unsolved riddles of the soul,’ from the domain of education, and so forth. This is a pursuit of the subject with inadequate means, because the psycho-analyst does not know that the subconscious ruling in man has more real existence than is supposed; it is also much more subtle and much more clever than anything man gets from his conscious intellect. This subconsciousness is often much braver and more determined. The psycho-analyst does not know that a ‘daimon’ dwelt in the soul of this lady who started out, from the first, with the unconscious intention of being alone with the husband after his wife had started on her journey. This was all arranged in the most subtle manner by the subconsciousness, for one does everything with far greater certainty if the consciousness has nothing to do with it. The lady ran before the horse simply in order to be intercepted when matters had reached a certain point; and she conducted herself to that end. Into these things the psycho-analyst does not penetrate because he does not suppose that there is a spiritual psychic world everywhere, to which the human soul stands in relation. Jung, however, has some inkling of this. From innumerable things that appear before him, he divines that the human soul stands in relation to numberless others. Still he must remain a materialist, or cease to be one of the clever men of the day. What then does he do? He says that the human soul stands everywhere in connection with spiritual facts outside itself (this is shown, he said, by the things which take place within), it is in connection with super-psychic, spiritual facts. But as a materialist he cannot admit the existence of these facts and therefore falls back upon the following theory:—The soul has a body, derived from other bodies which again are derived from others. Then there is heredity, and Jung construes that the soul in accordance with that conforms to all that has been experienced in relation to the heathen Gods, for instance. Through inheritance these experiences remain in the soul, creating an ‘isolated province of the soul,’ which only needs to be questioned if man desires to be rid of it. Jung even conceives that it is necessary for the human soul to have connection with this isolated province, and that it ruins the nervous system if it is not drawn up into the consciousness. Therefore he enunciates the proposition, which is quite justifiable according to the modern philosophy of life; that unless the soul is in relation to a divine being, it must inwardly perish. He is just as sure of this as he is that there is no divine being at all. The question of the relation of the human soul to God has not the least connection with the question of the existence of God in his mind.
So it is written in his book. Let us think what is really under consideration. It is scientifically proved that the human soul must construct a relation to God, but it is equally certain that it would be foolish to assume the existence of a God. Thus the soul for its own health is condemned to invent a God for itself. Pretend that there is a God, or thou wilt be ill! That is actually stated in the book.
We see from this what great enigmatic problems knock at the door, and how the present time opposes these things. If men were courageous enough, this truth would gradually come to be perceived to-day, but they are not so courageous. I do not say all this in hostility to Jung, for I believe he is more courageous in his thinking than all the others. He says what he has to say according to the assumptions of the present. Others do not say it; they have less courage.
We must reflect on all these things in order to understand the real meaning of the statement, ‘Spiritual science brings forward a truth such as: What takes place in the historical life of man, and consequently in the life of political impulses, has nothing to do with the ordinary consciousness, it can have nothing to do with it; but can only be understood and applied through imaginative consciousness.’ We might even say as regards the most distinctive representatives of the anti-social historic conception, that President Wilson's view must be replaced by an imaginative knowledge of the truth. And Wilson's ideas are very widespread (far more people are of his way of thinking than is supposed). Names are of no moment, only the facts under which men live are of consequence. I may be allowed to be somewhat outspoken about Wilson, because in the course of lectures given in Helsingfors before the war, already then I pronounced my judgment of him and did not need to wait for the war to learn of what spirit he is who sits on the throne of America. At that time fulsome praise of Woodrow Wilson could be heard everywhere; it has not long ceased. The world is now very much wiser, and knows that the man who now occupies the throne of America drafted his most powerful republican document from one issued by the late Emperor of Brazil, Don Pedro, in 1864. Wilson copied this exactly except that the passage, ‘I must intervene in the interests of South America’ is altered to ‘I must intervene in the interests of the United States of America,’ etc., with the necessary recasting.
When in their time Wilson's two books, The New Freedom and Mere Literature appeared in our own country, there was no less fulsome praise. This was only about five or six years ago. In this matter of Wilson's influence people have certainly learned a few things; but as regards many other things they could only be learnt from the incisive events of the present time. For this reason it is necessary that many things which can only flourish on the ground of spiritual scientific cognition, should be taken very earnestly. People lightly reproach anthroposophical Spiritual Science as being merely ‘theoretical;’ and concerning itself with cosmic evolution rather than with love. They do not see that cosmic evolution is the expression of love, but prefer to talk of ‘love,’ of universal love, of how and what man should love, and they have been talking thus thousands of years. Many do not understand that at the present time the fruition of love is to be comprehended through the study of cosmic evolution. Let us for a few moments allow Spiritual Science to take hold of the human soul, and we shall see how love will arise in the human heart. Love cannot be preached; it grows if properly cultivated; it is a child of the spirit. Even among men it is a child of true knowledge—knowledge reaching to the spirit, not to matter only.
In this introductory lecture I have wished to do no more than indicate a few perceptions which will be very significant at this period. All that can awaken power, courage, and hope in the human soul is to be reviewed in these lectures, and I should like especially to speak of all the gifts mankind can receive from Spiritual Science, other than those which have been given during past centuries. I should like to speak of Spiritual Science as something living, as something which is no theory, but which brings to birth in us a second man, a spiritual man who bears and maintains the other in the world. I believe above all that the, present time needs this. There was a time, in the Middle Ages, when many had a fantastic longing to make gold. Why did they wish to make gold? They wanted something which may not be realised under ordinary earthly conditions. Why? Because they perceived that ordinary earthly conditions, unless spiritualised and permeated by spiritual impulses, cannot give man any true satisfaction. In the end that is the content of the teaching of the Gospels also, only people usually overlook the most important points; they criticise the view of the Gospels that the Kingdom of God has come; yet is it not present? It is, but not to outward appearances. It must be understood inwardly. It must not be denied, as is done in our time. We shall speak of this descent of the Kingdom of the Spirit in our next lecture.
To-day I only wished to strike the keynote. Our epoch is directed to build the bridge to the kingdom in which the dead are living. The number of those now passed through the gate of death can be reckoned by millions. They live among us and we can find them. The way in which we can find them will be discussed from another point of view.
Erster Vortrag
Meine lieben Freunde, ich brauche wohl nicht zu sagen, daß es mir eine große Freude sein muß, daß ich in dieser schweren, prüfungsreichen Zeit wieder hier mit Ihnen zusammen sein darf. Und da wir jetzt hier nach langer Zeit zum ersten Male wieder uns über Gegenstände der Geisteswissenschaft besprechen können, so wird es uns besonders naheliegen, in dieser schweren Zeit zu gedenken, wie Geisteswissenschaft fern sein soll davon, bloße Theorie zu sein, wie sie vielmehr sein soll ein substantieller, fester Halt, der da zusammenbindet die Seelen der Menschen, zusammenbindet nicht nur die Seelen derjenigen Menschen, die hier auf dem physischen Plane sind, sondern mit diesen auch die Seelen derjenigen, die in den geistigen Welten leben. Dies liegt uns so nahe, besonders in dieser Zeit, da ungezählte Seelen den physischen Plan verlassen haben unter Umständen, von denen wir so oft gesprochen haben, in dieser Zeit, da so viele Seelen draußen den schwersten Prüfungen, die vielleicht die Weltgeschichte bisher überhaupt Menschen auferlegt hat, ausgesetzt sind. Absehend von den allgemeinen Vorstellungen, welche durch unsere Seelen am Beginne dieser Vorträge hier und an andern Orten fließen, sei es heute einmal in individueller Form versucht, unsere Gefühle, unsere Empfindungen hinzulenken zu denjenigen, die draußen stehen, wie auch zu denjenigen, die schon in dieser Ereignisse Folge durch des Todes Pforte gegangen sind.
Die Ihr wachet über Erdenseelen,
Die Ihr webet an den Erdenseelen,
Geister, die Ihr über Menschenseelen schützend
Aus der Weltenweisheit liebend wirkt,
Höret unsre Bitte,
Schauet unsre Liebe,
Die mit Euren helfenden Kräftestrahlen
Sich einen möchten
Geist-ergeben, Liebe sendend!
Und mit Bezug auf die, welche in dieser Zeit bereits durch die Todespforte gegangen sind:
Die Ihr wachet über Sphärenseelen,
Die Ihr webet an den Sphärenseelen,
Geister, die Ihr über Seelenmenschen schützend
Aus der Weltenweisheit liebend wirkt,
Höret unsre Bitte,
Schauet unsre Liebe,
Die mit Euren helfenden Kräfteströmen
Sich einen möchten
Geist-erahnend, Liebe strahlend!
Und der Geist, dem wir uns zu nahen suchen durch die Jahre schon durch die von uns angestrebte Geist-Erkenntnis, der zu der Erde Heil, zu der Menschheit Freiheit und Fortschritt durch das Mysterium von Golgatha gehen wollte, Er sei mit Euch und Euren schweren Pflichten! 1Die vorangehenden Gedenkworte wurden während des Krieges in dieser oder ähnlicher Weise von Rudolf Steiner vor jedem von ihm innerhalb der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft gehaltenen Vortrag in den vom Kriege betroffenen Ländern gesprochen.
