Original Impulses for the Science of the Spirit
GA 96
15 October 1906, Berlin
VII. Karma and Details of the Law
Today we are going to talk about karma and details of karmic laws. You know that by karma we mean the great law of cause and effect in the life of the spirit. In the science of the spirit this law of karma applies primarily to repeated lives on earth. We speak of reincarnation and karma as two things that go together. As I think you know, this law of karma is often taken rather superficially, as if it were just a matter of reward or punishment extending from one incarnation to the next, so that when something bad or terrible happens to people in this life they’d have to say to themselves: ‘I deserve it because of something I did wrong in my previous life.’ The matter is not as simple as that. To understand the law of karma we have to go more deeply into the whole essential nature of man.
The law of karma and reincarnation, of repeated lives on earth, is under severe attack from our opponents, starting with the common phrase: ‘One life on earth is enough—would not like to live this life several times over’, and even calling it a dogma that leads to inactivity, resignation in the face of blind fate. We are going to give this opposition careful attention and we shall discover how we can counter every such objection if we consider the whole evolution of karma. To do so we have to remember—and we have heard this many times—what the human being really is in the deeper sense.
As we know, the human being first of all has a physical body that we can see with our eyes and touch with our hands, a body studied and investigated in the physical sciences, dismembered in anatomy, and known to people in everyday life. Many people who think in materialistic terms believe this physical body to be all there is really of the human being. The second part of this human being must be seen in the ether or life body. This is completely different in substance from the physical body. It does not meet the case to say that the material which makes up the ether body is thinner than the matter in the physical body. It is a completely different ‘substance nature’ we have here. It is active matter, energy. This ether matter, which has nothing to do with the ‘ether’ that physicists speak of, is creative by nature, it is constructive activity.
The best way of thinking of the ether body is that it has approximately the same form as the physical body but is completely translucent though not completely transparent, not even to clairvoyant people. It is permeable; if it were on its own, one would be able to walk through it. But it is also creative, and our physical organs are built by its activities. Heart, lung, liver and so on have been created out of the capacities of the ether body. From a materialistic point of view people might say: ‘In that case the ether body of a child would have to be quite small.’ That is certainly the case. You must not let this upset you, for we have to see it more in terms of energy which in some situations may take up less space than the creation it then produces. We are thus dealing with active, creative life, with an active body that is the basis of the physical body which we can touch in space. The ether body sustains people’s habits. It is above all the vehicle for our memory and temperament, and in fact anything we have by way of lasting qualities of soul. When we speak of the soul element in us, we certainly also mean our temperament and original character. This comes to expression in the form of the ether body.
The third part of human nature is the astral body. It fills us and surrounds the living human body like an aura of light in which drives, appetites and passions show themselves. This has been described many times.
A fourth part of human nature shows itself in our self-awareness, in the I. Further parts of human nature are still at the seed stage and are held within the I.
With regard to karmic evolution, we are mainly interested in the parts of human nature I have been speaking of. There is one thing, a fact of life, we must consider, for it is important. If you look back on your life and go back to your childhood days, you'll be able to say to yourself that you have learned a very great deal. There was a time when you were not yet able to write and read, and knew nothing of world events, history, literature and many other things. Now you know all this; it has become part of your inner life. But there is something else you know as well. You know that one can learn a great deal and yet this will not make much of a change in one's original character and temperament. Some people have learned a tremendous amount in the course of life, having filled their minds with all kinds of knowledge, and yet they have to say to themselves: ‘I used to have a violent temper then and I still have it today.’ Or: ‘I've always been phlegmatic and still am to this day.’ ‘I used to have this particular habit, and also this one, and I still have them today.’ Other people, however, will have changed greatly in themselves and in their character traits.
Perhaps there isn't anyone who has not changed at all. Looking back to your childhood you will ultimately have to say that you have made some changes since then. You will also find that observation and learning relate to change as the minute hand of a clock does to the hour hand. The change in character and temperament goes slowly like the hour hand and the absorption of observations made in life goes faster, more or less like the minute hand. This has to do with the fact that everything we learn is taken up quickly into the mind, having the astral body behind it and coming to expression in the astral body. When you hear something that is completely new, you will have a feeling that will come to you at the time and be completely forgotten the next day, or if you feel pain this will be gone from your mind after a time. These are the things that light up in the astral body, but then vanish again. All this is supported by the astral body. Things that light up in us for a time and vanish again are thus connected with the astral body.
Things that are the permanent stock of our inner life, on the other hand, everything that becomes habit, so that we remember it for long periods, perhaps for the whole of life, everything connected with temperament, is in the ether body, which is denser than the astral body. When someone manages to change a habit, a quality belonging to his temperament, getting rid of habitual carelessness, for instance, and becoming more attentive, this shows itself in the ether body and not only in the astral body. When someone learns a great deal and really makes it his own, so that it becomes part of his soul, his inner life, and he does not merely know it but has made it his own, in a deeper sense, this changes the configuration of his ether body. If someone takes up a moral principle and has to tell himself again and again: ‘The principle exists, and I therefore follow it’, it will only be in the astral body. However if the principle becomes so much part of him that he cannot do any other, then it is in the ether body. The transition from astral body to ether body happens slowly and gradually in life.
Let us now move on from considering the parts of human nature to the nature of karma and its context. Something that happens only slowly in one life on earth, this transition from something being only in the astral body to it also being in the ether body, happens in the following way from one incarnation to another. If someone has tried hard to make the right moral judgments, with others perhaps also helping him with this, the fruits of those efforts will be an original disposition of the ether body in the next life, a kind of habit, therefore, a character trait. Something which now lives in the astral body will be part of the ether body in the next life. When you meet someone with a habit worthy of praise, and this habit shows itself in his life again and again, this indicates that he took in relevant ideas or brought them to his mind himself in his earlier life. Inclinations and habits come from ideas, thoughts and concepts one has developed in earlier lives. If you take heed of this, you can make provision for your next life, laying the foundations for a particular organization of your ether body in that life. You can say to yourself: ‘I am going to try in this life to tell myself again and again that this or that is a good and proper thing.’ The ether body will then show you that it is of course a good and proper thing to follow those particular principles.
Here we come to a particularly important concept that may be illuminated by karma. It is the idea of conscience. Anything that comes to mind from one’s conscience is also something we have acquired. Human beings have a treasury of conscience, an instinct for the good, the right and the true, but only because they have fashioned its principles for themselves in their past lives, through life’s experiences. You can make provisions to fortify and enhance your conscience if you decide to deepen your moral views a little bit every day. Moral views become our conscience in our next and next-but-one lives. You see, therefore, that what the minute hand of life shows now will be shown by the hour hand in our next life. Principles and views just need to be reiterated to some degree in one life and they'll be consolidated for the next life.
What shows itself in the ether body in one life, will yield fruit for the physical body in the next life. Good habits, good inclinations, good character traits lay the foundation for health, physical ability, physical energy, that is, a healthy physical body for the next life. A healthy physical body in one life indicates that the individual concerned prepared this physical body for himself in an earlier life by acquiring particular habits and character traits. Above all a marked connection exists between a well-developed memory in one life and the physical body for the next life.
Let us take someone who immediately forgets things again, for instance, and someone else who has a faithful memory. All one has to do is consciously bring experiences to mind again and practise this consistently. You will then find that not only have you developed a good memory for the things for which you have been specially training, but that this memory also becomes a completely different power. And this plays a role in spiritual development. The ability to gain an overview of the past develops in a quite specific way. If you conscientiously train your memory, you will be reborn with a firm physical body, with limbs that will truly serve well, so that you will be able to do the things you want to do in your inmost soul in that next life. A body unable to do what the soul wants comes from an earlier life where care was not taken to develop a good, sound memory and one has instead been content to let things go, without recall, and forget about them.
We are just considering individual phenomena today, but you can imagine the vastness of the field we are discussing. A true occultist will never give himself up to speculation. The things 1 am telling you are not theories but things that have been tried and tested in specific cases. They are thus based on specific research findings. When I said that a firm physical organism that obeys the soul is due to a good memory in the previous life, this means that a number of cases have been investigated and that the information given is based on those investigations. The aim is to speak of facts only.
The qualities developed in the ether body thus enter into the physical body in the next life, which means that not only good inclinations and character traits and sound habits of life develop in a sound physical body in the next life, but bad qualities, bad habits, corrupt inclinations also show themselves in the next life in a sick organism. This does not mean that a quite specific illness comes from a particular quality, but that certain dispositions, inclinations towards illness, always go back to quite specific character and temperamental qualities in the previous life. Someone who has a life with corrupt inclinations behind him will have an organism in this life that is more easily subject to physical illnesses than someone else's organism. Someone who has had sound character traits, a good temperament, will be reborn in a body that can be exposed to all kinds of epidemics without catching anything, and vice versa.
You can see that things in this world are connected in complex ways through the law of cause and effect. To give an example, let me tell you of something arising from particular spiritual investigations. It may shock you at first, but in a theosophical group one can speak of it. Someone had developed a highly egoistical sense of acquisition in one life, a real appetite for outer riches. This was not the healthy endeavour to be rich from altruistic motives, wanting to help others in the world and work selflessly—that would be something else. No, this was an egoistical desire to possess that would condition a particular constitution of the ether body and take acquisitive desires beyond the necessary level. Such a person is very often born with a physical body in his next life that shows a disposition towards infectious diseases. Occult investigation has shown that people who easily get infected during certain epidemics in this life have in many cases had a pathologically developed acquisitive streak.
It is also possible to go into detail about other things. Thus there are two qualities that have a clearly apparent effect on the karmic configuration of the next life. On the one hand we may speak of the powerful influence of a loving, well-meaning approach to other people when this is a persistent character trait. There are people who look kindly on everything they see in others, showing great love and empathy for those around them. In some, this love goes far beyond the ordinary love of humanity. They love nature and the whole world. The more this sense of embracing the world has developed and become a habit of soul, so that it is attached to the ether body, the more will the person have a tendency to be young in a next life; he will stay young for a long time. Someone who does not age until late in life, therefore, remaining young and flexible for a long time, will have spent one or more earlier lives in love for the world around them. A person will be all the more inclined to stay physically young in a later life the more he comes to love those around him. Someone who tends to feel antipathy towards others will age early. A body showing early signs of ageing physically, points back to the life of a petty critic, of disaffection and ill will. You see, therefore, that it is possible to influence one’s life by consciously intervening in karma. Someone able to develop love in this present life can be assured of having a body with youthful traits in the next life. All the people who write as critics for the supplements at an early age, will in their next life be people who are practically born with wrinkles. These are radical words, but there is a powerful truth behind them.
