The Christian Mystery
GA 97
21 April 1906, Munich
XXVII. The Inner Earth
Thinking of the tremendous natural events we have heard of—the eruption of Vesuvius and the earthquake in America,199In April 1906, the cone at the summit of Vesuvius collapsed. Vapour pressure caused the material, about 100 million cubic metres, to be ejected, with masses of ashes raining down on the surrounding area for days, darkening the skies. Together with the lava flow they caused enormous damage. More than 100 people lost their lives.
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906, with the fires tliat followed, destroyed almost the whole of the city. it is only to be expected that those who study the science of the spirit ask if there is any connection between the process of cosmic evolution on the one hand and human karma on the other. And it is indeed enormously interesting to investigate and explain these recent events from the occult point of view. To be able to do so, the occultist must not only be schooled in clairvoyance in the usual way, but have gone through initiation in the second degree. It is a known fact in occult circles that the inner earth does not reveal itself to someone with ordinary clairvoyance. It is relatively easy to have clairvoyant awareness at the astral, devachanic level. But it needs another kind of initiation to be able to explore the inner earth.
Let me first of all remind you that present-day people have only managed to penetrate the outer shell of the earth to a very small depth. They have gone scarcely beyond a depth of 2,000 metres. Everything else, everything beyond this, is beyond their limits of penetration. And they would really be utterly surprised, perhaps even confused, if they did succeed in learning more about the deeper layers of this our earth. They would be confused because they would find things there that show only the faintest similarity to those we know on the earth's surface. They would not have words to describe most of them, for the states of matter inside the earth are indeed utterly different from anything we know up here. They would be utterly amazed to find that the metal which corresponds to our silver is liquid like mercury down there. And the same holds true for the other metals and the minerals.
The earth consists of seven distinct layers, and an exploration of those seven layers corresponds to the seven stages of Christian initiation.200See the lecture given in Köln (Cologne) on 30 November 1906 (in this volume), and the lecture given on 3 September 1906 in Stuttgart (in At the Gates of Spiritual Science (GA 95). Tr. E. Goddard, C. Davy, London: Rudolf Steiner Press 1986). They are 1) the washing of the feet, 2) the scourging, 3) the crowning with thorns, 4) the crucifixion, 5) the mystic death on the cross, 6) the entombment, and 7) the resurrection.
Someone who had passed the first stage of initiation would thus be able to penetrate the outermost layer clairvoyantly and proceed to explore the second, and so on.
In the first place, then, the earth has seven layers. The outermost, on which we live, is called the mineral earth in the language of initiates. This and the other terms I shall give come from a great occult school. The same terms were used by medieval mystics, Rosicrucians, and others.
This mineral earth contains all the minerals we are familiar with. Relatively speaking, it is an extremely thin and delicate layer. Volcanic eruptions bear witness that deeper layers are able to penetrate it.
The mineral earth is followed by what is known as the ‘soft’ earth. It is given that name because here the hardening process has not gone as far as it has in the mineral earth. It also has a quite remarkable property. It has a kind of sentience. It produces symptoms of sentient responses on being touched that are like the dim conscious awareness of some plant species.
The next layer is called the ‘steam’ earth. Just as steam is produced in a boiler, so does this layer come to a form of will-like expression. It is capable of enormous expansion, and the mineral layer is only able to contain it with some effort.
The fourth layer is called the ‘form’ or also the ‘water’ earth. Its special feature is that it has the negative of every form we know of in the mineral layer. Thus a rock crystal would there have the form of its negative, like a plaster cast up here.
The fifth layer is called the ‘fruit’ earth. If it were able to get out into the atmosphere, we would observe form upon form arising from such a piece of fruit earth and disappearing again. It has soul, as it were, the capacities of a soul struggling to gain shape and form.
The sixth layer is the ‘fire’ earth, a most remarkable layer, as we shall see. It is able to feel pleasure and pain, as it were, and is more or less in the condition of a human being who is ‘over the moon’ one moment and ‘down in the dumps’ the next. Human passions have a tremendous effect on it, and as human passions grow, so it gets more and more restless.