Vielleicht wird die schwere Zeit der Prüfungen, in denen die Menschheit steht, doch eine solche sein, welche immer mehr und mehr die Bedeutung geistiger Vertiefung den Menschenseelen nahelegt; dann wird diese schwere Zeit der Prüfungen nicht umsonst an dieser Gegenwart und für die Zukunft für die Menschheit vorübergegangen sein. Man hat nur heute das Gefühl - und diese Dinge werden ja nicht ausgesprochen, um irgendeine Kritik zu üben an irgend jemandem, sondern gerade um zu appellieren an die rechten und richtigen Gefühle -—, man hat das Gefühl, daß die Zeit noch nicht gekommen ist, in der die Menschen von der Schwere der gegenwärtigen Zeitereignisse genügend gelernt haben. Man hat das Gefühl, daß immer noch deutlicher und deutlicher aus dem Geiste der Zeit heraus zu den Menschenseelen, zu den Menschenherzen gesprochen werden muß. Denn es sind ja nicht Menschenstimmen allein, die heute sprechen können; es sind die Stimmen, die geheimnisvoll herausklingen aus den schwerwiegenden und außer ihrem Schwerwiegenden so bedeutungsvollen Tatsachen.
Es steht mir das Ganze, das ich heute, ich möchte sagen, wie stammelnd und ungenügend zu Ihnen sprechen kann, insbesondere deshalb vor Augen, weil mir die diesmalige schweizerische Reise gar manches gerade mit Bezug auf das Verhältnis unserer Geistesbewegung zu den Aufgaben der Zeit gezeigt hat. Wer jenen Vortragszyklus aufmerksam gelesen hat, den ich vor dem Kriege in Wien gehalten habe über die Erlebnisse des Menschen zwischen dem Tode und einer neuen Geburt und über dasjenige, was dort an Beziehungen zum menschlichen Leben überhaupt auseinandergesetzt werden konnte, der weiß, wie damals vor dem Kriege auf die tieferen Ursachen, die tieferen Grundlagen der nachher so furchtbar sich auslebenden Zeitereignisse hingewiesen worden ist. Und man darf sagen, alles was man so zwischen den Zeilen des Lebens jetzt erfahren kann, ist eigentlich nach außen hin als ein lebendiger Beweis für die Richtigkeit des damals Gesagten aufzufassen. Mit einem radikalen Wort wurde damals, ich möchte sagen, die allgemeine Krankheit der Zeit bezeichnet, wie Sie wissen. Man merkt schon hie und da, daß nun einiges von den großen Ereignissen gelernt worden ist. Allein, man merkt andererseits auch klar und deutlich, gerade wenn man Einzelheiten scheinbar unbedeutender Dinge im Zusammenhange betrachtet, wie unbeweglich im Laufe der letzten Jahrhunderte das menschliche Denken auf dem physischen Plan geworden ist, wie langsam die Menschen in irgendwelche Entschlüsse, in irgendwelche Maßnahmen, die sie treffen sollen, hineinkommen. Ich möchte heute einleitungsweise von einigem zu Ihnen sprechen, das gerade im Laufe dieser Schweizer Reise erlebt werden konnte, weil es, wie mich dünkt, notwendig ist, daß diejenigen, die sich für unsere Bewegung interessieren, auch im Bilde ihres ganzen Zusammenhanges ein wenig drinnenstehen können. Nur einzelnes aber, aphoristisch, soll vorgebracht werden.
Als ein besonders befriedigendes Ereignis durfte es betrachtet werden, daß während meiner diesmaligen Anwesenheit in der Schweiz sich aus den Kreisen jüngerer Akademiker der Zürcher Hochschule Leute gefunden haben, die einen Vortragszyklus von mir in Zürich gerade so gestalten wollten, daß er die Fäden zieht zu den verschiedenen akademischen Wissenschaften. Ich habe dann vier Vorträge in Zürich gehalten, von denen der erste das Verhältnis der anthroposophischen Geisteswissenschaft zur Psychologie, zur Seelenwissenschaft behandelte, der zweite das Verhältnis dieser Geisteswissenschaft zur Geschichte, der dritte das Verhältnis der Geisteswissenschaft zur Naturwissenschaft, und der vierte ihr Verhältnis zur Sozialwissenschaft, zu den großen sozialen, juristischen Völkerproblemen unserer Zeit. Man geht vielleicht nicht fehl, wenn man - zwar selbstverständlich in weitem Abstande von demjenigen, was man gerne wünschen möchte — damals doch ein gewisses Interesse für dieses Fädenziehen zu den akademischen Wissenschaften sehen konnte. Es konnte ja gezeigt werden, daß die akademischen Wissenschaften überall auf diejenige Ergänzung warten, man könnte auch sagen, auf diejenige Erfüllung warten, die nur von seiten der anthroposophisch orientierten Geisteswissenschaft kommen kann, und daß die Teilwissenschaften der Gegenwart Halbheiten, vielleicht sogar Viertelheiten bleiben, wenn sie diese Ergänzung nicht haben können. Nirgends, wo es mir gestattet war, in der Schweiz Vorträge zu halten, habe ich versäumt, überall durchblicken zu lassen, was eigentlich nach dieser Richtung hin unserer Gegenwart fehlt, und was diese unsere Gegenwart erlangen muß, um es den Tendenzen, die sie in eine richtige Zukunft hinüberführen, einzuverleiben. Man kann sagen, daß man immerhin empfinden konnte, daß, nachdem in der Schweiz anfänglich ein starker, kurios starker Widerstand gegen unsere Bestrebungen vorhanden war, in der letzten Zeit allmählich - und gewiß ist der Widerstand nicht geringer geworden, ist sogar stärker geworden — neben dem Widerstande sich ein regeres Interesse entwickelte; und es könnte schon sein, da ja das Karma unseren Bau in die Schweiz gebracht hat, daß gerade das Wirken in diesem Lande eine große Bedeutung haben könnte. Insbesondere wenn es so gestaltet wird, wie ich mich bemühte, es zu gestalten: daß unser Wirken Zeugnis ablegt auch zugleich für jene Quellen geisteswissenschaftlicher Forschungen, die in vieler Beziehung leider ungehoben und unbeachtet gerade im deutschen Geistesleben verborgen sind. Dies ist ein Gefühl, das einen heute auf der einen Seite sogar mit einer gewissen Wehmut und in tragischer Weise berührt, auf der andern Seite auch gewiß mit tiefer Befriedigung. Man kann ja sagen: Wer das ganze Gewicht der Tatsache ins Auge faßt, daß mit allem übrigen auch dieses deutsche Geistesleben gegenwärtig von vier Fünfteln der Welt wie sie sich selbst brüsten - verketzert, wirklich verketzert wird, wer sich das ganze Schwerwiegende dieser Tatsache vor Augen hält was man nicht immer tut -, der wird auf der einen Seite wehmütige, auf der andern Seite befriedigende Hoffnungen darauf setzen können, daß vielleicht gerade von seiten der anthroposophisch orientierten Geisteswissenschaft auch nach dem Außen der Welt wieder die Möglichkeit geboten sein wird, diesem deutschen Geistesleben jene Stimme zu verschaffen, die es haben muß, wenn nicht der Entwickelung der Erde Schaden geschehen soll. Man findet und wird immer finden die Möglichkeit, zu allen Menschen, ohne Unterschied der Nationalität, zu sprechen, wenn man den Menschen im wahren Sinne vom Geist spricht, das heißt, wenn man von den wahren Quellen des Geisteslebens zu ihnen spricht.
Wehmütig könnte es auch stimmen, daß, indem man auf der einen Seite sieht, daß diese geisteswissenschaftlichen Bestrebungen einigen Boden gewinnen, auf der andern Seite deutlich zutage tritt, wie auch ein solches Land wie die Schweiz es immer schwieriger und schwieriger hat, sich noch aufrechtzuerhalten gegenüber dem, was heute anstürmt. Es ist nicht leicht, gegenüber dem Druck von vier Fünfteln der Welt sich irgendein freies Urteil zu gestalten; und es ist nicht leicht, selbst die Worte zu finden, um in einem solchen Lande - das zwar ein neutrales ist, in dem aber die vier Fünftel der Welt doch eine bedeutende Rolle spielen - alles das zu sagen, was gesagt werden muß. Die Verhältnisse der Welt haben sich eben sehr zugespitzt.
Nun kommt uns auf diesem Boden allerdings zugute, daß das bloße Wort, die bloße Lehre dort gerade unterstützt wird durch die Formen und Schöpfungen unseres Dornacher Baues, der ja auch vor das äußere Auge das hinstellt, was unsere Geisteswissenschaft will, und damit zeigen kann, daß diese Geisteswissenschaft schon da, wo man sie ins praktische Leben eingreifen läßt, wo man sie nicht brutal zurück weist, fähig ist, das Leben, das in der Gegenwart so große Anforderungen an den Menschen stellt, zu meistern und zu handhaben.