The karmic laws thus show us the connection between health and our life in mind and spirit. It is beyond dispute, of course, that this connection cannot be reached in a couple of steps and one must certainly consider the details. Nor can there be any doubt but that a moral, honest, conscientious inner attitude will in future create a sound body. But we can’t expect someone with faulty attitudes to be cured from one day to the next. And we have to realize that we have to progress from egoism to a selfless way of life that does not want to gather the immediate fruits of its actions. When something becomes a habit, however, it can have an effect on the physical body even in this life. Proof comes with occult development, where one is consciously able to influence not only the astral but also the ether body and the physical body. Someone who goes through the process of higher development learns to influence not only his astral body but also the ether body and the physical body. By changing their habitual attitude, people with a violent temper may grow gentle, people falling into affects may develop equanimity and a harmonious inner life. An occultist has to change his habits in a relatively short time. True development means that anything one learns does not remain theory but enters into the ether body. The occultist then also manages to let it enter into the physical body. He learns to control his heartbeat, pulse beat and breathing. Occult development shortens a process that otherwise takes many incarnations. Karma is shortened, therefore.
Some of the things we are going to talk about this winter will be easier to understand and more transparent if we know some of the more subtle karmic connections, such as the difference between a handsome or beautiful and an ugly person. What is the karmic situation when someone is beautiful? This has to do with something which may seem incredible at first but is definitely so. Physical beauty is often, though not always, a consequence of suffering borne in the previous life. Suffering in the previous life—in body or also in soul—becomes beauty in a next life, beauty of the outer physical body. A comparison I have made on other occasions is highly appropriate here. How does a beautiful pearl develop in an oyster shell? Actually due to a disease; it is the product of a disease. And in more or less the same way there is also a process in karmic connections that connects sickness, suffering, with beauty. This beauty has often been paid for with suffering and sickness.
Wisdom, too, has often been paid for with pain. It is not without interest that modern scientists are in many ways confirming what occultists have been saying for millennia: wisdom has to do with pain and suffering, a sombre earlier life full of renunciation, it really is sometimes worth while taking note of modern scientific research. A book has recently appeared on the way in which our thinking shows itself in our expression.49de Sanctis, S. Die Mimik des Denkens, published in 1906/1907 It is intended to show that the mood of a person’s thinking is reflected in his physiognomy. The author, and it is clearly apparent that he does not know much about occult things, has nevertheless discovered by means of sheer observation that the physiognomy of a thinker reflects pain that has been suffered before. Modern science is in the process of gradually substantiating ancient occult wisdom. This will be even more so in the next few years, more than any academic would ever have dreamt of.
You will also find it easier to see now that we cannot take certain phenomena of cultural life in blind faith or simply on authority. If we know karmic law and consider a phenomenon such as Schopenhauer,50Schopenhauer, Arthur (1788–1860). German philosopher. for example, who drenched the whole of his philosophy in pessimism, someone able to see deeper should not think that this pessimism is the basic mood of humanity. It is a basic mood in his own soul that has been prepared for karmically and brought about by his ether body having a particular constitution. This pessimism can only be understood if one follows the karma of the philosopher. Someone like him will not have had the opportunity to do many good things in an earlier life—this is something quite real and definite. On the other hand his position in life and profession had condemned him to do some evil and wrong things. This evil, these wrongs he was condemned to commit in that earlier life, not by karma, but by his profession, came back to him as a feeling of antipathy to the world which was now coming to meet him. It was a recapitulation of his own actions. If you want to understand karma you should not simply take a fatalistic view, saying that all is predestined. It need not be the case that someone is condemned by his earlier lives to do the things he is doing now. Very often his actions will only be balanced out in a future life. These are the kind of actions I mean in speaking of Schopenhauer’s basic pessimism.
Everything people do by way of personal, individual actions arising wholly and completely from their own person—not the actions they have to perform because of the national community they belong to, or their family, community or profession—needs to be seen in a clear light. Two court counselors may do the same things because they hold that position. This we leave aside. But they may also do completely different things because they are two different people. And this we'll now consider. Something done because of the person one is will meet one in one’s next life as outer destiny. If someone has a good life, with destiny kind to him, this goes back to the right, well-considered and good things he did in an earlier life. If some people have a difficult life, with many things going wrong for them, and conditions are unfavourable for them—meaning the outside situation, not the constitution of their physical body—this, too, goes back to personal actions taken in their previous life. The things people have done because of their profession and their family become part of their temperament and character. Human destiny is thus determined by personal actions in the previous life. On the other hand, it is possible to create a favourable or unfavourable destiny for one’s next life by good, well-considered and right actions.
If life brings you together with particular people, you yourself have created the conditions for this in a previous life. You have had something to do with them and have now arranged things so as to have them around you. Here’s an example from the time of the Vehmgericht. This also involved execution. The individual concerned would face hooded and cloaked judges who would also execute their sentences on the spot. Someone was once condemned and killed. This destiny has been the subject of occult investigation going far back into earlier incarnations. It was found that the individual, killed by five judges, had once been a tribal head and had had those five people killed. His former action had brought those five people back into his life as if drawn there by magnetism and they had their revenge. You cannot have someone intervene in your life whom you have not brought into your life yourself because of earlier relationships. It may happen, however, that general conditions—work or family—bring someone together with individuals he has never been in contact with before. People's behaviour to one another will then be the basis for their meeting in the next life, now at the level of their outer destiny and life. You can see that such karmic ideas are highly complex and not so easy to explain. It is important to study these things in detail, for this alone will make it possible for us to gain real understanding of life.
It also needs to be pointed out, again and again, that the idea of karma, if rightly understood, must not in any way contradict the idea of redemption in Christian teaching. Many of you have heard me speak of the fact that the Christian concept of redemption and the idea of karma can be reconciled, but others in the audience are new to this. Misunderstandings are common, often because many of the people who talk about theosophy do not know much about it. They will say, therefore, that karma simply means that one has to accept all the consequences of one’s actions, and if someone has committed a sin, only he can redeem himself. Many theosophists taking this point of view declare that the idea of redemption through Christ Jesus means nothing. They say that in theosophy one cannot accept the notion of redemption by another spirit, for man has to redeem himself. Christian theologians dispute this, saying that they believe in redemption through Christ Jesus, whilst theosophists believe in redeeming oneself. The two ideas are not compatible.
Karma is, however, a kind of life account that can reasonably be compared with a balance sheet. You have a debit and a credit side. They are added together and a balance is drawn. It would be very odd for a business person to say: ‘I'll cease trading so that my balance won’t change.’ Just as a new business deal can be made at any time in commercial life, so new karma can be created at any time. It is foolish to say of someone: ‘He’s brought his suffering on himself, he deserves it, and so I must not help him.’ That is just like saying to a trader who’s gone bankrupt: ‘A few thousand pounds would help you, but it would upset your bookkeeping if I were to give them to you.’ That would certainly not be the case. The money that had been lent would merely be entered in the balance sheet. Balance has to be created, but not always by the individual concerned. Karma does not mean balancing things out yourself but only balancing things out by an action that is taken. Now imagine you're a rich man able to help not just one person but two. You would thus be able to intervene in the karma of two people. It is exactly because karma exists that you would be able to intervene in the life accounts of those two people. So there are people who are able to help three, four, five or even hundreds of others. They'll not say: I must not help them because this means intervening in their karma.’ No, they'll simply help them.
Now there is a spirit endowed with the most tremendous powers who has appeared in the world once. He is able to give this kind of help to those who see themselves as his people. This is Christ Jesus. Because the redemption has been brought about by a kind of evil it does not go against the law of karma. Redemption through Christ Jesus is completely reconcilable with the law of karma, just like the help a rich person gives to a bankrupt trader. Misunderstandings arise because some theosophists have not thoroughly understood karma and theologians have not taken note of this. It is exactly the essence and importance of the deed done by a single sublime spirit that guarantees the existence of karmic law. When these things are rightly understood at some future time, it will be apparent how far removed theosophy is from being in opposition to any professed belief that is based on the truth, and that it will actually help people to see the truth of such a belief. Once you have seen the way karma works in some instances, you will feel that insight is gained into a profound necessity for the life of the spirit. Karmic law will, however, only be rightly understood by someone who does not just take it as theoretical knowledge but makes it part of the whole inner world of feeling that is his being. Inner certainty and harmony will then fill the whole of his life. And people who keep insisting that karmic law leads to inactivity and lethargy, making people accept their destiny, and that it does not give joy in life, and the like, have simply not tried to live with the law of karma. To live with the law of karma is to let courage for life and hope flow into your soul.
Karmic law must above all throw light on our future. We should not think so much of the past, but more of the future. We have said that human beings can have an effect on the distant future by preparing the configuration of the ether body according to karmic law in their astral body, and looking further ahead also the configuration of a future physical body. If you are able to see this, realizing the tremendous importance of it, you'll have an idea of the way the idea of education, above all national education, will be deepened in the light of karmic law. If people work towards it today, that they may live in accord with karmic law, preparing for their next life, they will also be preparing for the future of their nations. The people of the future will, of course, be present-day people in reincarnation. Healthy races for the future and above all sound leaders of future races, will come if people live sensibly for the future in the light of karmic law. For when an individual makes himself more perfect, this will also have an effect on the organisms of nation and race in the future.
Now we need first of all to consider the actual mechanism of this karma. The question is, what powers take effect when the astral qualities of one’s present life are transferred to the ether body in the next life, and what powers bring it about that the qualities the ether body has in the present life—habits and inclinations—are transferred to the physical disposition in one’s next life. An even more difficult question concerns the powers that are active where, because of actions taken in this life, one will have a particular environment in the next; this will mean not only the people one will be dealing and have dealt with, but also the natural environment, the plant and animal worlds, the national and social context one has prepared for oneself. What is the nature of the powers that make all these things come to a person again? How does it come about that two people who had something to do with one another in a previous life, with one of them reborn in America, the other in Europe, are nevertheless brought together? These are big questions and we'll endeavour to answer them the next time we meet. In short, how do conditions in one life create the conditions for the next? We'll have many visitors and the subject would also be suitable for consideration at the annual general meeting. The people who have been attending these lectures will of course be at an advantage on that next occasion. The subject of the next lecture will be ‘karma technique’.51See lecture given in the evening on 22 Oct. 1905 (in this volume).