The seventh layer is called the ‘earth mirror’, exactly because everything that happens on the outermost layer is reflected here. You have to think of it happening in a different way however. Everything that is passive here is active there and vice versa. So if you were to strike some metal here to make it ring, the metal would ring of its own accord down there.
These seven layers are followed by two others which are of a very peculiar nature. In the School of Pythagoras the eighth layer was called the sphere of numbers because of a particular aspect we shall consider in a moment. Our occult schools call it the shatterer. For if we were to hold a flower against it, trying, as it were, to look at this layer through the flower, we would see the rose multiplied an infinite number of times. If we were to do the same experiment with a stone, there would be no multiplication. It only applies to natural life forms and to things created with artistic feeling. This region is the seat of all that lacks harmony, morals and peace. There everything rushes apart. It is the opposite of love. If a black magician were to succeed in reaching it—and he does have the power to do so—the evil in him would grow tremendously more powerful. It is the particular moral attitude of human beings that has an enormous influence on this level. If humanity gradually succeeds more and more in getting rid of immorality, letting morality take its place, this zone will gradually calm down more and more. And this will in its turn influence the attitudes of human beings.
The ninth and final layer is the dwelling place, as it were, of the spirit of our planet. It has two peculiar features. We might compare it with a human being, for it has an organ resembling a brain. Another organ is similar to a heart. The spirit of our planet is also subject to changes closely connected with human evolution.
Let us now go back to the fire earth. As I said, it has the capacity to feel pleasure and pain, and living people's passions have a powerful influence on it, so that it gets into an even greater state of restlessness and upheaval at times when human beings develop great passions. It then exerts even greater pressure on the fruit earth lying above it. And channels do indeed branch out from this layer to all the layers above it. The mineral earth contains great cavities, though these are at considerable depth. The channels from the fruit earth run to those cavities and force tremendous masses of material into them. These on their part cause earthquakes or seek a way out through the vent of a volcano. Such have also been the causes of those recent disasters.
The Lemurians, the third great root race, still lived on a soft earth. The hardening process in the outer crust had not yet progressed very far and there were just a few harder areas that floated in this soft layer more or less like islands. The last remnants and witness to, that soft earth are the many small islands in the Pacific which rise suddenly above the surface of the ocean and disappear again after a time. The Lemurians, who developed tremendous passions, had such an influence on the fire earth as their evolution progressed and they indulged in their vices, that the fire earth grew rebellious, as it were, came up to the surface with tremendous power and destroyed the race.
We see, therefore, that the Lemurians brought about their own perdition. Realizing this, the occultist reflects that by working on his own perfection he may not only accelerate the process of evolution for his time but also have a considerable influence on earth evolution. This should arouse a feeling of responsibility in both respects, spurring him on to do further work on himself.
Let us now consider two highly important occult facts that are connected with these natural events. On the one hand let us envisage the karma of the people who perished in those disasters. It is only natural for people to wonder about the tremendous karma coming upon countless individuals on such occasions. I can tell you, however, that occult observation has shown these individuals to be the best of spiritualists in their next incarnation. Their violent death came as the final shock, as it were, to strip off the bonds of materialism once and for all.
Another occult observation is that all people born at the time when such an eruption takes place will be materialists in life. This is quite understandable. The disquieting element of the fire earth is influencing them at a time when they seek to reincarnate with all might and gives them materialistic qualities. It does not matter if a soul is born here or in America, for example. Separation in space is without cause in this zone. Many of the readers and writers of materialistic works were born around the year 1822 when Vesuvius erupted again after a long period of quiescence. The fact that Vesuvius remained quiescent for centuries indicates the spiritual nature of the Middle Ages. Since then eruptions have come at relatively short intervals. Evolution has accelerated altogether now. The period from Charlemagne to Frederic the Great corresponds to the period of the 19th century, meaning that all events during the longer period correspond in number and significance to those that now happen within a century. Evolution will go even faster as time goes on.