Wenn man heute über das Verhältnis zwischen der anthroposophisch orientierten Geisteswissenschaft und dem andern Wissen und Wollen der Welt spricht, so handelt es sich ja darum, daß man wirklich ganz neue, ungewohnte Vorstellungen an die Menschen heranbringen muß. Die Menschen sind im allgemeinen in den Untergründen ihres Bewußtseins ganz dunkel davon überzeugt, daß von da oder dort irgend etwas Neues kommen müsse. Aber sie sind auch unerhört unelastisch in bezug auf ihr Denken, unerhört langsam im Aufnehmen. Man kann schon sagen: Ein Grundzug ist in unserer schnellebigen Zeit der, daß die Menschen so furchtbar langsam denken. In Kleinigkeiten tritt einem das entgegen. In Zürich ist es zustande gekommen, daß die Fäden anthroposophischer Geisteswissenschaft zu den akademischen Wissenschaften gezogen werden konnten. In Basel habe ich öffentlich früher gesprochen als in Zürich. Kurze Zeit, bevor ich von der Schweiz wieder abreisen mußte, kam auch von Basel die Aufforderung an mich heran, ganz innerhalb eines akademischen Zusammenhanges über die Beziehungen der anthroposophischen Geisteswissenschaft zu den andern Wissenschaften zu sprechen. Aber es war natürlich zu spät, so daß der Sache nicht mehr nähergetreten werden konnte. — Ich erwähne dies aus zwei Gründen: erstens, weil es eine große Wichtigkeit gehabt hätte, unmittelbar in einem nur der akademischen Wissenschaft gewidmeten Raume, veranstaltet von der Basler Studentenschaft, von unserer Geisteswissenschaft zu sprechen; auf der andern Seite erwähne ich es deshalb, weil die Leute so langsam waren, daß sie erst vor Toresschluß kamen. Es ist ein Charakteristikon, daß die Menschen immer vor Toresschluß sich zu dem entschließen, wozu Elastizität des Denkens, die Fähigkeit, schnell aufzunehmen, früher führen könnte. Es ist ja notwendig, diese Dinge unter uns zu besprechen, damit wir uns nach ihnen richten können. Man braucht heute nur eines dieser Themen ins Auge zu fassen, von denen ich in der letzten Zeit gesprochen habe, so wird man das Bedeutsame, das zu geschehen hat, schon sehen.
Ich habe in Zürich unter anderem auch gesprochen über die Fäden, die zu ziehen sind zwischen der anthroposophisch orientierten Geisteswissenschaft und der Geschichtswissenschaft, dem geschichtlichen Leben der Menschheit. Wir haben ja heute eine Geschichte. Sie wird gelehrt, wird gelehrt den Kindern, wird gelehrt den Akademikern. Aber was ist diese Geschichte? Sie ist etwas, was nicht einmal eine Ahnung hat von den Kräften, die im geschichtlichen Leben der Menschheit walten, aus dem einfachen Grunde, weil das ganze intellektuelle Leben von heute darauf ausgeht, den Verstand des Menschen in Bewegung zu setzen; die gewöhnlichen, sogenannten vollbewußten Begriffe und Ideen in Bewegung zu setzen und von da aus alles zu verstehen.
Ja, so kann man die äußere sinnenfällige Natur verstehen, so kann man jenes Denken verstehen, das so große Triumphe auf dem naturwissenschaftlichen Felde erlebte; aber indem man dieses Denken auf die Geschichte anwandte, hat man die Geschichte zu einer Naturwissenschaft machen wollen. Man hat sich im 19. Jahrhundert bemüht, die Geschichte so zu betrachten, wie man in der Naturwissenschaft die sinnenfälligen Dinge betrachtet. Das ist jedoch eine Unmöglichkeit, aus dem einfachen Grunde, weil die geschichtlichen Tatsachen zum Leben in einem ganz andern Verhältnisse stehen als die naturwissenschaftlichen. Was halten die Menschen im geschichtlichen Leben sich vor Augen? Welches sind die geschichtlichen Impulse?
Wer da glaubt, die geschichtlichen Impulse mit jenem Verstande auffassen zu können, der in der Naturwissenschaft ganz gut angewendet werden kann, der trifft nie die geschichtlichen Impulse, denn diese wirken in der menschlichen Entwickelung so wie die Träume in unserem eigenen Traumleben. Die geschichtlichen Impulse wirken nicht herein in das gewöhnliche Bewußtsein, mit dem wir den Alltag oder die Naturwissenschaft beherrschen; sondern was in der Geschichte geschieht, das wirkt als solche Impulse, wie das, was nur in unser Traumleben hereinspielt. Man kann sagen, geschichtliches Werden ist ein großer Traum der Menschheit. Aber was in die Träume hineinspielt als hinhuschende Bilder, es wird klar und deutlich in den Imaginationen der Geisteswissenschaft. Daher gibt es keine Geschichte, die nicht eine Geisteswissenschaft ist; und die Geschichte, die heute gelehrt wird, ist keine Geschichte.
Herman Grimm ist es aufgefallen, daß der Geschichtsschreiber Gibbon, als er die ersten Zeiten der christlichen Zeitrechnung schildert, nur den Untergang des Römischen Reiches schildert, nicht das allmähliche Heraufkommen des Christentums, sein Wachsen und Gedeihen. Aber Herman Grimm wußte natürlich den Grund nicht, weshalb ein guter Geschichtsschreiber jedenfalls einen Verfall gut schildern kann, nicht. aber ein Wachsen und Werden. Der Grund ist der, daß auf die Art, wie man heute geschichtlich begreifen will, nur das begriffen werden kann, was zugrunde geht, nicht das, was wird, nicht das, was wächst. Das lebt in die Menschenentwickelung sich so hinein, wie sich sonst Träume in das individuelle Leben hineinleben. Daher kann es nur von dem geschildert werden, der Imaginationen haben kann. Und wer nicht Imaginationen haben kann, der mag ein Ranke, der mag ein Lamprecht sein: er schildert nur den Leichnam der Geschichte, nicht das Wirkliche des geschichtlichen Werdens. Denn die Impulse des geschichtlichen Werdens werden vom Bewußtsein nur geträumt; und versucht es das gewöhnliche Bewußtsein, das, was geschichtlich wird, aufzufassen, so kann es dies nur auffassen, wenn es schon im Unterbewußtsein ist.
Auch die neuere Zeit bietet uns interessante Beispiele dafür. Wer diese neuere Zeit verfolgte, hat gesehen, wie in den letzten Jahrzehnten das Interesse der Menschen für große Fragen des Weltzusammenhanges mehr oder weniger ganz erstorben oder verakademisiert worden ist — was fast gleichbedeutend mit Ersterben ist -, verschulmäßigt worden ist, ja, verschulmäßigt worden ist. Es ist ein tiefer Zusammenhang zwischen dem Verschulmäßigen der Zeit und der Tatsache, daß ein Schulmeister gegenwärtig an der Spitze der bedeutendsten Republik die Parole für die Menschheit ausgeben will. — Wenn man sich fragt: Wo war in den letzten Jahrzehnten Sinn für große Menschheitszusammenhänge, für Ideen, welche, man möchte sagen, eine Art religiösen Charakter hatten, wenn auch einen brutal religiösen Charakter, während alles andere mehr oder weniger im Sterben war, wo war so etwas? - so kann man doch sagen, wenn man die Verhältnisse richtig durchschaut: Es war beim Sozialismus. — Da waren Ideen, aber Ideen, die sich niemals auf das geistige Leben richteten, die sich nur auf das brutal materielle Leben richteten. Aber es stand leider diesen Ideen keine andere Welt von Ideen gegenüber. Kennt man nun das, was da an Ideen des Sozialismus an die Oberfläche getreten ist, so findet man: Es sind gewissermaßen geschichtliche Ideen, es sind Träume der Menschheit. Aber was für Träume? Man muß einen Sinn haben für dieses Geträumtwerden der geschichtlichen Ereignisse der Menschheit. Ich versuchte es in den Vorträgen in der Schweiz in der Weise den Leuten klarzumachen, daß ich sagte: Man versuche nur einmal, diejenigen Leute, die sehr gescheit sind, die aber gar nicht Verständnis haben für das, was ich jetzt Traumimpulse nenne, zu lenkenden und führenden Persönlichkeiten zu machen; man wird sehen, wie weit man kommt. — Man versuche es nur einmal damit, die Frage praktisch zu beantworten: Wie kann man ein Gemeinwesen — so sagte ich, auch im öffentlichen Vortrage - so schnell als möglich systematisch zugrunde richten? — Man ordne die Sache so an, daß man ein Parlament über dieses Gemeinwesen setzt und in dieses Parlament lauter Gelehrte und Professoren hineinbringt: das ist ein sicheres Mittel, um ein Gemeinwesen systematisch zugrunde zu richten. Es brauchen nicht angestellte Professoren zu sein, es können auch sozialistische Führer sein, unter denen ja die Bewegung genügend Professoren hat. Man muß für solche Dinge eine Empfindung haben, dann wird man sich sagen: Wie ist eigentlich diese ganze umfassende "Theorie des Sozialismus gekommen? Wollte man die sozialistischen Theorien — vielleicht wird die Menschheit heute einen traurigen Beweis dafür im Osten erleben können, wenn sie nicht früher aufhört und versucht, sie weiterzuführen —- in die Wirklichkeit überführen, so würden sie nur zerstören können. Wie ist es gekommen, daß diese sozialistischen Ideen in den Köpfen der Menschen Platz gegriffen haben? Was sind sie eigentlich, diese Theorien?