With today and the next time we shall thus have considered an important issue in life. Please take note that I have been referring to a selection of cases that are based on genuine, positive occult facts. All the karmic connections shown today thus come from investigations made on the karma of particular individuals. Karma and the study of karma also show us the basic approach we must use in judging the relationship between sickness and individual soul qualities and above all the awakening of certain inner powers. Some of the things that will be presented more in general outline in the Architects' House concerning the connection between sickness and death, suffering and evil, will be more clearly apparent to those who have been taking these lectures on karma into their hearts and minds. This winter, special attention will be paid to the way the spiritual scientific view of the world relates to life. This will help us to gain more of an impulse and the insight that the science of the spirit is not something to be thought of as impracticable but that it plays a direct role in everyday life.
Karma und Einzelheiten der Karmischen Gesetzmässigkeit
Wir werden heute über Karma und Einzelheiten der karmischen Gesetzmäßigkeit sprechen. Sie wissen, daß man unter Karma das große Gesetz von Ursache und Wirkung im geistigen Leben versteht und daß dieses Karmagesetz für die Geisteswissenschaft zunächst insofern in Betracht kommt, als es auf die wiederholten Erdenleben angewendet wird. Wir sprechen von Reinkarnation und Karma als von zwei zusammengehörigen Dingen. Nun wird dieses Karmagesetz, wie Sie wohl wissen, vielfach ein wenig äußerlich aufgefaßt, so als ob es sich lediglich um eine Art Belohnung und Bestrafung handeln würde, die sich von einer Inkarnation in die andere hinzieht, so daß der Mensch, wenn ihm irgend etwas Böses oder Schlimmes in diesem Leben widerfährt, sich unbedingt sagen müßte: Dies habe ich wegen irgendeiner Verschuldung im vorhergehenden Leben verdient. — Oder: Wenn ich dies oder jenes tue, wird mir im nächsten Leben der entsprechende Lohn oder die entsprechende Strafe zuteil werden. — So einfach liegt die Sache aber nicht. Wer dieses Gesetz von Karma verstehen will, muß sich schon tiefer auf die Natur des Menschen und auf seine ganze Wesenheit einlassen.
Von den Gegnern der Geisteswissenschaft erfährt das Gesetz von Karma und Reinkarnation, das Gesetz von den wiederholten Erdenleben, die heftigsten Angriffe, angefangen von der Redensart: Ich habe von einem Erdenleben genug — man möchte dieses Leben nicht so und so oft leben -, bis zu der Behauptung, daß es eine Lehre sei, welche zu Tatenlosigkeit, zu Resignation gegenüber einem blinden Schicksal führe. Wir werden auf solche Gegnerschaft genau eingehen und bei jedem Einwand finden können, was zu erwidern ist, wenn wir uns auf den ganzen Hergang von Karma einlassen. Dazu müssen wir uns daran erinnern — obwohl wir es schon oft gehört haben -, was der Mensch im tieferen Sinne ist.
Wie wir wissen, besteht der Mensch zunächst aus dem physischen Leib, den man mit Augen sehen und mit Händen greifen kann, den die physische Wissenschaft durchforscht und durchsucht, den die Anatomie zergliedert, den man im gewöhnlichen Leben kennt, Diesen physischen Leib betrachten viele materialistisch denkende Menschen als das einzige, was überhaupt von der menschlichen Wesenheit existiert. Als zweites Glied dieser Wesenheit haben wir den Äther- oder Lebensleib zu betrachten. Es ist das derjenige Leib, der aus einer wesentlich anderen Substanz besteht als der physische Leib. Es genügt nicht einmal zu sagen, daß die Materie, der Stoff, aus dem dieser Ätherleib besteht, wesentlich dünner sei als der Stoff des physischen Leibes. Vielmehr haben wir es mit einer völlig anderen «Stofflichkeit» zu tun. Es ist eine tätige, eine Kraftmaterie. Diese Äthermaterie, die nichts mit dem zu tun hat, was man in der Physik Äther nennt, hat etwas Schöpferisches, sie ist das eigentlich Aufbauende. Sie stellen sich den Ätherleib am besten so vor, daß er ungefähr dieselbe Form hat wie der physische Leib, aber vollständig durchscheinend ist, wenn auch nicht ganz durchsichtig — selbst für hellsichtige Menschen nicht. Er ist durchlässig; wenn er allein da wäre, könnte man also durch ihn durchgehen, zugleich ist er aber schöpferisch, so daß die physischen Organe des Menschen aus ihm heraus gebaut sind. Herz, Lunge, Leber und so weiter sind aus diesem Ätherleib heraus geschaffen. Vom materialistischen Standpunkt aus könnte gesagt werden: Da müßte beim Kinde der Ätherleib ganz klein sein. Das ist auch durchaus der Fall. Sie dürfen sich nicht daran stoßen, denn wir haben ihn mehr als Kraft zu betrachten, die unter Umständen einen kleineren Raum einnehmen kann als das, was sie dann schafft. Wir haben es hier also mit dem schaffenden Leben zu tun, mit einem schaffenden Leib, der dem physischen, im Raume tastbaren Leib zugrunde liegt. Dieser Ätherleib ist der Träger der Gewohnheiten des Menschen. Er ist vor allem der Träger des Gedächtnisses und des Temperamentes, überhaupt von alledem, was bleibende seelische Eigenschaften im Menschen sind. Wenn wir vom Seelischen des Menschen sprechen, so meinen wir nicht zuletzt das Temperament und die ursprüngliche Charakteranlage. Das drückt sich der Form nach im Ätherleibe aus.
Das dritte menschliche Wesensglied ist der Astralleib. Er erfüllt uns und umgibt den Menschenleib wie eine lichte Aura, in der die Triebe, Begierden und Leidenschaften sichtbar werden. Das ist oftmals beschrieben worden.
Ein viertes Wesensglied ist das, was im eigentlichen Selbstbewußtsein, im Ich, zum Vorschein kommt. Die anderen Glieder der menschlichen Wesenheit sind erst keimhaft veranlagt und haben ihren Sitz in diesem Ich.
Im Hinblick auf die karmische Entwickelung interessieren uns vorzugsweise die eben genannten Glieder der menschlichen Wesenheit. Da müssen wir uns eines vor allen Dingen, eine Tatsache des Lebens, vorhalten, die wichtig ist. Wenn Sie auf Ihr verflossenes Leben zurücksehen und sich bis in Ihre Kindheit zurückversetzen, dann werden Sie sich sagen können, Sie haben vieles, vieles gelernt. Es gab eine Zeit, in der Sie noch nicht schreiben und lesen konnten und nichts vom Weltgeschehen, von Geschichte, Literatur und vielen anderen Dingen gewußt haben. Jetzt wissen Sie das alles, es ist Ihnen zum Eigentum der Seele geworden. Aber noch etwas anderes ist Ihnen bekannt. Sie wissen, daß man viel lernen kann und damit doch nicht viel an seiner ursprünglichen Charakter- und Temperamentsanlage ändert. Es gibt Menschen, die im Lauf ihres Lebens ungemein viel gelernt und ihre Seele mit allem möglichen Wissensinhalt gefüllt haben, die sich aber trotzdem sagen müssen: Damals bin ich jähzorrnig gewesen — und heute bin ich es noch. - Oder aber: Ich war von jeher ein phlegmatischer Mensch und bin es geblieben. Einst hatte ich diese und jene Gewohnheit, heute habe ich sie noch immer. — Es gibt allerdings auch Menschen, die an sich selber und an ihren seelischen Charakteranlagen viel umgeändert haben. Vielleicht gibt es keinen Menschen, der überhaupt nichts an seinen Anlagen umgewandelt hätte. Wenn Sie auf die Kindheit zurückblicken, so werden Sie sich am Ende doch sagen müssen, daß Sie seither manches umgeändert haben. Aber Sie werden zugleich feststellen, daß sich Beobachtung und Lernen zur Wandlung der charakterlichen Anlagen wie der Minutenzeiger der Uhr zum Stundenzeiger verhalten. Die Umänderung von Charakter und Temperament rückt langsam wie der Stundenzeiger der Uhr vor, und das Aufnehmen von Beobachtungen des Lebens geht schneller, etwa so wie der Minutenzeiger. Das hängt davon ab, daß alles, was man lernt, sich schnell in der Seele aufnehmen läßt, daß es den Astralleib zum Träger hat und sich im Astralleib ausdrückt. Wenn Sie etwas grundsätzlich Neues hören, werden Sie von einem Gefühl durchdrungen werden, das jetzt an Sie herantritt und morgen wieder vergessen ist. Oder wenn Sie einen Schmerz erleben, der mit der Zeit wieder aus dem Bewußtsein versinkt — das sind die Dinge, die man im Astralleib aufleuchten sieht, die aber wieder aus dem Astralleib verschwinden. Alles das hat den Astralleib zum Träger.
Was also im Leben vorübergehend in uns aufleuchtet und wieder verschwindet, haftet im Astralleib. Was jedoch zum bleibenden Lebensstock des Menschen gehört, insofern es sich seelisch ausdrückt, alles was in die Gewohnheit eingeht, so daß der Mensch es sich durch lange Zeit des Lebens hindurch, vielleicht auf immer merkt, alles, was mit dem Temperament zu tun hat, das ist im Ätherleib, der dichter ist als der Astralleib. Wenn es dem Menschen gelingt, eine Gewohnheit, eine Temperamentseigenschaft zu ändern, wenn er zum Beispiel eine gewohnheitsmäßige Nachlässigkeit ablegt und ein achtsamer Mensch wird, so zeigt sich das im Ätherleib und nicht bloß im Astralleib. Wenn ein Mensch viel lernt und es so aufnimmt, daß es nach und nach ganz sein seelisches Eigentum und Bestandteil seines Inneren wird, so daß er es nicht nur weiß, sondern im tieferen Sinne besitzt, so ändert er damit die Konfiguration seines Ätherleibes. Wenn jemand einen moralischen Grundsatz aufnimmt und sich immer wieder sagen muß: Der Grundsatz besteht, daher befolge ich ihn - dann haftet er doch nur im Astralleib. Wenn er aber so in ihn einzieht, daß er nicht mehr anders kann, dann haftet er im Ätherleib. Das Übergehen vom Astralleib in den Ätherleib vollzieht sich im Leben langsam und allmählich.