Das Innere der Erde
Es ist sehr naheliegend, daß der Schüler der Geisteswissenschaft unter dem Eindruck jener gewaltigen Naturereignisse, des Ausbruchs des Vesuvs und des Erdbebens in Amerika, die Frage nach dem Zusammenhang einerseits mit dem kosmischen Entwickelungsprozeß, andererseits mit dem menschlichen Karma aufwirft. Und in der Tat ist es ungeheuer interessant, diese jüngsten Ereignisse vom Standpunkt des Okkultismus zu untersuchen und zu erklären. Um dies zu können, ist es erforderlich, daß der Okkultist nicht nur im gewöhnlichen Sinne hellseherisch geschult ist, sondern es ist notwendig, daß er die Einweihung des zweiten Grades durchgemacht hat. Es ist in Okkultistenkreisen eine bekannte Tatsache, daß dieses Innere der Erde sich dem Blick des gewöhnlichen Hellsehers entzieht. Verhältnismäfig leicht ist es, astral, devachanisch hellseherisch bewußt zu sein. Aber um das Innere der Erde erforschen zu können, ist eine andere Art von Einweihung erforderlich.
Zunächst lassen Sie mich darauf hinweisen, daß es dem heutigen Menschen nur geglückt ist, bis zu einer ganz geringen Tiefe in die äußerste Schale der Erde einzudringen. Kaum hat er die Tiefe von zweitausend Metern erreicht. Alles andere, was darunter folgt, entzieht sich seinem Erkenntnisvermögen. Und wirklich würde er aufs höchste überrascht oder sogar verwirrt sein, wenn es ihm gelänge, über die tiefer liegenden Schichten unserer Erde nähere Erfahrungen zu machen. Es würde ihn verwirren darum, weil er Dinge fände, die den unsrigen auf der Erdoberfläche nur ganz entfernt ähnelten. Für die meisten wurden ihm die Worte fehlen, denn in der Tat sind die Zustände der Materie in der Erde gänzlich verschieden von den uns hier oben bekannten. Höchst erstaunt würde er sein, wenn er sähe, daß dasjenige Metall, das unserem Silber entspricht, dort unten flüssig wie Quecksilber ist. Ebenso ist es mit den andern Metallen und Mineralien.
Die Erde zerfällt nun in sieben verschiedene Schichten, und die Erforschung dieser sieben Schichten entspricht stufenweise den sieben verschiedenen Graden der christlichen Einweihung. Sie lauten: erstens Fußwaschung, zweitens Geißelung, drittens Dornenkrönung, viertens Kreuzigung, fünftens der mystische Tod am Kreuz, sechstens die Grablegung, siebentens die Auferstehung.
Demnach würde ein Mensch, der die erste Einweihung bestanden hätte, fähig sein, die äußerste Schicht hellseherisch zur Erforschung der zweiten zu durchschreiten und so weiter fort.
Die Erde zerfällt also zunächst in sieben Schichten. Die äußerste, auf der wir leben, wird in der Sprache der Eingeweihten die mineralische Erde genannt. Diese und die folgenden Bezeichnungen stammen von einer großen Okkultistenschule. Dieselben Benennungen hatten die mittelalterlichen Mystiker, Rosenkreuzer und andere.
Diese mineralische Erde enthält alle uns bekannten Mineralien. Ihre Schicht ist verhältnismäßig äußerst dünn und zart. Die vulkanischen Eruptionen legen für ihre Durchdringbarkeit von tieferliegenden Schichten Zeugnis ab.
Auf diese mineralische Erde folgt die sogenannte weiche Erde. Sie heißt darum so, weil der Verhärtungsprozeß in ihr noch nicht so weit wie in der mineralischen vorgeschritten ist. Ferner zeigt sie eine höchst bemerkenswerte Eigenschaft. Sie besitzt eine Art Empfindung. Rührt man sie an, so äußert sie Symptome von Empfindung wie das dumpfe Bewußtseinsempfinden von gewissen Pflanzenarten.
Die nächstfolgende Schicht wird die Dampferde genannt. Wie der Dampf in einem Wasserkessel erzeugt wird, so zeigt diese Schicht eine willensartige Äußerung. Eine ungeheure Expansionskraft ist ihr eigen, und nur mit Mühe gelingt es der mineralischen Schicht, sie fest zu umschließen.