Wer dies wissen will, der muß von innen heraus die Geschichte der vier letzten Jahrhunderte kennen, insbesondere aber die des 18. und des 19. Jahrhunderts. Er muß wissen, daß das, was Geschichte der letzten vier Jahrhunderte ist, etwas ganz anderes ist als dasjenige, was in den Geschichtsbüchern steht; er muß wissen, daß die Geschichte der vier letzten Jahrhunderte, und namentlich die der zwei letzten, wirklich ein Bild menschlicher Klassen- und Standeskämpfe ist. Und Karl Marx zum Beispiel hat nichts anderes getan als dasjenige, was die Menschheit im Laufe der vier oder der zwei letzten Jahrhunderte geträumt hat, was wirklich da war, was aber jetzt ausgeträumt ist und einer neuen Zeit Platz machen muß, in dem Moment, als es schon ausgeträumt war, als Theorie aufzustellen. Der Sozialismus, der in seinen Theorien aufgestellt wurde in dem Augenblick, als die Tatsache bereits verträumt war, zeigt, daß der Verstand das schon Zugrundegegangene, das schon Leichnam Gewordene braucht, wenn er sich mit denjenigen Erkenntnismitteln an die Sache macht, die zum Beispiel in der Naturwissenschaft ganz gut gelten können. Man wird gerade aus solchen Erkenntnissen heraus einsehen müssen, daß jetzt die Welt an einem Zeitenwendepunkte ‚wirklich steht, wo sie in der Auffassung des geschichtlichen Werdens der Menschheit — und die Gegenwart ist ja auch geschichtlich geworden, und wenn man in die Zukunft hineinlebt, lebt man auch in geschichtliches Werden hinein — umlernen muß; man wird einsehen müssen, daß dieses geschichtliche Werden nicht anders zu verstehen ist, als daß man es geisteswissenschaftlich versteht. Man bekommt ja nicht einmal ein richtiges Bild der allerjüngsten Ereignisse, wenn man die Geisteswissenschaft außer acht läßt. Ich will Ihnen ein Beispiel nennen, das ich in der letzten Zeit öfter angeführt habe.
Ein wichtiges Ereignis, das zwischen den Zeilen des europäischen Lebens im Mittelalter sich zugetragen hat — wir sind ja hier unter uns, können daher solche Sachen sagen, trotzdem die draußen stehende Menschheit öfter über derartiges lacht; aber sie wird nicht immer lachen -, ist dasjenige, daß im Laufe des Mittelalters die Kunde, das Wissen vom westlichen Weltteil der europäischen Menschheit verlorengegangen ist. Es waren ja immer Verbindungen vorhanden, besonders zwischen Irland und England und demjenigen Gebiete, das man heute Amerika nennt. Von Irland und England aus sind immer gewisse Verbindungen nach Westen gepflogen worden, und erst in dem Jahrhunderte, in dem dann die sogenannte Entdeckung Amerikas erfolgt ist, ist noch durch eine päpstliche Urkunde verboten worden, sich mit Amerika zu beschäftigen. Natürlich hat es damals nicht «Amerika» geheißen. Der Zusammenhang mit Amerika ist eigentlich erst in dem Zeitpunkt geschwunden, als die sogenannte Entdeckung Amerikas durch die Spanier erfolgt ist; aber die äußere Geschichte ist so undeutlich, daß eigentlich heute die Menschen das Gefühl haben, man habe in Europa vor dem Jahre 1492 Amerika überhaupt nicht gekannt. Das glauben ja fast alle Leute. Und ähnliche Tatsachen, welche die Geisteswissenschaft aus ihren Quellen heraus geltend machen müßte, könnten viele angeführt werden. Wir stehen heute eben vor einem Zeitenwendepunkt, in dem gerade das geschichtliche Leben unter dem Gesichtspunkte der Geisteswissenschaft betrachtet werden muß. Man wird nun vielleicht sagen: Da aber Geisteswissenschaft, so wie wir sie betrachten, doch eigentlich erst in unserer Zeit aufgehen kann, wie steht es denn dann mit früheren Zeiten?
Wenn wir in frühere Zeiten zurückgehen, dann finden wir etwas anderes, das gewissermaßen sich schon messen kann mit dem, was wir heute die Imaginationen der Geisteswissenschaft nennen; wir finden den Mythos, die Sagen, und aus der Kraft des Mythos, aus der Kraft der Sage, die Bilder waren, konnten wahrhaftig realere, wirklichkeitsgemäßere — auch politische — Impulse genommen werden als aus den abstrakten Lehren der heutigen: Geschichte oder Sozialökonomie oder dergleichen. Denn was Menschen zusammenhält, was das Zusammenleben der Menschen bedingt, es braucht nicht in abstrakten Begriffen aufgefaßt zu werden. Im Mythos wurde es früher zum Ausdruck gebracht. Nun, wir können heute nicht wieder Mythen dichten, wir müssen eben zu Imaginationen kommen und mit Imaginationen das geschichtliche Leben erfassen und daraus wieder politische Impulse prägen, die wahrhaftig anders sein werden als die phantastischen Impulse, von denen heute so viele Menschen träumen, oder wie wir sagen wollen: als die schulmeisterlichen Impulse.
Es ist heute gewiß schwierig, den Menschen noch zu sagen: Das geschichtliche Leben ist etwas, was eigentlich dem gewöhnlichen Vorstellen gegenüber im Unterbewußtsein verläuft. Aber auf der andern Seite pocht dieses dem Menschen verborgene Leben gar sehr an die Pforten der Ereignisse, an die Pforte der menschlichen Impulse überhaupt. Man kann sagen — gerade bei den Zürcher Vorträgen hat sich das gezeigt —, man möchte heute überall zusammenkommen mit denjenigen Erkenntnisbestrebungen, die auch zum Geiste hinwollen, aber mit lauter unzulänglichen Mitteln. In Zürich macht man ja insbesondere Bekanntschaft mit der dort bereits akademiefähig gewordenen analytischen Psychologie, der sogenannten Psychoanalyse, und gerade an meine Vorträge haben sich die merkwürdigsten Auseinandersetzungen über die Beziehungen der anthroposophisch orientierten Geisteswissenschaft zur Psychoanalyse angeschlossen. Aber die Psychoanalytiker kommen sozusagen mit geistig verbundenen Augen an diese Welt der Geisteswissenschaft heran, können sich nicht in sie hineinfinden. Aber diese Welt pocht an die Türe desjenigen, was heute den Menschen erschlossen werden soll.
Da ist zum Beispiel in Zürich ein Professor Jung, der erst jüngst wieder eine Broschüre über Psychoanalyse geschrieben hat — er hat viele Schriften darüber verfaßt - und der manches Problem darin berührt; aber er zeigt damit gerade, daß er alles nur mit unzulänglichen Mitteln anpacken kann. Ich will eine Tatsache anführen, aus deren Erwähnung Sie gleich sehen werden, was ich meine. Jung führt ein Beispiel an, das überhaupt viel von den Psychoanalytikern angeführt wird.
Einer Frau passiert das Folgende. Sie ist eines Abends in einer Gesellschaft eingeladen, sie soll in einem Hause zum Abend bleiben. Die Dame des Hauses, wo sie eingeladen ist, soll gleich, nachdem das Abendessen verlaufen ist, in einen Badeort reisen, weil sie nicht ganz gesund ist. Das Abendbrot nimmt seinen Verlauf, die Dame des Hauses fährt ab, die Gäste gehen auch fort. Mit einem Trupp Gäste geht auch die eingeladene Dame, die ich meine. Die Leute gingen, wie man das ja zuweilen zu tun pflegt, wenn man abends aus einer Gesellschaft kommt, nicht auf dem sogenannten Bürgersteig, sondern sie gingen auf der Mitte der Straße. Da kommt auf einmal eine Droschke um eine Ecke gefahren. Die Leute wichen dem Wagen nach den Bürgersteigen hin aus, aber jene erwähnte Dame nicht. Sie lief mitten auf dem Fahrdamm weiter, gerade vor den Pferden vorweg. Der Kutscher schimpfte, aber sie lief immer in derselben Weise weiter, bis sie an eine Brücke kam, die über einen Fluß führte. Da beschloß sie, um dieser unangenehmen Situation zu entgehen, sich über die Brücke in den Fluß zu stürzen. Das tat sie, und sie konnte von den Leuten der Gesellschaft, die ihr nachgelaufen waren, gerade noch gerettet werden. Und weil es nun für die Gesellschaft das Nächstliegende war, wurde sie gerade wieder in das Haus der abgereisten Frau, wo sie herkamen, zurückgebracht. Sie fand dort den Gatten jener abgereisten Dame und konnte in seinem Hause mit ihm einige Stunden zubringen.