Nun wollen wir von der Betrachtung dieser Wesensglieder dazu übergehen, dasjenige, was Karma ist, im Zusammenhang zu überblicken. Was sich innerhalb des gleichen Erdenlebens nur langsam vollzieht, also der Übertritt von etwas, was zunächst bloß im Astralleib vorhanden ist, in den Ätherleib hinein, vollzieht sich karmisch von einer Inkarnation zur anderen in folgender Weise: Wer sich bemüht hat, moralisch richtig zu urteilen, und der in diesem Bestreben vielleicht auch noch von anderen gefördert worden ist, findet in seinem nächsten Leben die Früchte dieser Bemühungen als eine ursprüngliche Anlage seines Ätherleibes, als eine Art Gewohnheit, als Charakteranlage vor. Was jetzt im Astralleib lebt, wird im nächsten Leben Eigentum des Ätherleibes. Wenn Ihnen ein Mensch mit einer löblichen Gewohnheit begegnet, wenn diese Gewohnheit immer wieder in seinem Leben zum Ausdruck kommt, dann deutet das darauf hin, daß er im früheren Leben entsprechende Vorstellungen aufgenommen oder sich selbst vor Augen geführt hat. Neigungen und Gewohnheiten rühren von Vorstellungen, Gedanken und Begriffen her, die man sich in den vorhergehenden Leben gebildet hat. Wenn Sie das beachten, können Sie schon für das nächste Leben Vorsorge treffen, so daß Sie eine bestimmte Organisation des Ätherleibes für das nächste Leben veranlagen können. Sie können sich sagen: Ich werde in diesem Leben versuchen, mir immer und immer wieder zu sagen, daß dieses oder jenes gut und richtig ist. -— Dann wird der Ätherleib Ihnen zeigen, daß es selbstverständlich gut und richtig ist, den entsprechenden Grundsätzen zu folgen.
Besonders wichtig ist hier ein Begriff, der seine karmische Beleuchtung erfahren kann. Das ist der Begriff des Gewissens. Was aus dem Gewissen eines Menschen aufsteigt, ist ebenfalls etwas Erworbenes. Der Mensch hat nur dadurch einen Gewissensschatz, einen Instinkt für das Gute, Richtige und Wahre, daß er sich in seinen verflossenen Leben, in seinen Lebenserfahrungen, in seinen Grundsätzen dieses Gewissen erst zurechtgezimmert hat. Sie können für eine Befestigung und Erhöhung dieses Gewissens sorgen, wenn Sie sich vornehmen, jeden Tag Ihre moralischen Anschauungen ein wenig zu vertiefen. Moralische Anschauungen werden zum Gewissen in dem nächsten und übernächsten Leben.
So sehen Sie, daß dasjenige, was uns der Minutenzeiger des Lebens zeigt, zu dem wird, was der Stundenzeiger im nächsten Leben ist. Es muß nur eine gewisse Wiederholung der Grundsätze und Anschauungen in einem Leben herrschen, dann befestigen sie sich für das nächste Leben. Was im Ätherleibe eines Lebens auftritt, zeitigt die Früchte für den physischen Leib des nächsten Lebens. Gute Gewohnheiten, gute Neigungen, gute Charaktereigenschaften bereiten Gesundheit, physische Tüchtigkeit, physische Kraft, also einen gesunden physischen Leib für das nächste Leben vor. Ein gesunder physischer Leib in einem Leben weist darauf hin, daß der betreffende Mensch sich diesen physischen Leib in einem früheren Leben durch selbst erworbene Gewohnheiten und Charakteranlagen vorbereitet hat. Insbesondere besteht ein starker Zusammenhang zwischen einem ausgebildeten Gedächtnis in einem Leben und dem physischen Leibe im nächsten Leben.
Nehmen wir als Beispiel einen Menschen, der alles gleich wieder vergißt, und einen anderen, der ein treues Gedächtnis hat. Man braucht sich nur in bewußter Weise die erlebten Dinge ins Gedächtnis zu rufen und dies konsequent zu üben, dann wird man schließlich merken, daß man nicht nur für die Dinge ein gutes Gedächtnis bekommen hat, für welche man sich besonders trainiert hat, sondern daß dieses Gedächtnis auch noch zu einer ganz anderen Kraft wird. Und das kommt bei der spirituellen Entwickelung in Betracht. Es bildet sich das Überschauen des Vergangenen in ganz besonderer Weise aus. Wer das Gedächtnis gewissenhaft ausbildet, wird mit physischer Festigkeit, mit Gliedern, die ihm wirklich dienen können, wiedergeboren, um im nächsten Leben das zu vollführen, was er innerlich seelisch will. Ein Körper, der nicht ausführen kann, was die Seele will, rührt von einem vorhergehenden Leben her, in dem keine Sorgfalt darauf verwendet wurde, ein gesundes, gutes Gedächtnis auszubilden, sondern in dem man es bei der Schlamperei der Gedächtnislosigkeit und Vergeßlichkeit belassen hat.
Wir führen heute nur einzelne Erscheinungen an, aber Sie können sich denken, wie umfangreich dieses ganze Gebiet ist, von dem wir sprechen. Der wahre Okkultist wird sich dabei niemals auf Spekulationen einlassen. Was von mir angeführt wird, das sind keine Theorien, sondern Dinge, die an bestimmten Fällen geprüft worden sind. Dem, was hier gesagt worden ist, liegen also bestimmte Forschungsergebnisse zugrunde. Wenn soeben geschildert wurde, daß ein fester physischer Organismus, welcher der Seele gehorcht, auf ein gutes Gedächtnis im vorigen Leben zurückzuführen ist, dann sind so und so viele Fälle untersucht worden, und die entsprechenden Angaben beruhen auf den bei dieser Untersuchung festgestellten Tatsachen. Es sollen eben nur Tatsachen erzählt werden.
Nun drängt sich das, was sich im Ätherleibe ausbildet, im nächsten Leben in den physischen Leib hinein, so daß sich nicht nur gute Neigungen und Charaktereigenschaften und tüchtige Lebensgewohnheiten in einem gesunden physischen Leibe im nächsten Leben auswirken, sondern daß sich auch untüchtige Eigenschaften, schlechte Gewohnheiten, verderbte Neigungen in der nächsten Inkarnation in einem kranken Organismus zum Ausdruck bringen. Das ist nicht so aufzufassen, als ob eine ganz bestimmte Krankheit von einer bestimmten Eigenschaft herrühre, sondern gewisse Krankheitsdispositionen, gewisse Krankheitsanlagen führen immer auf ganz bestimmte Charakter- und Temperamentseigenschaften im vorhergehenden Leben zurück. Ein Mensch, der ein Leben mit verdorbenen Charaktereigenschaften hinter sich hat, besitzt in diesem Leben also einen Organismus, der leichter physischen Krankheiten ausgesetzt ist als der eines anderen. Ein Mensch, der mit gesunden Charaktereigenschaften, mit einem tüchtigen Temperament ausgestattet war, wird mit einem Leib wiedergeboren, der sich allen möglichen Epidemien aussetzen kann, ohne angesteckt zu werden, und umgekehrt.
Sie sehen also, daß die Dinge in der Welt kompliziert nach dem Gesetz von Ursache und Wirkung zusammenhängen. Um eines anzuführen, sei ein Fall erwähnt, der bestimmten geistigen Forschungsresultaten entspricht. Es mag zunächst schockierend wirken, aber in einem theosophischen Zweige darf man das schon sagen. Jemand hatte in seinem Leben einen ganz egoistischen Erwerbssinn, eine wahre Gier nach äußerem Reichtum entwickelt. Dabei handelte es sich nicht etwa um jenes gesunde Streben nach Reichtum, das der altruistischen Absicht entspringen kann, in der Welt zu helfen und eine selbstlose Tätigkeit zu entwickeln — das ist etwas anderes -, sondern es ist von dem egoistischen Erwerbssinn die Rede, der eine bestimmte Konstitution des Ätherleibes bedingt und das Erwerbsstreben über das notwendige Maß hinaus ausbildet. Ein solcher Mensch wird sehr oft im nächsten Leben mit einem physischen Leib geboren, welcher die Anlage zu Infektionskrankheiten zeigt. Es ist in zahlreichen Fällen okkult festgestellt, daß Leute, die durch bestimmte Epidemien im jetzigen Leben leicht infizierbar sind, in ihrem früheren Leben mit einem krankhaft gesteigerten Erwerbssinn ausgestattet waren.
Auch anderes können wir im einzelnen anführen. So gibt es zwei Eigenschaften, die einen deutlich erkennbaren Einfluß auf die karmische Gestaltung des folgenden Lebens haben. Da ist zunächst einmal von dem starken Einfluß zu sprechen, den der bleibende Charakterzug des liebevollen, wohlwollenden Begegnens gegenüber seinen Mitmenschen ausübt. Es gibt Menschen, die bei ihren Mitmenschen alles wohlwollend aufnehmen, die ihre Umgebung liebevoll behandeln und sie teilnehmend erfassen. Bei manchen geht diese Liebe weit über die reine Menschenliebe hinaus. Sie lieben die Natur und die ganze Welt. Je mehr sich dieser Sinn des Umfassens ausgebildet hat und eine Gewohnheit der Seele geworden ist, also am Ätherleibe haftet, um so mehr hat der Mensch in einem nächsten Leben die Anlage zum Jungsein: er erhält sich lange jung. Wer also spät altert, sich lange jung und beweglich erhält, dessen Leben führt zurück auf ein früheres Erdenleben oder gar auf mehrere frühere Leben, die er in Liebe zur Umgebung verbracht hat. Um so mehr bleibt der Mensch in einer folgenden Inkarnation physisch jung, je mehr er seiner Umgebung gegenüber die Liebe ausprägt. Wer zu Antipathie gegenüber seinen Mitmenschen neigt, kommt zu einem frühen Altern. Ein Leib, der physisch früh die Zeichen des Alters zeigt, führt auf das Leben eines Kritikasters, auf ein Leben von Abneigung und Mißwollen zurück. So sieht man, daß man auf sein Leben einwirken kann, indem man bewußt in Karma eingreift. Wer in diesem Leben Liebe entfalten kann, darf versichert sein, daß er im nächsten Leben einen Leib haben wird, der junge Züge zeigt. Alle jene Menschen, die heute in einem frühen Alter Kritiken unter dem Strich schreiben, werden im nächsten Leben Leute sein, die fast mit Runzeln geboren werden. Das ist ein radikaler Ausspruch, aber ihm liegt eine starke Wahrheit zugrunde.