Die vierte Schicht wird die Form- oder auch Wassererde genannt. An ihr ist bemerkenswert, daß sie alle Formen, welche wir auf der mineralischen Schicht haben, im Negativ besitzt. Ein Bergkristall zum Beispiel würde in ihr die Form eines Negativs wie bei einem Gipsabguß hier oben haben.
Die fünfte Schicht wird die Fruchterde genannt. Könnte sie ins Freie gelangen, so würden wir an so einem Stück Fruchterde die Beobachtung machen, wie fortwährend Formen auf Formen aus ihr entständen und wieder vergingen. Sie besitzt gleichsam Seele, die Fähigkeiten einer nach Gestaltung ringenden Seele.
Als sechste Schicht folgt die Feuererde, eine sehr bemerkenswerte Schicht, wie wir noch weiter sehen werden. Sie hat die Fähigkeit, sozusagen Lust und Leid zu empfinden, und befindet sich in einem ähnlichen Zustand wie der Mensch, der zwischen «himmelhoch jauchzend» und «zu Tode betrübt» schwankt. Die Leidenschaften der Menschen üben auf sie einen ungeheuren Einfluß aus, so daß mit Zunahme menschlicher Leidenschaften auch ihre Unruhe wächst.
Die siebente Schicht heißt der Erdenspiegel, eben darum, weil sich in dieser Region alle Dinge widerspiegeln, die sich auf der äußersten Schicht ereignen. Nur muß man sich den Verlauf ein wenig anders vorstellen. Alles, was hier passiv ist, ist dort aktiv, und umgekehrt. Schlüge man demnach hier auf ein Metall, so daß es tönte, so gäbe das Metall dort unten von selbst einen Ton von sich.
Auf diese sieben Schichten folgen nun noch zwei weitere, die sehr eigenartiger Natur sind. Die achte Schicht wurde von der Schule des Pythagoras die Sphäre der Zahlen genannt, und zwar wegen einer Eigentümlichkeit, die wir gleich kennenlernen werden. Unsere okkulten Schulen nennen sie den Zersplitterer. Würde man nämlich gegen dieselbe etwa eine Blume halten, also so, daß wir versuchten, gleichsam durch die Blume hindurch die Schicht zu betrachten, so würden wir dieselbe unendlich oft vervielfältigt sehen. Würde man dagegen dieses Experiment mit einem Stein versuchen, so würde keine Vervielfältigung eintreten. Nur lebende Naturformen oder mit künstlerischem Sinn Geschaffenes ist hierzu geeignet. Diese Region nun ist der Sitz alles Unharmonischen, aller Unmoral, alles Unfriedens. Alles strebt dort auseinander. Sie ist das Gegenteil von Liebe. Gelingt es einem Schwarzmagier, bis zu ihr vorzudringen —- und es steht dies im Bereich seiner Kräfte -, so wird das Böse in ihm noch gewaltig verstärkt. Auf diese Sphäre nun hat die jeweilige Moral der Menschen einen ungeheuren Einfluß. Wenn es den Menschen immer mehr gelingt, die Unmoral zu beseitigen und die Moral an ihre Stelle treten zu lassen, so wird sich auch diese Zone immer mehr und mehr zur Ruhe begeben. Dann findet auch ihrerseits wieder eine Rückwirkung auf die Gesinnungen der Menschen statt.
Die neunte und letzte Schicht ist sozusagen der Wohnsitz des Planetengeistes. Sie zeigt zwei eigentümliche Erscheinungen. Man könnte sie mit einem Menschen vergleichen, denn sie besitzt ein Organ, das einem Gehirn ähnelt. Ein anderes Organ gleicht einem Herzen. Auch der Planetengeist ist Veränderungen unterworfen, die mit der Entwickelung der Menschen in engem Zusammenhange stehen.