Nun denken Sie sich, was ein Mensch mit unzulänglichen Mitteln alles aus einer solchen Begebenheit machen kann. Man findet dann, wenn man nach Art der Psychoanalytiker an die Sache herangeht, jene geheimnisvollen Provinzen in der Seele, die uns davon unterrichten, daß die Seele schon in ihrem siebenten Lebensjahre irgendein Erlebnis gehabt hat, das mit Pferden zusammenhängt, so daß die Frau auf jenem Fortgange aus der Gesellschaft, indem der Anblick der Droschkenpferde jenes frühere Erlebnis aus dem Unterbewußtsein herauftief, dadurch so perplex gemacht worden ist, daß sie nicht zur Seite sprang, sondern vor der Droschke davonlief. So wird für den Psychoanalytiker der ganze Vorgang ein Ergebnis des Zusammenhanges gegenwärtiger Erlebnisse mit «ungelösten Seelenrätseln» aus dem Gebiete der Erziehung und so weiter. Alles dies aber ist ein Verfolgen der Dinge mit unzulänglichen Mitteln, weil der betreffende Psychoanalytiker nicht weiß, daß dieses im Menschen waltende Unterbewußte wesenhafter ist, als er annimmt, daß es sogar auch viel raffinierter und viel gescheiter ist als das, was der Mensch aus seinem bewußten Verstande hat. Auch viel mutiger und viel kühner ist oft dieses Unterbewußtsein. Denn der Psychoanalytiker weiß nur nicht, daß ein Dämon in der Seele jener Frau saß, die weggegangen, ich könnte ebensogut sagen, schon hingegangen ist mit dem unterbewußten Gedanken, allein zu sein mit dem Manne, wenn die Frau abgereist sein wird. Das alles ist veranstaltet mit den raffiniertesten Mitteln des Unterbewußtseins, denn man tut alles viel sicherer, wenn man mit dem Bewußtsein nicht dabei ist. Die Dame lief einfach vor den Rossen einher, um abgefangen zu werden, wenn es so weit ist, und verhielt sich danach. Aber solche Dinge durchschaut der Psychoanalytiker nicht, weil er nicht voraussetzt, daß es überall eine geistig-seelische Welt gibt, zu der die Menschenseele in Beziehung steht. Aber Jung ahnt so etwas. Aus den zahlreichen Dingen, die ihm auftreten, ahnt er, daß die Menschenseele zu zahlreichen andern Seelen in einer Beziehung steht. Aber er muß doch Materialist sein, denn sonst wäre er doch kein gescheiter Mensch der Gegenwart. Was macht er also? Er sagt: Überall steht die Menschenseele - man sieht das an den Dingen, die mit der Menschenseele vorgehen - in Beziehung zu außerseelischen geistigen Tatsachen. — Diese gibt es aber doch nicht! Also wie hilft man sich da? Nun, die Seele hat eben einen Körper, der von andern Körpern abstammt, und diese wieder von andern; dann gibt es eine Vererbung, und Jung konstruiert sich zusammen, daß die Seele vererbungsgemäß alles das nachlebt, was man an Verhältnissen zum Beispiel zu den heidnischen Göttern erlebt hat. Das steckt noch in einem, dutch Vererbung steckt es in einem, und das werden «isolierte Seelenprovinzen», die erst heraufkatechisiert werden müssen, wenn man die Menschenseele davon befreien will. Er sieht es sogar ein, daß es der Menschenseele ein Bedürfnis ist, dazu eine Beziehung zu haben, und daß sie das Nervensystem ruinieren, wenn es nicht heraufgeholt wird ins Bewußtsein. Daher spricht er den Satz aus, der ganz berechtigt ist aus der modernen Weltanschauung heraus: Die Menschenseele kann nicht, ohne daß sie innerlich zugrunde geht, ohne Beziehung zu einem göttlichen Wesen sein. Dies ist ebenso sicher, wie es auf der andern Seite sicher ist, daß es ja ein göttliches Wesen gar nicht gibt. Die Frage nach der Beziehung des menschlichen Seelenwesens zum Gotte hat mit der Frage der Existenz Gottes nicht das geringste zu tun.
So steht es in seinem Buche. Also bedenken wir, was da eigentlich vorliegt: Es wird wissenschaftlich konstatiert, daß die Menschenseele sich ein Verhältnis zu Gott konstruieren muß, daß es aber ebenso sicher ist, daß es töricht wäre, einen Gott anzunehmen; also ist die Seele zu ihrer eigenen Gesundheit verurteilt, sich einen Gott vorzulügen. Lüge dir vor, daß es einen Gott gibt, sonst wirst du krank! das steht eigentlich in dem Buch.
Man sieht aber daraus, daß die großen Rätselprobleme an die Pforten pochen, und daß sich die Gegenwart nur gegen diese Dinge stemmt. Würde man mutig genug sein, so würde auf Schritt und Tritt heute etwas ähnliches zutage treten. Man ist nur nicht mutig genug! Denn ich sage dies alles nicht, um dem Professor Jung etwas am Zeuge zu flicken, sondern weil ich glaube, daß er in seinem Denken schon mutiger ist als alle andern. Er sagt das, was er sagen muß nach den Voraussetzungen der Gegenwart. Die andern sagen es nicht, sie sind noch weniger mutig.
Diese Dinge muß man alle bedenken, wenn man so recht ins Auge fassen will, was es eigentlich heißt, die Geisteswissenschaft kommt mit einer solchen Wahrheit wie dieser: Was im geschichtlichen Leben der Menschheit und folglich auch im Leben der politischen Impulse geschieht, das hat nichts zu tun mit dem gewöhnlichen Bewußtsein, kann nichts zu tun haben mit dem gewöhnlichen Bewußtsein; sondern wirklich verstanden und gehandhabt kann es nur werden, wenn das imaginative Bewußtsein eintreten kann. Man könnte auch mit Beziehung auf den charakteristischsten Vertreter der — wie ich in der letzten Zeit öfter sagte — antisozialen Geschichtsauffassung in der Politik sagen, daß der Wilsonianismus ersetzt werden muß durch ein imaginatives Erkennen der Wirklichkeit. Nur ist der Wilsonianismus sehr verbreitet, und manche Menschen sind Wilsonianer, ohne daß sie es ahnen. Es kommt nicht auf Namen an, sondern auf die Tatsachen, die unter den Menschen leben. Ich kann ja in gewisser Beziehung unbefangener über Wilson sprechen, weil ich immer betonen kann, daß ich in dem schon vor dem Kriege gehaltenen Zyklus in Helsingfors ein Urteil über Wilson abgegeben habe und nicht nötig hatte, durch Woodrow Wilson erst während des Krieges belehrt zu werden, wes Geistes Kind auf dem Throne von Amerika sitzt. - Man könnte aber recht gut nachweisen die lobhudelnden Stimmen, die es überall über Woodrow Wilson gegeben hat und die erst seit gar nicht so langer Zeit verklungen sind. Jetzt weiß man gar viel. Jetzt weiß man sogar, daß dieser Herr, der auf dem 'Throne von Amerika sitzt, zur Abfassung seiner wirksamsten republikanischen Urkunden sich alte Botschaften des seligen Kaisers Dom Pedro von Brasilien vom Jahre 1864 nimmt und die darin enthaltenen Sätze einfach abschreibt, nur daß er an den Stellen, wo Dom Pedro sagte: Ich muß für die Interessen Südamerikas eintreten -, jetzt dafür setzt: Ich muß für die Interessen der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika eintreten — und so weiter, mit der gehörigen Umformung.