So zeigen uns die karmischen Gesetze den Zusammenhang zwischen der Gesundheit und dem geistigen Leben. Daß dieser Zusammenhang allerdings nicht so mit zwei Schritten zu erreichen ist, sondern daß man schon ins einzelne gehen muß, wird niemand bestreiten. Ebensowenig kann der Satz bezweifelt werden, daß eine moralische, aufrichtige, gewissenhafte Seele der künftige Erbauer eines gesunden Leibes ist. Aber man darf das nicht von heute auf morgen erwarten und auch nicht glauben, daß der, welcher mit seelischen Fehlern behaftet ist, von heute auf morgen geheilt werden kann. Man sollte auch einsehen, daß man vom Egoismus zu einer selbstlosen Lebensweise aufsteigen muß, die nicht gleich die Früchte ihres Tuns einheimsen will. Was zur Gewohnheit wird, kann aber auch schon in diesem Leben auf den physischen Körper zurückwirken. Ein Beweis dafür ist die okkulte Entwickelung, welche nicht nur in bewußter Weise auf den Astralleib, sondern auch auf den Ätherleib Einfluß gewinnen kann. Wer eine okkulte Entwickelung durchmacht, lernt nicht nur seinen Astralleib, sondern auch seinen Ätherleib und seinen physischen Leib zu beeinflussen. Durch Umwandlung des gewohnheitsmäßigen Verhaltens kann aus einem jähzornigen Menschen ein sanfter, aus einem mit Affekten behafteten ein gleichmütiger, harmonischer Mensch werden. Der Okkultist muß seine Gewohnheiten in verhältnismäßig kurzer Zeit ändern. Die wahre Entwickelung setzt voraus, daß das, was man lernt, nicht bloß Lehre bleibt, sondern in den Ätherleib hineingeht. Dann erreicht der Okkultist auch, daß es in den physischen Leib hineingeht. Er lernt den Herzschlag, den Pulsschlag und den Atem zu beherrschen. In der okkulten Entwickelung wird das abgekürzt, was sich im gewöhnlichen Leben auf viele Inkarnationen verteilt. Das Karma wird also abgekürzt.
Manches, was wir in diesem Winter noch besprechen werden, wird uns verständlicher und durchsichtiger werden, wenn wir gewisse intimere karmische Zusammenhänge kennen werden, zum Beispiel den Unterschied zwischen einem schönen und einem häßlichen Menschen. Was liegt karmisch bei einem schönen Menschen vor? Da kommt etwas in Betracht, was zunächst unglaublich erscheint, aber es ist so. Die Schönheit des physischen Leibes ist vielfach, nicht immer, aber sehr oft eine Folge von erduldetem Leiden im vorhergehenden Leben. Leiden im vorhergehenden Leben — physisches Leiden und auch Seelenleiden — werden zur Schönheit in einem nächsten Leben, zur Schönheit des äußeren physischen Leibes. Es ist wirklich in diesen Fällen so, daß man einen Vergleich gebrauchen darf, den ich schon öfter angewendet habe. Wodurch entsteht die schöne Perle in der Perlmuschel? Eigentlich durch eine Krankheit, sie ist das Ergebnis einer Erkrankung. So ungefähr gibt es auch im karmischen Zusammenhang einen Prozeß, der den Zusammenhang von Krankheit, Leiden, mit der Schönheit darstellt. Diese Schönheit ist vielfach mit Leiden und Krankheit erkauft.
Auch die Weisheit ist vielfach mit Schmerz erkauft. Es ist nicht uninteressant, daß heute durch eine äußere Forschung in mannigfaltiger Weise bestätigt wird, was die Okkultisten seit Jahrtausenden gesagt haben: Daß die Weisheit mit Schmerzen und Leiden, mit einem entsagungsreichen, ernsten Leben im vorhergehenden Dasein zusammenhängt. Es lohnt sich gelegentlich durchaus, die äußere wissenschaftliche Forschung zu befragen. Da ist in letzter Zeit ein Buch über die Mimik des Denkens erschienen. Das Buch soll zeigen, wie sich in der Physiognomie des Menschen die Art und Weise malt, wie sein Denken gestimmt ist. Der Verfasser, der, wie man klar sieht, nicht viel vom Okkultismus weiß, hat doch durch äußerliche Beobachtung herausgefunden, daß man in der Physiognomie des Denkers einen Abdruck durchgemachter Schmerzen erkennen kann. Die gegenwärtige Wissenschaft ist im Begriff, Stück für Stück die uralte okkulte Weisheit zu bestätigen. Das wird in den nächsten Jahren noch viel mehr der Fall sein, als sich irgendein Gelehrter träumen läßt.
Nun werden Sie noch leichter einsehen, daß wir uns nicht in einem blinden Glauben oder Autoritätsgefühl gegenüber gewissen Erscheinungen der Geistesgeschichte bewegen können. Wenn wir mit dem Verständnis des Karmagesetzes zum Beispiel einer solchen Erscheinung gegenüberstehen, wie es Schopenhauer ist, der über seine ganze Weltanschauung eine pessimistische Stimmung ausgegossen hat, dann muß derjenige, der tiefer sieht, nicht glauben, daß dieser Pessimismus die menschliche Grundstimmung [überhaupt] darstellt. Es ist vielmehr eine Grundstimmung seiner Seele, die karmisch in ihm vorbereitet und durch eine gewisse Konstitution seines Ätherleibes bewirkt worden ist. Diese pessimistische Stimmung eines Denkers ist nur zu verstehen, wenn man sie karmisch verfolgt. Eine so geartete Persönlichkeit hat in einem früheren Leben — das ist eine ganz konkrete Erklärung - nicht Gelegenheit gehabt, viel Gutes zu tun. Dagegen war dieser Mensch durch seine Lebensstellung und durch den Beruf dazu verurteilt, mancherlei Böses zu tun und Uhnrichtiges zu vollbringen. Und dieses Böse und Unrichtige, zu dem er in seinem früheren Leben nicht karmisch, sondern durch seinen Beruf verurteilt war, kommt ihm zurück als ein gewisses antipathisches Gefühl gegenüber der Welt, die ihm jetzt entgegentritt. Das ist die Wiederholung seiner eigenen von ihm vollbrachten Taten. Wenn Sie Karma verstehen wollen, dürfen Sie sich nicht bloß auf den fatalistischen Standpunkt stellen, daß alles vorherbestimmt ist. Zu dem, was der Mensch jetzt tut, braucht er nicht durch die vorhergehenden Leben verurteilt zu sein. Das gleicht sich oft erst im nächsten Leben aus. Die Taten sind also nicht immer die Früchte von früheren Leben, sondern finden gegebenenfalls erst ihren Ausgleich in einem künftigen Leben. Solche Taten sind gemeint, wenn von der Ursache der pessimistischen Grundstimmung bei Schopenhauer gesprochen wird.
Alles was der Mensch als seine eigenen individuellen Taten vollbringt, die ganz und gar aus seiner Person hervorgehen - nicht diejenigen, die er durch seine Volksgemeinschaft, seine Familiengemeinschaft und seinen Beruf auszuführen hat -, wollen wir einmal streng abgrenzen. Zwei Hofräte können dasselbe tun, weil sie Hofräte sind, das scheiden wir aus. Aber sie können auch etwas höchst Verschiedenes an Taten vollbringen, weil sie zwei verschiedene Menschen sind. Und das betrachten wir jetzt. Was als Tat von einer Persönlichkeit ausfließt, was sie so vollbringt, das kommt ihr als ihr äußeres Schicksal im nächsten Leben entgegen. Befindet sich ein Mensch in einer glücklichen Lebenslage, ist ihm ein günstiges Schicksal zuteil geworden, so führt das auf die von ihm als Persönlichkeit vollbrachten, richtigen, gescheiten und guten Taten eines früheren Lebens zurück. Ist ein Mensch in einer schlechten Lebenslage, mißglückt ihm vieles, lebt er in ungünstigen Verhältnissen — gemeint ist die äußere Lage, nicht die Beschaffenheit des physischen Körpers -, so geht das ebenfalls auf persönlich vollbrachte Taten des vorangehenden Lebens zurück. Was der Mensch durch seinen Beruf und seine Familienzugehörigkeit vollbracht hat, das lagert sich im Temperament und im Charakter ab. Das Schicksal des Menschen ist also durch seine persönlichen Taten im vorhergehenden Leben bedingt. Umgekehrt kann sich ein Mensch ein günstiges oder ungünstiges Schicksal im nächsten Leben durch gute, kluge und richtige Taten herbeiführen.
Wer mit bestimmten Persönlichkeiten zusammengeführt wird, hat die Bedingungen dazu in einem vorhergehenden Leben selber geschaffen. Er hat etwas mit diesen Menschen zu tun gehabt und sie nun selbst in seine Nähe geführt. Als Beispiel ein Fall aus der Zeit der Femgerichte. Ein Femgericht war mit einer Exekution verbunden. Der Betreffende wurde vor vermummte Richter gestellt, die das Urteil auch gleich ausführten. Hier ein Fall, wo ein Mensch verurteilt und getötet worden ist. Das Schicksal ist bis in die früheren Inkarnationen hinein okkult untersucht und verfolgt worden. Dabei stellte sich heraus, daß der von den fünf Richtern Getötete einst als Häuptling diese fünf Menschen hatte umbringen lassen. Seine einstige Tat hatte wie mit magnetischer Kraft diese fünf Menschen wieder in sein Leben hineingestellt, und sie vollzogen an ihm die Rache. Es ist das ein radikaler Fall, aber ihm liegt eine allgemeine Gesetzmäßigkeit zugrunde. Sie können nicht mit einem Menschen zusammenkommen, der in Ihr Leben eingreift, wenn Sie ihn sich nicht auf Grund früherer Beziehungen selbst in Ihr Leben hineingebracht haben. Es kann allerdings der Fall sein, daß der Mensch durch allgemeine Verhältnisse, durch Beruf oder Familienzusammengehörigkeit mit Menschen zusammengeführt wird, mit denen er früher noch nie zusammen war. Dann aber wird durch das gegenseitige Verhalten ein Zusammentreffen im nächsten Leben begründet, das nunmehr mit dem äußeren Schicksal und Leben der Beteiligten zu tun hat. Sie sehen, daß solche karmischen Vorstellungen vielfach kompliziert und nicht so einfach zu erklären sind. Es ist wichtig, diese Dinge im einzelnen zu studieren, weil wir nur dadurch das Leben wirklich verstehen.