Wir kehren nun zu der Feuererde zurück. Wie erwähnt, zeigt sie die Eigenschaft des Lust- und Leidempfindens, und die Leidenschaften der lebenden Menschen üben auf sie einen gewaltigen Einfluß aus, so daß sie zu Zeiten, wo die Menschen große Leidenschaften entwickeln, in eine um so größere Unruhe und Aufregung gerät. Infolgedessen übt sie einen noch stärkeren Druck auf die über ihr liegende Fruchterde aus. Und von dieser Schicht führen in der Tat verzweigte Kanäle nach allen oberhalb liegenden Schichten. In der mineralischen Erde befinden sich nun, allerdings in beträchtlicher Tiefe, große Höhlungen. In diese führen die von der Fruchterde kommenden Kanäle und pressen in sie hinein gewaltige Massen, die nun ihrerseits entweder Erdbeben verursachen oder in dem Schacht eines Vulkans sich ihren Ausweg suchen. Und diesen Ursachen sind auch die jüngsten Katastrophen zuzuschreiben.
Die Lemurier, also die dritte große Wurzelrasse, lebten noch auf der weichen Erde. Der Verhärtungsprozeß war oben bei der äußersten Kruste damals noch nicht so weit vorgeschritten, und es gab nur ganz wenige härtere Gebiete, die gleichsam wie Inseln auf dieser weichen Schicht schwammen. Als letzte Überbleibsel und Zeugnisse von der weichen Erde haben wir die vielen kleinen Inseln im Stillen Ozean zu betrachten, die plötzlich über der Meeresoberfläche auftauchen und nach einiger Zeit wieder versinken. Die Lemurier nun, die gewaltige Leidenschaften entwickelten, übten, je weiter sie in ihrer Entwickelung fortschritten und ihren Lästern frönten, einen derartigen Einfluß auf die Feuererde aus, daß diese sozusagen rebellisch wurde, mit ungeheurer Kraft an die Oberfläche gelangte und die Rasse vernichtete.
Wir sehen also, daß die Lemurier ihren Untergang sich selbst zuzuschreiben haben. Für den Okkultisten gibt dies Anlaß zu der Betrachtung, daß, wenn er an seiner eigenen Vervollkommnung arbeitet, er nicht nur den Entwickelungsprozeß seiner Epoche beschleunigt, sondern auch auf den Werdegang der Erde erheblich einwirken kann. Es muß sich für ihn hieraus ein Verantwortungsgefühl in zweifacher Richtung ergeben und ihn zum weiteren Arbeiten an sich selber anspornen.
Wenden wir uns nun noch der Betrachtung zweier höchst wichtiger okkulter Tatsachen zu, die mit diesen Naturereignissen in Zusammenhang stehen. Einmal führen wir uns das Karma derjenigen vor Augen, die bei diesen Katastrophen umgekommen sind. Freilich ist es verständlich, wenn der Mensch sich über das ungeheure Karma wundert, das bei dieser Gelegenheit über so unzählige Menschen hereinbricht. Aber lassen Sie mich sagen, wie man okkult beobachtet hat, daß alle diejenigen Seelen, die bei einer solchen Katastrophe zu Tode gekommen sind, in der nächsten Inkarnation die besten Spiritualisten werden. Der gewaltsame Tod, den sie jetzt fanden, war gleichsam der letzte Schock, um die Fesseln des Materialismus für sie endgültig abzustreifen.