Als auch in unserem Territorium seinerzeit die beiden Bücher Wilsons «Die neue Freiheit» und «Nur Literatur» erschienen sind, da waren der lobhudelnden Stimmen nicht weniger; es ist noch nicht lange her, nur so fünf, sechs Jahre. Auf diesem Gebiete des Wilsonianismus haben ja die Menschen einiges gelernt. Aber mit Bezug auf viele andere Dinge wäre es schon notwendig, daß gelernt und gelernt würde von den so tief, tief einschneidenden Ereignissen der Gegenwart. Dazu ist allerdings notwendig, daß manche Dinge sehr ernst genommen würden, die gerade auf dem Grund und Boden der geisteswissenschaftlichen Erkenntnis nur erblühen können. Man klagt ja auch diese anthroposophisch orientierte Geisteswissenschaft sehr leicht an, daß sie theoretisch sei, und hält ihr vor, wie andere Richtungen unmittelbar zu Werke gehen, wie sie nicht die Menschen damit plagen, Weltenentwickelungen begreifen zu sollen, sondern wie sie den Menschen von Liebe sprechen, von allgemeiner Menschenliebe, was man lieben und wie man lieben soll. Nun, Jahrtausende ist in dieser Weise von der Liebe gesprochen worden, wie es auch jetzt wieder viele Leute haben wollen; trotzdem lebt sich die Liebe so aus, wie sie sich jetzt auslebt. Lassen Sie erst einmal eine viel kürzere Zeit Geisteswissenschaft die menschlichen Seelen ergreifen, dann werden Sie sehen, daß diese Geisteswissenschaft, wenn sie die menschlichen Seelen wirklich ergreift, in den menschlichen Herzen schon als Liebe aufgehen wird. Denn Liebe kann nicht gepredigt werden. Liebe kann allein wachsen, wenn sie richtig gepflegt wird. Aber dann wächst sie. Und sie ist ein Kind des Geistes. Sie ist auch beim Menschen ein Kind des wirklichen Erkennens, jenes Erkennens, das nicht auf die bloße Materie geht, sondern das auf den Geist geht.
Damit habe ich heute in einem einleitenden Vortrage nichts anderes tun wollen, als auf einige Empfindungen hinzudeuten, die uns gerade in dieser Zeit vielleicht bedeutsam sein werden. Aber ich habe angedeutet, wie ich es in den nächsten Zweigvorträgen hier halten will. Ich habe gerade alles das zu besprechen, was in der Menschenseele heute Kraft und Mut und Hoffnung erwecken kann. Ich möchte von alledem sprechen, was Geisteswissenschaft anderes der Menschheit geben kann, als was ihr Jahrhunderte gegeben haben, und ich möchte von der Geisteswissenschaft als von etwas Lebendigem sprechen, das in uns nicht Theorie ist, sondern das in uns einen zweiten, einen . geistigen Menschen gebiert, der den andern trägt und hält in der Welt. Und das glaube ich vor allen Dingen, daß es die Gegenwart braucht. Es gab im Mittelalter eine Zeit, Sie kennen sie alle, wo viele Menschen den manchmal sehr phantastischen Drang hatten, Gold zu machen. Warum wollten sie Gold machen? Sie wollten damit etwas, was sich unter den gewöhnlichen irdischen Verhältnissen nicht realisieren läßt. Warum? Weil sie einsahen, daß die gewöhnlichen irdischen Verhältnisse, ohne durchgeistigt zu sein, ohne von den geistigen Impulsen durchzogen zu sein, den Menschen nicht eine wahre Befriedigung geben können. Das ist ja schließlich auch der Inhalt der Lehre des Evangeliums. Nur sehen die Menschen gewöhnlich an dem Wichtigsten vorbei, sie kritisieren die Anschauung der Evangelien, daß das Reich Gottes herabgekommen ist. Ja, aber ist es nicht da? Es ist da! Es ist nur nicht in den äußeren Gebärden. Es muß innerlich ergriffen werden. Es muß nur nicht verleugnet werden, wie es in unserer Zeit verleugnet wird. Und auch von diesem Herabkommen des Reiches des Geistes wollen wir in der nächsten Zeit sprechen.
So wollte ich heute nur, ich möchte sagen, einen Grundton anschlagen. Unsere Zeit ist auch darauf angewiesen — die Zahl derjenigen, die jetzt durch die Todespforte gegangen sind, zählt ja nach Millionen -, die Brücke zu bauen zu dem Reich, in welchem die Toten leben. Sie leben unter uns, und wir können sie finden. Wie wir sie finden können, auch davon wollen wir wieder in einer erneuerten Weise sprechen.
First Lecture
My dear friends, I need hardly say that it is a great pleasure for me to be here with you again in these difficult and trying times. And since we are now able to discuss subjects of spiritual science here for the first time in a long time, it will be particularly natural for us in these difficult times to remember how spiritual science should be far from being mere theory, but rather a substantial, firm foundation that binds together the souls of human beings, binding together not only the souls of those human beings who are here on the physical plane, but also with the souls of those who live in the spiritual worlds. This is so close to our hearts, especially at this time, when countless souls have left the physical plane under circumstances of which we have spoken so often, at this time when so many souls outside are exposed to the most severe trials that world history has perhaps ever imposed on human beings. Leaving aside the general ideas that flow through our souls at the beginning of these lectures here and in other places, let us today, in an individual form, try to direct our feelings and our perceptions toward those who are outside, as well as toward those who have already passed through the gate of death in the wake of these events.
You who watch over earthly souls,
You who weave around earthly souls,
Spirits who protect human souls
From the wisdom of the world with love,
Hear our plea,
See our love,
Which with your helping rays of power
Want to become one
Spirit-devoted, sending love!
And with reference to those who have already passed through the gates of death at this time:
You who watch over the souls of the spheres,
You who weave around the souls of the spheres,
Spirits, who lovingly protect souls
From the wisdom of the worlds,
Hear our plea,
See our love,
Which with your helping rays of energy
Wish to unite
With spirit, radiating love!
And the spirit whom we have sought to approach through the years by striving for spiritual knowledge, who wanted to bring healing to the earth and freedom and progress to humanity through the mystery of Golgotha, may he be with you and your difficult duties! 1The preceding commemorative words were spoken in this or a similar form by Rudolf Steiner during the war before each lecture he gave within the Anthroposophical Society in countries affected by the war.
Perhaps the difficult time of trials in which humanity finds itself will be one that increasingly reveals the importance of spiritual deepening to human souls; then this difficult time of trials will not have passed in vain for the present and for the future of humanity. One has the feeling today—and these things are not said to criticize anyone, but rather to appeal to the right and proper feelings—that the time has not yet come when people have learned enough from the gravity of current events. One has the feeling that it is necessary to speak ever more clearly and distinctly from the spirit of the times to the souls of men, to the hearts of men. For it is not only human voices that can speak today; it is the voices that sound mysteriously from the grave and, beyond their gravity, so meaningful facts.
The whole thing, which I am able to speak to you today, I would say, in a stammering and inadequate manner, is particularly clear to me because my recent trip to Switzerland has shown me many things, especially with regard to the relationship between our spiritual movement and the tasks of the time. Anyone who has carefully read the series of lectures I gave in Vienna before the war on the experiences of human beings between death and a new birth, and on what could be discussed there in relation to human life in general, knows how, before the war, reference was made to the deeper causes, the deeper foundations of the events that subsequently unfolded so terribly. And it can be said that everything that can now be experienced between the lines of life is actually to be understood outwardly as living proof of the truth of what was said at that time. At that time, as you know, a radical word was used to describe the general illness of the time. Here and there, one can already see that some lessons have been learned from the great events. On the other hand, however, it is also clear, especially when one considers the details of seemingly insignificant things in context, how immobile human thinking has become on the physical plane over the last few centuries, how slow people are to come to any decisions or take any measures that they should take. I would like to begin today by telling you about some of the things I experienced during this trip to Switzerland, because I think it is necessary for those who are interested in our movement to have some insight into the whole context. However, I will only mention a few things, in aphoristic form.
It was particularly gratifying that during my stay in Switzerland this time, a group of younger academics from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences wanted to organize a series of lectures in Zurich that would draw connections between the various academic sciences. I then gave four lectures in Zurich, the first of which dealt with the relationship of anthroposophical spiritual science to psychology and soul science, the second with the relationship of this spiritual science to history, the third with the relationship of spiritual science to natural science, and the fourth with its relationship to social science and the great social and legal problems of our time. It is perhaps not wrong to say that at that time there was a certain interest in this connection with the academic sciences, although of course this was far removed from what one might have wished for. It could be shown that the academic sciences everywhere are waiting for that complement, one might even say that fulfillment, which can only come from anthroposophically oriented spiritual science, and that the partial sciences of the present will remain half-measures, perhaps even quarter-measures, if they cannot have this complement. Nowhere where I was permitted to give lectures in Switzerland did I fail to point out what is actually lacking in our present situation in this respect, and what our present situation must attain in order to incorporate the tendencies that will lead it into a proper future. One can say that one could at least sense that, after there was initially strong, curiously strong resistance to our efforts in Switzerland, a more lively interest has gradually developed alongside the resistance in recent times—and the resistance has certainly not diminished, but has even grown stronger—and it could well be, since karma has brought our building to Switzerland, that our work in this country could be of great significance. This is a feeling that today touches one, on the one hand, with a certain melancholy and in a tragic way, and on the other hand, certainly with deep satisfaction. This is a feeling that today touches one on the one hand with a certain melancholy and in a tragic way, but on the other hand also with deep satisfaction. One can say that anyone who considers the full weight of the fact that, along with everything else, German intellectual life is currently being denounced, truly denounced, by four-fifths of the world as they boast of themselves—anyone who considers the full gravity of this fact, which is not always done— will be able to place wistful hopes on the one hand, and satisfying hopes on the other, that perhaps it will be precisely from the anthroposophically oriented spiritual science that the possibility will again be offered to the outside world to give this German spiritual life the voice it must have if the development of the earth is not to be damaged. One can and always will find the possibility of speaking to all people, regardless of nationality, if one speaks to them in the true sense of the spirit, that is, if one speaks to them from the true sources of spiritual life.