Es muß auch immer wieder darauf hingewiesen werden, daß die richtig erfaßte Karmaidee zur Erlösungslehre, wie sie sich im Christentum findet, in keinen Gegensatz gebracht werden darf. Zwar habe ich für viele von Ihnen diese Vereinbarkeit der christlichen Erlösungslehre mit der Karmaidee schon dargelegt, aber es sind ja auch neue Zuhörer da. Man findet viele Mißverständnisse. Sie rühren vielfach daher, daß viele über die Theosophie reden, die nicht viel davon verstehen. So wird behauptet, Karma bedeute schlechthin, daß der Mensch alle Wirkungen seiner Taten auf sich nehmen müsse. Wenn er etwas verbrochen habe, so könne er sich nur selbst von seinen Sünden erlösen. Von diesem Gesichtspunkte aus erklären viele Theosophen, daß es mit dem Erlösungsgedanken durch den Christus Jesus nichts auf sich hätte. Es könne die Theosophie nicht eine Erlösung durch ein anderes Wesen annehmen, denn der Mensch müsse sich ja selbst erlösen. Christliche Theologen bekämpfen das wiederum, indem sie sagen: Wir glauben an die Erlösung durch Christus Jesus, ihr aber glaubt an die Selbsterlösung. Das vereinigt sich nicht recht.
Indessen ist Karma eine Art von Lebenskonto, das man ganz gut mit einem kaufmännischen Konto vergleichen kann. Auf der einen Seite stehen die Sollposten und auf der anderen die Habenposten. Sie werden addiert und die Bilanz wird gezogen. Es wäre ein sonderbarer Kaufmann, der sagte: Ich will keine Geschäfte mehr machen, damit meine Bilanz nicht verschoben wird. — So wie in jedem Moment des kaufmännischen Lebens ein neues Geschäft vollzogen werden kann, so kann in jedem Moment durch eine neue Tat ein neues Karma herbeigeführt werden. Wenn jemand meint: Das Leiden hat ein Mensch sich selbst zugezogen, er hat es selber verdient, also darf ich ihm nicht helfen -, so ist das Torheit. Das ist gerade so, als ob man zu einem Kaufmann, der bankrott ist, sagte: Zwanzigtausend Mark würden dir helfen, aber wenn ich sie dir gäbe, würde ich ja in dein Kontobuch störend eingreifen. — Das wäre sicher nicht der Fall. Die geliehene Summe würde nur in das Kontobuch eingeschrieben werden. So ist es auch mit dem Leben. Es muß nur ausgeglichen werden, aber es muß nicht immer von einem selbst ausgeglichen werden. Karma besagt nicht das Selbstausgleichen, sondern nur das Ausgeglichenwerden durch eine Tat. Nun nehmen Sie an, Sie seien ein reicher, mächtiger Mann, der nicht nur einem, sondern zweien helfen kann. Dann können Sie in das Karma von zweien eingreifen. Gerade weil Karma besteht, können Sie in das Lebenskonto dieser beiden eingreifen. So gibt es Menschen, die drei, vier, fünf, ja sogar Hunderten helfen können. Solche Menschen werden nicht sagen: Ich darf den anderen nicht helfen, weil ich in ihr Karma eingreife. — Sie werden ihnen vielmehr helfen.
Eine solche Hilfe kann nun ein im höchsten Sinne mächtiges Wesen, das einmal in der Welt aufgetreten ist, jenen Menschen, die sich zu ihm rechnen, angedeihen lassen. Das ist der Christus Jesus. Dadurch, daß die Erlösung durch eine gewisse Art von Übel herbeigeführt ist, widerspricht sie nicht dem Karmagesetz. Die Erlösung durch Christus Jesus ist vollständig vereinbar mit dem Karmagesetz, ebenso wie die Hilfe des Reichen bei dem bankrotten Kaufmann. Die Mißverständnisse rühren davon her, daß die Theosophen das Karma nicht gründlich verstanden und die Theologen sich nicht darum gekümmert haben. Gerade durch das Wesentliche und Wichtige der Tat eines einzelnen hohen Wesens wird verbürgt, daß das Karmagesetz besteht. Wenn diese Dinge einmal in der Zukunft richtig verstanden werden, wird sich erst herausstellen, wie wenig die Theosophie Gegnerin irgendeines Bekenntnisses ist, das auf einem wahren Grund gebaut ist, und wie sehr sie erst zu einem wahren Verständnis eines solchen Bekenntnisses führt. Wenn Sie so das Karmagesetz in einigen Fällen überschaut haben, werden Sie fühlen, daß man in eine ganz tiefe Notwendigkeit innerhalb des geistigen Lebens hineinschaut. Richtig erfaßt hat das Karmagesetz freilich erst derjenige, der es nicht bloß zur theoretischen Erkenntnis macht, sondern in die ganze Empfindungs- und Gefühlswelt seines Seins aufnimmt. Dann ergießt sich innere Sicherheit und Harmonie über das ganze Leben. Und diejenigen, die immer und immer wieder behaupten, das Karmagesetz führe zur Untätigkeit und Lethargie, es bewirke, daß man sich in sein Schicksal ergäbe, es führe nicht zur Lebensfroheit und dergleichen, die haben es noch nicht versucht, mit dem Karmagesetz zu leben. Mit dem Karmagesetz zu leben, heißt Lebensmut und Hoffnung in die Seele eingießen.
Vor allen Dingen muß das Karmagesetz Licht auf unsere Zukunft werfen. Weniger müssen wir an die Vergangenheit denken als an die Zukunft. Wir haben vielfach angeführt, daß der Mensch weit in die Zukunft hineinwirken kann dadurch, daß er im Sinne des Karmagesetzes in seinem Astralleibe die künftige Konfiguration des Ätherleibes und im weiteren Verfolg die künftige Gestaltung des physischen Leibes vorbereitet. Wenn Sie das überschauen, werden Sie die ungeheure Wichtigkeit dieses Zusammenhanges ersehen, Sie werden ermessen, welche Vertiefung der Erziehungsgedanke, namentlich der Volkserziehungsgedanke unter dem Karmagesetz erfahren wird. Wird heute darauf hingewirkt, daß die Menschen im Sinne des Karmagesetzes leben und ihr zukünftiges Leben vorbereiten, dann bereiten sie zu gleicher Zeit die künftigen Volksgemeinschaften vor. Was in der Zukunft leben wird, sind ja die wiederverkörperten Menschen der Gegenwart. Gesunde Rassen in der Zukunft, und namentlich gesunde Führer der zukünftigen Rassen werden entstehen, wenn im Sinne des Karmagesetzes vernünftig in die Zukunft hinein gelebt wird. Denn wenn der einzelne Mensch sich vervollkommnet, so wirkt er damit auf die Völker- und Rassenorganismen der Zukunft zurück.
Wie nun der eigentliche Mechanismus dieses Karma ist, das wäre zunächst auseinanderzusetzen. Damit ist die Frage gemeint, welche Kräfte wirksam sind, wenn die astralen Eigenschaften des jetzigen Lebens sich ins nächste Leben hinein auf den Ätherleib übertragen und welche Kräfte bewirken, daß die im Ätherleib veranlagten Eigenschaften des jetzigen Lebens - Gewohnheiten und Neigungen - sich auf die physische Disposition des nächsten Lebens übertragen. Noch schwieriger ist die Frage zu beantworten: Welche Kräfte wirken da, wo der Mensch sich auf Grund seiner gegenwärtigen Taten im nächsten Leben mit Äußerem umgibt; wo er nicht nur die Menschen, mit denen er etwas zu tun hat und zu tun gehabt hat, um sich herum sammelt, sondern sich auch in diejenige Naturumgebung, in die Pflanzen- und Tierwelt, in die Volks- und Gesellschaftsordnung, die er selbst zubereitet hat, hineinstellt? Wie sind diese Kräfte, die das alles wieder an den Menschen heranbringen? Wie kommt es zustande, daß zwei Menschen, die in einem früheren Leben etwas miteinander zu tun hatten und von denen der eine in Amerika und der andere in Europa wiedergeboren wird, dennoch zusammengeführt werden? Das sind die großen Fragen, die zu beantworten wir uns das nächste Mal bemühen wollen. Kurz, wie gestalten die Verhältnisse des einen Lebens die Verhältnisse des nächsten Lebens? Da wir viele Gäste haben werden, wird sich diese Frage auch für eine Betrachtung auf der Generalversammlung eignen. Es werden natürlich das nächste Mal diejenigen, die bei diesen Vorträgen zugegen waren, im Vorteil sein. «Die Technik des Karma» wird der Titel des nächsten Vortrages sein.
Damit hätten wir auf heute und das nächste Mal eine wichtige Lebensfrage verteilt. Ich bitte zu berücksichtigen, daß das, was gesagt worden ist, herausgegriffene Fälle waren, die auf wirklichen, positiven okkulten Tatsachen beruhen. Alles, was heute als karmischer Zusammenhang aufgedeckt worden ist, führt also auf die wirkliche Erforschung des Karma bestimmter Menschen, einzelner Individuen zurück. Karma und seine Betrachtung lehrt uns auch die Grundlage kennen, wie wir schon in diesem Leben den Zusammenhang zwischen Krankheit und einzelnen Seeleneigentümlichkeiten, namentlich der Erweckung gewisser Seelenkräfte, zu bewerten haben. So wird für die, welche hier die Vorträge über Karma in sich aufnehmen, manches in eine genauere Beleuchtung rücken, was in allgemeinen Umrissen im Architektenhaus über den Zusammenhang von Krankheit und Tod, Leiden und Übel gegeben wird. Namentlich soll in diesem Winter hier und dort darauf Rücksicht genommen werden, wie sich die geisteswissenschaftliche Weltanschauung ins Leben hineinstellt. Auf diese Weise werden wir mehr den Impuls und die Einsicht gewinnen, daß die Geisteswissenschaft nichts ist, was als unpraktisch hingestellt werden darf, sondern daß sie ins unmittelbar praktische Leben eingreift.
Karma and Details of Karmic Law
Today we will talk about karma and details of karmic law. You know that karma is understood to be the great law of cause and effect in spiritual life, and that this law of karma is relevant to spiritual science insofar as it applies to repeated earthly lives. We speak of reincarnation and karma as two things that belong together. Now, as you well know, this law of karma is often understood in a somewhat superficial way, as if it were merely a kind of reward and punishment that extends from one incarnation to the next, so that when something bad or evil happens to a person in this life, they must necessarily say to themselves: I deserve this because of some debt I incurred in a previous life. — Or: If I do this or that, I will receive the corresponding reward or punishment in the next life. — But it is not that simple. Anyone who wants to understand this law of karma must delve deeper into the nature of human beings and their entire being.
