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
Now that the student has learned the "Mystery language," there awaits
him yet another trial. By this he must prove whether he can move with
freedom and certainty in the higher worlds. In ordinary life a man will
be impelled to actions by outward motives and conditions. He works at
this or that because certain duties are imposed upon him by outward
circumstances. It need hardly be mentioned that the occult student must
in no way neglect any of the duties connected with his ordinary life
because he is a student in an occult school and in the higher worlds.
None of his duties there can constrain him to treat with inattention or
carelessness any one of his duties in the lower world. The father will
remain just as good a father to his family, the mother just as good a
mother; and neither the officer nor the soldier, nor anyone else, will
be detained from their necessary duties because they are students in
Occultism. On the contrary, all the qualities which make capable men
are increased to a degree of which the uninitiated can form no idea.
That this may not always appear to be the case is due merely to the
fact that they have not always the ability to correctly judge or
criticize the Initiate. The deeds of the latter are not always entirely
intelligible to the former. But, as we have said before, this only
happens in certain cases.
For him who has arrived at the so-called "Steps of Initiation," there
are new duties to be performed to which no outer stimulus is given. He
will be moved to do these things by no external pressure, but by those
rules of conduct which have been communicated to him in the
mystery-language. In this second trial he must prove that, led by such
rules of conduct, he can act from inner promptings just as firmly as an
officer performs his obligatory duties. For this purpose the teacher
will set before the pupil certain definite tasks. The latter now has to
perform some deed in consequence of observations made from the total of
what he learned during Probation and Enlightenment. He has to find the
way to what he is now to perform, by means of the mystery-language,
which by this time is familiar to him. If he discerns his duty and
executes it correctly, he has endured the trial, and he recognizes the
success, which attends the fulfilment of the task, by the changed
manner with which the spiritual eyes and ears now apprehend the
figures, tones and colors. The occult teacher tells him distinctly how
these must appear after the consummation of the trial, and the
candidate must know how he can effect this change. This trial is known
as the "Water-Trial," because, in consequence of its performance taking
place on the higher planes, that support, which would otherwise have
been received from outward conditions, is now taken away. One's
movements are like those which are made in water by someone learning to
swim, and his feelings are those of one having no support except his
own efforts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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