It may also be saddening that, while on the one hand these spiritual scientific endeavors are gaining some ground, on the other hand it is becoming increasingly clear that even a country like Switzerland is finding it more and more difficult to maintain its position in the face of what is happening today. It is not easy to form any free judgment in the face of pressure from four-fifths of the world; and it is not easy to find the words to say everything that needs to be said in such a country—which is neutral, but where four-fifths of the world nevertheless play a significant role. The conditions in the world have become very acute.
Now, however, we benefit on this ground from the fact that the mere word, the mere teaching, is supported there precisely by the forms and creations of our Dornach building, which also presents to the outer eye what our spiritual science wants, and can thus show that this spiritual science, where it is allowed to intervene in practical life, where it is not brutally rejected, is capable of master and handle the life that makes such great demands on people in the present.
When we speak today about the relationship between anthroposophically oriented spiritual science and the other knowledge and will of the world, we are really talking about the need to bring completely new and unfamiliar ideas to people. People are generally convinced, deep down in their consciousness, that something new must come from somewhere. But they are also incredibly inflexible in their thinking and incredibly slow to take things in. One could even say that a fundamental characteristic of our fast-paced age is that people think so terribly slowly. This is evident in small things. In Zurich, it became possible to draw connections between anthroposophical spiritual science and the academic sciences. I spoke publicly in Basel earlier than in Zurich. Shortly before I had to leave Switzerland, I received an invitation from Basel to speak in an academic context about the relationship between anthroposophical spiritual science and the other sciences. But it was too late, of course, to go into the matter in any depth. I mention this for two reasons: firstly, because it would have been very important to speak about our spiritual science directly in a forum dedicated solely to academic science, organized by the Basel student body; secondly, I mention it because people were so slow that they only came to the gate when it was about to close. It is characteristic that people always decide at the last minute to do what elasticity of thought and the ability to grasp things quickly could have led them to do earlier. It is necessary to discuss these things among ourselves so that we can act accordingly. Today, one need only consider one of the topics I have spoken about recently to see the significance of what is about to happen.
In Zurich, I also spoke about the threads that need to be drawn between anthroposophically oriented spiritual science and historical science, the historical life of humanity. We have a history today. It is taught, taught to children, taught to academics. But what is this history? It is something that does not even have a clue about the forces at work in the historical life of humanity, for the simple reason that the whole intellectual life of today is based on setting the human mind in motion, setting the ordinary, so-called fully conscious concepts and ideas in motion, and understanding everything from there.
Yes, this is how one can understand the external, sense-perceptible nature, this is how one can understand that thinking which has achieved such great triumphs in the field of natural science; but by applying this thinking to history, one has sought to make history a natural science. In the 19th century, attempts were made to view history in the same way as one views things that are perceptible to the senses in natural science. However, this is impossible for the simple reason that historical facts stand in a completely different relationship to life than natural scientific facts. What do people keep before their eyes in historical life? What are the historical impulses?
Anyone who believes that historical impulses can be grasped with the intellect that is so well suited to natural science will never grasp historical impulses, for these have the same effect on human development as dreams have on our own dream life. Historical impulses do not affect the ordinary consciousness with which we master everyday life or natural science; rather, what happens in history acts as such impulses, like what only plays into our dream life. One can say that historical becoming is a great dream of humanity. But what plays into dreams as fleeting images becomes clear and distinct in the imaginations of spiritual science. Therefore, there is no history that is not spiritual science; and the history that is taught today is not history.
Herman Grimm noticed that when the historian Gibbon describes the early days of the Christian era, he only describes the fall of the Roman Empire, not the gradual rise of Christianity, its growth and prosperity. But Herman Grimm did not, of course, know the reason why a good historian can describe a decline well, but not growth and development. The reason is that, in the way we want to understand history today, only that which is destroyed can be understood, not that which becomes, not that which grows. This lives in human development in the same way that dreams live in individual lives. Therefore, it can only be described by those who have imagination. And those who cannot imagine may be Ranke or Lamprecht: they only describe the corpse of history, not the reality of historical development. For the impulses of historical becoming are only dreamed by consciousness; and when ordinary consciousness attempts to grasp what becomes historical, it can only do so if it is already in the subconscious.
The modern era also offers us interesting examples of this. Anyone who has followed the modern era has seen how, in recent decades, people's interest in the great questions of the world order has more or less completely died out or become academic—which is almost synonymous with dying out—has been schoolified, indeed, has been schoolified. There is a deep connection between the bureaucratization of the times and the fact that a schoolmaster currently wants to issue slogans for humanity at the head of the most important republic. If one asks oneself: Where in recent decades was there any sense of the great connections between human beings, of ideas that had, one might say, a kind of religious character, albeit a brutally religious character, while everything else was more or less dying? Where was such a thing? If one sees the situation clearly, one can say: It was in socialism. There were ideas, but ideas that were never directed toward spiritual life, that were directed only toward brutal material life. Unfortunately, however, there was no other world of ideas to counterbalance these ideas. If one is familiar with the ideas of socialism that have come to the surface, one finds that they are, in a sense, historical ideas, dreams of humanity. But what kind of dreams? One must have a sense for this dreaming of the historical events of humanity. I tried to make this clear to people in my lectures in Switzerland by saying: Just try once to make those people who are very clever but have no understanding of what I now call dream impulses into guiding and leading personalities; you will see how far you get. Just try to answer the question practically: How can you systematically destroy a community as quickly as possible? Arrange things so that you set up a parliament over this community and fill it with scholars and professors: that is a sure way to systematically destroy a community. They need not be employed professors; they can also be socialist leaders, among whom the movement has enough professors. One must have a feeling for such things, then one will say to oneself: How did this whole comprehensive “theory of socialism” actually come about? If one wanted to put socialist theories into practice—perhaps humanity will be able to see sad proof of this in the East today, if it does not stop sooner and try to carry them on—they could only destroy. How did these socialist ideas take root in people's minds? What are these theories actually?
Anyone who wants to know this must know the history of the last four centuries from the inside, especially that of the 18th and 19th centuries. They must know that what has happened in the last four centuries is something completely different from what is written in the history books; they must know that the history of the last four centuries, and especially that of the last two, is really a picture of human class and social struggles. And Karl Marx, for example, did nothing other than to set forth as theory what humanity had dreamed of during the last four or two centuries, what really existed but has now been dreamed away and must make way for a new era, at the very moment when it had already been dreamed away. Socialism, which was established in theory at the moment when the fact had already been dreamed away, shows that reason needs what has already perished, what has already become a corpse, when it sets to work on a matter with those means of knowledge which, for example, are quite valid in natural science. It is precisely from such insights that we must realize that the world now stands at a turning point in time where, in the view of the historical development of humanity—and the present has also become historical, and when we live into the future, we also live into historical development—we must relearn; we must realize that this historical development cannot be understood in any other way than through spiritual science. One cannot even get a correct picture of the most recent events if one disregards spiritual science. I will give you an example that I have often cited recently.
An important event that took place between the lines of European life in the Middle Ages — we are among ourselves here, so we can say such things, even though the outside world often laughs at such things; but they will not always laugh — is that during the Middle Ages, knowledge of the western part of the world was lost to European humanity. There had always been connections, especially between Ireland and England and the area we now call America. Certain connections to the West had always been maintained from Ireland and England, and it was only in the century in which the so-called discovery of America took place that a papal decree prohibited any contact with America. Of course, it was not called “America” at that time. The connection with America actually disappeared only at the time of the so-called discovery of America by the Spanish; but the external history is so unclear that people today actually have the feeling that America was completely unknown in Europe before 1492. Almost everyone believes this. And many similar facts could be cited which spiritual science would have to assert from its sources. We are now standing at a turning point in time when historical life must be viewed from the perspective of spiritual science. One might now say: But since spiritual science, as we understand it, can only really flourish in our time, what about earlier times?
If we go back to earlier times, we find something else that can, in a sense, already measure up to what we today call the imaginative powers of spiritual science; we find myths and legends, and from the power of myths and legends, which were images, it was possible to draw truly more real, more realistic — even political — impulses than from the abstract teachings of today: history or social economics or the like. For what holds people together, what determines how people live together, does not need to be understood in abstract terms. In the past, it was expressed in myths. Now, we cannot compose myths again today; we must come up with imaginations and use them to grasp historical life and from this again shape political impulses that will be truly different from the fantastical impulses that so many people dream of today, or as we would say: different from the schoolmasterly impulses.