Opponents of spiritual science subject the law of karma and reincarnation, the law of repeated earthly lives, to the most vehement attacks, starting with the saying: I have had enough of one earthly life — one would not want to live this life so and so many times — to the assertion that it is a teaching that leads to inaction, to resignation in the face of a blind fate. We will deal with such opposition in detail and find a response to every objection when we engage with the whole process of karma. To do this, we must remember — although we have heard it many times before — what human beings are in a deeper sense.
As we know, human beings consist first of all of the physical body, which can be seen with the eyes and touched with the hands, which physical science investigates and searches, which anatomy dissects, which we know in ordinary life. Many materialistically minded people regard this physical body as the only thing that exists of the human being. As the second link in this being, we must consider the etheric or life body. This is the body that consists of a substance that is essentially different from the physical body. It is not enough to say that the matter, the substance of which this etheric body consists, is essentially thinner than the substance of the physical body. Rather, we are dealing with a completely different kind of “materiality.” It is an active, a force matter. This etheric matter, which has nothing to do with what is called ether in physics, has something creative about it; it is the actual building block. The best way to imagine the etheric body is that it has roughly the same shape as the physical body, but is completely translucent, though not entirely transparent — not even to clairvoyant people. It is permeable; if it were there alone, one could walk through it, but at the same time it is creative, so that the physical organs of the human being are built out of it. The heart, lungs, liver, and so on are created out of this etheric body. From a materialistic point of view, one could say that the etheric body must be very small in children. That is indeed the case. You should not be surprised by this, for we must regard it more as a force that can occupy less space than what it creates. So here we are dealing with creative life, with a creative body that underlies the physical body, which is tangible in space. This etheric body is the carrier of human habits. Above all, it is the carrier of memory and temperament, in fact of everything that constitutes the permanent soul characteristics of the human being. When we speak of the soul of the human being, we mean not least the temperament and the original character disposition. This is expressed in form in the etheric body.
The third human constituent is the astral body. It fills us and surrounds the human body like a light aura in which the drives, desires, and passions become visible. This has often been described.
A fourth element is that which appears in our actual self-consciousness, in the I. The other elements of the human being are only germinal and have their seat in this I.
With regard to karmic development, we are primarily interested in the aforementioned elements of the human being. In this context, we must bear in mind one important fact of life above all else. If you look back on your past life and think back to your childhood, you will be able to say that you have learned a great deal. There was a time when you could not yet read or write and knew nothing about world events, history, literature, and many other things. Now you know all this; it has become part of your soul. But you know something else as well. You know that you can learn a great deal and yet not change your original character and temperament very much. There are people who have learned an enormous amount in the course of their lives and filled their souls with all kinds of knowledge, but who nevertheless have to say to themselves: I used to be quick-tempered — and I still am today. Or: I have always been a phlegmatic person and have remained so. I used to have this or that habit, and I still have it today. — However, there are also people who have changed a lot about themselves and their mental dispositions. Perhaps there is no one who has not changed anything about their disposition. If you look back on your childhood, you will ultimately have to admit that you have changed many things since then. But you will also realize that observation and learning are to the transformation of character traits as the minute hand of a clock is to the hour hand. The transformation of character and temperament progresses slowly, like the hour hand of a clock, while the absorption of observations of life proceeds more quickly, like the minute hand. This depends on the fact that everything one learns is quickly absorbed by the soul, that it is carried by the astral body and expressed in the astral body. When you hear something fundamentally new, you will be filled with a feeling that comes to you now and is forgotten tomorrow. Or when you experience pain that sinks back into consciousness over time — these are the things that you see flashing up in the astral body, but which then disappear again from the astral body. All of this is carried by the astral body.
So what flashes up in us temporarily in life and then disappears again is attached to the astral body. However, everything that belongs to the permanent life stock of the human being, insofar as it is expressed in the soul, everything that becomes a habit, so that the human being notices it throughout a long period of life, perhaps forever, everything that has to do with temperament, is in the etheric body, which is denser than the astral body. When a person succeeds in changing a habit or a temperamental trait, for example, when they abandon habitual carelessness and become a mindful person, this is reflected in the etheric body and not just in the astral body. When a person learns a great deal and absorbs it in such a way that it gradually becomes part of their soul and an integral part of their inner being, so that they not only know it but possess it in a deeper sense, they thereby change the configuration of their etheric body. If someone takes up a moral principle and has to keep telling themselves: The principle exists, therefore I follow it — then it only adheres to the astral body. But if it becomes so ingrained that they can no longer do otherwise, then it adheres to the etheric body. The transition from the astral body to the etheric body takes place slowly and gradually in life.
Now let us move on from considering these elements of the human being to an overview of what karma is in context. What takes place only slowly within the same earthly life, namely the transition from something that is initially only present in the astral body to the etheric body, takes place karmically from one incarnation to another in the following way: Those who have endeavored to judge morally correctly, and who may have been encouraged in this endeavor by others, will find the fruits of these efforts in their next life as an original disposition of their etheric body, as a kind of habit, as a character trait. What now lives in the astral body becomes the property of the etheric body in the next life. If you encounter a person with a praiseworthy habit, if this habit is repeatedly expressed in their life, then this indicates that they have absorbed corresponding ideas in their previous life or have brought them to their own attention. Inclinations and habits stem from ideas, thoughts, and concepts that one has formed in previous lives. If you keep this in mind, you can already make provisions for the next life, so that you can predispose a certain organization of the etheric body for the next life. You can say to yourself: In this life, I will try to tell myself over and over again that this or that is good and right. Then the etheric body will show you that it is naturally good and right to follow the corresponding principles.
A concept that can be illuminated by karma is particularly important here. This is the concept of conscience. What arises from a person's conscience is also something that has been acquired. Human beings only have a treasure trove of conscience, an instinct for what is good, right, and true, because they have built up this conscience in their past lives, in their life experiences, and in their principles. You can strengthen and enhance this conscience if you resolve to deepen your moral views a little every day. Moral views become conscience in the next life and the life after that.
So you see that what the minute hand of life shows us becomes what the hour hand shows us in the next life. There only needs to be a certain repetition of principles and views in one life, and then they become established for the next life. What occurs in the etheric body of one life bears fruit for the physical body of the next life. Good habits, good inclinations, good character traits prepare health, physical fitness, physical strength, in other words, a healthy physical body for the next life. A healthy physical body in one life indicates that the person in question has prepared this physical body in a previous life through self-acquired habits and character traits. In particular, there is a strong connection between a well-developed memory in one life and the physical body in the next life.
Let us take as an example a person who immediately forgets everything and another who has a faithful memory. One only needs to consciously recall the things one has experienced and practice this consistently, then one will eventually notice that one has not only acquired a good memory for the things one has trained oneself to remember, but that this memory also becomes a completely different power. And this comes into play in spiritual development. An overview of the past develops in a very special way. Those who conscientiously train their memory will be reborn with physical strength and limbs that can truly serve them, in order to accomplish in the next life what they inwardly desire. A body that cannot carry out what the soul wants stems from a previous life in which no care was taken to train a healthy, good memory, but in which it was left to the sloppiness of forgetfulness and absent-mindedness.
Today we are only citing individual phenomena, but you can imagine how extensive this whole area we are talking about is. The true occultist will never engage in speculation. What I am citing are not theories, but things that have been tested in specific cases. What has been said here is therefore based on specific research results. When it was just described that a solid physical organism that obeys the soul can be traced back to a good memory in a previous life, then so many cases have been investigated, and the corresponding information is based on the facts established in this investigation. Only facts should be recounted.
Now, what develops in the etheric body pushes its way into the physical body in the next life, so that not only good inclinations and character traits and good habits of life have an effect in a healthy physical body in the next life, but also that bad habits, bad habits, and corrupt inclinations are expressed in the next incarnation in a sick organism. This should not be understood as if a specific illness stems from a specific trait, but rather that certain dispositions to illness, certain predispositions to illness, can always be traced back to very specific character and temperament traits in the previous life. A person who has lived a life with corrupt character traits will therefore have an organism in this life that is more susceptible to physical illness than that of another. A person who was endowed with healthy character traits and a capable temperament will be reborn with a body that can be exposed to all kinds of epidemics without becoming infected, and vice versa.
So you see that things in the world are intricately connected according to the law of cause and effect. To cite one example, let us mention a case that corresponds to certain spiritual research findings. It may seem shocking at first, but in a theosophical branch, one can say this. Someone had developed a very selfish sense of acquisitiveness in his life, a true greed for external wealth. This was not the healthy pursuit of wealth that can spring from the altruistic intention to help the world and develop selfless activity—that is something else—but rather the selfish pursuit of gain that conditions a certain constitution of the etheric body and develops the pursuit of gain beyond what is necessary. Such a person is very often born in the next life with a physical body that shows a predisposition to infectious diseases. In numerous cases, it has been occultly determined that people who are easily infected by certain epidemics in their present life were endowed with a pathologically heightened sense of acquisitiveness in their previous life.
We can also cite other examples in detail. There are two characteristics that have a clearly recognizable influence on the karmic formation of the next life. First of all, there is the strong influence exerted by the lasting character trait of loving, benevolent encounters with fellow human beings. There are people who accept everything benevolently from their fellow human beings, who treat their surroundings lovingly and understand them with sympathy. For some, this love goes far beyond pure human love. They love nature and the whole world. The more this sense of embracing has developed and become a habit of the soul, i.e., attached to the etheric body, the more the person has the predisposition to be young in their next life: they remain young for a long time. So those who age late and remain young and agile for a long time can trace their lives back to a previous earthly life or even to several previous lives spent loving their surroundings. The more a person expresses love for their surroundings, the more they will remain physically young in a subsequent incarnation. Those who tend to dislike their fellow human beings will age early. A body that shows physical signs of aging early on can be traced back to a life of criticism, aversion, and ill will. Thus, we see that we can influence our lives by consciously intervening in karma. Those who can develop love in this life can be assured that in the next life they will have a body that shows youthful features. All those people who today write critical comments at an early age will be people who are almost born with wrinkles in their next life. This is a radical statement, but it is based on a powerful truth.