Und die andere Beobachtung, die man okkult angestellt hat, ist die, daß alle diejenigen, welche um die Zeit solcher Ausbrüche geboren werden, im Leben Materialisten werden. Es ist dies ganz erklärlich. In der Zeit, wo sie mit aller Gewalt die Wiederverkörperung suchen, wirkt auf sie das beunruhigende Element der Feuererde ein und gibt ihnen materialistische Leidenschaften. Ob nun die Seele hier geboren wird, während zum Beispiel in Amerika der Ausbruch stattfindet, ist gleichgültig. Räumliche Trennung bleibt in dieser Zone ohne Ursache. So sind viele Leser und Verfasser materialistischer Schriften um das Jahr 1822 geboren, damals, als der Vesuv nach langer Zeit wieder ausbrach. Einen Hinweis auf das spirituelle Mittelalter bildet die Tatsache, daß der Vesuv jahrhundertelang ruhig geblieben ist. Seither folgen sich die Ausbrüche in kürzeren Abständen. Jetzt findet überhaupt eine beschleunigte Entwickelung statt. Der Zeitraum von Karl dem Großen bis zu Friedrich
dem Großen entspricht dem Zeitraum des 19. Jahrhunderts. Dies ist so zu verstehen, daß alle Ereignisse während des gekennzeichneten langen Zeitraumes in ihrer Zahl und Bedeutung hinsichtlich der Entwickelung heute einem Zeitraum von hundert Jahren entsprechen. Wir werden uns in der Folgezeit noch schneller entwickeln.
The Interior of the Earth
It is quite natural that students of spiritual science, under the impression of those tremendous natural events, the eruption of Vesuvius and the earthquake in America, should raise the question of the connection between the cosmic process of evolution on the one hand and human karma on the other. And indeed, it is tremendously interesting to examine and explain these recent events from the standpoint of occultism. In order to do this, it is necessary for the occultist not only to be trained in clairvoyance in the ordinary sense, but also to have undergone the second degree of initiation. It is a well-known fact in occult circles that the interior of the Earth is hidden from the view of the ordinary clairvoyant. It is relatively easy to be astral and devachanic clairvoyantly conscious. But in order to explore the interior of the Earth, a different kind of initiation is required.
First, let me point out that modern man has only succeeded in penetrating the outermost shell of the Earth to a very shallow depth. They have barely reached a depth of two thousand meters. Everything else below that is beyond their power of perception. And they would indeed be extremely surprised or even confused if they were able to gain closer experience of the deeper layers of our Earth. It would confuse them because they would find things that only remotely resemble those we have on the Earth's surface. He would be at a loss for words to describe most of them, because the conditions of matter in the earth are completely different from those we know up here. He would be extremely astonished to see that the metal corresponding to our silver is liquid like mercury down there. The same is true of the other metals and minerals.
The earth is now divided into seven different layers, and the exploration of these seven layers corresponds step by step to the seven different degrees of Christian initiation. They are: first, the washing of feet; second, the scourging; third, the crowning with thorns; fourth, the crucifixion; fifth, the mystical death on the cross; sixth, the burial; seventh, the resurrection.
Accordingly, a person who has passed the first initiation would be able to pass through the outermost layer clairvoyantly in order to explore the second, and so on.
The earth is thus divided into seven layers. The outermost layer, on which we live, is called the mineral earth in the language of the initiates. This and the following designations come from a great school of occultists. The medieval mystics, Rosicrucians, and others used the same designations.
This mineral earth contains all the minerals known to us. Its layer is relatively extremely thin and delicate. Volcanic eruptions testify to its permeability to deeper layers.
This mineral earth is followed by what is known as soft earth. It is so called because the process of hardening has not progressed as far in it as in the mineral earth. Furthermore, it displays a most remarkable property. It possesses a kind of sensation. When touched, it exhibits symptoms of sensation similar to the dull consciousness of certain plant species.
The next layer is called vapor earth. Just as vapor is produced in a kettle, this layer displays a kind of volition. It possesses an enormous expansive force, and the mineral layer can only enclose it with difficulty.
The fourth layer is called the form or water earth. It is remarkable that it possesses all the forms that we have in the mineral layer in negative. A rock crystal, for example, would have the form of a negative in it, as in a plaster cast here above.
The fifth layer is called the fruit earth. If it could escape into the open air, we would observe how forms continually arise and disappear from it. It possesses, as it were, a soul, the abilities of a soul striving for form.
The sixth layer is the fire earth, a very remarkable layer, as we shall see further on. It has the ability to feel pleasure and pain, so to speak, and is in a state similar to that of a human being who fluctuates between “ecstatic” and “deeply saddened.” Human passions exert an enormous influence on it, so that as human passions increase, so does its restlessness.