It is certainly difficult today to tell people that historical life is something that actually takes place in the subconscious, contrary to ordinary imagination. But on the other hand, this life hidden from human beings knocks very loudly at the gates of events, at the gates of human impulses in general. One can say—and this has been particularly evident in the Zurich lectures—that today we would like to come together everywhere with those who are striving for knowledge that also points toward the spirit, but with utterly inadequate means. In Zurich, one becomes particularly acquainted with analytical psychology, which has already become academically acceptable there, known as psychoanalysis, and my lectures in particular have been followed by the most remarkable discussions about the relationship between anthroposophically oriented spiritual science and psychoanalysis. But psychoanalysts approach this world of spiritual science with their spiritual eyes blindfolded, so to speak, and cannot find their way into it. Yet this world is knocking at the door of what is to be revealed to people today.
For example, there is a professor Jung in Zurich who has recently written another brochure on psychoanalysis — he has written many works on the subject — and who touches on many problems in it; but in doing so, he shows that he can only tackle everything with inadequate means. I will cite a fact which will immediately show you what I mean. Jung cites an example which is often cited by psychoanalysts.
The following happens to a woman. One evening she is invited to a party and is to stay for dinner at someone's house. The lady of the house where she is invited is to travel to a seaside resort immediately after dinner because she is not in the best of health. Dinner proceeds, the lady of the house leaves, and the guests also depart. The invited lady I am referring to leaves with a group of guests. The people walked, as is sometimes customary when leaving a party in the evening, not on the sidewalk, but in the middle of the street. Suddenly, a cab came around the corner. The people moved out of the way of the carriage onto the sidewalks, but the lady in question did not. She continued walking in the middle of the road, right in front of the horses. The coachman shouted at her, but she continued running in the same manner until she came to a bridge over a river. There, to escape this unpleasant situation, she decided to throw herself off the bridge into the river. She did so, and was just in time to be rescued by the people from the party who had run after her. And because it was the most obvious thing to do, she was taken back to the house of the woman who had left, where they had come from. There she found the husband of the woman who had left and was able to spend a few hours with him in his house.
Now imagine what a person with limited means can make of such an event. If one approaches the matter in the manner of psychoanalysts, one finds those mysterious provinces of the soul that tell us that the soul had some experience related to horses in its seventh year, so that the woman, on leaving the party, because the sight of the cab horses brought that earlier experience up from the subconscious, leaving her so perplexed that she did not jump aside but ran away from the cab. Thus, for the psychoanalyst, the whole process is a result of the connection between present experiences and “unresolved soul puzzles” from the realm of education and so on. But all this is a pursuit of things with inadequate means, because the psychoanalyst in question does not know that this subconscious that reigns in man is more essential than he assumes, that it is even much more sophisticated and much more intelligent than what man has from his conscious mind. This subconscious is also often much braver and much bolder. For the psychoanalyst does not know that a demon sat in the soul of that woman who left, I might as well say, who has already gone away with the subconscious thought of being alone with the man when the woman has left. All this is accomplished by the most sophisticated means of the subconscious, for one does everything much more confidently when one is not conscious of it. The lady simply ran in front of the horses in order to be caught when the time came, and behaved accordingly. But the psychoanalyst does not see through such things because he does not assume that there is a spiritual world everywhere to which the human soul is connected. But Jung senses something like this. From the numerous things that occur to him, he senses that the human soul is connected to numerous other souls. But he must be a materialist, because otherwise he would not be a sensible person of the present day. So what does he do? He says: everywhere the human soul—you can see this in the things that happen to the human soul—is related to spiritual facts outside the soul. But these do not exist! So how do you get around this? Well, the soul has a body that comes from other bodies, and these in turn come from others; then there is heredity, and Jung constructs for himself that, according to heredity, the soul relives everything that has been experienced in relation to, for example, the pagan gods. This is still within us, it is inherited, and it becomes “isolated soul provinces” that must first be catechized if we want to free the human soul from them. He even recognizes that it is a need of the human soul to have a relationship with this, and that it ruins the nervous system if it is not brought up into consciousness. Therefore, he utters the sentence that is entirely justified from the modern worldview: The human soul cannot exist without a relationship to a divine being without being destroyed internally. This is as certain as it is certain that a divine being does not exist. The question of the relationship between the human soul and God has nothing whatsoever to do with the question of God's existence.
So it is written in his book. Let us consider what this actually means: it is scientifically stated that the human soul must construct a relationship with God, but that it is equally certain that it would be foolish to assume the existence of a God; therefore, for its own health, the soul is condemned to lie to itself about the existence of a God. Lie to yourself that there is a God, otherwise you will become ill! That is what the book actually says.
But we can see from this that the great mysteries are knocking at the gates, and that the present is only bracing itself against these things. If we were brave enough, something similar would come to light at every turn today. We are just not brave enough! For I am not saying all this to disparage Professor Jung, but because I believe that he is already more courageous in his thinking than all the others. He says what he must say according to the conditions of the present. The others do not say it; they are even less courageous.
All these things must be considered if one wants to truly understand what it actually means when the humanities come up with a truth such as this: What happens in the historical life of humanity, and consequently also in the life of political impulses, has nothing to do with ordinary consciousness; it cannot have anything to do with ordinary consciousness. It can only be truly understood and handled when imaginative consciousness comes into play. With reference to the most characteristic representative of what I have often called the anti-social view of history in politics, one could also say that Wilsonianism must be replaced by an imaginative recognition of reality. But Wilsonianism is very widespread, and many people are Wilsonian without realizing it. It is not names that matter, but the facts that live among people. In a certain sense, I can speak more impartially about Wilson because I can always emphasize that I expressed my opinion of Wilson in the series of lectures I gave in Helsinki before the war and did not need to be taught by Woodrow Wilson during the war what kind of spirit sits on the throne of America. However, one could easily point to the voices of praise that were heard everywhere about Woodrow Wilson and which have only recently fallen silent. Now we know a great deal. Now we even know that this gentleman who sits on the 'throne of America' took old messages from the late Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil from 1864 to write his most effective Republican documents, simply copying the sentences contained therein, except that where Dom Pedro said: 'I must stand up for the interests of South America,' he now writes: 'I must defend the interests of the United States of America' – and so on, with the appropriate changes.
When Wilson's two books, 'The New Freedom' and 'Only Literature', appeared in our territory at the time, there were no fewer voices of praise; it was not so long ago, only five or six years. People have learned a thing or two in this area of Wilsonianism. But with regard to many other things, it would be necessary to learn and learn from the deeply, deeply incisive events of the present. To do this, however, it is necessary to take very seriously certain things that can only flourish on the soil of spiritual scientific knowledge. It is very easy to accuse this anthroposophically oriented spiritual science of being theoretical, and to reproach it for not working directly like other schools of thought, for not burdening people with having to understand world developments, but instead talking to them about love, about universal human love, about what one should love and how one should love. Well, for thousands of years, love has been spoken of in this way, as many people want it to be spoken of again today; nevertheless, love lives out its life as it is now. Let spiritual science take hold of human souls for a much shorter time, and you will see that this spiritual science, if it really takes hold of human souls, will blossom in human hearts as love. For love cannot be preached. Love can only grow if it is properly nurtured. But then it grows. And it is a child of the spirit. In human beings, too, it is a child of true knowledge, of that knowledge which does not go to mere matter, but to the spirit.
In today's introductory lecture, I have sought to do nothing more than point to a few feelings that may be significant for us at this particular time. But I have indicated how I intend to proceed in the next series of lectures here. I have to discuss everything that can awaken strength, courage, and hope in the human soul today. I would like to speak about everything that spiritual science can give humanity that is different from what centuries have given it, and I would like to speak about spiritual science as something living that is not a theory within us, but something that gives birth to a second, spiritual human being within us who carries and sustains the other in the world. And I believe above all that this is what the present needs. There was a time in the Middle Ages, you all know it, when many people had the sometimes very fantastic urge to make gold. Why did they want to make gold? They wanted to achieve something that cannot be realized under ordinary earthly conditions. Why? Because they realized that ordinary earthly conditions, without being spiritualized, without being permeated by spiritual impulses, cannot give people true satisfaction. That is, after all, the content of the Gospel. But people usually overlook the most important thing; they criticize the Gospel's view that the kingdom of God has come down. Yes, but is it not there? It is there! It is just not in outward gestures. It must be grasped inwardly. It must not be denied, as it is denied in our time. And we will also speak about this descent of the kingdom of the spirit in the near future.
So today I just wanted to strike a basic note, so to speak. Our time also depends on building a bridge to the kingdom in which the dead live — for the number of those who have now passed through the gates of death is in the millions. They live among us, and we can find them. We will also speak again in a renewed way about how we can find them.