Thus, the karmic laws show us the connection between health and spiritual life. No one will dispute that this connection cannot be achieved in two steps, but that one must go into detail. Nor can the statement be doubted that a moral, sincere, conscientious soul is the future builder of a healthy body. But one cannot expect this to happen overnight, nor believe that someone who is afflicted with spiritual flaws can be healed overnight. One should also realize that one must rise from selfishness to a selfless way of life that does not immediately reap the fruits of its actions. However, what becomes a habit can also have an effect on the physical body in this life. Proof of this is occult development, which can consciously influence not only the astral body but also the etheric body. Those who undergo occult development learn to influence not only their astral body but also their etheric body and their physical body. By transforming habitual behavior, a quick-tempered person can become gentle, and a person prone to emotional outbursts can become even-tempered and harmonious. The occultist must change his habits in a relatively short time. True development requires that what one learns does not remain mere doctrine, but enters into the etheric body. Then the occultist also achieves that it enters the physical body. He learns to control his heartbeat, pulse, and breath. In occult development, what is spread over many incarnations in ordinary life is shortened. Karma is thus shortened.
Some of the things we will discuss this winter will become clearer and more transparent to us when we know certain more intimate karmic connections, for example, the difference between a beautiful and an ugly person. What is karmically present in a beautiful person? Something comes into consideration that seems unbelievable at first, but it is so. The beauty of the physical body is often, not always, but very often, a consequence of suffering endured in a previous life. Suffering in a previous life — physical suffering and also spiritual suffering — becomes beauty in the next life, the beauty of the outer physical body. In these cases, it is really true that one can use a comparison that I have often used before. How does the beautiful pearl come into being in the pearl oyster? Actually, through an illness; it is the result of a disease. In a similar way, there is also a process in the karmic context that represents the connection between illness, suffering, and beauty. This beauty is often bought with suffering and illness.
Wisdom, too, is often bought at the price of pain. It is not uninteresting that today, external research confirms in many ways what occultists have been saying for thousands of years: that wisdom is connected with pain and suffering, with a life of renunciation and seriousness in a previous existence. It is certainly worthwhile to consult external scientific research from time to time. A book on the facial expressions of thought has recently been published. The book aims to show how a person's physiognomy reflects the nature of their thinking. The author, who clearly does not know much about occultism, has nevertheless discovered through external observation that the physiognomy of a thinker reveals traces of pain they have experienced. Contemporary science is in the process of confirming ancient occult wisdom piece by piece. This will be even more the case in the coming years than any scholar could dream of.
Now you will find it even easier to understand that we cannot act out of blind faith or a sense of authority toward certain phenomena in intellectual history. When we face a phenomenon such as Schopenhauer, who poured a pessimistic mood over his entire worldview, with an understanding of the law of karma, then those who see more deeply must not believe that this pessimism represents the basic human mood [at all]. Rather, it is a fundamental mood of his soul, which has been prepared karmically in him and brought about by a certain constitution of his etheric body. This pessimistic mood of a thinker can only be understood if one traces it karmically. Such a personality did not have the opportunity to do much good in a previous life — that is a very concrete explanation. On the contrary, this person was condemned by his position in life and by his profession to do many evil things and to accomplish wrongdoing. And this evil and wrongdoing, to which he was condemned in his previous life not karmically but by his profession, comes back to him as a certain antipathy toward the world that now confronts him. This is the repetition of his own deeds. If you want to understand karma, you must not take the fatalistic view that everything is predetermined. People do not need to be condemned by their previous lives for what they do now. This is often only balanced out in the next life. Actions are therefore not always the fruits of previous lives, but may only find their balance in a future life. Such actions are meant when we speak of the cause of Schopenhauer's pessimistic mood.
Let us strictly distinguish between everything that a person accomplishes as their own individual deeds, which arise entirely from their person – not those that they have to perform through their community, their family, and their profession. Two court councillors may do the same thing because they are court councillors, but we exclude that. However, they may also perform very different deeds because they are two different people. And that is what we are now considering. What flows from a person's personality, what they accomplish, will come back to them as their external fate in the next life. If a person finds themselves in a happy situation in life, if they have been granted a favorable destiny, this can be traced back to the right, wise, and good deeds they accomplished as a personality in a previous life. If a person is in a bad situation in life, if many things go wrong for them, if they live in unfavorable circumstances—meaning their external situation, not the condition of their physical body—then this can also be traced back to deeds they personally accomplished in their previous life. What a person has accomplished through their profession and family affiliation is stored in their temperament and character. A person's fate is therefore determined by their personal deeds in their previous life. Conversely, a person can bring about a favorable or unfavorable fate in their next life through good, wise, and right deeds.
Those who are brought together with certain personalities have themselves created the conditions for this in a previous life. They have had something to do with these people and have now brought them into their own sphere. An example of this is a case from the time of the Femgerichte. A Femgericht was associated with an execution. The person concerned was brought before masked judges, who carried out the sentence immediately. Here is a case where a person was convicted and killed. Fate has been occultly investigated and traced back to previous incarnations. It turned out that the person killed by the five judges had once been a chieftain who had these five people killed. His former deed had, as if by magnetic force, brought these five people back into his life, and they took revenge on him. This is a radical case, but it is based on a general law. You cannot come together with a person who interferes in your life unless you yourself have brought them into your life on the basis of previous relationships. It may be the case, however, that general circumstances, profession, or family ties bring a person together with people with whom they have never been together before. But then, through mutual behavior, a meeting in the next life is established, which now has to do with the external fate and life of those involved. You see that such karmic ideas are often complicated and not so easy to explain. It is important to study these things in detail, because only then can we truly understand life.
It must also be pointed out again and again that the correctly understood idea of karma must not be contrasted with the doctrine of salvation as found in Christianity. Although I have already explained to many of you the compatibility of the Christian doctrine of salvation with the idea of karma, there are also new listeners here. There are many misunderstandings. These often arise because many people talk about theosophy without understanding much about it. It is claimed, for example, that karma simply means that human beings must bear the consequences of all their actions. If they have committed a crime, they can only redeem themselves from their sins. From this point of view, many theosophists declare that the idea of redemption through Christ Jesus is meaningless. Theosophy cannot accept redemption through another being, because man must redeem himself. Christian theologians counter this by saying: We believe in redemption through Christ Jesus, but you believe in self-redemption. The two are not really compatible.
Meanwhile, karma is a kind of life account that can be compared to a commercial account. On one side are the debit items and on the other the credit items. They are added up and the balance is calculated. It would be a strange businessman who said: I don't want to do any more business so that my balance sheet is not affected. — Just as a new transaction can be carried out at any moment in commercial life, so a new karma can be brought about at any moment by a new action. If someone thinks: A person has brought suffering upon themselves, they deserve it, so I must not help them — that is foolishness. It is like saying to a businessman who is bankrupt: Twenty thousand marks would help you, but if I gave them to you, I would be interfering with your account book. — That would certainly not be the case. The borrowed sum would only be entered in the account book. It is the same with life. It only has to be balanced, but it does not always have to be balanced by oneself. Karma does not mean self-balancing, but only being balanced by an action. Now suppose you are a rich, powerful man who can help not just one, but two people. Then you can intervene in the karma of two people. Precisely because karma exists, you can intervene in the life account of these two people. There are people who can help three, four, five, even hundreds. Such people will not say: I must not help others because I am interfering with their karma. — Rather, they will help them.
Such help can now be given by a being of the highest order, who once appeared in the world, to those people who consider themselves part of his circle. That is Christ Jesus. Because salvation is brought about by a certain kind of evil, it does not contradict the law of karma. Salvation through Christ Jesus is completely compatible with the law of karma, just as the rich man's help to the bankrupt merchant is. The misunderstandings arise from the fact that theosophists have not thoroughly understood karma and theologians have not concerned themselves with it. It is precisely through the essential and important nature of the act of a single high being that the law of karma is guaranteed to exist. Once these things are properly understood in the future, it will become clear how little theosophy is opposed to any creed that is based on a true foundation, and how much it leads to a true understanding of such a creed. Once you have understood the law of karma in a few cases, you will feel that you are looking into a very deep necessity within spiritual life. Of course, only those who do not merely make it a theoretical knowledge, but absorb it into the whole world of sensations and feelings of their being, have truly grasped the law of karma. Then inner security and harmony pour out over the whole of life. And those who claim again and again that the law of karma leads to inactivity and lethargy, that it causes one to surrender to one's fate, that it does not lead to joy in life and the like, have not yet tried to live with the law of karma. To live with the law of karma means to pour courage and hope into the soul.
Above all, the law of karma must shed light on our future. We need to think less about the past and more about the future. We have often pointed out that human beings can influence the distant future by preparing, in accordance with the law of karma, the future configuration of the etheric body in their astral body and, in the further course of events, the future form of the physical body. If you understand this, you will see the tremendous importance of this connection; you will appreciate the depth of the idea of education, especially the idea of national education, under the law of karma. If efforts are made today to enable people to live in accordance with the law of karma and prepare for their future lives, then at the same time they are preparing the future communities of the people. What will live in the future are the reincarnated people of the present. Healthy races in the future, and especially healthy leaders of future races, will emerge if people live sensibly in the future in accordance with the law of karma. For when the individual human being perfects himself, he thereby influences the national and racial organisms of the future.
The actual mechanism of this karma must first be examined. This refers to the question of which forces are effective when the astral characteristics of the present life are transferred to the etheric body in the next life, and which forces cause the characteristics of the present life that are predisposed in the etheric body — habits and inclinations — to be transferred to the physical disposition of the next life. Even more difficult to answer is the question: What forces are at work when, on the basis of their present deeds, people surround themselves with external circumstances in their next life; when they not only gather around themselves the people with whom they have something to do and have had something to do, but also place themselves in the natural environment, in the plant and animal world, in the social order that they themselves have prepared? What are these forces that bring all this back to the person? How is it that two people who had something to do with each other in a previous life, one of whom is reborn in America and the other in Europe, are nevertheless brought together? These are the big questions that we will try to answer next time. In short, how do the circumstances of one life shape the circumstances of the next? Since we will have many guests, this question will also be suitable for consideration at the general meeting. Of course, those who were present at these lectures will have an advantage next time. “The Technique of Karma” will be the title of the next lecture.
We have thus distributed an important question of life between today and next time. Please bear in mind that what has been said were selected cases based on real, positive occult facts. Everything that has been revealed today as a karmic connection can therefore be traced back to the actual investigation of the karma of specific people, of individual human beings. Karma and its consideration also teach us the basis on which we must evaluate the connection between illness and individual soul characteristics, namely the awakening of certain soul forces, already in this life. Thus, for those who take in the lectures on karma here, many things will come into sharper focus that are given in general outline in the Architect's House about the connection between illness and death, suffering and evil. Namely, this winter, consideration should be given here and there to how the spiritual scientific worldview fits into life. In this way, we will gain more insight and understanding that spiritual science is not something that can be dismissed as impractical, but that it intervenes in immediate practical life.