The seventh layer is called the Earth Mirror, precisely because everything that happens on the outermost layer is reflected in this region. However, one must imagine the process a little differently. Everything that is passive here is active there, and vice versa. If one were to strike a metal here so that it sounded, the metal down there would automatically emit a sound.
These seven layers are followed by two more, which are of a very peculiar nature. The eighth layer was called the sphere of numbers by the school of Pythagoras, because of a peculiarity that we will learn about in a moment. Our occult schools call it the splitter. If we were to hold a flower against it, for example, so that we could try to look through the flower at the layer, we would see it multiplied infinitely many times. If, on the other hand, we were to try this experiment with a stone, no multiplication would occur. Only living natural forms or creations made with artistic sensibility are suitable for this. This region is the seat of all disharmony, all immorality, all discord. Everything there strives to separate. It is the opposite of love. If a black magician succeeds in penetrating it—and this is within the realm of his powers—the evil within him is greatly intensified. The respective morality of human beings has an enormous influence on this sphere. If human beings increasingly succeed in eliminating immorality and replacing it with morality, this zone will also become more and more peaceful. Then, in turn, there will be a reaction on the part of the zone on the attitudes of human beings.
The ninth and last layer is, so to speak, the dwelling place of the planetary spirit. It exhibits two peculiar phenomena. It could be compared to a human being, for it possesses an organ resembling a brain. Another organ resembles a heart. The planetary spirit is also subject to changes that are closely related to the development of human beings.
We now return to the fiery earth. As mentioned, it displays the characteristic of feeling pleasure and pain, and the passions of living human beings exert a powerful influence on it, so that at times when human beings develop great passions, it becomes all the more restless and agitated. As a result, it exerts even greater pressure on the fruit earth above it. And from this layer, branched channels lead to all the layers above. In the mineral earth, there are now large cavities, albeit at considerable depth. The channels coming from the fruit soil lead into these cavities and press enormous masses into them, which in turn either cause earthquakes or seek their way out in the shaft of a volcano. And these causes are also responsible for the most recent catastrophes.
The Lemurians, the third great root race, still lived on the soft earth. The hardening process had not yet progressed very far in the outer crust at that time, and there were only a few harder areas that floated like islands on this soft layer. The last remnants and evidence of the soft earth can be seen in the many small islands in the Pacific Ocean that suddenly rise above the sea surface and sink again after a while. The Lemurians, who developed tremendous passions, exerted such an influence on the fiery earth as they progressed in their development and indulged in their blasphemies that it became rebellious, so to speak, rose to the surface with tremendous force, and destroyed the race.
We see, then, that the Lemurians have themselves to blame for their downfall. For the occultist, this gives rise to the consideration that when he works on his own perfection, he not only accelerates the evolutionary process of his epoch, but can also have a significant impact on the development of the Earth. This must give rise to a sense of responsibility in two directions and spur him on to further work on himself.
Let us now turn our attention to two highly important occult facts related to these natural events. First, let us consider the karma of those who perished in these catastrophes. Of course, it is understandable that people are amazed at the tremendous karma that befalls so many people on such occasions. But let me say that occult observations have shown that all those souls who have died in such a catastrophe become the best spiritualists in their next incarnation. The violent death they now met was, as it were, the final shock that enabled them to finally cast off the shackles of materialism.
And the other observation made by occultists is that all those born around the time of such eruptions become materialists in life. This is quite understandable. At the time when they are seeking reincarnation with all their might, the unsettling element of the fiery earth affects them and gives them materialistic passions. It does not matter whether the soul is born here while the eruption is taking place in America, for example. Spatial separation remains without cause in this zone. Thus, many readers and authors of materialistic writings were born around the year 1822, when Vesuvius erupted again after a long period of time. An indication of the spiritual Middle Ages is the fact that Vesuvius remained quiet for centuries. Since then, eruptions have followed at shorter intervals. Now, accelerated development is taking place. The period from Charlemagne to Frederick the Great corresponds to the period of the 19th century. This is to be understood in such a way that all events during the marked long period correspond in number and significance to a period of one hundred years in terms of development today. We will develop even more rapidly in the future.