The Way of Initiation; or, How to Attain Knowledge of the Higher WorldsSteiner, Rudolf
Religion
The Way of Initiation; or, How to Attain Knowledge of the Higher Worlds
Steiner, Rudolf
Theosophy
Every moment, in which we set ourselves to banish from our
consciousness whatever remains in it of disparaging, suspicious
judgment of our fellow-men, brings us nearer to the knowledge of higher
things. And we rise rapidly when, in such moments, we fill our
consciousness with only those thoughts that evoke admiration, respect,
and veneration for men and things. He who has experience in these
matters will know that in every such moment powers are awakened in man
which otherwise would remain dormant. In this way the spiritual eyes of
a man are opened. He begins to see things around him which hitherto he
was unable to perceive. He begins to understand that hitherto he had
seen only a part of the world around him. The man with whom he comes in
contact now shows him quite a different aspect from that which he
showed before. Of course, through this single rule of life, he will not
yet be able to see what has elsewhere been described as the human aura,
because, for that, a still higher training is necessary. But he may
rise to that higher development if he has previously had a thorough
training in devotion.[6]
[6] In the last chapter of the book entitled _Theosophie_
(Berlin, C. A. Schwetschke und Sohn), Dr. Rudolf Steiner
fully describes this "Path of Knowledge;" here it is only
intended to give some practical details.
Noiseless and unnoticed by the outer world is the following of the
"Path of Discipleship." It is not necessary that anyone should observe
a change in the disciple. He performs his duties as hitherto; he
attends to his business as usual. The transformation goes on only in
the inner part of the soul, hidden from outward sight. At first the
entire soul-life of a man is flooded by this fundamental spring of
devotion for everything which is truly venerable. His entire soul-life
finds in this devotional mood its pivot. Just as the sun, through its
rays, will vivify everything living, so in the life of the disciple
this reverence vivifies all the perceptions of the soul.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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